THE VANGUARD BLOG
Physician-curated deep dives into the science of men's health optimization.
Monograph
Delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP) is a small (nine amino acid) neuropeptide first identified in 1977 by Monnier and colleagues in Switzerland, isolated from the cerebral venous blood of rabbits exposed to electrical stimulation that induced…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Exosomes are nanoscale (30-150 nm) extracellular vesicles released by virtually all cell types as a normal mechanism of intercellular signaling. They carry a defined cargo of proteins, lipids, mRNA, and microRNAs that reflects the parent cell's…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Bempedoic acid is the first ATP-citrate lyase inhibitor approved for clinical use, and the first oral non-statin to demonstrate cardiovascular outcome benefit in a large randomized trial. It lowers LDL cholesterol by inhibiting ATP-citrate lyase…
29 May 2026
Monograph
AHCC is a fermented shiitake (Lentinula edodes) mycelia extract produced exclusively by Amino Up Co., a Sapporo-based supplement manufacturer. It is sold under multiple consumer brand labels but is the same underlying ingredient in every product…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Cerebrolysin is a parenteral pharmaceutical preparation of low-molecular-weight peptides and free amino acids derived from enzymatically processed porcine brain tissue. Manufactured by EVER Pharma since the 1970s, it is approved in more than 40…
29 May 2026
Monograph
The carnivore diet — exclusive or near-exclusive consumption of animal products, eliminating all plants — has grown from a fringe practice associated with Shawn Baker and Mikhaila Peterson around 2018 into a major cultural movement with millions of…
29 May 2026
Monograph
5-Amino-1-methylquinolinium iodide (5-amino-1MQ) is a small-molecule inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), the enzyme that methylates nicotinamide using S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) as a methyl donor. Two metabolic problems flow from…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Bupropion-naltrexone sustained-release (brand name Contrave) is an FDA-approved combination weight-loss drug, approved in September 2014. It pairs bupropion — a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor used as an antidepressant and…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Bergamot polyphenolic fraction (BPF) is a standardized extract of the peel and juice of Citrus bergamia, the same fruit responsible for the flavor of Earl Grey tea. The bioactive content is dominated by flavonoid glycosides — neohesperidin,…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs) are the first novel mechanism approved for primary insomnia since the Z-drugs (zolpidem, eszopiclone, zaleplon) entered the market in the 1990s. Three are FDA-approved as of 2026: suvorexant (Belsomra,…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Salidroside is the most-studied bioactive in rhodiola — and, as of 2024, finally available as a fermentation-derived isolated compound. One small Phase II RCT exists; everything else lives in the whole-extract literature. What the data actually say.
28 May 2026
Supplement Guide
NMN raises NAD+ levels in humans with solid mechanistic rationale and early clinical data. Updated September 2025: FDA confirmed NMN lawful as a dietary supplement, reversing a 2022 exclusion.
26 May 2026
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