Browse the evidence

Short-term resistance training increases patellar tendon stiffness and Young's modulus, and these mechanical improvements correlate significantly with muscle hypertrophy (physiological cross-sectional area increase) but not with strength gains.

If you want to improve your tendon stiffness and material properties, focus on resistance training that builds muscle mass (hypertrophy), not just maximal strength. This study shows that tendon stiffness improvements are closely tied to how much muscle you grow (PCSA increase) during training, rather than how much weight you can lift. Therefore, hypertrophy-focused resistance training protocols are effective for enhancing tendon mechanical properties.

Dairy calcium is at least as effective as, and likely more effective than, calcium supplements for bone health due to better absorption and additional nutrients.

Prioritize dairy foods over calcium supplements for bone health. If supplements are necessary, ensure they are taken with food and consider dairy first.

Sedentary time exceeding 10 hours per day is associated with a statistically significant increase in cardiovascular disease risk, whereas intermediate levels of sedentary time (up to ~7.5 hours) show no apparent increased risk compared to low sedentary time.

If you sit for more than 10 hours a day, your cardiovascular risk increases significantly, even if you exercise. However, sitting for moderate amounts (up to ~7.5 hours) does not appear to carry this same elevated risk. Focus your efforts on reducing extreme sitting durations (>10h) rather than stressing over moderate sitting, as the risk is nonlinear and threshold-based.

Excessive fructose consumption promotes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by acting as both a substrate and an inducer of hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL), leading to lipid accumulation and subsequent oxidative stress and inflammation.

Limit intake of added fructose, particularly from sugar-sweetened beverages and processed foods, as it directly drives liver fat accumulation and inflammation. Focus on whole foods where fructose is accompanied by fiber.

Fructose consumption negatively impacts peripheral tissues (gut, muscle, adipose) through interorgan cross-talk, leading to gut dysbiosis, visceral adiposity, and muscle insulin resistance/sarcopenia.

High fructose intake doesn't just hurt the liver; it can worsen gut health, increase belly fat, and reduce muscle insulin sensitivity. Reducing fructose supports whole-body metabolic health.

Population-wide reduction of average sodium intake from 9.5 g/d to 6 g/d through industry reformulation and public awareness campaigns significantly lowers average blood pressure, thereby reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

To improve your heart health, aim to reduce your daily salt intake to 6 grams. You can do this by choosing foods with lower salt content, checking front-of-pack labels for traffic light indicators, and gradually reducing added salt in cooking to allow your taste buds to adapt over 8 weeks.

Current smoking is the primary modifiable risk factor for hip fracture burden, contributing to 7.5% of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost, followed by physical inactivity (5.5%) and type 2 diabetes (2.8%).

To reduce your risk of hip fracture and the associated loss of healthy life, prioritize quitting smoking and maintaining regular vigorous physical activity. These two behaviors account for the majority of preventable hip fracture burden in older adults. While maintaining a healthy weight is important, note that this study suggests higher BMI (up to obesity levels) may mechanically protect against hip fractures, though this comes with other health risks.

Physical inactivity (abstaining from vigorous activity) is the second largest modifiable risk factor for hip fracture burden, accounting for 5.5% of DALYs lost.

Engage in vigorous physical activity regularly. This study identifies physical inactivity as a major contributor to hip fracture risk. While specific exercise prescriptions are not detailed here, the association is strong enough to warrant prioritizing vigorous activity as a primary prevention strategy for hip health.

Rapid weight loss followed by sustained weight maintenance significantly increases free testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels in abdominally obese men with metabolic syndrome, reducing the prevalence of biochemical hypogonadism.

For obese men with metabolic syndrome, achieving significant weight loss and keeping it off is a powerful way to restore healthy testosterone levels. This study used a very low-calorie diet (800 kcal) for 9 weeks, followed by a moderate low-fat diet (1200 kcal) for a year. The key takeaway is that the hormonal benefits, specifically increased free testosterone and SHBG, are sustained even after transitioning to a less restrictive maintenance diet, provided the weight is kept off.

High consumption of fast food (hamburgers, sausages, pizza) is associated with a significantly increased risk of incident depression in a prospective cohort study.

Limit your intake of fast food (hamburgers, sausages, pizza) to reduce your risk of developing depression. The study shows a clear dose-response relationship, meaning higher consumption leads to higher risk. While commercial baked goods also pose a risk, the relationship is not linear, suggesting a threshold effect. Focus on reducing these specific items rather than eliminating all processed foods.

High consumption of commercial baked goods (muffins, doughnuts, croissants) is associated with an increased risk of depression, but the relationship is not linear.

Be mindful of your consumption of commercial baked goods like muffins, doughnuts, and croissants. While the risk is not linear, those who consume these items frequently (upper quintiles) have a higher risk of depression. Reducing intake of these specific items may help lower your risk.

Specific polyphenols found in the Mediterranean Diet (e.g., resveratrol, quercetin, curcumin, EGCG) exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that improve metabolic markers, including insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles.

Incorporate foods rich in polyphenols such as berries, dark chocolate, green tea, olive oil, and spices like turmeric and cinnamon to leverage their anti-inflammatory benefits.

Psychosocial interventions targeting habit, motivation, beliefs about capabilities, and knowledge are more effective for predicting fruit and vegetable intake than those relying on multicomponent theoretical frameworks.

To improve fruit and vegetable intake, interventions should focus on building habits, enhancing motivation, setting clear goals, and boosting confidence in one's ability (self-efficacy) to eat them. Avoid overly complex programs that try to integrate too many psychological theories at once; stick to proven, single-theory frameworks like the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Short-term high-dose testosterone therapy in older men improves body composition (increasing lean mass and decreasing fat mass) without altering upper airway dimensions or causing detectable changes in physical, mental, or metabolic function.

High-dose testosterone can increase muscle mass and reduce fat in older men, but this short-term change does not necessarily translate to better physical performance, mood, or metabolic health. You may see changes on the scale or in measurements, but not necessarily in how you feel or function day-to-day.

Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) reverses metabolic defects associated with insulin resistance and improves glucose tolerance in type 2 diabetes.

For individuals with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, activating AMPK through medications like metformin can significantly improve metabolic health by enhancing insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. This works by shifting cellular metabolism towards energy-efficient oxidative pathways and reducing lipid accumulation in tissues like the liver and muscle.

Zinc supplementation reduces the incidence, duration, and severity of diarrheal episodes and acute lower respiratory tract infections in children under five in low- and middle-income countries.

For families in resource-limited settings, ensuring children receive zinc supplements (10mg/day for <3 years, 20mg/day for older) during diarrhea episodes (for 10-14 days) significantly reduces the severity and duration of illness. However, relying solely on therapeutic use is suboptimal; preventive strategies are needed to maintain zinc status and reduce overall morbidity.

Personal weight control attempts are highly prevalent globally, with approximately 42% of adults in general populations and 44% of adults in ethnic-minority populations reporting attempts to lose weight annually.

You are not alone in your efforts. Data shows that 42% of adults in general populations and 44% in ethnic-minority populations actively try to lose weight every year. This is a common behavior, not a personal failure. Focus on evidence-based strategies like dieting and exercise, which are the most prevalent methods used.

Recurrent weight loss attempts are a negative predictor of success in weight loss interventions and may negatively impact self-concept and body image.

Frequent, unsuccessful weight loss attempts can actually predict lower success in future interventions and harm your self-concept. Instead of focusing on the number of attempts, focus on the quality and sustainability of your strategies. If you have made multiple attempts, recognize that this pattern is a known barrier to success, not a personal flaw.

The most prevalent personal weight control strategies are exercising and dieting, and the most common motives are wellbeing and long-term health.

When people try to control their weight, they most often use exercise and dieting, driven by a desire for wellbeing and long-term health. Aligning your efforts with these common, evidence-based strategies is a good starting point.

High-fat diets promote obesity primarily by increasing voluntary energy intake due to high energy density and palatability, and by failing to stimulate fat oxidation, leading to positive fat balance.

Focus on reducing energy-dense foods rather than just fat grams. High-fat foods are often high in energy density, which makes it easier to overeat. Additionally, your body doesn't burn excess dietary fat quickly, so it tends to store it.

High-intensity exercise can counteract the fattening effects of high-fat diets by lowering glycogen stores, which rapidly increases fat oxidation.

If you eat a high-fat diet, incorporate high-intensity exercise. This depletes glycogen, which signals your body to burn more fat, helping to offset the high fat intake.

Obese and post-obese individuals have a diminished capacity to increase fat oxidation in response to high-fat diets compared to lean individuals.

If you are obese or have been obese, your body may not adapt to high-fat diets by burning more fat. This makes it harder to manage weight on such diets compared to lean individuals.

Targeted modulation of mitochondrial function through drugs, exercise, diet, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, and physical therapy can prevent or treat skeletal muscle atrophy.

Consider a multi-faceted approach to managing muscle atrophy. Incorporate regular exercise and a balanced diet as foundational steps. For more severe cases, consult healthcare providers about other potential therapies like drug treatments or physical therapy.

Inflammation and oxidative stress are crucial triggering factors in skeletal muscle atrophy, leading to increased proteolysis and reduced protein synthesis.

Manage stress and inflammation through lifestyle choices. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and adequate sleep can help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, supporting muscle health.