[Examine Newsletter] November 2021 Updates

See what's new on Examine this month!  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Examine](=) Hello! Here’s your recap of Examine's November 2021 updates. 📧 Reminder: If you would like to switch back to weekly emails (instead of a monthly newsletter) — just [click here](=). --------------------------------------------------------------- Nov 25, 2021 Mistakes we’ve made: Fall 2021 update In spite of our best efforts, we screw up sometimes. It’s important that we own our mistakes, fix them, and learn from them. To that end, we’ve updated our master list of things that we’ve gotten wrong: [Our Mistakes: Fall 2021 update]() Here’s a sampling of the mistakes we cover: - Study summaries didn't provide an at-a-glance takeaway. ✅ All new summaries have them now. - The Examine website looks quite dated. ✅ A complete overhaul and redesign is coming in a few months! - We don’t have enough gut health content. ✅ Three new pages are scheduled for release in the coming weeks. - We haven’t experimented with interactive graphics. 🟡 This is still on hold. Transparency is our cornerstone. We report on research without cherrypicking studies. Our pages change as the evidence changes. We try to keep you abreast of our weaknesses and how we’re improving. Basically, we just want to be as honest as possible with you! If any of the mistakes on our master list are especially important to you, reply to this email and let us know. Reader feedback helps us focus our efforts where they’re most needed. [Read on Examine]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Nov 18, 2021 Top five study summaries for November Every month, we summarize 200+ new studies for our [Examine Members](. Below are five of our Members’ favorite summaries for this month, including three Editor’s Picks (tagged here with 🔍). - [Caffeine, genetics, and obesity risk](=) 🔍 - Among people with a higher genetic risk of obesity and with the genetic variant for rapid caffeine metabolism, higher coffee intakes were associated with lower appetite, food intake, and BMI. - [Can resistance training reduce appetite?](=) - Full-body resistance training reduced appetite more than upper- or lower-body resistance training. Appetite was negatively correlated with blood lactate levels after full-body resistance training. - [Keto diets and resistance training](=) 🔍 - Keto diets can reduce appetite, thereby facilitating fat loss for strength and power athletes. However, they appear to be inferior to balanced diets for building muscle mass and strength. - [Vitamin K for cancer?](=) - A vitamin K treatment improved the survival rate of people with liver cancer, whether the cancer was removable or not. It also reduced cancer recurrence within 3 years after removal. - [Can arginine alleviate COVID-19?](=) 🔍 - In younger and generally healthier COVID-19 patients, arginine (3.32 g/day) reduced the need for respiratory support and shortened hospital stay. You can also check out the [most-favorited summaries from previous months]().🔥 So, did you find something of interest? If not, please reply to this email to let me know which topics you’d like us to tackle. And if you’re ready to stay on top of the latest research, consider becoming an [Examine Member]( (with a two-week free trial). --------------------------------------------------------------- Nov 11, 2021 New evidence on saffron We’ve updated our saffron page. It now covers depression (31 human trials), anxiety (12), body weight (10), blood glucose (11), cholesterol (14), and many more health outcomes. [Saffron: Potential benefits and safety]() Saffron’s deliciousness is legendary. The first time I tasted saffron rice was just a few years ago, and I experienced a moment of rice nirvana. How could a tiny amount of saffron impart such flavor? Having grown up eating rice nearly every single day for dinner, my mind was blown. Adding a crazy expensive spice and then crisping the rice up a bit … chef’s kiss! While many people associate saffron with delicious food, most people aren’t aware of all the research behind it. Luckily, you have a crack team of researchers on your side. In this case, the team was led by our supplement whiz, [Wyatt Brown](). With the data analyzed for you, you can more easily separate the supplements that have scant evidence from those that have quite a lot. The more studies the better. - More studies to verify that initial results weren’t due to chance. - More studies to test a supplement in different populations. - More studies to test various dosages (dose and timing). - More studies to detect side effects. This is all very helpful in answering the most important question of them all: How likely is it that this supplement will work for you? = Anyway, I digress. Saffron has been used since antiquity for both culinary and medicinal purposes. If you’re interested in learning which potential benefits have been tested, check out our page: [Read on Examine]( And if you want to know even more about saffron, you can read our summaries of several of the individual studies: - [Can saffron improve sleep quality?]() - [Can saffron alleviate depression?]() - [Can saffron lighten your mood and your body?]() - [Can saffron improve liver function?]( - [Can saffron help with cancer?]() - [Can saffron alleviate rheumatoid arthritis?]( - [Can saffron improve hepatic and metabolic health?]() If you’re a Member, you can find even more summaries of saffron studies [here](. If you're not a member, [click here for a free 2-week trial](). Examine Members get access to the thousands of study summaries we’ve already published, and we add at least 150 each month (more than 200 this month!). --------------------------------------------------------------- Nov 4, 2021 Four recent studies on prolonged sitting You probably know that sitting too much can be harmful. But harmful in what ways? And to what extent? And what can you do about it? These questions are still being explored. Here are a few summaries of recent studies that helped fill in the gaps: [Replacing sitting with standing reduces some risk factors for cardiovascular disease]( “... For people who don’t have a standing desk, simply getting up and stretching or walking every 30 to 60 minutes can be beneficial.” [Should you ditch the desk chair? A study on the evolutionary biology of human inactivity]( “... Hunter-gatherers have high levels of inactive time — around 10 hours per day, which is similar to the inactive time in industrialized populations. However, in Hadza adults, inactive time often occurred in a squatting position …” [How much exercise is needed to “offset” a day of sitting?]() “... while more time spent being sedentary is associated with an increased risk of death, this risk increase can be partially offset by 30 to 40 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day.” [Can 4 seconds of exercise undo the harms of prolonged sitting?]( “... The SPRINT group also sat for 8 hours/day, but over the course of those 8 hours, they performed five 4-second cycling sprints at maximum capacity each hour.…” --- And that’s just a few of the many, many studies we’ve summarized just this year. Examine Members get access to the thousands of study summaries we’ve already published, and we add at least 150 each month — [click here for a free 2-week trial.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Latest on Social Media [Verified Are sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) the #1 worst drink for male sperm count? This headline indicates they are, citing the findings of a cross-sectional study that included 2,935 young Danish men. However, this type of evidence shouldn’t be used to make causality claims, such as suggesting a beverage can have a specific effect on male function.⁠](=)[An increase in protein intake can help preserve muscle mass during fat loss, even if the caloric deficit stays the same.⁠](=)[What gets you pumped for the day?⁠](=)[How does beer affect athletic performance and recovery?⁠A regular, moderate intake of beer doesn't seem to harm body composition, performance, or recovery, but 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 you drink matters.⁠⁠Before exercise⁠⁠Drinking beer can impair balance and reaction time for hours. Even moderate amounts of alcohol can impair neuromotor function. Combined with sleep restriction, alcohol can also reduce muscle activation. As for hangovers, they worsen choice reaction time (a measure of alertness and motor speed).⁠⁠After exercise⁠⁠After exercise, drink less than 700 ml of beer; complete your rehydration with water or a sports drink. Low-alcohol beer (generally <4%) is more hydrating than high-alcohol beer, and adding salt seems to improve hydration. Nonalcoholic, polyphenol-rich beer may protect against respiratory infections after heavy training.⁠⁠PMID: 34284350⁠⁠Check out the full study summary through the link in bio @examinedotcom!⁠](=)[Verified Interventions that may help with musculoskeletal pain:⁠⁠A plant-based diet of grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes decreased pain and increased quality of life for people with chronic musculoskeletal pain.⁠⁠A personalized dietary consultation aimed at increasing nutrient-dense food intake improved pain scores and quality of life for people with general musculoskeletal pain.⁠⁠A weekly, high dose vitamin D2 supplement improved musculoskeletal symptoms and pain induced by an aromatase inhibitor used in breast cancer treatment. The dose of vitamin D2 supplement was based on the participants' baseline 25-OH vitamin D status. ⁠](=)[Sleep deprivation can increase cravings for sweet foods, and consequently, increase overall energy intake. Adequate sleep is a necessary part of maintaining a healthy body composition!⁠⁠Want to get better sleep? Check out our 10 evidence-based tips through the link in bio @examinedotcom!⁠](=) Sincerely, Kamal Patel Co-founder, Examine follow us on: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( [Instagram](=) [About Examine]( | [Careers]( | [Member’s Area]() [Free 2-week Membership trial]( PO Box 592, Station-P, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2T1 | [Email Preferences]( [Switch to weekly emails]( | [Unsubscribe](