XY Files Blog

Medically reviewed articles on testosterone, hormones, fitness, and longevity, so you can make informed decisions about your health.

Novak Djokovic proactive care performance: The science of defying age

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Nov 30, 2025 · 16 min read

Elite performance in your late 30s is achievable when you proactively manage the predictable physiology of aging. You can counter testosterone’s roughly 1 to 2 percent yearly decline after 30, VO₂ max’s roughly 10 percent per-decade drop, and up to roughly 8 percent per-decade muscle loss with consistent training, strength work, and recovery before injuries ...

Can you drink coffee while fasting? What black coffee really does to a fast

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Nov 30, 2025 · 10 min read

Black coffee does not break a metabolic fast for most men because an 8 ounce cup has about 3 calories and is unlikely to trigger a meaningful insulin response. The real risk comes from what you add to it, plus how caffeine affects hunger, blood sugar, cortisol, and your gut when your stomach is empty. ...

Does diet coke break a fast? What men should know about diet soda, insulin, and hunger

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Nov 29, 2025 · 15 min read

Diet Coke and other diet sodas contain essentially no calories, so they technically do not break a fast. In some men, the sweet taste or caffeine may affect hunger, insulin, or stress responses enough to make fasting feel less effective. “If a guy asks me, ‘does diet coke break a fast,’ my medical answer is: ...

NAD+ injections safety and benefits for men. What to know about NAD3 side effects

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Nov 29, 2025 · 14 min read

NAD+ injections can be a safe way for men to raise NAD availability when they are prescribed, sourced well, and dosed correctly, but the benefits are still emerging and side effects are real. If you are seeing “NAD3” online, focus less on the label and more on the exact active ingredient, concentration, route, excipients, and ...

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for men: Science, safety, and real-world results

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Nov 28, 2025 · 15 min read

Most prescription testosterone replacement used in men is already “bioidentical.” The hormone molecule is chemically identical to what the testes produce, even as levels commonly decline about 1% per year after age 30 to 40. The real question is whether you have symptomatic, consistently low testosterone and how to dose and monitor therapy to restore ...

Is Propel water good for you? What science actually says

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Nov 28, 2025 · 10 min read

Propel is generally good for hydration and usually healthy to drink for workouts under about 60 to 90 minutes, with 0 calories, 0 g sugar, and about 270 mg sodium per 20 ounce bottle, but it does not provide the carbohydrate needed for prolonged endurance exercise or meaningfully treat a Super Bowl hangover. As Propel ...

Protein gummies: Smart shortcut or sugary trap for your gains?

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Nov 28, 2025 · 15 min read

Protein gummies can be a smart shortcut for your gains if they help you hit your daily protein target with predictable dosing. They can also be a sugary trap if you treat them like candy, overshoot calories, or let them replace real meals. “For most guys, the muscle building ‘magic’ is not the form of ...

Are Clif Bars healthy or just clever marketing?

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Nov 27, 2025 · 11 min read

For most sedentary men, a standard Clif Bar is closer to workout fuel than a healthy daily snack, with about 250 calories, 40 to 45 g of carbohydrate, and 17 to 21 g of added sugar. The real question is whether that bar is replacing planned training fuel or simply adding quick calories that do ...

Creatine gummies vs powder: Which works better and when to use each?

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Nov 27, 2025 · 13 min read

Creatine gummies and creatine powder work equally well when they deliver a clinically effective dose of creatine monohydrate (about 3 to 5 g per day), because your muscles respond to the same increase in phosphocreatine that helps regenerate ATP for short, intense efforts. The real differences come down to cost, convenience, and added ingredients like ...

Gary Brecka gene test: What DNA methylation really tells you about your health

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Nov 27, 2025 · 15 min read

A fair Gary Brecka methylation test review starts with this: the test can estimate biological age, but it cannot diagnose disease or tell you exactly which supplements you need. Many Gary Brecka blood test reviews mix up DNA methylation, routine blood biomarkers, and the Ultimate Human bloodwork panel, even though they answer very different questions. ...

Huberman sleep stack: What Andrew Huberman sleep cocktail ingredients can actually do

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Nov 26, 2025 · 15 min read

The Huberman sleep stack may modestly shorten sleep latency and reduce stress related arousal, but it is not a sedative and it does not treat sleep apnea or chronic insomnia. It is usually a three ingredient supplement routine of magnesium, L theanine, and apigenin, with a fourth ingredient, inositol, sometimes added at 900 mg every ...

Glutathione foods: Can you really eat your way to better antioxidant defense?

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Nov 26, 2025 · 14 min read

Not reliably. Most glutathione in food is broken down during digestion, so diet helps more by providing the amino acids and cofactors your body uses to make glutathione. Here is how glutathione actually works, which foods matter most, and how to build a smarter plan for immunity, energy, and healthy aging. “Glutathione is less like ...