In this listener Q&A, Layne dives deep into your most-asked questions on training, nutrition, and practical science. As always, he breaks down the actual research and gives no-BS, evidence-based takeaways you can actually use.
- Topics covered in this episode:
- Does cortisol cause fat gain? Plus the impact of low-calorie dieting on cortisol
- Sucralose and gut health – new research on dysbiosis, glucose/insulin levels, and the role of Blautia
- Do seed oils increase inflammation? Comprehensive look at linoleic acid studies, systematic reviews, and clinical trials
- Insulin, high-glycemic carbs, and fat storage – what do overfeeding studies actually show?
- Is “natural” always better? The naturalistic fallacy explained
- Is resistance training safe and effective for kids? What the science says for youth training
- Creatine dosing for women vs. men – do women need a different amount?
- Does cardio interfere with building muscle? Latest meta-analyses on concurrent training
- Layne’s honest take on The Biggest Loser Netflix documentary
- And more!
Whether you’re chasing muscle gains, fat loss, or just cutting through the noise, this episode delivers the science-backed answers.
References
Is it recommended to bulking & cutting cycles or recomposition at maintenance?
- Effect of Small and Large Energy Surpluses on Strength, Muscle, and Skinfold Thickness in Resistance-Trained Individuals: A Parallel Groups Design
- Effects of high-calorie supplements on body composition and muscular strength following resistance training
Does cortisol cause fat gain?
- Hormonal responses and adaptations to resistance exercise and training
- Low Calorie Dieting Increases Cortisol
Does sucralose harm your gut?
- Ten-Week Sucralose Consumption Induces Gut Dysbiosis and Altered Glucose and Insulin Levels in Healthy Young Adults
- Blautia-a new functional genus with potential probiotic properties?
- Depletion of Blautia Species in the Microbiota of Obese Children Relates to Intestinal Inflammation and Metabolic Phenotype Worsening
Do seed oils increase inflammation?
- Effect of dietary linoleic acid on markers of inflammation in healthy persons: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
- Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies
- Dietary intake and biomarkers of linoleic acid and mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies
- Linoleic acid content in adipose tissue and coronary heart disease
- The effects of canola and olive oils on insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress in women with type 2 diabetes: a randomized and controlled trial
- Evaluating the effects of seed oils on lipid profile, inflammatory and oxidative markers, and glycemic control of diabetic and dyslipidemic patients: a systematic review of clinical studies
- Home use of vegetable oils, markers of systemic inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction among women
- Time-dependent effects of safflower oil to improve glycemia, inflammation and blood lipids in obese, post-menopausal women with type 2 diabetes: a randomized, double-masked, crossover study
- Health Effects of Various Edible Vegetable Oil: An Umbrella Review
- Butter and Plant-Based Oils Intake and Mortality
Does insulin and high glycemic carb intake cause more fat storage?
- Fat and carbohydrate overfeeding in humans: different effects on energy storage
- Effects of isoenergetic overfeeding of either carbohydrate or fat in young men
- Effects of semaglutide on beta cell function and glycaemic control in participants with type 2 diabetes: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
- Effect of Low-Fat vs Low-Carbohydrate Diet on 12-Month Weight Loss in Overweight Adults and the Association With Genotype Pattern or Insulin Secretion: The DIETFITS Randomized Clinical Trial
- Metabolic and behavioral effects of a high-sucrose diet during weight loss
Is natural always better?
Can women who are over age 60 still grow their glutes?
Is resistance training healthy for kids?
- Influence of Strength Training Variables on Neuromuscular and Morphological Adaptations in Prepubertal Children: A Systematic Review
- Effects of Resistance Training on Academic Outcomes in School-Aged Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Do women need a different dosage of creatine than men?
What are your thoughts on the evidence around female training and nutrition for hormone health and strength gains, specifically the research Stacy Sims preaches?
- The Effects of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Exercise Performance in Eumenorrheic Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Menstrual cycle phase does not influence muscle protein synthesis or whole-body myofibrillar proteolysis in response to resistance exercise
- No effect of menstrual cycle on myofibrillar and connective tissue protein synthesis in contracting skeletal muscle
- Current evidence shows no influence of women’s menstrual cycle phase on acute strength performance or adaptations to resistance exercise training
- Associations of exercise-induced hormone profiles and gains in strength and hypertrophy in a large cohort after weight training (short term changes in cortisol are actually associated with GREATER muscle growth, not less)
Does cardio interfere with building muscle?
- The Effects of Concurrent Aerobic and Strength Training on Muscle Fiber Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Compatibility of Concurrent Aerobic and Strength Training for Skeletal Muscle Size and Function: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Acute Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Muscle Strength and Power in Trained Male Individuals: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis
- The order of concurrent endurance and resistance exercise modifies mTOR signaling and protein synthesis in rat skeletal muscle
- Impact of sequence in concurrent training on physical activity, body composition, and fitness in obese young males: A 12-week randomized controlled trial
What are your thoughts on The Biggest Loser Documentary on Netflix?
