Browse the evidence

Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids have anti-arrhythmic and anti-thrombotic properties that benefit cardiovascular health, despite controversy over their prescription for secondary prevention.

Prioritize dietary sources of omega-3s (fatty fish) over synthetic supplements for heart health. While supplements show mixed results, dietary intake is linked to anti-arrhythmic and anti-thrombotic benefits.

In untrained individuals, high-intensity resistance exercise causes an immediate post-exercise increase in plasma sodium (Na+) concentration, and lower immediate Na+ levels are inversely correlated with higher delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) 24 hours later.

If you are new to resistance training, be aware that your body's sodium levels shift immediately after your workout. The study suggests that people who had smaller changes in sodium levels right after exercising actually felt more muscle soreness the next day. While this doesn't mean you should consume excessive sodium, it highlights that electrolyte balance (possibly via isotonic drinks) might help reduce post-workout pain for untrained individuals.

Adopting a whole-food, plant-based or Mediterranean diet and reducing ultra-processed foods can reverse or prevent chronic inflammatory conditions (such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and COPD) by correcting gut dysbiosis and lowering inflammatory markers like IL-6 and CRP, thereby potentially reducing susceptibility to severe COVID-19.

Shift your diet towards whole plant foods, vegetables, and fiber-rich options while minimizing ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and high-fat animal products. This approach supports a healthy microbiome and reduces systemic inflammation, which may lower your risk of severe outcomes from respiratory infections.

Omega-3 PUFA supplementation reduces total mortality and cardiovascular-related hospitalizations in patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

If you have heart failure with a weak heart pump (reduced ejection fraction), taking fish oil supplements may help you live longer and avoid hospitalizations. It is a reasonable addition to your treatment plan. Ask your doctor if it's right for you.

Consumption of dairy products, particularly yogurt and cheese, is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer, while the link to prostate cancer risk remains limited or specific to whole milk intake.

Incorporate yogurt and cheese into your diet to potentially lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer. Focus on plain varieties to minimize added sugars. The calcium and bioactive compounds in dairy support long-term metabolic and digestive health.

Supplementation with both EPA and DHA (approx. 2:1 ratio) for 8 weeks inhibits muscle strength deficit and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) following eccentric exercise in untrained individuals.

If you want to use fish oil to help recover from tough workouts, you need to take it every day for at least 8 weeks before you expect results. Look for a supplement with roughly twice as much EPA as DHA (a 2:1 ratio). Taking just one type of omega-3 or waiting until you are sore to take it will likely not help.

Whole food matrices (e.g., whole milk, whole eggs) may enhance muscle protein synthesis rates compared to isolated protein fractions (e.g., skim milk, egg whites) due to synergistic non-protein components like fats and micronutrients.

If you can choose, eat the whole egg (yolk included) or whole milk rather than just egg whites or skim milk. The fats and vitamins in the yolk/milk fat may give your muscles a slight extra boost in building protein.

Dietary interventions targeting gut microbiota composition (e.g., prebiotics, probiotics, or specific fiber types) can improve glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in obese individuals, particularly by modulating the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and reducing pro-inflammatory bacterial species.

Focus on dietary fibers and fermented foods to support a healthy gut microbiome. This may help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation, which are key drivers of obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA/DHA) reduce cardiovascular risk in observational studies, but randomized controlled trials of supplementation do not consistently show a reduction in major cardiovascular events.

Eating fish is associated with lower heart disease risk, but taking omega-3 supplements does not consistently prevent heart attacks or strokes in clinical trials. If you want the benefits, focus on eating fatty fish rather than relying on supplements.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increases muscle volume, strength, and muscle protein synthesis in elderly adults, potentially by activating the mTOR pathway and reducing inflammation.

Consider adding Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet, either through fatty fish or supplements, as they may help increase muscle strength and volume in older adults, even if you are not exercising. However, more research is needed specifically for Indian populations.

Leucine supplementation (isolated or enriched) improves lean body mass, muscle strength, and physical functioning in sarcopenic or elderly populations.

Ensure your protein sources are rich in leucine, or consider leucine-enriched protein supplements. Studies show this can improve muscle mass and walking ability in older adults, especially those with sarcopenia. However, more research is needed for Indian populations.

Daily consumption of 30g of dark chocolate (83% cocoa) for 12 weeks significantly reduces body weight, BMI, and serum AST levels in patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).

If you have NAFLD, consuming 30 grams of dark chocolate (at least 83% cocoa) daily for 12 weeks may help reduce your body weight, BMI, and liver enzyme levels (AST). This suggests that specific high-cocoa dark chocolate can be part of a liver-healthy diet, contrary to the general belief that all chocolate causes weight gain.

Vitamin D3 supplementation (800 IU/day) is the most cost-effective management strategy for sarcopenia in Iran, whereas combination therapies (Protein + Vitamin D3) are not cost-effective despite higher clinical effectiveness.

For managing sarcopenia cost-effectively, Vitamin D3 supplementation (800 IU/day) is the recommended single intervention. While combining it with protein and exercise improves muscle metrics, the added cost makes it economically inefficient for public health systems compared to Vitamin D alone.

GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) therapy is associated with clinically relevant risks of protein, vitamin, and mineral deficiencies due to reduced caloric and nutrient intake.

If you are taking a GLP-1 medication like semaglutide or tirzepatide, you are likely eating less, which means you might not be getting enough vitamins and minerals. You should prioritize nutrient-dense foods and discuss baseline blood testing for Vitamin D, B12, Iron, and Calcium with your doctor. Do not assume that because this is a medication and not surgery, you are exempt from nutritional monitoring.

Zinc supplementation (50 mg oral zinc acetate, 2x/day for 14 weeks) improves insulin secretion specifically in individuals with the SLC30A8 rs13266634 CT/TT genotype, demonstrating a genotype-dependent response to micronutrient intervention.

If you are considering zinc supplementation for insulin resistance, check your SLC30A8 genotype first. If you carry the CT or TT variant of rs13266634, 50mg of zinc acetate twice daily for 14 weeks may significantly boost your fasting insulin levels. If you have the CC genotype, this specific intervention may not offer the same benefit.

Higher intake of plant-based fast food and white flour pasta is associated with higher uric acid levels, even in a plant-based diet.

Limit plant-based fast food and white flour pasta. While they are plant-based, they can raise uric acid levels. Choose whole-food alternatives like whole-grain pasta and unprocessed foods to minimize this risk.

Multivitamin supplementation is recommended for individuals using GLP-1 receptor agonists to address micronutrient insufficiencies resulting from reduced caloric intake and gastrointestinal side effects.

Take a daily multivitamin while on GLP-1RA medication. Because you are eating less, you might not get enough vitamins from food alone. This helps protect your long-term health and prevents deficiencies.

Personalized prevention strategies using biomarkers (genetics, omics, imaging) are necessary to predict individual response to lifestyle interventions and optimize cardiovascular risk reduction.

Current risk assessments may not be precise enough for everyone. Future care may involve genetic or biomarker testing to predict exactly which lifestyle changes (diet, exercise type/intensity) will work best for you, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach.

Carbohydrate reduction leads to a significant decrease in Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) levels, indicating improved liver function, while HDL cholesterol may show a small decline.

Your liver function is likely to improve, as shown by a significant drop in ALT levels. However, be aware that HDL ('good') cholesterol may decrease slightly. This is a common finding with carbohydrate reduction and should be monitored by your doctor.

Second-generation incretin-based therapies (semaglutide, tirzepatide) increase the risk of micronutrient deficiencies and related complications, primarily through reduced dietary intake and altered food selection, with real-world data showing a 22.4% incidence of recorded nutritional deficiencies at 12 months.

If you are taking semaglutide or tirzepatide, your reduced food intake may lead to micronutrient gaps. Prioritize nutrient-dense foods (vegetables, lean proteins, dairy) and consider discussing baseline testing (Vitamin D, B12, Iron) with your doctor, especially if you experience GI side effects or rapid weight loss.

Specific biologically active substances (BAS) such as baicalin, resveratrol, curcumin, quercetin, squalene, coenzyme Q10, and omega-3 exhibit anti-atherosclerotic potential and can be used as functional foods or supplements.

Consider incorporating functional foods or supplements containing baicalin, resveratrol, curcumin, quercetin, squalene, coenzyme Q10, or omega-3 to support heart health and prevent atherosclerosis.

Modern agricultural systems and dietary shifts have led to widespread mineral malnutrition (specifically calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron), which impairs immune cell metabolic adaptation and contributes to chronic low-grade inflammation and metabolic dysfunction.

Your diet's energy content (calories/macros) does not guarantee metabolic health if it lacks essential minerals. Modern farming and processing have reduced mineral density in food. If you have obesity, diabetes, or gut issues, you are at higher risk for mineral deficiencies (Ca, Mg, K, Fe) that drive inflammation. Prioritize mineral-dense whole foods and consider testing levels if you have malabsorption risks.

Curcumin supplementation (400 mg/day) reduces biological inflammation (CK, TNF-α, IL-8) following eccentric exercise in healthy subjects, though it does not significantly reduce subjective muscle soreness.

If you do intense eccentric exercise, taking 400 mg of curcumin daily starting 2 days before and ending 4 days after can significantly lower your blood markers of muscle damage and inflammation. However, you might not feel less sore, as subjective pain relief was not consistently observed.

Supplementation with multiple micronutrients with immune-supporting roles (specifically Vitamins C and D and Zinc) may modulate immune function and reduce the risk of infection.

Consider supplementing with Vitamins C, D, and Zinc, especially if you are deficient, stressed, or under increased immune demand. While more research is needed, current evidence suggests these micronutrients may help modulate immune function and reduce infection risk.