The Internet Journalist

Click on the image to zoom

Have you ever wondered whether forking out so much money for health supplements is ever worth it? Do they actually work at all? Or is it simply a placebo-effect? I often remember being sick and being forced to take vitamin supplements.

Well, over at Information Is Beatiful, they’ve put together a stunning (and interactive) infographic based on exactly that – health supplements.

What I particularly like about this infographic though, is that it constantly updates. It is based off a publicly-viewable Google Document which is constantly updating itself with information, and so if any new research is found, the infographic is updated each time you render it.

Here’s an explanation of how to interpret the data:

This image is a “balloon race”. The higher a bubble, the greater the evidence for its effectiveness. But the supplements are only effective for the conditions listed inside the bubble.

You might also see multiple bubbles for certain supps. These is because some supps affect a range of conditions, but the evidence quality varies from condition to condition. For example, there’s strong evidence that Green Tea is good for cholesterol levels. But evidence for its anti-cancer effects is conflicting. In these cases, we give a supp another bubble.

For information, and to generate an up-to-date infographic, head over to the post at Information is Beautiful.

Related Posts

• Why Men Are Better Dieters Than Women
• Stay Healthy with 29 Office Exercises