Milk Thistle and Liver
If you're active on social media, the term Milk Thistle is probably already familiar to you. It's a phenomenon of the year 2024, with adverts for this "miracle herb" everywhere. Unlike other dietary supplements, there is no one who doubts the effects of this plant. Opinions only differ on individual products and their processing methods. So what is the miracle of this thistle?
Cordyceps - Zombie in Reality
Cordyceps sinensis - this is our zombie predator. In China, it is called "in winter insects, in summer herbs." Imagine a fungus that during reproduction in summer shoots its spores (seeds), which attach to the insect's body. It gradually grows throughout and parasitizes it, devours it from the inside out, with the insect still alive, even altering its outer appearance but still foraging until it retreats underground where it dies and mummifies. The fungus can survive in it for a longer period. The fungus literally controls the host's body, growing out of its body in summer, forming slender "sticks" 5-20 cm high. This inspired the video game series Last of Us where the Cordyceps fungus turns humankind into zombies. In real life, this video game unfolds in the actual life of insects. The victims are larvae of butterflies, large ants, spiders...
Multitalent Multivitamin
Is taking multivitamins just a way to have expensive urine? In other words: if instead of individual supplements and responsible dosing we put everything into one box - will it make sense? Yes and no - let's look into it.
Choline and Inositol
Choline and Inositol - two words you probably haven't heard before. In the world of dietary supplements, however, they are an important combination of B vitamins, which are actually not vitamins. They are substances very similar to vitamins which support liver function and lipid metabolism - that is, fat metabolism. Choline is a water-soluble vitamin analogue. It is found in lecithin, which is common in many plant and animal tissues. Choline is a precursor for the neurotransmitter (i.e., carrier) acetylcholine - which is involved in many memory and muscle functions.