Supplements
The latest from Supplements on Vitalspell.
Ashwagandha and multi-herb formula both reduced stress in 60-day trial
A 186-person randomized controlled trial published in Trials found that a full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract and a multi-herb adaptogen blend each reduced perceived stress significantly more than placebo over 60 days, with the ashwagandha formula showing the larger effect. Sleep quality, restorative sleep, anxiety, and fatigue also improved, while mental alertness was unchanged.
Berberine derivative lowered HbA1c by 1% in 12-week diabetes trial
A phase 2 randomized trial published in JAMA Network Open found that HTD1801, an oral compound combining berberine with ursodeoxycholic acid, reduced HbA1c by 1.0 percentage point over 12 weeks. The drug also improved insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles, and liver enzyme levels, with two phase 3 trials now completed and an NDA submission planned.
Too Many Endurance Athletes Are Racing on Too Few Carbs, Study Finds
A 2025 study found non-elite endurance athletes consume roughly 20 percent fewer carbohydrates on race day than planned, with marathoners averaging just 22 grams per hour against guidelines of 60 to 90.
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.
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.
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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.
Creatine monohydrate: what the evidence says about the most studied supplement in sports
Creatine monohydrate is the most studied sports supplement in history. It works reliably for strength and power, shows emerging promise for brain health, and costs pennies per gram. Here is why the more expensive forms have almost no evidence of superiority.
Lion's Mane extract showed no overall cognitive improvement in acute trial
A double-blind trial in Frontiers in Nutrition found that a single 3-gram dose of Lion's Mane fruiting body extract did not significantly improve overall cognition or mood in healthy young adults, though fine motor dexterity improved on the pegboard test.
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