Latest Evidence in Supplements

Introduction While I was researching this article, I was surprised to discover that horehound was the top-selling herbal supplement in mainstream retail outlets in the United States. Sales of horehound supplements, which include cough drops and lozenges with horehound...

Introduction If you’re anything like me, you’re likely boggled by the number of supplements lining the shelves in most grocery stores. Considering that by 2013, the supplement industry was already raking in close to $40 billion a year, it’s not surprising that these...

Introduction The Chinese have revered Ginkgo biloba as a sacred tree for thousands of years and extracts from its leaves, seeds, and roots are an essential part of classical Chinese medical practice (1). The Chinese name for Ginkgo biloba is “Silver Almond tree”...

Introduction Tribulus is a plant that is used to increase not only male stamina, libido, and sexual function, but also female pleasure and sensitivity. Does this herbal supplement live up to its reputation? Is this really an x-rated plant? What Is Tribulus?...

Introduction L-arginine is described as an “ergogenic” or all-around “mojo booster” in plain English. It is marketed as an anti-ageing agent, sexual booster, and sports endurance agent. Fact or fiction? Let’s look at the evidence. What Is L-Arginine? Arginine...

Introduction Slippery elm is a species of the elm tree family. It is commonly used for respiratory conditions (bronchitis, sore throat, cough, fever, and inflammation), gastrointestinal disease (peptic ulcers and diarrhea), dermatological conditions (skin abscesses...

Introduction Cysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is made by our bodies and used as a building block for proteins. Although classified as a non-essential amino acid, in rare cases, cysteine may be essential for infants, the elderly, and individuals with...

L-methionine (L-Met), aka methionine, is an amino acid needed to form protein in the body. It also has, as I have discovered, many other valuable claims attributed to it. What are some of those claims? These are some of the ones I’ve come across and will be tackling:...

Introduction to Glucosamine Glucosamine is a supplement that most of us have heard of. A recent report from the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics found that Americans spend around $13 billion per year on natural product supplements (1). Of these,...

It can smell sickly (as in, um, vomit), or sweet, even added to perfumes. It can be found in certain foods, produced by our bodies or taken as a supplement. A quick Google search reveals the main claims of benefit for Butyric Acid (BTA), also known as Butanoic Acid,...