Browse the evidence

Strict, short-term lockdown-induced physical inactivity and dietary changes cause significant metabolic worsening (HbA1c increase >0.3%) in approximately 26% of well-controlled type 2 diabetes patients, with pre-lockdown triglyceride levels serving as a predictive marker for this deterioration.

If you have type 2 diabetes, your medication is not a shield against lifestyle collapse. During periods of forced inactivity or dietary change, your blood sugar can deteriorate rapidly, even if you feel 'well-controlled.' Monitor your levels closely during disruptions, and prioritize maintaining basic physical activity and dietary consistency, as these factors may outweigh your medication's immediate effect.

Endurance training adaptations, including visceral fat reduction and cardiac remodeling, are mediated by muscle-secreted IL-6, as blocking IL-6 receptors impairs these specific structural adaptations without affecting peak endurance capacity (VO2peak).

If you are doing endurance training to lose visceral fat or improve heart structure, your body's natural IL-6 response is likely helping you achieve those specific structural goals. However, you do not need to worry about 'blocking' this pathway if you are just trying to improve your overall aerobic fitness (VO2max), as that improvement can still occur even if IL-6 signaling is impaired. Focus on consistent training; the structural benefits are tied to this specific inflammatory-like signaling, but peak capacity is not.

Periodized resistance training (linear or undulating) appears equally effective as non-periodized training for enhancing skeletal muscle hypertrophy in untrained populations, but its necessity for trained individuals remains unclear.

If you are new to resistance training, you do not need a complex periodized plan to build muscle. Non-periodized training yields similar hypertrophy results. Periodization may become relevant only after you have gained significant training experience, though current research is inconclusive on this point.

Older adults (approx. 77 years) consume significantly less total daily protein (83.4 g) and distribute it unevenly across meals compared to young adults, failing to meet the per-meal threshold (0.4 g/kg) required to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS).

If you are over 60, simply eating 'enough' protein throughout the day (meeting the 0.8 g/kg guideline) is likely not enough to stop muscle loss. You must concentrate your protein intake into larger doses at each main meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Aim for roughly 0.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight at each meal. If you struggle to eat large amounts of food, prioritize high-quality protein sources like whey, eggs, or lean meats, or consider protein supplements to hit this per-meal target without feeling overly full.

Providing feedback chronically across a training cycle leads to greater improvements in sprint performance and potentially jump performance compared to training without feedback.

If you are following a multi-week resistance training program, consider using feedback (visual or verbal) consistently. This may help you improve your sprint speed and jump height more than training without feedback.

Carbohydrate restriction improves glycemic control and metabolic markers (HbA1c, triglycerides, HDL) in Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), often independent of weight loss, and can lead to 'diabetes reversal' in a subset of patients.

For T2D patients, reducing carbohydrate intake can significantly lower blood sugar and reduce the need for diabetes medications, sometimes even without losing weight. Some patients achieve 'remission' (normal blood sugar without meds). This approach requires working with a doctor to safely reduce medications as blood sugar improves.

High-protein diets promote satiety and may facilitate short-term weight loss, but their effectiveness for long-term weight maintenance is unclear.

Include adequate protein in your diet to help you feel full, especially in the short term. However, do not rely on high-protein diets as a magic bullet for long-term weight loss, as the evidence for their long-term effectiveness is currently unclear.

Oolong tea consumption increases resting metabolic rate and fat oxidation, potentially aiding in decreasing body fat stores.

Drinking oolong tea (about 5 cups daily) may slightly boost your metabolism and fat burning. It is a small, supportive habit rather than a primary weight loss strategy.

Dietary interventions, specifically intermittent fasting (IF) and caloric restriction (CR), improve metabolic profiles (body weight, glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity) by inducing epigenetic modifications (DNA methylation and histone modification) in metabolic tissues like adipose, liver, and pancreas.

To improve metabolic health, consider adopting time-restricted feeding (e.g., eating within an 8-10 hour window) or intermittent fasting protocols (like 5:2 or 2:1). These methods can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce body weight, potentially through beneficial changes in how your genes are expressed in fat and liver tissue. Start with a manageable window and consult a healthcare provider, especially if you have diabetes.

Endurance training prioritizes mitochondrial biogenesis over ribosome biogenesis, potentially interfering with resistance training adaptations through AMPK-mTORC1 signaling competition.

If you want to build muscle and improve endurance, be aware that doing both in the same session can blunt some adaptations. To minimize interference, separate your resistance and endurance workouts by at least several hours, or prioritize resistance training first. Focus on your primary goal; if hypertrophy is key, limit high-volume endurance work.

Low-load resistance training to failure (30% 1RM) can simultaneously increase both ribosome and mitochondrial biogenesis, challenging the strict competition paradigm.

If you cannot lift heavy due to injury or preference, lifting light weights (30% 1RM) to failure for 10 weeks, 3 times a week, can build muscle and mitochondria just as effectively as heavy lifting, provided you go to failure.

Pancreatic lipase inhibitors, specifically Orlistat, reduce obesity by preventing the hydrolysis of dietary triglycerides into absorbable free fatty acids and monoglycerides, thereby reducing caloric intake from fat.

Orlistat works by physically blocking your body from absorbing about 25% of the fat you eat. This leads to weight loss, but it comes with a high likelihood of gastrointestinal side effects like oily stools and gas. To minimize these side effects, you must strictly limit the amount of fat in your diet, particularly with each dose. It is a tool for weight management, not a free pass to eat high-fat foods.

A ketogenic diet causes an upward trend in serum uric acid levels, potentially increasing the risk of gout, requiring increased water intake and possibly sodium bicarbonate to mitigate.

Be aware that starting a ketogenic diet may raise your uric acid levels, which can trigger gout. To mitigate this, drink at least 2 liters of water daily. If you have a history of gout, consult your doctor before starting.

Fasting Mimicking Diets (FMD) and Intermittent Fasting (IF) offer metabolic benefits similar to continuous calorie restriction but with better compliance and potential protective effects against chemotherapy side effects, though long-term weight loss efficacy is modest.

If you struggle with daily calorie counting, try Intermittent Fasting or Fasting Mimicking Diets. They can improve metabolic markers and may protect you during cancer treatment. However, don't expect massive long-term weight loss from IF alone; it's a tool for metabolic health and compliance, not a magic bullet.

Hyperlipidic, high-protein low-carb diets (e.g., Atkins, Paleo) are effective for short-term weight loss but are not recommended as long-term healthy lifestyle models due to negative effects on LDL cholesterol and microbiota.

Atkins and Paleo diets work well for quick weight loss, but they aren't great for long-term health due to potential cholesterol and gut health issues. Use them as a short-term jumpstart, then transition to a balanced diet for maintenance.

Restricting the purchase of sugar-sweetened beverages (sodas, fruit punch, lemonade) and low-nutritional-value foods (candy) via SNAP benefits, potentially paired with financial incentives for healthy foods, is a policy strategy supported by stakeholders to improve dietary quality and prevent obesity among low-income beneficiaries.

For policymakers and program administrators, aligning SNAP eligibility with public health goals involves restricting the purchase of sugar-sweetened beverages and candy while providing financial incentives (like vouchers or bonus dollars) for fruits and vegetables. This approach addresses the high cost of healthy foods and the prevalence of unhealthy marketing in low-income communities, with strong support from stakeholders and SNAP participants themselves when incentives are included.

A 6-month behavioral weight-loss intervention using a specific dietary composition (high protein/fiber, low glycemic index) reverses obesity-related hyperactivation of the reward system to high-calorie food cues and increases activation to low-calorie food cues in the striatum.

To retrain your brain's reward system, follow a structured behavioral plan for 6 months that focuses on specific dietary composition rather than just calorie counting. Aim for meals with high fiber and protein (approx. 25% of energy) and low-glycemic carbohydrates (50% of energy), totaling at least 40g of fiber daily. Use portion control and 'free foods' (low-calorie items) to manage hunger. This approach has been shown to physically change brain activity, reducing the reward signal for junk food and increasing it for healthy food, which supports sustainable weight loss.

Acute endurance exercise increases skeletal muscle Perilipin 3 (PLIN3) and coatomer GTPase proteins, and this increase is positively associated with fat oxidation.

Engaging in long-duration endurance exercise (e.g., cycling at 50% VO2max until 650 kcal is expended) triggers an increase in specific proteins (PLIN3 and coatomers) in your skeletal muscle. This molecular change is directly linked to your body's ability to oxidize fat during and after the workout. To leverage this, prioritize steady-state cardio sessions that are long enough to stimulate these adaptations.

A 12-week smartphone app intervention targeting step goals significantly increases physical activity levels in patients with type 2 diabetes compared to standard care.

If you have type 2 diabetes, using a smartphone app to track and set daily step goals can help you increase your physical activity. The app allows you to set a goal (up to 10,000 steps) and adjusts it every two weeks based on your progress. This digital support is designed to complement your standard medical care, not replace it.

Ingesting 25g of whey protein immediately following a concurrent bout of resistance and endurance exercise selectively upregulates specific skeletal muscle microRNAs (miR-23a, miR-23b, miR-133b, miR-181, miR-378) compared to placebo, potentially prioritizing anabolic signaling pathways over oxidative adaptations.

If you do both weightlifting and cardio in the same session, drink 25g of whey protein immediately after you finish. This specific timing and dose appears to trigger molecular signals (miRNAs) in your muscles that favor muscle building over pure endurance adaptation, helping to counteract the 'interference' effect of doing both exercises together.

Baseline plasma levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and tyrosine are positively associated with sustained type 2 diabetes remission following weight loss interventions, whereas betaine and choline levels are negatively associated with remission.

If you have type 2 diabetes and are planning weight loss surgery or an intensive lifestyle program, your baseline blood levels of certain amino acids (like BCAA and tyrosine) and choline metabolites might predict how likely you are to reverse your diabetes. Higher levels of BCAA/tyrosine were linked to remission, while higher choline/betaine were linked to non-remission. This suggests metabolic profiling could help tailor treatment, though these specific markers are not yet standard clinical tools.

Prior resistance training (8 weeks) mitigates muscle atrophy and body mass loss induced by sleep deprivation (96 hours) by maintaining anabolic signaling (mTOR/p70S6K) and suppressing catabolic markers (corticosterone, ubiquitinated proteins, LC3).

If you are experiencing periods of poor sleep, maintaining your resistance training routine may help protect your muscle mass and prevent excessive weight loss. The study suggests that prior training builds a 'buffer' that helps your body handle the catabolic stress of sleep deprivation better than being sedentary.

Resistance exercise 'snacking' (brief bouts of exercise performed daily or multiple times daily) improves muscle strength and reduces muscular discomfort/sleepiness in untrained individuals.

Break your exercise into short 2-10 minute bouts throughout the day. This 'snacking' approach can reduce muscle soreness and fatigue while still building strength, making it easier to stay active.

Practicing the strength test (one maximal repetition per set) and minimal dose eccentric resistance exercise are emerging concepts that show promise for increasing muscle strength but require further ecological validation.

While promising, these strategies (maximal single reps or eccentric-only) are still being validated for real-world use. Stick to standard minimal doses (Weekend Warrior or Single-Set) until more evidence is available.