Hey all! 

Thanks for tuning into another week of our 3 Question Friday series; I'm excited to be able to answer questions that we thought we're interesting throughout the week! Congratulations to Ronnie, Jenny and Deborah who have all won a $20 voucher for our store by simply asking a question during the week!

Just a quick note - we can't legally or morally answer any questions that relate to medical conditions, these are better directed at your GP. Without further a due, this weeks questions were:

1. Ronnie wanted to know “What supplements can I take if I’m fasting?”
2. Jenny was curious “Is it safe to drink zero carb drinks?”
3. Deborah asked “Fish oil gives me digestive issues; will this be the case for hemp seed oil?”
   

1. What supplements can I take if I’m fasting?

There are many reasons for people fasting such as increased energy, focus, weight maintenance, longevity, or to improve heart health by reducing weight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes (1).

The most important supplements or nutrients to consider are electrolytes (nutrients that conduct electricity in the body). Sodium and potassium are considered to be the most important electrolytes, that are essential for a number of bodily functions. Making sure you are getting enough sodium and potassium may help to reduce cramps and headaches associated with fasting (2).

Essential amino acids (EAAs) are amino acids (building blocks of protein) that are required in the diet. What’s cool about EAAs is that they may not break a fast (technically this is when your insulin spikes – a hormone responsible for metabolism) and can be particularly good for extra energy when exercising while fasted. Take your EAAs around the time you're going to be exercising so they can be used for growth and repair (eg. 5-20g pre or post-workout). 

Fat soluble vitamins ( that are stored in fatty tissue) such as vitamins A, D, E, K and water-soluble vitamin such as B- vitamins may not necessary unless fasting for longer than a week.

2. Is it safe to drink zero carb drinks?

Ben has changed his opinion over the years. The reason why there was so much controversy in the health community for zero carb drinks being bad for your health was because of aspartame (an artificial sweetener) was found to be carcinogenic a study of female rats. Since then, other studies have mostly debunked these results due to being a poorly designed study, making zero carb drinks safer to consume than we once thought! (3) 

There are no serious effects of consuming these drinks unless in ridiculous amounts (almost not humanly possible). In saying that there may be an effect on our gut health, so that may be something you want to consider… (4) 

Simply put: don’t over consume. Stick to water as much as possible!

3. Fish oil gives me digestive issues; will this be the case for hemp seed oil?

It’s hard to say the exact reason for fish oil causing these issues, as there are many reasons why someone may be experiencing digestive issues. 

Hemp seed oil contains high amounts of linoleic acid (omega-6 fatty acid) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3 fatty acid). These fatty acids are then converted to EPA and DHA (omega 3 fatty acids) that have an important role in regulating inflammation and brain health that are typically found in high amounts in fish oil. Whether these fatty acids are the reason for your digestive issues is unknown! (5)

Ben suggests speaking to your health professional! Or try our hemp seed oil and monitor your symptoms.

Feel free to email ben with any health questions or if you want to book a nutrition consultation at ben@13seeds.com.au

References:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32330491/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15656483/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430246/
4. https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/10/suppl_1/S31/5307224
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9637947/