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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SupplementsTurkey tail
Most evidence concerns the PSK extract given with chemotherapy after cancer surgery in Japan. A meta-analysis of 8,009 gastric cancer patients found a modest survival advantage.
2026-09-30 · 8 min read
SupplementsValerian
Disputed. The honest summary is that the evidence is weak and contradictory.
2026-09-30 · 14 min read
SupplementsVitamin B12
The clearest evidence concerns people who are deficient or at risk: long-term metformin use and long-term acid-suppressing drugs (PPIs and H2 blockers) are associated with lower B12 status.
2026-09-30 · 11 min read
SupplementsVitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient, so correcting a deficiency is genuinely curative - untreated scurvy is fatal.
2026-09-30 · 17 min read
SupplementsAndrographis
A systematic review of 33 trials (7,175 patients) found it improved cough, sore throat and overall symptoms of acute respiratory infections, but the trials were of poor quality.
2026-09-30 · 11 min read
SupplementsCat's claw
Limited evidence. It is promoted for arthritis, cancer, viral infections and immunity.
2026-09-30 · 10 min read
SupplementsChaga
Chaga is claimed to help with inflammation, immunity, blood sugar and cancer, but these effects come from laboratory and animal studies.
2026-09-30 · 10 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
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
SupplementsThunder god vine
Limited evidence. The strongest evidence is for rheumatoid arthritis.
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
SupplementsActivated charcoal
The evidence for activated charcoal sits almost entirely in acute poisoning medicine, not in consumer wellness.
2026-09-29 · 14 min read
SupplementsAlfalfa
Limited evidence. Alfalfa is mainly promoted for cholesterol.
2026-09-29 · 7 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
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
SupplementsArtichoke leaf extract
It is mainly sold for cholesterol and digestion. Two recent meta-analyses of small randomised trials report modest falls in total and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
2026-09-29 · 11 min read
SupplementsAshwagandha
Limited evidence. The evidence is limited and of low certainty.
2026-09-29 · 19 min read
SupplementsAsian ginseng
Claims made for Asian ginseng cover vitality, immunity, cognition, physical performance, blood sugar and sexual function. The evidence is mixed and mostly rests on small short trials.
2026-09-29 · 17 min read
SupplementsAstaxanthin
Claims run to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, skin, eye and sports-performance effects; the trial evidence is thin and mixed.
2026-09-29 · 14 min read
SupplementsAstragalus
Limited evidence. The evidence is limited and mostly low quality.
2026-09-29 · 10 min read
SupplementsBacopa monnieri
Limited evidence. The honest summary is that the effect, if real, is small and narrow.
2026-09-29 · 16 min read