Pure City Research Key takeaways No supplement cures eczema — the best-supported signals (vitamin D, omega-3 EPA/DHA, certain probiotic strains) are targeted adjuncts, not replacements for moisturizers and prescribed anti-inflammatory treatment. Vitamin D evidence conflicts: a 2024 meta-analysis of 11 RCTs (686 participants) found a modest severity reduction (SMD −0.41), while a 2023 meta-analysis of 5 RCTs found … Read more
Key takeaways Cochrane reviewed 77 studies (6,603 participants) and found daily moisturizers cut flare risk to a third of control (RR 0.33) — the single strongest eczema-prevention intervention, though 46 of the included studies had pharmaceutical-company funding. Cochrane found no reliable evidence that any one moisturizer ingredient beats another — the “best” moisturizer is the … Read more
Key takeaways Melatonin is the only sleep supplement with strong evidence — but specifically for jet lag and circadian phase shift, not chronic insomnia (Cochrane review). A JAMA analysis found melatonin gummies’ actual content varied widely from label claims, and some products contained undisclosed CBD — a quality problem, not just an efficacy one. Magnesium … Read more
Key takeaways CBT-I (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia) is the guideline-recommended first-line treatment for chronic insomnia — not medication or sleep hygiene alone (ACP guideline; AASM behavioral guideline). A meta-analysis of 20 RCTs (1,162 participants) found multimodal CBT-I cut sleep-onset latency by ~19 minutes and wake-after-sleep-onset by ~26 minutes (Annals of Internal Medicine). Sleep hygiene … Read more
Key takeaways The best-supported “supplement” intervention in asthma isn’t a capsule at all — it’s medically administered IV magnesium sulfate for selected severe acute attacks, per Cochrane (odds ratio 0.10 for admission in the severe subgroup). Vitamin D is reasonable to correct a documented deficiency, but an updated Cochrane review found no evidence it reduces … Read more
Key takeaways WHO estimates asthma affected 363 million people in 2023 and caused 442,000 deaths, with most deaths linked to under-diagnosis and under-treatment rather than disease severity alone (WHO asthma fact sheet). GINA states SABA-only (reliever-only) treatment raises exacerbation risk, worsens lung function, and increases asthma-death risk — low-dose ICS or as-needed ICS-formoterol cuts severe … Read more
Key takeaways Viscous soluble fiber has the most practical supplement evidence: a meta-analysis found HbA1c improved by 0.47 percentage points and fasting glucose by 0.93 mmol/L in people with type 2 diabetes. Berberine shows one of the stronger glucose-lowering signals — a 46-trial meta-analysis (4,158 participants) found HbA1c reduced by 0.73% — but heterogeneity was … Read more
Key takeaways A Cochrane review of 12 RCTs (5,238 participants) found combined diet plus physical activity cut type 2 diabetes incidence with a risk ratio of 0.57 versus standard care — about a 43% reduction in high-risk adults. The Diabetes Prevention Program showed intensive lifestyle change (targeting 7% weight loss and 150 min/week of activity) … Read more
Key takeaways Soluble fiber has the strongest LDL-lowering evidence: a meta-analysis of 181 RCTs found each 5 g/day increment reduced LDL-C by 8.28 mg/dL and total cholesterol by 10.82 mg/dL, with the review authors reporting no funding. Plant sterols/stanols reliably lower LDL-C (a 59-trial meta-analysis found a 0.31 mmol/L reduction), but a key older meta-analysis … Read more
Key takeaways WHO reports cardiovascular disease caused an estimated 19.8 million deaths in 2022 — about 32% of all global deaths — with heart attack and stroke accounting for 85% of that toll (WHO CVD fact sheet). A reanalysis of the PREDIMED trial (7,447 high-risk adults) found a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or … Read more
