THE VANGUARD BLOG

Evidence. Protocol. Truth.

Physician-curated deep dives into the science of men's health optimization.

Monograph

Fenugreek: A Libido Nudge, Not a Testosterone Fix

Branded fenugreek extracts have a modest, mostly manufacturer-funded record on sex-drive questionnaires in healthy men, but the testosterone evidence is very low certainty and fenugreek is no substitute for testosterone replacement therapy.

05 Oct 2026

Monograph

Bacopa: Chronic Recall File, Not an Instant Nootropic

Bacopa’s densest human evidence is free-recall memory after about twelve weeks of standardized extract — not same-day IQ, Alzheimer treatment, or proven ADHD therapy.

21 Sep 2026

Monograph

Retatrutide: evidence now greater than just weight loss

Emerging research: a 2026 combined analysis of randomized trials shows retatrutide moves blood pressure and cholesterol numbers — not just weight. Still not approved.

07 Sep 2026

Monograph

N-Acetylcysteine: the antidote is real, the capsule claims are not

N-acetylcysteine is an FDA-approved antidote for acetaminophen overdose; randomized trials leave most over-the-counter capsule wellness claims weakly supported or null.

07 Sep 2026

Methylene Blue (Oral) — The Real Drug, the Small Cognitive Signal, and the Serotonin Syndrome Warning No One Mentions

Methylene blue for oral use is a real drug, not a benign supplement. One small acute imaging study (Rodriguez 2016, n=26, 2 mg/kg) drives the cognitive claim. The Alzheimer's tau story is about a different molecule (LMTX). Serotonin syndrome risk with SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs is FDA-warned.

23 Jul 2026

Boron — The Trace Mineral, the Small Study, and What It Actually Earns in a Men's Stack

Boron for men's health — the entire optimization case rests on one small pre-post study in eight men (Naghii 2011). No proper RCT replication exists. Safety margin at 3–10 mg/day is generous (adult UL 20 mg/day). Defensible as a low-cost hedge; not a testosterone move.

23 Jul 2026

Monograph

Full-Body MRI Screening — Prenuvo, Ezra, Q Bio, and the Incidentaloma Problem

Per 1,000 asymptomatic adults screened with WB-MRI: ~950 abnormal findings, ~15-20 cancers, ~30% trigger workup. Zero RCT mortality evidence. ACR does not recommend for average-risk adults. Vanguard's read on Prenuvo, Ezra, Q Bio.

19 Jul 2026

Monograph

Galleri — The Multi-Cancer Early Detection Blood Test, and What the 2026 Data Actually Shows

The NHS-Galleri trial missed its primary endpoint at ASCO 2026. High specificity (~99.6%) and PPV (52-62%), modest sensitivity (~30-40% all cancers), zero mortality data. $949 cash pay. No FDA approval as screening. Vanguard's read on the largest multi-cancer detection trial to date.

19 Jul 2026

Monograph

Lab Testing for Men — The Optimization List and the Vanguard List

Two lists — the Optimization List (12 non-negotiable tests before starting hormone, cardiovascular, or metabolic optimization) and the Vanguard List (25 total tests including 13 deep-dive add-ons). Tiered by evidence, honestly.

19 Jul 2026

Monograph

Tadalafil — The Daily PDE5 Inhibitor, and the Longevity Story It's Been Given

Overview Tadalafil is a long-acting phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor — the same drug class as sildenafil, distinguished by a

07 Jul 2026

Monograph

Losartan — The Uricosuric ARB with a Marfan and TGF-β Story

Losartan (Cozaar, first FDA-approved 1995) is the prototype angiotensin II receptor blocker. It shares the class-level mechanism (selective AT1 receptor blockade), core indications (hypertension, diabetic nephropathy, heart failure, cardiovascular…

05 Jul 2026

Monograph

Fish Oil: The Right Molecule, the Wrong Dose

The short version "Fish oil for your heart" is largely oversold, because the capsule in most cabinets is

30 Jun 2026
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