Browse the evidence

Oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use results in trivial or slightly inferior exercise performance compared to naturally menstruating women, with no practical group-level difference warranting general guidance against use.

If you take combined oral contraceptives, do not expect them to significantly boost or hinder your performance on average. The data shows any disadvantage is trivial and highly variable between individuals. You do not need to stop taking your pill to perform, nor do you need to time your training to specific weeks of the pack. Focus on individual response: if you feel good, keep taking it; if you feel consistently worse, consult a doctor about other contraceptive options, but do not assume OCPs are inherently performance-limiting.

Short sleep duration negatively impacts the efficacy of weight loss interventions, resulting in less fat mass loss and greater weight regain after bariatric surgery compared to adequate sleep.

If you are trying to lose weight, prioritize getting enough sleep. Short sleepers lose less fat mass during a diet and are more likely to regain weight after bariatric surgery. Ensuring 7-8 hours of sleep can enhance the effectiveness of your weight loss efforts.

Social Norms Approach (SNA) interventions that correct normative misperceptions about peer behaviors (descriptive or injunctive norms) can reduce negative health behaviors (e.g., alcohol, cannabis use) and promote positive ones (e.g., sun protection, condom use).

To encourage healthier behaviors in a group (like students or employees), use data to show what most people in that group actually do, rather than scaring them with risks. If people think everyone is drinking heavily, correct that by showing the majority drink moderately or not at all. This leverages social conformity to promote positive change.

Exercise induces the release of myokines (irisin, IL-6, IL-15, METRNL, BAIBA) and hepatokines (FGF21, ANGPTL4, follistatin) which mediate fat mass loss by promoting white adipose tissue (WAT) browning, increasing fatty acid oxidation, and reducing systemic inflammation.

To lose fat, focus on consistent exercise (aerobic or resistance) to trigger the release of 'exercise-inducible factors' like irisin and IL-6. These molecules help turn white fat into metabolically active brown/beige fat and improve insulin sensitivity, leading to sustained fat loss even after your workout ends. Don't just rely on the calories burned during the exercise; the hormonal changes are key.

Exercise reduces levels of detrimental hepatokines like Fetuin A and Selenoprotein P, which contributes to decreased visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass and improved insulin sensitivity.

Regular aerobic exercise helps lower levels of Fetuin A, a liver hormone linked to fat storage and insulin resistance. By reducing this hormone, exercise helps your body manage fat better and improves insulin sensitivity, contributing to overall fat loss.

Advanced resistance training techniques (supersets, drop sets, cluster sets, BFR, AEL) provide time-efficient alternatives to traditional training for maximizing muscle hypertrophy, particularly for breaking plateaus and preventing monotony, though they do not consistently yield superior chronic hypertrophy compared to matched-volume traditional training.

If you are a trained lifter stuck on a plateau or short on time, swap some of your traditional sets for advanced techniques. Use supersets (agonist-antagonist) or cluster sets to lift more total weight in less time. Use Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) with light weights (20-40% 1RM) to get similar growth to heavy lifting without joint stress. Use Drop Sets or Sarcoplasmic Stimulating Training (SST) to induce metabolic stress efficiently. Do not expect these to magically grow muscle faster than heavy traditional training if you match the volume; use them to break monotony and save time.

Training in a low carbohydrate state ('train low') may improve fat oxidation pathways but reduces the ability to generate maximal power and may negatively affect race outcomes in high-intensity situations.

If you try training with low carbohydrates, do it on easy, low-intensity days to boost fat burning. Do NOT do this before or during high-intensity workouts or races, as it will likely hurt your speed and performance. Prioritize carbohydrates for your hard efforts.

Well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets during pregnancy are safe for maternal and fetal health but require strict monitoring and supplementation of key micronutrients (B12, D, iron, calcium, zinc) to prevent deficiency-related adverse outcomes.

If you are pregnant and follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can have a healthy pregnancy, but you must be proactive. Focus on getting enough protein (1.1 g/kg/day for vegetarians), and ensure you are supplementing or consuming fortified foods for Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Iron, Calcium, and Zinc. Regular blood tests are essential to monitor these levels, as plant-based sources are often less bioavailable than animal sources.

Vegetarian and vegan diets are associated with lower maternal BMI and reduced risk of overweight/obesity compared to omnivorous diets, but may carry risks of low bone mineral density and osteoporosis if calcium intake is insufficient.

Vegetarian and vegan diets often lead to a healthier BMI and better lipid profiles compared to omnivorous diets. However, you must ensure you are eating enough calories and key minerals like calcium to protect your bone health. Don't fear weight gain, but do fear nutrient gaps.

A high-fiber semi-vegetarian diet may help prevent relapse of symptoms in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), specifically Crohn's disease.

If you have Crohn's disease and are in remission, a high-fiber semi-vegetarian diet may help prevent symptom relapse. This diet includes up to 32.4g of fiber per 2,000 kcal and avoids known high-risk foods for IBD. Consult your doctor before making significant dietary changes.

Personalized medicine, utilizing genetic screening and pharmacogenomics, improves diabetes management outcomes by tailoring treatment plans to individual genetic makeup, lifestyle, and health characteristics, thereby optimizing medication choices and reducing adverse reactions.

If you have diabetes, ask your doctor about personalized medicine options. This might include genetic testing to predict your risk or response to specific drugs, and using technologies like Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) to get real-time feedback. The goal is to move away from a standard 'one-size-fits-all' approach to a plan tailored to your specific genetics and lifestyle, which can reduce side effects and improve long-term health.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) and closed-loop 'artificial pancreas' systems significantly enhance glycemic control and reduce hypoglycemia risk by providing real-time data and automated insulin delivery.

If you use insulin, ask your doctor about Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM). These devices track your blood sugar 24/7 and can even automatically adjust insulin delivery (artificial pancreas). This reduces the risk of dangerous low blood sugar and helps you maintain better control without constant finger pricks.

Personalized glycemic targets, adjusted for age, comorbidities, and hypoglycemia risk, improve patient outcomes by minimizing severe hypoglycemic events and enhancing quality of life, compared to rigid standard targets.

Work with your doctor to set a blood sugar target that is right for YOU. If you are older or have other health issues, a slightly higher blood sugar target might be safer to prevent dangerous lows. This personalized approach improves your quality of life and reduces hospital visits.

Butyrate supplementation or increased endogenous production via resistant starch and fiber intake promotes weight management by increasing energy expenditure through AMPK activation and PGC-1α induction, and by reducing energy intake via GLP-1 and PYY secretion.

To leverage butyrate for weight management, focus on increasing your intake of resistant starch and dietary fibers rather than relying solely on supplements. Incorporate foods like cooked-and-cooled potatoes, legumes, and raw bananas into your diet. These substrates feed gut bacteria to produce butyrate, which may help regulate energy expenditure and satiety hormones like GLP-1 and PYY. A clinical trial used 4g of sodium butyrate daily, but dietary modification is the primary natural strategy discussed.

Specific probiotic strains improve gut barrier integrity, reducing gut permeability and systemic endotoxemia caused by intense, prolonged exercise.

If you suffer from GI distress during long or intense workouts, consider a probiotic strain known to support gut barrier function. This may help prevent 'leaky gut' and systemic inflammation associated with heavy training.

Probiotic supplementation does not consistently improve athletic performance metrics (e.g., VO2 max, peak power) across all strains and populations.

Do not take probiotics expecting a direct boost in speed or strength. The evidence for performance enhancement is mixed and strain-specific. Focus on strains with validated health benefits (e.g., immune support) instead.

COVID-19 lockdowns and associated lifestyle restrictions in the UAE caused significant negative shifts in dietary patterns, physical activity, and psychological well-being, leading to weight gain and increased stress.

During periods of restricted movement or lockdown, prioritize maintaining basic habits over perfection. Focus on home-cooked meals if possible, as the study showed a shift towards homemade meals was common. Incorporate light physical activity even if formal exercise is unavailable, and monitor stress levels, as psychological strain was significantly higher during lockdown.

Increased screen time and sedentary behavior during lockdown are associated with higher rates of weight gain and poor sleep quality.

If you must sit for work or study, try to break up long periods of sitting with short movement breaks. The study found high rates of sedentary behavior and screen time during lockdown, which were linked to weight gain and poor sleep.

Lockdown led to a shift towards 'Western-type' and 'Free Sugars' dietary patterns, characterized by increased consumption of sweets, salty snacks, and energy drinks, and decreased consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Be mindful of your food choices during stressful times. The study found that lockdown often leads to increased consumption of sweets, salty snacks, and sugary drinks, while decreasing fruit and vegetable intake. Try to maintain a balance and prioritize whole foods.

Resveratrol supplementation (1500 mg/day) significantly decreases testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

Women with PCOS may benefit from 1500 mg/day of resveratrol supplementation, which has been shown to significantly reduce excess testosterone and DHEAS levels over 3 months. Consult a doctor before starting.

Extended home confinement during pandemics causes significant body weight and fat mass gain in adults, primarily driven by energy surplus from increased consumption of energy-dense foods and reduced physical activity.

Home confinement creates a 'perfect storm' for weight gain by increasing access to comfort foods and decreasing activity. To counter this, you must actively recreate structure: schedule your meals and exercise, limit access to energy-dense comfort foods, and find non-food ways to manage stress and boredom. Daily self-weighing is recommended as a tool to monitor and prevent gain.

Genetic susceptibility to obesity, measured by polygenic risk scores, is partly mediated by emotional and uncontrolled eating behaviors.

Your genetics may make you more susceptible to emotional eating, but this doesn't mean you are powerless. Focus on managing your environment and behaviors, such as reducing access to energy-dense foods and learning emotion regulation skills, to mitigate genetic risk.

Fermentation of plant-based matrices using exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing lactic acid bacteria improves the textural properties (viscosity, water-holding capacity) and stability of plant-based yogurt-like products, serving as a clean-label alternative to added hydrocolloids.

To get a creamy, stable plant-based yogurt without added gums, look for products fermented with specific EPS-producing bacteria (like certain strains of Weissella or Lactobacillus). This natural process creates a thicker texture and better mouthfeel than unfermented plant milks.

Fermentation of plant-based matrices reduces anti-nutritional factors (ANF) such as phytic acid and trypsin inhibitors, thereby improving the nutritional value and digestibility of plant proteins.

Choose fermented plant-based foods (like yogurt made from soy, oats, or legumes) over unfermented alternatives. The fermentation process breaks down compounds that block nutrient absorption, making the protein and minerals in plants more usable by your body.