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Supplements

Episodes

Posted on May 13th 2025 (7 days)

Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses a study that found vitamin D supplementation was associated with a 40% lower risk of dementia.

Posted on April 22nd 2025 (28 days)

Dr. Andy Galpin & Dr. Rhonda Patrick discuss nutrition, supplement, and recovery strategies for improving exercise performance.

Posted on April 1st 2025 (about 2 months)

In this clip, Dr. Rhonda Patrick and Brady Holmer discuss how omega-3s and creatine support muscle, brain health, and recovery.

Topic Pages

  • Sulforaphane

    Sulforaphane is a bioactive compound that exerts potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may be beneficial against a wide range of chronic and acute diseases.

News & Publications

  • Creatine monohydrate—one of the most widely studied and popular supplements—has a well-earned reputation for helping increase lean body mass, but some of those gains may come from changes in body water rather than actual muscle growth. A recent study found that creatine monohydrate alone, even without exercise, can boost lean body mass in the short term—especially in women.

    Researchers randomly assigned 63 healthy adults to take either 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily or nothing. After a one-week “wash-in” period with the supplement, everyone began a 12-week resistance training program. The researchers measured lean body mass using a body scan before and after the wash-in and after the training program.

    After one week of taking creatine without exercising, those who used the supplement had gained about 0.5 kilograms (roughly 1.1 pounds) more lean body mass than the control group—a difference most apparent in women. Once training began, both groups gained about 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of lean body mass over 12 weeks, but creatine users did not gain more than those who did not take it, indicating the supplement gave an early bump in lean body mass but did not enhance long-term gains from resistance training.

    These findings suggest that short-term creatine use can raise lean body mass measurements, likely by increasing body water. The investigators posited that higher doses or different timing strategies may be necessary to see continued benefits beyond that initial increase. Learn more about creatine in this episode featuring Dr. Darren Candow.

  • Tendons are essential for force transmission between muscles and bones. However, as people age, tendons lose collagen and stiffen, impairing athletic performance and increasing injury risk. A recent study found that combining resistance exercise with collagen supplementation enhanced tendon health in middle-aged men.

    Researchers investigated the effects of 12 weeks of resistance exercise and collagen supplementation on patellar tendon properties in 20 middle-aged men. Both groups engaged in progressive lower-body resistance training twice weekly and received either 30 grams of hydrolyzed collagen or a placebo after training. The researchers evaluated the participants' tendon size, stiffness, and strength before and after the intervention.

    They found that participants who took collagen experienced a greater increase in patellar tendon cross-sectional area (+6.8 mm²) than the placebo group (+1.2 mm²). They also experienced a twofold greater increase in tendon stiffness and measures of tendon strength than the placebo group. Both groups experienced muscle strength and explosive power improvements, but tendon adaptations were more pronounced with collagen supplementation.

    These findings suggest that 12 weeks of resistance training with collagen supplementation enhances patellar tendon properties in middle-aged men. The patellar tendon is a strong, fibrous connective tissue that connects the bottom of the kneecap (patella) to the top of the shinbone (tibia). It plays a crucial role in movements like walking, running, jumping, and squatting, as it helps control the movement and stability of the knee joint. Learn more about the benefits of collagen supplementation in our overview article.

  • Working night shifts may increase the risk of cancer by disrupting the production of melatonin, a hormone essential for DNA repair. This disruption can impair the body’s ability to repair oxidative DNA damage, potentially contributing to cancer development. A recent study found that melatonin supplementation could improve the repair of oxidative DNA damage in night shift workers.

    The researchers conducted a four-week randomized, placebo-controlled trial with 40 night shift workers, providing them a 3-milligram dose of melatonin before their daytime sleep periods. They collected urine samples during daytime sleep and nighttime work periods, measuring 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), a marker of DNA repair capacity.

    They found that melatonin supplementation nearly doubled 8-OH-dG excretion during daytime sleep, indicating improved DNA repair. However, they observed no difference in 8-OH-dG excretion during the night shift. Although the melatonin group experienced a slight decrease in wakefulness after falling asleep, the researchers found no differences in total sleep duration or sleepiness levels between the two groups.

    The findings from this small study suggest that melatonin supplementation enhances oxidative DNA repair in night shift workers, offering the potential for reducing cancer risk. More extensive studies may identify optimal dosages and the long-term effects of melatonin supplementation in this population. Learn about the pros and cons of melatonin supplementation in this clip featuring Dr. Satchin Panda.

  • Creatine helps supply energy to muscles during high-intensity exercise and is commonly used to boost performance and muscle mass. However, determining the most effective creatine supplementation protocol has proven challenging. A recent study found that combining creatine with dextrose for five days rapidly increases muscle total creatine, with continued consumption maintaining this high level.

    Researchers provided healthy young men with one of four creatine supplementation protocols: Group 1: Four doses of 5 grams of creatine daily for five days, followed by 5 grams daily for 28 days.
    Group 2: Four doses of 5 grams of creatine plus 95 grams of dextrose daily for five days. Group 3: Split from Group 2 after the initial five days:
    Group 3A: 5 grams of creatine daily for 28 days.
    Group 3B: 5 grams of creatine plus 95 grams of dextrose daily for 28 days. Group 4: Four doses of 5 grams of creatine with 14 grams of protein, 7 grams of phenylalanine, 7 grams of leucine, and 57 grams of dextrose daily for five days, followed by a single daily dose of the same combination for the next 28 days.
    The researchers collected muscle biopsies from the participants at baseline, after five days, and after 33 days.

    They found that muscle total creatine increased in Groups 1, 2, and 4 after five days. The largest increase occurred in Group 2, reaching an average maximum of 150 mmol/kg. However, after 33 days:
    Group 1 total creatine increased further to approximately 150 mmol/kg.
    Group 3A showed a tendency to decline.
    Group 3B remained unchanged from the level observed at five days.
    Group 4 remained unchanged from the level observed at five days and was lower than Group 1. Creatine transporter gene expression changed slightly in all groups. However, the more creatine levels increased after five days, the smaller the change in this gene’s activity.

    These findings suggest that combining creatine with dextrose for five days rapidly increases total muscle creatine. Continued consumption of creatine with dextrose helps maintain this high level. While ingesting creatine alone also boosts total muscle creatine, it takes longer to reach levels similar to those in combination with dextrose. Learn more about creatine in this episode featuring Dr. Rhonda Patrick.

  • The primary contributor to cardiovascular disease risk is simply age. Our blood vessels become thicker and less flexible as we get older, rendering them less efficient. However, a recent study found that creatine supplementation restores aspects of cardiovascular function, including blood vessel flexibility and efficiency, in older adults.

    Researchers conducted a small pilot study involving 12 sedentary but healthy older adults. Half of the participants consumed 20 grams of creatine monohydrate daily for five days, followed by 5 grams daily for 23 days. The other half consumed a placebo for 28 days. The researchers measured aspects of the participants' cardiovascular health, including flow-mediated dilation (how flexible a blood vessel is), microvascular perfusion rates (how quickly and efficiently tiny blood vessels fill), blood glucose levels, and triglycerides.

    They found that participants who consumed creatine experienced small but meaningful improvements in their cardiovascular markers, including increased flow-mediated dilation, improved microvascular perfusion rates, and decreased blood glucose and triglycerides. Those who consumed the placebo did not experience these beneficial effects, suggesting that creatine restored their cardiovascular function.

    Creatine is a nitrogen-containing compound that plays an essential role in the recycling of ATP. It is widely used as a dietary supplement to build and maintain muscle mass. Although creatine is available in many forms, most of the research on the compound has focused on creatine monohydrate. Learn more about creatine in this clip featuring Dr. Stuart Phillips.

  • The global dietary supplement market currently exceeds $150 billion and is expected to grow in the coming years. However, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), many dietary supplements – particularly sports, bodybuilding, and sexual enhancement products – contain hidden active ingredients that may elicit harmful effects. A recent study found that 12 percent of sports supplements contained illegal additives, and 40 percent didn’t contain the substances identified on the label.

    Researchers purchased sports supplement products containing any one of five plant-based compounds commonly touted as having athletic performance-enhancing effects: R. vomitoria, methylliberine, turkesterone, halostachine, or octopamine. They analyzed the various products for the presence and quantity of the five ingredients and any FDA-banned ingredients.

    They found that of the 57 sports supplements they tested, 23 (40 percent) didn’t contain any of the substances listed on the label. 28 (49 percent) contained the wrong amount (with quantities ranging from 0.02 to 334 percent of the labeled amount). 7 (12 percent) contained banned ingredients, including various stimulants and several unapproved drugs: omberacetam, octodrine, oxilofrine, and deterenol, and 1,4-dimethylamylamine.

    These findings shed light on the inaccurate labeling of dietary supplements and highlight concerns about the presence of banned substances. Although this was a small study, and the researchers only analyzed one sample of each product, the findings align with previous work that identified banned products, such as ephedra and caffeine quantities that differed from those identified on the label in athletic performance supplements. Other research has identified omberacetam and other unapproved drugs in cognitive enhancement supplements.

    Without laboratory testing, it’s impossible to know the contents of a dietary supplement product, so consumers should check the label to see if an independent, third-party organization

  • Ultraviolet (UV) light exposure – from the sun or tanning beds – causes premature skin aging, a process called photoaging. But a new study in mice found that supplemental collagen, which is rich in the glycine-proline dipeptide, protects against the damaging effects of UV light exposure. Mice that received collagen during regular exposure to UV light had fewer wrinkles and other signs of photoaging than those that didn’t.

    Researchers exposed young mice to one of four treatments for 12 weeks: UV light only; UV light plus low-dose collagen (300 milligrams per kilogram); UV light plus high-dose collagen (500 milligrams per kilogram); or neither exposure. They measured the animals' plasma collagen concentrations, and then, at the end of the study, they assessed the animals' skin for signs of photoaging.

    They found that collagen concentrations increased considerably within 30 minutes of consumption. They also found that both low- and high-dose collagen reduced wrinkle development and skin thinning and improved the skin’s hydration.

    These findings suggest supplemental collagen protects against photoaging in mice, aligning with a recent review and meta-analysis. Interestingly, some evidence suggests collagen supplementation in the setting of exercise recovery reduces joint pain and improves joint functionality but appears to have no significant effect on post-exercise muscle protein synthesis necessary for hypertrophy and muscle collagen protein synthesis.

  • Supplemental vitamin C and arginine reduce symptoms associated with long COVID, a new study shows. People who took the combined supplements experienced less fatigue and performed better during exercise.

    Researchers gave people with long COVID either a combination of liposomal vitamin C and arginine or a placebo for four weeks. They measured their walking speed, strength, and endothelial function before and after the intervention.

    They found that those who took the vitamin C/arginine combination improved on measures of speed, strength, and endothelial function compared to those who took the placebo. They were also less likely to report experiencing fatigue.

    Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that exerts robust antioxidant properties. Evidence suggests that liposomal formulations of vitamin C are more bioavailable than conventional forms. Learn more about vitamin C in our overview article. Arginine is an amino acid that plays roles in vasodilation. Evidence suggests that arginine metabolism is altered in the setting of COVID-19.

  • A new study shows that hydrolyzed collagen strengthens knee tendons in female soccer players. Those who took supplemental collagen experienced an 18 percent gain in knee tendon stiffness, potentially reducing their risk for injury during play.

    The study involved 17 elite teenage female soccer players. Half of the players consumed a hydrolyzed collagen supplement plus vitamin C three times a week for ten weeks. The other half consumed a placebo. Both groups participated in a training regimen designed to strengthen the knee and thigh muscles. A team of researchers measured various parameters of the players' knee tendon thickness and strength before and after the intervention.

    They found that the players who consumed the supplemental hydrolyzed collagen experienced an 18 percent increase in their knee tendon stiffness. However, they experienced little change in tendon thickness, suggesting that the increase in stiffness was due to changes in the tendon’s material properties subsequent to collagen intake.

    Female soccer players are more likely to experience knee injuries than male players, due in part to greater knee joint laxity. These findings suggest that supplemental hydrolyzed collagen support training regimens to bolster knee strength in female athletes.

    Hydrolyzed collagen is a mixture of peptides derived from the protein collagen. Evidence suggests that supplemental hydrolyzed collagen consumption improves skin aging, decreases arthritis-induced pain, increases bone mineral density, and decreases hypertension. Learn more about hydrolyzed collage in our overview article.

  • Prebiotic supplements can compensate for low fiber intake.

    Dietary fiber refers to the indigestible components of plant-based foods. A growing body of evidence indicates that eating a fiber-rich diet decreases the risks of many chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, and some types of cancer, including breast cancer and colon cancer. Most people living in the United States only get about half of the recommended amounts of fiber daily. Findings from a recent study suggest that prebiotic supplements can compensate for dietary shortcomings in fiber intake by promoting short-chain fatty acid production.

    Prebiotics are food components that support the maintenance of a healthy microbiota and create an environment that is conducive to its survival. Fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides, and trans-galacto-oligosaccharides are the most common prebiotics. Their fermentation by gut microbiota produces short-chain fatty acids, including acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Many commonly consumed fruits and vegetables, such as apples, bananas, and legumes, contain prebiotics, but they are also available in dietary supplement form.

    The study involved 28 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 70 years. Each participant took one of three prebiotic supplements (inulin, wheat dextrin, or galactooligosaccharides) twice daily for one week, followed by one week off. They repeated this process with all three of the supplement products. Participants provided stool samples, completed diet surveys, and answered online surveys about their experiences with the supplements. The investigators measured short-chain fatty acid concentrations and microbial makeup in the stool samples.

    They found that changes in short-chain fatty acid concentrations were person-specific and not related to which prebiotic supplement they took. Consequently, each participant’s response to the prebiotics was inversely related to their basal short-chain fatty acid concentration, which, in turn, was associated with their habitual fiber intake. Participants whose diets were low in dietary fiber experienced marked increases in butyrate production in their guts, likely due to increases in butyrate-producing microbes. However, participants whose diets were in high in dietary fiber experienced little change in the makeup of their gut microbes.

    These findings suggest that people whose diets are low in dietary fiber would benefit from supplemental prebiotics to promote short-chain fatty acid production and promote gut and overall health. Learn more about prebiotics in this episode featuring Dr. Eran Elinav.

  • Early preterm birth (six or more weeks early) is one of the primary contributors to disability and death in children under the age of five years. Infants born early preterm are more likely to experience neurodevelopmental, respiratory, and gastrointestinal difficulties. Currently, physicians do not have reliable markers by which to predict whether a woman is at risk for an early preterm birth. Nearly 3 percent of infants born in the United States are early preterm. Findings from a new study suggest that maternal high-dose docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation during pregnancy reduces the risk of early term birth.

    DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish and other seafood. It plays critical roles in fetal vision and nervous system growth and development. There are no established guidelines for DHA intake for pregnant women, but most prenatal supplements include DHA, typically in amounts of approximately 200 milligrams.

    The study involved 1,100 pregnant women in the United States. The authors of the study randomly assigned the women to one of two groups, with one half receiving a high dose (1,000 milligram) DHA supplement, and the other receiving a low dose (200 milligram) DHA supplement. Both groups of women took their respective supplements daily for the duration of their pregnancies. The authors noted pregnancy outcomes (such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, Cesarean delivery, or others), maternal and infant health status (including DHA levels), and serious adverse events post-delivery (such as birth defects, death, or others).

    Among women who took the higher dose of DHA, 1.7 percent gave birth early preterm; among those who took the lower dose, 2.4 percent gave birth early preterm. However, if they had low DHA levels at the beginning of the study, they were half as likely to give birth early preterm if they took the higher dose, compared to those who took the lower dose. Timing was important, too, with lower risk associated with taking the supplements in the first half of pregnancy, rather than the last half. Women who had higher levels of DHA at the beginning of the study had a 1.2 percent risk of giving birth early preterm birth, and this risk did not change when taking a high dose DHA supplement.

    These findings suggest that high-dose DHA supplementation during pregnancy reduces the risk of early preterm birth and provide evidence for establishing recommended intakes for pregnant women. The authors recommended that physicians measure DHA levels in pregnant women and offer high-dose DHA supplements to those whose levels are low.

  • Evidence suggests that sperm quality in males over the past 50-70 years has declined, likely due to a combination of dietary and lifestyle factors and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. For example, diets rich in processed meats, full fat dairy, and sugar-sweetened beverages are associated with poor sperm quality, whereas diets rich in vitamins, minerals, and unsaturated fats improve sperm quality and fertility. Results of a recent observational study demonstrate the effects of fish oil supplementation on sperm quality and testicular function in healthy young males.

    Infertility affects 15 percent of couples, with male and female reproductive dysfunction contributing equally to infertility rates. Previous epidemiological research has revealed an association between fish consumption and better sperm quality in males seeking infertility treatment. Fish and fish oil supplements are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat with numerous anti-inflammatory and health-promoting properties. Two previous randomized, controlled trials have reported increased antioxidant capacity and decreased DNA fragmentation in the sperm of males experiencing infertility who were supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids. However, the effects of supplementation in men without infertility is unknown.

    The investigators recruited more than 1,600 male participants (average age, 19 years) who presented for a physical examination for military service in the Netherlands. Participants volunteered to provide a blood sample for the measurement of sex hormones and a semen sample. Finally, they answered a questionnaire about health, lifestyle, diet, and dietary supplement use over the previous three months.

    Only 5.8 percent of the participants had consumed fish oil supplements in the previous three months and only 3.1 percent consumed fish oil supplements for more than 60 days over the previous three months. Participants who supplemented with fish oil less than 60 days had increased sperm volume and testicle size compared to those who did not supplement. Participants who supplemented for more than 60 days had even greater sperm volume and testicle size. Participants who supplemented with fish oil also had a 20 percent lower concentration of follicle-stimulating hormone and a 16 percent lower concentration of luteinizing hormone, an indication of better testicular cell function and greater capacity for sperm production.

    The authors concluded that fish oil supplementation improves testicular function in males without infertility, even after taking into account the intake of other dietary supplements. Because this study did not take dose into account, randomized clinical trials are needed to further examine this relationship.

  • The dietary supplement market comprises a $40 billion industry in the United States. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act – legislation enacted in 1994 stipulating that the FDA regulate dietary supplements as food, so they are not subject to premarket approval or the same effectiveness and safety testing required for drugs – left the industry largely unregulated. A recent editorial reports that many dietary supplements may be contaminated with heavy metals or microbes or may contain synthetic drugs or ingredients not listed on their labeling.

    Dietary supplements comprise a wide range of products, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs, botanicals, and other products. They may be in pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid form. Dietary supplement use is widespread in the United States, with industry sources claiming that more than three-fourths of all Americans take a dietary supplement of some kind. Older adults, in particular, are avid supplement consumers, with as many as 70 percent of older adults reporting that they take one or more types of supplements in a given month. An astounding 29 percent of older adults take more than four types of supplements in a given month.

    Microbial contamination commonly occurs during the processing of the natural products in many dietary supplements, according to the report. A study of more than 180 samples of popular supplements, including St. John’s wort, cumin, ginger, garlic, and others, found that nearly all of the samples contained some degree of microbial contamination, posing considerable risks to consumers. The report also stated that one type of natural product, kratom, contained one or more types of Salmonella, which resulted in multiple hospitalizations.

    Heavy metal contamination also poses concerns due to their association with several health conditions, including dementia. In a study of more than 120 dietary supplements sold in Canada, many of the products contained excessive levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, aluminum, and mercury. A study of dietary supplement products used in Ayurvedic medicine revealed that an alarming percentage of these products were contaminated with heavy metals, as well.

    Many dietary supplements are adulterated with unapproved pharmaceutical ingredients, according to the report. Bodybuilding, weight-loss, and sexual-enhancement products are the most common types of supplements that the FDA has found to often contain undeclared drugs, and some of the drugs identified include phosphodiesterase inhibitors (for erectile dysfunction), diuretics, and sibutramine (for weight loss), among others.

    A final concern is that many dietary supplements products simply aren’t composed of what they purportedly contain. Some may contain substitute products (either due to reduced availability or to foreign language issues), while others simply don’t provide the amount indicated on the labeling.

    These issues put consumers at considerable risk for both acute and chronic adverse health effects of dietary supplement consumption. Consumers should look for dietary supplement products that have undergone independent third-party testing from organizations such as USP, NSF,ConsumerLab.com, or Labdoor.

  • The eyes' ability to adjust to changes in illumination, referred to as light and dark adaptation, varies between individuals. Dark adaptation, in particular, is critical to survival in low light and is responsible for what is commonly referred to as “night vision.” A recent study indicates that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish oil may improve night vision in humans.

    Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that are essential for human health. They include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is found mainly in plant oils such as flaxseed, soybean, and canola oils. DHA and EPA are found in fish and other seafood. The human body can convert some ALA into EPA and then to DHA, but the process is very inefficient. Omega-3 fatty acids accumulate in the human retina and play instrumental roles in vision.

    The study involved 20 adults who took four omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish oil supplements three times daily, providing approximately 3 grams of EPA and 1 gram of DHA, for four weeks. Six weeks after the last supplementation, the participants' blood concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids were measured and their ability to adjust to low light was assessed.

    Participants who took EPA/DHA-rich fish oil supplements for four weeks demonstrated a 25 percent improvement in their ability to identify numbers in low light, compared to those who took a placebo. These changes in visual acuity were attributed to increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the participants' blood.