▸ Directory
All Substances
Every substance we cover — 57 evidence-scored hubs with the mechanism, dose, safety profile and honest product reviews behind each one.
Hormones & T 6
- Tongkat AliThe most-studied herbal lever for free testosterone in stressed and aging men.
- ZincThe trace mineral 300+ enzymes need — and the most-underrated cofactor in the testosterone + immune stack.
- Horny Goat WeedAn ancient vitality tonic whose active flavonoid, icariin, is a real PDE5 inhibitor — in the test tube.
- CistancheThe 'desert ginseng' testosterone adaptogen — buy it on its echinacoside number, and hold the evidence honestly.
- TurkesteroneMarketed as a "natural anabolic" — but there are no good human trials, so verification beats hype.
- ShilajitA mineral resin with real testosterone and fatigue signals — and a real heavy-metal caveat.
Mind & Mood 7
- Lion's ManeThe nootropic mushroom with real (if early) human data — but only the fruiting body, not grain.
- AshwagandhaThe most-studied adaptogen for stress, cortisol, and downstream free-testosterone support.
- Magnesium GlycinateThe bioavailable magnesium form that actually shifts sleep depth, recovery, and HRV.
- L-TheanineThe amino acid in green tea that produces calm focus without sedation — the most-studied natural nootropic.
- Ginkgo BilobaThe ancient memory herb — real but modest, and only as good as the 24%/6% spec on the bottle.
- CordycepsThe endurance mushroom — promising for energy and VO2max, with two very different species inside.
- 5-HTPThe serotonin precursor — modest real evidence for mood, appetite and sleep, with one serious drug-interaction caveat.
Metabolism 14
- ProbioticsLive bacteria with real RCT evidence — but only the right strain for the right gut problem.
- Psyllium HuskThe one fiber that normalizes BOTH constipation and diarrhea — and lowers cholesterol while it's at it.
- L-GlutamineThe amino acid that fuels your gut lining — with one striking RCT and a lot of honest caveats.
- Peppermint OilThe antispasmodic herb that beats placebo for IBS pain — if the capsule reaches your gut, not your stomach.
- Digestive EnzymesExcellent for a specific intolerance or true enzyme insufficiency — overrated as an everyday meal supplement.
- CreatineThe most-studied supplement in sports nutrition — 500+ RCTs, real effect, $0.10 per serving.
- BerberineNature's AMPK activator — the closest non-prescription analog to metformin's metabolic mechanism.
- CoQ10The mitochondrial electron-transport cofactor that depletes with statins and after age 40.
- BeetrootA dietary-nitrate vehicle for nitric oxide — real trials for endurance and blood pressure.
- BCAAThe leucine trigger for muscle — real, but oversold versus whole protein and full EAAs.
- Sea MossA traditional mineral-rich food — not the 92-mineral miracle the marketing sells.
- Pre-WorkoutJudged on clinically-dosed actives, not the size of the caffeine buzz.
- Electrolyte PowderSodium is the headline electrolyte — a real dose matters, a token sprinkle doesn't.
- Protein PowderThe most evidence-backed scoop in the aisle — but it only counts toward your daily total.
Foundation 30
- Saw PalmettoThe DHT-blocker herb with a standardization story bigger than its evidence.
- TUDCAThe bile acid with real pharma pedigree and thin OTC proof.
- CholineThe essential liver nutrient with a form problem.
- Tart CherryThe recovery-and-sleep berry with real science and modest, honest effects.
- GarlicA real but modest blood-pressure tool — not a statin in a capsule.
- FolateThe one prenatal nutrient with real trial data behind it — and the form that actually earned it.
- Black CohoshThe most-studied menopause herb - and one of the most honestly overrated.
- NAC (N-Acetylcysteine)The glutathione precursor behind the liver-detox hype — a proven hospital antidote, a far softer daily pill.
- GingerThe best-evidenced natural anti-nausea agent — and honest about the rest.
- QuercetinThe famous immune flavonoid whose real problem is getting absorbed at all.
- Rhodiola RoseaThe anti-fatigue adaptogen — if you buy the standardized extract
- ElderberryThe cold-and-flu berry with real trials — and real caveats.
- Vitamin CThe classic immune vitamin — real, but modest: it shortens colds slightly, it doesn't prevent them, and your body throws away the megadose.
- IronThe world's most common deficiency — but a test-first fix, not a daily-just-in-case pill.
- Milk ThistleThe most-used liver herb in the world — real antioxidant biology, but the rigorous trials came back mixed, and the form you buy decides whether any of it is even absorbed.
- Vitamin B12The "energy vitamin" that does nothing for your energy — unless you're one of the people who's actually deficient.
- BiotinThe "hair, skin and nails" vitamin that only grows hair if you're genuinely deficient — and quietly sabotages your blood tests.
- CurcuminThe turmeric compound that matched ibuprofen for knee-arthritis pain — if you buy the absorbable form.
- CollagenThe body's structural protein — with real RCTs for joints and skin, and two very different forms.
- Glucosamine & ChondroitinThe classic joint combo — real for a subgroup, oversold for everyone else.
- Boswellia SerrataIndian frankincense — a 5-LOX inhibitor that cuts joint pain through a pathway NSAIDs don't touch.
- Vitamin DNot a vitamin — a steroid hormone with VDR receptors in nearly every tissue. The most-deficient nutrient in modern populations.
- Omega-3The cardiovascular, cognitive, and anti-inflammatory baseline supplement with the strongest meta-analysis evidence.
- MultivitaminCheap insurance for your dietary gaps — not the longevity drug the label implies.
- Bee Pollen & Royal JellyFour hive-derived whole-foods — pollen, royal jelly, propolis, bee bread — dense in nutrients, honest about the evidence.
- Greens PowderInsurance for the vegetables you didn't eat — useful, but not a vegetable replacement.
- Algae Oil Omega-3The vegan omega-3 — real, evidence-backed DHA from algae. Just read the EPA milligrams.
- NMNThe hot NAD+ longevity precursor — promising in mice, early and unproven in humans.
- GlutathioneThe body's master antioxidant — real biology, genuinely debated oral absorption.
- Manuka HoneyPremium New Zealand honey with one measurable difference: methylglyoxal — and a real antibacterial story.