Nutrition
Free Radicals, Crossfit, and Supercompensation
I eat paleo a few times year. Typically for about a month at a spell. The rest of the year I follow what Zach Filer of Old Country Iron Club calls Spartan Diet. This way of eating suits me because it has a few more food options than paleo does and I respond well to paleo no-no’s such as yogurt.
The Spartan Diet is essentially The Mediterranean Diet tweaked to deliver calorie dense nutrition for athletes. The need for this nutritional plan came in response to meet the recovery needs of athletes undergoing six week long waves of progressive barbell training called Caliber Cycles.
The details on how to follow The Spartan Diet will be the topic of future posts but some basic foundational principals include:
- High white meat intake
- High vegetable intake
- High olive oil intake
- Moderate red wine intake
- Low red meat intake
- Limited grain intake
- Yogurt with berries daily- see as follows.
This is a performance diet. Will you lean out? Yes, but that is not the point. There are dozens of weight loss diets out there to choose from if that is what you are looking for. This nutrition gives you your best shot at recovering from a heavy 5,5,5+ on Monday in time to do it again on Wednesday without over training.
If you google search “oxidative stress” with “Exercise” or “Crossfit” you will likely come across alarming blogs and studies that demonstrate that “extreme” exercise releases FREE RADICALS! For example: P90X and Crossfit Athletes Beware
The relationship between increased free radical production (RONS) and exercise was first demonstrated by the early work of Dillard and his colleagues in 1978. Since that time there have been nearly 300 original studies published exploring this relationship and how to mitigate it. Wellman and Bloomer’s Acute Exercise and Oxidative Stress: A 30 Year History is a comprehensive summary of that work and is worth a read. The main points are summarized below.
This post began as a research project on which anti-oxidant supplements would be most effective for blunting the spike in Free Radical (RONS) production associated with high intensity exercise. My research pointed me in another direction though. Free Radicals are not the villains they appear to be.
- RONS are produced by high intensity exercise
- Conditioned athletes only produce spikes in RONS with higher intensity training
- Free radicals are agents of cellular damage and aging
- Anti-oxidants can act as “mops” that soak up or neutralize free radicals
- For decades researchers have attempted to isolate the perfect combination of anti-oxidant supplementation to minimize the post exercise spike of RONS.
- These studies were rarely successful
- When the proper dosage and timing of vit. C, E, Co Q10 etc. was isolated, the results were surprising
- Those test subjects who experienced a successfully blunted RONS production also experienced a blunted training effect.
- They did not exhibit the typical positive results of exercise such as increased insulin sensitivity, strength gains, increased production of superoxide dismutase etc. (1,2)
- RONS appear to play a role as messenger to stimulate a compensation response that causes the health benefits of exercise.
- As with all stimulation, there appears to be an ideal volume of RONS production which stimulates an acute anti-oxidant response (4) and adaptation or supercompensation. Below that volume, the body does not respond. Above that volume tissues are damaged. (5)
- Anti-oxidant supplementation for the purpose of mitigating exercise induced RONS production is only recommended when training beyond your fitness level in the case of an unusual event that exceeds your body’s capacity to respond such as a 50 rep max, marathon, competition, etc.
For normal training I recommend low volumes of whole food sources of anti-oxidants in the form of blue berries, cherries, raspberries etc. The anti-oxidants found in these whole food sources evolved over millions of years to withstand the oxidation of constant sun exposure. The relative volume of anti-oxidants present in this whole food sources is low but diverse and has been shown to improve anti-oxidant response following acute training bouts of training. (6)
Conclusion:
Yes free radicals cause cell damage which causes aging and yes intense exercise causes an acute spike in free radicals but please don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Those regular spikes in ROS free radicals cause your body’s adaptive reactions that make you a fitter athlete and person. It makes your body more resilient to normal daily free radical deluge that your body endures every time you consume food and every time you are exposed to sunlight. The best way to manage your ROS balance is to have a fit oxidative response. High intensity exercise is how your body gets it’s oxidative swole on.
1) Wellman and Bloomer’s
2) Gomez-Cabrera
J Physiol. 2005 Aug 15;567(Pt 1):113-20. Epub 2005 Jun 2.
5) SCOTT K. POWERS and MALCOLM J. JACKSON
6) Traustadóttir, Davies
Rhodiola and Adrenal Fatigue
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Being a Viking can be stressful.
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| Freedom hating is demanding on the adrenals. |
A life well lived can be pretty stressful. Most of the people that I know like to drink lots of coffee, lift heavy things, and procreate. All of these activities are demanding on your adrenal system. When your lifestyle demands more stress hormone then your adrenal glands are able to provide, you run at a deficit which manifests in the symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue.
Symptoms include:
Mid line weight gain, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, reduced sex drive and other upleasantries.
They used adaptogens such as Rhodiola that’s how:
“Rhodiola has long been used in traditional medicine, primarily in Russia and Scandinavia. The Vikings used rhodiola to enhance physical strength and endurance, and it was commonly used by many Northern peoples to treat fatigue, poor physical endurance, nervous system disorders, and infections, and to enhance fertility.”(1)
USES:
Rhodiola has been shown in studies to improve cardiovascular performance by reducing perceived exhaustion and by improving the cardioprotective capacity of lung tissues in hypoxic environments.(2,3) Decrease lactate levels and skeletal muscle damage due to prolonged exercise(4,5.) Rhodiola has long been used for treating the perceived effects of stress and anxiety as well. This is not the sort of supplement that I have used on a maintenance basis as I do fish oil or vitamin D. An early study showed decreasing cardiovascular returns with prolonged use but more recent long-term trials have showed continued benefits with chronic use. (4,5)
WHEN TO USE IT
You don’t have to wait until you suffer overt symptoms before you supplement. I start to consider this supplement when I’m training hard and I start to wake up at 2am.
HOW TO USE IT
Rhodiola has a more stimulating effect at lower amounts, and a more sedating effect at higher amounts. In medical treatment, the usual amounts taken are 200 to 600 mg per day of a standardized extract to at least 3% rosavins and 0.8 to 1% salidroside. The nonstandardized amount would be 1 gram three times daily of the root, the amount for the alcoholic extract (40% alcohol) is 5 to 40 drops two to three times per day (with a weight to volume ratio of 1:1 to 1:5 ). Rhodiola is usually taken before meals.
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| Golden Root, Rhodiola rosea, Roseroot |
Thrive Under Pressure: Recover Rapidly.
This posting is designed to help a group athletes out of Crossfit West Seattle in their upcoming Caliber Cycle. These recommendations are general and are applicable to supporting recovery from any high intensity training cycle. This is the 4th Cycle that Zach at CFWS has run this year and we’ve learned a lot about how to get the most out of our efforts. Most importantly: Recover rapidly, Don’t get hurt, and Don’t get sick.
Everyone will have their own goals for the end of this cycle but the key is recovery and the path there is the same:
- Fuel Recovery
- Control Inflammation
- Prevent Injury
- Don’t Get Sick
Whether you hope to gain or lose weight in this cycle it is important that you increase your caloric intake. If you wish to lose weight then you are in the right program. Adding a few pounds of skeletal muscle over the following 6 weeks will increase your metabolism. Remember that calories are a measurement of energy. You are planning on expending a lot of energy and you plan to recover quickly, so it is wise to plan on consuming a lot of quality calories. The calories you consume will not cause you to grow. They will pass through the following hierarchy:
- Fuel Your Efforts in the Gym
- Fuel the Recovery From Your Efforts
- Fuel Adaptation/ Strength Gains
- Fuel Growth
Many people who are afraid of “getting too big” only satisfy the first requirement and risk injury because they lack sufficient energy to recover and continue training without injury. A simple way to increase your calories is to add something with a high caloric density such as nuts, avocados, olive oil, or a post-workout concoction of milk and protein powder. For those of you who wish to add an alarming amount of volume to your stature, it won’t be easy. You’ll have to eat in a way that is extreme and uncomfortable. A wise man named Scotty once told me “The meals should be harder than the wods.”
2- Control Inflammation/ Advil is not a vitamin.
Inflammation is not the enemy. Inflammation is the initial step in the healing process. It would be a mistake to rely on NSAIDs to suppress the pain of inflammation. NSAIDs weaken your joints leaving you susceptible to injury. Chronic consumption of NSAIDs often leads to serious gastric and kidney problems.
Instead relying on NSAIDs, control inflammation with:
Fish oil– That’s right. Lots of it too. The guidelines in this link are extreme but if you are ever in your life going to take a high volume of fish oil, now is the time. Buy it. Then drink it.
Contrast Therapy- Several minutes in barely tolerable heat and going right into shockingly cold water. The occasional rest day at Banya 5 or the Y are easy ways to get this done. After a series of particularly heavy training days make your tub into an Ice Bath and submerge your whole body to your chin for 5 minutes. This constricts your capillaries and hastens recovery. Its also strong immune support. For a convenient alternative simply alternate your shower hot 2 min/cold 2min for three cycles.
NSAID alternatives- When you’re looking from the relief that you typically get from NSAIDs, try proteolytic and digestive enzymes. They speed the inflammation and healing process instead of suppress it.
Don’t Get Sick and While You’re Up, Don’t Get Hurt
It is well documented that the immune system can be suppressed during periods of high stress and intense training. There is evidence that supplementing Vitamin C with bioflavinoids during periods of intense training decreases the frequency of upper respiratory tract infection. A gram/ day of Vit C is enough to keep you well. Make sure a that your supplement contains at least 500 mg bioflavinoids though. Without this important co-factor, your vitamin C levels may actually drop due to poor binding and competitive inhibition of your food based Vitamin C intake.
There is some evidence to support the claim that supplementing the minerals Zinc and Magnesium during intense training cycles prevents hormonal imbalances and the resultant over training symptoms of fatigue and malaise. The dose used in this study was 3mg/kg body weight/day. Zinc is an excellent supplement for preventing and fighting upper respiratory infections anyway which makes it a quality supplement to use anytime you feel you may be close to your training threshold. Just be sure to have something to eat first. Zinc supplements on an empty stomach deliver a “rowdy tequila bender” level of nausea.
4- Prevent Injury
Everyone will experience some physical discomfort during this cycle. It is normal for muscles to get sore after a hard workout. It’s not always necessary to “listen to your body” because your brain will often misinterpret terrible and glorious things like Fran and 400m sprints. “Help. Stop. Take a break. You are killing me.” It is an important skill to filter these false alarms and recognize true warnings of impending injury.
Now is the time to get proactive about the weak links in your kinetic chain. You know your spots: shoulder, elbow, wrist, back, hip, knee, ankle- address your weaknesses. Mobility issues in any of these joints will be exposed in the basic olympic lifts. Make it a priority to get to class early and spend 5-10 minutes improving your range of motion. The MWOD has dozens of quality mobilities for the major movements that we’ll be implementing. Supplemental therapies such as ART and Graston are sometimes necessary to make progress in areas with a history of injury.
Summary: There you have it. It is easy to thrive under pressure: Recover quickly, don’t get hurt, and don’t get sick. Contact me with any specific questions regarding recovery and supplementation. Have a great cycle.
GOMAD Part II
There is only one week left in the GOMAD Project. Here is an update.
The Plan: Drink One Gallon of Cheap Whole Milk in Addition Other Foods Daily For One Month or Until I gain 13 pounds. Whichever happens first.
Background:
I did not invent the GOMAD (Gallon Of Milk A Day) diet. It is a common choice among young men in a pinch to put on pounds fast. The reason why GOMAD works is simple. For one thing there are two thousand five hundred and sixty calories in a gallon of whole milk. In addition to that caloric push, milk has unique hormonal attributes including IGF-1 that drive growth. Dairy products also drive a strong insulin response that is out of proportion with its modest volume of sugar.
This is my third consecutive intervention experiment: July= Paleo, August= Vegan, September=Milk
This is a good way to contrast the acute effects on strength, energy, body composition, beard growth etc.
Results so Far:
Beard? Luxurious. Energy? Down. Strength? Up. Handsomeness? Down. Markedly. (Friends tell me I’m beginning to resemble Vince Vaughn. Not his charm or his height. His trademark puffy eyes and his pasty swollen party face.)
Body Composition:
My numbers have plateaued. I was initially gaining weight at an alarming rate. A full pound every other day going from 192.6 on 9/11/10 to 196.2 on 9/17/10. That is just 6 days. Imagine what that looks like after 6 months?! As I told my wife “imagine how great it will be when there is twice as much of me!” A surprising thing happened after that. I plateaued and then lost weight leveling out for the last ten days at 194.4 pounds. I am today only 3 pounds heavier than I was when I was a vegan nearly a month ago. This doesn’t seem reasonable.
The 3 Phases of Acceptance-
1) Confrontation:
The scale doesn’t lie. I came across some facts about the dairy industry that made cheap milk an unacceptable option. If you would like to continue to enjoy the simple pleasure of cheap milk then do not follow this link. You can’t unring the bell. It made me question why on earth I was doing this to my body and I made the switch to organic milk.
2) Blame:
There is something wrong with this milk. It clearly doesn’t work. I wish I could take it back but is too late. What kind of dwarven pygmy cattle are they milking at Horizon? I blame the cows. Maybe I should have stuck to my guns and stayed on the cheap milk.
3) Acceptance:
I Blame Myself.
I became complacent. I depended too often on the Moo Juice to supply all that I needed. I’d occasionally pull down half a gallon after my morning workout then charge off to the clinic without breakfast.
With only a week to go the question is what to do now? I’ll complete the task but I’ve been told to switch to chocolate milk if I want to get past this weight plateau. Interesting. I’ll let you know how it goes next week. Moo.
GOMAD: Gallon Of Milk A Day
So what’s the best way to rebound from eating vegan for a month? Exactly. Drink a gallon of cheap whole milk every day and hope for the best.
I’ve been at it for a week now. My first day was rough. I started late in the day and tried to down the gallon during my lunch break. I think that physically I could have done it. What I failed to account for was the time needed for naps and long sour looks into the mirror. I came up one cup short of a gallon in 3 hours.
So to get you up to speed; eating vegan left me strong but battered. My body fat increased 33% in just 23 days taking me to a personal record of 13%. My muscle mass dropped by four pounds. Those are ominous figures if I was to stick it out for the long haul. After the first 5 days of this GOMAD experiment my numbers all rebounded: back down to 10% bf and the 4 pounds of muscle came back.
So far so good. The biggest challenge thus far has been one of storage. I’m keeping a jug at the clinic, one at Crossfit and a couple at home. I’m going with the cheap stuff because I’m looking for growth right? Why pass on the free growth hormone that conventional cattle are pumped full of? I should probably get a full blood panel at the end of this one.
Gandhi DLP Part II: Eat Like a Hippie/ Lift Like a Bull
The plan was to train for one month eating completely vegan to see if I could make a significant strength gain in the absence of meat based protein.
I stuck to this plan for the most part only having some egg in a birthday cake I had and an insignificant amount of soy. The training cycle had to be cut a week short not giving me much time to make an increase but I did the most I could with a 23 day cycle.
I went with a dead lift regimen designed by Zach at CFWS: 5×5 deficit lifts, single rep rack pulls, these terrible things called front squat 1 1/2’s, and some Crossfit Football WODs on off days. The plan was to grind me into a fine powder and see if my body could recover from these beatings while eating like a hippie.
I tried to do this without supplementing any processed protein: no hemp powder, no soy, nothing weird. I went at it like this:
I ate a lot of vegetables.
I ate a whole lot of quinoa.
I drank olive oil like it was my job.
Here is my first attempt at #455 after 23 days training vegan:
It is a little known fact that olive oil has a whopping 120 calories per tablespoon. That is nearly the same number of calories that you’ll find in an entire cup of 2% milk (130 cals.) Whole milk gives you 160/cup and causes spikes in insulin which may cause long-term health problems. I kept my caloric intake high by adding one to two salads per day with 1/2 cup one each = 1000-2000 salad cals per day.
I realize that this isn’t the typical vegan diet but it worked for me. I failed to wither away. I gained 1.5 lbs.
I came off of the Paleo Diet heading into this vegan experiment and the stark contrast of meat intake is not the biggest difference between the two diets. The biggest difference is the wide amount of options that you have as a vegan. When you eat Paleo you would have to go a long way out of your way to eat poorly.
Example: Eat nothing but celery and ham for 30 days.
You have to go a long way out of your way to be a healthy vegan. You can follow STRICT vegan and have a destructive lifestyle with crappy nutrition.
Example:
First tie-up your pleather shoes and walk to your favorite brunch spot.
Pancakes, mimosa, and bagels with soy spread for breakfast-
Red Vines and two American Spirit cigarettes, and a liter of diet Coke for a snack-
Engage in domestic violence then have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and malt liquor for lunch-
Chips and salsa with a salad for dinner- Then kick an old man down some stairs.
You see- Destructive right?
The way I did vegan worked. The predetermined marker of success for this program was to pull #455 (a #15 gain) in a 23 day training cycle. I took on a ridiculous amount of volume training from Coach Z, recovered from each training session well and pulled a much bigger weight off the ground than I had hoped.
Here is the #475 pull: I changed my form a little and it turned out ugly.
I’d like to thank my friend Eric for inadvertently editing this cut. His shirt is better looking then that pull but it doesn’t have to be pretty to count. At the end of the day I went from #440 to #475 bringing me just over a 2.5 body weight DL after 23 days intensive pulling training. I gained 1.5 pounds but my body fat went up 3%!
Conclusions:
1) The body fat increase may have been due to the relatively high sugar intake.
2) Don’t believe the hype. Vegans can get strong.
3) Gandhi probably had a sick dead lift.