Browse the evidence

Adherence to a personalized postprandial-targeting (PPT) diet is associated with greater improvements in glycemic parameters (time in range, fasting glucose, insulin) compared to lower adherence, even when caloric intake is similar.

Strictly following the personalized meal plan provided by the algorithm yields better blood sugar control than loosely following it, even if you don't lose weight. The key is consistency with the specific foods recommended for your body.

Energy compensation occurs primarily at the within-individual level (reversible trade-offs over time) rather than the between-individual level (genetic/permanent differences), meaning active periods lead to lower basal rates for the same person.

Your metabolism is not fixed. When you are active, your body lowers your resting burn. When you are less active, your resting burn may increase. This dynamic adjustment means that long-term changes in activity levels will trigger metabolic adaptations, making weight management a moving target.

Ultra-processed foods contribute to chronic disease through specific mechanisms including gut dysbiosis from additives (e.g., carrageenan, CMC), exposure to endocrine disruptors from packaging (BPA, phthalates), and formation of neoformed compounds (acrylamide, PAH) during high-heat processing.

Be aware that UPF contain additives and packaging chemicals that may disrupt gut health and hormones. Reducing UPF intake reduces exposure to these specific risks.

Slower-digesting protein sources (e.g., casein, whole foods) allow for greater utilization of higher per-meal protein doses (>20g) compared to fast-digesting sources (e.g., whey).

If you are eating a large meal with protein (e.g., 40g+), choose slower-digesting sources like whole foods (eggs, meat) or casein. This slows absorption, reduces oxidation, and may lead to better muscle building than consuming the same amount of fast-digesting whey.

Hypertrophy (muscle size increase) and strength gains are not strictly coupled; individuals can gain strength without significant muscle growth, and vice versa, due to neural and coordination adaptations.

Do not assume that muscle size is the only driver of strength. You can become stronger through improved technique, coordination, and neural efficiency even if your muscle size stays the same. Conversely, gaining muscle size does not guarantee proportional strength gains, especially in complex movements.

Plyometric training and high-speed running exposure help maintain strength and reduce injury risk during detraining by providing neural stimuli and eccentric loading.

Include plyometric exercises and high-speed running in your routine to maintain neural adaptations and strength, especially if heavy weights are not available.

A national 10% subsidy on fruits and vegetables is the most effective single dietary policy for reducing cardiovascular disease mortality, potentially preventing approximately 150,500 deaths by 2030 in the US.

Implementing a national policy that reduces the price of fruits and vegetables by 10% is projected to save the most lives from cardiovascular disease compared to other single dietary interventions.

A combined policy approach, including a 10% SSB tax, a 10% national F&V subsidy, a 30% targeted F&V subsidy for SNAP participants, and a national mass media campaign, yields the greatest overall impact on reducing CVD mortality and disparities.

Implementing a comprehensive strategy that taxes sugary drinks, subsidizes fruits and vegetables for everyone, offers a larger subsidy for low-income participants, and runs a media campaign is projected to save the most lives and reduce health disparities.

A 30% fruit and vegetable subsidy targeted specifically at SNAP participants is the most effective policy for reducing cardiovascular disease socio-economic disparities.

Offering a 30% subsidy on fruits and vegetables to low-income individuals on SNAP is the most effective way to close the gap in cardiovascular disease mortality between low and high-income groups.

Dietary interventions, specifically those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, and micronutrients (Mediterranean style), reduce systemic inflammation and periodontal disease, thereby potentially lowering the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Adopt a Mediterranean-style diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish. This reduces systemic inflammation and supports oral health, which are key factors in lowering the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Focus on reducing simple carbohydrates and processed foods.

Ketogenic interventions, including Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) and coconut oil, provide an alternative energy source for the brain by increasing ketone bodies, which may benefit individuals with Alzheimer's disease or insulin resistance.

For individuals with cognitive decline or insulin resistance, consider adding Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) or coconut oil to the diet. This may provide an alternative energy source for the brain and support cognitive function, especially if glucose utilization is impaired.

Ketogenic diets may lead to a loss of fat-free mass (FFM) in resistance-trained individuals, whereas they preserve FFM more effectively in endurance-trained individuals compared to resistance training.

If you lift weights, be aware that a ketogenic diet might cause you to lose some muscle mass. If you do endurance sports, you might preserve muscle better. Monitor your strength and adjust protein intake if you notice performance or muscle decline.

Genetic predisposition for higher LDL-C limits the magnitude of LDL-C reduction achieved through a personalized lifestyle coaching program compared to those with average or lower genetic risk.

If you have a family history of high cholesterol, lifestyle changes like diet and exercise will still help lower your numbers, but you might not see as big a drop as someone with no family history. This doesn't mean the effort is wasted; it just means you may need to be more consistent or combine lifestyle changes with medical treatment if your numbers remain high. Don't let your genetics discourage you from making healthy choices.

Obesity exacerbates age-related anabolic resistance, leading to impaired muscle protein synthesis (MPS) response to nutrition and exercise, resulting in poor muscle quality despite preserved mass.

If you are older and obese, your muscles may not respond to protein and exercise as well as a younger or leaner person's. This is called 'anabolic resistance.' It means you might need to pay extra attention to protein intake and resistance training to maintain muscle quality, even if your muscle mass looks okay. Don't give up if progress feels slow; it's a biological hurdle, not a personal one.

Adjunct treatment with once-weekly semaglutide (max 0.5 mg) induces significant weight loss in non-diabetic patients experiencing weight regain or insufficient weight loss after bariatric surgery.

If you have had bariatric surgery and are regaining weight or haven't lost enough, talk to your doctor about adding once-weekly semaglutide. This study shows it can help you lose significant weight (over 10% in 6 months) even at a lower dose (0.5 mg) than what is typically used for non-surgical obesity. It is a safe adjunct to lifestyle changes and may help you avoid more invasive revision surgery.

An energy surplus enhances fat-free mass (FFM) gains during resistance training compared to energy balance, but the exact magnitude of the surplus required is unknown and varies by individual.

If you are struggling to gain muscle despite consistent training, try adding a small energy surplus of 1,500-2,000 kJ (approx. 350-480 kcal) per day. Monitor your body composition and strength. If you gain too much fat, reduce the surplus. This is particularly useful for those who find it hard to gain lean mass.

Internal attentional focus (focusing on the muscle) increases muscle activation and hypertrophy in some muscles (e.g., biceps) but may decrease strength and efficiency compared to external focus (focusing on the movement).

Use internal focus (thinking about the muscle) when you want to maximize hypertrophy in specific muscles, especially if you are experienced. However, be aware that it may reduce your strength and efficiency. For strength and power goals, external focus (thinking about the movement) is often superior.

Strict, short-term lockdown-induced physical inactivity and dietary changes cause significant metabolic worsening (HbA1c increase >0.3%) in approximately 26% of well-controlled type 2 diabetes patients, with pre-lockdown triglyceride levels serving as a predictive marker for this deterioration.

If you have type 2 diabetes, your medication is not a shield against lifestyle collapse. During periods of forced inactivity or dietary change, your blood sugar can deteriorate rapidly, even if you feel 'well-controlled.' Monitor your levels closely during disruptions, and prioritize maintaining basic physical activity and dietary consistency, as these factors may outweigh your medication's immediate effect.

Endurance training adaptations, including visceral fat reduction and cardiac remodeling, are mediated by muscle-secreted IL-6, as blocking IL-6 receptors impairs these specific structural adaptations without affecting peak endurance capacity (VO2peak).

If you are doing endurance training to lose visceral fat or improve heart structure, your body's natural IL-6 response is likely helping you achieve those specific structural goals. However, you do not need to worry about 'blocking' this pathway if you are just trying to improve your overall aerobic fitness (VO2max), as that improvement can still occur even if IL-6 signaling is impaired. Focus on consistent training; the structural benefits are tied to this specific inflammatory-like signaling, but peak capacity is not.

Periodized resistance training (linear or undulating) appears equally effective as non-periodized training for enhancing skeletal muscle hypertrophy in untrained populations, but its necessity for trained individuals remains unclear.

If you are new to resistance training, you do not need a complex periodized plan to build muscle. Non-periodized training yields similar hypertrophy results. Periodization may become relevant only after you have gained significant training experience, though current research is inconclusive on this point.

Older adults (approx. 77 years) consume significantly less total daily protein (83.4 g) and distribute it unevenly across meals compared to young adults, failing to meet the per-meal threshold (0.4 g/kg) required to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS).

If you are over 60, simply eating 'enough' protein throughout the day (meeting the 0.8 g/kg guideline) is likely not enough to stop muscle loss. You must concentrate your protein intake into larger doses at each main meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Aim for roughly 0.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight at each meal. If you struggle to eat large amounts of food, prioritize high-quality protein sources like whey, eggs, or lean meats, or consider protein supplements to hit this per-meal target without feeling overly full.

Providing feedback chronically across a training cycle leads to greater improvements in sprint performance and potentially jump performance compared to training without feedback.

If you are following a multi-week resistance training program, consider using feedback (visual or verbal) consistently. This may help you improve your sprint speed and jump height more than training without feedback.

Carbohydrate restriction improves glycemic control and metabolic markers (HbA1c, triglycerides, HDL) in Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), often independent of weight loss, and can lead to 'diabetes reversal' in a subset of patients.

For T2D patients, reducing carbohydrate intake can significantly lower blood sugar and reduce the need for diabetes medications, sometimes even without losing weight. Some patients achieve 'remission' (normal blood sugar without meds). This approach requires working with a doctor to safely reduce medications as blood sugar improves.

Dietary interventions, specifically intermittent fasting (IF) and caloric restriction (CR), improve metabolic profiles (body weight, glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity) by inducing epigenetic modifications (DNA methylation and histone modification) in metabolic tissues like adipose, liver, and pancreas.

To improve metabolic health, consider adopting time-restricted feeding (e.g., eating within an 8-10 hour window) or intermittent fasting protocols (like 5:2 or 2:1). These methods can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce body weight, potentially through beneficial changes in how your genes are expressed in fat and liver tissue. Start with a manageable window and consult a healthcare provider, especially if you have diabetes.