What's in Your Supplement? Is It Tested? Does It Work?

One important thing to look for in a supplement is a detailed ingredient list.

My husband once ordered a mixed-ingredient nootropic supplement that a friend recommended. The friend had been impressed by a representative of the company who she had met at a professional meeting. While examining the bottle of the new supplement, he called me over. He was concerned with the term "proprietary blend" listed in the ingredient list. He had no idea of the amount of any single plant or compound he would be ingesting.

A trustworthy supplement company will disclose the contents of its supplements. Their labels will list the amount of each plant used, and the concentration of the active compound of interest. And they will provide evidence of quality assurance testing to verify their ingredients are pure and up to standard.

Carnitine, Vitamin B Complex, and Zinc may enhance general well-being and skin elasticity for better aging. Daily oral supplementation with collagen peptides combined with vitamins and other bioactive compounds improves skin elasticity and has a beneficial effect on joint and general wellbeing. This study involved a mixed-ingredient supplement that included L-carnitine, niacin, vitamin B6, biotin, zinc, and black pepper among other ingredients. 120 adult participants took a placebo or the mixed-ingredient supplement for 90 days. The supplemented group saw improvement in skin elasticity, reduction in skin photo-aging, and an improvement in general wellbeing.  83% of the supplemented subjects claimed to have more energy and 93% claimed to be willing to continue the supplement.

Melatonin may improve mood and facilitate glucose metabolism. Effects of melatonin administration on mental health parameters, metabolic and genetic profiles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition often characterized by irregular menstruation, altered lipid profiles, depression, anxiety, and disrupted sleep. Many symptoms seem to be rooted in insulin resistance. This study involved 58 women with PCOS who took a placebo or 10 mg of melatonin one hour before bed for 12 weeks. Melatonin supplementation had favorable effects on depression, anxiety, sleep quality, insulin concentrations, and insulin resistance. The melatonin supplement also upregulated gene expression of the PPARγ gene, which facilitates insulin sensitization and enhances glucose metabolism, and the LDLR gene, which codes for the receptor that removes LDL particles from the blood. In their discussion of the results, the researchers mentioned previous studies that showed similar desired effects of melatonin supplementation in other populations.

Vitamin B6 may protect overall health. Prospective cohort studies of dietary vitamin B6 intake and risk of cause-specific mortality. This study took a broader look at vitamin B6. Sometimes research gets so focused on an individual cell or organ that it helps to step back and see if the nutrient has an impact on the big picture goals. Acknowledging that vitamin B6 plays an important role in chronic disease, researchers looked at data from 134,480 participants of the Shanghai Men's Health Study (2002-2014) and the Shanghai Women's Health Study (1997-2014). They looked at the relationship between vitamin B6 and the risk of various causes of mortality. They found that higher levels of dietary intake of vitamin B6 were associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality. The benefit of vitamin B6 intake was independent of the overall diet quality and protective from health-related death.

Editor Note

Thrivous provides premium quality open-source supplements, with full disclosure of all ingredients, doses, and quality test results -- no hiding behind secretive proprietary blends. Clarity Daily Nootropic provides evidence-based doses of Vitamin B Complex (including Vitamin B6) and bioavailable Zinc. Serenity Nightly Nootropic is an excellent source of Melatonin. And Alpha Neuroprotector provides a clinical dose of Acetyl L Carnitine.