Nutritional Pharmacology
For the Enlightened Athlete

Food as a drug…and drugs that affect nutrient disposition

By Brian Petty

Dietary Fat and VO2 Max

Forget the fat people, doctors, and talking heads and their carb vs. fat debate. Your nutritional requirements as an athlete bear little resemblance to theirs. There is one compelling reason to add fat to your diet: increasing dietary fat has been shown to increase endurance capacity in athletes. Most studies show maximum oxygen utilization (VO2 max) to increase in as little as five days when consuming 30-50% of calories as fat. There it is: eat more fat, increase your respiratory capacity. read more>>

Caffeine and endurance

There is a wealth of scientific data concerning caffeine and exercise performance (for review see 6,13,18,21). The drug has also been freely available in a variety of forms containing predictable doses for decades. Many readers are aware in a vague sense that caffeine can enhance performance. You may even use coffee or OTC stimulants as a "pick-me-up" before a long ride or tough training session. Athletes and coaches should long ago have mastered the correct use of such a common drug. It seems that few have obtained the information necessary to derive consistent results. The purpose of this article is to bridge the gap between research and application.

This is technology--scientific data are used as starting points, not the goal. I will attempt to outline just enough research information about caffeine to explain the rules of use that I have derived. I hope that you are able to understand and implement these guidelines to improve your own performance.  read more>>

Skin Rejuvenation Program

Dehydration is a separate contributing cause to skin aging and wrinkling. Dehydration has an immediate impact on health of all cells, but shows most obviously in the skin, because the body views this area as least important to survival. The first area of the body that will show the effects of dehydration and improper fat intake is the skin. Increasing water intake and replacing bad fats with omega-3 and omega-9 will cause rapid improvement in skin health and appearance.  read more>>

Abdominal Fat Loss Protocol

 Abdominal fat is the most resistant pocket of fat in the body.  Even when the body fat percentage is relatively low there is often enough to obscure the core muscles.  Remember that in general abdominal fat is the last to mobilize—so don’t expect to see a six-pack until the rest of your body is very lean.  However, removing central fat is what separates people in good shape from people who are ripped.  If you have been making progress and are ready to take your physique to the next level, then follow the steps below.  Remember, to get more results, you must work harder and smarter.  read more>>