
Health Studies Hub
Your go-to source for daily breakdowns of the latest health, fitness, and nutrition research.
Soy Consumption Linked to Digestive and Thyroid Risks.
In 2007, Begoña Cerdá and a team studied six volunteers whose fecal samples were incubated with ellagic acid, a soy polyphenol. They found gut bacteria turned it into urolithin, a compound tied to gut inflammation and potential cancer risk in animal studies, with 30-50% more urolithin production in some people, suggesting soy may harm gut health in certain individuals.
Omega-3 Supplements Lower Heart Rate During Exercise.
In 2025, Andrew Blannin and a team from the University of Birmingham in the UK studied 55 endurance-trained amateur men. They gave groups 3 g/day of EPA-rich fish oil (2.3 g EPA, 0.3 g DHA), DHA-rich algae oil (0.3 g EPA, 2.3 g DHA), or a placebo for 6 weeks. They tested heart rate, perceived effort, breathing ratio, and a 24 km bike time trial before and after.
Meat, Not Plant Protein, Slashes Cancer Death Risk.
In 2025, Yanni Papanikolaou and a team from McMaster University analyzed data from 15,947 adults in the NHANES III survey. They studied how much animal and plant protein people ate, using food diaries and advanced stats to track links with death from heart disease, cancer, or any cause over years.
Intermittent Fasting Raises Heart Death Risk by 91%.
In 2024, researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University analyzed data from over 20,000 U.S. adults (average age 49) in the NHANES survey from 2003-2018, followed until 2019. They compared those eating in an 8-hour window (a common IF method) to those eating over 12-16 hours, adjusting for age, diet, and health factors.
Skipping Breakfast Raises Depression Risk by 83%.
In 2025, J. Tan and a team reviewed 12 observational studies from databases like PubMed and Embase up to September 2024. They analyzed how skipping breakfast affects depression risk, using data from various groups and checking study quality with a standard tool.
Honey Shields Against Obesity in High-Fat Diets.
In 2025, A. Al Tamim and a team from King Saud University studied Wistar rats on a high-fat diet to mimic obesity. They gave groups standard chow or high-fat diet, with or without daily Sidr or Talh honey at 500-1,000 mg/kg for 12 weeks, checking weight, blood sugar, hormones, and brain inflammation in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus.
Sucralose Sabotages Metabolism and Spikes Cravings.
In 2025, Sandhya P Chakravartti and colleagues examined 75 young adults in a crossover trial. Sucralose (vs. sugar or water) spiked hypothalamic blood flow by 10-20%, boosted hunger by 15%, and strengthened brain connections for craving and sensing, potentially leading to overeating. Other studies (2022, 2023) showed sucralose alters gut bacteria, increasing glucose intolerance (10-15% worse in mice) and metabolic issues like inflammation.
4:3 Intermittent Fasting Curbs Hunger During Weight Loss.
In 2025, Matthew J. Breit and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus did a secondary look at a 12-month trial with 36 adults trying to lose weight. They compared two groups: one cut calories every day, the other did 4:3 intermittent fasting (normal eating 4 days, low calories 3 days). They tracked eating habits, hunger feelings, and hormones like ghrelin (hunger signal) and leptin (fullness signal) at start, 3 months, and 12 months using surveys and blood tests.
Olive Oil Reduces Weight Gain and Brain Inflammation By 30%.
In 2025, Lucas Santos and a team from Brazil studied Wistar rats fed a high-fat diet from weaning to mimic obesity. They split them into four groups: standard diet, standard diet with extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), high-fat diet, and high-fat diet with EVOO. They checked body weight, blood sugar, satiety, and brain inflammation markers in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus.
Higher Protein Intake Essential for Healthy Aging.
In 2025, Stephanie Harris and team from Case Western Reserve University reviewed studies on protein needs in older adults. They found protein metabolism changes with age, leading to muscle loss and weaker immunity. In the US, 30% of men and 50% of women over 71 eat too little protein due to gut issues, less appetite, tooth problems, money worries, and loneliness.
French Fries Raise Type 2 Diabetes Risk by 20%.
In 2025, Seyed Mohammad Mousavi and team from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed data from three large US studies with over 205,000 health professionals followed for nearly 40 years. They tracked potato intake—French fries vs. boiled, baked, or mashed—and diabetes cases, adjusting for lifestyle factors like smoking and exercise. 22,299 people developed type 2 diabetes during the study.
Grass-Fed & Finished Beef Crushes Grain-Fed in Health Benefits.
In a 2019 study from Michigan State University, researchers surveyed grass-finished beef from 12 US farms, analyzing fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins. Farms used all-grass diets, leading to an average omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 4.1, far better than typical grain-fed beef's 20:1 or higher.
Ultraprocessed Foods Significantly Raise Heart Disease Risks.
In 2025, Maya K. Vadiveloo and a team from the American Heart Association reviewed studies on ultraprocessed foods like chips, sodas, and ready meals. They looked at how these foods, often high in fats, sugars, and salt, affect health in the US where 55% of calories come from them, rising to 62% in youth.
High Inflammation Raises Cancer Death Risk by 60.4%.
In 2025, Hailun Xie and team analyzed 6,568 cancer patients from multiple hospitals. They made an inflammatory score from white blood cell count and C-reactive protein levels in blood, grouping it as mild, moderate, or severe. They tracked survival and nutrition changes using stats like survival curves and risk models.
Honey Protects Brain from Alzheimer's Damage.
In 2025, María D. Navarro-Hortal and her team from the University of Granada reviewed many studies on how honey helps with Alzheimer's disease, a brain problem that causes memory loss and confusion. They looked at honey's natural compounds like flavonoids and polyphenols, found in raw honey from bees, and how they fight harmful changes in the brain.
Gut-Friendly Diets Boost Brain Power in Older Adults.
In 2025, Changhu Sun and a team from Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine looked at data from 2,207 older adults in the US from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-2014). They created a score called the Dietary Index for Gut Microbiota to see how foods that help good gut bugs—like fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, yogurt, and fish—affect thinking skills.
Gut Microbes Play a Key Role in Depression Symptoms.
In 2025, Xiangyan Zhou and a team from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China reviewed studies on how gut microbes affect depression. They explored the gut-brain axis, a two-way connection between your belly and brain, showing how gut bugs impact mood and mental health.
Safflower Flavonoids Cut Heart Damage by Up to 50%.
In 2025, Fajian Ren and a team from Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine reviewed how flavonoids from safflower, like chalcones and quercetin, work in the body. They looked at many studies on these compounds, found in safflower petals used in traditional medicine for blood flow and pain relief.
Minimally Processed Foods Double Weight Loss.
In 2025, Samuel J. Dicken and a team from University College London ran a trial with 55 adults. They split people into two groups: one ate minimally processed foods like overnight oats or homemade spaghetti Bolognese for eight weeks, then switched to ultra-processed foods like breakfast bars or ready meals after a break.
Dietary Supplements Enhance Strength and Speed in Athletes.
In 2025, Beiwang Deng and team from Guangzhou Sport University conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate how dietary supplements, combined with conditioning training, affect athletes’ muscle strength, jump performance, sprint speed, and muscle mass.