Sarah Thompson
Lead Science Editor
The Health News
Credentials
- 15+ years in health and science journalism
- Member, Association of Health Care Journalists
- Specializes in metabolic health and supplement research
About
Sarah leads the editorial review process at The Health News, making sure every piece of content meets rigorous evidence-based standards.
With a background in science communication and a deep interest in metabolism and nutrition, she bridges the gap between clinical research and everyday health decisions.
Areas of Expertise
Articles (24)
Prebiotics for Gut Health: Types, the Best Prebiotic Foods, and How Much You Need
Prebiotics for gut health explained: the official definition, the types with evidence, a practical prebiotic foods list, daily amounts, and how to ramp up without gas.
Probiotics for Gut Health: What They Do, Which Strains Work, and How to Choose (2026)
Probiotics for gut health explained: how they work, which strains have real clinical evidence, how many CFUs you need, and how to choose a supplement that delivers.
Probiotics for Leaky Gut: What the Evidence Says About Strains, L-Glutamine, and Barrier Repair
Probiotics for leaky gut: which strains have human data on gut barrier function, what L-glutamine studies show, realistic dosing, and a practical 8-week plan.
When to Take Probiotics: Best Time of Day, With or Without Food, and How Long Until They Work
Wondering when to take probiotics? Here's what research says about timing, food, antibiotics, how long they take to work, side effects, and proper storage.
Digestive Health Supplements: What Actually Works in 2026 (Probiotics, Enzymes, Fiber, Glutamine)
Which digestive health supplements have real evidence? We rank probiotics, enzymes, fiber, glutamine and more by the research, with doses and a stack by goal.
The Gut-Weight Connection: How Your Microbiome Affects Weight Loss
Research increasingly shows that your gut bacteria play a significant role in metabolism, fat storage, and appetite regulation. Here's what science tells us about the microbiome-weight connection — and what you can actually do about it.
How to Restore Gut Health: A Science-Based 30-Day Plan
Whether you're recovering from antibiotics, years of poor diet, or chronic stress, your gut microbiome can be rebuilt. Here's a realistic, evidence-based 30-day plan to restore gut health — week by week.
15 Best Foods to Lower Blood Sugar Naturally
What you eat has the single biggest impact on your blood sugar levels. These 15 foods have solid evidence behind them for improving glucose control, insulin sensitivity, or both — and they're easy to add to your daily routine.
Collagen for Joints: Types, Dosage, and What Research Says
Collagen supplements have surged in popularity for joint health, but not all collagen is created equal. Different types serve different purposes, and the dosage matters. Here's a comprehensive look at the evidence for collagen and joint health in 2026.
How to Spot Fake Supplement Reviews: A Consumer's Guide
Learn to identify fake reviews, paid endorsements, and misleading claims in the supplement industry. This guide covers the red flags, how fake review operations work, what legitimate reviews look like, and the tools you can use to protect yourself before buying.
Do Weight Loss Supplements Actually Work? A Science-Based Look
Weight loss supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry, but do they actually deliver? We examine the science behind thermogenics, metabolism boosters, and appetite suppressants to separate what works from what doesn't.
ProDentim vs Regular Probiotics: What's the Difference?
Oral probiotics and gut probiotics serve different purposes, target different bacterial ecosystems, and use different strains. Here's how ProDentim compares to the probiotic supplement you might already be taking.
Best Weight Loss Supplements for Women Over 40 (2026)
Weight loss after 40 is harder for women due to hormonal shifts, slower metabolism, and muscle loss. We cover which supplements actually address these age-specific challenges and deliver real results in 2026.
Can Hearing Loss Be Reversed? What Science Actually Says
Millions of people wonder if their hearing loss can be reversed. The honest answer depends on the type. Here's what current science says about treatments, emerging research, and realistic expectations.
Your Gut Microbiome Explained: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Support It
Trillions of microorganisms live in your gut — and they influence everything from immunity to mood. Here's what science actually tells us about the microbiome and how to keep yours thriving.
How to Read Supplement Labels: A No-BS Guide to Not Getting Scammed
Most people spend more time reading restaurant menus than supplement labels — and that's exactly what shady brands count on. Here's how to decode the Supplement Facts panel, spot proprietary blend tricks, and tell quality products from overpriced fillers.
Omega-3 and Brain Health: What the Research Actually Shows
DHA makes up 60% of your brain's fatty acids, and EPA fights neuroinflammation. Here's what landmark clinical trials reveal about omega-3s for cognitive decline, depression, ADHD, and prenatal development — plus dosing, sourcing, and quality guidance.
Sleep Supplements Compared: Melatonin vs. Magnesium vs. L-Theanine vs. Valerian (2026)
A head-to-head comparison of the four most popular sleep supplements — how they work, what the research says, optimal dosing, side effects, and which one matches your specific sleep problem.
12 Best Foods for Brain Health (Backed by Science)
What you eat directly shapes how well your brain performs. Here are 12 foods with strong scientific support for memory, focus, and long-term cognitive health.
How to Lose Weight After 40: What Actually Works
Weight loss after 40 is different — but it's not impossible. Here's what the science says about metabolism, hormones, and the strategies that actually produce lasting results for midlife adults.
Melatonin Side Effects: What You Should Know Before Taking It
Melatonin is the most popular sleep supplement in America, but that doesn't mean it's risk-free. Here's an honest look at the side effects, interactions, and dosing mistakes most people make with melatonin.
How to Improve Sleep Quality: 10 Science-Backed Tips
Struggling with poor sleep? These 10 evidence-based strategies can help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling refreshed.
What Causes Tinnitus? Understanding the Ringing in Your Ears
Tinnitus affects nearly 15% of Americans. Learn about the most common causes, from noise exposure to earwax buildup, and what you can do about it.
The Gut-Immune Connection: How Your Digestive Health Affects Everything
70% of your immune system lives in your gut. Understanding this connection can change how you think about supplements, diet, and your overall health.
Product Reviews (18)
Breathe Review: Can These Herbal Drops Actually Clear Your Airways and Support Lung Health?
Breathe is a liquid drop supplement designed to support respiratory health and clear airways using a blend of traditional lung-support herbs. With ingredients like mullein leaf, manuka honey, eucalyptus, and elderberry, it targets congestion, inflammation, and immune defense in the respiratory tract. We analyzed the formula, scientific backing, and user feedback to determine whether these drops deliver meaningful respiratory support.
DigestiStart Review: Can a TCM-Based Formula Actually Fix Your Digestive Issues?
DigestiStart takes a Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to digestive health, combining 11 classical herbs to target bloating, irregularity, and general gut discomfort. We dug into the ingredient research and real user feedback to see whether this East-meets-West formula lives up to its claims.
Fast Lean Pro Review: Can a 1.7 g Scoop of Fiber, Three Vitamins and a 'Fasting Switch' Story Justify $158 Minimum?
Fast Lean Pro is a once-a-day, 1.7 g scoop of powder sold as a 'fasting switch' that supposedly tricks your body into thinking it is fasting so it burns fat 'no matter what and when you eat'. It is sold direct through DigiStore24 checkout (also listed on ClickBank) in three packages: 2 jars for $158 plus $9.99 shipping, 3 jars for $207, or 6 jars for $294 with free US shipping and three bonus ebooks, all under a 180-day money-back guarantee. There is no single-jar option. The vendor's text presentation names six ingredients (niacin, vitamin B12, chromium, Fibersol-2, 'Sukre', and a 'Biogenic Polyamine Complex') but never shows a Supplement Facts panel, and its own FAQ says the formula has 'eleven' ingredients. From an independent transcription of the jar, a scoop delivers 20 mg niacin, 5 mcg B12, 123 mcg chromium, and a 1.7 g proprietary blend in which Fibersol-2 is a resistant maltodextrin fiber, Sukre is acacia gum hydrolysate, and the polyamine complex is a spermidine source. We read the sales page, refund and shipping policies, and the 50-item reference list, then checked the ingredient story against PubMed. The fibers have real human trials, at 10 to 30 g per day; the whole scoop here is 1.7 g. Chromium's weight effect in meta-analyses is about half a kilogram. Nothing in the formula has been shown to mimic fasting in humans, and no powder produces meaningful fat loss without a calorie deficit.
Finessa Review: It Works Faster Than Most — Here's the Reason Nobody Mentions
Most gut powders take six weeks to do anything you can feel. Finessa usually works inside a few days, and the reviews reflect that — this is one of the few products in the category where people say it did what it promised. There is a specific reason it acts that fast, the sales page does not spell it out, and it changes how you should use the product. Not whether you should buy it: how long you should take it.
FitSpresso Review: Can This Coffee Supplement Really Boost Your Metabolism?
FitSpresso is a weight loss supplement marketed around the idea of a "7-second coffee loophole" — which in practice means taking a capsule before your morning coffee. Stripped of the marketing language, it's a blend of six natural ingredients (Chlorogenic Acid, Capsicum, L-Carnitine, Chromium, Banaba Leaf, and Panax Ginseng) that may support metabolism and energy when combined with caffeine. We looked at the ingredient research and real user feedback to see if it's worth the price.
Flush Factor Plus Review: Can a 500 mg Six-Ingredient Blend Do Anything for Swollen Legs at $79 a Bottle?
Flush Factor Plus is a one-capsule-a-day supplement marketed for swollen legs, ankles, and feet, sold direct through DigiStore24 checkout. There is no single-bottle option: the entry package is 2 bottles for $158 ($79 each), 3 bottles cost $207 ($69 each), and 6 bottles cost $294 ($49 each) with three bonus ebooks. All packages carry a 60-day money-back guarantee counted from delivery. The label shows a 500 mg proprietary blend of six ingredients: pineapple fruit powder, shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) root extract, L-citrulline DL-malate, black cumin seed extract, beet root extract standardized to 50% betaine nitrate, and hibiscus flower extract standardized to 3% anthocyanins. We read the vendor's text presentation, the Supplement Facts label, the refund and shipping policies, and the references page, then checked each ingredient against PubMed. The vendor's story is that the formula helps the body regulate vasopressin (AVP), 'the hormone that controls fluid circulation'. No cited study tests any ingredient against that hormone, none of the six has a placebo-controlled trial in adults with leg swelling that we could find indexed, and a 500 mg blend cannot carry the gram-level doses used in the blood-flow research it borrows from. The bigger issue is medical: persistent leg swelling is a symptom that needs a diagnosis before it needs a capsule.
GutOptim Review: Can a 1.5 g Fiber-and-Clay Blend With an Undisclosed Probiotic Dose Justify $69 a Bottle?
GutOptim is a two-capsule-a-day digestive supplement sold direct through DigiStore24 checkout at $69 for one bottle, $59 per bottle for three, and $49 per bottle for six, with free US shipping on every package and a 60-day money-back guarantee. The Supplement Facts panel lists a single 1.5 g proprietary blend of ten ingredients: psyllium husk, bentonite clay, black walnut hull, oat bran, flaxseed, plum, aloe vera leaf, Lactobacillus acidophilus, apple pectin, and konjac glucomannan. We read the vendor's text presentation, the label, the refund and shipping policies, the references page, and the affiliate kit, then checked the ingredient story against PubMed. The formula is essentially a low-dose fiber blend with a clay and a probiotic of unstated strain and count. Several ingredients have real human trials for constipation or IBS, but those trials used 4.5 to 24 g per day of a single fiber; GutOptim's entire ten-ingredient blend is 1.5 g. The sales page also lists nine ingredients while the label lists ten, and the 'parasite eating your colon lining' pitch has no support on the vendor's own references page.
JavaBurn Review: Does Adding This Powder to Coffee Really Help You Lose Weight?
JavaBurn is a tasteless powder you mix into your morning coffee that claims to boost metabolism and support weight loss. The idea is simple: enhance coffee's natural thermogenic properties with additional ingredients. We looked at the research behind the formula and real user feedback to see whether it actually delivers.
LipoVive Review: Can a Natural Supplement Really Support GLP-1 Hormones?
LipoVive is a supplement that claims to support GLP-1 hormone pathways — the same biological mechanism behind prescription drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro. That's a big claim, and we need to be upfront: a supplement containing berberine and herbal extracts is not going to replicate the effects of injectable semaglutide. What we can say is that several of its ingredients do have published research on metabolic support, appetite regulation, and blood sugar management. We looked at the evidence and user feedback to see what's realistic.
LungExpand Pro Review: Can a 500 mg Six-Ingredient Blend With Coltsfoot and Undisclosed Doses Justify $69 a Bottle?
LungExpand Pro is a one-tablet-a-day respiratory supplement sold through the vendor's site with DigiStore24 checkout at $69 for one bottle, $59 per bottle for three, and $49 per bottle for six, with free US shipping on every package and a 60-day money-back guarantee. The Supplement Facts panel lists 20 mcg (800 IU) of vitamin D3 plus a single 500 mg proprietary blend of six ingredients: umckaloabo (Pelargonium sidoides) root extract, ivy (Hedera helix) leaf extract, mullein leaf extract, coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) flower extract, serratiopeptidase, and peppermint essential oil. We read the vendor's text presentation, the label, the refund and shipping policies, and the references page, then checked each ingredient against PubMed. Two of the six botanicals, pelargonium and ivy, have real placebo-controlled trials, but for a week of acute bronchitis cough, at specific extract doses the label does not state, and in the pelargonium case the Cochrane review found the tablet form did not work. The vitamin D dose is sensible. The concrete red flag is coltsfoot: the flower contains hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, the label makes no statement about alkaloid removal, and no dose is given. The sales page's 'stiff lungs' story and 'natural sleep aid' claim are not supported by anything on its own references page.
Mitolyn Review: Can a Mitochondrial Formula Actually Help You Lose Weight?
Mitolyn takes a different angle on weight loss by focusing on mitochondrial health — the idea being that if your cells produce energy more efficiently, your metabolism works better. We looked at the ingredient research and user feedback to see if this approach holds up.
OrexiBurn Review: Can 450 mg of Actives in One Daily Capsule Justify $69 a Bottle?
OrexiBurn is a one-capsule-a-day weight-loss supplement sold direct with ClickBank as the retailer at $69 for one bottle, $59 per bottle for three, and $49 per bottle for six, under a 60-day money-back guarantee counted from delivery. Unlike most products in this category it does disclose every dose: L-arginine 300 mg, citrus bioflavonoid 50% at 40 mg, Ecklonia cava extract 30 mg, L-ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate 30 mg, Myrciaria jaboticaba skin extract 30 mg, phosphatidylserine 50% at 10 mg, CELLg8 turmeric root extract 70% at 5 mg, and 1% glucoraphanin at 5 mg. That transparency is the product's best feature and also its biggest problem: the numbers are far below every human trial the vendor's own references page points to. The whole capsule is 450 mg of actives, of which the turmeric contributes about 3.5 mg of curcuminoids and the glucoraphanin about 50 micrograms. We read the vendor's text presentation, the Supplement Facts panel, the refund and shipping policies and the full reference list, then checked each ingredient on PubMed. We also found the sales page lists seven ingredients while the label lists eight, and that the reference list supporting the fat-loss story is dominated by rat, mouse and zebrafish studies.
PrimeBiome Review: Does This Gut-Skin Probiotic Actually Deliver?
PrimeBiome takes an interesting approach to skin health by starting with the gut. The idea is simple — your microbiome affects everything from digestion to how your skin looks. We dug into the research behind its probiotic and botanical blend to see if this gut-skin angle actually holds up.
Renew Review: Can Better Sleep Actually Help You Lose Weight and Slow Aging?
Renew is a sleep-support capsule that goes beyond just helping you fall asleep. With ingredients like ashwagandha, 5-HTP, melatonin, and magnesium, it targets deep sleep quality while also supporting weight management and cellular repair. The premise is simple: better sleep leads to better metabolism, hormone balance, and anti-aging. We analyzed the formula and user feedback to see if this approach holds up.
Sleep Lean Review: Can Improving Your Sleep Actually Help You Lose Weight?
Sleep Lean takes an interesting approach to weight loss by focusing on sleep quality — the logic being that poor sleep disrupts the hormones that regulate hunger and metabolism. We looked at the ingredient research and real user feedback to see whether this nighttime formula lives up to its premise.
The Smoothie Diet Review: Is a 21-Day Smoothie Program Worth It for Weight Loss?
The Smoothie Diet is a 21-day meal replacement program that swaps out certain meals for smoothies made from fruits, vegetables, and protein sources. It comes with recipes, shopping lists, and a day-by-day schedule. We looked at the program itself, what users actually experience, and whether the results hold up after the 21 days are over.
Sugar Defender Review: Can These Liquid Drops Really Help Manage Blood Sugar Levels?
Sugar Defender is a liquid drop formula containing 24 natural ingredients designed to support healthy blood sugar levels. With compounds like chromium, gymnema sylvestre, and alpha-lipoic acid, it targets glucose metabolism from multiple angles. We analyzed the formula, clinical evidence, and user feedback to determine whether these drops deliver meaningful blood sugar support.
SynoGut Review: The Same 1.5 g Fiber-and-Clay Blend as GutOptim, Sold From $79 a Bottle With No Single-Bottle Option
SynoGut is a two-capsule-a-day digestive supplement sold through the vendor's site with DigiStore24 checkout (the vendor also runs a ClickBank listing) in three packages: 2 bottles for $158 ($79 each), 3 bottles for $207 ($69 each), and 6 bottles for $294 ($49 each), all with free US shipping and a 60-day money-back guarantee counted from the ship date. The sales page repeatedly says you can get 'a 30-day supply for a one-time fee of just $69', but no single-bottle option exists in the checkout configuration; the cheapest way in is $158. The Supplement Facts panel lists one 1.5 g proprietary blend of ten ingredients: psyllium husk, bentonite clay, black walnut hull, oat bran, flaxseed, prune, aloe vera leaf, L. acidophilus, apple pectin, and glucomannan. That is, ingredient for ingredient and gram for gram, the label of GutOptim, which we reviewed separately and which ships from the same Aurora, Colorado return address. We read the text presentation, the label, the refund and shipping policies, and the references page, then checked each ingredient against PubMed. Four of the fibers have placebo-controlled trials for constipation or IBS, at 3 to 60 times what a 1.5 g capsule blend can hold; the probiotic has no strain or count; and the founder story ('Samuel Bart, 49, Nashville') comes with no credentials of any kind.