The complete index, free

All 147 supplements, graded

33 Strong · 77 Moderate · 26 Emerging · 11 Overhyped

Every entry in The Complete Supplement Guide, with the grade it earned against the clinical literature. Nine categories, 147 entries, no paywall on the verdicts.

What the book adds is the reasoning: dosing, optimal form, bioavailability, purity red flags, what to stack it with, what to avoid it with, and the food-first alternative where one exists. This page is the answer. That is the working.

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The Complete Supplement Guide

The scale

What each grade means

StrongMultiple high-quality randomized controlled trials with consistent, replicable results. Established clinical application. 33 entries.
ModerateGood evidence across multiple studies with some inconsistency or limited population scope. Worth including at an appropriate dose. 77 entries.
EmergingPromising early-stage human research or a strong mechanistic basis. Included with transparent caveats. 26 entries.
OverhypedMarketing claims substantially exceed research support. Included to educate buyers. 11 entries, covering ten compounds — all of them published in full, free.

A few compounds appear twice because they are covered under two categories with different applications and, in some cases, different grades. Berberine is graded Strong in both gut health and fat metabolism; boron is Moderate for foundational health and Emerging for hormonal support. Those are separate entries, not a duplicate.

Category 01 · 17 entries

Foundational Health

B-Complex (Methylated)Strong
BoronModerate
ChromiumEmerging
CoQ10 / UbiquinolModerate
Electrolytes and Trace MineralsStrong
IodineStrong
MagnesiumStrong
Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA / DHA)Strong
Omega-6 Fatty Acids (LA / GLA)Moderate
Omega-9 Fatty Acids (Oleic Acid)Strong
SeleniumStrong
Vitamin A (Retinol / Beta-Carotene)Strong
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)Strong
Vitamin D3 + K2Strong
Vitamin E (Tocopherols / Tocotrienols)Moderate
Vitamin K1 (Phylloquinone)Strong
ZincStrong

Category 02 · 15 entries

Performance and Strength

Beetroot / Dietary NitratesStrong
Beta-AlanineStrong
CaffeineStrong
Citrulline MalateStrong
Creatine Monohydrate / HCl / BufferedStrong
D-Aspartic Acid (DAA)Moderate
EAAs vs BCAAsModerate
HMB (Beta-Hydroxy Beta-Methylbutyrate)Moderate
Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium / Icariin)Emerging
L-Carnitine L-TartrateModerate
Protein (Whey / Plant)Strong
Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)Strong
TaurineStrong
Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma Longifolia)Moderate
Tribulus TerrestrisOverhyped

Category 03 · 16 entries

Recovery and Tissue Repair

Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera)Moderate
AstaxanthinModerate
Boswellia SerrataModerate
Bromelain / Proteolytic EnzymesModerate
Chondroitin SulfateModerate
Cissus QuadrangularisEmerging
Collagen Peptides (Type I / Type II / UC-II)Strong
Curcumin / TurmericModerate
Glucosamine SulfateModerate
GlycineStrong
Hyaluronic AcidModerate
L-GlutamineModerate
MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)Moderate
NAC (N-Acetylcysteine)Moderate
Pycnogenol (Pine Bark Extract)Moderate
Tart Cherry Extract (Montmorency)Strong

Category 04 · 13 entries

Sleep, Stress and Cortisol

5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan)Moderate
ApigeninEmerging
CBD (Cannabidiol)Moderate
GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)Emerging
Holy Basil / Tulsi (Ocimum Sanctum)Moderate
L-TheanineStrong
Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis)Moderate
MelatoninStrong
PhosphatidylserineModerate
Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma Lucidum)Emerging
Rhodiola RoseaModerate
Saffron Extract (Crocus Sativus)Moderate
Valerian RootModerate

Category 05 · 11 entries

Cognitive Function and Focus

Alpha-GPCModerate
Bacopa MonnieriStrong
Citicoline (CDP-Choline)Strong
Creatine for Cognitive FunctionModerate
Ginkgo BilobaModerate
Huperzine AModerate
L-TyrosineModerate
Lion’s Mane Mushroom (Hericium Erinaceus)Emerging
Nicotine (Low-Dose, Non-Combustible Context)Emerging
Panax GinsengModerate
PhosphatidylcholineModerate

Category 06 · 16 entries

Gut Health and Digestion

Akkermansia MuciniphilaModerate
Aloe Vera (Inner Leaf)Moderate
Apple Cider VinegarEmerging
BerberineStrong
Betaine HClModerate
ColostrumModerate
DGL (Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice)Moderate
Digestive EnzymesModerate
Ox Bile / Bile SaltsModerate
Postbiotics (Butyrate / Urolithins)Moderate
Prebiotics (Inulin / FOS / GOS / Resistant Starch)Strong
Probiotics (Multi-Strain)Moderate
Psyllium HuskStrong
Saccharomyces BoulardiiStrong
Slippery Elm / Marshmallow RootModerate
Zinc CarnosineModerate

Category 07 · 17 entries

Fat Metabolism and Body Composition

7-Keto DHEAEmerging
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)Moderate
Berberine (Fat Metabolism Application)Strong
CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid)Overhyped
Capsaicin / CapsaicinoidsModerate
Carnitine: ALCAR vs L-Carnitine L-TartrateModerate
Exogenous Ketones (BHB Salts / Ketone Esters)Emerging
Forskolin (Coleus Forskohlii)Overhyped
Garcinia Cambogia / HCAOverhyped
GlucomannanModerate
Green Tea Extract / EGCGModerate
Irvingia Gabonensis (African Mango)Overhyped
L-BAIBA (L-β-Aminoisobutyric Acid)Emerging
MCT OilModerate
Raspberry KetonesOverhyped
Synephrine (Bitter Orange / Citrus Aurantium)Emerging
Yohimbine HClEmerging

Category 08 · 20 entries

Hormonal Support and Vitality

Black Cohosh (Actaea Racemosa)Moderate
BoronEmerging
Calcium D-GlucarateEmerging
ChrysinOverhyped
Cross-references: Zinc, Vitamin D3 and AshwagandhaModerate
DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)Moderate
DIM (Diindolylmethane)Moderate
Fadogia AgrestisOverhyped
Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum-Graecum)Moderate
Horny Goat Weed / Epimedium (Icariin)Emerging
Maca Root (Lepidium Meyenii)Moderate
Myo-Inositol / D-Chiro-InositolModerate
Pine PollenOverhyped
PregnenoloneEmerging
Red Clover Isoflavones (Trifolium Pratense)Moderate
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa Repens)Moderate
Stinging Nettle Root (Urtica Dioica)Emerging
Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma Longifolia)Moderate
Tribulus TerrestrisOverhyped
Wild Yam / DiosgeninOverhyped

Category 09 · 22 entries

Immune Function and Longevity

Astragalus (Astragalus Membranaceus)Moderate
Beta-Glucan (Immune Application)Strong
Chaga Mushroom (Inonotus Obliquus)Emerging
Colostrum (Immune Application)Moderate
Cross-references: NAC, Vitamin C, Zinc and ReishiModerate
Curcumin (Bioavailable Forms Only)Moderate
EchinaceaModerate
Elderberry (Sambucus Nigra)Moderate
ErgothioneineEmerging
Fisetin (Senolytic Application)Emerging
Glutathione (Liposomal / S-Acetyl / IV)Moderate
LactoferrinModerate
NMN / NR (NAD+ Precursors)Emerging
PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone)Emerging
Phospholipid Complex / PPCModerate
QuercetinModerate
ResveratrolEmerging
SeleniumModerate
SpermidineEmerging
TMG (Trimethylglycine / Betaine)Moderate
Turkey Tail Mushroom (Trametes Versicolor)Moderate
Urolithin A (Longevity Application)Moderate

The reasoning behind every grade

The Complete Supplement Guide gives each of these entries a full page: what it does, the evidence tier, optimal form, dose, bioavailability, purity red flags, what to stack it with, what to avoid it with, and the food-first alternative. 177 pages across nine categories.

Read the full guide →

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Medical disclaimer. Daniel Edlund is not a licensed physician, registered dietitian, or licensed healthcare provider. This page is provided for general educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or a substitute for consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. Grades reflect the peer-reviewed literature available at the time of writing and may change as new research is published. If you have an existing health condition, are pregnant or nursing, are scheduled for surgery, or are taking prescription medication, consult your physician before beginning, changing or discontinuing any supplement.