Browse the evidence

High-dose omega-3 PUFA supplementation (1-4 g/d) increases the risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation, particularly in elderly patients or those with prior myocardial infarction, likely by prolonging action potential duration via Piezo1 channel modulation.

If you are taking high-dose omega-3 supplements (1-4 grams daily), especially if you are older or have had a heart attack, be aware that this may increase your risk of developing atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat). Consult your doctor before maintaining high doses, as the benefits for inflammation may be offset by this specific cardiac risk.

Bariatric surgery (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy) causes a significant decrease in fecal straight short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including acetate, propionate, butyrate, and valerate, likely due to altered dietary intake and microbiota fermentation.

If you have had bariatric surgery, expect your gut bacteria to produce fewer beneficial fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate. This is a normal physiological change due to the surgery and dietary shifts. To support your gut health, focus on the recommended post-surgical diet, which emphasizes protein and gradually reintroduces fiber-rich foods as tolerated, under the guidance of your healthcare team.

Peri-operative use of GLP-1 receptor agonists delays gastric emptying, increasing the risk of retained gastric contents and pulmonary aspiration during anesthesia, particularly in patients without diabetes or those recently initiating therapy.

If you take GLP-1 medications (like Ozempic or Wegovy) before surgery, tell your anesthesiologist immediately. These drugs slow stomach emptying, which can cause dangerous aspiration during anesthesia. You may need to fast longer or follow a clear-liquid diet for 24 hours before your procedure, even if it is elective. Do not assume standard fasting rules apply.

Whey protein supplementation without resistance training significantly reduces daily protein intake in postmenopausal women, suggesting a compensatory eating mechanism.

If you take whey protein but do not exercise, you might actually end up eating less protein from your regular meals. This means your total protein intake may drop, which is why you won't see muscle benefits. To increase protein, focus on whole foods or ensure the supplement doesn't replace other protein sources.

Stevia-derived Rebaudioside A improves liver steatosis, fibrosis, and glucose metabolism in NAFLD/NASH models by modulating gut microbiota and reducing oxidative stress.

For individuals with NAFLD or NASH, using Stevia (specifically Rebaudioside A) as a sweetener replacement for sugar may improve liver health, reducing fat accumulation and fibrosis, and improving glucose metabolism. This is achieved through positive changes in gut microbiota and reduced oxidative stress.

Moderate and frequent consumption of coffee is associated with a decreased risk of NAFLD and fibrosis, likely through the stimulation of hepatic stellate cell apoptosis and suppression of collagen synthesis.

Drinking at least one cup of coffee daily (moderate consumption) is associated with a lower risk of developing NAFLD and fibrosis. It may also improve liver function by lowering liver enzyme levels. This benefit is attributed to caffeine and chlorogenic acid.

Positive Allosteric Modulators (PAMs) can significantly reduce sugar content in pastries while maintaining sweetness intensity and avoiding off-tastes.

When buying reformulated pastries, look for those using advanced taste enhancers like PAMs. These allow manufacturers to cut sugar significantly while keeping the product tasting sweet and avoiding the bitter aftertaste common with other sugar substitutes.

Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) often results in substantial weight regain in patients with monogenic or syndromic obesity, particularly those with MC4R pathway variants, making it less effective than targeted pharmacotherapy for these groups.

If you have a known genetic form of obesity, discuss the long-term risks of bariatric surgery with your doctor. Studies show that patients with MC4R pathway variants often regain significant weight after surgery because the underlying genetic hunger drive remains unaddressed.

Pharmacological inhibition of the postsynaptic scaffolding proteins PSD-95 (via UCCB01-147) and PICK1 (via mPD5) induces sustained weight loss in obese mice primarily through a non-aversive reduction in food intake, with effects persisting for days after treatment cessation.

This research identifies two specific brain proteins (PSD-95 and PICK1) that, when blocked by experimental drugs, cause obese mice to eat less without feeling sick, leading to significant fat loss that lasts for days after the drug is stopped. While not yet available for humans, this suggests a potential future treatment class that avoids the common side effects of current obesity drugs and offers sustained benefits.

Maintenance of weight loss (≥5% loss in the first year, maintained at 5 years) is not associated with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in people with type 2 diabetes, with confidence intervals overlapping the null.

Maintaining weight loss does not appear to significantly reduce your risk of heart disease or stroke if you have type 2 diabetes. Focus on other aspects of cardiovascular health, such as blood pressure and cholesterol management, rather than relying solely on weight maintenance for heart protection.

Traditional Asian dietary practices, including the consumption of ulam, probiotics from fermented foods, and herbs like curcumin and green tea, reduce dementia risk through anti-inflammatory and gut-brain axis mechanisms.

Incorporate more fermented foods (yogurt, kimchi, miso), herbs like turmeric and green tea, and leafy vegetables into your diet. These support gut health and reduce inflammation, which benefits brain health.

Dual incretin agonists (GLP-1/GIP) and triple agonists (GLP-1/GIP/Glucagon) show superior efficacy in reducing liver fat, inflammation, and fibrosis compared to GLP-1 mono-agonists in animal models, suggesting potential for enhanced clinical outcomes in MASLD.

Research suggests that newer 'dual' (GLP-1/GIP) and 'triple' (GLP-1/GIP/Glucagon) agonists may offer even greater benefits for liver health than current GLP-1 drugs, particularly in reducing liver fat and inflammation. These are still largely in clinical trials or early adoption phases for liver disease. If standard GLP-1 therapy is insufficient, discuss these newer multi-agonist options with your hepatologist or endocrinologist, keeping in mind that long-term human data for liver-specific outcomes is still being gathered.

Engineered bacteria (SYNB1020) that overproduce arginine to convert gut ammonia into L-arginine successfully lower systemic ammonia and improve survival in animal models of liver failure, but failed to show efficacy in a Phase Ib/IIa clinical trial for cirrhosis patients.

While engineered bacteria show promise in animals for clearing liver toxins, current clinical trials for liver disease patients have not yet succeeded. Do not expect this specific therapy to be available or effective for cirrhosis at this time.

Engineered bacteria producing GLP-1 or butyrate can improve glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and reduce body weight in animal models of obesity and diabetes.

Research shows that engineered gut bacteria can produce hormones like GLP-1 or butyrate to improve metabolism in animals. This is a promising area for future oral treatments for diabetes and obesity, but it is not yet a standard therapy.

Meditative movements do not significantly reduce Body Mass Index (BMI) in patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Do not expect meditative movements like Tai Chi or Yoga to significantly lower your BMI. However, they still provide significant benefits for blood sugar and cholesterol control, making them valuable for overall diabetes management.

Dietary restriction (DR), including caloric restriction (CR) and intermittent fasting (IF), delays aging and extends healthspan by regulating nutrient-sensing pathways and gut microbiota.

To leverage dietary restriction for anti-aging, you don't necessarily need to cut calories drastically all day. Consider Time-Restricted Eating (eating within a 4-12 hour window) or Intermittent Fasting patterns like the 5:2 diet. These methods regulate nutrient-sensing pathways and gut microbiota similarly to strict calorie counting but are easier to sustain long-term. Focus on consistency and moderate restriction (10-30% if doing CR) to avoid negative side effects like muscle loss.

Activation of Gq-coupled receptors in brown and beige adipocytes generally suppresses thermogenic competence, whereas specific Gq receptors (like GPR120) can boost lipid oxidation and mitochondrial respiration.

The role of Gq receptors in fat burning is complex. While some Gq receptors (like those activated by acetate) may reduce fat-burning capacity, others (like GPR120, activated by fatty acids) can boost it. This complexity makes it a challenging target for simple drug development.

GLP-1 RAs show therapeutic potential in neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, by reducing amyloid-β/tau pathology, neuroinflammation, and promoting neuronal survival.

GLP-1 medications are being studied for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Some trials show promise in slowing brain volume loss, but results are mixed. They are not yet a standard treatment for these conditions. Consult a neurologist if interested in clinical trials.

GLP-1 receptor activation in the brain reduces the reward value of food, suggesting potential therapeutic applications for treating addiction to food and substances of abuse.

Research suggests that GLP-1 medications might help treat addiction by changing how your brain rewards food or substances. If you struggle with addictive behaviors, this emerging area of science offers hope for treatments that target the brain's reward system directly.

None of the combined antidiabetic therapies (DPP4i, GLP1RA, TZD, SGLT2i) showed a significant change in blood pressure compared to metformin alone in women with PCOS.

Do not expect adding DPP4 inhibitors, GLP1RAs, TZDs, or SGLT2 inhibitors to metformin to significantly lower your blood pressure. Focus on these combinations for glycemic, lipid, or weight management instead.

Ultra-endurance athletes can successfully complete multi-day events despite consuming only 36-54% of their estimated energy expenditure, primarily by shifting substrate oxidation toward fat and relying on gluconeogenesis to maintain blood glucose.

If you are training for long-duration events, do not expect to eat enough to match your calorie burn. Your body will adapt to burn fat and preserve glucose. Focus on tolerating food during breaks rather than hitting specific calorie targets, as appetite suppression is a natural physiological response to prolonged exercise.

Prolonged ultra-endurance exercise leads to a significant decrease in hemoglobin and hematocrit, which is primarily due to plasma volume expansion (hemodilution) rather than a loss of red blood cell mass.

Don't panic if your hemoglobin drops after a long race. It's likely due to your blood plasma expanding to help you regulate temperature and blood pressure, not because you lost blood cells. This usually resolves with rest and hydration.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are associated with an emerging signal of suicidality, including suicidal ideation, attempts, and completed suicide, based on pharmacovigilance data, though large randomized controlled trials have not demonstrated a statistically significant causal increase in risk.

GLP-1 medications (like Ozempic or Wegovy) have been linked to reports of suicidal thoughts in pharmacovigilance databases, creating a safety signal. However, large clinical trials involving thousands of patients have not found a statistically significant increase in psychiatric events compared to placebo. The absolute risk appears to be very low. Clinicians should monitor patients, especially those with a history of mental health conditions, but the proven benefits for weight loss and heart health generally outweigh this rare risk for most users.

Combining HMB (3g/day) with Resistance Training does not provide a statistically significant additional benefit to muscle mass or strength compared to Resistance Training alone in elderly sarcopenic patients after hip surgery.

You do not need to take HMB if you are doing Resistance Training after hip surgery. RT alone is enough to build muscle and strength; adding HMB does not provide extra benefit for these metrics.