[Research Roundup] Weightlifting and fat loss, the carnivore diet, and more . . .

What does science say? Open up to find out! ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Hey there, My inaugural “research roundup” missive went over like a coke-addled pole vaulter (that’s a good thing), and so here I am with the second installment. Today we’ll review five studies on weightlifting and fat loss, veggies and post-workout recovery, the carnivore diet and your health, and more. (Oh, and if you want to peruse the research I’m citing in this email, you can find links to everything here: [( Lifting weights changes gene expression to accelerate fat muscle growth and burning. You’ve probably heard that gaining muscle helps with fat loss and weight maintenance by boosting your metabolism (you burn an extra 6-or-so calories per day per pound of muscle gained), but research conducted by scientists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln shows that there’s more to it than that. In this study, the researchers found that when 10 men and women between 26 and 50 years old did resistance training, their muscles released a special type of cell into their blood called extracellular vesicles. As these special cells leave the muscles, they carry with them strands of genetic material called miR-1 which are then deposited in neighboring fat cells. When miR-1 is in muscle tissue, it hinders muscle growth, but when it’s in fat cells, it hastens fat burning. A few questions I’d love to see explored further in light of this research: How long miR-1 particles stay in fat cells after you stop training. Are they like satellite cells, which [linger]( long after you stop lifting weights? Or more like mTOR, which [disappears]( in a matter of hours? And are they permanently banished from muscle tissue, or do they migrate home once you [stop weightlifting]( TL;DR: When we lift weights, our muscles release special cells called extracellular vesicles that contain genetic material called miR-1, and our body deposits them into fat cells. This process simultaneously enhances muscle growth and fat burning. Eating cruciferous vegetables may improve muscle recovery after training. Most people don’t think of [vegetables]( as “muscle-building foods,” but this study conducted by scientists at Kobe University suggests otherwise. In it, the researchers wanted to assess how [sulforaphane]( compound found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage—affects muscle damage and [recovery]( after training. The researchers tested the bench press [one-rep max]( of 10 men, then randomly assigned them to either a sulforaphane supplement group, which took 30 mg of sulforaphane per day, or a placebo group. After one month, everyone returned to the lab to retest their bench press and give blood samples, which allowed the researchers to measure levels of two markers of muscle damage and inflammation: creatine kinase and interleukin-6. The supplement and placebo groups then switched protocols—the people who took sulforaphane started taking a placebo and vice versa—for another month, and then retested their bench press strength. (This is referred to as a crossover study, and it’s helpful for determining how individuals respond to various supplements or other interventions because each person serves as their own control). And the results? When the weightlifters took sulforaphane supplements instead of the placebo, creatine kinase levels were significantly lower 24 hours after the workout and interleukin-6 levels were significantly lower 30 minutes post workout. This isn’t grounds to start scarfing broccoli instead of [whey]( or [casein]( but it’s a reminder that building muscle isn’t all about eating a lot of [protein]( and [calories]( and vegetables can also support your recovery. TL;DR: Eating cruciferous vegetables that contain sulforaphane may mitigate muscle damage and inflammation, which can improve recovery from training. Caffeine boosts physical performance, even in habitual coffee drinkers. Many people know that the invigorating effects of caffeine [wane]( with regular consumption, but does this mean that [pre-workout supplements]( that contain caffeine are less effective for regular coffee drinkers? That’s what some presumably well-caffeinated scientists at the University of São Paulo wanted to learn when they studied 40 male cyclists whom they split into three groups depending on their habitual coffee consumption: low (2-to-101 mg per day), moderate (104-to-183 mg per day), and high (190-to-583 mg per day). (And for reference, a typical 6-ounce cup of black coffee has 68 mg of caffeine, although this can vary depending on the beans and preparation methods). For the study, the cyclists performed three cycling time trials an hour after consuming 6 mg per kg of body weight of [caffeine]( (about one to one-and-a-half servings of [Pulse]( for most people), a placebo, or nothing. The results showed that supplementing with caffeine increased the cyclists’ performance to a similar degree regardless of how much coffee they regularly drank. In other words, the study showed that the performance boost you get from caffeine doesn’t diminish if you regularly drink jitter juice, at least for endurance athletes. Thus, judging by the results of this study and the weight of the evidence overall, it appears caffeine’s performance-enhancing effects aren’t tempered by regular consumption, provided you take a large enough dose. Thus, you probably don’t need to give up caffeine entirely to “resensitize” your body to it and thereby regain its performance benefits. For example, you can probably drink a cup (or even two or three) of coffee per day and still get benefits from periodically taking a larger-than-usual dose of caffeine before a workout. TL;DR: Taking caffeine improves athletic performance even in habitual caffeine users, so long the dosage is relatively high. The carnivore diet isn’t so good for your health. Many [carnivore dieters]( insist that eating nothing but animal flesh can help you lose weight, protect against disease, reduce inflammation, and increase testosterone levels. All of this sounds great (and of all fad diets, it certainly has the coolest name), but most of these benefits are theoretical and have never been subjected to the acid test of high-quality scientific research. Enter recent research conducted by scientists at Boston Children's Hospital, which gives us some empirical evidence about how eating only meat affects your health. In this study, the researchers conducted a social media survey of 2,029 participants who’d been following a carnivore diet for an average of 14 months, mostly (93%) for health reasons. The vast majority of participants (95%) were satisfied with their diet and felt their health and body composition had benefited from avoiding plant foods. A closer look at some of the health markers published in the study tells a different story, though. The most concerning results were the participant’s [LDL cholesterol]( and coronary artery calcium (CAC) levels. CAC is a measure of the amount of calcium that’s accumulated on the inside of your blood vessels, and it’s a proxy for plaque buildup (atherosclerosis). The results showed that the participants’ average pre-diet LDL level was 139, while the average post-diet LDL level was 169. This means that, on average, their levels went from being considered “borderline high” to “high” after 14 months of nixing plant foods. Worse still, CAC almost doubled from 183 to 322, which means their risk of all-cause mortality and heart disease increased significantly as well. (And unsurprisingly, one of the best ways to decrease CAC levels is to eat more fruits and vegetables.) To throw carnivore dieters a bone (sorry, couldn't resist), however, the results of this study were taken from a social media survey and only 15 participants provided details about their health biomarkers, so it’s certainly not the last word on the matter. That said, it doesn’t inspire confidence in the carnivore diet. (And if reading this has got you wondering what kind of diet is right for your circumstances and goals, then [take my free 60-second diet quiz]( and find out.) TL;DR: Although many people said they felt healthier on the carnivore diet, this study showed that some of them had alarmingly large increases in LDL cholesterol and coronary artery calcium levels. Having a spotter boosts bench press performance. Having a spotter on the bench press makes it safer? Meh. Having a spotter can increase performance? Tell me more! Well, scientists from several universities in the United Kingdom had 12 recreationally trained men in their early 20s complete two workouts consisting of 3 sets of the [Smith machine bench press]( with 60% of their one-rep max to failure. In one of the workouts, the participants could see that they had two [spotters]( but in the other session, their spotters hid silently out of sight (so the lifters weren’t aware of them). And on average, the men could perform an additional 1.5 reps when they knew they had a spotter. They also reported feeling more confident that they’d be able to do the same number of reps or more in subsequent sets. An extra 1.5 reps per set may not seem like much, but if you do, say, 9 sets of pressing in 2 [chest]( or [push workouts]( per week, you’re looking at 27 extra reps per week, which could add up to significantly more strength and muscle gains over time. Granted, that’s assuming the performance benefits of a spotter persist over time (maybe the boost wears off?) and it’s equally effective in experienced weightlifters (the participants were noobs). And while it's certainly possible the benefits would endure, I suspect they would be far smaller in veterans who better know their limits and are comfortable pushing closer to them. So, my take on this study and spotting in general is this: - Having a spotter while benching is probably safer than going solo, but unless you’re taking your sets to (true) failure—your arms are shaking, the rep drags on for 5 or more seconds, and you can’t support the weight despite giving your all—your chances of decapitating yourself with a barbell are vanishingly small. (Pro tip: Don’t put collars on the bar so you can dump the weights to the side should you get stuck. Only your pride gets axed, and not your neck.) - It’s smart to get a spotter when doing any kind of one-rep or rep-max test. It’s not essential, but it is a bit safer and gives you the peace of mind to push yourself a little harder than you might otherwise. TL;DR: Having a spotter while bench pressing may increase the number of reps you can perform, but it remains to be seen if this effect endures over time and holds true for experienced weightlifters. Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-Th- “That’s all, folks!” What’s your take on these topics? Any feedback you’d like to share? Hit reply and let me know! Keep a weather eye for the next batch of fitness brain droppings, too, where I’ll cover the science of “glute activation” exercises, some problems with the 5:2 diet, an unexpected benefit of vitamin D supplementation, and more. Mike P.S. Want some help building your best body ever? Here are 5 ways I can assist whenever you’re ready, including free fitness plans, coaching, books, and more: [www.mikematthews.co]( P.P.S. Did someone forward this email to you and you want to get more like it? 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