Lack Of Cognitive Benefits On The Keto Diet, How To Eat Enough Protein (And Is That Too Much Protein), Tanning Beds And Vitamin D, Creatine Over 40 years Old, Muscle Gain

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Show Notes:

News topic du jour: Hallmarks of Health

Health is usually defined as the absence of pathology. Here, we endeavor to define health as a compendium of organizational and dynamic features that maintain physiology. The biological causes or hallmarks of health include features of spatial compartmentalization (integrity of barriers and containment of local perturbations), maintenance of homeostasis over time (recycling and turnover, integration of circuitries, and rhythmic oscillations), and an array of adequate responses to stress (homeostatic resilience, hormetic regulation, and repair and regeneration). Disruption of any of these interlocked features is broadly pathogenic, causing an acute or progressive derailment of the system coupled to the loss of numerous stigmata of health.

1. Lack of cognitive benefits on the keto diet [19:57]

Sally says:

Dear Robb and Nicki,

I have a question relating to a comment that Robb made on the recent Diet Doctor podcast about how Nicki didn't feel any of the cognitive benefits or mental clarity usually associated with keto, and similarly does not suffer with the keto flu when reentering ketosis.

I wondered if this was at all typical as this is the first time I have heard this mentioned and is very close to my own experience.

I have been keto for just over a year and other than a little tiredness for about a week after starting, I have never felt any keto flu symptoms, or the miraculous mental clarity, amazing sleep or ability to go hours without food that everyone else seems to achieve. When I test my ketones I am usually 0.5mmol or above. Maybe I never had brain fog or crappy sleep to start with, but I am starting to feel like I'm being shut out of a special keto club, especially when it comes to the ability to effortlessly fast as my fellow keto dieters do.

I wonder if I need to have higher readings to feel these benefits, and if so do you have any suggestions on how to achieve this if my macros and electrolytes are on point?

I know that the few times I have had a high carb/ sugar day I have had terrible inflammation the following day, so I am happy that keto is doing something, even if I don't feel like I am getting all of the benefits that others do.

I would welcome your thoughts as any time I try and find anything via Google, I just get reams of reports of how everyone is achieving what I'm not.

Many thanks

Sally

 

2. How to eat enough protein (and is that too much protein)? [28:01]

Eric says:

Hi,

Thanks for all your work. It’s excellent and I appreciate it.

1) Do you have any tips for eating enough protein from whole foods?

While I don’t regularly count macronutrients, when I do try to get 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass, I find it difficult to eat that much food. If I achieve the target protein one day, the next day, I’m not interested in eating. I consider protein powders a bad idea because they seem like exactly what we’re trying to avoid: manufactured, out-of-context, and hyper-palatable.

2) Is eating this much protein even a good idea?

Longevity circles appear to have some fear over protein consumption in relation to mTOR signaling and cancer.

At the risk of falling into binary thinking about a complex subject, what are your thoughts on balancing the benefits of more muscle in older age versus cancer prevention?

Background on me: 42 years old; 167#, stable for years; 11% body fat as measured by DEXA; no known major health issues; recent bloodwork including cholesterol (183 mg/dL total, 68 HDL, 104 LDL, 38 trigylcerides), testosterone (673 ng/dL total; 58 pg/mL free; 120 ng/dL bioavailable), and others are all normal (according to Quest's reference ranges); double-bodyweight deadlift, 1.5x-bodyweight back squat, ~65 second 400 m sprint, ~22 minute 5 K run time, and lots of pull-ups; very regular sleep and sun exposure; cyclic low-carb paleo diet (sweet potatoes on days with a crossfit or similar workout) with daily homemade bone broth (500 mL, ~20 g of protein); twice a year 5-day water-only fasts.

Goals: happiness, health, and robustness/strength throughout the rest of life. I regularly wrestle, jump in bouncy houses, and throw around in water my two kids (ages 6 and 10) and want to continue to do so for a long time -- if they ever have kids, with the grandkids, too. I'd love to gain 10# of muscle, but that's secondary to happiness.

(Background and goal information sent in the hopes of covering any clarifying questions you might have.)

Finally, please send me an email if you choose to answer this question. Sometimes I miss episodes because I’m playing with my kids!

 

3. Tanning Beds and Vitamin D [44:29]

Hannah writes:

Hello! I am curious about supplementing sunlight with tanning during the winter. I live in northern Colorado, so vitamin D is something I worry about for half the year. Robb has mentioned using tanning beds in passing but I’d love to hear more in depth information if possible. Thank you for all that you two do! It sure is appreciated.

Hannah

 

4. Creatine over 40 years old? [53:45]

Jamie says:

Hi Robb,

I'm a huge fan and have been reading your books and listening to your podcast for years.  I am just about 100% paleo, and experiment with keto as well.  You've definitely helped me improve my health and overall fitness, and I greatly appreciate that!

On your podcast, I heard you say that creatine is a relatively safe supplement and you give it a thumbs up.  The co-owner of my crossfit gym has a Ph.D. in microbiology and recommends that people don't use creatine supplements since doing so can impact the body's ability to make creatine on it's own.  Further, she said that people over 40 should especially avoid creatine supplements since the kidneys start slowing down at that age and creatine can impact the kidneys.

I'm in my late 40's now and have seen the benefits of creatine supplementation when I was in my 20's, but am concerned about starting it up again at this age.  What are your thoughts on this subject?

Thanks Robb

Jamie

A review of creatine supplementation in age-related diseases: more than a supplement for athletes

 

5. Eating for Muscle Gain [57:18]

Jay says:

Hi Rob & Nicki - understandably the weight loss questions get a ton of focus but I would love to hear your thoughts on how to optimize diet and training to gain lean muscle mass. All my friends tell me "you just need to eat everything and anything" but I really don't want to gorge on ice cream, bread, and other processed garbage. I realize this would be a quick way to achieve a caloric surplus and add size but I'd prefer a cleaner and healthier bulk approach even if it takes longer. I would love to hear any advice or suggestions you two have on how to identify the proper caloric and macro needs and then strategies for hitting those numbers with cleaner sources of food. And any thoughts on a keto (Ketogains) approach vs a high protein approach (Ted Naiman) that seem to be the two popular trends right now. Context: I'm a 28-year-old male, 175lbs, work a desk job, and lift weights 4-5X a week, occasionally mix in sprints, HIIT workout, and sauna. Thanks for all you do!

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