Search the studies

1. Nutritionpreliminary · human dataAdded 23 July 2026

   Protein shakes help women build muscle, not lose fat.

   In a 2025 meta-analysis of nine trials in women, pairing a protein supplement with exercise gave small but significant gains in fat-free mass, muscle size and strength, but made no difference to fat mass or body-fat percentage.

   ⚠What it shows: Nine trials, 408 women aged 18 to 73. Muscle effects were small (about 0.45 kg fat-free mass) and there was no effect on fat loss; the authors call for more high-quality trials.Meta-analysis (9 RCTs) · n=408 · healthy women 18 to 73 · Front Nutr

   Full breakdown →Whey protein guide →Effects of multi-ingredient protein supplementation combined with exercise on body composition and muscle fitness in healthy women: a systematic review with multilevel meta-analysis. Front Nutr 2025
2. Trainingpreliminary · human dataAdded 23 July 2026

   Two kinds of jump training, two different adaptations.

   Two-way ballistic and jump squat training both improve explosive strength in highly trained sprinters, but through different neuromuscular pathways: ballistic training enhances early-phase force production with greater vastus lateralis activation during take-off, whilst jump squat training preferentially improves reactive strength.

   ⚠What it shows: RCT in 40 highly trained male sprinters only; 6-week intervention; unclear whether findings generalise to other populations or training contexts.RCT · Scand J Med Sci Sports

   Full breakdown →Mechanical tension explained →Vertical Jump Power Calculator →Effects of Two-Way Ballistic Versus Jump Squat Training on Explosive Strength and Neuromuscular Adaptations in Highly Trained Sprinters. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2026
3. Trainingpreliminary · human dataAdded 23 July 2026

   Deadlifts don't retire.

   Twenty-four weeks of hexagonal barbell deadlift-based resistance training twice weekly improves trunk lean mass, reduces body fat, and enhances trunk extensor strength and mobility in older women, with no adverse events reported.

   ⚠What it shows: Single RCT, n = 32 older women (mean age 67.6 years), supervised twice-weekly training; no assessment of long-term adherence or sustained benefits beyond 24 weeks; whole-body lean mass and lower-limb isokinetic strength did not differ between groups.Study · Exp Gerontol

   Full breakdown →Sarcopenia explained →One-Rep Max Calculator →Effects of free-weight resistance training based on hexagonal barbell deadlift in older women: A 24-week randomized controlled trial. Exp Gerontol 2026

Back to the full archive · this week’s studies