Blog
News, research and guides
755 articles from the VitMode editorial team.
GuidesAthlete's Foot (Tinea Pedis): Treatment and How to Prevent Recurrence
Athlete's foot (tinea pedis) is one of the most common fungal skin infections, caused by dermatophytes, mainly Trichophyton rubrum and T. interdigitale. In its superficial form a topical antifungal used for 1 to 6 weeks is usually enough, and a Cochrane review of 67 trials shows that allylamines (terbinafine) cure slightly more infections than azoles. The problem is recurrence: the infection returns because toenails, shoes and the environment are sources of reinfection, and treatment is often stopped too early. We explain how to recognise it, how the drugs work, when tablets are needed and how to lower the risk of recurrence, including in people with diabetes.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Badania i biomarkery12 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesAchilles Tendinopathy: Treatment, Eccentric Exercises and Heavy Slow Resistance Training
Achilles tendon pain in a runner or active person is most often tendinopathy — an overuse condition of the tendon itself, not an “inflammation” that disappears after a week of rest. The best-documented treatment is progressive loading of the calf: both classic eccentric exercises and heavy slow resistance (HSR) training gave equally good, lasting results in a randomised trial. We explain what such a programme looks like, how long it takes, why long-term painkillers and injections do not solve the problem, and how to return to running safely.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Żywienie, suplementy i trening13 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesRunner’s Knee (Patellofemoral Pain): Causes and Rehabilitation
Pain at the front of the knee that gets worse going down stairs, squatting and sitting for a long time is most often patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), commonly called “runner’s knee”. It is not “worn-out cartilage” but overload of the patellofemoral joint, and in studies it responds best to exercises strengthening the hip and knee combined with sensible load management. We explain where the pain comes from, what the expert consensus says about exercise, taping, insoles and changing running technique, and when you need to see a doctor.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Żywienie, suplementy i trening13 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesIliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS): Pain on the Outside of the Knee in Runners
A stabbing pain on the outer side of the knee that appears after a certain distance of running and forces you to stop is the classic picture of iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) — one of the most common running injuries. The old “friction” theory of the band rubbing against the thigh bone is now challenged in favour of compression of fatty tissue under the band, and in treatment the best-documented measures are strengthening the hip abductors and modifying training. We explain where the pain comes from, what studies say about exercise and when other methods, including surgery, are considered.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Żywienie, suplementy i trening12 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesGolfer’s Elbow: Causes and Treatment of Pain on the Inside of the Elbow
Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylalgia) is pain on the inner side of the elbow that gets worse with wrist flexion, gripping and turning the forearm palm-down. It affects not only golfers — also people who lift weights, throw, work with their hands and many who sit at a computer. It is rarer than tennis elbow, and the evidence for its treatment is more modest: loading exercises are best justified, whereas a steroid injection gives only short-lived relief. We explain the mechanism, treatment and when elbow pain needs investigation.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Żywienie, suplementy i trening12 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesShoulder Pain and the Rotator Cuff: Conservative Treatment or Surgery?
Shoulder pain that worsens when raising the arm and at night is most often a rotator cuff problem — a group of muscles and tendons that stabilise the shoulder joint. Large, sham-surgery-controlled trials have shown that arthroscopic “decompression” of the subacromial space gives no benefit beyond a sham procedure or beyond exercise, and for full-thickness tendon tears the decision is more complex. We explain what randomised trials say, when to start with exercise, when to consider surgery and which symptoms need an urgent consultation.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Żywienie, suplementy i trening13 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesResting Heart Rate: Normal Range, What Lowers It and the Link to Longevity
Resting heart rate is one of the simplest numbers your watch shows and one of the best studied in epidemiology. A meta-analysis of 46 cohort studies shows that a higher resting heart rate goes with higher mortality, yet genetic analyses suggest it is more a marker of fitness and health than a direct cause. We explain what the normal range is, what shapes this number, what actually lowers it, how to measure it properly and how far to trust your wearable.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Serce i układ krążenia12 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesLow HRV: Causes and What You Can Actually Improve
A low HRV reading on your watch can be worrying, but a single number means little without context. We explain what heart rate variability depends on (age, genetics, fitness, sleep, alcohol, illness), how a daily reading differs from a trend, how large the differences between people are and which interventions have support in trials: endurance training, sleep, weight loss, resonance breathing. We also show what is not worth doing: comparing yourself with others and chasing the number at the expense of rest.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Żywienie, suplementy i trening12 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesSlow Heart Rate in Athletes (Bradycardia): When It Is Normal and When It Is a Symptom
A resting pulse of 40 beats per minute in a runner or cyclist is usually not a disease but a result of training. In a cohort of 465 endurance athletes, 38% had a minimum heart rate of 40/min or lower on Holter monitoring, and pauses of at least 2 seconds occurred in 25% and were well tolerated. We explain where athletic bradycardia comes from, how it differs from sinus node disease or atrioventricular block, which symptoms are alarm signs and which tests are worth doing.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Serce i układ krążenia12 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesHeart Palpitations: Causes and When to See a Doctor
Palpitations are the subjective sensation of a fast, forceful or irregular heartbeat. In a classic study of 190 patients, a cause was found in 84%: cardiac in 43%, psychiatric (anxiety, panic attacks) in 31%, and the prognosis was generally good. We explain what most often triggers palpitations (caffeine, alcohol, stress, thyroid, anemia, arrhythmias), when they are an alarm sign, which tests to do (ECG, Holter, event recorder) and how helpful a watch with an ECG is.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Serce i układ krążenia13 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesExtrasystoles (Premature Heartbeats): When They Are Harmless
Extrasystoles, or premature extra heartbeats, occur in most people and are very often harmless. What decides their significance is above all the arrhythmia burden (the percentage of heartbeats), the presence of structural heart disease and symptoms. In a study of 174 patients, a ventricular beat burden above 24% best separated people with impaired left ventricular function, and the lowest burden causing reversible cardiomyopathy was 10%. We explain when extrasystoles need investigation, which tests to do and how they are treated.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Serce i układ krążenia13 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesFructose Intolerance: Symptoms, Breath Test and What to Do After the Result
Bloating, gas and diarrhoea after fruit, apple juice or honey are often labelled 'fructose intolerance'. Behind that label sit two very different conditions: common, usually mild fructose malabsorption in the small intestine, and the extremely rare, genetic and potentially dangerous hereditary fructose intolerance. We explain how they differ, how the hydrogen breath test with fructose works (and why its result must be read with caution), what the research says about dietary management, and when symptoms need prompt medical attention.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Badania i biomarkery12 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesFecal Calprotectin: Normal Range, High Results and Whether It Is IBS or Bowel Inflammation
A fecal calprotectin test is one of the simplest ways to tell irritable bowel syndrome from inflammatory bowel disease without an immediate colonoscopy. A meta-analysis of 17 studies (1,956 patients) shows a sensitivity of about 86% and a specificity of about 92%, but also that when a disease is rare a positive result is often a false alarm. We explain what calprotectin actually measures, how to read the cut-offs (50, 100, 200 µg/g), how drugs such as PPIs and NSAIDs inflate the result, how calprotectin differs from the FIT test and when a result should lead to colonoscopy.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Badania i biomarkery12 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesBloating After Eating: Causes and How to Work It Out Step by Step
Bloating after eating is among the most common digestive complaints, yet it rarely comes down simply to 'too much gas'. Studies show that in many people the amount of gas in the gut is normal, while it is transported and tolerated worse, and the gut reacts with hypersensitivity. We explain the difference between the feeling of bloating and visible abdominal distension, point out the most common causes (irritable bowel syndrome, carbohydrate intolerances, celiac disease, constipation, SIBO) and show in what order to investigate symptoms so as to avoid unnecessary tests and not miss anything serious.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Sen i neurobiologia13 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesChronic Diarrhea: Causes and Which Tests to Do Step by Step
Diarrhea lasting longer than 4 weeks affects about 6-7% of adults, and more than 90% of cases have a noninfectious cause. Most often it is irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea or functional diarrhea, but in some people celiac disease, bile acid diarrhea, microscopic colitis, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency or inflammatory bowel disease lies behind it. We explain how to tell watery, fatty and inflammatory diarrhea apart, which tests are worth doing first (celiac disease, calprotectin, blood count, CRP), when a colonoscopy with biopsies is needed and which alarm features call for urgent investigation.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Badania i biomarkery13 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesHydrogen Breath Test (SIBO, Lactose, Fructose): How to Prepare and How to Read the Result
The hydrogen breath test is used to detect lactose and fructose intolerance and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), but its result depends on patient preparation and the laboratory's protocol more than most people assume. According to the 2022 European guideline, the test should be postponed at least 4 weeks after an antibiotic, done after 8 hours of fasting, with fermentable foods avoided the day before. We explain what preparation looks like step by step, how the tests with lactose, fructose, glucose and lactulose differ, how to read the 20 ppm threshold and why breath-test diagnosis of SIBO is controversial.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Żywienie, suplementy i trening13 min
October 22, 2026
GuidesKetogenic Diet and High LDL Cholesterol: Is It Dangerous?
On a ketogenic diet, LDL cholesterol rises by tens and sometimes hundreds of mg/dL in some people, and often in lean, metabolically healthy people who chose the diet for their health. The biohacker community calls this the 'lean mass hyper-responder' phenotype and often claims that a high LDL in this setting is harmless. We look at what the evidence really shows: a meta-analysis of randomized trials, the only available artery imaging data and clinical reviews, and which measurements (ApoB, Lp(a), coronary artery calcium) make sense before you decide whether to modify the diet.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Serce i układ krążenia13 min
October 21, 2026
GuidesLow HDL Cholesterol: Causes, Is It Dangerous and What to Do
Low HDL is one of the most common 'red' results on a lipid panel and also one of the most misunderstood. It is usually not a disease in its own right but a sign of something else: insulin resistance, high triglycerides, inactivity or smoking. Importantly, many large trials showed that raising HDL artificially with drugs did not reduce heart attacks, so the goal of treatment should not be 'raise HDL'. We explain where low HDL comes from, what the result really says about risk and which lifestyle changes make sense.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Serce i układ krążenia12 min
October 21, 2026
GuidesLDL or ApoB: Which Result Better Predicts Cardiovascular Risk?
LDL-C measures the amount of cholesterol in LDL particles, while ApoB counts the particles themselves, the ones that can enter the artery wall. Usually the two results go together, but in some people, especially those with insulin resistance, high triglycerides or a very low LDL, they diverge, sometimes by tens of percent. We look at what large cohort studies, genetic (Mendelian randomization) studies and the 2019 ESC/EAS guidelines say, when it is worth ordering ApoB, and why not all researchers agree that ApoB always beats LDL-C and non-HDL.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Żywienie, suplementy i trening12 min
October 21, 2026
GuidesElevated Lp(a): What It Means and What to Do
Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is an LDL-like particle whose level is overwhelmingly written in the genes and barely changes during life. An elevated Lp(a) (above 50 mg/dL, or about 125 nmol/L) affects roughly one person in five and raises the risk of heart attack, stroke and aortic valve stenosis. Diet and exercise hardly lower it, and Lp(a)-specific drugs are only now going through trials; in October 2026 it was announced that the first large drug, pelacarsen, lowered Lp(a) but did not reduce cardiovascular events. We explain how to read the result, what can really be done and why the core of the matter is aggressive control of LDL and ApoB.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Serce i układ krążenia12 min
October 21, 2026
GuidesFamilial Hypercholesterolemia: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is one of the most common genetic diseases: it affects roughly 1 in 250-300 people and causes very high LDL cholesterol throughout life. For years it runs without symptoms, so the first signal is often a premature heart attack in a parent or a lipid panel result above 190 mg/dL. We explain how FH is diagnosed (the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network score, testing of the LDLR, APOB and PCSK9 genes), why testing relatives is so important, how adults and children are treated and what about pregnancy.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Badania i biomarkery13 min
October 21, 2026
GuidesHigh Platelet Count (Thrombocytosis): Causes and When to Worry
A platelet count above 450 G/L on a blood test is unsettling, but in the large majority of cases thrombocytosis is reactive, meaning secondary to another process: infection, inflammation, iron deficiency, injury or surgery. Less often a bone marrow disease is behind it (essential thrombocythaemia with a JAK2, CALR or MPL mutation). We explain how to tell the two apart, which tests to order and in what sequence, and when to see a haematologist.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Badania i biomarkery12 min
October 21, 2026
GuidesLow Platelet Count (Thrombocytopenia): Causes and Symptoms
A platelet count below 150 G/L on a blood count is thrombocytopenia, but the number alone settles nothing: it may be a laboratory artefact (platelets clumping in an EDTA tube), a sign of mild gestational thrombocytopenia, or a signal of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), liver disease, a drug effect or a vitamin deficiency. We explain which thresholds matter for bleeding risk, how the work-up proceeds step by step and which symptoms need urgent help.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Badania i biomarkery12 min
October 21, 2026
GuidesHigh Eosinophils: Causes (Allergy, Parasites and More)
Raised eosinophils on a blood count (above 0.5 G/L) most often come from allergy, asthma or atopic dermatitis, but can also point to a drug reaction, a parasitic infection, an oesophageal disease, an autoimmune condition or, rarely, a blood disease. We explain the difference between a relative (%) and an absolute (G/L) result, the severity thresholds, the order of tests and the symptoms that call for an urgent consultation.
VMRedakcja VitMode — Zdrowie psychiczne12 min
October 21, 2026