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Should You Always Trust Science-Based Fitness Advice?

Gymgoers put a lot of stock in “science-based” fitness influencers, often changing their training based on their guru’s latest post. In many cases, however, an influencer’s hottest takes hinge on a single piece of research—and that’s shaky ground. In a new large-scale study published in Sports Medicine , 29 research teams tried to replicate 25 exercise science papers printed in leading journals between 2016 and 2021. They went to great lengths to match the original studies—recruiting participants with the same characteristics and using the same sample sizes, equipment, and procedures. They even asked the original authors for guidance when important details were missing or unclear (though few replied). Only 28% of the studies held up, and in 88% of those, the effects were far smaller than originally reported—about 75% smaller on average. The rest failed outright or were too muddled to interpret confidently. In other words, fewer than one in three exercise studies have reproducibl...
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Do You Need Electrolyte Supplements When You Work Out?

Electrolyte supplements are experiencing a boom. Endurance athletes have been takin g them during w orkouts and races for decades, but recently, they’ve become popular with everyone—from Crossfitters to tennis champions to couch potatoes.  You can buy custom electrolyte supplements , blood tests to measure your electrolyte levels, and myriad hydration drinks , chews, pills, powders, and gels that promise to keep your blood brimful of electrolytes. Why the clamor for these salty supplements? According to many of the companies peddling these products, when you sweat, you lose large amounts of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. If you don’t replenish these vital minerals, you quickly become dehydrated, and your performance, mood, and overall health withers.  Is this true, though?  Are electrolyte supplements the keystone of health and performance they’re puffed up to be? Keep reading to learn what science says. Table of Contents + What Are Elec...
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Does Taurine Fuel Blood Cancer Growth?

Taurine has spent the past few years riding a wave of good press, largely thanks to a high-profile study linking it to longevity.  But a new study published in Nature did damage to its reputation.  It uncovered a link between taurine and blood cancer, leading many to worry they’d been supplementing with something that’s undermining their health. New Research Linking Taurine and Blood Cancer The study focused on leukemia —a type of blood cancer that begins in bone marrow. Like all cancers, leukemia doesn’t grow in isolation—it interacts with its surroundings, also known as the “microenvironment.” This microenvironment is full of cells like fibroblasts and stem cells that usually help your body function properly. When someone has cancer, however, this environment can change in ways that help the disease grow and spread. The researchers found that taurine plays a role in shaping this environment. Most taurine is made in the liver, but bone marrow cells can pr...
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Do You Need Electrolyte Supplements? What Science Says

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Electrolyte supplements are everywhere now—lining store shelves, flooding your social feed, and forever in the hand of your favorite athlete. Despite their ubiquity, most people aren’t sure what they actually do. Some say they’re essential for anyone who exercises. Without them, fluid loss through sweat and urine depletes your body’s stores, leaving you chronically dehydrated and vulnerable to a range of problems. Others argue they’re only useful if you do long, sweaty workouts. In those situations, they may help you train harder for longer and stay mentally sharper by keeping you better hydrated. And plenty of people believe they’re utterly pointless because you simply don’t lose enough electrolytes to justify supplementation. Who’s right? What do electrolyte supplements actually do? And when—if ever—are they worth taking? Get evidence-based answers here. Want to know exactly which supplements you should take to reach your fitness goals? Take our free 60-second quiz and find...
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The Easiest Way to Beat Hunger

Research shows that our body is far more sensitive to the absolute amount of food that we eat rather than the calories it provides.  Accordingly, our appetite is affected more by the volume of what we eat rather than the calories, or put differently, that literally filling our stomach is mostly what makes us feel full after a meal. This is why studies show that if you doubled the caloric content of your normal volume of food (through, say, using fattier foods, adding oil or butter to meals, etc.), you’d probably have no trouble eating it all.  That is, your body wouldn’t detect the large increase in calories and then decrease appetite to help maintain a neutral energy balance . This principle cuts the other way as well.  For example, if you’re used to eating a half-pound hamburger for dinner and ate a smaller quarter-pounder instead, you’d probably still feel hungry.  If you made the smaller burger larger by adding some lettuce, tomato, and onion and not ...
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I Changed My Mind About Electrolytes

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For several years, electrolytes have been one of the hottest tickets in sports nutrition—billions in annual sales that are projected to at least double over the next decade. And yet, until now , Legion didn’t offer an electrolyte supplement. Why? Because, as I’ve written and said many times, I didn’t think there was an honest evidence-based argument for why people should slurp tasty mineral water every day. Basically, my position was, “Electrolyte powders are a scam. Save your money and just salt your food and drink water.” I’ve changed my mind, however. Here’s my new position: “Most people should save their money and just salt their food and drink water, but those who regularly do long (~45+ minute), sweaty workouts can probably benefit from taking an electrolyte supplement as well.” Which, I believe, is enough to support selling an electrolyte product.  And so, I give you Hydrate , which reduces fatigue and supports energy, mood, and performance during long, sweaty ...
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What Are SARMs? The Complete Evidence-Based Guide

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SARM stands for selective androgen receptor modulator , and they’re a class of drugs chemically similar to anabolic steroids. Steroids promote muscle growth, but they also come with a long list of unwanted side effects: acne, hair loss, testicular atrophy, and more. They act like a hormonal “carpet bomb,” affecting your entire body—not just your muscles. SARMs were designed to be different. They target specific tissues like muscle and bone, while mostly sparing others like the prostate, liver, and brain. At least, that’s the theory. In reality, SARMs are still largely untested in humans and sold as unregulated “research chemicals.” That means we don’t fully understand their side effects, long-term risks, or even what’s really in the products being sold. In this article, you’ll learn what SARMs are, how they work, the most common side effects, and why they’re more risky than they first appear. Want to know exactly which supplements you should take to reach your fitness goals? T...
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