Browse the evidence

Nuts improve endothelial function and reduce LDL oxidation resistance compared to diets high in saturated fats.

Eat nuts regularly to improve blood vessel health. The unsaturated fats in nuts make LDL particles more resistant to oxidation, and other components like L-arginine help improve how blood vessels function, reducing cardiovascular risk.

Asian populations have a higher risk of metabolic disorders (diabetes, CVD) at lower BMI levels compared to Western populations due to higher body fat percentage and central adiposity for a given BMI.

For Asian individuals, use lower BMI cutoffs (e.g., overweight ≥ 23 kg/m2, obesity ≥ 25 kg/m2) and measure waist circumference to accurately assess metabolic risk, as standard BMI may underestimate risk.

Soya-based textured-vegetable-protein (TVP) meat substitutes contain high levels of phytate that form insoluble complexes with zinc, significantly reducing zinc bioavailability and requiring higher dietary zinc intakes to maintain growth and plasma zinc levels compared to animal protein sources.

If you rely on soy-based meat substitutes, be aware that they contain phytates which block zinc absorption. This means you might need to eat more zinc-rich foods or choose fortified products to get the same zinc benefits as you would from meat. Cooking does not destroy these phytates, so supplementation or careful food pairing is important for maintaining healthy zinc levels.

Magnesium deficiency induces chronic low-grade inflammation through increased intracellular calcium, leading to elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6) and acute-phase proteins (CRP, fibrinogen).

If you have chronic inflammation or risk factors like high blood pressure or diabetes, check your magnesium intake. Most people don't get enough. While supplements won't fix inflammation if you're already healthy and well-nourished, correcting a deficiency can lower inflammatory markers and reduce disease risk. Focus on magnesium-rich foods like nuts, seeds, and leafy greens.

Higher consumption of fish is negatively associated with the risk of dementia, with each serving per day associated with a significant reduction in risk.

Incorporate fish into your diet regularly. This study found that each daily serving of fish was associated with a nearly 69% reduction in the odds of dementia. Aim to include fish as a regular part of your meals to support cognitive health.

Higher consumption of non-refined cereals is positively associated with better composite cognitive performance.

Choose non-refined cereals over refined ones. This study found that higher consumption of non-refined cereals was linked to better overall cognitive performance. Swapping refined grains for whole grains may support cognitive health.

Long-term calcium (1,000 mg) and vitamin D3 (400 IU) supplementation reduces hip fracture risk in postmenopausal women who do not take personal supplements at baseline, with a hazard ratio of 0.62 after 5+ years.

If you are a postmenopausal woman and you do not currently take calcium or vitamin D supplements, taking 1,000 mg of calcium carbonate and 400 IU of vitamin D3 daily for at least 5 years can significantly reduce your risk of hip fractures. If you already take these supplements, adding more from this specific trial protocol does not appear to provide additional fracture protection. Be aware that this regimen slightly increases the risk of kidney stones, but does not increase cardiovascular risk.

Calcium and vitamin D supplementation (1,000 mg/400 IU) does not increase the risk of cardiovascular events (MI, stroke, CHD) in postmenopausal women, contradicting claims of adverse cardiovascular effects.

You do not need to avoid calcium and vitamin D supplements due to fear of heart attacks. This study of over 36,000 women found no increase in heart attacks, strokes, or other cardiovascular diseases with 1,000 mg calcium and 400 IU vitamin D3 daily. The primary benefit is bone health, specifically for those who do not already take these supplements.

Calcium and vitamin D supplementation (1,000 mg/400 IU) is associated with a modest reduction in urinary tract stone risk in adherent users, though the overall risk increase is small (HR 1.17).

Taking 1,000 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D3 daily slightly increases your risk of developing kidney stones (from 0.30% to 0.35% over 7 years). If you are prone to stones, discuss this with your doctor. However, for most women, this small risk is balanced by the significant benefit of reduced hip fracture risk.

Substituting red meat with white meat, particularly unprocessed white meat, is associated with a 25% reduction in all-cause mortality.

Try swapping your red meat meals for white meat, like chicken or fish. This study shows that making this swap, while keeping your total meat amount the same, can significantly lower your risk of dying from common diseases.

Long-term administration of nutritional interventions that accelerate recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) may impinge on muscle adaptation due to the hormetic effect of blunting necessary inflammatory signaling.

Do not use recovery supplements (like high-dose antioxidants or anti-inflammatories) every day. Reserve them for specific high-stress periods, such as tournament weeks or when you have back-to-back competitions. On normal training days, allow natural inflammation to occur to ensure your muscles adapt and grow.

Beta-alanine supplementation attenuates neuromuscular fatigue, particularly in older subjects, and may improve tactical performance in military personnel.

Older adults or tactical athletes may benefit from beta-alanine supplementation (4-6g/day) to reduce neuromuscular fatigue during prolonged or high-intensity tasks. While tactical performance benefits are promising, more research is needed.

Large-scale food fortification (LSFF) of staple foods (flour, salt, oil, sugar) significantly reduces the prevalence of anemia, goiter, and neural tube defects in low- and middle-income countries.

In regions where staple foods like flour, salt, or oil are not fortified, seek out fortified versions or ensure diverse intake of nutrient-dense whole foods. For populations relying on staples, mandatory fortification is the most effective public health tool to prevent anemia and birth defects.

Consumption of prebiotic non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDOs) such as inulin, FOS, and GOS improves calcium absorption and bone mineral density, particularly in adolescents and postmenopausal women, through mechanisms involving gut microbiota fermentation, short-chain fatty acid production, and reduced intestinal pH.

To support bone health, incorporate prebiotic fibers like inulin, FOS, or GOS into your diet. These are found in foods like chicory root, garlic, onions, and bananas, or taken as supplements. Research suggests they help your body absorb more calcium, which is beneficial for bone density, especially if you are a teenager or postmenopausal. Start with small amounts to avoid digestive discomfort.

Regular consumption of tomato products, particularly those rich in lycopene and phenolic compounds, reduces systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, thereby lowering the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity-related metabolic syndrome, and certain cancers.

Incorporate tomatoes regularly into your diet, preferably cooked or processed (like sauce or paste), to maximize the absorption of lycopene and other beneficial phytochemicals. This supports long-term health by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, which are linked to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer risk. Do not rely on isolated lycopene supplements, as whole tomato products appear to offer superior anti-inflammatory benefits.

Heat processing of tomatoes increases the bioavailability of lycopene, thereby enhancing its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects compared to raw tomatoes, despite some loss of heat-sensitive nutrients like Vitamin C.

Cook your tomatoes (e.g., in sauces or pastes) to maximize the absorption of lycopene. This makes the key antioxidant more available to your body than eating them raw, although you may lose some Vitamin C. A mix of raw and cooked tomatoes is likely optimal.

Betaine supplementation significantly lowers post-methionine load total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations, with a stronger effect observed in individuals not receiving folic acid supplementation.

If you are not taking folic acid supplements, betaine supplementation (550mg) can help lower homocysteine levels, especially after a protein load. If you already take folic acid, betaine adds little extra benefit for homocysteine reduction.

Selenium supplementation (200 µg/day) reduces the risk of prostate cancer, particularly in individuals with low baseline selenium status.

If you are selenium deficient, supplementation with 200 µg/day of selenium (e.g., from yeast) may help reduce your risk of prostate cancer. However, if you already have high selenium levels, you should avoid high-dose supplementation due to potential risks like increased diabetes risk. Get your levels checked first.

Selenium supplementation increases CD4-positive cell counts and decreases viral RNA titres in AIDS patients, suggesting it as a promising adjuvant therapy.

For AIDS patients who are selenium deficient, supplementation may help increase CD4 counts and reduce viral load. It should be considered as an adjuvant therapy, not a replacement for standard antiviral treatment.

Vitamin C supplementation (500 mg/day for 8 weeks) increases baseline antioxidant enzyme (SOD, catalase) and heat shock protein (HSP60, HSP70) levels in lymphocytes and skeletal muscle, thereby attenuating the adaptive upregulation of these proteins in response to oxidative stress.

Taking 500 mg of Vitamin C daily for two months raises your baseline antioxidant levels and stress proteins in blood cells and muscle. This means your body starts with higher protection, but may not ramp up these defenses as much when you exercise or face oxidative stress. For general health, this may be beneficial; for maximizing specific exercise adaptations, it might alter the signaling process.

Vitamin A and Vitamin D supplementation can improve intestinal barrier function and reduce inflammation in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

If you have IBD, discuss Vitamin D supplementation (e.g., 2000 IU/day) with your doctor. Evidence suggests it may help improve gut permeability and reduce inflammation markers like CRP.

Repeated bouts of eccentric exercise induce cellular adaptations that attenuate serum creatine kinase (CK) release and force deficits in subsequent bouts, while simultaneously increasing the activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome proteolytic pathway.

If you perform heavy eccentric exercises (like lowering weights slowly), your body adapts to the stress. The second time you do the same workout, you will experience less muscle damage (lower enzyme leakage into blood) and recover strength faster. This adaptation is driven by your body increasing the efficiency of its internal protein recycling systems (ubiquitin-proteasome pathway).

Dairy calcium is at least as effective as, and likely more effective than, calcium supplements for bone health due to better absorption and additional nutrients.

Prioritize dairy foods over calcium supplements for bone health. If supplements are necessary, ensure they are taken with food and consider dairy first.

Specific polyphenols found in the Mediterranean Diet (e.g., resveratrol, quercetin, curcumin, EGCG) exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that improve metabolic markers, including insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles.

Incorporate foods rich in polyphenols such as berries, dark chocolate, green tea, olive oil, and spices like turmeric and cinnamon to leverage their anti-inflammatory benefits.