The '180 minus age' running formula may be more folklore than science, but the research databases came up empty on both sides.

We searched our databases for studies that either supported or contradicted the post's two claims and found none. That doesn't mean no research exists, just that we couldn't locate any in our databases. So we can't say whether the formula's origins really trace back to one athlete's results or whether the fat-burning payoff is overstated. The post raises a fair question about the formula's evidence base, but without controlled studies to examine, the skepticism remains untested in the research we could find.