Category Archives: Herbs and Supplements

I have reviewed the complex and inconsistent evidence concerning the potential risks and benefits of vitamin supplements here, and concluded that most of the common claims for health benefits are unjustified. I recently discussed an example of this sort of … Continue reading →

A couple of readers have asked about a purported cancer therapy agent called artemisinin. This is a compound derived from a plant and used for a variety of purposes in the system known as Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is sometimes … Continue reading →

A reader recently asked me to comment on a dietary supplement marketed for dogs and cats, Ocu-Glo Rx. While this product shares the problem of many such supplements,  a shaky theoretical rationale and limited relevant research evidence to support its … Continue reading →

At the very beginning of this blog in 2009, I wrote about a compound called resveratrol. I concluded at that time that it was “promising but unproven.” I subsequently reported on a scandal in which a key researcher studying this … Continue reading →

A reader recently asked me to investigate yet another supplement product, this one marketed for treatment of kidney disease in dogs and cats. While there are thousands of such products, and a thorough investigation of each isn’t possible, there were … Continue reading →

I have written extensively about glucosamine because it is a ubiquitous arthritis therapy that nearly everyone seems to believe in and use, yet the evidence for it is poor. Only two published clinical studies are available for dogs, one showing … Continue reading →

The New York Times recently reported on the growing evidence that unregulated dietary supplements are a significant cause of injury and death. According to research by a group of liver specialists, supplements now “account for nearly 20 percent of drug-related liver … Continue reading →

I have written frequently about probiotics,(1,2) and the health effects of microorganisms seems a promising area of research. The current evidence for meaningful beneficial effects, however, is quite limited. There is reasonable evidence for some benefit in treating antibiotic-associated diarrhea … Continue reading →

In the first year of this blog, I wrote about a supplement called resveratrol, calling it “a promising but unproven compound.” Last year, I reported on a scandal in which a major researcher of resveratrol retracted over 100 research articles … Continue reading →