Browse the evidence

Regular consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) does not have conclusive evidence for beneficial or harmful effects on major health outcomes including appetite, short-term food intake, cancer risk, diabetes risk, dental caries, weight gain, or obesity in healthy subjects.

Current scientific evidence does not support the idea that non-nutritive sweeteners (like aspartame, sucralose, or stevia) are inherently harmful or beneficial for weight, cancer, or diabetes risk in healthy people. While some studies show mixed results on appetite, the overall body of research does not confirm significant health benefits or harms. You can use them as part of a balanced diet without expecting specific health outcomes based on current data.

Post-pyloric tube feeding increases the percentage of total nutritional targets delivered to critically ill patients compared to gastric feeding, likely due to improved tolerance and fewer feeding interruptions.

Placing the feeding tube in the small intestine (post-pyloric) allows critically ill patients to receive a slightly higher percentage of their prescribed nutritional targets compared to stomach feeding. This is likely because the small intestine tolerates feeding better, leading to fewer interruptions. However, this improved nutrition delivery has not been shown to translate into shorter ICU stays or lower mortality rates. The benefit is modest and comes with the challenge of more difficult tube placement.

Bariatric surgery (RYGB, sleeve gastrectomy) does not result in clinically significant improvements in semen volume, sperm concentration, morphology, or DNA damage in men with obesity.

Do not expect bariatric surgery to improve your fertility. While it helps with weight, studies show it does not significantly improve sperm quality or DNA integrity. If fertility is a priority, lifestyle changes are a more reliable first step.

For heart failure treatment, diuretics are more effective than exercise interventions in reducing mortality.

If you have heart failure, standard drug treatments (specifically diuretics and beta-blockers) are currently more effective than exercise alone at reducing mortality risk. Exercise should be considered a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medication.

Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) is not routinely recommended for treating obstructive sleep apnea syndrome due to lack of AHI normalization and potential for worsening.

Do not pursue laser uvula surgery (LAUP) for sleep apnea. It is not recommended because it rarely fixes the breathing pauses and can sometimes make them worse. The pain and risks of the procedure outweigh the lack of benefit.

Psychological factors such as childhood adversities (neglect, trauma, deprivation) have insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about their specific impact on type 2 diabetes or obesity risk.

While childhood trauma is serious and can contribute to stress, current scientific evidence does not support it as a primary, standalone cause of diabetes or obesity. The link between socioeconomic status and metabolic health is much stronger and better established. Focus on managing known risk factors like diet, exercise, and stress, rather than attributing metabolic disease solely to past trauma.

Extra-virgin olive oil polyphenols (e.g., oleocanthal, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol) exhibit anticarcinogenic properties in vitro and in animal models by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation.

Consume extra-virgin olive oil regularly to benefit from its polyphenols, which have shown anticarcinogenic mechanisms in lab studies. Focus on high-quality, phenol-rich EVOO.

An intensive weight loss intervention combining total diet replacements (TDR), behavioral support, and weight loss medications (WLM) as needed achieves and maintains ≥20% weight loss in adults with obesity class I or II, significantly outperforming usual care.

To achieve significant weight loss (≥20%), you need a structured, long-term (2-year) program that combines strict initial calorie restriction (via meal replacements), regular coaching, and physical activity. If you don't lose enough weight in the first month, the program adds medication support. This is more intensive than typical 'eat less, move more' advice, which usually results in minimal weight loss.

A structured pregnancy intervention combining a high-dairy protein diet (25% energy) and a progressive walking program (up to 10,000 steps/day) improves the likelihood of achieving Institute of Medicine (IOM) gestational weight gain (GWG) targets compared to standard prenatal care.

To manage weight gain during pregnancy, combine a diet where 25% of your calories come from dairy proteins (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese) with a daily walking goal of 10,000 steps. Start with 25-minute walks 3-4 times a week, adding 2 minutes each week until you reach 40 minutes. This structured approach is more effective than standard advice alone.

A 12-week online intervention combining tailored protein intake counseling with progressive resistance training improves physical function, muscle strength, and health-related quality of life in older cancer survivors compared to general education and stretching.

If you are an older cancer survivor experiencing physical weakness, consider a program that combines specific dietary advice on protein intake with structured resistance exercises. This study protocol suggests that doing this online with professional guidance for 12 weeks may help improve your strength and quality of life, though results are not yet available.

Combining resistance training with progressive whey protein supplementation (up to 60g/day) initiated 3 weeks post-surgery counteracts disproportional fat-free mass loss in patients undergoing metabolic bariatric surgery.

If you have had bariatric surgery, standard care may not be enough to protect your muscle. This protocol suggests starting resistance training (both home and supervised) and gradually increasing whey protein intake to 60g per day, starting 3 weeks after surgery. This combination aims to preserve muscle mass, which is crucial for long-term health and metabolic function.

An intensive weight loss intervention combining total diet replacement (800-850 kcal/day), behavioral support, and weight loss medication achieves and maintains >20% weight loss and improves cardiometabolic risk in adults with severe obesity (BMI ≥35 kg/m²) over 2 years.

For severe obesity, standard 'eat less, move more' advice often fails. This protocol uses a 2-year structured approach: start with a very low-calorie formula diet (800-850 kcal) for 12 weeks with weekly support. If you don't lose enough weight, add a GLP-1 medication. Then, gradually transition to a healthy, low-calorie diet while maintaining exercise. The key is the intensive support and the ability to 'rescue' the plan with formula meals or medication if you regain weight.

Consuming 1-2 servings of fish per week (providing ~250 mg/d EPA+DHA) reduces the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) death by 36% and total mortality by 17% in adults, with benefits outweighing risks from contaminants.

Eat 1-2 servings of fish per week, focusing on oily fish like salmon, sardines, or herring. This provides about 250mg of EPA+DHA daily, which is sufficient to significantly lower your risk of heart disease death and total mortality. You do not need to avoid fish due to contaminant fears if you vary your seafood choices.

Orlistat (120 mg three times daily) combined with a reduced-calorie diet produces significantly greater weight loss and improvements in glycemic control (HbA1c) and cardiovascular risk factors compared to diet and placebo alone in overweight or obese patients with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes.

If you have type 2 diabetes and take insulin, adding Orlistat (120mg with meals) to a calorie-controlled diet can help you lose more weight and improve your blood sugar control compared to diet alone. This often allows for a reduction in your insulin dose. Be prepared for potential gastrointestinal side effects, which are usually mild, and ensure you follow the low-fat diet guidelines to minimize them.

Creatine monohydrate supplementation combined with resistance training significantly increases lean tissue mass and muscular strength (upper and lower body) in older adults compared to resistance training alone.

If you are over 50 and doing resistance training, adding creatine monohydrate (3-5g daily, optionally with a short loading phase) will help you gain more muscle and strength than training alone. It is safe for your kidneys and liver based on current research.

Ad libitum consumption of an ultra-processed food (UPF) diet, even when compliant with standard macronutrient dietary guidelines, leads to weight gain and adverse metabolic outcomes, whereas a minimally processed food (MPF) diet leads to weight loss and favorable metabolic changes.

This study protocol investigates whether simply following standard dietary guidelines (like the UK Eatwell Guide) is enough to maintain health if the food is ultra-processed. The hypothesis is that even if you eat the 'right' amounts of fat, sugar, and protein, ultra-processed foods may lead to weight gain, while minimally processed foods lead to weight loss, regardless of macronutrient matching. Until results are published, the implication is that food quality (processing level) matters independently of quantity.

Long-term moderate exercise training (60% peak VO2, 2-3 sessions/week for 14 months) significantly improves functional capacity (peak VO2) and quality of life in patients with stable chronic heart failure, leading to reduced cardiac mortality and hospital readmissions.

For stable heart failure patients, a supervised moderate exercise program (cycling at 60% of max capacity) performed 2-3 times weekly for over a year significantly improves exercise capacity and quality of life while reducing death and hospitalization rates. This should be done under medical supervision with stable medication.

Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation reduces all-cause mortality by 27% and cardiac mortality by 31% in patients with coronary heart disease compared to usual care.

If you have coronary heart disease, participating in a supervised exercise-based rehabilitation program significantly lowers your risk of dying from heart-related causes. This benefit is seen even with exercise-only programs, without needing additional educational or psychological components. Consult your doctor to find a suitable program.

Orlistat 120 mg taken three times daily, when combined with behavioral interventions, significantly enhances weight loss maintenance compared to placebo.

If behavioral methods alone are insufficient for maintaining weight loss, adding Orlistat 120 mg three times daily can provide a small but significant additional benefit. This is superior to lower doses (30/60 mg). Be aware of increased gastrointestinal side effects.

Land-based therapeutic exercise significantly reduces knee pain and improves physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis, with effects sustained for at least two to six months post-treatment.

If you have knee osteoarthritis, engaging in land-based exercise programs (such as strengthening, functional training, or aerobic activities) is a highly effective, first-line treatment to reduce pain and improve physical function. The benefits are moderate and comparable to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, with effects lasting at least two to six months after stopping the program. It is safe, with no serious adverse events reported in the reviewed trials.

A 12-month home-based diet and exercise intervention significantly reduces the rate of functional decline in older, overweight long-term cancer survivors compared to no intervention.

For older cancer survivors, a structured home-based program combining regular moderate exercise (both strength and endurance) with dietary improvements can help maintain physical function. The key is consistency and support, which can be achieved through remote counseling and mailed materials without needing to visit a clinic.

The DASH combination diet (rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy; reduced in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol) significantly lowers systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults with high-normal blood pressure and stage 1 hypertension, independent of sodium reduction or weight loss.

Adopt the DASH diet pattern for 8 weeks: eat more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy, while reducing saturated fats and cholesterol. Keep your weight and salt intake the same as usual. This specific combination has been proven to lower blood pressure significantly, especially if you are African American or have hypertension.

Participation in exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) for patients with coronary heart disease significantly reduces cardiovascular mortality, recurrent myocardial infarction, and hospitalizations compared to no-exercise control, while also improving health-related quality of life.

If you have coronary heart disease, participating in a structured exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program is one of the most effective steps you can take to lower your risk of dying from heart causes, having another heart attack, or being hospitalized. You do not need to be an elite athlete; programs vary in intensity and setting (home or center), but the key is consistent, supervised physical activity combined with education. This is recommended alongside modern medical treatments, not instead of them.

Structured cardiac rehabilitation, centered on physical activity counseling and exercise training, is a Class I recommended, cost-effective intervention for secondary prevention in patients with coronary artery disease and chronic heart failure, significantly reducing recurrent hospitalizations and improving survival.

If you have heart disease, do not just rely on medication. You must engage in a structured cardiac rehabilitation program. This involves regular aerobic exercise (like brisk walking for 30-60 minutes, most days) and resistance training (2-3 times a week). Start slowly, get medical clearance, and consider joining a supervised group program to stay motivated and safe. This is not optional; it is a Class I recommendation to save your life and reduce hospital visits.