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Evidence Based Longevity (EBL)
Check what I take
For clinicians

The Physician Discussion Sheet, in two directions.

Two samples for one fictional patient: the page a physician hands the patient at the end of a visit, and the page a patient brings to the visit. Every grade, label and PMID PubMed ID: the permanent number the US National Library of Medicine gives a published paper. Each one links to that paper's record on PubMed. below is read from the EBL records on each build, so a sample cannot show a grade the record no longer holds.

Build one from a patient's list Open the interactive worked example

1. The page a physician hands the patient

The patient leaves with the evidence for everything they take, and the decisions written in the physician’s own hand.

Sample Family Practice

A. Example, MD | 100 Sample Street, Suite 100, Anytown, CA 90000 | (555) 010-0100

From the physician, for the patient

Physician Discussion Sheet

Sample: fictional patient and practice

Patient

Robert M.Age 66

Prepared

October 2026Visit: annual review

Current medications

Metformin 1,000 mg twice dailyAtorvastatin 40 mg once daily

1Nutrients your medications are associated with lowering

MedicationNutrientEvidenceWhat the research showsRefs
MetforminVitamin B12Well documentedLong-term metformin use is linked to lower B12. In the Diabetes Prevention Program, B12 deficiency was more common in the metformin group, and risk rose with years of use.1
MetforminFolateWell documentedMetformin users showed lower folate and higher homocysteine An amino acid in the blood that rises when vitamin B12, folate or B6 are low. than comparison patients.2
AtorvastatinCoenzyme Q10Well documentedStatins block the pathway that makes both cholesterol and CoQ10. Placebo-controlled trials show blood CoQ10 falls on statin therapy; one trial of atorvastatin 80 mg found it roughly halved.3, 4
MetforminCoenzyme Q10Mechanism onlyProposed from how metformin acts on the mitochondria. No human trial has measured it.None
AtorvastatinGeranylgeraniolMechanism onlyProposed from the same pathway statins block, on animal and cell studies. No human trial has measured it.5

2Your supplements, graded against the human trials

What you takeYour reasonEBL gradeWhat the trials found for this useRefs
Creatine monohydrate5 g daily, with strength trainingStrength and muscleAReplicated The same finding reproduced by a separate research group. A result seen once can be chance or bias; a replicated one is harder to explain away.Meta-analyses A study that pools the numbers from several trials into one combined estimate. of randomized trials in older adults: creatine added to resistance training produced greater strength gains than training alone. Trials used 5 g/day or more. Without training, low doses showed no effect.6, 7, 8
Coenzyme Q10200 mg dailyMuscle aches on statinCLimitedThe meta-analyses disagree. One reported less muscle pain and weakness; another found no benefit. All endpoints The outcome a trial measures to decide whether the treatment worked, such as heart attacks, blood pressure or a symptom score. are self-reported. Doses studied: 100 to 600 mg/day.9, 10, 11
Magnesium oxide500 mg at bedtimeSleepCLimitedOne 8-week trial in 46 older adults with insomnia (500 mg/day magnesium oxide). Pooled certainty across the small trials is low to very low.12, 13
Vitamin D32,000 IU daily, no calciumBone strengthDNot shownIn VITAL, 2,000 IU/day did not reduce fractures in adults not selected for deficiency. A different use, vitamin D3 with calcium in older adults living in care facilities, is graded B.14, 15, 16
Fish oil1 g daily, mixed EPA and DHAHeart protectionDNot shownAt 1 g/day, fish oil did not reduce heart attacks or strokes in VITAL or in ASCEND, which enrolled adults with diabetes. A different product, prescription icosapent ethyl at 4 g/day in statin-treated adults with high triglycerides, is graded B.17, 18, 19

A Replicated B Supported C Limited D Not shown

3Your doctor’s notes

Written by the physician at the visit

Signed: A. Example, MD

Prepared with Evidence Based Longevity. Not medical advice; any change to a supplement or medication is a decision for the patient and physician. No grade on EBL is paid for, and EBL takes no commission on any graded supplement.

2. The page a patient brings to the visit

The same patient, the same records, written from his side of the desk with room for his questions and the physician’s notes.

Evidence Based Longevity

Prepared by the patient on evidencebasedlongevity.co

From the patient, for the physician

Physician Discussion Sheet

Sample: fictional patient

Patient

Robert M.Age 66

For

Dr. A. ExampleAnnual review, October 2026

Prescription medications

Metformin 1,000 mg twice dailyAtorvastatin 40 mg once dailyFull medication list attached

1Nutrients my medications are associated with lowering

MedicationNutrientEvidenceWhat the research showsRefs
MetforminVitamin B12Well documentedLong-term metformin use is linked to lower B12. In the Diabetes Prevention Program, B12 deficiency was more common in the metformin group, and risk rose with years of use.1
MetforminFolateWell documentedMetformin users showed lower folate and higher homocysteine than comparison patients.2
AtorvastatinCoenzyme Q10Well documentedStatins block the pathway that makes both cholesterol and CoQ10. Placebo-controlled trials show blood CoQ10 falls on statin therapy; one trial of atorvastatin 80 mg found it roughly halved.3, 4
MetforminCoenzyme Q10Mechanism onlyProposed from how metformin acts on the mitochondria. No human trial has measured it.None
AtorvastatinGeranylgeraniolMechanism onlyProposed from the same pathway statins block, on animal and cell studies. No human trial has measured it.5

2The supplements I take, and what the trials found

What I takeMy reasonEBL gradeWhat the trials found for this useRefs
Creatine monohydrate5 g daily, with strength trainingStrength and muscleAReplicatedMeta-analyses of randomized trials in older adults: creatine added to resistance training produced greater strength gains than training alone. Trials used 5 g/day or more. Without training, low doses showed no effect.6, 7, 8
Coenzyme Q10200 mg dailyMuscle aches on statinCLimitedThe meta-analyses disagree. One reported less muscle pain and weakness; another found no benefit. All endpoints are self-reported. Doses studied: 100 to 600 mg/day.9, 10, 11
Magnesium oxide500 mg at bedtimeSleepCLimitedOne 8-week trial in 46 older adults with insomnia (500 mg/day magnesium oxide). Pooled certainty across the small trials is low to very low.12, 13
Vitamin D32,000 IU daily, no calciumBone strengthDNot shownIn VITAL, 2,000 IU/day did not reduce fractures in adults not selected for deficiency. A different use, vitamin D3 with calcium in older adults living in care facilities, is graded B.14, 15, 16
Fish oil1 g daily, mixed EPA and DHAHeart protectionDNot shownAt 1 g/day, fish oil did not reduce heart attacks or strokes in VITAL or in ASCEND, which enrolled adults with diabetes. A different product, prescription icosapent ethyl at 4 g/day in statin-treated adults with high triglycerides, is graded B.17, 18, 19

A Replicated B Supported C Limited D Not shown

3What I would like to go over with you

Written by the patient before the visit

Physician notes

Prepared with Evidence Based Longevity. Not medical advice; any change to a supplement or medication is a decision for the patient and physician. No grade on EBL is paid for, and EBL takes no commission on any graded supplement.

References for both sheets

  1. Aroda VR et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2016 (DPPOS). PMID 26900641
  2. Sahin M et al. J Diabetes Complications 2007. PMID 17331860
  3. Banach M et al. Pharmacol Res 2015 (meta-analysis). PMID 26192349
  4. Rundek T et al. Arch Neurol 2004. PMID 15210526
  5. Osaki et al. Mol Metab 2026 (mouse study). PMID 42323079
  6. Chilibeck PD et al. Open Access J Sports Med 2017 (meta-analysis). PMID 29138605
  7. Devries MC, Phillips SM. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2014 (meta-analysis). PMID 24576864
  8. Forbes SC et al. Nutrients 2021 (meta-analysis). PMID 34199420
  9. Qu H et al. J Am Heart Assoc 2018 (meta-analysis). PMID 30371340
  10. Kennedy C et al. Atherosclerosis 2020 (meta-analysis). PMID 32179207
  11. Kovacic S et al. J Nutr Sci 2025 (meta-analysis). PMID 41158831
  12. Abbasi B et al. J Res Med Sci 2012 (RCT Randomized controlled trial: people are assigned to the treatment or a comparison by chance, so the groups differ only in what they received. It is the design that can show cause and effect.). PMID 23853635
  13. Mah J, Pitre T. BMC Complement Med Ther 2021 (meta-analysis). PMID 33865376
  14. LeBoff MS et al. N Engl J Med 2022 (VITAL, fractures). PMID 35939577
  15. Manson JE et al. N Engl J Med 2019 (VITAL, vitamin D). PMID 30415629
  16. Chapuy MC et al. N Engl J Med 1992 (D3 with calcium). PMID 1331788
  17. Manson JE et al. N Engl J Med 2019 (VITAL, omega-3). PMID 30415637
  18. ASCEND Study Group. N Engl J Med 2018 (ASCEND). PMID 30146932
  19. Bhatt DL et al. N Engl J Med 2019 (REDUCE-IT). PMID 30415628

A grade describes the strength of the human trial evidence for one specific use. It is not a verdict on the product or on the person taking it. How each letter is assigned.