511 articles · Page 1 of 22
Browse all 22 pages
- Page 1Acai: a food with more marketing than clinical evidencethrough How much ashwagandha should women take?
- Page 2Is ashwagandha an antidepressant?through Ashwagandha for stress and anxiety: promising small trials leave important questions
- Page 3What are the benefits of ashwagandha tea?through Berberine and mitochondrial complex I: a mechanism is not an energy-boost promise
- Page 4Which plants contain berberine? Sources are not interchangeable dosesthrough What makes a fruit a fruit? Berries, vegetables and accessory fruits
- Page 5Botanical medicine: plant identity and preparation determine the questionthrough Cocoa extract in COSMOS: the primary cardiovascular result was not significant
- Page 6Collagen for eczema: skin hydration claims are not eczema treatment evidencethrough Piperine and curcumin absorption: higher blood exposure is not a clinical benefit
- Page 7Curcumin powder: identify the extract before judging benefits or dosethrough Elderberry: respiratory-symptom research and preparation safety
- Page 8Elderberry with vitamin C and zinc: combinations need their own evidencethrough Making fenugreek seed powder: grind a small, dry batch
- Page 9Fenugreek seed tea: a kitchen infusion with uncertain health benefitsthrough Does ginger ale help an upset stomach? Ginger studies do not prove it does
- Page 10Ginger for allergic rhinitis: no significant difference is not proof of equivalencethrough Ginger for men: benefits, side effects and sexual claims
- Page 11Ginger for migraine prevention: a placebo-controlled trial was negativethrough Ginkgo and antidepressant sexual effects: improvement also occurred with placebo
- Page 12Ginkgo in a child ADHD trial: less effective than the active comparatorthrough Honey mushrooms and trees: a fruiting cluster can accompany root disease
- Page 13Hoodia: appetite claims without established weight-loss benefitthrough Fungi in mammal diets: spores in droppings reveal dietary patterns
- Page 14Mango ginger is a named spice plant, not a proven therapeutic formulathrough Which mushroom is best for inflammation?
- Page 15Can mushrooms cause inflammation in some people?through Plantago ovata: identifying the plant behind a psyllium name
- Page 16What plants contain DMT? Botanical sources and distinctionsthrough Rhodiola and cortisol: one trial measured the awakening response
- Page 17How does rhodiola work in the brain and body?through Making saffron tincture at home: food infusion versus extract
- Page 18Can saffron be poisonous?through Is a squash a gourd? Why the names overlap
- Page 19St. John’s wort: depression evidence and major medication interactionsthrough Can turmeric treat a fungal infection?
- Page 20Turmeric gargle for radiation mucositis: an active-comparator studythrough Turmeric tea benefits: a drink is not a clinical extract
- Page 21Turmeric tea for weight loss: three flavor ideas without a fat-burning claimthrough How can you tell whether a wild mushroom is edible?
- Page 22Glycine soja in soybean research refers to a plant, not a glycine supplementthrough Zinc for crops: need varies with the plant and the soil
Acai: a food with more marketing than clinical evidence
Separate a berry's nutritional role from weight-loss, antioxidant and performance promises.
Which foods contain adaptogens? Roots, herbs and mushrooms
Adaptogen is a loose term for substances proposed to help resistance to stress, not an essential nutrient category. Ashwagandha, ginseng, rhodiola and reishi are common examples in products. Their presence in a tea, snack or powder does not establish that the food treats stress or that the ingredients are interchangeable.
Agaricus: immune markers, clinical outcomes and liver safety
What limited mushroom-extract studies can tell us without overstating immune or cancer benefits.
AHCC: why a mushroom extract needs its own evidence
What AHCC research can tell us, why mushroom powders are not equivalent, and when treatment interactions matter.
AHCC for persistent HPV: interpreting a small phase-two trial
The study reported negative viral tests in some women. It did not establish cancer prevention or replace screening.
Alfalfa: food use, supplement claims and lupus concerns
Why eating a plant and taking its concentrated preparations are different decisions.
Is ALIVE mushroom elixir good for you? Formula and evidence
ALIVE is a GT’s Living Foods beverage whose formulation and branding can change. The manufacturer page inspected for this article lists 1,800 mg of an adaptogenic blend: 600 mg each of reishi, chaga and turkey tail. Those label claims describe the product; they do not establish clinical benefit from the finished drink.
Aloe vera: gel, latex and whole-leaf products are not equivalent
The plant part and route matter more than the familiar aloe name.
California’s 2025–2026 Amanita outbreak: familiar appearance was not protection
CDC reported 39 suspected amatoxin poisonings, including four deaths and three liver transplants. Prior foraging experience did not eliminate risk.
American ginseng: fatigue evidence depends on the setting
Distinguish Panax quinquefolius from other ginsengs and cancer-related fatigue from a general energy claim.
Andrographis: cold symptom research and its limits
Distinguish relief of respiratory symptoms from infection prevention, and single-ingredient extracts from combinations.
Fungus-farming ants: leaves feed the crop that feeds the colony
Some ants cultivate fungi rather than simply eating collected leaves. In leafcutter systems, harvested vegetation supports a fungal food source.
Antrodia alongside chemotherapy: a small trial did not establish cancer benefit
A preliminary trial found no significant survival or disease-control advantage from adding Antrodia cinnamomea to chemotherapy.
Arnica: topical products, homeopathy and oral safety
The route and preparation matter when interpreting arnica studies and choosing what questions to ask.
Artemisia annua: herbal extracts are not equivalent to malaria medicines
Artemisia annua contains compounds used in drug development. That connection does not establish that teas or capsules can replace a prescribed treatment.
Ashwagandha: stress, sleep, extracts and safety
Ashwagandha evidence for stress and sleep, extract differences, studied doses, safety and product testing without treating all formulations as equivalent.
Ashwagandha onset: one-hour tests are not a universal response clock
A trial tested a liposomal root-and-leaf extract after one hour and again after 30 days. Mixed cognitive and mood findings do not identify when every user will feel an effect.
Ashwagandha in bipolar disorder: cognition was not mood stabilization
An adjunct trial found differences on three cognitive tasks in stable bipolar patients. It did not establish treatment of mania, depression or prevention of future episodes.
Ashwagandha and blood thinners: what is known?
Ashwagandha is not an established anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicine. The reviewed authoritative summaries do not quantify bleeding risk when it is combined with a blood thinner. That uncertainty is not a guarantee of compatibility, and the exact product should be reviewed before use.
Ashwagandha is a shrub: roots, flowers and berries are different parts
Withania somnifera is a plant in the nightshade family. A botanical description helps identify its parts without treating them as interchangeable preparations.
Ashwagandha while breastfeeding: adult studies do not establish infant safety
NCCIH advises against using ashwagandha while breastfeeding. Short-term research in other adults cannot establish safety for a breastfeeding parent and infant.
Can you take ashwagandha with caffeine?
Ashwagandha is not an antidote to caffeine, and the combination does not have a universally established safe dose. Caffeine can cause jitteriness, insomnia and palpitations; ashwagandha can cause drowsiness and has separate thyroid, liver and medicine cautions. Consider both exposures independently.
Does ashwagandha lower cholesterol?
Limited exploratory research does not establish ashwagandha as a cholesterol treatment. A small pilot found changes in some lipid measures, but did not demonstrate a clear LDL-cholesterol benefit or fewer cardiovascular events. It should not replace prescribed lipid treatment.
How much ashwagandha should women take?
There is no single daily ashwagandha dose established for all women or health goals. Extract identity, indication, pregnancy status, medicines and health conditions matter more than a women’s label. Study amounts cannot be transferred freely between root powder, concentrated extracts, tea and gummies.