Choosing which health supplements to take can be fairly daunting, as manufacturers make a lot of claims that are often not backed up with firm scientific evidence.
Information is Beautiful is a Web site that takes information and conveys it through well-designed graphs and charts. They’ve evaluated the evidence of supplements for use in treating various conditions and have created a “balloon graph” showing which ones have the evidence backing up health claims, which have little evidence for their claims, and which have little evidence but hold promise.
- Beta glucan (anti-viral, cancer, general health)
- Fish oil (high blood pressure, secondary heart disease)
- Green tea (cholesterol)
- Omega-3 (cholesterol)
- Probiotics (respiratory tract infections, diarrhea, IBS, h.pylori)
- Red yeast rice (high blood pressure, cholesterol)
- Selenium (chemotherapy)
The graph also notes where evidence for certain supplements is strong and where it is weaker. For instance, scientific evidence exists showing that fish oil has a positive effect on secondary heart disease and high blood pressure. However, it’s merely “promising” for behavior and general health.