Biosignature modulation is a non-invasive way of measuring why we store body fat in certain areas. The creator, strength coach Charles Poliquin, noted that where the body stores fat is indicative of various hormonal mishaps, for example, high triceps fat = low testosterone, high hamstring/quad fat = high estrogen and high upper-back/love handles = poor insulin management.
Following the Biosignature seminar, practitioners are able to attend the Biosignature Continuing Education series, which focus on one particular topic that has only briefly been covered in the level 1 seminar, in this case 'Lab Analysis'.
This seminar was conducted by Dr. Mark Schauss, an expert on the effects of environmental toxicity on human health and the use of laboratory testing (www.toxicworldbook.com). His seminar was held at the Poliquin Strength Institute and was a real eye-opener into the world of functional medicine and optimising health.
In his book, he describes the tale of how he was able to save his daughter’s life from reoccurring epileptic seizures of the most severe kind, by running extensive lab tests and correcting deficiencies, enhancing detoxification and eliminating food sensitivities. A true hero.
The use of lab testing for the personal trainer/strength and conditioning coach can be to optimise their clients’ health and/or performance. The data from lab tests can also be indicative of any fat loss/muscle building obstacles that can then be overcome with correct supplementation protocols/lifestyle changes.
Right at the beginning of day 1, Charles Poliquin introduced us to Pat Mendes – a superheavyweight Olympic weightlifter – the USA’s best chance of a gold medal next year and who is also similar in size to a small house (completely irrelevant to the rest of this blog but still thought I’d mention it).
Following this introduction, we began with lectures on the different blood tests available; Comprehensive Blood Chemistry, Urine Organic Acids and Plasma Amino Acids. Within each test, we learnt what may be occurring in the body with high and low readings, optimal scores that you should be achieving and strategies for correcting abnormal scores.
On day 2, Mark presented us with case studies of his patients with their conditions described so that we were able to learn how different complaints are manifested in test results. Furthermore, we were introduced to data from Mediator Release Testing (MRT – the gold standard measure of testing food sensitivities) and finally, we were presented with test results, from which we had to work out the condition.
Day 3 was only a half day, we had one lecture on hormone testing, which was then followed by a test on everything we’d learnt so far, which had questions like:
An individual has an Alkaline Phosphatase of 27. What should you do?
a. Check his or her zinc level
b. Send them to their primary care practitioner immediately
c. Recommend that they stop drinking any form of alcohol
d.Retest to make sure the result is correct
Simple eh? (That was actually one of the easier questions) Fortunately, Mark was very relaxed about the test and provided it on day 1, which allowed me to try and learn it inside out. Swish.
The answer is ‘a’ by the way – having an alkaline phosphatase level that low is indicative of a zinc deficiency.
This was followed by one final lecture on ‘how to prevent cognitive decline’, during which, Schauss presented a number of different nutrients that have had extensive research backing them to support brain health during aging and prevent nasties such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Some of these nutrients can also be used pre-workout to provide an extremely energising boost and give you a great ‘Whoa!’ feeling (as one attendee described it) and increase strength levels.
Like all other doctors in the know, Schauss completely smashed the notion that cholesterol causes heart disease and told us that by having a total cholesterol of <160, your risk of having cancer, an accident of any kind or a stroke, significantly increases. He told us stories of doctors trying to lower peoples’ cholesterol to dangerously low levels, despite the fact that their low cholesterol was causing them to feel ill and see their doctor in the first place. Since there’s massive money to be made in the statin (cholesterol lowering drugs) industry, it may be a very long time before the association between cholesterol and heart health is ignored.
For an amusing (and somewhat sad) story about a doctor versus a 'red-meat eating alpha-male strength coach', read my friend Tyler’s blog post here.
Mark was hugely against vegetarianism, stating that they ALWAYS have horrific blood chemistries (always deficient in carnitine, glycine and vitamin B12 – very very bad). This can lead to a host of health problems and make losing body fat/increasing muscle mass a real uphill struggle. Schuass said the only time he ever came across a vegetarian with healthy blood was a bodybuilder who spent 8-10 hours a DAY on food preparation. Assuming that any vegetarian who does not have this time luxury and but is conscious of their health – just eat the damn steak.
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As an expert in the area of toxicity, he taught us that this is one of the biggest threats to mankind that it may also be a major contributor to obesity. To illustrate this point, I have drawn a highly sophisticated diagram using Microsoft paint:
If the individual is sedentary, over time this can lead to a large amount of fat accumulation as fewer calories are burnt at rest. Furthermore, toxins are stored in fat cells, so when body fat is lost toxins are released into the body. If the individual’s detoxification pathways are not up to scratch, they may feel ill as a result and quickly give up on the fat loss programme, thinking that fat loss is a bad idea (no, getting fat was a bad idea).
How do you know if you’re toxic? Well, if you’re breathing then you can safely assume you are toxic – toxins are everywhere.
Reducing your toxic burden (for example, reducing your use of plastics) and making some attempt to enhance detoxification (eating more protein and fibre and taking a liver support supplement will help) could have a significant impact on what may otherwise be a real uphill struggle.
One real health scare is the addition of ‘phthalates’ to many cosmetic products. Phthalates are nasty compounds that have been shown to cause a myriad of health problems. They’re so bad in fact, that they have been banned in the E.U. (phew), but not in the U.S. We were told a story of a couple who both had recurring cancer and had gone to see Mark Schauss. Their blood work showed that their phthalate levels exceeded 15,000% of what they should be (i.e. zero), which was highly likely to be the cause of why their cancer had returned. The couple were both confused as they ate organically, drank filtered water and otherwise lived very healthy lives. It turned out that the woman had an obsession with 'glade plug-ins' - known for their high levels of phthalates - and had 2 in every room in the house.
By the end of the seminar, I was familiar with many new long science words that would have impressed my old biology teacher. In addition to this, I also believe I have a clearer understanding in how to interpret blood data. How long it will be before I begin to use this with clients? Probably quite a while as it's an extremely complex area that I would need to learn more about, but it would be nice to have some practice with myself first and see if I can fix a few things.
10 things I learnt:
1) If you (or someone you know) are pregnant, your cholesterol levels are supposed to be high. Should your doctor make any attempt to lower them – he is an idiot and a danger to you and your unborn child’s health - go and find another doctor.
2) In order to get enough nutrients from food, you would need to eat approximately 5500-6000kcal a day (this was obviously not the case when soil quality was good), therefore nowadays, supplementation is essential for optimal health.
3) Margarine and motor oil are almost identical on a molecular level. Apparently, it is possible to run a car off margarine. Eat real butter instead.
4) Washing your hands regularly is the only consistent way to increase albumin levels. Why is this important? Elevated albumin levels are associated with increased longevity.
5) Reducing sodium levels too much will increase your risk of a heart attack.
6) If 500 men take cholesterol lowering drugs, only one of them will saved from having a heart attack. The remaining 499 will have muscle pains and overall poor health as statins come with health risks.
7) By itself, water is no good for staying hydrated -you must have added electrolytes (doesn't include lucazde etc). This is an extremely important fact for when training/competing.
8) The more stress you are under, the more protein you need to consume.
9) If you test sensitive to beef, the chances are that it was ‘grain-fed’ – you will probably be OK to eat ‘grass-fed’ beef as a natural diet changes the protein structure of the meat.
10) It appears that if you stay on top of your blood chemistries, you stay on top of your health. It would also appear that you can prevent almost any disease by regularly having blood work, as many diseases, if not all, present themselves long in advance by means of deficiencies in nutrients and excesses of toxins. By being aware of this, you can prevent the deterioration of health that is generally associated with ageing.
Now I’m in New York, 5 hours away from the ‘Starting Strength Seminar’ with Mark Rippetoe.
Apparently, ‘he swears a lot and will call you a pussy’ (Charles Staley).
Sounds like a great guy!
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