It’s long been established in scientific circles that blood sugar taken from food is absolutely vital for survival. Without it, a person will become sick, weak, and eventually die. However, in the past few decades, many bodybuilders have chosen to be ‘guinea pigs’ for their own analysis into what happens when carbohydrates – the means for bringing blood sugar into the body – are removed. The results were twofold. First, the bodybuilders achieved new levels of muscularity and conditioning. Second, they did not die, despite the scientific belief that it was impossible to maintain blood sugar levels without eating carbohydrates.
It turns out that the liver creates NEW blood sugar. It takes components of lactic acid and pyruvic acid which exist in the body, and combines them with amino acids which enter the body through consumption of protein foods (or amino acid supplements). The liver forms new glycogen (blood sugar) at higher levels than it is consuming. Remember, the liver regularly breaks down glycogen as part of its normal routine.
In terms of effectiveness, ketogenic (low-carb) diets can be very beneficial for bodybuilders of the intermediate or advanced level, who already possess a decent amount of muscle mass. It is very hard to gain muscle while not consuming carbohydrates. Ketogenic diets are very effective because they force your body to consume fat stores for energy, instead of choosing to utilize the sugars in your blood from your daily carb consumption. There are side effects, and they are compounded greatly to negative effect when the bodybuilder doesn’t consume adequate fiber through supplementation or daily no-carb vegetable ingestion.
The bottom line is that ketogenic diets are very effective for burning body fat, as long as they are done correctly. Ketogenic dieting defies scientific rationale, and there is still a great deal unknown about the long-term effects of low-carbohydrate dieting. Research it, and you might find that it’s right for you when the next pre-contest diet begins!
Dane Fletcher is the world’s most prolific bodybuilding and fitness expert and is currently the executive editor for BodybuildingToday.com. If you are looking for more bodybuilding tips or information on weight training, or supplementation, please visit www.BodybuildingToday.com, the bodybuilding and fitness authority site with hundreds of articles available FREE to help you meet your goals.
