Hi, it's Dr Sam Robbins,
When it comes to losing weight and getting in shape, we keep recycling the same diet
plan every few years.
Right now, it’s super cool to be doing intermittent fasting and also a ketogenic diet.
Both of which I did over 25 years ago.
Trust me, there’s nothing new going on.
But today, I’m going to focus on intermittent fasting and the increase in Growth Hormone.
A subscribed asked me:
“Dr. Sam - what’s the best way to do intermittent fasting to really increase my growth hormone
levels?
I’ve heard that fasting is awesome for boosting GH.
I want to increase muscle mass and really get super lean and ripped and I know GH is
the secret.”
Umm… okay, first of all - there are NO “secrets” to losing weight.
There are better strategies based on YOUR body type, genetics, food preferences, life-style,
goals and so forth.
But trust me, NO secrets other than the fact that genetics aside, it’s ALL about optimizing
and balancing out key hormone levels that allows maximum fat burning, appetite suppression
and preserving muscle mass.
And I’ll talk about these hormones in a minute.
Additionally, below this video in the description area, there’s a link to my website which
shows you a specific, scientifically researched formula that you can utilize, that helps optimize
your primary fat burning hormones - without any change in your diet or exercise.
Now, in regards to the GH and intermittent fasting … There’s a study that many people
who promote intermittent fasting, reference, which shows how fasting can increase your
growth hormone levels by a massive 1,250%.1 Which is really impressive, right?
But they leave out the part that the study involved people who fasted for over ONE WEEK!
I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to stop eating for an entire week, so I can
brag about how much my GH levels shot up … while I’m starving to death and all my muscle
mass is dissolving.
The truth is that STRESS causes an increase in growth hormone.
Thus, not eating, low blood sugar and physical stress will all increase GH.
However, this doesn’t not mean you’re losing fat and gaining muscle.
This is very different than the GH released with a growing baby and teenagers, which is
NOT stress related.
Or the growth hormone released with deep sleep.
These are all positive, non-stress mediated growth hormone release.
Just know that there are many hormones involved and looking at ONLY the growth hormone during
fasting is elementary and idiotic.
Nobody takes into account other hormones during times of stress - such an increase in stress
hormones, decrease in testosterone, increase in insulin levels and dozens of other hormonal
imbalances.
Additionally, other intermittent fasting promoters who fast for 18+ hours daily say it’s this
increase in GH that’s causing the fat loss.
NO IT’S NOT people - it’s the fact that most people who do intermittent fasting and
not eating for 18+ hours, are eating less total calories.
THIS is the primary reason for the weight loss.
It’s also due to less insulin secretion and improved insulin sensitivity.
But trust me, the higher HGH levels is NOT the primary cause - not even close.
I deal with lots of athletes and also older people that take high dose exogenous GH daily
and trust me, they are not burning fat like crazy and walking around at 5% body fat, eating
anything they want.
Also, if your goal is to build or preserve muscle and lose fat.
… And if you are exercising with weights - please don’t fast for 18+ hours.
That’s way too many hours to go without eating anything, especially protein.
Your body can use stored glucose and fat from your body - but the only “stored” protein
is from your MUSCLES, which need to be replenished often.
If go to too many hours without consuming some protein, your body will slowly catabolize
and eat away your muscles for the amino acids to help repair the body.
You may not notice it right away, but over the next few months, you will most certainly
start to lose muscle mass if you’re not eating for 18 hours daily.
The MOST I tell people to fast, is maybe 12 hours daily.
That’s it.
Also, don’t go to the gym fasted and lift weights - your performance will be poor and
you’ll again eat away at the muscle cells.
Make sure you eat at least once before exercise.
If you’re interested in the optimal way to fast, while still building muscle and/or
losing fat, let me know below in the comments section and I’ll do a video series about
this.
In the meantime, if you want to burn fat long term and help preserve or even gain muscle
at the same time, then your goal is to optimize specific hormones that control fat burning,
such as
Increasing Adiponectin, Leptin and Thyroid Decreasing Cortisol, Ghrelin and Insulin
As you can see, GH is not on this list.
Not because it doesn’t work or it’s not important, but because it’s lower on the
priority list.
Now, below this video in the description area, I’ve got two important links I want you
to take a look at.
The first is a list of natural ingredients that helps improve these 6 fat burning hormones
and a couple other ones.
The second is a proven, 20 year formula that causes these hormones to be optimized together,
at the same time for maximum fat burning.
Give it a thumbs up!
Thanks for listening and have a healthy and happy day!