Ficus carica extract: Benefits for Skin and Digestion, How to Use, Dosage Guidelines, and Side Effects
Fig (Ficus carica) has been valued for centuries as food and folk remedy. Today, interest has shifted from the fruit alone to concentrated extracts from the leaves, fruit, and latex, which contain flavonoids (like rutin), coumarins (such as psoralen and umbelliferone), and other bioactives. Early human trials suggest potential benefits for skin health and digestive regularity, while animal and...
Field Scabious: Benefits for Skin Health, How to Use It, Proper Dosage Guidance, and Safety
Field scabious (Knautia arvensis) is a wildflower of hedgerows and chalky meadows with a long history in European folk medicine, especially for minor skin complaints. Today, interest centers on its polyphenols—flavonoids and phenolic acids—that show antioxidant and antimicrobial activity in laboratory studies. While human trials are lacking, early evidence from related Knautia species points to potential topical utility in...
Fig leaf extract: Skin and metabolic benefits, tea dosing, and safety explained
Fig leaf extract—made from the leaves of the common fig tree (Ficus carica L.)—has moved from kitchen folklore to the supplement aisle. The leaves are naturally rich in phenolic compounds (flavonoids such as rutin and coumarins such as umbelliferone) that show antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in the lab. In humans, an 8-week randomized trial found that drinking fig leaf...
Filipendula ulmaria extract: Natural support for cold and minor pain—how to use, dose, and stay safe
Filipendula ulmaria—better known as meadowsweet—is a traditional European herb valued for its gentle, aromatic flowers and a unique mix of phenolic compounds (notably salicylates, flavonols like quercetin glycosides, and tannins). Modern analyses confirm robust antioxidant capacity and plausible anti-inflammatory mechanisms, particularly when the extract is standardized and formulated well. In practice, people use meadowsweet for short-term relief of common...
Fir bark extract: Science-based benefits, how to use it, dosage guidelines, and side effects
Fir bark extract—most often derived from the European silver fir (Abies alba)—is a concentrated source of polyphenols such as procyanidins, catechins, phenolic acids, and lignans. These compounds give the extract strong antioxidant capacity in the lab and have driven interest in skin health, circulation, and general wellness applications. Early human data are limited: a small randomized trial tested a...
Fir needle oil: Benefits for breathing comfort, how to use, safe dilutions, and side effects
Fir needle oil is an evergreen essential oil distilled from the needles and twigs of fir trees (most often Abies alba, Abies balsamea, or Abies sibirica). People reach for it because it smells like a walk in clean winter air—and because its dominant terpenes (such as bornyl acetate, α-pinene, limonene, and camphene) are being studied for antimicrobial, antioxidant, and...
Fireweed extract : Benefits, Properties, Uses, Dosage, and Side Effects Explained
Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium, formerly Epilobium angustifolium) is a northern wildflower with a long record in folk medicine and a growing profile in modern research. Its leaves and aerial parts are rich in ellagitannins (notably oenothein B) and flavonoids that show anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity in lab studies. A small but notable randomized trial in adults with benign prostatic...
Fisetin: Proven Benefits, How It Works, Research Doses, and Safety Risks
Fisetin is a plant-derived flavonol best known for its role in “senolytic” research—the effort to clear worn-out, inflammatory cells that accumulate with age. Naturally present in strawberries, apples, persimmons, onions, and cucumbers, fisetin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and is being studied for healthy aging, metabolic, cardiovascular, and brain health applications. Early laboratory and animal studies are encouraging, and...
Fish collagen: Skin hydration and elasticity gains, daily dose guide, and safety
Fish collagen has become one of the most popular “beauty from within” supplements, and for good reason. Derived mostly from fish skin and scales, it contains hydrolyzed collagen peptides—short chains of amino acids that your body can absorb and use to support the skin’s extracellular matrix. People take it to improve skin hydration and elasticity, to ease everyday joint...
Fish liver oil: Benefits for Nutrient Gaps, How Much Per Day, and Who Should Avoid It
Fish liver oil—best known as cod liver oil—is a traditional supplement with a modern twist. Unlike standard “fish oil” from the flesh, fish liver oil naturally delivers omega-3 fatty acids and the fat-soluble vitamins A and D. That mix can be an advantage (for bone, vision, and immune support) or a liability (risk of vitamin A excess), depending on...
Fish oil: Complete Guide to Benefits, Properties, Uses, Dosage, and Side Effects
Fish oil concentrates the long-chain omega-3s EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) that many people struggle to get from food alone. In research and practice, fish oil is used to lower high triglycerides, complement heart-healthy care, and support pregnancy and eye and brain health. Prescription-strength formulas at 4 g/day reliably reduce triglycerides; an EPA-only prescription has also reduced...
Fish protein hydrolysate: Evidence-Based Benefits, Best Dose and Timing, and Safety Tips
Fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) is a concentrated, pre-digested form of fish protein that delivers small, rapidly absorbed peptides. People turn to it for cardiometabolic support, appetite control, and convenient protein when whole fish is impractical. Early human trials suggest specific benefits—such as modest blood pressure reductions with marine peptides, lower post-meal insulin needs at small doses, and increases in...
Flavan-3-ols: Cardiometabolic Benefits, Daily Intake Targets, Food Sources, and Side Effects
Flavan-3-ols are a family of plant bioactives found in tea, cocoa, apples, pears, berries, and grapes. You may know their members—catechins (like epicatechin and EGCG) and procyanidins—from headlines about heart and metabolic health. Unlike vitamins, flavan-3-ols aren’t “essential” for survival; they’re eaten for potential benefits: supporting healthy blood pressure and blood vessel function, modestly improving cholesterol and insulin sensitivity,...
Flavin mononucleotide: Benefits for Energy, How to Use It, Correct Dosage, and Safety
Flavin mononucleotide (FMN)—also called riboflavin-5′-phosphate—is the immediate, bioactive coenzyme form of vitamin B2. Inside your cells, FMN and its “bigger sibling” FAD power hundreds of flavoenzymes that drive energy production, help activate vitamin B6, support folate-dependent methylation, and assist in metabolizing fats, drugs, and steroids. As a supplement, FMN often appears on labels as “riboflavin-5′-phosphate (R5P).” Despite the “active”...
Flavones: What They Do, Best Food Sources, Effective Dosage, and Potential Side Effects
Flavones are a family of plant pigments found in everyday foods—parsley, celery, chamomile, thyme, oregano, and citrus peels—that quietly support health. Beyond their antioxidant reputation, flavones help regulate inflammation signaling, influence cellular stress responses, and may benefit cardiometabolic and brain health when consumed regularly. Some appear in supplements (apigenin, luteolin, baicalein, chrysin) with different strengths and bioavailability. The evidence...
Flax fiber: Digestive Health Support, How to Use It, Proper Dosage, and Side Effects
Flax fiber is the gel-like and roughage-rich component of flaxseed that does the heavy lifting for digestion, cholesterol, blood sugar, and satiety. While whole flaxseed is known for its omega-3 fat and lignans, the fiber fraction—both soluble mucilage and insoluble hull fiber—drives most of its gut and metabolic effects. Because flax fiber forms a viscous gel, it softens stools,...
Flax protein isolate: High-Protein Vegan Uses, Optimal Dosage, Benefits, and Safety
Flax protein isolate (FPI) is a concentrated, plant-based protein made from the same flaxseed that is prized for its fiber and omega-3s. Unlike whole flax, the isolate focuses on the seed’s proteins—mainly the globulins and albumins—while removing most oil, fiber, and mucilage. That means a high protein content per scoop, typically with a neutral taste and functional properties that...
Flaxseed lignans: Benefits, Properties, How It Works, Uses, Dosage, and Safety Explained
Flaxseed lignans are natural plant compounds concentrated in the seed’s hull that your gut bacteria convert into “enterolignans,” molecules with weak estrogen-like and antioxidant activity. Research associates regular lignan intake with modest improvements in cholesterol and blood pressure, and potential support for women’s midlife symptoms. Unlike flaxseed oil, which is rich in omega-3 (ALA) but naturally low in lignans...
Flaxseed oil: Heart Health Benefits, Best Uses, Recommended Dosage, and Safety
Flaxseed oil is a concentrated, plant-based source of the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). It offers a practical way to raise ALA intake for people who do not eat fish or prefer vegan options. Research suggests ALA can modestly improve several cardiovascular risk markers—such as triglycerides and low-grade inflammation—when taken consistently. Still, it does not supply the long-chain...
Fleabane extract: Benefits for brain and circulation, how to use it, dosage guidance, and safety
Fleabane extract comes from several plants in the daisy family—most often Erigeron breviscapus (used in Chinese medicine as Dengzhanxixin) and Erigeron/Conyza canadensis (Canadian fleabane). Modern formulas concentrate different constituents: flavonoids such as scutellarin from E. breviscapus, or essential oils and phenolic acids from E. canadensis. Early clinical research—primarily from China—tests E. breviscapus extracts alongside standard therapies for stroke recovery...
Fluoride: Water Levels, Toothpaste Strengths, Dosing by Age, and Safety Explained
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that strengthens tooth enamel and helps prevent cavities across the lifespan. You’ll find it in fluoridated drinking water, toothpaste, mouth rinses, and professionally applied treatments such as varnish and gel. Its core advantage is simple: when used correctly, fluoride lowers caries risk for children and adults while costing very little—especially at the community...
Fly Agaric Mushroom: Complete Guide to Effects, Uses, Dosage Warnings, and Toxicity
Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) is one of the world’s most recognizable mushrooms—bright red with white spots—and one of the most misunderstood. Unlike “magic” mushrooms that contain psilocybin, fly agaric contains two different psychoactive compounds: muscimol and ibotenic acid. These chemicals act on brain receptors involved in inhibition and excitation, producing a mix of agitation, delirium, sedation, and unusual sensory...
Folacin: What It Is, Food Sources versus Supplements, Optimal Dose, and Who Should Avoid High Doses
“Folacin” is an older name for vitamin B9—the family of folate compounds your body uses for DNA synthesis, cell division, and methylation. In foods, it appears as natural folates; in supplements and fortified foods, it’s usually the synthetic, stable form folic acid. Clinically, the most important, proven benefit is preventing neural tube defects (NTDs) when folic acid is taken...
Folate: Uses for Pregnancy and General Health, Recommended Dose, and Safety
Folate is an essential B vitamin involved in DNA synthesis, cell division, and methylation—processes your body relies on for healthy growth, blood formation, and early fetal development. You’ll find it naturally in leafy greens, legumes, and liver, and as the synthetic form folic acid in many fortified foods and supplements. Strong evidence shows that adequate folate—especially folic acid taken...
