Recent human studies on spinach mainly test two setups: a short, fixed raw-spinach intake around very hard exercise, or a standardized spinach extract (thylakoids) taken for weeks alongside high-intensity training. Reported changes include stress and inflammation markers (e.g., IL-6, MDA, SOD) and metabolic outcomes (body weight/fat mass, lipids, glucose/insulin, HOMA-IR). Training appears to be the main driver, with thylakoids acting as an add-on.

Vitamin C is typically studied in human trials in clearly defined settings with measurable endpoints: pneumonia treatment in hospital, blood vitamin C levels in relation to recent respiratory infections, type 2 diabetes markers (HbA1c, blood pressure, blood lipids), iron deficiency anemia (plant-based iron with vs without vitamin C), skin outcomes after microneedling with an antioxidant serum, wound healing in diabetic foot surgery, and oxidative-stress markers after viral in