Best Omar Isuf Podcasts (2024)

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Ep. 293 - What Causes Hypertrophy? 50:52

1h ago50:52

50:52

How do we know what we know? And do we know what we think we know? If your answer is “I don’t know,” then this episode is for you. In this classic-style episode, Omar and Helms sit down for a spirited chat on epistemology: the theory of knowledge, as it relates to hypertrophy. In the “evidence-based” world some people always claim to have things fi…

1
Ep. 292 - Cutting Edge Research on Volume, Protein & Cardio 1:07:20

3d ago1:07:20

1:07:20

Research moves slow, well, at least slower than we wish it did. But, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t also produce paradigm shifts that shake up practice. In this episode Dr. Helms and Dr. Trexler sit down to answer questions using research, most of which that is actually still in the publication process and not yet available. This research will have a…

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Ep. 291 - Who is the Male Natural Bodybuilding G.O.A.T? 1:29:02

7d ago1:29:02

1:29:02

In this Iron Culture episode Dr. Helms sits down with fellow 3DMJ coaches and Iron Culture veterans Brian Minor and Alberto Nunez for a spirited debate about who they each think are the top 5 natural male bodybuilders of all time. Bodybuilding is where art and culture meet science, where science meets sport, and if you are a fan of natural bodybuil…

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Ep. 290 - Is Caffeine an Overrated Supplement for Lifters? 56:20

11d ago56:20

56:20

Caffeine is incredibly popular among lifters and non-lifters alike. In a variety of cultures all across the globe (including the iron culture), caffeine is a daily staple. While most people use caffeine for a morning boost of energy, lifters have long used caffeine as a performance-enhancing supplement. There is a tremendous amount of evidence repo…

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Ep. 289 - How Competitive is IPF Powerlifting? (with Panagiotis Tarinidis) 1:08:47

18d ago1:08:47

1:08:47

This week 2x 66kg IPF Open World Champion Panagiotis “Pana” Tarinidis joins Eric Helms on Iron Culture to discuss the state of modern powerlifting. The two of them recently joined legends, phenoms, leaders and top thinkers of the sport like John Haack, Greg Nuckols, Lya Bavoil and others at the 2024 European Powerlifting Conference in Limerick Irel…

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Ep 288 - Is Exercise Variety Necessary? 1:04:47

26d ago1:04:47

1:04:47

The classic Iron Culture duo hosts this week’s episode to discuss exercise variety. How have the views on this topic changed over the years and why? First, we need to understand how and when bodybuilding separated from strength sport, equipment availability changes over time, and how these factors impacted the perception of exercise variety. From t…

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Ep. 287 - Do Advanced Lifters Need More Volume? 1:16:37

1M ago1:16:37

1:16:37

The Erics are back, and this time, they work through a mental model of how training volume, or rather, the training dose changes over time. With a rank novice, a single set to failure done once per week will typically produce continued adaptation, and they won’t plateau for 1-2 years! However, if you take an advanced strength athlete or bodybuilder…

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Ep. 286 - Is Hypertrophy Training a Waste of Time for Powerlifting? 1:09:45

1M ago1:09:45

1:09:45

The trio is back to discuss a classic Iron Culture topic: how much does increasing muscle mass contribute to strength? But, before we can answer how much, we must acknowledge that some in the scientific community doubt whether hypertrophy contributes to strength at all! What is the source of this skepticism and how do we resolve this debate? Tune i…

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Ep. 285 - Are Most Omega-3 Supplements Misformulated? (Feat Ryan Anthony) 1:22:23

2M ago1:22:23

1:22:23

PhD candidate Ryan Anthony joins the Erics on Iron Culture to discuss the fishy business of Omega-3 supplementation. Ryan is in the final years of his PhD research at the University of Wollongong in Australia, investigating the role of omega-3 fatty acids in reducing muscle fatigue and soreness following exercise. His research has identified consis…

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Ep. 284 - How to Keep Progressing in Powerlifting (feat. Walter Cariazo) 1:14:36

2M ago1:14:36

1:14:36

Walter Cariazo joins Omar and Eric Helms on Iron Culture to discuss his decade-long journey in powerlifting. He’s won the 93kg National Championship twice and the 105kg National Championship once in Canada and has had the opportunity to represent Canada twice at the IPF World Championship, most recently in Lithuania in June. In this most recent com…

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Ep. 283 - Jared Maynard: Rebuilding Stronger 1:21:09

2M ago1:21:09

1:21:09

A long lifting career comes with plenty of ups and downs, so we’re accustomed to hearing stories about setbacks, comebacks, and perseverance from our favorite lifters. These setbacks can take many forms, but Jared Maynard’s extraordinary story exists in a league of its own. Over the course of a few short weeks, a rare autoimmune disease took Jared …

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Ep. 282 - Pain Don’t Hurt Much 1:43:32

3M ago1:43:32

1:43:32

The most dynamic Iron Culture duo is back in action. In this episode, Omar and Dr. Trexler talk all about pain, injury, and factors that impact the relationship between them. Back in the day, most lifters were all-in on the “Cartesian” or “biomedical” model of pain, which posits that pain is a simple, reliable indicator of damaged tissue causing no…

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Ep. 281 - Is Saturated Fat Inherently Fattening? 1:03:23

3M ago1:03:23

1:03:23

The trio is back, and this time to discuss the science of saturated fat. For decades, saturated fat was widely blamed for a dramatic rise in rates of obesity and heart disease. In recent years, that narrative has been challenged by proponents of increasingly popular ketogenic and carnivorous diets. For many, the back and forth on this topic is dizz…

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Ep. 280 - What Makes a Good Coach? 1:16:06

3M ago1:16:06

1:16:06

When people think of “good coaching” in the evidence-based community their first thoughts are often related to whether or not the coach is up to date with the science and whether they use pseudoscience in practice. So does that mean that every coach from the 1990s and prior was a bad coach? Is good coaching actually determined by the methods you us…

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Ep. 279 - Does Drinking Water Help Weight Loss? 1:08:15

3M ago1:08:15

1:08:15

One of the most common recommendations a personal trainer or dietitian might make to someone embarking on a weight loss journey, is to drink more water. It’s a basic behavioural recommendation, like going on walks, eating more fruit, vegetables and lean protein, adopting a consistent sleep schedule, and engaging in regular exercise; all solid recom…

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Ep. 278 - Is Arched Bench Press Cheating? 1:14:13

4M ago1:14:13

1:14:13

Powerlifters use techniques to milk every last kilo out of their bench press, including wide grips, tightly wound wrist wraps, leg drive, and – the most hated technique in the comment section – an arched-back to reduce the range of motion. Indeed, it can get so heated in the comments it likely even influenced an IPF rule change last year. But how m…

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Ep. 277 - Menstrual Cycle Training Roundtable (w/Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple & Dr. Kim SantaBarbara) 1:27:41

4M ago1:27:41

1:27:41

Fresh off of their successful doctoral defenses, Lauren and Kim join Iron Culture to discuss all things menstrual-cycle related for lifters! Dr. Helms had the pleasure of mentoring Kim, who recently completed her PhD at AUT, in which she surveyed and monitored the menstrual cycle symptoms of resistance-training women, and also led an intervention o…

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Ep. 276 - Beyond Pain Science: When Injuries Don’t Resolve 1:26:14

4M ago1:26:14

1:26:14

We’re back with another trio episode, and in this one, the hosts dig deeper into the Trex-lore. Eric Trexler has been training since his early youth, but only recently has he struggled with his fitness, and health and even had to rethink who he is as a lifter, due to lingering pain. Pain and injury are complex and multifaceted, but the body is resi…

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Ep. 275 - Biomechanics for Bodybuilding (with Kassem Hanson) 1:43:28

4M ago1:43:28

1:43:28

To complement the recent appearance of Dr. Wes Goodman, we now have the founder of N1 Education, Coach Kassem Hanson to join us on iron culture to discuss applied biomechanics and anatomy for bodybuilding. We discuss the limitations of research, what might be considered fundamental features of effective hypertrophy exercises, common mistakes and mi…

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Ep. 274 - Do Hardgainers Need More Volume? 1:12:02

5M ago1:12:02

1:12:02

Since the beginning of the iron game, different methods have been promoted as the best approach to train for “hardgainers.” Likewise, in the scientific literature, the variability in individual response is well documented, including the identification of “non-responders” and poor responders to exercise. However, only recently have studies been unde…

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Ep. 273 - Biomechanics for Powerlifting feat Dr. Wes Goodman 1:34:23

5M ago1:34:23

1:34:23

Wes Goodman recently completed his PhD in Exercise and Nutrition Science with an emphasis in Biomechanics and Motor Control at Montana State University under Dr. David Graham with our very own Dr. Helms on his committee as well. But he’s more than an academic, he’s a certified strength and conditioning specialist, gym owner, power lifter, strong ma…

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Ep. 272 - Mike Tuchscherer: Peaking After 20 Years of Powerlifting 1:30:25

5M ago1:30:25

1:30:25

The man, the myth, the legend, Mike T is back! Fresh off a 900kg total, an 800lbs deadlift, and placing just off the podium at Powerlifting America National by bodyweight, Mike T is showing how much longevity can be had for the lifelong lifter, even at the highest level. We’ve only got a penlight in this pitch-dark morphing cave, but that’s apparen…

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Ep. 271 - Powerlifting, Natural Bodybuilding & Science (Eric Trexler’s Journey) 1:31:39

5M ago1:31:39

1:31:39

Trextopia, this is your episode. We peel back the layers of pro natural bodybuilder, exercise science researcher & co-host of Iron Culture, Eric Trexler. Learn how he got into lifting, what low bar squatting 500lb ATG will do to your body & why there might be more controversy in Iron Culture’s near future. This might be the peak of Iron Culture but…

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Ep. 270 - Scientific Retractions Aren’t Working 1:41:11

5M ago1:41:11

1:41:11

We here at Iron Culture have been on a mission to better inform you, dear listener, as to the inner workings of science. From what goes on in the lab itself, to the publication process, to dissemination, to eventual meta-analysis, the challenge of interpretation and communication of science, the optimistic promises of open science, and the increasi…

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Ep. 269 - Are Social Media PhDs Ruining Fitness? (feat Dr. Milo Wolf, Max Coleman & Dr. Pak) 1:34:19

6M ago1:34:19

1:34:19

Whitney Houston said it best: “I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way.” Here at Iron Culture, we’re old, irrelevant and out of touch. But, we believe in platforming the next generation of educators to carry on the torch (or at least pandering so they’ll platform us in return when we can no longer pay the bi…

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Ep. 268 - Science Communication, Gatekeeping & The Fitness Industry (feat Dr. Pak) 1:55:05

6M ago1:55:05

1:55:05

Dr. Pak is back on Iron Culture for his third appearance! This time, he sat down with Omar and Dr. Helms for a meta-discussion on the challenges of science communication. How do you maintain credibility when you’re using social media as a science communication tool? This challenge has changed, but it isn’t new by any means. The “Sagan effect” descr…

1
Ep. 267 - Addressing Data Fraud in Nutrition Science 1:34:40

6M ago1:34:40

1:34:40

The holy trinity is back and holy smokes do we have a Holy Ghost of an episode! First, to kick things off the crew discusses the recent “March madness” of powerlifting that just finished: IPF European Champs, the UK Arnold, and Powerlifting America Nationals. Some absolutely stunning performances occurred all over the world in powerlifting and it s…

1
Ep. 266 - Are Plant-based Proteins Actually Superior? 1:26:06

6M ago1:26:06

1:26:06

After their recent reconciliation, the Erics got together for this duo episode to bond over their mutual love of protein. But, dear listener, this might not be the home-cooked high-protein meal you hoped for. Dr. Trexler tackles the question of whether or not, GASP, protein restriction might extend lifespan! Then, to add insult to injury, the Erics…

1
Ep. 265 - Are Your Supplements Contaminated? 1:33:07

7M ago1:33:07

1:33:07

As you know, Iron Culture reps the neutral to positive gang around these parts. While most new supplements released to the market don’t pan out as effective, some do. So, if preliminary data supports the potential efficacy of a new supplement, why not try it out? The only potential downside of trying a new supplement is wasted money, right? Not so …

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Ep. 264 - Why the “52 Set Study” Doesn’t Matter 1:53:27

7M ago1:53:27

1:53:27

Evidence-based practice has unfortunately become a meme, and its meaning, role, and utility are less understood than they were just a handful of years ago. In this episode we dive deep, discussing how to incorporate study findings into practice. If you don’t have the ability to gauge the impact of a study’s findings, how do you stay up to date? We …

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Ep. 263 - Is Protein Timing Debunked? 1:26:39

7M ago1:26:39

1:26:39

It's time for a MONSTER episode about protein. Naturally, Helms has recused himself because of his heavy biases and conflicts of interest with the shadowy figures behind Big Protein. As a result, Trex and Omar take a trip down memory lane and discuss everything we used to know about protein, and how a surprising percentage of that knowledge has cha…

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Ep. 262 - Sheffield 2024 Recap 1:25:05

7M ago1:25:05

1:25:05

The trio is back on the heels of THE Sheffield 2024, the biggest powerlifting competition to date, which outdid its inaugural 2023 performance. Once again, the 12 best IPF-unequipped women and men clashed in a cross-weight class competition ranked by their total as a percentage of their respective world record. This meet incentivizes going BIG, rew…

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Ep. 261 - A Unified Theory of Metabolic Adaptation? 1:21:43

8M ago1:21:43

1:21:43

The nerd super duo is back at it again. This time, Dr. Trexler plays Sherlock and Dr. Helms plays Watson in a discussion of how overtraining syndrome, metabolic adaptation, relative energy deficiency in sport, exercise energy compensation, body fat regulation, and more, are both distinct from one another, yet are all also closely related. Surprisin…

1
Ep. 260 - Does Powerlifting with a Rounded Back Cause Pain? 1:03:23

8M ago1:03:23

1:03:23

In classic Iron Culture throwback style, it’s just Omar and Dr. Helms on this one, while the leader of Trex-topia is away at a conference. Omar and Eric give you the classic banter you love, go over reviews, and even engage in an off-the-cuff discussion of the health at every size movement. Then, they get to the meat of the conversation, a recent p…

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Ep. 259 - MASScast 6: Response Variation, Individualizing Training, and Protein Consistency (ft. Dr. Mike Zourdos and Dr. Eric Trexler 1:46:23

8M ago1:46:23

1:46:23

You’ve seen Iron Culture MASScasts before, but none quite like this. In this very special episode of Iron Culture, we’re co-publishing the most recent episode of MASS Office Hours, which is a live podcast run by the good people over at the MASS Research Review (Dr. Eric Trexler, Dr. Eric Helms, Dr. Mike Zourdos, and soon-to-be-doctor Lauren Colenso…

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Ep. 258 - The Rise of Lifting Antiscience 1:56:06

8M ago1:56:06

1:56:06

The trinity is reunited for the first time in 2024, with the Erics joining Omar for what is absolutely a monster episode. We tackle head-on the rise of antiscience in lifting. Currently, attacking exercise or nutrition science in your title or reel is an easy clickbait win for content creators, and you’ll get bonus points via likes, shares, subscri…

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Ep. 257 - WNBF Pro World & Pro Natural Olympia 2023 Champion Beccy Pateman 1:19:09

9M ago1:19:09

1:19:09

In our third interview following the 2023 natural bodybuilding season, we sit down with another historic champion with a truly outlier series of performances. This time, Australian phenom Beccy Pateman joined the Erics on Iron Culture to discuss her season, which culminated not only in her winning her WNBF pro card in both Figure and Fit Body, but …

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Ep. 256 - The Challenge of Science Communication (feat Layne Norton) 1:28:45

9M ago1:28:45

1:28:45

Layne Norton and Eric Helms have some similarities in their areas of interest and expertise as well as their career paths. However, they have different personalities and distinct approaches to science communication. That’s what makes this one on one discussion between Eric and Layne interesting and relevant. Each approach has its pros and cons in t…

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Ep. 255 - WNBF World, Yorton Cup & Ms. America 2023 Champion Natalie Hays 1:53:16

9M ago1:53:16

1:53:16

Natalie Hays did what no natural bodybuilder has ever done before. Not only did she win her OCB pro card, to then go on and win the Yorton Cup pro title, but she also then won the Ms. America pro title, and then the WNBF Amateur World title to secure her WNBF pro card…but not satisfied, the next day she competed in the WNBF Pro Worlds, and won the …

1
Ep. 254 - Do Fat Burners Actually Work? 1:07:57

9M ago1:07:57

1:07:57

Happy Holidays cultists! We sincerely thank you all for joining us every week to explore the history, science and culture of the iron and we look forward to doing it more in 2024! In this episode, Omar and Helms discuss fat burners: supplements that supposedly enhance fat loss either by increasing energy expenditure and/or by blunting hunger and re…

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Ep. 253 - 2023 Lightweight WNBF Pro World Champion Dirk Emmerich 1:10:39

9M ago1:10:39

1:10:39

We are joined today by pro natural bodybuilding world champion Dirk Emmerich. Dirk is one of the many emerging stars of the newest era of competitive natural bodybuilding. In 2021, in his very first bodybuilding season, he made history. He won his WNBF pro card in the most impressive way possible, by not only winning his class at WNBF Worlds but th…

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Ep. 252 - The First Bodybuilding Show (with Marcus Kment & Dr. Conor Heffernan) 1:52:39

10M ago1:52:39

1:52:39

The Great Competition, 1901, Royal Albert Hall, London…this was the birthplace of modern bodybuilding. The one and only Eugen Sandow managed to persevere through multiple years of war, logistical setbacks, and a political and cultural climate that viewed physique displays as potentially indecent, sometimes immoral, and at worst, as illegal pornogra…

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Ep. 251 - Making Gains as an Advanced Lifter 1:28:47

10M ago1:28:47

1:28:47

We’re back. We’re so back (except for Dr. Trexler, he’s sick …but he will be so back). Omar is getting his body composition tested in July and he has publicly guaranteed that he’s going to have increased his lean mass by then. Likewise, Dr. Helms just publicly announced his monogamous commitment to bodybuilding and his push to become a pro champion…

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Ep. 250 - WNBF Worlds, Pathological Bodybuilding, Muscle Loss 1:59:44

10M ago1:59:44

1:59:44

The good Doctors Eric are still figuring out how to start episodes without Omar, and let’s just say it’s off to a rough start. But to their credit, they went on to deliver a monster episode even if Omar wasn’t there to officially dub it so. In this conversation, Dr. Helms recaps the amazing battles and historic performances that took place at WNBF …

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Ep. 249 - The Spirit of Bodybuilding (with Dr. Mike Israetel) 1:51:22

10M ago1:51:22

1:51:22

It’s hard to explain to those who haven’t competed what it is about bodybuilding that can grip people and transform them. The near-spiritual experiences that some physique athletes gain through prep and competition are something shared regardless of division, federation, natural, or enhanced. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Mike Israetel, not…

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Ep. 248 - Does Leucine Actually Matter? 1:03:38

11M ago1:03:38

1:03:38

Leucine had a good run. It’s been nearly two decades at the top, with the result being that even a casually aware meat head can explain that the muscle building quality of a protein source is tied, at least in part, to its leucine content and that you should probably consume protein sources with high leucine content and spread protein feedings even…

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Ep. 247 - A Tale of Two Bodybuilders 1:33:01

11M ago1:33:01

1:33:01

This episode almost didn’t happen. With Omar away, the Erics left to figure out how to do an episode of Iron Culture on their own, and nearly got stuck waiting forever for someone to say “Eric.” But, cooler heads prevailed and they found their way into a thoughtful, introspective, and nostalgic conversation. While both Trexler and Helms ended up ta…

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Ep. 246 - Why BULKING is NOT the Answer 1:08:21

11M ago1:08:21

1:08:21

“Gotta eat big to get big brother!” “It’s the off-season man, I’m on that SEE-food diet, heheh ya feel me?!!” It’s been like this for decades in the muscle building world, and there’s a ton of anecdotes that you gotta eat enough to grow. Certainly, we can’t build muscle out of thin air. But given the modern understanding that body recomposition - a…

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Ep. 245 - Is BMI Useless? 1:26:24

11M ago1:26:24

1:26:24

It’s Eric-ception folks. Today, we put to bed two controversies. Not only the controversy as to whether or not Eric Trexler is vat-grown, as he seems to have at least SOME pop-culture knowledge, but also the controversy of whether or not Eric Trexler and Eric Helms are actually the same person. The last two episodes renewed this conspiracy theory d…

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Ep. 244 - Does Your Body Composition Affect Your Testosterone Levels? (ft. Eric Trexler) 1:43:07

12M ago1:43:07

1:43:07

The new co-host of Iron Culture, Eric Trexler, is back with another (monster) episode. In this episode we take a look at everyone's favorite hormone, testosterone. Specially, Dr. Trexler examines the role of maconutrient changes on testosterone levels. How does fat & carbohydrate intake impact a person's testosterone? We also explore body compositi…

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