Browse the evidence

Vitamin D supplementation (50,000 IU weekly for 12 weeks) in healthy, vitamin D-deficient women significantly increases gut microbial diversity and shifts the microbiota composition toward a healthier profile by increasing Bacteroidetes and decreasing Firmicutes.

If you are vitamin D deficient, supplementation (50,000 IU weekly) can improve your gut health by increasing microbial diversity and favoring beneficial bacteria like Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium. This suggests that correcting vitamin D levels is not just about bones, but also supports a healthier gut environment.

Zinc is an essential micronutrient required for over 300 enzymes and 1000 transcription factors, playing critical roles in protein synthesis, DNA synthesis, immune function, and insulin stability.

Ensure adequate dietary zinc intake, prioritizing animal sources like oysters, meat, and dairy for better bioavailability. If you have conditions affecting absorption (like malabsorption syndromes) or are in a high-risk demographic (pregnant women, elderly), consider monitoring levels or supplementing, as zinc is critical for immune function and enzyme activity.

Excessive zinc intake inhibits the absorption of copper and iron, potentially leading to copper deficiency and anaemia, respectively.

If you are supplementing with zinc, be aware that high doses can block copper and iron absorption. Monitor your levels and consider balancing your intake or spacing out supplements if taking high doses long-term.

Randomized trials in children aged six months to twelve years showed that zinc supplementation reduces all-cause and infectious disease mortality and has a minor positive impact on linear growth.

For children in high-risk or deficient regions, zinc supplementation is a critical intervention to reduce mortality and support growth.

Elevated levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and aromatic amino acids, along with altered lipid profiles (e.g., elevated palmitic acid), serve as consistent metabolomic signatures of obesity and insulin resistance.

If you have obesity, check your metabolic markers, specifically amino acids and fatty acids. Elevated BCAAs and certain fatty acids like palmitic acid are linked to insulin resistance. Monitoring these can help identify metabolic dysfunction early, even if your weight is stable.

Magnesium supplementation corrects hypomagnesemia and improves glycemic control, blood pressure, and triglyceride levels in patients with metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes, but has no effect on normomagnesemic individuals.

If you have metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes, get your magnesium levels checked. If you are deficient, supplementing with 250-600mg of elemental magnesium daily for at least 3 months can significantly improve your blood sugar, blood pressure, and triglycerides. If your levels are normal, supplementation likely won't help.

Large-scale food fortification and biofortification are highly cost-effective public health interventions that significantly reduce micronutrient deficiencies (anemia, vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency) and associated health burdens in low- and middle-income countries.

For public health policymakers in LMIC: Implement mandatory fortification of staple foods (wheat, maize, rice, salt, sugar, oil) with essential micronutrients (iron, iodine, vitamin A, folic acid). Ensure strong government enforcement, quality control, and monitoring to guarantee compliance. This is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve population health, reduce anemia, prevent birth defects, and boost economic productivity.

Selenium deficiency alters gut microbiota composition and function, leading to a phenotype that increases susceptibility to cancer, thyroid dysfunction, inflammatory bowel disease, and cardiovascular disorders.

Ensure adequate selenium intake through diet (e.g., Brazil nuts, seafood, meat) or supplementation if deficient, as this supports a healthy gut microbiota which protects against chronic diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disorders.

In conditions of limited selenium supply, intestinal bacteria compete with the host for selenium, reducing host selenoprotein levels by two to three times.

If you have low selenium levels, be aware that your gut bacteria may compete for it. Ensuring adequate selenium intake through diet or supplementation can help maintain your own selenoprotein levels.

High-dose selenium supplementation (200 µg/day) as selenized yeast or L-selenomethionine has shown mixed results in cancer prevention trials, with some showing reduced risk and others showing no benefit or increased risk.

Selenium supplementation (200 µg/day) has shown mixed results in cancer prevention. It may be beneficial in some populations (e.g., those with low baseline selenium) but not others. Consult a healthcare provider for personalized advice.

Vitamin D and 4-pyridoxic acid (Vitamin B6 metabolite) levels are significantly lower in the luteal and periovulatory phases, potentially increasing susceptibility to mood disorders like PMS by limiting neurotransmitter synthesis precursors.

Vitamin D and Vitamin B6 (as 4-pyridoxic acid) levels drop during the luteal and periovulatory phases. Since these vitamins are cofactors for neurotransmitter synthesis (serotonin, GABA), this drop may contribute to PMS/PMDD symptoms. Ensuring adequate intake of these nutrients, particularly during the second half of the cycle, may support mental health.

Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) supplementation at doses up to 1000 mg/day for 8 weeks significantly increases whole blood NAD+ levels in a dose-dependent manner without causing flushing or elevating LDL cholesterol in healthy overweight adults.

If you are looking to boost NAD+ levels, taking Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) between 100mg and 1000mg daily for 8 weeks is a safe and effective strategy for healthy overweight adults. You can expect a significant increase in blood NAD+ (up to 140% at the highest dose) without the flushing side effects of Niacin or negative impacts on cholesterol. Start with a lower dose (100-300mg) to assess tolerance, though the study found all doses well-tolerated.

Dietary intake of fermentable carbohydrates and fibers drives the gut microbiota to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate and propionate, which exert anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and metabolic regulatory effects on the host.

Prioritize whole plant foods rich in diverse fibers (grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables) to feed your gut bacteria. These bacteria convert fiber into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, which reduce inflammation, protect against colon cancer, and support metabolic health. Avoid highly processed high-carb foods that lack fiber, as they do not provide these microbial benefits.

Distributing magnesium intake across multiple small doses throughout the day significantly increases fractional absorption and retention compared to consuming the same total amount in a single bolus.

If you take magnesium supplements, do not take the entire daily dose at once. Split the total amount into 2-4 smaller doses taken throughout the day with meals. This strategy maximizes absorption because the body's active transport mechanisms (TRPM6/7) are more efficient at lower concentrations, whereas high single doses saturate these pathways and lead to lower relative absorption.

High doses of magnesium impair fractional absorption efficiency, whereas low doses are absorbed more efficiently, although absolute absorption increases with dose.

Avoid taking massive single doses of magnesium (e.g., >500mg at once) if your goal is efficient absorption. While you will absorb more total milligrams, the percentage absorbed drops drastically. To maximize efficiency, keep individual doses moderate (e.g., <100-200mg) and spread them out.

Vitamin E improves steatohepatitis in nondiabetic patients but is not recommended for diabetic patients due to cardiovascular risks.

If you have fatty liver but do not have diabetes, Vitamin E supplementation may improve your liver inflammation. However, if you have diabetes, do not take Vitamin E for this purpose, as it may increase your risk of heart problems. Consult your doctor to determine if this is appropriate for your specific health profile.

Curcumin reduces oxidative stress and inflammation in Type 2 Diabetes patients, as evidenced by reduced levels of Malondialdehyde (MDA) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP).

Curcumin helps lower the body's inflammation and oxidative stress, which are key drivers of diabetes complications. This supports overall health and may complement your standard treatment.

Polysaccharides isolated from specific macrofungi (e.g., Ganoderma lucidum, Grifola frondosa, Pleurotus ostreatus) exhibit specific bioactivities including antitumor, immunomodulatory, and hypoglycemic effects.

If seeking specific health benefits, look for supplements containing specific mushroom polysaccharides (like Lentinan from Shiitake or Beta-Glucans from Reishi) rather than generic mushroom powder, as the specific structure determines the biological effect.

Adults in South Asia exhibit a high prevalence (pooled 68%) of vitamin D deficiency, defined as serum levels < 20 ng/mL, with significant heterogeneity across countries and higher rates in females compared to males.

If you are an adult living in South Asia, there is a high likelihood (approx. 68%) that your vitamin D levels are below the recommended threshold of 20 ng/mL. This risk is higher for women due to cultural clothing and lifestyle factors. You should consider getting your serum vitamin D tested and discuss supplementation with a healthcare provider, as dietary sources alone are often insufficient to correct this widespread deficiency.

Dietary calcium intake reduces the risk of kidney stones, whereas supplemental calcium intake (especially without meals) may increase the risk.

If you are prone to kidney stones, prioritize getting calcium from food sources like dairy or leafy greens. If you must take supplements, take them with meals to help bind oxalate, as taking them between meals may increase your risk of stone formation.

Vitamin D supplementation reduces serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in individuals with baseline vitamin D deficiency, but has no beneficial effect on HDL cholesterol.

If you have high cholesterol and low Vitamin D, supplementation can help lower your total cholesterol and triglycerides. However, if your Vitamin D levels are already normal, supplementation is unlikely to improve your lipid profile. You should get your Vitamin D levels tested before relying on it for cholesterol management.

Processing methods such as germination, boiling, and autoclaving significantly reduce antinutrients (phytates, oxalates, tannins) and improve protein digestibility in amaranth grain.

To get the most nutrition from amaranth, process it before eating. Germinate the grains at 30°C for 72 hours to boost protein digestibility, or boil/autoclave them to reduce antinutrients like phytates and oxalates. This makes the minerals and protein more available to your body.

Daily oral supplementation with NRPT (250mg Nicotinamide Riboside + 50mg Pterostilbene) significantly increases whole blood NAD+ levels by approximately 40% in healthy adults aged 60-80 over an 8-week period.

Take 250mg of Nicotinamide Riboside combined with 50mg of Pterostilbene once daily with breakfast. This specific combination has been shown in a clinical trial of adults aged 60-80 to safely and sustainably raise NAD+ levels by about 40% over two months without serious side effects.

Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet (MeDi) slows cognitive decline and reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and dementia in elderly populations.

Adopt a Mediterranean-style eating pattern as your long-term dietary baseline. Prioritize vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and nuts. Use olive oil as your primary cooking fat. Consume fish and poultry in moderation, and limit red meat. This pattern is associated with slower cognitive decline and a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease in older adults.