Vitamin D: what the large trials actually found
Deficiency is worth correcting. Taking it just in case, as a healthy adult, did almost nothing in the biggest randomised trials.
Read the pieceWe read the studies, not the promises
Vitamins, minerals, probiotics and what sits on the pharmacy shelf next to them. Every piece rests on published work, and we always show where the conclusion came from.
8articles published
23sources cited
7topics covered
This week's read
All articles
Recent
Browse the archive
Omega-3: who fish oil actually helps
The same molecule behaves differently at a low dose in healthy people and at a high dose in patients with raised triglycerides.
Magnesium and sleep: evidence versus hope
Magnesium matters for hundreds of enzymes. The sleep trials, though, are small, short and inconsistent — and that is worth saying plainly.
Probiotics: you choose a strain, not a jar
A probiotic effect belongs to a specific strain and a specific job. "A probiotic for gut health" is a marketing phrase, not a claim.
More from the journal
Vitamin C and colds: what the Cochrane review really says
Regular use barely changes your chance of catching a cold, but shortens it slightly. Starting once your nose is running does close to nothing.
Creatine: one of the best-studied supplements there is
Hundreds of trials, a clear mechanism, a low price. A rare case where the evidence is stronger than the advertising.
How to read a supplement label: seven checks
Supplements are not tested for effectiveness the way medicines are. That leaves the label — and it is worth reading properly.
Supplements and medicines: combinations worth knowing about
Herbal does not mean inert. Some supplements change how prescription drugs work, occasionally to a dangerous degree.
Where to go next
Please note. This journal is informational. We do not prescribe treatment, sell supplements or stand in for a doctor. Talk to a clinician before starting any supplement or medicine — especially if you take prescription drugs, are pregnant, or live with a chronic condition.
One letter every two weeks
One deep read, one new study and one myth taken apart. Unsubscribe in a click.