Three supplements get a serious look. Also: Resident Evil’s 2026 return and ESPN gets roasted for the draft

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Image via Outside Online

Heat Training Without the Suffering? Three Plant-Based Supplements Get a Serious Look

Training in heat is one of the fastest ways to build fitness that travels—better endurance, improved sweat response, and a little more grit when the trail turns into an oven. Problem is, heat sessions can feel like you’re trying to run through wet concrete. New research highlighted this week points to three plant-based supplements that may make the adaptation process more tolerable: berberine, curcumin, and blackcurrant.

The reporting notes that these compounds are being studied for effects tied to heat performance—think inflammation control, blood-flow support, and metabolic efficiency. None of it reads like “take this and become a desert ultrarunner,” but the framing is practical: if you can reduce perceived strain or recover a touch faster, you’re more likely to stick with the protocol long enough to actually adapt.

As always, supplement promise lives and dies in the details—dose, timing, training status, and whether the study population resembles real people who also work, sleep imperfectly, and occasionally enjoy bourbon. Still, it’s a useful watch-list for anyone ramping up spring and summer training ahead of travel, hikes, or a hot-weather race.

Read the full story at Outside Online →

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Image via Men’s Journal

Resident Evil Is Crawling Back in 2026—And the Box Office Record Is Wilder Than You Remember

Hollywood’s favorite undead annuity is shambling toward another reboot in 2026, and if you’re wondering why, the answer is the same as always: the franchise has quietly been a reliable money machine. The rundown this week revisits the budgets and box office history across the Resident Evil films and asks the question that matters to studios—and anyone who tracks entertainment economics— which installment was actually the biggest hit.

What stands out is how the series built a durable global footprint even when critics weren’t exactly throwing roses. The financial story isn’t just ticket sales—it’s how these mid-budget action-horror films can perform internationally and stay profitable, especially compared to the modern era of bloated budgets where “successful” can still mean “disappointing.”

With a 2026 reboot on the way, the industry play is familiar: refresh the entry point, keep the brand equity, and aim for a production cost that doesn’t require a miracle to break even. If they keep the budget disciplined, zombies still pencil out.

Read the full story at Men’s Journal →

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Image via Fox News (OutKick)

ESPN Gets Cooked for Its 2026 NFL Draft Broadcast as the Format Speeds Up

The NFL Draft is turning into a real-time attention test—faster pacing, shorter windows, and less tolerance for broadcasters who can’t keep up. ESPN caught heat this week for its 2026 Draft coverage, with viewers hammering the network for falling behind the picks, leaning too hard into commercials, and generally struggling to match the league’s quicker rhythm.

The criticism wasn’t subtle. Fans expect the basics delivered cleanly: announce the pick, deliver the context, show the reaction, move on. When the broadcast lags—especially during a high-stakes first round—people feel like they’re watching a delayed replay of an event happening somewhere else on the internet in real time.

Zoom out and it’s a live-media business problem: legacy broadcasts are competing with instant notifications, social clips, and team-specific feeds that don’t stop for ad breaks. If the Draft is going to keep accelerating, the production has to tighten—or the audience will keep drifting to faster, leaner alternatives.

Read the full story at Fox News (OutKick) →

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Cole Hargrove | The Balanced Brief — Live Well. Invest Smart. No Apologies.

— Cole Hargrove