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Supplement library / evidence and buying guides

Supplements

Understand common uses, evidence boundaries, dosage context, safety questions, and the products readers compare most.

Showing 53 of 53 supplements
Supplement Amino acids

L-Theanine

Evidence and buying guide

L-Theanine (L-gamma-glutamylethylamide) is an amino acid found in green tea. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 31 randomized trials suggests a single 200 mg dose may improve choice reaction time, with modest and less certain effects on stress and mood (PMID:42410082).

Faster choice reaction time in one pooled analysisModest, uncertain acute stress signalPossible short-term mood signal needing confirmationSleep-onset signal limited to one paediatric trialNo serious adverse events reported short termNot shown to beat placebo for anxiety
Supplement Herbal nootropic

Bacopa Monnieri

Evidence and buying guide

Bacopa monnieri is a herb with a long history of use in India, studied mainly for cognitive outcomes in older adults, emotional symptoms in Parkinson's disease, and some ADHD symptom measures. Several key findings come from multi-herb formulations, and evidence is mixed and often low certainty, so expectations should stay modest.

Executive function ranking for a bacopa compound formulationLanguage-domain ranking based on few trialsEmotional symptoms signal in Parkinson's disease researchFrequently studied in cognition trialsMixed ADHD symptom findingsNo major safety issues in reviewed trials
Supplement Functional Mushrooms

Lion's Mane

Evidence and buying guide

Lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a culinary-medicinal mushroom studied mainly for compounds that may support nerve growth factor signaling, plus immune and gut-related effects. Human evidence remains limited and mostly preliminary.

Neurotrophic signaling (preclinical)Neuroinflammation pathways (in silico)Gut barrier and microbiota (animal)Digestive comfort in a multi-ingredient settingNutrient and antioxidant compositionCulinary versatility
Supplement Herbal adaptogens

Panax Ginseng

Evidence and buying guide

Panax ginseng is a traditional Asian root now studied in randomized trials for fatigue, glucose metabolism, psychomotor function and cognition. Evidence is mixed but generally suggests a favorable safety profile in monopreparations.

Fatigue supportGlucose metabolism signalsPsychomotor functionCognitive scores in mild cognitive impairmentPulmonary outcome signalsNot shown for physical performance
Supplement Cellular and cardiovascular support

Coenzyme Q10

Evidence and buying guide

Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone/ubiquinol) is a fat-soluble antioxidant studied mostly as an adjunct within clinician-directed care in cardiovascular and fertility research. Pooled randomized trials report a modest systolic blood pressure reduction and other outcome signals of low to moderate certainty, with a generally reassuring reported safety record.

Modest systolic blood pressure signalAdjunctive heart failure research findingsSemen parameters in idiopathic male infertility researchAntioxidant research around ovarian agingPreliminary psychiatric adjunct signalGenerally well tolerated in reviewed trials
Supplement Mood, sleep, and cognitive support

Saffron Extract

Evidence and buying guide

Saffron extract is studied for mood, sleep, and cognition, but findings depend heavily on the population and product. Evidence suggests possible benefits in some clinical or symptomatic groups, while high heterogeneity, publication bias, small samples, short durations, and limited healthy-adult cognition data restrict confidence.

Depression symptom research signalAnxiety symptom research signalLimited general-wellness mood evidenceShort-term sleep signalCognitive signal in diagnosed populationsMainly mild gastrointestinal effects in safety review
Supplement Hormonal & Metabolic Health

Inositol

Evidence and buying guide

Inositol has been studied mainly in people with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), not as a general nootropic or proven fertility treatment. Research reports some possible metabolic, hormonal, ovulation, and cycle-regularity signals, but international guideline evidence review judged the overall PCOS evidence limited and inconclusive (PMID:38163998).

Cycle regularityMetabolic measuresOvulation-related outcomesTolerability versus metforminForm-specific research context
Supplement Botanicals

Tart Cherry

Evidence and buying guide

Tart cherry products have limited, mixed evidence for sleep and exercise recovery, plus preliminary signals for uric acid and gout-related outcomes. Study results vary by population, product, and outcome; they do not establish tart cherry as a treatment for insomnia, gout, or exercise injury.

Sleep indicatorsExercise recoveryUric acid and gout-related outcomesResearch context mattersProduct form matters
Supplement Nootropics

Phosphatidylserine

Evidence and buying guide

Human research on phosphatidylserine, largely soy-derived, is mixed and limited. Larger placebo-controlled trials in older adults with memory complaints found no overall cognitive advantage, while some subgroup and preliminary findings require cautious interpretation (PMID:11842880, PMID:21103034, PMID:23723695).

Overall cognitive outcomesLower-baseline subgroup signalPreliminary within-group findingsFormulation-dependent pediatric finding
Supplement Amino Acids

Taurine

Evidence and buying guide

Taurine has been studied in randomized trials and meta-analyses for changes in cardiometabolic surrogate markers, but findings are generally modest and heterogeneous. Available evidence does not establish that taurine prevents or treats any disease, and trial results may not apply to all people or products.

Cardiometabolic markersBlood pressure researchCardiovascular pooled findingsPreliminary evidence base
Supplement Antioxidants

Resveratrol

Evidence and buying guide

Resveratrol research shows limited, mixed signals across cognition, vascular, and metabolic outcomes rather than consistent benefits (PMID:29596658; PMID:32900519; PMID:33480264). Findings vary by population, formulation, study design, and outcome, and one exercise study found blunted adaptations (PMID:23878368).

Cognition evidencePostmenopausal researchMetabolic evidenceExercise adaptation concern
Supplement Performance

Beta-Alanine

Evidence and buying guide

Beta-alanine has a small overall exercise-related effect in a meta-analysis, with results influenced by exercise duration and stronger for capacity than performance outcomes (PMID:27797728). Evidence in women suggests a possible time-to-exhaustion signal, but certainty is very low and several pooled outcomes were unclear (PMID:42370349).

Overall exercise evidenceExercise capacityEvidence in womenSafety context
Supplement Performance

HMB

Evidence and buying guide

In adults aged 50 and older, recent reviews find no consistent added benefit of HMB alongside resistance exercise for muscle, strength, or fat outcomes (PMID:41934514; PMID:31484462). Some analyses report limited functional or fat-free-mass signals, but findings are uncertain because of bias, mixed results, and exercise-related differences (PMID:41305674; PMID:33034021).

Resistance-training evidencePhysical-function signalsFat-free-mass evidenceExercise combination
Supplement Healthy Aging

Urolithin A

Evidence and buying guide

Urolithin A has mixed human evidence: some secondary endurance, strength and biomarker findings were favorable, while primary performance outcomes were not significant in two sponsor-linked trials (PMID:35050355; PMID:35584623). A review found no effects on anthropometrics, cardiovascular outcomes or physical function, and a small athlete trial found no significant strength improvement (PMID:39002645; PMID:39487653).

Older-adult endurance researchMiddle-aged adult researchEvidence reviewAthlete evidence
Supplement Amino Acids

Glycine

Evidence and buying guide

Evidence for glycine and sleep is limited: a 52-study review found small, high-bias healthy sleep studies and called for larger long-term trials (PMID:37851316). In a small, industry-affiliated sleep-restriction study, 3 g before bed for three nights reduced subjective fatigue and improved one vigilance measure, not insomnia treatment (PMID:22529837).

Overall evidenceSleep-restriction researchSleep quality contextEvidence limitations
Supplement Performance

L-Citrulline

Evidence and buying guide

Evidence for L-citrulline shows small, context-dependent performance signals with low to very-low certainty, while dosing and target populations remain unestablished (PMID:42356270). Meta-analyses also report no significant aerobic or acute endurance benefit, despite limited signals for lower perceived exertion and 24-hour soreness (PMID:36079738; PMID:33308806; PMID:37155582).

Overall performance evidenceAerobic outcomesRecovery signalsAcute endurance

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