By becoming a member of FoundMyFitness premium, you'll receive the Science Digest every-other-week covering the latest in my exploration of recent science and the emerging story of better living — through deeper understandings of biology.
- Ketogenic diet, by replacing glucose with ketones as an energy source, lessens alcohol cravings among people with alcohol use disorders.
- Omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease-related death by up to 23 percent, especially in people with high triglyceride levels.
- Women see a 24 percent drop in premature death risk with just 140 minutes of weekly activity – half the time men need for similar benefits.
- Aging undermines the brain's capacity for maintaining working memory, with subtle declines in neuron activity and connectivity in the prefrontal cortex.
Seafood provides essential nutrients, but it also raises concerns during pregnancy. Although seafood is high in compounds that promote fetal brain development, worries about mercury levels have frequently shaped recommendations. A recent systematic review found that seafood consumption during pregnancy may enhance a child’s behavioral, social, and cognitive development.
Researchers reviewed 40 studies (primarily long-term observational research) that tracked seafood consumption during pregnancy and children’s developmental outcomes, including behavior, social-emotional skills, and cognitive abilities. They screened each study for quality and assessed the strength of the evidence based on consistency, effect size, and study design.
They found that children whose mothers consumed more seafood during pregnancy tended to demonstrate better behavioral and social-emotional development from infancy through adolescence and stronger overall developmental scores before age 4. Some studies linked higher seafood intake to improved attention, reasoning, and verbal intelligence, although findings in those areas were less consistent. The researchers found little to no evidence regarding seafood intake during lactation, and results were mixed for outcomes such as movement, language, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorder.
These findings suggest that eating seafood during pregnancy—within current recommendations of 8 to 12 ounces per week—supports a child’s development, especially in social and behavioral areas. Learn more about optimizing one’s diet and lifestyle for pregnancy in Aliquot #100: Optimizing for a Healthy Pregnancy & Early Childhood
Some bodybuilders push their bodies to extremes in pursuit of the ideal physique—but that pursuit may come at a steep cost. Reports of sudden deaths among elite competitors have raised new concerns about the long-term health risks of this demanding sport. A recent study found that bodybuilders, especially professionals, may be up to five times more likely to die of sudden cardiac death, often linked to enlarged hearts and cardiovascular complications.
The study involved more than 20,000 male athletes who participated in International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness events over a fifteen-year period. Researchers identified deaths during the study period and calculated death rates based on whether the athletes were still actively competing at that time.
During the study period, researchers noted 121 deaths. Of these, 73 were sudden, including 46 confirmed sudden cardiac deaths. Approximately one-third occurred in bodybuilders who were still actively competing, often during or just after a contest. Sudden cardiac deaths were most common among professional bodybuilders, who were more than five times more likely to die from heart-related causes than amateurs. Interestingly, unlike other elite athletes, bodybuilders in this study exhibited a higher overall death rate, even after retiring from competition.
These findings suggest that bodybuilding may carry considerable—and often overlooked—health risks. It’s noteworthy that resistance training (the foundation of bodybuilding) promotes pathological changes in the heart’s structure. However, incorporating aerobic exercise into a resistance training schedule can counter these effects. Learn more in this clip featuring cardiologist Dr. Ben Levine.
The progression of type 2 diabetes is not inevitable, and early-stage disease can often be reversed. However, standard clinical approaches tend to focus on disease management rather than remission. A recent study found that combining a high-protein diet, moderate exercise, and weight-loss medications promoted diabetes remission in nearly 87% of newly diagnosed people with type 2 diabetes, compared to 17% in those receiving standard care.
Researchers randomly assigned 61 adults with obesity and either prediabetes or newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes to one of two groups. Both received diabetes medications and general lifestyle advice, but one group also participated in a structured program that combined a high-protein diet with supervised moderate exercise (30 minutes daily, five times a week) for 12 months.
After a year, 73% of participants with prediabetes in the intensive program returned to normal blood glucose levels, compared to just 8% in the standard care group. Among those with type 2 diabetes, 87% experienced remission in the intensive group, while only 17% did in the standard group. People in the intensive group also lost an average of 19 kilograms (~42 pounds)—roughly 17 kilograms (~38 pounds) more than those in standard care—and showed greater reductions in body fat, liver fat, and visceral fat.
These findings suggest that when paired with medications (including metformin and GLP1 receptor agonists), an intensive yet manageable lifestyle program can dramatically improve blood glucose and body composition. Learn about Ozempic, a widely used GLP1 receptor agonist, in this episode featuring Dr. Rhonda Patrick.
