Sigma Nutrition Radio Is There a Limit to Energy Expenditure? And What Happens When We Push It? (SNP44)
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Sep 23, 2025 Exploring the mysteries of energy expenditure, the discussion reveals surprising insights into how our bodies regulate calorie burn. Research showcases that energy output isn't fixed; it adapts based on activity levels. Highlighted are the intriguing findings from hunter-gatherers, illustrating that high activity doesn’t always equate to higher energy expenditure. The podcast also delves into the limits of human calorie burn, examining extreme scenarios like ultra-endurance athletes, prompting us to rethink the simplistic 'calories in vs. calories out' model.
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Constrained Total Energy Expenditure
- Total daily energy expenditure appears regulated by the body and does not rise linearly with activity over the long term.
- Herman Pontzer suggests daily calories burned are constrained like a physiological setpoint rather than a simple dial-up with activity.
Dose-Dependent Model Is Incomplete
- The traditional dose-dependent model (more activity = proportionally more calories) may be incomplete for long-term energy balance.
- Pontzer argues bodies compensate over months so total daily energy expenditure remains in a narrow range.
Hadza Measurements Surprised Researchers
- Pontzer measured Hadza hunter-gatherers using doubly labeled water to test assumptions about high activity and calorie burn.
- He found the Hadza burned no more calories per day than people in industrialized societies after adjusting for body size.