Browse the evidence

Higher diet quality has limited and inconsistent evidence for preventing declines in muscle strength and muscle mass in older adults.

While improving diet quality is crucial for physical mobility, its direct impact on preserving muscle mass and strength is less certain based on current evidence. Older adults should still prioritize diet quality for overall health, but should not rely on diet alone to prevent muscle loss; resistance training remains essential.

Periodic fasting (4-21 days) with 200-250 kcal/day intake is safe, well-tolerated, and improves cardiovascular risk factors and well-being in a large observational cohort.

If you are healthy and want to try a prolonged fast, start with a shorter duration (4-5 days) and ensure you have medical supervision. The Buchinger method involves consuming very few calories (200-250) from plant-based sources, drinking plenty of water, and engaging in light activity. Expect weight loss and improved blood markers, but be aware that hunger and mild symptoms are common in the first few days.

Combined diet and exercise interventions during pregnancy reduce the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) compared to standard care alone, with moderate-quality evidence showing a possible reduction in risk (RR 0.85).

If you are pregnant, engaging in a combined program of healthy eating and physical activity, as guided by healthcare providers, may help lower your risk of developing gestational diabetes compared to standard care alone. While the statistical evidence is not definitive, the trend is favorable, and these lifestyle changes also support overall maternal and infant health.

Higher body mass index (BMI) is strongly and linearly associated with increased prevalence and severity of hypertension, independent of age, gender, and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Maintaining a healthy body weight is one of the most effective ways to prevent high blood pressure. This study shows that as BMI increases, the risk of hypertension rises significantly, even after accounting for age and other health factors. For public health, using BMI as a simple screening tool is recommended to identify those at higher risk.

The ACTN3 missense variant rs2229456 (p.Glu635Ala) is associated with higher odds of engaging in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and lower leisure screen time (LST), potentially by increasing muscle flexibility and reducing susceptibility to exercise-induced muscle damage.

This finding highlights a specific genetic variant (ACTN3 p.Glu635Ala) that may make some individuals more prone to physical activity and less prone to muscle damage. However, this is just one piece of the puzzle; lifestyle choices remain the primary driver of health outcomes.

Consuming potatoes, particularly when prepared to maximize resistant starch (e.g., cooled after cooking), supports gut health and satiety through the fermentation of resistant starch into short-chain fatty acids, without negatively impacting weight management or blood pressure when integrated into a balanced diet.

Eat potatoes as part of a balanced diet. To maximize health benefits, try boiling or baking them and then cooling them before eating to increase resistant starch, which feeds gut bacteria and helps you feel full. You don't need to peel them to get most nutrients, but keeping the skin adds extra fiber. If you are watching your weight, focus on total calories and preparation method (avoid frying) rather than avoiding potatoes entirely.

Vegan athletes may benefit more from creatine and beta-alanine supplementation than omnivorous athletes due to lower baseline muscle stores of creatine and carnosine.

If you are vegan, consider supplementing with creatine monohydrate and beta-alanine. Because you do not consume meat, your baseline muscle stores of creatine and carnosine are likely lower, meaning you may see greater performance benefits from supplementation compared to meat-eaters.

Gut microbiota composition may influence individual responsiveness to vitamin D supplementation, with non-responders showing specific depletion of Bacteroides acidifaciens.

If you take vitamin D and your levels don't rise, your gut bacteria might be the reason. Specifically, low levels of Bacteroides acidifaciens might predict poor response. This is an emerging area of research.

The Portfolio Dietary Pattern significantly reduces estimated 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk by approximately 13% compared to a standard NCEP Step II diet.

Following the Portfolio Dietary Pattern not only lowers cholesterol but also reduces your estimated 10-year risk of having a coronary heart disease event by about 13%. This benefit is calculated based on improvements in cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation markers achieved by consuming specific plant-based foods daily alongside a standard low-saturated-fat diet.

The Portfolio Dietary Pattern significantly reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as C-reactive protein (inflammation), compared to a standard NCEP Step II diet.

In addition to lowering cholesterol, the Portfolio Dietary Pattern helps reduce blood pressure and inflammation (measured by CRP). By consuming specific plant-based foods daily, you can achieve modest but significant improvements in these cardiovascular risk factors compared to a standard low-saturated-fat diet.

Higher adherence to a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern is associated with better lower extremity functioning, mobility, and walking speed in older adults, but shows inconclusive or no association with measures of muscle strength (e.g., grip strength).

For older adults, prioritizing a Mediterranean-style diet (high in plants, olive oil, fish, moderate dairy/wine) is strongly linked to maintaining mobility, walking speed, and independence. However, do not expect this diet alone to significantly increase muscle strength (grip strength); resistance training remains essential for building strength, while this diet supports functional mobility.

Poor sleep quality is significantly associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in medical students.

If you are a medical student, recognize that poor sleep is linked to higher anxiety and depression. While some high achievers sleep poorly, this comes with a mental health cost. Prioritizing sleep quality may help manage stress levels.

Sarcopenia is associated with significantly reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared to non-sarcopenic individuals, with a large effect size observed when using disease-specific assessment tools.

If you are an older adult experiencing muscle loss, do not dismiss it as inevitable aging. This condition, known as sarcopenia, is linked to a significant drop in your quality of life and independence. Seek a diagnosis using standard criteria (like EWGSOP2) to ensure you receive appropriate interventions, as generic assessments might miss the severity of your condition.

Edible crickets provide a high-protein, nutrient-dense food source with superior feed conversion efficiency compared to traditional livestock, making them a viable alternative for addressing global food security and malnutrition.

Consider incorporating cricket flour or whole crickets into your diet as a high-protein alternative to beef or chicken. They offer comparable or superior nutritional profiles with a significantly lower environmental footprint. Start with processed forms like flour in baked goods to ease into the taste and texture.

Crickets possess a favorable fatty acid profile with high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), which may help mitigate risks associated with high-saturated fat diets.

If you are watching your saturated fat intake, cricket-based foods can be a heart-healthy alternative to red meat due to their high PUFA and MUFA content. Look for products that highlight their fatty acid profile.

Crickets are a rich source of essential minerals (iron, zinc, calcium) and vitamins (B-group, A, C, D, E, K), offering a potential solution for micronutrient deficiencies in developing regions.

For those struggling with iron or zinc deficiency, cricket-based foods can be a potent supplement. They contain higher levels of these minerals than beef or pork. Ensure the crickets are processed to maximize nutrient absorption.

Seaweeds are a nutrient-dense, sustainable food source that provides essential macronutrients (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) without competing for arable land or freshwater.

Incorporate edible seaweeds (like nori, wakame, or kelp) into your diet to boost nutrient intake sustainably. They are rich in protein, fiber, and essential minerals. Start with small amounts to assess tolerance and ensure products are sourced from regulated suppliers to manage contaminant risks.

Consuming seaweed provides high-quality complete proteins with all essential amino acids, though digestibility can be reduced by phenolic compounds and polysaccharides.

Use seaweed as a protein source, but cook it (e.g., boil) to improve digestibility. It provides all essential amino acids, making it a valuable plant-based protein option, especially when combined with other protein sources.

Seaweeds are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), specifically omega-3 and omega-6, which are essential for human health and cardiovascular function.

Include seaweed in your diet to get essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These healthy fats support cardiovascular health and brain function, and seaweed provides them in a low-calorie package.

Seaweeds are a significant source of dietary fiber, which promotes satiety, regulates blood glucose, and lowers LDL cholesterol.

Eat seaweed to increase your daily fiber intake. The soluble fiber in seaweed helps regulate blood sugar and lower bad cholesterol, while insoluble fiber aids digestion. Aim for a variety of seaweeds to get different types of fiber.

Inositol supplementation shows the most promising findings for improving metabolic profiles and reducing hyperandrogenism in PCOS, whereas other supplements, herbal medicines, acupuncture, and yoga have inconsistent evidence.

If considering supplements, inositol has the most promising evidence for improving metabolic health and hormone levels in PCOS. However, evidence for other supplements, herbal medicines, acupuncture, and yoga is inconsistent. Do not rely on these as primary treatments; consult a healthcare provider before starting any supplement.

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with a statistically significant inverse association (reduced risk) for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decline, though the credibility of this evidence is rated as low to moderate due to heterogeneity.

Adopting a Mediterranean-style eating pattern is associated with reduced risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decline. While the evidence quality is moderate due to inconsistent definitions across studies, the consistent inverse association suggests that prioritizing plant-based foods, healthy fats, and lean proteins is a beneficial long-term strategy for chronic disease prevention.

In overweight and obese individuals, higher intake of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) is associated with lower abundance of the genus Intestinimonas, whereas in lean individuals, SFAs are associated with higher abundance of the butyrate-producing genus Roseburia.

If you are lean, your gut bacteria may respond to saturated fats differently than if you are overweight or obese. Specifically, SFAs were linked to beneficial butyrate producers (Roseburia) in lean subjects, but to different taxa (Intestinimonas) in obese subjects. This suggests that dietary fat recommendations might need to be personalized based on current body composition and metabolic health rather than applying a one-size-fits-all restriction.

Higher abundance of Lachnospiraceae genera is negatively associated with body fat, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol in humans.

Higher levels of Lachnospiraceae bacteria in your gut are associated with lower body fat and better cholesterol profiles (lower LDL and total cholesterol). Focusing on dietary patterns that support these bacteria, such as fiber intake, may support cardiovascular health.