General Health
8 articles
Psyllium, inulin or guar gum? Fibre supplements compared
Most Australian adults fall short of the recommended fibre intake of about 25 g (women) and 30 g (men) per day. Food should be the first port of call, but supplements can help fill the gap. The three main types behave quite differently. Psyllium husk forms a gel in the gut. It’s well supported for …
Berberine and blood sugar: what the studies actually show
Berberine, a compound found in plants like barberry, has been nicknamed “nature’s metformin” online. That’s a catchy line, but it overstates the case. Meta-analyses of clinical trials suggest berberine can modestly lower fasting blood glucose and HbA1c in people with type 2 diabetes, and may improve cholesterol levels. However, most trials are small, short and …
CoQ10, collagen and NAD+: what anti-ageing supplements can and can’t do
“Anti-ageing” is one of the most overused words in the supplement aisle. Here’s what the research says about three popular ingredients. CoQ10 helps cells produce energy, and levels decline with age. Supplementation has some evidence in heart failure and may help certain people with statin-related muscle aches, though results are inconsistent. There’s no good evidence …
Iron, folate and B12: the nutrients women most often miss
Three nutrients come up again and again when it comes to women’s health, and each has a different story. Iron is lost through menstruation, and needs rise during pregnancy. Women who eat little red meat, including many vegetarians, are at higher risk of low levels. Symptoms like fatigue, breathlessness and pale skin overlap with many …
Glucosamine vs collagen: which one supports your joints?
Both supplements are marketed for joint comfort, but they work differently and have quite different evidence behind them. Glucosamine is a compound naturally found in cartilage. Trials in knee osteoarthritis have given mixed results: some show modest pain relief, particularly with prescription-grade glucosamine sulfate, while others show no better than placebo. Several clinical guidelines don’t …
Omega-3 and memory: separating the evidence from the hype
People who eat more fish tend to show slower cognitive decline in observational studies. That’s encouraging, but it doesn’t prove that fish oil capsules protect memory. When researchers tested omega-3 supplements in randomised trials, the results were largely disappointing. In cognitively healthy older adults, large trials and reviews have generally found little or no benefit …
What the latest research says about probiotics and gut health
Probiotics are one of the best-selling supplement categories, but the research is more specific than the marketing suggests. Benefits depend heavily on the strain, not just the genus. The strongest evidence is for preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, where certain strains such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii have performed well in trials. Some products have …