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Research library · Updated Oct 2026

What's new in health research.

111 studies published between January 2025 and October 2026, across all 30 topics. Each one is explained on its topic page, with what it changes for you.

The new evidence, piling up

Running total of the studies added to the library, by the month they were published.

060120 Jan 2025Jul 2025Jan 2026Jul 2026 Month publishedStudies added 111 studies

The biggest studies of the last two years

Large trials and meta-analyses only. Tap a card below to read more.

Jan 2025Jul 2025Jan 2026Jul 2026 Now BPROADBlood pressure US Surgeon Genera…Alcohol & smoking SURMOUNT-5Waist & body fat RogowskiLight & environment JonesBlood pressure HuangSkin MunroMental health PUSHHydration
Sep 2026
NewSep 2026BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil
Recovery

Yu et al.

87 trials, 2,313 athletes

After resistance training, simply resting led to better strength outcomes than cold water immersion. No cold protocol clearly improved endurance performance.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewSep 2026J Int Soc Sports Nutr
Supplements

Chun, Kreider et al.

64 untrained adults aged 45 to 65, 12 weeks

10 g of creatine a day, even without exercise, increased lean mass and strength compared with placebo, and improved some memory tests. The authors call the brain findings exploratory.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewSep 2026Top-line trial results (not yet in a journal)
Longevity tests

Novartis (Lp(a)HORIZON, pelacarsen)

More than 8,300 people with heart disease and high Lp(a)

The Lp(a)-lowering drug pelacarsen brought Lp(a) down but did not reduce heart attacks, strokes or heart deaths compared with placebo. A high Lp(a) is a real warning sign, but there is still no proven drug that lowers it and saves lives.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
Aug 2026
NewAug 2026JAMA Netw Open
Muscle & strength

Wu et al.

13,423 adults aged 65 and over in Taiwan, 7 years

The fittest fifth on simple tests had much lower death risk than the least fit: 59% lower for a get-up-and-walk test, 45% lower for chair stands, but only 37% lower for arm curls. Leg strength and balance mattered more than arm strength.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewAug 2026JAMA Intern Med
Blood sugar

Dower et al.

evidence review

The authors found no evidence that continuous glucose monitors improve health or prevent disease in people without diabetes. They warn that normal glucose ups and downs can be over-read, leading to needless food rules and worry.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewAug 2026JAMA Network Open
Posture & back

Grange et al.

168 adults with back pain for 1 to 6 months

Wearing a soft lumbar belt for 12 weeks improved disability more than usual care alone (61% vs 41% improved by at least 30%) and fewer people needed painkillers. The trial was small and not blinded.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewAug 2026J Clin Sleep Med
Wearables & AI

Alavi et al.

147 adults, sleep lab and home nights

A Samsung Galaxy Watch picked up 94% of moderate to severe sleep apnoea compared with a sleep lab test, but also gave some false alarms (67% specificity). It can prompt testing, not replace it.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewAug 2026JAMA Internal Medicine
Wearables & AI

Dower et al.

Narrative review of the evidence

There is no evidence that continuous glucose monitors improve health or prevent disease in people without diabetes. Normal ups and downs in blood sugar can be over-read, leading to needless food rules and worry.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
Jul 2026
NewJul 2026Psychol Med
Friends & purpose

Sutin et al.

488,765 people in 25 samples, up to 32 years, 48,928 deaths

People with a stronger sense of purpose had about a 24% lower risk of dying early. The link shrank but held after allowing for smoking, weight and blood pressure (15% lower) and for depression (9% lower).

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJul 2026Br J Nutr
Gut microbiome

Creedon et al. (BIOME)

399 adults eating under 20 g fibre a day, 6 weeks

A daily 30 g blend of more than 30 plant foods changed 57 gut species, against 14 with a control food and just 4 with a probiotic. People also reported less bloating, constipation and indigestion and more energy. The trial was funded by ZOE.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
Jun 2026
NewJun 2026Br J Sports Med
Muscle & strength

Zhang et al.

147,374 US adults, up to 30 years

About 90 to 120 minutes of strength training a week was linked to 13% lower risk of death, 19% lower heart deaths and 27% lower deaths from brain diseases. Doing more than 120 minutes gave no extra benefit. Strength plus aerobic exercise was linked to about 45% lower risk.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJun 2026HHS announcement
Hormones

US HHS/FDA (testosterone proposal)

Proposed label changes

HHS proposed dropping the warning that testosterone is unproven for age-related low testosterone and narrowing the prostate cancer warning. Experts caution that tiredness and low mood are often not due to low testosterone, so blood tests and monitoring still matter.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJun 2026BMJ
Eyes & vision

CHAMP-UK Trial Group

289 UK children aged 6 to 12, 2 years

Daily 0.01% atropine eye drops slowed short-sightedness by 0.38 dioptres and eye growth by 0.14 mm over two years, with no extra side effects. The effect was real but small.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
2026
New2026Sports Med Open
Recovery

Berjisian et al.

15 meta-analyses covering 161 studies, 3,210 people

Cold water immersion (10 to 15 minutes at 10 to 15°C) reliably eased muscle soreness for up to about 96 hours, but did not consistently restore maximal strength. Repeated use after resistance training may blunt strength and muscle gains; evidence quality was mostly low.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
May 2026
NewMay 2026Nat Ment Health
VO2 max

Díaz-Goñi et al.

27 studies, about 4 million adults

The fittest people had a 39% lower risk of dementia than the least fit. Each 1-MET rise in fitness was linked to about 19% lower dementia risk. Links with depression were weaker and the evidence less certain.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMay 2026Am J Clin Nutr
Protein

Ceglia, Dawson-Hughes et al.

141 adults aged 65+, 24 weeks

Daily whey protein capsules did not improve muscle strength compared with placebo, even though the body showed signs of being primed to build muscle. Protein alone, without training, did little.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
Apr 2026
NewApr 2026J Endocrinol Invest
Blood sugar

Galindo et al. (SURMOUNT-5)

425 adults with obesity and prediabetes, 72 weeks

In this follow-up analysis of a drug trial, 90% of people on tirzepatide and 76% on semaglutide had normal blood sugar again by 72 weeks. Weight fell by about 21.5% and 14.5%.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewApr 2026Communications Medicine
Eyes & vision

Ninomiya et al.

50,595 retinal photos for training

An AI model guessed a person's age from an eye photo to within about 3 years. People with diabetes, heart disease or past stroke had eyes that looked older than their real age. It is not yet proven to predict future illness.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
Mar 2026
NewMar 2026Nat Med
Supplements

Li, Sesso, Manson et al. (COSMOS)

958 adults, average age 70, 2 years

A daily multivitamin slowed epigenetic ageing clocks by about 4 months over 2 years, most in people ageing faster at the start. Cocoa extract had no effect. It is not yet known whether this means less disease.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMar 2026Lancet
Hydration

Desai et al. (PUSH)

1,658 people with past kidney stones, 2 years

A programme of smart bottles, coaching and rewards raised urine output a little, but repeat stones were almost the same: 19% versus 20%. Getting people to drink enough every day is much harder than advising it.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
Feb 2026
NewFeb 2026JAMA Netw Open
Muscle & strength

LaMonte et al. (WHI)

Over 5,000 women aged 63 to 99, 8 years

Each extra 7 kg of grip strength was linked to about 12% lower risk of death. The link held after allowing for measured activity and walking speed, and also in women who did not meet aerobic exercise guidelines.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewFeb 2026Cochrane Database Syst Rev
Fasting & autophagy

Garegnani et al. (Cochrane)

22 trials, 1,995 adults with overweight or obesity

Intermittent fasting made little to no difference to weight loss compared with standard diet advice. Most trials were short and none tracked long-term health.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewFeb 2026JAMA Netw Open
Friends & purpose

Tang et al. (HEAL-HOA)

1,151 older adults (average age 77), 12 months

Eight short phone calls from trained volunteers, using either activity planning or mindfulness, lowered loneliness more than friendly chat calls a year later. The effect was real but small, a reminder that there is no quick fix for loneliness.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewFeb 2026Br J Sports Med
Mental health

Munro et al.

57,930 people (depression) and 19,368 (anxiety) across 81 pooled analyses

Exercise had a medium-sized effect on depression and a small to medium effect on anxiety. Supervised, group-based aerobic exercise worked best for depression, while shorter, gentler programmes of up to 8 weeks suited anxiety.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewFeb 2026FDA announcement
Hormones

US FDA (menopause hormone therapy labels)

Label changes, first 6 products

Following a November 2025 announcement, the FDA approved removal of heart disease, breast cancer and probable dementia from the boxed warning on menopause HRT. It now suggests starting systemic HRT for symptoms in women under 60 or within 10 years of menopause; the womb cancer warning stays for oestrogen-only pills.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewFeb 2026Commun Biol
Gut microbiome

Servetas et al.

21 home test kits from 7 companies, one identical stool sample

Results from the same sample varied as much between companies as stool from different people does. One company rated identical samples as both 'healthy' and 'unhealthy', so home gut tests are not yet reliable enough to act on.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewFeb 2026JAMA
Wearables & AI

Bress et al.

Modelling for US adults using Apple's validation data

The Apple Watch high blood pressure alert would miss about 59% of people with undiagnosed hypertension and wrongly alert about 8% of people without it. No alert does not mean your blood pressure is fine, so a cuff check is still needed.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
Jan 2026
NewJan 2026BMJ
Waist & body fat

West et al.

37 studies, 9,341 adults

After stopping weight-loss drugs, people regained about 0.4 kg a month (0.8 kg a month for semaglutide and tirzepatide), back to their starting weight in about 1.5 to 2 years. Blood pressure and cholesterol gains were gone within about 1.4 years, and regain was faster than after diet programmes.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJan 2026US federal guideline
Food & fibre

USDA and HHS (Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025 to 2030)

national guideline

New US guidelines say 'eat real food': more whole foods and protein, fewer highly processed foods and added sugars. They now allow full-fat dairy but still keep saturated fat under 10% of calories. Some experts note the evidence on processing is still debated.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJan 2026US federal guideline
Protein

USDA and HHS (Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025 to 2030)

national guideline

The suggested protein intake rose from 0.8 g to 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg of body weight a day, from both animal and plant sources. The formal RDA of 0.8 g per kg has not changed.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJan 2026US federal guideline
Alcohol & smoking

USDA and HHS (Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025 to 2030)

national guideline

The old limits of one drink a day for women and two for men were removed and replaced with 'consume less alcohol for better health', with clear advice to avoid it in pregnancy or when drinking is hard to control.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJan 2026Cochrane Database Syst Rev
Mental health

Clegg et al. (Cochrane)

73 trials, nearly 5,000 adults with depression

Exercise gave a moderate drop in depression symptoms compared with no treatment, and worked about as well as psychological therapy. It looked similar to antidepressants, but that evidence is limited and long-term effects are unclear.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
Dec 2025
NewDec 2025SLEEP Advances
Sleep

McAuliffe et al.

US county data, 2019 to 2025

Across US counties, getting less than 7 hours of sleep was more strongly tied to shorter life expectancy than diet, exercise or loneliness. Only smoking mattered more. This is a population-level link, not proof of cause.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewDec 2025Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol
Blood sugar

Vazquez Arreola et al. (DPPOS and DaQingDPOS)

2,942 adults with prediabetes, 20 to 30 years

People whose blood sugar returned to normal had about a 58% lower risk of dying from heart disease or being admitted with heart failure, and 42% fewer heart attacks and strokes. Results were similar in the US and China.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewDec 2025Cell
Brain & memory

Xie et al.

Over 300,000 people in Wales, 2013 to 2022

Shingles vaccination reduced new diagnoses of mild memory problems by about 3 percentage points over 9 years. Among people already living with dementia, vaccinated people were much less likely to die from dementia, and the effect was stronger in women.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewDec 2025Lancet Healthy Longev
Hormones

Melville et al.

1 trial and 9 observational studies, 1,016,055 women

Menopause hormone therapy was not linked to dementia or mild memory problems, either up or down, whatever the timing, type or length of use. The evidence was mostly low certainty, so HRT should not be taken to protect the brain.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewDec 2025Nature
Gut microbiome

Asnicar et al.

Over 34,000 adults in the UK and US

Researchers ranked 50 gut species linked to better health and 50 linked to worse. Healthy people carried on average 3.6 more of the 'good' species than people with a diagnosed condition, and many of these species had never been studied before.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewDec 2025JAMA
Posture & back

Bronfort et al. (PACBACK)

1,000 adults with new back pain, 1 year

Coached self-management (learning about pain, staying active, pacing) cut disability more than usual medical care. 67% halved their disability, compared with 54% with usual care.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
Nov 2025
NewNov 2025Sci Rep
Resting heart rate

Wei et al.

46,348 UK Biobank adults, 12.6 years

People whose heart rate recovered quickly after exercise had about 25% lower risk of dementia. Resting heart rate on its own showed no link with dementia, so recovery may be the more useful number for the brain.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewNov 2025Sensors
HRV

Hernandez et al.

5 studies, 1,430 adults using Garmin, Polar and Oura

Higher wearable HRV was linked to better blood sugar control and fewer diabetes complications. But day-to-day links with stress and mood were not significant, and in one group higher stress came with higher HRV.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewNov 2025Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback
HRV

Vann-Adibe et al.

18 studies, 1,352 people

Home-based HRV biofeedback (paced slow breathing guided by a sensor) gave a medium-sized drop in depression symptoms and raised HRV. It did not clearly reduce stress.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewNov 2025Sci Transl Med
Fasting & autophagy

Peters et al. (ChronoFast)

31 women with overweight, two 2-week phases

Eating within an 8-hour window without eating fewer calories did not improve insulin sensitivity, blood fats or blood sugar. Late eating shifted the body clock about 40 minutes later, suggesting benefits of fasting come mainly from eating less.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewNov 2025Lancet
Food & fibre

Monteiro et al. (Lancet Series on ultra-processed foods)

review of 104 studies, 43 experts

A three-paper series concluded that diets high in ultra-processed food are linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression and some cancers. Ultra-processed food makes up over half of calories in the UK and US.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewNov 2025AHA Scientific Sessions
Supplements

May et al. (TARGET-D)

630 heart attack patients

Testing vitamin D and adjusting the dose to keep levels above 40 ng/mL halved the chance of a second heart attack, though overall heart events did not differ. Presented at a conference, not yet peer-reviewed.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewNov 2025Cochrane Database Syst Rev
Alcohol & smoking

Lindson et al. (Cochrane living review)

104 studies, 30,366 people

High-certainty evidence that nicotine vapes help more smokers quit than nicotine patches or gum: about 9 in 100 versus 6 in 100. No clear harms were seen in up to two years.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewNov 2025JAMA Netw Open
Mental health

Calvert et al.

373 adults aged 18 to 24 (295 took part in the detox)

A one-week social media break cut depression scores by about 25%, anxiety by 16% and insomnia by 15%, but did not reduce loneliness. People chose whether to take part and there was no control group, so treat this as an early signal.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewNov 2025Eur J Prev Cardiol
Longevity tests

Du et al.

375,544 UK Biobank adults with no heart disease and no statins

People whose ApoB was higher than their LDL cholesterol suggested had 11% more heart attacks and strokes. Those with lower-than-expected ApoB had 13% fewer, so ApoB adds useful information when the two disagree.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
Oct 2025
NewOct 2025Ann Intern Med
Cardio & steps

Del Pozo Cruz et al.

33,560 adults taking 8,000 steps a day or fewer, 7.9 years

Among people with similar step counts, those who walked in bouts of 15 minutes or more had about a 4% risk of heart disease over 9.5 years, against 13% for those whose steps came in bouts under 5 minutes.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewOct 2025Br J Sports Med
Cardio & steps

Rodríguez et al.

11 trials, 414 inactive adults

Exercise snacks (bursts of up to 5 minutes, at least twice a day) clearly improved heart and lung fitness, and people stuck with them 91% of the time. They did not change blood pressure, blood fats or body fat.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewOct 2025Lancet Healthy Longevity
Balance & mobility

Oliveira et al. (SAGE)

700 adults aged 60+, 12 months

Online Iyengar yoga led to about 33% more falls than seated relaxation, though not more injurious falls. People who were already active or felt their balance was good were most at risk, so held poses are no substitute for proper balance training.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewOct 2025JAMA Netw Open
Waist & body fat

Fourman et al.

301,026 US adults (All of Us), median 4 years

Using the new waist-based definition, obesity rose from 42.9% to 68.6% of adults, mostly people with a normal BMI but a large waist. Those with clinical obesity had about 6 times the risk of diabetes and 2.7 times the risk of death.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewOct 2025Dermatol Pract Concept
Skin

Huang and Lee

8 randomised trials, 1,361 people

Pooled trials confirm that tretinoin cream improves both fine and coarse wrinkles from sun damage compared with a plain cream, over 16 weeks to 2 years.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewOct 2025JAMA Network Open
Light & environment

Windred et al.

88,905 UK Biobank adults wearing light sensors, 9.5 years

People with the brightest nights had 47% higher risk of heart attack and 56% higher risk of heart failure than those with the darkest nights. Keeping the bedroom dark is a simple step.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
Sep 2025
NewSep 2025JAMA Intern Med
Sleep

Scott et al.

67 trials, 5,232 people with chronic diseases

CBT-I, a structured talking therapy, put 54% of people with insomnia into remission versus 18% of controls. It worked in people with cancer, pain, heart and other long-term conditions.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewSep 2025BMJ Evid Based Med
Alcohol & smoking

Topiwala et al.

559,559 adults (up to 15 years) plus genetic data on 2.4 million

Ordinary observation suggested light drinkers had the lowest dementia risk, but the genetic analysis showed risk simply rose with drinking, with no protective dip. Halving alcohol use disorder could cut dementia cases by up to 16%.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewSep 2025JACC
Longevity tests

Mensah et al. (ACC Scientific Statement)

Expert statement reviewing the evidence

The American College of Cardiology now advises testing hs-CRP, a marker of inflammation, in everyone being assessed for heart disease, alongside LDL cholesterol. A high hs-CRP can flag people who may benefit from a statin even when their LDL looks fine.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewSep 2025J Appl Physiol
Hydration

Kashi, Walsh et al.

healthy adults aged 18 to 35, one week plus stress test

People who usually drank under 1.5 litres a day had a cortisol (stress hormone) response over 50% higher during a stress test than those meeting the 2 to 2.5 litre advice, even though they felt equally anxious.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewSep 2025Br J Nutr
Hydration

Shi et al.

182,770 UK Biobank adults, 13 years

People drinking 7 to 8 cups a day of water, tea and coffee combined had a 28% lower risk of death than those having fewer than 4. Swapping some water for tea or coffee looked helpful only once people drank more than 4 cups a day.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewSep 2025JAMA Dermatology
Skin

Breglio et al.

33,000+ US veterans with past skin cancer

Veterans taking nicotinamide (vitamin B3, 500 mg twice a day) had about 14% fewer new skin cancers. Starting it after a first skin cancer was linked to about 54% fewer. This was an observational study, so it cannot prove cause.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewSep 2025Anticancer Research
Skin

Brunner et al.

23 studies

Across observational studies, people who used sunscreen had no lower melanoma risk than those who did not (odds ratio 0.98). The studies varied hugely, and sunscreen users often spend more time in the sun, so this does not cancel out trial evidence that daily sunscreen helps.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
Aug 2025
NewAug 2025J Am Coll Cardiol
Blood pressure

Jones et al. (AHA/ACC guideline)

National clinical guideline

Keeps the target below 130/80. Adults at 130 to 139 over 80 to 89 should start medicine if lifestyle changes have not worked after 3 to 6 months, even at low risk. It newly recommends potassium salt substitutes, salt ideally 1,500 mg sodium a day, and avoiding alcohol, or at most 2 drinks a day for men and 1 for women.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewAug 2025JAMA
Balance & mobility

Peng et al. (FAMILY)

2,610 adults aged 60+ in 128 Chinese villages, 12 months

A year of balance and strength exercise led by village doctors cut the share of people who fell from 38.3% to 29.7%, a 33% drop. Falls causing injury fell from 21.6% to 15.2%.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewAug 2025Nat Med
Food & fibre

Dicken et al. (UPDATE)

55 adults, two 8-week diets (crossover)

Both diets met UK healthy eating advice, yet people lost 2.06% of body weight on minimally processed food versus 1.05% on ultra-processed food, without being told to eat less.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewAug 2025JAMA Intern Med
Stress

Hirshberg et al.

2,315 health workers in Mexico, 37 weeks

A 13-week remote well-being course with a free app reduced distress and burnout and raised well-being, and the benefit grew by 37 weeks. This was despite only about 1 in 4 people fully keeping up with it.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
Jul 2025
NewJul 2025Front Physiol
HRV

Kantrowitz et al.

931 adults in hospital care

Optical (PPG) readings matched ECG heart rate almost perfectly (r 0.98 to 0.99) but tracked the HRV measure rMSSD much less well (r 0.75) and tended to read low. Four authors worked for the device maker.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJul 2025BMJ Evid Based Med
Sleep

Bu et al.

22 trials, 1,348 people with insomnia

Yoga may add nearly 2 hours of total sleep and tai chi more than 50 minutes, while walking or jogging cut insomnia severity by nearly 10 points. Two in three trials had design flaws, so this is promising rather than proven.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJul 2025JCI Insight
Fasting & autophagy

Singh et al.

42 healthy adults

Autophagy in blood cells was no different after an overnight fast than one hour after a high-protein drink. Measuring autophagy in people is hard, and claims that a meal 'switches it off' are not yet backed by human data.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJul 2025J Physiol
Sauna & heat

Steward et al.

24 inactive adults aged 45 to 60, 8 weeks

Adding 30 minutes in a 40°C hot tub after exercise cut systolic blood pressure by 8 mmHg, versus 3 mmHg with lukewarm water, and improved artery function. Fitness, blood sugar and cholesterol improved no more than with exercise alone.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJul 2025Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol
Sauna & heat

Atencio et al.

20 young active adults

Soaking in a hot tub raised core body temperature more than a dry or infrared sauna, and was the only method to trigger an immune response. Not all heat is equal.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJul 2025Front Psychiatry
Stress

Mütze et al.

6 trials, 517 patients

Yoga breathing (pranayama) gave only a small drop in symptoms for people with mental health conditions, and no clear effect on depression. Most trials were low quality, and fast breathing styles caused more side effects, so breathing should not replace proven treatment.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJul 2025Alzheimer's & Dementia
Brain & memory

Alzheimer's Association guideline

Clinical practice guideline

Blood tests should only be used for people with real memory or thinking problems, after a full assessment in a specialist memory service. Tests need at least 90% sensitivity, and many tests on the market do not yet meet the bar.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJul 2025Nature Medicine
Longevity tests

Oh et al.

44,498 UK Biobank adults, up to 17 years

Blood proteins were used to estimate the age of 11 organs. People with 8 or more 'old' organs had about 8 times the risk of dying, while a youthful brain and immune system together cut the risk of death by more than half (HR 0.44).

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJul 2025Nature
Wearables & AI

Poterucha et al. (EchoNext)

Trained on 1.2 million ECGs from 230,000 patients; tested in nearly 85,000

An AI reading ordinary ECGs found 77% of structural heart problems such as valve disease, compared with 64% for cardiologists. Of flagged patients who then had a heart scan, nearly three in four had heart disease.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJul 2025Lancet Planetary Health
Light & environment

Rogowski, Bredell et al.

51 studies, more than 29 million people

Every 10 µg/m³ more fine particle pollution (PM2.5) in the air was linked to about 17% higher risk of dementia. Soot from traffic was linked to 13% higher risk per 1 µg/m³.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
2025
New2025Exp Physiol
Sauna & heat

Price et al.

51 studies, 1,055 people

Repeated heat sessions (sauna or hot water) lowered systolic blood pressure by about 5 mmHg and diastolic by about 3 mmHg. Arterial stiffness and inflammation (CRP) did not change.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
New2025Advanced Biology
Sauna & heat

King et al.

10 healthy young men, 7 days

After a week of daily one-hour dips in 14°C water, markers of cell clean-up (autophagy) in blood cells rose and cell-stress signals settled. On day one stress signals spiked, so the body needs time to adapt.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
New2025Front Physiol
Recovery

Kong et al.

45 studies of athletes and non-athletes

Sleep loss impaired endurance, power, strength, speed and skill, and made exercise feel harder. Endurance suffered most, and losing the first part of the night hurt more than losing the end.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
New2025Clin Psychol Sci
Stress

Van Dam et al.

Nearly 900 US adults who meditate

About 30% of meditators reported a challenging or distressing experience, and 9% said it got in the way of daily life. Risk was higher for people already struggling with their mental health and for those on intensive retreats.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
Jun 2025
NewJun 2025WHO flagship report
Friends & purpose

WHO Commission on Social Connection

Global evidence review

About 1 in 6 people worldwide feel lonely, and loneliness is linked to around 871,000 deaths a year, roughly 100 every hour. Lonely people are about twice as likely to become depressed.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJun 2025EMA safety review
Eyes & vision

European Medicines Agency (PRAC)

Review of trials, cohort studies and case reports

Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) can very rarely cause NAION, a sudden loss of vision from optic nerve damage, in up to 1 in 10,000 users. Anyone with sudden vision loss on these drugs should see a doctor urgently.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJun 2025JAMA Network Open
Posture & back

Haddadj et al. (HUNT)

11,194 Norwegian adults with movement sensors

People who walked more than 100 minutes a day had a 23% lower risk of chronic low back pain than those walking 78 minutes or less. How much you walked mattered more than how fast.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
May 2025
NewMay 2025JAMA
Blood pressure

Garrison et al. (BedMed)

3,357 adults with high blood pressure, 4.6 years

Taking blood pressure pills at bedtime rather than in the morning made no difference to heart attacks, strokes, heart failure or death (hazard ratio 0.96). This challenges earlier claims that night-time dosing halves risk: take them when you will remember.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMay 2025NEJM
Waist & body fat

Aronne et al. (SURMOUNT-5)

751 adults with obesity, 72 weeks

Tirzepatide cut body weight by 20.2% versus 13.7% with semaglutide. Waists shrank by 18.4 cm versus 13.0 cm.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMay 2025Adv Nutr
Blood sugar

Della Corte et al.

over 800,000 adults, 29 cohort studies

Each daily can of sugary drink was linked to about 25% higher risk of type 2 diabetes, and each daily glass of fruit juice to about 5% higher. Sugar eaten in whole foods was not linked to higher risk.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMay 2025Am J Clin Nutr
Supplements

Zhu et al. (VITAL)

VITAL sub-study, adults 50+, 4 years

Telomeres (protective caps on chromosomes) shortened by 1.8% on placebo but only 0.2% on 2,000 IU of vitamin D a day, roughly three years less ageing. Omega-3 had no effect.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMay 2025FDA clearance
Brain & memory

US FDA (Lumipulse pTau217 test)

499 blood samples from adults with memory problems

The first blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer's was cleared for adults 55 and over with symptoms. Positive results matched brain scans or spinal fluid tests 91.7% of the time and negative results 97.3% of the time.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
Apr 2025
NewApr 2025Nat Commun
Protein

Andrews, Senior et al.

food supply data from 101 countries, 1961 to 2018

Countries with more plant protein in their food supply had longer adult life expectancy, while more animal protein was linked to lower deaths in young children. This is population data, so it shows links, not cause.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
NewApr 2025JAMA
Brain & memory

Pomirchy et al.

101,219 older adults in Australia, 7.4 years

Using Australia's age cut-off for free shingles vaccination as a natural experiment, being eligible lowered the chance of a new dementia diagnosis by 1.8 percentage points over about 7 years. This backs up similar findings from Wales.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewApr 2025Nature
Gut microbiome

Díaz-Gay et al.

981 bowel cancer genomes from 11 countries

DNA damage from colibactin, a toxin made by some gut E. coli, was 3.3 times more common in bowel cancers diagnosed under 40 than over 70. The damage seems to happen in the first 10 years of life, which may help explain rising bowel cancer in young adults.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
Mar 2025
NewMar 2025Prog Cardiovasc Dis
VO2 max

Tari et al. (Generation 100)

1,565 adults aged 70 to 77, 5 years

Compared with unfit older adults, moderately fit men had a 66% lower risk of death and moderately fit women a 59% lower risk. Being fitter than 'moderate' gave no extra drop in risk, so the big win is getting out of the bottom group.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMar 2025Prog Cardiovasc Dis
Resting heart rate

Wen et al.

692,217 adults in Taiwan and Norway, about 25 years

People with a resting pulse of 80 to 99 and normal blood pressure died at similar rates to people with high blood pressure and a pulse of 60 to 69. A pulse in this range was found in 21% of people in their twenties, while high blood pressure affected only about 5% of them.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMar 2025Mayo Clin Proc
Cardio & steps

Huang et al.

95,468 UK Biobank adults, 7.9 years

Compared with inactive people, those who packed most of their activity into one or two days had a 28% lower risk of death. That matched people who spread it through the week (26% lower).

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMar 2025J Med Internet Res
Balance & mobility

Pettersson et al. (Safe Step)

1,628 adults aged 70+, 12 months

A self-guided app of home balance and strength videos cut the chance of falling at least once from 59.6% to 53%. The total number of falls did not drop significantly, so apps help a little but are not a full answer.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMar 2025Ann Intern Med
Fasting & autophagy

Catenacci et al.

165 adults with obesity, 12 months

Eating very little on 3 days a week (4:3 fasting) led to 7.6% weight loss after a year, versus 5% with daily calorie cutting. Both groups had support and exercise advice.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMar 2025Nat Med
Food & fibre

Tessier et al.

105,015 adults, 30 years

People who ate most in line with the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (lots of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, pulses and healthy fats) were 86% more likely to reach 70 free of major disease and in good mental and physical health.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMar 2025J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil
Posture & back

Scoping review of office workers

22 studies, 7,814 office workers

Long, still sitting with few breaks showed the clearest link with low back pain. Results for sitting time alone were mixed (8 of 13 studies), so taking breaks and moving may matter more than holding a 'perfect' posture.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
Feb 2025
NewFeb 2025Br J Sports Med
VO2 max

Weeldreyer et al.

20 studies, about 399,000 adults

Unfit people had roughly double the risk of death whatever their weight. People with obesity who were fit had no clear extra risk of death compared with fit people of normal weight (hazard ratio 1.11, not significant). Published online late 2024.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewFeb 2025JAMA Cardiol
Blood pressure

Ding et al. (SSaSS)

15,249 stroke survivors in 600 Chinese villages, 5 years

Using a potassium salt substitute instead of ordinary salt cut repeat strokes by 14% and deaths by 12%, with no rise in dangerous potassium levels. Not for people with kidney disease or on potassium-raising drugs without advice.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewFeb 2025J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle
Protein

Vázquez-Fernández et al. (Seniors-ENRICA)

1,868 adults aged 60+ with two or more long-term conditions, 13 years

Those in the top third for protein (average intake was about 1.2 g per kg) had a 34% lower risk of becoming frail. Plant protein was linked to a lower risk of death, and fish protein to less frailty.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewFeb 2025FDA safety communication
Hormones

US FDA (testosterone labels)

Class-wide label change based on TRAVERSE

The FDA removed the boxed warning about heart attacks and strokes from testosterone products, as TRAVERSE found no extra risk in men with low testosterone. It added a blood pressure warning to all products, since monitoring studies showed testosterone raises blood pressure.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewFeb 2025JAMA Network Open
Eyes & vision

Kim et al.

45 studies, over 300,000 children

Each extra hour a day of screen time was linked to 21% higher odds of short-sightedness (myopia). Risk rose steeply between 1 and 4 hours a day, suggesting under 1 hour may be a safer limit.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewFeb 2025Science Advances
Light & environment

Choi and Ailshire

3,600+ US adults aged 56+, 6 years

Older adults living where extreme heat days are common (about half the year) showed up to 14 months of extra biological ageing in their blood, compared with those in places with fewer than 10 heat days a year.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewFeb 2025Nature Medicine
Light & environment

Nihart et al.

Brain, liver and kidney tissue from 2016 to 2024

Brain samples from 2024 held about 50% more micro- and nanoplastics than those from 2016, with higher levels in people with dementia. Germany's risk agency (BfR) says the amounts look implausibly high and may include false signals from brain fat, so these numbers need checking.

Early evidenceRead the source ↗
Jan 2025
NewJan 2025Eur J Prev Cardiol
Resting heart rate

Jou et al.

9,917 adults, 8.6 years

A slow drop in heart rate in the first minute after an exercise test was linked to a 70% higher risk of death. The link held even in people with normal exercise capacity. Published online September 2024.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJan 2025Br J Sports Med
Cardio & steps

Stamatakis et al.

22,368 non-exercising UK Biobank adults, 7.9 years

In women who did no formal exercise, about 3.4 minutes a day of short vigorous bursts (fast stair climbing, brisk hauling of shopping) was linked to 45% fewer major heart events and 67% less heart failure. Links in men were weaker.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJan 2025Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol
Waist & body fat

Rubino et al. (Lancet Commission on Clinical Obesity)

56 experts, endorsed by 79 medical organisations

Obesity should be confirmed with a waist measure (waist size, waist-to-hip or waist-to-height ratio), not BMI alone. 'Clinical obesity' means excess fat is already harming organs or daily life; 'preclinical obesity' means raised risk without harm yet.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJan 2025Health Data Science
Sleep

Wang et al.

88,461 UK Biobank adults with wrist trackers, 6.8 years

Measured sleep traits were linked to 172 diseases, 42 of them with at least double the risk. Falling asleep after 00:30 was tied to 2.57 times the risk of liver cirrhosis, and almost half the links involved sleep rhythm rather than sleep length.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJan 2025Nature Human Behaviour
Friends & purpose

Shen et al.

42,062 UK Biobank adults, 2,920 blood proteins, 14 years

Loneliness and isolation were linked to blood proteins involved in inflammation and immunity. More than half of these proteins predicted heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and death, and five of them partly explained the link between loneliness and those outcomes.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJan 2025US HHS advisory
Alcohol & smoking

US Surgeon General Advisory

national advisory

Alcohol is a proven cause of at least seven cancers, including breast, bowel, liver, mouth and throat. It contributes to nearly 100,000 US cancer cases and about 20,000 cancer deaths each year. The advisory calls for cancer warning labels.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewJan 2025JAMA Netw Open
Stress

Radin et al.

1,458 hospital employees, 8 weeks plus 4-month follow-up

Ten minutes a day of app-guided meditation lowered stress scores by 5.8 points versus 1.5 points in the waiting-list group, a large effect that mostly lasted at 4 months. People who meditated 5 to 10 minutes a day gained more than those doing under 5.

Good evidenceRead the source ↗
Nov 2024
NewNov 2024NEJM
Blood pressure

Bi et al. (BPROAD)

12,821 adults with type 2 diabetes, 4.2 years

Aiming for a top number under 120 rather than under 140 cut heart attacks, strokes and heart deaths by 21%. Low blood pressure symptoms and high potassium were a bit more common. Printed in the journal in 2025.

Strong evidenceRead the source ↗