This week's issue
Bottom line
Four claims moved this week. The record splits on protein, and agrees that light drinking still raises cancer risk.
What moved, and where the record stands
Most people already eat enough protein
ConflictingMost Americans already eat enough protein to build muscle with normal strength training, Mozaffarian says. Eating more does little for muscle unless you train. Amino acids your muscles don't use get stored as fat.
“So most Americans are already eating, 90% of Americans actually are already eat enough protein for normal regular strength training to build muscle.”
- The claim checked: Is the protein RDA too low to build muscle?
- The full answer: How much protein per day for longevity?
Even light drinking raises cancer risk
Strong consensus forAlcohol is an established cause of cancer, and even light drinking can raise the risk, Hyman says on a solo episode. A glass of red wine can be a pleasure, but it is not a longevity strategy. If you want polyphenols, eat colorful plants.
- The claim checked: Does even light drinking raise your cancer risk?
- The full answer: Is red wine good for your heart?
A daily cup of blueberries for arteries and brain
Leaning forAbout a cup of blueberries a day improves how well arteries widen, Patrick says on a solo episode. In the trial she describes, half a cup did not have the same effect. She also points to trials where blueberries improved memory in older adults.
“blueberry consumption was associated with about a 1 to 1.5 percentage point improvement in that FMD in that response.”
- The claim checked: Do blueberries improve artery function?
A hard pregnancy predicts later heart disease and diabetes
Not enough evidencePreeclampsia and gestational diabetes are early warnings, says Gray, an obstetrician and researcher. Women who get preeclampsia often carry genes for high blood pressure, and they face more heart disease later. About half of women who had gestational diabetes go on to get type 2 diabetes. She says every doctor should ask about past pregnancies.
“so 50% of patients who have gational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes.”
- The claim checked: Does preeclampsia raise heart and kidney disease risk later in life?
Checked this week
Episodes we went through claim by claim, against the studies.
-
Episode check · Longevity basicsFasting can cost you muscle, the episode says. In six of ten studies, it didn't.
Solo episode by Mark Hyman · checked against 79 studies
- Exercise protects muscle as you age Strong consensus for
- Weak muscles mean more falls and disability Leaning for
- Multivitamins don't lower your risk of death Strong consensus for
- Too much fasting costs you muscle Leaning against
- Even light drinking raises cancer risk Strong consensus for
- Red wine doesn't lower heart disease risk Conflicting
- How long you live isn't mostly genetic Strong consensus for
- Healthy habits add years, whatever your genes Strong consensus for
-
Episode check · Sleep and lightLate caffeine hurts your sleep, the episode says. Ten studies split on it.
Solo episode by Rangan Chatterjee · checked against 31 studies
- Caffeine at the wrong time hurts sleep Conflicting
- Alcohol makes you wake in the night Leaning for
- Alcohol cuts REM sleep Strong consensus for
- Evening screens can harm sleep Strong consensus for
How much protein per day for longevity?
Everyone on the record agrees that protein builds muscle only with strength training. They split on whether a normal diet already covers what you need. One side reads intake surveys and finds most people above the bar. The other reads the requirement studies and says the bar is set too low, especially as people age. A trial that tests muscle and strength in ordinary adults at both intakes would settle it.
See the full dated record →Primary sources
- 58:26 Dariush Mozaffarian, on The Doctor's Farmacy Most Americans already eat enough protein to build muscle with normal strength training, Mozaffarian says. Eating more does little for muscle unless you train. Amino acids your muscles don't use get stored as fat.
- 05:37 Tim Spector, on The Diary of a CEO Calls protein massively hyped and puts the share of people who don't get enough at under 5%.
- 05:22 Luc van Loon, on The Drive Active people eat more protein without trying. He says 0.8 g per kg of body weight lets you survive but is not optimal.
- 33:45 Don Layman, on The Drive Says the protein RDA rests on flawed nitrogen-balance studies and underestimates what adults need, more so as they age.
- 05:56 Rupy Aujla, on Feel Better, Live More Believes current UK and US protein recommendations are too low.
- 07:58 Mark Hyman, on The Doctor's Farmacy Alcohol is an established cause of cancer, and even light drinking can raise the risk, Hyman says on a solo episode. A glass of red wine can be a pleasure, but it is not a longevity strategy. If you want polyphenols, eat colorful plants.
- 105:09 Rhonda Patrick, on FoundMyFitness Light drinking, under about seven drinks a week, raises breast and colorectal cancer risk by around 4%.
- 30:26 Sarah Wakeman, on The Diary of a CEO For breast and esophageal cancer, risk starts to rise even below the low-risk drinking limits.
- 102:49 Andrew Huberman, on Huberman Lab Cites estimates that cancer risk rises with every daily drink, with breast cancer the clearest link.
- 60:04 Georgia Ede, on Feel Better, Live More Calls alcohol almost all risk and very little benefit, so red wine is no reason to drink for health.
- 06:06 Peter Attia, on The Drive Traces red wine's health reputation to a misreading of epidemiology and to resveratrol claims that did not hold.
- 79:34 Emily Leeming, on Feel Better, Live More Even small amounts are hard on the gut, she says, but if you drink, red wine is likely the kindest choice for gut microbes.
- 16:18 Rhonda Patrick, on FoundMyFitness About a cup of blueberries a day improves how well arteries widen, Patrick says on a solo episode. In the trial she describes, half a cup did not have the same effect. She also points to trials where blueberries improved memory in older adults.
- 36:37 Andrew Huberman, on Huberman Lab Says the data support a cup or two of blueberries or other dark berries most days for brain function.
- 25:01 Mark Hyman, on The Doctor's Farmacy Recommends at least a cup a day and credits better blood vessel function for the brain effects.
- 55:07 Kathryn Gray, on The Drive Preeclampsia and gestational diabetes are early warnings, says Gray, an obstetrician and researcher. Women who get preeclampsia often carry genes for high blood pressure, and they face more heart disease later. About half of women who had gestational diabetes go on to get type 2 diabetes. She says every doctor should ask about past pregnancies.
- 37:17 Erin Michos, on The Drive Counts preeclampsia and other pregnancy problems among the heart disease risks only women carry.
Every line above is a video and a minute.