From Memios
The Longevity Letter
Practical writing and video on living strong and active into your 90s. No hype, no supplements to sell. Just what the evidence supports and what it looks like on an ordinary Tuesday.
201 items
Clear filters
SupplementsBee Pollen
A 2023 scoping review found that human clinical and translational research on bee pollen is still largely lacking compared with the volume of basic laboratory and animal work.
2026-09-29 · 9 min read
SupplementsBerberine
Limited evidence. The trial literature is real but thin and mostly low quality.
2026-09-29 · 16 min read
SupplementsBifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis
One large trial funded by the strain's maker found BB-12 raised average bowel movement frequency in adults with infrequent stools.
2026-09-29 · 10 min read
SupplementsBifidobacterium longum
Limited evidence. The strongest evidence is in preterm infants.
2026-09-29 · 7 min read
SupplementsBilberry
The best-known claim, better night vision, is not supported: a systematic review found the four most recent randomised trials negative, and positive results came from weaker studies.
2026-09-29 · 11 min read
SupplementsBitter melon
Disputed. Bitter melon is taken chiefly for blood sugar, and the pooled evidence is split.
2026-09-29 · 19 min read
SupplementsBitter orange
Disputed. It is sold to raise metabolic rate, help weight loss and boost exercise performance.
2026-09-29 · 17 min read
SupplementsBlack cohosh
Black cohosh is taken for menopausal symptoms, and the literature on whether it works genuinely disagrees with itself.
2026-09-29 · 15 min read
SupplementsBlack pepper extract and piperine
Piperine does raise blood levels of other substances: in one small human study it raised curcumin absorption about 20-fold.
2026-09-29 · 9 min read
SupplementsBlack seed
This is the best-studied of the three, and the picture is large reported effects sitting on weak foundations.
2026-09-29 · 15 min read
SupplementsBoron
Limited evidence. Boron is promoted for bones, joints and testosterone.
2026-09-29 · 8 min read
SupplementsBromelain
Limited evidence. The evidence is limited.
2026-09-29 · 8 min read
SupplementsBurdock root
Limited evidence. It is sold as a detox or 'blood purifier' tea and for skin, joints and blood sugar.
2026-09-29 · 8 min read
SupplementsButterbur
Disputed. The evidence is narrow and contested.
2026-09-29 · 18 min read
SupplementsCaffeine
The evidence is strongest for the things caffeine does acutely: it raises alertness, and added to a standard painkiller it gives a small extra amount of pain relief with high-certainty evidence from Cochrane.
2026-09-29 · 22 min read
SupplementsCalcium
Supplements raise bone density slightly and, in pooled trials, cut total fractures by about a tenth.
2026-09-29 · 13 min read
SupplementsChlorella
The human evidence is a set of small, mostly short randomized trials pooled in meta-analyses.
2026-09-29 · 10 min read
SupplementsChondroitin sulfate
Disputed. The evidence is disputed.
2026-09-29 · 15 min read
SupplementsChromium
Disputed. The evidence is weak and contested.
2026-09-29 · 11 min read
SupplementsCinnamon
Disputed. The evidence is disputed rather than settled.
2026-09-29 · 16 min read
SupplementsCitrus bioflavonoids
Disputed. The evidence conflicts.
2026-09-29 · 9 min read
SupplementsCoenzyme Q10
CoQ10 is marketed mainly for two things: protecting muscles from statin side effects, and helping a failing heart.
2026-09-29 · 16 min read
SupplementsCollagen peptides
The evidence here is unusual: several meta-analyses report statistically significant benefits.
2026-09-29 · 15 min read
SupplementsColloidal silver
Not supported by the research. There is no established use for swallowed colloidal silver.
2026-09-29 · 14 min read