Dr. Austin Baraki is a practicing Internal Medicine Physician, competitive lifter, and strength coach located in San Antonio, Texas. Originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, he completed his undergraduate degree in Chemistry at the College of William & Mary, his doctorate in medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School, and Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.
Key Points The Limited Effect of Exercise Alone on Weight Loss Energy balance represents one of the fundamental principles of human metabolism. This physiological mechanism measures the relationship between caloric intake—the energy we obtain from food and beverages—and caloric expenditure, which occurs through basic metabolic processes and physical activity. When caloric intake exceeds expenditure, the […]
If you watched sports or other shows that were geared towards men in the late 2000’s, you probably saw at least one ad for low testosterone, e.g. “Is it Low T”, which pairs nicely with the ads for Viagra, trucks, and beer. This direct-to-consumer-advertising to “raise awareness” about low testosterone was very effective for the […]
Lifters commonly experience routine aches and pains in the context of their training, often affecting the low back, knees, hips, and shoulders. These are common places non-lifters experience pain as well. Whether the pain began suddenly or gradually, it can be a discomfort that worsens under load during training, or it may “warm up” and […]
Diabetes is among the most common conditions encountered by patients and doctors today, affecting nearly 1 in 11 people worldwide. Unfortunately, it remains poorly understood by the general public, and even among many healthcare professionals. There are many different kinds and causes of diabetes, but today we will focus on common type 2 diabetes mellitus. […]
In part one we discussed how to interpret blood tests of kidney function in the context of exercise. Today in part two we will discuss another common area of confusion and misinterpretation: the effects of exercise on liver function tests. The liver, like all of the internal organs, is quite complex and there are some […]
Do you wake up feeling unrested in the morning? Have you experienced morning headaches, or been told that you snore at night? Do you feel fatigued or sleepy during the day, despite a full night of sleep? These symptoms can result from many things, but one common, under-recognized cause involves problems with breathing during sleep. […]
Blood pressure is a key indicator of your health. This is why it is checked at every visit with a healthcare professional. Understanding this measurement will help you make sense of both your blood pressure and your healthcare professional’s advice. This article series will explain what blood pressure is, how to correctly measure it, and […]
In our introduction to cholesterol article, we discussed the basics of cholesterol and blood test interpretation. We also covered the major factors that influence blood cholesterol levels to build a strategy for managing high blood cholesterol. Our discussion has been highly simplified for practical purposes, but the relationship between diet, blood cholesterol levels, and the […]
Note: This was a 2-part series (Part 1 & 2) that we merged together. The concluding article (Part 3) can be found here: Cholesterol: Myths & Misconceptions. Cholesterol is a substance that plays many essential roles in the body. It is involved in things like the structure of our cells, brain and nerve function, and […]
A doctor has just diagnosed you or a family member with osteoporosis. What does this mean, and what should you do about it? In this article we will address these basic questions. Bone Basics To begin, we must learn a bit about our bones. The bones of our skeleton are made up of many different […]