longevitywatch
The science of living longer

All answered questions

Every question we have researched and answered so far, organised by topic.

960 answered questions · 6,426 studies
Aging Clocks44 questions
Does your telomere length tell you anything useful about your health?
Telomere length is a relevant biological measure, but does not give a clear-cut signal: shorter telomeres increase the risk of…
Moderate evidence
Do epigenetic clocks differ so much that your result is essentially random?
Different epigenetic clocks sometimes lead to opposing conclusions, so your result does not necessarily say anything absolute.…
Moderate evidence
Can epigenetic reprogramming reverse ageing?
Epigenetic reprogramming consistently and convincingly rejuvenates cells and tissues in animal and laboratory research, but no…
Preliminary evidence
What does your klotho level tell you about how fast you are ageing?
Your klotho level demonstrably declines with age and is associated with greater disease risk, but whether measuring it is…
Moderate evidence
Does plasma exchange (plasmapheresis) work against ageing?
There are initial, cautiously positive indications from one small study, but it is too small and too influenced by commercial…
Preliminary evidence
Does calcium-AKG lower your biological age?
Reliable evidence that calcium-AKG lowers biological age in humans is still lacking. The widely cited claim of 8 years younger…
Preliminary evidence
Can you lengthen your telomeres through lifestyle?
Lifestyle most likely cannot fully reverse telomere shortening, but quitting smoking, eating healthily and exercising are…
Preliminary evidence
Does your body age faster after a prolonged period of stress?
Prolonged stress demonstrably accelerates biological ageing through multiple measurable mechanisms. Reducing stress,…
How reliable are the biological age tests you can buy online?
The available studies offer no answer to this question; whether online biological age tests are reliable cannot be inferred…
Can an epigenetic age test really tell you how old your body is?
An epigenetic age test provides a meaningful indication of biological ageing, but is not yet a definitive verdict on your…
Moderate evidence
Does the country you live in affect your biological age?
Where you live and how much money you have is strongly associated with how quickly you age biologically; the largest gap…
Can you influence your epigenetic age through diet?
Multiple studies show that a healthy dietary pattern can favourably influence your epigenetic age, although these are…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does too much sitting do to your biological clock?
Too much sitting demonstrably weakens your day-night rhythm, even after just one day. Moving more, and preferably in the…
Does loneliness accelerate your biological age?
Whether loneliness accelerates your biological age at the cellular level cannot be determined from the available studies.…
How reliable is a saliva test for biological age?
A saliva test for biological age is not yet reliable enough for personal use: average errors of seven to nine years and…
What is DunedinPACE and what does it tell us about ageing?
DunedinPACE measures how quickly you are ageing biologically and is associated with disease and premature death, but the test…
Which blood values tell you something about how quickly you are biologically ageing?
Blood values such as protein profiles, DNA methylation patterns, telomere length and common inflammatory markers each provide…
What does alcohol do to your biological age?
Alcohol accelerates multiple biological ageing processes, including gut damage, inflammation, and brain deterioration. The…
Is it true that women age more slowly biologically than men?
Multiple studies confirm that women are biologically younger than men of the same age, but women also spend their extra years…
Can meditation slow down your biological clock?
There are indications that meditation, especially forms focused on warmth and goodwill, may protect telomeres from shortening,…
Moderate evidence
Does your biological age change differently at night than during the day?
The night is biologically not a pause but an active recovery phase, and that phase deteriorates noticeably with age. Those who…
What is the Horvath clock and why is it so well known?
The Horvath clock was the first biological age measure that worked broadly across virtually all tissues, and that is what…
How quickly can you change your biological age with exercise?
Regular moderate to vigorous exercise is associated with a biological age that comes out 1 to 3 years lower, and molecular…
Moderate evidence
Can a blood test show how old your organs are?
Blood tests can provide an estimate of biological ageing and flag the risk of specific conditions, but they cannot yet…
What does smoking do to your biological age?
Smoking measurably accelerates the biological ageing of lung cells, the immune system and the reproductive system. Quitting…
Can fasting reverse your biological age?
Fasting improves multiple ageing-related markers, but whether epigenetic clocks actually decline and what that means in…
Moderate evidence
What does an epigenetic clock actually measure?
An epigenetic clock reads chemical tags on your DNA and translates them into a biological age estimate. The further that…
Can you lengthen or restore your telomeres?
Genuinely lengthening telomeres has not been proven in healthy people and is not without cancer risk. Slowing telomere…
No · Moderate evidence
What is the difference between living longer and living longer in good health (healthspan)?
Healthspan and lifespan are two separate things: you can live a long time yet lose years to illness and decline. Caloric…
Can you have your telomeres measured, and is there any value in doing so?
A telomere test is technically possible but currently provides little actionable information for you as an individual, because…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do some people age primarily through their heart and others through their metabolism?
Yes, people age through different organ pathways. The science needed to map this precisely for each individual is promising,…
Can you tell someone's biological age from their face?
Your face does emit biological signals, but it is too limited and too variable to measure your biological age accurately. Take…
Does everyone age at the same rate, or do people truly age at different speeds?
At the molecular level everyone ages at a broadly similar baseline rate, but in terms of health and life expectancy people…
How large can the difference between my chronological age and my biological age be?
The typical spread between your biological and calendar age is around one to two years. Studies mention no hard upper limit,…
Are commercial DNA-methylation-based biological age tests worth the money?
The underlying technology has scientific merit, but commercial tests have not yet been independently validated and the…
Moderate evidence
Can you really lower your biological age, and does the research support this?
There are promising indications that biological age is measurable and perhaps controllable, but clinical evidence that you can…
Preliminary evidence
How reliable are epigenetic clocks for measuring your biological age?
Epigenetic clocks are reliable instruments for measuring biological age and predict mortality better than calendar age. They…
Which lifestyle factors influence your biological age the most?
Sitting for prolonged periods, a disrupted circadian rhythm and muscle loss are the best-supported negative factors for your…
Moderate evidence
What does your VO2max say about how fast you are ageing?
A higher VO2max is strongly associated with lower mortality and a more favourable biological age, but is more of a gauge of…
How can I measure my biological age?
Epigenetic clocks, in particular GrimAge and PhenoAge, currently offer the best estimate of your biological age, but they are…
Moderate evidence
How does ageing work and how can you slow it down?
Ageing is well described biologically, but there are no proven means of genuinely slowing it in humans yet. For now, focus on…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Are biological age tests actually accurate?
Biological age tests such as GrimAge and DunedinPACE are associated with health outcomes in scientific research, but no…
Moderate evidence
What are telomeres and can I keep them longer?
Keeping telomeres longer sounds appealing, but more telomerase or longer telomeres also carry risks, because cancer cells use…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does stress make you age faster?
Prolonged stress demonstrably accelerates your biological aging. Healthy lifestyle habits that reduce physical and oxidative…
Brain & Memory72 questions
What have two landmark studies discovered about the role of your brain immune cells in ageing?
Microglia play an active role in brain ageing through fat accumulation and energy shortage, but most of the evidence still…
Moderate evidence
What does psilocybin do to your brain health?
Early clinical studies give cause for cautious optimism about psilocybin in depression, but use outside a supervised clinical…
Moderate evidence
Can ibogaine help with Parkinson's disease?
There is no research available that supports ibogaine as a treatment for Parkinson's disease; on the contrary, the available…
No · Insufficient evidence
What are white spots on the brain and do they increase the risk of dementia?
Pronounced white spots on a brain scan demonstrably increase the risk of dementia, but not every spot is equally concerning.…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is there a link between oral bacteria and the development of Alzheimer's disease?
There is a consistent association between oral bacteria and Alzheimer's disease, but a proven cause-and-effect relationship in…
Moderate evidence
What does research say about the relationship between lithium and memory?
Lithium slows cognitive decline in mild memory problems and early Alzheimer's disease, but for healthy people or as a…
Moderate evidence
Which lifestyle habits protect your brain health over the long term?
Cognitive activities, a plant-based dietary pattern, and regular exercise, preferably in combination, offer the best-supported…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do ketone drinks do anything for your brain or performance?
For people with memory complaints the early signals are cautiously positive, but the studies are small and not conclusive. As…
Preliminary evidence
Does hearing loss increase your risk of dementia, and does a hearing aid help?
Hearing loss demonstrably increases the risk of dementia, and a hearing aid appears to help, but proven protection for…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does air pollution do to your brain in the long term?
Long-term exposure to air pollution, and fine particulate matter in particular, is associated with an increased risk of…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Why does your memory work less well as you get older?
Memory loss with ageing is a normal biological process with multiple clearly demonstrated causes, but you can slow it down:…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does learning a new language help keep your brain healthy?
Actively using two languages throughout your life is associated with a lower risk of dementia and a brain that continues to…
Moderate evidence
Can you prevent dementia with your lifestyle?
Lifestyle does meaningfully influence your risk of dementia: one third of all cases are linked to modifiable factors such as…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What keeps your memory sharp in later life?
Getting good sleep, eating mindfully according to the MIND diet and engaging in targeted cognitive training have the strongest…
Moderate evidence
Does years of insufficient sleep damage your brain?
Years of insufficient sleep damages the brain through multiple pathways at once, and some of that damage appears difficult or…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does a low dose of lithium help protect the ageing brain?
There are preliminary indications that low doses of lithium may offer brain protection, but the evidence is still too thin and…
Preliminary evidence
Does lion's mane really work for your brain?
Lion's mane shows cautiously positive signals for attention and working memory in small studies, but the evidence is still too…
Preliminary evidence
Does methylene blue really work for your energy and brain?
Do not take this as a supplement. Methylene blue is a registered medicine and industrial dye, not a food, and not authorised…
Preliminary evidence
Is magnesium L-threonate better for your brain?
MgT has preliminary indications that it raises brain magnesium more effectively and may support cognition, but the evidence in…
Preliminary evidence
Is there a relationship between changing body odour and Alzheimer's disease?
The available studies say nothing about whether Alzheimer's disease changes a person's own body odour. What is well documented…
Can Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) detect Alzheimer's disease early?
MRS can signal brain abnormalities in early Alzheimer's disease, but is not yet ready for use as a standalone diagnostic tool.…
Moderate evidence
What does poor air quality or fine particulate matter do to your memory in the long run?
Poor air quality, especially fine particulate matter, is consistently associated with worse cognitive performance and possibly…
Does regular sauna use protect your brain against decline?
There are indications that very frequent sauna use (four to seven times per week) is associated with lower rates of dementia,…
Preliminary evidence
Does watching a lot of television later in life affect your brain?
Watching more than 3.5 hours of television per day is associated with faster memory decline in people aged 50 and over,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does high cholesterol do to your brain as you age?
High cholesterol in middle age likely increases the risk of dementia, but at older ages the relationship is less clear and…
Can thyroid problems worsen your memory and concentration?
A clearly underactive or overactive thyroid can noticeably affect your memory, concentration and mood. With mild thyroid…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does drinking coffee really help against dementia, or is that a myth?
Drinking 2-3 cups of coffee daily is associated with a lower dementia risk in several large studies, but this is not yet a…
Moderate evidence
What does long-term loneliness do to your brain?
Prolonged loneliness is associated with a higher risk of dementia and persistent low mood, and damages the stress system.…
Does frequent mobile phone use increase the risk of brain tumours?
Normal mobile phone use does not appear to increase the risk of brain tumours, but with more than ten years of intensive use…
Moderate evidence
Is reading every day good for your brain in the long run?
Daily reading is probably good for your brain, but the evidence is largely observational; a firm causal relationship in…
Yes · Preliminary evidence
Do your brains really shrink as you get older?
Your brain does indeed shrink with age, particularly in areas involved in memory and planning. High blood pressure accelerates…
What does a vitamin D deficiency do to your brain?
A vitamin D deficiency is consistently linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and other brain conditions, but…
Does green tea help improve your memory or concentration?
Green tea offers a modest but real benefit for concentration and working memory, primarily thanks to the combination of…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does type 2 diabetes increase your risk of dementia?
Type 2 diabetes substantially increases the risk of dementia, and the younger you are at diagnosis, the greater that risk.…
What exactly is brain fog and where does it come from?
Brain fog is a real complaint that occurs in several conditions, but the precise causes have not yet been unravelled. If you…
Is there a link between depression and a higher risk of dementia?
Depression is strongly associated with a higher risk of dementia, though it remains uncertain whether depression causes…
Does fasting or eating less help your memory and concentration?
There are cautious indications that eating considerably less may improve your memory, but the evidence is still thin. Healthy…
Preliminary evidence
What does excess weight do to your brain in the long run?
Excess weight harms your brain in multiple ways at once: less brain tissue, weaker connections and a higher risk of dementia.…
What does your estrogen level do to your memory and concentration?
Oestrogen has a measurable influence on memory and concentration, and the decline during perimenopause is accompanied by…
Can high blood pressure in your 40s cause dementia later in life?
High blood pressure in your forties demonstrably increases your risk of dementia later in life, and early treatment appears to…
Does olive oil protect your brain against decline?
Extra virgin olive oil as part of the Mediterranean diet has been associated with less cognitive decline in multiple studies,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does smoking do to your brain as you age?
Smoking accelerates brain ageing and increases the risk of dementia. Quitting smoking is one of the best-supported steps you…
Does your brain age faster than the rest of your body?
Whether your brain ages faster than the rest of your body varies from person to person, but the consequences are significant:…
Is it bad for your brain if you don't get enough exercise for years on end?
Years of too little exercise is associated with a clearly elevated risk of memory problems and dementia. Moving more, even…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does caffeine do to your memory and concentration in the long run?
Caffeine helps you stay more alert and focused when you are tired, but it does not make a well-rested brain smarter. If you…
What does NAD+ do for your brain?
NAD+ is biologically crucial for your brain and declines with age, but whether supplementation via NMN or other means…
Does creatine affect dopamine levels?
In healthy people, creatine has no demonstrable effect on dopamine in the blood. Positive signals so far come exclusively from…
How does creatine improve mood and wellbeing?
Creatine does not demonstrably improve mood in healthy people without additional stressors; as a supplement during sleep…
Does creatine supplementation reduce brain fog?
Creatine may relieve cognitive complaints, but the effect depends strongly on your situation: people with chronic fatigue,…
Moderate evidence
Does creatine also help with memory and concentration?
Creatine has the strongest evidence for a memory effect in older adults aged 66 and over. In younger, healthy adults, the best…
Moderate evidence
What does alcohol do to your brain in the long term?
Long-term heavy drinking demonstrably damages the brain, in part irreversibly. Stopping helps, but after years of heavy use it…
What does prolonged stress do to your memory?
Prolonged stress harms memory through measurable changes in the brain, and early-life stress increases the risk of memory…
Does the MIND diet help against dementia and cognitive decline?
Large observational studies link the MIND diet to a lower risk of dementia, but the only large controlled study found no…
Moderate evidence
Does a mentally stimulating life, such as studying or complex work, protect against dementia?
Longitudinal studies consistently show that mental challenge lowers the risk of dementia, but this is an association, not a…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can you reverse early-stage forgetfulness with lifestyle changes?
Lifestyle changes can likely slow early-stage forgetfulness and sometimes partially improve it, but full reversal has not been…
Moderate evidence
Does heading the ball frequently in football, or sustaining a concussion, increase my risk of dementia later in life?
Professional footballers who head the ball frequently have a considerably higher risk of dementia than goalkeepers or people…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is it normal to forget names more often around age 50, or should I be worried?
Forgetting names around age 50 is normal and biologically explainable. It is not a reason for immediate concern, but exercise…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does exercise really help with depression and anxiety?
Yes, exercise genuinely works: for mild to moderate depression it is as effective as medication, for anxiety disorders it is…
Yes · Strong evidence
Do brain-training games help prevent cognitive decline?
Cognitive training has a demonstrable, albeit modest, benefit for people with Alzheimer's disease or mild dementia, but does…
Moderate evidence
Can I test my risk of Alzheimer's with a blood test (p-tau217)?
A p-tau217 blood test can help diagnose Alzheimer's with high accuracy within specialised memory care. Ask your doctor which…
Yes · Strong evidence
When should I be concerned about memory problems?
Not every instance of memory loss is worrying, but certain signs deserve prompt medical attention: sudden deterioration, the…
Moderate evidence
What can I do to keep my brain healthy as I age?
Combining more exercise with staying mentally active and eating a diet low in sugar and higher in omega-3 fatty acids…
Moderate evidence
Which blood values should I have checked to age healthily?
Blood sugar, blood lipids and inflammatory markers are the best-supported measurements if you want to age healthily.…
Preliminary evidence
How healthy are blueberries and other red/blue fruits for your brain?
Eating blueberries daily has a modest but consistent positive effect on memory and vascular health, particularly if you are…
Does a second language or music help protect the brain against ageing?
Speaking two or more languages daily appears to protect the brain in later life, with the strongest evidence for people who…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does staying socially and physically active protect against dementia?
Staying socially and physically active is probably your best lifestyle investment against dementia. The strongest results come…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does exercise keep my brain sharp?
Regular exercise demonstrably keeps your brain sharper, as long as serious cognitive decline has not yet set in. The…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does poor hearing increase my risk of developing dementia?
Poor hearing is associated with a modest but real increased risk of dementia. Have hearing loss assessed and treated promptly,…
Does deep sleep flush waste products from your brain?
Yes, your brain cleanses itself largely during sleep, and deep sleep appears to play the most important role in this.…
Do fish oil pills keep my memory sharp?
Fish oil may make a modest contribution to attention and memory, but the evidence is not yet strong enough to recommend a pill…
Moderate evidence
What can I concretely do to prevent dementia?
There are several concrete lifestyle factors within your control, but keep in mind that the recommendations are based on…
Moderate evidence
I have APOE4 -- how serious is that, and what can I do about it?
APOE4 substantially increases your risk of Alzheimer's disease, but at younger ages lifestyle factors such as blood pressure,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Cancer53 questions
Does linoleic acid in tissue increase the risk of skin cancer?
The available research provides no basis for viewing linoleic acid in tissue as a risk factor for skin cancer; for BCC,…
No · Preliminary evidence
What is the role of chronic inflammation in the development of cancer?
Chronic inflammation is a proven driver of cancer: it promotes every step of tumour formation and makes tumours more resistant…
Yes · Strong evidence
Which cancer screenings are worthwhile, and from what age?
Colorectal cancer screening from age 50 and mammography from age 40 have the best evidence base for the average person; lung…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How can you detect melanoma early?
Early detection of melanoma is best achieved by regularly checking your own skin, knowing the ABCDE features, and consulting a…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does alcohol increase your risk of cancer, even with one drink a day?
Yes, even one drink a day increases the risk of certain cancers, particularly breast and colorectal cancer. There is no safe…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does eating less red meat lower your risk of cancer?
Eating less red and processed meat probably lowers your risk of colorectal cancer, and possibly of several other cancer types…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Why does the risk of cancer increase with age?
Cancer occurs more frequently at older ages because DNA damage accumulates, the immune system declines, and damaged cells can…
What is the relationship between cancer and senescent cells?
Senescent cells initially protect against cancer, but when they accumulate they can actually promote tumour growth through…
Why do damaged cells sometimes continue to divide instead of eliminating themselves?
Damaged cells escape elimination through multiple, well-documented mechanisms. Understanding these mechanisms is valuable…
Does having type 2 diabetes increase your risk of certain cancers?
Type 2 diabetes increases the risk of several cancers, including liver, pancreatic, uterine and colorectal cancer. If you have…
Is it true that artificial sweeteners cause cancer?
The vast majority of population research does not confirm a causal association between artificial sweeteners and cancer. There…
Does working with pesticides increase your risk of cancer?
Working with pesticides is associated in multiple studies with an increased risk of several types of cancer, including…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does maintaining a healthy weight still help after a cancer diagnosis?
For most cancer types, a healthy weight after diagnosis is associated with better survival, but note: unintentional weight…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does a chronic hepatitis B or C infection increase your risk of liver cancer?
Yes, a chronic hepatitis B or C infection strongly and demonstrably causally increases your risk of liver cancer. Get tested…
Do lycopene and tomatoes protect against prostate cancer?
The association between tomatoes, lycopene, and lower prostate cancer risk is plausible, but not yet proven firmly enough to…
Preliminary evidence
Does eating heavily heated or charred food increase your risk of cancer?
Heavily heated or charred meat likely increases the risk of certain types of cancer, although the associations in humans are…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does sitting a lot increase my risk of cancer, even if I exercise?
Sitting a lot increases your risk of certain cancers, even if you exercise. In addition to moving regularly, try to reduce…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does fasting or intermittent fasting help prevent cancer?
There is no evidence that fasting prevents cancer in humans; the animal results are promising but contradictory. If you want…
Preliminary evidence
Does a Helicobacter infection in your stomach increase your risk of stomach cancer?
An H. pylori infection demonstrably increases your risk of stomach cancer, but the risk for any individual remains limited.…
Is it true that a low-fat diet protects against breast cancer?
Simply eating less fat probably offers no demonstrable protection against breast cancer. Those who want to reduce their risk…
No · Preliminary evidence
Does eating from plastic packaging increase your risk of cancer?
There is clear evidence that substances that leach from plastic, such as BPA and PCBs, are associated with cancer; for micro-…
Moderate evidence
What exactly does the HPV vaccine do for your protection against cervical cancer?
The HPV vaccine provides strong protection against cervical cancer, but works best when received before first sexual contact;…
Is it true that circumcision protects against penile cancer and HPV?
Circumcision before adulthood reduces the risk of invasive penile cancer and high-risk HPV, but penile cancer is rare in…
Does working at night increase my risk of cancer?
Night work probably increases the risk of breast cancer, and possibly of other types of cancer. If you have been working night…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does aspirin or ibuprofen protect against colorectal cancer?
Aspirin demonstrably protects against colorectal cancer in people with a hereditary elevated risk (Lynch syndrome) and in…
Moderate evidence
Does using the contraceptive pill increase my risk of cancer?
The pill demonstrably lowers the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer, but slightly raises the risk of breast cancer with…
Moderate evidence
Does taking vitamin D help against cancer?
If you already have enough vitamin D in your blood, extra supplementation probably does not help against cancer. If you have a…
No · Moderate evidence
Does passive smoking (secondhand smoke) increase your risk of cancer?
Passive smoking increases your risk of cancer, with the strongest evidence for lung cancer. The risk is real but smaller than…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is it true that smoking causes cancers other than lung cancer?
Smoking is causally linked to at least fifteen cancers outside the lung; quitting smoking reduces that risk, and the sooner…
Does green tea protect against cancer?
Drinking green tea is not a proven protection against cancer: cell and animal research is promising, but studies in humans…
Preliminary evidence
Does eating a lot of sugar increase my risk of cancer?
Drinking large amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a noticeably higher risk of certain cancers,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can I inherit breast cancer in the family, and should I get tested?
Breast cancer can be hereditary, and if you recognise multiple cases in your family, it is sensible to discuss this with your…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is a colonoscopy the only way to detect bowel cancer early?
A colonoscopy is not the only way to detect bowel cancer early. Stool-based tests, CT scans and sigmoidoscopy are recognised…
No · Moderate evidence
Does a large belly increase my risk of cancer more than being simply overweight?
A large belly raises the risk of colorectal cancer in particular more than ordinary overweight does, and measuring your waist…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does drinking coffee protect against liver cancer?
Drinking coffee is consistently associated with a lower risk of liver cancer, and that association is better supported than…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does poor sleep increase my risk of cancer?
Poor sleep, and certainly untreated sleep apnoea, is associated with an increased cancer risk, but it has not yet been proven…
Moderate evidence
Does metformin lower your risk of cancer or dementia?
In people with diabetes there are indications that metformin lowers overall cancer risk, but the evidence varies or is absent…
Moderate evidence
Can long-term inflammation in your body cause cancer?
Prolonged low-grade inflammation is a recognised risk factor for several types of cancer. The evidence is strongest for bowel…
Is breast cancer population screening worth it?
For most women, participating in the population screening programme yields more benefit than cost, though this varies by age…
Yes · Strong evidence
Should I, as a man, get tested for prostate cancer with the PSA test?
Whether the PSA test is worthwhile depends on your personal risk. Men aged 55 to 69 with an elevated risk, such as a family…
Moderate evidence
Does being overweight increase my risk of cancer, and if so, which types?
Excess weight increases your risk of at least 13 types of cancer, including uterine, colorectal, breast and liver cancer.…
From how much alcohol do I actually face a higher risk of cancer?
Even with light drinking your risk of mouth, throat, oesophageal and breast cancer is already measurably higher. A safe lower…
Does drinking less alcohol noticeably lower your cancer risk?
Drinking less or no alcohol noticeably reduces your cancer risk. After smoking and excess weight, alcohol is the third largest…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does red and processed meat really increase your risk of colorectal cancer?
Multiple large studies consistently show that high consumption of red meat, and especially processed meat, raises the risk of…
Which lifestyle factors reduce your cancer risk the most?
Not smoking, a healthy weight, regular exercise and little or no alcohol have the strongest and best-supported protective…
Strong evidence
Does eating a high-fibre diet help protect against colorectal cancer?
Eating more fibre is consistently associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer, with whole grains having the strongest…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does bowel cancer screening really help (less mortality)?
For people aged 45 to 75 with average risk, colorectal cancer screening is worthwhile and widely recommended. It demonstrably…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is there a safe amount of alcohol?
If you want to limit your health risks, stopping completely is the most evidence-based choice. Major international health…
Moderate evidence
Is red and processed meat really bad for me?
Yes, and this applies above all to processed meat: the association with colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease is solid…
Yes · Strong evidence
What can I do myself to lower my risk of cancer?
By not smoking, limiting alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising enough, you can demonstrably lower your risk of…
Moderate evidence
Which health checks are genuinely worthwhile and which are a waste of money?
Cervical cancer screening (ages 21-65) and lung cancer screening (ages 50-80, 20+ pack-years) have the strongest evidence base…
Moderate evidence
Does exercise lower my risk of cancer?
Regular physical activity is associated with a clearly lower risk of several cancers in large population studies. Alongside…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does eating processed meat such as sausage and ham give me colorectal cancer?
Eating a lot of processed meat measurably raises your risk of colorectal cancer by around 18-21%. Eating less sausage and ham,…
Yes · Strong evidence
Cells & DNA50 questions
What do mitochondrial mutations mean for how quickly you age?
Mitochondrial mutations and dysfunction likely contribute to faster biological ageing. You cannot control the accumulation of…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can you repair DNA damage, or can you only prevent it?
Your body actively repairs DNA damage through multiple well-studied mechanisms, but that repair is not always perfect and…
Yes · Strong evidence
What exactly does senescence do to your cells as you age?
Senescent cells stop dividing, accumulate with age and cause damage throughout the body through a constant stream of…
Yes · Strong evidence
Do senolytics already work in humans, or only in mice so far?
Senolytics no longer work only in mice: there is now first concrete evidence in humans, but the studies are small and lack…
Preliminary evidence
Does chronic inflammation accelerate the ageing of your cells?
Chronic inflammation demonstrably accelerates cellular ageing through a negative spiral that is difficult to break. The best…
Why do some cells stop dividing as you age?
Cells stop dividing as a protection against damage and cancer, but the accumulation of such stopped cells contributes over the…
What do zombie cells do to your ageing?
Zombie cells accumulate as you age and accelerate ageing through inflammatory signals; how to tackle them is promising but…
What does a vitamin D deficiency do to your DNA?
A vitamin D deficiency is associated with greater DNA damage, especially in people with an additional risk factor. Make sure…
What are the hallmarks of aging, exactly?
Aging follows nine recurring biological patterns, from telomere shortening to disrupted cell communication, which together…
Why do cells lose their ability to repair themselves over time?
Cells lose their repair capacity through a combination of declining energy stores, impaired DNA repair and the accumulation of…
What does caffeine do to your cells and their repair process?
Caffeine disrupts the guardians and repair mechanisms of DNA damage in cells, but what this means for ordinary daily coffee…
Can eating too little actually damage your cells?
Eating moderately less does not damage your cells - it actually protects them through a cellular clean-up mechanism. However,…
Moderate evidence
Does dehydration make your cells age faster?
There are biologically plausible indications that dehydration harms cells, but whether simply not drinking enough accelerates…
What is the difference between cell division and cellular ageing?
Cell division and cellular ageing are two sides of the same biological story: every division costs a small piece of telomere,…
Can meditation do anything about ageing at the cellular level?
There are cautious indications that meditation favourably influences the activity of the telomere-repairing enzyme, but…
Preliminary evidence
Does red light therapy really have an effect on your cells?
Red light therapy has a biologically plausible effect on cells, but whether that is clinically relevant in your body has not…
How does air pollution damage your cells from the inside?
Air pollution damages your cells from the inside through oxidative stress: fine particulate matter causes an excess of harmful…
What is apoptosis and why is it beneficial for cells to clean themselves up?
Apoptosis is an indispensable clean-up mechanism that keeps your body healthy, but balance is everything: too little increases…
Why do damaged proteins accumulate in your cells as you age?
As you age, several systems that clear away damaged proteins weaken simultaneously and amplify each other's failure. This is…
What does alcohol do to your cells and DNA in the long term?
Prolonged alcohol use damages cells and DNA in multiple ways simultaneously, from oxidative stress in the liver to broken DNA…
Can diet protect your DNA from damage?
Diet has a real effect on DNA protection: a plant-based eating pattern and adequate folate and selenium demonstrably help,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What is the role of inflammation in cellular ageing?
Inflammation and cellular senescence reinforce each other in two vicious cycles, leading to tissue damage and age-related…
What are senescent cells and why are they bad for you?
Senescent cells are damaged cells that stop dividing but continue to live and chronically inflame their surroundings. They…
What does chronic stress do to your DNA?
Chronic stress accelerates the wear of your DNA protectors (telomeres) in a way that corresponds to years of extra cellular…
Why are cells damaged when you don't get enough oxygen?
Oxygen deprivation damages cells through a chain of mechanisms: energy deficit, overstimulation of nerve cells, and an assault…
What is glycation and how does sugar damage your cells from the inside?
Sugar damages your cells through a chain of chemical reactions that affect proteins, power plants, and small blood vessels.…
Can smoking permanently damage your DNA?
Smoking damages your DNA in multiple ways simultaneously and leaves recognisable mutation patterns in at least 17 types of…
What are free radicals and what do they do to your cells?
Free radicals are unavoidable by-products of your metabolism that are useful in small amounts but, in excess, damage DNA,…
How does a cell know when to stop dividing?
Cells stop dividing through built-in emergency brakes that respond to damage, stress, or viruses. This system is protective in…
Does caloric restriction actually make your cells younger?
Caloric restriction slows ageing processes in cells, but whether your cells actually become younger as a result has not yet…
Can DNA damage in your cells repair itself?
Your cells repair DNA damage constantly and on a large scale, but this capacity is not unlimited: complex or repeated damage…
What does autophagy do for ageing and disease?
Autophagy is a genuine part of the ageing process and plays a role in many age-related diseases, but the translation into…
Can you measure autophagy in your body?
There is no reliable, simple method yet for measuring autophagy in your body. Scientists use combinations of indirect markers,…
How do telomeres protect your DNA?
Telomeres protect your chromosome ends through a system of proteins that simultaneously prevents false alarms and harmful…
What does telomerase do to the length of your telomeres?
Telomerase keeps telomeres intact for longer by compensating for shortening during cell division, but in most body cells the…
Why do your telomeres get shorter as you age?
Telomere shortening is part of life: every cell division costs a piece. But smoking, chronic stress, and sleep deprivation…
Do sirtuins actually do anything against ageing?
Sirtuins play a clear role in ageing in animal research, but whether they are of any benefit to humans (through supplements or…
Preliminary evidence
What is mTOR and why does it matter in ageing?
Inhibiting mTOR strongly extends lifespan in mice, but whether you can achieve that as a human through drugs or diet has not…
Does fisetin from strawberries really work as a zombie-cell cleaner?
Fisetin demonstrably clears zombie cells in lab and mouse research, but whether this also works in humans and is safe has not…
Preliminary evidence
Do I inherit my life expectancy from my parents?
Genetics explains roughly one third of how long you live, so your parents give you a biological starting point, not a…
What are mitochondria, and can you make them younger or more energetic?
Regular exercise is by far the best-supported means of keeping mitochondria healthy; NAD+ supplements sound appealing but have…
Yes · Strong evidence
Can you counteract DNA damage from ageing through your lifestyle?
Quitting smoking, exercising regularly and eating plenty of vegetables demonstrably reduce DNA damage; antioxidant supplements…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does clearing senescent cells with senolytics help against ageing?
Senolytics show impressive results in mouse studies, but in humans the evidence is too thin for use outside clinical trials.…
Preliminary evidence
Do my stem cells run out as I get older?
Your stem cells do gradually decline in number and function, affecting muscle repair, brain function and other tissues. There…
What is epigenetics and can you influence your genes?
Epigenetics determines which genes are active and is in principle open to influence. In medicine, epigenetic mechanisms are…
Yes · Strong evidence
What is oxidative stress and how serious is it really?
Oxidative stress is a real biological process that causes damage to cells and contributes to ageing, but how large a role it…
Can you clear out "zombie cells" to slow down ageing?
In animal research, clearing zombie cells is impressively effective, but in humans the evidence is still very preliminary.…
Preliminary evidence
What are "zombie cells" and how do you get rid of them?
Zombie cells clearly play a role in ageing, but no proven treatment yet exists for humans. Keep an eye on the field, but for…
Yes · Strong evidence
What is autophagy and can I activate it myself?
You can promote autophagy yourself through fasting or temporarily eating significantly less, and probably through exercise as…
Yes · Strong evidence
Can you tell from your DNA which diseases you are at greater risk of, and how is that measured?
Your DNA and certain proteins in your blood provide a useful picture of your predisposition to heart disease and other common…
Yes · Strong evidence
Gut & Microbiome63 questions
Which fermented products have the greatest effect on gut health?
Yoghurt and kefir have the most human evidence supporting a beneficial effect on gut health; for kimchi, kombucha and tempeh,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is fermented food good for your health and your microbiome?
Fermented food, and kefir and yoghurt in particular, likely has beneficial effects on gut flora and several health markers,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How does your microbiome affect your health and longevity?
Your microbiome is associated with how healthily you age, but whether you can deliberately steer it to live longer has not yet…
Preliminary evidence
What does a disrupted gut barrier do to the rest of your body?
A leaky gut barrier is associated with chronic inflammation and a range of diseases, from diabetes and joint complaints to…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do probiotics help with irritable bowel syndrome itself, or only when taken alongside antibiotics?
Probiotics reduce irritable bowel symptoms without antibiotics, with Bacillus coagulans and Bifidobacterium strains having the…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can you permanently change your gut microbiome through diet?
Diet does indeed change your gut microbiome, but lasting change requires lasting adjustment of your dietary pattern; a…
Moderate evidence
How much probiotic do you need per day?
There is no universal daily dose for probiotics: how much you need depends strongly on the bacterial strain, the application,…
Moderate evidence
Can probiotics improve your health in later life?
Probiotics may offer specific benefits for older adults, such as a better immune response and less constipation, but which…
Moderate evidence
Does eating a varied diet help your gut bacteria?
Fermented products have the strongest evidence base for increasing gut bacterial diversity. Eating broadly varied meals also…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does the transition or menopause do to your gut microbiome?
Menopause is accompanied by measurable shifts in the gut microbiome, but how large these are and what they mean in practice…
Can you improve your gut microbiome by picking up bacteria while playing outside?
Playing outside exposes your child to more bacteria, and one small study observed a change in gut microbiome, but whether that…
Preliminary evidence
Can you see how fast you are ageing from your stool?
Your microbiome does change with age and is associated with health risks, but a reliable ageing test based on stool does not…
Moderate evidence
Are the gut bacteria of children different from those of adults?
Yes, the gut bacteria of children differ fundamentally from those of adults, with consequences for allergy and asthma risk. If…
Can an unhealthy gut contribute to skin problems such as acne or eczema?
A disrupted gut microbiome is associated with acne and eczema, although that association has not yet been proven to be cause…
Does chewing slowly really help with better digestion?
Chewing well certainly helps form a smooth food bolus and increases saliva production, but whether it actually leads to better…
Preliminary evidence
What does drinking coffee every day do to your gut bacteria?
Drinking coffee in moderation every day (up to 4 cups) is associated with a more favourable composition and greater diversity…
Can your gut microbiome affect your memory and concentration?
Your gut microbiome can influence your memory and concentration through several routes, but most of the evidence still comes…
What is the role of bile acids in healthy digestion?
Bile acids are indispensable for proper fat digestion and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. If you suffer from greasy…
What does smoking do to your gut and gut microbiome?
Smoking disrupts your gut microbiome and increases the risk of intestinal inflammation, gastrointestinal complaints and…
Does bone broth help your gut health?
The individual components of bone broth, such as certain amino acids, show favourable effects on the intestinal wall in…
Preliminary evidence
Can your gut microbiome influence inflammation in your body?
Your gut microbiome can influence inflammatory processes throughout your body via the gut wall. Eating more fibre and…
Does your gut microbiome affect how well you sleep?
Your gut microbiome and your sleep mutually influence each other, but how to practically steer that through probiotics or…
Are the gut bacteria of lean people different from those of heavier people?
The gut bacteria of people with excess weight differ measurably from those of lean people, but whether those bacteria are the…
What does a high-fat diet do to your gut microbiome?
A high-fat diet noticeably disrupts the gut microbiome: less bacterial diversity, more harmful species and a leaky gut wall…
Can you improve your gut bacteria by spending more time in nature?
Whether spending more time in nature improves your gut bacteria is a question the available studies cannot answer; if you want…
Preliminary evidence
Can certain fungi or bacteria in your gut influence your cellular ageing?
Certain gut bacteria produce substances that accelerate cellular ageing, while a diverse microbiome rich in fibre-fermenting…
Does drinking apple cider vinegar help your digestion?
There is no research whatsoever showing that apple cider vinegar improves digestion. If you want to use apple cider vinegar…
No · Preliminary evidence
Can your gut microbiome control your appetite and hunger?
Yes, your gut microbiome can influence your hunger and eating behaviour via a direct connection to your brain. Eating more…
What does eating too much sugar do to your gut health?
Eating a lot of sugar probably disrupts your gut microbiome and makes the gut wall more permeable, but it is the combination…
Does a healthy gut microbiome lead to better skin?
There are several indications that a healthy gut microbiome is beneficial for your skin, but how best to achieve that and…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does eating flaxseed help your gut?
Through its fibre and lignans, flaxseed has a plausible positive effect on the gut, but for the gut as a specific target the…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can your gut microbiome influence your risk of heart disease?
Your gut microbiome influences your heart health through metabolic by-products that can promote arterial hardening, high blood…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can your microbiome reveal how old you are biologically?
Your microbiome does send signals about how you are ageing, but a reliable clinical test to measure your biological age with…
Is the appendix actually useful for your gut microbiome?
The appendix most likely does have a function: as a reservoir for healthy gut bacteria and as an immune organ. If you have…
What does fasting one day a week do to your gut microbiome?
Intermittent fasting demonstrably changes your gut microbiome, but the effects are likely temporary if you stop; for healthy…
Can your gut microbiome affect your cholesterol?
Your gut microbiome influences your cholesterol through bile acid conversion and the fermentation of fibres. Eating more fibre…
What do polyphenols, such as those found in berries and red wine, do to your gut bacteria?
Polyphenols from berries and red wine have a positive influence on your gut bacteria, but the human studies are still small;…
Are plant-based diets better for your gut than mixed diets?
A plant-based diet appears to be beneficial for your gut bacteria, but fermented foods perform at least as well in a direct…
Moderate evidence
Can exercise improve your gut microbiome?
Moderate regular exercise demonstrably improves your gut microbiome, but you need to keep exercising because the effect…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What are the signs that your gut flora is out of balance?
There are several recognisable signals, of which abdominal complaints such as persistent pain, diarrhoea, or constipation are…
Does green tea help your gut health?
Green tea extract showed measurable improvements in gut wall integrity and gut inflammation in a randomised trial; the signals…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does too little sleep do to your gut?
Sleep deprivation may disrupt your gut microbiome, but we do not yet know with certainty how large that effect is in humans.…
Are abdominal pain and bloating signs of an unhealthy gut?
Abdominal pain and bloating usually do not indicate a damaged gut, but rather a functional condition such as IBS. If warning…
What does alcohol do to your gut microbiome?
Chronic heavy drinking demonstrably disrupts the gut microbiome, with consequences for the heart and liver. Moderate drinking…
Does intermittent fasting help your gut health?
For healthy people and people with metabolic syndrome there is reasonably consistent evidence that intermittent fasting has a…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can stress really make your gut sick?
Stress really can make your gut sick: from abdominal pain and altered bowel habits to an increased risk of IBS and stomach…
What is the difference between probiotics and postbiotics?
Probiotics contain living bacteria; postbiotics contain inactivated variants or their building blocks. Postbiotics are safer…
Does eating garlic help your gut health?
There are preliminary indications that garlic is beneficial for gut health, with the strongest evidence being a randomised…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does eating red meat do to your gut in the long term?
Eating a lot of red and processed meat measurably increases your risk of colorectal cancer, although for most people the…
Can your gut microbiome influence how long you live?
There are clear associations between a healthy, diverse gut microbiome and older age, but whether that microbiome promotes…
Preliminary evidence
Is my gut flora linked to being overweight?
Your gut microbiome is probably linked to excess weight through multiple mechanisms, but a proven causal relationship in…
Does my gut microbiome change as I get older, and does it matter?
Yes, your gut microbiome changes measurably with age, but whether that matters depends strongly on your diet and lifestyle. A…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does leaky gut actually exist?
Leaky gut is a recognised biological phenomenon that is associated with various diseases, but whether it also causes those…
Do prebiotics, the fibres that feed your good bacteria, work just as well as probiotics?
Prebiotics alone are less effective than probiotics in the best-studied situations. For diarrhoea or immune support,…
No · Moderate evidence
What do artificial sweeteners do to your gut microbiome?
Whether artificial sweeteners truly disrupt your gut microbiome is not yet clear: studies contradict one another. Until there…
Can you restore your gut microbiome after a course of antibiotics?
Your gut microbiome partially recovers after a course of antibiotics, but a full return to its original state is rarely…
Moderate evidence
Can a disrupted gut microbiome weaken your immune system?
A disrupted gut microbiome demonstrably dysregulates your immune system and increases the risk of chronic inflammation. Eating…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is there a real connection between your gut microbiome and your mood or brain?
There is a biologically plausible and, in animal research, robustly supported connection between your gut microbiome and your…
Does fermented food such as yoghurt, kefir and sauerkraut help your gut microbiome?
Fermented foods, and kefir and yoghurt in particular, have the strongest clinical support for a positive effect on the gut…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does eating fibre do to your gut microbiome and your long-term health?
Fibre demonstrably feeds your gut bacteria, improves stool consistency and protects the gut wall. But how your microbiome and…
Do probiotic pills really help your gut?
Probiotics demonstrably work for acute diarrhoea, but for most other gut complaints it depends on which strain you take and…
Moderate evidence
Are fermented foods and probiotics good for your gut?
Fermented foods, particularly yoghurt and kefir, show positive indications for gut health; for most other products such as…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Are at-home microbiome tests worthwhile?
Commercial at-home microbiome tests are not clinically useful at this time: the advice is premature, the methods are not…
No · Moderate evidence
Heart & Vessels73 questions
Does treating inflammation in the coronary arteries through medication actually make a difference for your long-term heart health?
Targeted anti-inflammatory treatment, particularly with low-dose colchicine, measurably reduces the risk of serious cardiac…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What health benefits do GLP-1 medications offer beyond weight loss?
In type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 medications offer well-supported protection for the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys; there are…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is your oral health linked to cardiovascular disease?
Serious gum disease is demonstrably associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure; that is a…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How many sauna sessions per week produce health benefits?
Even 2 to 3 sessions per week is associated with measurable health benefits; those who go 4 or more times appear to benefit…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How many cups of green tea do you need per day?
Two to three cups of tea per day shows the most favourable association with cardiovascular health across several large…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does taking omega-3 help you stay healthy for longer?
Omega-3 reliably lowers your blood fats, but has not yet been proven to make you live longer or healthier. If you already have…
Moderate evidence
Does sitting all day increase your risk of heart problems?
Sitting a lot increases your risk of heart failure and heart-related mortality, even if you exercise regularly. Just 30…
Yes · Strong evidence
Can clogged blood vessels be cleaned up again?
Early atherosclerosis can partially reverse, particularly with strong LDL lowering through statins or newer agents. The…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does black seed oil work as a supplement?
Black seed oil has shown measurable effects on blood lipids, blood pressure and inflammatory markers in randomised research,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does nattokinase work against blood clots and for your heart?
Nattokinase measurably influences the coagulation system, but the largest and longest-running study found no cardiac…
Moderate evidence
What does menopause do to your risk of cardiovascular disease?
Menopause demonstrably increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, primarily through unfavourable changes in fat…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is coffee healthy or unhealthy?
For healthy adults, moderate coffee consumption (3 to 5 cups per day) is more likely to be healthy than unhealthy; if you are…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Are seed oils such as sunflower oil bad for you?
Based on current research, seed oils are not bad for you; on the contrary, they lower LDL cholesterol and are associated with…
No · Moderate evidence
Does your resting heart rate say anything about how fast you are ageing?
A structurally high resting heart rate, certainly above 80 to 90 beats per minute, is associated with a clearly higher risk of…
What is the relationship between high blood pressure and inflammation?
High blood pressure and inflammation reinforce each other mutually, and higher inflammatory values in the blood mean a…
Can chronically poor sleep cause me to have a stroke at a younger age?
Chronically poor or insufficient sleep is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke. If…
Yes · Strong evidence
Can you see your biological age in your blood pressure?
Your blood pressure, and especially your nighttime blood pressure, says something about how your blood vessels are ageing, but…
What is the link between gum disease and heart disease?
The link between gum disease and heart disease has been found consistently across dozens of studies, but whether it is truly…
What does a low-carbohydrate diet do to your LDL cholesterol in the long term?
A low-carbohydrate diet raises LDL in the short term, but that effect often disappears after a year; the effect on…
What does long-term sleep deprivation do to your heart?
Chronically sleeping too little demonstrably increases your risk of a heart attack and high blood pressure, and genetic…
Who should have their ApoB measured?
Measuring ApoB is worthwhile for more people than current guidelines suggest: not only in cases of elevated blood fats, but…
Moderate evidence
How does too much LDL or ApoB lead to clogged arteries?
Too many LDL and apoB particles sets off a well-established chain reaction that gradually clogs arteries. Having your apoB…
How do you lower an elevated ApoB?
The most effective way to lower ApoB is with PCSK9 inhibitors (alirocumab or inclisiran, by prescription). Daily porridge also…
Moderate evidence
What is a healthy ApoB level?
There is no fixed 'healthy' ApoB value, but below 82 mg/dL the risk of a stroke already decreases measurably. ApoB offers…
What does your ApoB value tell you about your risk of cardiovascular disease?
ApoB gives a more accurate picture of your cardiovascular disease risk than standard LDL cholesterol. Ask your doctor to also…
Is an ECG from your smartwatch actually useful?
For detecting atrial fibrillation, a smartwatch ECG can be useful, especially as a supplement to medical monitoring. For other…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does gratitude or optimism benefit your health and longevity?
Greater optimism is associated in several large, long-running studies with a substantially lower risk of cardiovascular…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Which foods or supplements keep your blood vessels healthy?
The Mediterranean diet most demonstrably lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease. Individual supplements do not help.
Moderate evidence
Is high blood pressure at night more dangerous than during the day?
High blood pressure at night is more dangerous than a high daytime reading at the doctor's office. If your blood pressure does…
Do omega-3 fatty acids help against heart rhythm disorders?
High doses of omega-3 actually increase the risk of atrial fibrillation; a generally protective effect on heart rhythm…
No · Moderate evidence
How dangerous is a fatty liver (hepatic steatosis)?
For most people, a fatty liver is not acutely dangerous in the short term, but it does raise the risk of cardiovascular…
Does losing weight noticeably improve my blood pressure and cholesterol?
Losing weight noticeably lowers your blood pressure and improves your cholesterol profile, but which value improves the most…
Yes · Strong evidence
Should I be worried about a mildly elevated cholesterol if everything else looks fine?
A mildly elevated cholesterol is not automatically harmless: the overall picture, including triglycerides and lipoprotein(a),…
Moderate evidence
How harmful is prolonged stress really for my heart?
Long-term stress measurably increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly through work-related stress (10-40%…
Is atrial fibrillation dangerous, and what can I do about it?
Atrial fibrillation substantially increases your risk of death, heart failure, and stroke, and requires active treatment.…
Yes · Strong evidence
Heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat -- when should I see a doctor?
Palpitations are usually harmless, but can also be the beginning of a serious cardiac arrhythmia. If you also experience…
Moderate evidence
How often should I measure my blood pressure at home, and what is normal?
Measuring at home gives a more reliable picture than a single reading at the doctor's office: measure at least seven days,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What is a healthy HDL (good cholesterol) level, and can I raise it?
Raising HDL through lifestyle is possible, but your genes set the ceiling. Lowering triglycerides through less sugar and…
Moderate evidence
What does my CRP value (inflammation) say about my heart?
A high hsCRP value points to chronic inflammation and predicts a clearly elevated long-term risk of cardiovascular problems,…
What is a healthy waist circumference and why does it matter?
A larger waist circumference is associated with a greater risk of diabetes, bone fractures, gum disease and premature death.…
Do B vitamins (folate, B6) benefit your heart and brain?
Folic acid reduces stroke risk by approximately 16%, but probably only if you have a deficiency. For broader cardiovascular…
Moderate evidence
Does CoQ10 help your heart or your energy levels?
In heart failure, there are promising signals that CoQ10 can reduce the risk of death and hospitalisation, but the evidence is…
Moderate evidence
Is loud snoring dangerous for my health?
Loud snoring is associated with serious health risks: arterial calcification, higher mortality after a heart attack and…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does climbing stairs actually do anything for my heart?
Yes, climbing stairs genuinely does something for your heart. Climbing roughly 50 to 100 steps a day is associated with fewer…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How harmful are trans fats, exactly?
Industrial trans fats are demonstrably harmful to your heart and blood vessels, even in small amounts. Avoid them by checking…
Do omega-3 (fish oil) supplements benefit my heart?
Fish oil has a modest, proven effect on triglycerides and possibly slightly fewer heart attacks, but does not demonstrably…
Moderate evidence
How healthy are my blood vessels / what is my vascular age?
For a first impression of your vascular health, an ApoB blood test is the simplest and most accessible step; a CAC scan adds…
Does lowering my blood pressure really reduce my risk?
Lowering blood pressure genuinely works: your risk of stroke and other cardiovascular problems demonstrably decreases.…
Yes · Strong evidence
What is a healthy cholesterol level and when should I be concerned?
A normal LDL value does not give a complete picture of your cardiovascular risk. Ask your doctor about your remnant…
Moderate evidence
What is Lp(a) and is there anything I can do about it?
Lp(a) is a hereditary risk factor for cardiovascular disease that is independent of your LDL. Effective treatments are still…
Yes · Strong evidence
What does my blood pressure say about my long-term health?
A structurally high or strongly fluctuating blood pressure substantially increases your risk of stroke, heart attack and…
Does garlic help against high blood pressure or high cholesterol?
Garlic supplements measurably lower blood pressure in people with hypertension and have a modest beneficial effect on…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is a high homocysteine level bad for my heart?
Elevated homocysteine is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, but whether you can reduce that risk by…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How important is my triglyceride level?
Your triglycerides are a meaningful risk indicator, especially in combination with abdominal fat or a high blood sugar level.…
Does my heart rate variability (HRV) tell me anything about my health?
A higher HRV is associated with better health and greater resilience. Slow breathing is the most accessible and best-supported…
What is a healthy resting heart rate?
For most adults, a healthy resting heart rate falls roughly between 60 and 75 beats per minute, with women slightly higher…
Does dark chocolate or cocoa benefit your heart?
Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content appears to be beneficial for the heart, but the evidence remains observational. A…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Are nuts good for your heart and your weight?
For most people, a daily handful of nuts is a well-supported choice for a healthier heart. Those who want to lose weight or…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How healthy is olive oil and what is it good for?
Olive oil, and extra-virgin olive oil in particular, is well supported as protective for the heart and blood vessels,…
Are eggs bad for your cholesterol?
Eggs are not automatically bad for your cholesterol; the rest of your diet, especially the amount of saturated fat, carries…
Moderate evidence
Is green tea really as healthy as they say?
Drinking a few cups of green tea every day fits well into a healthy lifestyle and is probably safe, but do not take green tea…
Moderate evidence
How bad is eating a lot of salt for me?
Eating a lot of salt is clearly harmful to your blood pressure and your heart, and the risk grows with the amount consumed.…
Is the Mediterranean diet really good for your heart, and why?
For people with an elevated cardiovascular risk, the Mediterranean diet is the best-supported dietary choice currently…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is coffee good or bad for your heart?
For most healthy adults, three to four filtered cups per day are associated with a beneficial effect on the heart and blood…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is interval training (HIIT) better for my heart than regular cardio?
For cardiac patients in rehabilitation, HIIT produces greater fitness gains on average than regular cardio, but this does not…
Moderate evidence
Is taking a daily aspirin smart or dangerous?
Whether a daily aspirin is smart or dangerous depends entirely on your age and medical profile. Take aspirin only on a…
Moderate evidence
Should I take statins if I have (not yet) had a heart problem?
Whether statins are worthwhile depends on your personal risk. At a calculated 10-year risk of 10% or higher and at least one…
Strong evidence
Is a calcium score of my heart worth doing?
For people aged 40 to 75 in a grey zone regarding statins, a calcium score is a well-supported tool for making a considered…
Yes · Strong evidence
How dangerous is belly fat?
Belly fat is a serious risk factor for cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and premature death, and the risk increases the…
Is ApoB more important than regular cholesterol (LDL)?
ApoB consistently predicts cardiovascular disease better than LDL cholesterol. If you want to know how high your risk truly…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does having bad gums affect my heart?
There is a plausible association between severe gum disease and heart problems, but no proven causal relationship. Good oral…
Moderate evidence
Does coffee lower the risk of premature death?
Coffee (2 to 4 cups per day, preferably in the morning and without much sugar) is associated with a lower risk of premature…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does regular sauna use help you live longer?
Regular sauna bathing is associated with a lower risk of premature death and cardiovascular disease in large observational…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Hormones & Reproduction65 questions
Can vaginal oestrogen therapy do more than simply relieve symptoms -- such as preventing urinary tract infections or even extending your life?
Vaginal oestrogen does more than relieve symptoms: it roughly halves the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections and…
Yes · Strong evidence
What role do hormones play in mental health complaints, and does current psychiatry fall short by only targeting symptoms?
Hormones, and cortisol in particular, play a demonstrable role in mental health complaints in a proportion of patients, but…
Moderate evidence
How do you get your hormone levels tested during perimenopause?
Hormone tests during perimenopause are difficult to interpret: AMH is the most practical option, but does not reliably predict…
Moderate evidence
Which hormone levels are tested during menopause and what do the results mean?
During menopause, the hormones measured most commonly are FSH, LH, oestradiol, progesterone, testosterone and AMH; elevated…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How does the lipid profile change after menopause, and what can you do about it?
After menopause, the lipid profile demonstrably worsens due to the decline in oestrogen. Regular exercise and moderately…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What can help women increase their libido?
There are several well-supported options depending on your life stage: for women after menopause, transdermal testosterone has…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do your hormones influence how quickly you age?
Hormones do influence ageing, but do not control it entirely. Fat distribution, muscle mass and inflammatory processes are all…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does an adrenal cocktail actually work?
The adrenal cocktail has never been tested in humans and rests on an assumption, exhausted adrenal glands caused by stress,…
No · Preliminary evidence
Does fadogia agrestis increase your testosterone?
Do not use it. There is barely any human evidence that fadogia agrestis raises testosterone, it is not authorised for sale in…
Insufficient evidence
Does hormone therapy help women age more healthily?
Hormone therapy relieves menopausal symptoms well and shows positive indications for bones and metabolism, but the effects on…
Moderate evidence
Does boron raise your testosterone?
The two randomised studies in men show no effect on testosterone; the only small study that did find a rise in men had no…
No · Preliminary evidence
Does tongkat ali actually work for your testosterone?
Do not use it, even though it probably does raise your testosterone. The European food safety authority EFSA found signs that…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How do I know whether my mood swings are hormonal or something else?
The cyclical pattern of your symptoms is the best distinguishing factor: if they occur only in the two weeks before your…
Does excess weight really make your hormones worse?
Excess weight disrupts your hormones in multiple ways simultaneously, and this is not a coincidental association. In men,…
Can an unhealthy diet cause puberty to start earlier?
A calorie-rich diet high in animal protein and low in fibre increases the likelihood of earlier puberty in girls, especially…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How does your body fat affect hormone production as you get older?
Body fat has a considerable influence on your hormonal balance as you age: more abdominal fat disrupts insulin sensitivity,…
Can hormones explain why women live longer on average than men?
Sex hormones likely contribute to women's longer lifespan, but they do not fully explain the difference. Social factors also…
What does caffeine do to your stress hormones when you drink a lot of it?
High caffeine intake raises your cortisol, especially during stress or exercise and later in the day; you partially adapt to…
Can a vitamin D deficiency affect your hormones?
A vitamin D deficiency disrupts hormone levels, primarily through a rise in parathyroid hormone PTH, which affects your bones,…
Does the amount of muscle mass you have affect your hormone balance?
More muscle mass improves your insulin sensitivity and is associated with more favourable hormone values after training, but…
Why do some women experience thyroid problems after giving birth?
After delivery, the immune system sometimes overshoots and damages the thyroid, leading to temporary hormonal disturbances in…
Can low blood sugar disrupt your hormones, and how do you notice it?
Low blood sugar immediately raises stress hormones and causes symptoms such as trembling, sweating and irritability. People…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does chronic sleep deprivation do to your fertility when you are trying to conceive?
Chronic sleep deprivation and frequent insomnia have been linked in several large studies to a lower chance of conception and…
Do male hormones affect how quickly men age?
Declining testosterone measurably accelerates ageing of muscles, bones and sexual function, but the links to mood and skin are…
Can your thyroid be thrown off balance by getting too much or too little iodine?
Both too little and too much iodine can disrupt the thyroid; make sure you get enough each day, but avoid large supplements…
Why do some women suddenly experience anxiety symptoms after menopause?
Fluctuating oestrogen levels disrupt brain systems that regulate anxiety and mood, causing some women to experience anxiety…
Is there a link between your hormones and the risk of dementia later in life?
There is solid evidence that thyroid hormones, sex hormones and stress hormones all play a role in dementia risk. The evidence…
What does taking the pill for a long time do to your hormones when you stop?
After stopping the pill, your hormone balance generally recovers within a few weeks to months, regardless of how long you have…
Can low progesterone levels cause symptoms before menopause?
Low progesterone levels can cause symptoms well before menopause, such as an increased risk of uterine cancer, more abdominal…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does sunlight affect your hormones, and if so, how?
Sunlight affects multiple hormones simultaneously: it stimulates vitamin D and beta-endorphin, suppresses melatonin, and can…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What is the relationship between your thyroid and depressive symptoms?
There is a clear association between thyroid problems and depressive symptoms, although the precise direction of influence has…
Do men need estrogen for their health?
Yes, men need oestrogen for strong bones, healthy blood vessels, and fertility. Both a deficiency and an excess are harmful,…
What does pregnancy do to your hormone balance in the long term?
Pregnancy brings about hormonal changes that are partly temporary, but in the case of gestational diabetes the risk of type 2…
Can stress make you infertile?
Prolonged, severe stress can genuinely disrupt fertility, but whether ordinary everyday stress alone is enough to cause…
Moderate evidence
What are hormone disruptors, and are they really found in everyday products?
Hormone disruptors are demonstrably present in a great many everyday products and are measurable in the human body. Complete…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does fasting (intermittent fasting) help improve your insulin levels and other hormones?
Fasting probably improves your insulin levels, but most studies are small and short-term. Eating early in the day appears to…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can exercise really improve your hormone levels as you get older?
Yes, exercise demonstrably raises several hormone levels in people over 40. The strongest practical benefit lies in muscle…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can eating too little disrupt your hormones, even if you do not have an eating disorder?
Even a temporary, substantial calorie deficit can disrupt sleep and reproductive hormones in healthy women; the timing of your…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How does your gut microbiome influence your hormone balance?
Your gut microbiome drives multiple hormones through enzymes, fermentation products and bile acids, ranging from oestrogen to…
What does alcohol do to your hormones when you drink it regularly?
Drinking alcohol regularly disrupts your hormonal balance in several ways: testosterone falls in men, cortisol rises…
Can women preserve their fertility longer through lifestyle choices?
Lifestyle can influence your fertility, but genetics largely determines when you go through menopause. Avoid frequent heavy…
Moderate evidence
Can your thyroid be normal on a test but still cause symptoms?
Yes, a normal test result does not rule out thyroid-related symptoms. If you continue to have symptoms after a normal result,…
Can poor sleep permanently disrupt your hormones?
Poor sleep disrupts your hormones quickly and measurably, but 'permanent' is too strong a claim: recovery appears possible…
What does chronically high cortisol do to your belly fat and blood sugar?
Chronically high cortisol directs fat toward the abdominal cavity and increases the risk of insulin resistance and type 2…
What does cortisol do to your body in the long run when you are chronically stressed?
Chronic stress noticeably dysregulates your cortisol system: your daily rhythm flattens, your immune function, sleep and…
Do black cohosh or red clover help with hot flushes during menopause?
Black cohosh modestly but demonstrably reduces hot flushes; red clover has too little solid evidence to recommend. If you want…
Moderate evidence
Can you delay menopause with lifestyle or diet?
Avoiding smoking, eating less red meat, and eating more citrus fruit and oily fish appear to have a favourable influence on…
Preliminary evidence
What helps against menopause symptoms like hot flushes and mood swings?
Hormone therapy works best against hot flushes and night sweats. Those who cannot or do not wish to use it can choose from…
Strong evidence
What complaints are most common during menopause?
The most common menopausal complaints are joint and muscle pain, fatigue and sleep problems; hot flushes are the most…
Does menopause increase a woman's risk of joint pain or joint complaints?
Menopause increases the risk of joint pain and osteoarthritis in most women; it helps to avoid excess weight, stay active, and…
Does my growth hormone decline with age, and does that matter?
Your growth hormone does indeed decline sharply with age. Reversing that with hormone injections offers little benefit in…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is testosterone important for women?
Testosterone is a physiologically relevant hormone for women, with the strongest evidence for sexual desire and sexual…
Does my weight and metabolism change during menopause?
During menopause, your body composition changes profoundly: more abdominal fat, less muscle and a lower resting metabolic…
What does the stress hormone cortisol do to my ageing?
Chronically elevated cortisol accelerates muscle loss and disrupts your metabolism, and that effect is real. Good sleep and…
Is it worth getting my hormones tested if I feel run down and lacking energy?
Testing thyroid and adrenal function can be worthwhile if you feel run down, but having a broad hormone panel done without a…
Moderate evidence
What does the menopause do to my heart and bones in the long term?
In the long run, menopause increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and bone loss, and that effect is greater with an…
Does testosterone decline in men with age, and should you do something about it?
Testosterone really does decline in men with age. TRT is well supported only in men with established hypogonadism and…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is hormone therapy for the menopause safe and worthwhile?
Hormone therapy works excellently against hot flushes and vaginal symptoms, but whether it is safe for you depends on your…
Strong evidence
Does my libido decline after 40, and is there anything I can do about it?
A decline in libido after 40 is normal but not inevitable. For men with a confirmed low testosterone level and associated…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do DHEA or growth hormone help against ageing, or are they risky?
For healthy older adults, DHEA is not a proven anti-ageing agent, and for growth hormone the long-term risks are unknown. If…
Preliminary evidence
Does a male menopause exist?
A male menopause genuinely exists, but it proceeds so gradually that many men do not recognise their complaints as hormonal;…
What exactly happens during perimenopause, and what helps with it?
Perimenopause brings a wide range of symptoms, from hot flushes and sleep problems to bone loss. Hormone therapy is the…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Which supplements actually help with menopause?
Red clover isoflavones and black cohosh have the strongest evidence for reducing hot flashes; soy isoflavones also help to…
Moderate evidence
How can you increase sperm quality and quantity after the age of 40?
Improving sperm quality after forty is possible through lifestyle adjustments and, if you have a varicocele, surgical…
Moderate evidence
Does using testosterone help if you are over 50, and can it be dangerous?
Testosterone can be worthwhile for men over 50 with a medically confirmed testosterone deficiency, but it is not a treatment…
Yes · Strong evidence
Immune System54 questions
Does quercetin help with hay fever and allergies?
Quercetin has a clear anti-allergic effect in laboratory research, and a small randomised study in humans shows improvement in…
Preliminary evidence
Does covid-19 have a lasting effect on the immune system?
Covid-19 has measurable, long-lasting effects on the immune system, even in people who do not have Long Covid symptoms. How…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does long-term antibiotic use weaken your immune system?
Antibiotics disrupt the gut microbiota in ways that indirectly weaken your immune system; use them only when truly necessary…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What are the symptoms of a weakened immune system?
The clearest signs of a weakened immune system are recurrent or unusually severe infections, but skin problems, autoimmune…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Which factors weaken your immune system?
Several factors demonstrably weaken your immune system: deficiencies in vitamin A, zinc and iron are the best supported, but…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can you slow down the ageing of your immune system?
You can partly limit the consequences of an ageing immune system, especially with more cleverly designed vaccines such as…
Moderate evidence
Is moderate exercise good or bad for your immune system?
Moderate exercise (sessions up to 45 minutes) is good for your immune system and is associated with fewer infections. Only…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Why do older people become seriously ill from an infection more quickly?
Older people become seriously ill from infections more quickly because their immune system responds structurally more slowly…
Can you strengthen your immune system by eating more fibre?
Eating more fibre has a clear biological mechanism, but in healthy people it does not automatically lead to a measurably…
Moderate evidence
Does too little sleep weaken your immune system?
Yes, too little sleep demonstrably weakens your immune system and increases the risk of infections and chronic inflammatory…
Does spending more time outdoors help your immune system as you get older?
Spending more time outdoors may support your immune system as you get older, mainly through improved vitamin D production, but…
Preliminary evidence
Does the flu shot work less well as you get older?
The flu shot demonstrably works less well in older adults than in younger people, but high-dose and other improved vaccines…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does your immune system really weaken as you get older?
Your immune system does indeed weaken as you get older, but how quickly that happens varies considerably from person to…
What is the relationship between the thyroid and the immune system?
There is a clear and well-defined relationship: autoimmune diseases of the thyroid arise because the immune system attacks the…
Why do some people develop better protection after vaccination than others?
How well you respond to a vaccine depends on your genetic predisposition, age, the condition of your immune system, and any…
Does sunbathing boost your immune system beyond the vitamin D effect?
Sunlight has real effects beyond vitamin D through nitric oxide and hormonal pathways, but randomised evidence for improved…
Moderate evidence
Can smoking permanently damage your immune system?
Smoking structurally damages your immune system and the damage can be lasting, especially with long-term smoking. Quitting…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What are T-cells and why do they decline with age?
Over the years your immune system loses some of its strength as the thymus shrinks and fresh T-cells become scarce. There is…
Does omega-3 from fish oil help against chronic inflammation?
Omega-3 from fish oil lowers inflammatory markers in the blood and demonstrably helps in rheumatoid arthritis, but the effect…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does chronic sleep deprivation do to your inflammation in the long run?
Chronic sleep deprivation demonstrably raises inflammatory markers in your blood and is linked to diseases such as…
Can air pollution weaken your immune system?
Air pollution disrupts your immune system in several ways at once: a greater chance of allergic reactions, less resistance to…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Why do some people experience symptoms for months after an infection?
After an infection, multiple biological processes can continue to smoulder simultaneously, but which mechanism plays the…
Can too little sleep make you more susceptible to infections?
Too little sleep demonstrably makes your immune system more vulnerable, including to infections and vaccinations. Make sure…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does sauna bathing help against infections?
There are preliminary indications that regular sauna bathing may have a beneficial effect on your immune system, but the…
Preliminary evidence
Can an overactive immune system also be dangerous?
An overactive immune system can damage your own tissue and is demonstrably dangerous in several conditions. If you recognise…
What does loneliness do to your immune system?
Loneliness disrupts your immune system in multiple ways simultaneously: more inflammation, reduced antiviral defence, and…
Does fermented food like kimchi boost your immune system?
Kimchi and other fermented products can improve your gut microbiome and lower inflammatory markers, but whether that actually…
Preliminary evidence
Can you test your immune system with a blood test?
A blood test can partially map the immune system, but the results are only meaningful when a doctor interprets them in the…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does melatonin support your immune system in later life?
Melatonin has clear effects on the immune system in animal and laboratory research, but whether supplements genuinely improve…
Preliminary evidence
Why are older adults more susceptible to influenza?
Older adults are more susceptible to influenza because their immune system functions less well with age, meaning they are both…
What does excess weight do to your inflammation levels?
Excess weight structurally raises your inflammation levels through multiple biological pathways. Exercise, and strength…
Can too much sugar weaken your immune system?
Chronically high blood sugar levels, as seen in diabetes or severe obesity, demonstrably weaken immune defences. For healthy…
Moderate evidence
Does your immune system age at a different rate than your heart?
Yes, your immune system and heart age at measurably different rates, and an ageing immune system is more strongly associated…
Does beta-glucan help strengthen your immune system?
Beta-glucan has a biologically plausible effect on the immune system, demonstrated in part in humans as well, but for healthy…
Preliminary evidence
What is a cytokine storm?
A cytokine storm is a life-threatening syndrome in which the immune system reinforces itself in a spiral of inflammation that…
Does green tea help against infections?
For influenza there is reasonable evidence that green tea catechins are helpful; for most other infections the data are still…
Moderate evidence
Why do you get sick more often when you are on a diet?
A low-calorie diet can weaken your immune system through deficiencies in minerals such as magnesium, disrupted gut bacteria…
Does cold showering boost your immune system?
Cold showering produces measurable stimulation of the immune system, but whether it actually makes you less likely to fall ill…
Preliminary evidence
What does alcohol do to your immune system?
Heavy or prolonged alcohol use clearly weakens your immune system and increases the risk of serious infections and liver…
Does fasting reset your immune system?
Fasting lowers inflammatory markers and improves metabolic risk factors, but a true 'reset' of the immune system has not yet…
Moderate evidence
Does vitamin C actually help against a cold?
Taking vitamin C daily does not protect most people against colds, but does make a cold slightly shorter and milder. If you…
No · Strong evidence
Does eating enough protein help my immune system as I get older?
Eating enough protein helps your immune system in later life. Aim for at least 1.0-1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does stress really lower my immune defences?
Prolonged stress measurably lowers your immune defences and even weakens the effectiveness of vaccines. Short-term stress, by…
Does regular exercise help against that creeping chronic inflammation?
Regular, moderate exercise demonstrably lowers inflammatory markers such as CRP and IL-6; training too intensely can reverse…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does vitamin D help your immune system, or is that overrated?
Vitamin D genuinely supports your immune system, but the benefit of taking extra applies mainly when you have a deficiency. If…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does your immune system really weaken as you get older, and can you do anything about it?
Your immune system demonstrably weakens with age, but eating healthily and exercising can reduce the smouldering inflammation…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does exercise help your immune system as you age?
Regular, moderate exercise helps your immune system by reducing smouldering inflammation. Suddenly training very hard without…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does sleep deprivation do to your immune system?
Sleep deprivation demonstrably weakens the immune system: it increases the risk of infection, reduces the response to…
Does low-dose naltrexone (LDN) work against inflammation?
LDN shows positive signals as an anti-inflammatory agent in small studies and cell research, but the evidence in humans is…
Preliminary evidence
Which vaccinations belong to healthy ageing?
For healthy ageing, the flu vaccine (high dose), the pneumococcal vaccine, the shingles vaccine, and the RSV vaccine are well…
Moderate evidence
Is zinc beneficial for my immune system?
Zinc is beneficial for your immune system if you have a deficiency or belong to a risk group such as older adults or severely…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does turmeric help against inflammation?
Curcumin lowers certain inflammatory markers in the blood, but the effect is modest. Moreover, your body absorbs the compound…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What is inflammaging?
Inflammaging is a smouldering, chronic inflammation that increases with age and is associated with frailty, muscle loss and…
How do I strengthen my weakening immune system?
You can partly support your immune system by correcting measured deficiencies in vitamins and minerals and by making use of…
Moderate evidence
Interventions92 questions
What are the best proven methods to prevent and treat migraines?
Well-proven treatments are available for both acute attacks and prevention. For a mild attack, start with an NSAID or…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does alpha-ketoglutarate work against ageing?
In animal research AKG clearly extends lifespan, but solid evidence in humans is still lacking. Wait for the results of the…
Preliminary evidence
What do we know about berberine patches?
Berberine patches show interesting results in laboratory and animal research for wounds, eczema, psoriasis and joint…
Preliminary evidence
Is berberine safe if you are taking medication?
Berberine inhibits liver enzymes that break down many medications, which can cause blood levels to shift. Do not combine it…
Moderate evidence
What can and cannot be concluded from a multifactorial health study in which several interventions are tested simultaneously?
Multifactorial research can reliably measure the effects of several interventions simultaneously, but whether the findings can…
Moderate evidence
Do creatine gummies work just as well as creatine powder?
There is no evidence that creatine gummies work as well as creatine monohydrate powder; simply choose powder, which is better…
No · Preliminary evidence
What are the differences between ibogaine and psilocybin as treatments?
Psilocybin has more clinical evidence and a more favorable safety profile than ibogaine; ibogaine carries a real risk of…
Preliminary evidence
What does ibogaine do and what is it used for?
Ibogaine shows preliminary positive signals in opioid addiction, but the safety risks (including fatal cardiac arrhythmias)…
Preliminary evidence
What are peptides and how do they work in the body?
Peptides are a broad, well-documented class of signalling molecules with wide-ranging effects in your body. For most specific…
Moderate evidence
What can you expect from a longevity clinic in the Netherlands?
A longevity clinic can offer you an interesting biomarker measurement and a good exercise programme, but for most supplements…
Preliminary evidence
Does a NAD+ infusion do something that an NMN pill does not?
There is no study that directly compares a NAD+ infusion with an oral NMN pill, so any advantage of the infusion has not been…
Preliminary evidence
What do we know about rapamycin as an anti-ageing agent in humans?
Rapamycin shows early positive signals in humans for immune function and skin, but long-term safety is unknown and side…
Preliminary evidence
Do you lose muscle mass when losing weight with a GLP-1 medication, and how do you prevent it?
With GLP-1 medications you do indeed lose muscle mass alongside fat, but you can largely limit this by combining resistance…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How much berberine do you need per day?
For blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes, berberine works best at a daily dose of 500 to 2000 mg, spread throughout the day;…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How much ashwagandha do you need per day?
For stress reduction, 240 to 500 mg per day already appears to have an effect; for safety, 600 mg per day has been studied for…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How much CoQ10 do you need per day?
There is no officially established daily dose of CoQ10 for healthy people. If you are considering supplementation, discuss it…
Insufficient evidence
What do we really know about metformin and ageing?
Metformin may extend your healthy years by helping to prevent disease, from diabetes to heart and vascular disease. Whether it…
Preliminary evidence
Does gene therapy with klotho or follistatin work against ageing?
Gene therapy with Klotho shows promising results in mice and cells, but there are no human clinical data yet. The available…
Preliminary evidence
Does whole-body cryotherapy actually work for your health?
For specific applications, such as pain following knee surgery and possibly improved lipid levels, WBC shows small positive…
Preliminary evidence
Does a NAD infusion (IV drip) make sense?
A NAD infusion has no proven advantage over cheaper oral supplements, and even those show hardly any demonstrable effect in…
No · Preliminary evidence
Does ergothioneine work as a longevity supplement?
Ergothioneine shows a positive signal in a small study of older adults with memory complaints, but it is too early for firm…
Preliminary evidence
Does rosemary oil really work for hair growth?
Rosemary oil showed a comparable effect to minoxidil 2% in one study, but dermatologists do not currently recommend it as a…
Preliminary evidence
Do functional mushrooms like reishi and cordyceps actually work?
Medicinal mushrooms such as reishi show promising effects in the laboratory, but convincing evidence in humans is still…
Preliminary evidence
Does shilajit actually work as a supplement?
Be careful. There is little strong evidence that shilajit works, it has no authorised novel-food status in the EU, and…
Preliminary evidence
Does earthing (grounding) actually work for your health?
There are preliminary indications that earthing may improve pain, fatigue and sleep, but the studies are still too small and…
Preliminary evidence
Is colostrum (beestings) a worthwhile supplement?
For now, colostrum has the strongest indications as an aid against respiratory tract infections in athletes; for most other…
Preliminary evidence
Do you really need electrolyte supplements?
For shorter workouts you do not need electrolyte supplements; for endurance exercise lasting longer than 90 minutes, sports…
Moderate evidence
Does the Wim Hof Method really work?
The WHM shows positive effects in small studies in specific patient groups, but whether those benefits are unique to the…
Preliminary evidence
Does liposomal vitamin C work better than regular vitamin C?
Liposomal vitamin C reaches higher concentrations in your blood than the regular form, but whether that actually does anything…
Moderate evidence
Is ubiquinol better than regular CoQ10?
Ubiquinol has not been proven superior to regular CoQ10: the body converts ubiquinone itself, and for cardiac outcomes…
Preliminary evidence
Does St. John's wort affect how your medications work?
St. John's wort lowers the blood levels of dozens of medications and can have serious consequences, such as transplant…
Yes · Strong evidence
Which supplements are best avoided in combination with blood thinners?
Several supplements can strengthen or weaken the effect of blood thinners; always mention them to your pharmacist or doctor…
Preliminary evidence
Should you take extra copper when taking high doses of zinc?
Anyone who takes more than 25-40 mg of zinc per day for an extended period runs a real risk of copper deficiency with…
Yes · Moderate evidence
When is the best time to take fisetin?
There is no human research identifying an optimal time to take fisetin. What the available animal research makes clear is that…
Preliminary evidence
Can you take too much magnesium?
Yes, too much magnesium can be dangerous, although serious toxicity from ordinary supplements is rare in people with healthy…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do you need to do a loading phase with creatine?
A loading phase is not necessary, but it does speed up the build-up of creatine in your muscles. Choose a loading phase if you…
No · Moderate evidence
How much curcumin should you take per day?
There is no universal optimal dose of curcumin: for osteoarthritis and cardiovascular risk factors, 1000 to 1500 mg per day…
Moderate evidence
Which form of vitamin B12 is best to take?
For most people with intact intestinal absorption, the form of vitamin B12 (cyano- or hydroxocobalamin) makes little…
Preliminary evidence
Does taking glutathione make sense, or is it broken down in your gut?
Oral glutathione measurably raises levels in blood and cells, so it is not entirely pointless. Whether that rise also produces…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What works better to raise NAD+: NMN or NR?
Based on the only direct head-to-head comparison study in humans, NMN and NR perform equally well for raising NAD+, so for now…
Moderate evidence
Is it better to take ashwagandha in the morning or in the evening?
More important than the timing: several regulators advise against ashwagandha. The Dutch RIVM warns against it (liver,…
Insufficient evidence
Which type of collagen is best to take?
For knee complaints, UC-II (type II, unprocessed, 40 mg/day) has the best-documented outcomes in RCTs, but the only…
Moderate evidence
Which form of zinc is best to take?
Zinc picolinate and zinc histidine have the strongest independent evidence for good absorption, but all comparative studies…
Preliminary evidence
Is creatine monohydrate just as good as more expensive forms?
Creatine monohydrate works at least as well as more expensive alternatives and is the best-documented choice in terms of…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is curcumin well absorbed by the body?
Standard curcumin is barely absorbed, but combining it with piperine (black pepper) dramatically increases absorption in…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Which form of magnesium is best to take?
Magnesium citrate has the strongest evidence for good absorption in humans; if you want to take a magnesium supplement, an…
Moderate evidence
Is intermittent fasting good for longevity?
Intermittent fasting improves health markers such as weight and insulin sensitivity, but whether it also makes you live longer…
Moderate evidence
Does fasting help your cells clean themselves up?
Fasting demonstrably increases the self-cleaning function of your cells, but watch out for muscle breakdown during prolonged…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can heat, such as a sauna, damage your cells or actually make them stronger?
Moderate heat briefly damages cells, but simultaneously triggers a repair response that makes the cell more resilient.…
Does echinacea really work against the common cold?
Echinacea has not been proven effective against the common cold. If you still want to try something, Echinacea purpurea…
No · Moderate evidence
Can fasting really rejuvenate your cells?
Fasting has clear cell-rejuvenating effects in animal research, but in humans the evidence is still limited to small studies…
Preliminary evidence
How does metformin work in your body?
Metformin lowers blood sugar primarily by suppressing glucose production in the liver, through multiple interrelated…
Can you take metformin without having diabetes?
Metformin has a reasonable evidence base for specific groups without diabetes (prediabetes, PCOS, overweight with insulin…
Moderate evidence
What are the side effects of metformin?
Metformin causes gastrointestinal complaints such as diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting in a substantial proportion of users.…
What are the side effects and risks of retatrutide?
Retatrutide causes gastrointestinal complaints in many users and a temporary increase in heart rate; serious side effects were…
Is retatrutide more effective than Ozempic?
Indirect comparisons suggest that retatrutide produces greater weight loss than semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy), but the drug has…
Moderate evidence
How many hours of fasting are needed to activate autophagy?
There is no proven hourly threshold for activating autophagy in humans. If you use this as a reason for a fasting pattern, be…
What should you preferably not combine with creatine?
Combining creatine with caffeine produces no additional athletic performance benefits and can cause mild gastrointestinal…
Moderate evidence
Why don't doctors always recommend creatine?
Creatine monohydrate is well supported for strength sports and its safety profile in healthy adults is reassuring, but safety…
Does creatine cause hair loss?
There is no firm evidence that creatine causes hair loss, but the studies are small and partly industry-funded. If you have a…
Preliminary evidence
Is rapamycin found in food, or can you get it naturally through your diet?
Rapamycin is not found in food and cannot be obtained through your diet. It is a medicine used only under medical supervision,…
At what age does taking NAD+ supplements make sense?
There is no established age at which NAD+ supplementation becomes worthwhile; studies focus on middle-aged and older adults,…
Preliminary evidence
Which supplements or medications are best not combined with NAD+?
The combination of NAD+ supplements (particularly nicotinamide) with platinum-based chemotherapy is the most concrete reason…
Preliminary evidence
What is the controversy surrounding NAD+?
NAD+ supplements raise your NAD+ levels, but whether that translates into any health benefit has not been proven, and in the…
Does NAD+ supplementation slow biological ageing?
NAD+ supplements raise your NAD+ levels in the blood, but whether that also means you age biologically more slowly has not…
Preliminary evidence
Does NAD+ cause weight gain?
There is no scientific evidence that NAD+ supplements such as NMN or NR cause weight gain. Animal research even suggests the…
No · Preliminary evidence
What are the effects if you take NAD every day?
Taking 600-900 mg of a NAD supplement per day raises your NAD levels and provides some benefit for endurance, but long-term…
Will a doctor prescribe rapamycin?
Most doctors will not prescribe rapamycin to healthy people to slow ageing, simply because the evidence for doing so is still…
Preliminary evidence
Can anyone take rapamycin?
Rapamycin is a powerful drug with serious side effects, including reduced immune function and blood sugar disturbances, and is…
No · Moderate evidence
Does rapamycin put a burden on the liver?
Rapamycin does not demonstrably damage the liver directly, but does increase the risk of a blood clot in the hepatic artery…
Preliminary evidence
What is hormesis (what doesn't kill you makes you stronger)?
Hormesis is a well-described biological principle: a low dose of stress can make your cells more resilient, provided the dose…
Does taking vitamin E have any proven benefit?
For the most studied applications, cardiovascular disease, vitamin E demonstrably does not work; for skin and fertility the…
No · Strong evidence
Is taking a stack of supplements at the same time smart or actually dangerous?
Whether a supplement stack is smart or dangerous depends on which substances you combine and whether you also use medications.…
Moderate evidence
Does the combination of glycine and NAC (GlyNAC) help against aging?
GlyNAC shows promising results in a small human study on oxidative stress, muscle function and inflammation, but the evidence…
Preliminary evidence
What is young blood / plasma exchange, and does it actually work?
Plasma exchange clearly works in mice, but in humans there is still no evidence whatsoever of efficacy or safety. Do not be…
Preliminary evidence
Does hyperbaric oxygen therapy help against ageing?
HBOT shows interesting signals in small, early studies regarding telomere length and cerebral blood flow, but the evidence is…
Preliminary evidence
Is donating blood regularly good for your health?
Regular blood donation is safe for many people, but it can deplete your iron stores, especially if you menstruate or donate…
Moderate evidence
Does taking iron help, or is it actually a risk?
Taking iron clearly helps if you have a deficiency or anaemia, but is pointless and potentially risky if that is not the case.…
Moderate evidence
Does quercetin work against ageing and inflammation?
Quercetin shows promising signals in the laboratory and in animals, but in humans there is not yet solid evidence. Taking…
Preliminary evidence
Do GLP-1 medications (such as Ozempic) help you age more healthily?
For people with cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, or fatty liver disease, GLP-1 medications offer proven benefits that…
Moderate evidence
Do multivitamins help with healthy ageing?
Daily multivitamins appear to offer modest protection for older adults' memory, but for most other aspects of healthy ageing…
Moderate evidence
Does metformin help you live a longer, healthier life?
For people with type 2 diabetes, metformin has real health benefits, but whether it also keeps healthy people fit for longer…
Preliminary evidence
Does rapamycin help people live longer in good health?
Rapamycin demonstrably extends the lifespan of mice and other animals, but whether the same holds true for humans has not yet…
Preliminary evidence
Are NAD+ supplements (NMN/NR) worth it?
NMN and NR demonstrably raise NAD+ in your blood and appear to be safe, but whether you will actually notice any difference in…
Preliminary evidence
Is a full-body MRI scan worthwhile as a preventive measure?
There is no evidence that a preventive full-body MRI in healthy individuals leads to better health outcomes, while the risk of…
Preliminary evidence
What do peptides like BPC-157 do, and are they safe?
BPC-157 shows promising results in animal research for tissue healing, but has barely been studied in humans and its long-term…
Preliminary evidence
Does ashwagandha really work against stress?
Ashwagandha demonstrably lowers the stress hormone cortisol, but whether it actually makes you feel better has not yet been…
Moderate evidence
Does taurine work against ageing?
Taurine supplements have not yet been proven as an anti-ageing intervention in humans. The animal results are promising and…
Preliminary evidence
Does taking resveratrol make sense as an anti-ageing strategy?
For humans there is no convincing evidence that resveratrol supplements do anything against ageing; the animal research is…
No · Preliminary evidence
Does spermidine actually do anything against ageing?
Animal research and population studies provide indications that spermidine can slow ageing processes, but evidence from…
Preliminary evidence
How healthy is meditation, and what does it actually do for you?
Meditation has a moderate but well-demonstrated effect on depression, anxiety and pain, and can safely be combined with other…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does cold water swimming improve healthy aging?
For most healthy people, occasional cold water swimming is probably safe. Do you have cardiovascular disease or high blood…
Preliminary evidence
Muscles & Movement53 questions
How do you determine the right amount of Zone 2 training without fatigue sabotaging your progress?
There is no hard universal formula for the right amount of Zone 2 training, but lactate as a control tool (target zone 2-4.5…
Preliminary evidence
What is urolithin A and does it work?
Urolithin A shows cautiously positive signals for muscular endurance in two small randomised studies in older and middle-aged…
Preliminary evidence
Why do you still get muscle cramps despite taking magnesium?
Magnesium has no demonstrable effect on the most common nocturnal cramps, and with exercise-related cramps the cause likely…
No · Strong evidence
Can peptides contribute to muscle growth or recovery in older adults?
Peptides, especially in combination with resistance training, can make a measurable contribution to muscle mass and strength…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What is sarcopenia and how do you prevent the loss of muscle mass at older age?
Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of both muscle mass and muscle function and can be substantially slowed with resistance…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does a cold bath or ice bath benefit your health in the long term?
An ice bath after strength training demonstrably inhibits muscle growth, so if you want to build muscle it is better avoided.…
Moderate evidence
How much zone 2 training do you need per week?
There is no researched minimum for zone 2 in recreational athletes, but patterns in elite athletes show that low intensity…
Preliminary evidence
What does urolithin A do to your muscles and mitochondria?
Urolithin A shows positive effects on mitochondrial health and muscle strength in small studies, but the evidence is still…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does creatine do for people over sixty?
For people over sixty, creatine has reasonably well-supported benefits for muscle strength, muscle mass, and memory,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do you really need to take 10,000 steps a day?
No, 10,000 steps is not a scientific standard but a marketing slogan. Depending on your age, you already gain considerable…
No · Strong evidence
Does creatine work better with carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates likely increase the uptake of creatine into the muscles, but whether this also leads to better performance is…
Moderate evidence
Why is muscle strength so important for healthy ageing?
Muscle strength is one of the best-supported pillars of healthy ageing: losing it increases the risk of falls, disability and…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does walking do enough to maintain your muscles?
Walking alone is not enough to maintain muscle as you age. Add strength training and ensure adequate protein intake for the…
No · Moderate evidence
Can you regain lost muscle mass in later life?
Yes, regaining lost muscle mass in later life is possible, but the earlier you start, the better the outcome. Resistance…
Yes · Strong evidence
How much muscle strength do you lose per year after the age of fifty?
After the age of fifty, you can quickly lose 3 to 4% of leg strength per year, far more than muscle mass alone would suggest.…
Can grip strength predict how long you will live?
Grip strength is one of the better-supported predictors of premature death: the lower it is, the higher the risk. It is a…
What happens to your cells when you don't move enough?
Moving too little demonstrably disrupts how your cells handle sugar, signals and inflammatory processes. Even a small increase…
Can intense exercise actually make you age faster?
Extremely high levels of exercise can increase cardiac damage and oxidative stress, but telomere studies actually show…
Moderate evidence
Can cold showers make your cells healthier?
Cold showers do not demonstrably make your cells healthier: they actually inhibit growth and recovery processes in muscle…
No · Moderate evidence
Does muscle tissue burn more calories than fat, even at rest?
Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue, and strength training produces a measurable increase in resting…
Is it helpful to occasionally go for a long walk, or are short bursts of movement spread throughout the day better?
Short bursts of movement spread throughout the day appear to be at least as valuable as one long walk, and for people who…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does it matter what kind of protein I eat, or does only the total amount count?
The type of protein matters: animal proteins and well-combined plant-based sources provide more building material for muscles…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How much protein can your body use in a single meal?
Your body can use more than 20-25 grams of protein per meal, especially when that protein is combined with carbohydrates and…
What is the best time of day to eat protein for your muscles?
Distribution throughout the day matters most: eat a portion of 20-40 g of protein every 3 to 4 hours, and the precise timing…
Does exercise activate autophagy?
Exercise activates autophagy in muscle cells through well-described mechanisms, but most of the evidence comes from animal and…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does creatine help prevent muscle loss with GLP-1 medications like Ozempic?
Whether creatine genuinely helps preserve muscle during GLP-1 medication use is unknown, because it has never been directly…
Preliminary evidence
Does creatine speed up muscle recovery?
Creatine (3-5 g/day) can likely speed up muscle recovery after intense training and improve strength and muscle mass, but for…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does walking in green spaces or nature benefit your health?
Walking in green spaces or living close to green space shows clear indications of a positive effect, particularly on stress…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How much rest do my muscles need between workouts as I get older?
Getting older does not call for more rest, but for more regular training: at least two resistance-training sessions per week,…
Moderate evidence
Is strength training still safe and worthwhile after the age of 70?
Strength training after 70 is both safe and worthwhile: the evidence for greater muscle strength and reduced fall risk is…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does stretching actually help, or is it a waste of effort?
Stretching demonstrably improves flexibility, and 10 minutes per week is already enough for the maximum effect. For preventing…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does running cause osteoarthritis?
Recreational running probably does not cause osteoarthritis and is actually associated with less osteoarthritis than a…
No · Moderate evidence
Is walking enough, or do I really need to do strength training too?
Walking alone is not sufficient to stop muscle loss or to meaningfully reduce the risk of falling. Add strength training twice…
No · Moderate evidence
Does urolithin A from pomegranate do anything for your muscles and energy?
UA supplements (1000 mg/day) improve muscular endurance in older adults, but do not demonstrably increase total energy…
Moderate evidence
Does my walking speed say anything about how fast I am aging?
Yes, your walking speed says something about how your body is ageing. People who walk slower than 0.8 to 1.0 metres per second…
What is the best training to prevent muscle loss after age 60?
Strength training, combined with adequate protein intake, is the best-supported strategy against muscle loss after age 60. If…
Strong evidence
Is exercising in the morning or in the evening better?
For fat reduction and improved blood lipids, morning training has the strongest evidence. For cardiovascular health,…
Moderate evidence
How quickly do I lose fitness if I stop exercising for a while?
Your aerobic endurance declines quickly: a measurable difference is already present after 10 days. If you maintain your…
Does yoga or pilates help with pain and ageing?
Yoga and pilates both reduce pain in chronic low back pain, comparably to or better than conventional rehabilitation. If you…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does creatine also help ordinary people, not just athletes?
Creatine is not just for athletes. Combined with resistance training, it helps older adults gain muscle strength, and probably…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does strength training help with healthy ageing?
Strength training is one of the best-supported interventions for healthy ageing: training two to three times per week with…
Yes · Strong evidence
How often and how hard should I strength train?
Start with 2 to 3 training days per week, sets of 8 to 12 repetitions close to your maximum, and increase the weight as soon…
Moderate evidence
How do I know if I am losing too much muscle mass (sarcopenia)?
Concerned about muscle loss? Ask your general practitioner or specialist to measure both your muscle strength and your…
How much exercise do I need to live longer?
The biggest health gain comes from just a little exercise. Going from nothing to 150 minutes per week gives a 31% lower risk…
Moderate evidence
How much protein do I need to maintain my muscle mass?
For most healthy adults who want to maintain their muscle mass, 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per…
Is sitting a lot harmful, even if I exercise enough?
If you meet the exercise guideline, that largely neutralises the risk of prolonged sitting. If you do not meet it, every…
Strong evidence
What is VO2max and how important is it for living longer?
A higher VO2max is strongly associated with a longer life, though exercise itself is probably at least as important as the…
Does balance training help prevent falls in later life?
Supervised balance and resistance training or group tai chi lasting at least three months are the best choice if you want to…
Yes · Strong evidence
Can you exercise too much?
Training too much without sufficient recovery can lead to overtraining syndrome, with demonstrable harm to your performance,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How much cardio do I really need per week?
For a healthy adult, 150 minutes of moderate cardio per week is the well-supported minimum, supplemented by two…
Strong evidence
Does my grip strength say anything about how long I will live?
Low grip strength is associated in large-scale research with a noticeably higher risk of premature death, though muscle power…
How many steps should I take per day?
More steps is better for your health, but even 2,500 steps per day already yields measurable benefit. Aim preferably for 7,000…
Strong evidence
What is zone 2 training?
Zone 2 training is light endurance exercise just below your first threshold, popular among (elite) endurance athletes, but for…
Nutrition & Prevention66 questions
What is spermidine and where is it found?
Spermidine is a molecule that occurs naturally in your body, declines with age, and that you also obtain through fermented…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does quercetin do in your body?
Quercetin has interesting properties in the lab and in small human studies, but whether supplements actually make a difference…
Preliminary evidence
Is the taurine in energy drinks harmful?
Taurine in common energy drinks does not appear to be harmful, but keep an eye on the caffeine: that is the substance from…
No · Moderate evidence
How much taurine do you need per day?
There is no official daily recommendation for taurine alone; the WHO standard of 13 mg/kg/day applies to all…
Moderate evidence
How much magnesium do you need per day?
For an average-weight adult, the guideline is approximately 250 mg of magnesium per day from food; if you cannot reach that…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What is the TOTOX value and why does it matter for fish oil supplements?
Many fish oil supplements exceed the quality standard for rancidity and also contain fewer active fatty acids than promised.…
Moderate evidence
Does a fasting-mimicking diet work better than simply eating less?
There is currently no convincing evidence that a fasting-mimicking diet works better than simply eating less. For weight loss…
Preliminary evidence
How much does ultra-processed food increase your risk of dying?
A high intake of ultra-processed food is associated with a higher risk of dying, but estimates vary widely (2% to 21%) and…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is dietary spermidine just as good as a supplement?
No study has yet directly compared dietary spermidine with supplements, and with supplements it remains unclear whether the…
Preliminary evidence
How much iron do you need per day?
For healthy adults without a deficiency, compensating for 1 to 2 mg of iron per day through a varied diet is sufficient; if…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does the fasting-mimicking diet such as Prolon actually work?
For healthy people with risk factors such as elevated blood pressure or blood lipids, there are indications that the diet…
Moderate evidence
Is fibre-maxxing (eating as much fibre as possible) healthy?
Eating more fibre is a good idea for most people in the West, but fibre-maxxing as an extreme principle offers no additional…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is raw milk healthier than pasteurised milk?
Raw milk offers no proven health benefits that outweigh the risk of infection. If you are concerned about vitamin intake,…
No · Moderate evidence
Does sulforaphane from broccoli sprouts work against ageing?
Sulforaphane has impressive effects on ageing processes in laboratory and animal research, but whether this also holds true in…
Preliminary evidence
Is sea moss (Irish moss) a worthwhile supplement?
As a food, sea moss has a reasonably good nutritional profile, but as a supplement there is no evidence that it provides a…
No · Preliminary evidence
Is it better not to take iron and calcium together?
For healthy people without medication, strictly spacing intake is probably not necessary, as long-term studies show no…
Moderate evidence
Is too much zinc harmful?
Too much zinc is certainly harmful: as an adult, stay below 25 mg per day (the EFSA limit) and be cautious with high-dose zinc…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can you get too much vitamin D?
Too much vitamin D is genuinely harmful, but that risk only arises at blood levels far above the recommended values. Stick to…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How much omega-3 with EPA and DHA do you need per day?
There is no one-size-fits-all dose: for heart protection ~840 mg of EPA+DHA per day is probably sufficient, for an…
Moderate evidence
How much vitamin D should you take per day?
For healthy adults under 75, extra vitamin D is probably not necessary, but for children, people aged 75 and older, pregnant…
Moderate evidence
Does eating less help you live longer?
In laboratory animals the effect on lifespan is well established, but in healthy humans direct evidence is lacking. A moderate…
Moderate evidence
Are ultra-processed products bad for your longevity?
Eating a lot of ultra-processed products is associated with a shorter lifespan and more chronic disease, but the effect varies…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How many vegetables do you really need per day?
Five servings of vegetables and fruit per day offers the best protection, with non-starchy vegetables counting and juice and…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is pterostilbene better than resveratrol?
Pterostilbene is absorbed more efficiently than resveratrol and more often outperforms it in laboratory and mouse research,…
Preliminary evidence
Which form of iron is best absorbed?
Haem iron from meat, fish and poultry is clearly better absorbed than the form of iron from plant-based foods. If you eat…
Strong evidence
Does the form of omega-3 you choose actually matter?
For absorption into your blood, the form does matter: free fatty acids are absorbed best, ethyl esters worst. Whether that…
Moderate evidence
Can you drink coffee during intermittent fasting?
Black coffee fits perfectly well within intermittent fasting and, certainly with moderate use, is not bad for your heart. If…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does eating gluten-free help if you don't have coeliac disease?
For healthy people without coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity, eating gluten-free offers nothing and even carries a risk of…
No · Preliminary evidence
Are there dietary patterns that have been proven to reduce your risk of cancer?
The Mediterranean diet and sufficient vegetables and fruit are consistently associated with a lower cancer risk, although the…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does it matter for your weight whether your calories come from fat or carbohydrates?
In the long term, the ratio of fat versus carbohydrates matters little for your weight, as long as your total calorie intake…
No · Strong evidence
Does the time of day you eat affect how quickly you age?
The time at which you eat does appear to matter, although the evidence in humans is still associative. A nightly fasting…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does the order in which you eat food and vegetables during a meal matter?
Eating vegetables and/or protein first and carbohydrates last demonstrably blunts the post-meal blood sugar spike, even in…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does extra protein help with losing weight without losing muscle?
Extra protein helps preserve muscle mass while losing weight, but works best in combination with resistance training. Aim for…
Yes · Strong evidence
Do older adults need more protein than younger people?
Older adults likely need more protein than the standard guideline of 0.8 grams per kilogram suggests. As a healthy older…
Which foods or habits effectively raise NAD+ levels?
Exercise and NAD+ supplements (NR or NMN) demonstrably raise NAD+ levels, but whether higher levels also confer health…
Moderate evidence
What are the Blue Zones and what is actually true about them?
The Blue Zones are real regions with a robustly established pattern of healthy ageing, and the shared lifestyle habits within…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How much fish is healthy, and is farmed fish just as good as wild fish?
Three to four portions of fish per week is healthy for most people. Whether farmed fish and wild fish are nutritionally…
Yes · Strong evidence
Are smoothies and fresh juice just as healthy as whole fruit?
Whole fruit beats fruit juice: more fibre, greater satiety and fewer free sugars. Smoothies fall somewhere in between, but are…
No · Moderate evidence
Is wholegrain bread really that much better than white bread?
Large-scale observational research consistently points in the same direction: wholegrain is better for your heart, your weight…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do you live longer on a vegetarian or plant-based diet?
A high-quality plant-based diet is associated with less premature death. However, eating strictly vegetarian or vegan has not…
Moderate evidence
How many fruits and vegetables do I actually need per day?
Five portions of fruit and vegetables per day (two pieces of fruit, three serving-spoon scoops of vegetables) is the number…
Does eating a high-fibre diet help against constipation as you get older?
Eating more fibre helps against constipation in older adults, but the overall dietary pattern counts at least as much as fibre…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do you actually live longer if you structurally eat fewer calories?
In laboratory animals, eating less convincingly extends lifespan, but this has not yet been demonstrated for healthy people…
Moderate evidence
Is taking extra vitamin C worthwhile?
Extra vitamin C offers little benefit for most people. Intensive athletes and people following a carnivore diet do have a good…
Moderate evidence
Does ginger help with inflammation and nausea?
Ginger probably helps with nausea, especially in the context of chemotherapy and possibly also after surgery or during…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is eating organic really healthier?
Eating organic probably does not give you better nutritional value, but it does lower your exposure to pesticide residues and…
Moderate evidence
How much water do I really need to drink per day?
There is no magic number: for a healthy adult who is not very active, thirst is a reliable guide, with a total fluid intake of…
How many years does smoking cost me, and does quitting still help?
Smoking demonstrably costs years of life expectancy at the population level, but a precise personal figure cannot be given on…
Moderate evidence
How much sugar is too much?
There is no universal threshold, but for tooth decay, getting less than 10% of your daily calories from free sugars is the…
How much fibre do I need and why?
Aiming for 25 to 29 grams of fibre per day is well supported and delivers the greatest health benefit. Most people in Western…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is intermittent fasting worth it?
Intermittent fasting helps with weight loss and improves blood glucose and insulin, but over the longer term it does no better…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Which diet is best supported by evidence for a long, healthy life?
For anyone looking to use diet to invest in a long and healthy life, the Mediterranean diet is currently the best-supported…
Moderate evidence
Which screenings and check-ups are appropriate for my age?
Which screenings are appropriate for your age varies by individual, but a few anchor points are well supported: annual…
Moderate evidence
Do antioxidant supplements make sense?
For healthy people, antioxidant supplements such as beta-carotene and vitamin E are not useful as protection against cancer or…
No · Strong evidence
Is soy healthy, or is it harmful because of the phytoestrogens?
Ordinary soy foods such as tofu, edamame, and soy milk are safe for most healthy adults and may help a little against hot…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How healthy are yoghurt and dairy for your heart and bones?
Yoghurt and dairy are a perfectly good choice for bone health for most people, and are likely neutral to mildly beneficial for…
Is a low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diet good for longevity?
A ketogenic diet can help with weight problems and metabolic disorders, but for people who simply want to live longer and…
Preliminary evidence
How harmful is too little daylight or sunlight?
Too little sunlight is demonstrably harmful, especially for your bones. For broader disease risks the associations are…
Should I take vitamin B12 supplements as I get older?
Getting older increases the risk of a B12 deficiency, even if you eat healthily. Supplementation of 1000 micrograms per day is…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Am I consuming too much protein, and is that bad for my kidneys?
For people with healthy kidneys there is little reason to worry about a generous protein intake, but anyone who has kidney…
Moderate evidence
Are beans and legumes good for longevity?
Large observational studies consistently show that people who eat more legumes have a lower risk of death. For most people, a…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does eating fish help your heart and your brain?
Two portions of oily fish per week, as part of a varied and plant-rich diet, is a smart choice for most people when it comes…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does coffee help protect against type 2 diabetes?
Three to five cups of coffee per day are consistently associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and genetically…
Yes · Strong evidence
Are diet sodas and sweeteners bad for you, and if so, why?
For the occasional glass of diet soda, the risks have not yet been clearly demonstrated. If you drink large amounts every day,…
Moderate evidence
How bad is ultra-processed food, and what does it do to you?
Eating a lot of ultra-processed food is consistently associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes,…
Does the Mediterranean diet help you live longer?
The Mediterranean diet likely lowers your risk of heart disease and premature death. But anyone who truly wants to live longer…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Other Conditions29 questions
How do you recognise gum recession early, and which habits can inadvertently make the problem worse?
Early gum recession is usually only detected by the dentist, not at home. Aggressive brushing, inflammation and smoking are…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do you need to restrict protein intake to protect your kidneys?
If your kidneys are healthy, you do not need to restrict your protein intake. If you have chronic kidney disease, discuss with…
Moderate evidence
What does an elevated creatine kinase (CK) level in your blood mean?
An elevated CK level has many different causes, ranging from intense exertion to serious muscle breakdown, and therefore…
Moderate evidence
How harmful are microplastics in your body to your health?
Microplastics are demonstrably present in your body and have been linked in laboratory and animal research to inflammation and…
Moderate evidence
What really keeps your mouth and gums healthy?
Daily brushing supplemented with interdental brushes is the best foundation for a healthy mouth; if you have diabetes, regular…
Moderate evidence
Does oil pulling (rinsing your mouth with oil) actually work?
Oil pulling has preliminary indications of a modest effect on gums and plaque, but the evidence is still too weak to recommend…
Preliminary evidence
Does mewing really work for a sharper jawline?
There is no clinical evidence that mewing improves the jawline in adults. Serious tongue-exercise therapy does exist, but is…
No · Preliminary evidence
Does creatine put a strain on your kidneys?
In healthy individuals, creatine (3-5 g/day) demonstrably does not put a strain on the kidneys. If you are taking medications…
No · Strong evidence
Is ashwagandha safe for your liver?
Ashwagandha can cause liver damage, including in people without known liver disease, and regulators see wider risks. The RIVM…
No · Moderate evidence
What is the lower limit for vitamin B12 values?
There is no single universal lower limit for vitamin B12: it differs by measuring device, ethnicity, and life stage. Always…
What is the best way to measure vitamin B12?
Total B12 alone misses too many cases; ideally combine it with MMA, and consider active B12 (holotranscobalamin) as a…
Do your kidneys age at a different rate than your liver?
The kidneys age measurably faster than the liver, but for most healthy people that decline only has major consequences when…
Do you age faster if you have chronic pain?
Chronic pain is linked to faster biological ageing, primarily through reduced physical activity and the side effects of…
Do your eyes age faster than the rest of your body?
The lens of the eye ages noticeably early and quickly, but whether your eyes as a whole age faster than the rest of your body…
What are the symptoms of an underactive thyroid and when should you see a doctor?
An underactive thyroid produces vague complaints such as fatigue, weight gain and cold intolerance, but the diagnosis can only…
Yes · Strong evidence
How do I know whether my fatigue is caused by my thyroid?
Thyroid blood tests can rule out or confirm whether your thyroid is the cause, but a mildly abnormal TSH alone does not…
Is irritable bowel syndrome a real condition, or is it all in your head?
IBS is a real physical condition with measurable abnormalities in the gut and nervous system. The fact that psychological…
Why are antibiotics becoming less and less effective?
Antibiotics are becoming less effective because bacteria naturally possess protective mechanisms and eighty years of intensive…
What helps with osteoarthritis (joint wear)?
Exercise, losing weight where applicable in the case of excess weight, and an anti-inflammatory gel on the knee have the…
Moderate evidence
Does collagen help your joints and your skin?
For joint pain, particularly in knee osteoarthritis and active athletes, oral collagen (approximately 10 grams per day) has a…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What actually helps with chronic low back pain?
Strength and stabilisation exercises have the strongest evidence base for chronic low back pain; if the effect is…
Moderate evidence
Can I prevent or slow down early-stage hearing loss?
Noise-induced hearing loss is largely preventable by limiting exposure to sounds above 85 dB(A) and wearing hearing…
Moderate evidence
How do I keep my kidneys healthy as I age?
The two best-supported steps to limit kidney damage as you age are keeping your blood pressure under control and exercising…
Moderate evidence
How do I keep my eyes healthy and prevent cataracts or macular degeneration?
Protect your eyes with UV-filtering glasses, a diet rich in vegetables and fruit, good diabetes management and regular eye…
Moderate evidence
How do I keep my joints supple and prevent osteoarthritis?
Exercise and maintaining a healthy weight are the best-supported ways to prevent osteoarthritis and manage symptoms; however,…
Moderate evidence
Do I live longer with more social contact?
More social contact is associated with a longer lifespan, but the effect is far more specific than you might think: the type…
Moderate evidence
Does having a pet benefit your health and longevity?
A pet can contribute to more physical activity, less loneliness, and a better sense of wellbeing, but whether it also extends…
Moderate evidence
Will I live longer if I have a sense of purpose in life?
A strong sense of purpose in life is associated with a lower risk of premature death, but whether the relationship is also…
Moderate evidence
How harmful is air pollution to your health?
Air pollution is seriously harmful: it increases your risk of lung and heart disease and costs millions of lives worldwide…
Sleep61 questions
Are sleep trackers accurate enough to help you improve your sleep?
A good wearable shows patterns over time. It overestimates your sleep duration as a rule, and it does not measure your sleep…
Moderate evidence
How much melatonin should you take to sleep better?
For most adults, 4 mg appears to have the greatest effect, but it should be taken 2 to 3 hours before bedtime; if you are…
Moderate evidence
Does the sleepy girl mocktail (magnesium with cherry juice) help you sleep?
Magnesium may make some difference for older people with sleep problems or for people with a deficiency, but for healthy…
Preliminary evidence
Does mouth taping help you sleep better?
For most people who simply want to sleep better there is no convincing evidence that mouth taping helps, and for people with a…
No · Preliminary evidence
What does a daytime nap do to your health?
A short nap of less than 30 minutes appears safe and good for alertness. People who regularly nap for longer than half an hour…
Moderate evidence
Does apigenin help you sleep better?
There are preliminary indications that apigenin has some connection to sleep, but clinical evidence in humans is entirely…
Preliminary evidence
Does taking glycine help you sleep better?
Glycine shows tentatively positive signals, but the evidence is thin and the only direct human study comes from the…
Preliminary evidence
Does poor sleep really shorten your life?
Consistently sleeping too little is associated with a measurably higher risk of earlier death and serious illness; the…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is it better to take magnesium in the evening?
Evening intake sounds logical given magnesium's role in melatonin and sleep, but there is no research that directly compares…
Preliminary evidence
Do I sleep worse if I am often alone or feel lonely?
Yes, loneliness is clearly associated with poorer sleep: you have more difficulty falling asleep, wake up more often during…
Does a consistent morning routine with daylight help you fall asleep more easily in the evening?
A consistent morning routine with daylight helps sharpen your biological clock, allowing you to fall asleep earlier and more…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Why am I wide awake in the evening when I feel tired during the day?
Your biological clock and your chronotype determine when your body wants to be awake. When that clock does not align with your…
Does your sleeping position affect how rested you feel when you wake up?
If you snore or wake up more tired than expected, switching to side sleeping is the easiest first adjustment. If you sleep…
Moderate evidence
Can cognitive behavioural therapy help me sleep better long-term without pills?
CBT-I demonstrably produces lasting sleep improvement, even after the sessions end, something that does not apply to sleep…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does pain make me sleep worse, and what can you do about it?
Pain and poor sleep reinforce each other, with sleep deprivation typically aggravating pain more than the other way around.…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does a blue-light filter on my phone really affect my sleep?
A blue-light filter on your phone probably has little effect on your sleep. If you really want to improve your sleep through…
No · Moderate evidence
What is sleep debt and can you actually pay it back?
Paying off sleep debt over a weekend does not work: after two recovery nights, cognitive functions are still impaired.…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does melatonin as a supplement really work for better sleep in older age?
For older people with sleep complaints, particularly early-morning awakening, melatonin offers a modest but real benefit. The…
Moderate evidence
Does CBD oil help you sleep better?
There is currently too little good research to say that CBD oil genuinely helps with sleep problems; if you suffer from them,…
Preliminary evidence
Are there foods you should avoid eating before going to bed?
Alcohol, caffeine and fatty meals close to bedtime disrupt your sleep. You sleep better by avoiding all three in the evening…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is it true that older people get less deep sleep, and what does that mean?
Older people demonstrably get less deep sleep, and this is associated with higher risks of dementia and lower growth hormone…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does walking outside during the day help me sleep better at night?
A daily walk of around half an hour outside helps improve your sleep, as shown by a randomised study. The surroundings matter…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do I sleep worse when I am stressed, and does that create a vicious cycle?
Stress worsens your sleep, and poor sleep raises your stress levels: that cycle is well documented. Anyone who notices that…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does the time you eat affect how well you sleep?
Eating at night and a late eating pattern appear to negatively affect sleep and metabolism, but the evidence is still limited…
Can sleep deprivation raise your blood pressure?
Chronically sleeping too little is associated with a clearly elevated risk of high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Why do you sleep worse as you get older, and do hormones play a role in that?
Sleeping worse with age is well documented and has multiple causes, including brain changes and, in women, the menopause.…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does a sleep study in a clinic make sense, and when should you have one?
A clinic-based sleep study has its place, but not for ordinary sleep problems. It is only useful when your doctor suspects an…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do you age faster if you sleep too little?
Sleep deprivation demonstrably disrupts the processes that keep the brain young, particularly the clearance of harmful…
Does valerian really help you fall asleep faster?
Valerian probably does not help you fall asleep faster. Multiple independent review studies and a recent controlled trial…
No · Moderate evidence
Why do I wake up tired even after sleeping for a long time?
Waking up tired despite sleeping for a long time is a normal phenomenon called sleep inertia, and the time of waking and…
Does getting more sleep improve my memory?
Sufficient sleep demonstrably benefits your memory: your brain processes and stores new information while you sleep. Too…
Yes · Strong evidence
What is the difference between REM sleep and deep sleep, and do I need both?
You need both sleep stages: deep sleep and REM sleep each do something different for your memory and brain, and getting a full…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can poor sleep cause me to develop diabetes sooner?
Consistently sleeping too little or poorly demonstrably increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, so it is worthwhile taking…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does a weighted blanket really help you sleep better?
A weighted blanket may be beneficial for sleep in some people, particularly those with anxiety, autism, or sensory…
Preliminary evidence
Is it true that sleep before midnight is better than sleep after midnight?
The time before or after midnight is not the real criterion: what matters is how well your sleep timing aligns with your own…
Does the sleep tracking feature on my smartwatch have any value?
Your smartwatch gives a useful indication of your sleep pattern, but accuracy varies considerably by device and it is not a…
Moderate evidence
Why do I dream so much, and is that good or bad?
Simply dreaming a lot is normal and need not be a cause for concern. However, persistent nightmares or dreams that you…
Moderate evidence
Can a bed that is too warm cause me to sleep worse?
A bed that is too warm disrupts your sleep; a slight drop in body temperature is actually necessary for falling asleep well.…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does magnesium really help you sleep better and keep your mind sharp?
Magnesium may help with sleep problems, but the evidence is still too limited and inconsistent to make firm claims. If you…
Moderate evidence
What does exercising right before bed do to my sleep?
Evening exercise does not harm your sleep in most cases, but intense training within one hour of bedtime can cause problems.…
Does creatine affect your sleep?
Creatine may improve how your sleep feels, but objective measurements show no effect. Do not use it primarily as a sleep aid;…
Preliminary evidence
Chronic sleep deprivation: how harmful is it for weight and hormones?
Chronic sleep deprivation disrupts your hormones and metabolism after just a few nights. Structurally sleeping too little…
Does avoiding coffee in the afternoon really help my sleep?
Whether an afternoon cup disrupts your sleep depends heavily on how much you drink: one cup is probably of little concern, but…
Moderate evidence
Is sleeping in on the weekend beneficial, or does it fail to make up for sleep deprivation?
Sleeping in on the weekend temporarily relieves fatigue but does not genuinely make up for sleep deprivation: cognition,…
No · Moderate evidence
How much does a consistent sleep schedule actually matter?
A consistent sleep schedule genuinely matters. Irregular sleep times are strongly associated with more depression, anxiety, a…
Does my sleep change as I get older, and is that normal?
Sleep changes in predictable ways as you age, and much of that is normal. Take notice if your sleep deteriorates…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is it a problem that I often wake up during the night?
Waking up occasionally is normal, but if it happens frequently and affects you during the day, there may be an underlying…
Moderate evidence
Does the menopause disrupt my sleep, and what can help?
The menopause genuinely disrupts your sleep, primarily through hot flashes and hormonal changes. Cognitive behavioural therapy…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is L-theanine good for stress and sleep?
For everyday mental stress and mild sleep problems, multiple randomised studies support 200 to 400 mg of L-theanine per day.…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does a cool, dark bedroom really help you sleep better?
A bedroom temperature of 20 to 25 degrees combined with good ventilation demonstrably improves your sleep. This effect is…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Are sleeping pills harmful in the long term?
Long-term use of classic sleeping pills increases the risk of dependence, cognitive decline, and impaired driving ability.…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does alcohol do to my sleep quality, and is there anything I can do about it?
Alcohol demonstrably harms your sleep quality, particularly in the second half of the night. Drinking less shortly before…
Yes · Strong evidence
How much sleep do I really need?
Seven to eight hours per night is the best-supported target range for adults. If you are consistently sleeping fewer than 7…
Does poor sleep cause dementia sooner?
Poor sleep probably increases your risk of dementia, but ordinary insomnia does not make dementia inevitable. One exception:…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What can I do to sleep better?
CBT-I is the most powerful approach for persistent sleep problems; if you do not have access to it, ask your general…
Moderate evidence
How bad is screen light in the evening for my sleep?
Screen light in the evening disrupts your sleep hormone and keeps you less sleepy at the wrong moment. Dim your screens after…
Is a daytime power nap healthy or not?
A power nap of less than 30 minutes taken early in the afternoon provides a modest but measurable boost to alertness and…
Moderate evidence
How harmful is irregular sleep or shift work, and what can you do about it?
Shift work is demonstrably harmful to sleep, alertness and metabolism. The best approach combines a well-designed schedule…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How dangerous is sleep apnoea?
Untreated sleep apnoea substantially increases the risk of stroke, heart failure and premature death. If you suspect that you…
Is it safe to take melatonin every night?
For healthy adults, melatonin is safe with short-term use, but as a sleep aid for chronic insomnia it works considerably less…
Moderate evidence
Does magnesium help with poor sleep and muscle cramps, and which form should you take?
Magnesium probably does not help with muscle cramps, but in older adults with sleep problems it may shorten the time it takes…
Preliminary evidence
Bones61 questions
Which supplements are proven to help strengthen bones?
For bone strengthening, the combination of calcium and vitamin D is the best supported by evidence, especially in cases of…
Yes · Strong evidence
Why do bones become more brittle after menopause, and what can help?
Bone loss after menopause is well understood and partly preventable: oestrogen deficiency is at the core, but good nutrition,…
Yes · Strong evidence
What does a DEXA scan tell you that a regular bone density measurement does not?
A DEXA scan provides an accurate number for bone density at the clinically most relevant sites, plus body composition and a…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does strength training work as well as medication for osteoporosis?
Strength training demonstrably improves bone density and offers additional benefits that medication does not provide, but the…
Moderate evidence
How do you prevent bone loss when losing weight at an older age?
Bone loss during weight loss at an older age can largely be limited by combining strength training and adequate protein intake…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Which form of vitamin K2 is better: MK-4 or MK-7?
MK-7 has clearly better absorption than MK-4 at normal supplementation doses, and also activates proteins for bone and blood…
Moderate evidence
Should you take vitamin D together with vitamin K2?
For people with osteoporosis there is reasonable evidence that vitamin K2 and D together do more for bone density than either…
Moderate evidence
Do you really need calcium supplements for strong bones?
Whether you need calcium supplements depends strongly on your age and circumstances: for young, healthy women there is no…
Moderate evidence
Why do bones break more easily as you get older?
With age, bones become both thinner and more fragile through a combination of hormonal changes, deteriorating bone structure…
Does strength training help against osteoporosis?
Strength training demonstrably helps against osteoporosis: it increases bone density by one to three percent and also reduces…
Yes · Strong evidence
Can you still build bone mass in your fifties?
After fifty, genuine bone building is probably no longer achievable, but you can substantially limit the loss. Combining…
No · Moderate evidence
How deadly is a hip fracture for life expectancy?
A hip fracture strongly increases the risk of dying for many years, especially in older men and people with other illnesses.…
Does physiotherapy really help if you already have osteoporosis?
Supervised exercise genuinely helps if you have osteoporosis: it slows bone loss, improves your balance and muscle strength,…
Yes · Strong evidence
What does your balance have to do with preventing bone fractures?
Poor balance increases the risk of falling and therefore of bone fractures; targeted balance training can reduce that risk by…
Are there dietary patterns that have been proven to reduce bone fractures?
Fermented dairy, sufficient vegetables and fruit, and a varied diet with protein and calcium are best supported for bone…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do people with darker skin have a higher risk of osteoporosis?
People with darker skin actually have, on average, stronger bones and a lower risk of osteoporosis than people with lighter…
No · Moderate evidence
Can zinc contribute to stronger bones?
Zinc almost certainly contributes to healthy bones, but how large that effect is in humans is not yet known with confidence.…
Yes · Preliminary evidence
Does a vegetarian diet weaken your bones?
A vegetarian diet does not automatically weaken your bones, but as a vegan you need to pay extra attention to calcium and…
Moderate evidence
Does vibration plate training really help against bone loss?
Vibration plate training helps against bone loss, particularly in the lower back and partly in the hip, but regular strength…
Yes · Strong evidence
How quickly do you lose bone mass when you stop exercising?
Stopping exercise demonstrably leads to bone loss, but exactly how quickly that happens is not precisely known. Weight-bearing…
What does using steroids (as in sports) do to your bones?
The effect of steroid misuse in sport on your bones has barely been studied at the high doses used in practice. The side…
Does diabetes increase the risk of bone fractures?
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes clearly and demonstrably increase the risk of bone fractures. If you have diabetes, discuss…
What do thyroid problems have to do with osteoporosis?
Both an overactive and an underactive thyroid increase the risk of osteoporosis. If you have a thyroid condition, it is wise…
Do gut problems play a role in poor bone formation?
A disrupted gut microbiome is associated with lower bone density, and the biological mechanisms are fairly well described.…
Can eating disorders such as anorexia cause permanent bone damage?
Anorexia causes permanent bone damage in the majority of cases, particularly when the condition begins during adolescence.…
Is soy good or bad for your bones after menopause?
Soy isoflavones probably do not protect the bones of postmenopausal Western women in any clinically meaningful way. It is…
No · Moderate evidence
Does drinking a lot of coffee increase the risk of bone fractures?
For most people, coffee does not appear to be a proven cause of bone fractures, but for women who drink a lot of coffee some…
Moderate evidence
Does omega-3 (fish oil) have an effect on bone strength?
Omega-3 does not appear to improve bone density in older adults; for bone preservation, it is better to focus on adequate…
No · Moderate evidence
Does boron as a supplement do anything for your bones?
Boron appears useful if you are not getting enough of it, but there is no good evidence that extra supplementation makes your…
Preliminary evidence
What does sunlight do for your bones, apart from vitamin D?
Outside of vitamin D, there is preliminary evidence that red and near-infrared light can directly stimulate bone cells, but…
Is there a link between sleep deprivation and bone loss?
Sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality are associated with reduced bone formation and, in postmenopausal women, considerably…
Can having too little body fat damage your bones?
Too little fat can damage your bones, but muscle mass and the location of fat matter at least as much. If you have concerns…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does being overweight affect your bone density?
Being overweight does not straightforwardly increase bone density, and the location and amount of fat strongly determine…
Do carbonated drinks damage your bones?
Drinking large amounts of sugary soft drinks is associated with lower bone density, but this effect is likely partly due to…
Moderate evidence
Does bone broth actually do anything for your bones?
Animal and laboratory research shows positive signals, but there are no studies in humans. If you want to protect your bones,…
Preliminary evidence
What does magnesium do for your bone strength?
Getting enough magnesium through diet is clearly associated with stronger bones and a lower fracture risk, although large…
Is eating plant-based bad for your bones?
Eating strictly vegan is associated with lower bone density, but if you adequately supplement calcium and vitamin D, the…
Moderate evidence
Does taking cortisone long-term weaken your bones?
Long-term cortisone use demonstrably weakens your bones; if you use it long-term, it is wise to discuss with your doctor…
Can statins (cholesterol-lowering medications) affect your bones?
Statins show positive effects on bone in laboratory and animal research, but randomised trials in humans do not confirm this.…
Moderate evidence
What happens to your bones when you lie in bed for a long time?
Prolonged bed rest demonstrably leads to substantial bone loss, particularly in the hip, spine and heel bone. Recovery takes…
Why do older adults break their hip so easily?
Older adults break their hip more easily due to the combination of more fragile bones (osteoporosis), more frequent falls, and…
Is walking enough to slow down bone loss?
Walking helps a little with mild bone loss, but is probably not enough if you genuinely want to build or preserve bone density…
Moderate evidence
Does running protect your bones better than swimming?
Running clearly stimulates bone formation better than activities without impact loading, but a direct comparison with swimming…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does drinking a lot of alcohol weaken your bones?
Chronic heavy drinking demonstrably weakens your bones and substantially raises the risk of a hip fracture; for your bones…
How much impact does smoking have on your bone density?
Smoking substantially increases the risk of bone loss and hip fractures; quitting helps, but it takes at least ten years…
Can adults still build bone mass, or only maintain it?
As a healthy adult, intensive strength training and high-impact movement can modestly increase bone mass or slow its loss, but…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What do bone-loss medications (bisphosphonates) do, and are they safe?
Bisphosphonates reduce fractures and increase bone density in osteoporosis, and at high fracture risk can be used safely for…
Yes · Strong evidence
Do men get osteoporosis too?
Men certainly get osteoporosis, and after a first fracture they are at even greater risk of a subsequent fracture or death…
How much calcium do I need per day, and can too much be harmful?
Calcium requirements range from 800 mg (young children) to 1500 mg per day (older adults, teenagers, postmenopausal women). Up…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is collagen powder worth it for your joints?
For people with knee osteoarthritis or joint pain during exercise, there is reasonable support that collagen (hydrolysed, 10…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does too little protein increase your risk of bone fractures as you age?
Yes, too little protein increases your risk of bone fractures in older age. This works through weaker bones as well as through…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How do I know if I am at risk of osteoporosis?
You can get a good sense of your risk based on age, sex, hormonal history, medication use and lifestyle. If you have multiple…
Strong evidence
Which type of training has the best-proven track record against bone loss in later life?
High-intensity resistance training (at least 70-85% of maximum load, two to three times per week, for at least eight to twelve…
Strong evidence
Do calcium and vitamin D supplements really help against bone loss?
Calcium and vitamin D together can improve bone density and modestly lower the risk of hip fractures when a genuine deficiency…
Moderate evidence
How do I know whether I have enough vitamin D, and should I be supplementing?
A blood test (25-OHD) tells you whether you have a deficiency; if your value is below 20 ng/mL, supplementing is worthwhile,…
Yes · Strong evidence
How do I know whether my bones are strong enough (osteoporosis)?
With a DXA scan and, if needed, a FRAX risk calculation, you can have your GP check whether your bones are strong enough --…
How do I keep my bones strong after menopause?
You can protect your bones well after menopause with lifestyle measures and, depending on your risk, with medication. If you…
Strong evidence
Does glucosamine help with joint complaints?
Glucosamine sulfate (1500 mg per day) may produce a modest reduction in pain in knee osteoarthritis after twelve months, but…
Moderate evidence
Does vitamin K2 help your bones and blood vessels?
Vitamin K2 has reasonably positive indications for bones in postmenopausal women, especially in combination with vitamin D,…
Moderate evidence
Stronger bones and strength training -- does it help?
Strength training measurably improves bone density, although the effect remains modest. For the strongest results,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does vitamin D prevent me from breaking bones?
Vitamin D alone does not demonstrably reduce the risk of bone fractures. Combined with calcium it does help, especially in…
Moderate evidence
Metabolism58 questions
What does taurine do in your body?
Taurine has several demonstrable functions in your body: it supports the retina, heart, and brain, and helps cells maintain…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does berberine help with weight loss?
Berberine leads to modest weight loss in some studies, but a large well-designed study found no effect on visceral fat. It is…
Moderate evidence
Can early liver fat accumulation and fibrosis be reversed by addressing the underlying metabolic causes?
Early liver fat accumulation and even fibrosis are largely reversible through weight loss of 10% or more. Start with a…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What are the effects of microdosing with Ozempic?
Microdosing with Ozempic has not been studied, so nobody knows whether it works or is safe. If you are considering using…
Insufficient evidence
What does stable blood sugar do for healthy ageing?
A stable, low blood sugar is associated worldwide with more healthy life years. The association is clear, but the exact gain…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What is the relationship between fatty liver and type 2 diabetes?
Fatty liver and type 2 diabetes mutually reinforce each other: they share the same underlying mechanism and roughly double…
Does the order in which you eat your food affect your digestion?
Yes, the order in which you eat affects your blood sugar and digestion speed: eating protein or vegetables first and…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does someone with diabetes age faster biologically?
Yes, diabetes noticeably accelerates biological ageing: the risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and premature death…
Does the timing of meals throughout the day affect your weight?
When you eat matters: meals earlier in the day appear more favourable for your metabolism than eating late, although the…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does eating more fibre help against high blood sugar?
Eating more water-soluble fibre probably helps in lowering high blood sugar, but the overall meal composition also plays a…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does alcohol do to your blood sugar and insulin sensitivity?
The effect of alcohol on your blood sugar depends strongly on context: on an empty stomach the risk of low blood sugar is…
Does cinnamon really lower your blood sugar?
Cinnamon can modestly lower fasting blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, but whether that makes any meaningful difference to…
Moderate evidence
Does strength training work better against high blood sugar than cardio?
Strength training appears to work better than cardio alone in people with diabetes and a normal weight, but in overweight…
Moderate evidence
What does chronic stress do to your weight in the long run?
Chronic stress contributes to long-term weight gain and abdominal fat through elevated cortisol, inflammation, and less…
How bad is sitting for too long for your blood sugar and metabolism?
Sitting for long uninterrupted periods noticeably impairs your blood sugar and metabolism, but short breaks of 2-3 minutes of…
What is the difference between high blood sugar and a blood sugar spike?
Chronically high blood sugar and a blood sugar spike are two different things that each require their own approach. If your…
Does cold showering or an ice bath speed up your metabolism?
Cold water clearly speeds up metabolism for as long as you are in it, but whether this produces any meaningful effect on…
Moderate evidence
What does intermittent fasting do to your insulin sensitivity?
Intermittent fasting improves insulin sensitivity in most people, but be aware of possible muscle loss and hormonal effects,…
What is visceral fat and why is it more dangerous than subcutaneous fat?
Visceral fat is more dangerous than subcutaneous fat because it acts directly on the liver, releases more inflammatory…
Does magnesium help with insulin resistance?
There is a reasonable amount of evidence that magnesium has a beneficial effect on insulin resistance, particularly if your…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Why do you gain weight more easily after 40, even if you eat the same amount?
After forty, your body burns fewer calories, mainly due to muscle loss and a lower resting metabolism. You therefore do not…
Is brown fat really different from regular fat, and can I activate it?
Brown fat is genuinely different from regular fat and you can activate it, with cold exposure having the strongest evidence.…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does metformin help with weight loss?
Metformin helps with weight loss, but the effect is modest: expect a few kilograms, not a dramatic transformation. Lifestyle…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does strength training help against insulin resistance?
Strength training probably helps against insulin resistance, although the effect is most strongly demonstrated in combination…
Yes · Strong evidence
How do you measure insulin resistance?
There is no single best method for everyone: the clamp is the most accurate but is only feasible in a specialised setting. For…
Does insulin resistance accelerate ageing?
Insulin resistance is associated with measurably faster biological ageing, greater muscle loss, and possibly a higher risk of…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What foods improve your insulin sensitivity?
Diet can clearly improve your insulin sensitivity: a wholesome diet high in fibre, eating your largest meal early in the day,…
Moderate evidence
What are the earliest signs of insulin resistance?
Early signs of insulin resistance are measurable long before a diabetes diagnosis: elevated fasting insulin, abdominal fat,…
Can your HbA1c also be too low?
An HbA1c below 5.0% is associated with an increased risk of death in people without diabetes, although this is likely a signal…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How often should you have your HbA1c measured?
In stable diabetes, measuring twice a year is standard; when values fluctuate or treatment has changed, four times a year is…
Moderate evidence
What does your HbA1c tell you about your risk of diabetes and ageing?
An elevated HbA1c, even well below the official diabetes threshold, is associated with a greater risk of diabetes, kidney…
How do you lower a high HbA1c?
Several medications demonstrably lower HbA1c: the weekly semaglutide injection has the strongest evidence base, but oral…
Strong evidence
What is a healthy HbA1c value?
There is no fixed 'healthy' HbA1c value: lower within the normal range appears to be better, but how low is optimal also…
Do proteins inhibit your autophagy?
Proteins inhibit autophagy because the amino acids in your meal keep mTOR active, the best-known brake on autophagy. If you…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What is the relation between NAD+ and vitamin B3?
Vitamin B3 is the only dietary building block for NAD+ in your body -- that relationship is causal and well supported. Whether…
Does coffee activate mTOR?
Caffeine inhibits mTOR in cell and animal research, but coffee as a complete drink actually activated mTOR in the muscle…
What is AMPK and how do you activate it (through fasting or exercise)?
Exercise and (short-term) fasting are the best-supported ways to activate AMPK, but whether every fasting or dietary strategy…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does insulin do to the ageing process?
Chronically too much insulin is probably bad for healthy ageing, but science does not yet know precisely what the ideal…
Is yo-yo dieting, repeatedly gaining and losing weight, bad for me?
Yo-yo dieting carries real risks, particularly for cardiovascular health and psychological wellbeing, although some widely…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does eating a lot of sugar give you type 2 diabetes?
Sugary drinks clearly and demonstrably increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. Sugar from solid food barely does. The biggest…
Does it make sense to limit blood sugar spikes, even without diabetes?
Limiting blood sugar spikes makes sense even without diabetes: the risk of cardiovascular disease appears to rise with spikes…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Why is it harder for me to lose weight than it used to be?
Ageing lowers your energy expenditure through muscle loss and a slower metabolism, making weight loss objectively harder.…
Does my metabolism really slow down as I get older?
Your resting metabolism really does decline with age, but the biggest culprit is muscle loss, not some mysterious metabolic…
Does it matter what time of day I eat?
Eating earlier in the day is more beneficial for your weight, blood sugar and hormonal balance than eating late or at night.…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What works better for weight loss: semaglutide or tirzepatide?
Tirzepatide consistently produces greater weight loss than semaglutide, but both medications have comparable gastrointestinal…
Yes · Strong evidence
What is NAD+ and what does it do in your body?
NAD+ is an indispensable molecule for energy, DNA repair and cell health, but the question of whether you should actively…
Does berberine help against high blood sugar (the natural metformin)?
Be careful with this. Berberine measurably lowers blood sugar, but EFSA could not establish a safe intake level (signs of DNA…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How bad is fructose compared to regular sugar?
Fructose places a greater burden on the liver than glucose and raises triglycerides, belly fat and uric acid more. But regular…
How do I know if my blood sugar is healthy (prediabetes)?
Prediabetes can be measured reliably, but no single blood test provides complete certainty on its own. If in doubt, have…
I am overweight -- what will losing weight do for me?
Losing weight delivers measurable health gains from as little as 5% weight loss: better blood sugar, lower blood pressure and…
Does excess weight accelerate ageing?
Excess weight demonstrably accelerates biological ageing, but metabolic health counts at least as heavily as the number on the…
What is NAD+ and why does it decline as you age?
NAD+ is an indispensable energy carrier and guardian of your DNA, and your body produces less of it as you age. The mechanisms…
What does your thyroid do to your metabolism and energy?
Your thyroid is one of the most powerful regulators of your resting metabolism, and both too little and too much hormone has…
Do diabetes pills (SGLT2 inhibitors) also work against ageing?
For people with heart or kidney problems, large trials show that SGLT2 inhibitors clearly do more than lower blood sugar…
Moderate evidence
Does a walk after eating help with your blood sugar?
A short walk after eating, or better still several short walking breaks of 2 to 3 minutes spread throughout the day, is a…
Yes · Strong evidence
What is metabolic syndrome and how do I get rid of it?
Metabolic syndrome is a combination of abdominal fat, high blood pressure, disturbed blood sugar, and poor blood lipids, and…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is a glucose meter useful if you don't have diabetes?
Without diabetes, a glucose monitor gives you some genuinely interesting information about how your body responds to food,…
Preliminary evidence
What is insulin resistance and can I reverse it?
Insulin resistance can in many cases be substantially reversed, and exercising more combined with a healthier diet are the…
Yes · Strong evidence
Skin66 questions
What are the proven health benefits of snail mucus for the skin?
Snail mucus shows potential in small and preliminary studies for hydration, anti-ageing and wound healing, but large clinical…
Preliminary evidence
Does omega-3 protect your skin from sunburn?
Omega-3 offers some protection against the sunburn response, but the effect is limited and no proven protective dose is known.…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does slugging (smearing your skin with petroleum jelly) actually work?
Petroleum jelly genuinely works as a sealing layer that reduces moisture loss, but for structurally dry skin or barrier repair…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does skin cycling really work better for your skin?
Skin cycling as a method has never been clinically tested, so it cannot be said to work better than a regular routine. If you…
Insufficient evidence
Does a vampire facial (PRP) work against skin ageing?
PRP injections produce a modest, likely genuine improvement in skin texture and elasticity, but do not work for everything…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does castor oil work for your eyelashes and skin?
For eyelid inflammation and dark circles there are small positive studies, but the evidence is too thin for firm conclusions.…
Preliminary evidence
Is beef tallow good for your skin?
There is no scientific evidence that beef tallow is effective for the skin in cases of acne, eczema or psoriasis. The online…
Insufficient evidence
Do gua sha and microcurrent devices work against skin ageing?
Both gua sha and electrical devices show measurable effects on skin ageing in small studies, but they work in different ways:…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do copper peptides (GHK-Cu) work in skincare?
GHK-Cu shows positive effects on collagen and skin in the lab, but clinical evidence in humans is absent. Do not expect too…
Preliminary evidence
Does snail mucin actually work for your skin?
Snail mucin shows promising effects in laboratory and cell studies, but clinical evidence in humans is still largely absent.…
Preliminary evidence
Do exosomes in skincare really work?
There are preliminary indications that exosomes may do something for the skin, but the clinical evidence is very thin: one…
Preliminary evidence
Do polynucleotide or salmon DNA facial treatments actually work?
There are cautious indications that polynucleotide injections may improve the skin around the eyes, but well-controlled…
Preliminary evidence
Does red orange extract (Red Orange Complex) help against skin ageing and pigmentation spots?
There is positive evidence from multiple small human studies that 100 mg of red orange extract per day reduces pigmentation…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does microneedling work for wrinkles and scars?
Microneedling demonstrably works for wrinkles and acne scars, with radiofrequency microneedling being the variant with the…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do chemical peels with fruit acids help against skin ageing?
Chemical peels demonstrably help against sun damage, wrinkles, and pigmentation spots, but for brown spots laser treatments…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does taking collagen supplements actually work against wrinkles?
Taking hydrolysed collagen reduces wrinkles and improves hydration and elasticity, although the effects are modest and no…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does your body odour change as you get older?
Yes, your body odour changes noticeably with age: from your forties onwards your skin produces a compound that adds a greasy,…
Does fasting or calorie restriction make the skin look younger?
Fasting and calorie restriction appear to protect the skin in animal research, but direct evidence in humans that your skin…
Preliminary evidence
Does smoking age a smoker's skin on the inside too, or only on the outside?
Smoking does not only age the outside of your skin; it damages blood vessels, protective barriers and inflammatory regulation…
Does astaxanthin help protect your skin from the sun?
Astaxanthin (3-6 mg/day) appears to give the skin some additional UV resistance, but should never replace your sunscreen: the…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do cold showers really make your skin tighter?
Cold showers do not make your skin tighter; frequent showering can actually damage the skin barrier and cause dry skin,…
No · Preliminary evidence
Can using too much retinol actually damage your skin?
Too much retinol can irritate and damage your skin, but at a low dose and with a gradual build-up you can benefit from its…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does resveratrol in skin cream actually do anything?
Resveratrol in skin cream demonstrably reaches the skin and has antioxidant activity, but whether it produces any visible…
Preliminary evidence
Is mineral sunscreen better for your skin than chemical sunscreen?
Mineral sunscreen has a favourable safety profile and tinted varieties may offer additional protection, but it is not…
Moderate evidence
Does physical inactivity accelerate skin ageing?
Physical inactivity is associated with factors that accelerate skin ageing, and a small intervention study showed that 16…
Yes · Preliminary evidence
Does chronically poor air quality age your skin?
Chronic exposure to air pollution measurably accelerates skin ageing, and the evidence for this is reasonably consistent. If…
Does red light therapy really help against skin ageing?
Red light therapy measurably reduces wrinkles and skin roughness, with the strongest support coming from professional…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do people with dark skin age more slowly than people with light skin?
Dark skin ages more slowly in terms of visible sun damage, but ageing itself does not stay away: the signs are different, not…
Moderate evidence
Does zinc help with acne and healthier skin?
Zinc demonstrably reduces inflamed spots, but works less well than the usual treatments such as benzoyl peroxide. It is most…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does a cotton versus silk pillowcase really make a difference for wrinkles?
Based on the available study, nothing can be said about this. The source contains no information about pillowcases or…
Insufficient evidence
Does omega-3 from fish or flaxseed improve skin appearance?
For people with eczema, psoriasis or acne, multiple reviews indicate that fish oil containing EPA and DHA may reduce…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does a low-fat diet slow skin ageing or make it worse?
A low-fat diet is not necessarily better for your skin: the type of fat counts more than the amount, and monounsaturated fats…
No · Preliminary evidence
Does drinking coffee dry out your skin?
Drinking coffee does not dry out your skin: the available research points rather in the opposite direction, but the studies…
No · Preliminary evidence
Do AHAs or BHAs really help against wrinkles and blemishes?
Both AHA (glycolic acid) and BHA (salicylic acid) demonstrably help against acne, blemishes and, to a lesser extent, wrinkles,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does resveratrol really help protect cells against ageing?
Resveratrol protects cells impressively in the lab, but whether that also works in practice for you is uncertain: the body…
Preliminary evidence
Does screen time (blue light) age your skin?
Blue light from screens almost certainly causes no measurable skin aging under normal use; the doses that caused damage in…
No · Moderate evidence
Does a face mask really work, or is it mostly just a treat for yourself?
An LED mask or a mask containing active ingredients such as salicylic acid works measurably better than doing nothing, but the…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does urban pollution accelerate the ageing of your skin?
Urban pollution probably accelerates skin ageing, primarily through increased pigmentation spots and a weakened skin barrier.…
Is an expensive face cream better than a cheap one?
A higher price does not make a face cream more effective or safer. It is better to pay attention to the ingredient list than…
No · Moderate evidence
Can your skin get used to retinol so that it becomes less effective?
Your skin gets used to the side effects of retinol, such as flaking and redness, but not to the effect itself; the active…
Do peptides in skincare actually do anything?
Peptides in creams have a plausible mechanism on paper, but clinical evidence for topical use is thin. If you want to do…
Preliminary evidence
Does menopause accelerate skin ageing?
Menopause noticeably accelerates the loss of collagen, moisture retention and skin thickness, but spots and skin cancer are…
Does your skin get thicker or thinner as you age?
Your skin thins at two levels with age: that is well established. Retinoid creams have the most support if you want to slow…
Does using a night cream help?
A night cream improves hydration and, with consistent use, can also have a visible effect on wrinkles, pores, and skin tone.…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does your skin age faster than your organs?
It has not been proven that skin as an organ naturally ages faster than your internal organs, but it is more vulnerable to sun…
Does a high SPF really protect better than SPF 30?
SPF 100+ protects better than SPF 50+ in genuinely sunny conditions, but always check the UVA label on the packaging as well,…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do making lots of facial expressions cause more wrinkles?
Repeated facial expressions probably contribute to wrinkle formation, but sunlight is the best-documented factor. Sun…
Does bakuchiol work as well as retinol but more gently?
Bakuchiol appears to target skin aging through biological pathways similar to those of retinol and is clearly gentler on the…
Preliminary evidence
Does sleep deprivation age your skin faster?
Sleep deprivation demonstrably worsens your hydration, elasticity, and wrinkles, after as little as one poor night. Aim for…
What happens to your DNA when you spend too much time in the sun?
Too much sun damages your DNA in a way that can demonstrably lead to skin cancer; sun protection and monitoring medication use…
Can rapamycin reverse or prevent grey hair?
Rapamycin shows interesting effects on pigmentation in the lab and in a rare hereditary disease, but there is no evidence…
No · Preliminary evidence
Does rapamycin improve skin aging?
Topical rapamycin showed promising signs for skin ageing in a small study, but the evidence is still too thin to justify…
Preliminary evidence
What causes age spots and can you prevent them?
Years of sun exposure is the clearest cause of age spots. Consistent sun protection is the smartest prevention; for existing…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can you repair sun damage to your skin?
Sun damage can be partially repaired: prescription tretinoin cream has the strongest evidence base, but consistent sunscreen…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does niacinamide (vitamin B3) visibly benefit your skin?
Niacinamide cream (5%) demonstrably improves ageing skin and skin tone, and is safe to use. For people with a history of skin…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does drinking lots of water really help against dry skin and wrinkles?
Drinking extra water barely helps against wrinkles and improves skin moisture only slightly, particularly in people who were…
No · Preliminary evidence
How much sun is safe, and does the tanning bed really cause skin cancer?
Tanning beds genuinely cause skin cancer: the evidence is causal and strong. Short, regular sun exposure is beneficial for…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does sugar accelerate skin ageing through glycation?
The biological mechanism is rock solid: chronically high blood sugar levels accelerate the breakdown of collagen and elastin…
Does hyaluronic acid applied to your skin actually help against dryness and wrinkles?
Hyaluronic acid on your skin genuinely helps against dryness. Injections work most powerfully against wrinkles. A pill or…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does a vitamin C serum help against pigmentation spots and ageing?
Vitamin C serums likely reduce pigmentation spots and early signs of ageing, but the studies are too small or lack control…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What do smoking and alcohol do to the ageing of your skin?
Smoking demonstrably accelerates skin ageing through oxidative stress and inflammation. There are indications for alcohol, but…
What is the best-proven treatment for wrinkles: retinol or vitamin C?
Retinol (and tretinoin in particular) has a far stronger clinical evidence base than vitamin C. Vitamin C may be a useful…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What actually works against skin aging?
Using sunscreen daily is the best-supported way to slow skin ageing, supplemented by not smoking, moderate alcohol consumption…
Moderate evidence
Do collagen supplements work against skin ageing?
Whether collagen supplements genuinely work against skin ageing is contested: independent research of higher quality shows no…
Moderate evidence
Does retinol help against wrinkles?
Retinol demonstrably works against wrinkles and improves skin texture, although tretinoin is more potent for those who can or…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does sunscreen also protect against skin ageing?
Using broad-spectrum sunscreen daily demonstrably slows sun-induced skin ageing; anyone with concerns about chemical filters…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Newsletter

Stay in the loop

Twice a week, the most important longevity research in your inbox.