Ketogenic Diet’s Impact on Health and Performance with Jeff Volek, PhD | The Metabolic Link Ep. 36

Mar 4, 2024

Professor Jeff Volek discusses the impact of ketogenic diets on muscle glycogen, heart function, and military resilience. Talks include muscle production of ketones, diabetic complications, and the importance of educating physicians on therapeutic nutrition.

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INSIGHT

Glycogen Normalizes On Ketogenic Diets

Muscle glycogen can normalize on a very low carbohydrate ketogenic diet despite minimal carb intake.
This suggests metabolic adaptations preserve glycogen independent of dietary carbs.

INSIGHT

Muscle Produces Ketones And Supplies NAD+

Skeletal muscle converts acetoacetate to beta-hydroxybutyrate and releases it, supplying NAD+ in the process.
This peripheral conversion may sustain cellular NAD+ and support cellular function with aging relevance.

INSIGHT

Ketones Improve Cardiac Function Acutely

Acute ketone elevation improves cardiac function (stroke volume, output) in animals and humans.
Unknown are long-term effects after repeated ketone elevation over weeks to months.

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This week’s episode of The Metabolic Link features an illuminating sit-down interview with Dr. Jeff Volek, a professor at The Ohio State University. With a PhD in Kinesiology specializing in exercise and nutrition science from Penn State University, Dr. Volek has performed cutting edge research on how humans adapt to diets restricted in carbohydrates with a dual focus on clinical and performance applications of nutritional ketosis. His scholarly work includes more than 300 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and five books, including a New York Times Best Seller.

In this wide-ranging interview, we cover:

💡 Unexpected normalization of muscle glycogen on ketogenic diets

💡 Muscle production of beta-hydroxybutyrate as an alternative fuel and cellular NAD+ source

💡 The emerging science on improved function of a heart muscle fueled by ketones

💡 Revisiting the FASTER study: Fitness, Aging, Stress & TBI Exposure Repository

💡 Ketogenic diets to enhance military resilience under high-stress conditions

💡 Targeting diabetic complications - studies that show hard outcomes are needed to change policy

💡 Educating physicians on therapeutic nutrition - the value of credible science-based platforms

💡 Helping address the epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disease through lifestyle change

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