It has been generally understood that in PCa patients, higher doses automatically lead to better outcomes. In this randomized trial of patients with metastatic castration-resistant PCa, a low-dose regimen of abiraterone (250 mg taken with food) was compared to the standard 1000 mg fasting dose. The results were strikingly similar. PSA response rates, progression-free survival, overall survival and quality of life all tracked closely between the two groups, despite the significant difference in dosing strategy.

What makes this particularly interesting is the fact that taking abiraterone with food dramatically increases absorption, meaning a lower dose can achieve a meaningful effect without increasing toxicity. In fact, even though the standard dose produced much higher drug levels in the bloodstream, it did not translate into better outcomes. This raises a simple question: are we always using the right dose, or just the established one?

Castillo-Luna et al. focus on what actually gives olive oil its health value and it’s not the oil itself, it’s the phenolic compounds within it. These compounds are directly tied to olive oil’s ability to protect against oxidative stress, which is why regulatory bodies have established a minimum threshold for health claims. What this paper highlights is how variable that phenolic content really is. Across real-world samples, levels ranged widely and not all extra virgin olive oils met the threshold required to deliver measurable biological benefit.

This means that two bottles labeled “extra virgin” can behave very differently at a biological level depending on their phenolic profile. The study also shows that common testing methods often underestimate these compounds, meaning we may be undervaluing certain oils while missing the true variability across products. So, please keep in mind that olive oil isn’t a uniform product, and if you’re using it for its health benefits, the details actually make a difference.

This paper looks at the Mediterranean diet as more than just a collection of “healthy foods.” It’s one of the most consistently studied dietary patterns and the data continues to point in the same direction. The Mediterranean diet is linked to lower risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction, cognitive decline and several cancers. But what makes this paper worth paying attention to is the why. The benefit isn’t coming from a single nutrient. It’s coming from a pattern that influences inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid metabolism and vascular function all at once.

The Mediterranean diet works because it operates at a biological level, often improving insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammatory pathways and supporting blood vessel health through a combination of polyphenols, healthy fats and fiber. This isn’t just theory. These are measurable effects seen across multiple systems. When you consistently layer these foods together, you’re eating better and shifting the underlying biology that drives disease progression.

Park et al. looked at the traditional Korean fermented food called gochujang, and evaluated its effects across multiple gastrointestinal cancer cell lines. The results were reduced cell viability, decreased migration and suppression of colony formation in gastric, liver and pancreatic cancer cells. Across different cancer types, the extract consistently interfered with the basic functions cancer cells rely on to grow and spread.

Personally, what makes this one interesting to me is the contrast to what many of us have heard for years. I’ve often been told that chronic intake of spicy foods may increase the risk of stomach cancer. This paper suggests something different. Gochujang influenced core cancer biology affecting proteins involved in cell proliferation while also altering oxidative stress in a cell-specific way. This research demonstrates fermented food interacting with multiple mechanisms at once. This is another example of how dietary patterns can influence cancer biology beyond simple nutrition.