“Vanadium?”Here!Vanadium (often as vanadyl sulfate)
Hasn’t appeared in a scanned product yet.
As a supplement
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Roll Call does not check drug interactions or assess personal safety.
Vanadium is a trace mineral found in small amounts in food such as mushrooms, shellfish, and black pepper. In supplements it is usually provided as vanadyl sulfate or a similar mineral salt.
Why it’s used
Taken by some, particularly in bodybuilding or blood-sugar-focused products, on the theory that it may influence insulin activity or blood sugar levels.
What the evidence says
The cited Institute of Medicine/NAS report notes that vanadium, in the forms of vanadyl sulfate (100 mg/day) and sodium metavanadate (125 mg/day), has been given to diabetic patients in a few small published trials, and that insulin requirements decreased in patients with Type I diabetes in these studies. The same report stresses that these supplemental doses are roughly 100 times typical dietary vanadium intake and exceed the Tolerable Upper Intake Level it later established, and it does not report long-term or confirmatory data, listing vanadium's efficacy and safety as a supplement among its open research recommendations rather than an established finding.
Dose studied
50–100 mg — vanadyl sulfate doses used in small trials examining insulin-related measures.
Context
Small trials investigating blood sugar-related effects have used vanadium doses in the range of roughly 50 to 100 mg per day of vanadyl sulfate for a few weeks, well above typical dietary intake, and have generally been too small or short to confirm lasting benefit.
Rumors
Vanadyl sulfate gives better muscle pumps during training.
Does not support — suggestivehealth and safety evidence
Studied in: weight-training athletes.
Measured as an outcome.
- The effect of oral vanadyl sulfate on body composition and performance in weight-training athletes (Peer-reviewed) · Funding not checked
Who’s saying this
- anabolicminds.com — we couldn’t open the site to see who runs it
Vanadyl sulfate drives glucose and amino acids into muscle cells, which builds muscle and stops the nutrients being stored as fat.
Does not support — suggestivehealth and safety evidence
Studied in: weight-training athletes.
Measured as an outcome.
- The effect of oral vanadyl sulfate on body composition and performance in weight-training athletes (Peer-reviewed) · Funding not checked
Who’s saying this
- Ultimate Nutrition — a brand: sells its own sports nutrition supplements; family-owned
How we know who this is
- “Today, Ultimate Nutrition continues to excel with a wide range of products to meet consumer demand.” (their page)
- “Victor's untimely passing in 2003 marked the end of an era, but his spirit lives on through the continued family ownership and operation of Ultimate Nutrition.” (their page)
Vanadyl sulfate strengthens bones and helps prevent fractures.
We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.
What was measured is not yet noted.
Who’s saying this
- Organic Facts — a publisher: health information site earning revenue from sponsored ads and affiliate links
How we know who this is
- “Organic Facts is your source for unbiased and reliable information on organic and healthy food.” (their page)
- “Organic Facts may receive a portion of revenues if you click on the sponsored ads and links by Google, Ezoic, or the Amazon Affiliate program.” (their page)
- Organic Facts — a publisher: health information site earning revenue from sponsored ads and affiliate links
Vanadium supplements are toxic at high doses.
Does not support — suggestivehealth and safety evidence
Studied in: weight training athletes.
Measured as a biomarker.
- Oral vanadyl sulphate does not affect blood cells, viscosity or biochemistry in humans (Peer-reviewed) · Funding not checked
Who’s saying this
- Nutrient Journal — a publisher: supplement information site; earns Amazon affiliate commissions
How we know who this is
- “Nutrient Journal exists to check those promises against the research and explain what the evidence actually shows, in plain English.” (their page)
- “We receive compensation from items that you purchase at Amazon.com when you click on the various links and/or images that direct you to Amazon.com.” (their page)
Vanadyl sulfate regulates blood sugar the way insulin does.
Not gradedhealth and safety evidence
No sources cited yet.
What was measured is not yet noted.
- Vanadyl sulfate improves hepatic and muscle insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes (Peer-reviewed) · Funding not checked
- Coordination Chemistry May Explain Pharmacokinetics and Clinical Response of Vanadyl Sulfate in Type 2 Diabetic Patients (Peer-reviewed) · Funded by American Diabetes Foundation; National Institutes of Health (NIGMS R01 GM40525, NIH RO1 DK47462-05, GCRC M01 RR-02635-15) (government)
Who’s saying this
- Ultimate Nutrition — a brand: sells its own sports nutrition supplements; family-owned
How we know who this is
- “Today, Ultimate Nutrition continues to excel with a wide range of products to meet consumer demand.” (their page)
- “Victor's untimely passing in 2003 marked the end of an era, but his spirit lives on through the continued family ownership and operation of Ultimate Nutrition.” (their page)