Browse the evidence

Whey protein supplementation (25 g/day for 13 days) significantly reduces exercise-induced muscle damage, as measured by serum creatine kinase (CK) levels, in older adults following prolonged walking, whereas pea protein supplementation at the same dose does not.

If you are over 60 and engage in long-distance walking, whey protein (25g/day) may help reduce muscle damage markers more effectively than pea protein. Ensure you consume it consistently for at least 13 days, starting before your activity.

Global mean potassium intake (2.25 g/day) is significantly below the World Health Organization's recommended target of >3.5 g/day, with only 14% of the global population achieving this level.

Most people globally do not eat enough potassium. To improve cardiovascular health, aim to increase potassium intake towards the WHO recommendation of >3.5 g/day, focusing on affordable sources like beans, potatoes, and leafy greens, especially if your sodium intake is high.

Elevated levels of Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) such as leucine, isoleucine, and valine are predictive markers for Type 2 Diabetes risk across multiple ethnic groups, with specific associations to insulin resistance.

High levels of circulating BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, valine) are a strong predictor of Type 2 Diabetes risk, even in people with normal blood sugar. This suggests that how your body processes amino acids is key. If you have risk factors, focus on metabolic health through balanced nutrition and exercise rather than just high-protein supplementation, as elevated BCAAs may indicate underlying insulin resistance.

Higher circulating levels of marine omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are associated with a significantly lower risk of total and ischemic stroke, with no increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

Aiming for higher blood levels of EPA and DHA (specifically an omega-3 index of 8% or higher) is associated with a lower risk of stroke. This can be achieved through dietary intake of 1-2 seafood meals per week or supplementation with approximately 1000-1600 mg/day of EPA+DHA, depending on your baseline levels.

High-fibre interventions (e.g., high-fibre bread, whole grains) reduce NAFLD grade and liver enzymes (ALT, AST) independently of weight loss.

If you have fatty liver, increasing your fibre intake through whole grains or high-fibre bread can improve your liver enzymes and disease grade, even if you don't lose weight. This is a simple, sustainable dietary change that directly benefits liver health.

Dietary factors such as plant-based foods and specific dietary models possess anti-inflammatory properties and anti-atherogenic potential.

Eat more plant-based foods to reduce inflammation and protect your arteries.

Urolithin A supplementation (1000 mg/day for 4 weeks) significantly reduces indirect markers of muscle damage (creatine kinase) and ratings of perceived exertion following intense exercise in highly trained male distance runners, facilitating recovery without enhancing actual running performance.

If you are a highly trained male distance runner, taking 1000 mg of Urolithin A daily for 4 weeks may help you recover faster from hard workouts by reducing muscle damage markers and perceived exertion. However, do not expect this supplement to make you run faster in races. It supports recovery, not performance output.

Healthy low-carbohydrate diet (HLCD) reduces fecal branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and increases unsaturated fatty acids, which are positively associated with fat mass.

HLCD changes your gut environment by lowering BCAAs and increasing unsaturated fats, which are linked to lower fat mass. This suggests that what you eat changes how your gut processes nutrients, aiding fat loss.

A low-carbohydrate diet may cause a significant increase in LDL cholesterol in a subset of individuals (approx. 30%), necessitating lipid monitoring despite average group stability.

If you follow a low-carb diet, get your blood work done after 3 months. If your LDL cholesterol rises significantly (especially >30% increase), consult your doctor. You may need to adjust your fat sources (e.g., more unsaturated fats) or reduce total fat intake, even if your triglycerides and HDL are improving.

Excessive fructose intake disrupts gut microbiota, reduces beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria, and downregulates tight junction proteins (ZO-1, Claudin-1, occludin), leading to increased intestinal permeability, endotoxemia, and obesity.

Excessive fructose, especially from syrup, damages your gut lining by reducing beneficial bacteria and tight junction proteins, leading to 'leaky gut' and inflammation. While moderate natural fructose from fruit is likely safe, avoid excessive fructose syrup to protect your gut and weight.

Storing fat subcutaneously (especially in the hips and thighs) is metabolically favorable compared to storing it viscerally or in the liver, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease despite higher overall body fat.

Focus on maintaining muscle mass and healthy fat distribution rather than just losing weight. If you have a 'pear' shape (fat stored in hips/thighs), you may have a lower risk of diabetes than someone with a 'apple' shape (visceral fat), even if your BMI is high.

Bariatric surgery significantly increases the risk of bone loss and fractures, particularly in malabsorptive procedures, due to reduced calcium absorption and secondary hyperparathyroidism, which is not fully mitigated by standard calcium and vitamin D supplementation.

If you have bariatric surgery, especially a malabsorptive type like gastric bypass, your risk of bone fractures increases significantly. Standard calcium and vitamin D supplements often fail to prevent this bone loss. You need specialized, long-term bone health monitoring beyond standard care.

Vitamin E supplementation (800 IU daily) improves steatohepatitis, hepatic steatosis, and inflammation in adults with MASH who do not have diabetes, but does not improve fibrosis.

If you have MASH and do not have diabetes, your doctor may recommend 800 IU of Vitamin E daily. This dose has been shown to reduce liver inflammation and fat over 96 weeks, though it does not reverse scarring (fibrosis).

Deuterated water (D2O) ingestion is a valid and increasingly used method for measuring long-term muscle protein synthesis in humans, providing insights that complement acute tracer infusion methods.

For researchers, D2O is a reliable tool for measuring long-term muscle protein synthesis. For practitioners, this validates that consistent, long-term training and nutrition strategies are what drive muscle changes, rather than just acute post-workout spikes.

Plasma Branched-Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) levels are significantly associated with lower body fat percentage and higher lean mass percentage in sedentary adults undergoing protein supplementation and exercise.

Higher levels of BCAA in your blood are linked to less body fat and more lean muscle in people who supplement protein and exercise. This suggests that ensuring adequate BCAA intake (via protein) is important for optimizing body composition.

The ratio of serum creatinine to cystatin C (Sarcopenia Index, SI) is a valid, non-invasive biomarker for estimating skeletal muscle mass and predicting mortality in sarcopenic populations, including those treated with GLP-1RA.

Ask your doctor about using a Sarcopenia Index (SI), calculated from your routine creatinine and cystatin C blood tests, to monitor your muscle health while on weight-loss medications. This simple calculation can help detect muscle loss early.

Standard body composition metrics (DXA) overestimate muscle loss in obesity because they misclassify visceral and subcutaneous fat as 'lean body mass'; MRI-based 'adipose tissue-free muscle volume' provides a more accurate assessment of true muscle mass.

If you are using DXA scans to track muscle loss on GLP-1s, be aware that these machines often mistake visceral fat for muscle. This can make it look like you are losing more muscle than you actually are. Focus on functional strength (grip, lifting) rather than just the DXA number.

Daily oral supplementation with 714 mg nicotinamide and 19 mg pyridoxine accelerates muscle regeneration by increasing muscle stem cell (MuSC) activation and differentiation following eccentric muscle damage.

If you suffer from muscle damage (e.g., from intense exercise or injury), taking 714 mg of Nicotinamide and 19 mg of Pyridoxine daily for about a week may help your body repair muscle faster by boosting stem cell activity. This is distinct from other B3 forms like Nicotinamide Riboside, which may not be effective at these specific cellular targets. Ensure you are healthy and not taking other B-vitamin supplements before starting.

Vitamin D and retinol insufficiency rates approach 100% in both genders across adult and elderly age groups in Iran, representing a critical public health gap.

Vitamin D and Retinol (Vitamin A) are critically low in this population, affecting nearly everyone. Dietary changes alone may not be enough; consider supplementation or fortified foods to address this widespread deficiency.

Sodium intake exceeds recommended levels in a significant portion of the population, particularly men (72.7% of adult men and 76.6% of elderly men), contributing to cardiovascular risk.

Men in this population consume excessive sodium, with over 70% exceeding recommendations. Reducing sodium intake is crucial for cardiovascular health. Focus on limiting processed foods and added salt.

Consuming an unprocessed diet reduces energy intake because participants preferentially select low-energy-dense components (fruits/vegetables) to meet micronutrient requirements, a behavior termed 'micronutrient deleveraging' that limits total caloric intake despite larger meal mass.

To manage energy intake without counting calories, prioritize unprocessed foods that are rich in micronutrients, such as fruits and vegetables. Your body may naturally limit your calorie intake if it prioritizes meeting its micronutrient needs, a process the authors call 'micronutrient deleveraging.' By choosing these foods, you may consume larger volumes of food with fewer calories, satisfying your nutritional requirements without overconsuming energy.

A high-protein plant-based diet does not compromise micronutrient status (Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Calcium, Ferritin) compared to an omnivorous diet during resistance training, although ferritin levels may decrease in both groups.

You can follow a high-protein plant-based diet without worrying about losing essential vitamins and minerals, as long as you eat enough calories and protein. Just be aware that your ferritin (iron storage) might drop, which is also true for omnivores in this study, so monitor your levels if you feel fatigued.

Circulating acylcarnitine levels and glycerophospholipid changes serve as reliable metabolic markers for substrate oxidation preference (measured by Respiratory Quotient) during nutritional interventions.

Current research suggests that blood levels of specific metabolites (like carnitines and phospholipids) can predict how your body prefers to burn fuel (fat vs. carbs). While not yet a standard clinical tool, this points to a future where simple blood tests could help tailor diets to your specific metabolic phenotype, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Adherence to a nutrient pattern rich in folate, carotene, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, iron, and retinol is associated with significantly lower all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease mortality.

To support longevity, prioritize a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and legumes. This specific combination of nutrients (folate, fiber, vitamins C and E, potassium, iron, retinol) is linked to lower risks of heart disease, stroke, and early death. You do not need to supplement these individually; obtaining them through whole food sources like leafy greens, carrots, and beans is the recommended approach.