Dietary Supplements and Minerals News

October 18, 2025

Top Headlines

Scientists Just Debunked the Calcium and Dementia Myth

Oct. 18, 2025 — A long-term Australian study found that calcium supplements do not raise dementia risk in older women, countering previous fears. The research followed more than 1,400 participants for nearly 15 years and revealed no harmful cognitive effects. ...

This Common Liver Supplement Could Boost Cancer Treatment Success

Oct. 17, 2025 — Salk Institute scientists discovered that bile acids in the liver can weaken immune cell function, making immunotherapy less effective against liver cancer. They pinpointed specific bile acids that suppress T cells and found that supplementing with ...

This Type of Meat Supercharges Muscle Growth After Workouts

Oct. 15, 2025 — Scientists discovered that lean pork builds muscle more effectively post-workout than high-fat pork, even with identical protein levels. Using advanced tracking techniques, they found that fat content blunted the body’s muscle-building response. ...

Supercharged Vitamin K Could Help the Brain Heal Itself

Oct. 14, 2025 — Researchers have synthesized enhanced vitamin K analogues that outperform natural vitamin K in promoting neuron growth. The new compounds, which combine vitamin K with retinoic acid, activate the mGluR1 receptor to drive neurogenesis. They also ...

A Simple Fatty Acid Could Restore Failing Vision

Oct. 14, 2025 — Scientists at UC Irvine have found a way to potentially reverse age-related vision loss by targeting the ELOVL2 “aging gene” and restoring vital fatty acids in the retina. Their experiments in mice show that supplementing with specific ...

Scientists Find Gold Hiding in Food Waste

Oct. 12, 2025 — Researchers are finding extraordinary new uses for what we throw away. Beet pulp may help crops resist disease, while composted coconut fibers could replace peat moss. Discarded radish and beet greens are rich in bioactive compounds that boost gut ...

A Hidden “Backup Heater” That Helps Burn Fat and Boost Metabolism

Oct. 9, 2025 — Scientists have uncovered a surprising new way the body can burn energy and stay warm. Deep inside fat tissue, they found a hidden system that helps the body use up calories, even without exercise. By studying mice, researchers discovered that brown ...

New Pill Could Finally Control Stubborn High Blood Pressure

Oct. 8, 2025 — A new pill called baxdrostat may offer hope for people whose blood pressure stays high even after taking standard medications. In a recent study, the drug lowered blood pressure and also seemed to protect the kidneys by reducing signs of damage. ...

Bacteria Hidden Inside Tumors Could Help Beat Cancer

Oct. 7, 2025 — Scientists have discovered that bacteria living inside tumors can produce a molecule that fights cancer and enhances chemotherapy. The molecule, called 2-methylisocitrate (2-MiCit), was found to make colorectal cancer cells more vulnerable to ...

Nanotech Transforms Vinegar Into a Lifesaving Superbug Killer

Oct. 6, 2025 — Researchers have enhanced vinegar’s antibacterial properties by infusing it with cobalt-based carbon nanoparticles. This nano-boosted solution kills harmful bacteria from both inside and outside their cells while remaining safe for humans. Tests ...

The Vitamin D Mistake Weakening Your Immunity

Oct. 4, 2025 — Scientists discovered that vitamin D2 supplements can lower levels of vitamin D3, the form the body uses most effectively. Unlike D2, vitamin D3 enhances the immune system’s first line of defense against infections. This raises questions about ...

A Common Supplement Could Supercharge Cancer Treatments

Oct. 1, 2025 — Zeaxanthin, best known for eye health, has been found to boost the tumor-killing power of T cells. Researchers showed it strengthens T-cell receptors, enhances immune signaling, and improves the effects of immunotherapy. Found naturally in foods ...

Latest Headlines

updated 12:49pm EDT

The Hidden Iron Switch That Makes Cancer Cells Self-Destruct

Sep. 29, 2025 — Scientists discovered that inhibiting the enzyme STK17B forces multiple myeloma cells into iron-driven death and makes therapies more effective. Early mouse studies show strong potential for a new ...

Junk Food Can Scramble Memory in Just 4 Days

Sep. 29, 2025 — Scientists discovered that high-fat junk food disrupts memory circuits in the brain almost immediately. Within just four days, neurons in the hippocampus became overactive, impairing memory. ...

Cocoa Supplements Show Surprising Anti-Aging Potential

Sep. 27, 2025 — Daily cocoa extract supplements reduced key inflammation markers in older adults, pointing to a role in protecting the heart. The findings reinforce the value of flavanol-rich, plant-based foods for ...

Brain Fat, Not Just Plaques, May Be the Hidden Driver of Alzheimer’s

Sep. 24, 2025 — For decades, scientists believed Alzheimer’s was driven mainly by sticky protein plaques and tangles in the brain. Now Purdue researchers have revealed a hidden culprit: fat. They found that brain ...

A Tiny Mineral May Hold the Secret to Feeding Billions Sustainably

Sep. 24, 2025 — Rice, a staple for billions, is one of the most resource-hungry crops on the planet—but scientists may have found a way to change that. By applying nanoscale selenium directly to rice plants, ...

Scientists Uncover Exercise’s Secret Hunger-Busting Molecule

Sep. 20, 2025 — Scientists have uncovered how exercise suppresses appetite through a surprising molecular pathway. A compound called Lac-Phe, produced during intense workouts, directly quiets hunger neurons in the ...

Hardly Anyone Uses This Surprisingly Simple Fix for High Blood Pressure

Sep. 20, 2025 — Despite strong evidence that salt substitutes can safely lower sodium intake and reduce high blood pressure, very few Americans use them. A new analysis of nearly 20 years of national health data ...

Scientists Finally Reveal the Hidden Mechanism Linking Alcohol to Fatty Liver

Sep. 19, 2025 — Mayo Clinic scientists uncovered how excessive drinking triggers fatty liver disease by disrupting the enzyme VCP, which normally prevents harmful ...

Scientists Just Found out Forever Chemicals Are Shockingly Acidic

Sep. 13, 2025 — Scientists have uncovered that “forever chemicals” like PFAS are even more acidic than anyone realized, meaning they dissolve and spread in water with alarming ease. Using a cutting-edge method ...

Seven Blood Molecules That Could Explain Why You’re Always Sleepy

Sep. 8, 2025 — Scientists discovered seven molecules in the blood linked to excessive daytime sleepiness, a condition that affects one in three Americans and raises the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. ...

Earlier Headlines

Metformin’s Mysterious Metal Effect Could Explain Its Big Health Benefits

Sep. 3, 2025 — Metformin, the world’s most widely used diabetes drug, has long been recognized for its surprising range of benefits beyond lowering blood sugar, from reducing inflammation to lowering cancer risk. ...

Scientists Crack Indole’s Toughest Bond With Copper, Unlocking New Medicines

Aug. 26, 2025 — Scientists have cracked one of chemistry’s toughest challenges with indoles, using copper to unlock a spot once thought too stubborn to change. The discovery could pave the way for easier, cheaper ...

Tiny Green Tea Beads Trap Fat and Melt Away Pounds Without Side Effects

Aug. 24, 2025 — Researchers have created plant-based microbeads that trap fat in the gut, helping rats lose weight without side effects. Unlike current drugs, the beads are safe, tasteless, and easy to mix into ...

A Startling Omega-3 Deficiency May Explain Women’s Alzheimer’s Risk

Aug. 22, 2025 — Researchers discovered that women with Alzheimer’s show a sharp loss of omega fatty acids, unlike men, pointing to sex-specific differences in the disease. The study suggests omega-rich diets could ...

Scientists Uncover Surprising Link Between Diet and Nearsightedness

Sep. 8, 2025 — Researchers studying over 1,000 children found that omega-3 fatty acids may help protect against myopia, while saturated fats may increase risk. Kids with more omega-3 in their diet had healthier eye ...

How Much Damage Are Ultraprocessed Foods Really Doing to Your Health?

Aug. 10, 2025 — Many foods we consume today are ultraprocessed, packed with unhealthy ingredients, and linked to major health risks. As consumption of these foods rises, so do chronic health issues, especially among ...

New “evolution Engine” Creates Super-Proteins 100,000x Faster

Aug. 8, 2025 — Researchers at Scripps have created T7-ORACLE, a powerful new tool that speeds up evolution, allowing scientists to design and improve proteins thousands of times faster than nature. Using engineered ...

A Common Supplement Could Reverse the Hidden Harm of Sucralose

Sep. 6, 2025 — Sucralose, the sugar substitute in many diet products, may weaken cancer immunotherapy by altering gut bacteria and reducing arginine levels needed for immune cells. But supplementation with arginine ...

This Gut Hormone Could Explain 40% of IBS-D Cases—and Lead to a Cure

July 29, 2025 — A mysterious gut hormone may be behind many cases of chronic diarrhea, especially in people with undiagnosed bile acid malabsorption, a condition often mistaken for irritable bowel syndrome. ...

Max-Dose Statins Save Lives—here’s Why Doctors Are Starting Strong

July 30, 2025 — Potent statins are the best-proven weapon against heart disease, especially when paired with lifestyle changes. Most people aren’t active enough—and many are underdiagnosed—so starting ...

Scientists Just Invented a Safer Non-Stick Coating—and It’s Inspired by Arrows

July 27, 2025 — Scientists at the University of Toronto have developed a new non-stick material that rivals the performance of traditional PFAS-based coatings while using only minimal amounts of these controversial ...

The Fungus That Makes Bread Better for You

July 23, 2025 — Scientists have discovered that pairing bread wheat with a special soil fungus can significantly enhance its nutritional value. This partnership leads to bigger grains rich in zinc and ...

This Sugar Substitute Does More Than Sweeten — It Kills Cancer Cells

July 25, 2025 — Fermenting stevia with a banana leaf-derived probiotic turns it into a powerful cancer-fighting agent that kills pancreatic cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. The secret lies in a metabolite ...

CRISPR Uncovers Gene That Supercharges Vitamin D—and Stops Tumors in Their Tracks

July 18, 2025 — A gene called SDR42E1 has been identified as a key player in how our bodies absorb and process vitamin D. Researchers found that disabling this gene in colorectal cancer cells not only crippled their ...

Science Tested 64 Natural Remedies for Depression—only a Few Actually Work

July 28, 2025 — Over-the-counter (OTC) products like St John’s Wort and omega-3s have long been touted for helping with depression, but new research reveals that 64 different OTC products have been tested in ...

Fasting Twice a Week Could Be a Game-Changer for Type 2 Diabetes

July 15, 2025 — A new study comparing three popular diets—intermittent fasting, time-restricted eating, and continuous calorie cutting—found that all can help people with type 2 diabetes lose weight and lower ...

Bigger Crops, Fewer Nutrients: The Hidden Cost of Climate Change

July 9, 2025 — Climate change is silently sapping the nutrients from our food. A pioneering study finds that rising CO2 and higher temperatures are not only reshaping how crops grow but are also degrading their ...

Scientists Find Brain Cell Switch That Could Reverse Obesity’s Effects

Aug. 8, 2025 — High-fat diets and obesity reshape astrocytes—star-shaped brain cells in the striatum that help regulate pleasure from eating. French researchers discovered that tweaking these cells in mice not ...

Scientists Discover Amino Acid Switch That Turns Fat Into a Calorie-Burning Furnace

Aug. 8, 2025 — Cutting calories doesn’t just slim you down—it also reduces cysteine, an amino acid that flips fat cells from storage mode to fat-burning mode. Researchers found that lowering cysteine sparks the ...

Scientists Just Found a Major Flaw in a Key COVID Drug Study

July 4, 2025 — A promising path to fighting COVID and other coronaviruses may have been based on a serious mistake. Scientists had zeroed in on a part of the virus called the NiRAN domain, believed to be a powerful ...