[Examine Newsletter] February 2022 Updates

See what's new on Examine this month!  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Examine](=) [View in browser]( Hello! Here’s your recap of Examine's February 2022 updates. 📧 Reminder: If you would like to switch back to weekly emails instead of a monthly newsletter — just [click here](=). --------------------------------------------------------------- Feb 24, 2022 IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) One of the most popular “flexible diets” is called IIFYM, which is short for If It Fits Your Macros. Does this approach work? [Flexible dieting versus rigid dieting: A randomized trial]( In this trial, the “rigid diet” group was given a detailed meal plan, whereas the “flexible diet” group was instructed to eat 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, with the remaining calories equally allocated to carbs and fat. Of course, the most flexible diet is still no diet at all. Some people thrive without any set guidelines, using their [intuition](=) or other means of eating healthy (such as not keeping junk foods at home). Many people, though, don’t do well without any guidelines, but still need more flexibility than is offered by a meal plan. If that’s you, then a “flexible diet” with simple guidelines may be your thing. [Intermittent fasting](, for instance, doesn’t impose or ban foods, or even restrict your total caloric intake; it just restricts when you can eat. And as we saw, the IIFYM approach doesn’t impose or ban foods either, but gives you macronutrient goals — and sometimes caloric goals too, as in the study we reviewed. Until 2021, there hadn’t been much in the way of randomized trial evidence for the flexible, macronutrient-goal approach. So if you’re interested in flexible approaches, make sure to read our analysis of this recent study: [Flexible dieting versus rigid dieting: A randomized trial](=) --------------------------------------------------------------- Feb 17, 2022 Top 5 Study Summaries for February Every month, we summarize 150+ new studies for our [Examine Members](. Below are five of our Members’ favorite summaries for this month. Two are also Editor’s Picks, tagged here with . [Psychological and biological resilience modulates stress and its influence on epigenetic aging](=) This cohort study of healthy adults suggests that cumulative stress is associated with insulin resistance, adrenal sensitivity, and accelerated epigenetic aging. Emotional regulation and self-control appear to modulate these associations. [Can antioxidants improve the sperm quality of men with subfertility?]() Of the 8 antioxidants included in this meta-analysis, carnitine and coenzyme Q10 were the best at improving sperm concentration and motility. While vitamin C was the most likely to improve sperm morphology, it was not more effective than placebo. [Late-night bright-light exposure shifts metabolism away from fat burning]( In this metabolic ward study, 3 hours of bright light before bed suppressed melatonin levels, reduced fat oxidation (during light exposure and during sleep) and increased carbohydrate oxidation (during sleep). [Nutritional strategies for psoriasis]( Nutritional strategies that reduce inflammation may alleviate psoriasis. A low-energy diet has been found to alleviate psoriasis in people with excess body weight. [Can glutamine enhance the effects of a low-FODMAP diet?]() In people on a low-FODMAP diet, glutamine alleviated irritable bowel syndrome (the control group was given a whey protein isolate). 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). --------------------------------------------------------------- Feb 10, 2021 Candida: A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside a detox diet We finally have an evidence page for Candida overgrowth. Specifically, the condition called intestinal candidiasis: [Intestinal candidiasis: Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments]( Intestinal candidiasis is an infection of the gut caused by a yeast (a type of fungus) called Candida. But to say that Candida is misunderstood would be an understatement. On the one hand, when people talk about the gut microbiome, they usually think only of bacteria, whereas the gut microbiome includes various other microorganisms, notably fungi. (The community of fungi in a microbiome is sometimes called a mycobiome, and yeasts are a normal part of this mycobiome.) On the other hand, Candida is often blamed for problems that are more likely caused by bacteria, or impaired gut motility, or some other common gut condition. That’s partly due to the prevalence of inaccurate Candida information online. To ensure our page was as accurate as possible, we enlisted the help of [Gabrielle Fundaro](=), an Examine researcher whose PhD revolved around microbiome research. She eats, sleeps, breathes, absorbs, digests, and enzymatically cleaves microbiome evidence for a living, so you’re likely to learn a thing or two from her write-up: [Examine’s Candida page](=) --------------------------------------------------------------- Feb 03, 2021 Do meal replacements work for weight loss? File this one under “useful data that slipped under the radar”. With so many people using shakes and bars to lose weight, you’d think this study would have been better publicized: [Is dieting with meal replacements better than just dieting?]() This study is a 2021 meta-analysis of 22 randomized controlled trials that pitted diets using meal replacements against other types of low-calorie diets. In total, 1,982 adults took part in these trials. That’s quite a lot of data! Keep in mind that the findings of this meta-analysis are based on data derived from all the trials, even though different trials used different protocols (including different meal replacements) and saw different results. Also, remember that what works best for one person won’t always work best for another. Many factors enter into this equation: genetics, taste in foods, daily schedule, and so on and so forth. As a general rule, [the best diet for you]() will simply be the healthy diet you can stick to. Sincerely, Kamal Patel Co-founder, Examine If you’re currently certified by the following organizations, you can earn continuing education credits at no extra charge by taking a quiz after reading specific Study Summaries. Any of our Members can also take the quizzes for fun. For more information, click on the links: - [Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND)]( - [National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)]( - [National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)]( NEW! If you’re a U.S. health professional (MD, RN, PT …), [click here]( to let us know which organizations you’d like us to add. --------------------------------------------------------------- Latest on Social Media [Verified Every month, we summarize 150+ new studies for our Examine Members. Check out our Members’ favorite summaries for 🔥FREE through the link in bio @examinedotcom!⁠⁠This month’s favorites include two Editor’s Picks, which delve deeper into the studies and include helpful graphics.⁠](=)[Not only can exercise delay the onset of physical and cognitive decline, but it can also improve symptoms in people whose decline has started.⁠⁠If you're curious about what supplements can help with healthy aging, we have an entire Supplement Guide that tells you exactly what has been shown to have real effects and help you maintain immune health, libido, cognitive health, and more as you grow older. ⁠⁠You can get the entire guide for 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 now at the link in bio for this post @examinedotcom. Tag a friend who would love to get the guide too – and happy reading 🧠⁠⁠](=)[Verified To really understand what a study found, one must look past the headline and even the abstract, and read the full paper. At Examine, we read hundreds of health-related studies every month and follow a meticulous process to summarize the most important ones.⁠⁠As we do, we sometimes find numbers that don’t quite fit. Recently, one of us noticed such a number and reached out to one of the study’s corresponding authors, who quickly confirmed that a mistake was made when the data were transcribed and is now making sure a correction gets published.⁠⁠This kind of exchange — this informal extension of the peer-review process post-publication — is common nowadays, thanks to the internet. It is the sign of a healthy scientific community, and we’ll keep doing our part to ensure you always get accurate information.⁠⁠You can read our summary of this study (and thousands more — we add 150+ summaries of recent studies each month) with a free 2-week trial Membership. An Examine Membership is the easiest way to keep up to date on the research on the health topics that matter to you. See link in bio @examinedotcom to start your free trial now.⁠](=)[Verified Do you like coffee a little, a lot, or not at all? ⁠⁠If you ever wondered how exactly caffeine works its magic and keeps you going on Monday mornings, check out the link in bio @examinedotcom to learn! (spoiler alert: there's a lot more biology than magic involved 🐸 ☕)⁠](=)[Your body uses your liver to store carbs in the short term. When you sleep, your brain will use these carbs, and so, in the morning, you’ll have a satisfied brain and a lighter liver! Visit our glycogen information page with the link in bio @examinedotcom to see just how much glycogen your liver can store.⁠](=)[Yeast is a type of fungus and a normal part of the gut microbiome. It is harmless in most people but can cause illness in certain populations. One such illness is called intestinal candidiasis (𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢 being a genus of yeast).⁠⁠Intestinal candidiasis is one of those lesser-known illnesses on which it can be hard to find reliable information. Many people have never heard about it, while others make it responsible for everything that goes wrong with your body.⁠⁠@vitaminphd, an Examine researcher whose PhD revolved around microbiome research, sets the record straight for you at the link in bio @examinedotcom. If you have questions for her, post them in the comments below!⁠](=) 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 [Switch to weekly emails]( | [Opt-out of emails](