EP 658: Fueling for Endurance

Dr. Latt Mansor joins The Nation to discuss how metabolic flexibility and fat adaptation can significantly improve endurance running performance. He discusses the roles of different fuel sources, emphasizing that fats and ketones are more efficient for endurance athletes than proteins. Additionally, Dr. Mansor highlights the benefits of exogenous ketones like Ketone IQ for enhancing athletic performance, aiding in recovery, and potentially improving sleep and symptoms of Alzheimer's. This episode is a deep dive into the science of metabolism in endurance sports and offers practical insights into how athletes can optimize their energy use for peak performance.  

Dr. Latt Mansor is a renowned expert in physiology and metabolism with a PhD from Oxford, specializing in diabetic heart metabolism under low oxygen conditions, and has extensive experience consulting with elite sports, military, and clinical groups.

 

Takeaways

• Metabolic flexibility is the body's ability to utilize different fuel sources at different times.
• Becoming fat-adapted allows endurance athletes to tap into their fat storage more readily, improving performance and endurance.
• Protein is primarily used as building blocks for the body and is not an optimal fuel source.
• Ketones, naturally produced during fasting or a ketogenic diet, can provide an alternative fuel source for the brain and other organs.
• Ketones can help balance glycogen in the body
• Exogenous ketones, such as ketone esters, can be used as a supplement to increase blood ketone levels and improve performance and recovery. Taking these before bed can improve sleep quality and aid in recovery.
• Ketones have been found to help people with sleep apnea and diabetes sleep better.
• Anecdotal reports suggest that exogenous ketones may improve symptoms of Alzheimer's.
• When choosing ketone products, it's important to consider the active ingredients and quality.
• Transparency and scientific validation are crucial in substantiating product claims.
• Consumers should be cautious of cheaper products and prioritize quality and effectiveness.
• Cutting through the noise and finding the truth requires careful evaluation and experimentation.

Tune into Dr. Latt's podcast, HVMN (Health via Modern Nutrition) Podcast.  It covers a wide range of topics related to metabolism and health.

Find out more about this episode's sponsors:

• Janji
• AG1
• LMNT

Become a Patreon supporter to receive quarterly givebacks from us.