Browse the evidence

Inducing senescence in cancer cells (prosenescence) followed by senolytic clearance ('one-two punch') or immune potentiation can improve cancer treatment outcomes by exploiting vulnerabilities of senescent tumor cells.

For cancer patients, combining standard treatments with senolytics is a promising strategy being studied in labs. It aims to kill cancer cells and then clear the remaining damaged ones. This is not yet a standard of care.

Exercise-induced myokines, including IL-6, IL-15, and FSTL1, mediate muscle-bone, muscle-skin, and muscle-vascular crosstalk, promoting bone formation, skin health, and cardiovascular protection.

Regular exercise helps maintain strong bones and healthy skin by triggering your muscles to release factors like IGF-1 and IL-15. These signals support bone formation and skin structure, contributing to overall long-term health and vitality.

Exercise interventions do not significantly reduce body weight or BMI in breast cancer patients, though they may improve body composition (lean mass, bone density).

Do not expect exercise to significantly lower your body weight or BMI during breast cancer treatment. Instead, focus on the benefits of improved physical function, quality of life, and potential improvements in lean body mass and bone density, which are more meaningful health indicators.

Elevated gut-derived SCFA production contributes to metabolic health by modulating appetite, energy expenditure, and glucose homeostasis.

Incorporate prebiotic fibers (like inulin, resistant starch, and GOS) into your diet to naturally boost SCFA production. This may help regulate appetite and blood sugar. However, do not expect immediate metabolic fixes; this is a long-term strategy supported by strong mechanistic data but requiring more robust human trials.

Daily oral administration of live Akkermansia muciniphila (2.10^8 cells) improves metabolic health in high-fat diet-fed mice by restoring gut barrier function and reducing metabolic endotoxemia.

While human trials are ongoing, current research suggests that consuming Akkermansia muciniphila (specifically pasteurized forms which are more stable and effective) may help improve metabolic health by strengthening the gut barrier. It is not just about 'live' bacteria; the structural components of the bacteria are key.

Pasteurization of Akkermansia muciniphila enhances its metabolic benefits compared to live administration, likely due to the exposure of outer membrane proteins like Amuc_1100.

If you take Akkermansia muciniphila, a pasteurized (heat-treated) version may be more effective than a live one. The heat process exposes specific proteins (Amuc_1100) that boost metabolic health. This form is also more stable for storage.

High levels of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are causally linked to the induction and maintenance of cell senescence, which drives aging and age-related diseases, whereas low ROS levels are associated with extended organismal lifespan.

Focus on maintaining natural redox balance rather than relying on high-dose antioxidant supplements, which may be ineffective or harmful. The paper highlights that moderate ROS levels (e.g., from exercise) can be beneficial (mitohormesis), while chronic high ROS (from stress, smoking, poor diet) drives aging. Strategies like caloric restriction and exercise are mentioned as ways to reduce OS and extend lifespan.

Tobacco smoking significantly increases the prospective risk of developing depression in both adults and adolescents.

Smoking is a significant risk factor for developing depression in both adults and adolescents. Quitting smoking can help reduce this risk. While quitting may be challenging, the long-term mental health benefits are substantial.

Genetic variations in the AQP4 water channel gene affect sleep architecture, tolerance to sleep deprivation, and the rate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease, with specific polymorphisms linked to faster or slower progression.

If you have a family history of Alzheimer's, consider discussing genetic testing for AQP4 polymorphisms with your doctor. Understanding your genetic risk may help tailor sleep and cardiovascular strategies to protect your brain health.

In adult populations, higher body mass index (BMI) is significantly associated with an increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio in the gut microbiota, driven by higher relative abundance of Firmicutes and lower relative abundance of Bacteroidetes.

This study suggests that a higher body weight is linked to a specific gut bacteria profile (higher Firmicutes, lower Bacteroidetes). While this doesn't tell you exactly how to change your diet, it highlights that gut health is intertwined with body weight. Focus on a balanced diet that supports diverse gut bacteria, as environmental factors like diet play a significant role in this ratio.

The contribution of nitric oxide to exercise hyperaemia (blood flow increase during exercise) is significant (20-30%) but not obligatory, with redundancy in vasodilator mechanisms allowing other pathways to compensate.

While nitric oxide helps increase blood flow during exercise, your body has backup systems (like prostaglandins) that ensure blood flow increases even if NO is blocked. This means you don't need to worry about 'blocking' NO to get benefits; the body adapts.

Selective insulin resistance occurs in the liver where insulin fails to suppress hepatic glucose production (gluconeogenesis) but continues to stimulate lipogenesis (fat creation), leading to hyperglycemia and hepatic steatosis.

Standard insulin therapy may not fix high blood sugar in liver disease because the liver's fat-making machinery is still overactive. Treatments need to target both glucose production and fat synthesis.

Dietary polyphenols exert protective effects against neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's, Parkinson's) and aging by scavenging free radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and modulating cellular signaling pathways.

Incorporate polyphenol-rich foods like green tea (EGCG), berries, and red wine (resveratrol) into your daily diet as part of a long-term strategy to support brain health. While not a cure, these foods may help mitigate oxidative stress associated with aging and neurodegenerative risks.

Nutritional indices such as the Index of Atherogenicity (IA) and Index of Thrombogenicity (IT) provide more accurate assessments of cardiovascular health risks from fatty acid profiles than the general Polyunsaturated/Saturated Fatty Acid (PUFA/SFA) ratio.

When evaluating the heart-healthiness of foods like fish, meat, or dairy, do not rely solely on the total amount of saturated vs. unsaturated fat. Instead, look for products with a low Index of Atherogenicity (IA) and Index of Thrombogenicity (IT). These indices account for specific fatty acids that are more harmful to blood vessels, offering a more accurate assessment of cardiovascular risk than simple fat counts.

The Unsaturation Index (UI) is a comprehensive metric for evaluating the quality of polyunsaturated fatty acids in macroalgae, as it accounts for the degree of unsaturation of different fatty acids.

When evaluating seaweeds as a source of healthy fats, the Unsaturation Index (UI) is a useful metric. It provides a more complete picture of the fatty acid profile by weighting different unsaturated fats based on their double bonds, helping to identify high-quality PUFA sources.

Antibiotic treatment for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) can improve nutritional recovery and reduce mortality, likely by altering the microbiome to improve nutrient extraction, although the mechanism is not fully understood.

For children with severe acute malnutrition, antibiotic treatment (amoxicillin or cefdinir) for one week is a standard, life-saving part of care that improves recovery. This is distinct from general antibiotic use and targets the specific dysbiotic state of malnutrition.

Ketogenic diets show promise as an adjunctive therapy for cancer, potentially reducing tumor progression through glucose 'starvation' and reduced insulin/IGF-1 signaling, though evidence is currently preliminary.

For cancer patients, a VLCKD may be a promising adjunctive therapy by reducing glucose and insulin levels, potentially slowing tumor growth, but it should only be considered under medical supervision as evidence is still preliminary.

There is insufficient evidence to set an upper limit for added sugar intake based on health risks such as dental caries, weight gain, or metabolic effects.

EFSA does not set a specific upper limit for added sugars due to insufficient evidence, but notes that frequent consumption increases dental caries risk. Focus on oral hygiene and balanced diets.

Modulation of NAD+ metabolism, specifically through the salvage pathway enzyme NAMPT and its product NMN, acts as a metabolic sensor that regulates energy metabolism, oxidative metabolism, and potentially extends lifespan.

Maintaining healthy NAD+ levels is linked to better metabolic function and potentially longevity. You can support this through a diet rich in niacin (Vitamin B3) and its precursors, found in foods like meat, fish, and vegetables. While specific supplements like NMN or NR are discussed in research, the fundamental takeaway is supporting your body's natural NAD+ salvage pathways through balanced nutrition.

NAMPT (Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the NAD+ salvage pathway and serves as a critical link between circadian rhythms and metabolism.

Your body's ability to produce NAD+ is regulated by a key enzyme called NAMPT, which follows a daily (circadian) rhythm. Eating at consistent times and maintaining a regular sleep-wake cycle may support this enzyme's function, thereby supporting your metabolic health.

Sirtuins are NAD+-dependent protein deacetylases that function as metabolic sensors, linking cellular NAD+ levels to downstream metabolic pathways and gene expression.

Sirtuins are proteins that help your cells respond to energy status. They require NAD+ to function. Supporting your overall NAD+ levels through healthy lifestyle habits may support sirtuin activity, which is associated with aging and metabolic health.

Gut microbiota composition influences energy harvest and fat storage, with obese individuals often exhibiting higher abundances of Firmicutes and methanogens that enhance short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production and energy extraction from indigestible carbohydrates.

Your gut bacteria actively help you harvest energy from food. While you cannot directly 'eat' specific bacteria to lose weight, your diet rapidly shapes your microbiome. Shifting towards a diet rich in diverse fibers (plant polysaccharides) can alter your microbial community to potentially reduce the efficiency of energy harvest compared to a Western diet high in fat and sugar. Focus on dietary diversity to support a healthy microbiome.

Increased secretion of GLP-1 induced by delivering nutrients to lower parts of the small intestines explains weight loss and improvements in glycaemic control after bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery, such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, improves metabolic control partly by increasing GLP-1 secretion from the lower small intestine. This hormonal change contributes to weight loss and better blood sugar control.

Higher fecal abundance of Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium in pregnant women is associated with improved biochemical markers, including higher HDL-cholesterol, higher folic acid, and lower triglycerides.

For pregnant women, a gut microbiome with higher levels of Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium is linked to better lipid profiles (higher HDL, lower triglycerides) and higher folic acid levels. Since folic acid is critical for fetal neural tube development, supporting these bacteria through a fiber-rich diet may be beneficial. However, this is an association, not a prescription for supplementation.