Category: Herbs & Supplements

Close-up of raw, rolled oats displaying their flat, oval shape with beige and white shades. The texture appears dry and flaky, typical of uncooked oatmeal.

Widespread Use of Dietary Supplements Linked to Liver Damage

Millions of Americans are taking herbal remedies that may be toxic to the liver.

/ October 24, 2024

Elderberry (What is it good for)

Accumulated evidence does not demonstrate that elderberry has meaningful beneficial effects.

/ October 10, 2024
NCCIH Logo defined

The NCCIH embraces the quackery that is “functional medicine”

The process of "integrating" quackery with medicine continues apace as the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health embraces the quackery that is "functional medicine."

/ September 30, 2024

Magnesium oil: Not so magical

Despite the hype, there is no evidence to show magnesium oil is effective for any purpose.

/ July 18, 2024

No Benefit to Daily Multivitamin Use

A 20-year analysis of almost 400,000 generally healthy adults shows that vitamins do not help you live longer.

/ July 4, 2024

Amazon goes where the FDA does not

Amazon has implemented new quality standards for some dietary supplements.

/ June 20, 2024
Collagen

Collagen Supplementation: Hype and Hope

Collagen is an expensive protein supplement - nothing more.

/ June 6, 2024

What are “Adaptogens”?

The multi-billion dollar “snake oil” industry is nothing if not good at marketing. This is probably because this is not one or even a small number of companies, but likely thousands of companies and millions of individuals crowdsourcing many different marketing strategies. Those that work tend to prosper and proliferate, spawning variations. The rhetoric has been evolving in this way for at...

/ June 5, 2024

Khat and Muguka Use in East Africa

Many countries (such as Kenya’s recent regulatory changes regarding Muguka use) are struggling with the dilemma of how to regulate drug use by its citizens. There are many psychoactive drugs (we seem to be good at discovering them) with a variety of effects. Often there may be subjectively desirable effects in the short term, but long term addiction, the potential for withdrawal,...

/ May 29, 2024