Browse the evidence

Consumption of probiotic fermented milks and yoghurts is associated with improved bone mineral density (BMD) and a significantly reduced risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia, particularly in females.

Aim for at least one serving of yoghurt or fermented milk daily. This provides bio-available calcium and protein that support bone density. If you have lactose sensitivity, fermented options like yoghurt are often better tolerated than plain milk. For bone strength, combine this with weight-bearing exercise.

Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet (MD) reduces the incidence of NAFLD and improves insulin resistance through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering mechanisms.

Adopt a Mediterranean Diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, olive oil, and fish. This specific dietary pattern has been shown to lower the risk of developing fatty liver and improve insulin sensitivity.

Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in athletes across various sports and ethnicities, often leading to musculoskeletal issues like stress fractures and muscle weakness.

Don't assume your fitness protects you from Vitamin D deficiency. It is very common in athletes, especially those who train indoors or have darker skin. Get tested to avoid stress fractures and muscle weakness.

Edible seaweeds serve as a highly concentrated source of essential macro- and trace minerals (such as K, Ca, Na, Mg, Fe, Zn, and I), providing mineral content 10 to 50 times higher than terrestrial plants by dry weight, thereby contributing significantly to daily mineral intake and functional food development.

Incorporate edible seaweeds into your diet to boost your intake of essential minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iodine. Seaweeds are naturally concentrated sources of these nutrients, often containing 10-50 times more minerals per dry weight than land vegetables. To maximize safety, choose varieties from regulated aquaculture or known safe species, as some wild-harvested seaweeds may accumulate higher levels of toxic metals like arsenic or lead.

Different classes of seaweed (green, red, brown) exhibit distinct mineral profiles, with brown seaweeds being particularly rich in iodine and sodium, red seaweeds high in potassium and iodine, and green seaweeds varying widely but often high in calcium and sodium.

If you are looking to boost specific minerals, choose your seaweed type carefully. Brown seaweeds like Kombu and Wakame are exceptionally high in iodine. Red seaweeds like Nori are rich in potassium. Green seaweeds like Sea Lettuce often provide higher levels of calcium and sodium. Diversifying your seaweed intake can help balance your mineral profile.

The EAT-Lancet diet score without minimum intake values for nutrient-dense food groups negatively predicts micronutrient adequacy in rural women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries, whereas adding minimum intake values (>0 g/d) reverses this association to a positive one.

When evaluating diet quality in low-resource settings, do not use scoring systems that allow zero consumption of nutrient-dense foods (like meat, dairy, or legumes) to earn points. These scores will falsely label malnourished diets as 'healthy.' Always apply minimum intake thresholds to ensure the score reflects actual nutrient adequacy.

No country globally achieves the combined WHO target of potassium intake >3.5 g/day and sodium intake <2 g/day.

It is currently impossible to meet both sodium and potassium guidelines simultaneously in most countries. Focus on reducing discretionary salt intake and increasing potassium-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, as this is the most feasible path to improving cardiovascular health.

Agricultural production systems that prioritize high-volume cereal and starchy staple crops over nutrient-dense food groups (dairy, animal-source foods, fruits, vegetables) lead to monotonous diets with insufficient micronutrient density, increasing the risk of chronic diseases and poor growth outcomes despite adequate total caloric intake.

If you are designing food systems or advising on nutrition policy, do not focus solely on increasing the volume of staple crops like maize or wheat. You must actively promote the production and availability of nutrient-dense foods (dairy, legumes, fruits, vegetables, animal-source foods). Without dietary diversity, high caloric production will fail to prevent micronutrient deficiencies and chronic diseases.

Adherence to a Western diet for two weeks significantly increases plasma levels of specific fatty acids (myristic, linoelaidic, linoleic, alpha-linoleic, pentadecanoic acid) and urinary acesulfame K, serving as biomarkers for unhealthy eating patterns.

If you consume a Western diet high in processed foods, red meat, and artificial sweeteners, your body reflects this quickly. Within two weeks, levels of specific fatty acids (like myristic and linoelaidic acid) and acesulfame K rise in your blood and urine. This objective change signals that your diet is shifting towards an unhealthy pattern, highlighting the importance of reducing processed foods and artificial sweeteners.

Dysbiotic gut microbiota and its derived metabolites (such as TMAO, choline, and hippurate) are shared metabolic biomarkers across cardiometabolic diseases, contributing to inflammation, atherosclerosis, and insulin resistance.

Support gut health through a diverse, fiber-rich diet to potentially lower levels of harmful metabolites like TMAO, which are linked to cardiovascular risk and insulin resistance.

Chronic chicken meat intake and resistance training do not drastically alter gut microbiota composition in elderly women, contradicting hypotheses that such interventions significantly shift microbial diversity.

You do not need to worry about chicken meat or resistance training negatively impacting or drastically altering your gut microbiota in a harmful way. The study found no significant changes in gut bacteria diversity, suggesting these interventions are safe for gut health in this demographic.

Free leucine supplementation (6g/day split into 3g pre- and post-exercise) does not improve muscle recovery or reduce markers of muscle damage following resistance exercise in untrained young adults consuming adequate dietary protein.

If you are a young, untrained individual eating enough protein (over 1.2g per kg of body weight daily), taking 6 grams of leucine around your workout will not help you recover faster, reduce soreness, or build muscle compared to just eating your normal diet. Save your money on leucine supplements; focus on getting enough total protein and completing your resistance training.

Commercially available protein powders in the Hungarian market do not contain significant heavy metal contamination (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic) above regulatory safety limits.

If you buy protein powder from a reputable retailer in a regulated market (like the EU or USA), you do not need to worry about dangerous levels of heavy metals like lead or mercury. The products tested in this study were safe. However, because regulation is often voluntary, buying from unknown sources or unregulated 'grey markets' carries a higher risk of contamination.

Supplementing with 30g daily hydrolyzed collagen peptides during intense resistance training does not increase myofibrillar or muscle connective tissue protein synthesis rates compared to placebo.

If you are doing intense resistance training, taking 30g of collagen daily will not make your muscles or connective tissue build protein any faster than if you took a placebo. While collagen does increase specific amino acids in your blood, it does not translate to higher synthesis rates for muscle or connective tissue in this context. Focus on your training and overall protein intake rather than relying on collagen for synthesis stimulation.

Hospital normal diet meals in public North West province hospitals frequently fail to meet Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs) for key micronutrients, specifically folate, vitamin A, and vitamin B6, while often exceeding RDIs for energy, protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

If you are a patient in a public hospital, do not assume the standard 'normal diet' meets all your nutritional needs. The study shows these meals often lack essential vitamins (A, B6, Folate) even if they provide enough calories. Discuss your specific nutritional needs with a dietician or hospital manager, as portion control and menu planning are critical factors in preventing malnutrition and supporting recovery.

Most dietary (poly)phenols are not absorbed intact in the small intestine but pass to the colon where gut microbiota catabolize them into absorbable metabolites, which then enter circulation and exert biological effects.

Eat a variety of plant-based foods rich in polyphenols (berries, tea, coffee, onions, citrus). You do not need to worry about the 'bioavailability' of the raw compound because your gut bacteria process them into active metabolites that enter your bloodstream. The specific benefits depend on your unique gut microbiome, so diversity in your diet helps ensure you have the right bacteria to process different polyphenols.

Antioxidant supplementation (specifically Vitamin C and E) can attenuate exercise-induced adaptations, such as mitochondrial biogenesis and improvements in VO2max, by interfering with reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling pathways.

Be cautious with high-dose antioxidant supplements (like Vitamin C and E) if you are training for endurance. They might blunt the fitness gains you are working for by interfering with your body's natural signaling. It is likely better to get antioxidants from food sources rather than high-dose supplements during training blocks.

The physical structure of plant-based foods (food matrix) acts as a barrier to nutrient digestion, meaning intact cell walls in nuts and grains reduce lipid and starch bioaccessibility compared to disintegrated foods.

When eating whole nuts or grains, your body may not absorb all the calories listed on the package because the tough cell walls protect some of the fats and starches from digestion. This means whole plant foods might be less calorie-dense than their labels suggest, but you should not rely on this to overconsume them.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (EPA+DHA) supplementation does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular events or mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus or prediabetes.

If you have diabetes or prediabetes, taking fish oil supplements will not protect your heart or prevent heart attacks. Do not take them for this purpose. Focus on proven diabetes management strategies instead.

A three-week ketogenic diet shifts tryptophan metabolism to increase kynurenic acid and decrease quinolinic acid, potentially promoting mitochondrial protection and reducing neuroinflammation.

Following a ketogenic diet may shift your body's processing of tryptophan away from potentially neurotoxic byproducts (quinolinic acid) toward protective ones (kynurenic acid). This suggests a potential neuroprotective benefit of long-term ketosis.

Chronic supplementation with high-dose Vitamin C and E combined with strength training does not enhance muscle strength or hypertrophy and may blunt hypertrophic adaptations.

Do not take high-dose Vitamin C and E supplements if your goal is to build muscle or strength through resistance training. These supplements do not improve your gains and may actually stop your muscles from growing by blocking the natural chemical signals your body uses to adapt to exercise. Save your money and focus on your training and whole-food nutrition.

Duodenal-jejunal bypass liner (DJBL) therapy causes significant depletion of essential fatty acids (linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid) and their long-chain polyunsaturated derivatives (arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, docosahexaenoic acids) in the blood.

If you undergo DJBL (EndoBarrier) therapy, you are at high risk for depleting essential fatty acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6). This device blocks absorption in the upper small intestine. To mitigate this, you must ensure adequate dietary intake of healthy fats (fish, nuts, seeds) or take high-quality fish oil/PUFA supplements, as standard diets may not be enough to overcome the malabsorption. Monitor your levels with your doctor.

Supplementation with Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB) in either free acid or calcium salt form does not enhance strength or hypertrophic adaptations to resistance training in resistance-trained men consuming adequate protein.

If you are already lifting weights regularly and eating enough protein (at least 1.7g per kg of body weight), taking HMB supplements (whether free acid or calcium salt) will not help you build more muscle or get stronger than you would from training alone. Save your money.

Pea protein supplementation (25 g/day for 13 days) does not attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage in older adults following prolonged walking, performing similarly to a placebo.

If you are over 60 and walk long distances, switching to pea protein instead of whey may not help reduce muscle soreness or damage markers. You might need to stick with whey or increase the dose of plant protein.