Study Types
Cohort Study
An observational study tracking a group of people over time to assess outcomes.
A cohort study follows a group of individuals over time to examine how exposure to a factor (such as supplement use) relates to health outcomes. Prospective cohorts collect data forward in time, while retrospective cohorts analyze existing records. Although cohort studies cannot establish causation as definitively as RCTs, they provide valuable real-world evidence about long-term supplement use, safety profiles, and population-level associations that would be impractical to study in controlled trials.