Supplements
Supplements, in plain words
Vitamins, minerals and hormones people take for sleep and everyday health: what the cited NIH pages say the research shows and does not show, and what to be careful of.
Supplements
A mineral needed for muscle and nerve function, blood sugar and blood pressure, and making protein, bone, and DNA. Most people get enough from food; supplements have a daily upper limit and drug interactions.
Strongest evidenceLimitedA hormone the brain makes in response to darkness, sold as a supplement. It has evidence for jet lag and a few sleep-timing problems; sleep guidelines advise against it for chronic insomnia.
Strongest evidenceEstablishedA mineral found in cells throughout the body, needed by the immune system, for making DNA and proteins, for growth, and for taste. Most people in the United States get enough from food.
Strongest evidenceEstablishedA nutrient made in sunlit skin and found in a few foods and fortified products. It helps the body absorb calcium for bones; trials have returned clear negative results for several uses it is sold for.
Strongest evidenceEstablished
Looking for an herb? Open the Materia Medica.