Browse the evidence

Protein intake in indoor team sports is the macronutrient most likely to meet official recommendations, with roughly 35.7% of studies showing compliance, though non-compliance is split evenly between under- and over-consumption.

You are more likely to hit your protein targets than your carb or energy targets, but you are still at risk of under-eating protein. Ensure you are eating enough protein to support recovery, but be aware that half of athletes in these studies under-consume it.

A ketogenic diet has similar effects on maximal strength or strength gains from resistance training compared to a higher-carbohydrate diet, although a minority of studies show superior effects for non-ketogenic diets.

If your goal is to build strength, you can do so on a ketogenic diet. Studies show similar strength gains compared to high-carbohydrate diets. However, some studies suggest non-ketogenic diets might be slightly superior, so monitor your progress and adjust if needed.

NuSH therapies induce significant weight loss that often includes loss of lean mass and skeletal muscle, creating a risk for sarcopenic obesity if body composition is not monitored.

Monitor your body composition, not just your weight. If you are on NuSHs, ensure your treatment plan includes resistance training and protein optimization to preserve muscle mass, as weight loss alone may hide muscle loss.

Animal protein intake may have a mild protective association with cancer mortality, but plant protein intake is not associated with cancer mortality risk.

While animal protein may have a mild protective association with cancer mortality, plant protein does not show this specific benefit in this study. You do not need to avoid animal protein for cancer prevention, and plant protein is not uniquely protective.

Incretin receptor activators (GLP-1RA and GIP/GLP-1 dual agonists) cause a reduction in skeletal muscle mass (SMM) that is proportional to fat loss, with approximately 5% of lean body mass lost for every 10% reduction in total body weight, potentially leading to sarcopenia in a subset of treated patients.

If you are taking GLP-1RA or similar weight-loss medications, be aware that you will lose some muscle along with fat. To minimize this, engage in structured exercise programs and discuss monitoring your muscle mass with your doctor, especially if you are older or have existing frailty.

Higher relative carbohydrate intake (42-51% of energy) causally reduces hypertension risk by 71% compared to lower intake, independent of protein and fat intake.

If you have hypertension, increasing your carbohydrate intake to represent 42-51% of your total daily energy may help lower your blood pressure risk, provided you adjust other macronutrients accordingly. This finding is based on genetic evidence from large European cohorts, suggesting a causal protective effect of relative carbohydrate intake over protein and fat.

Hypercaloric 16:8 time-restricted eating (TRE) allows well-trained individuals to achieve similar gains in fat-free mass and strength as continuous feeding (FED) during resistance training, despite a reduction in total training volume.

If you are already training regularly and want to build muscle, you can compress your eating into an 8-hour window without losing gains, as long as you eat enough total calories (a slight surplus) and hit your protein targets (around 2.2g/kg). You might train slightly less volume, but your strength and muscle mass will still increase similarly to eating throughout the day. Focus on consistency and total intake, not just when you eat.

A single day of an isocaloric high-fat diet (74% fat, 11% carbs) significantly improves insulin sensitivity and lowers postprandial glucose and insulin levels compared to high-carbohydrate or control diets in healthy young men.

For healthy individuals, switching to a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet for a single day can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar spikes compared to high-carb or standard balanced diets, provided total calories remain constant.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and other unsaturated fats inhibit Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine release, thereby ameliorating chronic inflammation driven by saturated fats and LPS.

To support a healthy immune response that can resolve inflammation effectively, prioritize unsaturated fats, particularly Omega-3s. These fats actively inhibit inflammatory pathways like TLR4, counteracting the pro-inflammatory effects of saturated fats found in typical Western diets.

In the Iranian adult population, total fat intake (38.3% of energy in adults, 35.88% in the elderly) significantly exceeds the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) of 20-30%, with 55.77% of women and 43.53% of men consuming fat above this limit.

Check your fat intake. In this population, more than half of women and nearly half of men eat too much fat (over 30% of calories). Focus on reducing added fats and high-fat ingredients to align with health guidelines, as this is a major contributor to chronic disease risk.

High intake of simple sugars increases the risk of metabolic syndrome regardless of weight change, whereas the risk associated with refined grains and total carbohydrates is modified by weight status.

Focus on reducing added sugars and simple sugars, as they increase metabolic syndrome risk independently of weight. Be mindful of refined grains, especially if you are gaining weight, as their risk is amplified in that context. Total carbohydrate quantity is less critical than the source.

Protein intakes exceeding 2.0 g/kg/day do not provide additional lean body mass gains in the absence of concurrent resistance training.

Eating more than 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight will not build muscle if you are not lifting weights. Focus on resistance training first; protein alone is insufficient for growth without it.

The vast majority (approx. 92%) of daily protein intake in young adults comes from whole-food sources rather than supplemental protein isolates, regardless of training status.

You get almost all your protein (92%) from regular food, not supplements. This is typical for active young adults. You do not need to buy protein powder to meet your needs; focus on getting protein from meat, dairy, eggs, and plant sources.

High adherence to the Mediterranean diet is characterized by a macronutrient profile with lower carbohydrate (46-49%) and higher protein (19-22%) and fat (31-33%) intake compared to standard recommendations, which is significantly associated with lower adiposity and inflammation.

If you follow a Mediterranean-style diet, focus on keeping carbohydrates on the lower end of the recommended range (around 46-49% of calories) while ensuring adequate protein (19-22%) and healthy fats (31-33%). This specific balance is linked to lower body fat and reduced inflammation compared to standard high-carb interpretations of the diet.

High consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is associated with higher total energy and macronutrient intake but lower micronutrient intake in Korean adults and older adults.

If you eat a lot of ultra-processed foods, you are likely consuming more total calories and macronutrients (carbs, protein, fat) while getting fewer essential micronutrients. Focus on identifying the major UPF contributors in your diet (like alcohol, grain products, or specific snacks) and consider replacing them with less processed alternatives to improve nutrient density without necessarily increasing total energy intake.

Higher percentage of energy from carbohydrates at breakfast is associated with a significantly lower risk of major cardiovascular events and stroke in Chinese adults, particularly women.

For Chinese adults, prioritizing carbohydrates as the main energy source at breakfast (higher percentage of breakfast energy) is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, particularly for women. This does not mean unlimited carbs, but rather that carbs should constitute a larger proportion of breakfast energy compared to protein and fat.

Orlistat, an anti-absorptive medication, produces modest weight loss (2.8-4.8% total body weight loss) by inhibiting gastric and pancreatic lipase.

Orlistat is an oral medication that works by blocking fat absorption, leading to modest weight loss (around 3-5%). It is less effective than newer injectable options and can cause gastrointestinal side effects like oily stools and urgency, which may limit its use.

SGLT2 inhibitors (dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, ipragliflozin) significantly reduce body weight in older adults with type 2 diabetes primarily through substantial fat mass loss, while causing only a modest, likely non-clinically meaningful reduction in skeletal muscle mass.

If you are an older adult with Type 2 Diabetes, SGLT2 inhibitors (like Jardiance or Farxiga) are effective for weight loss. Expect significant fat loss. You may lose a small amount of muscle, but it is not the primary driver of weight loss and is likely not clinically concerning for most. Monitor your strength if you are already frail, but the metabolic benefits of fat loss generally outweigh the modest muscle loss.

Resistance training practitioners frequently consume excessive protein and protein supplements (primarily whey) driven by aesthetic goals, despite evidence that intakes above ~1.6 g/kg/day do not further increase muscle mass.

You likely do not need protein supplements to build muscle. Focus on getting 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily from whole foods. If you are already hitting this number through food, adding whey protein powder provides no additional muscle-building benefit and wastes money. Prioritize carbohydrates for energy during workouts instead.

Post-exercise liquid protein supplementation (25g) enhances maximal strength gains in untrained young adults compared to resistance training alone, without significantly altering muscle mass or endurance adaptations.

If you are new to lifting, drinking 25g of protein immediately after your workout will help you get stronger faster than just training alone. While it might not make your muscles look bigger any faster than training by itself, you will likely lift heavier weights. Stick to a simple liquid protein drink post-workout for the best results.

Long-term supplementation with plant-based protein (PBP) yields equivalent results to animal-based protein (ABP) for lean body mass, muscle strength, physical performance, and cardiometabolic risk factors in adults.

If you are consuming enough protein daily (typically 1.6g/kg or more for muscle gain), the source (plant vs. animal) matters less than you might think for long-term results. You can effectively build muscle and maintain metabolic health with plant-based proteins like soy, provided you stick with it for at least 6 months.

Macronutrient composition (low-fat vs. low-carbohydrate) has no significant difference on long-term weight loss or glycemic control in obese diabetic patients; total energy reduction is the primary driver of weight change.

You do not need to choose between low-carb or low-fat diets for superior results. Both work equally well for weight loss if you reduce your total calories. Focus on eating a balanced amount of carbohydrates (55-65% of energy) and maintaining a caloric deficit.

In older Chinese adults, a vegetable-based low-carbohydrate diet (high-quality carbs, plant protein, unsaturated fat) is associated with higher all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality, whereas a meat-based low-carbohydrate diet (low-quality carbs, animal protein, saturated fat) is associated with lower mortality.

If you are following a low-carbohydrate diet, pay close attention to the source of your carbohydrates and fats. In older adults, particularly those with Asian dietary backgrounds, a vegetable-based low-carb diet (high in plant proteins and unsaturated fats) was associated with higher mortality, while a meat-based low-carb diet (higher in animal proteins and saturated fats) was associated with lower mortality. This suggests that simply reducing carbohydrates is not enough; the quality and source of the remaining macronutrients are critical. Consult with a healthcare provider to tailor your diet to your specific health profile and cultural context.

Low-carbohydrate diets (LCD) and low-fat diets (LFD) are similarly effective for weight loss and reducing hepatic fat in NAFLD patients, with no clear clinical superiority of one over the other.

You can choose either a low-carb or low-fat diet to manage NAFLD; both are effective for reducing liver fat and weight. Focus on consistency and adherence rather than debating which macronutrient is superior.