Articles

• Does beer help your gut bacteria? What small trials found — Two short trials found daily beer — regular or alcohol-free — raised gut bacterial diversity. The effect is early, and alcohol's risks still outweigh it.
• Nootropics: new review ranks bacopa above ginkgo for memory — A 2026 review of 29 trials found high-dose bacopa beat placebo and ginkgo on memory tests. But a 2025 trial found no benefit, and many studies are weak.
• Lion's mane mushroom for memory: what the trials found — Small trials suggest lion's mane may slightly improve memory test scores in older adults, but healthy young adults saw little benefit.
• How much sleep do you need, and does a regular bedtime matter? — Most adults are advised to sleep 7 to 9 hours. Large studies link a steady bedtime and wake time to longer life, though not proof of cause.
• Red meat, processed meat and chicken linked to type 2 diabetes in large study — A pooled analysis of nearly 2 million adults linked each meat type to higher diabetes risk: strongest for processed meat, weakest and least certain for chicken.
• Which type of fasting works best? A 99-trial analysis compared them — A 99-trial analysis compared 16:8, 5:2, alternate-day fasting and calorie cutting. All helped with weight loss; differences between types were small.
• Does apple cider vinegar help you lose weight? — Apple cider vinegar trials show a small average weight loss at best: two other reviews found no BMI change, and one trial's data were questioned.
• Does sauna use help your heart and add years to your life? — Large Finnish studies link sauna use 4 or more times a week to fewer heart deaths and longer life. The catch: the evidence is observational.
• Does the Mediterranean diet help your heart? — Randomised trials including PREDIMED and CORDIOPREV found fewer heart attacks and strokes with a Mediterranean-style diet, plus a small blood-pressure drop.
• Does cold water immersion reduce soreness or blunt muscle growth? — Cold water immersion eases delayed muscle soreness after hard training, but regular ice baths after lifting blunt long-term muscle growth and strength.
• Does CoQ10 relieve statin muscle pain or improve heart health? — CoQ10 may help in heart failure when added to standard care, but evidence for relieving statin-related muscle aches remains mixed across clinical trials.
• Does tart cherry juice speed muscle recovery and lower uric acid? — Trials show tart cherry juice speeds muscle strength recovery after hard workouts and can modestly lower uric acid, though evidence in gout remains mixed.
• Does psyllium husk lower LDL cholesterol and improve digestion? — Clinical trials show psyllium husk eases constipation, softens stools, and modestly lowers LDL cholesterol, but taking it with enough water is essential.
• Do zinc lozenges actually shorten a common cold? — Randomised trials show zinc lozenges can shorten a cold by two to three days if started early, though side effects and product formulations vary.
• Can berberine really match metformin for blood sugar and weight? — Trials show berberine lowers blood sugar almost as much as metformin, with modest weight loss, but supplement quality and drug interactions remain hurdles.
• Does rhodiola rosea combat mental fatigue and burnout? — Trials show standardized rhodiola rosea extracts can reduce mental fatigue and burnout symptoms under stress, but small sample sizes leave questions open.
• Does coffee help you live longer? What the large studies show — Large reviews link 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day with lower death rates. The studies are observational and cannot prove cause.
• Does creatine help your brain? What the trials show so far — Creatine is known for muscle. Small trials hint it may help memory and ease some thinking lapses after a sleepless night, but the evidence is limited.
• Does daily melatonin stop your body from making its own? — Daily melatonin does not stop your body from making its own hormone. Clinical trials show no signs of tolerance, physical dependence, or rebound insomnia.
• Does beetroot juice improve exercise performance? — Beetroot juice may add a little to endurance in healthy adults. Time trials, sprints and training gains show little or mixed benefit.