Iron man Iron_Man_USA__June_2017 | Page 28

E2G EAT TO GROW genesis (the transformation of non-fat foods into body fat) following glucose loading was markedly increased at the expense of glyco- gen. They also noted that increased carbohy- drate intake amplified mRNA (molecules that send genetic information from DNA) levels for three major fat-forming enzymes (sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, ace- tyl-CoA carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase). Burning Fat With Fat And Protein Nora T. Gedgaudas, the author of Primal Body, Primal Mind and Primal Fat Burner, cites that humans can manufacture just about every molecule of glucose we need from a combi- nation of fat and protein in the diet, essen- tially switching metabolism from relying solely on glucose to running on healthy fats. Other researchers suggest utilizing healthy supple- mental fats such as, borage oil, coconut oil, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and gamma linoleic acid (GLA, which is actually an omega-6 fatty acid, which tends to be more inflammatory and encourage fat storage, and is metabolized differently from other ome- ga-6s). While some inflammation is good, such as signaling the muscle to start repair processes and to increase muscle protein synthesis, current data indicates that GLA actually prevents destructive enzymes like cy- clooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and lipoxygenase (LOX) from converting arachidonic acid (AA) into inflammatory by-products. As you know, when you consume meat or egg yolk, prime sources of protein, excess levels of AA can 26 JUNE 2017 | ironmanmagazine.com accumulate. For this reason, and because about 43 percent of the protein in a large egg is found in the yolk, GLA supplementation makes good anabolic sense. Michael and Mary Eades maintain that by trimming as much of the visible fat from meat and grilling your steaks or beef can reduce AA levels by 35 percent. They also state that keeping your insulin levels down and glu- cagon (a hormone that signals fat cells to release stored fat) levels elevated, deters your body from manufacturing AA via the eico- sanoid pathway. According to researchers at Penn State, this pathway is comprised of var- LOW INTAKES OF FAT AND HIGH CARBOHYDRATE CONSUMPTION REDUCES WHOLE BODY LIPOLYSIS, TOTAL FAT OXIDATION, AND FATTY ACID OXIDATION DURING FASTED EXERCISE. ious lipid mediators derived from linoleic acid (LA), an omega-6 fatty acid. Unfortunately, high levels of LA upregulates inflammation and the manifestation of various metabolic disorders. While both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid are considered essential, meaning the body can’t manufacture them on its own and infer health benefits, researchers note that it is important to maintain a proper ratio or intake of omega-6s to omega-3s. To this point, the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health in Washington maintain that the cur- rent rate of intake of omega-6s to omega-3s is 15 to 1, with some organizations like the American Heart Association showing ratios of 20 to 50:1. The current consensus among many different health and fitness experts, is that for optimal health and body compo- sition, the ideal ratio should be somewhere between 1:1 and 5:1. Big Fat Deal Despite these new revelations about satu- rated fat, researchers still suggest that your intake should comprise more of the healthier unsaturated fats, with limited to zero intake of trans fats. Overall, it appears that reducing your total fat intake to levels below 20 percent can seriously impede the proper function of anabolic and metabolic transactions that can derail your attempts to build and sustain not only a muscular but healthy body. You need ample amounts of unsaturated and saturated fats to do both. IM