Research synthesisLow evidenceMixed effect size3 studies · 1 beneficial · 2 neutral · 0 harmful
Across 3 studies, 1 reported a beneficial large effect on reducing mortality rate in critically ill septic patients, while 2 found neutral effects with small effect sizes. The evidence is limited to clinical populations with sepsis or septic shock; the most-studied dose was 3 g/day for 7 days, though only 1 of 3 studies reported dose and duration. The median study duration was 7 days, which is too short to assess longer-term mortality outcomes.
- Effective dose range: 3 g/day
- Studied populations: critically ill patients with sepsis or septic shock
Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. Many of the included studies did not reach statistical significance — effect may be smaller than the predominant direction suggests. The only beneficial study was a small single RCT (n=60); the two meta-analyses with larger pooled samples found no significant effect on mortality. Effects were observed only in acute critical care settings over short durations (7 days) — applicability to general populations or long-term supplementation is unknown.
Generated May 18, 2026