Snake Oil - What supplements are worth it

One of my favorite websites for keeping up-to-date on supplement research is http://informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/snake-oil

It gives you a visual of trending supplement research.

Research: Stephanie Smith, Miriam Quick 
Sources: PubMed, Cochrane.org, Examine.com

RCTs and population studies. Metastudies & large trials used where possible.

NAC eye drops can help improve your eyesight

Summary: NAC eye drops can help improve your eyesight.

"During early experiments performed at the Moscow Helmholtz Research Institute for Eye Diseases, it was shown that NAC (1% concentration), was able to pass from the cornea to the aqueous humour after about 15 to 30 minutes.
It is believed that NAC is deacetylated (loses its acetyl group) and transforms into carnosine, which then acts as an antioxidant and against glycation. In another study NAC was reported as effective in improving vision in cataract patients and reduced the appearance of cataract. The authors called this ‘a snow melting effect’ referring to the slow reduction of the cataractous tissues in the lens following the use of NAC eye drops. Transparency of the lens improved after using NAC eye drops at a concentration of 1% twice a day for four months. These results were relevant to all forms of cataract, mild or severe, although other studies found the most beneficial effect was in relation to early forms of cataract. This was a landmark study which caused many commercial operators to manufacture their own brands of anti-cataract NAC eye drops." - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcarnosine

 

Additional:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12001824

March is Caffeine Awareness Month

"Tea and coffee are an essential part of life for many of us. In fact, the breakfast cup of coffee and mid-morning tea break are so deeply embedded in our daily routine, that they have become automatic and unquestioned cornerstones of the day. This means that it can be difficult to envisage alternatives or doing away with them altogether.

This is the context for Caffeine Awareness Month. With its roots in the campaigning work of the US not-for-profit sector, Caffeine Awareness Month presents an opportunity to be mindful of the amount of caffeine we are drinking and to be educated about the potential advantages of substitutes.

Use Caffeine Awareness Month to try swapping your morning espresso for a fruit smoothie or mint tea. Or perhaps instead experiment with the introduction of a morning run or workout to invigorate your day. It may be an opportunity to discover that a daily caffeine hit may not be as indispensable as you originally thought."

- https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/caffeine-awareness-month/