Natural bodybuilding without low energy availability: A case study of a “pro-metabolic” dietary approach
Katarzyna Łożyńska, Joanna Kaluza, Olga SurałaAbstract
Study aim
This case study aimed to examine 1) the effects of a “pro-metabolic” diet during natural bodybuilding competition preparation and recovery, particularly in relation to low energy availability (LEA) and 2) the concept of the “pro-metabolic” diet as an emerging dietary trend within aesthetic sports.
Material and methods
A 26-year-old drug-free male bodybuilder adhering to a “pro-metabolic” diet was followed across three phases: adaptation (3 weeks), competition preparation (14 weeks), and recovery (11 weeks). Dietary intake, energy availability (EA), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), muscular strength, and serum testosterone concentration were assessed. Sex drive was evaluated using the Low Energy Availability in Males Questionnaire (LEAM-Q).
Results
During competition preparation, carbohydrate intake, energy intake, and EA decreased to 2.6 g/kg body mass (BM)/day, 2,200 kcal/day, and 33 kcal/kg FFM/day, respectively, before increasing during recovery to 6.0 g/kg BM/day, 4,093 kcal/day, and 54 kcal/kg FFM/day. FM decreased only slightly, from 10.5 to 10.1 kg, during preparation and subsequently increased to 14.0 kg after recovery. Muscular strength declined during preparation and did not fully recover. Serum testosterone increased from 12.8 to 18.9 nmol/L during preparation and decreased to 17.2 nmol/L during recovery. Sex drive was impaired during preparation and normalized during recovery.
Conclusions
In this participant, an EA of 33 kcal/kg FFM/day was associated with impaired sex drive despite minimal fat loss. The “pro-metabolic” diet did not facilitate restoration of muscle mass and strength during recovery. As a single-participant case study, these findings should not be generalized.