Does This Supplement Work?

As both a health-care provider and a consumer, this is a question that routinely comes up when considering what supplements to recommend to my patients and to my family.

Quite simply, the question, “Does this supplement work?” is always at the heart of my decision making and is central to how we have built Thorne’s clinical trials program.

And even more basic, it stems from Thorne’s long history of asking that very same question – “Does this supplement work?”

A Little History

From the beginning, Thorne has asked this question to guide everything we do. Historically we have provided a platform to individuals to showcase our research on botanicals, nutrients, and various integrative medical practices.

In 1996, Thorne launched our peer-reviewed journal, Alternative Medicine Review. This gave individuals who were researching natural products and protocols a way to showcase their work through the peer-review process, in which subject matter experts critique the research or trial, its design, and its findings before the results are published.

Within just a few years, Alternative Medicine Review became a leading, MEDLINE-indexed, peer-reviewed journal that shared information on original research, as well as extensive review articles that summarized the research of others.

During this period, our medical staff at Thorne began actively pursuing our own clinical trials, working with numerous principal investigators across the United States.

Trusted Partnerships

As we have grown, so have the ways we answer this core question, “Does this supplement work?”

And if so, “How does it work?” From initially helping other researchers answer these two questions, to taking the lead ourselves in initiating clinical trials, we now have an active clinical trials department at Thorne.

We have developed strategic working partnerships with trusted research groups like the Mayo Clinic, the Hypertension Institute, and numerous others.

We’re always striving to better understand how we can answer these two questions, as well as one final one: “Does this supplement work?” How does this supplement work?” And, “Is this supplement safe?”

For example, Thorne recently completed a study that we conducted in conjunction with Dr. Mark Houston of the Hypertension Institute. In this randomized, placebo-controlled, four-month trial, a Thorne multi-ingredient supplement – LipoCardia® – was tested and found to be safe and effective for maintaining healthy lipid levels.*

Let’s Get Personal

A personalized approach to supplementation is at the core of a lot of our current clinical trial work, as we seek to better understand the complex interactions that create an individual’s response to supplementation.

This is where trial data becomes key and helps align information from clinical testing results with personal history to provide a precise roadmap for specific diet, lifestyle, and supplement recommendations.

Having this data also helps create a framework for discussion and decision making between the health-care practitioner and his or her patients.

We know “one size fits all” is not a sustainable model for personal wellness and self-care, and with strong research partners to help us answer the question, “Does this supplement work?” our goal is to provide the confidence each individual needs to make personal care choices.

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