📑 Studies

Peer-reviewed research papers, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and clinical trials.

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Browse by Evidence Tier

🥇 Tier A (18)

Our highest-quality evidence: systematic reviews and meta-analyses from top journals.

Study	Authors	Year	Journal	Pillars
The Hallmarks of Aging	López-Otín et al.	2013	Cell	1, 7
Hallmarks of Aging: Expanding Universe	López-Otín et al.	2023	Cell	1, 7
Energy Metabolism and Metabolic Diseases	Rosen & Spiegelman	2014	Cell	1, 2
Energy Expenditure Across Lifespan	Pontzer et al.	2024	Science	1, 2, 7
Diet Quality and All-Cause Mortality	Schwingshackl et al.	2018	The Lancet	2, 7
Vegetarian/Vegan Diets and Health	Dinu et al.	2017	Crit Rev Food Sci	2, 7
Mediterranean Diet Meta-Review	Dinu et al.	2018	Eur J Clin Nutr	2, 7
Health Benefits of Physical Activity	Warburton et al.	2017	CMAJ	3, 7
Long-Term Physical Activity Effects	Reiner et al.	2013	IJBNPA	3, 7
Acute Exercise and Cognition	Chang et al.	2012	Brain Research	3, 5
Sleep Duration and All-Cause Mortality	Cappuccio et al.	2010	Sleep	4, 7
Short Sleep and Health Outcomes	Itani et al.	2017	Sleep Medicine	4, 7
Sleep and Athletic Performance	Vitale et al.	2019	Int J Sports Med	3, 4
Cortisol Stress Reactivity and Health	Chida & Steptoe	2009	Psychoneuroendocrinology	1, 5
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction	Grossman et al.	2004	J Psychosom Res	5
Social Isolation and Mortality	Holt-Lunstad et al.	2015	Perspect Psychol Sci	5, 6
Loneliness and Health Outcomes	Hawkley & Cacioppo	2010	Ann Behav Med	5, 6
Individual Glycemic Responses	Zeevi et al.	2015	Cell	2, 8
Caloric Restriction and Health	Redman & Ravussin	2011	Free Radic Biol Med	2, 7

🥈 Tier B (4)

Strong evidence: well-designed studies and comprehensive reviews.

Study	Authors	Year	Journal	Pillars
Effects of Resistance Training	Westcott et al.	2012	Curr Sports Med Rep	3, 7
HPA Axis in Psychiatric Disorders	Juruena et al.	2020	Front Psychiatry	1, 5
Light Exposure Recommendations	Brown et al.	2022	PLOS Biology	4, 6
Genetics of Physical Activity	De Moor et al.	2015	Behav Genetics	3, 8

📑 All Studies (22)

Study	Authors	Year	Tier	Pillars
The Hallmarks of Aging	López-Otín et al.	2013	🥇 A	1, 7
Hallmarks of Aging: Expanding Universe	López-Otín et al.	2023	🥇 A	1, 7
Energy Metabolism and Metabolic Diseases	Rosen & Spiegelman	2014	🥇 A	1, 2
Energy Expenditure Across Lifespan	Pontzer et al.	2024	🥇 A	1, 2, 7
Diet Quality and All-Cause Mortality	Schwingshackl et al.	2018	🥇 A	2, 7
Vegetarian/Vegan Diets and Health	Dinu et al.	2017	🥇 A	2, 7
Mediterranean Diet Meta-Review	Dinu et al.	2018	🥇 A	2, 7
Health Benefits of Physical Activity	Warburton et al.	2017	🥇 A	3, 7
Long-Term Physical Activity Effects	Reiner et al.	2013	🥇 A	3, 7
Acute Exercise and Cognition	Chang et al.	2012	🥇 A	3, 5
Effects of Resistance Training	Westcott et al.	2012	🥈 B	3, 7
Sleep Duration and All-Cause Mortality	Cappuccio et al.	2010	🥇 A	4, 7
Short Sleep and Health Outcomes	Itani et al.	2017	🥇 A	4, 7
Sleep and Athletic Performance	Vitale et al.	2019	🥇 A	3, 4
Cortisol Stress Reactivity and Health	Chida & Steptoe	2009	🥇 A	1, 5
HPA Axis in Psychiatric Disorders	Juruena et al.	2020	🥈 B	1, 5
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction	Grossman et al.	2004	🥇 A	5
Light Exposure Recommendations	Brown et al.	2022	🥈 B	4, 6
Social Isolation and Mortality	Holt-Lunstad et al.	2015	🥇 A	5, 6
Loneliness and Health Outcomes	Hawkley & Cacioppo	2010	🥇 A	5, 6
Caloric Restriction and Health	Redman & Ravussin	2011	🥇 A	2, 7
Individual Glycemic Responses	Zeevi et al.	2015	🥇 A	2, 8
Genetics of Physical Activity	De Moor et al.	2015	🥈 B	3, 8

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Browse by Pillar

1️⃣ Body

Study	Year	Tier	Key Finding
The Hallmarks of Aging	2013	🥇 A	9 hallmarks of aging identified
Hallmarks: Expanding Universe	2023	🥇 A	Expanded to 12 hallmarks
Energy Metabolism	2014	🥇 A	Metabolic disease mechanisms
Energy Expenditure	2024	🥇 A	TDEE patterns across lifespan
Cortisol Stress Reactivity	2009	🥇 A	Cortisol-health relationships
HPA Axis Disorders	2020	🥈 B	HPA patterns in mental health

2️⃣ Nutrition

Study	Year	Tier	Key Finding
Diet Quality and Mortality	2018	🥇 A	Higher quality → lower mortality
Vegetarian/Vegan Health	2017	🥇 A	Plant-based reduces disease risk
Mediterranean Meta-Review	2018	🥇 A	Strong cardiovascular protection
Individual Glycemic Responses	2015	🥇 A	Same foods → different responses
Caloric Restriction	2011	🥇 A	CR improves metabolic markers
Energy Metabolism	2014	🥇 A	Metabolic disease mechanisms

3️⃣ Movement

Study	Year	Tier	Key Finding
Health Benefits of PA	2017	🥇 A	Exercise reduces all-cause mortality
Long-Term PA Effects	2013	🥇 A	Sustained activity = sustained benefits
Exercise and Cognition	2012	🥇 A	Acute exercise boosts cognition
Resistance Training	2012	🥈 B	RT improves body composition
Sleep and Performance	2019	🥇 A	Sleep extends athletic performance
Genetics of PA	2015	🥈 B	Moderate heritability of activity

4️⃣ Sleep

Study	Year	Tier	Key Finding
Sleep Duration & Mortality	2010	🥇 A	<6h or >9h increases mortality
Short Sleep & Health	2017	🥇 A	Short sleep → obesity, CVD, diabetes
Sleep & Athletic Performance	2019	🥇 A	Sleep extension improves performance
Light Exposure	2022	🥈 B	Bright day, dim night recommendations

5-8

Pillar 5: Stress & Mind

Study	Year	Tier	Key Finding
Cortisol Stress Reactivity	2009	🥇 A	Cortisol patterns predict health
HPA Axis Disorders	2020	🥈 B	HPA dysregulation in mental illness
MBSR and Health	2004	🥇 A	Mindfulness reduces stress/anxiety
Social Isolation Mortality	2015	🥇 A	Isolation = smoking-level risk
Loneliness and Health	2010	🥇 A	Loneliness affects multiple systems

Pillar 6: Environment

Study	Year	Tier	Key Finding
Light Exposure	2022	🥈 B	Circadian light recommendations
Social Isolation Mortality	2015	🥇 A	Social environment affects mortality
Loneliness and Health	2010	🥇 A	Connection protects health

Pillar 7: Goals

Study	Year	Tier	Key Finding
Hallmarks of Aging	2013	🥇 A	Aging mechanisms can be targeted
Diet Quality & Mortality	2018	🥇 A	Diet quality extends life
Health Benefits of PA	2017	🥇 A	Exercise is longevity intervention
Resistance Training	2012	🥈 B	RT for body composition goals
Sleep & Mortality	2010	🥇 A	Sleep duration affects lifespan
Caloric Restriction	2011	🥇 A	CR as longevity intervention

Pillar 8: Personalization

Study	Year	Tier	Key Finding
Individual Glycemic Responses	2015	🥇 A	Personalized nutrition matters
Genetics of PA	2015	🥈 B	Genetics influence exercise response

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Summary

Tier	Count	Study Types
🥇 A	18	Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, landmark papers
🥈 B	4	Well-designed studies, comprehensive reviews
Total	22

Why Studies Are Our Foundation

Tier A studies (systematic reviews and meta-analyses) synthesize evidence across many individual studies, providing the most reliable conclusions. These form the backbone of Mo's evidence-based recommendations. See the Sources Hub for our complete evidence hierarchy.