Browse the evidence

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.

Red yeast rice containing monacolins acts as a natural statin by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, effectively lowering LDL cholesterol with a safety profile comparable to low-dose statins.

If you cannot tolerate standard statins, red yeast rice is a viable alternative. It works by the same mechanism as statins (inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase) and can lower LDL cholesterol effectively. Consult your doctor for a product standardized to contain monacolins, typically dosed up to 10mg/day.

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.

Specific saturated fatty acids have different effects on lipid profiles: Lauric, myristic, and palmitic acids raise LDL-C, while stearic acid is biologically neutral.

Not all saturated fats affect your cholesterol the same way. Fats found in coconut oil and meat (lauric, myristic, palmitic) tend to raise LDL cholesterol. Stearic acid, found in some animal fats, does not. However, replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats remains a beneficial strategy for heart health.

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.

High-fat diets, specifically those rich in palmitic acid, exacerbate psoriasis by promoting gut dysbiosis, increasing intestinal permeability ('leaky gut'), and directly activating keratinocytes and immune cells.

Dietary fats matter for psoriasis. High intake of saturated fats, specifically palmitic acid (found in many processed foods and animal fats), can worsen psoriasis by damaging the gut barrier and directly activating skin cells. Reducing these specific fats may help lower inflammation.

Encapsulation technologies (nanoencapsulation, cyclodextrins) can significantly increase the bioavailability of poorly bioactive polyphenols like quercetin and resveratrol by stabilizing them and facilitating transport across the mucus layer.

If you are considering high-dose polyphenol supplements, look for formulations that use encapsulation (like nanoparticles or cyclodextrins) as these are designed to overcome the body's natural barriers to absorption. However, for general health, prioritizing whole food sources is still recommended as they provide a complex matrix of nutrients.

Specific hypoglycemic agents, SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists, reduce cardiovascular event risk in patients with diabetes, particularly those with a history of CVD, independent of glycemic control levels.

If you have diabetes and a history of heart disease, ask your doctor about SGLT-2 inhibitors or GLP-1 receptor agonists, as they may offer heart protection benefits beyond just lowering blood sugar.

Omega-3 PUFA supplementation reduces coronary heart disease (CHD) death and possibly sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with prior clinical CHD, but does not reduce nonfatal myocardial infarction.

If you have existing heart disease, taking fish oil supplements may help lower your risk of dying from heart causes, possibly by preventing sudden cardiac death. However, it will not stop you from having a heart attack. It is a reasonable addition to your care, but not a cure-all.

Insufficient whole grain intake is the single largest dietary contributor to preventable cancer cases, followed by low dairy intake and high processed meat consumption.

Aim for 3 servings of whole grains daily. This specific factor contributes to the highest number of preventable cancer cases. Ensure at least half of your grain intake is whole grains, as recommended by federal guidelines.

Vegan and low-fat dietary patterns, when implemented as intended, mostly align with 2021 AHA Dietary Guidance but face challenges regarding nutrient adequacy and adherence due to severe restrictions.

If you follow a vegan or low-fat diet, it can support heart health, but you must be careful about nutrient adequacy. Work with a registered dietitian to ensure you are getting enough essential nutrients, especially if you exclude animal products or fats.

Rapid and substantial weight reduction via GLP-1 therapy increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies and bone density loss, particularly when caloric intake drops below 1200 kcal/day for females or 1800 kcal/day for males without nutritional counseling.

Monitor your caloric intake. If you are eating less than 1200 calories (women) or 1800 calories (men) per day, you must prioritize nutrient-dense foods or consider a multivitamin/mineral supplement to prevent deficiencies in iron, calcium, vitamin D, and B12. Avoid rapid weight loss (>14% in 3-4 months) if possible to protect bone density.

Higher achieved plasma phospholipid omega-3 fatty acid levels (from fish oil supplementation) are associated with a significantly lower risk of major perioperative bleeding.

Higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil are linked to less bleeding during heart surgery. This suggests that ensuring adequate omega-3 status before surgery might be beneficial, though the primary finding is that fish oil itself is safe.

GLP-1 therapy for obesity increases the risk of nutritional deficiencies (e.g., iron, calcium, vitamins A, D, E, K, B1, B12, C) due to significant reductions in caloric intake and potential GI side effects that impair absorption.

Because GLP-1s make you eat much less, you might not get enough essential vitamins and minerals. Watch for signs like fatigue, hair loss, or poor wound healing. Prioritize nutrient-dense foods (vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains) and discuss with your doctor whether you need specific supplements, especially if your calorie intake is very low.

Polyphenols and unsaturated fats in the Mediterranean diet mitigate metabolic syndrome risk by suppressing proinflammatory cytokines and lipid peroxidation.

Use extra virgin olive oil as your primary fat source. It contains polyphenols that reduce inflammation and improve metabolic health, countering the negative effects of saturated and trans fats found in Western diets.

Obesity is associated with high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies (e.g., Vitamin D, Iron, B12) due to physiological changes like increased volume of distribution, sequestration in adipose tissue, and inflammation-induced malabsorption (e.g., hepcidin blocking iron).

If you have obesity, assume you may be deficient in key micronutrients like Vitamin D, Iron, and B12, regardless of how much you eat. Focus on nutrient-dense foods and discuss screening with your doctor, as standard weight loss diets can sometimes worsen these deficiencies.