Low body fat is wrecking your health!
Here is the truth! ⬇️
Low body fat profoundly affects hormones crucial for muscle growth, fat loss, and adaptation. Understanding these impacts and monitoring key lab markers is vital for optimizing progress and health.
Hormones Instantly Affected by Bodybuilding (Acute Response):
These hormones typically spike during and immediately after intense resistance training.
* Testosterone: A primary anabolic hormone. High-intensity, high-volume resistance training can temporarily increase levels.
* Reference Ranges (approximate): Men: 300-1,000 ng/dL; Women: 15-70 ng/dL.
* Growth Hormone (GH): Promotes muscle growth and fat burning. Intense exercise, especially with high lactate, stimulates GH release.
* Reference Ranges (approximate): Highly variable; generally low in adults unless stimulated.
* Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1): Mediates GH’s anabolic effects. Can increase post-workout.
* Reference Ranges (approximate): Adults: 90-360 ng/mL (decreases with age).
* Cortisol: A catabolic stress hormone. Spikes temporarily with high-intensity workouts; chronic elevation indicates overtraining.
* Reference Ranges (approximate, morning): 6-23 \mug/dL.
* Epinephrine & Norepinephrine: “Fight or flight” hormones. Increase with exercise to enhance performance.
* Reference Ranges (approximate, plasma): Epinephrine <100 pg/mL; Norepinephrine <400 pg/mL.
* Insulin: An anabolic hormone for glucose uptake and nutrient storage. Influenced by post-workout carb intake.
* Reference Ranges (approximate, fasting): <25 mIU/L.
Other Labs Affected by Bodybuilding (Chronic or Indirect Effects):
These show changes over time due to training demands.
* Complete Blood Count (CBC): Checks blood cell components. Intense training can cause minor transient changes.
* Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP): Assesses organ function. Liver enzymes (ALT, AST) may be temporarily elevated due to muscle damage, and creatinine due to muscle mass.
* ALT/AST Ranges: 0-45 IU/L (ALT); 0-35 IU/L (AST).
* Creatinine Ranges: Men: 0.7-1.3 mg/dL; Women: 0.6-1.1 mg/dL.
* Lipid Panel: Measures cholesterol. While exercise generally improves lipids, extreme practices can negatively impact them.
* HDL Range: >40 mg/dL (men); >50 mg/dL (women).
* Thyroid Hormones (TSH, T3, T4): Regulate metabolism. Significant changes are less common unless underlying issues or extreme dieting.
* TSH Range: 0.4-4.0 mIU/L.
* Creatine Kinase (CK): Indicates muscle damage. Will be significantly elevated in bodybuilders post-workout.
* Athlete CK Ranges: Male: 82-1083 U/L; Female: 47-513 U/L.
Improving Lab Markers with Reverse Dieting (3 Steps):
Reverse dieting is a strategy to gradually increase calories after caloric restriction, improving metabolic and hormonal health.
Step 1: Establish a Baseline and Identify Target Markers
* Action: Get comprehensive lab testing (hormones, metabolic health, nutrient status, inflammation). Consult a healthcare professional to interpret results and prioritize markers for improvement (e.g., low testosterone, high cortisol, poor thyroid function from dieting).
Step 2: Implement a Structured Reverse Dieting Strategy
* Action: Gradually increase daily calories (e.g., 50-150 calories weekly), prioritizing carbohydrates for glycogen and thyroid support, and healthy fats for hormone production. Maintain high protein. Focus on nutrient-dense foods. Monitor body weight, energy, and gym performance. Adjust training to allow recovery.
Step 3: Re-evaluate and Refine Based on New Lab Markers
* Action: After 8-12 weeks, re-test labs and compare to your baseline. If markers improved (e.g., increased testosterone, normalized T3, reduced cortisol), continue refining. If not, reassess your calorie increases, macronutrient ratios, and other lifestyle factors like sleep and stress. The goal is sustainable health and metabolic stability.
Important: Individual responses vary. Always interpret lab results with a healthcare professional familiar with athletic populations.
If you’d like to chat about how to improve your health let’s chat 💬
Schedule a call here: https://tidycal.com/thatphysiquecoach/60-minute-meeting-intial-assessment
Or visit Fittwave.com
Leave a Reply