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.
568 items
Clear filters
MedicationsDiltiazem
In a large trial in high blood pressure, diltiazem prevented heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths about as well as diuretics and beta-blockers, with fewer strokes.
2026-09-30 · 13 min read
SupplementsLavender, oral
The evidence for oral lavender comes almost entirely from Silexan trials, and nearly all of them were funded by its manufacturer.
2026-09-30 · 15 min read
SupplementsMaitake
A systematic review found a lack of systematic study of maitake's safety and effectiveness in people.
2026-09-30 · 8 min read
SupplementsMugwort
Mugwort has long traditional use for digestive and gynaecological complaints, and laboratory and animal studies report antioxidant, antispasmodic and other effects.
2026-09-30 · 11 min read
MedicationsNaproxen
The trial evidence shows naproxen relieves short-term pain well: in reviews of dental and surgical pain, about half of people got useful relief versus 15% on placebo.
2026-09-30 · 17 min read
MedicationsPrednisolone
The evidence depends on the condition. Steroids like it cut hospital admissions for acute asthma and treatment failure in COPD flare-ups.
2026-09-30 · 14 min read
SupplementsSage
Small trials suggest common sage may reduce menopausal hot flushes, and a few small studies report better memory scores, but the evidence base is small and often manufacturer-funded.
2026-09-30 · 13 min read
MedicationsSumatriptan
Well established. Large Cochrane reviews show it works for acute migraine.
2026-09-30 · 15 min read
SupplementsThunder god vine
Limited evidence. The strongest evidence is for rheumatoid arthritis.
2026-09-30 · 12 min read
MedicationsThyroid
Limited evidence. It replaces thyroid hormone in people with an underactive thyroid.
2026-09-30 · 12 min read
SupplementsTremella
Limited evidence. Most research on tremella is in cells and animals.
2026-09-30 · 7 min read
Supplements5-HTP
Limited evidence. The evidence is thin rather than absent.
2026-09-29 · 16 min read
MedicationsAcetaminophen; Hydrocodone
Limited evidence. In a single-dose dental-surgery trial it relieved pain better than placebo.
2026-09-29 · 11 min read
MedicationsAcetaminophen
The evidence is use-specific and does not uniformly support 'it works for pain.' For single-dose acute pain (e.g. after surgery), Cochrane review data give a number needed to treat (NNT) of about 3.6 for a 1000 mg dose.
2026-09-29 · 15 min read
SupplementsActivated charcoal
The evidence for activated charcoal sits almost entirely in acute poisoning medicine, not in consumer wellness.
2026-09-29 · 14 min read
MedicationsAlbuterol
Albuterol relaxes airway muscle within minutes and reliably protects against exercise-induced narrowing of the airways when taken as a single dose.
2026-09-29 · 13 min read
SupplementsAlfalfa
Limited evidence. Alfalfa is mainly promoted for cholesterol.
2026-09-29 · 7 min read
FastingAlternate-day fasting
Limited evidence. The evidence for zero-calorie alternate-day fasting is thin: small, short trials.
2026-09-29 · 10 min read
SupplementsAmerican ginseng
American ginseng has been tested mainly for blood glucose, cancer-related fatigue and prevention of colds.
2026-09-29 · 14 min read
MedicationsAmitriptyline
For depression, a Cochrane review of 39 trials found amitriptyline clearly beat placebo on response, but the trials were old and poorly reported.
2026-09-29 · 14 min read
MedicationsAmlodipine
In large outcome trials amlodipine-based treatment lowered blood pressure and cardiovascular events about as well as a thiazide diuretic (ALLHAT) and better than an atenolol-based regimen (ASCOT-BPLA).
2026-09-29 · 17 min read
MedicationsAmoxicillin; Clavulanate
Where placebo-controlled evidence exists, the benefit is real but modest and the harms are quantified.
2026-09-29 · 19 min read
MedicationsAmoxicillin
Well established. Amoxicillin kills susceptible bacteria.
2026-09-29 · 14 min read
SupplementsApple cider vinegar
The human evidence is made of small, short trials, several of them unblinded, and it points to modest metabolic changes rather than the weight-loss effect the product is usually sold for.
2026-09-29 · 13 min read