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.
579 items
MedicationsErgocalciferol
The literature is clear on what ergocalciferol does to a blood test and much less flattering about what it does to outcomes.
2026-09-29 · 14 min read
MedicationsEscitalopram
Large reviews of the trials find escitalopram, like other antidepressants, beats placebo for depression, and it is among the better-tolerated ones in head-to-head trials.
2026-09-29 · 13 min read
MedicationsEthinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone
The evidence supports it as effective contraception: in the pivotal study of one such product there were 5 on-treatment pregnancies in 3,565 cycles without backup contraception, a Pearl Index of 1.82.
2026-09-29 · 17 min read
SupplementsEvening primrose oil
Not supported by the research. For the two uses with the most trial data, the answer is that it does not work.
2026-09-29 · 15 min read
SupplementsExogenous ketones
Limited evidence. The evidence is limited and mixed.
2026-09-29 · 13 min read
MedicationsEzetimibe
The evidence that ezetimibe lowers LDL cholesterol is solid and the size of that effect is modest; the evidence that it prevents heart attacks and strokes is real but small and contested.
2026-09-29 · 20 min read
Fasting36-hour fast
Limited evidence. The evidence is limited to small, short trials, mostly in healthy adults under 60.
2026-09-29 · 10 min read
FastingFasting-mimicking diet
Limited evidence. Evidence is limited and closely tied to the product's maker.
2026-09-29 · 10 min read
MedicationsFenofibrate
The literature supports fenofibrate as a triglyceride-lowering drug whose effect on hard cardiovascular outcomes is unsettled.
2026-09-29 · 17 min read
SupplementsFenugreek
Fenugreek seed is promoted mainly for blood sugar, for cholesterol and as a galactagogue to increase breast milk.
2026-09-29 · 16 min read
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