Vill13rs t1_je2gf7y wrote
Reply to comment by TheBertinator3000 in ELI5: if protein is broken down into peptides in the stomach/digestive tract, why would consuming something like "active collagen" do anything? by Alexander_Elysia
I've worked in 2 natural/organic grocery stores over the span of 3+ years that emphasized supplement sales and I can confidently say that a solid 85-90% of it is all snake oil. Vitamins, minerals, protein powders, CDB oils, those are fine.
But when you have people asking you for shit like horny goat weed to help with their sexual dysfunction, you know they're easily scammed and unregulated supplement companies bank on that. Worst offender by far is the company Terry Naturally. Go out of their way to claim their products cure cancer and shit. Which does go against what are called DSHEA laws, the only thing really protecting consumers from being conned by statements like that, but they're so hard to enforce on employees in smaller stores. So the cycle continues and people think dropping a stack on whatever newest all natural, organic health craze are all the poorer for it.
But that's just my soapbox moment.
corveroth t1_je3y90g wrote
It's worth saying that there are some herbal supplements with a demonstrated track record. For example, St John's Wort has seen use as an antidepressant, but it can also severely interfere with other medications. Ashwangadha has less consistent evidence, but may be useful for reducing anxiety in people with severe problems of that type.
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/st-johns-wort
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypericum_perforatum
https://examine.com/supplements/st-johns-wort/
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ashwagandha
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withania_somnifera
https://examine.com/supplements/ashwagandha/#examine-database
Note the caveats. They might be "natural", but they still naturally interact with the world around them, and nature contains many allergens and poisons. They might in fact work for someone, but we've yet to isolate which chemical components are responsible for those effects, let alone optimize their ratio or dosage. In that respect, CBD products are somewhat further along the path of science than either of these two herbs.
With all of that said, I do recommend sticking to solutions that have evolved beyond the supplements aisle. (And on a bit of a tangent, remember that homeopathy is bullshit.)
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