Browse the evidence

Diet-based weight loss interventions result in minimal loss of appendicular lean soft tissue (a surrogate for skeletal muscle), with losses accounting for less than 10% of total mass loss after adjusting for fat-free adipose tissue.

If you are losing weight through diet alone (without resistance training), you will not lose significant muscle mass. The study found that lean tissue loss was minimal (less than 10% of total weight lost) and that your muscle mass relative to your new body size actually increased. You do not need to fear muscle loss as a barrier to starting a diet.

Protein or amino acid supplementation combined with resistance exercise training in older adults produces a positive but minor effect on whole-body lean mass growth, while having minimal and inconsistent effects on muscle mass, strength, or functional capacity.

If you are an older adult doing resistance training, adding protein or amino acid supplements will likely help you gain a small amount of lean body mass (roughly 0.2-0.8 kg more than exercise alone). However, do not expect significant increases in strength, muscle size, or physical function from the supplement alone; the exercise is doing the heavy lifting. This benefit is most noticeable in frail or sarcopenic individuals, whereas those who are obese may see little to no benefit.

Nutritional interventions (protein, leucine, HMB, creatine) preserve or modestly increase lean mass in sarcopenia but fail to consistently restore muscle strength or physical function when applied in isolation.

Eat enough protein (at least 1.2g per kg of body weight daily) and consider creatine or HMB, but do not expect these supplements to fix your strength or balance on their own. You must combine them with resistance exercise to see functional benefits. Nutrition primes the muscle, but exercise builds the function.

Consumption of fermented foods is associated with improved gut microbiome diversity, reduced inflammation, and metabolic health benefits, regardless of whether the product contains live microbes or is pasteurized.

Incorporate a variety of fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi) into your diet. You do not need to worry if they are pasteurized; both live and dead microbes (postbiotics) offer benefits. If you have high blood pressure, choose lower-sodium options like yogurt or kefir over salty pickles, and consult your doctor if you are immunocompromised or have histamine intolerance.

Modifying the Health Star Rating algorithm to penalize ultra-processed foods (via negative points or score capping) significantly improves alignment with the NOVA classification system, but reduces alignment with current Australian Dietary Guidelines for core food categories like cereals and convenience foods.

Current front-of-pack labels may give a 'health halo' to ultra-processed foods that look nutritious on paper. If you are trying to eat whole foods, look for the NOVA classification or ingredient list complexity, not just the star rating. Be aware that some 'core' foods (like instant oatmeal or plant milks) are ultra-processed and might be penalized by new labeling systems, even if they are currently recommended.

Among people with HIV and prediabetes, higher BMI, larger waist circumference, hypertriglyceridemia, and lower CD4 counts are associated with a significantly increased risk of progression to type 2 diabetes.

If you have HIV and prediabetes, your waist size, body weight, and triglyceride levels are strong indicators of your risk of developing full diabetes. Additionally, maintaining a higher CD4 count is protective. You should prioritize lifestyle interventions aimed at weight loss and managing triglycerides, as these are modifiable risk factors that can help prevent progression to diabetes.

Higher BMI categories (Class I-III obesity) are associated with adverse cardiometabolic profiles, including lower HDL-C, higher triglycerides, higher hsCRP, higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes, lower physical activity (step counts), and higher mental health distress (PHQ-9/GAD-7 scores) compared to normal weight.

Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for reducing cardiometabolic risk, but it is not the only factor. Individuals, especially those who are underweight or have obesity, should monitor blood pressure, lipids, inflammation (hsCRP), and mental health. Regular physical activity and managing stress are key components of overall health regardless of BMI category.

For middle-aged and elderly adults with type 2 diabetes, maintaining a longitudinal BMI within 18.5–26.9 kg/m² significantly reduces all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality compared to lower or higher sustained BMI levels.

If you have type 2 diabetes, aim to keep your BMI between 18.5 and 26.9 kg/m² over the long term. This range is associated with the lowest risk of death from all causes, heart disease, and cancer. Avoid sustained periods where your BMI is consistently above 27 kg/m², as this increases mortality risk.

Sustained exposure to a BMI of 27 kg/m² or higher is positively associated with increased all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Keep your BMI below 27 kg/m². Sustained exposure to a BMI of 27 or higher increases your risk of dying from heart disease, cancer, or other causes. If your BMI is consistently above 27, work with your doctor to lower it gradually.

Obesity accelerates aging and increases mortality risk in younger individuals, but the relationship between adiposity and mortality becomes non-linear and potentially protective in elderly populations, where overweight status may be associated with lower mortality than healthy weight.

If you are older, do not panic about being slightly overweight (BMI 25-30). Research suggests this range may be associated with better survival outcomes than being underweight or even 'healthy' weight in the elderly. Focus on maintaining muscle mass and metabolic health rather than aggressive weight loss, which can be detrimental in older adults.

Intermittent fasting (IF) significantly reduces body weight, BMI, body fat mass, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in Chinese adults compared to control groups, but does not significantly reduce waist circumference, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, fasting glucose, or blood pressure.

If you are Chinese and looking to lose weight or improve lipid profiles, intermittent fasting (like 16:8 TRE or 5:2) is an effective strategy. Expect a modest weight loss (around 2kg) and improvements in LDL and triglycerides. However, do not expect IF to significantly lower your blood pressure or fasting glucose on its own. Adherence may be challenging due to typical eating patterns, so choose a protocol that fits your lifestyle.

Alternate-day modified fasting (ADMF) improves subjective sleep quality (SSQ) and reduces daytime dysfunction compared to daily calorie restriction, but does not significantly change total sleep quality (PSQI) or daytime sleepiness (ESS).

If you are an overweight woman, ADMF may help you feel more rested during the day and improve your subjective sense of sleep quality, even if it doesn't change your total sleep score or daytime sleepiness levels. Focus on the daytime benefits rather than just sleep duration.

Intestinal barrier disruption (leaky gut) allows translocation of bacterial endotoxins like LPS into circulation, driving systemic low-grade inflammation and contributing to metabolic and autoimmune diseases.

Maintaining gut barrier integrity through a diverse, fiber-rich diet supports the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and healthy microbiota, which are critical for preventing the translocation of inflammatory bacterial components like LPS. This is a foundational aspect of metabolic and immune health, not just digestive comfort.

Adherence to a Western dietary pattern (high in processed foods, refined sugars, saturated/trans fats, and low in fiber/antioxidants) causes systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut dysbiosis, leading to increased risk of chronic diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Reduce intake of ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and refined grains. Increase consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts to improve antioxidant status and gut health. This shift addresses the root causes of inflammation and oxidative stress associated with chronic disease.

A 4-week multimodal prehabilitation program (high-intensity exercise, nutritional support, psychological support, and smoking cessation) significantly reduces severe and medical postoperative complications in patients undergoing elective colorectal cancer surgery.

If you are having colorectal cancer surgery, ask your care team about a prehabilitation program. It typically involves 4 weeks of supervised exercise, nutritional support, and stress management before surgery. This can significantly lower your risk of serious complications and help you recover faster.

Elevated levels of host-accessible faecal monosaccharides (fructose, galactose, mannose, xylose) are associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in humans, mediated by gut microbiota carbohydrate metabolism.

High levels of certain sugars (fructose, galactose, mannose, xylose) found in the gut are linked to insulin resistance. This is driven by specific gut bacteria that break down complex carbs into these simple sugars. Managing gut microbiome composition through diet may help reduce these specific metabolites and improve insulin sensitivity.

The Ketogenic Diet alters gut microbiota composition, increasing beneficial bacteria like Akkermansia and Parabacteriodes, which contributes to anti-seizure and anti-inflammatory effects.

Following a ketogenic diet changes your gut bacteria, increasing beneficial types like Akkermansia and reducing harmful ones. This shift is linked to reduced inflammation and seizure activity. You don't need to take probiotics; the diet itself drives these positive changes.

Critically ill patients lose approximately 2% of skeletal muscle mass per day during the first week of ICU admission, with rectus femoris thickness decreasing by 1.75% and cross-sectional area by 2.10% daily.

If you or a loved one is in the ICU, expect rapid muscle loss (approx. 2% per day) starting immediately. This is driven by inflammation, immobility, and metabolic stress. While you cannot stop the illness, early mobilization (as tolerated) and adequate protein intake are critical to slowing this specific rate of tissue breakdown.

Mediterranean Diet (MD) is the recommended first-choice diet for NAFL/NASH patients, improving hepatic steatosis and visceral fat, though its efficacy in advanced NASH requires further investigation.

Adopt a Mediterranean Diet rich in whole grains and healthy fats (MUFAs). This is the recommended first-line dietary approach to reduce liver fat and visceral fat. While it helps with insulin resistance and may reduce cardiovascular risk, its ability to reverse advanced NASH is not yet fully proven.

Probiotics enhance intestinal barrier function and modulate the immune system by increasing adhesion to the intestinal mucosa, producing antibacterial substances, and reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Understanding that probiotics work by strengthening your gut lining and calming inflammation helps explain why they might help with digestive issues. It is not just about 'adding good bacteria' but about how those bacteria interact with your existing gut environment to protect you.

Dietary habits are the dominant factor explaining inter-individual variation in the plasma metabolome, accounting for more variance than genetics or the gut microbiome for the majority of metabolites.

Your diet has a significantly larger impact on your blood metabolite levels than your genetics or gut bacteria do for most metabolic markers. Focusing on food quality and specific food items (like coffee or fish) can directly alter your metabolic profile more effectively than trying to change your genetic makeup.

Plasma metabolite levels can accurately predict an individual's diet quality score, reflecting the relationship between diet and disease.

You can use blood metabolite profiles to objectively assess your diet quality, providing a more accurate picture than self-reported food surveys alone.

Targeted modulation of mitochondrial function through drugs, exercise, diet, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, and physical therapy can prevent or treat skeletal muscle atrophy.

Consider a multi-faceted approach to managing muscle atrophy. Incorporate regular exercise and a balanced diet as foundational steps. For more severe cases, consult healthcare providers about other potential therapies like drug treatments or physical therapy.

Inflammation and oxidative stress are crucial triggering factors in skeletal muscle atrophy, leading to increased proteolysis and reduced protein synthesis.

Manage stress and inflammation through lifestyle choices. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and adequate sleep can help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, supporting muscle health.