Browse the evidence

Physical exercise interventions significantly improve cognitive function in adults older than 50, regardless of baseline cognitive status.

If you are over 50, moving your body is one of the best things you can do for your brain. Aim for at least 45 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week. This can include walking, swimming, lifting weights, or Tai Chi. You don't need to be an athlete; just keep moving. This applies whether you are healthy or have mild memory issues.

Moderate exercise training (≥5 days/week, 20+ min bouts) significantly reduces the incidence and duration of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) compared to sedentary behavior.

Aim for at least 20 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, five days a week. This level of activity is proven to cut your risk of getting sick by nearly half compared to being sedentary, and it does so without the immune suppression risks associated with extreme endurance training.

Carbohydrate ingestion (30-60 g/h) during prolonged endurance exercise attenuates post-exercise inflammation and stress hormone elevation.

For workouts lasting longer than 90 minutes, consume 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour. This helps manage stress hormones and inflammation, aiding recovery compared to drinking only water.

Lifestyle modification, including diet, physical activity, and behavior therapy, is the cornerstone of obesity management and can lead to significant weight loss and reduced cardiovascular risk.

Lifestyle modification is the primary and most effective way to manage obesity. This involves a combination of diet, physical activity, and behavior therapy. Aim to lose at least 10% of your body weight through these changes. If lifestyle changes alone are not enough, consult a healthcare provider about other options like pharmacotherapy or surgery.

Suboptimal intake of specific dietary factors (high sodium, low nuts/seeds, high processed meats, low seafood omega-3 fats, low vegetables, low fruits, high sugar-sweetened beverages) is associated with approximately 45.4% of cardiometabolic deaths in the US.

To significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, or type 2 diabetes, prioritize reducing sodium and processed meat intake while increasing consumption of nuts, seeds, seafood omega-3s, vegetables, and fruits. Limiting sugar-sweetened beverages is also critical. These changes collectively address the dietary factors responsible for nearly half of cardiometabolic deaths in the US.

High-intensity progressive resistance training is the optimal prescription for treating sarcopenia and improving aerobic capacity in older adults, often outperforming moderate-intensity aerobic training in specific metrics.

If you have muscle loss (sarcopenia), you need to lift heavy weights progressively to rebuild strength and even improve your heart health as much as moderate cardio does. Don't be afraid of resistance training; it is essential for fighting muscle loss and can be just as good for your cardiovascular system as moderate walking if done with high intensity.

Exercise serves as a therapeutic agent and preventative medicine that can substitute for or reduce the need for potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) such as antidepressants, anxiolytics, and insomniacs in older adults, thereby reducing adverse drug events like falls and cognitive impairment.

If you are taking medications for depression, anxiety, or insomnia, talk to your doctor about whether exercise could help reduce your dose. Exercise is a proven treatment that can improve your mood and sleep without the side effects of these medications, such as increased risk of falls or confusion.

Weight loss of up to 16% of original body weight is sufficient to improve beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue, liver, and skeletal muscle by correcting dysregulated gene expression related to lipid and oxidative stress.

Losing up to 16% of your body weight through gradual lifestyle changes (diet and exercise) can significantly improve your body's sensitivity to insulin and improve beta-cell function. This reduction in weight helps reverse the metabolic dysfunction associated with obesity.

Adherence to health-promoting dietary patterns (Mediterranean, DASH, MIND, Nordic, or traditional Asian) reduces the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes compared to Western dietary patterns.

Adopt a dietary pattern rich in plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts) and low in processed meats, saturated fats, and refined sugars. You do not need to follow one specific named diet; choose a pattern (like Mediterranean, DASH, or MIND) that fits your culture and preferences. Key actions: eat fruits and vegetables daily, choose whole grains over refined, use healthy oils (olive, rapeseed), and limit red/processed meats. Combine this with regular physical activity and adequate sleep for maximum benefit.

Dietary intake of fermentable fibers and prebiotics boosts the abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria (e.g., Bifidobacteria, Lachnospiraceae), leading to increased production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which regulate gut homeostasis, immunity, and metabolic health.

To improve your gut health and metabolic markers, focus on eating foods that feed your good bacteria. This means consuming prebiotic fibers found in foods like garlic, onions, bananas, oats, and resistant starches (like cooled potatoes or rice). This fosters bacteria that produce beneficial short-chain fatty acids, which support your gut barrier, immune system, and metabolism. Direct SCFA supplements have shown mixed results in humans, so diet is the primary lever.

Higher levels of physical activity significantly reduce the prospective risk of incident depression, with effects persisting across age groups and geographic regions.

To lower your risk of depression, aim for higher levels of physical activity. This doesn't necessarily mean intense gym sessions; regular movement, including walking, cycling, or swimming, has been shown to reduce the risk of developing depression across all age groups. Consistency matters more than intensity for this preventive benefit.

Adapting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) elements—specifically stimulus control, sleep restriction, and cognitive interventions—is the primary effective treatment for managing sleep problems during home confinement, with pharmacotherapy reserved only for short-term use when CBT-I is ineffective or unavailable.

Treat your sleep like a skill, not a switch. Go to bed only when you are sleepy, and get up at the same time every day, regardless of how much you slept. If you can't sleep, get out of bed and do something boring in dim light until you are sleepy again. Do not work, eat, or watch TV in bed. If stress is keeping you up, schedule 15 minutes earlier in the day to write down your worries, so they don't interfere with night-time sleep. Reserve medication for severe, short-term cases only, and only after trying these behavioral steps.

Direct supplementation of EPA and DHA is significantly more effective for increasing their levels in the body than consuming their precursor, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), due to inefficient conversion rates in humans.

If you are not eating fatty fish regularly, do not rely solely on plant sources like flaxseed or walnuts (ALA) to get your omega-3s. Your body converts ALA to EPA and DHA very poorly. To ensure adequate levels for heart and brain health, consider direct supplementation with EPA and DHA, such as from fish oil or algae oil.

Daily supplementation with Vitamin D (2000 IU/day) reduces the risk of acute respiratory tract infections, with the greatest benefit observed in individuals with baseline deficiency (<25 nmol/L).

Take 2000 IU of Vitamin D daily. Do not take it in large, infrequent 'bolus' doses, as this appears ineffective for infection prevention. This is especially critical if you have low baseline levels, where the protection is strongest.

Daily Vitamin C supplementation (≥200 mg/day) reduces the risk, severity, and duration of upper and lower respiratory tract infections, with higher doses (1-2 g/day) recommended during illness.

Take at least 200 mg of Vitamin C daily to support immune function. If you get sick, increase the dose to 1-2 grams per day starting immediately, as your body uses more Vitamin C during infection. Do not exceed 2 grams daily without medical advice.

Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with a significantly increased risk of overall cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease.

To lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, try to keep ultra-processed foods to less than 10-15% of your total food weight. Focus on unprocessed or minimally processed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fresh meats. The risk increases by about 12% for every 10% increase in ultra-processed foods in your diet, even if you try to balance the nutrients.

Weight loss is the primary therapy for NAFLD, improving liver biochemistry, histology, and insulin sensitivity.

Lose weight through diet and exercise. This is the most effective way to improve liver health in NAFLD patients, even without medication.

Bariatric and metabolic surgery leads to resolution of NAFLD/NASH in the majority of patients and regression of liver fibrosis.

For eligible patients, bariatric surgery is a highly effective treatment that can resolve NAFLD and reverse liver fibrosis.

Postdiagnosis physical activity provides greater mortality benefits than prediagnosis physical activity for breast and colon cancer survivors.

If you are a breast or colon cancer survivor, engage in physical activity as tolerated. Postdiagnosis activity is particularly beneficial for improving survival outcomes, so start with what you can handle and gradually increase.

Exercise improves quality of life (physical and mental summary scores) in patients with intermittent claudication.

Exercise helps you feel better mentally and physically. Studies show that after six months of exercise, patients report better physical function and mental well-being. This is a key benefit of sticking with an exercise program.

Regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise reduces cardiovascular disease risk and mortality through multiple mechanisms including improved lipid profiles, enhanced insulin sensitivity, lowered blood pressure, and favorable cardiac adaptations.

Engage in regular physical activity, aiming for moderate-to-vigorous intensity several times a week. You do not need extreme volumes; even single sessions of low-intensity exercise can improve insulin sensitivity the next day. Focus on consistency over intensity to lower blood pressure and improve lipid profiles.

Creatine supplementation reduces the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries, dehydration, and muscle cramping in athletes during training and competition.

If you are a team sport athlete, taking creatine may help you stay healthier by reducing cramps and injuries. It is safe and well-tolerated.

Habitual consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) causes weight gain and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality.

To prevent age-related weight gain and reduce chronic disease risk, limit or eliminate sugar-sweetened beverages. Replacing SSBs with non-caloric options (water, unsweetened tea/coffee) has been shown to reduce body weight, particularly in individuals with overweight or obesity. Be aware that liquid calories from soda do not make you feel full, so you are likely to consume these calories on top of your normal food intake.

Replacing SSBs with non-caloric beverages reduces body weight and BMI gain, especially in children and individuals with overweight or obesity.

If you want to lose weight or prevent weight gain, swap your sugary drinks for water or unsweetened alternatives. This is particularly effective if you have excess weight. You do not need to eliminate all sugar from your diet, but removing liquid sugar is one of the most impactful single changes you can make.