supplements
Do supplements work? A few do, at specific doses, for specific people, and most do not. Each briefing here traces a supplement back to the trials behind it, including the ones that failed.
12 briefings
Magnesium glycinate and magnesium bisglycinate are the same molecule: one magnesium ion bound to two glycine molecules. The difference that matters is whether a product is buffered with magnesium oxide, which the name alone will not tell you.
Magnesium glycinate and citrate both absorb well. Citrate has the stronger absorption data and a laxative effect that helps with constipation. Glycinate is gentler on the gut, which makes it the easier choice for daily use or at night.
A fiber supplement is one isolated fraction, not a substitute for fibrous food. Psyllium has the strongest evidence, methylcellulose is a reasonable low-gas option, inulin feeds bacteria but causes bloating, and wheat dextrin has the thinnest support of the common options.
Magnesium glycinate benefits come mainly from tolerability: it is chelated to glycine, absorbs well and causes far less diarrhoea than oxide or citrate. For correcting low magnesium it works well. For sleep and anxiety specifically, the direct evidence is thinner than the marketing.
Psyllium husk benefits are among the best evidenced of any fiber supplement: modest LDL cholesterol reduction, improved stool consistency in both constipation and diarrhoea, and better post-meal glucose control. One tablespoon supplies roughly 4 g of mostly soluble fiber.
What does creatine do? It recycles ATP during short, hard efforts. That single mechanism explains the strength gains, the water weight and the cognitive findings under sleep loss.
When to take creatine matters less than taking it daily. Post-workout has a slight edge in a few trials, loading only shortens the wait to saturation, and cycling has no evidence behind it.
Does creatine make you gain weight? Yes, 1 to 2 kg in the first weeks. It is water pulled inside muscle cells, not fat, and it is part of how creatine works.
Does creatine cause hair loss? The claim traces to one 2009 study in 20 rugby players that measured a rise in DHT. No trial since has measured hair loss as an outcome, and none has replicated it.
Sea moss benefits are narrow: it is a genuine source of iodine and soluble fibre, and that iodine is also the main risk. The longer list of claimed cures has almost no human trial behind it.
Vitamin D3 and K2 are sold as a necessary pair. The pairing rests on a plausible mechanism and limited human outcome data: if you take high-dose D, adequate K2 is cheap insurance rather than proven necessity.
Zinc lozenges for cold, started within 24 hours at adequate doses, shortened colds by roughly two days in pooled trials. Nasal sprays are a different story.
