Ryan Swan - Everything You Need To Know About Carbohydrates!

**webmaster** · 04-30-2004, 04:34 PM

The following article will change how many of you look at Carbohydrates. Once you understand how carbs work in your body, you can maximize energy and yes loose fat while taking in a fairly high carbohydrate diet.

http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/ryanswan16.htm

HOW TO REVIEW: Post Your Review Of This Article - CLICK ON POST REPLY BELOW! You do NOT need to be a registered member to post a reply in this section!

taffer · 05-05-2004, 11:46 PM

very nice article here, helped me alot understand carbs on a more complex level, good read for non-beginers, but not experts!

07-29-2004, 07:18 PM

Ok, here I go. This article is informative in some parts, and false in others. The information about the different sugars, high/low glycemic levels, and food high/low in fiber is correct. But after that, things start getting a little twisted. To say that the body uses primarily muscle for fuel when carbohydrate levels are low is and ignorant myth. Where are his sources for this? How is he getting this information? Many clinical studies, including ones done by the New England Journal of Medicine, have resulted in the exact opposite. When there is low storage of carbohydrates, the body is then allowed to use fats as fuel the way that they were meant to be. I admit, logic would say that increase in fat intake would clog the arteries and be stored by the body. However, actual science is showing that the fats (even a lot of saturated ones) are used as fuel. Also, with high protien intake, as much as 57% of the extra protein is converted to glucose in the liver. This process is called gluconeogenesis. Every book I have read on low-carb dieting (mainly Atkins and South Beach) tells the reader to not go overboard when eating fats. Increase doesn't mean unlimited. Also, both books incurage high intake in fibrous vegitables. It is very easy to meet or exceed your fiber needs while on a low-carb diet. A whole head of lettuce contains more fiber than most people take in over a 3 day period, yet only contains 12 grams of carbs. I, myself, have been on a low carb diet for years. In the 8th grade I weighed over 280 pounds. Considering I have lost over 80 lbs, increased my streangth/muscle mass, lowered my resting heart rate, and have not gained the weight back, I think people should just keep their mouths shut about things they don't know about from experience. Remember, people are different. Low-carbing it may not be good for some people, yet the answer for others. My advice is to find something that works for you, not for someone else.

12-06-2004, 06:24 PM

Ok, where do i start with this guy's comment above (if you're a lady, that's great, i'm just gonna refer to you as a guy in this reply). ok, here we go, First off, he mentioned that i said "the body uses primarily muscle when carbohydrate levels are low" i also mentioned that this occurs in anaerobic activity, because you body does not have the time to take fat or carbohydrates through the krebs cycle, therefore glucose is taken through the electron transport chain, and i'm assuming anaerobic activity is high in bodybuilders (crazy thought i know). Next this guy asked where my sources are, where i get my information, now granted he didn't know this, but i'll say it now, and also i will update the info on my site to let him know i am in my senior year of a double major Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics and Human Nutrition, so my sources have come from the various studies, text books and professors i have encountered while studying. He goes on to mention studies supporting his claim, however fails to mention that these studies also state that "more research is needed". As it is right now, for every one study saying low carb diets are ok, there is one saying it is not. As far as the High fat intake being beneficial to blood lipid levels, there is just as many showing adverse effects, once again... "more research is needed". What many of these studies fail to do, is show the long term. Of the few long term studies done with low carbohydrate diets, every subject claimed that regardless of weight loss, the diet was too hard to follow, complained of being grumpy, and lethargic, and constantly craved carbohydrates, not just foods, specifically high carbohydrate foods. Over 90% of these dieters had discontinued the diet past 4 months. (have you not noticed that the atkins craze has died down dramatically from a year ago, because ppl are realizing this) He also mentioned that "57% of the extra protein in a high protein diet is converted to glucose in the liver". Now, tell me, if 57% of the protein is converted to glucose in the liver, and carbohydrates when taken in yield glucose, then why the hell are you creating more work for your body when it's just gonna make glucose out of the amino acids via gluconeogenesis anyway? The only possible benefit to this is that protein when digested is more metabolically active (takes more energy to break down) than carbohydrates. However, on that same note, when protein is broken down it yields nitrogen... high levels of nitrogen can cause kidney damage, along with a long list of other detrimental effects. Also, there are certain processes in your body which NEED glucose from carbohydrates and only from carbohydrates, to function (neurons in your brain, red blood cells, and one of the initial steps in the krebs cycle). On a final note, he mentioned his loss of 80 lbs, which, is awesome, however how much of this was muscle, and also, how many competitions has he entered, how often has he got down to 4% bodyfat while eating his low carb diet. i encourage him to try it, and just watch the muscle melt away. I hate when people like this question me, when I've continuously gotten down to 3 and 4% bodyfat for shows, the whole time consuming upwards of 350 grams of carbohydrates each day and experienced minimal muscle loss. sorry i couldn't "keep my mouth shut". I hope you guys have enjoyed my article, as i have recieved many positive emails on it.