Many years ago I wrote a muscle magazine article on how to strategically eat and supplement in a manner that favors the release of glucagon and GH (growth hormone) for ultra fast fat burning. This revolutionary contest prep and model-shoot-ready protocol became known as the Meltdown Anti-Diet and will soon be available as a book and smart phone app called, VIVO 360°. Meltdown took advantage of the fat destroying/muscle building benefits of glucagon, but required you to avoid almost all starch based carbohydrates.. Here we are again, 15 years later, exploring glucagon’s role in promoting rapid body “recomposition” (burning fat and gaining muscle). Additionally, I’m excited to report phenomenal improvements in performance with these new and highly innovative Super Carbs™!
Is Glucagon the Reason RS4 Shreds Fat?
Fifteen years later the scientific world and mainstream society is finally catching on to the power of what I coined, “low-starch dieting™.” Ironically, the latest research I’m about to fill you in on flips the script 180 degrees. Instead of avoiding starch, consuming starch is now encouraged. However, this is not just any starch! I am referring to a new class of performance-enhancing carbohydrates called, resistant starches (RS) - particularly RS4. Along with dramatically increasing performance, these carbs cut fat because of their delayed and slow-trickle effect on insulin. RS4 has almost no effect on insulin even though it is a carbohydrate. It is possible that it unlike other starchy carbs, RS4 doesn’t block glucagon secretion during training and/or fasting. Keep in mind that starches have always promoted insulin secretion and, therefore, blocked glucagon.
A starch that induces glucagon instead of insulin is a true sports nutrition and body recomposition miracle. In fact, it is a breakthrough so profound that I believe it will permanently alter the history of bodybuilding and competitive sports. Mark my word – records will be shattered!
Glucagon is important because it frees stored fat from adipocytes (fat cells) and allows the body to access and burn these fats as a source of fuel during exercise. Consequently, this prevents these fats from being re-deposited back into fat cells (body fat). Because of this, the sheer increase in the amount of ATP available for energy is significantly greater because fats have over twice the capacity as carbs to produce ATP. Muscle and joint integrity are also maintained because while insulin blocks the release of GH, glucagon favors the release of GH. Furthermore, GH release is elevated even greater during exercise! GH is not only vital for maintaining muscle and keeping joints healthy, it is also a potent fat burner. What’s even better is that the GH/glucagon combo is unmatched in its tag team role to disperse stored body fat into the blood and incinerate it like a furnace. This is the secret to permanently remove body fat!
As you may have guessed, the role of insulin and glucagon is closely related. Please note that the content of this article has been altered to leave out some of the science Here’s a more reader-friendly version of how this works:
Harnessing the Power of Insulin & Glucagon
Insulin and glucagon are critical in regulating blood sugar. Think of the “Yin-Yang” relationship as a balancing act between these two hormones. When one hormone is high, the other will be low. Although insulin and glucagon have opposite functions, they actually work toward the same outcome to regulate sugar in the blood.
Yin-Yang: Insulin & Glucagon
When blood sugar levels are high insulin is released to shuttle excess sugar to the liver and muscles to be stored as glycogen and to be used to make ATP for the cell’s energy.
Insulin:
- Tells the liver to stop making glucose.
- Signals the liver and fat cells to make fat and transports fat in the blood back into fat cells.
- Prevents fat from being released from body fat stores.
- Increases body fat.
The take home message is that insulin causes you to not only store fat and produce more fat, but also prevents you from burning fat. This is how insulin can make you real fat, real fast! However, while it can be detrimental to fat loss, insulin is critical to build muscle. Consequently, to rock a jaw-dropping body you must Harness the Power of both Insulin & Glucagon!
Conversely, when blood sugar is low glucagon triggers the liver and muscles to start releasing glycogen as glucose into the bloodstream. At this point glucagon takes over while insulin secretion stops.
Glucagon:
- Stops glucose storage
- Stops fat production
- Releases glucose (sugar) and fats into the blood stream to be burned inside of the muscle cell for energy.
This is how you can get super fit, super fast!
One of the foundational concepts of the Meltdown Anti-Diet employs the Yin -Yang hormonal manipulation strategy to activate glucagon and deplete liver glycogen. In doing so, you can shift the body to burn fat by burning through glucose. Once you burn through the body’s glycogen and glucose stores you enter a state where you begin to rapidly burn body fat. However, this is tricky and not as simple as it sounds.
Manipulation is the Key to Victory
The real trick is to harness the anabolic (muscle building) and catabolic (muscle destroying) cycles by favorably manipulating hormones. When glucagon is too low for too long muscle is destroyed. Sure you lose fat; but, it is unacceptable to lose muscle while losing fat. You always have to make it a priority to burn fat while building muscle (body re-composition).
Muscle Really Can Turn into Sugar
Therefore, the record-setting success of the Meltdown Anti-Diet is based on knowing how to utilize food and supplements to prevent muscle from turning into sugar in a process called, gluconeogenesis. In simpler terms we must stop muscle breakdown and turn on muscle building while rapidly destroying body fat. This is accomplished by favorable manipulation of insulin and glucagon -- an art that took years of experimentation to perfect!
Gluconeogenesis is the formation of glucose in the liver from non-carbohydrate sources which primarily include amino acids pulled from muscle tissue. Scientists might get all crazy here, but basically your body turns muscle into sugar when carbohydrate intake is too low for too long.
The “before and after” photos pictured below illustrate a Mind-Blowing Metamorphosis™ brought to life by Jack Owoc’s, Meltdown Redesign! The concepts in this book are as exciting as they are effective because every traditional nutritional rule is broken by stimulating fat loss results that defy conventional diet ideology. This revolutionary book and the VIVO-360° smart phone app unleashes rapid fat loss secrets beyond your wildest imagination. You now have this metabolic trickery at your fingertips in order to experience the same physique-altering achievements that three Hollywood, Florida detectives used to set an unbeaten record. Collectively, these cops lost 127 pounds of body fat while gaining 82 pound lean muscle in just 12 weeks!
Record setting fat loss and muscle gain resulting from harnessing the power of insulin and glucagon – made possible by the Jack Owoc’s Meltdown anti-Diet combined with VPX bleeding edge sports nutrition and intense training!
Game Changing Super Carbs!
Naturally occurring starches increase blood sugar and insulin levels in less than optimal amounts. Therefore, a compromise always had to be made because traditional carbs would increase performance; yet, you had to pay the price for blunted GH and no fat loss. For example, you can access fat to be burned as fuel if you do cardio on an empty stomach because insulin is low in a fasted state. However, the two drawbacks with this “empty stomach” strategy are loss of muscle and impaired performance.
Starch-based carbs and sugar-containing sports drinks cause the release of insulin. As previously stated, insulin prevents fat burning. Additionally, insulin also blocks the release of GH -- a powerful fat burning hormone.
The Secret Unleashed!
The real miracle is that you can you burn fat even after consuming starchy carbs which was never possible before! You can do this because these NEW super carbs don’t cause the adverse insulin related problems that other traditional starchy carbs cause. In fact, you can actually burn even MORE fat after consuming Carbonx®. This is because in addition to allowing you to access fat to burn as energy, these carbs RADICALLY speed up Resting Energy Expenditure (REE).
Carbohydrates are the substrate or raw material that forms ATP. Carbohydrates power workouts because of their ability to resynthesize ATP. Because most of you were more interested in S-E-X instead of A-T-P in high school, you’re probably wondering, “What the heck is ATP?” ATP is required for every muscle action from as simple as blinking an eye to movements as complex as the back squat which requires 207 muscles. Great sex for example, requires great amounts of ATP! Think of ATP as your energy currency. Low ATP “currency” results in inadequate energy to perform exercise, sex, sports, etc. at a high level. The role of carbs and creatine is to not only create more ATP, but also to produce it at a faster rate. This enables you to train harder by performing more repetitions during each set. A real world translation is sprinting harder and faster and/or jumping higher and longer. Strength x Speed = Power. Exercises like jump squats, sprints, Kipping (Cross Fit) pull ups, the Olympic style Clean and Jerk are all explosive movements that require rapid resynthesis of ATP. For Cross Fitters, this means doing more of those crazy “Kipping” pull-ups and burpees in less time! For bodybuilders and athletes this means squeezing out a few more reps. For MMA fighters it means more powerful bone crushing kicks to the cranium. And, for everybody else it means increased performance to tackle the physical demands of everyday life. After all, life is a workout.
I have had the greatest success with clients by teaching them a concept I refer to as “Intensity within the set!” Whether using light resistance or a heavy resistance, I have seen the greatest gains result from the amount of effort put into each set rather than how many sets of each exercise performed. In other words, put more effort into the set and perform fewer sets to reap greater gains! Carbonx® can take your workout through the stratosphere by fueling the intensity to perform monstrous sets far beyond what you ever did before.
The CrossFit culture has embraced “Paleo”-type dieting: a nutrition protocol that leaves something to be desired if maximal performance is to be achieved . For example: If you and your opponent are equal and he or she consumes high molecular weight starches prior to competition, but you consume only Paleo-friendly foods, you’re going to get crushed! As a competitive athlete, bodybuilder or fitness enthusiast you must be on top of the "Cutting Edge Carb" trend or be prepared to suffer an embarrassing defeat!
Don’t believe me? VPX Sports was at the 2012 CrossFit Games this year, and if you take a look at the top ten athletes, only two out of the top ten men eat a strict paleo diet, while three out of the top ten women eat that way (neither of the champions are in that minority).
Because insulin is the body’s most powerful muscle building hormone (more powerful than testosterone and growth hormone), it is important that you become familiar with its role in gaining lean mass. Keep in mind that a spike in insulin stimulated by carbohydrates consumed before exercise can prevent both fat burning and the release of liver glycogen as glucose. Further, it can lead to temporary low blood sugar during exercise. However, research shows that this can be prevented based on the type of carbohydrate that you consume prior to your workout. For these reasons a lower glycemic carbohydrate is a far superior pre-workout choice and appears to be more effective in many ways.
Check out this research:
1) Cyclists were given either a low-glycemic carbohydrate or high-glycemic carbohydrate 45 minutes prior to a time trial. The low-glycemic carbohydrate resulted in a lower insulin response, a higher level of carbohydrate burning, and an improved timed performance than the high-glycemic carbohydrate This data shows that a low-glycemic carbohydrate consumed prior to exercise increases carbohydrate availability and oxidation throughout exercise, thereby providing sustained energy production towards the end of exercise that results in improved performance.
The ultimate carb is LOW, SLOW, HIGH and FAST:
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LOW Glycemic Index (GI) i.e., SLOW to enter the blood.
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SLOW trickle of insulin into the blood.
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SLOW to be released from liver glycogen Stores as glucose.
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HIGH molecular weight (HMW).
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FAST to leave the stomach (rapid gastric emptying).
The only way to take advantage of all of these performance-enhancing effects of carbohydrates, is with chemically altered starches. The characteristics sought after in a chemically altered performance-enhancing starch are a combination of high molecular weight, low-glycemic, slow-digesting forms of carbohydrates. One such example of a starch in this class of carbs is a carbohydrate chemically modified with high temperature water (hydrothermally). This “designer” carb is called, HMS which stands for Hydrothermally Modified Starch. HMS is more commonly known as waxy maize.
What the Research Shows:
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It has been shown that 50 grams of waxy maize compared to a high glycemic carbohydrate (maltodextrin) resulted in a lower glucose and insulin response. Consequently, waxy maize sustained available fuel (glucose) for up to four hours after ingestion.
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In another study test subjects drank either waxy maize or maltodextrin 30 minutes prior to moderate-intensity cycling for 2.5 hours. Again, Waxy maize resulted in lower glucose and insulin responses. Therefore, a low-glycemic, slower digesting carbohydrate such as, waxy maize prior to exercise improves carbohydrate availability. When carbs are available as fuel for a longer period of time maximal performance is sustained throughout the exercise session. Of equal importance is that the sustained lower glucose and lower insulin response generated by HMS waxy maize consumed prior to cycling also increased the breakdown of fat! This is what we call a “training effect,” i.e. when your body preferentially burns fat over stored glycogen, it’s something we see with advanced athletes over an untrained population.
So, now you have now learned that we can eliminate all the unwanted effects that carbs have on fat gain and performance. More importantly, you now know how to use these new age designer carbs to deliver amazing performance-enhancing and fat burning effects.
Spectacular Super Carb™ Science!
The HMS waxy maize described above set the stage for a Super Carb™ blend 
that I developed called Carbonx®. However, the game changing Carbonx® innovation is far more advanced scientific classification that I refer to as “Super Carbs”. Carbonx® is a combination of two potent designer carbohydrate innovations that are far more superior than the previously described “HMS” Waxy Maize. One of the carbohydrates contained in Carbonx® is a Waxy Maize. However, this new special designer Waxy Maize (WM) has characteristics that defy carbohydrate biochemistry. In scientific terms it is referred to as a Waxy Maize HDP or Waxy Maize Hydroxypropyl Distarch Phosphate. Because there are metric tons of bogus raw materials claiming to be legitimate we call the real stuff “C-HDP”. This is an acronym for Carbonx-Hydroxypropyl Distarch Phosphate. Listen to this carefully -- This C-HDP starch is a highly branched starch with an almost 50% greater molecular weight than HMS Waxy Maize and has a 33% lower glycemic index! Remember, the Holy Grail characteristics that make WM so desirable are its low glycemic index and high molecular weight. When you can increase the molecular weight of Waxy Maize by 50% and lower the glycemic index by 33% you have one amazing “Super Carb”!
RS4 (Carbonx-HDP) Storage as Glycogen in Muscles and Liver
As any carbohydrate a small portion of RS4 will be stored as glycogen in the liver (mostly) and in skeletal muscle (much less). However, compared to chemically un-modified starches the amount of RS4 digested is significantly less.
Supporting data:
1. In vitro and in vivo Starch Availability measured as availability of glucose. (Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab: E662, 2010)
Similar to the liver, the skeletal muscle is a major insulin target and a key fat-metabolizing organ. Consequently, when compared with both normal starch and RS2, RS4, has a more favorable effect on stimulation of GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide) and insulin. This is why RS4’s effects skeletal muscle are far superior in regard to enhancing performance and fat burning!
2. Fecal Excretion of Bile Acids (large bowel fermentation). (J. Nutr. 128:848-854, 1998).
The chart above shows far greater fecal excretion of bile acids for RS4. This indicates that more RS4 passes unabsorbed and undigested in the GI tract than unmodified “normal” starch.
3. Total Fecal Output. (J. Nutr. 128:848-854, 1998)
Again, we see a larger Total Fecal Output for RS4 indicating that more RS4 passes unabsorbed in the jejunum and that less RS4 is digested than normal starch.
4. Lower Intestinal Glucose and Fatty Acid Transport. (Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab: E662, 2010)
Above RS4 ingestion appears to speed the rate of gastric emptying. RS4 lowers nutrient transport from the lumen to the intestinal epithelium, and thereby stimulates lower GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide) secretion. Consistent with this, fatty acid transport from the emulsion into the jejuna sacs is significantly lower when a diet is supplemented with RS4 compared to RS2.
We also used findings as the basis in which to conduct human subject testing and develop our soon-to-be-released MRP. However, this will be presented a new future article specifically dedicated to this revolutionary innovation.
An INSANE Innovation You Never Heard of Until Now!
Some of you who stay on the cutting edge may have heard about the Waxy Maize hdp (RS4) because it has been getting a lot of underground press lately. However, I’m even more excited about the other novel super-carb in Carbonx®. It’s called, Carbonx® Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin or C-HBCD for short. Using creative scientific engineering, a cyclization reaction utilizing a branching enzyme was used to produce the novel Carbonx® invention. C-HBCD is the most revolutionary chemically altered carb in macronutrient science. Why? Part of the answer is related to C-HBCD’s mind-blowing low DE (dextrose equivalent) of ‘3’ along with an ultra high molecular weight / narrow distribution carbohydrate profile.
Narrowing of the distribution profile of a specific molecular weight makes C-HBCD and outstanding scientific marvel both inside and outside of the body. Lower molecular weight starches and sugars remain in the stomach for long periods and draw water and blood away from the muscle and, therefore, decrease performance and cause bloating. Ultrasonic imaging clearly shows C-HBCD’s superiority with its super rapid exit from the gut.
With Carbonx®, you avoid the gastrointestinal issues characteristic of so many of the other glucose and maltodextrin containing sports drinks. The other HUGE advantage is that more carbohydrates are getting into your muscles faster and more efficiently carrying several grams of water per gram of carbohydrate. Accordingly, the muscle cell volumizing / skin stretching pump and hydration are astonishing!
I have privy inside information that the number one sports drink actually causes dehydration and decreases performance. The reason is that it contains too much glucose. Because of this, it acts more as a food than a hydrating beverage by pulling water and blood away from the muscle and into the stomach for digestion!
The cutting edge Carbonx® innovation makes all other insulin-jacking, hypoglycemic, fat-promoting current carb products a thing of the past. With all of the low carb craziness going on it is important to remember that carbohydrates are the premier fuel for your brain and muscles in the gym, on the court or out in the field. Carbohydrate is also the primary source of fuel for moderate to high intensity exercise. Unlike other starches and sugars that make you fat, studies show that the greater the dose of HDP consumed, the more it lowered body fat! This study was done in rats, but the super low glycemic index combined with the ultra high molecular weight indicates that the results would be similar in humans. In fact, prior to finishing this article another new study found similar results were recently replicated in humans! Another amazing attribute of this super carb is that it improves endurance in humans by up to 78.1% when compared to glucose. This could be due to the fact that RS4 lowers lactic acid levels and also magically reduces liver glycogen consumption during exercise. And, as you know both of these factors radically increase endurance.
Therefore, we can only conclude that Carbonx’s ultra low glycemic index and highly branched starches with mind-blowing molecular weights resulted in one kick ass super-carb combo!
Carbonx® can be mixed directly into water and used as a stand-alone product. It can also be combined with your favorite protein shake, pre-workout formula, or meal replacement. Imagine the possibility that the more Carbonx® you consume, the leaner you become? We are conducting more studies on Carbonx® and will keep you posted on our latest scientific advancements.
Take home points:
CARBONX®– Game Changing Super Carbs
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INCREASES THERMOGENIC EFFECT OF A MEAL OVER 70%.
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INCREASES OXYGEN COSUMPTION (VO2), RESTING ENERGY EXPENDITURE (REE), ENDURANCE & FAT UTILIZATION.
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INCREASES ENDURANCE 78.1% BETTER THAN GLUCOSE.
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SUSTAINED INSULIN RESPONSE / ULTRA LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX.
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RAPID GASTRIC EMPTYING / NON-BLOATING.
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FAR MORE THERMOGENIC THAN STANDARD WAXY MAIZE.
What I do:
To take full advantage of all of the most important muscle building nutrient timing “windows”, I stack Carbonx® with NO-Shotgun pre-workout. Use two sccops of Power Shock (Essential Amino Acids) during my workout. And, I stack Carbonx® and NO-Synthesize® after a workout. The NO-Shotgun / NO- Synthesize (NOSS) stack yielded a 7.28 pound lean muscle gain in a landmark study at Florida State University. Moving forward we intend to investigate how adding Carbonx® to the NOSS stack will increase the muscle strength gains. Anecdotally, it shows great promise in significantly increasing muscle! I am going to guess that the average net lean mass gain will increase roughly 11 pounds in a 16 week period – far more than most gain in a full year of intense training!
Please visit vpxsports.com to be the first to purchase a copy of Project Meltdown. The revolutionary Meltdown Anti-Diet is now available as a book and smart phone app called, VIVO 360° (VIVO-360.com).
You can follow Jack Owoc on Twitter @VPXRedlineCEO
…to be continued – Science Never Sleeps: The New Carbonx® Human Muscle & Performance Experiments
