Browse the evidence

Ultrasound-measured muscle thickness (MT) is a valid and reliable proxy for MRI-measured anatomical cross-sectional area (ACSA) at a specific site (mid-thigh) following resistance training, but it does not accurately predict changes in total muscle volume (VOL) due to regional hypertrophy.

If you are tracking muscle growth using ultrasound, measure muscle thickness at the mid-thigh (50% of femur length). It is a reliable indicator of local muscle area growth after 12 weeks of resistance training. However, do not assume this thickness increase equals a proportional increase in your total leg volume, as muscles grow unevenly (regionally).

Oral intake of bacterial probiotics (specifically multispecies mixes containing Bifidobacterium breve, B. longum, Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, or L. delbrueckii) induces minor but statistically significant reductions in body weight, BMI, waist circumference, and visceral adipose tissue in overweight (but not obese) subjects.

If you are overweight, adding a multispecies probiotic supplement (containing strains like L. acidophilus or B. breve) to your daily routine may help you lose a small amount of weight (less than 1 kg on average) and reduce waist size over 8 weeks. This effect is not seen in obese individuals. Do not rely on probiotics alone for weight loss; use them as a minor adjunct to diet and exercise.

For unsupervised exercise interventions in cancer patients, higher weekly energy expenditure is associated with larger improvements in physical function, although this dose-response relationship was not statistically significant in sensitivity analyses restricted to breast cancer patients.

If you cannot access supervised exercise, aim for a higher total energy expenditure (combining intensity and frequency) to improve physical function. While the specific type of exercise (aerobic vs. resistance) may not matter as much, ensuring you are expending enough energy weekly is key for unsupervised protocols.

Low Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) diets significantly reduce postprandial glucose levels in women with GDM, though they may not significantly impact primary neonatal outcomes like birth weight or macrosomia.

Choose foods with a low Glycemic Index (GI <= 55) and focus on Glycemic Load (GL). Eat high-fiber foods like vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. This helps control blood sugar spikes after meals, even if it doesn't guarantee a lower birth weight.

Industrial trans fatty acids (iTFA) promote cardiovascular disease risk through multiple mechanisms including increased LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio, activation of NF-κB-mediated inflammation, and induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and oxidative stress.

Avoid industrial trans fats found in partially hydrogenated oils, as they raise bad cholesterol, lower good cholesterol, and trigger inflammation and cellular stress. While trans fats in natural dairy and meat exist, current evidence suggests they do not cause the same inflammatory or cellular damage as industrial versions, though moderation is still advised.

Magnesium deficiency induces chronic low-grade inflammation through increased intracellular calcium, leading to elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6) and acute-phase proteins (CRP, fibrinogen).

If you have chronic inflammation or risk factors like high blood pressure or diabetes, check your magnesium intake. Most people don't get enough. While supplements won't fix inflammation if you're already healthy and well-nourished, correcting a deficiency can lower inflammatory markers and reduce disease risk. Focus on magnesium-rich foods like nuts, seeds, and leafy greens.

Excessive dietary fructose consumption (particularly from sugar-sweetened beverages) drives the development of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and metabolic syndrome by stimulating hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and increasing VLDL secretion.

Limit intake of added sugars, specifically fructose and high-fructose corn syrup, found in sugar-sweetened beverages and processed foods. This is particularly critical if you have abdominal obesity or metabolic risk factors, as fructose uniquely drives liver fat accumulation and triglyceride production independent of total weight gain.

Females bear a disproportionately higher burden of malnutrition-related mortality and DALYs compared to males, while males experience higher obesity-related DALYs, indicating sex-specific vulnerabilities in the double burden of disease.

Nutrition and health policies must be sex-specific. Women face higher risks of malnutrition due to biological needs and social inequities in food access, while men face higher risks of obesity. Interventions should address these distinct vulnerabilities rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Insulin resistance (IR) and hyperinsulinemia accelerate muscle protein degradation and reduce synthesis, directly causing sarcopenia.

Managing blood sugar and insulin sensitivity is crucial for preserving muscle mass. If you have insulin resistance or pre-diabetes, addressing it may help prevent the accelerated muscle loss associated with aging and metabolic syndrome.

Sarcopenic obesity (low muscle mass + high visceral fat) carries a significantly higher risk of metabolic syndrome and adverse health outcomes than either condition alone.

If you have excess belly fat but low muscle strength, your risk for metabolic syndrome is extremely high. Focus on resistance training to build muscle while managing diet to reduce visceral fat, rather than just losing weight.

Adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern (MeDi) is associated with a decreased risk of dementia and better cognitive performance, particularly in memory, language, and visuospatial domains, in elderly populations.

To support cognitive health and potentially lower dementia risk, aim for a Mediterranean dietary pattern. This involves high consumption of non-refined cereals, fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, and olive oil, while limiting red meat and full-fat dairy. In this study, each unit increase in adherence score was linked to a 10% decrease in dementia odds, with the strongest benefits seen in memory and language functions. Start by incorporating more fish and whole grains into your weekly meals.

Higher consumption of fish is negatively associated with the risk of dementia, with each serving per day associated with a significant reduction in risk.

Incorporate fish into your diet regularly. This study found that each daily serving of fish was associated with a nearly 69% reduction in the odds of dementia. Aim to include fish as a regular part of your meals to support cognitive health.

Higher consumption of non-refined cereals is positively associated with better composite cognitive performance.

Choose non-refined cereals over refined ones. This study found that higher consumption of non-refined cereals was linked to better overall cognitive performance. Swapping refined grains for whole grains may support cognitive health.

High body fat percentage (BFP) and high visceral adipose index (VAI) are significantly associated with increased risk of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity, whereas smoking and alcohol consumption are not associated with these conditions in southern China.

Focus on body composition rather than just weight. If you have a normal BMI but a high waist circumference or body fat percentage, your risk for metabolic issues is still elevated. Regularly monitoring waist circumference and body fat percentage is more informative than BMI alone for assessing obesity-related risks.

Substituting red meat with white meat, particularly unprocessed white meat, is associated with a 25% reduction in all-cause mortality.

Try swapping your red meat meals for white meat, like chicken or fish. This study shows that making this swap, while keeping your total meat amount the same, can significantly lower your risk of dying from common diseases.

Long-term administration of nutritional interventions that accelerate recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) may impinge on muscle adaptation due to the hormetic effect of blunting necessary inflammatory signaling.

Do not use recovery supplements (like high-dose antioxidants or anti-inflammatories) every day. Reserve them for specific high-stress periods, such as tournament weeks or when you have back-to-back competitions. On normal training days, allow natural inflammation to occur to ensure your muscles adapt and grow.

Regular exercise training suppresses chronic systemic inflammation by inhibiting the infiltration of inflammatory cells (neutrophils and M1 macrophages) into adipose tissue and skeletal muscle, thereby preventing tissue fibrosis and organ dysfunction associated with obesity and aging.

Engage in regular, moderate physical activity (like walking) rather than avoiding exercise due to fear of inflammation. This helps clear inflammatory cells from fat and muscle tissue, protecting your organs from age-related damage.

Physical inactivity is significantly higher among women and girls in Arab countries compared to men and boys, a disparity driven by specific socio-cultural factors.

If you are a woman in an Arab country, you may face unique cultural barriers to exercise. Seek out gender-segregated facilities or female-only fitness programs to overcome these obstacles. Recognize that your inactivity levels may be higher than men's due to social factors, not just personal choice.

In Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), obesity and weight gain are increasingly common complications of intensive insulin therapy, contributing to insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk, but GLP-1 agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors show promise in mitigating weight gain.

If you have Type 1 Diabetes and are gaining weight despite insulin therapy, discuss adjunctive treatments like GLP-1 agonists or SGLT2 inhibitors with your doctor. These may help reduce insulin requirements and manage weight, addressing a common side effect of intensive insulin therapy.

In older adults, a high Weight-Adjusted Waist Index (WWI) is a valid indicator of sarcopenic obesity, characterized by simultaneously high fat mass and low muscle mass.

For older adults, standard BMI or waist size can hide dangerous muscle loss. Use the Weight-Adjusted Waist Index (WWI): divide your waist circumference (cm) by the square root of your weight (kg). A higher WWI score indicates a higher risk of having both excess fat and low muscle (sarcopenic obesity), which is a critical health risk factor in aging.

Intermittent energy restriction results in greater weight loss than continuous energy restriction, though statistical equivalence was not met in this trial.

While both diets reduce weight, the intermittent diet (2 days of very low calories) led to slightly more weight loss on average (-6.8 kg vs -5.0 kg) in this study. However, the difference was not statistically proven to be superior, so individual results may vary.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in adipose tissue, characterized by reduced oxidative capacity and increased ROS, is a primary driver of insulin resistance and metabolic disease.

Maintaining healthy mitochondrial function in fat cells is crucial for managing insulin sensitivity and preventing metabolic diseases. Strategies to support this include regular exercise, caloric restriction, and potentially specific dietary compounds or medications that target mitochondrial health, as these can improve the body's ability to regulate glucose and lipids.

Activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis and white adipose tissue (WAT) browning through UCP1 activation improves insulin sensitivity and energy expenditure.

Exposing yourself to moderate cold (around 14-15°C) for short periods (e.g., 10 days) can activate brown fat and improve insulin sensitivity. This strategy, known as cold acclimation, may be particularly beneficial for individuals with diabetes or low brown fat levels.

Exercise induces WAT browning via the myokine Irisin, leading to increased energy expenditure and improved insulin sensitivity.

Regular exercise not only burns calories but also transforms white fat into beige fat, which burns energy more efficiently. This process, driven by proteins like Irisin, improves insulin sensitivity and helps manage body weight.