Browse the evidence

Regular use of fish oil and glucosamine supplements is associated with reduced all-cause and cancer mortality in cancer patients, but this benefit is conditional on having a low Life Essential 8 (LE8) score or a poor cancer prognosis.

If you have cancer, taking fish oil or glucosamine may help reduce your risk of death, but only if your overall cardiovascular health (LE8 score) is below average or your specific cancer type has a poor prognosis. For patients with high cardiovascular health scores or good-prognosis cancers, these supplements did not show a significant mortality benefit in this study. Always consult your oncologist before starting supplements.

Using a single, universal velocity loss (VL) threshold to prescribe resistance training volume is unreliable and fails to control the actual amount of work completed across individuals.

Do not use a single, fixed velocity loss threshold (like stopping at 20% velocity loss) to dictate your training volume for everyone. The study shows that men, women, and individuals with different personality traits (like emotional stability) perform different numbers of reps to reach the same velocity loss. To control volume accurately, you must individualize the threshold based on sex, training history, and strength levels, or accept that the volume will vary significantly.

Sex, emotional stability, and training history significantly influence the number of repetitions performed to reach a specific velocity loss threshold, making universal thresholds invalid.

When using velocity-based training, account for individual differences. Women tend to perform more reps to reach the same velocity loss than men. Additionally, individuals with higher emotional stability may perform more reps. Adjust your velocity loss targets or volume expectations based on these factors rather than applying a single rule.

Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) is a highly cost-effective, less invasive alternative to surgery for Class I obesity, with an ICER well below willingness-to-pay thresholds.

For Class I obesity, ESG offers a durable, cost-effective alternative to surgery with a favorable safety profile. It is particularly valuable for patients who want more than lifestyle changes but are not candidates for or willing to undergo surgery.

Performing static hamstring stretching immediately before sets of the barbell back squat acutely increases biceps femoris muscle thickness without impairing total training volume or exercise performance.

If you want to target your hamstrings during squats, add a 40-second static hamstring stretch right before each squat set. Sit with legs extended, hinge forward until you feel a strong stretch (pain rating >7/10), hold for 40 seconds, then immediately perform your squat set. This will increase blood flow and muscle thickness in the hamstrings without hurting your performance or total volume.

Electromagnetic resistance devices (including variable resistance and eccentric overload settings) produce myoelectric activity (sEMG) amplitudes that are statistically similar to traditional dumbbell resistance training, with observed differences being modest (~5-10%) and of minimal practical significance for muscle excitation.

If you are using or considering an electromagnetic resistance device (like Tonal) with variable or eccentric overload settings, you can expect muscle activation levels that are largely comparable to using dumbbells. While there may be slight differences in shoulder (deltoid) or forearm (brachioradialis) activation, the primary arm muscle (biceps) receives similar stimulation from both. You do not need to switch to dumbbells to get results, nor do you need to buy expensive tech to get better results than dumbbells offer for this movement.

A poly-metabolite score derived from serum and urine metabolomics can accurately predict and discriminate between high (80% energy) and low/zero (0% energy) ultra-processed food (UPF) intake in free-living populations.

Current dietary self-reporting methods for ultra-processed foods are prone to error and misclassification. This research identifies specific blood and urine metabolite patterns that serve as objective biomarkers for UPF intake. For researchers, these scores improve the accuracy of studying UPF's health impacts. For individuals, it underscores that 'ultra-processed' is a biological reality detectable in the body, not just a label on a package, highlighting the metabolic complexity introduced by industrial food processing.

Higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is associated with a greater increase in type 2 diabetes risk compared to artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs).

If you must choose between sugary and artificially sweetened drinks, sugary drinks pose a much higher risk for type 2 diabetes. However, both are associated with increased risk compared to not drinking them. The best choice for diabetes prevention is water or unsweetened beverages.

Obesity should be managed as a chronic, relapsing disease with long-term structured medical interventions (pharmacotherapy, surgery, behavioral therapy) rather than relying on short-term lifestyle changes, mirroring the established management model for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).

Stop treating obesity as a short-term lifestyle issue. Seek a healthcare provider who recognizes it as a chronic disease. This means expecting long-term management with evidence-based tools like GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., semaglutide, tirzepatide), behavioral therapy, and potentially surgery, rather than just being told to 'eat less and move more.'

Metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) procedures, specifically Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), sleeve gastrectomy (SG), single anastomosis duodenal-ileal bypass (SADI), and biliopancreatic diversion (BPD), provide superior long-term total body weight loss (TBWL) compared to obesity management medications (OMM) and endoscopic bariatric procedures (EBP).

If you are struggling with obesity and lifestyle changes alone have not provided sufficient long-term results, metabolic bariatric surgery (specifically RYGB, SG, SADI, or BPD) offers the highest probability of significant, sustained weight loss. While newer medications (semaglutide, tirzepatide) are excellent short-to-medium term options and comparable to surgery initially, surgery tends to maintain higher efficacy over the long term (3+ years). Consult a specialist to determine if you are a candidate for these procedures, especially if your BMI is >= 40 kg/m2.

The EMP16 combination therapy significantly improves the Fatty Liver Index (FLI) and reduces visceral adiposity index (VAI) more effectively than conventional orlistat, suggesting specific benefits for liver health beyond general weight loss.

If you have fatty liver or high visceral fat, this specific combination pill (EMP16) may offer better liver health improvements than standard orlistat. It significantly reduces the Fatty Liver Index compared to conventional treatments.

High sodium intake is the leading dietary risk factor for mortality globally, responsible for 3 million deaths annually.

High sodium intake is a major driver of early death globally. To protect your health, aim to reduce your sodium intake to the optimal range of 1-3 grams per day, as excessive consumption significantly increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Adherence to a Western dietary pattern (high in red/processed meat, refined grains, sweets, and high-fat dairy) is associated with a substantially increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in men, independent of BMI and physical activity.

To lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, prioritize avoiding a Western dietary pattern. This means significantly reducing your intake of red and processed meats, refined grains, French fries, high-fat dairy, and sweets. Instead, focus on a pattern rich in vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry, and whole grains. This dietary shift is associated with a substantially lower risk, independent of your weight or exercise level.

Adherence to a Prudent dietary pattern (high in vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry, and whole grains) is associated with a modestly lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

Eating a Prudent dietary pattern, which includes more vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry, and whole grains, is associated with a modestly lower risk of type 2 diabetes. While the effect is smaller than the risk increase from a Western diet, it is a beneficial dietary choice for long-term metabolic health.

Caffeine enhances vigilance and cognitive performance during sleep deprivation and extended exhaustive exercise, primarily through CNS adenosine antagonism.

If you are facing a period of sleep deprivation, such as during military operations or intense training camps, caffeine can help you stay alert. A dose of 600-800 mg (or ~4 mg/kg) taken as chewing gum or capsules can maintain vigilance and reaction time when sleep is limited.

Regular physical activity improves metabolic flexibility by enhancing substrate switching and energy expenditure, whereas calorie restriction alone improves insulin sensitivity but fails to restore metabolic flexibility.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes or fatty liver, simply losing weight through dieting will improve your insulin sensitivity, but it will not restore your body's ability to efficiently switch between burning fat and sugar (metabolic flexibility). To fix this specific metabolic defect and reduce the risk of liver and heart disease, you must engage in regular physical activity, as diet alone is insufficient for this mechanism.

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) causes a global burden of disease, resulting in approximately 184,000 deaths and 8.5 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) annually, primarily through increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and specific cancers.

To reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers, minimize or eliminate sugar-sweetened beverages. This includes sodas, sweetened fruit drinks, and sports drinks. The harm comes from the sugar content and its specific metabolic effects, not just the calories. Replacing SSBs with water or unsweetened beverages is a high-impact change for long-term health.

Concurrent endurance and resistance training attenuates gains in muscle hypertrophy and strength compared to resistance training alone, a phenomenon termed the 'interference effect'.

If your primary goal is maximizing muscle size or strength, be aware that adding significant endurance training (especially running) can blunt those gains. To minimize this interference, separate your endurance and resistance sessions by at least 6-8 hours, or prioritize resistance training first in the same session.

GLP-1-based therapies (semaglutide, tirzepatide) cause lean mass loss proportional to total weight loss (approx. 15-45%), but this reduction is adaptive and accompanied by improved muscle quality (reduced fat infiltration), resulting in preserved or improved muscle function and strength.

If you are taking a GLP-1 medication like semaglutide or tirzepatide, expect to lose some muscle along with fat. This is normal and proportional to your weight loss. Crucially, these drugs often improve muscle quality by reducing fat inside the muscle, which helps preserve your strength and function. To maximize muscle retention, ensure you are consuming adequate protein and engaging in resistance training if possible.

In older adults, short sleep duration (<6 hours) increases all-cause mortality risk, a relationship mediated by elevated inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF-α, CRP) and chronic health conditions.

If you are an older adult sleeping less than 6 hours regularly, your risk of mortality is higher, largely driven by increased inflammation and existing health conditions. Prioritizing 7 hours of sleep may help reduce these inflammatory markers and associated risks.

Nationwide substitution of regular discretionary salt with potassium-enriched salt substitutes (20-30% KCl) in China yields a substantial net reduction in cardiovascular disease mortality by lowering systolic blood pressure, even when accounting for the increased risk of hyperkalemia in individuals with chronic kidney disease.

Replace your regular table salt and cooking salt with a potassium-enriched salt substitute (containing 20-30% potassium chloride). Use it in the same amounts you currently use regular salt, but try to use it slightly more sparingly if possible. This change lowers blood pressure and significantly reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke for the general population. If you have advanced kidney disease, consult your doctor, but note that even for kidney patients, the cardiovascular benefits of this switch generally outweigh the risks of potassium toxicity.

Combining moderate-to-vigorous exercise with GLP-1 receptor agonist (liraglutide) treatment preserves hip and lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) during significant weight loss, whereas GLP-1 RA treatment alone reduces BMD at these sites despite similar weight loss.

If you are using a GLP-1 medication like liraglutide or semaglutide for weight loss, you must incorporate regular exercise to protect your bones. This study shows that while the medication alone might reduce bone density at the hip and spine, adding moderate-to-vigorous exercise (like cycling and circuit training) completely preserves bone density, even when you lose a significant amount of weight. Do not rely on the medication alone for skeletal health.

Short-term high-volume resistance training induces muscle hypertrophy primarily through sarcoplasmic expansion (increased sarcoplasmic proteins and glycolytic enzymes) rather than myofibrillar accretion, often accompanied by a decrease in actin and myosin concentrations.

If you are new to resistance training or returning after a break, your initial muscle size gains may come largely from increased fluid and metabolic enzymes (sarcoplasm) rather than thicker muscle fibers. This means you might see visual size increases before significant strength gains. This is a normal, healthy adaptation to high-volume training and does not negate the value of the training.

Short-term step reduction (<1000 steps/day) in older adults triggers rapid metabolic perturbations indicating muscle energy decline and protein degradation, which are not fully reversible after two weeks of resumed normal activity.

If you are an older adult, even a short break from your normal walking routine (less than 1,000 steps a day) can trigger metabolic changes in your muscles that suggest protein breakdown. These changes don't always bounce back quickly when you start moving normally again. To protect your muscle health, try to maintain a baseline level of daily movement rather than taking long breaks, especially if you are already at risk for metabolic issues.