Browse the evidence

Dietary carbohydrate restriction is superior to low-fat diets for weight loss in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes and want to lose weight, a low-carbohydrate diet is more effective than a low-fat diet. You do not need to count calories; simply restrict carbohydrates (e.g., <130g/day) and eat until satisfied. The natural satiety from protein and fat helps you eat less without explicit restriction.

Dietary carbohydrate restriction improves cardiovascular risk markers (Triglycerides, HDL, SFA) more effectively than low-fat diets, regardless of dietary saturated fat intake.

To improve your heart health markers (Triglycerides and HDL), restrict carbohydrates. This lowers triglycerides and raises HDL more effectively than low-fat diets. You do not need to avoid saturated fats; in fact, restricting carbs lowers the saturated fatty acids in your blood, which are the actual risk factor.

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.

Mandatory nutrition labeling on pre-packaged foods is a cost-effective population-level intervention that consistently links to healthier dietary habits, including reduced fat, sodium, and energy intake, and increased fiber and nutrient consumption.

Use nutrition labels on pre-packaged foods to guide your purchases. Look for labels that simplify information, such as front-of-pack 'traffic light' systems or symbols, which are more effective than complex quantitative data. Consistent use of these labels is associated with healthier diets, including lower fat, sodium, and energy intake, and higher fiber and nutrient consumption. Governments are encouraged to mandate clear, accessible labeling to maximize public health benefits.

Consuming 35 grams or more of fish daily is associated with a significantly lower 30-year risk of fatal myocardial infarction, specifically nonsudden death, compared to non-consumption.

To potentially lower your risk of fatal heart attacks over the long term, aim to eat at least 35 grams (about 1.2 ounces) of fish every day. This study found that this specific amount was linked to a significantly lower risk of dying from heart attacks, particularly those that develop over time rather than suddenly. You do not need to eat large quantities; a small daily portion appears sufficient to confer this benefit.

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.

Very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets (VLCKD) significantly improve cardiovascular risk factors, specifically by lowering triglycerides, lowering LDL cholesterol, and raising HDL cholesterol.

If you follow a ketogenic diet (under 50g carbs/day), your cardiovascular risk markers like triglycerides and HDL often improve significantly. This happens because low insulin levels reduce your body's production of cholesterol, counteracting the potential negative effects of high dietary fat intake.

Moderate weight reduction (approx. 8 kg or 8% body weight) via a very-low-fat, hypocaloric diet reverses hepatic steatosis and hepatic insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes, thereby normalizing fasting hyperglycemia and basal glucose production.

If you have type 2 diabetes, you do not need to reach a 'normal' body weight to fix your blood sugar. A modest weight loss of about 8 kg (roughly 8% of your body weight) achieved through a very-low-fat, hypocaloric diet (around 1,200 calories/day) can significantly reduce fat in your liver. This reduction in liver fat reverses liver insulin resistance and normalizes your fasting blood glucose levels, even if your overall body weight or muscle fat doesn't change drastically. This is a psychologically achievable goal compared to aiming for a 'normal' BMI.

Vitamin D insufficiency (serum 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L) contributes to the pathogenesis of chronic diseases including osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, and supplementation can improve clinical outcomes in these conditions.

Check your Vitamin D status if you have chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, or autoimmune issues, or if you are elderly. Current guidelines may not be enough to reach optimal levels for disease prevention. Supplementation can help reduce blood pressure, improve glucose control, and alleviate symptoms in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Aim for serum 25(OH)D levels above 50 nmol/L, potentially requiring higher doses than standard recommendations.

A carbohydrate intake of 45-60% of total energy (E%) is sufficient to meet metabolic needs and prevent ketosis in adults and children over one year, provided fat and protein intakes are balanced.

Aim for 45-60% of your daily calories from carbohydrates. This range supports metabolic health and prevents ketosis. Ensure you are also reducing saturated fats to maximize benefits.

Exogenous melatonin administration (0.1–3 mg) improves sleep efficiency and reduces sleep onset latency, particularly in elderly individuals with nocturnal melatonin deficiency or circadian rhythm sleep disorders.

If you are older and struggle with falling asleep, melatonin (0.1–3 mg) taken before bed can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep, especially if you are already taking other sleep aids. It works best if your natural melatonin production is low, which is common with aging. It is not a strong sedative for young people with normal sleep rhythms.

Prevention of weight regain in formerly obese individuals requires 60-90 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or lesser amounts of vigorous-intensity activity.

If you have lost weight and want to keep it off, 30 minutes is likely not enough. You need 60-90 minutes of moderate activity (like brisk walking) daily. If you prefer intense exercise, you can do less time of it to get the same benefit.

Regular exercise and calorie restriction improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the prevalence of metabolic syndrome-associated diseases by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK).

Incorporate regular physical activity into your routine to improve how your body handles insulin. You don't need to be an elite athlete; consistent movement helps activate AMPK, a key enzyme that improves metabolic health and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Short sleep duration (≤6 hours/night) is associated with increased odds of obesity (1.5x) and type 2 diabetes, mediated by hormonal changes including reduced leptin, increased ghrelin, and elevated evening cortisol.

If you sleep less than 6 hours a night, you are biologically primed to gain weight and develop diabetes due to hormonal shifts that increase hunger and decrease satiety. Increasing sleep duration to 7-8 hours is a direct metabolic intervention to help regulate appetite and glucose tolerance.

Sleep deprivation impairs cognitive and motor performance to a degree comparable to alcohol intoxication at or above the legal limit, significantly increasing the risk of motor vehicle crashes and work-related injuries.

Driving or operating machinery while sleep-deprived is as dangerous as driving drunk. If you are tired, do not drive. The risk of a fatal accident increases significantly because your reaction time and judgment are impaired to the level of legal intoxication.

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.

Among FDA-approved pharmacological treatments for obesity, phentermine-topiramate and liraglutide are associated with the highest probability of achieving at least 5% weight loss at 52 weeks compared to placebo.

If you are considering medication for obesity, phentermine-topiramate and liraglutide currently offer the highest likelihood of losing at least 5% of your body weight within a year compared to other approved options. Be aware that these same medications also carry a higher risk of stopping treatment due to side effects.

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.

A trimodal prehabilitation program (moderate aerobic/resistance exercise, whey protein supplementation, and anxiety-reduction strategies) initiated 4 weeks before colorectal surgery significantly improves postoperative functional exercise capacity compared to initiating the identical program after surgery.

If you are scheduled for colorectal cancer surgery, start a moderate exercise and protein supplementation program 4 weeks before your operation. This 'prehabilitation' approach helps you maintain or improve your walking capacity before surgery, leading to better functional recovery afterward compared to starting these activities only after surgery.

Lifestyle factors including Mediterranean-style diet, caloric restriction/fasting, and exercise reduce systemic inflammation (CRP, IL-6) and can mitigate the risk of developing depression, particularly in those with existing depressive symptoms.

Adopting a Mediterranean-style diet, practicing intermittent fasting, or engaging in regular exercise can lower inflammation (CRP, IL-6). This reduction in inflammation may help prevent depression or improve outcomes for those already depressed, especially if they have high baseline inflammation.

Lifestyle interventions, specifically physical activity and fitness, can counteract obesity-associated inflammation by reducing serum levels of pro-inflammatory markers like CRP, IL-6, and TNFα.

Engage in regular physical activity and aim to improve cardio-respiratory fitness. This can help lower inflammatory markers like CRP and TNFα, even if weight loss is slow or modest. Focus on consistency and fitness improvements rather than just scale weight.

Low-intensity resistance exercise (30-50% 1RM) combined with moderate vascular occlusion (approx. 110 mmHg) induces muscular hypertrophy and strength gains equivalent to high-intensity exercise (80% 1RM) without occlusion.

To build muscle size without lifting heavy weights, perform low-rep resistance exercises (30-50% of your max) while restricting blood flow to the working muscle using a specialized cuff (approx. 110 mmHg). Train twice weekly for 16 weeks. This method yields muscle growth similar to traditional heavy lifting but with significantly less mechanical stress on joints.