Keto Diets and

Performance:
Are YOU the One?

David Barr
BSc., CSCS
Anthony L. Almada
MSc, FISSN
Prologue: Inspiration

This book was inspired by a keto diet study that was

done over 30 years ago, the 8irst ever to use professional
athletes (cyclists)1. In brief: they consumed a 2% carb
diet for a month the equivalent of half a bagel per day(!)
-while maintaining their rigorous Pro-level training
regimen.

The results are fascinating. Figure 0.1: Individual Variability in Performance of 5

Pro Cyclists After 1 month 2% carb/Ketogenic diet.
After the diet, two cyclists improved ride duration, two
performed worse, and one stayed the same. The bottom
values show each subject number, and the vertical/right
side values display the % change in ride duration.
Example, Subject 1 rode for 57% longer after the diet.

1
 Overview Summary of Findings

Although the intensity of the test-ride (continuous PRO: 40% of the athletes measured showed increases in low-
62-64% of VO2max; Low Level 2 range; all day pace; LSD
moderate intensity ride duration.
Long Slow Distance pace) was below that of Pro cyclist
training intensity, and not even close to race intensity, the CON: 40% of the athletes measured showed decreases in low-
results were still enough to make us want to put them in
moderate intensity ride duration.
context: keto responders vs. non-responders.
What was also fascinating is that 21 years later the lead FAQ: Does this translate into better
author of this study revealed that when these pro athletes performance?
tried to sprint or climb hills, their ability was
constrained2,3. This was likely due to less muscle carbs Answer: We dont know, because the intensity was
(glycogen)3 and, perhaps, a reduced ability to utilize low, and only 5 subjects were used. The late to the
muscle glycogen as a fuel under high intensity training party comment about the higher intensity
conditions. More on this keto and performance constraint performance constraint [see above] casts some
inside doubt on the real-world ergogenic/race
performance potential.
Fast-forward 30+ years and several more studies have
been done, just waiting to be dissected and applied. In FAQ: Both the initial FASTER Study publication
maintaining this context, we enable you, the reader, to [Volek et. al., 2016, see Epilogue for discussion] and
access and engage more Power Tools, guiding you for the Fleming study [Fleming et al., 2003] are among
how to best try and endure keto adaptation and assess those to cite this 1983 research to show that there
your response to it. were no signi8icant performance changes with a
prolonged, severely decreased carbohydrate intake.
Doesnt this prove that keto diets dont hurt
performance?

2
Answer: We need to pull out the responder vs.
non-responder card again. We know athletes that
swear by keto diets, and those that swear at keto
Purposeful Preface
diets (but almost all of them have not had de8initive The purpose of this book is to convey a broad scope
blood ketone measurements, which we talk about of the science and application regarding ketogenic
later). We dont think the existing evidence can
(aka keto) and very low carb diets in athletes.
provide a de8initive answer, but we know that you
can 8ind out for yourself, if you do keto right and
stick to it long enough The amount of currently available objective information
is limited, and when it is used, it is often done with bias
and limited applicability. It is the intent of the authors
to improve upon this, and in doing so, increase the
You may be a low carb or keto responderyou
may be a NON-responder, but you cant guess and fidelity of information and advance the conversation.
you cant hope. You have to try it and test it the
right way. Author Note: Applied ketone metabolism is a
fascinating area of nutrition and metabolism science,
Let us help you Wind out: read on.
teeming with potential for performance (and body
composition) optimization. As a sneak preview; this is
especially true when combined with other sources of
metabolic energy.

3
 References
Closing Thoughts 1. Phinney SD, Bistrian BR, Evans WJ, Gervino E, Blackburn GL. The human
metabolic response to chronic ketosis without caloric restriction: preservation
of submaximal exercise capability with reduced carbohydrate oxidation.
Metabolism. 1983; 32:769-76.
As found in the Phinney 83 study and as obscured in 2. Phinney SD. Ketogenic diets and physical performance. Nutrition Metab
2004;1:2.
others, some people show a great response, some 3. Brooks GA. Bioenergetics of exercising humans. Compr Physiol
show none, and others show a highly undesirable 2012;2:537-62.
4. Lambert EA, Speechly DP, Dennis SC, Noakes TD. Enhanced endurance in
impact. trained cyclists during moderate intensity exercise following 2 weeks
Consider: Is it reasonable to think that every athlete adaptation to a high fat diet. Eur J Appl Physiol 1994;69:287-93.

who has tried a ketogenic diet has had a fantastically

positive experience? #TestDontGuess

We just want you to be certain that it is the best diet

for you, as an athlete. [As youll 8ind out deeper into
the book, many keto athletes reach for carbs when
they compete (which may be as infrequent as every
Olympic year, but they still take in extra carbs)].

You cant 8ind your ideal diet in a book, video,

podcast, seminar, etc. You have to 8ind it in your
body.

4
Keto Part 1

The Bet

Two athletic friends, bent on destroying each other,

decide that employing a KETO diet is the best way
to go about proving superiority.
The Bet

Keto Introduction

KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Setting the stage for the studies and
the players
2. Macro(nutrients)
3. Protein deficiency?
Science Note
The individuals presented in
this account, although
8ictitious, are modeled after
the subject data from the
actual published studies cited
at the end. All techniques
and data presented are
representative of real data,
taken from the average values
of groups with certain diet and
training regimens.

Partners in Keto
Crime
James the Cyclist and Alan
Abs were roommates from
school who had a ridiculous
amount of similarities. They
had taken the same classes,
liked the same girls, and even
drank the same beer. But

6
when it came to their sporting preferences their to do was keep training the way they had always
differences became apparent. James (165 lbs.) trained.
preferred road cycling, while Alan (190 lbs.) focused
on resistance training to Look Good Naked (LGN). To The Training
James, Alan was a bloated meathead, while Alan
often (semi-affectionately) used skinny cyclist in They each trained with both distance cycling and
retort. resistance training, and both trained 6 days per
week. The difference was re8lected by their
At their local hardcore gym, they saw a Subjects preferences; James did 4 sessions of cycling (60-90
Wanted ad looking for volunteers for an interesting minutes) and 2 of resistance training (60-75
diet study, and what had started out as a casual minutes) per week, while Alan did the opposite,
discussion over a Samuel Adams Lager became a leaning on the weights.
venue for friendly competition. More than that, once
they were both enrolled, it would be their chance to
hammer out who was the superior athlete. The Diet... and Adaptation
The Bet: LOSER has to shave his head.
Although there were 2 different diet groups in the
study, Alan and James were both assigned to the
The War Begins KETO (aka high-fat low-carb, aka HFLC, aka LCHF)
diet, which meant they'd be getting nearly two-
thirds of their calories from fat for the entire six
The beginning of the study was easy for all
weeks of the study. At the end, they could not only
participants: record your diet for a week, then show
compare results with each other, but also with the
up to the lab for some tests. After that, either a
subjects from the CARB group.
moderate carb diet (CARB group) or high-fat very
low-carb (KETO group) diet was assigned, and
This meant the stakes of the bet had become higher,
they simply had to repeat the tests after following
because Alan and James were able to compare their
that prescribed diet for about a month and a half (42
individual results, head to head, and mano a mano.
days). The best part for James and Alan: all they had

7
Note: For you macro(nutrient) percent freaks/geeks,
heres what their diets looked like, BEFORE and
AFTER the keto switch:1,2

Table 1.1.1 Diet of subjects BEFORE Table 1.1.2 Diet of KETO Group
study during study (6 weeks)

% of Total Grams/ % of Total Grams/

Macro Macro
Calories day Calories day

Protein 18 113 Protein 30 176

Carbs 49 306 Carbs 8 46

Fat 33 91 Fat 61 157

Protein Point: You might have noted that James and Alan
weighing in between 165-190 lbsmay have been
somewhat protein inadequate BEFORE Keto. Hold that
thought

8
Figure 1.1 Critical Protein Intake Change (g/lb bodyweight)

Critical Level B: 0.82g/lb

Critical Level A: 0.38g/lb

1 2

Protein intake changes before (PRE) and after (POST) diet, between the KETO group (of which James and Alan were participants), and the
age-matched CARB group (who maintained a moderate carb intake, but decreased protein intake, throughout the study). Note that the
protein intakes move in opposite directions during the course of the study, resulting in adequate protein intakes only for the KETO POST 9
group, and (arguably) a serious deficiency in the CARB POST group. (See Protein Points, on Page 10 for further description.)
 Protein Points

In looking at Figure 1.1 the dierence in protein intakes is striking. But whats not so obvious is that the CARB
group consumption was below Critical Level A, which is the point of protein deficiency, or the dose at which
muscle protein synthesis may be impaired4. Contrast this with Critical Level B, which is the recommended
minimum protein intake on a Carbohydrate-limited diet. This means that protein needs increase when
carbs are low.

Strangely, the CARB group wasnt just protein deficient for healthy adults engaging in exercise, they were also
relatively low carb for engaging in moderate intensity exercise5. This is a double whammy; this group may
have been consuming less than half of the protein they needed for normal adaptation. It wasnt until a
certain woman came into his life that Alan once again began to experiment with his diet...

10
Keto Part 2

The Keto Basics

KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Ketogenic and ketones, defined

2. Which tests were used Measuring Blood Ketones

3. The results of each test
Before jumping into the study, a
4. The eects of KETO diets on performance
dietitian gave a quick
and body composition
breakdown to both James and
Alan.
A ketogenic or keto diet
(LCHF) simply means this: if you
keep your carb intake super low
(under 50 grams/day*; 200
calories), your metabolism will
Figure 1.1 Sample total carb
shift over time to overproduce
intake for the day. substances called ketonesfat
metabolism side products
which can be used for energy. There is no magic number of carbs
per day that speci8ically means youre keto. We use estimates of
carb quantity and then amend using blood measures to determine
your individual responses. The good news for both of you, for the

11
sake of your bet, is that the best way to measure to those around you who get to watch you transform
being keto is directly measuring ketones in the from smiling and gregarious into Mr. Hydelasting
blood via a laboratory, not the urine or 8inger prick for a week or longer: a daily carb ration of under 50
blood with test strips. grams and, for some, less than 30 grams. If you can
maintain this for at least 4-6 weeks...POOFyou are
Real-World Application: To put the diet into likely keto/fat-adapted, speci8ically, metabolically
perspective, their total carb count per day during adapted to a high blood ketone, LCHF diet.
the study would equal the amount of carbs in one
whole bagel.
*See 12 Tips to Mitigate the (Initial) Misery of Keto at the end of this book for
an exciting exception. Keto vs. Low Carb vs. Undercarbing
Alan had tried a short-term low carb diet in the past,
Keto Quick Tip: The dietitian had one more point to and enquired about the similarity with the current
make: If youre doing the diet correctly, you may protocol. The lead researcher explained:
even be able to tell by your breath, which can start to It is often thought that simply going low carb (i.e.
smell like nail polish remover (i.e. acetone, a ketone). having a reduced carbohydrate intake) is
Its not always pleasant, but its not harmful. synonymous with a keto diet, but this is not
necessarily the case. Keto diets are de8initively those
Keto- or Fat-Adaptation in which ketones are produced in suf8icient quantity
to be a main energy source at rest and during lower
When James enquired about the side effects of such intensity exercise, but a low carb diet may not be low
a dramatic diet change, one lab tech had offered the enough (in carbs) to induce ketosis. In this case of
following warning: insuf8iciency, a more useful term may be
Unless youre living off 8ish and whale blubber after Undercarbing, which describes the relative intake
you were weaned, its highly likely that diving into a of carbs to fuel demand. For example, a high
super low carb diet will be challengingto you and performing ultra-endurance athlete (training
12
2-4hrs/day) may consume 200g of carbs a day, Considered to be the gold standard yardstick for
which cannot be thought of as low carb, but may aerobic 8itness, the VO2max (maximal oxygen
likely be undercarbing. In contrast, a sedentary consumption) test was one that James was looking
individual consuming 200g a day could be forward to. His description to Alan was pretty
overcarbing. accurate:

The Keto Performance James: You sit on the bike, hooked up to machines that
measure your heart rate, breathing, and breathed gases

Tests oxygen and carbon dioxidewhile pedaling under

load at 80RPM.

Test 1) Maximal Oxygen Consumption Its the same test you see mechanically portrayed in TV
advertising for famous sports drinks, where the athlete is
hooked up to a bunch of tubes and wires, typically
running shirtless on a treadmill or on a bike, while a
skinny, unfit looking guy in a lab coat stares at a
clipboard or points at a monitor and nods approvingly.

For us, the resistance on the bike is increased every

couple of minutes until you cant maintain the 80 RPM,
at which point youre DONE. In other words, Ill go for
about 5 hours, while youll be done with the test in under
5 minutes. Ohyoull also be scanning the lab like a
Figure 1.2 An athlete performing hungry owl, looking for a trash can to pray into.
a VO2 Max test.
13
Keto Results 1: massREDUCE my endurance capacity? That 3.2% drop
is NOT trivial. It doesn't make sense!"
Reduced Aerobic Capacity (Figure 1.1)

To their surprise, Alan and James were told that despite

their VO2max having signiWicantly decreased on the
KETO diet, it was the same when normalized (i.e.
adjusted) for their now lighter bodyweight1. It was
speculated that the decreased body weight caused the
drop in max O2 consumption. Both guys were left
scratching their head, since mostly "dead"/non-
functional weight (i.e. fatjust over seven pounds) was
lost and just under 2.5 pounds of lean body mass was
gained. This startling revelation, combined with his background in
exercise science (and his proudly worn nerd status), led
James, who was prepping for cycling race season (and James to graph the VO2 results relative to Lean Body Mass
also volunteered at the local animal shelter), barked in (see Figure 1.1).
frustration:

"Why does getting leaner and dropping weightlosing a

Siamese cat's weight in FAT, and gaining a small adult
chihuahua dog's weight in what they tell me was muscle

14
Figure 1.1 Max Aerobic Capacity (VO2max (ml/kg LBM/min), Lean Body Mass-Adjusted)

VO2max Drop (1.1%)

VO2max Drop (8.1%)

1 2

Aerobic Capacity changes relative to LBM, before and after diet in the KETO group (of which James and Alan were
participants), compared with the age-matched CARB group (who decreased protein intake throughout the study).
15
The other odd part was that James the Cyclist had really
dug in and pushed on the second VO2max testafter 6 Test 2) Power Output: Wingate
weeks of a keto diet. It was as though he had something After only hearing about measures of power, James
to prove, and he was willing to kill himself on the test to was once again excited to see the set up with the
make it happen. As a result, his Rating of Perceived bike he knew that this maintained his advantage
Exertion (RPE) was signi8icantly higher1, but the against Alan, and was one step closer to seeing his
performance results failed to re8lect this increased effort. friend with a shorn melon. Only after an offer to
How is it possible that it could feel so much harder but purchase organic shaving cream with aloe, James
I produced less effective results?, he wondered. explained:

Summary of Findings
PRO: No change in maximal oxygen consumption relative to
body mass, which may be more important for performance
(especially in endurance athletes).
CON: Decrease in absolute VO2, despite losing signiWicant fat
mass and gaining apparent muscle mass; increase in perceived probably cry.
level of effort.
James: You start out with your feet clipped
into the pedals and a pre-set resistance on
the bike, which can measure how hard and
fast you crank it. From there, you pedal as
hard as you can for 30 seconds. We rest for
2 minutes and then do it again. And then you
A LOT.

16
 "The Wirst ten seconds or so, you think, I GOT
Elite Application: From experience, THIS. Then, after you FINISH the Wirst
having performed this test with an Wingate, you think, CrapI have to do one
NHL team, you need one or two people more...in less than two minutes!
to hold the bike downthe amount of
power that pro athletes can generate is READING about a Wingate test is very
incredible, and will jerk the bike all different than actually having to DO a pair of
over the place. Its like a great white them, like READING about a vasectomy, or
Blopping around on a boat deck. GETTING one..."
-David Barr -Anthony L. Almada

Keto Results 2: leaner, presumably more muscle mass-laden

bodyweights. When they were told their PEAK (or
maximum) power had dropped after 6 weeks of one
Reduced Power (Figure 1.2) bagel a day, even after adjusting to their new,
leaner physiques, they both uttered WT#?!

Its worth noting that although the CARB group didnt

Peak Power on the bike decreased signi8icantly have signi8icant changes in power, their performance
after 6 weeks of keto adaptation1. Just like the drop didnt look as impressive when expressed graphically.
in max O2 consumption, the Mean (average) Power Alan couldnt help but wonder if the CARB groups
Output (averaged over 30 seconds) on the bike also consumption of a novel, 221 calorie LCHF meal (55% fat/
decreased after the sustained, LCHF feasting1. 40% protein/5% carb) before exercise had something to
Also like the decrease in maximal O2 consumption, do with this. After all, Performance Nutrition 101
the average power output wasnt signiWicantly dictates: never introduce new foods/meals before an
different when normalized to their new, lighter,
17
 Figure 1.2 Peak POWER output (Watts) during Wingate 1, expressed relative to Lean Body Mass (LBM)

KETO DROP (12%)

CARB DROP (8.2%)

1 2

Gains in lean body mass/muscle mass do not always translate into gains in FUNCTIONAL MUSCLE MASS

KETO group (of which James and Alan were participants) Peak Power Output changes before and after a keto diet, compared
with the age-matched, but protein-deficient CARB group (who decreased protein intake, throughout the study). Published
18
findings showed significant decreases in the KETO group, but not the CARB group.
event. What CARB athlete would down a fat and protein Test 3) Work Output: 45 Minute Timed
load before a hard training session?, he asked.
Ride

Lean Math: The 8inal test was a relatively simple 45-minute ride,
Taking a cue from his friend, Alan the again hooked up to wires and hoses, and pedaling at
Obsessed (with his lean mass) calculated the power 80RPM against a variable resistance. The point of
and work output numbers using the study results this was to determine how much work was being
reports of both he and James. This time, he ran the performed at three speci8ic time points: 15, 30, and
numbers not as a function of their new, leaner, 45-minutes into the ride.
TOTAL body mass, but relative to their lean mass
(LBM; Figures 1.2,1.3). Once again, the results were
surprising.

Summary of Findings

PRO: Only a decrease in power output during the Wirst Wingate

sprint, when results were corrected for lean body mass (which
might be more important for performance). Also, the CARB
group showed non-statistically signiWicant decreases in power.

CON: Absolute peak and average power both decreased, and

relative peak power decreased during sprint bout 1. The non-
signiWicant decreases in CARB group might be due to the dietary
deWiciencies (of protein + carbs).

19
Figure 1.3 Cycling Work Output (kJ/kg Lean Body Mass)

Post Keto Drop (19%)

Post Keto Drop (18%)

Post Keto Drop (18%)

1 2 3

KETO group Work output changes (during a 45-minute isokinetic stationary cycling ride @80RPM), expressed relative to Lean
Body Mass, before (PRE) and after (POST) a keto diet. CARB group data not shown due to absence of significant changes.
20
 dif8iculty completing his training ridesespecially
hill climbsduring the 8irst week of the keto diet. He
described the feeling in his legs as "heavy" and
"burning".

After taking a few minutes to let it all sink in, James

recalled an event from the 8irst week on the diet
when he and Alan had their schedules match up to
do a training ride together -a hill climbing day. As
Alan watched his cycling-focused friend bonk on the
8irst climb, he took the opportunity to overtake
Keto Results 3: James (which had never happened before) and felt
that world dominationor at least of Jameswas
his. What Alan didnt realize was that he would
Reduced Work Output (Figure 1.3) follow suit shortly. In spite of the motivation inspired
by James promise to forever call him Professor X
After the 6-week keto diet, James felt he "crushed" at the end of the bet, Alan, too, dropped on the
the 45 minute ride. Unfortunately, he felt personally second climb, and whimpered like a frightened
crushed when it was revealed to him that his work puppy.
output had signiWicantly decreased across all of
the time points (when compared to his initial higher Conclusion: The power and work outputs just
carb diet). Consistent with since-published research werent there, even though more lean mass and
in elite cyclists (on a 6 day, 68% fat/17% carb diet; less fat was.
low carb but not a keto diet)3, James admitted that he
felt "metabolically challenged", and had great

21
 Summary of Findings
James: Although we lost fat along with our
PRO: N/A
performance, you have to remember that we
CON: Work output was decreased throughout the 45-minute may have started with a suboptimal protein4,
ride. and maybe even under-carb5 diet. So just by
increasing protein to the scientifically
supported level4 during the study, we were
Test 4) Fat Loss and Muscle Gain more likely to gain muscle. My bet is that the
keto/low carb part of the diet ripped fat o
By the end of the 6-week study, Alan was pretty
our bodies like Velcro, and the bump in
psyched about the visible body composition (body
protein intake gave our body comp
comp) changes; liposuction-like fat loss, and a few
measurements a bump in lean mass.
pounds of lean mass gained. It was almost too good
But the tradeo was that our
to be true. In fact, several of Alan's gym "bros" said
performance was sacrificed to the gods
that this dramatic level of repartitioning (i.e. losing
of heavy cream and peanut butter. And
fat and gaining muscle) wasn't possible without
Alan, I'm STILL bitter about that.
drugs. But the results were real, and Alan had
The problem is that you KNOW that your
decided to stick with the keto diet in an attempt to fellow meatheads are going to just look at
continue with the incredible results. That is, until the study summary. Theyll be all over our
James jumped in to expand his thinking: results, without considering the details...just
like you were.

22
Alan Abs had to con8irm this concept to be sure that he
understood.
Alan: So youre saying that because of our
suboptimal diets from before the study, we cant
be sure that it was the LCHF diet that caused the
body comp changes. If we had just come into
the study with either a higher protein or carb
intake, wed be able to have a more definitive
conclusion about what did whathigher protein
or lower carb?
What we do know is that when our carbs are
lower (3-4g/lb bodyweight/day) and if were
training regularly, then we need to be eating
more protein.
Best of all, we know that your performance is
important to you, but it got worse.
Yeahmine did, too, but I dont give a $#!@ if
my strength has dropped; I look better, and
thats all that really matters. Again, James, your
performance is worse.
James: Youre finally getting it,
meathead, but what we didn't see was
that the CARB group started with a much
lower protein intake than ours [0.44g/lb]1 -
practically starvation experiment levels!4
And even though it began badly, it actually
got worse during the course of the study
(0.37g/lb). So while our KETO group
suboptimal protein intake went up, theirs
started worse, and then dropped even
further into the toilet. Hell, we ended up
consuming over 2.5X as much daily
protein as themjust 2 of our meals
equalled their entire daily intake!
It makes you wonder how much better their
performance and body comp would have
been had they even consumed bare
minimum levels of protein. Unfortunately it
makes our body comp comparisons
tenuous, at best."
23
Alan seemed eager to pile on:
Alan: Yeah, their protein was pretty bad, but
funny enough, so was their carb intake -and
they were the CARB group! If we all trained
regularly, they were probably undercarbed,
consuming only 20-30% of the recommended
5-7g carbs/lb bodyweightand they took in
about 500 calories/day less than we did. 5
You can go low-carb, but in response, protein
should go UP, not down. So when you add
their prisoner of war protein intakes to the mix,
and Im blown away that they A- didnt just
shrivel up and die, and B- outperformed us as
embarrassingly well as they did.
James: I was especially disappointed because I was
initially excited by the change in diet and the results it
should produce. I knew enough to expect that
performance should improve with this diet, so I have to
admit that I trained a bit harder. Besides, I wanted to be
the best subject I could be, to ensure the most accurate
results, and after speaking with some of the other
subjects, it turned out that I wasnt alone.
Unfortunately, after mentioning this to a psychologist
buddy of mine, it turns out that these perceptions
actually bias the results. Theyre called the Novelty
Eect6, Subject Expectancy Eect7, and Good-
Participant Role8, respectively. These are some of the
reasons why blinded studies, where the subject doesnt
know which intervention theyre receiving, are important.
Whats interesting is that these biases usually skew
results in the positive direction, which means that as
much as we sucked, the results we saw are potentially
better than they should have been. It makes me wonder
how badly we would have performed if we had just
trained normally and been on the LCHF diet!
24
 Summary of Findings
PRO: Fat loss of >1/lb per week, while also adding lean body
mass (sign me up!).
CON: The CARB group had a protein deWicient diet so we don't rest; hence the bodyfat loss.
have a comparison. We can't say that the keto diet result was
better than that of the CARB group.
Summary of Findings BONUS:
Fat Burning
PRO: We can speculate that the increased fat burning observed
during exercise translates into increased fat burning during
CON: 1) Although the indirect measurement technique that was
used normally provides a very good estimate of fat burning, and
there is little doubt that fat burning is increased on the keto
diet, ketones in the blood throw this measurement off so we
cant be certain about the actual extent of fat burning.
[Unfortunately, some people tend to abuse these inWlated/
inaccurate results in the real world]
2) In contrast to the initial excitement we feel when we hear
more fat burning, during exercise the cannibalized fat often
comes from muscle, not adipose under the skin (e.g. love
handles), and has an unclear/unknown relationship with
bodyfat loss.
3) We don't see a performance beneWit to this fat burning, and in
fact it might be completely irrelevant (i.e. we have yet to see any
relevance for this).
4) We still don't have a CARB group (that is, with an
appropriate/adequate protein intake) with which to compare
bodyfat loss.
25
 Happy Ending: Alan Abs

The only downside of all of this for Alan was that this meant that his lifting buddies were right. He did need to
eat more protein, just as they had always told him. In spite of his old school profs chanting the mythology that
you dont need to eat more protein for muscle, he had learned that his typical dose before starting this
protocol was in fact suboptimal for LGN (and anyone else with performance goals). Sure, his friends had
always given him the simple 0.8g/per pound4 [usually rounded up to 1g/lb for convenience] rule of thumb , and
now he was forced to admit that they were more or less right. Although hed be hearing about this for some
time to come, the changes to his physique would be well worth it.

It wasnt until a certain woman came into his life that Alan once again began to experiment with his diet...

26
 Happy Ending(?): James the Cyclist

Although there were no clearly defined parameters, it was clear (to Alan, at least) that James had lost.
With renewed vigilance James decided to set his carb intake to HIGH, along with the newly elevated
protein consumption, and start training right away. To stay in calorie balance meant a sharp drop of fat
intakean easy step was to remove cheese and heavy cream, almost daily staples from his keto diet run-
in. Unfortunately, even with this dramatic dietary change, his performance didnt turn around for him right
away.

What wasnt immediately obvious to James was that he had temporarily lost his ability to use glycogen
and carbohydrates as fuel. Of course the ability to use these fuels still existed, but was diminished. This
blunting eect is consistent with what research has shown5, and unfortunately for James, it invalidated
the idea that high fat diets are ergogenic, in part, because they help to preserve muscle glycogen.

This concept satisfied James enough until he began to experiment with dierent types of training...

27
 And the Shave Goes To...

Although Alan Abs was interested in physique and James the Cyclist in performance,
there was still a hard-fought battle over who had actually won the bet. Alan maintained
that the body comp improvements and performance deficits made him the victor (and
he had purchased an electric razor for James, to place a shiny crown upon his head).

In opposition, James argued that the protein deficiency had invalidated the fidelity of
their body composition changes, and that the performance decrements had made
them both losers.

But in the end, James had to concede that he had lost and prepared himself mentally
for his new Professor X look. Besides, the better aerodynamics might help him with his
running performance

28
Section 2

The
Application

James and Alan decide to give their keto diets a try

in the real world, and got more than they bargained
for.
Keto 3

The Next Keto Chapter

KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Application of keto diet for CrossFit Thinking

2. Application of keto diet for ultramarathon Outside the Box
3. The strategic use of carbohydrates even A while after the
when on a keto diet completion of the
study, James and Alan
decided to try high
intensity training at a
local CrossFit box.
After being introduced
to the eclectic blend of
locals and their
aspiring caveman
eating habits, James
was surprised to 8ind
many of these athletes
using a speci8ic type of relatively low carbohydrate (a.k.a. undercarbing)
diet: Paleo. From both his experience with the study, and his
rudimentary understanding of exercise biochemistry, he believed that

30
this diet would yield suboptimal performance results (to
put it diplomatically). He then tried to explain it to Alan:
Seeing the common rebuttal of body comp forming on
Alans lips, James quickly sealed them, interjecting:
James: This type of training is pretty badass, so
just think of the intensity level youre using, and how
your body is fueling it. The answer: its mostly
carbs! More specifically, our stored muscle
glycogen. And remember what happened to our
power output on the keto/LCHF diet? It fell in the
toilet...and you STILL cant find it!
I didnt give it much thought before, but you really need
carbs to fuel this type of exercise. Although some
people actually consume carbs during training, its more
practical for most to ensure that theyre topped o
before they begin. You just cant do this on a low carb
diet.
James: And dont bring up friggin body comp!
Remember that our BEFORE diet in the keto study
revealed our suboptimal protein intakes. We just don't
know how we would have responded if we were
taking in a higher, but still relatively low, 0.8 g protein
per pound of body weight, daily.
Interim Summary:
High intensity training is fueled primarily by
carbohydrates. Period.
LCHF/low carb diets yield suboptimal power and
work outputs.
31
 Alan: Check this out: even the strictest keto athletes
consume a TON of carbs during prolonged competition!9
How much is a ton? Well, one published case study found
that elite ultramarathoners averaged more than 1100 grams of
The (Unexpected) Case for Carbs
carbs over the course of a 100-mile race. Now if youre
thinking that this carb intake kicks them out of a fat or keto
It was only after discussing the CrossFit situation
burning state, youre in line with traditional thinking, but both
with his cycling buddies that Alan began to realize current theory and practice suggest that youd also be wrong.
how it is that some endurance athletes are able
perform on high fat/low carb diets. First, it's When you compare the fuel demands at training pace, the
typically the ultra endurance athletesrunning demands seen during competitive events/races, where bursts
more than a marathon (26.2 miles), long distance of power and speed are critical, are far greater and more
cycling with minimal to zero, or slow climbing (read variable while still relying on a higher percentage of fuel
higher intensity), or even swimming a 10Kor coming from slow burning fats when the pace or intensity
longer. But Alan Abs had also uncovered a secret drops.
low carb/keto athletes add in carbs the day or night You can never burn 100% fat...ever. So youre essentially
before and day of competitions/racesgels, sport burning two very dierent kinds of energy at once, without
drinks, chews, even jelly beans and Skittles! Its a compromising the ketotic state that takes so long to get into.
technique called Strategic Carbing, and at 8irst he Although its not a perfect solution, this allows them to better
didnt really believe it, but after hearing the handle demanding situations when they need those bursts of
explanation, he couldnt wait to drop this bomb on power and speed.

James.
One of the athletes used a great Cruise Control analogy to
explain the need for power...

32
 Keto Cruise Control
Think of the steady state you experience when using
cruise control in your car, and driving on a flat surface.
But when you come to a hill, you burn more gas
because you need more power. The cruise control
automatically ramps up engine revs, and FUEL flow
increases to compensateand thats just to maintain
your speed you had when driving on the flat. Similarly,
if you speed up at any point on flat ground, youll need
more power and will use more fuel.
The problem is that for us, fat doesnt burn fast
enough to MATCH fuel demandsyou always need
carbs to fuel the increased needs of power and bursts
of speed.
Now if we put these ideas together, you can begin to
see why a keto diet is like a form of cruise control: very
ecient, but it doesnt allow you to increase power
output rapidly and significantly. The result is that
youre great on flat terrain, but youll gas out any consuming excess protein and hidden carbs, and not
time you need a power boost, whether its a hill
climbing or overtaking competitors.
Alan: Fool me once....
As Alan progressed through his new passion,
functional training, he found himself drawn to yet
another: one of the instructors. She looked very 8it,
and was a former Paleo, but now keto diet
practitioner, who described it as a natural
alternative with an almost cult-like zeal. Her
arguments were very convincing (although simple
minded Alan found her physique to be far more
in8luential than any verbal argument could be), and
before he knew it, Alan was caught up in the culture
and once again livin la vida keto.
The 8irst couple of weeks on the diet were rough,
with the standard-issue brain fog (Central Nervous
System (CNS) relies primarily on glucose during
mixed diets and doesnt like switching fuels). Alan
also found himself to have accidentally reset his
metabolic state (i.e. he was kicked out of keto) by
enough fats.
I was afraid of going too low on my protein, but it
turned out that I was using a lot of it for energy,
33
instead of producing ketones. And as for carbs was a tough go, but the power of love [lust?] won
theyre everywhere! Worse yet, theyre often well- out, and Alan was able to get back into keto mode
hidden he lamented to his new love. These setbacks within a month. The changes to his physique were
meant that he had to start over from scratch, and starting to show, in spite of adopting a lower
endure the worst part of the diet all over again. intensity of training while in the adjustment (a.k.a.
adaptive anguish) phase.

His plan was to kick up the training intensity as he

readied for his 8irst CrossFit competition.

But Alan was in for a shock.

When he attempted to increase intensity and
compete, he found that he couldnt. He was just
gassed. Only then did the horri8ic memories of the
Wingate bike tests come back to (haunt) him.

Although his girlfriend and members of his team

Alan Abs noted the contrast with the 8irst LCHF were very supportive, Alan couldnt help but feel that
experience (in the keto study with James): Within they were placating him. In spite of what others had
the tightly controlled boundaries of the guided Keto so kindly suggested, he felt awful about his
study, the speci8ics of the diet had been laid out for performance and had to con8ide in James:
us. This made food choices and quantities relatively
easy, so I didnt have to do any research or
experience the accidental reset. This time the diet
34
 James and the Giant Reach
Alan: I just couldnt get into gear. I was whipped halfway
into the 8 minute AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible)
the 24-inch box jumps felt like trying to jump on top of an
SUVwearing an 80lb pack. I dont care about the burn -
you just come to expect it and had better be able to deal
with it, but the fact that it happened so early, even though I
wasnt doing that much I dunno, it just pissed me o.
Everyone was nice about it afterward, but I still feel like an
idiot for publicly oering that performance. Mentally I was
writing checks, but physically I just couldnt cash them.

The sad part is that I should have known better. I mean...

weve been through this before. I just got caught up in
the hype and the culture. Id never thought of myself as a
follower, but in retrospect, I ignored my understanding of
the science and even my previous experience, and did
what everyone else was doing. To make matters worse, it
turned out that everyone else wasnt doing it; only the few
people around me. And come to think of it, their
performances wont be taking them to the [CrossFit]
Games...
James was also under the in8luence of culture,
shifting the main focus of his passion from cycling to
running. He was convinced by his peers that his
success in running half marathons meant that he
could leapfrog the full 26.2 mile marathon, and go
right to an ultramarathon race: 50K or 31.069 miles,
to be exact. This leap also meant that, according to
some, hed need to use a keto diet. Unlike Alan,
who was still largely 8ixated on body comp, James
hadnt so easily forgotten the dif8iculties with the
keto diet, nor the resulting performance decrements.
35
Along with the Triple B (Bacon, Butter, Beef; aka Ultra 1:
3B diet) style of eating, his colleagues had
After a relatively successful 8irst outing, James recounted
apparently made it their lives mission to convince
the experience to Alan.
James to try his 8irst ultra. In actuality, this would be
a huge event for him, so they urged him to simply
think of it as a very long run.

It took more than a little convincing, but in the end, James: I just felt good for most of the run. I know... I
James yielded to the pressures and indulged once know: its hard to imagine when pounding your body
again in the 3B diet. for so long, but I really felt like I had unlimited energy. I
skipped the lesser competitors who relied on the aid

Along with the diet overhaul came the need to apply stations serving up multi-colored carb cocktails and
it in competition. After much contemplation, and a gels, even Oreos at one stationbut I lived on
dose of trepidation, James decided that his 8irst ultra nothing but air, water, and my own body fuel. I didnt
would occur in the 8latlands of Florida.
worry about the pack or anyone else, I just ran my
own race and tried to soak up the experience.

36
Encouraged by this 8irst outing, and "moved" again by the
pressure from his group, James decided to do another Ultra 2:
ultra later in the season: in October. He also never liked
the metric system so this race was 50...miles.
James: It was brutal. Just brutal. I started o well
But this time, things didnt quite go as planned. Although
beating my pace from the 50Kfor the first 35
the prep was identical, and he had a better understanding
miles, but when we had our first climbing section,
of what he was about to do, the results were far worse.
Ultimately, his "time" of DNF (Did Not Finish), contrasted at mile 37, my legs felt detached from my body.
to his 8irst ultra success, left him disappointed and a little They didnt recover. I thought I'd get a second wind
confused. I DID, but it felt like a HEADwind. At one point I
was as desperate as a trapped rat, gnawing its leg
oI had to pass someone who had a slower pace
than me. I needed that confidence boost. But when
I tried to put the hammer down, I got hammered.
Decisively. My mind screamed, "PLEASE!" yet my
legs were unresponsive, as if to reply, "Not gonna
happen..."

37
 The key to making sense everything the same, so James should have had
of this intense contrast similar successes. He was neither nervous nor
ultra 1 vs. ultra 2was to overcon8ident. If anything, he was better prepared
determine the differences for the second event.
between the races. YES, So what was it that had made such a dramatic
the 19 miles longer 50 impact?
miler was different, but
James pace through the After some re8lection, James knew exactly what that
50K distance (in the 50 difference was: it wasnt him, it was the race. With
miler) was BETTER than this realization, he found himself having to confront
in the 50K race. He a pain more horrible than the defeat: admitting that
thought that he had done Alan was right.

James: We went through this in the Keto study. Dj vu. I
should have known better. I guess that I thought that this
experience would somehow be dierent. I even ignored
what you had told me about carb consumption during
races. After enough of what seemed like sound rationale, I
followed what my ultra friends had told me. What's
worse is that in spite of them indoctrinating me with
carbo-phobia, your earlier claims were true: they did use
carbs during races! A lot of carbs! They somehow forgot
to mention this to me during their carbs are evil ranting.
James: The first race was flat; minimal elevation
changes, and it didn't require any bursts of power. But
in the second race, the hills devoured me -WHOLE.
Hell, in Ultra 1 I even let people pass me without a
care, because it was my first time out. But in the
second race, the hills gutted my ego. You need more
power to get up and try to maintain pace. That power
just isnt there with the keto diet. Its the same deal
with trying to overtake competitors; there was nothing
left in the tank butfumes.

38
 Practical Application: Body Composition Practical Application: Endurance Performance

Alan decided that although getting into ketosis was a James experiences had left him a bit more cynical.
huge pain, once he was adapted he liked the effect on his Wading through the anti-carb (and by extension anti-
body comp. Hed never again compete (so he thought...), insulin) extremism, he was quick to point out his
choosing instead to focus on LGN. experiences to the endurance athletes with whom he
When asked by others in his box about the diet, hed consulted:
emphasize that:
I get that the low carb or keto diet seems new and
You dont simply try a keto dietthis isnt exciting to you. After all, novelty in diet or training always
intermittent fasting. It takes a serious commitment for whispers to you like a mermaid to a drunken boat
this lifestyle change, and its very easy to screw it up. But captain: "Come on. Dive in. I'll live up to the promise..." I
if youre willing to dedicate at least a few months to it, was there, too. But if youre genuinely concerned about
and youre not worried about how many reps you can performance and not simply following the emotionally-
perform at 80% of you max bench press, or general driven pack, then youll be better able to objectively
performance, then it may be worth the time and effort. evaluate the pros and cons of this diet for you and your
goals. Whatever you decide, just be sure to realize that
you're going to need carbs when you raceyou cannot
put the hammer down and put up high work and watt
numbers without them.

39
 5. Cheat meals (aka carb-rich meals) are NOT keto meals, in
12 Tips to Mitigate spite of their popularity in lay media. Just one of these
sinful additions will instantly kick you out of the church of
the (Initial) Misery of Keto keto.
6. Do your research: know which foods you can eat and
which you should avoid. This may seem obvious, but
novices are often surprised by how many foods are laced
If youre looking to overhaul your lifestyle to adopt a with hidden carbs. Similarly, novices tend to
ketogenic diet, here are some important things that might underestimate the need for variety, in both the food and
help you during your 8irst attempt: method of preparation.
7. Map out a full 6 weeks of your budget. Know that even
1. Psychologically prepare to have your performance drop. though youre consuming less, your monthly food bill will
This effect can be devastating, especially if youre not likely increaseprotein is the most expensive macro.
expecting it. 8. If you can wrap your head around the initially contrarian
2. Know that if you are already on 0.8 g/lb protein diet, then idea of using carbs to power your workouts, use a sniper
a LCHF diet probably wont result in nigh-miraculous scoped amount of carbs during training, rather than a
changes body comp. If you are already lean and expect shotgun blast of randomly consumed carbs. Then use 0
keto/LCHF to increase your performance, please see #1. carbs throughout the rest of the day. WARNING: This may
3. Pull out your calendar and mark off at least 6 weeks of kick you out of ketosis if youre not activating large muscle
your life. Cancel all dates, weddings, court appearances, groups and using high intensity workouts. Note that many
etc., because you may be less than desirable to be with. competitive keto-adapted endurance athletes have to use
4. Cross off another 6 weeks for a Mulligan (i.e. screwing carbs when they compete, because race/competition pace
up, getting kicked out of ketosis, and starting over). is always higher than training pace. Lastly, using heart rate
Unfortunately, this means having to go through the worst to measure intensity may be misleading, because heart
phase again, starting from scratch, but now you know rate during keto may be higher than normal at a given
tell your friends and dont tell your enemies. workload.3

40
9. Plan out the cost of blood testing -skimping out by using BONUS TIP: A Magical Critical Ketone Threshold
urine sticks is a recipe for disaster! Several comparisons of
8inger prick blood keto test devices have shown results all A training study from the prestigious University of
over the map (but better than urine).10,11 The meter can Copenhagen examined numerous effects of consuming a fat
cost roughly $30 (US dollars), and the blood strips run enriched diet, and found that subjects were able to break
anywhere from $3-6 each. You can occasionally 8ind the critical ketone threshold (>0.20 mmol/L 2) after just
bundles of testing sticks, alcohol swabs, and lancets (for one week.12 Heres the kicker; they did it while consuming
excavating/retrieving the blood), which can mean 177g CHO/day! In fact they were able to maintain this blood
spending less than $200 your 8irst month (not including level for several weeks before dropping to just under half
cost of food, etc.). this level. Dont try this at home!
10.Be sure to read the reviews before purchasing your
meter and test strips. Be wary if they read: Didnt work
Takes a lot of blood. 2/11 strips were faulty., etc. [These
Application FAQ
are actual reviews] Yo, I want to cut carbs after my workout to keep
11.Charge your meter or make sure the batteries are full insulin down. Should I just stick with a fast protein
ahead of time. Having your meter die after youve played
like whey?
vampire and burned a test strip is not fun -especially
when already in an emotionally compromised mindset.
Answer: Although you're cutting carbs, protein itself can
12.Let those around you know what youre doing, and what
cause insulin spikes, and whey protein, especially the
is likely to happen to your concentration, patience, and
hydrolzyed/predigested form, can cause a large insulin
mood in the 8irst few weeks. They probably wont thank
spike.13,14
you, but they just might hate you less.

41
 Conclusions
Just as with training plans, your diet
should always be tailored to your
goals, and developed using the full
weight of the objective evidence at
your disposal.
More specifically, the relative success
of keto diets can vary widely,
depending on the individual. So, know
what you're getting into, weigh the
pro's and con's, Test Don't Guess, and
proceed accordingly.
References
1. Fleming J, Sharman MJ, Avery NG, Love DM, Gomez AL, Scheett TP, et al.
Endurance capacity and high-intensity exercise performance responses to a
high fat diet. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2003;13:466-78.
2. Volek JS, Sharman MJ, Love DM, Avery NG, Gomez AL, TP Scheett, et al. Body
composition and hormonal responses to a carbohydrate-restricted diet.
Metabolism 2002;51:864-70.
3. Havemann L, West SJ, Goedecke JH, Macdonald IA, St Clair Gibson A, Noakes
TD, et al. Fat adaptation followed by carbohydrate loading compromised high-
intensity sprint performance. J Appl Physiol. 2006;100:194-202.
4. Phillips SM, van Loon LJ. Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to
optimum adaptation. J Sports Sci. 2011;29 Suppl 1:S29-38.
5. Burke LM, Hawley JA, Wong SH, Jeukendrup AE. Carbohydrates for training
and competition. J Sports Sci. 2011;29 Suppl 1:S17-27.
6. Poppenk J, Khler S, Moscovitch M. Revisiting the novelty effect: when
familiarity, not novelty, enhances memory. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn.
2010;36:1321-30.
7. Oken BS. Placebo effects: clinical aspects and neurobiology. Brain
2008;131:2812-23.
8. Nichols AL, Maner JK. The good subject effect: Investigating participant
demand characteristics. J Gen Psychol. 2008;135:151-65.
9. Stellingwerff, T, Competition nutrition practices of elite ultra-marathon
runners. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2016 Feb;26(1):93-9.
42
10. Ferruccio C, Kaczmarek E, Guerra E, Mastrantonio F, Lucarelli F, Valgimigli F, Notices
Mosca A. Comparative performance assessment of point-of-care testing devices Samuel Adams Boston Lager is a registered trademark of BBC, LLC
for measuring glucose and ketones at the patient bedside. J Diabetes Sci CrossFit is a registered trademark of CrossFit, Inc.
Technol. 2015;9:268-77. Skittles is a registered trademark of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company

11. Guimont M-C, Desjobert H, Fonfrde M, Vitoux D, Benoist J-F, Launay J-M,
Peoc'h K, Lefvre G. Multicentric evaluation of eight glucose and four ketone
blood meters. Clin Biochem. 2015;48:131016.

12. Helge JW, Richter EA, Kiens B. Interaction of training and diet on
metabolism and endurance during exercise in man. J Physiol.
1996;492:293-306.

13. Witard O, Jackman SR, Breen L, Smith K, Selby A, Tipton KD. Myo8ibrillar
muscle protein synthesis rates subsequent to a meal in response to increasing
doses of whey protein at rest and after resistance exercise. Am J Clin Nutr.
2014;99:86-95.

14. Morifuji M, Ishizaka M, Baba S, Fukuda K, Matsumoto H, Koga J, et al. Comparison

of different sources and degrees of hydrolysis of dietary protein: effect on plasma
amino Acids, dipeptides, and insulin responses in human subjects. J Agric Fd Chem.
2010;58:8788-97.

External Image Credits

Bagel: http://the-cooking-of-joy.blogspot.com/2013/01/homemade-bagels.html
Siamese cat: http://petzmag.dotvenue.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/
2014/03/Siamese-breeds-images.jpg
Mike Wardian photo, 2015 Boston Marathon: Big thanks to Mike Wardian, and
http://www.jonfrederickphotography.com

43
Next Step: F.A.S.T.E.R.

Although in the 8irst study they were on opposite sides of

Fat Adapted Substrate use in
the goal spectrum, this time, they were on opposite sides
Trained Elite Runners1 of the diet.

Years after their initial keto diet experiences, Alan had

given up the physique game, and buckled to James The NEW Test
unrelenting pressure to become an Ultra runner. Both of
Unlike the longitudinal intervention of the 8irst study
them had become quite good, winning and getting
(wherein the subjects were followed for a duration of
podiums more often than not. Alans ultra running
several weeks), this newest research study used highly
passion also rendered him ultra lighthe now weighed
accomplished athletes who had already been using
only four pounds more than James. Because of his
either a keto/LCHF or a relatively high Carb diet on their
moderately successful experiences in the past, Alan had
own for at least several months.
stuck with the LCHF/keto diet. In contrast, James
maintained a relatively high carb diet as a result of his Note: This is an actual research study, know as the
suboptimal experiences. FASTER study.

True to their competitive nature, they once again found

themselves in the lab in a head-to-head competition.

44
The actual test was pretty simple: just like the 8irst study, After his test James jumped on the phone to prep Alan for
the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) was what he was about to experience. Some of the highlights

assessed for each athlete, and the next day, they ran on a included:

treadmill for 3 hours at 64% of this max.

Muscle biopsies, along with numerous blood and breath The Bad
gas measures, were taken during the run, and during 2
hours of immediate post-run recovery. James: The most challenging component was the biopsy
the needle plunging into my thigh! Even though I got a
local anesthetic, I was sore for days. I didnt like that at
all.

FASTER Testimonial The Good

[The following is an account of the experience from one James: The 3-hour run [at 64% of max] was pretty easy;

of the actual athletes in the F.A.S.T.E.R. study*. This text I could have gone all day long if they wanted me to. In

has been approved for accuracy and 8idelity.]
fact, I was even carrying on a conversation with
researchers during test. It was like the basic Talk Test
for measuring intensity. To put it in perspective, it was a
pace I could have maintained while reading War and
Peace through to completion, and then pass a
comprehension test at the end.
45
 Crazy Keto Results
When Alan asked about his level of fatigue, he added:

When James and Alan Abs got the 8inal results report,
James: To be clear, this was less intense than even my
they both had 8lashbacks from their 8irst study. The
100 mile pace. Its not what I train at, or even close to
reason? Once again, the report held a lot of numbers (and
what I race at. Come to think of it, it was so easy I dont
a few surprises), but no clear winner regarding the
even recall having consumed water during the entire 180
Carb vs. Keto war.
minute run.

Alan found himself wondering aloud: What if theres no

SUMMARY: The biopsy sucked, but the run was pretty
real best diet, in spite of what so may people claimand
easy.
8ight to the death over?
*Disclosure: The athlete in question, Mike Wardian, is
sponsored by Vitargo Global Sciences, Inc., which is the
same employer as that of the authors. This fact is offered Although James agreed, he was pretty excited by some of
in the interest of transparency rather than to suggest any the odd results.
con8lict. No compensation was provided for his
James: Hey Alan. Check this 8irst result out: you burned
recounting of the experience.
twice as much fat as I did, which almost makes sense,
but

46
James knew he was raising a pet peeve of Alans and Alan: Well to be fair, we started out with about the same
wasnt at all surprised with the rapid-8ire interruption. level of muscle glycogen you were right, those biopsies
sucked. [Alan unconsciously rubbed his thigh] But also,
based on the blood tests, I was at the low end of what you
Alan: Yeah. I can see people jumping on the burns more might call ketosis. So it might be that you were high
fat idea. And Id be a lot happier if you could tell me that carb relative to me, and I was low carb relative to you.
the fat was coming from the layer over my abs. But we
know that fat burning during exercise doesnt really
matter, in part because it largely comes from fat stored James understood and agreed about the relative part,
in our musclelike the white marbling in steaksand but couldnt help but shake the feeling that something
from fat attached to blood cholesterol, not my fatty love strange was going on here:
handles. Also, its the total daily caloric difference, not
James: But based on your fat and carb burning, it would
short-term oxidation during exercise, that affects long
have to mean that you burned 30% more Calories than I
term fat loss. This is why fasted cardio is an appealing
did. That level of metabolic inef8iciency would be great
idea but isnt the miracle its made out to be.
for someone trying to lose fat, but its not conducive to
James jumped back in: This is where it gets strange: even survival which, biologically speaking, is the whole point
though you burned more fat, and performed the same of ketosis.
level of work, you also used up the same amount of
muscle glycogencarbsas I did! What gives?

47
NOTE: The likely reason for this apparent, gross energy FAQ: I call shenanigans! Your company sells carbs, so
inef8iciencythe keto-adapted athletes burning twice its in your best interest to rip on keto and promote a
as much fat and yet using the same amount of muscle high carbohydrate lifestyle.
carbslikely arises from the fact that fat burning was
Answer:
indirectly measured (via breath). Using breath to
calculate fat (or carb) burning in a ketogenic state 1) Its good to maintain a healthy skepticism of all ideas
results in a greatly deWlated estimate of carb burning not just those that disagree with your currently held,
(and thus overin8lated fat burn), known for almost forty desirable beliefs- so your question is appreciated.
years and acknowledged by a prominent keto crusader/ Always be sure to attack the information, not the
researcher, Dr. Tim Noakes2. Using breath to measure fat individual(s) who present it.
burn in a keto state = a lot of hot air.
2) Although the results of keto or LCHF diets arent
always favorable, the objective literature (which should
Conclusion
always be the foundation of our application, and which
we present herein) shows that there may be some people
In the end, you know your body best. But right now, you
who may bene8it from their use. Given that these less
may not know whats best for your body. In fact, you
than perfect results may be new to you, and may
wont know until you experiment, explore, and evaluate.
contradict what youve heard (and whats desirable), it is
natural to psychologically resist them.

Once the evidence sinks in, it is important to turn your

laudable skepticism on your original sources of

48
information to a) look for bias, and b) ask why they didnt References

present you with the full story. 1. Volek JS, et al. Metabolic characteristics of keto-adapted ultra-endurance runners.
Metabolism. 2016;65:100-10.
3) Were not sure what a high carbohydrate lifestyle
2. Lambert EV, et al. Enhanced endurance in trained cyclists during moderate intensity
looks like, but this claim is erroneous for 2 reasons: i) a exercise following 2 weeks adaptation to a high fat diet. Eur J Appl Physiol.
1994;69:287-93.
key take home message is that carbs are [objectively]
needed for higher intensity performance; not that you
need to consume a high carb diet, and ii) the use of a gut
tolerable fast absorbing carb supplement is not related to
the percentage of carb consumption in the diet. Stated
differently, you can consume any kind of diet (whether
keto or not) and make tolerable/fast carbs part of your
training/competition plan.

FAQ: Both the information and its presentation

herein are decidedly male-centric. What gives?

Answer: Theres de8initely bias here, because 1) We are

men, 2) all of the studies involve male subjects. It is time
to study keto/LCHF in women, and we welcome/
encourage this change.

49
Sibling Rivalry, Strength and Power, FAQs

that drove them to enroll in an 8-week university-

Solo Performance: Keto and based keto diet study1.
Body Comp

You might not have been able to tell from their behavior, Brotherly Overview
but James and Alan were very close to their family. This
was especially true of their brothers, Bob and Doug,
respectively. Although the siblings had grown up What made this study super appealing to them was that
together, their lives took somewhat different paths in it provided an extended, all-expenses paid, eight week
particular, when it came to physical activity and diet. holidaythey were con8ined to a research laboratory
While James the Cyclist and Alan Abs became exercise metabolic ward, where every single calorie taken in
enthusiasts, their brothers preferred the sedentary was watched by the research team. (Doug called them
World of Warcraft [sedentary] lifestyle. The result? Bob the food stalkers.)
and Doug were overweight, and borderline obese. Here, they would 8irst undergo a standard, but calorie
Based on the intriguing results experienced by their controlled diet (300g carbs/day) for 4 weeks, after
brothers, Bob and Doug became enchanted with the which they would switch to a keto diet ( 35g carbs/day)
prospect of a keto diet, but for its potentially rapid fat for another 4 weekswith the protein intake being
loss. It was the allure of this new, all-you-can-eat bacon identical: 104g/day, or 15% of total calories. The
and cheese dietat least thats how they referred to it elegance of this was the tight dietary/lifestyle control
and in spite of living in different States (Bob in New York,

50
and Doug in Louisiana), they would each have detailed was believed to be largely water, and possibly some
measures of energy expenditure in a whole body, live-in muscle mass (which could include muscle glycogen), as
metabolic chambera far more accurate way to measure markers of increased whole body protein catabolism
total calorie burning than breathing into a mask. The only were seen in the urine during keto.
real downside for these bigger brothers was that there
would be daily exercise for 90 minutes on a stationary
bike (this must have been what life was like for their FAQ: A-HA! No bodyfat differences? This study Winally
more active siblings). Fortunately for them it was LOW proves that keto diets are useless! (right?)
intensity cyclingabout 270 calories burned/90 minute
spin. Answer: Hardly. Its unlikely that any single study would
offer de8initive proof, one way or another [studies are
best viewed simply as single pieces of very large scienti8ic
puzzles]. More speci8ically, there are a number of
Summary of Findings important considerations when interpreting these data.

The four weeks of keto caused blood ketones to increase

The Subjects:
over eleven times, relative to the four-week carb diet.
Resting and sleeping energy expenditure were slightly were obese/overweight (making it impossible to
elevated when subjects were on the keto diet (compared extrapolate directly to athletes)
to baseline), and the 8irst ten days of keto produced a
100 calorie/day higher calorie burn, but then continued were untrained (making it impossible to extrapolate
to decrease. directly to athletes)

Getting to the body comp data, 0.5 kg of fat were lost did not resistance train (which is important for the
during the carb diet, and the same amount was later lost preservation of muscle mass on any calorie-restricted
on the keto diet, yet the keto diet showed a greater loss of diet)
non-FAT (lean) massover 3 pounds/1.4 kg more. This
51
Diet: The subjects lost weight despite the attempt to study can give you all of the information you need to
maintain an isocaloric (maintenance) dietary intake. This make a de8initive conclusion (in spite of what you
illustrates the challenge involved with this level of control commonly hear/see/read). Further study is required to
(even for a study as elegant and powerful as this), and examine the magnitude of effect of keto diets on
makes the results more challenging to interpret. unintentional caloric restriction and energy expenditure.
For more on this effect, we recommend the following
This becomes more problematic considering that protein
reviews by Gibson et al., and Paoli et al.:
intake did not change during the keto diet, in spite of the
calorie de8icit.

In turn, this may have contributed to body/muscle Gibson AA, Seimon RV, Lee CM, Ayre J, Franklin J, Markovic TP, Caterson
ID, Sainsbury A. Do ketogenic diets really suppress appetite? A systematic
protein to be broken down for energy during the keto review and meta-analysis. Obes Rev. 2015 Jan;16(1):64-76.
diet, which further complicates the result (and
subsequent practical interpretation) of the calorie burn Paoli A, Bosco G, Camporesi EM, Mangar D. Ketosis, ketogenic diet and
food intake control: a complex relationship. Front Psychol. 2015 Feb
8indings. 2;6:27.

FAQ: If the main weight loss effect of keto diets lies in FAQ: Only 104 g of protein/day on a keto diet?! Thats
decreasing hunger and/or food intake, doesnt that why they lost non-fat/lean mass!
make this study useless (because it forced or
rationed a predetermined number of calories down Answer: Okay. Lets look at that number. In the 1983
the subjects throats)? study by Phinneywith pro cycliststhey got 1.75 g
protein/kg (0.8g/lb) ideal body weight. In this study, they
Answer: This important concept is addressed by the got 1.2 g/kg total body weightwell assert that these
authors as a well-understood but necessary limitation, bigger guys were notably above their ideal body weight.
rather than a catastrophic weakness. Simply stated, this Drs. Volek and Phinney2 (2012), in their keto manifesto,
level of control was necessary to achieve the very precise recommend 0.6 1.0 g/pound of fat-free mass. When
measurements of energy expenditure. Again, no single expressed as grams of protein/fat-free mass, they took in
52
 0.76 g protein/pound of fat-free mass; right down the
middle of where they should be.
Strength and Power: Gymnasts

FAQ: You say that youre all about performance but

FAQ: No major differences were found? This study is left out a performance study on high-level gymnasts -
clearly part of the anti-keto conspiracy. and the words Ketogenic Diet are Wirst to appear in
the title!3
Answer: While there is little doubt of the involvement of
lizard people seeking to further their goal of world Answer: This is where the topic gets into shades of gray
domination, its always worth looking at who is involved more so than people would typically like. Importantly, the
in funding a study. In this case, along with the National study in question was listed as Very Low Carb Ketogenic
Institutes of Health (NIH), Nutrition Sciences Initiative (VLCKD), not LCHF. There are 3 serious problems with
(NuSI) funded the research in question. Among the Board this claim:
of Directors for this group? None other than Anti-Carb
pop star Gary Taubes. While this doesnt suggest that the 1) Although ketosis was an implied effect (and overtly
study should have been pro-keto, it means that the anti- stated in the title, and repeatedly throughout the paper),
keto claim holds less water than a carb-depleted muscle. blood ketones werent actually measured (or at least
were not reported). This is a bit like claiming to be a
surfer simply because you live on the beach and have
sur8ing magazines on your coffee table.

2) The Low Carb condition was also a relatively high

protein diet (2.8g/kg; 2.4 times that during the Control
diet, and fat intake differed by a miniscule <23g/d during
the two diets).

This is an issue of tremendous practical signi8icance

because consuming too much protein is actually one of

53
the common errors made by dieters in their LCHF of the diet. [a product developed/sold by the company
attempts. The result of overconsumption is that the that funded the study]
dietary protein is used for energy (i.e. to produce
ii) Skinfolds were used to measure bodyfat, which can
glucose), and as a result ketosis is less likely to be
yield a variable result (and why DEXA has effectively
achieved: #TestDontGuess. This common occurrence
replaced this technique for measuring body comp in
makes it especially important to have measured blood
research). Further, no researcher blinding was stated
ketones, and the absence of this measure more
(because it would be very dif8icult to do this), which
problematic. In light of this information, it would be more
could result in even greater variability.
accurate to characterize this diet as High Protein, Low
Carb.

3) The absence of change in muscle mass suggests that

either: Option A) muscle glycogen was maintained (and Conclusions
the subjects were not in fact ketoticthe world will
never know), or Option B) subjects were horribly It is likely that the super high dietary protein intake
anabolic and added the same amount of muscle mass that was being used for energy and to partially maintain
was lost in water weight (a rough estimate of 2.2 lbs muscle glycogen.
(1kg), to account for the muscle water loss that
accompanies glycogen depletion) -while also losing more Ketosis was unlikely to have happened.
than 4lbs of body fat -while consuming a eucaloric diet The reported fat loss of more than 4lbs in under a
(i.e. no calorie de8icit) -all in ~3 weeks of keto month on a eucaloric diet is indeed miraculous.
adaptation.
This study should never have been published
Additional Notes: without these Grand Canyon sized gaps being Willed
i) Low-Carb supplementation: 1) an herbal supplement (or at least addressed).
and 2) multivitamin/mineral supplement were
consumed during only the High Protein Low Carb portion

54
FAQ: What youre saying doesnt even make sense. which you will subsequently 8ind parroted to this day
Why would the study be published like this and even without any real evaluation (Note: this Phinney 83
called keto? parroting was also done within the Paoli study in
question).
Answer: Many people will only glance at science, looking
for the sexy punch line (aka take home message) that is In the case of the gymnast study, this selective
typically found in the abstract. They arent looking to information strategy is taken one step further and Title
read or evaluate studies even when their intent is to apply Impact is used.
or report on it. Understanding this psychology allows a
The result?
researcher to sell a speciWic message to the lazy reader
(i.e. the majority), by selectively presenting information. It worked.
This is called having Abstract Impact.
You can 8ind the simple punch line lazily repeated
throughout the interwebs, furthering the low 8idelity idea
Impactful Note: On this point, see
that low carb diets are bulletproof for performance.
References section for reviews by
To combat this recurring in8idelity, we suggest this more
Pitkin et al.4,5, which show that accurate title for the study: A wishfully ketogenic mega
many published study abstracts protein diet with multivitamin/mineral and herbal
supplementation for super fast muscle growth and
contain 1) information that is not concurrent drug-like fat loss.
presented in the study, or 2)
information that is different than Strength and Power: 7 Days
that found within the study.
FAQ: But doesnt the Sawyer 20136 study prove that
performance doesnt decrease with a keto diet?
We have seen the effect of this Impact with the Phinney
83 study (i.e. keto diets dont affect performance),
55
Answer: This is an interesting study partly due to the high (~50% over the maximum) during the 7 day CRD.
facts that it was conducted with resistance trained Although the subjects lost body mass due to water during
athletes, and intentionally used a short term (7-day) the CRD, the high protein will contribute to some
Carbohydrate Restricted Diet (CRD; <50g carbs/day). glycogen storage and ultimately affect performance (as
Under these conditions, the study provides some insight previously discussed for the Paoli study).
into what happens during the initial days of a counseled
Consistent with the bizarre precedent set in the
and monitored CRD. Heres a quick breakdown of the
previously discussed study by Fleming and colleagues
study Limits and Pros.
(2003), a fat and protein meal was provided after an
Limitations: overnight fast (12h), 2 hours before performance testing
during both diet conditions. This means that the carb
Bioelectric Impedance (BIA) is a simple but relatively low
diet performance testing not only happened in a
8idelity measurement method that was used to measure
transiently carb-fasted (>14 hours; semi-glycogen
body comp. This technique is especially limiting because
depleted) state, the athletes also had an unfamiliar fat/
of the body water changes that happen with the CRD
protein meal introduced 2 hours before exercise [again,
(which the authors recognize).
sports nutrition 101 says "Dont do this"].
Ketones were measured nightly during the CRD by
Pro:
ketostix, but other than an indication that there was an
increase in ketone production (stated in the Discussion The use of resistance trained athletes (>2 years) is a BIG
section), the results were not reported. [Note: Unlike the win.
Paoli gymnast study, the authors never claim that the
CRD is intended to be a ketogenic diet.] While reported Calorie consumption decreased organically during the
CRD (i.e. it was not intentionally restricted as part of the
urine stick data would offer their own limitations, it
study).
would have been interesting to see a quanti8ied measure
(especially if blood ketones were also measured after 7d). Absolute handgrip strength increased after 7 days of
CRD, as did back squat. Although the squat strength
Relative to the recommendations for a keto diet (Volek
increase may be attributed to bodyweight weight loss,
and Phinney, 2012), reported protein intake was very
56
 handgrip strength is not affected by bodyweight. The full thesis was reported and 3 studies may come out of it,
authors mention that this change could be attributable but we offer the following early breakdown:
to familiarization (i.e. having performed it during the
Quick and Dirty Overview (plus notes in
initial carb testing; which emphasizes the need for diet
parentheses):
intervention studies to be conducted in random order),
but the result is intriguing nonetheless. 5 competitive powerlifters or weightlifters took on a
LCHF diet for 8 weeks. (off to a very good start!)
Peak power on a Wingate appeared to increase after the
7 day CRD, although this change was not statistically The diet and training were self-reported. (which
signi8icant (speci8ics were not reported). youd have to do in order to get a study like this
accomplished. This case study design was developed to
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the fact that
look at individual responses, rather than group them as
multiple strength and power performance measures did
was done in Phinney 83.)
not decrease after a 7-day CRD is of tremendous
interest. The potential applicability to weight-restricted For consistency, the training was a continuation of
athletes before a competition makes this area worth the program that the athlete was already doing.
keeping an eye on.
Protein was maintained at pre-LCHF levels (average
of 166g/day), and carbs were decreased to 1g/kg
Strength and Power: Powerlifters
bodyweight (average of 86 g/day, which is higher than we
and Weightlifters typically see with LCHF, but still low carb. Fat was
consumed without directed limits aka ad libitum.)
FAQ. Are there any other studies relevant for strength At the end of the prescribed LCHF period, all 5
and power athletes? Im hungry for more! subjects changed their diets: 4/5 reverted to higher carb
consumption, with the remaining subject dropping their
Answer: At the time of this writing there is a fascinating
fat and carbs even lower (ostensibly for a competition).
unpublished Masters thesis by Simon Chatterton7 at the
Auckland University of Technology (New Zealand). The

57
Performance and Bodyfat: Although we cant pull stats
from 5 subjects, the results emphasize the individual
General FAQs
variability that is the recurring theme throughout this
book. Performance was generally maintained, and FAQ: You left out a lot studies showing the [Pro or
bodyfat generally decreased during the 8 week LCHF diet. Con] of keto diets!

Answer: This book wasnt intended to be a full review of

Conclusion: This version of a LCHF diet may be the board topic. Instead we chose to focus on athletic
suitable for some strength and power athletes who performance in healthy people (with the exception of the
need to lose weight, eight weeks out from a Hall et al. paper).
competition.

FAQ: Why are you always criticizing these studies? Is

it because they dont show the results you want?

Answer: In science reporting to the general public,

critiquing a study or discussing its limitations is often
seen as inane nitpicking (especially if you happen to like
the reported outcome). In fact, this type of post hoc
analysis is an important part of the scienti8ic process.
Every study has its limits, and in order to 1) understand
the potential applicability of the results, and 2) improve
on future research, the limitations must be assessed/
addressed (standard practice dictates that this should be
done by the authors themselves).

When we give in to our instincts and rush to apply study

results (as is now the standard practice in lay reporting)
58
we lose the all-important value of scienti8ic rigor and stay) keto, but for obvious reasons, dont tell the (w)hole
8idelity. story on how a keto diet can impact muscular
performance in athletes.

FAQ: You left out a lot of information for how to do

these diets. Where do I go for more? FAQ: Wait, did I just read this entire book only to have
you tell me to go read another that shows me how to
Answer: In spite of our best instincts [because wed have do the diet?
loved to have discussed the biochemistry and the effects
of keto on the CNS!], hundreds [or thousands??] of pages Answer: The purposes of this book are stated early on,
of omissions were necessary for the sake of focus and and differ from those of the follow up recommendation.
readability. Although wed like to say that there are plenty Our 8irst goal is advance the conversation with a high
of good sources of applicable information, most are 8idelity (intellectually honest) overview, rather than
reeking of bias for one camp or another (often taking the promote any speci8ic diet. Our second goal is to help you
form of an unusually strong cultish/militant/dogmatic Wind what works for you, whatever that may be.
vibe).

It just doesnt have to be this way.

Oral Ketone Supplementation
We offer the following single resource with a warning of
this (often 8inancially driven) bias, and without direct
FAQ: What about ketone supplementation? Can I just
endorsement.
drink my ketones and get the beneWits of a keto diet
Volek, J and Phinney, S. The Art and Science of Low without the hassle?
Carbohydrate Performance. 2012, Beyond Obesity LLC.
Answer: This is a fascinating area that we have fought
This is the keto manifesto. The authors are pioneers/ the urge to even touch upon in this book.
crusaders of ketogenic diets and the science behind them.
They do a great job of telling you how to become (and
59
Two items to be very mindful of when considering oral
ketone supplementation:

1) DOSE: This 8irst performance study8 used doses of

about 573 mg/kg body weight (260 mg/lb) before, and
an additional 191 mg/kg body weight (87 mg/lb) during
exercise thats about 49 grams of a ketone ester gulp
(very different from ketone SALTS that are available
online) of for an 85 kg (187 lb) kg athlete. Thats a huge
dose.

Note: We recently heard from a research associate at one

of the British sport agencies that some cycling athletes
taking these doses had upset tummies

2) TYPE: the form of ketone used in this study is native

to human metabolism, unlike the form found in all of the
salt forms available online. At the time of this writing, this
native form is commercially unavailable/cost prohibitive
(although this is expected to change in the near future).

Be aware of what youre getting (ester vs. salt, native vs.

non-native), and the effective dose.

Rather than go into a black hole sidebar, well be writing a

completely separate book on the topic as a follow up to
this work. Stay tuned to ThinkSportsNutrition.com for
updates.

60
References preference and thereby endurance performance in athletes. Cell Metabolism
2016:24:1-13.
1. Hall KD, Chen KY, Guo J, Lam YY, Leibel RL, Mayer LE, Reitman ML,
Rosenbaum M, Smith SR, Walsh BT, Ravussin E. Energy expenditure and body
composition changes after an isocaloric ketogenic diet in overweight and obese
men. Am J Clin Nutr. (In Press) 2016:104;324-33.

2. Volek, J and Phinney, S. The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate

Performance. 2012 Beyond Obesity LLC.

3. Paoli A, Grimaldi K, D'Agostino D, Cenci L, Moro T, Bianco A, Palma A.

Ketogenic diet does not aect strength performance in elite artistic gymnasts.
J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012:26;9(1):34.

4. Pitkin RM, Branagan MA. Can the accuracy of abstracts be improved by

providing specific instructions? A randomized controlled trial. JAMA.
1998:15;280(3):267-9.

5. Pitkin RM, Branagan MA, Burmeister LF. Accuracy of data in abstracts of

published research articles. JAMA. 1999:24-31;281(12):1110-1.

6. Sawyer JC, Wood RJ, Davidson PW, Collins SM, Matthews TD, Gregory SM,
Paolone VJ. Eects of a short-term carbohydrate-restricted diet on strength
and power performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2013:27(8):2255-62.

7. Chatterton, S. (2015). The eect of an 8-week low carbohydrate high fat diet on
maximal strength performance, body composition and diet acceptability in
sub-elite Olympic weightlifters and powerlifters (Masters thesis, Auckland
University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand). Retrieved from http://
aut.researchgateway.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10292/9080/ChattertonS.pdf?
sequence=3

8. Cox, PJ, Kirk, T, Ashmore, T, Willerton K, Evans, R, Smith, A, Murray, AJ,

Stubbs, B, West, J, McLure, SW, King, MT, Doss, MS, Holloway, C, Neubauer,
S, Drawer, S, Veech, RL, Grin, JL, Clarke, K. Nutritional ketosis alters fuel
61
Appendix-Coming Full Circle

difference in peak or maximal power output

Alteration-The Promised between the diets.
Conclusion of the Saga
A second test was cycling time to exhaustion but,
To bring this initial discussion full circle, we end off unlike the 1983 study by Phinney, this was
with a follow up to the study that started it all. performed at high intensity (85% of peak power, or
Eleven years after (1994) Dr. Phinneys eye opening 90% of VO2max). From a statistics perspective, there
study in pro cyclists [as discussed in the Prologue], was no difference between the diets (yawn) but if
the laboratory of Dr. Tim Noakes in South Africa youre a numbers person you may lose some sleep:
published a related study. This time, elite cyclists the LOW carb diet produced a ride time of 8.3
were placed on a non-keto, but low carb, diet (7% minutes on average, while the HIGH carb diet
carb/70% fat) and a high carb diet (74% carb/12% provided an additional 4.2 minutes of ride time
fat), each for two weeks, with two weeks off (12.5 minutes total).
between1 (unfortunately calorie intake was not
mentioned, so no food equivalentlike daily carb The individual times were not offered, but we would
intake equal to one sweet potatocan be bet a pair of Zipp racing wheels, or a one year
provided). supply of grass fed whey protein isolate that there
were responders and non-responders. This
In the 8irst performance assessment the effects of could have been related to the amount of starting
each diet were measured in a single, 30 second muscle carbohydrate (glycogen) in each cyclist.
Wingate test (see Keto Part 2 for more on this): no Notably, the rate of muscle glycogen that

62
disappeared during this high intensity sprint was the the study, changes after two weeks of each diet were
same between diet treatments (similar to what was not reported.
seen in the FASTER study). During moderate-to-
higher intensity exercise, glycogen is always utilized [Sidebar: Dr. Noakes has since formed a collaborative
as a fuel source, no matter what you eat. relationship with Drs. Phinney and Volek2
completing what we respectfully refer to as the
The most exciting 8inding of this 1994 study came three kings of keto].
out of the moderate intensity ride to exhaustion.
After the high intensity ride the cyclists were
allowed to rest for 20 minutes and then they rode at
Summary of Findings
60% of VO2max to exhaustionsimilar to the ride
intensity in the Phinney study (62-64% of VO2max).
The impact of prior, high intensity tests on ride time PRO: A low carb (7%), high fat (70%) diet did not
to exhaustion at moderate intensity took their toll: reduce peak/max power over short duration,
and can increase moderate intensity exercise
even though the LOW carb diet allowed the cyclists
capacity to exhaustion, shortly after prior high
to put up an average of 80 minutes, compared to a
intensity exercise to exhaustion
meager 43 minutes on the HIGH carb diet, this was
far below the average seen in the Phinney study: 151 CON: A low carb diet may decrease high intensity
minutes. performance and does not appear to reduce the
reliance on muscle glycogen as a fuel source
The likely (but untested) reason: muscle, and during this type of training.
perhaps liver, glycogen went into the red zone, and
capped endurance times, and the LOW carb group
FAQ: Is a low carb/non-ketogenic diet better than
had adapted to a greater capability to use fat as a
a keto diet?
fuel. Note: the LOW carb diet did not produce a
ketogenic state in this two-week study, and although Answer: We have not seen any research that
body composition was measured at the beginning of compared these two dietsin the same study these
63
two dietsalone or (ideally) against a high(er) carb
diet. The LOW carb diet used in this study offered Concluding Remarks
25% proteinif we assume the calorie intake was
3,500/day that would equate to 219 grams of
protein/day. If we apply that to the average weight
For those looking to Begin a
of the 8ive cyclists (73 kg or 161 lbs) that would Keto/LCHF Diet
provide 2.99 g protein/kg, or 1.36 g/lb body weight.

This abundant dose of protein would likely support Enter this change with your eyes open: It might
the production of glucose (in the liver) from the be the greatest change of your life, or it could be
excess amino acids (gluconeogenesis), helping to a big Wlop.
restore liver and muscle glycogen under carb- Even if the former, remind yourself that lifestyle
restricted conditions. This dose of protein is almost overhauls do not happen overnight. Be patient,
double that used in the Phinney study (1.75 g/kg
understand the potential hurdles, and seek
body weight) with pro cyclists.
online help every step of the way.

For those who are LCHF/Keto

Advocates

As the voice of keto diets, you are the most

powerful impetus for change. It is important to
appreciate the idiosyncratic (i.e. highly
individualized) response to these diets, and
discuss this honestly.

64
Similarly, the burden of being an information
watchdog may fall to you. Right now it is far too
Acknowledgements
easy to dismiss keto/LCHF diets on the basis of
biased, low Widelity (or outright dishonest) Cover Design: Bernie Wooster
science, and lazy reporting. By demanding
Cover Athletes: Jessie Godderz (top), Nick Logan (bottom)
greater Widelity, transparency, and accountability,
many of these aforementioned anti-keto Cover Photographers: Johnny Nguyen (top) of Built Apparel,
arguments are disarmed and the conversation is builtapparel.net, Marianne Wells (bottom)
free to advance without unnecessary burden.
Featured Athletes: Nick Logan, Matt Jennings, Robert Scholl,
We believe that the current body of keto athlete James Snitzer, Ciarn Lionird, Gavin Skerritt, Zane Schweitzer,
research evidence strongly suggests that certain Michael Richard Wardian
athletes would be exceptionally positive
Project Athlete Manager: Kelvin Taylor
responders, other athletes would be
exceptionally non-positive responders, and Reviewers: Nathan Devey, Connor Heslop, Bill Julian, MS, James
another set of athletes would experience Rigg, Sabrina Craig, Jason McCleery, CSCS, Thaddeus Light,
minimal to zero response. Like any other diet/ MS, CSCS*D, Doug Berninger, M.Ed., CSCS*D, RSCC, Josh
macronutrient lifestyle, one size does not Wit all, Huot, MS, CSCS, Sean Casey, RD, CISSN, CSCS, Robyn Mason,
but it does Wit some very well. Finding the Wit is a MS, CSCS, Michael Richard Wardian, Joshua A. Cotter, PhD,
quest for each individual. Mike T. Nelson, PhD, MSME, CSCS, Chad Kerksick, PhD, FISSN,
Douglas Kalman, PhD, RD, FISSN, Tamer Kholousi, Christy Forte
Erasmus, BSc, Susanne Alberto, NSCA-CPT, TPI-CGFI/L3,
Matthew Sandstead, BA, NSCA-CPT, Shelby Williamson, CSCS,
References
1.Lambert EA, Speechly DP, Dennis SC, Noakes TD. Enhanced endurance in Lowell Greib, MSc, ND, CISSN, Andy Reed, MD
trained cyclists during moderate intensity exercise following 2 weeks
adaptation to a high fat diet. Eur J Appl Physiol 1994;69:287-93. Additional Contributions: Anna Tompkins, Lauren Samperi,
2. Noakes T, Volek JS, Phinney SD. Low-carbohydrate diets for athletes: what
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Darcie Edwards, Matthew Inglese, BS, Mitchell Sheaves, Shawn
Phillips

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Author Bio
Anthony L. Almada, MSc, FISSN, started
his career in the natural products industry in
1975, working in retail nutrition stores. He
has a BSc in Zoology/Physiology (Cal State
U, Long Beach) and performed his Masters
thesis research in Nutritional/Exercise
Biochemistry at UC Berkeley. In 1990 he
created the thermogenic category of
dietary supplements. In 1992 he cofounded
EAS, which pioneered creatine monohydrate and evidence-based
sport nutrition in most of the world, and was the first company to
introduce Vitargo outside of Scandinavia (in 1997). He has
collaborated on over 50 university-based clinical trials (nutrition
intervention, in health and disease) and is a coauthor on over 30
peer-reviewed scientific journal articles. He is a frequently sought
out nutrition business, science, and intellectual property expert,
having been quoted in The New York Times, Business Week, and
Forbes. He is on the editorial board of several scientific journals
and is a member of the editorial advisory board of Nutrition
Business Journal. He is a cofounder and Fellow of the
International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN). He is the Founder
and CEO of Vitargo Global Sciences, Inc.
David Barr CSCS, CISSN, RSCC, is a
performance optimization strategist
who combines elements of systems
engineering, adaptation physiology,
and nutritional biochemistry, resulting
in unprecedentedlevels of confusion.
His research experience includes work
for NASA at the Johnson Space
Center, as well as clinical research on
the eect of amino acid intake on muscle growth. David has
authorship in 6 textbook chapters, 5 books, and more than 50
articles on applied training and supplement science. In a
transparent act of overcompensation, he has acquired an excess
of performance-related certifications, ranging from Tactical
Strength and Conditioning to the legal handling of a radioactive
poison (which is actually a thing, apparently). He is revered
throughout the world for his use of hyperbole.
Contact: David@VitargoS2.com
Website: ThinkSportsNutrition.com
Copyright Vitargo Global Sciences, Inc., 2016. All rights
reserved.
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