Vitalspell
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Science

What a 2026 vitamin D meta-analysis found in multiple sclerosis

A 2026 meta-analysis found a narrow vitamin D signal on MS relapse rates, but no clear overall benefit for disability scores or relapse risk.

Mira Chen6 min read
Abstract gut health illustration
Gut Health

Should healthy adults take a daily probiotic? What the evidence says

The strongest probiotic evidence is still narrow: specific strains for specific problems. For otherwise healthy adults, the best reviews do not support a default daily capsule.

Dr. Kiran Patel
Beetroot juice shot and supplement capsules on a wooden surface, illustrating sodium nitrate supplementation research
Nutrition

Sodium Nitrate May Block Heart Benefits of Exercise in Women

Rafael Costa
Close-up of a woman rubbing her eyes, conveying fatigue and eye strain
Supplements

Can Magnesium Help With Eye Twitching? What the Science Says

Sera Voss

Supplements

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Ashwagandha capsules and herbs
Supplements

Does ashwagandha carry liver, gut, or thyroid risks?

Most ashwagandha side effects look mild in short studies, but rare liver injury reports and thyroid cautions make the herb less simple than marketing suggests.

Sera Voss
Supplements

Do collagen peptides actually help skin? What the clinical trials show

Recent trials suggest collagen peptides may modestly improve skin hydration and elasticity, but the best evidence still points to small effects and uneven study quality.

Sera Voss
Collagen supplement powder
Supplements

Are collagen peptides safe? What side-effect studies show

Human trials usually report few or no adverse events with collagen peptides, but most studies are small, short and not built to detect rare harms.

Sera Voss
Abstract molecular structure illustration for collagen peptide safety explainer
Supplements

Can berberine help with insulin resistance? What the evidence says

Short-term trials suggest berberine may modestly improve insulin resistance markers, but small studies, poor bioavailability and uneven supplement quality limit confidence.

Sera Voss
Berberine supplement capsules
Frontiers performance meta-analysis figure
Fitness

Does creatine reduce inflammation? What the 2026 evidence actually shows

A fresh pair of 2026 reviews suggests creatine still earns its place as a performance supplement, but the evidence for lowering systemic inflammation remains thin.

Rafael Costa
Can cold exposure help with weight loss? The brown fat evidence
Fitness

Can cold exposure help with weight loss? The brown fat evidence

Cold exposure can switch on brown fat and raise short-term energy expenditure, but the best human evidence still finds only small, inconsistent effects on body fat.

Rafael Costa
Shirtless man standing in a freezing lake near Ludvika, Sweden, surrounded by snow and ice during winter cold water immersion
Longevity

Cold Plunges and Your Brain: What the Science Actually Shows

Cold plunges trigger a measurable surge of noradrenaline and dopamine, but the RCT evidence for long-term mental health benefits is still thin. Two recent studies clarify what the data do and do not support.

Dean Okonkwo
Runner's legs in motion on a track in Bragança Paulista, Brazil, casting a shadow
Fitness

Carbon-plated shoes alter running biomechanics tied to bone stress injury risk

A new study of 23 elite distance runners found that carbon-plated shoes increased rearfoot eversion and lowered cadence compared to neutral trainers. The biomechanical shifts are small but cumulative, and recreational runners face more exposure than elites.

Rafael Costa

Longevity

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Detailed close-up of aged black garlic cloves on a dark background
Longevity

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

A new Cell Metabolism paper identifies S-1-propenyl-L-cysteine, a bioactive in aged garlic extract, as an upstream activator of LKB1 that prompts fat tissue to release more eNAMPT. In aged mice, the molecule reduced frailty and improved muscle force. The human data is preliminary.

Dean Okonkwo
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
Abstract representation of molecular structures and biological pathways in vibrant colors
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

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
Abstract representation of molecular structures with vibrant colors, illustrating scientific research concepts

Nutrition

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Comprehensive set of brain MRI scans highlighting cranial anatomy for medical use
Cognitive Health

Omega-3 supplements accelerated cognitive decline in older adults, study finds

A 2026 analysis of over 800 older adults found omega-3 supplement users declined faster on three cognitive measures than matched non-users. Reduced brain glucose metabolism, not amyloid buildup, appeared to drive the effect.

Tess Lindqvist
A restless man lying awake on his bed in a dimly lit bedroom at night
Sleep

Magnesium did not improve sleep or prevent night cramps, major cohort study finds

A new analysis of the population-based CoLaus cohort, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, found no evidence that magnesium supplements improve sleep quality. Magnesium users actually reported a higher likelihood of nocturnal leg cramps.

Margot Ellis
Close-up of vitamin D3 capsules and box on a clean white surface
Science

Vitamin D at 5,000 IU reduced depression symptoms most in new dose-response analysis

A 2026 meta-analysis of 15 RCTs finds vitamin D supplementation significantly reduces depressive symptoms, with 5,000 IU per day showing the greatest effect. Reductions in PTH and TNFα point toward anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

Mira Chen
Close-up of fish oil capsules spilling from a bottle on white background
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

Gut Health

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Infant baby brain illustration
Gut Health

Could infant gut microbes shape later ADHD risk?

A new birth-cohort paper linked one-week Bifidobacterium patterns and a microbial metabolite to ADHD diagnoses at age 10. Here is what the data does, and does not, say.

Dr. Kiran Patel
Gut Health

Eating after 9 p.m. under stress may strain the gut

New evidence suggests late-night eating under stress may track with worse bowel symptoms and lower microbiome diversity, but the case for causality is still incomplete.

Dr. Kiran Patel
Woman eating a snack in bed late at night
Gut Health

Can probiotics sometimes make gut symptoms worse for some people?

Probiotics can trigger short-term gas, bloating or cramping, and in some people with IBS, IBD or SIBO-like symptoms they may be the wrong tool. The evidence is more specific than the marketing.

Dr. Kiran Patel
Can probiotics sometimes make gut symptoms worse for some people?
Gut Health

Psychobiotics work strain-by-strain on mental health, 14-trial review finds

A 2026 narrative review of 14 randomized trials in Frontiers in Microbiology finds psychobiotic probiotics produce strain- and context-specific effects on stress, sleep, anxiety, and depression rather than universal mood improvements.

Dr. Kiran Patel
Bacterial colonies on a culture plate, illustrating probiotic strain identity at the heart of psychobiotic research