Fungus Eliminator is a dietary supplement sold by a brand called PureHealth Research. It's an oral supplement that's used to treat toenail fungus, and the manufacturer claims that each ingredient is "scientifically proven to combat unsightly toenail fungus deep in your nailbed where topicals can't reach."
But does Fungus Eliminator actually contain research-backed ingredients or are these just marketing claims? Does the supplement contain any questionable additive ingredients? Does it even make sense to take oral supplements for toenail fungus? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Fungus Eliminator?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in Fungus Eliminator based on medical studies to give our take on whether or not the supplement is likely to be effective.
We'll also highlight some questionable health claims made by the brand, analyze whether it makes sense to take oral supplements for foot fungus based on medical research, and share real, unsponsored user reviews of this product.
Ingredient Analysis
Fungus Eliminator contains nine active ingredients, the majority of which are herbs and spices that can be found in a grocery store.
Oregano is a culinary herb included at a dose of 300 milligrams (mg). While there is published medical research on the antifungal effects of oregano essential oil, we cannot locate any medical studies suggesting that the raw herb is effective.
Garlic is an effective antifungal ingredient, but may be underdosed in Fungus Eliminator at a dose of only 100 mg.
A medical review on the therapeutic effects of garlic analyzed data from 110 clinical trials on the topic. The lowest dose used in any of the cited trials was 200 mg, and many of the trials used far higher doses.
To illustrate how low some of the dosages in this supplement are, this educational resource lists the dose of one single teaspoon of dried oregano at over 1,000 mg. This means that one teaspoon of dried oregano is over 300% of the dose of the highest-dose active ingredient in Fungus Eliminator.
We are unable to identify any medical evidence that the ingredients in this supplement, at their included doses, are effective for treating toenail fungus when taken orally.
The brand does not cite any medical studies proving their supplement works, or that its ingredients are effectively dosed, on its product page.
The inactive ingredients are safe and non-toxic, so at least there are no questionable additive ingredients or any ingredients in this formulation that we consider a health risk.
Highly Questionable Health Claims on Website
There are a number of strange health claims on the Fungus Eliminator website. The brand claims, without any proof or citation, that caprylic acid can destroy fungus "in minutes."
Caprylic acid is a medium-chain fatty acid derived primarily from coconut which does have some anti-fungal effects. However, we have not come across any medical research suggesting it works in minutes when taken orally, nor have we come across any medical research suggesting it works at the dose included in this supplement.
PureHealth Research also claims on the product page that “ingredients in Fungus Eliminator have no reports of side effects,” which seems to be demonstrably untrue.
A medical review of wormwood, one of the ingredients in Fungus Eliminator, has an entire section dedicated to side effects of this botanical compound.
The study authors state the following: “long-term administration of [wormwood] leads to some neurotoxic effect due to the presence of thujone and its analogues."
We hope that PureHealth Research updates their website and provides proof of these health claims or removes them.
Do Oral Supplements for Toenail Fungus Even Work?
We searched for clinical research on natural oral supplements for onychomyosis, which is the medical term for nail fungus. We were unable to identify any evidence that this approach works.
Pills do work to treat nail fungus, but only those with active drug ingredients.
A medical review published in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology found that three prescription oral antifungals were effective at treating nail fungus: flucozanole, itraconazole and terbinafine.
Patients with toenail fungus may benefit from speaking with their doctor or dermatologist about these medications.
Can Topical Treatments Cure Toenail Fungus?
There are some natural products with promising early research for treating fungus when applied topically.
Tea tree oil was shown in a medical review published in the Mycoses journal to be effective against fungus when applied topically in all clinical trials examined.
Nexon Botanics Organic Tea Tree Oil is our top tea tree oil pick, because it's affordable, packaged in glass and contains no additive ingredients. The only ingredient is 100% organic tea tree oil.
Tea tree oil needs to be diluted prior to use, and undiluted tea tree oil can irritate or damage skin, so it's important that consumers read the manufacturer's use instructions.
Interested consumers can check out Nexon Botanics Organic Tea Tree Oil at this link to its official Amazon listing.
Coconut oil was shown in a 2016 clinical trial to have antifungal effects, however this was an in vitro (test tube) study so the results are weaker than if it were in humans. Nevertheless, it's a very safe, whole food ingredient.
Dr. Bronner's Organic Coconut Oil is our top coconut oil pick, as it's packaged in glass, virgin (meaning it's not heat-treated), and has no questionable additive ingredients. The only ingredient is organic coconut oil.
Interested consumers can check out Dr. Bronner's Organic Coconut Oil at this link to its official Amazon listing.
We're not suggesting that either of these products should be used to treat any disease or health condition; just sharing promising research on two natural compounds that individuals may wish to speak with their doctor or dermatologist about.
How Do You Prevent Toenail Fungus?
So far in this article we've discussed potential ways to treat toenail fungus, but even once it's treated it's important to take steps to prevent it from reoccuring and from suffering again.
A video from the American Academy of Dermatology is under 3 minutes long and includes six tips on preventing toenail fungus:
Fungus Eliminator User Reviews
Fungus Eliminator has been reviewed over 100 times on Amazon. It has an average rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars at the time of updating this article.
The top positive review of Fungus Eliminator from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Nikki G” who claims the product cured their toenail fungus:
“Have had fungus on big toenails for years. Tried everything from vapor rub, listerene mouthwash soaks, vinegar soaks, and over the counter meds and tonics to apply to toenails… nothing worked. Don’t want to take a prescription med that I have to go have my liver or kidneys tested for every few weeks… too busy for that. Been taking for 2 months… not solved or perfect but a noticeable difference. Worth the money.”
The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Steve Barbre” who claims the product didn’t work:
“Good ingrediance but not string enough maybe”
What Site Has the Best Price on Fungus Eliminator?
Fungus Eliminator is sold at a variety of online retailers. Below is the price breakdown at the time of updating this article.
Brand website: $69
Walmart: $57.88
Amazon: $42.49 (link to official Amazon listing)
Fungus Eliminator is currently 38% cheaper on Amazon than on the PureHealth Research website.
Fungus Eliminator Pros and Cons
Here’s our take on the pros and cons of this supplement:
Pros
- Safe ingredients
- Cheaper when purchased in bulk
Cons
- No research cited on product page
- Questionable efficacy
- Active ingredients may be underdosed
- Questionable health claims
- Mediocre user reviews
