14 ms·

Ask HN: What supplements do you take that have good scientific backing?

47 points by jesuscript 4y ago

Apparently Multi Collagen Protein is a thing now, but I can't tell if it's bullshit or not.

grassgreener 4y ago
Exercice
hosteur 4y ago
Vitamin D. I live fairly far north and several months of the year it is simply impossible to get any D vitamin from sun exposure - even when it is actually shining - because the sun is too low.
dw-im-here 4y ago
ritalin
- operatingthetan 4y ago
  Believe it or not there is still over the counter speed in the US, but Ritalin isn't one of them.
bloq66 4y ago
Adaptogens
- TurkishPoptart 4y ago
  What is this and what is a good example of one you take?
buildingsramen 4y ago
I would recommend examine.com as a research tool. One of the few sites not trying to sell you supplements.
- candiddevmike 4y ago
  They recently(?) locked everything useful behind a paywall, unfortunately
JLCarveth 4y ago
Creatine. Definitely noticed a HUGE difference when I ran out a few months ago.
- hosteur 4y ago
  As someone who has experimented a bit with creatine on two separate occasions without noticing much effect, what difference did you notice exactly? And what type of exercise do you do?
  - erik_landerholm 4y ago
    I notice it most for big compound movements. I cycle on and off of it. And when I go back on I can tell the difference and all the scientific studies back up that it works.
  - JLCarveth 4y ago
    I run a push pull legs program. Biggest thing I notice is the "pump". It's far easier to get a nice pump going when I have creatine in my system vs not. This definitely aids in forming a mind-muscle connection, and at least in my personal experience a good pump is an indicator you're training properly. Around this time last year I was having trouble finding any, and the difference in my performance was night and day as far as being able to reach progressive overload.
Someone1234 4y ago
Have you seen the "Supplement scorecard" here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/supplements-a-scorecard https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/supplement... I take D and fish oil, and from my reading the science on both is strong. I also take 4-in-1 Fiber but people who have a better diet likely don't need it, but I find it beneficial (and, no, "number two" isn't the exclusive reason to make sure you're getting enough, fiber has numerous health benefits with "regularity" just being what is famous for). Creatine also has surprisingly strong scientific evidence with few side effects and has been heavily studied in sports medicine. It is niche though, primarily used by people doing regular resistance exercises or pro athletes to help expedite recovery and repair. PS - Creatine does cause water weight gain by design (it causes your muscles to hold more water) which can result in 8-16 lbs of additional body weight after two weeks~ and then for two weeks~ after you stop taking it (this isn't a problem nor body-fat gain, but people trying to lose body-fat need to expect this; it is largely a flaw in using scales to track body fat which ignores water weight/inflammation). PPS - Creatine's COVID and post-COVID price increase has made it more niche than it perhaps once was. It used to be near $10 per 30-day from a reputable brand, now it can be $20-30 depending on brand (e.g. Creapure is $32/30 day right now).
- numinoid 4y ago
  > PPS - Creatine's COVID and post-COVID price increase has made it more niche than it perhaps once was. It used to be near $10 per 30-day from a reputable brand, not it can be $20-30 depending on brand (e.g. Creapure is $32/30 day right now). There's no reason to be using anything but generic creatine monohydrate - studies show no difference in efficacy between different formulations. BulkSupplements current price is ~$56/kg at ~28 cents per dose per day. No reason to let price scare you away from one of the few supplements with a real body of evidence.
  - TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
    what about contaminants? are they more or less prevalent in generic formulations?
    - 4y ago
jdthedisciple 4y ago
Vitamin D Zinc OMEGA-3 Whey Protein Magnesium (if you don't eat a lot of meat)
powerset 4y ago
General: vitamin D, epa/dha (AKA vegan fish oil), and b12 (I'm vegan btw) Workouts: creatine, pea protein isolate, and amino acids (leucine, etc.)
argsv 4y ago
I am sharing these two links on the danger of supplements. I am inclined to believe they are at best useless and probably harmful. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20161208-why-vitamin-supplements-could-kill-you https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20161208-why-vitamin-supp... https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2022/08/01/stop-taking-vitamin-d-already/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2022/08/01/stop-...
- TurkishPoptart 4y ago
  Sorry but this Forbes article is simply frustratingly wrong. So many people are deficient in Vitamin D. Of course it's preferable to take in 15 minutes of sunlight with exposed skin every day but that's not an option for most people. I can share 2 scientific studies (not Forbes) showing how there was an inverse relationship between covid mortality and vitamin-d levels. Inverse link to covid mortality: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33260798/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33260798/ Inverse link to covid mortality: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34684596/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34684596/ Inverse link to depression in adults: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30470577/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30470577/ and the best YouTube source of information during this weird pandemia discussing Vitamin D safety: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbUm5FyrHRk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbUm5FyrHRk I understand that something being "linked" to something is not a concrete recommendation to take a supplement, but the risks are very low, and the benefit is very high in my opinion, based on this research.
- RealityVoid 4y ago
  I am willing to entertain the possibility that specific supplements don't work, but saying that all supplements don't work for all people _must_ be an exaggeration. Obviously, some things work for at least a subset of people. I admit it is hard to distinguish real effects from placebo, but stuff like... creatine, which someone mentioned earlier do work.
  - onlyrealcuzzo 4y ago
    Supplements can "work" - but the quality of the supplement can be very low and filled with lots of bad stuff. Since supplements aren't made like pharmaceuticals, this can be a pretty big problem.
lambdaba 4y ago
- vitamin D (at least 20-30K IU in the cold months) - magnesium chloride (5-10g/day, 625-1250mg elemental magnesium), great on its own, indispensable with vitamin D which uses it up as co-factor - omega-3s (in high doses), probably better a high EPA/DHA ratio as you don't need that much DHA and EPA is more anti-inflammatory - astaxanthin (great for sun protection, antioxidant)
- HorizonXP 4y ago
  I've heard of these high dose Vitamin D regiments, and I have to ask, how and where are you getting such high doses? I take 2 tablets of 1000 IU per day, alongside a magnesium citrate tablet. What am I missing? You're not taking 30 tablets a day are you?
  - lambdaba 4y ago
    There are plenty of brands dosing at 5K, 10K, and even 50K IU. That 1000IU is common but very underdosed. IIRC the 400IU RDA came out of some error, it's 4000IU now, but I think even that is underdosed, with many people recommending 20K as the benchmark from what the body with sufficient exposed skin produces in 20mins in the midday sun.
    - zeroonetwothree 4y ago
      Isn’t your body producing it in a different form though?
      - lambdaba 4y ago
        I don't think so, D3 is the animal form, which I didn't mention but it is, of course, the one you want and not D2, which does have some issues. Otherwise, I think it's more a matter of vitamin D biosynthesis also having other effects that are not resulting in just the synthesis of vitamin D.
  - nicoburns 4y ago
    I don't take such a high dose (I was on 2000IU a day and got the point where it was causing my heart to race and I had to back off), but I take a vitamin D supplement where a 1000IU dose is 3 drops of liquid from a dropper. It would be easy (although very expensive, and IMO not advisable) to take a large dose via this method. I have a suspicion most people taking such a high dose (over an extended period of time) must be using a poor quality of vitamin D that means they're not actually absorbing that much. But that's just speculation.
habitue 4y ago
Collagen supplementation has shown to be really effective in various meta analyses. Helps with joint degradation, tendon repair if you do sports, skin elasticity, etc. This is a representative one focused on joints, but other studies look at appearance of aging etc: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00726-021-03072-x https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00726-021-03072-x Collagen supplements are fairly cheap, biggest downside is to get 5g per day you need to take like 5 pills. It's not a small amount (which kinda makes sense, it's structural)
- steve_adams_86 4y ago
  I would be very concerned about contaminants in collagen supplements. If you look at studies of, for example, bone broths cooked with 1) only meat, 2) meat and bones, or 3) meat, bones, and skin, the amount of lead rises significantly with the additions of skin and cartilage included with the bones [1]. Another study[2] indicates that in the form of bone broth, the levels of lead and cadmium are acceptable because they're only a few μg, but my concern rises when you'd be potentially reducing a fluid like bone broth into a powder and consuming quite a bit of it at a time. The supplement industry is notorious for substandard or absent testing, so it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if some bottles of collagen pills may contain several μg. If you take 5, then eat other foods with relatively high contamination, over time this habit seems like it has potential to significantly increase the heavy metal content in your body. I don't mean to be a scare-monger at all, and if someone knows more about this then please feel free to let me know I'm crazy. [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23375414/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23375414/ [2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28804437/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28804437/
  - habitue 4y ago
    Luckily, California has very stringent standards around heavy metals. There are lots of brands of collagen that don't require prop65 warnings on the bottle (and that are legally sold in California). California's standards are stricter than industry and national standards, to the point where you're probably fine even if a product does require a prop65 warning
freedude 4y ago
On a daily basis I take Vitamin D, garlic, curcumin (turmeric), and glucosamine/chondroitin. Why? I live north of the 45th parallel and many around me suffer from colds and flus this time of year. Since I started taking Vitamin D and Garlic the effects of getting a cold or flu is much less severe as a rule and I have back problems so I want to make every attempt to reduce inflammation without pounding the Ibuprofen. When I do get sick. I have taken a range of things and have had noticeable results with Wellness Formula from Source Naturals.
- ls15 4y ago
  > glucosamine/chondroitin Since I started msm/glucosamine/chondroitin on and off, I think I've only experienced no or very mild muscle soreness after activity. It also seems to kick in very quickly. I also like boswellia serrata extracts for their anti-inflammatory properties, since they are potent and don't give me any unwanted side-effects.
Aaronstotle 4y ago
I've been taking Ashwaghanda, it has been proven to slightly increase testosterone. It appears to do this by lowering cortisol levels, I have felt very relaxed and things rarely make me feel stressed. I started taking it to increase my strength in the gym.
- bambataa 4y ago
  I’ve been taking it too. How quickly did you start seeing that effect? I guess I have felt better but also coincides with taking time off at the end of the year etc.
- squeegee_scream 4y ago
  I was taking that to help with poor sleep but was getting crazy bad dry mouth throughout the night which would wake me up it was so painful. So it didn’t help my sleep. What dosage are you using?
Wonnk13 4y ago
Athletic Greens, however I can't speak to specific scientific backing.
briga 4y ago
Daily I take: Omega-3s Vitamin D (essential in places with long cold winters) Creatine (basically the most studied and effective supplement for strength training) Protein Glucosamine (for joints)
- avn2109 4y ago
  I second the Omega 3's, in the form of cod liver oil. Also a refrigerated probiotic occasionally and zinc every day (Zinc is super great for general physical strength and vitality for me, very underrated, strong recommend).
  - TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
    i thought zinc interferes with copper absorption? maybe you shouldn't take it every single day.
throw_pm23 4y ago
None whatsoever.
voat 4y ago
Omega 3 and CoQ10
lhoff 4y ago
I take the following: - Vitamin D (mostly during winter times) - L-Theanin ( https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301051107001573 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S03010... ) - Vitamine B12 (I am a vegetarian) - Omega 3 - Vitamin C + Zinc (especially when I feel like there is a cold incoming due to the shortening effect of zinc see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21328251/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21328251/ )
- petodo 4y ago
  Vast majority of population is vitamin D deficient all year round, even spending at least 4 hours a day half naked outdoors in Hawaii would not provide you enough vitamin D [1] and I doubt you spend that much time half naked in sunlight in other seasons, even 80-90% of Indian population living close to equator with much more sunlight is vitamin D deficient [2]. At very least I'd recommend following Finnish guidelines. [3] [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426097/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426097/ [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060930/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060930/ [3] https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/27/2/268/2670162 https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/27/2/268/2670162
Beaver117 4y ago
NAC
nradov 4y ago
I take some whey protein supplement most days. It's difficult for me to consume an optimal amount of protein every day (based on the latest scientific research) without also consuming too many calories. I could get the same or better results without the supplements if I was willing to spend more time on meal planning, but I'm lazy. https://peterattiamd.com/donlayman/ https://peterattiamd.com/donlayman/
zeroonetwothree 4y ago
I used to have frequent headaches. Now I take magnesium and potassium and almost never get them. I think many people could benefit from more minerals/electrolytes (but depends on diet of course). I also take Vitamin D (not a huge amount) in winter and Omega 3s daily but I haven’t noticed any effects. The oils seems fairly harmless though and the research is compelling. I also found probiotics and fiber helpful depending on if I didn’t get enough in my diet.
- petodo 4y ago
  Vast majority of population is vitamin D deficient all year round, even spending at least 4 hours a day half naked outdoors in Hawaii would not provide you enough vitamin D [1] and I doubt you spend that much time half naked in sunlight in other seasons, even 80-90% of Indian population living close to equator with much more sunlight is vitamin D deficient [2]. At very least I'd recommend following Finnish guidelines. [3] [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426097/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426097/ [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060930/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060930/ [3] https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/27/2/268/2670162 https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/27/2/268/2670162
inkubus 4y ago
vitamin D 50.000 IU once per week Melatonin 1mg quite often and for long period of time Omega 3-6-9 2-3 times per year during three months
sneak 4y ago
Bacopa
emelski 4y ago
Information is Beautiful did a visualization a couple years ago that attempted to answer this exact question. It hasn't been updated since end of 2020 but perhaps this will still be useful to some readers here: https://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/snake-oil-scientific-evidence-for-nutritional-supplements-vizsweet/ https://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/snake-...
reducesuffering 4y ago
Vitamin D, K, Fish Oil, Magnesium, Creatine, and Theanine all have lots of research on being effective, with very low risk. Next up, Curcumin (active Turmeric) and Ashwagandha also have significant research concluding their benefits, but I'd say their risk is one level higher, still small. examine.com
AndrewDucker 4y ago
Lactobacillus. Which someone on here recommended, and seems to really help with my IBS. I have to be careful because some versions come packaged with maltitol as a bulking agent and that makes my IBS worse.
xriddle 4y ago
Came here for advice but gotta say I'm disappointed so few comments mention any scientific sources. Something I would expect on HN.
- notacoward 4y ago
  Not only that, but a lot of the suggestions seem to ignore the "good scientific backing" part of OP's question. For example, omega-3 has been mentioned several times, but if you look at any of the sources that more responsible commenters have linked to it's clearly on the "slight" to "none" side evidence-wise. I have no opinion on omega-3 personally. It's fine if people take it. It's just not an answer to the question that was posed.
faebi 4y ago
- Caffeine - Some local "Probiotic" pills, but they seem to be from a culture which actually has some scientific testing. They made my belly a lot happier. Seems to help after alcohol too. Not sure how international this is. A lot of science is pointing to the fact that many things can support the microbiome. I take irregular for a few days in a row. - Electrolytes on demand - I plan to take very low doses of Aspirin as I get older as it seems to be helpful in preventing heart attacks.
- jkmcf 4y ago
  Aspirin use can result in serious side effects, such as stomach bleeding, bleeding in the brain, and kidney failure.[1] I was reading something I recall trusting talking about how taking the probabilities of the side effects occurring from taking aspirin regularly were higher than the potential heart attack if you didn't have heart related conditions. [1] https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-daily-use-aspirin/aspirin-reducing-your-risk-heart-attack-and-stroke-know-facts https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-daily-use-aspirin/aspirin-red...
znpy 4y ago
Sometimes melatonin. But I’ve found out that a single pill won’t get me sleepy enough to stop scrolling or closing my laptop, so I don’t bother much.
mmh0000 4y ago
Checkout Labdoor[1], an independent company that tests supplements. They find out whether products have what they claim and if they have any harmful ingredients or contaminants. [1] https://labdoor.com/review https://labdoor.com/review
petodo 4y ago
Vitamin D 5000IU daily, when I have respiratory disease I increase my daily dose to at least 15-20K IU Vitamin C and multivitamin with various vitamins, both these in drinks Vast majority of population is vitamin D deficient all year round, even spending at least 4 hours a day half naked outdoors in Hawaii would not provide you enough vitamin D [1], even 80-90% of Indian population living close to equator with much more sunlight is vitamin D deficient [2]. At very least I'd recommend following Finnish guidelines. [3] [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426097/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426097/ [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060930/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060930/ [3] https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/27/2/268/2670162 https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/27/2/268/2670162

47 points by jesuscript 4y ago

Apparently Multi Collagen Protein is a thing now, but I can't tell if it's bullshit or not.

grassgreener 4y ago

Exercice

hosteur 4y ago

Vitamin D. I live fairly far north and several months of the year it is simply impossible to get any D vitamin from sun exposure - even when it is actually shining - because the sun is too low.

dw-im-here 4y ago

ritalin

operatingthetan 4y ago
Believe it or not there is still over the counter speed in the US, but Ritalin isn't one of them.

bloq66 4y ago

Adaptogens

TurkishPoptart 4y ago
What is this and what is a good example of one you take?

buildingsramen 4y ago

I would recommend examine.com as a research tool. One of the few sites not trying to sell you supplements.

candiddevmike 4y ago
They recently(?) locked everything useful behind a paywall, unfortunately

JLCarveth 4y ago

Creatine. Definitely noticed a HUGE difference when I ran out a few months ago.

hosteur 4y ago
As someone who has experimented a bit with creatine on two separate occasions without noticing much effect, what difference did you notice exactly? And what type of exercise do you do?
- erik_landerholm 4y ago
  I notice it most for big compound movements. I cycle on and off of it. And when I go back on I can tell the difference and all the scientific studies back up that it works.
- JLCarveth 4y ago
  I run a push pull legs program. Biggest thing I notice is the "pump". It's far easier to get a nice pump going when I have creatine in my system vs not. This definitely aids in forming a mind-muscle connection, and at least in my personal experience a good pump is an indicator you're training properly. Around this time last year I was having trouble finding any, and the difference in my performance was night and day as far as being able to reach progressive overload.

Someone1234 4y ago

Have you seen the "Supplement scorecard" here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/supplements-a-scorecard https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/supplement... I take D and fish oil, and from my reading the science on both is strong. I also take 4-in-1 Fiber but people who have a better diet likely don't need it, but I find it beneficial (and, no, "number two" isn't the exclusive reason to make sure you're getting enough, fiber has numerous health benefits with "regularity" just being what is famous for). Creatine also has surprisingly strong scientific evidence with few side effects and has been heavily studied in sports medicine. It is niche though, primarily used by people doing regular resistance exercises or pro athletes to help expedite recovery and repair. PS - Creatine does cause water weight gain by design (it causes your muscles to hold more water) which can result in 8-16 lbs of additional body weight after two weeks~ and then for two weeks~ after you stop taking it (this isn't a problem nor body-fat gain, but people trying to lose body-fat need to expect this; it is largely a flaw in using scales to track body fat which ignores water weight/inflammation). PPS - Creatine's COVID and post-COVID price increase has made it more niche than it perhaps once was. It used to be near $10 per 30-day from a reputable brand, now it can be $20-30 depending on brand (e.g. Creapure is $32/30 day right now).

numinoid 4y ago
> PPS - Creatine's COVID and post-COVID price increase has made it more niche than it perhaps once was. It used to be near $10 per 30-day from a reputable brand, not it can be $20-30 depending on brand (e.g. Creapure is $32/30 day right now). There's no reason to be using anything but generic creatine monohydrate - studies show no difference in efficacy between different formulations. BulkSupplements current price is ~$56/kg at ~28 cents per dose per day. No reason to let price scare you away from one of the few supplements with a real body of evidence.
- TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
  what about contaminants? are they more or less prevalent in generic formulations?
  - 4y ago

jdthedisciple 4y ago

Vitamin D Zinc OMEGA-3 Whey Protein Magnesium (if you don't eat a lot of meat)

powerset 4y ago

General: vitamin D, epa/dha (AKA vegan fish oil), and b12 (I'm vegan btw) Workouts: creatine, pea protein isolate, and amino acids (leucine, etc.)

argsv 4y ago

I am sharing these two links on the danger of supplements. I am inclined to believe they are at best useless and probably harmful. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20161208-why-vitamin-supplements-could-kill-you https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20161208-why-vitamin-supp... https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2022/08/01/stop-taking-vitamin-d-already/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2022/08/01/stop-...

TurkishPoptart 4y ago
Sorry but this Forbes article is simply frustratingly wrong. So many people are deficient in Vitamin D. Of course it's preferable to take in 15 minutes of sunlight with exposed skin every day but that's not an option for most people. I can share 2 scientific studies (not Forbes) showing how there was an inverse relationship between covid mortality and vitamin-d levels. Inverse link to covid mortality: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33260798/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33260798/ Inverse link to covid mortality: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34684596/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34684596/ Inverse link to depression in adults: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30470577/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30470577/ and the best YouTube source of information during this weird pandemia discussing Vitamin D safety: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbUm5FyrHRk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbUm5FyrHRk I understand that something being "linked" to something is not a concrete recommendation to take a supplement, but the risks are very low, and the benefit is very high in my opinion, based on this research.
RealityVoid 4y ago
I am willing to entertain the possibility that specific supplements don't work, but saying that all supplements don't work for all people _must_ be an exaggeration. Obviously, some things work for at least a subset of people. I admit it is hard to distinguish real effects from placebo, but stuff like... creatine, which someone mentioned earlier do work.
- onlyrealcuzzo 4y ago
  Supplements can "work" - but the quality of the supplement can be very low and filled with lots of bad stuff. Since supplements aren't made like pharmaceuticals, this can be a pretty big problem.

lambdaba 4y ago

- vitamin D (at least 20-30K IU in the cold months) - magnesium chloride (5-10g/day, 625-1250mg elemental magnesium), great on its own, indispensable with vitamin D which uses it up as co-factor - omega-3s (in high doses), probably better a high EPA/DHA ratio as you don't need that much DHA and EPA is more anti-inflammatory - astaxanthin (great for sun protection, antioxidant)

HorizonXP 4y ago
I've heard of these high dose Vitamin D regiments, and I have to ask, how and where are you getting such high doses? I take 2 tablets of 1000 IU per day, alongside a magnesium citrate tablet. What am I missing? You're not taking 30 tablets a day are you?
- lambdaba 4y ago
  There are plenty of brands dosing at 5K, 10K, and even 50K IU. That 1000IU is common but very underdosed. IIRC the 400IU RDA came out of some error, it's 4000IU now, but I think even that is underdosed, with many people recommending 20K as the benchmark from what the body with sufficient exposed skin produces in 20mins in the midday sun.
  - zeroonetwothree 4y ago
    Isn’t your body producing it in a different form though?
    - lambdaba 4y ago
      I don't think so, D3 is the animal form, which I didn't mention but it is, of course, the one you want and not D2, which does have some issues. Otherwise, I think it's more a matter of vitamin D biosynthesis also having other effects that are not resulting in just the synthesis of vitamin D.
- nicoburns 4y ago
  I don't take such a high dose (I was on 2000IU a day and got the point where it was causing my heart to race and I had to back off), but I take a vitamin D supplement where a 1000IU dose is 3 drops of liquid from a dropper. It would be easy (although very expensive, and IMO not advisable) to take a large dose via this method. I have a suspicion most people taking such a high dose (over an extended period of time) must be using a poor quality of vitamin D that means they're not actually absorbing that much. But that's just speculation.

habitue 4y ago

Collagen supplementation has shown to be really effective in various meta analyses. Helps with joint degradation, tendon repair if you do sports, skin elasticity, etc. This is a representative one focused on joints, but other studies look at appearance of aging etc: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00726-021-03072-x https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00726-021-03072-x Collagen supplements are fairly cheap, biggest downside is to get 5g per day you need to take like 5 pills. It's not a small amount (which kinda makes sense, it's structural)

steve_adams_86 4y ago
I would be very concerned about contaminants in collagen supplements. If you look at studies of, for example, bone broths cooked with 1) only meat, 2) meat and bones, or 3) meat, bones, and skin, the amount of lead rises significantly with the additions of skin and cartilage included with the bones [1]. Another study[2] indicates that in the form of bone broth, the levels of lead and cadmium are acceptable because they're only a few μg, but my concern rises when you'd be potentially reducing a fluid like bone broth into a powder and consuming quite a bit of it at a time. The supplement industry is notorious for substandard or absent testing, so it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if some bottles of collagen pills may contain several μg. If you take 5, then eat other foods with relatively high contamination, over time this habit seems like it has potential to significantly increase the heavy metal content in your body. I don't mean to be a scare-monger at all, and if someone knows more about this then please feel free to let me know I'm crazy. [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23375414/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23375414/ [2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28804437/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28804437/
- habitue 4y ago
  Luckily, California has very stringent standards around heavy metals. There are lots of brands of collagen that don't require prop65 warnings on the bottle (and that are legally sold in California). California's standards are stricter than industry and national standards, to the point where you're probably fine even if a product does require a prop65 warning

freedude 4y ago

On a daily basis I take Vitamin D, garlic, curcumin (turmeric), and glucosamine/chondroitin. Why? I live north of the 45th parallel and many around me suffer from colds and flus this time of year. Since I started taking Vitamin D and Garlic the effects of getting a cold or flu is much less severe as a rule and I have back problems so I want to make every attempt to reduce inflammation without pounding the Ibuprofen. When I do get sick. I have taken a range of things and have had noticeable results with Wellness Formula from Source Naturals.

ls15 4y ago
> glucosamine/chondroitin Since I started msm/glucosamine/chondroitin on and off, I think I've only experienced no or very mild muscle soreness after activity. It also seems to kick in very quickly. I also like boswellia serrata extracts for their anti-inflammatory properties, since they are potent and don't give me any unwanted side-effects.

Aaronstotle 4y ago

I've been taking Ashwaghanda, it has been proven to slightly increase testosterone. It appears to do this by lowering cortisol levels, I have felt very relaxed and things rarely make me feel stressed. I started taking it to increase my strength in the gym.

bambataa 4y ago
I’ve been taking it too. How quickly did you start seeing that effect? I guess I have felt better but also coincides with taking time off at the end of the year etc.
squeegee_scream 4y ago
I was taking that to help with poor sleep but was getting crazy bad dry mouth throughout the night which would wake me up it was so painful. So it didn’t help my sleep. What dosage are you using?

Wonnk13 4y ago

Athletic Greens, however I can't speak to specific scientific backing.

briga 4y ago

Daily I take: Omega-3s Vitamin D (essential in places with long cold winters) Creatine (basically the most studied and effective supplement for strength training) Protein Glucosamine (for joints)

avn2109 4y ago
I second the Omega 3's, in the form of cod liver oil. Also a refrigerated probiotic occasionally and zinc every day (Zinc is super great for general physical strength and vitality for me, very underrated, strong recommend).
- TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
  i thought zinc interferes with copper absorption? maybe you shouldn't take it every single day.

throw_pm23 4y ago

None whatsoever.

voat 4y ago

Omega 3 and CoQ10

lhoff 4y ago

I take the following: - Vitamin D (mostly during winter times) - L-Theanin ( https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301051107001573 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S03010... ) - Vitamine B12 (I am a vegetarian) - Omega 3 - Vitamin C + Zinc (especially when I feel like there is a cold incoming due to the shortening effect of zinc see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21328251/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21328251/ )

petodo 4y ago
Vast majority of population is vitamin D deficient all year round, even spending at least 4 hours a day half naked outdoors in Hawaii would not provide you enough vitamin D [1] and I doubt you spend that much time half naked in sunlight in other seasons, even 80-90% of Indian population living close to equator with much more sunlight is vitamin D deficient [2]. At very least I'd recommend following Finnish guidelines. [3] [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426097/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426097/ [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060930/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060930/ [3] https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/27/2/268/2670162 https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/27/2/268/2670162

Beaver117 4y ago

NAC

nradov 4y ago

I take some whey protein supplement most days. It's difficult for me to consume an optimal amount of protein every day (based on the latest scientific research) without also consuming too many calories. I could get the same or better results without the supplements if I was willing to spend more time on meal planning, but I'm lazy. https://peterattiamd.com/donlayman/ https://peterattiamd.com/donlayman/

zeroonetwothree 4y ago

I used to have frequent headaches. Now I take magnesium and potassium and almost never get them. I think many people could benefit from more minerals/electrolytes (but depends on diet of course). I also take Vitamin D (not a huge amount) in winter and Omega 3s daily but I haven’t noticed any effects. The oils seems fairly harmless though and the research is compelling. I also found probiotics and fiber helpful depending on if I didn’t get enough in my diet.

petodo 4y ago
Vast majority of population is vitamin D deficient all year round, even spending at least 4 hours a day half naked outdoors in Hawaii would not provide you enough vitamin D [1] and I doubt you spend that much time half naked in sunlight in other seasons, even 80-90% of Indian population living close to equator with much more sunlight is vitamin D deficient [2]. At very least I'd recommend following Finnish guidelines. [3] [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426097/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426097/ [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060930/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060930/ [3] https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/27/2/268/2670162 https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/27/2/268/2670162

inkubus 4y ago

vitamin D 50.000 IU once per week Melatonin 1mg quite often and for long period of time Omega 3-6-9 2-3 times per year during three months

sneak 4y ago

Bacopa

emelski 4y ago

Information is Beautiful did a visualization a couple years ago that attempted to answer this exact question. It hasn't been updated since end of 2020 but perhaps this will still be useful to some readers here: https://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/snake-oil-scientific-evidence-for-nutritional-supplements-vizsweet/ https://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/snake-...

reducesuffering 4y ago

Vitamin D, K, Fish Oil, Magnesium, Creatine, and Theanine all have lots of research on being effective, with very low risk. Next up, Curcumin (active Turmeric) and Ashwagandha also have significant research concluding their benefits, but I'd say their risk is one level higher, still small. examine.com

AndrewDucker 4y ago

Lactobacillus. Which someone on here recommended, and seems to really help with my IBS. I have to be careful because some versions come packaged with maltitol as a bulking agent and that makes my IBS worse.

xriddle 4y ago

Came here for advice but gotta say I'm disappointed so few comments mention any scientific sources. Something I would expect on HN.

notacoward 4y ago
Not only that, but a lot of the suggestions seem to ignore the "good scientific backing" part of OP's question. For example, omega-3 has been mentioned several times, but if you look at any of the sources that more responsible commenters have linked to it's clearly on the "slight" to "none" side evidence-wise. I have no opinion on omega-3 personally. It's fine if people take it. It's just not an answer to the question that was posed.

faebi 4y ago

- Caffeine - Some local "Probiotic" pills, but they seem to be from a culture which actually has some scientific testing. They made my belly a lot happier. Seems to help after alcohol too. Not sure how international this is. A lot of science is pointing to the fact that many things can support the microbiome. I take irregular for a few days in a row. - Electrolytes on demand - I plan to take very low doses of Aspirin as I get older as it seems to be helpful in preventing heart attacks.

jkmcf 4y ago
Aspirin use can result in serious side effects, such as stomach bleeding, bleeding in the brain, and kidney failure.[1] I was reading something I recall trusting talking about how taking the probabilities of the side effects occurring from taking aspirin regularly were higher than the potential heart attack if you didn't have heart related conditions. [1] https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-daily-use-aspirin/aspirin-reducing-your-risk-heart-attack-and-stroke-know-facts https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-daily-use-aspirin/aspirin-red...

znpy 4y ago

Sometimes melatonin. But I’ve found out that a single pill won’t get me sleepy enough to stop scrolling or closing my laptop, so I don’t bother much.

mmh0000 4y ago

Checkout Labdoor[1], an independent company that tests supplements. They find out whether products have what they claim and if they have any harmful ingredients or contaminants. [1] https://labdoor.com/review https://labdoor.com/review

petodo 4y ago

Vitamin D 5000IU daily, when I have respiratory disease I increase my daily dose to at least 15-20K IU Vitamin C and multivitamin with various vitamins, both these in drinks Vast majority of population is vitamin D deficient all year round, even spending at least 4 hours a day half naked outdoors in Hawaii would not provide you enough vitamin D [1], even 80-90% of Indian population living close to equator with much more sunlight is vitamin D deficient [2]. At very least I'd recommend following Finnish guidelines. [3] [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426097/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426097/ [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060930/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060930/ [3] https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/27/2/268/2670162 https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/27/2/268/2670162