Browse the evidence

Beta cell reserve and function are critical determinants of whether type 2 diabetes remission can be achieved and sustained, regardless of the amount of weight loss.

Even if you lose weight, your body's ability to produce insulin (beta cell function) determines if your diabetes goes into remission. This is why early intervention is crucial. If you have had diabetes for a long time, your beta cells may be too damaged to recover, even with significant weight loss.

Low-intensity endurance exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR-EE) fails to upregulate PGC-1α isoforms to the extent of moderate-intensity endurance exercise, suggesting it provides an insufficient stimulus for mitochondrial biogenesis signaling.

If your goal is improving mitochondrial density or VO2 max, low-intensity cycling with blood flow restriction is not a sufficient substitute for moderate-intensity endurance training. While BFR may help with muscle strength or size at low loads, it does not trigger the same molecular signals (PGC-1α) as standard endurance exercise.

Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption in the UK has increased significantly over an 11-year period (2008-2018), while consumption of unprocessed/minimally processed foods has decreased, indicating a population-level shift toward processed diets.

Your diet has likely shifted towards more ultra-processed foods over the last decade, even if you don't feel it. To counter this, consciously increase your intake of unprocessed or minimally processed foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as these are declining in the general population.

Suppressing lipolysis and plasma free fatty acid availability via nicotinic acid ingestion does not impair running performance or capacity during high-intensity endurance exercise (~90 min) in competitive athletes, confirming carbohydrate dependence.

For races lasting around 90 minutes (like a half-marathon), your body relies almost exclusively on carbohydrates for fuel, even if you are well-trained. Trying to force your body to burn more fat (e.g., by fasting or low-carb training) will not improve your performance and may actually reduce your carbohydrate oxidation rates. Ensure you have high carbohydrate availability before and during the race to maximize performance.

Women with PCOS exhibit significantly higher basal levels of circulating miRNA-27b compared to BMI-matched healthy controls, independent of adipose tissue expression levels.

Women with PCOS have distinct molecular markers in their blood (specifically miRNA-27b) compared to healthy women of the same weight. This suggests PCOS involves specific metabolic dysregulation that is not solely explained by body fat levels.

Women experience a higher incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events (nausea, vomiting) from GLP-1 receptor agonists compared to men, even at similar drug exposure levels.

Women are more likely to experience nausea and vomiting from GLP-1 drugs than men. This is a known side effect. Use the recommended slow titration schedule to minimize these symptoms.

Tirzepatide 10mg and 15mg doses are associated with significantly higher rates of discontinuation due to adverse events compared to GLP-1 receptor agonists, primarily driven by gastrointestinal adverse events.

If you are using Tirzepatide at 10mg or 15mg, be aware that you are more likely to stop the medication due to side effects (like nausea or diarrhea) compared to using other GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide or dulaglutide. This risk is dose-dependent. If side effects become intolerable, discuss dose reduction or switching with your provider.

Polygenic scores for BMI and Type 2 Diabetes do not significantly predict weight loss outcomes in patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists.

If you are taking a GLP-1 RA (like semaglutide or liraglutide), your common genetic risk for obesity does not predict how much weight you will lose. The drug's effectiveness is largely independent of your polygenic score for BMI or Type 2 Diabetes. Focus on adherence and lifestyle factors rather than genetic testing for treatment selection.

GLP-1 RA treatment results in significantly lower weight loss in individuals of African and admixed American ancestry compared to European ancestry, after adjusting for baseline factors.

If you are of African or admixed American ancestry, you may experience slightly less weight loss from GLP-1 RA drugs compared to European ancestry individuals, even when adjusting for baseline weight and other factors. This may be due to biological or socioeconomic factors. Close monitoring and potential dose adjustments may be necessary.

In older adults, satellite cells that are physically incarcerated by thickened laminin in the extracellular matrix exhibit significantly reduced activation in response to resistance exercise compared to non-incarcerated satellite cells.

If you are older and feel your muscles aren't responding to exercise as well as they used to, it may be due to structural changes in the muscle tissue (thickening of the outer layer around muscle stem cells) that 'trap' them. The good news is that consistent resistance training over several months can reverse this trapping process, allowing your muscle stem cells to activate properly again and support muscle growth.

Metformin exerts glucose-lowering effects partly by altering gut microbiota composition to increase the production of short-chain fatty acids (propionate and butyrate) and modulate bile acid pools, which in turn stimulate incretin hormone release.

If you take metformin, part of its benefit comes from how it changes your gut bacteria to produce beneficial compounds like butyrate. Some people experience stomach upset or gas initially, which is a known side effect linked to these microbial changes. This discomfort often improves over time.

Agricultural production systems that prioritize high-volume cereal and starchy staple crops over nutrient-dense food groups (dairy, animal-source foods, fruits, vegetables) lead to monotonous diets with insufficient micronutrient density, increasing the risk of chronic diseases and poor growth outcomes despite adequate total caloric intake.

If you are designing food systems or advising on nutrition policy, do not focus solely on increasing the volume of staple crops like maize or wheat. You must actively promote the production and availability of nutrient-dense foods (dairy, legumes, fruits, vegetables, animal-source foods). Without dietary diversity, high caloric production will fail to prevent micronutrient deficiencies and chronic diseases.

Higher plasma levels of the gut microbiome-derived metabolite Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) are associated with a significantly higher risk of incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in a diverse, community-based population free of prior cardiovascular disease.

This study suggests that higher levels of TMAO, a byproduct of gut bacteria processing nutrients like red meat and eggs, are linked to a higher risk of heart disease. While it doesn't tell you to eliminate these foods, it highlights the importance of your gut health and kidney function. If you have risk factors for heart disease, discussing your diet and TMAO levels with your doctor might be worthwhile, especially if you have reduced kidney function.

FXR agonists (e.g., obeticholic acid) improve MASH histology but are limited by side effects like pruritus and increased LDL cholesterol.

FXR agonists like obeticholic acid can improve liver scarring and inflammation in MASH. However, they often cause severe itching and can raise bad cholesterol (LDL). They are not first-line treatments and require careful monitoring for side effects.

Supervision has a trivial and statistically non-significant impact on body composition outcomes (body fat %, fat mass, fat-free mass) compared to unsupervised training.

Do not expect a coach to help you lose fat or gain muscle mass more than you would on your own, provided you follow the program. Focus on consistency and progressive overload. Supervision is more valuable for learning complex lifts and maximizing strength than for changing body composition.

Obesity induces a state of CD4 T-cell exhaustion and senescence in visceral adipose tissue (VAT), characterized by persistent PD-1 expression and restricted effector function, which creates a negative legacy that persists after weight loss and contributes to treatment resistance.

If you have a history of obesity, simply losing weight may not fully reset your immune system's behavior in fat tissue. This 'immune memory' can make you more prone to inflammation and weight regain. Strategies to manage this might focus on long-term immune health and reducing chronic inflammation, rather than just short-term weight loss, as the immune system in visceral fat may remain 'exhausted' or 'senescent' even at a lower weight.

Leptin acts as a key initiator of VAT inflammation by promoting the differentiation of CD4 T cells into Th1 and Th17 subsets and inducing T-cell exhaustion via STAT3 signaling and PD-1 expression.

High levels of leptin in obesity don't just signal hunger; they actively reprogram immune cells in fat tissue to become pro-inflammatory and exhausted. This suggests that managing leptin sensitivity or levels might be important for reducing chronic inflammation associated with obesity.

Adiponectin normally suppresses VAT T-cell inflammation by inhibiting T-cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis, but its levels are reduced in obesity, thereby releasing the 'brake' on inflammatory T-cell responses.

Low levels of adiponectin in obesity remove a natural 'brake' on inflammation. Maintaining or boosting adiponectin (often through exercise and weight management) may help keep immune cells in fat tissue from becoming overly inflammatory.

Muscle typology (determined by muscle carnosine levels) does not explain inter-individual variability in resistance training-induced increases in muscle volume, maximal dynamic strength, or fiber cross-sectional area when training is performed to failure at 60% 1RM.

If you are new to resistance training, your muscle fiber type (whether you are naturally 'fast' or 'slow') does not determine how much muscle or strength you will gain. As long as you train to failure with a moderate load (around 60% of your max), you will see similar improvements regardless of your genetics. Focus on consistency and effort rather than trying to tailor your program to your fiber type.

In healthy adults, total energy expenditure (TEE) is a repeatable, durable trait that is not associated with short-term changes in body weight or body composition, meaning low TEE is not a risk factor for weight gain and high TEE is not protective against fat gain.

Stop blaming your weight on a 'slow metabolism.' This study shows that in healthy adults, metabolic rate is a stable trait and does not predict who gains weight or fat. Whether you burn calories fast or slow, it doesn't inherently protect you from or cause you to gain fat. Focus on the net energy balance (what you eat vs. what you move) rather than trying to 'boost' your metabolism, as your baseline expenditure is likely fixed and repeatable.

Trans fat content in fast food has significantly decreased due to regulatory mandates and reformulation, though naturally occurring trans fats in meat remain.

Trans fats in fast food have significantly decreased due to regulations. However, naturally occurring trans fats in meat remain. Focus on overall calorie and sodium intake rather than just trans fats.

Chronic inflammation in adipose tissue, driven by macrophage infiltration (M1 phenotype) and pro-inflammatory cytokine release (TNFα, IL-6), directly causes insulin resistance and contributes to the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Obesity involves a biological feedback loop where excess fat tissue triggers chronic inflammation, which worsens insulin resistance and makes weight loss harder. Reducing fat mass is the most effective way to lower this inflammation and improve metabolic health, rather than just focusing on calorie counting alone.

Hypothalamic inflammation, characterized by microglial activation and increased SOCS3 expression, leads to leptin and insulin resistance in the central nervous system, promoting orexigenic signaling and weight gain.

High-fat, high-calorie diets can cause inflammation in the brain's appetite control center, blunting the 'fullness' signal. Reducing dietary quality and caloric intake can reduce this central inflammation and restore sensitivity to satiety hormones.

Metabolic surgery (specifically Roux-en-Y gastric bypass) yields higher remission rates than adjustable gastric banding, independent of the amount of weight lost.

For obese patients considering surgery, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass offers significantly higher remission rates than adjustable gastric banding, even if the weight loss is similar. This is due to hormonal changes in the gut, not just calorie restriction.