Browse the evidence

Physically active individuals exhibit higher peak torque and significantly lower fatigue (smaller percentage decrement score) during multiple-set resistance exercise compared to inactive individuals.

If you are physically active, your ability to sustain strength during a workout is largely determined by how well you perceive you are recovering between sets. If you are inactive, your body mass index is a stronger predictor of how much your strength will drop. Focus on building a baseline of physical activity to improve fatigue resistance, as active individuals show significantly less performance drop than inactive ones.

In older adults with sarcopenia, those with higher baseline functional reserve (Gait Speed ≥ 0.8 m/s or SPPB = 8) experience significant functional decline over 6 months, whereas those with lower baseline function do not show significant change in gait speed.

For older adults with sarcopenia, functional decline is not uniform. Those who still have some mobility reserve (walking speed ≥ 0.8 m/s) are actively losing function and are at higher risk for rapid decline. Those with very low function may appear stable simply because they have reached a functional floor. Monitoring should focus on those with residual capacity who are losing it.

Sarcopenic Obesity (SO) is associated with significant deterioration in functional exercise capacity (6MWD) over 6 months, even when gait speed changes are not statistically significant.

For older adults with both sarcopenia and obesity, functional decline may manifest as reduced walking distance rather than slower walking speed. Regular assessment of walking capacity (like the 6-minute walk test) is important to detect deterioration in this group.

A well-planned vegan diet is compatible with and supports athletic performance, offering benefits such as increased glycogen storage, reduced oxidative stress, and improved blood flow, without compromising strength or aerobic capacity compared to omnivorous diets.

If you are an athlete considering a vegan diet, focus on high-carbohydrate plant foods to maximize glycogen stores and include a variety of protein sources to meet amino acid needs. You must supplement Vitamin B12 and likely Vitamin D, especially in winter. Monitor iron and zinc levels, as absorption is lower from plant sources. The diet supports endurance and recovery through reduced oxidative stress and inflammation, provided you plan your meals carefully.

Short-term body mass manipulation (SBM) in powerlifting should be limited to approximately 3% body mass loss when the weigh-in-to-competition window is two hours, as larger losses impair rehydration capacity and performance.

If you must cut weight for a powerlifting meet with a 2-hour weigh-in, do not lose more than 3% of your body weight. Losing more than this amount makes it physically impossible to rehydrate and refuel enough to perform safely and effectively in the short window available. Focus on water loading and sodium manipulation within this 3% limit rather than extreme dehydration.

Electronic health record (EHR) data collected prior to anti-obesity medication (AOM) initiation can be used to identify distinct obesity subtypes (clusters) with specific clinical comorbidities, which may inform precision medicine strategies.

Current obesity treatment often relies on BMI, which fails to predict how individuals will respond to medications. This research suggests that using detailed electronic health records (labs, vitals, diagnoses) before starting treatment can identify distinct obesity subtypes with specific health profiles. This 'deep phenotyping' approach could help doctors choose more effective, personalized treatments, moving away from a one-size-fits-all model.

Combined obesity medicine and metabolic bariatric surgery care produces more optimal outcomes and reduces costs compared to siloed practice.

Seek a clinic that offers both medical weight loss management and surgical options under one roof or coordinated care plan. This ensures you are evaluated for all treatments, not just one.

Caffeine consumption in volleyball players yields mixed results, with some studies showing improved jump height and ball velocity, while others show no performance enhancement.

Caffeine may help your jump and serve speed, but it doesn't work for everyone. If you try it, use a moderate dose (3mg/kg) before competition and test it in practice first to ensure it doesn't cause anxiety or jitters.

Moderate physical exercise reduces the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), while strenuous endurance exercise may increase the risk of AF in healthy elite athletes.

For most people, moderate exercise is best for preventing heart rhythm issues like atrial fibrillation. If you are an elite endurance athlete, be aware that extreme training volumes might increase your risk of AF, even if you are otherwise healthy. Stick to moderate intensity for general heart rhythm health.

Waist-hip ratio (WHR) is a superior predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk compared to body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), average arm circumference (AAC), hip circumference (HC), and neck circumference (NC).

If you are concerned about your risk for type 2 diabetes, do not rely solely on your weight or BMI. Measuring your waist and hip circumferences to calculate your Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) provides a more accurate assessment of your risk. A higher WHR indicates a higher risk, even if your overall weight (BMI) appears normal. This simple measurement can help identify those who need lifestyle interventions or medical screening earlier.

Higher values of Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR ≥ 0.93), Average Arm Circumference (AAC ≥ 32.6 cm), and BMI (≥ 30 kg/m2) are significantly associated with increased odds of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus.

To assess your personal risk for type 2 diabetes, check if your Waist-Hip Ratio is 0.93 or higher, your Average Arm Circumference is 32.6 cm or higher, or your BMI is 30 or higher. Exceeding any of these thresholds significantly increases your odds of having or developing diabetes compared to those with lower values.

Moderate-to-high intensity physical activity improves lipid profiles (reducing LDL, Triglycerides, and Total Cholesterol while increasing HDL) in patients with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

If you have coronary artery disease and your doctor clears you for exercise, engaging in moderate-to-high intensity physical activity (like brisk walking, cycling, or interval training) for 30 minutes, 3-5 times a week, can significantly improve your cholesterol levels by lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides while raising good cholesterol (HDL). High-intensity interval training (HIIT) may offer greater lipid benefits than moderate continuous training, but always consult your cardiologist before starting.

In persons with type 2 diabetes, higher subtotal lean mass and higher maximum exercise capacity are associated with a lower risk of albuminuria, while higher subtotal fat mass is associated with a higher risk.

For people with type 2 diabetes, protecting kidney health involves more than just weight loss. Focus on maintaining muscle mass (lean body mass) and maximizing your exercise capacity. These factors, along with controlling blood sugar and blood pressure, are strong predictors of whether you will develop albuminuria (protein in the urine).

Higher adherence to the PURE diet score is significantly associated with lower odds of depression and anxiety in adults at high cardiovascular risk, with the association being statistically significant in women but not in men.

Focus on adding fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, and whole-fat dairy to your daily diet. This pattern, known as the PURE diet, is linked to lower risks of depression and anxiety, especially in women. You do not need to strictly eliminate animal products or dairy to see benefits; the key is overall dietary quality and nutrient density rather than extreme restriction.

Virtual weight care programs prescribing a broad range of antiobesity medications alongside behavior change achieve clinically significant weight loss (mean 8.0% at 12 months) in real-world settings, with higher engagement correlating with greater weight loss.

Engage with a structured virtual weight care program that combines medication with behavioral support. Higher engagement with the program (logging weight weekly, interacting with coaches) correlates with greater weight loss (up to 12%). You do not need the most expensive medications to achieve significant results; a broad range of medications, when paired with consistent engagement, can lead to clinically meaningful weight loss.

Soluble fiber has a stronger inverse association with coronary mortality than insoluble fiber.

While all fiber is good for your heart, soluble fiber (found in oats, barley, beans, and fruits) may offer stronger protection against heart-related death than insoluble fiber (found in whole wheat and vegetables). This is likely because soluble fiber slows nutrient absorption and binds bile acids. However, since you don't need to perfectly separate these fibers, simply prioritizing whole grains and fruits will naturally increase your intake of both, with a beneficial emphasis on soluble fiber.

Intermittent energy restriction (IER) and time-restricted feeding (TRF) improve health indicators and counteract disease processes by shifting metabolism to fat oxidation and ketone production, while stimulating adaptive cellular stress responses that repair molecular damage.

Try limiting your daily eating window to 4-6 hours (e.g., 12 PM to 6 PM) or fast for 16 hours a day. You can also try eating normally 5 days a week and restricting calories to ~500 on 2 non-consecutive days. Focus on nutrient-dense foods during your eating window. This pattern mimics evolutionary fasting states, shifting your body to burn fat and ketones, which may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation.

Sedentary behavior is associated with increased mortality and cardiometabolic risk, independent of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels, but causal direction remains uncertain due to reliance on self-reported data.

Even if you exercise regularly, try to break up long periods of sitting. Stand up, move around, or perform light activities frequently throughout the day to mitigate potential risks associated with prolonged sedentary time.

Adopting a traditional lifestyle characterized by low animal fat intake and high physical labor significantly reduces obesity and type 2 diabetes prevalence in genetically susceptible populations.

If you have a family history of obesity or diabetes, your genetics may make you more susceptible, but your lifestyle choices are the dominant factor. Adopting a diet low in animal fats and high in complex carbohydrates, combined with regular physical activity, can significantly lower your risk and help manage weight, even if you feel your body is 'destined' to gain weight.

Metabolic stress and metabolites may act as hypertrophy stimuli, particularly when combined with blood flow restriction or low-load exercise, but the specific metabolite candidates are poorly characterized.

While metabolic stress (the 'burn') is often associated with muscle growth, the paper suggests it is not the primary driver. Low-load training with blood flow restriction can induce hypertrophy, likely through metabolic factors, but this is less well-understood than mechanical load. Focus on mechanical tension first; metabolic stress may be a useful adjunct.

The association between fish/seafood consumption and diabetes risk is modified by geography and BMI: it may lower risk in Asian populations with lower BMI, but increase risk in North American/European populations with higher BMI.

If you are in Asia or have a lower BMI, eating fish might slightly lower your diabetes risk. If you are in North America or Europe and have a higher BMI, high fish consumption was associated with a higher risk in this study, though causality is not proven. Do not change your fish intake based solely on this, but be aware that context matters.

Dairy consumption has complex cardiometabolic effects that differ from isolated nutrient recommendations, with specific components like dairy fats and proteins offering potential benefits that contradict traditional low-fat dairy guidelines.

Include dairy in your diet, but focus on the whole food matrix rather than just fat content. Fermented dairy (yogurt, cheese) and whole milk may have different metabolic impacts than isolated nutrients suggest. Variety in dairy sources is key.

Eccentric exercise induces greater muscle damage than concentric or isometric exercise, but this damage does not necessarily translate to greater hypertrophy compared to equated volume concentric training.

Include eccentric phases in your training, but do not overemphasize them at the expense of overall volume and intensity. Both concentric and eccentric actions contribute to hypertrophy, and you do not need to prioritize eccentrics exclusively to see results.

Inflammation and muscle damage may play a role in satellite cell activation and hypertrophy, but mechanical stimuli alone can also initiate satellite cell proliferation without damage.

Focus on applying mechanical tension to your muscles through resistance training. While some damage may occur, it is not required for growth. You can stimulate satellite cells and muscle growth through proper training techniques without causing excessive damage.