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genetic nutrition testing

In your episode with dr Martin Kohlmeier, - he mentioned some courses that health professionals could take in order to understand what current clinical uses actually are for genetic nutrition testing. Are there currently courses to this effect that you could recommend? And on the same note - I would be interested in more episodes explaining what are (if any) real uses in clinical practice (not in research) of genetic nutrition testing and microbiome testing.

Is proteins satiating effect really down to eating rate, palatability and energy density?

In one of Kevin Halls recent communications "Ad libitum meal energy intake is positively influenced by energy density, eating rate and hyper-palatable food across four dietary patterns" the % of protein in a meal seemed to increase energy intake in some conditions and only reduced intake in an ultra-processed diet. Could it be that part or a lot of proteins impact on satiation and satiety is through impacting those other factors (reducing energy density, palatability and eating rate)? Have previous studies adjusted or considered this?

pre-diabetes and or high lipid levels in athletes male and female

I was hoping you could tell us about A1c numbers for athletes. For ex. I have an amateur boxer whose AIC is 5.8 and normal blood sugar levels. I have another athlete with high A1C and LDL. What is the reason for this and should I be looking for more labs? Is there anything I can do diet-wise to help them when not in fight camp?

Why Mediterranean diet

Why is Mediterranean diet the most recommended diet when it promotes monounsaturated fat more than polyunsaturated fats? From listening to all the sigma episodes on cardiovascular health it seems like polyunsaturated fats lower risk more than monounsaturated fats

Mechanisms of action and metabolic biomarkers during active weight loss?

What is actually happening biochemically during active weight loss? For example if a person is hypocaloric by 200-300 calories per day, eats enough protein and does resistance training it is reasonable to expect ~1/2 lb fat loss per week. What is the mechanism by which that fat is signaled to be released, how is it extracted from a fat cell (or muscle? or liver?), how is it trafficked to other cells in the body to be used as fuel (triglycerides in apoB containing particles???). Do they have to traffic through the liver first, or is there a direct path from fat to other tissues? Is the exposure to the extra circulating particles in itself a short term risk factor for CVD, even if long term weight loss itself is beneficial? Is there any relationship between duration of active weight loss and exposure to the potential extra circulating lipid burden? Are there any other molecules stored with the fat that are also released into circulation at the same time that might be of concern?

An Episode Dedicated to Chronotypes?

The topic of chrononutrition has been a super interesting theme Danny and Alan have continued to address. It would be great to hear more about chronotypes: what do we know about them? Are these more "nature" or "nurture" (i.e., are you born with your chronotype, or can you change it through behavioral modification)? What sorts of benefits and risks might be associated with various chronotypes, etc.? How might those with a particular chronotype make the best nutrition, fitness, and other choices to align with their chronotype (assuming such differences matter)?

Navigating the "Wild West" of Supplements

Due to the fact that supplements are largely unregulated, what advice do you have for selecting reputable sources for supplements? Are there any specific red or yellow flags to look out for? On the other hand, what might give a clear "green" to go ahead and trust a given supplement or supplement company?

keto diet for cancer patients

I'd love a comprehensive look at the evidence so far regarding keto diet during cancer treatment. Are there any types of cancers or types of treatment where such diet would make sense? Is there any reliable data so far or is the data so far to weak to have a real opinion?

Nutrition for Strength and Recovery in Women

I’m curious about nutrition for strength and recovery, particularly in premenopausal women. There’s a lot of talk about protein requirements, source, and timing for MPS. While I find all this interesting, I imagine it overwhelmingly appeals to men, at least as far as the focus on muscle size is concerned. As a woman, I am more interested in strength gains and recovery for getting back to the next workout—not interested nearly as much in muscle bulk. I eat almost exclusively plant based, so it’s been encouraging to hear that the “plant vs. animal” debate is focusing on “the wrong question,” and that many plant foods do well for promoting MPS. But is there any evidence suggesting that certain foods or general dietary patterns are better or worse at promoting recovery between workouts?

Connective tissue disorders and diet

Is there any dietary pattern or even specific foods or supplements that helps with connective tissue regeneration or prevents excessive breakdown in diseases like EDS or other conditions where connective tissue is affected?

I'd love a look at the research on erythritol and vascular risk

Neuro-disease and food

Would there be any advice on foods/diet or supplements that applies specifically to neurological, neuroinflammatory or neurodegenerative diseases?

Caffeine metabolism + individual variation

I'm curious to know what the literature says about the variation in how different individuals respond to caffeine. Is it true that there is a genetic predisposition to caffeine metabolism? Some seem to be able to consume it with little impact while others, such as myself, can only handle small amounts. For example, if I want to have coffee, I need to drink decaf. While I am able to have caffeinated teas (black, oolong, green, and white), I have to be very conscious about the quantity I drink, whether I have eaten food, time of day, etc. Finally, are there any recommended strategies for (1) discovering one's unique caffeine metabolism and (2) mitigating "over-caffeination"? Thank you, Danny and Alan, for all the work you do here. So grateful for the resource of Sigma. - Jessica Schroeder

A recent rise is sodium-loaded electrolyte supplements

There has been a recent rise in electrolyte supplements on the market and many of them containing a lot of sodium. One popular one is LMNT which I am seeing a rise of popularity in a few sports, one being CrossFit. My concern is around people who are doing a one hour CrossFit class a day and taking this supplement daily with has a gram of sodium in. Often times, I am sure this will be on top of an already high-salt diet in many cases. Looking on their website they have an article pushing back on the FDA's recommendation against limiting sodium where they (Rob Wolf) has attacked the recommendation and stated it is wrong. Even to the point that Salt intake isn't an issue for blood pressure or heart health. The article is here: https://science.drinklmnt.com/electrolytes/the-fdas-misguidance-on-sodium/?variant=16358367199266&_gl=1*3gd4ge*_gcl_au*MTg4MzM3MDUzMS4xNzIyNTI2OTgy*_ga*MTcwNDQzMzExMS4xNzIyNTI2OTgy*_ga_BKZV7MVXM7*MTcyNDIzMDI5MC4yLjEuMTcyNDIzMDQxMi41My4wLjA. I'm hoping you can apply some nuance here and pick apart his argument. Thanks, Lewys

Metabolically healthy - BMI out of range

All my blood work indicates I am metabolically healthy (lipids, A1C, thyroid, liver) and my doctor says I am well nourished. My BMI is under 17.5%. The Veterans Administration nutritionist said if I eat 1400-1600 calories. (I am currently eating 1700) I will slowly add weight and plateau at 45 kg. My weight is not increasing but I worry if I add calories from the wrong sources my lipids and liver will have issues. Adding good fats caused my lipids to be poor and adding carbs raised my triglycerides which the endocrinologist said caused liver fibrosis. My lipids and liver are great now so how does someone determine the balance between metabolic health and healthy BMI? Lisa

Game Changers / James Wilks JRE

Years ago when these first came out I kind of stubbornly brushed them both off (that is, the Doc and also James' grilling of Chris Kresser with the help of Avi Bitterman MD) and kept my blinders on. Since then, I've came to the conclusion that actually the research behind veganism is actually pretty robust and some of the 'cons' that bodybuilding circles commonly mention such as 'nutrient deficiencies' are very weak and easily addressed (both directly but also within the argument itself) Which brings me to my question: have you watched either of the documentary and/or the JRE episode, and if so, what are/were your thoughts? As mentioned above, I did a complete 180. Thank you - big fan! Cameron

Managing familial hypercholesterolemia

Hi, I am a 26-year-old man, and hypercholesterolemia runs in my family. Despite weightlifting and cardio training paired with a mostly whole-food-plant-predominant diet my ldl and total cholesterol levels are always at the top of the accepted "healthy" range. What approaches or supplements could I consider to lower those levels in a better/optimal value?

FISH

Hello, my doubt is regarding fish, in terms of the evidence and your opinion, do you recommend it or not? I have my doubts. And because the consensus recommends it, if when compared, they come out badly, damaging health, my doubt is regarding that issue.

Is resistance Training helpful in the Menopause?

I have always thought that any resistance and/or strength training was good for both health and managing potential side effects of menopause such as decreased bone density etc., but a strength trainer has recently told me that unless you are consistently increasing the weights you use, then simply using weights is not enough to make a difference- is this true and how can you make this form of exercise accessible to all if this is true and this would require a gym and specialist training?

#BoPo

I am following a lot of accounts that promote body diversity as I am doing research into body image. The health information is conflicting with many of the professionals in this space notably around the impact of being in a Larger and it's impact on overall health and mortality and also (and I know you've recently covered this) the detrimental impact of dieting on health markers. Where do you stand with this movement - is body size important If behaviours are 'healthy'

Corporate Health Recommendations

With growing health awareness it becomes increasingly important for companies to offer a work environment that pro-actively promotes health (at the very least does not harm it). This is especially crucial as demographics in most industrialized nations require companies to address topics like health to stay competetive for top young talent. If you were to advise a company to establish solid workplace health fundamentals, the 80/20 of it if you will, what would you tell them? What are the crucial elements to have in place? Thanks and keep up the good work, gents!

Bioactive animal-sourced compounds

Which compounds typically found in animal products would be interesting to supplement for health and performance purposes in vegan/vegetarian populations? Do any of them carry some risks like l-carnitine raising TMAO levels?

Omega 3 Index Baselines in Studies

In omega 3 supplementation studies it doesn't seem to be common practice to test the omega 3 index as a baseline measurement before supplementation. Why is this? How do we know if supplementation is beneficial if people do/do not have adequate levels? It seems to be intake is measured off food frequency questionnaires which can have issues, so why don't we use this marker as a standard?

Podcast Prep

What are Danny and Alan’s general process for approaching a podcast? From topic choices, literature review, concluding thoughts before entering the podcast, communication, and skeletal structure etc.

Do you have a podcast where the current most ideal diet for people look like based on the current understanding of nutrition

Listening to multiple experts, podcast, books etc. I don't know what to eat anymore. There are like pro's and cons for everything. Is there a podcast where the best foods to eat are described. So not just protein/carb/fat, but the actual most benefical foods. etc.

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