Vitalspell
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Reviews

Vitamin D plus K2 acts like a drug, not a supplement

An Italian cardiology team's narrative review in IJMS reframes combined vitamin D and K2 as a low-potency pharmacological intervention, arguing that the large neutral RCTs tested the wrong populations and ignored K2 as an essential cofactor.

Wes Calloway7 min read
Flat lay of romaine lettuce and mixed leafy greens, natural folate sources
Nutrition

5-MTHF prenatal trial: what the Ritual-funded RCT actually showed

A 24-week randomized trial in Frontiers in Nutrition compared 5-MTHF and folic acid prenatal multivitamins in 62 second- and third-trimester pregnancies. The methylated form held folate status with about a quarter of the unmetabolized folic acid. Industry-funded, narrowly scoped, and worth reading carefully.

Sera Voss
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Longevity

Aged garlic compound nudges the fat-brain-muscle axis longevity researchers chase

Dean Okonkwo
Top view of a yogurt bowl with mixed berries and granola — probiotic-rich foods
Gut Health

Akkermansia muciniphila: what the evidence actually says about the internet's favorite probiotic

Dr. Kiran Patel
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Nutrition

Magnesium bisglycinate modestly improved insomnia in largest placebo-controlled trial

A four-week randomized trial in 155 adults found that 250 milligrams of magnesium bisglycinate per day modestly reduced insomnia severity compared to placebo. The benefit was largest in people with low dietary magnesium intake.

Sera Voss

Supplements

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Nutrition

Fish oil supplements face mounting evidence of limited benefits and real risks

A growing body of research suggests fish oil supplements may not deliver the broad health benefits consumers expect and could pose risks including increased atrial fibrillation and possible cognitive decline in older adults.

Sera Voss
Cognitive Health

Brain health supplements: what the evidence says about what works

Brain health supplements are a multibillion-dollar market built on promises most products cannot back. Only multivitamins and creatine have consistent trial data, while most other products sell on claims the research simply does not support.

Tess Lindqvist
Ginkgo biloba leaves and herbal capsules arranged on a white surface
Nutrition

Vitamin B12 and muscle mitochondria: what the latest research reveals

New research from Cornell shows vitamin B12 directly affects skeletal muscle energy production at the mitochondrial level. In aged mice, B12 supplementation doubled a key enzyme's activity, raising questions about whether marginal deficiency contributes to age-related muscle decline.

Mira Chen
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Cognitive Health

Limited evidence links creatine to better cognition in older adults

A systematic review of six studies finds creatine may benefit memory and attention in adults over 55. The evidence is thin, with only one of six studies rated methodologically 'good.' The authors say high-quality trials are needed before clinical recommendations.

Sera Voss
Creatine monohydrate supplement powder in a container on a neutral surface, photographed in natural light

Fitness

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Fitness

Norwegian 4x4 intervals raised VO2max more than moderate runs in landmark trial

A 2007 randomized trial in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found four-minute high-intensity intervals raised VO2max 7.2 percent across eight weeks. The same total work at moderate pace produced no change. Two decades of replication has held up the claim.

Rafael Costa
Close-up of penne pasta with basil on a plate, representing carbohydrate-rich pre-race fuel for endurance runners
Fitness

How Many Carbs Do Runners Actually Need in 2026

A new review in Endocrine Reviews argues runners only need 10 grams of carbs per hour during long efforts, challenging decades of sports nutrition guidelines. Five experts weigh in on what the evidence actually says and what everyday runners should do.

Rafael Costa
Trail runner competing in an outdoor marathon event
Fitness

Best Running Gels, According to Editors and Science

Runner's World editors tested nine energy gels on taste, digestibility, and carbohydrate formulation across months of training. Here is which gels stood out and what the research says about how your body actually absorbs them during long runs.

Rafael Costa
3D render of red blood cells flowing through a blood vessel, representing vascular health and circulation
Fitness

What Bryan Johnson's Erection Tracking Reveals About Vascular Health

Bryan Johnson claims nighttime erections predict mortality. The medical literature confirms erectile function is an early warning for cardiovascular disease, but his personal protocol of tadalafil, Botox, and shockwave therapy goes beyond what the evidence supports.

Rafael Costa

Longevity

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Longevity

Longevity supplement NOVOS Core improved vascular aging markers in first human trial

A six-month randomized controlled trial at the University of Surrey found NOVOS Core, a 12-ingredient supplement, improved endothelial function, arterial flexibility, and blood pressure in 61 healthy adults over 40. The effect sizes rival those of structured exercise programs, but the study is modest, single-center, and not yet peer-reviewed.

Dean Okonkwo
Longevity

Low-dose oral NMN was safe and moved platelet counts in a phase 1/2 ITP trial

A 25-patient phase 1/2 trial published in Nature Medicine found that low-dose oral NMN was well tolerated in adults with steroid-refractory immune thrombocytopenia, with 20 percent meeting the primary platelet-response endpoint and 52 percent maintaining responses through week 8.

Dean Okonkwo
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Longevity

NMN and NR supplements: what the evidence says about NAD precursors and aging

NAD levels drop by roughly half between age 40 and 70, and supplement companies are selling NMN and NR as the solution. The human trials show measurable NAD increases but inconsistent clinical benefits, and the regulatory situation for NMN remains unsettled.

Dean Okonkwo
Close-up of a white pill bottle with red capsules on a beige background
Longevity

NMN versus NR: what the 2025 evidence actually says

A 2025 Food Frontiers review compares NMN and NR head to head: both raise blood NAD+, but the human trial record falls short of the longevity-extension claims printed on the supplement box.

Dean Okonkwo
Abstract 3D illustration of a colorful molecular structure on a dark background, evoking the NAD+ precursor molecules NMN and NR.

Cognitive Health

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Cognitive Health

Bacopa monnieri outperforms Ginkgo biloba for working memory, analysis finds

A 2026 network meta-analysis of 29 trials found high-dose Bacopa monnieri substantially outperformed Ginkgo biloba for working memory in healthy adults, though the comparison relies on indirect evidence with no head-to-head trials.

Tess Lindqvist
Radiologist pointing at brain MRI scans on a lightboard in a clinical setting
Cognitive Health

Oral citicoline combination linked to cognitive gains in prodromal dementia patients

A two-centre observational study of 100 patients with prodromal dementia found that a daily combined citicoline supplement was associated with improvements across multiple cognitive domains and mood over six to nine months, though the observational design cannot establish causation.

Tess Lindqvist
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Cognitive Health

Phosphatidylserine supplement improved short-term memory in Chinese MCI trial

A 12-month RCT in 190 Chinese older adults found that a supplement containing phosphatidylserine, ALA, and Ginkgo improved short-term memory and executive function. But the combination-product design and a low PS dose make it hard to know which ingredient actually worked.

Tess Lindqvist
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Cognitive Health

L-theanine plus caffeine improved attention within two hours, meta-analysis finds

L-theanine combined with caffeine produced small-to-moderate gains in attention switching and digit vigilance within two hours of ingestion, a meta-analysis of 15 RCTs found. The benefits were real but modest, and confidence intervals revealed substantial uncertainty around the effect sizes.

Tess Lindqvist

Sleep

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Sleep

GLP-1 receptor agonists reduce sleep apnea severity by 14 events per hour

A 2026 meta-analysis of four randomized controlled trials finds that GLP-1 receptor agonists reduce the apnea-hypopnea index by 13.9 events per hour, lower body weight by 12.5 kg, and improve blood pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and obesity.

Margot Ellis
Sleep

Magnesium L-threonate improved cognition by 7.5 cognitive years in 6-week trial

A 6-week randomised trial in 100 adults found that 2 grams per day of magnesium L-threonate (Magtein) improved overall cognitive performance and reduced estimated brain cognitive age by 7.5 years. Sleep improvements were selective, but heart rate and heart rate variability both moved in favourable directions.

Margot Ellis
Close-up of a colorful molecular model, representing the chemical structure studied in the 2026 magnesium L-threonate cognition trial
Sleep

Exercise and sleep interventions show synergistic effects on cardiometabolic health in 8-week trial

A 2026 randomized trial found that combining high-intensity circuit training with a digital sleep health intervention produced greater improvements in sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset, and cardiometabolic markers than either intervention alone in sedentary young women.

Margot Ellis
A retro analog alarm clock in moody shadows and warm lighting, evoking sleep and circadian rhythm
Sleep

Magnesium and sleep: what the evidence says about the most recommended bedtime supplement

Magnesium has a plausible mechanism for improving sleep through GABA and NMDA receptors, but the trial data shows the effect is modest and largely limited to people with low dietary magnesium intake.

Margot Ellis
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