‘Gallon Of Milk A Day’ diet warning: GOMAD bodybuilding diet grows in popularity – but experts warn it’s harmful
- GOMAD – Gallon Of Milk A Day – dictates you do just that to gain muscle mass
- It is a diet sold as an easy way for bodybuilders to add 2,600 calories per day
- Fans showing off ‘gains’ online praise GOMAD, but nutritionists warn against it
- High calcium intake has been linked to constipation and cancer, experts say
GOMAD – Gallon Of Milk A Day – is being hailed by fans as a cheap and easy way for those looking to increase their body mass to up their calorie intake.
Devotees are sharing their ‘before and after’ pictures on social media, but nutritionist warn that the extremely high intake of calcium poses a cancer risk, as well as putting a strain on the digestive tract.
MAGA: An American fitness fan calling himself steakandgainsbyjames bragged about feeling stronger after drinking his daily gallon of milk
Instagram user the.real.eric_bugenhagen posted this image of his progress after going on the GOMAD diet
Devotion: A GOMAD dieter stocks up on milk, posting about it on Instagram as he goes
The diet has been around for many years and has been popping up on online workout and bodybuilding forums for some time, but a recent article by Mel Magazine highlighted the health risks for fans.
Researchers have found an association between dairy products and calcium intake with prostate cancer, Summer Yule, a nutritionist in Connecticut told the publication.
‘Drinking that much milk puts a person at over twice the tolerable upper intake level of calcium for adults.
You need to consume the proper amount of milk for better body growth. Consult with the best dietitian in Lahore to get the best diet plan for yourself.
High calcium intake is associated with constipation and … other health risks.’
Former GOMAD devotees interviewed by the magazine complained of flatulence and bloating, and other said that they were reluctant to try it again as they also gained a lot of fat alongside the muscle mass.
Instagram user jerseybeastlopez posted this image in February last year, claiming that he had gained 14lbs and been able to lift heavier after three weeks of GOMAD
Another work-out fan posted this image on social media announcing that it was ‘summer bulk time’ on the GOMAD diet
Dietary issues: Some fans and foes of the diet have taken to Twitter to warn others of the flatulence caused by the excessive milk consumption
GOMAD does what it says on the package. On top of any meals consumed, the GOMAD dieter must drink a gallon of milk per day.
The calorie count for whole milk is some 68 per 100ml. One US gallon of whole milk – or 3.8 liters – would therefore add a whopping 2,584 calories per day.
Many bodybuilders and powerlifters supplement their diet with protein-shakes using whey – the liquid byproduct of making cheese – and fans of GOMAD says this is a cheaper alternative or even addition.
Whole milk with a fat content of 3.7 per cent, also provides 3.5grams of protein per 100ml, meaning a US gallon of milk would add 133grams of the protein many bodybuilders desperately seek to add to their diet at every opportunity.
A 200ml glass of semi-skimmed milk provides 35 per cent of an adult’s daily calcium needs and 13 per cent of an adult male’s daily protein need.