#338 ‒ Peter's takeaways on aerobic exercise and VO2 max, insulin resistance, rising healthcare costs, treating children with autism and ADHD, and strength training | Quarterly Podcast Summary #4
Peter Atiyah reviews key insights from recent interviews, covering topics like VO2 max and aerobic efficiency with Olav Aleksander Bu, insulin resistance with Ralph DeFranzo, US healthcare costs with Saum Sutaria, and autism/ADHD/anxiety with Trenna Sutcliffe. He shares personal behavioral changes and important takeaways from these diverse discussions.
Deep Dive Analysis
8 Topic Outline
Introduction to the Quarterly Podcast Summary
Key Takeaways from Olav Aleksander Bu's Interview
Distinguishing Functional Threshold Power and Critical Power
Relationship Between VO2 Max and PVO2 Max
Non-Training Factors Influencing VO2 Max
Advanced Carbohydrate Consumption in Endurance Sports
Optimal Protocol for VO2 Max Testing
Understanding VO2 Max Interval Training Intensity
4 Key Concepts
Functional Threshold Power (FTP)
FTP is the maximum power an individual can sustain for one hour. It is commonly tested by riding as hard as possible for 20 minutes, with the result typically discounted by 5-10% to estimate the one-hour power.
Critical Power
Similar to FTP, Critical Power is the maximum power an individual can hold for 30 to 40 minutes. It is often considered easier to measure than FTP, as it can be calculated from a set of curves derived from three to four much shorter individual tests.
VO2 Max
VO2 max represents the maximum rate of oxygen consumption an individual can achieve during intense exercise. It is typically measured during a ramp exercise on a bike or treadmill and sustained for at least one minute.
PVO2 Max (or VVO2 Max)
PVO2 max refers to the power (for cyclists) or velocity (for runners) an athlete achieves when they reach their VO2 max. Some argue it is more predictive of sports-specific performance than the VO2 max number alone, as it reflects the efficiency of converting oxygen consumption into power output.
6 Questions Answered
FTP is the power you can hold for one hour, often estimated as 90-95% of a 20-minute maximal effort. Critical Power is similar but for 30-40 minutes and can be calculated more easily from multiple shorter tests.
A high VO2 max but low PVO2 max (power at VO2 max) can indicate inefficiency, possibly due to overtraining aerobically and undertraining anaerobically, meaning more energy is required to produce power.
Beetroot concentrate, rich in nitrates, can be converted to nitric oxide, aiding vasodilation and potentially offering about a 5% boost for amateur athletes. Acetaminophen may also boost peak endurance performance by 1-2% by reducing pain perception, though it might impair heat dissipation.
Elite triathletes are now pushing carbohydrate intake to 240 grams per hour during racing, a significant increase from the conventional 60 grams per hour, allowing them to meet glycolytic needs indefinitely.
Athletes can train their gastrointestinal system to tolerate higher concentrations, such as a 12% mixture (120 grams per liter), by consuming gels and water in specific combinations.
VO2 max intervals (3-8 minutes) are not 'all out' but sustained hard efforts where the pain gradually increases, becoming 'miserable' in the last minute, requiring significant recovery before repeating.
11 Actionable Insights
1. Maximize VO2 Max Test Accuracy
Follow a specific protocol for VO2 max testing: test at your normal training time, be well-rested, minimize travel the day before, perform a 6-minute easy warmup, 3 minutes at threshold, 2-3 bursts at PVO2 max, then rest 10-15 minutes before the test. This ensures an accurate and maximized test result.
2. Execute VO2 Max Intervals Effectively
When doing 3-8 minute VO2 max intervals, aim for a constant power output that feels easy for the first minute, good at the halfway point, and becomes miserable in the last minute, allowing you to repeat the effort across multiple intervals. The goal is to preserve power across all intervals, not to kill yourself on the first one.
3. Train GI for Endurance Carbs
High-performance endurance athletes (triathletes, cyclists) can train their gastrointestinal system to tolerate much higher carbohydrate intake (up to 240 grams per hour at 12% mixture) during long events, effectively doubling fuel octane for performance.
4. Weekly VO2 Max Training Schedule
Incorporate one day a week of interval training (3-8 minute intervals) alongside three days a week of Zone 2 training to improve VO2 max.
5. Proper VO2 Max Test Warmup
Ensure a proper warmup before a VO2 max test, including escalating power efforts, as inadequate warmup (e.g., just 5 minutes on a treadmill) leads to a ‘garbage protocol’ and an underestimated VO2 max.
6. Measure Aerobic Efficiency: Critical Power
If you want metrics beyond VO2 max for higher-end aerobic efficiency, consider measuring your Critical Power as it’s easier to calculate than FTP from shorter tests.
7. Boost VO2 Max with Beetroot
Consume beetroot concentrate, which is rich in nitrates, to boost VO2 max by about 5% in amateur athletes by converting to nitric oxide, aiding vasodilation.
8. Breath Holds During VO2 Max
As you approach failure during a VO2 max test, do a few breath holds, as this produces a significant boost in the measured VO2 max due to reactive overconsumption of oxygen.
9. Perform True All-Out Effort
For a truly all-out effort, consider a reverse Tabata protocol: 10 seconds all out, 20 seconds rest, repeated eight times. This is about the closest the human body can get to an ‘all out’ effort and will increase VO2 max.
10. Understand VO2 Max Interval Pain
Understand that true Tabata (20s on, 10s off) is an ‘all-out’ effort that is harder in peak pain than VO2 max intervals (3-8 minutes), which involve a lower peak pain but greater area under the pain curve. VO2 max intervals (3-8 min) are more effective for increasing VO2 max than Tabata.
11. Acetaminophen for Endurance: Consider Trade-offs
Consider that acetaminophen (Tylenol) can boost peak endurance performance by 1-2% by reducing pain perception, but it may impair heat dissipation, raising questions about its worthwhile trade-off.
4 Key Quotes
If you're dying after the first minute, you've set your target too high.
Peter Atiyah
The more logs you can put into the fire, the hotter the fire burns, the more steam it makes, the faster the wheel turns.
Peter Atiyah
It's very quick and tempting to just say, ah, they must be just using drugs we haven't figured out yet. But yeah, it's also the fact that I think another explanation and the one that I find more appealing is that they literally figured out how to double the octane of the fuel.
Peter Atiyah
I always seem to have a through the roof energy expenditure for my body weight.
Peter Atiyah
1 Protocols
Optimal VO2 Max Test Warm-up Protocol
Peter Atiyah (describing Olav Aleksander Bu's recommendation)- Perform six minutes of very easy pedaling (Zone 2).
- Engage in three minutes at threshold or Functional Threshold Power (FTP).
- Execute two to three times a 10 to 15 second burst at about your expected PVO2 max.
- Take a relatively short rest of 10 to 15 minutes.
- Get a drink and then proceed with the VO2 max test.