Browse the evidence

Administration of a novel probiotic formulation (WBF-011) containing Akkermansia muciniphila, Anaerobutyricum hallii, Clostridium beijerinckii, Clostridium butyricum, and Bifidobacterium infantis significantly improves postprandial glucose control in subjects with type 2 diabetes.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes, adding a specific probiotic formulation (WBF-011) containing five specific anaerobic bacteria and inulin, taken twice daily with meals for 12 weeks, may help lower your post-meal blood sugar spikes and slightly improve your long-term A1c levels. This intervention was shown to be safe and well-tolerated in a clinical trial, suggesting it could be a useful adjunct to your current diabetes management plan, especially if you are already on metformin.

Implementing a 20% tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) reduces consumption, leading to significant health-adjusted life year (HALY) gains and healthcare cost savings, with the greatest relative health benefits accruing to the most socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.

A 20% tax on sugary drinks is projected to save the Australian healthcare system billions and add significant healthy life years, particularly for disadvantaged communities. The extra cost to consumers is small (around $35/year for the lowest income group), but the health system savings and health gains are much larger for these same groups.

Dietary substitution of saturated fatty acids (SFA) with oleic acid (a monounsaturated fatty acid) reverses SFA-induced metabolic dysfunction, including insulin resistance and inflammation, by enhancing mitochondrial oxidation and reducing pro-inflammatory lipid intermediates like ceramides and diacylglycerols.

If your diet is high in saturated fats (like red meat or processed foods), try replacing some of those fats with oleic acid-rich sources, such as extra-virgin olive oil. This substitution helps lower inflammation and improves insulin sensitivity by changing how your cells process energy, specifically by reducing harmful lipid byproducts like ceramides.

Daily consumption of a few grams of Nannochloropsis biomass provides a regular dietary intake of essential bioactive compounds, specifically EPA, carotenoids, and polyphenols, which contribute to preventing cardiovascular pathologies and metabolic disorders.

To support heart health and metabolic function, incorporate a few grams of Nannochloropsis biomass into your daily diet. This microalga is rich in EPA and antioxidants, offering a sustainable alternative to fish-based supplements for preventing cardiovascular issues.

Dietary intake of melatonin-rich plant foods (particularly seeds and fruits) increases serum melatonin levels and urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin concentrations in humans, contributing to endogenous modulation.

To support your natural melatonin levels through diet, prioritize eating seeds (like sunflower, flax, sesame) and fruits (like tart cherries, grapes, olives). These plant parts contain the highest concentrations of melatonin found in nature. While your body produces melatonin, dietary intake from these sources contributes to serum levels, which may be particularly beneficial as endogenous production declines with age.

Luseogliflozin (an SGLT2 inhibitor) significantly reduces epicardial fat volume (EFV) in patients with type 2 diabetes over a 12-week period.

For patients with type 2 diabetes and high BMI, Luseogliflozin can reduce dangerous fat around the heart (epicardial fat) within 3 months. However, it may also reduce muscle mass, so combining this medication with resistance training is recommended to preserve strength.

Increasing adherence to plant-based dietary patterns over time is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and a marginally lower risk of mortality.

Improving your diet to include more plant-based foods over time can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes and may slightly reduce your risk of death.

Higher-dose exercise (higher intensity, duration, or frequency) may improve overall functioning and depressive symptoms more than moderate-dose exercise, but compliance is lower.

While higher intensity exercise might offer slight benefits for overall physical functioning, moderate intensity is sufficient for reducing depression and is easier to sustain. Prioritize consistency over intensity to avoid dropout.

Intermittent Fasting (IF) and Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) improve insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR) to a greater extent than Continuous Energy Restriction (CER) in some studies, potentially due to rapid mobilization of visceral and hepatic fat.

If you have insulin resistance or Type 2 Diabetes, trying 2 days of significant calorie restriction per week may improve your blood sugar control better than daily dieting, likely by clearing fat from your liver. Ensure you eat enough protein on all days to protect muscle.

Abrupt reduction in physical activity (specifically step counts to <1,500/day) in older adults causes rapid loss of leg fat-free mass (approx. 4% in 14 days) and muscle strength (approx. 8% in 2 weeks), leading to anabolic resistance and worsened glucose handling.

If you are an older adult or care for one, do not assume that staying home during a lockdown is physically neutral. Inactivity causes rapid muscle loss and metabolic issues. You must actively break up sitting time with light strolling, standing, or household chores, and perform resistance exercises at home to maintain muscle mass and strength.

Unimolecular GLP-1/glucagon receptor co-agonists produce superior weight loss and metabolic improvements compared to GLP-1 mono-agonists by combining central satiety signaling with peripheral thermogenesis and lipolysis, while the GLP-1 component buffers the hyperglycemic risks of glucagon.

This research supports the use of GLP-1/glucagon co-agonists (like those currently in clinical trials or recently approved, e.g., tirzepatide, though this paper predates specific approvals) for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes. These drugs work by hitting two receptors: one to reduce appetite (GLP-1) and one to burn energy (Glucagon). The key advantage is that they are more effective than older GLP-1-only drugs (like liraglutide) and do not raise blood sugar, thanks to the balancing effect of the GLP-1 component. They are administered once weekly via injection. Patients should be aware of potential nausea, which is common but often manageable, and that long-term safety data is still being gathered.

Government-imposed confinement and mobility restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant decrease in physical activity (vigorous, moderate, and walking) and a significant increase in sedentary behavior (hours spent sitting) among pregnant women.

If you are pregnant and face mobility restrictions, expect your physical activity levels to drop significantly. To counter this, prioritize low-impact indoor movements or walking if permitted, and be aware that 'lack of space' and 'fatigue' are common barriers that need proactive management.

Wearable passive sensing technologies for food intake monitoring provide objective, real-time data that reduces the subjective bias and recall errors inherent in manual self-reporting methods, thereby enabling more reliable dietary assessment and effective health interventions.

If you struggle with remembering what you eat or under-reporting your intake, consider using a wearable food monitoring device. These devices automatically track eating events (chewing, swallowing) or food images, removing the mental burden of manual logging. While not yet perfect for all food types, they offer a more objective view of your habits than memory-based diaries, helping you and your healthcare provider make better decisions.

Probiotics (specifically Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains) improve gastrointestinal health by modulating the immune system, enhancing epithelial barriers, and suppressing pathogen adhesion.

To support gut health, consider incorporating probiotic-rich foods or supplements containing Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium strains. These microbes help maintain the gut barrier and support immune function. If you are immunocompromised, consult a doctor first to ensure the specific strain is safe for you.

Synbiotics (combining probiotics and prebiotics) improve the survival and efficacy of probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract compared to probiotics alone.

If you take probiotics, consider a synbiotic formulation that includes prebiotics (like oligosaccharides). This combination helps the probiotic bacteria survive stomach acid and colonize the gut more effectively.

Vitamin D plays a critical role in skeletal muscle function through genomic and non-genomic pathways, influencing muscle fiber type, protein synthesis, and contraction force.

Vitamin D is biologically essential for muscle health, affecting how muscles grow and contract. Maintaining adequate levels helps prevent muscle degeneration and aids recovery.

A multicomponent sleep intervention combining Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and Hypnotherapy for Insomnia (HT-I) significantly improves subjective sleep quality and reduces insomnia symptoms in university students.

If you are a student struggling with sleep, consider a structured program that combines behavioral changes (like consistent sleep/wake times and relaxation techniques) with psychological tools (like hypnosis or stress management). Standard sleep hygiene advice may not be enough if you have high anxiety about sleep or irregular schedules. Look for programs specifically designed for students that address exam stress and chronotype.

Higher plasma levels of the dietary metabolite ergothioneine are independently associated with a reduced risk of coronary artery disease, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality.

Focus on a healthy dietary pattern that includes foods rich in ergothioneine, such as mushrooms, garlic, and certain grains. This study suggests that maintaining higher levels of this specific metabolite through diet is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and death, independent of other risk factors like cholesterol and blood pressure.

Flywheel inertial training (FIT) provides an eccentric overload stimulus dependent on concentric velocity and inertial load, but its effectiveness is highly dependent on user technique and training status.

If using a flywheel device, focus on generating high concentric velocity to maximize eccentric overload. Ensure proper technique to decelerate the flywheel effectively. Be aware that results may vary based on your training status.

Slow tempo eccentric training may not provide superior hypertrophy or strength benefits compared to faster eccentric training and may even be suboptimal for strength adaptations.

Do not assume slower eccentrics are better. Fast eccentrics may be superior for strength and power. Experiment with different tempos to find what works best for your goals.

Resistance training (RT) and endurance training (ET) modulate distinct biochemical pathways to counteract sarcopenia, with RT primarily promoting net muscle protein anabolism and ET improving mitochondrial biogenesis and aerobic capacity.

To combat age-related muscle loss, older adults should engage in a balanced program of both resistance and endurance exercises. For resistance training, aim for at least two days per week, performing 8-12 repetitions of exercises targeting major muscle groups. Use a moderate to vigorous intensity (RPE 5-8). If joint stress is a concern, consider aquatic exercise or stationary cycling. Consistency is key, as both types of exercise have been shown to improve muscle strength, mitochondrial function, and overall muscle health.

Endurance training (ET) improves mitochondrial biogenesis, density, and function in aged skeletal muscle, thereby attenuating age-associated declines in mitochondrial protein synthesis and energy production.

Incorporate regular aerobic exercise into your routine to support muscle health and energy levels. Aim for 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (like brisk walking) or 75-150 minutes of vigorous activity per week. Break this into sessions of at least 10 minutes. This helps improve your mitochondria, which are the energy powerhouses of your muscle cells, and supports overall muscle function.

Weight loss achieved through primary care interventions, whether pharmacologic or lifestyle-based, significantly attenuates over time, with an average regain of 0.53 kg per six months.

Do not expect your initial weight loss to stick if you stop the intervention. The body fights back against weight loss through hormonal changes. To maintain weight loss, you likely need to continue the intervention (medication or intensive lifestyle support) long-term, rather than treating it as a finite 'course'.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation does not enhance muscle protein synthesis in young men who are already consuming adequate protein and performing resistance exercise.

If you are a young man who eats enough protein and lifts weights, adding high-dose omega-3s (5g/day) likely won't give you extra muscle protein synthesis benefits beyond what you're already getting.