GiftedPicks Wellness Glossary
Plain-English, peer-reviewed definitions for the wellness, plastic-detox, supplement, and skincare terms we cite in every other page.
Each entry includes the canonical peer-reviewed citations + cross-links to our editorial picks that reference the term. New entries added regularly.
Microplastics
Plastic particles smaller than 5mm that contaminate food, water, and air. ~50,000-74,000 ingested/yr per average US adult (Cox 2019).
BPA (Bisphenol A)
An industrial chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic + epoxy resin food can linings. Documented endocrine disruptor (Vandenberg 2012).
PFAS (Forever Chemicals)
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Persistent in environment + human body. EPA 2024 set first enforceable drinking-water limits at 4 ppt.
Phthalates
Plasticizers used to soften PVC + as fragrance carriers. Linked to reproductive + developmental effects (Swan 2015).
Hydrolyzed Collagen (Peptides)
Collagen broken into small di-/tri-peptides via enzymatic hydrolysis. Absorbed intact + signals dermal fibroblasts (Asserin 2015, Choi 2019).
Retinol
Vitamin A derivative — most-evidence-supported anti-aging active OTC. Kafi 2007 RCT on collagen + wrinkle reduction.
Niacinamide
Vitamin B3 amide — multi-mechanism: ceramide synthesis, hyperpigmentation, sebum, inflammation. Bissett 2005 RCT.
Magnesium Glycinate
Most-bioavailable magnesium form (~80%) chelated to glycine. Best for sleep + anxiety. Abbasi 2012 RCT.
Hyaluronic Acid
Glycosaminoglycan that binds 1,000x its weight in water. Topical + oral evidence — Oe 2017 RCT for oral, Pavicic 2011 for topical.
BPS / BPF (BPA Substitutes)
"BPA-free" plastics use these analogs — Rochester 2015 showed estrogenic activity equivalent to BPA. Not safer.
Ashwagandha
Adaptogenic herb. Lopresti 2019: 600mg/day KSM-66 reduced cortisol -23% and stress -44% vs placebo.
Ferritin
Iron-storage protein. Lab-normal lies — Trost 2006 shows under 30 ng/mL associates with hair shedding even at "normal" levels.
Telogen Effluvium
Diffuse hair-shedding from systemic trigger (postpartum, stress, illness, iron deficiency). Headington 1993. Self-resolving in 6-12 months.
Want a term added?
We're building this glossary organically. Every term we cite in a picks page or evidence block should eventually have a dedicated glossary entry with the source studies, mechanism, and cross-links. Initial 5 entries cover plastic-detox + collagen — phase 2 expands to skincare actives (retinol, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid) and supplement forms (magnesium glycinate, vitamin D2 vs D3).