https://supplementscore.org/discover.html Evidence-based supplement reference. New peer-reviewed clinical findings reviewed weekly. No sponsorships, no affiliate links. en Sat, 02 May 2026 22:22:45 +0000 SupplementScore static-site build https://supplementscore.org/a/sarms-the-illegal-supplements-in-your-gym.html https://supplementscore.org/a/sarms-the-illegal-supplements-in-your-gym.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are drug compounds first developed to treat muscle loss and bone disease. The plan was to get the muscle-bui… https://supplementscore.org/a/omega-3-dha-during-pregnancy-critical-for-brain-development.html https://supplementscore.org/a/omega-3-dha-during-pregnancy-critical-for-brain-development.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid. It makes up roughly 97% of the omega-3 in the brain and about 93% of the omega-3 in the reti… https://supplementscore.org/a/saffron-for-depression-better-than-you-think.html https://supplementscore.org/a/saffron-for-depression-better-than-you-think.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Saffron (Crocus sativus) is best known as an expensive cooking spice. It is far less known as one of the most clinically supported natural antidepressants.… https://supplementscore.org/a/the-traveler-8217-s-supplement-kit-evidence-based-picks.html https://supplementscore.org/a/the-traveler-8217-s-supplement-kit-evidence-based-picks.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Travel puts your body through specific stressors: time-zone shifts that disrupt your sleep clock, exposure to new germs, different food and water, and chan… https://supplementscore.org/a/melanotan-ii-and-peptide-tanning-the-illegal-compounds-behind-gym-blackmarkets.html https://supplementscore.org/a/melanotan-ii-and-peptide-tanning-the-illegal-compounds-behind-gym-blackmarkets.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Melanotan II is a lab-made copy of part of alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), the body's natural pigment-stimulating hormone. It was f… https://supplementscore.org/a/choline-during-pregnancy-the-nutrient-90-of-mothers-miss.html https://supplementscore.org/a/choline-during-pregnancy-the-nutrient-90-of-mothers-miss.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Choline is one of the most under-appreciated nutrients in pregnancy. The Adequate Intake (AI) for pregnancy is 450 mg/day; for lactation, 550 mg/day. NHANE… https://supplementscore.org/a/melatonin-for-kids-safe-or-risky.html https://supplementscore.org/a/melatonin-for-kids-safe-or-risky.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Melatonin has become the most commonly used sleep supplement in children in the United States. Survey data suggests that 1 in 5 school-age children and ado… https://supplementscore.org/a/cod-liver-oil-omega-3-vitamins-a-and-d-in-one-spoonful.html https://supplementscore.org/a/cod-liver-oil-omega-3-vitamins-a-and-d-in-one-spoonful.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Cod liver oil has been given to children since the 19th century, originally for rickets. It fell from favour as standalone vitamin D and concentrated fish-… https://supplementscore.org/a/chamomile-sleep-aid-anxiolytic-or-bedtime-tea-ritual.html https://supplementscore.org/a/chamomile-sleep-aid-anxiolytic-or-bedtime-tea-ritual.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) has been used for sleep and anxiety for at least three millennia. The modern evidence is real but smaller than the market… https://supplementscore.org/a/glucosamine-and-joint-pain-the-evidence-has-changed.html https://supplementscore.org/a/glucosamine-and-joint-pain-the-evidence-has-changed.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 In the early 2000s, glucosamine and chondroitin looked like the answer to osteoarthritis. The GAIT trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine … https://supplementscore.org/a/the-supplement-stack-for-runners.html https://supplementscore.org/a/the-supplement-stack-for-runners.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Endurance athletes have a genuinely different nutritional profile than the average person. High training volumes raise iron and energy needs, sweat loss ca… https://supplementscore.org/a/folate-vs-folic-acid-in-pregnancy-what-mthfr-means-for-future-kids.html https://supplementscore.org/a/folate-vs-folic-acid-in-pregnancy-what-mthfr-means-for-future-kids.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Few topics in prenatal nutrition generate more confusion than the folate vs folic acid vs methylfolate distinction. The basic facts are unambiguous: perico… https://supplementscore.org/a/vinpocetine-brain-booster-or-unapproved-drug-the-fda-ruling-explained.html https://supplementscore.org/a/vinpocetine-brain-booster-or-unapproved-drug-the-fda-ruling-explained.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Vinpocetine is a chemically modified version of vincamine, a compound from the lesser periwinkle plant (Vinca minor). It has been sold as a prescription dr… https://supplementscore.org/a/citicoline-better-evidence-in-stroke-recovery-than-in-healthy-brains.html https://supplementscore.org/a/citicoline-better-evidence-in-stroke-recovery-than-in-healthy-brains.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Citicoline (CDP-choline) is a naturally-occurring intermediate in phosphatidylcholine synthesis. It is licensed as a prescription drug (Somazina, Ceraxon) … https://supplementscore.org/a/kids-detox-and-cleanse-supplements-a-dangerous-wellness-trend.html https://supplementscore.org/a/kids-detox-and-cleanse-supplements-a-dangerous-wellness-trend.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Children's "detox" and "cleanse" supplements occupy one of the more troubling corners of the pediatric wellness market. Marketed for everything from autism… https://supplementscore.org/a/ashwagandha-and-thyroid-a-hidden-risk.html https://supplementscore.org/a/ashwagandha-and-thyroid-a-hidden-risk.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is one of the most popular adaptogens on the market, marketed for stress, cortisol, energy, and general wellbeing. It has … https://supplementscore.org/a/iron-supplements-for-toddlers-when-and-how.html https://supplementscore.org/a/iron-supplements-for-toddlers-when-and-how.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Iron deficiency is the most common single-nutrient gap in early childhood worldwide. In high-income countries, surveys put the prevalence of iron deficienc… https://supplementscore.org/a/turmeric-vs-curcumin-why-the-supplement-industry-misleads-you.html https://supplementscore.org/a/turmeric-vs-curcumin-why-the-supplement-industry-misleads-you.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Turmeric is one of the best-selling supplements in the world. The marketing is compelling: thousands of years of Ayurvedic use, impressive anti-inflammator… https://supplementscore.org/a/the-supplement-stack-for-brain-health-after-50.html https://supplementscore.org/a/the-supplement-stack-for-brain-health-after-50.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Cognitive decline with age is common but not inevitable, and not uniform. On average, working memory, processing speed, and word recall start to dip in the… https://supplementscore.org/a/supplements-for-kids-what-s-safe-what-s-needed-and-what-to-skip.html https://supplementscore.org/a/supplements-for-kids-what-s-safe-what-s-needed-and-what-to-skip.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 The pediatric supplement aisle has exploded with gummy vitamins, probiotic pouches, and "brain-boosting" omega-3 products. The American Academy of Pediatri… https://supplementscore.org/a/chondroitin-modest-but-real-cartilage-protection-over-time.html https://supplementscore.org/a/chondroitin-modest-but-real-cartilage-protection-over-time.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Chondroitin sulfate is a sulfated glycosaminoglycan that, alongside collagen and aggrecan, forms the structural scaffold of articular cartilage. Oral chond… https://supplementscore.org/a/spermidine-and-longevity-promising-or-premature.html https://supplementscore.org/a/spermidine-and-longevity-promising-or-premature.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Spermidine is a polyamine found naturally in wheat germ, soybeans, mushrooms, natto, and aged cheese. It has drawn serious scientific interest because it t… https://supplementscore.org/a/5-supplements-that-can-dangerously-interact-with-common-medications.html https://supplementscore.org/a/5-supplements-that-can-dangerously-interact-with-common-medications.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 A common belief about dietary supplements is that "natural" means safe — and that supplements will not affect prescription drugs. Neither is true. Suppleme… https://supplementscore.org/a/vitamin-gummies-for-kids-sugar-dosing-and-better-alternatives.html https://supplementscore.org/a/vitamin-gummies-for-kids-sugar-dosing-and-better-alternatives.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Children's gummy vitamins are the fastest-growing slice of the supplement aisle. The U.S. children's gummy market is now estimated above $2 billion annuall… https://supplementscore.org/a/l-reuteri-dsm-17938-for-infant-colic-the-strongest-probiotic-evidence-in-pediatr.html https://supplementscore.org/a/l-reuteri-dsm-17938-for-infant-colic-the-strongest-probiotic-evidence-in-pediatr.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 If pediatric probiotics have a poster child, it is Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 for infant colic. Multiple randomized controlled trials, individual pati… https://supplementscore.org/a/the-colostrum-craze-is-bovine-colostrum-worth-the-hype.html https://supplementscore.org/a/the-colostrum-craze-is-bovine-colostrum-worth-the-hype.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Bovine colostrum — the first milk produced by cows after calving, rich in immunoglobulins, growth factors, and lactoferrin — has become one of … https://supplementscore.org/a/astragalus-traditional-tonic-modern-evidence-gap.html https://supplementscore.org/a/astragalus-traditional-tonic-modern-evidence-gap.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Astragalus membranaceus (Huang Qi) has been a staple of Traditional Chinese Medicine for over two thousand years, used in formulas for fatigue, frequent in… https://supplementscore.org/a/tongkat-ali-and-testosterone-the-evidence-gap.html https://supplementscore.org/a/tongkat-ali-and-testosterone-the-evidence-gap.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia), also sold as longjack, has become one of the most aggressively marketed "natural testosterone booster" herbs of the 2020… https://supplementscore.org/a/boron-the-forgotten-trace-mineral.html https://supplementscore.org/a/boron-the-forgotten-trace-mineral.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Boron does not have a Recommended Dietary Allowance. There is no formally defined enzyme job for it — nothing as clean as, say, zinc's role in cataly… https://supplementscore.org/a/5-htp-the-supplement-ssris-replaced-mdash-and-why.html https://supplementscore.org/a/5-htp-the-supplement-ssris-replaced-mdash-and-why.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a precursor to serotonin, derived from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia. It was intensively studied in the 1970s as a po… https://supplementscore.org/a/nmn-at-100-month-what-are-you-actually-buying.html https://supplementscore.org/a/nmn-at-100-month-what-are-you-actually-buying.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is a building block your body uses to make NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a coenzyme involved in DNA repair, m… https://supplementscore.org/a/supplement-timing-does-it-actually-matter.html https://supplementscore.org/a/supplement-timing-does-it-actually-matter.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Walk into any supplement store and you'll see "morning," "evening," "pre-workout," "intra-workout," and "post-workout" formulas of essentially the same ing… https://supplementscore.org/a/lactobacillus-rhamnosus-gg-the-most-studied-probiotic-strain.html https://supplementscore.org/a/lactobacillus-rhamnosus-gg-the-most-studied-probiotic-strain.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG, ATCC 53103) was isolated in 1983 from a healthy human gut and has become one of the most-studied probiotic strains in the … https://supplementscore.org/a/bilberry-extract-what-the-eye-health-evidence-actually-shows.html https://supplementscore.org/a/bilberry-extract-what-the-eye-health-evidence-actually-shows.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) became famous via a WWII story of British pilots eating bilberry jam to improve night vision — a story that is almost … https://supplementscore.org/a/folic-acid-vs-folate-5-mthf-why-your-mthfr-status-changes-the-answer.html https://supplementscore.org/a/folic-acid-vs-folate-5-mthf-why-your-mthfr-status-changes-the-answer.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Folic acid is the synthetic, oxidised form of folate used in food fortification and most multivitamins since the US fortification rule took effect in 1998.… https://supplementscore.org/a/teen-pre-workout-and-weight-loss-supplements-an-emergency-department-concern.html https://supplementscore.org/a/teen-pre-workout-and-weight-loss-supplements-an-emergency-department-concern.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Adolescent emergency-department visits attributed to dietary supplement use rose sharply through the 2010s, with disproportionate harm concentrated in two … https://supplementscore.org/a/pine-pollen-testosterone-booster-claim-vs-allergy-risk-reality.html https://supplementscore.org/a/pine-pollen-testosterone-booster-claim-vs-allergy-risk-reality.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Pine pollen — mostly from Chinese red pine (Pinus massoniana) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) — has been sold as a natural testosterone boost… https://supplementscore.org/a/creatine-for-older-adults-muscle-brain-and-bone.html https://supplementscore.org/a/creatine-for-older-adults-muscle-brain-and-bone.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Creatine monohydrate has been studied for athletic performance for decades. The emerging evidence for its role in healthy aging — across muscle, brai… https://supplementscore.org/a/bromelain-pineapple-derived-enzyme-for-inflammation-and-sinusitis.html https://supplementscore.org/a/bromelain-pineapple-derived-enzyme-for-inflammation-and-sinusitis.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Bromelain is a protein-cleaving enzyme complex extracted from pineapple stem or fruit. It has been used for decades in European medicine for post-surgical … https://supplementscore.org/a/the-supplement-industry-s-dirty-secret-third-party-testing-results.html https://supplementscore.org/a/the-supplement-industry-s-dirty-secret-third-party-testing-results.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 The supplement industry operates under a regulatory framework that would be unacceptable in any other category of health product. Unlike pharmaceuticals, d… https://supplementscore.org/a/the-dangers-of-buying-supplements-on-amazon.html https://supplementscore.org/a/the-dangers-of-buying-supplements-on-amazon.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 By most industry estimates, Amazon now accounts for roughly 30–40% of all U.S. dietary supplement sales — the single largest point of purchase in the categ… https://supplementscore.org/a/zinc-and-immunity-separating-science-from-cold-season-marketing.html https://supplementscore.org/a/zinc-and-immunity-separating-science-from-cold-season-marketing.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Every autumn, zinc supplement sales spike dramatically as consumers stock up for cold season. The marketing is confident: zinc boosts immunity, shortens co… https://supplementscore.org/a/raw-thyroid-glandulars-the-dangerous-supplement-trend.html https://supplementscore.org/a/raw-thyroid-glandulars-the-dangerous-supplement-trend.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Raw desiccated thyroid glandular supplements are made from freeze-dried or dried animal thyroid tissue, usually from cattle or pigs. They are sold over the… https://supplementscore.org/a/berberine-and-gut-health-a-double-edged-sword.html https://supplementscore.org/a/berberine-and-gut-health-a-double-edged-sword.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Berberine has become one of the most-discussed metabolic supplements in recent years, helped along by viral comparisons to metformin (the standard first-li… https://supplementscore.org/a/herbal-supplements-and-liver-damage-a-growing-concern.html https://supplementscore.org/a/herbal-supplements-and-liver-damage-a-growing-concern.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) from herbal and dietary supplements has become a serious and growing clinical problem. The U.S. Drug-Induced Liver Injury … https://supplementscore.org/a/dietary-fibre-the-most-under-supplemented-nutrient-in-modern-diets.html https://supplementscore.org/a/dietary-fibre-the-most-under-supplemented-nutrient-in-modern-diets.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Only about 5–10% of US adults meet the Adequate Intake for fibre — 25 g/day for adult women and 38 g/day for adult men (Institute of Medicine 2… https://supplementscore.org/a/probiotics-for-babies-what-pediatric-research-shows.html https://supplementscore.org/a/probiotics-for-babies-what-pediatric-research-shows.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 The infant probiotic market has grown quickly. The pitch is that giving babies live bacteria helps their developing gut microbiome and improves health. The… https://supplementscore.org/a/melatonin-dosing-why-0-1-mg-often-outperforms-10-mg-for-sleep.html https://supplementscore.org/a/melatonin-dosing-why-0-1-mg-often-outperforms-10-mg-for-sleep.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:35 +0000 Melatonin is one of the most over-dosed supplements in America. A 2023 analysis in JAMA (Cohen et al.; PMID 37097362) tested 25 melatonin gummy products fr… https://supplementscore.org/a/greens-powders-for-kids-marketing-theatre-not-nutrition.html https://supplementscore.org/a/greens-powders-for-kids-marketing-theatre-not-nutrition.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:34 +0000 Pediatric "greens powders" are an extension of a successful adult wellness category. The pitch is straightforward: your child won't eat broccoli, but they'… https://supplementscore.org/a/niacinamide-the-forgotten-b-vitamin-beating-glucosamine-for-knee-pain.html https://supplementscore.org/a/niacinamide-the-forgotten-b-vitamin-beating-glucosamine-for-knee-pain.html Sat, 02 May 2026 22:06:34 +0000 Niacinamide (nicotinamide), the amide form of vitamin B3, has been studied for osteoarthritis since the 1950s, when William Kaufman documented functional j…