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.
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MedicationsAcetaminophen and Oxycodone
For a single dose of acute pain after surgery, the combination is genuinely effective and better than oxycodone alone: a Cochrane review put the number needed to treat for at least half pain relief at 2.7 for oxycodone 10 mg plus paracetamol 650 mg, against 4.6 for oxycodone 15 mg alone.
2026-09-30 · 21 min read
MedicationsAlendronate
Well established. For postmenopausal women who already have low bone density or a previous fracture.
2026-09-30 · 25 min read
SupplementsAloe vera
The honest summary is that oral aloe vera has been studied for far more conditions than it has been shown to help. The clearest human signal is a small meta-analysis of three placebo-controlled trials in irritable bowel syndrome (151 people in total), which found a modest improvement in symptom scores.
2026-09-30 · 14 min read
SupplementsAlpha-lipoic acid
The claim most often made is that it treats diabetic nerve pain. The 2024 Cochrane review of three randomised trials in 816 adults concluded that alpha-lipoic acid probably has little or no effect on neuropathy symptoms at six months.
2026-09-30 · 13 min read
MedicationsAlprazolam
Cochrane's review of benzodiazepines against placebo in panic disorder found a clear short-term advantage (response RR 1.65) but rated the evidence low quality.
2026-09-30 · 25 min read
MedicationsApixaban
Large randomised trials show apixaban lowers stroke and systemic embolism in atrial fibrillation compared with warfarin (ARISTOTLE) and aspirin (AVERROES).
2026-09-30 · 13 min read
MedicationsAripiprazole
Well established. Aripiprazole reduces psychotic and manic symptoms and adds modestly to antidepressants.
2026-09-30 · 22 min read
SupplementsBanaba
Limited evidence. Banaba is sold for blood sugar and metabolic syndrome.
2026-09-30 · 9 min read
SupplementsBeetroot and dietary nitrate
Meta-analyses back a real but modest fall in systolic blood pressure: about 4.4 mmHg in Siervo 2013 (16 short crossover trials, 254 people) and about 5 mmHg in people with hypertension (moderate-certainty GRADE).
2026-09-30 · 11 min read
SupplementsBeta-alanine
Supplementation raises muscle carnosine, and pooled trials show a small ergogenic effect: a meta-analysis of 40 placebo-controlled studies in 1,461 participants found an overall effect size of 0.18 (95% CI 0.08 to 0.28), largest for exercise capacity in efforts of about half a minute to ten minutes.
2026-09-30 · 17 min read
SupplementsBiotin
Biotin is essential, and true deficiency causes hair thinning, rash and neurological symptoms. But the popular claim that biotin supplements improve hair.
2026-09-30 · 10 min read
SupplementsBoswellia
The most developed evidence is in osteoarthritis, where a 2020 meta-analysis of seven small trials found reductions in pain and stiffness and a 2014 Cochrane review rated the evidence moderate quality for a slight improvement in pain and function. Both reviews flag small samples and bias problems.
2026-09-30 · 13 min read
SupplementsBovine and marine cartilage
Not supported by the research. The cancer claim has been tested and failed.
2026-09-30 · 13 min read
MedicationsBudesonide; Formoterol
The evidence supports real reductions in asthma and COPD flare-ups (exacerbations) when budesonide/formoterol is used as directed.
2026-09-30 · 15 min read
SupplementsCannabidiol
The evidence is strong and narrow: purified pharmaceutical cannabidiol reduces seizure frequency in two rare epilepsy syndromes in placebo-controlled trials.
2026-09-30 · 16 min read
SupplementsCarnitine
Disputed. The honest summary is that the evidence is contested.
2026-09-30 · 22 min read
SupplementsCascara sagrada
Cascara is taken to force a bowel movement, and the plants that carry these anthraquinones are put into supplements for bowel function. The state of the evidence is the important part: in this search we could not reach or verify a single controlled human trial of cascara on its own, so its laxative effect rests on tradition.
2026-09-30 · 15 min read
ResearchWhat causes constipation, and why do some people get it more than others?
The evidence is strongest for the definition and for who is affected: pooled prevalence of functional constipation by Rome IV criteria is about 10% of adults, roughly twice as common in women.
2026-09-30 · 19 min read
SupplementsGerman chamomile
The best evidence is for anxiety rather than sleep, and it is thin. A randomised placebo-controlled trial in 57 people with mild-to-moderate generalised anxiety disorder found a greater fall in Hamilton Anxiety scores with chamomile (P = 0.047).
2026-09-30 · 13 min read
SupplementsCholine and citicoline
Choline's necessity is well established, while the supplement claims made for citicoline are not.
2026-09-30 · 16 min read
MedicationsCitalopram
For acute major depression in adults the randomised evidence does show an effect over placebo, but the effect is modest and the trial base is mostly industry-sponsored and at high risk of selective reporting.
2026-09-30 · 26 min read
SupplementsCocoa flavanols
The best evidence is a Cochrane review of short trials (2 to 18 weeks) finding a small drop in blood pressure of about 2 mmHg, rated moderate quality.
2026-09-30 · 12 min read
SupplementsBovine colostrum
Limited evidence. The best evidence is for two narrow things and it is not strong evidence.
2026-09-30 · 15 min read
SupplementsCranberry
Disputed. The best evidence is a 2023 Cochrane review of 50 randomised trials.
2026-09-30 · 16 min read