Dietary supplements are no longer a niche wellness habit. According to a new 2026 report from the National Center for Health Statistics, 60.2% of U.S. adults used at least one dietary supplement in the previous 30 days, and 38.7% used two or more.

In Episode 142 of the Orange Pill Podcast, we unpack the latest NHANES data to explore who's supplementing, how habits change with age and sex, and the rise of the “poly-supplementer.”

From children taking multiple products to more than half of adults 60+ using at least two supplements, we're looking at what happens when supplementation shifts from an occasional health choice to a mainstream part of everyday life.

IBS isn't simply a digestive disorder, it's increasingly understood as a complex disorder of gut-brain interaction.

An 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigated whether a multi-species probiotic could influence not only IBS-related quality of life, but also oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers.

In Episode 141 of the Orange Pill Podcast, we unpack four surprising findings from the study, from improvements in quality of life to the unexpected disconnect between symptom improvement and systemic inflammatory markers, and explore what they reveal about the increasingly complex relationship between the microbiome, gut and brain.

GLP-1 receptor agonists have transformed the conversation around obesity and metabolic health. But as their use continues to grow, researchers and clinicians are beginning to pay closer attention to the nutritional consequences that can accompany significant appetite suppression, rapid weight loss, and persistent gastrointestinal side effects.

In this episode of The Orange Pill Podcast, we explore the emerging concern around thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency in people using GLP-1 receptor agonists.

Thiamine stores in the body are limited, and prolonged reductions in food intake or recurrent vomiting can potentially lead to deficiency faster than many realize. In severe cases, this can result in neurological complications such as Wernicke encephalopathy.

We discuss why this issue deserves greater attention, the symptoms that may be easy to overlook, and what the growing use of GLP-1 therapies could mean for nutritional monitoring and clinical research.

As GLP-1 medications reshape weight management, should we also be thinking more carefully about what patients may be losing beyond weight?

Fiber isn't just about digestive health.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 randomized controlled trials involving more than 1,400 participants found that soluble fiber supplementation was associated with improvements in body weight, BMI, waist circumference and markers of insulin resistance.

In Episode 139 of the Orange Pill Podcast, we explore why 12 weeks matters, how soluble fiber interacts with the gut microbiome and satiety pathways, and why this simple nutritional intervention may deserve a bigger role in the weight-management conversation.

Creatine may be famous for building muscle but its next frontier could be the brain.

A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials found that creatine supplementation was associated with improvements in memory, with additional promising findings around attention and processing speed.

In Episode 138 of the Orange Pill Podcast, we explore how creatine helps fuel the brain's enormous energy demands, why women and younger adults showed particularly interesting results in some analyses, and what the evidence really says about creatine as a tool for cognitive performance.

Turns out, creatine may have a lot more to offer beyond the bench press.

What if the hardening of our arteries isn't entirely inevitable?

A two-year study investigated whether vitamin K2 as MK-7 could influence the progression of coronary artery calcification in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease. While calcification progressed in both groups, participants receiving 360 μg of MK-7 daily showed significantly slower progression compared with placebo.

In Episode 137 of the Orange Pill Podcast, we explore what the findings reveal about vitamin K2, developing versus established plaques, vascular vitamin K status, and why slowing calcification, not reversing it, could open an interesting new conversation about cardiovascular aging.

A 2025 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial explored whether a combination of Polypodium leucotomos, Red Orange extract, and vitamins could help strengthen the skin’s natural defenses against UVB exposure.

After eight weeks, participants showed a 23.8% increase in UV tolerance and a 46.2% reduction in UVB-induced redness, without significantly affecting tanning.

In Episode 136 of the Orange Pill Podcast, we explore the emerging science of oral photoprotection and why the future of sun protection may involve supporting the skin from both the outside and the inside.

What does it really cost to make GRAS notification mandatory?

The FDA’s proposed GRAS overhaul promises greater transparency, but the headline numbers may not tell the whole story. Beyond the administrative cost of filing a notification are potentially much larger expenses tied to toxicology, exposure assessments, expert review, regulatory support, and delays.

In Episode 135 of the Orange Pill Podcast, we unpack the economics behind the proposal, the difference between paying for the “envelope” and the scientific “dossier,” and why smaller ingredient innovators could feel the impact most.

The question isn’t whether transparency has value—it’s what that transparency will ultimately cost.

What if one of the world’s oldest, and most expensive spices could have a measurable impact on the everyday “gray zone” of mental health?

In Episode 134 of the Orange Pill Podcast, we explore a 2025 randomized controlled trial examining a standardized saffron extract in 202 adults experiencing subclinical depressive symptoms.

We break down five findings from the study and explore a bigger question for the nutraceutical industry: Could standardized botanicals play a greater role in supporting people who fall somewhere between feeling well and having a diagnosed mental health condition?

A proposed FDA rule could fundamentally change how new food ingredients enter the U.S. marketplace.

In Episode 133 of the Orange Pill Podcast, we unpack the FDA's proposal to move from voluntary to mandatory GRAS notifications, and explore what this shift could mean for food innovation, regulatory transparency, consumer safety, and the future of ingredient development.