Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 11 hours ago
This episode of Iron Culture begins with a rant/story by Dr. Trexler that highlights some issues with scientific publishing. He describes a study on apple cider vinegar, his MASS article criticizing the study, and the subsequent letter to the editor (and response from the original authors). This discussion is followed by a Q&A session with Dr. Helms covering protein during weight loss, headaches from creatine, machines for joint comfort, mixing creatine + caffeine, low volume training for hypertrophy, biceps curl variations, fiber recommendations, and more.
The MASS crew records Iron Culture LIVE on YouTube, Monday nights at 7pm eastern time. Be sure to join us for a future episode and say hello in the live chat!
If you'd like to submit a question or topic for us to address on an upcoming episode, please use this link:
massresearchreview.com/ironculture
Time stamps:
0:00 Introduction and where to submit your questions
massresearchreview.com/ironculture
2:22 Sneak peak into a future MASS article and being careful when reading research
Original Article: Abou-Khalil 2024 Apple cider vinegar for weight management in Lebanese adolescents and young adults with overweight and obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study nutrition.bmj.com/content/7/1/e000823
Letter: Improbable data characteristics and extreme effects of apple cider vinegar on weight loss nutrition.bmj.com/content/early/2025/02/06/bmjnph-2024-000997
Response to Letter: Abou-Khalil 2024 Comprehensive clarification of statistical and data concerns on the effects of apple cider vinegar on weight loss pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11773656/#R1
21:23 Final thoughts on the papers
28:18 Q&A 1 Protein intake during weight loss?
Iron Culture Ep 313 - Is More (and More, and More) Protein Better for Muscle Retention youtube.com/watch?v=zWD83HYvJ_g
Refalo 2025 Effect of Dietary Protein on Fat-Free Mass in Energy Restricted, Resistance-Trained Individuals: An Updated Systematic Review With Meta-Regression journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/fulltext/9900/effect_of_dietary_protein_on_fat_free_mass_in.179.aspx
30:04 Q&A 2 Headaches as a side-effect of creatine?
35:48 Q&A Rapid Fire: Machines for joints, hypertrophy of biarticular muscles with squats and deadlifts,
42:27 Q&A Rapid Fire 2: Creatine and caffeine, decaffeinated coffee
47:45 Q&A 3 Can low volume be optimal for hypertrophy?
51:36 Q&A 4 Hammer curls for maximal bicep gains?
Kassiano Distinct muscle growth and strength adaptations after preacher and incline biceps curl pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39809454
Zabaleta-Korta 2023 Regional Hypertrophy: The Effect of Exercises at Long and Short Muscle Lengths in Recreationally Trained Women pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37559762
58:30 Q&A 5 Up and downsides of fiber and some practical tips
1:03:05 Q&A Rapid Fire 3: Muscle length and peak contraction, different training for upper and low body, aerobic fitness with time-saving techniques
Varovic 2024 Regional Hypertrophy with Resistance Training—Does Muscle Length Matter? sportrxiv.org/index.php/server/preprint/view/464#:~:text=In%20summary%2C%20our%20results%20indicate,to%20shorter%20mean%20muscle%20lengths
de Salles 2010 Strength increases in upper and lower body are larger with longer inter-set rest intervals in trained men pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19811949
1:10:41 Closing out another wonderful episode of Iron Culture
---
Music credit:
Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100806
Artist: incompetech.com
This episode of Iron Culture begins with a rant/story by Dr. Trexler that highlights some issues with scientific publishing. He describes a study on apple cider vinegar, his MASS article criticizing the study, and the subsequent letter to the editor (and response from the original authors). This discussion is followed by a Q&A session with Dr. Helms covering protein during weight loss, headaches from creatine, machines for joint comfort, mixing creatine + caffeine, low volume training for hypertrophy, biceps curl variations, fiber recommendations, and more.
The MASS crew records Iron Culture LIVE on YouTube, Monday nights at 7pm eastern time. Be sure to join us for a future episode and say hello in the live chat!
If you'd like to submit a question or topic for us to address on an upcoming episode, please use this link:
massresearchreview.com/ironculture
Time stamps:
0:00 Introduction and where to submit your questions
massresearchreview.com/ironculture
2:22 Sneak peak into a future MASS article and being careful when reading research
Original Article: Abou-Khalil 2024 Apple cider vinegar for weight management in Lebanese adolescents and young adults with overweight and obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study nutrition.bmj.com/content/7/1/e000823
Letter: Improbable data characteristics and extreme effects of apple cider vinegar on weight loss nutrition.bmj.com/content/early/2025/02/06/bmjnph-2024-000997
Response to Letter: Abou-Khalil 2024 Comprehensive clarification of statistical and data concerns on the effects of apple cider vinegar on weight loss pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11773656/#R1
21:23 Final thoughts on the papers
28:18 Q&A 1 Protein intake during weight loss?
Iron Culture Ep 313 - Is More (and More, and More) Protein Better for Muscle Retention youtube.com/watch?v=zWD83HYvJ_g
Refalo 2025 Effect of Dietary Protein on Fat-Free Mass in Energy Restricted, Resistance-Trained Individuals: An Updated Systematic Review With Meta-Regression journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/fulltext/9900/effect_of_dietary_protein_on_fat_free_mass_in.179.aspx
30:04 Q&A 2 Headaches as a side-effect of creatine?
35:48 Q&A Rapid Fire: Machines for joints, hypertrophy of biarticular muscles with squats and deadlifts,
42:27 Q&A Rapid Fire 2: Creatine and caffeine, decaffeinated coffee
47:45 Q&A 3 Can low volume be optimal for hypertrophy?
51:36 Q&A 4 Hammer curls for maximal bicep gains?
Kassiano Distinct muscle growth and strength adaptations after preacher and incline biceps curl pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39809454
Zabaleta-Korta 2023 Regional Hypertrophy: The Effect of Exercises at Long and Short Muscle Lengths in Recreationally Trained Women pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37559762
58:30 Q&A 5 Up and downsides of fiber and some practical tips
1:03:05 Q&A Rapid Fire 3: Muscle length and peak contraction, different training for upper and low body, aerobic fitness with time-saving techniques
Varovic 2024 Regional Hypertrophy with Resistance Training—Does Muscle Length Matter? sportrxiv.org/index.php/server/preprint/view/464#:~:text=In%20summary%2C%20our%20results%20indicate,to%20shorter%20mean%20muscle%20lengths
de Salles 2010 Strength increases in upper and lower body are larger with longer inter-set rest intervals in trained men pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19811949
1:10:41 Closing out another wonderful episode of Iron Culture
---
Music credit:
Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100806
Artist: incompetech.com
