FAT for Workout Fuel? High-Fat/Ketogenic Diets: Do They Work for Power & Fast-Twitch Athletes?

Often times in this digital world of regurgitated, anecdotal social media & bro-science information-dissemination we live in, one needs to pause every now & then and break out their Exercise Physiology text book and review the basics:  Ketones are a back-up/emergency energy source.  Just a friendly reminder: Ketosis for energy production is not optimal or ideal.  Ketoacidosis, should your 'Ketogenic-Diet' (75% daily calories from Fat & very Low net-Carbs), dieting attempt go wrong, (since you're just a bro and not a Dietitian), is seriously bad for your kidneys and health.  Sure, fat for fuel is great - just as are carbohydrates...the way biology designed us.  Most times we are simultaneously using both glycogen & fat for energy production, and it is all automatic and synergistic.  Why mess with this perfect physiology, unless you have an underlying clinically-diagnosed medical issue, like insulin-resistance, type-2 diabetes, obesity, epilepsy, or perhaps are trying to take advantage of the acute fat-burning/longevity-boosting affects & benefits of a controlled fasting strategy, like Intermittent Fasting?

Max Wettstein is a Fitness Professional: Cover-model, published fitness author, supplement consultant & Trainer,  He is also a Captain for JetBlue Airways.

Table Salt vs. Sea Salt: Only 1 contains adequate Iodine!

Happened to notice 'iodized' on our cooking salt's label today..got me thinking..Many of us have switched to naturally harvested 'Sea Salt' for its texture, flavor & more trace minerals without anti-caking additives. However when we trade up from traditional (processed) Table Salt there could be a problem: goodbye IODINE. Table Salt Industry has been fortifying with Iodine in our table/cooking salt production for generations in the USA and Canada because iodine is an essential nutrient & many folks were deficient in iodine. Necessary for the thyroid gland mostly, iodine is naturally abundant in seafood and there is a trace of it in Sea Salt too, but most of us do not ingest nearly enough iodine in our normal diet. So if you have switched to only naturally harvested 'Sea Salt', then make sure you are eating enough seaweed and fish, or also cooking with Table Salt. Also, did you know, there is no such thing as being allergic to naturally-occurring iodine found in seafood?...the allergic reaction most folks blame on iodine is actually to certain proteins found in shellfish, not the iodine. Along with seafood, iodine is also found in cranberries, eggs from free-range chickens, organic yogurt/raw dairy.

Men: Iron Overload Awareness: Too much is TOXIC - consider donating blood to prevent excess iron accumulation!

*Men* ~ PUMP the IRON but do NOT supplement with iron: Make sure none of your supplements contain IRON. I was accidently consuming some in one of my wife's supplements. Glad I caught it: we build up iron in our tissues, (Iron Overload or Hemochromatosis if hereditary), unless we donate blood annually and too much is very toxic! I'm going to blog about it. Whole-food sources shouldn't become a problem unless you eat a lot of red meat. There are some things that help us chelate excess iron out of our blood like Green Tea (EGCG) and Tumeric. But really men should be donating blood annually. Mother Nature already takes care of the ladies:)

Pump the Iron but do NOT EVER supplement with iron if you are a MAN.

Men~ Pump the iron...jack the steel...is good. Swallowing the iron is bad.

Next posts coming up:  (processed) Table Salt vs. (natural) Sea Salt:  Only one of these provides you with adequate IODINE: An essential nutrient for the thyroid gland and human life!...

Also:  High FAT/Ketogenic diets:  Do they work?  Do they work for athletes?  Do they work for high-intensity/fast-twitch/power athletes?...hmmm...

- Max Wettstein