Book a free consultation with Robert Sikes to break your keto or low-carb plateau: https://www.ketobodybuilding.com/call
The high-carb rules for athletic performance may be built on weak science.
In episode 911 of the Savage Perspective Podcast, host Robert Sikes is joined by Dr. Andrew Koutnik to explain carbs, the ketogenic diet, and athletic performance. They show why many keto studies were too short, what changes after four weeks of fat adaptation, and why keto athletes matched high-carb athletes in hard sprints and endurance tests. Learn how blood sugar and brain energy affect fatigue, why 10 grams of carbs per hour improved performance by 22 percent, and why more carbs are not always better. They also cover glycogen, muscle growth, insulin, protein, natural bodybuilding, metabolic health, and how athletes can choose the right fuel plan.
Follow Andrew on IG: https://www.instagram.com/andrewkoutnikphd/
Subscribe to Andrew on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andrewkoutnikphd
Get Keto Brick: https://www.ketobrick.com/
Subscribe to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/42cjJssghqD01bdWBxRYEg?si=1XYKmPXmR4eKw2O9gGCEuQ
Chapters
0:00 - Why Dr. Andrew Koutnik's Keto Study Sparked Backlash
1:39 - Are Carbs Essential for Athletic Performance?
3:55 - How High-Carb Sports Nutrition Became the Standard
10:40 - Why Athletes Are Warned Against the Keto Diet
12:30 - Why Most Keto Performance Studies Were Too Short
19:14 - Keto vs High Carb: Equal Performance, Different Blood Sugar
22:59 - Can Keto Fuel Marathons and Ironman Endurance?
25:46 - What Really Causes Athletes to Hit the Wall?
27:24 - How 10 Grams of Carbs Improved Performance by 22%
30:13 - What 160 Studies Reveal About Carbs and Brain Energy
32:08 - Do Bodybuilders Need Carbs for Weight Training?
33:30 - Why Elite Coaches Rejected the Keto Findings
35:25 - Can Carbs Boost Performance Without Being Burned?
39:26 - If Performance Is Equal, Why Choose Keto?
40:32 - Does Keto Support Natural Bodybuilding and Longevity?
42:17 - Do Carbs and Insulin Actually Build Muscle?
44:53 - High Carb vs Keto: Which Diet Is Best for You?
45:54 - Why Aren't More Elite Athletes Using Keto?
50:58 - When Research Destroys Your Strongest Beliefs
52:10 - How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?
56:01 - Can Excess Protein Make You Gain Body Fat?
57:48 - Dr. Koutnik's Research and the Keto Brick Performance Studies
