Martin Levac
New Member
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(stevejones @ Apr. 27 2008,2:12)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">All pro bicyclists consume a huge amount of calories (up to 7k and over during events like the tour of de france), and most of those calories are from carbohydrates. They need the glycogen to use as energy. All pro bicyclists have three things in common---they're thin as rails, have small torsos, and big legs. Their body composiiton is that way because they expend so much energy working their legs very hard, bit their upper bodies much less. How does this not show that your carbohydrate intake does not matter if you burn the calories off? How does it not show that your body composition has a lot to do with how you exercise....just because many of them use steroids? I don't get it.
Also, doesn't the brain use glucose as fuel? What happens when you stop providing that fuel for a long period of time? I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed even when my brain is getting plenty of glucose. I hate to imagine what I'd be like without it. Many professional bbers go on low to zero carb diets during the final stages of their preparation for a show. They report being sluggish, light headed, weak, etc. etc. Would they not stay this way if they were on their low carb diets for an extended period of time?
Thanks for the info</div>
Pro cyclists don't represent the norm. They represent an extreme. The other extreme is represented by morbidly obese people. Or perhaps diabetes type 1.
Only few organs and tissues require glucose as fuel. For instance, the retina and lens of the eye. The brain can use ketones (ketone bodies) as fuel and does so with much more efficiency than it does glucose. Incidentally, that the retina and lens require glucose could explain why diabetics become either blind or develop cataracts as those tissues become more and more insulin resistant and thus unable to use glucose.
It takes a bit of time to adapt to a zero carb diet. From 4 to 20 weeks. During the first few weeks, it's entirely possible to feel sluggish. It can be explained by the lack of glucose because there isn't any carb coming in. And by the lack of fat coming in as well. And by the high intake of protein. So instead of using either glucose or fat as fuel, they break down protein to convert it to glucose. This is very costly and not a whole lot efficient.
While those bodybuilders report, as you say, being sluggish, many others report the contrary. The most common report from people who cut carbs out of their diet is that they have more energy. This can be explained by the increased fuel availability from the fat that is released from adipose tissue because of lower insulin levels. This is true because before they cut carbs, their lean tissue was too insulin resistant to be able to use the glucose and so were starving for fuel all along while adipose tissue was growing ever fatter.
You're welcome.
(stevejones @ Apr. 27 2008,2:12)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">All pro bicyclists consume a huge amount of calories (up to 7k and over during events like the tour of de france), and most of those calories are from carbohydrates. They need the glycogen to use as energy. All pro bicyclists have three things in common---they're thin as rails, have small torsos, and big legs. Their body composiiton is that way because they expend so much energy working their legs very hard, bit their upper bodies much less. How does this not show that your carbohydrate intake does not matter if you burn the calories off? How does it not show that your body composition has a lot to do with how you exercise....just because many of them use steroids? I don't get it.
Also, doesn't the brain use glucose as fuel? What happens when you stop providing that fuel for a long period of time? I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed even when my brain is getting plenty of glucose. I hate to imagine what I'd be like without it. Many professional bbers go on low to zero carb diets during the final stages of their preparation for a show. They report being sluggish, light headed, weak, etc. etc. Would they not stay this way if they were on their low carb diets for an extended period of time?
Thanks for the info</div>
Pro cyclists don't represent the norm. They represent an extreme. The other extreme is represented by morbidly obese people. Or perhaps diabetes type 1.
Only few organs and tissues require glucose as fuel. For instance, the retina and lens of the eye. The brain can use ketones (ketone bodies) as fuel and does so with much more efficiency than it does glucose. Incidentally, that the retina and lens require glucose could explain why diabetics become either blind or develop cataracts as those tissues become more and more insulin resistant and thus unable to use glucose.
It takes a bit of time to adapt to a zero carb diet. From 4 to 20 weeks. During the first few weeks, it's entirely possible to feel sluggish. It can be explained by the lack of glucose because there isn't any carb coming in. And by the lack of fat coming in as well. And by the high intake of protein. So instead of using either glucose or fat as fuel, they break down protein to convert it to glucose. This is very costly and not a whole lot efficient.
While those bodybuilders report, as you say, being sluggish, many others report the contrary. The most common report from people who cut carbs out of their diet is that they have more energy. This can be explained by the increased fuel availability from the fat that is released from adipose tissue because of lower insulin levels. This is true because before they cut carbs, their lean tissue was too insulin resistant to be able to use the glucose and so were starving for fuel all along while adipose tissue was growing ever fatter.
You're welcome.