Browse the evidence

Interventions that raise ketone availability (via MCT oil, ketogenic diets, or ketone esters) improve cognitive outcomes in individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD).

If you or a loved one has MCI or early Alzheimer's, raising ketone levels through MCT oil, a ketogenic diet, or ketone supplements may help improve cognitive function. This works by providing an alternative fuel source to the brain when glucose utilization is impaired. Consult a doctor before starting, especially if on medication.

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.

Consuming fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E, carotenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids) helps prevent diseases associated with oxidative stress, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders, by neutralizing free radicals and reducing oxidative stress.

Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables daily to get natural antioxidants. Focus on colorful produce like oranges, tomatoes, apples, and leafy greens, as they contain high levels of vitamins and polyphenols that help protect your body from cellular damage and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.

Higher physical activity levels are associated with a decreased prevalence of metabolic syndrome in men, but not significantly in women.

Men should prioritize physical activity to reduce metabolic syndrome risk, as this study shows a clear benefit. Women in this study did not show the same significant association, suggesting other factors (like education) might play a larger role or that the type/intensity of activity matters differently.

Post-viral olfactory and gustatory dysfunction (anosmia/parosmia) causes significant nutritional insufficiency and weight dysregulation (gain or loss) due to altered flavor perception, appetite suppression, and food avoidance.

If you have lost your sense of smell or taste after COVID, expect changes in your weight and eating habits. You may lose weight because food tastes bad, or gain weight because you crave strong flavors (salt/sugar) to compensate. Focus on texture and temperature to make food tolerable, and prioritize nutrient-dense foods that are less offensive to your altered senses. Seek support groups to manage the psychological burden, as this is a recognized medical issue, not just a minor annoyance.

Parosmia (distorted smell) leads to the consumption of highly processed, sugary, or fatty foods as a compensatory mechanism to achieve sensory satisfaction, potentially compromising diet quality.

When your sense of smell is gone, your brain may crave strong flavors (salt, sugar, spice) to feel satisfied. This can lead to overeating processed foods. Try to satisfy these cravings with healthy alternatives that offer strong textures (crunchy, creamy) or safe spices, rather than just sugar and fat. Monitor your intake to prevent unwanted weight gain.

Parosmia can cause severe food aversion and rapid weight loss due to the perception of common foods as having foul, metallic, or rotten odors.

If food smells or tastes rotten (parosmia), you may lose weight. Identify 'safe' foods that do not trigger the distortion (e.g., plain yogurt, cold fruits, bland staples). Eat small, frequent meals of these safe foods to maintain nutrition. Do not force yourself to eat foods that trigger nausea, as this can worsen the aversion.

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.

Time-restricted eating (TRE) with an 8-16 hour fasting window produces significant fat loss and metabolic improvements in humans, independent of caloric restriction, by realigning feeding times with circadian rhythms.

Adopt an 8-16 hour eating window (e.g., eat between 12 PM and 8 PM). You do not need to count calories or restrict food quality within that window. Consistency is key, and the body benefits from aligning your eating with your circadian rhythm, leading to fat loss and better metabolic health even without intentional dieting.

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.

High dietary glycemic index and glycemic load are associated with significantly lower plasma adiponectin levels in men with type 2 diabetes, whereas high cereal fiber intake is associated with higher levels.

If you have type 2 diabetes, focus on reducing your overall glycemic load and glycemic index by choosing whole, unrefined carbohydrate sources rich in cereal fiber (like whole grains) rather than refined carbs. This dietary pattern is associated with higher levels of adiponectin, a hormone that improves insulin sensitivity and reduces inflammation.

High intake of polyphenol-rich foods (nuts, fruits, vegetables, olive oil) has the potential to alleviate components of metabolic syndrome (body weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid metabolism), but no single polyphenol or food influences all metabolic syndrome features.

Focus on eating a diet rich in polyphenols (nuts, fruits, vegetables, spices, olive oil) consistently over the long term. Do not rely on single supplements or acute doses to fix metabolic syndrome, as evidence for single compounds is weak and inconsistent. The benefit comes from the overall dietary pattern.

Digital health technologies, including exergames and telemedicine, facilitate adherence to physical activity and reduce social isolation during confinement, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly.

Use digital tools to stay connected and active. If you are elderly or socially isolated, consider exergames or telemedicine programs that allow you to exercise with others virtually. Ensure you have internet access, as it is a key factor in maintaining wellbeing during isolation.

Reconstructed Paleolithic diets characterized by moderate-to-high protein (25-29 en%), moderate-to-high fat (30-39 en%), and moderate carbohydrates (39-40 en%) provide a nutritional template that contrasts with Western diets by offering higher protein and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) while maintaining lower linoleic acid (LA) levels.

To align with the reconstructed Paleolithic nutritional profile, aim for a diet where protein and fat each contribute roughly 25-40% of your total energy intake, and carbohydrates make up the remaining 40%. Prioritize sources of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) like fatty fish and organ meats, and ensure your linoleic acid intake is lower than typical Western standards by minimizing seed oils.

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.

Ad libitum low-fat diets varying in protein content and glycemic index are feasible for long-term weight maintenance in obese families, with high protein and low glycemic index diets designed to regulate appetite and prevent weight regain.

To maintain weight loss, consider shifting focus from strict calorie counting to macronutrient quality. The Diogenes study design suggests that ad libitum consumption of low-fat diets with higher protein and lower glycemic index may help regulate appetite and prevent weight regain, especially when supported by structured dietary counseling and accessible healthy food options.

KAATSU training, defined as low-intensity resistance exercise combined with restricted venous blood flow via proximal limb compression, increases muscle mass and strength in healthy individuals and patients.

KAATSU training involves wearing a specialized cuff on your upper arms or thighs while performing low-intensity resistance exercises. The cuff restricts venous return to create a 'pump' without cutting off arterial blood flow. This method is designed to build muscle and strength with lighter weights, potentially benefiting older adults or those recovering from injury who cannot handle heavy loads. It requires professional instruction to ensure the pressure is safe and effective.

Alternate-day fasting (ADF), involving alternating days of ad libitum intake and partial/complete restriction, extends lifespan in animals and improves cardiovascular and glucoregulatory biomarkers, with mixed results in humans.

If you prefer not to restrict calories every day, try Alternate-Day Fasting: eat normally one day, then restrict calories (or skip meals) the next. This may offer similar health benefits to daily restriction and might be easier to sustain for some people.

Religious fasting practices, such as Ramadan, Greek Orthodox fasting, and the Daniel Fast, have mixed effects on health biomarkers, including cardiovascular, glucoregulatory, and oxidative stress markers.

Religious fasting practices vary widely in their health effects. Some may improve certain biomarkers, while others may have no effect or even negative effects. It is important to be mindful of dietary choices during non-fasting periods.

Multimodal physical interventions (e.g., Tai Chi, subsensory vibratory noise) restore physiological complexity and improve functional mobility in older adults.

Focus on activities that challenge your body's balance and coordination, like Tai Chi or using specific vibratory devices if recommended. These aren't just exercises; they help your nervous system maintain the 'complexity' needed to stay mobile and avoid falls as you age.