Browse the evidence

Current generalized caffeine guidelines (3–9 mg/kg, 60 min pre-exercise) are not optimal for all athletes due to substantial inter-individual variation in ergogenic response driven by genetic, environmental, and epigenetic factors.

Stop assuming the standard 3-6 mg/kg dose works for you. Your genetics (like CYP1A2) and how much caffeine you drink daily change how caffeine affects your performance. Some people get a huge boost, others get no benefit or even a negative effect. Consider genetic testing or systematic self-experimentation to find your optimal dose and timing, rather than blindly following general guidelines.

Observational studies show positive associations between physical activity and the prevention of frailty or sarcopenia in older adults.

Engage in regular physical activity, as observational studies suggest it is associated with preventing frailty and sarcopenia. This can help maintain independence and quality of life.

Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) improves glucose and lipid homeostasis (reduced fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, and triglycerides) in the short-to-medium term, potentially through mechanisms distinct from continuous energy restriction (CER) such as preferential reduction of ectopic fat and modulation of adipose tissue physiology.

Try an Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) protocol like the 5:2 diet (eating normally 5 days, restricting calories by ~70-100% on 2 non-consecutive days) or alternate-day modified fasting. Focus on short-to-medium term goals (up to 6 months). Monitor insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles, as IER may offer benefits beyond simple weight loss, such as improved insulin sensitivity and reduced triglycerides, potentially through mechanisms like reduced ectopic fat.

Dietary nitrate supplementation improves performance in highly trained athletes engaged in upper-body dominant sports (kayaking, rowing) or intermittent sprint sports.

If you are an elite kayaker, rower, or team sport player doing sprints, nitrate supplementation (8-10mmol) can help your performance. It works by improving the efficiency of your fast-twitch muscles.

NRPT supplementation (specifically the double dose) improves physical mobility markers, including chair stand tests and 6-minute walk distance, in older adults.

If you are looking to support physical mobility, the double dose of NRPT (500mg NR + 100mg PT) showed improvements in walking distance and chair stand tests in this study. However, this effect was not seen at the standard dose, so the higher dose may be necessary for this specific benefit.

Canagliflozin (100 mg/day) reduces epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes over 6 months, independent of glucose lowering.

If you have type 2 diabetes, taking 100mg of canagliflozin daily for 6 months was shown to reduce the fat surrounding your heart (epicardial fat) by about 2mm. This reduction happened regardless of how much you lost weight overall, suggesting a direct benefit to heart health.

SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with a significant reduction in exercise capacity (peak VO2), particularly in individuals with Long COVID symptoms, with mechanisms including deconditioning, dysfunctional breathing, chronotropic incompetence, and impaired peripheral oxygen extraction.

If you have Long COVID and feel exhausted by activity, standard 'push through it' advice may be harmful. Get a Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET) to identify if your limitation is due to deconditioning, heart rate issues (chronotropic incompetence), or breathing problems. Treatment should be tailored to the specific mechanism found, rather than generic exercise.

Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is significantly associated with increased body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and higher odds of obesity and abdominal obesity in Australian adults.

Focus on reducing the proportion of ultra-processed foods in your diet. This study links higher UPF intake to higher BMI and waist circumference, independent of physical activity. Try to replace packaged snacks, sugary drinks, and ready meals with whole or minimally processed foods to improve satiety and reduce obesity risk.

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil significantly reduces the incidence of breast cancer in women.

Incorporate extra-virgin olive oil into your daily diet as a primary fat source. This is particularly beneficial for women, as it is associated with a significantly lower risk of breast cancer when consumed as part of a Mediterranean diet.

Tart cherry juice supplementation increases circulating melatonin levels, improves total sleep duration, and enhances sleep efficiency in healthy adults.

Drink 60 mL of tart cherry juice concentrate daily, split into two servings. This natural source of melatonin and anti-inflammatory compounds has been shown to increase total sleep time by over 30 minutes and improve sleep efficiency. It may also help reduce muscle soreness and inflammation after intense exercise.

Increasing adherence to plant-based dietary patterns over time is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and a marginally lower risk of mortality.

Improving your diet to include more plant-based foods over time can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes and may slightly reduce your risk of death.

Abrupt reduction in physical activity (specifically step counts to <1,500/day) in older adults causes rapid loss of leg fat-free mass (approx. 4% in 14 days) and muscle strength (approx. 8% in 2 weeks), leading to anabolic resistance and worsened glucose handling.

If you are an older adult or care for one, do not assume that staying home during a lockdown is physically neutral. Inactivity causes rapid muscle loss and metabolic issues. You must actively break up sitting time with light strolling, standing, or household chores, and perform resistance exercises at home to maintain muscle mass and strength.

Probiotics (specifically Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains) improve gastrointestinal health by modulating the immune system, enhancing epithelial barriers, and suppressing pathogen adhesion.

To support gut health, consider incorporating probiotic-rich foods or supplements containing Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium strains. These microbes help maintain the gut barrier and support immune function. If you are immunocompromised, consult a doctor first to ensure the specific strain is safe for you.

Flywheel inertial training (FIT) provides an eccentric overload stimulus dependent on concentric velocity and inertial load, but its effectiveness is highly dependent on user technique and training status.

If using a flywheel device, focus on generating high concentric velocity to maximize eccentric overload. Ensure proper technique to decelerate the flywheel effectively. Be aware that results may vary based on your training status.

Slow tempo eccentric training may not provide superior hypertrophy or strength benefits compared to faster eccentric training and may even be suboptimal for strength adaptations.

Do not assume slower eccentrics are better. Fast eccentrics may be superior for strength and power. Experiment with different tempos to find what works best for your goals.

Chronic periodontitis acts as a source of systemic inflammation and oral pathogens (e.g., P. gingivalis) that contribute to the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease via immune subversion and blood-brain barrier compromise.

Prioritize rigorous oral hygiene (brushing, flossing, regular dental checkups) not just for dental health, but as a preventive measure against cognitive decline. If you have chronic gum disease, treating it may help reduce systemic inflammation, which is a known risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

Obesity in older adults may preserve absolute skeletal muscle mass compared to lean peers due to increased mechanical loading from higher body weight, creating an 'obesity paradox' where higher BMI is associated with lower mortality risk despite impaired muscle quality.

For older adults, maintaining muscle mass is crucial for survival. While obesity is linked to health risks, it may paradoxically help preserve the amount of muscle you have because your body has to work harder to move your weight. However, this doesn't mean obesity is 'good' for muscle function, which often declines. Focus on preserving muscle through activity rather than just focusing on weight loss, as losing muscle mass is a bigger risk than having extra fat.

Facial volume loss from GLP-1 agonists can be effectively treated with dermal fillers, skin tightening techniques, and surgical interventions.

If your face looks hollow after weight loss, consult a plastic surgeon. Treatments like fillers, lasers, or facelifts can restore volume and tighten skin. Be prepared for the costs and recovery time.

Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) dysregulation directly causes pro-arrhythmic effects, including action potential prolongation and calcium dysregulation, independent of structural cardiac changes.

If you have diabetes or obesity, your risk of dangerous heart rhythms may be linked to how your body processes specific amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine) found in protein. While you don't necessarily need to eliminate protein, focusing on dietary patterns that improve metabolic health, such as the Mediterranean diet, may help lower BCAA levels and reduce arrhythmia risk. Consult your doctor about your specific metabolic profile.

Bariatric surgery does not significantly reduce all-cause mortality compared to conventional medical therapy in severely obese T2DM patients over the long term, although it reduces specific macrovascular events.

While bariatric surgery significantly reduces heart attacks and strokes in severely obese diabetics, this specific analysis did not find a statistically significant reduction in overall death rates compared to medical therapy. The benefits are substantial in terms of preventing major cardiovascular events, even if overall mortality remains similar in this dataset.

Repeated application of cooling does not affect endurance training adaptations following 4–6 week training interventions.

If you are training for endurance, you can use cold water immersion without worrying about it hurting your long-term aerobic gains. It won't help them either, so use it based on comfort or early recovery needs, not for chronic adaptation.

Co-treatment with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA, DPA, or DHA) mitigates palmitate-induced lipotoxicity in skeletal muscle cells, preserving cell viability, preventing apoptosis, and maintaining mitochondrial membrane integrity.

In a cellular context, high levels of saturated fats (like palmitate) can damage muscle cells, causing them to die and stop growing. Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA, DPA) can protect these cells from this damage. Specifically, DPA was found to fully preserve cell viability and mitochondrial integrity, while EPA and DHA offered partial protection. This suggests that adequate omega-3 intake may help counteract some negative effects of high saturated fat diets on muscle health at a cellular level.

Daily consumption of a multi-ingredient supplement (whey protein, creatine, vitamin D, n-3 PUFA) for 7 weeks does not significantly alter resting or acute exercise-stimulated myofibrillar protein synthesis (MyoPS) in overweight older men compared to a control beverage.

For older overweight men, simply adding a multi-ingredient supplement (protein, creatine, vitamins) twice daily for several weeks does not necessarily boost muscle protein synthesis rates beyond what the body naturally does with exercise. Focus on consistent resistance training rather than expecting supplements to automatically amplify muscle growth signals.

Non-surgical weight management programs (WMPs) for adults with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) lack a clear consensus on cost-effectiveness, largely due to short-term study durations and heterogeneous definitions of usual care.

For individuals with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35), non-surgical weight management programs exist but their cost-effectiveness is not clearly established. Most studies are short-term and do not capture long-term health outcomes. It is important to consult with healthcare providers to understand the potential benefits and costs of various non-surgical options, including lifestyle changes, VLCDs, and pharmacotherapy, as the evidence is heterogeneous.