Adam Greer Nutrition

Introducing the new Level 1 workshop-based course in the Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) series designed as a practical accompaniment to the EBMtalks lecture-based course. ​​​​​​​​
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Do you find yourself searching around on Pubmed and can't find evidence to answer your questions? ​​​​​​​​
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Get a bit overwhelmed by statistical jargon and struggle to figure out happened without skipping to the conclusion? ​​​​​​​​
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Or do concepts make sense, but you need to see it demonstrated or practice with support, to make it "sink in"? ​​​​​​​​
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EBMplay level 1 course was created with you in mind.​​​​​​​​
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Video recordings of demonstrations and explanations, plus activities, will be provided for those unable to attend live sessions - or incase you want to review it a few times alone afterwards. ​​​​​​​​
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This course, and others, are now available with payment plans - and huge discounts of up to 40% when purchased with other packages such as mentoring, clinical development or tutorial plans.​​​​​​​​
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To find out more, check out: adamgreernutrition.com/courses

Roses are red, violets are blue; take care of your heart, and cholesterol too. ​​​​​​​​
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Speaking of which, does a low-carbohydrate or low-fat dietary pattern have a greater influence on cholesterol? ​​​​​​​​
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The most recent meta-analysis dropped a couple of weeks' ago in Nature: A lower fat diet still appears to lower total cholesterol ~0.63mmol/l (34.36mg/dl) more than a lower carbohydrate diet, and lowers LDL-C (the so-called "bad" cholesterol) ~0.59mmol/l (22.82mg/dl) more too. ​​​​​​​​
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What about HDL (the so-called "good" cholesterol)? This is where it gets trickier: A lower carbohydrate diet seems superior here, increasing HDL by ~0.82mmol/l (31.71mg/dl) more than a low-fat diet. Unfortunately, this outcome appears to be influenced by publication bias, yielding a high Egger's test score (p=0.016). ​​​​​​​​
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What might this mean? Statistical tests for publication bias can be significant for many reasons, such as heterogeneity between studies or failure to publish research showing non-significant or negative results (especially in smaller studies). ​​​​​​​​
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In fact, even though no other outcomes appeared to suggest publication bias, heterogeneity was significantly observed for all outcomes (not just across the low-carb studies). ​​​​​​​​
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To learn more about navigating these topics, check out my CARDIOtalks course, starting in 2 weeks', and EBMtalks and EBMplay courses, starting in April. Video streaming options are available. Find out more via link in bio.

Veganuary comes to an end today. Eating more plant proteins (and plant foods generally) might be something many are considering beyond January. What are the potential health benefits of including more plant proteins for non- vegans? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Analysis of 31 studies on over 700,000 people observed 8% fewer deaths from any disease within a 32 year period, among frequent plant protein consumers, compared with non-consumers. There were 12% fewer cardiovascular deaths. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Interestingly, even very small quantities (around 3% of daily calories; e.g., one fifth of a can of cooked chickpeas for women or one quarter of a can for men) was associated with 5% fewer deaths.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This quantity would be too low to replace animal protein at a meal, though it might add variety to meals.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It is important to note a few things: In this analysis, animal proteins such as chicken and fish had a neutral effect. And total protein intake generally was protective. So it is not that these must be replaced; eating plant proteins might have additional benefits. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The studies were also observational - and US populations differed with other populations, particularly for cardiovascular outcomes. Perhaps quality of dietary pattern and plant protein source are important here: in another meta-analysis, unprocessed vegan diets were associated with a 13% fewer diagnoses of cardiovascular disease, whilst poor quality vegan diets were associated with a 5% more cardiovascular deaths. Legumes and nuts, rather than processed meat replacement products are preferable.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Individual plant and non-plant food groups and cardiovascular risk are explored in more detail in the upcoming CARDIOtalks course. Find out more via link in Bio. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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A new study published this month analysed results from 10 trials. Compared with sham supplementation, daily vitamin D3 use lowered the risk of influenza by ~22%. ⠀
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What impact would this really have on potential infection in the real world? In principle, this could lead to ~3% fewer influenza cases over a winter period if vitamin D3 intake was more widespread.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This may sound small, but in an average year in the UK, ~2000 per week are diagnosed with influenza. If all of these people took a vitamin D3 supplement, 60 of these might avoid infection who otherwise would have been affected.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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For context, influenza vaccination may reduce absolute risk of infection by ~7%, meaning that 142 out of every 2000 per week would avoid infection who otherwise would have been diagnosed. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So vitamin D3 use does not replace the benefits of vaccination; more than double the number of people could be infected if those who normally receive a flu vaccine swapped it for a vitamin D supplement. It is possible that supplementation could be beneficial in otherwise healthy people as an added extra.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Does the dosage matter? Or age? Or geographic location? This analysis didn't find any significant influence, so perhaps not. Those taking more than 2000IU per day fared no better than those taking less than 2000IU per day. Most supplements typically provide 500 to 2000IU per serving, so a dose within this range may be adequate. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Keep in mind that this is for information purposes only and not specific, general, or personal health advice; always consult a qualified health professional if you're interested in the suitability of supplements for you.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I could not be more excited to release CARDIOtalks, a 30 hour lecture-based course, starting April. The most important, complex and vastly researched areas of clinical nutrition research are distilled and summarised across 10 weeks. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The risk vs benefit for every single food group, the most widely studied dietary models, exercise patterns and supplements is clarified using only the highest-quality research. This will make evidence-based practice easier than ever, saving hundreds of hours of reading time. Find out more via link in bio. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I'm excited to announce the first new course of the year, LABplay. This 8-part workshop-based course uses case studies to help practitioners apply LABtalks concepts in practice. Find out more using the link in bio.

I visited yesterday and spotted this amusing placard; lighted-hearted twist on a Veganuary post follows. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Stanley Green, aka. "Protein Man", gained notoriety in London, protesting against dietary protein (even plant-based) and sedentary lifestyles; he hoped this would lower the libido and increase kindness.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Few would object to more kindness in the world, though common fears about vegan diets, (from men, mainly), include protein adequacy and testosterone or libido. Whilst vegan proponents insist evidence suggests the opposite. Many men believe exercise increases testosterone. So what does the evidence suggest? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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- Few studies in humans look directly at libido. In men, testosterone is a proxy which seems to be affected more by caloric intake than protein alone:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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- Neither high nor low protein intakes prevented the effect of 40% calorie restriction on testosterone decline, in one study. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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- In obese men, both moderate and high protein diets increased testosterone, provided they lost weight. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Er****on strength is another proxy used. the evidence in support of vegan diets for this purpose is scant and mostly observational, rather than experimental. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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- In rats, protein-restriction reduced testosterone; though many studies restricted protein in rats beyond what even vegan diets could replicate in humans without drastric calorie deficits. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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- Long term, squat jumps increase testosterone in athletes; Among older adults, moderate to high aerobic exercise appears to improve testosterone and erectile strength too.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Evidence is scarce, but appears to contradict Stanley Green's claims about both protein and exercise (unless resulting in significant calorie deficit). It seems vegans need not worry - though claims of higher virility appear hasty. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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With 2022 already underway, I've been busy writing material for the courses that I'll be offering this year, which I'll be announcing over the coming weeks. It struck me that it was 17 years ago this month that my own love affair with nutrition began. A new year's resolution to become more conscious about my food choices, quickly re-directed the course of my life - and my career! For a brief summary of my journey so far, check out: adamgreernutrition.com/about

By popular request, I am excited to introduce EBMtalks: Core Foundations in Evidence-Based Practice.

EBMtalks is the first in a 3 level program designed to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the principles of evidence-based medicine and healthcare practice. Each level will build upon the last to help you further nurture confidence in reading, understanding and critically appraising healthcare research.

This level in core foundations will introduce you to the history and philosophy of science and evidence-based practice. You will learn about the different types of observational and clinical research to appreciate their usefulness - and their limitations.

The language of research can be learnt and fluency can be achieved. This course will help you to learn how to search for and find research online, how to identify a variety of common study models and discover how each has been designed, when they are appropriate to be used, what we can and cannot infer from each study type, what the common errors and pitfalls are and deepen your understanding of confounders.

A key aim for the course is to introduce the concept of epidemiology and how it is relevant to understanding of health and disease. You will learn about the gold standard of randomised controlled trials where we will explore the fascinating world of placebo and nocebo effects and understand the psychological, social and biological underpinnings of their effects.

You will also be introduced to what are arguably the most important forms of evidence: systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

The core foundation level course will introduce research using a non-mathematical approach however you will learn some of the basics about several of the types of statistical models used to interpret healthcare research and how to make sense of the numbers in simple, practical ways to help you understand the outcomes of studies. You will also be able to appreciate the different types of statistical models used for specific types of research and interpret visual representations of some of these.

This course is ideal for you if you are a healthcare practitioner or student wanting to refresh or deepen your understanding of evidence-based practice, especially from more of a nutrition perspective. Whether you want to find the best quality evidence to support your patients or develop your understanding about an area of interest at a deeper level, making friends with research is essential. If you are a nutrition student and you are struggling with research concepts or want to further develop your skills to help you prepare for written assignments, this course could be perfect for you.

If you are neither a healthcare student nor practitioner but are generally interested in learning how to read healthcare research and improve your understanding of evidence-based medicine and healthcare science, to improve your critical thinking skills in a world of nutrition guru's, fad diets and fake news, this course could be a great introduction for you. This is not a nutrition course and so you will learn nothing new about nutrition itself, though you will learn how to find information about nutrition or any healthcare related topic independently. The course will assume no prior level of knowledge of research methods, statistics or science, but will be aimed at university level. It will also be a pre-requisite to more advanced levels of the EBMtalks which will be offered in the future.

The core-foundations course will run over 10x 2 hour sessions, starting in mid-May and ending late-September, so it should fit in smoothly with academic year end and start, for student attendees. There will be no EBMtalks events running over August - so you can have a few weeks break to relax and digest the information from the course.

There will be a day-time and evening option for each event date and your ticket can be used interchangeably. You are even welcome to attend both sessions if you feel you want a chance to absorb the information a little further. Detailed slides will be provided for each session. These are copyrighted and cannot be shared with anyone not attending the course.

The EBMtalks core foundations level course can only be purchased as a whole. The 10 sessions can be used for 20 hours CPD and costs £300.

For those who would like to attend both the EBMtalks and LABtalks courses, there is a package deal available for £500.

The synopsis for each day is as follows:

Day 1: History and philosophy of science and evidence-based medicine.
Day 2: Finding research: databases, search engines, optimising search terms, storing and collating research. Formulating research questions. Private versus open access research and their strengths and limitations. Introduction to types of evidence and the hierarchy of evidence.
Day 3: Introduction to forms of bias in research including cognitive bias. Introduction to critical thinking. Introduction to placebo and nocebo.
Day 4: Introduction to epidemiology - understanding its relevance to nutrition, controversies and issues. Introduction to statistical concepts in epidemiology.
Day 5: Cohort studies - types of cohort studies, research uses of these studies, common statistical models employed. Key principles in critical appraisal for cohort studies.
Day 6: Case-control studies - types of design approaches, the questions these studies aim to address and their limitations. Key statstical models used and critical appraisal considerations.
Day 7: Cross-sectional and ecological studies - understanding their uses in practice, how to critically appraise them and the kinds of statistical models used.
Day 8: Case studies and Case series, animal and in-vitro evidence, in-silico research and making sense of genetic studies.
Day 9: Interventional studies - Randomised and non-randomised controlled trials, types of control models, the sociology and psychobiology of placebo and nocebo effects. Types of statistical models used. Key principles in critical research.
Day 10: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses - understanding the overlap and differences in these studies, their design, their limitations and key statistical models and visual representations of pooled data.

The dates for these events are:
Day 1: Wednesday 19th May - 10am-12noon OR 7pm-9pm.
Day 2: Wednesday 2nd June - 10am-12noon OR 7pm-9pm.
Day 3: Wednesday 16th June - 10am-12noon OR 7pm-9pm.
Day 4: Wednesday 30th June - 10am-12noon OR 7pm-9pm.
Day 5: Wednesday 14th July - 10am-12noon OR 7pm-9pm.
Day 6: Wednesday 28th July - 10am-12noon OR 7pm-9pm.
SUMMER BREAK
Day 7: Wednesday 8th September - 10am-12noon OR 7pm-9pm.
Day 8: Wednesday 15th September - 10am-12noon OR 7pm-9pm.
Day 9: Wednesday 22nd September - 10am-12noon OR 7pm-9pm.
Day 10: Wednesday 29th September - 10am-12noon OR 7pm-9pm.

You can book here at:

www.adamgreernutrition.com/event

Back by popular demand...For those who missed the LABtalks event last time, bookings are now open for the next course!

This event, aimed at Nutritional Therapists and other healthcare practitioners, will be looking at nutrition-focused laboratory assessments tools: When and why to order, how to interpret them, what the latest evidence suggests should be an ideal reference range for optimised interpretation and how to choose the right test - and testing provider.

New practitioners and final year students of nutrition will find this especially helpful, though the course will also aim to offer a refresh to more experienced practitioners and to update current evidence around diagnostic tools.

Mainstream pathology testing as well as private and functional testing will be discussed - including a critical look at many tests to help prioritise the tests that offer the best value for money for your patients and give you the most useful tools for clinical practice.

Over 10x 2 hour sessions will provide you up to 20 hours CPD. There is the option to attend in the weekday during the day time or at the weekend.

Full course attendance for 20 hours is £300. It is not possible to purchase individual dates as standalone events.

Non-clinicians may find the course of interest if they have a special interest in healthcare and have some foundations in healthcare pathophysiology already. The course will be aimed at a graduate level so will be more suited to those who already have some biology, biochemistry or pathology background.

Week 1: Intro - choosing and prioritising mainstream testing, appropriate referrals and engagement with GP's and other medical consultants. What is meant by evidence-based interpretation and how does this affect use of private testing?Accreditation of laboratories and selection of companies.

Week 2: Primary assessment of nutritional status and associated states of insufficiency.

Week 3: Endocrine testing - primary hormone profiling for pancreatic, thyroid, prostate and reproductive health.

Week 4: Cardiometabolic risk assessment - anthropometric, blood and urinary testing for diabetes and cardiovascular biomarkers.

Week 5: Digestive health assessment - for bowel, pancreatic, gastric (inc. H.Pylori, pernicious anaemia) and liver health.

Week 6: Musculoskeletal and renal health assessment - including auto-immune considerations.

Week 7: Allergy testing and a critical look at intolerance testing.

Week 8: Comprehensive and specific stool testing options.

Week 9: A critical look at intestinal permeability and testing options, alongside breath testing in digestive health (fructose, lactose, SIBO).

Week 10: Organic acid testing: Uses, limitations, cautions, considerations and interpretation.

These sessions will not be recorded or available as recordings and are subject to copyright. Detailed slides will be provided for each day of the course for your future reference. Sharing any such resources without explicit written consent will result in a non-refundable barring of access to remaining and future courses.

You are welcome to attend both weekend or weekday dates if you are unable to make a particular date.

The weekend dates for this event are:

Week 1 - Saturday 24th April- 10am -12noon
Week 2 - Saturday 1st May - 10am -12noon
Week 3 - Saturday 8th May - 10am -12noon
Week 4 - Saturday 15th May - 10am -12noon
Week 5 - Saturday 22nd May - 10am -12noon
Week 6 - Saturday 29th May - 10am -12noon
Week 7 - Saturday 5th June - 10am -12noon
Week 8 - Saturday 12th June - 10am -12noon
Week 9 - Saturday 19th June - 10am -12noon
Week 10 - Saturday 26th June - 10am -12noon

The weekday dates for this event are:

Week 1 - Tuesday 27th April- 10am -12noon
Week 2 - Tuesday 4th May - 10am -12noon
Week 3 - Tuesday 11th May - 10am -12noon
Week 4 - Tuesday 18th May - 10am -12noon
Week 5 - Tuesday 25th May - 10am -12noon
Week 6 - Tuesday 1st June - 10am -12noon
Week 7 - Tuesday 8th June - 10am -12noon
Week 8 - Tuesday 15th June - 10am -12noon
Week 9 - Tuesday 22nd June - 10am -12noon
Week 10 - Tuesday 29th June - 10am -12noon

To book or find out more, go to: www.adamgreernutrition.com/event

I'm excited to introduce to you the official image for AG Nutrition LABtalks: I have created a series of 10 virtual lectures for practitioners on how to use clinical laboratory assessments to optimise patient outcomes.

Find out more and purchase tickets via adamgreernutrition.com/event

Welcome Followers!

I wanted to share information about a new event starting 9th December. This course, aimed at Nutritional Therapists and other healthcare practitioners, will be looking at nutrition-focused laboratory assessments tools: When and why to order, how to interpret them, what the latest evidence suggests should be an ideal reference range for optimised interpretation and how to choose the right test - and testing provider.

New practitioners and final year students of nutrition will find this especially helpful, though the course will also aim to offer a refresh to more experienced practitioners and to update current evidence around diagnostic tools.

Mainstream pathology testing as well as private and functional testing will be discussed - including a critical look at many tests to help prioritise the tests that offer the best value for money for your patients and give you the most useful tools for clinical practice.

Over 10x 2 hour sessions will provide you up to 20 hours (CPD approval pending) hours towards your annual CPD requirement through BANT. There is the option to attend in the day time or in the evening. It is recommended to attend all 10 days, though as they stand alone to some degree, a 5x session class pass is also available at a reduced rate for those who are unable to attend all 10 dates.

Full course attendance for 20 hours CPD is £300.
Part-time course attendance for 10 hours CPD is £200.

Non-clinicians may find the course of interest if they have a special interest in healthcare and have some foundations in healthcare pathophysiology already. The course will be aimed at a graduate level so will be more suited to those who already have some biology, biochemistry or pathology background.

Week 1: Intro - choosing and prioritising mainstream testing, appropriate referrals and engagement with GP's and other medical consultants. What is meant by evidence-based interpretation and how does this affect use of private testing?Accreditation of laboratories and selection of companies.

Week 2: Primary assessment of nutritional status and associated states of insufficiency.

Week 3: Endocrine testing - primary hormone profiling for thyroid, prostate, adrenal and reproductive health.

Week 4: Cardiometabolic risk assessment - anthropometric, blood and urinary testing for diabetes and cardiovascular biomarkers.

Week 5: Digestive health assessment - for bowel, pancreatic, gastric (inc. H.Pylori, pernicious anaemia) and liver health.

Week 6: Musculoskeletal and renal health assessment - including auto-immune considerations.

Week 7: Allergy testing and a critical look at intolerance testing.

Week 8: Comprehensive and specific stool testing options.

Week 9: A critical look at intestinal permeability and testing options, alongside breath testing in digestive health (fructose, lactose, SIBO).

Week 10: Organic acid testing: Uses, limitations, cautions, considerations and interpretation.

These sessions will not be recorded or available as recordings and are subject to copyright. Sharing any resources without explicit written consent will result in a non-refundable barring of access to remaining and future courses.

The course is purchased as a whole and cannot be purchased as individual sessions.

The dates for this event are:
Week 1 - Wednesday 9th December - 10am -12noon OR 7pm-9pm
Week 2 - Wednesday 13th January - 10am -12noon OR 7pm-9pm
Week 3 - Wednesday 27th January - 10am -12noon OR 7pm-9pm
Week 4 - Wednesday 10th February - 10am -12noon OR 7pm-9pm
Week 5 - Wednesday 24rd Feburary - 10am -12noon OR 7pm-9pm
Week 6 - Wednesday 10th March - 10am -12noon OR 7pm-9pm
Week 7 - Wednesday 24th March - 10am -12noon OR 7pm-9pm
Week 8 - Wednesday 7th April - 10am -12noon OR 7pm-9pm
Week 9 - Wednesday 21st April - 10am -12noon OR 7pm-9pm
Week 10 - Wednesday 5th May - 10am -12noon OR 7pm-9pm

For more information or to book your place, please visit:

http://www.adamgreernutrition.com/event

Live Events and Webinars | AG Nutrition Ltd. Online CPD events and live webinars for Nutrition, Health and Lifestyle Education