EB. 135: Eric Westman Debate Follow-Up: The Research on Low-Carb Vs High-Carb Diets

In this episode we discuss:   Why glucose and fructose are not the primary drivers of AGE formation Whether blood sugar spikes cause glycation How fats and ketones can cause glycation What’s really responsible for glycation in type 2 diabetes Whether fructose causes more glycation than glucose   Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/   Click here to check out the show notes: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/eb-137-what-really-causes-glycation-is-sugar-really-the-problem/   Timestamps: 0:00 – intro  0:46 – common beliefs about carbohydrates and glycation  2:35 – what are glycation and advanced glycation end products?  6:57 – the process of glycation from glucose  9:30 – is sugar the only source of AGEs?  15:00 – primary drivers of glycation: dicarbonyls  19:30 – how fatty acids, amino acids, and ketones cause AGE formation  21:23 – how increased gluconeogenesis on low-carb diets increases AGE formation  22:53 – glucose metabolism produces very few glycation products in the context of a healthy metabolism  25:33 – omega-6s form AGEs more than 10x faster than glucose  28:24 – the role of ALEs (advanced lipoxidation end products) in glycation and chronic disease  30:36 – whether blood sugar spikes cause glycation  38:52 – whether fructose causes more glycation (or fructation) than glucose  47:05 – can glycation from fructose (fructation) be measured, and does this matter?  52:06 – problems with research looking at fructose’s AGE formation in animal models 

In this episode we discuss:   Whether there are benefits to taking massive amounts of glucose for healing   Whether there is a limit to the amount of glucose we should consume   Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/ Theresa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingrootswellness/   Timestamps: 0:00 – intro  2:10 – David Stephens’ claim that glucose can't harm you in any way, no matter the amount  7:46 – the difference between glucose and fructose and whether fructose just gets converted to fat  11:13 – whether extreme acidity, alkalinity, and corrosivity are what make substances harmful to humans  15:14 – David Stephens’ claim that sucrose can't cross the blood-brain barrier   18:59 – how authoritarianism shapes the health industry and the difficulties of verifying information with AI  23:14 – whether the “chemical heaviness” of sucrose means that it can’t be helpful in the body  25:51 – whether we agree with David Stephens on the benefits of glucose  29:14 – whether anxiety, irritability, depression, autoimmune disorders, and diabetes are caused by a lack of glucose for your brain  34:37 – what David Stephens misses about the large amounts of glucose he recommends – poor glucose utilization, gut issues, and blood sugar instability  38:06 – whether glucose deficiency is possible and whether most people are eating enough carbs to thrive vs survive  39:04 – David Stephens’ claim that it’s impossible for glucose to be harmful to the body in any way  45:25 – why someone might feel better using large amounts of dextrose as their main carbohydrate source  48:00 – how large quantities of glucose can lead to weight gain, blood sugar spikes, and cardiovascular problems  52:27 – how to avoid dietary extremes and what balance really means  58:41 – weight loss and recovery from mental health issues using a bioenergetic approach   

In this episode we discuss:   Andrew Huberman’s ideas about what causes of nighttime wakings and what to do about them   How to meet all our nutrient needs   Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/ Theresa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingrootswellness/   Timestamps: 0:00 – intro  0:21 – what Huberman misses when it comes to nighttime wakeups  4:50 – the most common causes of nighttime wakeups and how to resolve them  9:44 –Huberman’s advice to go to sleep earlier is impractical for most people  11:42 – what a healthy sleep schedule looks like and whether running out of melatonin is a concern  13:38 – the relationship between blood sugar and sleep, and whether to have a bedtime snack  16:21 – common drivers of sleep disturbances: gut irritation and elevated stress hormones  19:25 – hidden stressors that could be impacting your sleep: SSRIs, EMFs, devices, and more  22:13 – how to handle unavoidable stressors that interfere with sleep  24:05 – strategies for improving sleep quality and circadian rhythm  26:32 – whether to avoid drinking too many fluids before bed  27:52 – the metabolism-suppressing effects of melatonin and whether supplementing with melatonin is a good idea  29:48 – supplements that may interfere with sleep, and paradoxical reactions that occur while using medications such as SSRIs  33:09 – sleep strategies for shift-workers and recovering from working night shifts  36:33 – the effects of Wi-Fi, EMFs, and dirty electricity on sleep  39:21 – how hormones impact sleep for post-menopausal women  40:54 – evaluating whether supplements are affecting your sleep  44:34 – how low-carb diets impair sleep and increase stress  47:01 – improved thyroid function and weight loss on a bioenergetic approach  48:14 – meeting daily micronutrient needs with food and supplementation  52:57 – how to identify nutrient gaps and excesses  55:37 – which labs to get to gauge micronutrient status and how thiamine (vitamin B1) impacts nutrient absorption  1:00:00 – how concerned should we be with nutrient absorption?  1:03:00 – how anti-nutrients like phytates and oxalates impact nutrient absorption  1:04:37 – navigating different forms of nutrients (non-heme iron vs heme iron, retinol vs beta-carotene, and vitamin K2 vs vitamin K1), and how to know if gut issues are interfering with nutrient absorption  1:07:42 – problems with dietary camps that demonize single nutrients (low vitamin A, low vitamin D, and iron overload)  1:11:24 – how fear and stress deplete critical nutrients

In this episode we discuss:   Whether Dr Ray Peat had it all wrong   Potential reasons why someone may be bloating from carbs How to add carbs back in following restrictive diet   Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/ Theresa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingrootswellness/   Timestamps: 0:00 – intro  0:32 – Justine Stenger’s claim that Dr Ray Peat had it all wrong  6:15 – did Ray Peat ignore physics, structured water, and light?  11:41 – carbs vs fat: which fuel produces more ROS?  16:50 – Justine Stenger’s claim that carbs act as a crutch for a damaged metabolism, and restoring redox is the solution  21:58 – carbs vs fat: which fuel produces more ATP?  25:27 – conflicting health information on social media and why the “Ray Peat diet” doesn’t work  31:55 – common challenges with implementing Ray Peat’s work  34:09 – Justine Stenger’s mischaracterization of Ray Peat’s work as a “dietary roadmap for people with a broken metabolism”  41:20 – why you shouldn’t outsource critical thinking to social media influencers or AI  45:17 – Ray Peat’s generosity with freely sharing advice and information  46:21 – improvements on a bioenergetic approach without extreme restriction  47:31 – why you may experience bloating from carbs and what to do about it  54:52 – what to do about gut dysbiosis and biofilms  56:56 – how to restore gut health and digestion when transitioning away from keto

In this episode we discuss:   Whether you should be concerned about low T3 or high glucagon on low-carb diets Whether insulin resistance is a problem of excess glucose metabolism or excess fat metabolism Whether a low metabolic rate allows you to live longer Whether high-carb diets cause overeating and insulin resistance Whether you should be concerned about glycation on a high-carb diet And much more   Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/   Click here to check out the show notes: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/eb-136-eric-westman-debate-follow-up-part-2-high-carb-diets-cause-insulin-resistance-overeating-and-glycation/   Timestamps: 0:00 – intro  1:02 – Isabella Cooper paper: does shifting from a low-carb diet to a high-carb diet increase inflammation?  9:12 – whether you should be concerned about low T3, low testosterone, or high glucagon on a low-carb diet  16:53 – how we know that the brain does not use fat as a fuel source  20:59 – whether a low metabolic rate on a low-carb diet allows you to live longer  25:13 –increased fatty acid oxidation drives insulin resistance  31:12 – increased fat metabolism in the heart occurs in type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and heart failure, and decreasing this fat metabolism improves cardiovascular health and insulin sensitivity  36:37 – whether babies being born in ketosis means that being in ketosis is beneficial for adult humans  40:29 – do high-carb diets cause glycation?  41:56 – low-carb diets don’t eliminate blood sugar and insulin spikes  46:10 – evidence that high-carb diets don’t cause chronically high blood sugar and insulin levels  49:56 – the benefits of high-carb diets on insulin resistance  55:33 – are carbs inherently addictive? do they cause overeating? 

In this episode we discuss:   The mitochondrial effects of low-carb diets, and whether they’re actually worse for energy production The downstream hormonal effects of low-carb diets Whether insulin resistance is a problem of excess glucose metabolism or excess fat metabolism Whether high-carb diets cause overeating and insulin resistance And much more   Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/   Click here to check out the show notes: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/eric-westman-debate-follow-up-the-research-on-low-carb-vs-high-carb-diets/   Timestamps: 0:00 – intro  1:05 – why I’m recording this debate follow-up  3:38 – how the body responds to carbohydrate restriction and the broader biological context  9:47 – the mitochondrial effects of low-carb diets: glycolysis vs beta-oxidation, NADH/FADH2 ratios, NAD+/NADH ratios, and effects at the electron transport chain  15:16 – fat oxidation leads to slower rates of ATP production and higher rates of ROS production  18:14 – how fat oxidation blocks glucose utilization, slows mitochondrial respiration, and reduces carbon dioxide production  20:58 – ketone vs. glucose metabolism   21:52 – glucose metabolism confusion, glycolysis, and whether ketones are beneficial   24:25 – the hormonal effects of low-carb diets  28:13 – how do we know that fat metabolism is less efficient than glucose metabolism?  34:09 – whether research on fat metabolism in rodents applies to humans and other animals  37:02 – the research showing that fat oxidation increases ROS production and reduces mitochondrial efficiency in various animals (including humans)  40:31 – the research showing the mechanisms of increased ROS production and reduced efficiency of ATP production with fatty acid metabolism  47:41 – mitochondrial uncoupling increases during fat metabolism due to increases in oxidative stress  49:19 – are there adaptations on a keto diet that would prevent the harmful effects of fat metabolism?  52:48 – are there biopsies done on long-term ketogenic diets showing that fat oxidation doesn’t lead to a decreased NAD+/NADH ratio and more ROS production?  59:17 – whether increased fatty acid oxidation enzymes would reduce ROS production in the mitochondria as Dr. Westman suggested  1:02:58 – low-carb and ketogenic diets in rodents cause increased oxidative stress and less efficient ATP production   1:11:41 – do ketones protect against ROS?  1:16:18 – do the potential positive effects of ketones outweigh the negative effects of ketogenic diets?  1:27:47 –low-carb and ketogenic diets cause oxidative stress and insulin resistance in humans1:36:30 – the evidence that glucagon is a stress hormone  1:39:45 – low-carb and ketogenic diets cause physiological stress in humans  1:43:46 – the effects of low-carb and ketogenic diets on cortisol  1:48:29 – low-carb and ketogenic diets decrease thyroid activity  1:53:54 – effects of low-carb and ketogenic diets on reproductive hormones

In this episode we discuss:   Ryan Fischer’s claim that the body only changes weekly, not daily   Whether all calories are created equal How to fix lactose intolerance   Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/ Theresa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingrootswellness/   Timestamps: 0:00 – intro  0:18 – why Ryan Fischer’s claim that the body only changes weekly is false  6:38 – major problems with the “calories in, calories out” model of weight loss   11:27 – Ryan Fischer’s claim that it takes 3,500 calories to gain one pound  15:07 – whether it’s possible to have more “freedom” on the weekends without wrecking your health  18:11 – Jesse James West & Jeff Nippard on apples vs Sour Patch Kids: are calories all that matter?  24:29 – what calories actually represent and their true role in health  29:03 – is sugar always bad for you?  32:25 – whether tracking calories has any real value  34:21 – problems with equating weight loss with health  38:15 – how to know if excess calories are actually an issue for you  45:33 – why high FODMAP fruits like apples may cause bloating and which fruits would be a better option  49:40 – strategies for reversing lactose intolerance  56:35 – what really drives lactose intolerance and how to tell if it’s affecting you  58:34 – factors that affect lactose intolerance and additional strategies to reverse lactose intolerance  1:04:18 – do leafy greens, digestive enzymes, or slippery elm help with lactose intolerance?

In this episode we discuss:   Jay Campbell, Hunter Williams, and Mark Bell’s supplement stacks for staying insulin sensitive on the sugar diet   Whether using Metformin while on the sugar diet helps improve insulin sensitivity   The major differences between the sugar diet and the bioenergetic approach   Real-life examples of weight regain and other negative experiences after the sugar diet   Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/ Theresa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingrootswellness/   Timestamps: 0:00 – intro  0:24 – the costs of metformin: mitochondrial toxicity, increased lactate, inefficient ATP production, and slowed metabolism  5:22 – is using Metformin a good idea on the sugar diet?  10:30 – the dangers of increasing FGF21 while on Metformin  13:53 – increasing FGF21 activity is counter to the bioenergetic view of health  20:23 – Hunter Williams’ supplement stack for insulin sensitivity: metformin, Jardiance, retatrutide, and dihydroberberine  21:42 – the negative effects of Jardiance  24:59 – whether retatrutide and other GLP-1 agonists are healthy from a bioenergetic perspective  27:30 – whether there are any benefits to using medications like metformin, Jardiance, retatrutide, and dihydroberberine  31:54 – how increasing FGF21 with the sugar diet could lead to heart problems such as arrhythmias and atrial fibrillation (AFIB)  38:58 – does the sugar diet boost metabolic rate the same way the bioenergetic approach does?  46:27 – examples of how the sugar diet downregulates metabolism through stress  50:51 – the cumulative effects of stress: how much stress can we handle?  55:15 – how to recover from the negative effects of the sugar diet  58:24 – is stress beneficial? is it possible to avoid stress altogether?  59:51 – problems with dropping fat too low, especially in lean individuals  1:03:50 – the risks of rapid weight loss and the importance of keeping long-term goals in mind  1:08:02 – why cutting out entire macronutrient groups can backfire and what to do instead  1:11:20 – how extreme diets prime our bodies for weight regain  1:14:54 – real-life examples of weight regain after the sugar diet and why it happens  1:20:18 – is there a smarter way to do the sugar diet?  1:24:01 – are there legitimate benefits to the sugar diet? 

In this episode we discuss:   Cole Robinson’s different iterations of the sugar diet and whether it’s okay to change your mind     Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/ Theresa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingrootswellness/   Timestamps: 0:00 – intro  0:37 – Cole Robinson flip-flops his recommendations on the sugar diet  7:43 – problems with using weight loss as the primary determinant of health  12:43 – Cole Robinson’s early recommendations on sugar fasting  14:16 – the impact of the sugar diet on gut and dental health  16:40 – the importance of understanding how a diet works rather than focusing solely on the short-term results  20:26 – the benefits of eating fruit rather than white sugar sources like candy  21:58 – concerns with blood sugar stability on low-fat diets  23:49 – problems with taking a “1990s low-fat approach” as Cole Robinson recommends  26:18 – Cole Robinson’s flip flop on the sugar diet  31:48 – concerns with digestion and liver detoxification on a low-fat diet  34:46 – Cole Robinson’s history of changing dietary recommendations – from the Snake Diet to the Sugar Diet  36:13 – whether the sugar diet could be used as a short-term tool to lose body fat  38:30 – the many iterations of advice on the sugar diet from Cole Robinson  39:53 – the importance of losing body fat in a healthy way  42:32 – will the 1990s low-fat diet last?  45:29 – whether having enough carbohydrates protects against muscle loss while on the sugar diet  46:57 – caution for those trying the sugar diet for weight loss  51:50 – FGF21 requires a protein deficiency  53:48 – why Cole Robinson’s new low-fat diet may not lead to rapid weight loss like the sugar diet  57:54 – the sugar diet shows that sugar isn’t the cause of insulin resistance  1:03:41 – did Cole Robinson actually lie about what he his original sugar diet recommendations?  1:13:27 – the toxic nature of social media and its impact on learning 

Download the free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide/      Sign up for a free call for help with weight loss and other health issues: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/call/      Timestamps: 0:00 – intro  4:29 – Ben Bikman suggests the sugar diet only works for lean, active, healthy men 9:33 – Ben Bikman’s claim that satiety is lower on high-carb diets 14:37 – Ben Bikman parrots the argument that carbohydrates are not essential 19:40 – Thomas DeLauer on sugar fasting and insulin sensitivity 22:15 – Thomas Delauer says high-sugar diets cause glycation and AGEs 24:44 – Ken Berry and Anthony Chaffee fearmonger about glycation, glucose, and insulin 28:01 – the truth about glycation on high-carb diets 31:48 – how low-carb diets can cause glycation and increase AGEs 35:22 – Nick Norwitz says the sugar diet won't work for obese people due to FGF21 resistance 39:14 – Nick Norwitz claims that fructose harms the liver 44:24 – Nick Norwitz also parrots the argument that carbohydrates are not essential