An independent supplements reference, online since 2002

The Vitamins & Supplements Guide is an independent, non-commercial reference covering 149 vitamins, dietary minerals, herbal supplements, amino acids, hormones, enzymes and other nutrients. Each article follows the same structure: what the nutrient is, its functions and health benefits, dietary sources, typical dosage, deficiency symptoms, and overdose or toxicity information.

Our history

This guide was first published in 2002 and grew through the 2000s into a widely cited nutrition reference. It went offline at the end of that decade. We took the domain over in 2026 and have been rebuilding the guide since: reviewing every article against current published guidance, consolidating pages that had been split across near-duplicate URLs, and removing material that does not belong in a nutrition reference at all.

Editorial approach

We describe what a nutrient does in the body, where it occurs in food, what intake figures the current dietary reference values give, and what is known about deficiency and excess. We check those figures against primary public health sources — chiefly the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, MedlinePlus and NCCIH — and each article carries the date it was last reviewed.

We do not claim that any supplement treats, prevents or cures a disease. Where the older text made claims of that kind, we have removed them. Statements about what a nutrient does are limited to its established physiological role and to what the sources cited on each page actually support.

What we do not cover

In August 2026 we removed 54 articles from the guide. They fell into four groups:

• Substances that are banned or restricted for sale as dietary supplements, or that have no safe level of internal use — among them ephedra, comfrey, kava, lobelia, wormwood, yohimbine, arnica taken internally, and laetrile.
• Prescription medicines and controlled substances, including testosterone, anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, insulin and corticosteroids. Prescribing and monitoring these belongs with a clinician.
• Articles whose central claim was that a supplement treats cancer, HIV or another serious illness.
• Compounds once marketed as vitamins that are no longer recognised as such, including so-called vitamins B4, B13, B15 and B17.

We took these pages down rather than rewrite them. Where a substance is legal and commonly sold but carries a meaningful safety caveat — St John's wort and its drug interactions, for instance, or liquorice and blood pressure — we have kept the article and stated the caveat plainly.

Corrections

If you find an error — factual, typographical or otherwise — pleasecontact us and we will review and correct it.

Medical disclaimer

All articles on this site are for general information only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Nothing here is medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional before taking any dietary supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition.

What we cover

• Vitamins — Fat- and water-soluble vitamins: sources, benefits, deficiency and toxicity.
• Herbal Supplements — Traditional herbs and botanicals with their uses and side effects.
• Amino Acids — Essential and non-essential amino acids and their roles in the body.
• Hormones — Melatonin, and why we do not cover prescription hormones.
• Dietary Minerals — Macro and trace minerals in human nutrition.
• Phytochemicals — Plant compounds with biological activity.
• Digestive Enzymes — Enzymes that break down food into absorbable nutrients.
• Carbohydrates — Sugars, starches and fibers in the diet.
• Essential Fatty Acids — Omega-3, omega-6 and related fatty acids.
• Nutrients — Other nutrients and nutrition topics.
• Weight Loss — Weight loss supplements and how they work.