Browse the evidence

Higher protein intake (1.3-1.6 g/kg body weight) during caloric restriction preserves or increases lean muscle mass and strength, whereas standard protein intakes may fail to prevent muscle loss.

If you are trying to lose weight while maintaining your muscle, aim for 1.3 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. Combine this with resistance training. This higher protein intake helps ensure that the weight you lose comes from fat, not muscle, and can even help you get stronger during your diet.

Adoption of the DASH diet or similar healthy dietary patterns (high in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, low in saturated fat/salt) reduces blood pressure and is recommended as a first-line intervention for hypertension management.

Adopt a DASH-style diet: eat more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy, and reduce saturated fats and salt. This is a proven, first-line strategy to lower blood pressure. If cost or access is a barrier, focus on affordable staples like beans, rice, and seasonal produce, and seek guidance from healthcare providers on local resources.

Ingesting 20-25g of high-quality protein (e.g., whey) post-resistance exercise maximizes muscle protein synthesis (MPS) in healthy young adults, with no additional benefit from consuming 40g or more per meal.

Eat 20-25g of high-quality protein (like whey, eggs, or meat) within a couple of hours after your resistance training session. You do not need to force-feed yourself 40g or more per meal, as your muscle protein synthesis will not increase further, and the excess protein will simply be burned for energy or excreted.

Athletes require 1.2–1.7 g protein/kg/day, which exceeds the standard RDA of 0.8 g/kg/day, to support adaptive physiological processes such as muscle protein synthesis and lean mass preservation.

If you train regularly, aim for 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. This is higher than the general population recommendation of 0.8 g/kg and is necessary to support muscle growth and recovery from exercise.

High-quality protein supplementation (whey) during and after step reduction improves muscle protein synthesis recovery compared to low-quality protein (collagen) or no specific supplementation.

When recovering from a period of reduced activity, ensure you are eating high-quality protein (like whey, eggs, or meat) rather than just any protein source. In a study, older adults who took whey protein recovered their muscle-building capacity after inactivity, while those who took collagen (which lacks some essential amino acids) did not. Aim for about 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, prioritizing high-quality sources.

Athletes engaged in moderate to high intensity training lasting over 12 hours per week should consume 8-10 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight daily to maximize glycogen storage and performance.

If you train hard for more than 12 hours a week, aim for 8 to 10 grams of carbs for every kilogram of your body weight each day. If you struggle to eat that much food, switch to denser carb sources like sports drinks or gels instead of just eating large amounts of vegetables or grains.

Post-exercise carbohydrate ingestion of 1.0-1.5 g/kg/hour is sufficient to maximize muscle glycogen resynthesis rates.

After a hard workout, eat or drink 1-1.5 grams of carbs for every kg of your body weight each hour for up to 6 hours. Split this into small amounts every 30 minutes rather than eating it all at once for better absorption.

Athletes should consume 1.4-2.8 g/kg of body weight of protein daily, depending on their specific training goals and type of exercise.

Eat 1.4 to 2.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. If you are strength training, aim for the higher end (up to 2.8 g/kg). If you are just maintaining muscle, 1.4-2.0 g/kg is sufficient.

Consuming 0.4 g/kg/meal of protein across at least four meals daily maximizes muscle protein synthesis and lean tissue accretion in resistance-trained individuals.

To build muscle, aim for 0.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight in each of your meals. If you weigh 70kg, eat about 28g of protein per meal. Spread this across at least four meals daily. This strategy ensures your muscles receive a steady supply of amino acids for growth, avoiding the myth that high doses per meal are wasted.

Low-carbohydrate diets (<40% carbs) significantly reduce triglyceride levels and body weight, and increase HDL-C, with effects being most pronounced in interventions lasting less than 11 months.

Adopting a diet where less than 40% of calories come from carbohydrates can help lower triglycerides, reduce body weight, and improve HDL cholesterol, particularly if you stick with it for under a year. While LDL cholesterol might rise slightly, the overall shift in lipid particles and triglyceride reduction suggests a net benefit for heart health compared to standard diets.

Female endurance athletes should consume 8-10 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight in the 3 days leading up to an event (carbohydrate loading) to maximize muscle glycogen stores, with particular emphasis on this strategy during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

Three days before your big race or long event, increase your carbohydrate intake to 8-10 grams for every kilogram of your body weight. This means eating more pasta, rice, and fruits than usual. This strategy fills your muscle glycogen stores, giving you more energy for the event. This is especially important if you are in the luteal phase (second half) of your menstrual cycle, as your body may burn through glycogen faster.

Female athletes should consume 1 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight in the hours prior to aerobic exercise to maximize carbohydrate availability, as pre-exercise feeding is likely more important during the follicular phase when carbohydrate oxidation rates are elevated.

One to four hours before your aerobic workout or race, eat carbohydrates equal to 1 gram per kilogram of your body weight. For example, if you weigh 60 kg, eat 60 grams of carbs (e.g., a banana and a small bowl of oatmeal). This helps ensure you have enough fuel for your muscles, especially if you are in the first half of your menstrual cycle.

Female athletes should consume 500-1000 mL of a 6% carbohydrate solution per hour during prolonged endurance exercise (>90 minutes) to experience ergogenic effects, regardless of menstrual cycle phase.

If you are exercising for more than 90 minutes, drink 500-1000 mL of a 6% carbohydrate solution (like a sports drink) every hour. This helps maintain your blood sugar and energy levels, improving your performance. This strategy works regardless of where you are in your menstrual cycle.

Female athletes should rapidly consume at least 0.75 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight immediately following prolonged exercise to maximize muscle glycogen resynthesis rates.

Right after your long workout, eat carbohydrates equal to 0.75 grams per kilogram of your body weight. For example, if you weigh 60 kg, eat 45 grams of carbs (e.g., a chocolate milk and a granola bar). This helps your muscles recover and replenish their energy stores quickly.

Using the 10:1 ratio of total carbohydrate to fiber to identify whole grain products selects foods with significantly higher fiber, lower sugars, lower sodium, and lower likelihood of trans-fats compared to other common identification criteria like the Whole Grain Stamp or 'whole' listed as the first ingredient.

To choose healthier whole grain products, look for items where the ratio of total carbohydrates to fiber is 10:1 or lower. This simple metric identifies products with more fiber, less sugar, less sodium, and fewer trans-fats than those identified by common labels like the Whole Grain Stamp or simply listing 'whole grain' first. Always check the nutrition facts panel to confirm.

Older adults require a higher per-meal protein dose (0.4–0.5 g/kg body weight) to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis compared to younger adults.

To preserve muscle as you age, do not just focus on your total daily protein. You must spread your protein intake evenly across your meals. Aim for 0.4 to 0.5 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight at each meal. For a 70kg person, this means roughly 28-35g of protein per meal. This higher per-meal dose is necessary to overcome the natural 'anabolic resistance' that comes with aging and effectively trigger muscle growth/maintenance.

Distributing protein intake into moderate doses (~20g) at regular intervals (~3h) post-exercise yields superior whole-body net protein balance compared to consuming the same total protein in larger, less frequent bolus doses (e.g., 40g).

If you are resistance training, do not just focus on hitting your total daily protein goal. Try to spread that protein out. Consuming roughly 20 grams of high-quality protein every 3 hours is likely more effective for building and maintaining muscle than eating the same amount in just two or three large meals. This applies specifically in the 12 hours following your workout.

Shifting dietary patterns in industrialized populations from animal-based to largely plant-based foods reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

To improve long-term health, prioritize fruits, vegetables, and grains over meat and dairy. This shift is supported by extensive evidence showing lower rates of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes in populations with high plant food intake. Be aware that industry marketing and cultural associations of meat with health and status may create barriers, but the scientific consensus favors plant-heavy diets for chronic disease prevention.

Bariatric surgery leads to greater long-term weight loss and better glycemic control (lower HbA1c, HOMA-IR) compared to conventional medical therapy in severely obese T2DM patients, with specific surgical types (RYGB, BPD) showing superior metabolic effects.

Bariatric surgery provides superior long-term weight loss and blood sugar control compared to medication alone for severely obese diabetics. The specific type of surgery (e.g., RYGB vs. BPD) influences which metabolic markers improve most, so discussing these differences with a healthcare provider is important for personalized treatment.

Protein restriction (0.6-0.8 g/kg/day) is recommended for T2DM patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to slow progression.

If you have kidney issues, limit protein to 0.6-0.8g per kg of body weight daily. Focus on high-quality vegetable proteins. This helps protect your kidneys from further damage.

Increasing daily protein intake to 1.0–1.5 g/kg/day in older adults improves glycemic control and preserves muscle mass, counteracting age-related sarcopenia and insulin resistance.

If you are over 40 and concerned about diabetes or muscle loss, aim for 1.0 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. This is higher than the standard recommendation and helps protect your muscles while improving how your body handles sugar. Focus on high-quality sources like dairy or whey, and combine this with resistance exercise for the best results.

Replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fats from local regional sources (canola oil, pecans, avocado, moringa oil) significantly improves lipid profiles (reduces LDL/total cholesterol) and cardiovascular risk factors.

To improve your cholesterol without changing your culture, swap your current cooking fat for local monounsaturated options. In North America, use canola oil and eat pecans (approx. 42g/day). In Latin America, use avocado as your primary fat source. In Africa, consider moringa oil. These swaps have been shown in meta-analyses to lower LDL cholesterol effectively.

Daily ingestion of 10g low-dose acidified milk protein combined with low-to-moderate intensity exercise training significantly increases lean body mass in healthy older adults compared to isocaloric carbohydrate.

If you are an older adult looking to maintain or build muscle, you do not need to consume large amounts of protein at once. Consuming just 10 grams of high-quality milk protein daily, preferably after light-to-moderate exercise like bodyweight movements or medicine ball exercises, can help increase lean body mass over 6 months. This approach is easier to maintain than large doses and avoids the burden of consuming large volumes of supplements.

Current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 0.8 g/kg/day for protein is likely an underestimate for older adults and should be increased to 1.0-1.2 g/kg/day to support healthy muscle ageing.

If you are an older adult, aim for 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. This is higher than the standard government recommendation of 0.8 g/kg. Spread this protein evenly across your meals (about 0.4 g/kg per meal) and combine it with strength training. This helps maintain muscle mass and function without harming healthy kidneys or bones.