Supplements

1. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 7 October 2026

   Folic acid nudges blood sugar down, but too little to matter

   Pooled across 24 randomised trials, folic acid supplementation lowered fasting blood glucose by 2.17 mg/dL and fasting insulin by 1.63 pmol/L, with a small drop in insulin resistance scores, but HbA1c did not change. The authors call the reductions small enough to limit clinical application.

   ⚠What it shows: Real but tiny: pooled results from 24 trials in adults show drops in fasting glucose and insulin that are statistically clear yet too small to matter much to anyone managing their blood sugar. HbA1c, the marker that reflects blood sugar over months, did not move at all.Meta-analysis · Nutrients

   Full breakdown →Insulin sensitivity explained →Metabolic Fitness Index →Folic Acid Supplementation Improves Glycemic Control for Diabetes Prevention and Management: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients 2021
2. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 6 October 2026

   Creatine does nothing for post-workout soreness or recovery

   Creatine supplementation did not improve recovery of muscle strength, soreness, range of motion or inflammation after muscle-damaging exercise across pooled trials; the only change was a lower blood marker of muscle damage at 48 hours.

   ⚠What it shows: A solid null: results pooled from 13 trials covering 278 people, mostly men aged 20 to 60. The trials disagreed with each other quite a bit, so the authors still want bigger, tighter studies before closing the book.Meta-analysis · Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab

   Full breakdown →Creatine monohydrate guide →Creatine Calculator →The Effect of Creatine Supplementation on Markers of Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Human Intervention Trials. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2021
3. Supplementsnot supported · human dataAdded 5 October 2026

   Citrulline malate does nothing for strength in trained lifters

   Citrulline malate did not improve muscle strength in resistance-trained adults when four randomised trials were pooled, with 69 assessments on the supplement and 69 on placebo; upper and lower body results were equally flat.

   ⚠What it shows: A credible null: results pooled from four trials where trained lifters were assigned at random to citrulline malate or a placebo, 69 assessments in each group. Only four trials made the cut, so a small effect hiding below detection cannot be completely ruled out.Meta-analysis · J Diet Suppl

   Full breakdown →Citrulline malate guide →One-Rep Max Calculator →Effects of Citrulline Malate Supplementation on Muscle Strength in Resistance-Trained Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Diet Suppl 2022
4. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 2 October 2026

   Beetroot helps you last longer, not race faster

   Pooling 76 trials in healthy adults, dietary nitrate supplementation gave a small to moderate boost in time-to-exhaustion tests but made no significant difference to time-trial performance.

   ⚠What it shows: Strong for one narrow claim: results pooled from 76 trials in healthy adults showed a benefit only in tests of how long you can keep going, not in race-style time trials. Optimal dosing and who benefits most are still unknown.Meta-analysis · Sports Med

   Full breakdown →Beetroot juice guide →Running Pace Calculator →The Effect of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation on Endurance Exercise Performance in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med 2017
5. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 1 October 2026

   Curcumin eases sore muscles and helps strength bounce back after hard sessions

   Pooled results from ten randomised trials suggest curcumin supplementation reduces post-exercise muscle soreness and the muscle damage marker creatine kinase, with modest improvements in strength and joint range of motion.

   ⚠What it shows: Fairly credible as supplement evidence goes: results pooled from ten randomised trials, all pointing the same modest direction. The trials were small, though, and the authors say larger, higher-quality studies are still needed to confirm the effects and settle long-term safety.Meta-analysis · Phytother Res

   Full breakdown →DOMS explained →Recovery Readiness Index →The effect of curcumin supplementation on delayed-onset muscle soreness, inflammation, muscle strength, and joint flexibility: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res 2022
6. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 30 September 2026

   Fish oil's heart benefit shrank as the studies got bigger

   Omega-3 supplements did not significantly reduce deaths or the re-narrowing of treated arteries in results pooled from 29 trials of 35,144 high-risk cardiovascular patients. Larger and longer trials tended to show smaller benefits, suggesting bias may partly explain earlier positive findings.

   ⚠What it shows: Take this seriously but not as final: results pooled from 29 trials in 35,144 people at high heart risk found no clear survival benefit, though some modest effect remains possible. The telling detail is that the bigger and longer the trial, the smaller the apparent benefit, which points to weaker studies inflating the early enthusiasm.Meta-analysis · BMC Cardiovasc Disord

   Full breakdown →All-cause mortality explained →Heart Age Calculator →Omega-3 fatty acids in high-risk cardiovascular patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2010
7. Supplementspreliminary · human dataAdded 28 September 2026

   Stacking caffeine with bicarbonate buys you nothing extra

   In a network meta-analysis of 13 trials with 181 participants, caffeine, sodium bicarbonate and their combination each produced small performance improvements over placebo, but combining them showed no clear advantage over either supplement alone despite larger metabolic responses such as a bigger rise in blood lactate.

   ⚠What it shows: A fair answer to the stacking question, but a small one: results pooled from 13 trials totalling just 181 people, and responses may differ with training status. Each supplement's benefit was small to begin with, so the margins here are fine.Review · Metabolites

   Full breakdown →Caffeine guide →Caffeine Half-Life Calculator →Individual and Combined Effects of Acute Caffeine and Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation on Exercise Performance and Metabolic Responses: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis of Co-Supplementation Trials. Metabolites 2026
8. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 27 September 2026

   Caffeine helps CrossFit scores, but only a little

   Pooled results from seven crossover trials in 103 people found acute caffeine gave a small boost to overall CrossFit performance (Hedges' g 0.13) and raised blood lactate; neither the relative dose nor training status significantly changed the effect.

   ⚠What it shows: A real but small edge: results pooled from seven small crossover trials covering 103 people, only 13 of them women. That thin, mostly male evidence base means the true size of the benefit could still shift.Meta-analysis · Nutrients

   Full breakdown →Caffeine guide →Caffeine Half-Life Calculator →Effects of Acute Caffeine Supplementation on Performance and Physiological Responses in CrossFit: A Systematic Review and Three-Level Meta-Analysis. Nutrients 2026
9. Supplementspreliminary · human dataAdded 27 September 2026

   CoQ10 flops as a sports supplement: no gains in VO2max or recovery markers

   CoQ10 supplementation showed no robust benefit for athletes across 24 pooled studies: VO2max was unchanged, and blood pressure, muscle damage markers and inflammation did not shift either. The only favourable signal, on the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde, appeared in a secondary analysis and was described by the authors as fragile.

   ⚠What it shows: A fairly convincing null: results pooled from 24 studies in 613 trained people showed no effect on aerobic capacity, muscle damage or inflammation. Nearly all the studies had quality concerns and small numbers, so a niche benefit under extreme training stress cannot be completely excluded.Review · 3 Biotech

   Full breakdown →VO₂max explained →VO2max Calculator →The effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on exercise-induced oxidative stress and related physiological outcomes in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 3 Biotech 2026
10. Supplementspreliminary · human dataAdded 23 September 2026

    CBD on its own did nothing for acute back pain, but THC plus CBD eased migraine

    A review of five randomised trials found no across-the-board benefit of cannabis-based products for back pain or headache: a single 400-mg oral dose of CBD was no better than placebo for acute low back pain. Vaporised THC plus CBD improved acute migraine pain relief at 2 hours, with selected benefits sustained through 24 to 48 hours.

    ⚠What it shows: Take the split seriously but not as settled: a sweep of all the studies found only five trials with 1,072 people in total, and the back pain result rests on a single dose in one trial. Products containing THC may also have let participants guess what they were taking, which can inflate apparent benefits.Review · Cannabis Cannabinoid Res

    Full breakdown →CBD (cannabidiol) guide →Efficacy and Safety of Cannabinoid-Based Interventions for Low Back Pain and Migraine: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2026
11. Supplementspreliminary · human dataAdded 22 September 2026

    Antioxidant herb purslane flunks its own antioxidant test

    Pooled results from 10 randomised trials suggest purslane supplementation lowered C-reactive protein by 0.33 mg/dl on average, but it did not significantly change malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity or superoxide dismutase, three markers of oxidative stress.

    ⚠What it shows: Treat the inflammation result lightly: pooled from 10 trials, the drop in C-reactive protein only just reached significance and the trials disagreed with each other heavily. Meanwhile all three antioxidant markers stayed exactly where they were.Meta-analysis · Phytother Res

    Full breakdown →Metabolic syndrome explained →Effects of purslane supplementation on C-reactive protein levels and biomarkers of oxidative stress as marks for metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res 2021
12. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 22 September 2026

    The weight creatine adds is mostly muscle, not fat

    Across 63 trials in 1489 people, adding creatine to resistance training produced greater gains in upper-body strength, lower-body strength and lean mass than training alone, with no significant change in fat mass. The small rise in total body weight was mostly lean tissue, and body-fat percentage dipped slightly.

    ⚠What it shows: About as solid as sports nutrition evidence gets: results pooled from 63 trials in 1489 people, most showing the same direction of benefit. The included trials varied in diets and training backgrounds, and the hint that younger lifters gain more strength is exploratory rather than proven.Meta-analysis · J Int Soc Sports Nutr

    Full breakdown →Creatine monohydrate guide →Creatine Calculator →Resistance training combined with creatine supplementation: a three-level meta-analysis of multidimensional outcomes from strength enhancement to body composition remodeling. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2026
13. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 21 September 2026

    Resveratrol dents inflammation, but only on some markers

    Pooled data from 24 randomised trials found that resveratrol supplements lowered the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein and TNF-α in people with metabolic syndrome and related conditions. Two other markers, IL-6 and the antioxidant enzyme SOD, did not change.

    ⚠What it shows: A real but partial signal: results pooled from 24 trials showed lower levels on two inflammation markers and no movement on two others, and the trials disagreed with each other considerably. Everyone studied had metabolic syndrome or a related condition, so healthy adults may respond differently.Meta-analysis · Food Funct

    Full breakdown →Metabolic syndrome explained →The effects of resveratrol supplementation on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress among patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Food Funct 2018
14. Supplementspreliminary · human dataAdded 21 September 2026

    Creatine works in women too, but the effect is small

    A multilevel meta-analysis of 34 studies covering 692 female participants found creatine supplementation produced a small overall benefit (Hedges g 0.23), with small effects on performance (g 0.30) and body composition (g 0.24), though the certainty of the evidence was rated low to very low.

    ⚠What it shows: Encouraging direction, shaky confidence: results pooled from 34 studies covering 692 female participants point to small benefits, but the reviewers rated the certainty low or very low throughout. Protocols and outcomes varied so much that no firm sport-specific conclusion is possible yet.Systematic review · Front Nutr

    Full breakdown →Creatine monohydrate guide →Creatine Calculator →Effects of creatine supplementation on exercise performance, physiological outcomes, and body composition in females engaged in exercise or training: a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis. Front Nutr 2026
15. Supplementspreliminary · human dataAdded 19 September 2026

    Chilli pepper supplements barely move your cholesterol

    Pooled results from four randomised trials suggest chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum) supplements lowered total cholesterol by about 4.98 mg/dL in adults with metabolic syndrome and related conditions, while triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol did not change.

    ⚠What it shows: Take it lightly: only four trials could be pooled, and the single change found was a small dip in total cholesterol while triglycerides, HDL and LDL all stayed put. Larger trials in people with genuinely raised blood fats are needed before this means much.Meta-analysis · Phytother Res

    Full breakdown →Metabolic syndrome explained →Heart Age Calculator →The effects of Capsicum annuum supplementation on lipid profiles in adults with metabolic syndrome and related disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res 2023
16. Supplementspreliminary · human dataAdded 15 September 2026

    Ashwagandha's muscle-building case rests on three small, fragile trials

    A review pooling the only randomised trials that paired a standardised ashwagandha extract with structured resistance training found hints of bigger bench press and lower-body strength gains than placebo, but both effects lost statistical significance under stricter analysis and the certainty of the evidence was rated low to very low. There was no dependable effect on body fat.

    ⚠What it shows: Treat the strength boost as a hint, not a fact: only three poolable trials in 161 healthy adults exist, every one with quality concerns, and the apparent benefits disappeared under stricter statistical checks. Each result also leaned on a single influential trial, so one more good study could change the picture entirely.Meta-analysis · Nutrients

    Full breakdown →Hypertrophy explained →One-Rep Max Calculator →Adjunctive Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Supplementation and Resistance-Training Adaptations in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Random-Effects Meta-Analysis of Muscular Strength, Chest Circumference, and Body Composition. Nutrients 2026
17. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 15 September 2026

    Curcumin and synbiotics cooled inflammation markers; leptin would not budge

    Pooling 60 randomised trials that compared 14 supplement strategies in overweight and obese adults, synbiotics, curcumin, green tea extract and probiotics combined with omega-3 each lowered at least one inflammatory blood marker, while no supplement significantly reduced leptin.

    ⚠What it shows: As pooled evidence goes this is substantial, 60 trials in overweight and obese adults, but doses, durations and participants varied so much that nobody can say which product at what dose actually works. These are blood-marker changes, not proof anyone got healthier.Meta-analysis · Nutrients

    Full breakdown →Omega-3 (fish oil) guide →Effects of Nutritional Supplements on Inflammatory Biomarkers in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients 2026
18. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 14 September 2026

    Citrulline with training trims fat a little, and the scale never notices

    Pooling 9 randomised controlled trials, long-term L-citrulline supplementation combined with exercise modestly reduced body fat and android fat mass compared with exercise alone, with no significant effect on body weight, BMI, gynoid fat mass or total lean mass.

    ⚠What it shows: Real but small: results pooled from 9 trials found modest reductions in body fat and belly-region fat, while weight, BMI and lean mass did not change at all. Effects this size are easy to lose in future trials, so hold the finding lightly.Meta-analysis · Complement Ther Med

    Full breakdown →Body composition explained →Body Fat Calculator →Synergistic effect of long-term L-citruline supplementation combined with exercise on body composition in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complement Ther Med 2026
19. Supplementspreliminary · human dataAdded 13 September 2026

    Olive oil's bitter compounds nudge cholesterol and insulin down

    Supplementing with the olive phenolics oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol modestly lowered total cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin across 14 pooled trials involving 594 people, though the effects were small and the trials often disagreed.

    ⚠What it shows: Suggestive rather than settled: results pooled from 14 trials totalling 594 people found small drops in cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin, but the trials disagreed with each other on several outcomes. The authors themselves call for more studies before drawing firm conclusions.Meta-analysis · Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr

    Full breakdown →Insulin sensitivity explained →The impact of oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol on cardiometabolic risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2025
20. Supplementspreliminary · human dataAdded 13 September 2026

    Whey helped older lifters' grip strength where HMB did not

    In older people with sarcopenia, strength training combined with whey protein or HMB supplementation improved fat-free mass, grip strength, chair-stand and walking performance across seven pooled randomised trials. Whey plus training significantly improved grip strength; HMB plus training did not.

    ⚠What it shows: Promising rather than proven, by the authors' own admission: results pooled from just seven trials of 472 older adults with sarcopenia, several carrying a moderate to high risk of bias, and the subgroup results did not all point the same way.Meta-analysis · Medicine (Baltimore)

    Full breakdown →Sarcopenia explained →Protein Intake Calculator →Combined effects of strength training, whey protein, and HMB on sarcopenia in older people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore) 2026
21. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 13 September 2026

    Short bursts of sun are enough for vitamin D; tanning for more is a bad trade

    Higher vitamin D levels are associated with a lower risk of colon cancer and with lower overall mortality, according to a review of the evidence. Brief daily UV exposure is usually enough for the body to make vitamin D, while extended sunbathing or sunbed use is inadvisable because it raises skin cancer risk.

    ⚠What it shows: Reasonably solid on the sun advice, softer on cancer: the vitamin D links come from studies that followed people rather than testing anything, so they show association, not proof that vitamin D prevents cancer. This sweep of the evidence dates from 2010, its authors call for more research, and the breast cancer picture remains unclear.Systematic review · Dtsch Arztebl Int

    Full breakdown →All-cause mortality explained →The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention: does UV protection conflict with the need to raise low levels of vitamin D?. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2010
22. Supplementspreliminary · human dataAdded 12 September 2026

    Chinese herbal medicine boosted muscle mass and grip strength in sarcopenia trials

    Pooling 17 randomised trials in 1,440 people with sarcopenia, Chinese herbal medicine, alone or added to conventional care, improved muscle mass, grip strength and 6-metre walking speed, though the authors' own checks pointed to publication bias.

    ⚠What it shows: Interesting but shaky: results pooled from 17 trials in 1,440 people did show gains, yet the reviewers' own checks suggested trials with poor results may never have been published, which would inflate the benefits. The formulas tested also varied widely, so this supports the broad approach rather than any single product.Meta-analysis · Phytother Res

    Full breakdown →Sarcopenia explained →Impact of Chinese herbal medicine on sarcopenia in enhancing muscle mass, strength, and function: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res 2024
23. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 7 September 2026

    Beetroot juice helps you last longer, not race faster

    Pooled data from 17 controlled trials found nitrate supplementation, most often as beetroot juice or sodium nitrate at 300 to 600 mg, gave a moderate improvement in time to exhaustion tests. Effects on time trials and graded exercise tests were small and not statistically significant, and benefits appeared more often in inactive to recreationally active people and with several days of loading.

    ⚠What it shows: Reliable for one narrow thing: results pooled from 17 controlled trials show nitrate helps people last longer at a fixed effort, while the improvements in race-style time trials were small enough to be chance. Benefits also showed up mostly in inactive to recreationally active people, so trained athletes may see less.Meta-analysis · Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab

    Full breakdown →Beetroot juice guide →The effect of nitrate supplementation on exercise performance in healthy individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2013
24. Supplementswell supported · human dataAdded 6 September 2026

    Vitamin D worked for ageing muscle mainly as part of a protein and exercise package

    In pooled results from 9 trials in 1420 older adults with sarcopenia, combining vitamin D with protein supplementation and exercise clearly improved hand grip strength, while vitamin D on its own shortened chair-stand time but did not improve gait speed or muscle mass.

    ⚠What it shows: Reasonably solid as far as it goes: results pooled from 9 trials in 1420 older adults with age-related muscle loss. Many of the comparisons are indirect, drawn across trials rather than within them, so the winning combination has not been tested head to head in one large trial.Meta-analysis · Nutrients

    Full breakdown →Sarcopenia explained →Protein Intake Calculator →The Optimal Strategy of Vitamin D for Sarcopenia: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients 2021

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