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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SupplementsFeverfew
Limited evidence. The evidence is thin and Cochrane rates it low quality.
2026-09-29 · 25 min read
Fasting5:2 diet
5:2 leads to weight loss, but randomised trials and a Cochrane review found no clear advantage over ordinary daily calorie restriction or standard dietary advice.
2026-09-29 · 14 min read
SupplementsFlaxseed and flaxseed oil
The state of the evidence is that whole ground flaxseed has a measurable but modest effect on blood lipids and blood pressure in meta-analyses of randomised trials.
2026-09-29 · 19 min read
MedicationsFluoxetine
Well established. Fluoxetine blocks the reuptake of serotonin by nerve cells.
2026-09-29 · 13 min read
MedicationsFluticasone
For asthma, a Cochrane review found fluticasone effective compared with placebo, even at low doses, with more thrush, sore throat and hoarseness.
2026-09-29 · 13 min read
MedicationsFluticasone furoate / umeclidinium / vilanterol
Well established. The evidence differs by approved use.
2026-09-29 · 12 min read
SupplementsFolate and folic acid
Folic acid taken around conception has high-quality Cochrane evidence for preventing neural tube defects.
2026-09-29 · 12 min read
MedicationsFolic acid
The strongest evidence is in pregnancy: pooled randomised trials show folic acid around conception cuts neural tube defects by roughly two thirds, with no clear effect on other birth defects.
2026-09-29 · 18 min read
MedicationsFurosemide
It removes excess fluid quickly and is a mainstay for congestion in heart failure, but most of the trial evidence is old, small and short.
2026-09-29 · 10 min read
SupplementsGarcinia cambogia
Limited evidence. It is sold for weight loss.
2026-09-29 · 15 min read
SupplementsGarlic
Garlic's best-supported effect is a modest reduction in blood pressure in people who already have hypertension: meta-analyses report systolic reductions of roughly 4 to 7 mmHg.
2026-09-29 · 19 min read
SupplementsGelatin
Gelatin is digested into amino acids and small peptides, and blood levels of glycine, proline, hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine rise within an hour of taking it.
2026-09-29 · 12 min read
SupplementsGinger
Ginger is best supported for nausea in pregnancy, where pooled trials show it eases nausea, though it did not significantly reduce vomiting and the evidence is low quality.
2026-09-29 · 9 min read
MedicationsGlipizide
Glipizide lowers blood glucose by making the pancreas release more insulin. Pooled trials show sulfonylureas as a class drop HbA1c by about 1.5 percentage points compared with placebo, which is a large glucose effect.
2026-09-29 · 21 min read
SupplementsGlucosamine
Disputed. The evidence is disputed rather than settled.
2026-09-29 · 18 min read
SupplementsGlutamine
Limited evidence. Claims for glutamine centre on gut lining, immunity, recovery and muscle.
2026-09-29 · 14 min read
SupplementsGlutathione
Glutathione's role inside cells is not in doubt; what is disputed is whether swallowing it changes anything.
2026-09-29 · 14 min read
SupplementsGoji berry
Limited evidence. Goji is marketed for general well-being, antioxidant status and eye health.
2026-09-29 · 16 min read
SupplementsGoldenseal
What goldenseal has actually been shown to do in people is interfere with drug metabolism, not treat disease.
2026-09-29 · 12 min read
SupplementsGrape seed extract
Limited evidence. Meta-analyses of small trials find a small drop in blood pressure and heart rate.
2026-09-29 · 10 min read
SupplementsGreen tea extract / EGCG
This is one of the clearest cases in the supplement literature where the harm evidence is stronger than the benefit evidence.
2026-09-29 · 20 min read
ResearchIs a more diverse gut microbiome healthier?
Low diversity or low gene richness is repeatedly associated with worse metabolic markers in population studies, and one randomised trial raised diversity with fermented foods while inflammatory markers fell.
2026-09-29 · 13 min read
SupplementsHawthorn
Disputed. The evidence is genuinely split.
2026-09-29 · 20 min read
ResearchHelicobacter pylori: what does it cause, how is it treated, is resistance a problem, and do probiotics help eradication?
The evidence that H. pylori causes gastritis and raises the risk of ulcer and stomach cancer is well established.
2026-09-29 · 10 min read