Low fat high carb myth, protein and creatine, Jose Canseco testosterone, Wellbutrin and false positive

Q&A with Mike Furci

Furci Home / Fitness Channel / Bullz-Eye Home

QWarren the ApeHey Mike,
I just wanted to commend you on your "Get Shredded" article. More often than not, an "expert" on nutrition is all low fat B.S. I often shudder after reading nutrition articles imagining the poor people out there trying to get lean and healthy by following the low-fat/high-carb diet suggested by the average nutritionist.

It's refreshing to see someone who actually knows what they are talking about providing the public accurate information. You did a great job of explaining the complicated processes in an easy to follow manner. I look forward to reading more of your work!

Thanks,
David Rylee
Owner/Coach
CrossFit Brio & Brio Personal Training

ADavid,
Thanks so much for the kind words and taking the time to visit Bullz-eye.com to read my articles. A big part of the reason I started writing for B-E.com was the overwhelming amount of garbage articles found in all the rag magazines out there.

I saw a need for no BS information and started writing articles based on science and real world application with more than 25 years of personal training/coach experience. As you know from experience, the rewards of being a personal coach and helping people achieve their goals are priceless. And as you also know, in order to help people, they need the right information. It's good to hear there are others out there in the trenches truly interested in helping others reach their goals and not just attaining a paycheck

Good luck in the future.

Mike


QMike,
I read your articles on Bullz-Eye.com I have a fitness question for you. This summer I want to gain 15-30 lbs of muscle. I'm currently at 195 and would like be at 215 with good weight by September. I ask because I'm an athlete and I am looking to improve my strength on the baseball field for my next college season. What type of workout plan should I be on and what supplements do you recommend other than creatine. Also, will the Tribex pills give me more endurance and more push while I'm at the gym?

Thanks,
Tom

ATom,
I'm going to assume you're not taking protein. Creatine is an excellent product for the majority of people. However, without quality protein, your gains will not be optimal. Protein repairs and maintains every tissue and hormone in your body. After eating a good diet, it is the number one supplement somebody should take with your goals. Read Protein Rx.

Also, read my recently updated three-part article called a "No-nonsense guide to designing your workouts." This will give you an excellent explanation to help you design a workout. As an athlete, you need to remember -- whether it's running, punching, jumping, swinging, or any other explosive movement -- strength equals speed. The stronger you are, the more explosive you'll be.

Do not use weights for endurance; do not do these ridiculous workouts that many strength coaches write trying to reinvent the wheel using a high volume approach. If you're not getting stronger and you're training with 100% intensity, you're training too much.

Mike


QWarren the ApeHi Mike,
Hope all is well with you, man. I've read essentially all of your articles over the years, and have seen tremendous gains and improvements in myself. For that, you definitely have a lifelong fan in me.

Anyway, after reading your recent protein breakdown article, I finally began consuming whey protein isolate drinks regularly (to increase my daily protein consumption). My question – Are there any links between protein intake and higher or lower testosterone levels? I saw a biography special on Jose Canseco, and how his testosterone levels are beyond low now because his body forgot how to produce it on its own… I just don't want to make the same mistakes via consuming supplements, protein, creatine, etc.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ray

ARay,
Thanks for taking the time to write in.

Good to hear you've started supplementing with quality protein. That is the single best supplement one can take for gains in muscular size and strength, let alone for improving ones health.

Have no fear; Jose Conseco isn't producing any testosterone because of his age coupled with his steroid use. One of the side effects of taking steroids like testosterone is a shut-down of your own natural production of testosterone. This happens with all hormones.

When one comes off of a steroid cycle, the body eventually turns on its own natural production. In Jose's case, I can only speculate that he has been taking them for a long time and is now at an age where his own production is low, like many men his age. Rest assured, protein supplementation has nothing to do with his problems.


QDear Mike,
I am starting to find out the truth about how unreliable urinalysis can be. My husband is on Wellbutrin and Zoloft, and is also diabetic. I just found out from your info that Wellbutrin alone caused his urinalysis to be false positive for amphetamines. (If the company had given it to him before hiring him, they would have found this out. They did know he was on meds for depression, and that he is a veteran.)

Well, my question for you is, how do I find documentation to prove this to the company? I am not too savvy on the net. It is a pain with just dial-up, too. Thank you for your help, and any help that you can send my way.

Have a blessed week!
Donna

ADonna,
I would first start with his doctor. Ask him for the information regarding false positive test results. I would also contact Glaxo Smith Kline. This is the manufacturer of Wellbutrin. They have all the info there is on this anti depressant, and I'm sure they will send anything you need. If they give you a hard time, tell them you are considering legal action. Go to this page for a start.

Hope this helps.

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