Research.
Every peer-reviewed study on fascia in one place — graded for strength of evidence, summarised in plain language for clinicians, researchers, and curious patients.
We grade studies from A to 1A+++ using the Fascia Research Database rubric — 1A+++ is the strongest.
Therapeutic applications of gut microbes in cardiometabolic diseases: current state and perspectives
This narrative review explores the relationship between gut microbiota and cardiometabolic diseases (CMD), such as hypertension, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. The authors describe how gut microbes and their metabolites…
Ultra-processed foods and food additives in gut health and disease
This narrative review examines the link between ultra-processed foods (UPFs), food additives, and gastrointestinal health. Research suggests that diets high in UPFs are associated with an increased risk of inflammatory…
Gut-Brain Interactions and Their Impact on Astrocytes in the Context of Multiple Sclerosis and Beyond
This narrative review explores how the interaction between the gut microbiome and the brain influences the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). The researchers describe how imbalances in gut bacteria can lead to bact…
B-Group Vitamins as Potential Prebiotic Candidates: Their Effects on the Human Gut Microbiome
This narrative review explores whether B-group vitamins can act as prebiotics by promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. The authors discuss how B-vitamins that are not absorbed in the small intestine can reach…
Immediate Effects of Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization on Hydration Content in Lumbar Myofascial Tissues: A Quasi-Experiment
This quasi-experimental study investigated how instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) affects the hydration levels of the lumbar fascia in 21 healthy volunteers. Researchers used bioimpedance analysis to t…
The Effects of the Mediterranean Diet on Health and Gut Microbiota
This review explores how the Mediterranean Diet, rich in plants, fibers, and olive oil, influences overall health and the gut microbiota. Research suggests that the diet is associated with improved longevity and a reduc…
Dietary patterns and cardiometabolic health: Clinical evidence and mechanism
This narrative review examines how various dietary patterns influence cardiometabolic health and disease prevention. The researchers emphasize that healthy eating habits, such as the Mediterranean or plant-based diets,…
Fasting-mimicking diet synergizes with ferroptosis against quiescent, chemotherapy-resistant cells
This study investigates how a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) affects colorectal cancer cells, particularly those resistant to chemotherapy. Researchers found that while fasting slows tumor growth, it can also cause cancer…
Bioelectronic microfluidic wound healing: a platform for investigating direct current stimulation of injured cell collectives
This study investigates how electrical stimulation can accelerate wound healing by mimicking the body's natural electric fields. Researchers developed a bioelectronic microfluidic platform to test the effects of direct…
Fasting and fasting mimicking diets in cancer prevention and therapy
This review explores how cycles of fasting-mimicking diets (FMD) may aid in cancer prevention and therapy. FMDs are designed to be safer and more manageable than water-only fasting while potentially protecting healthy c…
Impact of Vitamin D Deficiency on Mental Health in University Students
This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and mental health among 480 university students in Saudi Arabia. The findings revealed that nearly 60% of participants were vitamin D…
Effectiveness of visceral fascial therapy targeting visceral dysfunctions outcome: systematic review of randomized controlled trials
This systematic review evaluated 11 randomized controlled trials to investigate the effectiveness of visceral fascial therapy for various health conditions. The results suggest that the therapy may help reduce long-term…
Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMF)-Physiological Response and Its Potential in Trauma Treatment
This narrative review examines the use of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMF) as a non-invasive method to promote healing in trauma, primarily within orthopedics. Despite decades of research and observed positive clini…
Regulation of gut microbiota by vitamin C, vitamin E and β-carotene
This review article summarizes research on how the antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E, and β-carotene influence the gut microbiota. By analyzing 19 studies, the authors found that these nutrients may alter the compositio…
The application and trend of ultra-weak photon emission in biology and medicine
This review article examines ultra-weak photon emission (UPE), a phenomenon where living organisms emit extremely faint light as part of their biological functions. Research has shifted from understanding basic mechanis…
Pilot study assessing the effect of Fascial Manipulation on fascial densifications and associated pain
This pilot study investigated if Fascial Manipulation (FM) could reduce the thickness of fascial densifications and the acute pain associated with them. Researchers used ultrasound to measure densifications and asked pa…
Fasting-Mimicking Diet Is Safe and Reshapes Metabolism and Antitumor Immunity in Patients with Cancer
This clinical trial investigated the safety and biological effects of a five-day fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) in 101 cancer patients receiving standard treatments. The results suggest that the diet is safe and leads to…
Primo Vascular System: Before the Past, Bizarre Present and Peek After the Future
This theoretical review explores the Primo Vascular System (PVS), a proposed network of channels suggested to carry information throughout the body via weak electromagnetic radiation. The author discusses the system's h…
Performance of Swedish Warmblood fragile foal syndrome carriers and breeding prospects
This research article investigated the prevalence of Warmblood fragile foal syndrome (WFFS) in Swedish Warmblood horses and its potential link to performance. WFFS is a lethal genetic defect affecting collagen stability…
Effect of Ground and Raised Poles on Kinematics of the Walk
This study investigated how horses are affected by walking over ground poles and raised poles compared to walking on flat ground. The results suggest that polework increases joint range of motion through enhanced limb f…
Fetal Fascial Reinforcement Development: From “a White Tablet” to a Sculpted Precise Organization by Movement
This study examined the development of fascia and retinacula (connective tissue reinforcements) in six human fetuses between 24 and 40 weeks of gestation. The researchers found that deep fascia initially lacks organized…
Myofascial Tissue and Depression
This research investigated the link between myofascial tissue and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) through two distinct studies. The first study found that patients with depression exhibited significantly higher stiffnes…
The Olympic motto through the lens of equestrian sports
This feature article examines the biomechanics of horses across the three Olympic equestrian disciplines: eventing, show jumping, and dressage. The authors describe how the equine body adapts to meet demands for speed,…
Fascial Innervation: A Systematic Review of the Literature
This systematic review examines current evidence regarding the innervation of deep fascia and its potential role in myofascial pain. The findings suggest that fascia is not merely an inert wrapping but a sophisticated s…
Making Connections to Improve Health Outcomes
In this editorial, Helene M. Langevin discusses the importance of whole person health, viewing the individual as an interconnected system rather than a collection of isolated organs. She argues that biomedical research…
Hyaluronan homeostasis and its role in pain and muscle stiffness
This narrative review explores the role of hyaluronan (HA) in the musculoskeletal system. HA is a key component of the extracellular matrix in muscles and fascia, where it normally functions as a lubricant and shock abs…
Immediate Effects of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Fascial Fibroblasts: An In Vitro Study
This in vitro study investigated how extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) affects human fascial fibroblasts in a laboratory setting. Researchers found that immediately after treatment, the cells began producing smal…
Intramuscular connective tissue content and mechanical properties: Influence of aging and physical activity in mice
This animal study on mice investigated how aging and physical activity affect intramuscular connective tissue (IMCT). Researchers found that IMCT became thicker and stiffer with age, accompanied by an increase in advanc…
Magnetic fields induce exclusion zones in water
This study explores how static magnetic fields influence water by creating "exclusion zones" (EZ), areas where particles are pushed away from the magnet's poles. Researchers observed that these zones form at both the no…
H2 Inhibits the Formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps
This study investigates how molecular hydrogen (H2) may inhibit the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are web-like DNA structures released by the immune system. While NETs help fight infections,…
The Effects of Aging on the Intramuscular Connective Tissue
This study investigated how intramuscular connective tissue changes with age in both humans and mice. Researchers found that the amount of stiff collagen (Type I) increases significantly with age, while levels of hyalur…
Estrogenic Effect of Salvia officinalis Extract on Reproductive Function of Female Mice and Identification of Its Phenolic Content
This animal study on mice investigated whether sage (Salvia officinalis) extract could serve as a natural alternative to estrogen replacement therapy. Researchers found that sage contains phytoestrogens, specifically qu…
Cell-to-Cell Communication by Host-Released Extracellular Vesicles in the Gut: Implications in Health and Disease
This narrative review explores how small sacs called extracellular vesicles (EVs) act as messengers between cells in the gastrointestinal tract. These vesicles transport proteins, lipids, and genetic material that influ…
A Closer Look at the Cellular and Molecular Components of the Deep/Muscular Fasciae
This narrative review describes fascia as a complex and dynamic connective tissue network. This network is composed of different cell types, an extracellular matrix, and nerve fibers. Each component plays a specific rol…
Evidence for continuity of interstitial spaces across tissue and organ boundaries in humans
Researchers investigated whether the fluid-filled spaces within our connective tissues, known as the interstitium, are isolated within organs or form a continuous network throughout the body. By tracking particles like…
The multiple effects of fecal microbiota transplantation on diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) patients with anxiety and depression behaviors
This study investigated the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) who also experience anxiety and depression. The results suggest that FMT may alleviate both…
Changes in fecal short-chain fatty acids following fecal microbiota transplantation in patients with irritable bowel syndrome
This clinical study investigated how fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) affects short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Researchers found that levels of butyric acid increase…
Fascial thickness and stiffness in hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Researchers investigated fascial changes in people with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), a condition often associated with widespread pain. They used ultrasound and elastography to compare fascial thickness an…
Fascia Focused Manual Therapy Interventions-Proposed Treatment for Post-COVID Syndrome
This report proposes that fascia-focused manual therapies may be an appropriate treatment for patients with post-COVID syndrome. The author suggests that many of the long-term symptoms following COVID-19, such as soft t…
Intermittent and periodic fasting, longevity and disease
This narrative review explores how intermittent fasting (IF) and periodic fasting (PF) may influence longevity and healthspan by acting on cellular aging processes. The authors describe how fasting periods ranging from…
Connecting brain and body: Transdiagnostic relevance of connective tissue variants to neuropsychiatric symptom expression
This narrative review explores the growing evidence linking joint hypermobility, a common connective tissue variant, with a range of psychiatric conditions. The authors summarize the well-established connection to anxie…
Cannabinoids in the landscape of cancer
This narrative review explores how cannabinoids—including plant-derived, endogenous, and synthetic versions—interact with cancer in laboratory and animal models. The research suggests that these compounds may inhibit tu…
Resveratrol Enhances the Cytotoxic Activity of Lymphocytes from Menopausal Women
This in vitro study investigated how resveratrol, a natural polyphenol found in grapes and other plants, affects the immune system of postmenopausal women. Researchers isolated lymphocytes from 13 women and co-cultured…
Fasting-mimicking diet blocks triple-negative breast cancer and cancer stem cell escape
This study investigates how a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) affects triple-negative breast cancer and its stem cells. Researchers found that FMD lowers blood glucose and inhibits growth signaling in cancer stem cells, wh…
Impaired Lymphatic Drainage and Interstitial Inflammatory Stasis in Chronic Musculoskeletal and Idiopathic Pain Syndromes: Exploring a Novel Mechanism
In this theoretical paper, the authors propose a potential mechanism for chronic pain syndromes. They hypothesize that impaired lymphatic drainage following trauma or an immune response can trap inflammatory substances…
The Emerging Science of Interoception: Sensing, Integrating, Interpreting, and Regulating Signals within the Self
This review article presents a unified framework for interoception, the process by which the body senses, interprets, and regulates its internal signals. The authors propose an expanded definition that includes bidirect…
The challenges of chronic pain and fatigue
In this review article, the authors explore the challenges of chronic pain and fatigue, two common and frequently overlapping symptoms. They discuss possible underlying biological associations, including connective tiss…
The Molecular Targets of Cannabinoids in the Treatment of Cancer and Inflammation
This narrative review examines how cannabinoids influence inflammation and cancer by interacting with the body's endocannabinoid system. The researchers describe how endogenous, plant-derived, and synthetic compounds ta…
Resveratrol Ameliorates Aortic Calcification in Ovariectomized Rats via SIRT1 Signaling
This animal study on rats investigated how the phytoestrogen resveratrol affects aortic calcification following menopause. Researchers found that resveratrol, similar to estrogen, reduced calcium deposition in arterial…
Myofascial pain in females and personalized care: The key role played by sex hormones
Based on its title, this publication appears to explore the relationship between sex hormones and myofascial pain specifically in females. The authors suggest that hormonal factors play a key role in this type of pain.…
Osteogenic effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound and whole-body vibration on peri-implant bone. An experimental in vivo study
This animal study in rats investigated whether low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) and whole-body vibration (WBV) could improve bone healing around titanium implants. Researchers compared the effects of LIPUS alone,…
Cannabinoids in Breast Cancer: Differential Susceptibility According to Subtype
This narrative review explores how different subtypes of breast cancer respond to cannabinoids like THC and CBD. Research suggests that estrogen receptor-negative cells may be more susceptible to these compounds than ho…
Endocannabinoids and the Gut-Brain Control of Food Intake and Obesity
This narrative review explores how the endocannabinoid system in the upper gastrointestinal tract regulates gut-brain communication to control food intake and energy balance. Research suggests that these lipid-derived s…
Low frequency weak electric fields can induce structural changes in water
This study investigated how weak, low-frequency electric fields affect the structure of different types of water, including "exclusion zone" (EZ) water. Researchers found that exposure to these fields, even without dire…
Psychological and biological resilience modulates the effects of stress on epigenetic aging
Chronic stress is linked to negative health outcomes, and this study explored its connection to accelerated biological aging. Researchers evaluated 444 adults, measuring their cumulative stress, biological age using an…
Soft Tissue Manipulation May Attenuate Inflammation, Modulate Pain, and Improve Gait in Conscious Rodents With Induced Low Back Pain
This animal study on rodents explored how instrument-assisted soft tissue manipulation (IASTM) affects pain, gait, and inflammation in cases of low back pain. The researchers found that the treatment suggests an ability…
Effect of vibration therapy on physical function in critically ill adults (VTICIA trial): protocol for a single-blinded randomised controlled trial
This is a protocol for a randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the effect of vibration therapy for critically ill adults. The researchers plan to enroll 188 intensive care unit (ICU) patients and randomly…
Variant connective tissue (joint hypermobility) and dysautonomia are associated with multimorbidity at the intersection between physical and psychological health
This study investigated the links between joint hypermobility, autonomic nervous system dysfunction (dysautonomia), and anxiety in adults with mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions. Researchers found that this…
Menopause and the Skin: Old Favorites and New Innovations in Cosmeceuticals for Estrogen-Deficient Skin
This narrative review explores how the decline in estrogen levels during menopause significantly impacts skin health and structural integrity. The loss of estrogen leads to reduced collagen and elastin production, along…
The effects of collagen peptide supplementation on body composition, collagen synthesis, and recovery from joint injury and exercise: a systematic review
This systematic review evaluated 15 randomized controlled trials on how collagen peptide supplementation interacts with exercise to affect joint health and recovery. The findings suggest that collagen may be most effect…