Do high protein diets shorten lifespan?

I’ve written quite a lot on this blog about why a high protein diet is the most effective way to rapidly lose weight and achieve an optimal body composition. I’ve also written about how it’s been shown to prevent fractures and muscle loss in elderly people.

So it comes as a bit of a fly in the ointment when you hear that “ah yes, … Read more

Is meditation effective for chronic back pain?

Lots of people suffer from chronic back pain, and unfortunately, the treatments that doctors can offer are not particularly good. Acetaminophen (paracetamol) and NSAID’s are completely ineffective, while benzodiazepines and opioids turn people in to drug addicts.

Physiotherapists have better luck treating chronic back pain than doctors, but many people continue to suffer for years even with regular physiotherapy. So there is a need for … Read more

Can sun exposure make you live longer?

After my recent article on whether or not sunscreen prevents skin ageing, several people responded that I should have added something about the evidence that sun exposure makes you live longer somewhere in the article. The idea that sun exposure is good for your longevity comes primarily from a Swedish study that was published in The Journal of Internal Medicine in 2014, so … Read more

Is a high protein diet effective for weight loss?

I’ve discussed in a previous article how studies on multiple different species of animal show that protein is the primary factor determining body weight. Put a mouse, a cockroach, or a monkey on a high protein diet (i.e. one where a high percentage of calories comes from protein), and it becomes lean. Switch it to a low protein diet, and it becomes obese.

Since this … Read more

Does sunscreen prevent skin ageing?

It’s well established that the primary cause of skin ageing is exposure to radiation from the sun. This is perhaps best illustrated by a case report that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2012. A 69-year old man in Chicago had gone to the doctor because the left side of his face was visibly ageing much faster than the right side.… Read more

Can drinking water help with weight loss?

People who want to lose weight are frequently told to drink more water. With that being the case, you would think that there would be plenty of strong scientific evidence to support this recommendation. You would think that, and you would be completely wrong. I’ve only been able to identify four randomised trials that have increased overweight people’s water intake and then followed them for … Read more