Browse the evidence

In overweight and obese adults, lower serum magnesium levels are significantly associated with higher fasting blood glucose levels, independent of energy and macronutrient intake.

If you are overweight or obese, maintaining adequate magnesium levels may help manage fasting blood glucose. While this study did not test supplementation, it highlights that lower magnesium levels within the normal range are linked to higher glucose. Focus on magnesium-rich foods (nuts, seeds, leafy greens) as part of a healthy diet.

Oral supplementation with a specific ratio of three amino acids (3 Glycine : 1 Proline : 1 Hydroxyproline), combined with Vitamin C, astaxanthin, and alpha-ketoglutarate, reduces biological age by approximately 1.4 years in humans over a 6-month period and improves skin texture, hydration, and elasticity within 1-3 months.

Take a daily supplement containing a 3:1:1 ratio of Glycine, Proline, and Hydroxyproline, combined with Vitamin C, Astaxanthin, and Alpha-Ketoglutarate. This specific combination was shown to improve skin texture, hydration, and elasticity within 1-3 months, and reduce biological age by about 1.4 years over 6 months in a clinical trial. It is generally safe, though a small percentage of users may experience mild side effects like rosacea or intestinal reactions.

Micronutrient supplementation (Vitamin D, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium) supports health and performance markers, but a balanced diet is often sufficient; supplementation is primarily indicated for deficiencies.

Focus on a balanced diet to meet micronutrient needs. If deficient (e.g., Vitamin D, Iron), follow medical advice for supplementation. Do not assume supplements improve performance without a deficiency.

Biathletes should monitor iron and vitamin D levels, as deficiencies are common in endurance sports and can impair performance and health, even if general micronutrient deficiencies are less common in biathletes due to high caloric intake.

Get your iron and vitamin D levels checked regularly. If you are deficient, supplement as directed by your healthcare provider. Focus on iron-rich foods (meat, fish, legumes) and vitamin D sources (sunlight, fortified foods, or supplements if needed).

Nutritional strategies, including specific supplements and dietary patterns, can improve physical performance and muscle quality in older adults, sometimes even without concurrent exercise.

Consider nutritional interventions, such as adequate protein intake and specific supplements (like B-vitamins or novel formulas), to support muscle function, especially if you are at risk of undernutrition or cannot exercise.

Supplementation with Vitamin C and Vitamin D modulates the immune response and reduces inflammation, thereby helping to prevent the immunosuppression and inflammatory symptoms associated with Overtraining Syndrome.

Ensure adequate intake of Vitamin C and Vitamin D, especially if you train indoors or in low-sunlight areas. These micronutrients help support your immune system and reduce inflammation, which is crucial for preventing overtraining symptoms.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation attenuates exercise-induced inflammation and improves endothelial function, contributing to better recovery and performance in athletes.

Consider Omega-3 supplementation to help manage inflammation and support cardiovascular health, which aids in recovery from intense training.

Collagen supplementation, particularly when combined with Vitamin C, strengthens connective tissues and aids in tissue repair, serving as a proactive strategy to prevent injuries associated with Overtraining Syndrome.

If you are prone to tendon or ligament injuries, consider supplementing with Collagen and Vitamin C to support connective tissue health and repair.

Leucine supplementation (50 mg/kg/day) significantly improves sprint performance in basketball athletes by enhancing cytoskeletal dynamics and muscle adaptation.

Basketball players looking to improve sprint speed may benefit from taking 50 mg of leucine per kg of body weight daily, split before and after training, for at least 4 weeks. This should be combined with a balanced diet and regular training. While shooting accuracy showed trends, the strongest evidence supports speed improvements.

Leucine supplementation upregulates cytoskeletal genes (e.g., tubulins, vimentin, cadherins) in muscle tissue, which may support muscle growth and structural integrity.

For coaches and athletes, the upregulation of cytoskeletal genes suggests that leucine may help build more resilient muscle tissue. This supports the use of leucine not just for immediate performance, but for long-term muscle health and recovery in high-intensity sports.

Whey protein powders contain significantly higher concentrations of sweet-tasting free amino acids (glycine, alanine, serine, proline, threonine) compared to plant-based protein powders.

If you are choosing between whey and plant protein, be aware that whey naturally contains higher levels of certain free amino acids like glycine and alanine. This difference exists regardless of the total protein content listed on the label.

High concentrations of specific free amino acids (glutamine, tryptophan) are consistently present in both whey and plant-based protein powders.

You can expect both whey and plant protein powders to be rich sources of glutamine and tryptophan.

The geographical origin of protein powder (India, China, Japan) significantly influences its free amino acid profile.

The country where your protein powder was manufactured affects its specific amino acid content, not just the brand or type.

Correcting vitamin D insufficiency (levels < 30 ng/mL) may be warranted to prevent greater quadriceps muscle loss and support genomic recovery processes after ACL reconstruction.

Have your Vitamin D levels checked after ACL surgery. If they are below 30 ng/mL, correcting this insufficiency may help reduce quadriceps muscle loss and support recovery, though its impact on functional outcomes is less clear.

Consuming whole dairy milk provides superior nutrient bioavailability and fewer adverse metabolic effects compared to isolated dairy nutrients or high-dose supplements due to the protective food matrix.

Prioritize drinking plain cow's milk over calcium supplements or isolated whey powders when possible. The natural structure of milk helps your body absorb nutrients better and avoids potential side effects linked to high-dose isolated supplements.

Fermented dairy products offer enhanced health benefits compared to unfermented milk due to bioactive compounds produced during fermentation and reduced lactose content.

If you experience bloating or discomfort from milk, try fermented options like yogurt or kefir. The fermentation process breaks down lactose and creates beneficial compounds that support gut health.

Adolescents in South-Eastern Serbia exhibit inadequate intake of dietary fiber, sodium, calcium, vitamins A, C, D, and B9 (folate), necessitating targeted public health interventions.

For parents in South-Eastern Serbia, ensure adolescents are not just eating enough calories, but are getting enough fiber, calcium, and vitamins. Traditional high-fat, high-sodium diets may leave gaps in essential nutrients like Vitamin D, Calcium, and Folate. Consider increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, and fortified foods, or consult a healthcare provider for supplementation strategies tailored to adolescent needs.

Sodium intake in South-Eastern Serbia is excessive and inadequate, posing a risk for elevated blood pressure and cardiovascular events.

Virtually everyone in this region consumes too much sodium, which raises blood pressure and cardiovascular risk. To improve health, reduce the use of table salt, limit processed meats like salami and sausages, and choose fresh, unprocessed foods more often.

Micronutrient deficiencies, specifically low serum zinc and vitamin C, are associated with increased susceptibility to Buruli ulcer, suggesting that nutritional interventions could serve as a prophylactic measure.

In regions with high Buruli ulcer prevalence, improving dietary diversity and ensuring adequate intake of zinc and vitamin C may reduce susceptibility to the disease. This suggests that public health efforts should prioritize nutritional support alongside case detection.

Endurance athletes should consider pre-exercise calcium feeding to mitigate dermal calcium losses during long training sessions or events.

If you are an endurance athlete doing long sessions, you lose calcium through sweat. Consider consuming calcium before these events to help maintain bone health, as this loss is often overlooked compared to sodium replacement.

Epigenetic modifications, particularly DNA methylation, are altered by weight loss interventions (diet and surgery) and may predict response to treatment.

Your lifestyle choices can change how your genes are expressed (epigenetics). Weight loss through diet or surgery can alter DNA methylation patterns in fat and muscle tissue, potentially improving metabolic health. This suggests that even if you have a history of obesity, lifestyle changes can have biological benefits beyond just weight loss.

High-carbohydrate diets (>45% calories, >6 g/kg body weight) and high-dose carbohydrate supplements (up to 90 g/session) in endurance athletes may negatively impact gut microbiota composition and intestinal barrier integrity by promoting dysbiosis and low-grade inflammation.

If you are an endurance athlete, be aware that very high carbohydrate intake (>6g/kg) combined with low fiber can disrupt your gut bacteria and increase inflammation. Consider balancing your carb intake with prebiotic fibers (like pectin or inulin) to protect your gut barrier, especially if you are consuming high doses of simple sugars or maltodextrin during training.

Specific micronutrients (folate, choline, resveratrol, EGCG) can mitigate toxin-induced epigenetic damage by altering DNA methylation and histone modification patterns.

Ensure adequate intake of methyl-donors (folate, choline, B vitamins) and antioxidants (resveratrol, EGCG) to help mitigate the epigenetic damage caused by environmental toxins like smoke and alcohol.

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.