Ingredient index

African mango is a West African fruit whose seed extract was tested for weight loss. A few small trials reported large effects at 300 mg a day, but an independent review found the studies too weak to trust.

Alfalfa is a legume containing nutrients and plant compounds with estrogen-like activity. Human research is limited to a few older cholesterol studies. Its L-canavanine content has triggered lupus flares, an important safety restriction.

Amylase is an enzyme in saliva that breaks down starch. In oral enzyme formulas, it supplies sugars used by other enzymes to produce antimicrobial compounds. Its dental effects have not been tested on their own in a human trial.

Amyloglucosidase breaks starch fragments into glucose. In oral enzyme systems, glucose feeds the reactions involving glucose oxidase and lactoperoxidase. Human dental evidence concerns the combined toothpaste system, rather than this enzyme alone.

Artichoke leaf extract has human research for cholesterol and digestive symptoms. Cynarin is associated with increased bile flow. The available studies do not establish benefits for prostate symptoms or male vitality.

Standardized ashwagandha extracts have been studied for stress, cortisol, sleep, and modest strength or testosterone changes, commonly at 300–600 mg daily. The extract and its withanolide concentration matter; the same weight of root powder is not equivalent.

Astragalus is a root used in traditional Chinese medicine. Human research comes mostly from Chinese trials using gram-level decoctions or injections alongside standard drugs, especially for diabetic kidney disease. Evidence for an oral supplement at milligram amounts is thin.

Bearberry contains arbutin, which can produce the antimicrobial compound hydroquinone. European traditional-use guidance covers mild urinary symptoms and limits courses to one week, no more than five per year. This restriction matters for products intended for ongoing daily use.

Beetroot provides nitrates used by the body to make nitric oxide. Trials have found modest blood-pressure and recreational-exercise benefits using grams of powder or concentrated nitrate preparations. Those results do not establish benefits from amounts measured in tens of milligrams.

Berberine has human research for blood sugar and cholesterol at 900–1,500 mg daily. Urinary and bladder evidence is much more limited and largely animal-based. It can interact with medicines through enzymes including CYP2D6, CYP2C9, and CYP3A4.

Beta-alanine raises muscle carnosine and improves high-intensity exercise lasting about 1–4 minutes. The effect needs 4–6 g a day for several weeks. Tingling skin is its well-known harmless side effect.

Beta-glucanase breaks bonds in part of the structure that holds plaque together. Evidence includes laboratory plaque models, with reduced biofilm formation after enzyme pretreatment in a 2023 study. No human dental trial has tested this enzyme alone.

B. lactis BL-04 is an identified probiotic strain with human respiratory-immune research at two billion CFU daily. Periodontal trials cited for B. lactis used another strain, HN019. Their findings cannot automatically be applied to BL-04.

Black currant contains anthocyanins, plant pigments studied for visual fatigue, immune measures, and exercise recovery. Human trials are small and early, so potential benefits remain uncertain.

Piperine, the main alkaloid in black pepper, slows the breakdown of some compounds in the gut and liver. It is added to supplements to raise absorption, most famously of curcumin, but the same effect can raise blood levels of certain medicines.

Bladderwrack is a brown seaweed traditionally used for iodine-related thyroid problems. Its iodine content varies. The available research does not establish prostate benefits or the broader weight-loss claims made for it.

Boron is a trace mineral studied at 3–10 mg daily for hormone levels, inflammation, and mineral metabolism. Human studies are small, so these possible effects need stronger confirmation.

Broccoli contains compounds that can produce sulforaphane, which activates cellular antioxidant and detoxification pathways. Human evidence for health outcomes is still developing. A supplement’s preparation determines whether it supplies sulforaphane or the materials needed to form it.

Bromelain is a protein-digesting enzyme from pineapple stems, studied for sinus swelling. Small trials and observational studies suggest it may ease sinus symptoms, but enzyme activity, not milligram weight, is what matters, and many labels don't state it.

Burdock root contains antioxidant compounds, including arctiin and arctigenin. Human evidence is limited, with one small knee-osteoarthritis trial. Traditional descriptions such as blood purification do not correspond to an established measurable benefit.

Capsicum is chili pepper; its heat comes from capsaicin. Studies show capsaicin slightly raises energy use and lowers appetite, and one trial in gestational diabetes found better after-meal glucose with 5 mg of capsaicin a day.

Celery seed is traditionally used for gout and blood pressure. Human supplement evidence includes one small hypertension study. Its compound 3-n-butylphthalide has also been studied as a stroke medicine in China, which is a different preparation and use.

Chlorella is a microalga studied at gram-level daily amounts. Trial reviews report modest reductions in cholesterol and blood pressure. No human study identified here tests chlorella for teeth, gums, or breath.

Chlorophyllin is a water-soluble, copper-containing form of chlorophyll. Laboratory work shows binding of sulfur compounds associated with odors, and a human trial studied aflatoxin exposure. Reviews find insufficient evidence to establish it as a bad-breath treatment.

Choline is an essential nutrient used to make cell-membrane fats and acetylcholine, a signaling chemical. Its established role includes liver-fat metabolism. Cognitive research is more limited and often uses CDP-choline or alpha-GPC rather than ordinary choline.

Chromium is a trace mineral involved in how the body handles glucose. Trials of 200–1,000 mcg a day have produced small, inconsistent changes in blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Most people already get enough from food.

Cinnamon compounds have antimicrobial activity, and a small chewing-gum study measured reduced S. mutans. Blood-sugar studies have mixed results. Species and amount matter: cassia cinnamon contains coumarin, which can affect the liver with sustained exposure.

Coleus forskohlii root extract supplies forskolin, sold for fat loss. Two small 12-week trials using 500 mg a day of a 10% forskolin extract gave mixed results: one found less body fat in men, the other found no weight loss in women.

Collagen forms part of gums and the ligament around teeth. Research on collagen used in surgical gum grafts does not establish benefits from swallowed collagen peptides. Human evidence for oral supplements improving gum outcomes is limited.

Cordyceps is a fungus traditionally used in Tibetan medicine. Human exercise trials are small or have found no benefit. Wild material is scarce, and products may contain different species or cultivated preparations, so identification matters.

Cranberry contains proanthocyanidins, or PACs, that help prevent E. coli from adhering to the urinary tract. Prevention research includes a review finding benefit at about 36 mg PACs daily. Cranberry does not treat an active infection, and these studies do not establish benefits for leaks or urgency.

Dextranase breaks down dextran, part of the structure in S. mutans plaque. Older human mouthrinse trials had mixed results, and modern laboratory studies support the proposed mechanism. No contemporary supplement trial was identified.

Small elderberry trials, some industry-funded, suggest respiratory symptoms may resolve two to four days sooner. A larger preregistered trial found no benefit. This research does not establish oral or dental effects.

Eleuthero is a shrub root sold as an adaptogen for energy and stress. Human studies are small and inconsistent, typically using about 300–1,200 mg of extract a day.

Standardized fenugreek extracts have human studies showing modest changes in libido, hormone measures, and blood sugar. Raw seed powder differs from the tested extracts, so matching the weight alone does not match the research.

Feverfew has randomized research for migraine prevention, including standardized extracts. Results are mixed, and Cochrane judged the overall evidence uncertain. The amount of parthenolide, one of its key compounds, matters when comparing products with studies.

GABA is the brain's main calming chemical messenger. Oral GABA, usually 100–300 mg, has small studies on stress and sleep with limited and mixed results, and it is unclear how much crosses into the brain.

Ginger has human research for nausea, commonly at about 1 g daily, with smaller studies of pain and blood-sugar measures. Findings from gram-level doses do not establish the same effects from a small, undisclosed share of a blend.

Glucose oxidase converts glucose into hydrogen peroxide. In oral enzyme systems, lactoperoxidase uses that peroxide to produce an antimicrobial compound. Human evidence concerns combined enzyme toothpastes rather than a trial of this enzyme alone.

Grape-seed extracts contain OPCs, a group of polyphenol compounds. Trial reviews report modest blood-pressure and cholesterol changes using standardized extracts, usually around 100–300 mg or more. Unspecified grape seed in a blend may not match that material.

Fresh grapefruit eaten before meals produced small weight loss and better insulin readings in one 12-week trial. Grapefruit seed extract is a different product with a history of synthetic preservative contamination. Grapefruit juice interacts with many prescription drugs.

Green tea's catechins, especially EGCG, have been tested for blood sugar and weight. Meta-analyses found small drops in fasting glucose and HbA1c and little effect on weight. Concentrated extracts can rarely injure the liver at high EGCG doses.

Guarana is a Brazilian seed that is naturally rich in caffeine. Its effects on alertness and focus are mostly the effects of that caffeine. Labels that list guarana without a caffeine amount leave the caffeine dose unknown.

Small oral-health trials used guava-leaf mouthrinses, including a 60-person study measuring plaque and gum scores. Fruit powder is a different plant part and preparation. The leaf-rinse findings do not establish benefits from swallowed fruit powder.

Gymnema is an Ayurvedic leaf used for blood sugar. Small human trials, mostly at 400–800 mg of extract a day, report lower fasting glucose and HbA1c, but the studies are small and often unblinded.

Hydroxyapatite is a mineral in tooth enamel. Human toothpaste trials have studied sensitivity and early enamel repair, with some comparable results to fluoride. The research concerns application directly to teeth, rather than swallowed mineral amounts.

Inulin is a fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria, including Bifidobacterium. Human trials commonly use 5–8 g daily. A 100 mg amount in an oral product is much smaller and concerns a less-established use.

Iodine is needed to make thyroid hormones. Correcting deficiency matters, but extra iodine does not establish further benefits when intake is already adequate. Dental antiseptic research uses topical povidone-iodine, a different preparation from swallowed potassium iodide.

Kelp is an iodine-rich seaweed, but the amount varies greatly by species and preparation. Excess iodine from kelp supplements has caused thyroid dysfunction. Broad detoxification claims are not established by its iodine content.

Arginine is the amino acid the body uses to make nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels. Trials at 4–24 g a day lowered blood pressure slightly, and an 18-month trial at 6.4 g a day helped more people with prediabetes return to normal glucose tolerance.

L-carnitine carries fatty acids into cells to be burned for energy. Meta-analyses of trials using 1–3 g a day found small drops in fasting glucose and HbA1c and about 1 kg more weight loss than placebo.

L-cystine consists of two cysteine molecules joined together and occurs in proteins such as keratin. It differs from N-acetylcysteine, or NAC, which has much more research. Plain cystine has little human evidence as an oral supplement.

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the blood. In people with type 2 diabetes, gram doses (15–30 g) raised the gut hormone GLP-1 and modestly lowered blood sugar in small short studies. Milligram amounts are far below anything studied.

Ornithine is an amino acid in the body's ammonia-clearing urea cycle. Small Japanese trials found 400 mg a day for 8 weeks eased fatigue and improved sleep quality in stressed workers, and gram doses lessened exercise fatigue.

Tryptophan is the essential amino acid the body uses to make serotonin and melatonin. A 2022 meta-analysis found 1 g a day or more may improve sleep quality. A 1989 outbreak of a serious illness was traced to contaminated batches from one manufacturer.

Tyrosine is the building block for dopamine and noradrenaline. Trials using about 100–300 mg per kilogram of body weight (several grams) found it can protect mental performance under stress such as cold or multitasking. It doesn't seem to help in ordinary conditions.

Some L. acidophilus strains have been studied as oral additions to antibiotic treatment for bacterial vaginosis. Evidence for urinary effects is indirect, and bladder-control benefits are not established. A species name alone does not identify the researched strain.

L. casei is a probiotic species with human digestive and immune research. Laboratory work includes activity against vaginal pathogens such as Candida. Direct urinary or bladder benefits are not established by those findings.

L. crispatus is common in healthy vaginal bacterial communities. The strongest recurrent-UTI trial used strain CTV-05 delivered vaginally. That does not establish protection from an oral capsule or show that swallowed bacteria colonize the bladder.

L. gasseri is common in healthy vaginal bacterial communities, and some oral preparations have shown vaginal colonization. Direct urinary benefits remain unestablished, so colonization findings should not be treated as proof of bladder effects.

Specific L. paracasei strains have oral-health trials. SD1 reduced cavity-associated bacteria in randomized studies, and other strains have gum-inflammation research. Those results do not automatically apply to a product that gives only the species name.

L. plantarum is studied mainly for digestion and IBS. One small study in children suggested fewer recurrent UTIs. Direct evidence for bladder control in women is not established.

Oral lozenges combining L. reuteri DSM 17938 and ATCC PTA 5289 have randomized trials measuring gingivitis and periodontitis outcomes. The results apply to those strains and preparations. A label saying only L. reuteri does not establish a match.

Dental studies of L. rhamnosus primarily used specific live strains in milk consumed by children over several months. Adult evidence is limited. These findings do not establish effects from unnamed strains or inactivated postbiotic preparations.

Live L. salivarius WB21 tablets have human trials measuring reduced breath-odor compounds and periodontal bacteria at about two billion CFU daily. Inactivated bacteria are a different preparation; the live-strain trials do not establish their effects.

Lactoferrin is an iron-binding protein commonly derived from milk. A 150-person trial of lactoferrin plus lactoperoxidase tablets found improved gum scores, but results were weaker in established periodontitis. Milk-derived preparations also raise allergy concerns.

Lactoperoxidase is an enzyme in saliva that uses peroxide and thiocyanate to form the antimicrobial compound hypothiocyanite. Human research includes combined enzyme toothpastes and lactoferrin-plus-lactoperoxidase tablets. These studies do not establish every supplement’s effects.

Small dental studies tested licorice preparations and lollipops for reduced S. mutans. Ongoing glycyrrhizin exposure can raise blood pressure and lower potassium. Species identification also matters: Indian licorice is an ambiguous name shared with Abrus precatorius, whose seeds contain abrin.

Lysozyme is an enzyme found in saliva, tears, and egg white that breaks bacterial cell walls. Human dental research is limited, including a plaque-regrowth trial finding no benefit. Egg-derived preparations matter for people with egg allergies.

Maca is a Peruvian root vegetable with small human studies suggesting modest libido benefits. Research commonly uses gram-level amounts. The evidence is more limited than its broad supplement reputation suggests.

Magnesium helps more than 300 enzymes function. Human research includes blood pressure and migraine outcomes. Supplement forms differ in absorption and tolerability, so the form and elemental amount both matter.

French maritime pine bark extract, best known as the branded Pycnogenol, has small trials in asthma and allergic rhinitis at about 1 mg per pound of body weight or 100 mg a day. A Cochrane review rated the evidence across conditions as low quality.

Methionine is an essential amino acid used to build proteins and make compounds including SAMe and glutathione. It must come from the diet. Additional supplementation has no established general treatment role, and high doses can raise homocysteine.

Mimosa pudica is traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine and sold for cleansing and antimicrobial effects. Evidence is mainly laboratory and animal research, with little human support. Its compound L-mimosine is toxic at high exposure.

MSM is a sulfur-containing compound studied for knee-arthritis pain at 3–6 g daily. The small trial record is not compelling. No human dental benefit is established; the proposed link to gum connective tissue remains theoretical.

Mullein is a traditional herb for coughs and chest congestion. Its respiratory use rests on tradition and lab studies; the only human trials we found tested mullein-containing ear drops for ear pain in children, not lung health.

Neem has a long history in oral care and small human mouthrinse trials measuring plaque and gum inflammation. Some results resembled chlorhexidine, but the evidence is limited. These findings do not establish effects from undisclosed amounts in swallowed supplements.

Nori yaki is toasted edible seaweed, familiar as sushi sheets. Food amounts provide minerals, but prostate benefits are not established. A small milligram supplement amount does not match a food serving or a tested prostate preparation.

Panax ginseng has human research for fatigue and erectile function, often using 200–400 mg of standardized extract. Small amounts or unspecified powder may not match those studies. A documented warfarin interaction is an important safety consideration.

Peppermint gives an immediate cooling flavor, and menthol has modest antimicrobial activity. Its strongest clinical use concerns enteric-coated oil for IBS. That research does not establish dental benefits from peppermint flavoring.

Pomegranate contains polyphenols and has trials suggesting modest blood-pressure effects. Early prostate-cancer studies of PSA doubling time were promising but did not establish a clinical benefit.

Purple carrot powder contains anthocyanins and phenolic acids with laboratory antioxidant activity. Human evidence is limited: one small trial found no significant metabolic effect. Oral and dental benefits have not been studied.

Quercetin is a flavonoid found in onions, apples and tea. Human trials at 500–1,000 mg a day found fewer illness days after hard exercise and small blood-pressure drops; its anti-allergy effects are mostly shown in lab studies.

Raspberry is a polyphenol-containing fruit. Evidence for fruit and leaf supplements is limited to traditional use and small studies. Raspberry ketones, sold for weight loss, have essentially no human evidence for that use.

Raspberry ketone is the compound that gives raspberries their smell. Its weight-loss reputation comes from mouse studies; no human trial has tested it alone, and a Danish food-safety team raised concerns about supplement doses with little toxicity data.

Large trials and the cited Cochrane review found saw-palmetto sterol extract at 320 mg daily no better than placebo for BPH symptoms. Earlier small studies were more encouraging. Essential oil and raw powder are different preparations, without the same trial record.

Shilajit is a mineral-containing resin with small human studies. A trial using 500 mg daily for 90 days measured increased testosterone and DHEAS; an earlier study measured sperm changes. Purification and fulvic-acid concentration matter because contaminated products have been documented.

Sodium is an essential electrolyte, but most people already get enough from food. In powdered supplements, it commonly forms part of the flavor or drink base rather than an ingredient with an established treatment effect.

Nettle root has human urinary-symptom research, including one large trial showing improvement. Much of the cited evidence used 300–600 mg daily in combinations with saw palmetto. That matters when assessing nettle alone or a different dose.

S. salivarius occurs naturally in the mouth. Specific K12 and M18 strains have trials concerning breath, throat, and oral health. A species name and a weight such as 20 mg do not establish the strain or live-bacteria count used in those studies.

Tiger milk mushroom is a Southeast Asian fungus used traditionally for coughs and asthma. A 2026 systematic review found the asthma evidence mostly from animal and lab studies, with a single small human study.

Standardized tongkat ali extracts have human trials showing modest testosterone changes and reduced cortisol at 200–400 mg daily. The extract and amount matter when comparing other preparations with those findings.

Curcumin research includes knee osteoarthritis and maintenance of ulcerative-colitis remission. Absorption is poor, so trials commonly use enhanced-absorption extracts or gram-level standardized preparations. Ordinary turmeric root powder does not automatically match that evidence.

Vitamin B6 is needed for about 100 enzyme reactions. It is required in small amounts, but ongoing high-dose supplementation can damage nerves. Its essential role does not establish that more is better.

Vitamin D3 is made in skin exposed to sunlight and supports bone health. Low intake is common in older adults. Large trials suggest benefits do not keep increasing once deficiency is corrected.

Wakame is the brown seaweed used in miso soup. Its compounds fucoxanthin and fucoidan have laboratory research, while human dietary evidence is limited. No prostate-benefit trial was identified.

Xylitol has dental trials measuring reduced S. mutans, commonly using roughly 6–10 g daily across several chewing-gum uses. Small amounts in tablets do not match those regimens. The amount and mouth-contact pattern matter.

Yellow dock contains laxative anthraquinones and is traditionally sold as an iron tonic or cleansing herb. Human trial evidence is essentially absent, and the plant contains little iron. Its laxative action does not establish blood-cleansing or iron-restoring benefits.

Zinc is needed for immunity, hormone function, and prostate tissue. Benefits are best established when deficiency is corrected. Ongoing excess can deplete copper and cause harm, so total intake matters.