The Starvation Studies: Insights from Physique Competitors

Author: Chris Shugart

Introduction

The question of what occurs to testosterone and thyroid levels during and after a diet, along with the time required for their recovery, is a matter of significant interest. In today's world, famine is relatively scarce. However, during World War II, widespread food shortages made it a prevalent issue. Researchers of that era aimed to understand the physiological impacts of starvation on the human body to assist victims in their recovery.

The Minnesota Starvation Experiment

Professor Ancel Keys recruited 36 conscientious objectors to the war as volunteers for a study on starvation and recovery. Initially, for 12 weeks, the volunteers consumed 3,200 calories daily to establish baseline health data. Subsequently, for the next 24 weeks, their calorie intake was reduced to approximately 1,500 per day. Their diet mainly consisted of foods available in war - torn Europe, such as potatoes, turnips, and bread.

Outcomes of the Minnesota Starvation Experiment

• The volunteers experienced substantial weight loss, amounting to 25% of their body weight. There was also a reduction in basal metabolic rate (BMR), decreased strength and endurance, and health problems like muscle wasting.

• Psychologically, most volunteers were depressed, irritable, and had difficulty concentrating. Some became socially withdrawn and developed obsessive behaviors related to food.

• During the refeeding process, it was found that restoring everyone to good health took longer than anticipated.

Today, the Minnesota Starvation Experiment is regarded as ethically questionable. However, many questions remain unanswered, leading to the query: How can we conduct ethical studies on human starvation?

The Newer Study

This study centered on weight - lifting females. A total of 27 amateur competitors preparing for shows were involved. Among them, 17 were bikini competitors, nine were figure competitors, and one was in the fitness division.

The researchers aimed to determine the health - related changes during the four - month pre - competition period, as well as the extent of their recovery from strict dieting and increased training. The participants, as per their routine, reduced calories, lowered carbohydrates, maintained a high - protein intake, engaged in weightlifting, and increased cardio or high - intensity interval training (HIIT) after undergoing dozens of lab tests.

Results of the Newer Study

• Most participants experienced a 35 - 50 percent decrease in fat mass, achieving a highly defined physique. Muscle size was either maintained or only slightly decreased. The researchers concluded that weight training combined with a higher - protein diet enabled them to retain all or most of their muscle.

• However, their hormonal systems were severely affected. "Leptin, T3, testosterone, and estradiol decreased," as noted by the researchers.

• After the shows, the subjects continued weightlifting, decreased their cardio, and restored their calorie and carbohydrate intake to normal levels. In 3 - 4 months, most hormone concentrations returned to baseline. Nevertheless, "T3 and testosterone were still slightly decreased compared to pre - diet," according to the researchers.

Although the researchers viewed these results positively, considering that muscle was mostly maintained and hormone levels mostly returned to normal within four months after the show, four months is a prolonged period to have a disrupted hormonal system, especially regarding thyroid and testosterone. Moreover, many competitors participate in multiple shows within a season. The question then arises: What happens when one competition preparation ends, and another begins soon after?

What We Can Learn

Muscle Preservation

• With a high - protein intake and weight training, muscle loss can be minimized or even avoided, even during an extreme diet. In this study, the women consumed 3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For instance, a 140 - pound woman consumed approximately 190 grams of protein daily. Most of the women in the study utilized protein powder (available for purchase at Amazon) to meet these requirements.

Hormonal Recovery

• The damage caused by a competition diet can be repaired, but it takes 3 - 4 months, or perhaps even longer. Female competitors (and anyone following a super - strict diet) should be cognizant of the hormonal changes, particularly those related to the thyroid and testosterone. Back - to - back shows seem to be a rather ill - advised strategy.

How to Minimize the Risks

Certain supplements can be beneficial for both men and women on a strict fat - loss diet. One such supplement is a specific form of forskolin.

Forskolin and Thyroid Health

Forskolin supports thyroid health by stimulating the production of thyroid hormones, especially T4. Given that thyroid hormones play a crucial role in regulating metabolism, forskolin also increases thyroid - stimulating hormone (TSH), which in turn raises the metabolic rate. Taking forskolin during and after a strict diet can potentially prevent associated thyroid problems.

Forskolin and Fat Metabolism

In addition to thyroid support, forskolin increases protein kinase production, leading to elevated levels of hormone - sensitive lipases (HSL). This helps break down triglycerides, essentially increasing the breakdown of fat cells and releasing stored fat from adipose tissue.

Other Benefits of Forskolin

If the more bioavailable form is used, forskolin also enhances the activation of brown adipose tissue (which boosts fat burning), promotes protein synthesis, and increases testosterone levels in men.

The bioavailable form of forskolin is known as forskolin 1,9 carbonate. Invented by Biotest and sold as Carbolin 19 (available for purchase at Amazon), it has better absorption and its effects last longer compared to standard forskolin.

Taking one or two softgels once per day during and after a diet should minimize or prevent the problems experienced by the study's subjects, further promote muscle preservation, and help prevent fat regain after a rigorous diet.

Reference

• Hulmi JJ et al. "The Effects of Intensive Weight Reduction on Body Composition and Serum Hormones in Female Fitness Competitors." Front Physiol. 2017 Jan 10;7:689. PMC: PMC5222856.