The raison d'etre of this website is to provide you with hard scientific information which may help you make informed decisions in your quest for health (so far I have blogged concise summaries of over 1,500 scientific studies and have had three books published).

My research is mainly focused on the effects of cholesterol, saturated fat and statin drugs on health. If you know anyone who is worried about their cholesterol levels and heart disease, or has been told to take statin drugs you could send them a link to this website, and to my statin or cholesterol or heart disease books.

David Evans

Independent Health Researcher

Saturday, 30 April 2011

Ketogenic diets can allow unimpaired endurance performance

This post includes a synopsis of a paper published in Nutrition and Metabolism 2004 Aug 17;1(1):2 and a recipe for pemmican.

Study title and author:
Ketogenic diets and physical performance.
Phinney SD.
Source6108 Boothbay Court, Elk Grove, CA 95758, United States of America. sdphtb@earthlink.net.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC524027/?tool=pubmed

In this review Phinney examines the effectes of a ketogenic diet on physical performance.

The study found that:
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Books:
(a) Early Arctic explorers such as Schwatka and Stefansson have shown that great feats of endurance could be achieved on a ketogenic diet, with a couple of caveats.
   (i) Schwatka found that it took two or three weeks to adapt to the diet.
   (ii) Stefansson found that protein should not exceed 20% of the diet or malaise may occur.
(b) Studies of short duration or/and a high protein content show the ketogenic diet to impair physical performance.
(c) Studies of a duration long enough to allow adaptation, that contain protein at around 20% of the diet and with optimized sodium and potassium intake, result in an unimpaired or even increased physical performance in endurance activities.

In conclusion: Ketogenic diets may result in improved athletic endurance if sufficient adaptation time is allowed and protein, sodium and potassium intake are optimized.

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Recipe of the day

Pemmican

Makes 3 cups

Ingredients:
Organic Grass Fed Brisket Roast ONE (2 to 3 lb. Roast)
Food Mall: Brisket
3 pounds beef, such as brisket or bottom round
1 pound beef suet or tallow

Instructions:
Slice beef into thin strips, spread on racks placed on cookie sheets and bake several hours in a 150-degree oven until well dried. (You may also use a dehydrator.) Meanwhile, cut suet or tallow into small pieces and place in a pan. Melt over medium-high heat and allow to boil until any pieces of skin, meat or gristle have become crisp. Pour the hot fat through a strainer into a glass measuring cup-you should have about 3/4 cup rendered fat.

Cut dried beef into pieces and process in batches in the food processor, several minutes per batch, until the beef is reduced to a coarse powder. In a bowl, mix powdered beef and warm fat. Press into a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar and cover tightly. Pemmican may be stored at room temperature.