Browse the evidence

Coleus forskohlii (Forskolin) supplementation reduces body fat, increases lean mass, and improves insulin sensitivity in overweight/obese men.

Coleus forskohlii (Forskolin) taken daily for 12 weeks may help reduce body fat and increase lean mass in overweight men, improving insulin sensitivity. It works by increasing cAMP, which stimulates fat breakdown.

Banaba leaf extract (Corosolic acid) and Resistant Maltodextrin (RMD) improve blood glucose control and insulin sensitivity through distinct mechanisms.

Banaba leaf extract and Resistant Maltodextrin (RMD) can improve blood glucose control and insulin sensitivity. Banaba works by promoting glucose uptake, while RMD delays carbohydrate absorption and increases SCFA production.

A diabetes self-management intervention combining personalized health feedback with financial incentives (discount vouchers) significantly reduces waist circumference in both men and women, but improves HbA1c only in men.

For rural patients with Type 2 Diabetes, combining regular health feedback with small, tangible rewards (like local store discounts) can effectively reduce waist size for both men and women. However, men may respond better to the competitive aspect of tracking HbA1c, while women may be motivated by the vouchers but struggle with the 'genetic inevitability' mindset. Tailoring the feedback method (mail vs. face-to-face) to individual comfort levels is crucial for adherence.

High intake of linoleic acid (LA) relative to n-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) promotes inflammation, thrombosis, and allergic diseases by increasing the tissue ARA/EPA ratio and producing more potent inflammatory eicosanoids (LT C4, TX A2).

To reduce inflammation and thrombotic risk, prioritize foods rich in n-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) and limit high-linoleic acid vegetable oils (safflower, sunflower, corn). A lower tissue ARA/EPA ratio is associated with reduced allergic, inflammatory, and thrombotic disease risk.

Carriers of the TCF7L2 rs7903146 T allele exhibit significantly attenuated weight loss and metabolic improvements compared to non-T allele (CC) carriers when following a partial meal replacement (pMR) hypocaloric diet.

If you have the TCF7L2 rs7903146 T allele, expect your weight loss to be roughly half as fast as someone with the CC genotype on a similar meal-replacement diet. Focus on metabolic health markers (blood sugar, insulin) as early wins, as these improve significantly even if the scale moves slower.

Both Low-Carbohydrate and Low-Fat diets can cause negative side effects, including gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, and in the case of LCD, potential risks like ketosis and kidney failure.

Be prepared for side effects when starting either diet. LCD may cause ketosis, fatigue, or kidney stress, while LFD may cause constipation and fatigue. Monitor your health and consult a physician, especially if you have pre-existing conditions.

A low-carbohydrate diet (20-30% carbohydrates) produces significantly greater short-term weight loss (1 month) compared to balanced dietary guidance or pharmacotherapy (semaglutide/metformin) in individuals with overweight or obesity, but this advantage disappears by 3 months.

If you choose a low-carb diet, expect faster results in the first month, but do not assume it will keep working better than other diets after 3 months. The initial advantage likely comes from reduced calorie intake due to diet simplicity, not magic. For long-term success, focus on adherence and sustainable habits rather than just macronutrient ratios.

Pharmacotherapy with semaglutide (1 mg/week) and/or metformin (0.5g 3x/day) combined with lifestyle interventions produces weight loss comparable to low-carbohydrate diets and balanced diets at 3 months, despite potentially faster initial results.

Pharmacotherapy (semaglutide/metformin) combined with lifestyle changes is an effective weight loss strategy that yields similar results to dietary changes after 3 months. It is not just for 'severe' cases but can be a valid option for those struggling with diet alone.

Food reformulation and innovation can contribute to reducing obesity if products are affordable, palatable, and sustainably consumed, but face barriers related to cost, consumer perception, and technical feasibility.

When choosing foods, look for reformulated options that have reduced sugar, salt, and saturated fat, but be aware that they may not always be affordable or palatable. Prioritize whole, unprocessed foods when possible and budget allows.

Higher total sugar intake is positively associated with increased adiposity markers (body weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio) in Chilean adults, even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and physical activity.

In this population, eating more sugar is linked to carrying more weight and having a larger waistline. To manage weight, focus on reducing overall calories, particularly from added sugars in processed foods and sugary drinks, while maintaining physical activity.

A digital weight loss program augmented with a human-enhanced kick-off session yields significantly greater 3-month weight loss (-4.06%) compared to a fully automated program (-4.57%), though the difference was not statistically significant in this pilot.

If you are motivated and can lose weight quickly (2% in a month) using an app, you might not need extra human coaching. If you struggle, a brief check-in or more intensive counseling can help. The app itself is the core driver.

Replacing carbohydrates with saturated fatty acids (SFA) increases the prevalence of dyslipidemia, specifically elevated total cholesterol and LDL-C, in Filipino women.

For Filipino women, swapping carbohydrates for saturated fats (like those in coconut oil or animal fats common in their diet) raises the risk of high cholesterol and LDL. To improve lipid profiles, prioritize unsaturated fats (MUFA/PUFA) or complex carbohydrates instead of saturated fats when adjusting macronutrient ratios.

Replacing carbohydrates with Monounsaturated Fats (MUFA) is associated with a reduced prevalence of dyslipidemia in Filipino women.

For Filipino women, swapping carbohydrates for Monounsaturated Fats (found in olive oil, avocados, nuts) lowers the risk of dyslipidemia. This suggests that increasing MUFA intake is a beneficial dietary strategy for improving lipid profiles.

Higher daily plain water intake is associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause, cerebrovascular, and cancer mortality in patients with NAFLD or MASLD, with a non-linear dose-response relationship.

If you have fatty liver disease (NAFLD/MASLD), aim to increase your daily plain water intake. The study suggests that consuming around 2.8 liters (approx. 95 oz) of plain water per day is associated with a significantly lower risk of death from all causes, heart issues, and cancer compared to drinking less than 0.15 liters. If you currently drink sugary or artificial beverages, try replacing them with plain water; even small swaps (100mL) can reduce mortality risk. Always consult your doctor before making major changes, especially if you have fluid restrictions.

Higher protein intake per kilogram of body weight is inversely associated with the severity of abdominal obesity in adult men.

If you are concerned about abdominal fat, ensure your protein intake is sufficient relative to your body weight. This study suggests men with higher abdominal obesity had significantly lower protein intake per kg of body weight compared to those with less abdominal fat. Aim for a protein intake that supports muscle maintenance, potentially above 1.2 g/kg, while monitoring your waist circumference.

High carbohydrate-to-protein ratios (3.48-3.69) characterize diets associated with abdominal obesity, and reducing this ratio may be beneficial.

Your diet likely contains a high ratio of carbohydrates to protein. Try to increase your protein intake relative to carbohydrates. The study notes that all subjects consumed high carbohydrate diets, and cited literature suggests that high glycemic index carbohydrates and high carb-to-protein ratios are associated with metabolic risks. Prioritize protein sources to improve this ratio.

Dietary fat intake, particularly unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), is associated with reduced mortality and cardiovascular disease incidence, challenging standard guidelines that recommend limiting saturated fat (SFA).

Focus on the quality of fats rather than just minimizing total fat. Prioritize unsaturated fats (like olive oil) over saturated fats, but do not fear dietary fat as a primary cause of heart disease. Ensure your carbohydrate intake is not excessively high, especially if you are from a population with high carb consumption.

Exercise selection must prioritize safety and comfort over maximal muscle activation to ensure long-term adherence and prevent injury, even if it means sacrificing some hypertrophic potential.

If an exercise causes joint pain or feels uncomfortable, stop doing it. Substitute it with a variation that targets the same muscle but feels safer (e.g., Smith machine squat instead of free bar, or lateral raise in the scapular plane). Comfort and safety are key to sticking with your program long enough to see results.

For upper limb exercises, High-Load Resistance Training (HL-RT) produces significantly greater muscle hypertrophy than Low-Load Resistance Training with Blood Flow Restriction (LL-RT with BFR).

When training upper body muscles (arms, shoulders), heavy lifting (HL-RT) may be slightly more effective for muscle growth than BFR training. However, BFR is still a viable option, especially if heavy lifting is not possible.

Training to failure in single-set resistance training may modestly enhance some measures of muscle hypertrophy and power (countermovement jump) compared to training with 2 RIR, but does not improve strength or endurance.

If your primary goal is maximum muscle size and you can tolerate the discomfort, training to failure might offer a slight edge over stopping with 2 reps in reserve. However, this comes at the cost of higher discomfort and potential adherence issues. For strength, the benefit is non-existent. Choose based on your ability to recover and stick with the program.

Animal-based proteins provide a modest but statistically significant advantage in stimulating muscle protein synthesis (MPS) compared to plant-based proteins, primarily driven by higher leucine content and bioavailability.

If you are over 65, prioritize animal proteins (whey, milk, eggs) or ensure your plant protein is high-leucine (soy, pea blends) to maximize muscle growth. For younger adults, plant and animal proteins appear functionally equivalent for MPS when doses are matched.

The MPS advantage of animal proteins over plant proteins is significantly more pronounced in older adults (65+) than in younger adults, likely due to the 'leucine threshold'.

If you are over 65, ensure your plant proteins are high-leucine (e.g., soy, pea) or consider animal proteins to overcome age-related anabolic resistance. Younger adults can likely use either source effectively.

Females perceive supervision during resistance training as more important than males, particularly regarding technical coaching and safety.

Female trainees may benefit more from seeking supervision than male trainees, as they perceive it as more important for technical learning and safety. Trainers should ensure they provide adequate technical coaching and safety oversight for female clients.

Training the medial gastrocnemius with initial partial repetitions (lengthened position) produces greater hypertrophy than training with past-failure partials (full ROM followed by lengthened partials), although the evidence is currently anecdotal.

If you want to maximize calf growth, prioritize initial partials (stretching the calf at the bottom of the movement) over past-failure partials. Perform full-range calf raises to failure, then immediately drop the heel to stretch the calf and perform partial reps. However, ensure you are eating enough protein (1.6g/kg) and training consistently twice a week. The difference between strategies is small, so consistency with full-range or initial partials is more important than perfect technique.