Long-form thinking on longevity, performance & healthy aging.
Research-grounded essays from the Peak Human team. No fluff, no fads — just what the science actually shows.
Full Body vs Split for Building Muscle
How Many Days a Week — and Does the Split Matter?
Across 67 studies and 2,058 participants, muscle growth rose steadily with weekly sets — while training frequency's effect on size was compatible with no meaningful effect at all. Trained men gained the same strength from 13-minute sessions as from 68-minute ones. A physician reads the training-split evidence honestly.
Plant vs Animal Protein for Muscle
Does the Source Actually Change the Result?
Gram for gram, plant protein isolates carry less leucine — you need 54 g of hemp protein to match the leucine in 25 g of whey. Yet when total protein is matched at 1.6 to 2 g/kg, vegans and omnivores gained the same 1.2 kg of leg lean mass over 12 weeks. A physician reads the plant protein evidence honestly.
The 10,000-Step Target Came From a Name
What the Step-Count Evidence Actually Shows
Walking 7,000 steps a day instead of 2,000 was associated with a 47% lower rate of death from any cause — and going on to 10,000 moved the hazard ratio only from 0.53 to 0.52. The number itself appears to have come from a 1965 pedometer's trade name. A physician reads the step-count evidence honestly.
What the Human Evidence on BPC-157 Contains
Five Studies, About 81 People, One Unstudied Route
BPC-157 has been given to humans in five published studies totalling about 81 people, one of which exists only as a 2005 conference abstract. Nobody has published a study of subcutaneous injection — the route in almost every syringe sold. A physician reads the actual evidence base.
Your Lp(a) Is High and the First Drug Failed
What Lp(a)HORIZON Did — and Didn't — Tell Us
Pelacarsen lowered Lp(a) in 8,323 patients and did not reduce cardiovascular events — and seven weeks on, no hazard ratio, no event counts and no p-value have been released. Meanwhile 237,729 UK Biobank participants show a 50% higher revascularisation rate above 105 nmol/L. A physician reads both results honestly.
Protein Timing: Does When You Eat It Matter?
The Anabolic Window, Meal Spacing and the 20-Gram Myth
Pooled across 23 randomised trials, protein taken near a workout looked helpful — until the analysis controlled for how much protein each group ate, at which point the advantage vanished. Over twelve hours, 100 g of protein beat 25 g with almost no extra oxidation. A physician reads the protein timing evidence honestly.
How Much Protein to Build Muscle?
What the Evidence Actually Supports, in g/kg
The famous 1.6 g/kg target comes from a regression that did not reach significance, with a confidence interval running from 1.03 to 2.20. Across 49 trials in 1,863 people, training itself added 27 kg to a one-rep max; the protein supplement added 2.5. A physician reads the protein evidence honestly.
The Best CGMs of 2026, Compared
Which Sensor to Buy — and Whether You Need One
Manufacturer accuracy figures cluster between 8.0% and 10.2%, and the two independent head-to-head studies disagree about who wins. Meanwhile healthy non-diabetic adults spend about 30 minutes a day above 7.8 mmol/L — and that is normal. A physician compares the 2026 sensors honestly.
How Accurate Is One Blood Pressure Reading?
Your Number Moves All Day — Here's What That Means
In 444 patients who gave 111,181 readings, no single clinic systolic value between 120 and 157 mm Hg could say whether their blood pressure was controlled. The wrong cuff on a large arm adds 19.5 mm Hg by itself. A physician explains how much one reading can tell you.
Vitamin D: Supplement or Sunlight?
What the Big Trials Actually Found
VITAL randomised 25,871 adults and found no reduction in cancer, cardiovascular events or fractures. D-Health randomised 21,315 and found no reduction in death. The reason is not that vitamin D does nothing — it is that almost everyone enrolled was already replete. A physician reads the vitamin D evidence honestly.
Does Urolithin A Actually Work?
What Five Randomised Trials Show
Across five randomised trials in 236 people, the only outcome that could be pooled — six-minute walk distance — came out at +17 metres, with a confidence interval crossing zero. Correcting one statistical error cut the estimate 38% and erased its significance. A physician reads the Urolithin A evidence honestly.
Do Polyphenol Supplements Work?
Food First, or Is the Capsule Worth It?
In 78 postmenopausal women, eight weeks of concentrated pomegranate, resveratrol and red clover raised LDL cholesterol 9.5% — and cut oxidised LDL by 39%. The largest polyphenol supplement trial ever run, 21,442 adults on cocoa flavanols, missed its primary endpoint. A physician reads the polyphenol evidence honestly.
Floss, Electric Toothbrush or Waterpik?
What Actually Prevents Gum Disease
Across 51 randomised trials, a powered brush removed about 11% more plaque at one to three months. Every interdental device — floss, interdental brushes, water flossers — rests on low or very low certainty evidence. A physician reads the oral hygiene evidence honestly.
Does Diet Actually Fix Gout?
What Moves Uric Acid — and What Doesn't
Across five cohorts, whole dietary patterns explained 0.3% of the variation in uric acid; genes explained 23.9%. Vitamin C lowered urate 0.23 mg/dL against allopurinol's 1.9. A physician reads the gout diet evidence honestly.
Why Fasting Insulin Is the Biomarker Almost Nobody Orders
What the Test Shows — and What It Can't
In Whitehall II, insulin sensitivity was already falling five years before a diabetes diagnosis — two years before fasting glucose moved. Four in ten young American adults are insulin resistant, and half of them aren't obese. A physician reads the fasting insulin evidence honestly.
Does Nattokinase Actually Work?
What Three Decades of Trials Really Show
A three-year randomised trial of 265 adults found no effect on carotid plaque, blood pressure or any lab measure. The dramatic plaque-regression figures come from a study with no control group. A physician reads the nattokinase evidence honestly.
Are Seed Oils Bad for You?
What the Evidence Actually Shows
Across 30 randomised trials, increasing linoleic acid moved no inflammatory marker. In 221,054 adults followed 33 years, swapping 10 g of butter a day for plant oils tracked with 17% lower mortality. A physician reads the seed oil argument honestly.
The Endothelial Glycocalyx
Do Supplements Like Arterosil Actually Work?
The glycocalyx is the vessel's flow sensor — strip its heparan sulfate and shear-induced nitric oxide vanishes entirely. But rhamnan sulfate, the ingredient in Arterosil, has no published randomised human trial, and the one glycocalyx supplement tested independently was null.
How Much Fish Is Safe in Pregnancy?
Omega-3 Benefit vs Mercury Risk
Fish is the best source of the fat a fetal brain is built from — and the only real source of methylmercury. In 11,875 ALSPAC pregnancies, eating no seafood carried a 48% higher odds of a child in the lowest verbal-IQ quartile. A physician reads the trade-off honestly.
Free-Range vs Pasture-Raised Eggs
Which Ones Are Actually Worth Paying For?
When the same flock ate the same feed and only outdoor access differed, range eggs had 0.17% omega-3 versus 0.14% — and no difference in vitamin A, vitamin E or cholesterol. A physician reads the egg carton honestly.
Lead Poisoning in Adults
When a Blood Level Is Ten Times the Limit
A blood lead level near 100 µg/dL is about thirty times the population reference value. A physician reviews what lead does to the body, where an adult dose that high comes from, and why chelation moved the number but not the outcome in the one large randomised trial.
Is Fluoride Safe?
Toothpaste, Water and the Honest Evidence
Fluoride toothpaste has strong evidence and a plateau above 1,500 ppm. Water fluoridation is a different question: about a quarter of a tooth in modern studies, 12% fluorosis of aesthetic concern at 0.7 ppm, and an IQ signal that sits above 1.5 mg/L.
Do Food Tracking Apps Actually Work?
What the Randomised Evidence Says
Food tracking apps produce modest weight loss — but simply downloading one does almost nothing. A physician reviews the trials, accuracy data, adherence problem and who should not track.
Relationships and Happiness
What 85 Years of Harvard Data Show
Harvard has followed the same people since 1938. Relationship satisfaction at 50 predicted physical health at 80 better than cholesterol did — and across 148 studies of 308,849 people, stronger social ties meant a 50% greater likelihood of survival.
Does Sharing Your Goals Help?
What the Accountability Research Actually Shows
Four longitudinal studies of 1,035 adults found people who told someone about a goal put more effort in. Yet in Gollwitzer's experiments, being noticed cut working time by 11 minutes. A physician sorts out when sharing helps and when it backfires.
Ghrelin: The Hunger Hormone
What Raises It, What Lowers It
Ghrelin is the only hormone shown to make people eat more — infusing it raised buffet intake 28%. Two nights of short sleep raise it 28%, and a year after dieting it is still elevated. A physician reviews the evidence.
Oligospermia: Do hCG, hMG or Clomiphene Work?
The Evidence, Sorted by Cause
Gonadotropins induce sperm in about three quarters of men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. In idiopathic low sperm count with normal FSH, the honest answer is far weaker — and testosterone is the wrong tool entirely.
How Effective Is hCG at Raising Testosterone?
The Evidence, Dose by Dose
hCG stimulates the testis to make its own testosterone — preserving intratesticular testosterone and fertility that exogenous testosterone suppresses. A physician reviews how large the rise really is, and who it works for.
Supplements for the MDMA Comedown
What the Evidence Actually Shows
The mid-week “Tuesday blues” after MDMA are real. A physician reviews the evidence behind popular “rolling supplement” stacks — vitamin C, alpha-lipoic acid, 5-HTP, EGCG, magnesium — and the serotonin-syndrome risk that matters most.
MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD
What the Phase 3 Evidence Really Shows
Two phase 3 trials found large drops in PTSD severity — yet the FDA said no in 2024. A physician reviews the MDMA evidence, the mechanism, the FDA decision, and what comes next.
Ketamine for Depression
What the Evidence Really Shows
Does ketamine work for depression? A physician reviews the evidence on IV ketamine and esketamine (Spravato) for treatment-resistant depression — speed, durability, safety.
DPA: The Third Omega-3
Does Docosapentaenoic Acid Deserve More Attention?
DPA sits between EPA and DHA, often outranks EPA in blood, and was the only marine omega-3 linked to lower total coronary heart disease in a 19-cohort pooling project. A physician reviews the evidence.
Krill Oil vs Fish Oil
Which Omega-3 Absorbs Better?
Does krill oil absorb better than fish oil? A physician compares the phospholipid vs triglyceride and ethyl-ester forms, the trial evidence, dose and value.
EPA, DHA & DPA: The Three Omega-3s
What Each One Does — and Why DPA Is Overlooked
EPA, DHA and DPA are three omega-3s with three different jobs. A physician explains what each does, where to get them, and why DPA is overlooked.
Testosterone Gel vs Injection
How to Choose the Right TRT
Gel or injection for testosterone therapy? A physician compares steadiness, blood-thickening risk, transference, convenience and cost — and how to choose the right delivery method.
Testosterone's Daily Rhythm
Why It Peaks in the Morning (and Why That Matters)
Male testosterone follows a daily clock — highest at dawn, lowest in the late afternoon. How age and sleep reshape that rhythm, and why the timing of your blood test can change the diagnosis.
Testosterone Therapy and the Heart
Does TRT Cause Heart Disease? What the 2026 Evidence Shows
TRAVERSE randomised 5,246 men and found no increase in heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death — but atrial fibrillation, clots and blood pressure tell a more specific story.
Oral Testosterone Therapy (Jatenzo)
How Effective Is It, What Is the Dose, and What Is the Trade-Off?
Oral testosterone undecanoate is now approved in Canada. What the phase 3 trials show on effectiveness, the dosing and titration schedule, and the blood-pressure caveat.
Does Plasma Exchange Actually Reverse Biological Age?
Two 2025 randomised trials, opposite conclusions
Two randomised trials published in 2025 reached opposite conclusions about whether plasma exchange lowers biological age. The difference between them — what gets put back in — is the most useful finding in the literature.
HBOT Benefits: What the Newest 2026 Research Actually Shows
Fibromyalgia, wound healing, tissue salvage and recovery
New 2026 hyperbaric oxygen therapy studies on fibromyalgia pain, diabetic wound healing, tissue salvage and exercise recovery — plus where the HBOT evidence is still thin.
NMN vs NR
Which NAD+ Precursor Actually Works? A 2026 Evidence Review
NMN and NR both raise NAD+ — but does that translate into real benefits? An evidence review of the head-to-head trial, the conversion pathway, and what a 2025 meta-analysis says about muscle and strength.
Which Creatine Is Best?
How to Choose a Creatine Supplement in 2026
Monohydrate, HCl, gummies — are all creatine supplements the same? An evidence review of which form actually works and how to judge product quality.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in 2026: What the Newest Evidence Actually Supports
A clinician's review of the 2025–2026 HBOT trials
Effect sizes, session protocols, the null results that matter, and where the HBOT signal is strongest across brain injury, cognition, long COVID and longevity.
The Rare Gene Variant Behind Families Who Age Without the Inflammation
CGAS, cGAS-STING and the biology of inflammaging
A rare CGAS variant found in long-lived Leiden families blunts cGAS-STING signalling — the pathway behind inflammaging. What the evidence shows, and its limits.
Blue Light, Melatonin and Blue Light Blockers
What the 2026 Evidence Actually Supports
A clinician's review of 2026 evidence on blue light, melatonin suppression and blue light blockers — what the data support and how to counsel patients.
Creatine Dosage & Clinical Evidence 2026
Brain, Muscle, Bone & Kidney Safety
A practitioner's review of 2025–2026 creatine trials: dosing thresholds, brain creatine uptake, strength effect sizes, and what the new kidney-function meta-analysis actually shows.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Benefits
What the Latest Research Actually Shows
Does hyperbaric oxygen therapy work? A plain-English look at the newest HBOT research on longevity, brain injury, wound healing and recovery — with the data.
Vitamin K2 (MK-7) for Heart Health
Can It Help Protect Your Arteries?
Your arteries are supposed to stay soft and flexible. New 2026 research suggests Vitamin K2 (MK-7) may help slow arterial calcification and keep calcium in your bones, not your blood vessels.
Blue Light and Sleep
Do Blue Light Blockers Really Work?
Does blue light hurt your sleep, and do blue light blocking glasses actually work? A physician-led look at the latest 2025 research on melatonin, circadian rhythm and screens.
Plasmalogens for Brain Health
Do They Actually Work?
Plasmalogens are brain lipids that fall with age and dementia. Here's what the latest research says about benefits, safety, dosage, and whether they help cognition.
Is Creatine Safe?
Benefits, Dosage & What the Latest 2026 Research Shows
Is creatine safe? New 2026 research links daily creatine to brain, muscle, and healthy-aging benefits for men and women. See the evidence, dosage, and safety.
Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Actually Work?
What the Latest Research Shows
A quick, evidence-based look at HBOT: longevity biomarkers, wound healing, post-COVID cognition and brain injury — what recent studies actually show.
Blue Light and Sleep
Do Blue Light Blockers Actually Work?
Blue light suppresses melatonin and delays your circadian rhythm. Here's what 2025–2026 research says about screens before bed and whether blue light blockers help.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in 2026
What the Newest Trials Actually Show
A clinician's review of the newest HBOT research — TBI, diabetic foot ulcers, post-COVID cognition and longevity — with protocols and effect sizes.
Blue Light and Melatonin
What the Latest Evidence Tells Clinicians About Screens, Circadian Rhythm & Blue Light Blockers
A clinical review of the latest research on blue light, melatonin suppression, and circadian phase — plus what the evidence really shows about blue light blocking glasses.
Creatine in Clinical Practice
A 2026 Evidence Review for Practitioners
A practitioner's read of the 2026 creatine evidence — dosing, brain creatine, strength meta-analyses, menopause, and safety.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for the Brain, Wounds & Longevity
What the 2025–2026 Evidence Shows
A clinician's review of the latest HBOT research on brain injury, cognition, wound healing and long COVID — protocols, effect sizes, and where the evidence stands.
Do Blue Light Glasses Work?
What New Sleep Research Actually Shows
New 2025–2026 studies on blue light, melatonin, and sleep — plus an honest look at whether blue light blockers work for adults, kids, and eye strain.
Creatine for Women
What 2026 Research Says About Brain, Muscle & Healthy Aging
Creatine isn't just for men. 2026 research links daily creatine to women's brain, muscle, and healthy-aging benefits — see the evidence, dosage, and safety.
Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Work?
What the 2025–2026 Research Shows
New 2025–2026 research on HBOT for brain injury, longevity, fibromyalgia and recovery. See the data and what it means for you.
Blue Light and Sleep
Do Blue Light Blockers Actually Work?
New research on blue light, melatonin and circadian rhythm. See what the evidence says about blue light blockers for better sleep.
Creatine for General Health
What the 2026 Research Actually Shows
A longevity-focused look at creatine: cognition in older adults, healthy aging, and an honest read of the evidence.
5 Reasons to Start Taking Creatine Today
Backed by 2025–2026 Research
Creatine isn't just for gym-goers. New research reveals benefits across muscle, brain, mood, and healthy aging.