Ep. 295 - Do Lifters Need Carbs? (with Dr. Cliff Harvey and Danny Lennon)

The Iron Culture universe is expanding! In this crossover episode the host of Sigma Nutrition Radio, Danny Lennon, joins Eric Helms to co-host! Dr. Cliff Harvey, who did his PhD on ketogenic diets at AUT, joins Danny and Eric to discuss the often conflicting research and anecdotes on the effect of carbohydrates on lifting performance, adaptations and body composition change. Eric, Danny and Cliff are all on the Sports Nutrition Association (SNA) advisory board - an organisation dedicated to supporting the profession of sports nutrition. The board is packed with nutrition experts with a ton of experience. This is the first of many crossover episodes to come where Iron Culture, Sigma Nutrition Radio, and the SNA combine forces to bring you the best practical, science-based nutrition content possible!

00:00 Danny? Entering the multiverse (Sigma Iron Culture Nutrition Radio Ultra Podcast Show)

02:00 An update on carbohydrates for resistance training performance

05:34 The spectrum of carbohydrate intake related to work demands and Cliff’s approach

15:13 The complexities of substrate utilisation and glycogen replenishment

Hokken 2021 Subcellular localization- and fibre type-dependent utilization of muscle glycogen during heavy resistance exercise in elite power and Olympic weightlifters https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32961628/ 

King 2022 The Ergogenic Effects of Acute Carbohydrate Feeding on Resistance Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35809162/

Naharudin 2019 Breakfast Omission Reduces Subsequent Resistance Exercise Performance https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30707135/ 

Naharudin 2020 Viscous placebo and carbohydrate breakfasts similarly decrease appetite and increase resistance exercise performance compared with a control breakfast in trained males https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32174286/ 

28:10 Intrasession carbohydrate intake and mouth rinsing 

King 2024 Isoenergetic pre-exercise meals varying in carbohydrate similarly affect resistance training volume performance compared to placebo https://sportrxiv.org/index.php/server/preprint/view/443/version/566

41:03 The placebo/nocebo effect related to food intake around training

53:30 Reconsidering nutrient timing and individualising coaching approaches

1:06:54 Goals, optimising approaches, and methodological considerations in the research

Vargas-Molina 2020 Effects of a ketogenic diet on body composition and strength in trained women https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32276630/ 

Paoli 2021 Effects of Two Months of Very Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet on Body Composition, Muscle Strength, Muscle Area, and Blood Parameters in Competitive Natural Body Builders https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33530512/

1:17:11 Individual approaches to ketogenic diets and does macronutrient distribution really matter?

Harvey 2019 Low-carbohydrate diets differing in carbohydrate restriction improve cardiometabolic and anthropometric markers in healthy adults: A randomised clinical trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30740270/

1:25:48 Considerations for a low carbohydrate/ketogenic approach and ketosis misunderstandings 

1:30:02 The take home and closing out