#246: How To Know If A Supplement Is Safe, How Much SuperStarch Should Use, How Women Can Naturally Increase Fertility and More!

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July 3, 2013 Podcast: How To Know If A Supplement Is Safe, How To Eat For A Half Ironman, What To Do About Multiple Allergies, How Much Superstarch Should You Use, Running With A Weighted Vest, What To Do About Runner's Toe, and How Women Can Naturally Increase Fertility.

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As compiled, edited and sometimes read by Brock, the Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast “sidekick”.

How To Know If A Supplement Is Safe – Amie asks a follow-up question from #245 @ 00:16:32
I know you ultimately recommend bitter melon extract over the cissus.  However, if one wanted to try Cissus Quadrangularis could you recommend a brand and dosage?

~ In my response to Amie, I recommend FDA.gov search database, and also the previous podcast episode we did about how to know if your supplements are safe. Also, Consumerlab.com approved quality product sealNSF International dietary supplement certification, and U.S. Pharmacopeia dietary supplement verification program.

How To Eat For A Half Ironman – Shelly says @ 00:26:39
She is doing Vineman 70.3 Triathlon in 2 weeks and has been following a low-carb diet and doesn't know what to do for fueling during the race. She has Generation UCan, Energy28 and NatureAminos but she doesn't know what to do in terms of solids. Almond butter? Or is that too much fat? She needs some direction since most of her friends are not fat adapted.

~ In my response to Shelly, I mention The Endurance Pack and also X2Performance.

What To Do About Multiple Allergies – Allergy says @ 00:35:17
She has allergies to most things in nature (pollen, rag weed, dust, mold). She tried allergy shots, muscle testing and acupressure therapy and acupuncture, and all the over the counter remedies as well. What do you think about allergies? Are they over diagnosed? And what do you think of these therapies and how they affect people?

~ In my response to Allergy, I recommend an autoimmune diet. I also recommend the podcast episode about How To Fix Exercise Induced Asthmas In Kids. During our discussion, Dr. Minkoff and I discuss the following resources:

-Keeping kids away from potential digestive irritants or foods that could trigger an autoimmune reaction, especially gluten (a very good book I recommend on this topic is “Gut & Psychology Syndrome“).

Stool test to asses whether kids are low in HCL, and if they are, getting them on an HCL supplement.

-Red blood cell test for magnesium (look for a naturopathic physician in your area who may be able to order this) and use of a magnesium supplement if deficiency is found.

-Use of fermented foods and probiotics.

-Considering use of a colostrum supplement in a child who was raised on formula and not breastmilk.

-Use of anti-inflammatory antioxidants and anti-inflammatory fish oil.

-Looking into allergy elimination techniques (i.e. NAET.com) to identify and eliminate potential allergenic foods that kids may be eating.

-Educating yourself on the realities and alternatives to immunizations and vaccinations. The website Dr. Minkoff recommends is: http://www.nvic.org

How Much Superstarch Should You Use? – Trevor says @ 00:45:20
He went to a Bob Seebohar seminar this past Thursday (promoted by UCAN). Bob was adamant that the recommended servings of 1 per hour was more than enough (even when Trevor mentioned that you, Ben, typically recommended double that per hour) and Bob said that would only be neccessary pre-race (Bob's not a fan of other additives such as X2, MAP). Bob also suggests barely putting any water on it so you can make paste and eat it, which seems counter intuitive to the modality. Trevor's first 70.3 was yesterday. He nursed 2 servings the hour leading up to the swim then only had 2-3 servings on the bike. About 10-15 miles into the bike his quads were basically locking up on him and felt like they were glycogen depleted already. He's not a ketogenic person but he does eat low carb, super-high fat. He experimented with some on-course fuels during the run and one GU Chomp actually gave him a solid burst that lasted a good half hour or so.  He hadn't consumed that much sugar at one time in over a year. Is Bob wrong? Did Trevor screw himself by cutting his dosage in half from what you recommend?

Running With A Weighted Vest – Matthew says @ 00:56:19
Is switching from Triathlon to Ultra-marathons (signed up for a 50 and wants to do a 100 miler). Is wondering about using a weighted vest. He heard they can make a 1 hour run feel like a 3 hour run. Would that be a good thing to use when training for an ultra?

~ In my response, I recommend ZFO Sports Weighted Vests.

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What To Do About Runner's Toe – Longtoe says @ 01:01:47
His second toe (the toe next to his big toe) is longer than his big toe and is causes him pain (when running). Is there anything he can do about that?

How Women Can Naturally Increase Fertility – Jennifer says @ 01:09:01
She has recently being diagnosed with estrogen dominance, secondary to low progesterone. She is trying to get pregnant and hasn't been able to conceive (hasn't has a period in years). She has stopped exercising and is eating “a lot”. Do you have any thoughts on what they can do for fertility? Is this state reversible?

~ In my response, I recommend the “Better Baby Book” by Dave Asprey. I also recommend the following estrogen dominance formula for enhancing fertility:

-Consider progesterone cream WITH testing or sublingual progesterone

-Do all the recommended Detox Add-Ons and Detox Gear

Vitamin B /antioxidant complex  – 1 packet per day

Integrative Therapeutics AM/PM Perimenopause Formula – take per recommendations

Phenocane – 4 caps per day

Di-indolemethane (DIM) – 200mg/day

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7 thoughts on “#246: How To Know If A Supplement Is Safe, How Much SuperStarch Should Use, How Women Can Naturally Increase Fertility and More!

  1. totobest86 says:

    I will do Ironman Zurich in Ketosis too, using Superstarch, macadamia nuts and some supplements (BCAA+Glutamine, D-Ribose, Beta Alanine, MCT caps, Vit-C, Trace Minerals). Do you advise starting to take some gels after 30kms into running ? Thks a lot – Anthony

    1. Gels will totally RUIN the fat adapted approach and defeat the purpose of using the approach! So if you're going to start using gels, sugars, coke, etc. save them for as LATE as possible! That being said, using Coke/gels/etc. during the final 10K can actually work…

      1. totobest86 says:

        Hey Ben ! Here was my experiment. I went trough Ironman Zurich (late July) in Ketotic mode and (as you also experienced) crashed around 12/13K into the run, when I had to stop at an aid station and just take all the sugary sh*t available not to faint.
        I had some terrible gut issues around 30K but this would probably have been avoidable with better glucose sources and collostrum supplementation. (The weather was also extremely hot: 38*C)
        Nonetheless, swim and bike were went really well.

        1. Very interesting. Similar story!

  2. totobest86 says:

    Hi Ben. Are you going to carb load for Ironman Canada (at least one day before) or will you try to arrive in full ketosis (ketones > 1.5 or 2 mmol) ? Thks a lot

    1. No carb loading for me.

  3. ButtBuddy says:

    I was brought up near the seaside until I was about 12.

    I'll always remember at the start of the summer, just when the sea was getting warm, going down to the beach for our first swims of the year (no cold thermogenesis then!).

    For the first week or so walking to the water's edge over the stones was a case of "ooh, ah, ooh, ah, ah" as one stepped slowly and gently over the very painful stones, before reaching the sand and water.

    After about a week though one ran easily straight into the water. So, I really do believe you can fix your feet within a year using the methods you described in the podcast.

    Or, just walk on a load of stones for a while.. :-)

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