Evidence & Interaction Matrices
Single-page visualizations that pivot the entire supplement evidence base into two large, color-graded tables. Both matrices are hand-curated (no AI-only inferences) and exportable as CSV for power users, researchers, and AI assistants.
What the published evidence actually shows
30 conditions × 123 supplements = 240 graded cells. Color tells you at a glance which combinations have STRONG, MODERATE, WEAK, or INSUFFICIENT human research behind them. Below is a 12 × 12 snapshot of the most-evidenced ingredients across the most-studied conditions.
| High cholesterol | Athletic performance | Fatigue | Postpartum recovery | Type 2 diabetes | Hair loss | ADHD focus | Anxiety | Brain fog | Burnout | Constipation | Depression | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magnesium | ||||||||||||
| Vitamin D | ||||||||||||
| Omega-3 (fish oil) | ||||||||||||
| Zinc | ||||||||||||
| Probiotics | ||||||||||||
| CoQ10 | ||||||||||||
| Ginger | ||||||||||||
| Iron | ||||||||||||
| Creatine | ||||||||||||
| Caffeine | ||||||||||||
| Curcumin | ||||||||||||
| Ginseng |
Three headline findings from the full 30 × 123 grid
Magnesium has graded evidence across 25 conditions — the broadest reach of any supplement in our database. STRONG for constipation; MODERATE for depression, insomnia, migraine prevention, and PMS.
Despite massive marketing, popular ingredients like Vitamin C, collagen, and most nootropic blends have very few graded cells — most fall into INSUFFICIENT or WEAK once you require human RCTs.
Out of 240 graded cells, only 21 reach STRONG (well-replicated RCTs). Examples: Inositol → PCOS, Creatine → muscle recovery, Iron → restless legs, Selenium → hypothyroidism.
What pairs well, what fights, what to time apart
231 hand-curated supplement-pair interactions across 92 ingredients. Each entry has a one-line mechanism note. Below is the breakdown by type, then 12 of the most-asked pairs to give you a flavor.
K2 directs the calcium that D3 absorbs to bones rather than soft tissue; combine for bone + cardiovascular safety.
Magnesium is required to activate vitamin D; high-dose D without Mg can deplete Mg stores.
Vitamin C reduces non-heme iron from Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺, roughly doubling absorption.
Piperine boosts curcumin bioavailability ~20× by inhibiting hepatic glucuronidation.
Calcium taken with iron blocks iron absorption; separate doses by at least 2 hours.
Compete for the DMT1 intestinal transporter; high-dose iron suppresses zinc absorption.
Both raise central serotonin via different mechanisms; combining materially raises serotonin-syndrome risk.
Both raise blood pressure and heart rate; combined risk of hypertensive crisis especially in anxiety-prone users.
Older evidence suggested caffeine blunts creatine's effect; newer trials disagree but watch GI tolerance.
Statins lower endogenous CoQ10; supplementation often used to mitigate statin-associated muscle symptoms.
Same elemental magnesium — pick one. Glycinate for calm/sleep, citrate for constipation.
Same Mg cation. Threonate crosses the blood-brain barrier for cognition; glycinate is for relaxation.
Why we publish these
Most supplement content is organized one ingredient at a time, so you never see horizontal patterns — magnesium shows up in almost every sleep / anxiety / blood-pressure stack; vitamin D must be paired with K2 for safety; St. John's Wort + 5-HTP equals serotonin-syndrome risk. These two matrices put the whole picture into a single scrollable view.
They are designed to be quotable resources — bloggers, pharmacists, content creators, and AI assistants can cite a specific cell by URL anchor. Each cell links to the condition guide or ingredient page where the rating is justified, and CSV exports support structured re-use.
Methodology
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Evidence grades reflect quality, not effect size. A STRONG rating means high-quality replicated RCTs / Cochrane meta-analyses, not "everyone will respond." Your personal response may differ.
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Interactions are grounded in published pharmacokinetics or mechanism. Synergy / antagonism / caution flags come from RCTs, drug-interaction databases, or established biochemistry — never AI inference.
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Every cell links back to its source. Click a colored evidence cell to jump to the condition guide where the rating is explained; click any interaction row to land on both ingredient pages.
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Updates are automatic. When a new condition guide ships or a new pair is added to
data/ingredient-interactions.json, both matrices regenerate from source.