Herbs and Dietary Supplement Studies

Investigators in the Integrative Medicine and Health Research Program at Mayo Clinic study how certain herbs or dietary supplements can affect conditions such as pain and anxiety. Other studies look at how vitamin levels affect aging and health.

Dietary supplements are products that provide one or more nutritional ingredients that might be lacking from a person's diet, or that a person may need more of than is usual. Nutritional ingredients in different dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, and amino acids.

Clinical trials

Clinical trials on herbs and dietary supplements in the Integrative Medicine and Health Research Program at Mayo Clinic include:

  • Lavender aromatherapy during intrauterine insemination. Led by Elizabeth (Ebbie) A. Stewart, M.D., researchers are studying whether lavender aromatherapy reduces pain and anxiety in women undergoing intrauterine insemination. Learn more or enroll.
  • Nicotinamide riboside use in college athletes. Led by Brent A. Bauer, M.D., scientists are investigating how regular intake of nicotinamide riboside — a form of vitamin B-3 — affects levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) — an enzyme that effects aging — in the brain. Dr. Bauer's research team uses a noninvasive magnetic resonance spectroscopy tool to measure amounts of NAD+ in the brains of healthy college football players. Learn more or enroll.