Browse the evidence

High consumption of meat and seafood increases the risk of gout in men, whereas high consumption of dairy products, particularly low-fat dairy, decreases the risk.

If you are a man at risk for or have gout, focus your dietary changes on reducing meat and seafood intake, as these are linked to higher risk. Conversely, increasing your intake of low-fat dairy products (like skim milk and low-fat yogurt) is associated with a lower risk of gout. You do not need to restrict purine-rich vegetables or total protein intake.

Lorcaserin produces modest but clinically meaningful weight loss (approx 3.2% more than placebo) with a favorable side effect profile compared to other agents, though long-term cardiovascular safety requires monitoring.

Lorcaserin (10mg, 2x daily) offers a moderate weight loss benefit (~3% more than placebo) with a generally well-tolerated side effect profile. It is a viable option for patients who cannot tolerate the side effects of other drugs or who need a modest boost to lifestyle changes. Long-term cardiovascular safety is still being monitored.

Postmenopausal weight gain of 10 kg or more increases the risk of invasive breast cancer, with a relative risk of 1.18 compared to weight maintenance.

If you are postmenopausal, avoiding significant weight gain (10 kg or more) can help lower your risk of breast cancer. This is likely due to the hormonal effects of increased body fat. Maintaining a stable weight is a key strategy for risk reduction.

Obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) is a major risk factor for the development, recurrence, and mortality of several solid-organ and hematological malignancies, including post-menopausal breast, colorectal, endometrial, kidney, esophageal, pancreatic, liver, and gallbladder cancers.

Maintaining a healthy body weight (BMI <25) is a critical strategy for reducing the risk of developing several common cancers, particularly post-menopausal breast, colorectal, and endometrial cancers. For cancer survivors, weight management is essential to reduce the risk of recurrence and improve survival outcomes.

Physiological changes following weight loss, including decreased resting metabolic rate and increased hunger hormones (ghrelin) and decreased satiety hormones (leptin), actively promote weight regain and make long-term maintenance difficult.

Understand that your body will biologically fight weight loss through increased hunger and slower metabolism. This is not a failure of willpower. To counter this, you need external support (like extended care programs) and skills training to manage these strong biological signals, as they will not disappear on their own.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (specifically liraglutide, subcutaneous semaglutide, and dulaglutide) significantly reduce major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with type 2 diabetes, independent of glucose-lowering effects.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes and established heart disease or high risk, ask your doctor about GLP-1 receptor agonists like liraglutide, semaglutide, or dulaglutide. These drugs are proven to significantly lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death, regardless of how well they control your blood sugar. They are now a standard recommendation in guidelines for high-risk patients.

Resistance training activates the Akt-mTOR pathway to promote muscle hypertrophy, while endurance training activates the AMPK-PGC-1 pathway to promote mitochondrial biogenesis, and these pathways can interfere with each other when activated concurrently.

Understanding that strength and endurance use different molecular 'switches' helps explain why doing them back-to-back can blunt gains. Separating sessions allows these distinct pathways to operate without cross-talk interference.

Long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonists provide superior glycemic control (HbA1c) compared to short-acting GLP-1 receptor agonists, though short-acting agents may offer greater weight loss benefits.

If your main goal is lowering your average blood sugar (HbA1c), choose a long-acting GLP-1 agonist (like dulaglutide or liraglutide). If weight loss is your primary driver, short-acting options (like exenatide) might offer a slight edge, though long-acting agents are still effective for weight.

Discontinuation of second-generation anti-obesity medications (semaglutide and tirzepatide) leads to rapid and substantial weight regain, often returning to baseline cardiometabolic status, demonstrating the chronic nature of obesity and the need for indefinite treatment.

If you stop taking semaglutide or tirzepatide, you will likely regain most of the weight you lost within a year. This demonstrates that obesity is a chronic condition requiring long-term treatment, similar to high blood pressure. To maintain weight loss, you likely need to continue the medication indefinitely.

SGLT2 inhibitors reduce the risk of heart failure, cardiovascular events, and renal progression in patients with type 2 diabetes, independent of glycemic control.

If you have type 2 diabetes and heart or kidney issues, ask your doctor about SGLT2 inhibitors. They protect your heart and kidneys, not just your blood sugar.

Semaglutide reduces cardiovascular risk (MACE) and non-ASCVD deaths (including from infections) in overweight/obese patients with established cardiovascular disease, independent of diabetes status.

If you are overweight or obese and have heart disease, semaglutide 2.4mg weekly can reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and death by 20%, even if you don't have diabetes. It may also reduce death from infections.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are independent and joint risk factors for the development of multiple types of cancer, with obesity being the second strongest modifiable risk factor after smoking.

Maintaining a healthy weight and managing blood sugar are critical for cancer prevention. Since obesity is the second strongest modifiable risk factor for cancer after smoking, addressing metabolic health through lifestyle changes or medical management can significantly lower your risk of developing multiple types of cancer.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) reduce major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk, primarily by reducing non-fatal myocardial infarction and stroke.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes and are at high risk for heart disease, GLP-1 receptor agonists (like semaglutide or liraglutide) are a primary treatment option that not only lowers blood sugar but significantly reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. These medications are taken via injection (daily or weekly) and have been shown in large clinical trials to improve cardiovascular outcomes compared to placebo.

Obesity, particularly visceral adipose tissue (VAT) accumulation, promotes cardiovascular disease through mechanisms including chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and endothelial dysfunction, leading to conditions like hypertension, atherosclerosis, and heart failure.

Obesity is not just about weight; it causes real physical changes in your body, especially around your belly (visceral fat), that increase your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. These changes involve inflammation and hormonal imbalances that damage your blood vessels and heart. Understanding this helps explain why treating obesity is crucial for long-term heart health, not just appearance.

SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists provide significant cardiovascular and renal protection in Type 2 Diabetes, independent of their glucose-lowering effects.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes and are at risk for heart or kidney problems, ask your doctor about SGLT2 inhibitors or GLP-1 agonists. These medications have been shown to protect your heart and kidneys, offering benefits beyond just lowering blood sugar.

Females achieve similar relative increases in muscle mass and strength compared to males following resistance exercise training, despite having significantly lower systemic testosterone concentrations.

Women should not fear that resistance training will make them 'too bulky' compared to men. Your body responds to resistance training with similar relative gains in muscle size and strength as men, despite having lower testosterone. Focus on progressive overload just as you would for a male partner.

GLP-1 receptor agonists and endogenous GLP-1 provide cardiovascular protection by improving endothelial function, reducing blood pressure, and protecting the myocardium.

For individuals with Type 2 Diabetes or high cardiovascular risk, GLP-1 receptor agonists (like liraglutide or semaglutide) are not just glucose-lowering drugs but cardioprotective agents. They improve blood vessel function, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of major adverse cardiac events (heart attack, stroke, death).

Statin therapy is the first-line treatment for dyslipidemia in type 2 diabetes, significantly reducing cardiovascular events, although it only modestly lowers triglycerides.

Take your prescribed statin daily. It is the most effective tool for preventing heart attacks and strokes in type 2 diabetes. While it may not lower triglycerides drastically on its own, it is essential for your overall cardiovascular health.

Discontinuation of GLP-1 therapy leads to rapid and substantial weight regain, often returning to near baseline levels within one year, highlighting the chronic nature of obesity treatment.

GLP-1 medications are not a one-time fix for obesity. If you stop taking them, you will likely regain most of the weight you lost. This suggests that obesity management with these drugs is intended to be long-term, similar to managing blood pressure or cholesterol.

Long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., semaglutide 2.4 mg) and multi-agonists (e.g., tirzepatide) produce significant, dose-dependent weight loss (10-21%) in adults with obesity, but discontinuation leads to substantial weight regain, indicating these are chronic management tools rather than cures.

GLP-1 and multi-agonist medications are highly effective for significant weight loss (10-20%+), but they are not cures. You must take them long-term to maintain results. If you stop, your body will likely fight to regain the weight. Expect some stomach issues initially, but these often fade. Work with your doctor to find the right dose.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (specifically liraglutide, semaglutide, and dulaglutide) significantly reduce major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk, independent of baseline BMI.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes and high heart risk, GLP-1 medications like liraglutide, semaglutide, or dulaglutide are proven to significantly lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart-related death. These benefits exist even if your weight loss isn't massive. Discuss these options with your doctor, especially if you have existing heart disease.

SGLT2 inhibitors (specifically empagliflozin and canagliflozin) reduce major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with Type 2 Diabetes, with empagliflozin also reducing heart failure hospitalizations.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes and heart risk, SGLT2 inhibitors like empagliflozin or canagliflozin can significantly lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure hospitalization. These drugs work by removing excess sugar through urine. Discuss these with your doctor, especially if you have heart failure.

GLP-1 RAs reduce Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE) by 14-20% in patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity, independent of glycemic control.

GLP-1 medications significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular death in people with diabetes or obesity. This benefit exists even if blood sugar control is not the primary goal. Discuss cardiovascular risk with your doctor to see if a GLP-1 RA is appropriate.

GLP-1 agonists reduce cardiovascular risk and all-cause mortality in diabetic populations, offering a secondary benefit for OSA patients who have high cardiometabolic risk.

For OSA patients with diabetes or high heart disease risk, GLP-1 agonists provide dual benefits: improving sleep apnea and reducing long-term cardiovascular mortality.