Evidence Library
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Ratings apply to the specific claim assessed. Read each investigation for its findings and limitations.
Do Carbs During Long Workouts Really Improve Endurance?
STRONG — Carbohydrate during prolonged endurance exercise can improve performance compared with no carbohydrate. The benefit depends on the event and fuelling context; it does not mean every short workout ne...
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Does Static Stretching Really Make You More Flexible?
STRONG — Regular static stretching improves joint range of motion. It does not follow that stretching permanently lengthens every muscle, prevents all injuries or needs to be painful to work.
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Can Exercise Reduce Liver Fat Without Major Weight Loss?
STRONG — Structured exercise can reduce liver fat even without substantial weight loss. That is a real metabolic benefit, but an improved scan is not proof that exercise has reversed fibrosis or cured every ...
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Does CPAP Really Reduce Daytime Sleepiness in Sleep Apnoea?
STRONG — Positive airway pressure reduces excessive daytime sleepiness in adults with obstructive sleep apnoea. It treats a diagnosed breathing disorder; it is not a general sleep gadget or a proven guarante...
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Can a Mediterranean Diet Really Reduce Cardiovascular Events?
STRONG — Randomised dietary trials support fewer major cardiovascular events in higher-risk adults. The evidence concerns an eating pattern and support programme, rather than one superfood or a guarantee aga...
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Can Potassium-Enriched Salt Really Lower Blood Pressure and Stroke Risk?
STRONG — Replacing ordinary salt with a lower-sodium, potassium-enriched alternative lowers blood pressure. Stroke benefits have also been demonstrated in high-risk adults, but potassium salt is unsuitable f...
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Can Putting Your Hand on Your Heart Really Lower Cortisol and Stress?
LIMITED — A randomised experiment found a smaller cortisol response after a self-soothing-touch exercise, but participants did not clearly feel less stressed than controls. Newer trials suggest brief touch c...
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Do Cluster Sets Really Build More Strength and Muscle?
WEAK — Cluster sets can reduce fatigue and help preserve repetition speed. They are a useful training option, but long-term research does not establish a general advantage for muscle growth or maximal streng...
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Can Training Your Grip Strength Really Help You Live Longer?
WEAK — Lower grip strength is consistently associated with higher mortality risk. That does not demonstrate that grip-specific training extends life. Improving a predictor is not automatically the same as ch...
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Are Postbiotics Really Better Than Probiotics for Gut Health?
WEAK — Certain inactivated bacterial preparations have evidence for particular benefits, including an IBS trial. That does not establish that postbiotics as a category work better than probiotics, or that an...
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Can Creatine Really Help Treat Depression?
LIMITED — Some small trials suggest benefit when creatine is added to existing depression treatment. The evidence remains uncertain, and a recent meta-analysis found an average effect below its threshold for...
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Can Your Face Really Reveal Low Iron or Ferritin?
WEAK — Iron deficiency can cause symptoms and anaemia can cause pallor. But appearance cannot reliably diagnose low iron, measure ferritin or identify the reason for a change. Blood tests and clinical contex...
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