Browse the evidence

High repetition resistance training protocols (approx. 20 reps) generate significantly higher blood lactate concentrations and higher perceived exertion than moderate repetition protocols (approx. 10 reps) when total time under tension is equated.

If you want to maximize metabolic stress (lactate buildup) without changing the total time you spend lifting, do more reps rather than moving slower. For example, doing 20 fast reps creates more metabolic stress than doing 10 slow reps, as long as the total time under tension is the same. Use high repetitions (around 20) to induce this stress.

Long-duration static stretching (1 hour daily for 6 weeks) induces significant increases in maximal strength, muscle thickness, and range of motion in the plantar flexors for both males and females, with males demonstrating superior magnitude of adaptation.

If you want to increase calf strength and size without heavy weights, you can try static stretching for 1 hour daily using a device that holds your ankle at a stretched position. You need to feel significant discomfort (7-8/10) at the start, but it will subside. Do this for 6 weeks. Note that men will likely see bigger gains than women, but both sexes will improve strength, size, and flexibility.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide) produce significant weight loss (6–30%+ TBWL) and improve fertility outcomes (spontaneous conception, IVF pregnancy rates) in women with obesity and PCOS when used in the preconception period.

If you have obesity and are trying to conceive, GLP-1 medications (like Wegovy or Zepbound) are highly effective for weight loss and improving fertility, especially if you have PCOS. You must stop taking them 2 months before you try to conceive to ensure the drug is out of your system. Work with your doctor to manage side effects and costs.

Supervised resistance training produces a small but statistically significant improvement in performance and functional outcomes compared to unsupervised training, with a moderate effect specifically for strength gains.

If you are training alone, expect slightly slower strength gains compared to having a coach. Supervision helps you lift heavier loads with better technique and closer to failure, which drives adaptation. If you cannot afford a coach, use video self-analysis or training logs to mimic the feedback loop of supervision.

Replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fats from local regional sources (canola oil, pecans, avocado, moringa oil) significantly improves lipid profiles (reduces LDL/total cholesterol) and cardiovascular risk factors.

To improve your cholesterol without changing your culture, swap your current cooking fat for local monounsaturated options. In North America, use canola oil and eat pecans (approx. 42g/day). In Latin America, use avocado as your primary fat source. In Africa, consider moringa oil. These swaps have been shown in meta-analyses to lower LDL cholesterol effectively.

Incorporating high-fiber, low-glycemic index local staples (pinto beans, okra, quinoa, plantains, barley) improves glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and reduces cardiovascular risk markers.

Replace refined grains and high-GI starchy foods with local high-fiber alternatives. In North America, eat pinto beans and okra. In Latin America, choose quinoa and green plantains. In Asia, choose barley. These foods provide fiber that improves insulin sensitivity and lowers cholesterol.

Implementing healthful default options for children's meals (e.g., fruit/vegetables instead of fries, fat-free milk instead of low-fat) significantly reduces the caloric, fat, and sodium content of orders, even when the policy does not strictly enforce menu changes.

When ordering for children, look for restaurants that have made 'healthy' the default option (e.g., apples instead of fries, water instead of soda). You often do not need to actively request these changes; simply accepting the standard meal will likely result in lower calorie and sodium intake compared to chains where unhealthy items are the default.

Daily ingestion of 10g low-dose acidified milk protein combined with low-to-moderate intensity exercise training significantly increases lean body mass in healthy older adults compared to isocaloric carbohydrate.

If you are an older adult looking to maintain or build muscle, you do not need to consume large amounts of protein at once. Consuming just 10 grams of high-quality milk protein daily, preferably after light-to-moderate exercise like bodyweight movements or medicine ball exercises, can help increase lean body mass over 6 months. This approach is easier to maintain than large doses and avoids the burden of consuming large volumes of supplements.

Slow Typology (ST) individuals must perform a significantly higher training volume to achieve the same hypertrophic and strength adaptations as Fast Typology (FT) individuals when training to failure.

If you find yourself needing to do more sets or reps than others to see muscle growth, this is normal for your muscle type. Do not compare your volume to others. Focus on completing your sets to failure, and you will achieve similar strength and muscle gains.

Increasing training frequency from 2x/week to 3x/week increases muscle hypertrophy but not maximal dynamic strength, regardless of muscle typology.

If your goal is to build muscle, training 3 times a week is likely more effective than 2 times a week, even if you only add one extra session. This benefit applies to everyone, regardless of their muscle fiber type. However, this extra frequency may not translate to greater strength gains, so prioritize hypertrophy if that is your goal.

High-volume resistance training (lighter loads, higher reps) produces greater skeletal muscle hypertrophy than high-load resistance training (heavier loads, fewer reps) when volume is equated or higher in the high-volume condition.

To maximize muscle growth, prioritize higher volume with lighter loads (around 60% of your one-rep max) performed for more repetitions (e.g., 10 reps per set) rather than just heavy loads. This approach was shown to significantly increase muscle size in trained individuals over 6 weeks, whereas heavy loads alone did not produce significant growth in this specific protocol.

High-load resistance training produces greater strength gains than high-volume resistance training, despite potentially lower hypertrophic outcomes in the short term.

If your primary goal is to increase strength, prioritize high-load training (heavier weights, fewer reps) over high-volume training. This approach was shown to produce greater strength gains in trained individuals over 6 weeks.

In obese patients with type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 receptor agonists significantly reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) compared to placebo, whereas SGLT-2 inhibitors show a non-significant trend.

If you have type 2 diabetes and are obese, GLP-1 receptor agonists (like liraglutide, semaglutide, or dulaglutide) have been proven to significantly lower your risk of major heart events compared to a placebo. SGLT-2 inhibitors also help but did not reach statistical significance in this specific obese subgroup analysis. Discuss GLP-1 RAs with your doctor as a first-line treatment for cardiovascular protection.

Regular aerobic and resistance exercise training significantly improves cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak) in adults with type 2 diabetes, with greater relative improvements observed in those with lower baseline fitness.

If you have type 2 diabetes and feel too tired or uncomfortable to exercise, start with 'conditioning' rather than intense workouts. Focus on gentle stretching, warm-ups, and cool-downs. Supervised aerobic exercise (60 mins, 3x/week at 70-85% max heart rate) has been shown to significantly improve your fitness (VO2peak) even more than in non-diabetic peers. Use wearable trackers or continuous glucose monitors for real-time feedback to boost motivation and self-efficacy.

The use of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) as a real-time feedback tool increases self-efficacy, exercise attendance, and total exercise time in adults with type 2 diabetes, even in those not on intensive insulin therapy.

If you have type 2 diabetes, using a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) during exercise can help you see how your body responds in real-time. This feedback can boost your confidence (self-efficacy) and motivate you to exercise more, even if you aren't on insulin. Look for programs that cover CGMs for behavior change, as they can lead to increased exercise time and better metabolic control.

Wearable activity trackers (e.g., Fitbit) significantly increase daily step count and walking minutes in adults with type 2 diabetes compared to non-tracker interventions.

Wearing a simple activity tracker like a Fitbit can help you walk more. Studies show it adds an average of 627 steps per day. Set simple step goals and use the real-time feedback to stay motivated. Social accountability, such as sharing progress with a coach or group, can further enhance adherence.

Optimizing resistance training in hypoxia with moderate loads (60-80% 1RM) and short inter-set rest intervals (≤ 60s) enhances muscle hypertrophy (CSA) compared to normoxia.

If you train in hypoxia, use moderate weights (60-80% 1RM) and keep rest periods short (under 60 seconds) to potentially maximize muscle growth. Without these specific settings, hypoxia offers no advantage over normal air.

Significant weight loss (induced by metabolic surgery, very-low-calorie diets, or intensive insulin therapy) prior to irreversible beta-cell damage can induce durable remission of type 2 diabetes, defined as HbA1c <6.5% without medication.

If you have recently been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, especially if overweight, aggressive intervention is critical. This may involve significant weight loss through very-low-calorie diets, metabolic surgery, or short-term intensive insulin therapy. The goal is to restore beta-cell function before damage becomes irreversible, potentially allowing you to stop medication and maintain normal blood sugar levels.

Once-daily oral semaglutide (3–14 mg) significantly reduces HbA1c (mean -1.16%-points) and body weight (mean -5.84 kg) in adults with type 2 diabetes over 34–44 weeks, with 47.5% achieving HbA1c < 7.0% and 35.5% achieving composite targets (HbA1c reduction ≥ 1.0%-points plus body weight reduction ≥ 5%).

If you have Type 2 Diabetes and are struggling with blood sugar and weight, oral semaglutide is a proven, once-daily option that can significantly lower your HbA1c and help you lose weight. Most people find it easy to take, and while stomach issues can happen, they are usually mild. It is particularly useful if you want to avoid injections.

Older adults require higher per-meal protein doses (0.40 g/kg) compared to younger adults (0.24 g/kg) to achieve maximal muscle protein synthesis due to anabolic resistance.

If you are over 60, you likely need more protein per meal than you think to build or keep muscle. Aim for about 0.4 grams of high-quality protein per kilogram of your body weight at each main meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner). This is roughly double the amount needed by a 20-year-old to trigger the same muscle-building response. Combine this with resistance exercise for best results.

Current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 0.8 g/kg/day for protein is likely an underestimate for older adults and should be increased to 1.0-1.2 g/kg/day to support healthy muscle ageing.

If you are an older adult, aim for 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. This is higher than the standard government recommendation of 0.8 g/kg. Spread this protein evenly across your meals (about 0.4 g/kg per meal) and combine it with strength training. This helps maintain muscle mass and function without harming healthy kidneys or bones.

Suboptimal dietary patterns, specifically low intake of nuts, seeds, and fruits, and high intake of processed meat, are responsible for over half (53.8%) of all cardiometabolic disease mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, fixing your diet is the single most impactful thing you can do to prevent heart disease and diabetes death. Focus on eating more nuts, seeds, and fruits, and cutting back on processed meats. These specific changes address the majority of diet-related risk in the region.

Increasing fruit consumption is the most effective dietary intervention for reducing diet-attributable cardiometabolic mortality trends over time, having driven the greatest decline (35%) in such deaths between 1990 and 2010.

If you want to lower your risk of heart disease or diabetes, eating more fruit is one of the most powerful steps you can take. Historical data from the region shows that increasing fruit intake has been the biggest driver in reducing diet-related deaths.

Internet-based personalised nutrition interventions yield greater dietary improvements in older adults, women, and individuals with lower baseline diet quality compared to general dietary advice.

If you are older, female, or currently eating a low-quality diet, you are statistically more likely to see significant dietary improvements from a personalised online nutrition program than younger men with already healthy diets. Look for programs that offer deep personalization (genetic/phenotypic data) if you fall into these high-benefit categories.