What is the '30 Bananas a Day' diet fad and is it nutritionally complete?

The '30 Bananas a Day' diet was a fad publicized by vegan YouTubers Durianrider and Freelee the Banana Girl, peaking around 2014. They later expanded to 'The Frugivore Diet' encompassing various fruits. It is unlikely that bananas alone are nutritionally complete for all human dietary needs.

Does capsaicin supplementation improve athletic performance?

Capsaicin shows intriguing potential, with some studies demonstrating benefits for endurance and resistance exercise. Mechanisms include increased calcium release in muscles, fatty acid oxidation, and pain tolerance. However, more research from diverse lab groups is needed, and high doses of pure capsaicin can cause GI discomfort.

What beverages effectively reduce the burning sensation of spicy foods?

Research suggests whole milk and skim milk are effective at extinguishing the spicy food taste. Surprisingly, Kool-Aid also performed quite well in a 2019 study.

Are ketogenic diets optimal for muscle gain and hypertrophy?

Recent meta-analyses indicate that while ketogenic diets can lead to fat loss, they are generally not optimal for muscle gains compared to diets with more moderate macronutrient distribution. This is often due to reduced appetite, limited food choices, and lower muscle glycogen levels.

How long can I take off from the gym before I start losing gains?

One week off from training is unlikely to cause any substantial loss of strength or muscle mass. For trips longer than two weeks, it's advisable to incorporate some bodyweight or band training to maintain gains, even if it's just a fraction of your usual volume.

What's the best way to remove body hair for bodybuilding competitions?

Shaving is the most reliable method for body hair removal in bodybuilding. Chemical depilatories like Nair are generally not recommended due to potential skin reactions (puffiness, redness) that can affect stage appearance and tanning product adherence.

Should I take a multivitamin, or is it a waste of money?

Multivitamins can serve as a low-risk, cost-effective insurance policy against micronutrient deficiencies, especially if your diet lacks variety or excludes food groups. While not a hobby horse, it's a reasonable option if you're concerned about sub-optimal nutrient levels, given their low cost.

Why are some people concerned about iodine deficiency making a comeback?

Historically eradicated in the U.S. through iodized table salt, iodine deficiencies are resurfacing. This is attributed to increased consumption of hyper-filtered water (which removes natural iodine) and a shift by many towards gourmet or fancy salts that are not fortified with iodine.

Is there a difference in hypertrophy gains between straight sets to failure and RPE-based training?

Current research doesn't show a significant practical difference for hypertrophy between straight sets where the last set is taken to failure, and RPE-based training (e.g., all sets at 8 RPE with reps decreasing). The key is being within 2-3 reps of failure, making both approaches fundamentally similar in stimulus.

What are common fitness myths seen on social media, especially after gym closures?

A persistent myth, especially prevalent during and after gym closures, is the idea of muscle tissue interconverting into fat tissue, or vice versa. Physiologically, this is impossible, as muscle cells and fat cells are distinct and cannot transform into one another.

Capsaicin, Multivitamins, and Time Off (Episode 60)

Stronger By Science

Sports3 min read130 min video

Jun 17, 2021|5,048 views|173|43

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Capsaicin for performance, keto diets for hypertrophy, and navigating gym breaks.

Key Insights

Capsaicin shows potential for performance enhancement through various mechanisms including calcium release and pain perception reduction, though more diverse research is needed.

Ketogenic diets may lead to reduced body mass and fat, but generally show less favorable outcomes for lean mass and strength gains compared to non-ketogenic diets, especially for bulking.

Taking a week or more off from training for a vacation is unlikely to cause significant loss of strength or muscle; a brief return to training might be needed to shed 'rust'.

Multivitamins can serve as a low-cost insurance policy against micronutrient deficiencies, especially for those with restricted diets, but should not replace whole food nutrition.

The fitness industry, particularly commercial gyms, can employ aggressive sales tactics that exploit client insecurities, which can create negative associations with exercise.

There's a myth of fat and muscle interconversion; these are distinct tissues that cannot transform into one another; changes are due to separate physiological processes.

The effectiveness of training to failure versus training with repetitions in reserve (RIR) for hypertrophy likely differs minimally for most individuals, allowing for personal preference.

GOOD NEWS AND FEATS OF STRENGTH

The episode begins with lighthearted 'good news,' including an anecdote about a whale swallowing a person and surviving, and a more substantial update on a new in-utero surgical procedure to prevent spina bifida-related paralysis. On the feats of strength front, the hosts highlight a 19-year-old deadlifting 800 lbs and a 21-year-old setting a junior deadlift record, emphasizing the impressive strength displayed by young athletes.

RESEARCH ROUNDUP: CAPSAICIN AND KETOGENIC DIETS

The research roundup delves into capsaicin supplementation, noting its potential ergogenic benefits via mechanisms like increased calcium release, reduced pain perception, and increased fat oxidation. While promising, the current body of research is small and largely from a single lab group, warranting more diverse studies. For ketogenic diets, meta-analyses suggest they are effective for fat loss and body weight reduction but generally less optimal for lean mass and strength gains, particularly during bulking phases, due to factors like appetite suppression and potential glycogen depletion.

NAVIGATING VACATIONS AND TIME OFF

Greg addresses how to handle vacations by emphasizing that a week off from training is unlikely to cause significant strength or muscle loss. He advises against intentionally overreaching before a break due to potential injury risks and minimal visually impactful benefits. The primary recommendation is to rest and enjoy the vacation, with a gradual reintroduction to training upon return to shake off any 'rust' and avoid immediate overexertion.

MICRONUTRIENTS, SUPPLEMENTS, AND DIETARY DEBATES

The discussion on multivitamins frames them as a low-risk, cost-effective 'insurance policy' against potential micronutrient deficiencies, especially for individuals with restrictive diets. While not a replacement for whole foods, they can fill nutritional gaps. The conversation also touches on a resurgence of iodine deficiency due to shifts away from fortified salt and toward filtered water and specialized salts, suggesting seafood or fortified salt for intake.

TRAINING EXECUTION: SETS TO FAILURE VS. RIR

Regarding training stimulus, the conversation explores the difference between taking sets to failure and stopping a few reps shy (RIR). Current research suggests minimal practical difference in hypertrophy outcomes for most individuals, as long as sets are challenging enough and within a reasonable range of failure. Preference and exercise type, such as avoiding true failure on heavy compound lifts like squats and deadlifts, can guide the approach. The discussion also debunks the myth of muscle and fat interconversion.

GRAPPLING WITH GYM CULTURE AND PERSONAL TRAINING

A personal anecdote details a negative experience with a commercial gym's sales-driven fitness assessment and personal training pitch. The assessment used questionable methods and alarmist language to highlight perceived flaws, aiming to sell costly training services. This highlights how aggressive, fear-based sales tactics can foster negative perceptions of gyms and trainers, contrasting with more ethical and positive approaches to promoting fitness and well-being.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Supplements

●Products

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Vacation Training: Dos and Don'ts

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Utilize bodyweight training or resistance bands for 20-30 minutes a day if you want to maintain training on vacation.

Take a full week off from training to rest and recover; it won't substantially affect gains.

Ease back into training during the first week after a break, dropping sets or reducing loads slightly.

If taking longer than two weeks off, plan for at least some minimal training to prevent muscle mass loss (e.g., 1/3 to 1/9 of normal volume at high intensity).

Eat seafood or seaweed regularly to ensure adequate iodine intake.

Avoid This

Sneak away for two-hour gym sessions daily if on a family vacation, unless it genuinely adds to your enjoyment without detracting from others' experience.

Intentionally overreach the week before vacation, as the injury risk outweighs potential hypertrophic supercompensation benefits.

Rely on nutritional interventions (like high protein) to compensate for extended time off from the gym.

Treat multivitamins as a license to eat a poor overall diet, as they don't replace all benefits of whole foods.

Use body hair removal creams like Nair for bodybuilding prep, which can cause skin irritation for tanning.

Assume nutritional deficiencies are a thing of the past; sub-optimal levels of micronutrients are not uncommon.

Common Questions

Yes, a new surgical procedure is being performed in utero on 20-week gestated fetuses to correct neural tube abnormalities and prevent or reduce paralysis related to spina bifida. Early articles suggest positive outcomes with no major complications.

Topics

Health & Longevity Nutrition & Diet Human Performance Supplementation Research

Mentioned in this video

supplementCapsiates

Capsaicinoids found in supplements that have similar physiological effects to capsaicin but are not spicy and cause less GI distress.

personSawyer Klatt

A 19-year-old USAPL lifter who deadlifted 363 kilos (800 pounds) in the gym, potentially becoming only the second teenager to do so in a meet.

supplementVitamin D

Mentioned in the context of toxicity warnings, with the clarification that typical multivitamin doses are far below those associated with negative outcomes.

mediaPinocchio

A documentary film mentioned by Greg as pre-existing documentation of a person being swallowed and surviving a whale encounter.

productMorton's Table Salt

A classic fortified table salt brand that historically helped eradicate iodine deficiencies in the U.S., contrasted with unfortified fancy salts.

supplementMultivitamins

Discussed as a low-risk, cost-effective insurance policy against micronutrient deficiencies, especially for those with less diverse diets, but cautioned against as a replacement for whole foods.

personMike Zordos

A colleague at MASS (Stronger by Science) who suggests a slightly wider range for reps from failure (6-7) compared to the speaker's personal preference (2-3).

personJamal Browner

Mentioned as being tied with Brandon Streagle for the biggest deadlift for a 242 junior lifter at 865.3 pounds.

personFreelee the Banana Girl

A vegan YouTuber mentioned in the context of high banana consumption diets (30 bananas a day).

conceptTRPV1 Receptor

The main receptor that capsaicin targets, mediating its physiological effects.

productNair

A chemical hair removal product advised against for bodybuilding purposes due to potential skin reactions that can negatively impact stage appearance and tanning.

organizationUSAPL

A powerlifting organization mentioned in relation to Sawyer Klatt's deadlift, noting his status as a USAPL lifter with potentially natural androgen levels.

productDiamond Kosher Salt

A type of fancy salt used by Greg for seasoning meat, which is typically not iodized and contributes to decreased iodine intake.

productXbox 360

A gaming console mentioned as potentially being the underlying technology for the 3D body scan device in the gym.

toolMyFitnessPal

A nutrition tracking app previously used by bodybuilders, but often found to lack desired functionality for physique athletes.

supplementMagnesium Oxide

A form of magnesium often used in cheaper multivitamins, noted for its poor oral bioavailability.

supplementIodine

Discussed in relation to the resurgence of deficiencies due to changes in water filtration and a shift from iodized table salt to fancy, non-iodized salts.

softwareOpen Powerlifting

A database used by Greg to verify powerlifting records for teenagers deadlifting 800 pounds.

personBrandon Streagle

A junior lifter who deadlifted 400 kilos (881 pounds) in the gym, which would be the biggest deadlift ever by a junior 242 lifter if done in a meet.

toolInstagram

A social media platform where fitness myths are commonly shared, though the speaker unfollows accounts that promote them.

organizationGood News Network

An organization mentioned as the source of an article claiming youth prefer gardening due to its positive vibes, which Greg interprets ominously.

personGeorge Leaman

Mentioned as a lifter who pulled over 800 pounds as a teenager, but not in a meet.

supplementCreatine monohydrate

A supplement mentioned alongside beta-alanine as being relatively stable in water for daily consumption.

conceptCreatinine

The breakdown product of creatine, mentioned as harmless if ingested due to some creatine breaking down in water.

productKool-Aid

A beverage surprisingly effective at reducing the unpleasant taste of spicy foods, outperforming its reputation.

toolKetogenic Diet

A diet critically reviewed for its effectiveness in gaining muscle, with meta-analyses showing it may lead to fat loss and lower lean body mass gains compared to non-ketogenic diets, often due to reduced appetite and palatability issues.

supplementZinc Oxide

A form of zinc often used in cheaper multivitamins, noted for its poor oral bioavailability.

productFlintstone Vitamin

A children's multivitamin referenced metaphorically to describe the 'health halo' effect where people assume their micronutrient intake is covered without attention to overall diet quality.

mediaMighty Morphin Power Rangers

A TV show referenced to describe the appearance of the 3D body scan image, which resembled a 'putty monster'.

companyBulkSupplements.com

An online retailer for dietary supplements, mentioned as supporting the podcast and offering a discount code.

conceptSpina Bifida

A condition where the neural tube doesn't form correctly, often leading to paralysis. A new in-utero surgical procedure is being explored to prevent or reduce paralysis related to it.

personEric Lillibridge

Identified as potentially the only 19-year-old or younger lifter to have pulled 800 pounds in a powerlifting meet.

supplementBeta-Alanine

A supplement discussed regarding its stability in water and the theoretical concept of high-dose supplementation for saturating muscle carnosine levels.

conceptThe Frugivore Diet

A diet concept that the '30 Bananas a Day' people eventually moved on to, encompassing various types of fruit, suggesting a shift from an exclusively banana lifestyle.

supplementCapsaicin

A supplement discussed for its performance-enhancing effects by binding to the TRPV1 receptor, increasing calcium release, fatty acid oxidation, and analgesic effects, with a caveat about potential GI discomfort.

supplementCaffeine

A supplement mechanistically compared to capsaicin for its effects on calcium kinetics, perceived pain, and perceived exertion during exercise.

supplementVitamin E

Mentioned in the context of high-dose issues, with the clarification that typical multivitamin doses are far below those associated with negative outcomes.

softwareFacebook Groups

Online communities where myths about fat turning into muscle (or vice versa) are frequently seen.