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Sources Library

Central hub for all sources powering Mo's wellness research.


📖 How This Library Works

Every claim in Mo's research is backed by credible sources. This library organizes 68 sources across two dimensions:


🏆 Evidence Tiers Explained

TierBadgeWhat It MeansUse For
ATier ASystematic reviews, meta-analyses, large RCTsStrong factual claims
BTier BPeer-reviewed studies, clinical guidelinesSupported recommendations
CTier CExpert textbooks, practitioner consensusEducational foundation
DTier DPopular science, podcasts, articlesContext and accessibility
Key Principle

Higher tiers = stronger claims. When sources disagree, defer to the higher tier. Tier D sources should always be verified against Tier A-B evidence.


📊 Library Statistics

MetricCount
Total Sources84
📚 Books26
🔬 Studies38
🎙️ Experts10
🏛️ Institutions12

🔍 Browse All Sources

Gold Standard Sources

Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and landmark research.

SourceTypeYearPillarsKey Topic
Hallmarks of Aging🔬 Study20131, 7Aging biology framework
Hallmarks of Aging: Expanding Universe🔬 Study20231, 7Updated 12 hallmarks
Energy Metabolism Review🔬 Study20141, 2Metabolic disease
Energy Expenditure Across Lifespan🔬 Study20241, 2, 7TDEE patterns
Diet Quality & Mortality🔬 Study20182, 7Diet patterns
Vegetarian/Vegan Health Outcomes🔬 Study20172, 7Plant-based diets
Mediterranean Diet Meta-Review🔬 Study20182, 7Mediterranean pattern
Physical Activity Health Benefits🔬 Study20173, 7Exercise & health
Long-Term Physical Activity Effects🔬 Study20133, 7Sustained activity
Acute Exercise & Cognition🔬 Study20123, 5Exercise & brain
Sleep Duration & Mortality🔬 Study20104, 7Sleep & death risk
Short Sleep & Health🔬 Study20174, 7Sleep deprivation
Sleep & Athletic Performance🔬 Study20193, 4Sleep for athletes
Cortisol & Health🔬 Study20095, 1Stress response
MBSR & Health🔬 Study20045Mindfulness benefits
Social Isolation & Mortality🔬 Study20156, 5Loneliness risk
Loneliness & Health🔬 Study20106, 5Social connection
Individual Diet Response (Zeevi)🔬 Study20152, 8Personalized nutrition
Caloric Restriction Review🔬 Study20112, 7CR & longevity
UPF Umbrella Review🔬 Study2024217% CVD risk, 28% CV mortality
UPF & All-Cause Mortality🔬 Study2024210% increased mortality
Decision Fatigue (Baumeister)🔬 Study20082, 8Ego depletion
Judicial Decision Fatigue🔬 Study20112, 8Decisions deteriorate
FODMAP Diet Effectiveness🔬 Study20142IBS symptom reduction
Celiac ACG Guidelines🔬 Study20232Diagnostic criteria

📚 Browse by Type

PillarTop BooksTier
1. Body ScienceGuyton & Hall, LifespanC
2. NutritionEat Drink Be Healthy, Hungry BrainC
3. MovementNSCA Essentials, PeriodizationB-C
4. SleepWhy We Sleep, Sleep SolutionC
5. Stress & MindUpside of Stress, Stress ManagementC
6. EnvironmentThe Inner ClockD
7. Goals(See Movement/Nutrition books)
8. PersonalizationAtomic Habits, Tiny HabitsC-D

View All Books →


🎯 Top Sources by Pillar

Start Here for Body Science

SourceTypeTierWhy It's Essential
Guyton & Hall📚CGold standard physiology textbook
Hallmarks of Aging🔬AFoundational aging framework
Huberman Lab🎙️CAccessible neuroscience

📖 Pillar Source Pages

Each pillar has its own curated sources page:

PillarSources Page
1. Body ScienceView Sources →
2. NutritionView Sources →
3. MovementView Sources →
4. SleepView Sources →
5. Stress & MindView Sources →
6. EnvironmentView Sources →
7. GoalsView Sources →
8. PersonalizationView Sources →

🛠️ Contributing & Maintenance

📋 Source Evaluation Criteria

How Sources Are Evaluated

When adding a source, evaluate on 6 criteria (score 1-5 each):

CriteriaQuestionScoring
CredentialsIs the author qualified?1 (unknown) → 5 (PhD/MD in field)
PublicationWhere was it published?1 (blog) → 5 (peer-reviewed journal)
EvidenceWhat type of evidence?1 (opinion) → 5 (meta-analysis)
RecencyHow current?1 (>20 yrs) → 5 (<2 yrs)
RecognitionIs it cited/respected?1 (unknown) → 5 (highly cited)
BiasConflicts of interest?1 (clear conflict) → 5 (none)

Average Score → Tier:

ScoreTier
4.0+A
3.0-3.9B
2.0-2.9C
1.0-1.9D
➕ How to Add a New Source

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Evaluate the Source

Use the 6 criteria above to determine the tier. Ask yourself:

  • Is this from a credible author/institution?
  • Is the evidence strong (meta-analysis > single study > opinion)?
  • Is it recent and relevant?
  • Are there conflicts of interest?

Step 2: Determine Where It Belongs

Source TypeFile to UpdateExamples
📚 Book/Textbooksources/books.mdTextbooks, popular science books
🔬 Study/Papersources/studies.mdMeta-analyses, RCTs, reviews
🎙️ Expert/Podcastsources/experts.mdResearchers, podcasts, databases
🏛️ Institutionsources/institutions.mdWHO, NIH, professional orgs

Step 3: Add to the Type File

Add a new row to the appropriate table in sources/[type].md:

For Books:

| **Book Title** | Author | Year | Tier | Pillars | Notes |

For Studies:

| **Study Title** | Journal/Citation | Year | Tier | Key Finding |

For Experts:

| **Expert/Source** | Type | Tier | Focus Area |

For Institutions:

| **Institution** | Type | Tier | Best For |

Step 4: Add to Relevant Pillar Sources

Update the pillar's sources.md file (e.g., nutrition/sources.md):

  1. Add to the appropriate Tab (Studies, Books, etc.)
  2. Add to the "Sources by Topic" section if applicable
  3. Consider adding to "Recommended Starting Points" if it's essential

Step 5: Update This Index (sources/index.md)

  1. Add to the appropriate Tier tab in "Browse All Sources"
  2. Update statistics if counts changed:
    • Total sources count
    • Pie chart numbers
    • Type counts table

Step 6: Update Topic Pages (Optional)

If the source supports specific claims in topic pages:

  1. Add inline citations where relevant
  2. Add to the Sources section at the bottom of the topic page

Example: Adding a New Study

Let's say you want to add a 2024 meta-analysis on protein timing:

1. Evaluate: Meta-analysis in peer-reviewed journal = Tier A

2. Add to sources/studies.md:

| **Protein Timing Meta-Analysis** | J Int Soc Sports Nutr | 2024 | A | Timing less important than total intake |

3. Add to nutrition/sources.md:

  • Add to Studies tab under "Macronutrients" section
  • Add to "Sources by Topic" under Protein

4. Update sources/index.md:

  • Add row to Tier A tab
  • Update total count: 68 → 69
  • Update Studies count: 22 → 23
  • Update pie chart: "Tier A (18)" → "Tier A (19)"
🔧 Maintaining the Sources System

File Structure

docs/wellness/sources/
├── index.md # This hub page (central navigation)
├── books.md # All 📚 books by tier
├── studies.md # All 🔬 studies by tier
├── experts.md # All 🎙️ experts/podcasts
└── institutions.md # All 🏛️ institutions

docs/wellness/[pillar]/
└── sources.md # Pillar-specific sources page

What Each File Contains

FilePurposeUpdate When...
sources/index.mdCentral hub, statistics, all sources by tierAny source added/removed
sources/books.mdComplete book list with detailsAdding a book
sources/studies.mdComplete study list with citationsAdding a study
sources/experts.mdExpert sources with focus areasAdding an expert
sources/institutions.mdOfficial institutionsAdding an institution
[pillar]/sources.mdPillar-specific curated listAdding source relevant to pillar

Regular Maintenance Tasks

Monthly Review

  • Check for broken links to external sources
  • Review if any sources have updated editions (books) or new research
  • Verify statistics are accurate

Quarterly Review

  • Search for new landmark studies in each pillar
  • Update "Key Research Findings" summaries with new data
  • Review expert sources for continued credibility
  • Check if any Tier D sources should be upgraded based on new evidence

Annual Review

  • Full audit of all 68+ sources
  • Update publication years where new editions exist
  • Remove or demote sources that are outdated
  • Add new foundational sources discovered during the year

Keeping Statistics Accurate

When adding/removing sources, update these locations:

  1. Pie chart in sources/index.md:
  1. Statistics table in sources/index.md:
| **Total Sources** | 68 |   ← Update this
| 📚 Books | 26 | ← Update by type
  1. Tab labels in sources/index.md:
<TabItem value="tier-a" label="🥇 Tier A (18)" default>  ← Update count in label

Source Deprecation

If a source becomes outdated or problematic:

  1. Don't delete immediately - mark as deprecated first
  2. Add note: ⚠️ Outdated - newer research available
  3. Find replacement: Identify newer source covering same topic
  4. Update references: Find all pages citing deprecated source
  5. Remove after transition: Once all references updated, remove from lists
📝 Style Guide for Source Entries

Naming Conventions

ElementConventionExample
Study titlesShort descriptive name"Sleep Duration & Mortality" not full citation
Book titlesFull title, no subtitle"Why We Sleep" not "Why We Sleep: Unlocking..."
Expert namesName or podcast name"Huberman Lab" or "Peter Attia"
YearsPublication year only"2024" not "March 2024"

Tier Badges

Use these consistently:

  • In tables: Just the letter (A, B, C, D)
  • In prose: "Tier A" or "🥇 Tier A"
  • Badge images: ![Tier A](https://img.shields.io/badge/Tier-A-brightgreen)

Pillar References

Use pillar numbers for brevity in tables:

  • Numbers: 1, 2, 3 (not "Body Science, Nutrition, Movement")
  • Multiple: "1, 3, 7" (comma-separated)
  • All pillars: "All" (for institutions like WHO)

Citation Format in Topic Pages

When citing in actual content pages:

Inline citation:

Research shows protein needs increase with age (Tier A: Protein Requirements Meta-Analysis, 2022).

Sources section:

## 📚 Sources

| Source | Tier | Key Finding |
|--------|------|-------------|
| Protein Meta-Analysis (2022) | A | 1.6g/kg optimal |

For Mo

When citing sources in conversations:

  • Lead with Tier A-B sources for factual claims
  • Use Tier C-D for context and accessibility
  • Always note the tier when making recommendations
  • If sources conflict, explain the disagreement and defer to higher tiers