Carnivore Doctor Explains Why Carnivore Diet Builds More Muscle & Performance than Carbs
27 Aug 2024 (20 days ago)
Intro
- Dr. Shawn Baker is an impressive athlete with serious rowing records.
- Dr. Baker follows a strict carnivore diet.
- This conversation will cover the carnivore diet and athletics, particularly how they complement each other.
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Dr. Baker's World Records
- Four world records were set on the Concept 2 rowing machine, along with six American records.
- After switching to a carnivore diet, multiple personal records were achieved, surpassing previous records set while following other diets.
- World Championships were won, and world records were set in three different sports: rowing, rugby, and Highland Games.
Carnivore Diet & Recovery
- An eight-year carnivore diet has resulted in improved recovery, reduced inflammation, and less soreness.
- Following a carnivore diet leads to fewer missed training days due to joint soreness, poor sleep, or lack of motivation.
- Training is an integral part of daily life, similar to breathing, and not training leads to a feeling of unease.
Exercising in a Low-Carb (or no-carb) State
- A 500-meter row utilizes the anaerobic glycolysis energy system, which typically relies on muscle glycogen, and blood glucose levels can increase significantly during this type of high-intensity exercise.
- Gluconeogenesis, the process of producing glucose from non-carbohydrate sources, is a demand-driven process that can be enhanced in well-trained athletes, allowing them to perform well in high-intensity sports even without consuming carbohydrates.
- While a carnivore diet can support high-intensity exercise, it may not be ideal for endurance athletes or those engaging in prolonged strenuous activity due to the delayed nature of gluconeogenesis and potential depletion of glycogen stores.
Carnivore for Controlling Inflammation
- The effects of the NLRP3 inflammasome on strength training recovery are unknown.
- Cold plunging after workouts decreases exercise-induced inflammation, which may inhibit muscle protein synthesis.
- More research is needed to determine when inflammation is beneficial and when it is detrimental to health and athletic performance.
Supplements
- The speaker only takes electrolytes when sweating and consumes large amounts of meat, believing this provides all necessary supplements.
- The speaker acknowledges the effectiveness of creatine, carnitine, taurine, and caffeine as potential supplements.
- The speaker states they do not take drugs.
Training Fasted
- Consuming carbohydrates causes blood glucose to spike in approximately 30-45 minutes, while protein and fat, especially protein, may not cause a spike for 3-4 hours.
- For peak performance, consuming some food shortly before training may be preferable, but training fasted is suitable for day-to-day workouts.
- While there may be psychological or signaling benefits to feeling fueled before training, metabolically, eating immediately before a workout may not be essential.