Heart & Cardiovascular

Periconceptional folic acid prevents most neural tube defects — the single clearest reason to take it, and the myth-clearing reason it has to be folic acid, not 5-MTHF.

A foundational mineral most people under-consume — strong for correcting inadequacy, modest (not magical) for sleep.

EPA and DHA from fish oil have strong cardiovascular and cognitive evidence — but dose, form, and freshness matter more than most labels suggest.

The soluble fiber with an FDA-authorized heart-health claim — strong evidence for lowering LDL and treating constipation, honest about the bloating and the water requirement.

Specifically the aged (Kyolic-style) form of garlic with several RCTs showing modest but real reductions in blood pressure and cholesterol.

A plant alkaloid with strong clinical evidence for lowering blood sugar, often compared to metformin in efficacy for glycemic control.

A methyl donor with solid evidence for lowering homocysteine and moderate evidence for improving power output during resistance training — but not body composition.

An amino acid that boosts nitric oxide production — good evidence for improving exercise performance and blood flow, though effect sizes are moderate and study quality varies.

A mitochondrial coenzyme critical for cellular energy production, with good evidence for heart health support and addressing statin-related depletion.

One of the most-studied herbal supplements in history, with mixed but meaningful evidence for circulation and cognition — though the large dementia-prevention trials were negative.

Real-time heart-rate-variability training for slow breathing — a solid, reproducible signal for anxiety and stress, but a thin and inconsistent case for broader cardiovascular claims.

An FDA/EU-approved cholesterol claim backed by 124 trials — reliably lowers LDL 7-12% by blocking absorption in the gut, though no trial has tested it against actual heart attacks.

A dose-response meta-analysis links higher potassium intake to real blood-pressure reductions — but the trials used diet and prescription-strength doses, not the 99mg-capped pills sold as supplements.

Sit-stand desks reliably cut sedentary time and produce small, real improvements in glucose and body-fat markers — reductions in heart attacks or death haven't been shown, because no trial has run long enough or been large enough to look.

A conditionally essential amino acid with solid evidence for cardiovascular protection and emerging longevity interest, though human lifespan data is still absent.

A fat-soluble antioxidant that protects cell membranes — essential from food, but supplementation evidence is mixed and high doses may carry risk.

Directs calcium toward bones and teeth and away from arteries — promising evidence for cardiovascular and skeletal health, especially alongside vitamin D.

Marketed as the first essential fatty acid discovered since omega-3 — the evidence for that claim comes almost entirely from the company that sells it.

The famous 'red wine molecule' has disappointing human translational evidence despite decades of hype — a classic case of animal data not panning out.