My first-author paper. A 15-minute, under-$1 method that pulled plant vesicles (about 189 nm on average) out of 20 everyday fruits and vegetables, confirmed by electron microscopy, light scattering and a plant vesicle marker.
nanonourish™ from the lab of Dr. Kaylan Jackson, PhD
Every paper behind the shelf. Even the ones that disagree with me.
Your body is always talking, and so is the research. I'm a chemist, so before anything went on this shelf, I read it. Start with the big picture, or jump straight to your product. Every title links to the original, including the papers that push back.
the big picturethe pillarsthe shelffrom my labwhat nobody knows yet
126papers
12ingredient families
1scientist who read them
the whole reservoir, by tier
- 28 human evidence
- 29 early human
- 47 lab + animal
- 22 background
how to read this
Every paper carries a tier. Some carry a flag.
what the tags meanhide the key
human evidence
Meta-analyses, big reviews and large trials in people.
early human
Real people, small or early trials. Promising, not settled.
lab + animal
Cells in a dish or animal studies. Where discoveries start.
background
Reviews and chemistry that explain the why.
nano angleExosome-like vesicles and nano-scale delivery. My world.
counterpointResearch that pushes back. Included on purpose.
rabbit holeFascinating, strange or just plain fun.
start here
from my lab
Before nanonourish™, I spent my PhD building a faster, cleaner way to pull exosomes and exosome-like vesicles out of real samples: fruits, vegetables, milk and human body fluids. In one paper I isolated them from 20 everyday fruits and vegetables. All told, that work is 8 peer-reviewed papers, 6 as first author, plus my dissertation. So when I tell you food carries these tiny messengers, I'm not repeating something I read online. I have held them in a tube.
Isolating exosomes from human urine, saliva, cervical mucus, serum and goat milk in under 15 minutes, checked by nanoparticle tracking analysis, electron microscopy and the CD81 exosome marker.
Where the method started: capturing intact exosomes on a polymer fiber tip and releasing them again, tested in buffer, mock urine, reconstituted nonfat milk and serum.
show all my papersshow fewer
Pulling vesicles out of the growth media of HEK293 cells, one of the cell lines proposed for making vesicles at commercial scale, in under 10 minutes: about 10¹² vesicles from a 100 µL sample on a benchtop centrifuge. It made the inside front cover of Electrophoresis.
Scaling the fiber up to an HPLC column. Each column held about 10¹² vesicles from kidney-cell cultures or human urine and gave back 10¹¹ to 10¹², at about $5 a column.
My tip against ultracentrifugation and two commercial kits on the same human urine. Twelve samples in under 15 minutes at under $1 a tip, up to 4 × 10¹² vesicles per mL, and far cleaner vesicles relative to urine proteins than the other methods.
Catching exosomes on the fiber and labeling them right there with fluorescent antibodies, so they can be imaged by confocal microscopy without ever being washed off. Sensitive down to tens of vesicles in view, and a step toward a simple strip test.
The whole body of work in one place: vesicles from mock and clinical body fluids, mammalian and amoeba cell cultures, and more than 20 fruits and vegetables, up to 12 samples at a time in under 15 minutes.
Blood plasma exosomes have a famous look-alike: LDL cholesterol particles. This 10-minute fiber column method separates the two, and doubles as a purity check for LDL samples.
My former lab at Clemson took the same fiber approach to raw cow's milk, one of the hardest foods to pull vesicles from because casein and fat look so much like them. Under 20 minutes per run.
The next step up: a column version that cleared more than 95% of the milk's other material while keeping the vesicles, in 20 minutes for under $5 a column.
the big picture
food talks to your cells
Every cell in your body packs messages into tiny bubbles called extracellular vesicles. The smallest, often called exosomes, are 30 to 150 nanometers across, so about a thousand could line up across one strand of hair. Plants, mushrooms, milk and even bees make their own versions. Here is what has been shown, and what hasn't.
why I built nanonourish™
I want to nourish your body from the cellular level. So much healing takes place in the nano range, in the unseen. That is where interspecies communication happens, where you literally are what you eat. Colostrum is a high-exosome food, naturally. Royal jelly is loaded with exosomes. Put them together and you have milk and honey, the promise land. I am convinced high nanoactive foods are where real nourishment happens, and nobody in wellness is talking about exosomes from a whole-food perspective. I am not guessing. Pulling exosomes out of food is literally what I published on. This is my territory.
the discovery
The papers that started it all. Fruits and vegetables make vesicles, and in mice those vesicles land in the gut and do something.
show the 7 papershide the papers
A landmark study that isolated exosome-like nanoparticles from grape, grapefruit, ginger and carrot. In cells and mice, gut immune cells and stem cells took them up, and they switched on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory genes.
A proof-of-concept study. In mice, grape exosome-like nanoparticles reached gut stem cells and increased their numbers through the vesicles' fats, and the mice had milder chemically induced colitis.
Ginger nanoparticles about 230 nm across, carrying fats, around 125 microRNAs and ginger compounds like 6-shogaol, were taken up by gut lining and immune cells after oral dosing in mice, with no toxicity seen.
Mice given broccoli nanoparticles by mouth had milder colitis in three different models. The effect ran through the enzyme AMPK in immune cells and depended on the particles' sulforaphane.
Nanoparticles rebuilt from grapefruit fats carried drugs, RNA, DNA and proteins into cells in mice, and were less toxic than carriers made from synthetic fats.
In mice, ginger exosome-like nanoparticles were taken up mainly by Lactobacillus-family gut bacteria. Their microRNAs changed bacterial genes and raised IL-22, a signal for the gut barrier. Food, to vesicle, to microbe, to you.
A recent review of how plant exosome-like nanoparticles are isolated, what happens to them after they are eaten, and how they interact with gut bacteria and gut immunity.
milk + honey
“A land flowing with milk and honey.” Exodus 3:8. Milk and honey both turn out to carry these vesicles. I smile every time I read that verse now.
show the 4 papershide the papers
The first report that human colostrum and breast milk contain exosomes. They carried immune markers and, in the dish, nudged immune cells toward a calmer, regulatory state.
Most of the microRNA in store-bought cow's milk rides inside one specific group of vesicles, and those vesicles made it through commercial processing.
Labeled milk exosomes showed up in the liver, spleen and brain of mice and pigs, and different microRNA cargos went to different places.
The first report that bee pollen, honey and royal jelly contain exosome-like vesicles. In lab tests they slowed bacterial growth, and human stem cells took them up.
can they survive the trip?
The question that matters most for a supplement: do these vesicles make it through processing and digestion?
show the 4 papershide the papers
Even processed store-bought milk still had exosome-like vesicles, and they held up against low pH, boiling and freezing. Immune cells took them up. The authors also note milk vesicle signals are not always calming.
Freeze-drying exosomes with no protectant made them clump. Adding trehalose, a natural sugar, kept them intact and active for about four weeks at room temperature. Drying method matters.
In a lab digestion model, cooking broke down about 81% of artichoke vesicles, few plant microRNAs survived digestion, and none crossed a layer of human gut cells.
Where do vesicles go in the body? In animal studies, mostly the liver, then lungs, kidneys and spleen. The authors flag that methods vary so much that comparisons are hard.
the pushback
Every field needs its skeptics. These papers challenge the idea that food microRNAs reach your bloodstream and change your genes. I read them first.
show the 4 papershide the papers
Athletes who ate microRNA-rich fruit, plus mice and honeybees on plant-heavy diets, showed no meaningful plant microRNA in their blood.
Monkeys fed a plant-rich meal showed only faint, inconsistent plant microRNA signals on very sensitive tests.
A short letter reporting that plant microRNAs could not be detected in the bodies of mice after feeding.
A balanced review of the whole debate. Some plant microRNAs survive cooking and digestion, but several attempts to repeat key results have failed, so the idea is still contested.
why I say “exosome-like”
Precision matters to me, even in the words.
show the paperhide the papers
The field's own rulebook. Short version: unless you have proven exactly where a vesicle came from, call it an extracellular vesicle. Plant and bee vesicles are built a little differently from ours, so the honest word is exosome-like.
the pillars
beyond the shelf
The shelf is only part of what I study. These 14 pages go deeper, from the vesicles in your food to faith, the mind and pregnancy. Same rules as everything here: 171 more papers, every one with a tier, the counterpoints left in, and every title linked to the original.
exosomes everywhere
The tiny messengers I studied for my PhD turn up almost everywhere: in food, in mushrooms, in bacteria, in your own gut lining and in a mother's milk. These pages follow them.
the high-EV diet Which foods carry vesicles, what cooking and drying do to them, and what happens after you eat them. mushroom vesicles Shiitake, lion's mane, reishi and what fungi pack into the tiny vesicles they release. bacterial vesicles Probiotic and gut bacteria shed vesicles too. What they carry, where they go, and the pushback. vesicles and the gut The gut lining makes its own vesicles. How they talk with food, bacteria and the immune system. vesicles in pregnancy and breastfeeding What the placenta sends to mom, what is inside breast milk vesicles, and colostrum versus mature milk.
the whole person
Your body is always talking, and it is not only talking about food. These pages cover why people respond so differently, what faith and rest do, how belief shows up in the body, and how the brain listens to the gut.
precision wellness Why two people eat the same meal and get different results, and what personalized advice has delivered so far. biblical wellness Worship, prayer, Sabbath rest, fasting, gratitude and forgiveness, and what large studies found. mindset and the body The milkshake study, the hotel housekeepers, open-label placebos and the growth mindset debate. neuroscience The gut-brain axis, the vagus nerve, exercise and the hippocampus, sleep, and what lion's mane has shown in people.
food, supplements and pregnancy
The questions I get asked most, answered with the trials, including the big ones that found nothing.
eating for metabolism Meal timing, protein, fiber, a walk after dinner, and the trials that found less than the headlines. the Ray Peat diet Pro-metabolic eating, piece by piece: seed oils, sugar and fruit, milk, gelatin, coffee and the thyroid, checked against the human research. therapeutic diets Mediterranean, DASH, ketogenic and low-FODMAP diets as tested in real trials, retraction included. therapeutic supplements Vitamin D, omega-3, magnesium, creatine, probiotics and iron, sorted by the strength of the human data. pregnancy, first trimester and beyond Progesterone trials from PROMISE to PROLONG, and the prenatal nutrients with real trial data.
product by product
the shelf
Each section starts with why it's here and my honest bottom line, then what the studies found, one figure straight from a paper, and every paper behind it. These studies are about the ingredients, not about nanonourish™ products specifically. Each figure is shared under its Creative Commons license and credited underneath.
01 / 12 colostrum capsules + colostrum powder
colostrum
why it's here
Colostrum is the first milk a mother makes. It is dense with IgG antibodies and growth factors, and it is one of the richest natural sources of milk vesicles I know of.
the nano angle
Colostrum vesicles are the best-studied food vesicles on this shelf. In mice they act in the gut. How many survive being dried into a powder has not been measured yet, and that is the first question I want answered.
my honest bottom line
The gut-lining studies in athletes are small but point the same way. One heat study found nothing. You deserve to see both.
what they found
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Linked to 44% fewer days with upper respiratory symptoms over 8 to 12 weeks of training.
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After 14 days of colostrum, the exercise-driven rise in gut permeability was about 80% smaller than on placebo.
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500 mg a day for 20 days lowered a sugar-absorption test of gut permeability versus a whey placebo.
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In the heat, a week of high-dose colostrum made no measurable difference to heat strain, performance or inflammation.
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Days with upper respiratory symptoms, colostrum versus placebo, in five small trials: pooled rate ratio 0.56, about 44% fewer.
Figure 2, Jones et al., 2016, BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation · CC BY 4.0 · doi.org/10.1186/s13102-016-0047-8
evidence at a glance
8 papers
- human evidence1
- early human4
- lab + animal2
- background1
Includes 3 nano-angle papers and 2 counterpoints.
show all 8 papershide the papers
This analysis pooled 5 trials in 152 adults doing regular exercise training. Colostrum was linked to 44% fewer days with upper respiratory symptoms over 8 to 12 weeks. Most of the trials were small and judged to be at moderate or high risk of bias.
In 12 volunteers, hard exercise made the gut 2.5 times more permeable after 14 days of placebo. After 14 days of colostrum, that rise was about 80% smaller.
In 16 athletes during peak training, 500 mg of colostrum a day for 20 days lowered a sugar-absorption test of gut permeability compared with a whey placebo. The effect on zonulin, a gut-barrier marker, was smaller.
In 15 men running and cycling for 90 minutes in the heat, a week of high-dose colostrum made no measurable difference to heat strain, performance or inflammation markers.
Reviews human studies of swallowed IgG antibodies. Between trace amounts and 25% of the IgG came out intact in stool, so some of it survives digestion.
Mice on a diet that causes fatty liver were given vesicles purified from bovine colostrum by mouth. The vesicles were linked to less liver fat and inflammation, more gut tight-junction proteins, and shifts in gut bacteria.
Vesicles from cow's milk crossed lab models of the human gut lining, even after exposure to simulated intestinal fluids, and moved through human intestinal organoids.
Researchers re-tested blood from an earlier small study of adults who drank cow's milk. They found no rise in milk-linked microRNAs, which challenges the idea that milk vesicle cargo reaches human blood.
02 / 12 royal jelly + bee bread · bee pearl
the hive
why it's here
Bee bread is pollen that bees pack into the comb and ferment. Royal jelly is what the hive feeds its queen. Together with honey and propolis, these are some of the oldest foods people have kept.
the nano angle
In 2019, researchers found exosome-like vesicles in bee pollen, honey and royal jelly for the first time. Royal jelly vesicles have since been sequenced and tested in mice.
my honest bottom line
Royal jelly and propolis have real human trials behind them. Bee bread on its own has no placebo-controlled human trial yet. If you react to bee products, skip these.
what they found
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Royal jelly and propolis were linked to better blood lipid and blood sugar markers; daily honey gave mixed results.
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Across 10 trials, royal jelly did not significantly change liver enzymes or blood sugar markers overall.
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1,000 mg of royal jelly a day for 8 weeks lowered menopause symptom scores; placebo did not.
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Over 12 months, plain honey edged out a honey, bee bread and royal jelly mix on some markers.
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More than 300 compounds are known in bee bread, but most health findings come from lab and animal work.
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Vesicles released by germinating kiwi pollen, seen by atomic force microscopy. Plant pollen in a lab, not bee bread.
Figure 2 (panels A and B), Suanno et al., 2023, Frontiers in Plant Science · CC BY 4.0 · cropped · doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1090026
evidence at a glance
11 papers
- human evidence3
- early human2
- lab + animal2
- background4
Includes 3 nano-angle papers.
show all 11 papershide the papers
Pooled 69 randomized trials with 3,544 people. Royal jelly and propolis were linked to improvements in markers like blood lipids and blood sugar. Daily honey gave mixed results.
Across 10 trials, royal jelly did not significantly change liver enzymes or blood sugar markers overall. Trials of 8 weeks or longer showed a small drop in fasting glucose.
Across 18 placebo-controlled trials in 498 adults, propolis at 250 to 1,500 mg a day was linked to lower levels of some inflammation markers such as IL-6 and TNF-alpha. Several findings were low certainty.
In 200 postmenopausal women, 1,000 mg of royal jelly a day for 8 weeks lowered menopause symptom scores, while placebo did not. The authors say it needs confirming.
In 100 postmenopausal women over 12 months, a daily mix of honey, bee bread and royal jelly was compared with plain honey, with no placebo group. Plain honey did slightly better on some markers.
More than 300 compounds have been identified in bee bread, including amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, polyphenols and vitamins. Most health findings so far come from lab and animal work.
Bee bread was run through a lab model of human digestion. Its natural vitamin C was among the most available for absorption, at roughly 17 to 35% depending on harvest year.
Vesicles isolated from royal jelly carried bee proteins such as MRJP1 and defensin-1. They calmed inflammatory signaling in immune cells and sped wound closure in mice.
Sequencing vesicles from 36 royal jelly samples found 29 known and 17 new microRNAs. In the dish, the vesicles protected stressed cells.
Kiwi pollen released exosome-like vesicles, called pollensomes, only when it germinated. Whether stored bee pollen holds these vesicles is still an open question.
Bee products can trigger allergies. Bee bread appears less allergenic than others, possibly because fermentation breaks down allergenic proteins.
03 / 12 probiotic 40 billion with prebiotics
probiotics
why it's here
Forty billion live cultures, plus prebiotic fiber to feed them.
the nano angle
Probiotic bacteria make their own vesicles, and Lactobacillus plantarum vesicles are some of the most studied.
my honest bottom line
Probiotics are strain-specific. The big reviews support some strains and blends for gut comfort and fewer colds, with low to moderate certainty.
what they found
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Some strains and blends beat placebo for IBS symptoms, pain or bloating, with mostly low certainty.
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Linked to fewer colds, slightly shorter episodes and less antibiotic use, at low to moderate certainty.
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Shortened gut transit by about 14 hours and added about one bowel movement a week.
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The prebiotic fiber FOS made bowel movements more frequent and stools softer; mild bloating was the main side effect.
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Strain matters: one L. plantarum strain lowered IBS pain and bloating scores; that may not apply to other strains.
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Stool frequency with the prebiotic FOS versus control across 14 trials: more frequent with FOS, though results varied widely.
Figure 2 (table columns), Zhen et al., 2024, Foods · CC BY 4.0 · cropped · doi.org/10.3390/foods13243993
evidence at a glance
8 papers
- human evidence4
- early human1
- lab + animal2
- background1
Includes 3 nano-angle papers.
show all 8 papershide the papers
Pooled 82 trials in 10,332 adults with IBS. Some strains and blends did better than placebo for overall symptoms, pain or bloating, though certainty was mostly low. Side effects were no more common than placebo.
Across 23 trials (6,950 people), probiotics were linked to fewer colds, slightly shorter episodes and less antibiotic use. Certainty was low to moderate.
Across 15 trials, probiotics shortened gut transit by about 14 hours and added about one bowel movement a week. Multi-species blends did better than single species.
Across 17 trials, the prebiotic fiber FOS made bowel movements more frequent and stools softer. Mild bloating was the main side effect.
In 214 adults with IBS, four weeks of one specific L. plantarum strain lowered pain and bloating scores more than placebo. Strain matters, so this may not apply to other strains.
Gut bacteria, including probiotic strains, release tiny vesicles that carry proteins and genetic material into our cells. This review gathers the lab and animal evidence.
Vesicles from L. plantarum pushed human immune cells toward a calmer, anti-inflammatory state and raised IL-10 in lab-grown human skin.
In stressed mice, L. plantarum vesicles raised the brain growth factor BDNF. A gut-brain clue, but the vesicles were injected rather than eaten.
04 / 12 l-glutamine powder
l-glutamine
why it's here
Glutamine is the preferred fuel for the cells lining your gut.
the nano angle
No food-vesicle angle here. Glutamine is on the shelf for the gut lining itself.
my honest bottom line
The gut studies that worked mostly used far more than one scoop. The pooled data show little effect below about 30 grams a day. Talk with your provider before going high.
what they found
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Glutamine did not change gut permeability overall; an effect showed up only above 30 g a day.
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In post-infection IBS, 5 g three times daily for 8 weeks improved symptoms far more than placebo.
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Before running in the heat, glutamine lowered a gut-leakiness marker, and bigger doses worked better.
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In athletes, glutamine did not improve immune function, aerobic performance or body composition.
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In intensive care patients with multiorgan failure, high-dose glutamine did not help and was linked to higher mortality.
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Gut-leakiness marker after running in the heat: lower than placebo at every glutamine dose, all far above one serving.
Figure 3, Pugh et al., 2017, European Journal of Applied Physiology · CC BY 4.0 · doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3744-4
evidence at a glance
6 papers
- human evidence3
- early human2
- lab + animalnone yet0
- background1
Includes 2 counterpoints.
show all 6 papershide the papers
Pooling 10 small trials (352 adults), glutamine did not change gut permeability overall. An effect showed up only above 30 g a day, about ten times one serving.
In adults with IBS that started after a gut infection, 5 g of glutamine three times a day for 8 weeks improved symptoms and permeability far more than placebo. One trial, needs repeating.
In 10 active men running in the heat, glutamine beforehand lowered a gut-leakiness marker, and bigger doses worked better. Doses were well above one serving.
Across 25 trials in athletes, glutamine did not improve immune function, aerobic performance or body composition overall.
In intensive care patients with multiorgan failure, high-dose glutamine did not help and was linked to higher mortality. This is not everyday use, but it shows dose and setting matter.
Your body makes about 88% of the glutamine it uses each day. This review argues gut studies only show effects near 30 g a day.
05 / 12 sea moss capsules
sea moss
why it's here
Irish sea moss with bladderwrack, burdock root and black pepper. Seaweeds bring minerals, fiber and iodine.
the nano angle
Edible seaweed makes its own nanovesicles. A 2026 study isolated them from hijiki, a brown seaweed, and gave them to mice by mouth.
my honest bottom line
Seaweed can carry a lot of iodine, so iodine per serving matters, especially with thyroid concerns or during pregnancy. Irish moss is also a natural source of carrageenan, which is debated.
what they found
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Seaweed for at least 8 weeks modestly lowered BMI, body fat and cholesterol; blood sugar did not change.
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One 500 mg dose of a bladderwrack blend before bread lowered the insulin response by about 12%.
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Brown seaweeds can be very rich in iodine, and 31% to 90% of it is absorbed.
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Whole Irish moss fermented with human gut microbes in a lab model raised microbes like Akkermansia.
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Concerns about carrageenan and the gut come mostly from animal and cell work; human evidence is thin.
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Electron micrographs of Irish moss skin: orderly stacked layers at the tip (a) create its blue shimmer.
Figure 2, Chandler et al., 2015, Scientific Reports · CC BY 4.0 · doi.org/10.1038/srep11645
evidence at a glance
9 papers
- human evidence1
- early human3
- lab + animal2
- background3
Includes 1 nano-angle paper and 1 counterpoint.
show all 9 papershide the papers
Across 11 trials in adults with overweight, seaweed for at least 8 weeks modestly lowered BMI, body fat and cholesterol, mainly with brown seaweeds. Blood sugar did not change.
In 23 adults, one 500 mg dose of a bladderwrack blend before eating bread lowered the insulin response by about 12%.
Brown seaweeds like bladderwrack can be very rich in iodine, and 31% to 90% of it is absorbed. Iodine per serving matters.
Whole Irish moss, dulse and laver fermented with human gut microbes in a lab model raised microbes considered beneficial, like Akkermansia.
In 60 women with PCOS, 460 mg a day of burdock root for 12 weeks raised antioxidant enzymes and lowered markers of oxidative stress and inflammation compared with placebo.
Adding 20 mg of piperine from black pepper to curcumin raised blood curcumin about 2000%. The founding study for black pepper in supplements.
Vesicles about 120 nm wide from hijiki seaweed calmed immune cells in the lab and, given by mouth to mice on a high-fat diet, reduced gut inflammation and liver fat.
Reviews concerns about carrageenan food additives and the gut, mostly from animal and cell work. Human evidence is thin.
Irish moss tips can shimmer blue with no blue pigment. The color comes from light bouncing off thin stacked layers in the seaweed's skin, and only when it is wet.
06 / 12 lion's mane mushroom
lion's mane
why it's here
The mushroom studied for how it supports nerve growth factor, the protein your brain uses to maintain its connections.
the nano angle
Mushrooms make vesicles too. Nobody has isolated them from lion's mane yet, but shiitake and king oyster vesicles have been studied.
my honest bottom line
Small, promising human trials. Nothing large or long-term yet. Stomach upset is the most common side effect.
what they found
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About 3 g a day for 16 weeks raised cognitive scores in mild memory decline; scores fell after stopping.
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One 1.8 g dose sped up one attention test in young adults; many measures showed no change.
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In two trials, cognitive screening scores rose about 1.2 points; side effects included stomach upset and headache.
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A 49-week mycelium pilot was linked to better cognitive scores; four people withdrew for stomach upset or rash.
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Stroop reaction time 60 minutes after one 1.8 g dose: faster with lion's mane, flat with placebo. One small pilot.
Figure 4, Docherty et al., 2023, Nutrients · CC BY 4.0 · doi.org/10.3390/nu15224842
evidence at a glance
8 papers
- human evidencenone yet0
- early human5
- lab + animal2
- background1
Includes 2 nano-angle papers.
show all 8 papershide the papers
Reviewed lab studies plus 5 randomized and 3 pilot trials. In two trials, cognitive screening scores rose about 1.2 points. Side effects included stomach upset, headache and allergy.
In 30 adults aged 50 to 80 with mild memory decline, about 3 g a day for 16 weeks raised cognitive test scores versus placebo. Scores fell again 4 weeks after stopping.
A 49-week pilot of erinacine-enriched mycelium capsules was linked to better cognitive and daily-living scores than placebo. Four people withdrew for stomach upset or rash.
In 41 healthy adults aged 18 to 45, one 1.8 g dose sped up one attention test, and 28 days showed a non-significant trend toward lower stress. Many measures showed no change.
In 30 women, 4 weeks of cookies containing lion's mane lowered scores on mood and everyday-complaint questionnaires. Small and early.
Lion's mane compounds spurred nerve-cell branching in the dish, and mice fed the extract did better on a memory task.
Aged mice given shiitake nanovesicles by mouth for 9 months did better on cognitive tests. The vesicles never reached the brain. They reshaped gut bacteria instead.
Vesicles isolated from both the fruiting body and the mycelium of king oyster mushroom. Mycelium vesicles showed antioxidant activity in test-tube assays.
07 / 12 creatine monohydrate
creatine
why it's here
One of the most studied supplements in the world. Your muscles and your brain both run on it.
the nano angle
Creatine does not cross into the brain easily, so researchers are packaging it into nanoparticles to help it get there.
my honest bottom line
Strong evidence for strength alongside training. Memory benefits look clearest in older adults. Women store less creatine than men.
what they found
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Creatine plus resistance training gave small gains in bench press, squat and power versus placebo.
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With strength training, 5 g a day or more added small lean-mass and leg-strength gains after menopause.
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Creatine modestly improved memory scores, mainly in adults aged 66 to 76.
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Europe's food-safety regulator found a cause-and-effect link to better thinking has not been established yet.
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Women store 70 to 80% less creatine than men; later-life benefits for bone and cognition are still emerging.
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Squat strength across 25 trial arms, creatine plus training versus control: a pooled gain of about 5.6 kg.
Figure 4, Kazeminasab et al., 2025, Nutrients · CC BY 4.0 · doi.org/10.3390/nu17172748
evidence at a glance
8 papers
- human evidence6
- early human1
- lab + animal1
- backgroundnone yet0
Includes 1 nano-angle paper and 1 counterpoint.
show all 8 papershide the papers
Expert position concluding creatine consistently improves high-intensity performance and training gains, and is safe and well tolerated in healthy people.
Across 69 trials with 1,937 adults, creatine plus resistance training gave small gains in bench press, squat and power versus placebo.
Women store 70 to 80% less creatine than men. Supplements improved strength before menopause, while benefits for mood, bone and cognition later in life are still emerging.
Across 7 trials in 608 postmenopausal women, 5 g a day or more with strength training added small gains in lean mass and leg strength. Bone density did not change.
Across 8 trials, creatine modestly improved memory scores, mainly in adults aged 66 to 76.
Europe's food-safety regulator reviewed 23 human studies and concluded a cause-and-effect link to better thinking has not been established yet.
In 15 young adults kept awake overnight, one very high dose shifted brain energy chemistry on scans and improved memory and processing speed.
Creatine packed into coated nanoliposomes about 105 nm across raised creatine in the rat brain cortex. No human data yet.
08 / 12 coq10 ubiquinone 200 mg
coq10
why it's here
CoQ10 carries electrons through the energy chain inside your mitochondria.
the nano angle
Vesicles made from mitochondria, loaded with CoQ10, is one of the most fascinating directions in this whole field.
my honest bottom line
It reliably raises blood levels. Fatigue benefits are modest. Absorption depends a lot on the formula, so take it with a meal that has some fat.
what they found
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CoQ10 modestly reduced fatigue scores versus placebo; higher doses and longer use tracked with bigger drops.
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CoQ10 reliably raised blood levels but gave at most small, inconsistent exercise benefits.
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For statin-related muscle pain, one pooled analysis found a modest drop and another found none.
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Absorption of seven 100 mg CoQ10 products varied widely, and the carrier oil mattered.
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Fatigue scores in 13 trials, CoQ10 versus placebo. Most estimates lean toward less fatigue; the pooled effect is modest.
Figure 3, Tsai et al., 2022, Frontiers in Pharmacology · CC BY 4.0 · doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.883251
evidence at a glance
8 papers
- human evidence4
- early human1
- lab + animal2
- background1
Includes 2 nano-angle papers and 2 counterpoints.
show all 8 papershide the papers
Across 13 trials with 1,126 people, CoQ10 modestly reduced fatigue scores versus placebo. Higher doses and longer use tracked with bigger drops.
Across 24 trials in healthy adults, CoQ10 reliably raised blood levels but gave at most small, inconsistent exercise benefits.
Across 7 trials in adults with muscle symptoms on statins, CoQ10 modestly lowered muscle pain overall. Four trials found a reduction and three did not.
A similar pool of 7 trials found CoQ10 did not reduce muscle pain more than placebo. The evidence here is mixed.
Fourteen adults each tried seven different 100 mg CoQ10 products. Absorption varied widely, and the carrier oil mattered.
A review of ubiquinone, the form of CoQ10 on this shelf. It can both create and neutralize oxidants, which raises real questions about how supplements work.
A lipid-nanoparticle form of CoQ10 raised CoQ10 and cellular energy in deficient cells and in mouse tissues. Given by injection, and most authors work for the developer.
Vesicles made from the mitochondria of blood-vessel cells, loaded with CoQ10, reached the retina in mice and improved mitochondrial function. Ordinary exosomes could not do the same.
09 / 12 moringa pure
moringa
why it's here
Moringa leaf is a staple food in much of the world, rich in plant compounds, vitamins and minerals.
the nano angle
Moringa seed vesicles carry plant microRNAs, and rats that drank them showed small shifts. That was seed, not the leaf in this capsule.
my honest bottom line
Pooled trials show no consistent change in weight, lipids or blood sugar. One prediabetes trial looked promising. Food-level nourishment, not a quick fix.
what they found
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Moringa did not consistently change weight, blood lipids, blood sugar or blood pressure; certainty was very low.
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12 weeks of 2.4 g leaf a day moved fasting glucose and HbA1c in a better direction than placebo.
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In people, gains in hemoglobin and vitamin A showed up at high doses, 14 to 30 g a day.
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163 compounds identified; most pharmacology comes from lab studies, and very high intakes may be toxic.
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Moringa and blood sugar: fasting glucose (A) and HbA1c (B). Both pooled diamonds cross zero, so no clear effect.
Figure 4, Crișan et al., 2025, Nutrients · CC BY 4.0 · recolored · doi.org/10.3390/nu17223501
evidence at a glance
6 papers
- human evidence1
- early human2
- lab + animal2
- background1
Includes 1 nano-angle paper and 1 counterpoint.
show all 6 papershide the papers
Pooled 9 trials in about 650 adults. Moringa did not consistently change weight, blood lipids, blood sugar or blood pressure. Certainty was very low.
In 65 adults with prediabetes, 2.4 g a day of moringa leaf for 12 weeks moved fasting glucose and HbA1c in a better direction than placebo.
In people, gains in hemoglobin and vitamin A showed up at high doses (14 to 30 g a day). One study linked 0.5 g a day to more breast milk.
Lists 163 compounds in moringa. Most pharmacology comes from lab studies, and very high intakes may be toxic.
Rats drank moringa seed microvesicles for two months. Behavior and blood counts shifted slightly, in mixed ways. About 20 rats.
Moringa's compounds break down into isothiocyanates like moringin, which can release hydrogen sulfide, a gas your body uses as a signal.
10 / 12 greens superfood
greens
why it's here
Grass and leaf powders for the days your plate is not as green as you meant it to be.
the nano angle
Wheatgrass juice vesicles helped skin and vessel cells grow in the dish. And a barley leaf study found the key vesicles came from the gut bacteria the barley fed.
my honest bottom line
Human trials are small with modest shifts. If you are prone to autoimmune flares, read the alfalfa rabbit hole first.
what they found
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30 days of greens shifted a few epigenetic-age markers and gut bacteria; body composition did not change.
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Human wheatgrass trials hint at benefits, but all were small and several had design problems.
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In mice, barley leaf grew gut bacteria whose own vesicles, given by mouth, protected the heart.
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Wheatgrass vesicles made skin and blood-vessel cells grow and move faster, roughly doubling collagen gene activity.
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Alfalfa contains L-canavanine, an arginine look-alike tied in reports to lupus-like reactions; still debated.
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Four epigenetic-age clocks after 30 days of greens versus no supplement. Changes were mixed and small, in a tiny trial.
Figure 3, Robinson et al., 2026, Frontiers in Nutrition · CC BY 4.0 · recolored · doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1750030
evidence at a glance
7 papers
- human evidencenone yet0
- early human2
- lab + animal2
- background3
Includes 2 nano-angle papers and 1 counterpoint.
show all 7 papershide the papers
In 19 adults aged 50 to 65, a daily greens supplement for 30 days shifted a few epigenetic-age markers and gut bacteria. Body composition and metabolic markers did not change.
Plenty of lab work on barley grass, but human trials are small and short, with modest shifts in some lipid and blood sugar markers.
Human wheatgrass trials hint at benefits, but all were small and several had design problems.
In 23 people, 100 mL of wheatgrass juice a day for a month was linked to lower disease-activity scores than placebo. One tiny trial, and juice rather than powder.
Exosome-like vesicles from wheatgrass juice made skin and blood-vessel cells grow and move faster and roughly doubled collagen gene activity. Cell work only.
In mice, a barley-leaf diet grew a family of gut bacteria whose vesicles, given by mouth, protected the heart. The key vesicles came from bacteria, not the plant.
Alfalfa contains L-canavanine, an arginine look-alike that can slip into proteins. This review traces reports of lupus-like reactions to alfalfa. Still debated.
11 / 12 reds superfood
reds
why it's here
Beet and berry powders, the deep reds and purples most of us do not eat enough of.
the nano angle
Beet and blueberry both make vesicles, and blueberry vesicles held their structure through simulated digestion.
my honest bottom line
Beet nitrate lowers blood pressure a little in clinic readings. Home monitoring shows less. Enjoy it as food, not a fix.
what they found
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Beetroot juice lowered resting blood pressure by about 3.6/1.3 mmHg; part may come from compounds besides nitrate.
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Nitrate lowered clinic blood pressure, but 24-hour and home monitoring showed no change.
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Berry juices and powders lowered blood pressure slightly; broken down by fruit, it held for cranberry and cherry.
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Blueberry vesicles about 88 nm across held their structure through heating and simulated digestion.
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A week of antiseptic mouthwash cut oral nitrite 90% and raised blood pressure 2 to 3.5 mmHg.
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Systolic blood pressure in 20 berry trials. Pooled drop about 3.7 mmHg; the authors found it held for cranberry juice.
Figure 3, Wang et al., 2020, European Journal of Nutrition · CC BY 4.0 · doi.org/10.1007/s00394-020-02299-w
evidence at a glance
6 papers
- human evidence3
- early human1
- lab + animal2
- backgroundnone yet0
Includes 2 nano-angle papers and 1 counterpoint.
show all 6 papershide the papers
Across 22 trials, beetroot juice lowered resting blood pressure by about 3.6/1.3 mmHg. Part of the effect may come from beet compounds other than nitrate.
Across 13 trials, nitrate lowered clinic blood pressure, but 24-hour and home monitoring showed no change.
Across 45 fruit trials, berry juices and powders lowered blood pressure slightly. Broken down by fruit, it held for cranberry and cherry.
Highly purified red beet nanovesicles were mapped for proteins, fats and microRNAs. In human cells they sped up scratch closure and calmed inflammation signals.
Blueberry vesicles about 88 nm across held their structure through heating and simulated digestion, and human gut-model cells took them up.
Mouth bacteria turn nitrate into nitrite. When 19 volunteers used antiseptic mouthwash for a week, oral nitrite fell 90% and blood pressure rose 2 to 3.5 mmHg.
12 / 12 beauty + collagen strips
collagen strips
why it's here
A dissolvable daily strip with collagen and vitamin E.
the nano angle
Beet vesicles raised collagen in UV-exposed skin cells. That was applied to skin, not swallowed.
my honest bottom line
Collagen trials use grams a day, and a strip is 100 mg. Independent, high-quality trials have been less impressive than industry-funded ones. Think of it as a small daily extra.
what they found
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Hydrolyzed collagen improved skin hydration and elasticity versus placebo; most trials used several grams a day.
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Collagen looked helpful overall, but trials without company funding and higher-quality trials showed no effect.
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1,000 mg of collagen peptides daily for 24 weeks improved cellulite, elasticity and hair thickness; industry-linked authors.
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After people swallowed gelatin hydrolysate, collagen fragments like Pro-Hyp appeared in their blood within 1 to 2 hours.
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Beet vesicles raised collagen I in UV-exposed skin cells, applied to skin rather than swallowed.
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Skin hydration, collagen versus placebo, across 19 trial arms: the pooled effect favors collagen, though trials varied.
Figure 2, Pu et al., 2023, Nutrients · CC BY 4.0 · recolored · doi.org/10.3390/nu15092080
evidence at a glance
7 papers
- human evidence2
- early human3
- lab + animal1
- background1
Includes 1 nano-angle paper and 1 counterpoint.
show all 7 papershide the papers
Pooling 26 trials in 1,721 people, hydrolyzed collagen improved skin hydration and elasticity versus placebo, with some bias flagged. Most trials use several grams a day.
Across 23 trials, collagen looked helpful overall, but trials without company funding and higher-quality trials showed no effect.
In 114 women, 1,000 mg a day of fish collagen peptides for 24 weeks improved cellulite, skin elasticity and hair thickness versus placebo. Industry-linked authors, and 10 times a strip.
In 25 people, 2.5 g of collagen peptides a day for 24 weeks was linked to 12% faster nail growth and 42% fewer broken nails. No placebo group.
Vitamin E has been used in skin care for over 50 years, but few controlled studies guide oral or topical use.
Beet exosome-like vesicles raised collagen I in UV-exposed skin cells and improved sun-damaged animal skin when applied topically.
After people swallowed gelatin hydrolysate, small collagen fragments, mainly Pro-Hyp, showed up in their blood within 1 to 2 hours.
for the curious
rabbit holes
The papers I send my friends at 11pm.
open the rabbit holesclose the rabbit holes
Ginger vesicles feed your good bacteria In mice, ginger exosome-like nanoparticles were taken up mainly by Lactobacillus-family gut bacteria. Their microRNAs changed bacterial genes and raised IL-22, a signal for the gut barrier. Food, to vesicle, to microbe, to you. Pollen only releases vesicles when it wakes up Kiwi pollen released exosome-like vesicles, called pollensomes, only when it germinated. Whether stored bee pollen holds these vesicles is still an open question. A gut-brain message in a bubble In stressed mice, L. plantarum vesicles raised the brain growth factor BDNF. A gut-brain clue, but the vesicles were injected rather than eaten. You make most of your own glutamine Your body makes about 88% of the glutamine it uses each day. This review argues gut studies only show effects near 30 g a day. The blue shimmer in sea moss Irish moss tips can shimmer blue with no blue pigment. The color comes from light bouncing off thin stacked layers in the seaweed's skin, and only when it is wet. Mushroom vesicles that never reach the brain, and still matter Aged mice given shiitake nanovesicles by mouth for 9 months did better on cognitive tests. The vesicles never reached the brain. They reshaped gut bacteria instead. Creatine and the sleepless brain In 15 young adults kept awake overnight, one very high dose shifted brain energy chemistry on scans and improved memory and processing speed. Vesicles made from mitochondria Vesicles made from the mitochondria of blood-vessel cells, loaded with CoQ10, reached the retina in mice and improved mitochondrial function. Ordinary exosomes could not do the same. Moringa and the gas your body uses as a signal Moringa's compounds break down into isothiocyanates like moringin, which can release hydrogen sulfide, a gas your body uses as a signal. When the vesicles come from your bacteria In mice, a barley-leaf diet grew a family of gut bacteria whose vesicles, given by mouth, protected the heart. The key vesicles came from bacteria, not the plant. Alfalfa's arginine imposter Alfalfa contains L-canavanine, an arginine look-alike that can slip into proteins. This review traces reports of lupus-like reactions to alfalfa. Still debated. Your mouthwash and your blood pressure Mouth bacteria turn nitrate into nitrite. When 19 volunteers used antiseptic mouthwash for a week, oral nitrite fell 90% and blood pressure rose 2 to 3.5 mmHg. Collagen shows up in your blood as Pro-Hyp After people swallowed gelatin hydrolysate, small collagen fragments, mainly Pro-Hyp, showed up in their blood within 1 to 2 hours. Plants text their enemies Plant cells pack small RNAs into exosome-like vesicles and send them into an attacking fungus, switching off the genes it uses to invade. Proof that vesicle messages cross between kingdoms of life. Does milk microRNA reach your blood? Two answers. In five adults, drinking milk raised two milk microRNAs in blood. A later re-analysis (Auerbach 2016, under colostrum) found no rise. Read both and decide. Bees ferment their own bread How bees turn pollen into bee bread through lactic acid fermentation in the comb, and the effort to recreate it outside the hive.
the honest part
what nobody knows yet
This is the part most brands leave out. It is also the part I'm most excited about, because these are questions a separation chemist can actually answer.
- 01As far as I can find, no published study has counted how many vesicles survive the drying and encapsulating that turn a whole food into a shelf-stable supplement.
- 02No human study yet shows food vesicles from colostrum, bee products, seaweed or plant powders reaching human tissue intact.
- 03Whether food microRNAs change human genes is still contested. Several careful attempts to repeat the key results have failed.
- 04Many human trials use doses well above one serving. I have noted it wherever that is true.
- 05Almost all of the nano-scale work uses purified vesicles in cells or mice, not finished supplements in people.
why I built this
Because you deserve a scientist who shows her work. If you find a paper I should add, or one you think I read wrong, tag me @drkaylan. I read everything.
This page summarizes published research on ingredients for education. It is not medical advice, and the studies describe ingredients in research settings, not nanonourish™ products. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk with your care provider before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medication. Summaries by Dr. Kaylan Jackson, PhD. Citations checked against PubMed, September 2026. Figures are reproduced from open-access papers under CC BY 4.0, with changes noted where made.