Browse the evidence

Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is more effective than no treatment in improving apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS), and disease-specific quality of life, and is cost-effective from a societal perspective.

If diagnosed with OSA, CPAP is the most effective treatment. It significantly reduces breathing interruptions, improves sleep quality, and enhances quality of life. While there is an initial adjustment period, the long-term health and economic benefits are substantial.

Daily supplementation with 0.8 mg of folic acid or 0.4 mg of vitamin B12 significantly decreases depression symptoms in patients.

If you are dealing with depression, consider discussing B-vitamin supplementation with your doctor. Clinical trials suggest that taking 0.8 mg of folic acid daily or 0.4 mg of Vitamin B12 daily can help decrease symptoms. Ensure your diet includes these nutrients, but recognize that targeted supplementation has proven efficacy in RCTs.

Standard BMI and waist circumference cut-points may underestimate metabolic risk in Asian-Americans and overestimate it in Non-Hispanic Black women, necessitating ethnic-specific definitions for central obesity.

If you are Asian or Black, standard BMI and waist measurements might not accurately reflect your diabetes risk. Doctors should use ethnicity-specific guidelines to assess your metabolic health, as your body may store fat differently than the standard population.

Elevated levels of host-accessible faecal monosaccharides (fructose, galactose, mannose, xylose) are associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in humans, mediated by gut microbiota carbohydrate metabolism.

High levels of certain sugars (fructose, galactose, mannose, xylose) found in the gut are linked to insulin resistance. This is driven by specific gut bacteria that break down complex carbs into these simple sugars. Managing gut microbiome composition through diet may help reduce these specific metabolites and improve insulin sensitivity.

Vitamin E (800 IU/day of natural RRR-alpha-tocopherol) improves NASH histology in non-diabetic patients, but carries potential risks including increased mortality and hemorrhagic stroke in broader populations.

Natural Vitamin E (800 IU daily for 96 weeks) significantly improves liver inflammation in non-diabetics. However, it is not risk-free; high doses have been linked to increased mortality and stroke risk in other studies. It should be used under medical supervision, particularly in non-diabetics without cirrhosis.

Menopause increases total body fat mass and decreases fat-free mass, leading to a shift toward visceral adiposity, without significantly changing total body weight or BMI.

Do not rely on body weight or BMI to track health during menopause. Expect a shift in body composition: you will likely gain fat (especially visceral) and lose muscle. Prioritize resistance training to preserve lean mass and manage visceral fat, as total weight may remain stable while health risks increase.

Estrogen hormone therapy in postmenopausal women reduces fat mass and improves body composition without significantly changing total body weight or BMI.

If considering hormone therapy for menopause symptoms, do not avoid it due to fear of weight gain. Clinical data shows it does not increase total body weight or BMI and may improve body composition. Discuss benefits for metabolic health with your provider.

Women with PCOS have an increased risk of impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes regardless of age and BMI, necessitating routine glycaemic assessment.

If you have PCOS, you need to get your blood sugar checked regularly, even if you are thin. The condition itself raises your risk for diabetes, independent of your weight. Do not skip these tests because you feel healthy or look fit.

Women with PCOS are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and mortality, requiring lipid and blood pressure monitoring regardless of age or BMI.

You need to have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly, even if you are young and feel fine. PCOS increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. This is a standard part of managing PCOS, not just for older women.

State boredom increases energy intake (calories, fat, carbohydrates, and protein) in a dose-dependent manner, independent of other negative emotions.

If you find yourself reaching for food when you are bored, recognize this as a specific psychological trigger distinct from hunger or stress. The paper suggests that boredom drives you to seek stimulation or escape self-awareness. To counter this, try to engage in an activity that provides 'excitement' or meaning rather than just consuming food, or choose 'exciting' healthy foods (like cherry tomatoes) if you must snack.

High objective self-awareness moderates the relationship between boredom and unhealthy snacking, making high-self-awareness individuals more susceptible to choosing less healthy, exciting foods when bored.

If you are naturally introspective (high self-awareness), you are more likely to turn to 'exciting' foods (healthy or unhealthy) when bored as a way to escape self-focus. To manage this, identify when you are bored and consciously choose a non-food source of stimulation or an 'exciting' healthy snack (like tomatoes) instead of sweets.

Boredom increases the consumption of 'exciting' healthy foods (e.g., cherry tomatoes) as effectively as it increases the consumption of unhealthy foods (e.g., sweets), provided the individual is high in objective self-awareness.

When bored, your brain seeks stimulation. If you are introspective, you might reach for sweets. However, you can satisfy this need by choosing 'exciting' healthy foods (like cherry tomatoes with strong flavor) instead of sweets. The key is the 'excitement' factor, not just the health factor.

Higher circulating biomarkers of plant-derived alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and seafood-derived long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (DPA, DHA) are associated with a modestly lower risk of fatal coronary heart disease (CHD).

Focus on maintaining healthy blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, primarily through a diet rich in plant sources (like ALA from flax/chia) and seafood (providing DPA/DHA). This study suggests that higher levels of these fats in your body are linked to a roughly 10% lower risk of dying from heart disease. While this doesn't necessarily prevent non-fatal heart attacks, preventing death is a critical benefit. You don't need to over-supplement; ensuring your diet supports these biomarkers is the key takeaway.

Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) is uniquely associated with a lower risk of total coronary heart disease (CHD), whereas EPA and DHA were not significantly associated with total CHD in this pooled analysis.

While EPA and DHA are well-known, this study highlights that DPA (docosapentaenoic acid) may have a unique benefit in preventing total heart disease events. Since DPA is often found in seafood and is a precursor to DHA, consuming a varied diet rich in seafood may provide a broader spectrum of omega-3 benefits than focusing solely on EPA/DHA supplements.

Skeletal muscle glycogen depletion via exercise or fasting increases insulin sensitivity by enhancing insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and PKB phosphorylation, whereas high glycogen content inhibits glucose disposal via feedback mechanisms.

To improve insulin sensitivity, ensure your muscles are not perpetually full of glycogen. Regular exercise that depletes glycogen (especially high-intensity or prolonged endurance) creates a 'storage space' that allows your body to handle carbohydrates more efficiently afterward. Avoid constant high-carb intake without exercise, as this fills glycogen stores and triggers feedback inhibition that reduces insulin sensitivity.

Untreated insomnia in adults is associated with a significant economic burden, characterized by higher direct medical costs and indirect productivity losses compared to matched non-insomnia controls.

If you suffer from chronic insomnia, treating it is not just about feeling better; it is a financial and health imperative. The data shows that untreated insomnia costs significantly more in medical bills and lost work time than treating it. Seek evaluation and treatment to mitigate these costs.

The LEAF-Q screening tool, which assesses self-reported symptoms of gastrointestinal issues, injuries, and menstrual dysfunction, can identify female athletes at risk for the Female Athlete Triad with 78% sensitivity and 90% specificity.

Use the LEAF-Q questionnaire to screen female athletes for signs of low energy availability. A score of 8 or higher suggests a need for further medical evaluation of energy intake, menstrual health, and bone density.

Regular physical fitness and exercise confer resilience by blunting and optimizing neuroendocrine stress responses (HPA axis and sympathetic nervous system), reducing inflammatory markers, and enhancing neuroplasticity.

Engage in regular physical activity or structured exercise to build resilience against stress and chronic disease. This can be achieved through planned exercise or spontaneous physical activity. The key is consistency and maintaining fitness levels, as withdrawal from exercise can lead to negative mood and increased stress reactivity.

High aerobic fitness blunts the physiological stress response (cortisol, heart rate) to both physical and psychosocial stressors compared to low fitness levels.

Improve your aerobic fitness to reduce your physiological stress response to daily challenges. Training leads to lower cortisol and heart rate responses to stress, indicating better stress tolerance.

Regular exercise promotes an anti-inflammatory state by reducing visceral adipose tissue and releasing anti-inflammatory myokines (e.g., IL-6 from skeletal muscle).

Engage in regular exercise to reduce systemic inflammation. This is achieved through reducing visceral fat and releasing anti-inflammatory myokines from skeletal muscle, which can improve metabolic health and mood.

Co-ingesting protein with carbohydrates enhances muscle glycogen storage rates, but only when carbohydrate intake is suboptimal (below the storage threshold) or when feeding intervals are greater than 1 hour.

If you can't eat enough carbohydrates after training (less than 1.2 g/kg/h) or if you can't eat for more than an hour, add protein to your recovery meal. This combination speeds up glycogen storage. However, if you are eating high amounts of carbohydrates frequently, adding protein provides no additional benefit for glycogen storage.

Regular consumption of poultry meat within a balanced diet is associated with a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, and is considered neutral or moderately protective against cancer risk.

Include poultry as a regular protein source in your diet, preferably skinless or with skin removed to minimize saturated fat. It helps manage weight, supports heart health, and provides essential nutrients like B vitamins and iron without the higher risks associated with red and processed meats. Aim for a balanced diet rich in vegetables alongside poultry consumption.

Oral administration of 600 mg/day of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) significantly improves symptoms of diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy and prevents disease progression in patients with mild-to-moderate diabetic neuropathy.

If you have diabetic neuropathy, ask your doctor about 600 mg of Alpha-Lipoic Acid daily. Clinical studies show it can reduce pain and numbness and may prevent nerve damage from getting worse over time, especially if you have Type 1 diabetes or are a smoker. It is generally well-tolerated.

The R-enantiomer of alpha-lipoic acid has superior pharmacokinetic parameters, including higher bioavailability and plasma concentrations, compared to the S-enantiomer or racemic mixtures.

When buying Alpha-Lipoic Acid, look for the 'R-enantiomer' or 'R-ALA'. It is absorbed better by your body than the cheaper 'S-enantiomer' or 'racemic' mixtures, meaning you get more benefit from the same dose.