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Capla comments on LW Supplement use survey - Less Wrong Discussion

10 Post author: FiftyTwo 28 October 2014 09:28PM

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Comment author: Capla 28 October 2014 11:21:45PM 2 points [-]

I have been prompted by this discussion to consider taking supplements. Where can I find a concise summery of the relevant research and the pros and cons of the options?

Comment author: James_Miller 29 October 2014 03:31:58AM *  4 points [-]

For non-smart drugs start by getting lots of cheap medical tests on things like your vitamin D level, magnesium level, lipid profile and whatever else your doctor recommends.

For smart drugs: http://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/ and as Sjcs writes Wikipedia and Examine.

Comment author: Capla 30 October 2014 04:37:25PM 2 points [-]

Smart drugs? Drugs that are a smart choice or drugs to make me smart?

Comment author: James_Miller 30 October 2014 05:01:45PM 2 points [-]

Drugs that make you smart.

Comment author: Vulture 29 October 2014 01:51:32AM 4 points [-]

Gwern has some good summaries/meta-analyses.

Comment author: sixes_and_sevens 29 October 2014 12:07:22AM 4 points [-]

You could start with the Quantified Health Prize Winners.

Comment author: Sjcs 29 October 2014 12:39:43AM 2 points [-]

Although I would consider myself as a supplement novice, I generally look into supplements based on other peoples recommendations whenever I stumble upon them, and then look them up on Wikipedia and Examine. I occassionally go looking (via google) specifically for peoples' negative reviews of the supplement to check for significant adverse effects that might not have been made clear.

I realise this is obvious, but if anyone were to experiment with supplements be very aware of placebo effect and confirmation bias.