← Metabolic Health · companion paper

Nutrients — Deep Dives

All 33 entries from the Health OS Nutrients database are now written up, one page each.

This paper holds the nutrient-level detail that Metabolic Health deliberately keeps out. Part IV of that paper decides which nutrients earn a place in the protocol and why (the tiering is a judgment call); this index — and the individual pages it links to — is the reference underneath: mechanism, deficiency effects, intake, food sources, citations where they exist, and how each nutrient connects to others.

Same six-label evidence grading as the rest of the series where grades are used: Strong / Moderate / Animal–in-vitro / Inferred / Contested / Speculative. Grades attach to individual claims, not whole nutrients.

● cited has a numbered reference list ● written has prose from the source, no linked citations

Index

Dots show evidence strength: strong some human data early

NutrientCategoryPriorityWhat it does
Glycine / CollagenAmino AcidFoundationalFirmer, more hydrated skinLess joint painDeeper sleepBetter insulin sensitivityBuilds glutathione● cited
CysteineAmino AcidUsefulBuilds glutathioneProtects the liver in a Tylenol overdoseFewer COPD flare-upsEases compulsive habitsSlows aging markers when paired with glycine● cited
GlutamineAmino AcidUsefulFuels the gut liningCalms IBS after a gut infectionTightens a leaky gut, but only at high dosesFewer sickle-cell pain crises● cited
MethionineAmino AcidUsefulPowers methylationFeeds glutathioneNeeds glycine to stay balanced● written
Butyrate (butyric acid)CompoundUsefulFuels the colonStrengthens the gut liningCalms immune signaling● written
Chlorophyll / ChlorophyllinCompoundExperimentalBlocks absorption of a liver carcinogenMay reduce body odor● cited
CreatineCompoundUsefulMore power in short burstsBetter repeated sprints and lifts● written
GlutathioneCompoundExperimentalNeutralizes free radicalsSupports detox● cited
Stearic acid (C18:0)CompoundExperimentalNeutral on LDLBecomes oleic acid● written
ChlorideElectrolyteFoundationalKeeps you hydratedMakes stomach acidBalances blood pH● written
SodiumElectrolyteFoundationalKeeps you hydratedLets nerves firePowers the heart's rhythmPulls nutrients into cells● cited
CalciumMineralFoundationalBuilds strong bonesMakes muscles contractLets nerves fireHelps blood clot● cited
CopperMineralUsefulStrengthens collagenHelps you use ironProtects nervesAntioxidant defense● cited
IronMineralFoundationalCarries oxygenLess fatigue when stores are lowBuilds stable collagen● cited
MagnesiumMineralFoundationalPowers every cellCalmer mind, better sleepRelaxes musclesSteady heart rhythmBetter blood sugar controlCalms inflammation● cited
PhosphateMineralFoundationalStores cellular energyBuilds boneBuilds DNA and membranes● written
PotassiumMineralFoundationalKeeps nerves and muscles firingSteady heart rhythmBalances sodium● written
SeleniumMineralFoundationalAntioxidant defenseProtects the heart when intake is very lowCalms autoimmune thyroiditis● cited
ZincMineralFoundationalSupports immunityHeals wounds and skinControls genes● written
Vitamin A (Retinol / Carotenoids)VitaminFoundationalNight visionHealthy skin and gut liningImmune defense● cited
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)VitaminFoundationalTurns carbs into energyPowers the brain● cited
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)VitaminFoundationalPowers mitochondriaRecharges antioxidants● cited
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)VitaminFoundationalPowers energy productionRepairs DNASupports the brain● cited
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)VitaminFoundationalTurns food into fuelBurns and builds fatMakes acetylcholine● cited
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine / PLP)VitaminFoundationalMakes mood chemicalsBuilds red blood cellsKeeps homocysteine downUses protein for energy● cited
Vitamin B7 (Biotin)VitaminFoundationalHelps process fat, sugar and proteinHair and nails, only if you're deficient● cited
Vitamin B9 (Folate / Folic Acid)VitaminFoundationalBuilds new cellsBuilds red blood cellsKeeps homocysteine downProtects pregnancy● written
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)VitaminFoundationalProtects nervesBuilds red blood cellsKeeps homocysteine down● written
Vitamin CVitaminFoundationalBuilds strong collagenAntioxidant, and recharges vitamin ESupports immunity, heart, stress and moreBoosts iron absorption● cited
Vitamin DVitaminFoundationalBuilds boneSupports immunity● cited
Vitamin E (Alpha-tocopherol)VitaminUsefulProtects cell membranesSupports immunity● written
Vitamin K1 (Phylloquinone)VitaminFoundationalLets your blood clot● cited
Vitamin K2VitaminFoundationalBuilds boneKeeps arteries clear● cited

Notes on this draft

Depth still varies by entry. The seven pages that began as property-field stubs — cysteine, glutamine, chlorophyll, copper, iron, selenium and biotin — were researched and rewritten in September 2026, each with a numbered reference list checked against PubMed. Several turned out to carry the most useful cautions on the index: selenium's U-shaped risk curve, glutamine's harm in critical illness, iron's lack of any excretion route, biotin's interference with blood tests, and zinc-induced copper deficiency.

TODO — the Systems Impacted and Protocols relations in the source database (which system each nutrient feeds into, and which named protocols use it) aren't represented on these pages yet. Worth adding once the priority stubs are filled in, so the cross-linking is worth the overhead.

TODO — decide whether Toxins (the source database has a parallel table: halogens, anti-nutrients, heavy metals, xenoestrogens) becomes a "what to avoid" companion paper or stays out entirely.

TODO — a small number of citations carried over from the source don't obviously match the claim they're attached to (flagged inline on Glycine/Collagen), and the Sodium page has two citations pointing to now-deleted Notion pages (also flagged inline). Worth an audit pass.

All pages, including this index, sit flat at the site root (no nutrients/ subfolder) — the links above have been updated to match the files as actually deployed.