The dietary market is worth more than $60B

The FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they go to market

The US Food and Drug Administration does not regulate products including vitamins, probiotics, and herbal mixes as drugs due to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, which amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Because dietary supplements are regulated as a subcategory of foods, inspectors do not assess whether dietary supplements work as advertised before sale.

Dietary supplements are regulated like foods

This hour-long 2016 documentary from Frontline, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and The New York Times examined the safety of dietary supplements. It noted that this then-$30B industry (it's at least doubled since then) suffers from irregularities and impurities. It warned that many Americans are unaware of the lack of regulatory oversight over these products.

Reporting if supplements make you ill helps FDA know what products to investigate

The US Food and Drug Administration regulates supplements like foods and can only take action about a supplement if they learn that there are problems with it after it's on the market. This website allows consumers, industry, and others to file a complaint about a product that made them ill or raised other concerns.

The health food industry grew significantly in the early 1990s

By 1996, there were over 6,000 health food stores in the US, which generated over $9B in sales. That was still a small number compared to traditional supermarkets, but it was a 17% improvement in annual growth over the previous five years, highlighting a rapidly growing industry.

See preferred supplements across different countries in 2025, by generation

Millennials and Gen Z typically took more supplements than other age groups across vitamins, proteins, minerals, and herbal supplements, according to 2025 data from a Global Consumer Insights Survey conducted in 55 countries. Roughly two-thirds of Gen Z respondents stated they'd taken vitamins in the past 12 months. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

USP-verified label on supplements means a nonprofit confirmed what's in the bottle

The black-and-yellow USP-verified program seal on a dietary supplement bottle means that the nonprofit US Pharmacopeia tested a sample of the product and verified that it was made in a facility with good manufacturing practices and that it will dissolve in the body. Their certification also means they tested to confirm that the product contains the ingredients listed on the bottle at the specified levels, and that it doesn't contain harmful levels of certain dangerous contaminants.

Proof of 'natural' food claims are voluntary for most food products

Unlike the enforcement done by the USDA for meat, dairy and eggs, the FDA offers loose guidelines for using a "natural" food label on most foods, and following the guidelines is voluntary. As a result, many products labeled as "natural" can contain processed ingredients and synthetic additives.

Vitamin D supplement pills are linked to rising cases of vitamin D toxicity in the US

Vitamin D deficiency is common. But taking Vitamin D supplements in doses exceeding 4,000 IU/day (a measurement of vitamin biological activity) for prolonged periods can raise bodily concentrations of this vitamin to dangerous values. US National Poison Data indicates that the annual average of vitamin D poisonings from 2000-05 was 196, but this rose by 1,600% to 4,535 per year for the period of 2005-11.

The global consulting industry was worth roughly $710B in 2023

From 2017 to 2021, the consulting firm McKinsey took in $77M in consulting contracts with just the US Food and Drug Administration alone.

The plasma-selling industry is expected to reach $50B by the end of the decade

About 55% of your blood volume is plasma, the liquid part of blood created from water, proteins, minerals, and salts absorbed through the digestive tract. This 49-minute podcast episode explores the business of plasma—part of a global industry expected to be worth $50B by 2029.

The term 'superfood' is a marketing construct with no scientific or medical definition

Encompassing at least 136 plants and animals, the concept has been criticized by nutritionists for its scientific value, which has been exploited by the wellness industry for profit. Although the label has encouraged the consumption of fruits and vegetables, food variety and minimal processing remain key to a healthy diet.

The potential for weight loss drugs to transform the economy

In 2023, Americans spent more than $50B on weight loss drugs, a number expected to triple by the end of the decade. However, because of the wide range of obesity-linked health issues, widespread adoption of the treatments could transform the wider economy.

Sushi is an estimated $33B business in the US

US fishermen stock most of the country's more than 17,000 sushi restaurants. Distributors frequently adjust prices for different fish, based on their availability and the quality of the meat. This podcast unpacks how that industry operates.

Menopause may become a $600B industry

Companies marketing products and supplements to alleviate menopause symptoms and make life easier during this life stage have become a gold mine. This 2022 article explores how and why companies have swooped into this space, and whether you should trust them or not.

Ultraprocessed foods include preservatives, dyes, sweeteners, and more

Processed foods are those that have been altered from their original state, which includes numerous processes that we consider natural, such as cooking or salting. Ultraprocessed foods contain at least one item that wouldn’t be found in a kitchen, like hydrogenated oils or high-fructose corn syrup. It’s estimated that nearly 75% of all foods consumed in the US are ultraprocessed, though that doesn’t mean that all of them are unhealthy. In fact, some, such as prepackaged whole wheat bread and soy milk, are recognized for their health benefits.

Humans need higher levels of water-soluble vitamins that easily pass through the body

There are two types of vitamins: lipid soluble and water-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins like B vitamins and vitamin C are in the watery parts of fruits and easily pass through the human body before being taken up by the bloodstream or exiting your body. But lipid (fat) soluble vitamins must be absorbed through the intestinal wall, carried by proteins, and then may be stored in the liver and other body parts—meaning there is greater risk of overdosing.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of young men ate standard American food—replete with food additives like borax and formaldehyde—as part of government research to better understand food safety.

See how much daily sugar substitute intake the FDA considers to be safe

The agency states in this PDF graphic that a person weighing about 132 pounds would have to consume roughly a couple dozen sweetener packets daily—or more—to reach unsafe levels of consumption. The accumulated consumption would be across all sources, including diet beverages, sugar-free candies, and actual packets added to coffee.

The US FDA issued a 2025 warning about BPC-157 and other popular peptides

BPC-157, which mimics a naturally occurring gut peptide involved in soft tissue repair, has been marketed for various regenerative properties. But the FDA warned in July 2025 that it doesn't have enough data to assess its safety in humans and that such products may also pose risks related to contamination.

The science (and scams) behind essential oils

Essential oils are a big business, with industry estimates pegging its market size at $10B last year—a number expected to double by 2030. These distilled plant compounds have a long history of both legitimate and exaggerated uses, and many marketed oils are, as the author of this long read claims, just selling wish fulfillment. Revisit some of the history and contemporary use of essential oils with this piece.

Inhalers, antihistamines, immunotherapy, and more have made allergies a multimillion-dollar market

Market research suggests that the allergies market will continue to grow in the years ahead as the number of allergy diagnoses increases, identifying new patients. Areas of growth include the increasing interest in immunotherapies designed to retrain the immune system through regular exposure to potential allergens via injections and under-the-tongue medical formulations, among other approaches.

Roughly 80% of US antibiotics sold each year go to agricultural use

Antibiotics have long been used in agriculture to treat diseases in animals and plants. However, antibiotics are also often misused, to treat non-bacterial diseases, to encourage growth in animals, and more. This expansive use of antibiotics has become one of the primary sources of the emergence of new superbugs.

Explore a list of surprisingly FSA-eligible wellness products

Flexible spending accounts can be used to cover medical expenses, but those funds can also be used to purchase wellness items or services, like bandages or contact solution. The general guidance for what's FSA eligible is any expense that is designed to diagnose, cure, mitigate, or treat a medical condition. HSA funds can often be used to cover the same expenses. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

The research that led to sour

Scientists are trying to figure out if there are unique receptors that respond to the molecules that make up flavors we associate with calcium, blood, batteries, and other items that often escape dinner menus. Taste researcher Dr. Danielle Reed says the minimum evidence for a taste category typically involves identifying dedicated receptors and then removing them to show the taste vanishes.

View a list of 50 minerals critical to US economic and national security

Most of the US's supply of critical minerals depends on countries that have historically competed with it, which has raised concerns in Washington. These minerals are needed for green technologies to meet greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.

Telehealth demand for GLP-1s for weight loss is booming as consumers seek easier access.

The non-alcoholic wine market

A no-nonsense, stats-based exploration of the relatively new market for nonalcoholic wine. Driven by people looking to consume less or no alcohol at all, production of nonalcoholic wine has increased dramatically over the last few years. This report details the basics of nonalcoholic winemaking, as well as the current state of the market and what to expect in the future.

While the first exchange-traded fund (a 'basket' of different assets that can be bought and sold on a stock exchange) in the US only launched in 1993, the global ETF market has grown to more than $10T in the short time since.

Read a deep dive on the 'all-purpose healing' peptide BPC-157.

Listen to an in-depth conversation on the links between Parkinson's disease and herbicide exposure and the challenging pace of scientific investigation.

US consumers collectively owe more than $1T to credit card companies—almost as much as they owe in auto loans.

Calculate how much of your tax dollars go to each federal program based on your income, filing status, and number of children

SpaceX's S-1 or 'prospectus' revealed many previously unknown details about the company, including its unprofitability despite doing $18.7B in revenue in 2025, exactly how many voting shares Elon Musk will have in the company (roughly 85%), and more.

Up to a million Girl Scouts sell about 200 million cookie boxes every spring, generating $800 million, largely because refusing a child is frowned upon

Fast-casual restaurant Chili's is experiencing a resurgence, with its parent company recently reporting a nearly 32% increase in sales, thanks to passionate Gen Z fans on TikTok.

The use of fungi to detoxify land and water—a process known as mycoremediation—has been used to clean up natural resources affected by the 2025 California wildfires.

The Nasdaq's 'Magnificent 7' companies are responsible for roughly 40% of the Nasdaq 100 index's gains, while the remaining 93 companies account for the other 60%.

Doctors differentiate between a phobia and fear by asking patients whether their fear interferes with their day-to-day activities.

Bone marrow (soft tissue found inside certain bones) generates roughly 500 billion new blood cells each day

Discover the catastrophic consequences of a failure of the US electrical grid—something that is more likely than many Americans think.

Most of the observable universe's volume consists of voids and supervoids—enormous regions of space with little to no galaxies, stars, or light.

See how Budweiser's famous Clydesdales spend their days at Warm Springs Ranch, where roughly 70 to 80 of the beer brand's giant horses can be found at any given time.

The 2026 Ebola outbreak in the DRC is spurring new Ebola vaccine development for the Bundibugyo species.

This site reaches millions of visitors who are tired of AI chatbots and seeking human connection. Pretend to be an AI chatbot and ask questions, provide answers, and draw for people in real time.

The 1987 Nintendo video game 'Stadium Events' isn't known for being particularly fun, but its scarcity has made it a highly sought-after item that has sold for up to $35K at auction.

The most expensive ad of all time was for Chanel No. 5 perfume and cost roughly $33M to produce in 2004—about $57M in today's dollars.

Fish populations in the Great Barrier Reef have increased after installing waterproof speakers on the ocean floor that played recordings of sounds from healthy coral reefs.

20,000 letters to the advice columnist 'Dear Abby' provide insight into prevailing sex, religion, and LGBTQ fears, anxieties, and concerns from the 1950s onward.

How fusion—which releases energy when two lighter atoms combine to form a heavier atom—differs from fission

See this overview of the firework rules across all 50 states, ranging from a complete ban on non-professional fireworks in Massachusetts to states with more lax rules like Indiana.