study

By Bret Contreras I came across this study last week and chalked it up as “interesting.” All research is useful, but often you have to simply file it away in it’s place until more research is conducted. The study was published ahead of print in The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research...

A common concern is that quantitatively tracking dietary intake may give rise to disordered eating. A new randomized controlled trial casts doubt on this idea, fueling optimism for people who want to more actively manage their diet without unintended consequences. This article was first...

There has been a plethora of research comparing high- and low-load training over the past decade. This article breaks down everything you could want to know about those comparisons, while also tackling a new study that may have implications for long-term adherence with low-load training. Note...

A recent six-month crossover study had subjects perform three months of low-load training and three months of moderate-load training, in a randomized order. The researchers found that lean mass gains were similar during the first and last three months of training, in contrast with other...

Hey, remember when we used to believe if we didn’t eat “six small meals a day” we’d somehow damage our metabolism, turn into a big ball of adipose tissue and then, I dunno, spontaneously combust or something? Fun times. Fortunately for us––and I guess the environment––research showed this...

You know when you’ve been in a deficit for a while, and things start to feel a bit sucky? Hunger is high, you have the energy levels of a sloth on Xanax, you’re irritable, and you start to question whether this dieting stuff is even worth it. Well, friend, you’re in luck! I’m about to tell you...

A couple recent studies have shown that HMB – a legal supplement – works better than moderate-dose steroids. Is it the next wonder-supplement or just hype? I’ve been debating for a few days about whether I should write about this HMB controversy or not. I’m quick to call out ideas that are...

Whether or not you should wear a lifting belt is a surprisingly contentious subject. Some people are adamant that you should always wear a belt with the opinion they dramatically decrease your injury risk. Other people are adamant that you should never wear a belt, either because they think...

Can you build muscle on a ketogenic diet? Yes. Is it the fastest way? Not for most people. In fact, there’s no compelling evidence to show that keto offers any muscle-building benefits that you don’t get with a higher-carb diet providing adequate amounts of protein and fat. If you’ve got some...

Rhodiola Rosea elevates beta-endorphins, making it The Ultimate Chill Pill. I've also documented how it increases endurance, possibly by raising blood levels of EPO. Now there's a new study that shows it has a really strong effect on anaerobic performance, too, meaning that it could help you...

PERPLEXING PALEO Read a dozen books on paleo dieting or "ancestral health." Go ahead, I'll wait here. All done? Okay. What you may have noticed is that most of these books say that potatoes are not paleo and shouldn't be eaten. A couple might say they're okay anyway after tough workouts, even...

Despite the odd name, Forskolin is not what they remove from the baby during ritual circumcision. Prior to being investigated for its ability to enhance thermogenesis, forskolin was thought to have many other health-enhancing properties.(1) Forskolin has been found to have benefits as a...

I'm trying to figure out why some people still aren't taking curcumin. The only reasons I can come up with are that maybe their testosterone levels and sperm quality are irreproachable and they don't need any help modulating their estrogen receptors, thank you. It could also be that that their...

Forskolin supplements make very bold claims. You’ve likely already seen it: flashy labels, that same stock-image model, and overuse of the words fast, easy, and best! At first glance, it reminds us of raspberry ketones, green coffee bean extract, Garcinia Cambogia, and all the other doctor Oz...

Naturally, we were curious whether this "expert's" claim that alpha-GPC increases the risk of having a stroke by 95% (yes, you read that right) has any validity. Here's what the data really suggests. What Is Alpha-GPC? Alpha-GPC is a popular nootropic supplement and source of bioavailable...

Vickie stays lean all year long. She always looks like she's a few weeks out from a figure competition. Everyone hates the bitch. No, they don't hate her, but they all want to know her secret. When asked, she just says she eats "clean." But it's not a willpower thing. Vicky just doesn't like...

RHODIOLA ROSEA: THE TRIPLE THREAT I've written about how Rhodiola Rosea elevates beta-endorphins, making it The Ultimate Chill Pill. I've also documented how it increases endurance, possibly by raising blood levels of EPO. Now there's a new study that shows it has a really strong effect on...

POOR HULK... If the Hulk, after being belted by gamma rays, had just gone to Starbucks and ordered a nice, grande dark roast, he probably wouldn't have turned into the Hulk in the first place. Hulk would have saved lots of money by not having to take so many split pairs of pants to the tailor...

Coffee is a little mysterious in that we're not really sure how it does some of the things it does. Coffee has over 1000 biologically active compounds after all. One thing seems for certain, though: the more you drink, the better off you are. In fact, the more you drink, the longer you live. In...

Research shows that training a muscle twice per week is superior to once per week, but the merits of training it any more frequently are up for debate (1). Thankfully, for the busy lifter, recent studies also show that you have more flexibility here than you might think. A 2015 study using...