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Read full article about Magnesium Bisglycinate Benefits on musclesprod blog.]]>
Read full article about Magnesium Bisglycinate Benefits on musclesprod blog.]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=4632 Wed, 01 Jan 2014 21:06:34 +0000 FarmDog]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=4632 https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2528 Fri, 24 Feb 2012 01:49:07 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2528
New standards for weight-loss effectiveness and power.

by Iron Man Magazine

With several industry leaders investigating new and highly promising mechanisms of weight loss, one company was bound to make a dramatic breakthrough. BioQuest appears to have broken from the pack with the introduction of BetaStax, the main ingredient of which has achieved results in clinical testing that are plainly unprecedented.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 50 healthy volunteers were given a placebo or 250 milligrams of the main active ingredient in BioQuest’s new BetaStax, a bioactive matrix of weight-loss agents trade-named PureWhey-Slim. Weight, waist and hip circumferences; basic metabolic panel; blood glucose and lipoproteins levels were measured at baseline and then at two and four weeks.

The results were astounding. The subjects who took the active ingredient in BetaStax prior to two major meals daily experienced significantly greater reduction in bodyweight and waist and hip circumferences than the placebo group as early as two weeks and continuing throughout the duration of the study.

Keeping in mind that studies conducted with ephedra (before the ban) were hailed as major news events when they documented significant weight loss in eight weeks or more, BetaStax is in a prime position to change the parameters of the debate entirely and establish unprecedented standards for weight-loss effectiveness and power.

In short, by virtue of its uniquely powerful main ingredient, PureWay-Slim, BetaStax has instantaneously emerged as a major standout in the category. For more information, go to BetaStax.com.]]>
New standards for weight-loss effectiveness and power.

by Iron Man Magazine

With several industry leaders investigating new and highly promising mechanisms of weight loss, one company was bound to make a dramatic breakthrough. BioQuest appears to have broken from the pack with the introduction of BetaStax, the main ingredient of which has achieved results in clinical testing that are plainly unprecedented.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 50 healthy volunteers were given a placebo or 250 milligrams of the main active ingredient in BioQuest’s new BetaStax, a bioactive matrix of weight-loss agents trade-named PureWhey-Slim. Weight, waist and hip circumferences; basic metabolic panel; blood glucose and lipoproteins levels were measured at baseline and then at two and four weeks.

The results were astounding. The subjects who took the active ingredient in BetaStax prior to two major meals daily experienced significantly greater reduction in bodyweight and waist and hip circumferences than the placebo group as early as two weeks and continuing throughout the duration of the study.

Keeping in mind that studies conducted with ephedra (before the ban) were hailed as major news events when they documented significant weight loss in eight weeks or more, BetaStax is in a prime position to change the parameters of the debate entirely and establish unprecedented standards for weight-loss effectiveness and power.

In short, by virtue of its uniquely powerful main ingredient, PureWay-Slim, BetaStax has instantaneously emerged as a major standout in the category. For more information, go to BetaStax.com.]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2387 Sun, 19 Feb 2012 01:09:00 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2387
Antioxidant pycnogenol and its role in the production of nitric oxide.

by George Redmon, Ph.D.

Nitric oxide, also referred to as NO, is the body’s main vasodilator. Vasodilation is the physiological process in which the diameter of blood vessels is widened to increase blood flow. Clinically, drugs used to enhance that process lower blood pressure, protect and treat various heart conditions and treat conditions of poor circulation like acrocyanosis, which is a discoloration of hands and feet. Drugs like Viagra, used to treat erectile dysfunction, were developed on the premise of nitric oxide production and the role NO plays in causing dilation of smooth muscle tissue in penile arteries, allowing for the easy flow of blood to facilitate erections.

As for bodybuilders, researchers have discovered that increasing NO production improves the flow of blood and the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscles. The result is faster removal of metabolic waste, improved workout capacity, better recovery, faster growth, enlarged muscle cells and more strength. Some of the best-known natural nitric oxide potentiators are L-arginine, citrulline aspartic acid and chrysin. As the science continues to emerge concerning the anabolic benefits of NO, so does the emergence of new products known as “NO2 potentiators.” While the benefits of the powerful antioxidant pycnogenol are known and have been used on a global scale, its role in the production of nitric oxide and as an anabolic growth agent is just emerging.

Pycnogenol is a natural plant extract found within the bark of the maritime pine tree, indigenous to the coast of southwest France. Within the pine bark are chemical constituents referred to as procyanidins, bioflavonoids and organic acids. To date, more than 220 studies have been conducted on the various health benefits of pycnogeol, including free-radical control, stronger blood vessel walls, improved healing, improved inflammatory response, stress reduction, blood pressure control, strengthened immune response and improved erectile dysfunction. By increasing nitric oxide output, you’ll be able to deliver more nutrients and oxygen to the muscles, which improves the muscles’ ability to handle the extra physical demands placed on them during weight workouts and to build and recover under those intense conditions.
Because of its ability to improve blood flow and control blood pressure, researchers at the University of South Florida and the University of California looked at pycnogenol’s affect on nitric oxide. They discovered that it balances NO levels in artery linings, thus improving blood flow. Recently, in a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study, researchers at Hiroshima University in Japan looked at pycnogenol’s effect on NO release and the amino acid L-arginine. After subjects took 180 milligrams of pycnogenol for two weeks, the researchers reported a 42 percent increase in blood flow, citing acetylcholine stimulation. As a point of reference here, acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in the brain, stimulates arterial cells to speed up production of nitric oxide from L-arginine.

In addition to its nitric oxide connection, scientists have discovered that pycnogenol increases the breakdown of fat as well as its storage within fat cells. New research indicates that pycnogenol can increase the production of growth hormone, which may be a stimulus to fat burning—GH appears to increase the activity of an enzyme referred to as hormone-sensitive lipase, which accelerates the breakdown of stored fat. Other studies have found that pycnogenol can improve endurance by 21 percent at doses of 200 milligrams daily.

Pycnogenol can also prevent muscle damage by reducing exercise-induced free-radical oxidative damage. Highly reactive molecules that can damage brain cells, free radicals accelerate aging and destroy just about anything they come in contact with, including muscle tissue. Studies indicate that pycnogenol can halt and/or minimize the damage caused by free radicals. Furthermore, antioxidants like pycnogenol play a key role in regulating lactic acid production, which can accelerate muscle fatigue and impede recovery.

Suggested dose: 60 to 360 milligrams daily for general maintenance. For therapeutic use, 0.5 to 1.0 milligram per pound of bodyweight divided into equal doses. IM]]>
Antioxidant pycnogenol and its role in the production of nitric oxide.

by George Redmon, Ph.D.

Nitric oxide, also referred to as NO, is the body’s main vasodilator. Vasodilation is the physiological process in which the diameter of blood vessels is widened to increase blood flow. Clinically, drugs used to enhance that process lower blood pressure, protect and treat various heart conditions and treat conditions of poor circulation like acrocyanosis, which is a discoloration of hands and feet. Drugs like Viagra, used to treat erectile dysfunction, were developed on the premise of nitric oxide production and the role NO plays in causing dilation of smooth muscle tissue in penile arteries, allowing for the easy flow of blood to facilitate erections.

As for bodybuilders, researchers have discovered that increasing NO production improves the flow of blood and the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscles. The result is faster removal of metabolic waste, improved workout capacity, better recovery, faster growth, enlarged muscle cells and more strength. Some of the best-known natural nitric oxide potentiators are L-arginine, citrulline aspartic acid and chrysin. As the science continues to emerge concerning the anabolic benefits of NO, so does the emergence of new products known as “NO2 potentiators.” While the benefits of the powerful antioxidant pycnogenol are known and have been used on a global scale, its role in the production of nitric oxide and as an anabolic growth agent is just emerging.

Pycnogenol is a natural plant extract found within the bark of the maritime pine tree, indigenous to the coast of southwest France. Within the pine bark are chemical constituents referred to as procyanidins, bioflavonoids and organic acids. To date, more than 220 studies have been conducted on the various health benefits of pycnogeol, including free-radical control, stronger blood vessel walls, improved healing, improved inflammatory response, stress reduction, blood pressure control, strengthened immune response and improved erectile dysfunction. By increasing nitric oxide output, you’ll be able to deliver more nutrients and oxygen to the muscles, which improves the muscles’ ability to handle the extra physical demands placed on them during weight workouts and to build and recover under those intense conditions.
Because of its ability to improve blood flow and control blood pressure, researchers at the University of South Florida and the University of California looked at pycnogenol’s affect on nitric oxide. They discovered that it balances NO levels in artery linings, thus improving blood flow. Recently, in a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study, researchers at Hiroshima University in Japan looked at pycnogenol’s effect on NO release and the amino acid L-arginine. After subjects took 180 milligrams of pycnogenol for two weeks, the researchers reported a 42 percent increase in blood flow, citing acetylcholine stimulation. As a point of reference here, acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in the brain, stimulates arterial cells to speed up production of nitric oxide from L-arginine.

In addition to its nitric oxide connection, scientists have discovered that pycnogenol increases the breakdown of fat as well as its storage within fat cells. New research indicates that pycnogenol can increase the production of growth hormone, which may be a stimulus to fat burning—GH appears to increase the activity of an enzyme referred to as hormone-sensitive lipase, which accelerates the breakdown of stored fat. Other studies have found that pycnogenol can improve endurance by 21 percent at doses of 200 milligrams daily.

Pycnogenol can also prevent muscle damage by reducing exercise-induced free-radical oxidative damage. Highly reactive molecules that can damage brain cells, free radicals accelerate aging and destroy just about anything they come in contact with, including muscle tissue. Studies indicate that pycnogenol can halt and/or minimize the damage caused by free radicals. Furthermore, antioxidants like pycnogenol play a key role in regulating lactic acid production, which can accelerate muscle fatigue and impede recovery.

Suggested dose: 60 to 360 milligrams daily for general maintenance. For therapeutic use, 0.5 to 1.0 milligram per pound of bodyweight divided into equal doses. IM]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2356 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:35:37 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2356
If the company isn’t forthcoming with the information, follow the time-proven dictum of buyer beware.

by Jerry Brainum

In recent years a widespread trend among sports supplement companies has been to list the ingredients contained in any particular product as being “proprietary.” In simple English that means that no precise amounts of the ingredients are listed on the product labels. Instead, they are bunched together as proprietary blends.

Ostensibly, the reason for the lack of full disclosure is to protect the formula that the company has developed. That’s particularly important, since the materials are usually—but not always—of natural origin and therefore cannot be patented, opening the door for copycat products. And if any industry is notorious for that practice, it’s the sports supplement industry. So it seems prudent for companies to protect their formulas by not fully disclosing the precise amounts of various ingredients. You can’t blame them for that. From the point of view of consumers, however, the listing of ingredients as proprietary is more problematic.

For one thing, many of the products are quite expensive, ranging from $50 to $100 for a month’s supply or less. Not knowing precisely how much active ingredient is in a product means that you could be forking over big bucks for something that in actuality contains only a few pennies’ worth of ingredients—certainly not enough to bring the results you seek, such as muscle size, strength and/or fat loss. Then there is the placebo effect: If you staunchly believe that something will work, it often does, but it’s not the product that’s producing the results; it’s your mind in concert with your physical efforts in the gym.

Another issue with many of the ingredients listed on current product labels is that they contain little or no scientific proof to back up the often grandiose claims made about them. When such proof does exist, it commonly comes from either isolated-cell or animal-based studies. The problem is, what happens to in isolated cell may not be replicated in an intact human body. The same holds true for animal studies. Although they are useful for showing trends, the results are not always applicable to humans.

Some companies take the proprietary-ingredient technique one step further by listing esoteric chemical names in place of more common names. Sometimes it’s an attempt to portray a product as containing some exotic new ingredient that has never before appeared in any other supplement, thus offering the implied promise of spectacular muscle gains. More often than not, however, the primary reason for the deception is profit.

One example involves various products touted to boost testosterone. After the Food and Drug Administration cracked down on companies that were selling “pro-hormones” that turned out to be old anabolic steroids that were developed and rejected by drug companies, a few firms turned to herbal ingredients that pass muster with the FDA—for now. (That may not last long, since the FDA announced in late December another crackdown on various food supplements containing “tainted” ingredients that may be hazardous to health.) Other companies turned to the only pro-hormone left standing after the FDA crackdown: DHEA.

DHEA, an adrenal steroid, is the most prevalent steroid circulating in the blood. While it can act as a precursor of testosterone synthesis, it has been shown to take a biochemical pathway in men that leads to the production of either a dihydrotestosterone metabolite or estrogen. In women, however, DHEA always boosts testosterone, since a woman’s primary androgen is another adrenal androgen, androstenedione, that readily converts into testosterone.

Interestingly, andro, as it’s often called, was one of the first pro-hormones introduced to the market in the late ’90s, but later studies showed that in men it more readily converted into estrogen than testosterone. The companies that are selling DHEA-based pro-hormone supplements today (which is legal) don’t list DHEA on the labels. Instead, they list the complex chemical name of DHEA. After all, who in their right mind would pay $60 or more for a bottle of DHEA?

Another group of testosterone-boosting supplements work in an indirect manner to increase testosterone. They are called “aromatase inhibitors” because they inhibit the enzyme aromatase, which converts testosterone to estrogen in the body. In doing that, they should increase testosterone. Indeed, drug versions of aromatase inhibitors, such as Arimidex and formestane, among others, have been shown in clinical studies to increase testosterone even in men diagnosed as clinically deficient in it.
One popular over-the-counter aromatase inhibitor containing the active ingredient ATD was voluntarily withdrawn from sale a few months ago after companies that sold it received letters from the FDA. Precisely why the FDA wanted this particular substance removed isn’t clear, since the possible side effects listed by the agency in relation to ATD have never been reported by any user of it! Previous ads for ATD–based products often mentioned the huge increase in testosterone produced after they are used.

One problem with that claim is that ATD produces metabolites that interfere with the usual blood measures for testosterone, producing falsely elevated readings. In addition, studies of animals given large doses of ATD showed a significant loss of libido, or sex drive. Analysis of the cause determined that ATD has a paradoxical effect in the brain—it acts as an anti-androgen by interfering with the interaction of testosterone. Another possibility is that by lowering estrogen, ATD may interfere with sex drive in animals—and possibly humans—because estrogen is required for the full expression of sex drive. I have spoken with many users of ATD products who reported the loss of libido, despite taking far lower doses than those given to lab animals.

One example of product deception involves a current over-the-counter aromatase inhibitor that does not contain ATD but does contain a number of natural substances that are touted as being highly effective at boosting testosterone. Let’s take a closer look at the claims made for the ingredients in this product compared to what’s actually been proved about them:

Ingredient 1: The chemical name listed on the label is extremely complex, but it’s really tracheloside, a lignan derived from safflower oil. Lignans are known to provide either estrogenic or anti-estrogenic activity. In this case, tracheloside is said to be a potent estrogen inhibitor comparable to the drug Nolvadex, but the study that the info is based on involved isolated uterine cancer cells. In addition, the Korean researchers who published the study note that tracheloside is similar to another lignan that is converted in animals’ bodies into—estrogen! There is zero evidence that it will lower estrogen levels in humans.

Ingredient 2: The advertising for the second ingredient, also a lignin, claims that it will block not only aromatase activity but also 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT. Once again, a complex chemical name is listed on the label, but it’s actually a lignan derived from flaxseed and has little or no research behind it to confirm the ad copy.

Ingredient 3: The ads also claim that this substance is an aromatase inhibitor. Get past the complex chemical name listed on the label, and you find that it’s pterostilbene, which is similar to resveratrol, itself a popular supplement that’s touted as an anti-estrogen. There is some truth to the idea that resveratrol and this substance block aromatase, but it has never been tested for that purpose in healthy people; the effect shows up mainly in test-tube and animal studies. On the plus side, pterostilbene may offer some impressive health benefits related to cancer and heart disease protection, similar to those of resveratrol.

Ingredient 4: This complex chemical—at least as listed on the product label—is said to boost plasma free testosterone by a whopping 231.8 percent, along with a 147.6 percent boost in luteinizing hormone, the stuff that dictates testosterone production in the body. Sounds impressive, but it turns out that the potent substance in question is actually gingerol, the active ingredient of ginger. Ginger has some definite health benefits, and some studies do indeed show that it’s capable of boosting testosterone, but alas, they involved rats and mice. Human evidence is lacking, but using ginger does help prevent motion sickness, and you might get a bit dizzy when you find out that you paid money for a supplement with little or no actual proof behind it.

Ingredient 5: This ingredient, again hiding behind a complex chemical name, is said to act as an anti-inflammatory and inhibitor of 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT. DHT binds to androgen receptors five times more potently than testosterone and is the active androgen in many tissues and organs of the body—but not in muscle, where it’s deactivated by enzymes. DHT is linked to male-pattern baldness, prostate enlargement and acne. A recent isolated-cell study of this ingredient, which is actually caffeic acid phenethyl ester, showed no estrogen activity. You have probably already tried this substance if you drink coffee, since it’s found naturally in that beverage as well as in in bee propolis, which is where the caffeic acid phenethyl ester in the supplent comes from.

My advice to potential buyers of any supplement touted as a testosterone booster that doesn’t list the “real” names of its ingredients is to contact the company and ask. If the company isn’t forthcoming with the information, follow the time-proven dictum of buyer beware.]]>
If the company isn’t forthcoming with the information, follow the time-proven dictum of buyer beware.

by Jerry Brainum

In recent years a widespread trend among sports supplement companies has been to list the ingredients contained in any particular product as being “proprietary.” In simple English that means that no precise amounts of the ingredients are listed on the product labels. Instead, they are bunched together as proprietary blends.

Ostensibly, the reason for the lack of full disclosure is to protect the formula that the company has developed. That’s particularly important, since the materials are usually—but not always—of natural origin and therefore cannot be patented, opening the door for copycat products. And if any industry is notorious for that practice, it’s the sports supplement industry. So it seems prudent for companies to protect their formulas by not fully disclosing the precise amounts of various ingredients. You can’t blame them for that. From the point of view of consumers, however, the listing of ingredients as proprietary is more problematic.

For one thing, many of the products are quite expensive, ranging from $50 to $100 for a month’s supply or less. Not knowing precisely how much active ingredient is in a product means that you could be forking over big bucks for something that in actuality contains only a few pennies’ worth of ingredients—certainly not enough to bring the results you seek, such as muscle size, strength and/or fat loss. Then there is the placebo effect: If you staunchly believe that something will work, it often does, but it’s not the product that’s producing the results; it’s your mind in concert with your physical efforts in the gym.

Another issue with many of the ingredients listed on current product labels is that they contain little or no scientific proof to back up the often grandiose claims made about them. When such proof does exist, it commonly comes from either isolated-cell or animal-based studies. The problem is, what happens to in isolated cell may not be replicated in an intact human body. The same holds true for animal studies. Although they are useful for showing trends, the results are not always applicable to humans.

Some companies take the proprietary-ingredient technique one step further by listing esoteric chemical names in place of more common names. Sometimes it’s an attempt to portray a product as containing some exotic new ingredient that has never before appeared in any other supplement, thus offering the implied promise of spectacular muscle gains. More often than not, however, the primary reason for the deception is profit.

One example involves various products touted to boost testosterone. After the Food and Drug Administration cracked down on companies that were selling “pro-hormones” that turned out to be old anabolic steroids that were developed and rejected by drug companies, a few firms turned to herbal ingredients that pass muster with the FDA—for now. (That may not last long, since the FDA announced in late December another crackdown on various food supplements containing “tainted” ingredients that may be hazardous to health.) Other companies turned to the only pro-hormone left standing after the FDA crackdown: DHEA.

DHEA, an adrenal steroid, is the most prevalent steroid circulating in the blood. While it can act as a precursor of testosterone synthesis, it has been shown to take a biochemical pathway in men that leads to the production of either a dihydrotestosterone metabolite or estrogen. In women, however, DHEA always boosts testosterone, since a woman’s primary androgen is another adrenal androgen, androstenedione, that readily converts into testosterone.

Interestingly, andro, as it’s often called, was one of the first pro-hormones introduced to the market in the late ’90s, but later studies showed that in men it more readily converted into estrogen than testosterone. The companies that are selling DHEA-based pro-hormone supplements today (which is legal) don’t list DHEA on the labels. Instead, they list the complex chemical name of DHEA. After all, who in their right mind would pay $60 or more for a bottle of DHEA?

Another group of testosterone-boosting supplements work in an indirect manner to increase testosterone. They are called “aromatase inhibitors” because they inhibit the enzyme aromatase, which converts testosterone to estrogen in the body. In doing that, they should increase testosterone. Indeed, drug versions of aromatase inhibitors, such as Arimidex and formestane, among others, have been shown in clinical studies to increase testosterone even in men diagnosed as clinically deficient in it.
One popular over-the-counter aromatase inhibitor containing the active ingredient ATD was voluntarily withdrawn from sale a few months ago after companies that sold it received letters from the FDA. Precisely why the FDA wanted this particular substance removed isn’t clear, since the possible side effects listed by the agency in relation to ATD have never been reported by any user of it! Previous ads for ATD–based products often mentioned the huge increase in testosterone produced after they are used.

One problem with that claim is that ATD produces metabolites that interfere with the usual blood measures for testosterone, producing falsely elevated readings. In addition, studies of animals given large doses of ATD showed a significant loss of libido, or sex drive. Analysis of the cause determined that ATD has a paradoxical effect in the brain—it acts as an anti-androgen by interfering with the interaction of testosterone. Another possibility is that by lowering estrogen, ATD may interfere with sex drive in animals—and possibly humans—because estrogen is required for the full expression of sex drive. I have spoken with many users of ATD products who reported the loss of libido, despite taking far lower doses than those given to lab animals.

One example of product deception involves a current over-the-counter aromatase inhibitor that does not contain ATD but does contain a number of natural substances that are touted as being highly effective at boosting testosterone. Let’s take a closer look at the claims made for the ingredients in this product compared to what’s actually been proved about them:

Ingredient 1: The chemical name listed on the label is extremely complex, but it’s really tracheloside, a lignan derived from safflower oil. Lignans are known to provide either estrogenic or anti-estrogenic activity. In this case, tracheloside is said to be a potent estrogen inhibitor comparable to the drug Nolvadex, but the study that the info is based on involved isolated uterine cancer cells. In addition, the Korean researchers who published the study note that tracheloside is similar to another lignan that is converted in animals’ bodies into—estrogen! There is zero evidence that it will lower estrogen levels in humans.

Ingredient 2: The advertising for the second ingredient, also a lignin, claims that it will block not only aromatase activity but also 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT. Once again, a complex chemical name is listed on the label, but it’s actually a lignan derived from flaxseed and has little or no research behind it to confirm the ad copy.

Ingredient 3: The ads also claim that this substance is an aromatase inhibitor. Get past the complex chemical name listed on the label, and you find that it’s pterostilbene, which is similar to resveratrol, itself a popular supplement that’s touted as an anti-estrogen. There is some truth to the idea that resveratrol and this substance block aromatase, but it has never been tested for that purpose in healthy people; the effect shows up mainly in test-tube and animal studies. On the plus side, pterostilbene may offer some impressive health benefits related to cancer and heart disease protection, similar to those of resveratrol.

Ingredient 4: This complex chemical—at least as listed on the product label—is said to boost plasma free testosterone by a whopping 231.8 percent, along with a 147.6 percent boost in luteinizing hormone, the stuff that dictates testosterone production in the body. Sounds impressive, but it turns out that the potent substance in question is actually gingerol, the active ingredient of ginger. Ginger has some definite health benefits, and some studies do indeed show that it’s capable of boosting testosterone, but alas, they involved rats and mice. Human evidence is lacking, but using ginger does help prevent motion sickness, and you might get a bit dizzy when you find out that you paid money for a supplement with little or no actual proof behind it.

Ingredient 5: This ingredient, again hiding behind a complex chemical name, is said to act as an anti-inflammatory and inhibitor of 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT. DHT binds to androgen receptors five times more potently than testosterone and is the active androgen in many tissues and organs of the body—but not in muscle, where it’s deactivated by enzymes. DHT is linked to male-pattern baldness, prostate enlargement and acne. A recent isolated-cell study of this ingredient, which is actually caffeic acid phenethyl ester, showed no estrogen activity. You have probably already tried this substance if you drink coffee, since it’s found naturally in that beverage as well as in in bee propolis, which is where the caffeic acid phenethyl ester in the supplent comes from.

My advice to potential buyers of any supplement touted as a testosterone booster that doesn’t list the “real” names of its ingredients is to contact the company and ask. If the company isn’t forthcoming with the information, follow the time-proven dictum of buyer beware.]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2355 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:31:35 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2355
Whether you are a bodybuilder or an average Joe looking to lose fat, this book has a lot of answers.

by Becky Holman

If you’ve had a tough time getting ripped—or just losing some fat—you know there’s more to it than just calories in and calories out. A lot of skinny people can inhale huge amounts of food without gaining weight, while many fat folks simply look at a doughnut and put on five pounds of blubber. Eric Berg, D.C., clears up many of the mysteries in his new book, The 7 Principles of Fat Burning.

Berg claims that losing weight is all about optimizing the six fat-burning hormones—growth hormone, insulinlike growth factor, glucagon, adrenaline, thyroid hormones and testosterone—all of which can be compromised by insulin spikes:

“Without having a good understanding of hormones, it might appear that all calories are the same, and if you eat less, you will, of course, weigh less. People who tell you this have not grasped the basic physiology of hormone interaction resulting from food…. Even though fats have the densest calories, they are neutral when it comes to making fat. Sugar and refined carbohydrates, on the other hand, are huge triggers for fat-making hormones despite having fewer calories than fats. And although protein has calories, consuming the right amount of protein will trigger fat-burning hormones. The ‘right amount’ is based on your body type.”

Berg identifies four body types—adrenal, ovary, thyroid and liver. Each has a specific bellyfat look. For example, liver is a protruding belly, as you’d see on heavy beer drinker. Each type has specific dietary requirements for dropping fat fast, and he provides a chapter for each, followed by eating and exercise suggestions later in the book.

What Berg is actually recommending with his eating and exercise strategies is that you shift the goal from “losing weight” to “attaining health.” Being overweight is more a symptom of an unhealthy body. He verifies that over and over, with lots of solid solutions to correct the problems, no matter how overweight you are.

Some of the other points Berg covers include how incorrect exercise prevents fat burning, the exercise-longer-to-lose-weight myth, how your body can burn 95 percent of its fat at night and the 10 fat-burning triggers and blockers, in addition to many recipes and eating tips for each body type.
Whether you are a bodybuilder or an average Joe looking to lose fat, this book has a lot of answers. While the simple message is to delete simple sugars from your diet, Berg takes it much further, with a clear and precise plan for making you a leaner man—or woman.]]>
Whether you are a bodybuilder or an average Joe looking to lose fat, this book has a lot of answers.

by Becky Holman

If you’ve had a tough time getting ripped—or just losing some fat—you know there’s more to it than just calories in and calories out. A lot of skinny people can inhale huge amounts of food without gaining weight, while many fat folks simply look at a doughnut and put on five pounds of blubber. Eric Berg, D.C., clears up many of the mysteries in his new book, The 7 Principles of Fat Burning.

Berg claims that losing weight is all about optimizing the six fat-burning hormones—growth hormone, insulinlike growth factor, glucagon, adrenaline, thyroid hormones and testosterone—all of which can be compromised by insulin spikes:

“Without having a good understanding of hormones, it might appear that all calories are the same, and if you eat less, you will, of course, weigh less. People who tell you this have not grasped the basic physiology of hormone interaction resulting from food…. Even though fats have the densest calories, they are neutral when it comes to making fat. Sugar and refined carbohydrates, on the other hand, are huge triggers for fat-making hormones despite having fewer calories than fats. And although protein has calories, consuming the right amount of protein will trigger fat-burning hormones. The ‘right amount’ is based on your body type.”

Berg identifies four body types—adrenal, ovary, thyroid and liver. Each has a specific bellyfat look. For example, liver is a protruding belly, as you’d see on heavy beer drinker. Each type has specific dietary requirements for dropping fat fast, and he provides a chapter for each, followed by eating and exercise suggestions later in the book.

What Berg is actually recommending with his eating and exercise strategies is that you shift the goal from “losing weight” to “attaining health.” Being overweight is more a symptom of an unhealthy body. He verifies that over and over, with lots of solid solutions to correct the problems, no matter how overweight you are.

Some of the other points Berg covers include how incorrect exercise prevents fat burning, the exercise-longer-to-lose-weight myth, how your body can burn 95 percent of its fat at night and the 10 fat-burning triggers and blockers, in addition to many recipes and eating tips for each body type.
Whether you are a bodybuilder or an average Joe looking to lose fat, this book has a lot of answers. While the simple message is to delete simple sugars from your diet, Berg takes it much further, with a clear and precise plan for making you a leaner man—or woman.]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2354 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:29:00 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2354
Do you really need 50 grams or more protein per serving?


by Jerry Brainum

The notion that you must get a certain ratio of protein to carbohydrate following a workout is so widely accepted that it appears to be set in stone. Well, just as the mightiest stone edifices eventually fall prey to time and crumble, so does some nutritional dogma. Even so, to call the practice of taking protein and carbs after a workout a fad is an overstatement. The concept was developed over a number of years, based on sound scientific reasoning. For example, no one would argue against getting protein after a workout. Protein is required for muscle protein synthesis, which in turn leads to muscle hypertrophy if preceded by intense exercise stimulus. In recent years multiple prescriptions have been offered as to the best type of protein, the exact quantity and precisely when is the best time to take it. The focus on protein eventually narrowed down to amino acids, specifically essential amino acids.

Essential amino acids are the ones that cannot be synthesized in the body from other nutrients and must be supplied by food. While many bodybuilders continue to take in massive amounts of protein after a workout in the belief that it will prod gains in muscle size and strength, research finds that as few as six to 10 grams of essential amino acids are all you need postworkout to maximize muscle gains. Taking in more protein than you need just leads to increased oxidation of the excess protein in the liver. So if grams of essential amino acids are all you need for muscle gains to kick in, why do so many commercial muscle-gain sports supplements provide as much as 50 grams or more protein per serving?

One-word answer: marketing. Bodybuilders are so indoctrinated to believe that massive amounts of protein are required for building muscle that a supplement providing a mere 10 grams of essential amino acids would likely not prove to be a big seller. Hey, just a single large egg contains seven grams of protein, with a good supply of essential amino acids to boot. Some marketers, though, need to justify the often lofty price tags on specialized sports supplements. Such companies follow a kitchen-sink philosophy, providing not just megadoses of protein but also in some cases carbohydrate and other substances that may not be of scientific benefit other than looking impressive on a label that features “proprietary” ingredients. The trend may be changing, however. At least one company that I know of is selling an amino-based supplement that it claims is far more effective than any type of whey protein, the current gold standard in protein supplements. I have little doubt that these extravagant claims are based on recent findings that small amounts of essential amino acids are the way to go for muscle gains.

While protein has been recommended as the mainstay of a postworkout nutrition plan for years, dating back to the 1950s, the idea of combining carbs with protein is more recent—and not just any carb will do. For best results the advice is to use a high-glycemic-index, or rapidly absorbed, carb, along with a rapidly digested protein, such as whey. That combination is said to be ideal for encouraging increased muscle protein synthesis and decreased muscle breakdown. One of the key elements in the combo is insulin. While many amino acids themselves can provoke an insulin release, carbs, especially simple, high-glycemic-index carbs, are thought to be the most potent insulin-related nutrients.

Insulin, which is secreted by the beta cells of the pancreas, promotes the increased storage of carbohydrate as glycogen in muscles and liver and also helps the body store excess calories as fat. Older texts talk about how insulin pushes amino acids into muscle, which would increase muscle protein production. We now know that insulin is actually more permissive, in that it may lower muscle protein breakdown—an anticatabolic effect—but does not necessarily boost protein synthesis. Some studies dispute that and suggest that insulin can indeed spark protein synthesis if there are sufficient aminos in the mix.

It’s not difficult to see how this ties in with the protein-and-carb post-training combo. As noted, amino acids and whole protein sources, such as whey, rapidly provide amino acids for use in muscle-protein-synthesis reactions following training. Adding simple carbs would maximize insulin release, particularly in the presence of essential amino acids. The net effect should be considerably more efficient muscle protein synthesis after training, which means more muscle gains. Study after study confirmed those effects.
Nevertheless, the notion that protein should always be combined with carbs after training has come into question lately. Some studies show that just eating protein after a workout gives you all you need for muscle protein synthesis and that carbs are superfluous. To examine those effects, a new study looked at what happens when you take either protein alone or protein plus carbs after a workout.1

Nine men, average age 23, did two workouts consisting of one-legged extensions, four sets of eight to 12 reps to failure. Afterward they took either 25 grams of whey isolate protein alone or 25 grams of whey along with 50 grams of maltodextrin, a carb source. The drinks also contained amino acid tracers to determine the fate of the protein. It turned out that the whey protein alone was sufficient to maximize muscle protein production after training. The add-on carb didn’t add to the effect, although it did significantly elevate insulin more than the whey protein alone. Based on those findings, the authors suggest that you need only a low insulin response following training to maximize the increase in muscle protein synthesis; and getting sufficient protein will accomplish that. Surprisingly, the protein-and-carb comb was not superior at stopping muscle protein breakdown, despite the presence of high insulin and amino acids. The protein-induced insulin alone was enough for that purpose as well.

Keep in mind that this study used 23-year-olds as subjects. Other studies have identified insulin resistance in older people, who tend to lose a lot of muscle because the anticatabolic effect of insulin is blunted. If they get twice the amount of insulin that is secreted after a normal meal, they stop losing muscle and show increased anabolic effects, so I’d speculate that getting protein and carbs after a workout would be more efficient for those over 40. By the way, a high insulin release is known to boost nitric oxide activity, which would have the effect of widening blood vessels, increasing nutrient delivery to muscles.

Another aspect to consider—whatever your age—is complete muscle recovery after training. Even if we accept the idea that only protein is required for maximal protein synthesis after training, other considerations are involved. Carbohydrates are still the best nutrient for feeding glycogen synthesis after training. Glycogen is not only the major fuel source of muscles engaged in weight training but is also needed for full muscle repair and recovery. If you train a muscle that isn’t fully recovered from a prior workout, you risk overtraining and possibly injuring it. Indeed, a study published some time ago found that postworkout carbs are required for the full expression of insulinlike growth factor 1 in muscle. Localized IGF-1 differs from the systemic type secreted by the liver under the influence of growth hormone. It helps orchestrate both muscle repair and growth following training because it ups the activity of satellite cells, which are muscle stem cells needed for those purposes.

If you factor in the fact that any carbohydrate you take within two hours of a workout is used for glycogen replenishment and does not lead to fat synthesis, there is no reason not to grab some carbs after a workout. Though you don’t need them for muscle protein synthesis alone, for full recovery you’d be well advised to stick with protein-carb postworkout drinks.

—Jerry Brainum]]>
Do you really need 50 grams or more protein per serving?


by Jerry Brainum

The notion that you must get a certain ratio of protein to carbohydrate following a workout is so widely accepted that it appears to be set in stone. Well, just as the mightiest stone edifices eventually fall prey to time and crumble, so does some nutritional dogma. Even so, to call the practice of taking protein and carbs after a workout a fad is an overstatement. The concept was developed over a number of years, based on sound scientific reasoning. For example, no one would argue against getting protein after a workout. Protein is required for muscle protein synthesis, which in turn leads to muscle hypertrophy if preceded by intense exercise stimulus. In recent years multiple prescriptions have been offered as to the best type of protein, the exact quantity and precisely when is the best time to take it. The focus on protein eventually narrowed down to amino acids, specifically essential amino acids.

Essential amino acids are the ones that cannot be synthesized in the body from other nutrients and must be supplied by food. While many bodybuilders continue to take in massive amounts of protein after a workout in the belief that it will prod gains in muscle size and strength, research finds that as few as six to 10 grams of essential amino acids are all you need postworkout to maximize muscle gains. Taking in more protein than you need just leads to increased oxidation of the excess protein in the liver. So if grams of essential amino acids are all you need for muscle gains to kick in, why do so many commercial muscle-gain sports supplements provide as much as 50 grams or more protein per serving?

One-word answer: marketing. Bodybuilders are so indoctrinated to believe that massive amounts of protein are required for building muscle that a supplement providing a mere 10 grams of essential amino acids would likely not prove to be a big seller. Hey, just a single large egg contains seven grams of protein, with a good supply of essential amino acids to boot. Some marketers, though, need to justify the often lofty price tags on specialized sports supplements. Such companies follow a kitchen-sink philosophy, providing not just megadoses of protein but also in some cases carbohydrate and other substances that may not be of scientific benefit other than looking impressive on a label that features “proprietary” ingredients. The trend may be changing, however. At least one company that I know of is selling an amino-based supplement that it claims is far more effective than any type of whey protein, the current gold standard in protein supplements. I have little doubt that these extravagant claims are based on recent findings that small amounts of essential amino acids are the way to go for muscle gains.

While protein has been recommended as the mainstay of a postworkout nutrition plan for years, dating back to the 1950s, the idea of combining carbs with protein is more recent—and not just any carb will do. For best results the advice is to use a high-glycemic-index, or rapidly absorbed, carb, along with a rapidly digested protein, such as whey. That combination is said to be ideal for encouraging increased muscle protein synthesis and decreased muscle breakdown. One of the key elements in the combo is insulin. While many amino acids themselves can provoke an insulin release, carbs, especially simple, high-glycemic-index carbs, are thought to be the most potent insulin-related nutrients.

Insulin, which is secreted by the beta cells of the pancreas, promotes the increased storage of carbohydrate as glycogen in muscles and liver and also helps the body store excess calories as fat. Older texts talk about how insulin pushes amino acids into muscle, which would increase muscle protein production. We now know that insulin is actually more permissive, in that it may lower muscle protein breakdown—an anticatabolic effect—but does not necessarily boost protein synthesis. Some studies dispute that and suggest that insulin can indeed spark protein synthesis if there are sufficient aminos in the mix.

It’s not difficult to see how this ties in with the protein-and-carb post-training combo. As noted, amino acids and whole protein sources, such as whey, rapidly provide amino acids for use in muscle-protein-synthesis reactions following training. Adding simple carbs would maximize insulin release, particularly in the presence of essential amino acids. The net effect should be considerably more efficient muscle protein synthesis after training, which means more muscle gains. Study after study confirmed those effects.
Nevertheless, the notion that protein should always be combined with carbs after training has come into question lately. Some studies show that just eating protein after a workout gives you all you need for muscle protein synthesis and that carbs are superfluous. To examine those effects, a new study looked at what happens when you take either protein alone or protein plus carbs after a workout.1

Nine men, average age 23, did two workouts consisting of one-legged extensions, four sets of eight to 12 reps to failure. Afterward they took either 25 grams of whey isolate protein alone or 25 grams of whey along with 50 grams of maltodextrin, a carb source. The drinks also contained amino acid tracers to determine the fate of the protein. It turned out that the whey protein alone was sufficient to maximize muscle protein production after training. The add-on carb didn’t add to the effect, although it did significantly elevate insulin more than the whey protein alone. Based on those findings, the authors suggest that you need only a low insulin response following training to maximize the increase in muscle protein synthesis; and getting sufficient protein will accomplish that. Surprisingly, the protein-and-carb comb was not superior at stopping muscle protein breakdown, despite the presence of high insulin and amino acids. The protein-induced insulin alone was enough for that purpose as well.

Keep in mind that this study used 23-year-olds as subjects. Other studies have identified insulin resistance in older people, who tend to lose a lot of muscle because the anticatabolic effect of insulin is blunted. If they get twice the amount of insulin that is secreted after a normal meal, they stop losing muscle and show increased anabolic effects, so I’d speculate that getting protein and carbs after a workout would be more efficient for those over 40. By the way, a high insulin release is known to boost nitric oxide activity, which would have the effect of widening blood vessels, increasing nutrient delivery to muscles.

Another aspect to consider—whatever your age—is complete muscle recovery after training. Even if we accept the idea that only protein is required for maximal protein synthesis after training, other considerations are involved. Carbohydrates are still the best nutrient for feeding glycogen synthesis after training. Glycogen is not only the major fuel source of muscles engaged in weight training but is also needed for full muscle repair and recovery. If you train a muscle that isn’t fully recovered from a prior workout, you risk overtraining and possibly injuring it. Indeed, a study published some time ago found that postworkout carbs are required for the full expression of insulinlike growth factor 1 in muscle. Localized IGF-1 differs from the systemic type secreted by the liver under the influence of growth hormone. It helps orchestrate both muscle repair and growth following training because it ups the activity of satellite cells, which are muscle stem cells needed for those purposes.

If you factor in the fact that any carbohydrate you take within two hours of a workout is used for glycogen replenishment and does not lead to fat synthesis, there is no reason not to grab some carbs after a workout. Though you don’t need them for muscle protein synthesis alone, for full recovery you’d be well advised to stick with protein-carb postworkout drinks.

—Jerry Brainum]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2349 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:06:13 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2349 Latest findings show muscle protein synthesis increased by a whopping 50 percent.

December 15, 2011 by Jerry Brainum in Latest, Nutrition, Nutrition Science, Protein, Carbs, Fats, Supplements

The recognition that omega-3 fatty acids are good for you came about when scientists compared the diet of native Inuit people to that of the Danish people. The Inuits ate a lot more fatty fish, rich in omega-3s, than the typical Dane. The early studies revealed that the Inuits had much lower rates of cardiovascular disease, which were traced to their high intake of omega-3 fatty acids from fish. Later studies showed that omega-3s lower blood triglycerides, which are a marker of cardiovascular disease. More important, omega-3 fatty acids exert powerful anti-inflammatory effects in the body—a huge benefit because out-of-control inflammation is now known to be the cornerstone of most major diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and brain degeneration.

One reason those diseases are so prevalent is that most people have an imbalance of fatty acids in their diets. Specifically, they eat far too many omega-6 fatty acids, the kind found in vegetables oils and other common foods, and not enough omega-3s, which are reliably found only in fatty fish. While linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, is considered essential in human nutrition, an excess of it leads to more inflammation in the body. That relates to the production of arachidonic acid—itself the precursor of many types of inflammatory prostaglandins—from linoleic acid. You get a sense of just how potent that effect is when you realize that aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit the enzyme that converts arachidonic acid into its inflammatory by-products, most of which are heavily involved in the body’s pain response.
An important point here is that people who don’t eat a certain amount of fatty fish each week are likely to be deficient in the active omega-3 fats, EPA and DHA. The alternative is to use fish oil supplements, which contain concentrated amounts of both EPA and DHA. The main controversy about the supplements is precisely how much to take. Some suggest that the more inflammation in the body, the higher the dose of fish oil you should take. Recent studies also suggest that high-dose fish oil may help reduce excess bodyfat, but that is a tale for another day.

Fish oil is a popular supplement among bodybuilders not only because of its documented health benefits but also because of a number of attributes more directly related to bodybuilding. Besides being an agent of increased fat burning, fish oil boosts the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the body, which would help prevent both premature exercise fatigue and excessive postworkout muscle soreness. In addition, fish oil provides vasodilation effects; it widens blood vessels in concert with increased nitric oxide production to improve oxygen delivery to working muscles, as well as lowering blood pressure. During training, fish oil helps maintain lower heart rates, thus reducing some of the burden exercise places on the heart. The one area where fish oil doesn’t seem to play a role is in triggering anabolic effects in muscle. A new study, however, may challenge that view.

As you age, your body tends to lose muscle and strength. Reasons for muscle loss vary, including decreased anabolic hormone flow—insulin, testosterone and growth hormone—and motor neuron activity. More recent studies also suggest that aged muscles show anabolic resistance, meaning that techniques that stimulate mass increases in younger people are blunted in older folks, starting around age 40. The effect is known as sarcopenia, which literally means “loss of muscle.”

When you provide amino acids in a high-insulin environment to younger people, you always get an anabolic effect. Because that effect is blunted in older people, they lose muscle. At the molecular level substances that play a vital role in muscle-protein-synthesis signaling just aren’t stimulated in older people, even when they get nutrients known to have a hand in it—amino acids. It seems that overall body inflammation increases with age, and that may interfere with important factors that signal muscle protein synthesis. It stands to reason, then, that if you could ease the higher inflammation typical of older muscles, you might be able to rejuvenate the blunted anabolic response.

That has actually been shown to happen. When older people are given anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, the usual anabolic resistance is decreased to the extent that they’re able to build muscle again. Ironically, the normal process of muscle growth involves a short period of high inflammation in the muscles after exercise. That inflammation, which is controlled by prostaglandins produced from arachidonic acid, is necessary to clear out debris in the muscle that could impede the process. It recedes in the young but remains chronic in older people, resulting in loss rather than gain of muscle.

Taking into account the fact that older people who take anti-inflammatory drugs appear to overcome the problem, what would happen if they took a natural anti-inflammatory substance—such as fish oil? That was the precise focus of a recent study.1 Animal-based studies had already shown the effect. Growing steers given omega-3-rich menhaden oil increased the activation of muscle protein synthesis when they also got insulin and amino acids. Providing fish oil to burned guinea pigs—burns cause severe muscle catabolism, leading to a great loss of body protein—kept the animals from losing muscle.

The new study involved 10 men and six women, all over age 60. All were in good health, none were obese, none were involved in regular exercise, and none used fish oil supplements prior to the experiment. They were randomly divided into two groups, with one group getting corn oil capsules, an omega-6 source, and the other a fish oil supplement that provided 1.86 grams of EPA and 1.50 grams of DHA. The dosages were chosen because they matched those used to lower elevated blood triglycerides in previous studies and were also similar to what had been given to animals that had shown an anabolic response. The older human subjects were given a clamp that produced high insulin, amino acid and glucose infusions and radioactive-tagged amino acids so the researchers could study the effects on muscle protein metabolism. The insulin and amino acid doses were comparable to the increased amount the body experiences after a meal.

The subjects who got the corn oil showed no effects. In those who used the fish oil supplements, there was no effect on muscle protein synthesis at rest, but with higher insulin and amino acids there was a significantly augmented effect. It was traced to a stimulation of muscle-protein-synthesis-signaling factors that went beyond the behavior of insulin and amino acids alone. The study suggests that taking fish oil would lessen the anabolic blunting effect of age. It would also help offset sarcopenia. Interestingly, the dose of fish oil used in the study did not affect markers of inflammation, suggesting that the anabolic effect it produced wasn’t related to inflammation control. The doses usually suggested for treating inflammation are far greater than those used in the study.

One question that arises in light of fish oil’s role in fighting blunted muscle protein synthesis in older people is whether it would have any effect on those under age 40. That question was recently answered by a study published by the same team of researchers who conducted the study of older people.2 Nine subjects with an age range of 25 to 45 all received four grams of fish oil per day. The study found that the anabolic response to insulin and amino acids infusions was greater with fish oil supplementation. Specific factors involved in muscle protein synthesis increased by a whopping 50 percent after the subjects took fish oil.
—Jerry Brainum

Editor’s note: Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com.

References
1 Smith, G.I., et al. (2010). Dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increases the rate of muscle protein synthesis in older adults: A randomized, controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 93(2):402-32.
2 Smith, G., et al. (2011). Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids augment the muscle protein anabolic response to hyperaminoacidemia-hyperinsulinemia in healthy young and middle-aged men and women. Clin Sci. 121(6):267-78.]]> Latest findings show muscle protein synthesis increased by a whopping 50 percent.

December 15, 2011 by Jerry Brainum in Latest, Nutrition, Nutrition Science, Protein, Carbs, Fats, Supplements

The recognition that omega-3 fatty acids are good for you came about when scientists compared the diet of native Inuit people to that of the Danish people. The Inuits ate a lot more fatty fish, rich in omega-3s, than the typical Dane. The early studies revealed that the Inuits had much lower rates of cardiovascular disease, which were traced to their high intake of omega-3 fatty acids from fish. Later studies showed that omega-3s lower blood triglycerides, which are a marker of cardiovascular disease. More important, omega-3 fatty acids exert powerful anti-inflammatory effects in the body—a huge benefit because out-of-control inflammation is now known to be the cornerstone of most major diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and brain degeneration.

One reason those diseases are so prevalent is that most people have an imbalance of fatty acids in their diets. Specifically, they eat far too many omega-6 fatty acids, the kind found in vegetables oils and other common foods, and not enough omega-3s, which are reliably found only in fatty fish. While linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, is considered essential in human nutrition, an excess of it leads to more inflammation in the body. That relates to the production of arachidonic acid—itself the precursor of many types of inflammatory prostaglandins—from linoleic acid. You get a sense of just how potent that effect is when you realize that aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit the enzyme that converts arachidonic acid into its inflammatory by-products, most of which are heavily involved in the body’s pain response.
An important point here is that people who don’t eat a certain amount of fatty fish each week are likely to be deficient in the active omega-3 fats, EPA and DHA. The alternative is to use fish oil supplements, which contain concentrated amounts of both EPA and DHA. The main controversy about the supplements is precisely how much to take. Some suggest that the more inflammation in the body, the higher the dose of fish oil you should take. Recent studies also suggest that high-dose fish oil may help reduce excess bodyfat, but that is a tale for another day.

Fish oil is a popular supplement among bodybuilders not only because of its documented health benefits but also because of a number of attributes more directly related to bodybuilding. Besides being an agent of increased fat burning, fish oil boosts the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the body, which would help prevent both premature exercise fatigue and excessive postworkout muscle soreness. In addition, fish oil provides vasodilation effects; it widens blood vessels in concert with increased nitric oxide production to improve oxygen delivery to working muscles, as well as lowering blood pressure. During training, fish oil helps maintain lower heart rates, thus reducing some of the burden exercise places on the heart. The one area where fish oil doesn’t seem to play a role is in triggering anabolic effects in muscle. A new study, however, may challenge that view.

As you age, your body tends to lose muscle and strength. Reasons for muscle loss vary, including decreased anabolic hormone flow—insulin, testosterone and growth hormone—and motor neuron activity. More recent studies also suggest that aged muscles show anabolic resistance, meaning that techniques that stimulate mass increases in younger people are blunted in older folks, starting around age 40. The effect is known as sarcopenia, which literally means “loss of muscle.”

When you provide amino acids in a high-insulin environment to younger people, you always get an anabolic effect. Because that effect is blunted in older people, they lose muscle. At the molecular level substances that play a vital role in muscle-protein-synthesis signaling just aren’t stimulated in older people, even when they get nutrients known to have a hand in it—amino acids. It seems that overall body inflammation increases with age, and that may interfere with important factors that signal muscle protein synthesis. It stands to reason, then, that if you could ease the higher inflammation typical of older muscles, you might be able to rejuvenate the blunted anabolic response.

That has actually been shown to happen. When older people are given anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, the usual anabolic resistance is decreased to the extent that they’re able to build muscle again. Ironically, the normal process of muscle growth involves a short period of high inflammation in the muscles after exercise. That inflammation, which is controlled by prostaglandins produced from arachidonic acid, is necessary to clear out debris in the muscle that could impede the process. It recedes in the young but remains chronic in older people, resulting in loss rather than gain of muscle.

Taking into account the fact that older people who take anti-inflammatory drugs appear to overcome the problem, what would happen if they took a natural anti-inflammatory substance—such as fish oil? That was the precise focus of a recent study.1 Animal-based studies had already shown the effect. Growing steers given omega-3-rich menhaden oil increased the activation of muscle protein synthesis when they also got insulin and amino acids. Providing fish oil to burned guinea pigs—burns cause severe muscle catabolism, leading to a great loss of body protein—kept the animals from losing muscle.

The new study involved 10 men and six women, all over age 60. All were in good health, none were obese, none were involved in regular exercise, and none used fish oil supplements prior to the experiment. They were randomly divided into two groups, with one group getting corn oil capsules, an omega-6 source, and the other a fish oil supplement that provided 1.86 grams of EPA and 1.50 grams of DHA. The dosages were chosen because they matched those used to lower elevated blood triglycerides in previous studies and were also similar to what had been given to animals that had shown an anabolic response. The older human subjects were given a clamp that produced high insulin, amino acid and glucose infusions and radioactive-tagged amino acids so the researchers could study the effects on muscle protein metabolism. The insulin and amino acid doses were comparable to the increased amount the body experiences after a meal.

The subjects who got the corn oil showed no effects. In those who used the fish oil supplements, there was no effect on muscle protein synthesis at rest, but with higher insulin and amino acids there was a significantly augmented effect. It was traced to a stimulation of muscle-protein-synthesis-signaling factors that went beyond the behavior of insulin and amino acids alone. The study suggests that taking fish oil would lessen the anabolic blunting effect of age. It would also help offset sarcopenia. Interestingly, the dose of fish oil used in the study did not affect markers of inflammation, suggesting that the anabolic effect it produced wasn’t related to inflammation control. The doses usually suggested for treating inflammation are far greater than those used in the study.

One question that arises in light of fish oil’s role in fighting blunted muscle protein synthesis in older people is whether it would have any effect on those under age 40. That question was recently answered by a study published by the same team of researchers who conducted the study of older people.2 Nine subjects with an age range of 25 to 45 all received four grams of fish oil per day. The study found that the anabolic response to insulin and amino acids infusions was greater with fish oil supplementation. Specific factors involved in muscle protein synthesis increased by a whopping 50 percent after the subjects took fish oil.
—Jerry Brainum

Editor’s note: Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com.

References
1 Smith, G.I., et al. (2010). Dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increases the rate of muscle protein synthesis in older adults: A randomized, controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 93(2):402-32.
2 Smith, G., et al. (2011). Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids augment the muscle protein anabolic response to hyperaminoacidemia-hyperinsulinemia in healthy young and middle-aged men and women. Clin Sci. 121(6):267-78.]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2348 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:03:30 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2348 If any nutrient can be referred to as a “rising star,” it’s vitamin D.

December 19, 2011 by Jerry Brainum in Hormones, Latest, Nutrition, Nutrition Science, Vitamins & Minerals

If any nutrient can be referred to as a “rising star,” it’s vitamin D. In the past vitamin D was most associated with calcium uptake into the body. Its essential nature was first noticed in children who had rickets, a malformation of bone linked to disordered calcium metabolism. Scientists who observed the unfortunate children afflicted by rickets also noted that they weren’t exposed to sunlight very often. Eventually, scientists realized that ultraviolet light B emitted from the sun can react with cholesterol in the skin to form vitamin D. That’s why sunlight is the prime source of vitamin D; not many foods contain much of it.

Further studies revealed that D metabolism was more complicated than was initially believed. Vitamin D, whether from sun exposure or food sources, undergoes a process called hydroxylation in the liver, where it’s converted into 25-hydroxyvitamin D. The amount of 25-hydroxy D in the blood determines a person’s vitamin D sufficiency. After being converted in the liver, 25-hydroxy D is converted again, this time in the kidneys, into 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, which is the vitamin’s active form. What makes vitamin D unique among nutrients is that it’s actually a pro-hormone, since the 1,25 version is active in the body. More important, 1,25 acts more like a hormone. While early studies showed that most of the conversion of 25-hydroxy D to 1,25 D occurred in the kidneys, later research found the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion, 1-alpha hydroxylase, in tissues throughout the body.

The discovery of vitamin D receptors in multiple body tissues was what really changed the vitamin’s status. Those receptors are now known to regulate about 3 percent of the human genome, or, to put it another way, the activated form of vitamin D controls the activity of more than 1,000 human genes. That helps explain why vitamin D deficiency is linked to numerous diseases, including cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal disease and cardiovascular disease. Indeed, dozens of recent studies suggest that long-standing deficiency of vitamin D is closely associated with premature mortality. The vital importance of D can be seen in the fact that immune cells called T-cells, which protect against viruses and incipient tumors, need vitamin D to become fully activated. So it’s no surprise that insufficient D is linked to cancer.

Because activated D is a hormone—and a steroid at that, meaning it’s synthesized from a base of cholesterol—the question arises whether it interacts with other steroid hormones in the body, such as estrogen and testosterone. In animals that have had their vitamin D cell receptors knocked out, reproductive abnormalities appear. Researchers have identified seasonal variations in active D based on the amount of sunlight exposure.

And it’s not just animals. A study published last year measured vitamin D and testosterone in 2,229 men in Germany.1 Subjects who had more vitamin D also had more total testosterone, less sex-hormone-binding globulin, which binds testosterone in the blood, and more free, or unbound, testosterone. The men also showed a seasonal variation of testosterone—higher in summer and lower in late spring—which would reflect exposure to sunlight.

More recently, 54 healthy overweight men, aged 20 to 49, who were participating in a weight-loss program received either 3,332 units of D or a placebo each day for a year.2 At the start of the study the men were all low in vitamin D and testosterone. At the end of the year those who had taken the D supplement had significantly higher testosterone. Those in the placebo group experienced no changes, while the D group had notable increases in total, free and bioactive testosterone. That makes sense, since vitamin D cell receptors are found in the Leydig cells of the testes, where the body produces testosterone.

You’d think that athletes, with their focus on nutrition, would have no problems with vitamin D, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. In a study published last year, 98 athletes and dancers were tested for vitamin D status.3 The average age of the subjects was only 14 but ranged from 10 to 30, with 53 percent of them male. The measure of 25-hydroxy D averaged 25.3, below the minimal accepted norm of 30, and 73 percent of the subjects were vitamin D deficient. The highest prevalence of D occurred in the dancers (94 percent), basketball players (94 percent) and tae kwon do fighters (67 percent). Athletes who engaged in indoor sports showed the greatest D deficits, and they got worse during winter months, when sunlight was scarce.
Another study found that 77 percent of German gymnasts were below 35 on 25-hydrox D, and 37 percent were below 10. A study of French cyclists, who do most of their training outdoors, showed their D to be at 32 despite that fact. The optimal level for athletic activity is thought to be about 50. Back in 1938, Russian researchers found that four students who were exposed to ultraviolet radiation improved their speeds in the 100-meter dash over matched controls who weren’t exposed to the radiation. In 1944, German scientists irradiated 32 medical students twice a week for six weeks. Another group of students were not exposed to the radiation. Those who were exposed improved their stationary-cycling performance by 13 percent. Those in the control group didn’t.

A 1975 study found that vitamin D positively affected muscle protein synthesis. When D was given to rats deficient in it, they experienced improved muscle protein metabolism, along with an increase in muscle mass, a weight gain and a decrease in muscle breakdown. Muscle biopsy tests in humans confirmed the animal findings. Notably, selective improvement occurs in the type 2 muscle fibers, the ones most amenable to gains in size and strength. One study showed gains in muscle and strength even without exercise in humans deficient in D. Old women tripled their percentage of type 2 muscle fibers when given the vitamin. Other studies show an improvement in neuromuscular ability when D blood counts reach 40 to 50, with no further improvement at higher counts.

There is also a relationship between D and bodyfat. People with high bodyfat tend to sequester D in the fat, preventing its conversion into the active hormonal form. They would need to take more supplemental vitamin D to optimize it in their blood. They also have more activity of aromatase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen. Having more estrogen favors greater fat mass in the deep-lying, or visceral, abdominal area. That pattern is closely linked to insulin resistance, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and the metabolic syndrome. Having more visceral fat, in turn, means less activated D, so there is a relationship between elevated estrogen, depressed testosterone and low blood vitamin D. Some studies suggest that testosterone therapy may alleviate the depressed D scenario.

Some supplements currently sold as testosterone boosters contain vitamin D. That makes sense, since D is clearly involved in testosterone metabolism. The question is, How much D do you need to boost both health and testosterone output?

If you’re exposed to the sun for about 20 minutes, with exposure including most of your upper body, you’ll synthesize about 20,000 units of D. Those with darker skin need 10 times the exposure of those with lighter skin to get the same amount of D manufacture from the sun. Using a high-SPF sunblock will shut out nearly all the ultraviolet-B spectrum needed for D synthesis in the skin. Supplements are another option. Luckily, vitamin D supplements are inexpensive. The preferred form is cholecalciferol, or D3, which is retained longer in the body than the synthetic D2 version. The suggested starting amount is 2,000 units a day, but the best way to determine individual needs is to get a baseline blood test for 25-hydroxy D. You want to aim for a level of 40 to 50 a day.

Editor’s note: Jerry Brainum has been an exercise and nutrition researcher and journalist for more than 25 years. He’s worked with pro bodybuilders as well as many Olympic and professional athletes. To get his new e-book, Natural Anabolics—Nutrients, Compounds and Supplements That Can Accelerate Muscle Growth Without Drugs, visit JerryBrainum.com Home. IM

References
1 Wehr, E., et al. (2010). Association of vitamin D status with serum androgen levels. Clin Endocrinol. 73:243-248.
2 Pilz, S., et al. (2011). Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Horm Metabol Res. 43(3):223-5.
3 Constantini, N., et al. (2010). High prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in athletes and dancers. Clin J Sports Med. 20:368-71.]]> If any nutrient can be referred to as a “rising star,” it’s vitamin D.

December 19, 2011 by Jerry Brainum in Hormones, Latest, Nutrition, Nutrition Science, Vitamins & Minerals

If any nutrient can be referred to as a “rising star,” it’s vitamin D. In the past vitamin D was most associated with calcium uptake into the body. Its essential nature was first noticed in children who had rickets, a malformation of bone linked to disordered calcium metabolism. Scientists who observed the unfortunate children afflicted by rickets also noted that they weren’t exposed to sunlight very often. Eventually, scientists realized that ultraviolet light B emitted from the sun can react with cholesterol in the skin to form vitamin D. That’s why sunlight is the prime source of vitamin D; not many foods contain much of it.

Further studies revealed that D metabolism was more complicated than was initially believed. Vitamin D, whether from sun exposure or food sources, undergoes a process called hydroxylation in the liver, where it’s converted into 25-hydroxyvitamin D. The amount of 25-hydroxy D in the blood determines a person’s vitamin D sufficiency. After being converted in the liver, 25-hydroxy D is converted again, this time in the kidneys, into 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, which is the vitamin’s active form. What makes vitamin D unique among nutrients is that it’s actually a pro-hormone, since the 1,25 version is active in the body. More important, 1,25 acts more like a hormone. While early studies showed that most of the conversion of 25-hydroxy D to 1,25 D occurred in the kidneys, later research found the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion, 1-alpha hydroxylase, in tissues throughout the body.

The discovery of vitamin D receptors in multiple body tissues was what really changed the vitamin’s status. Those receptors are now known to regulate about 3 percent of the human genome, or, to put it another way, the activated form of vitamin D controls the activity of more than 1,000 human genes. That helps explain why vitamin D deficiency is linked to numerous diseases, including cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal disease and cardiovascular disease. Indeed, dozens of recent studies suggest that long-standing deficiency of vitamin D is closely associated with premature mortality. The vital importance of D can be seen in the fact that immune cells called T-cells, which protect against viruses and incipient tumors, need vitamin D to become fully activated. So it’s no surprise that insufficient D is linked to cancer.

Because activated D is a hormone—and a steroid at that, meaning it’s synthesized from a base of cholesterol—the question arises whether it interacts with other steroid hormones in the body, such as estrogen and testosterone. In animals that have had their vitamin D cell receptors knocked out, reproductive abnormalities appear. Researchers have identified seasonal variations in active D based on the amount of sunlight exposure.

And it’s not just animals. A study published last year measured vitamin D and testosterone in 2,229 men in Germany.1 Subjects who had more vitamin D also had more total testosterone, less sex-hormone-binding globulin, which binds testosterone in the blood, and more free, or unbound, testosterone. The men also showed a seasonal variation of testosterone—higher in summer and lower in late spring—which would reflect exposure to sunlight.

More recently, 54 healthy overweight men, aged 20 to 49, who were participating in a weight-loss program received either 3,332 units of D or a placebo each day for a year.2 At the start of the study the men were all low in vitamin D and testosterone. At the end of the year those who had taken the D supplement had significantly higher testosterone. Those in the placebo group experienced no changes, while the D group had notable increases in total, free and bioactive testosterone. That makes sense, since vitamin D cell receptors are found in the Leydig cells of the testes, where the body produces testosterone.

You’d think that athletes, with their focus on nutrition, would have no problems with vitamin D, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. In a study published last year, 98 athletes and dancers were tested for vitamin D status.3 The average age of the subjects was only 14 but ranged from 10 to 30, with 53 percent of them male. The measure of 25-hydroxy D averaged 25.3, below the minimal accepted norm of 30, and 73 percent of the subjects were vitamin D deficient. The highest prevalence of D occurred in the dancers (94 percent), basketball players (94 percent) and tae kwon do fighters (67 percent). Athletes who engaged in indoor sports showed the greatest D deficits, and they got worse during winter months, when sunlight was scarce.
Another study found that 77 percent of German gymnasts were below 35 on 25-hydrox D, and 37 percent were below 10. A study of French cyclists, who do most of their training outdoors, showed their D to be at 32 despite that fact. The optimal level for athletic activity is thought to be about 50. Back in 1938, Russian researchers found that four students who were exposed to ultraviolet radiation improved their speeds in the 100-meter dash over matched controls who weren’t exposed to the radiation. In 1944, German scientists irradiated 32 medical students twice a week for six weeks. Another group of students were not exposed to the radiation. Those who were exposed improved their stationary-cycling performance by 13 percent. Those in the control group didn’t.

A 1975 study found that vitamin D positively affected muscle protein synthesis. When D was given to rats deficient in it, they experienced improved muscle protein metabolism, along with an increase in muscle mass, a weight gain and a decrease in muscle breakdown. Muscle biopsy tests in humans confirmed the animal findings. Notably, selective improvement occurs in the type 2 muscle fibers, the ones most amenable to gains in size and strength. One study showed gains in muscle and strength even without exercise in humans deficient in D. Old women tripled their percentage of type 2 muscle fibers when given the vitamin. Other studies show an improvement in neuromuscular ability when D blood counts reach 40 to 50, with no further improvement at higher counts.

There is also a relationship between D and bodyfat. People with high bodyfat tend to sequester D in the fat, preventing its conversion into the active hormonal form. They would need to take more supplemental vitamin D to optimize it in their blood. They also have more activity of aromatase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen. Having more estrogen favors greater fat mass in the deep-lying, or visceral, abdominal area. That pattern is closely linked to insulin resistance, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and the metabolic syndrome. Having more visceral fat, in turn, means less activated D, so there is a relationship between elevated estrogen, depressed testosterone and low blood vitamin D. Some studies suggest that testosterone therapy may alleviate the depressed D scenario.

Some supplements currently sold as testosterone boosters contain vitamin D. That makes sense, since D is clearly involved in testosterone metabolism. The question is, How much D do you need to boost both health and testosterone output?

If you’re exposed to the sun for about 20 minutes, with exposure including most of your upper body, you’ll synthesize about 20,000 units of D. Those with darker skin need 10 times the exposure of those with lighter skin to get the same amount of D manufacture from the sun. Using a high-SPF sunblock will shut out nearly all the ultraviolet-B spectrum needed for D synthesis in the skin. Supplements are another option. Luckily, vitamin D supplements are inexpensive. The preferred form is cholecalciferol, or D3, which is retained longer in the body than the synthetic D2 version. The suggested starting amount is 2,000 units a day, but the best way to determine individual needs is to get a baseline blood test for 25-hydroxy D. You want to aim for a level of 40 to 50 a day.

Editor’s note: Jerry Brainum has been an exercise and nutrition researcher and journalist for more than 25 years. He’s worked with pro bodybuilders as well as many Olympic and professional athletes. To get his new e-book, Natural Anabolics—Nutrients, Compounds and Supplements That Can Accelerate Muscle Growth Without Drugs, visit JerryBrainum.com Home. IM

References
1 Wehr, E., et al. (2010). Association of vitamin D status with serum androgen levels. Clin Endocrinol. 73:243-248.
2 Pilz, S., et al. (2011). Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Horm Metabol Res. 43(3):223-5.
3 Constantini, N., et al. (2010). High prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in athletes and dancers. Clin J Sports Med. 20:368-71.]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2347 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:00:26 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2347 Glutathione is often called the master antioxidant.

December 23, 2011 by Becky Holman in Latest, Muscle Gain, Nutrition, Protein, Carbs, Fats, Quick Tips

Glutathione is often called the master antioxidant. In fact, according to the June ’11 Better Nutrition, it’s the most powerful antioxidant the body makes. It’s made up of three amino acids—cysteine, glutamine and glycine. Glutathione is found in every cell of the human body, including muscle tissue. The problem is that a poor diet and stress—like hard workouts—can deplete glutathione stores. It also becomes more scarce as you age.

Glutathione can help your body deal with toxins and pollutants, as it’s found in high concentrations in the lungs, liver, kidneys and digestive tract.
Let’s face it: The healthier you are, the easier it is to build and hold on to muscle mass—but there’s more to glutathione than a strong immune system. Emerging research shows that it can help you look younger. Scientists recently gave 60 subjects a drink with about 105 milligrams of glutathione or a placebo each day for four weeks. At the end of that month those getting the glutathione drink showed significant improvement in the severity of skin wrinkles and better blood flow, especially to the skin.]]> Glutathione is often called the master antioxidant.

December 23, 2011 by Becky Holman in Latest, Muscle Gain, Nutrition, Protein, Carbs, Fats, Quick Tips

Glutathione is often called the master antioxidant. In fact, according to the June ’11 Better Nutrition, it’s the most powerful antioxidant the body makes. It’s made up of three amino acids—cysteine, glutamine and glycine. Glutathione is found in every cell of the human body, including muscle tissue. The problem is that a poor diet and stress—like hard workouts—can deplete glutathione stores. It also becomes more scarce as you age.

Glutathione can help your body deal with toxins and pollutants, as it’s found in high concentrations in the lungs, liver, kidneys and digestive tract.
Let’s face it: The healthier you are, the easier it is to build and hold on to muscle mass—but there’s more to glutathione than a strong immune system. Emerging research shows that it can help you look younger. Scientists recently gave 60 subjects a drink with about 105 milligrams of glutathione or a placebo each day for four weeks. At the end of that month those getting the glutathione drink showed significant improvement in the severity of skin wrinkles and better blood flow, especially to the skin.]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2308 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:21:26 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2308
This fat will enhance strength and muscle growth

By Jordana Brown

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a healthy fat that's a derivative of the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid, which occurs naturally in the meat of cows and in dairy products. It is full of benefits, including anti-inflammatory actions, cancer-fighting functions and protection from heart disease, but the one FLEX readers will likely be most interested in is the ability of CLA to enhance muscle growth and strength while reducing the storage of bodyfat.

Good thing that as a growing bodybuilder you eat a lot of beef and guzzle gallons of milk, right? Actually, ample meat and dairy intake no longer necessarily equates to ample CLA intake, for two reasons. First, low-fat dairy products are low in CLA because CLA is among the fat removed from whole milk.

Second, current farming practices interfere with the way CLA is produced. CLA is metabolized by bacteria in cows' stomachs from the grass they eat. Because cows today are generally fed grain instead of grass, and even grass-fed ones are not allowed to graze outside for as long as they used to, CLA production has dropped dramatically. Many experts estimate a 75% reduction in CLA levels in meats and dairy products. So, the main way to ensure you're getting sufficient CLA is to supplement with it.

Many bodybuilders don't seem to supplement with CLA, perhaps because the majority of research on CLA has shown just modest reductions in bodyfat and small gains in muscle mass. Two recent studies should change that.

The first, performed at the University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), looked at the effects of CLA on muscle gain and fat loss during a weight-lifting program. Seventy-six subjects completed a seven-week program that consisted of lifting three times per week. Half of the subjects took five grams (g) of CLA per day; the other half received a placebo. The researchers reported in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise that the group supplementing with CLA increased their muscle mass by more than three pounds compared to less than half a pound for the placebo group. The CLA group also had greater strength gains in the bench press and lost about two pounds of bodyfat--without dieting. The placebo group, on the other hand, actually gained about one pound of fat.

So consider getting fat, in the form of CLA, to get lean and add quality muscle mass.]]>
This fat will enhance strength and muscle growth

By Jordana Brown

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a healthy fat that's a derivative of the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid, which occurs naturally in the meat of cows and in dairy products. It is full of benefits, including anti-inflammatory actions, cancer-fighting functions and protection from heart disease, but the one FLEX readers will likely be most interested in is the ability of CLA to enhance muscle growth and strength while reducing the storage of bodyfat.

Good thing that as a growing bodybuilder you eat a lot of beef and guzzle gallons of milk, right? Actually, ample meat and dairy intake no longer necessarily equates to ample CLA intake, for two reasons. First, low-fat dairy products are low in CLA because CLA is among the fat removed from whole milk.

Second, current farming practices interfere with the way CLA is produced. CLA is metabolized by bacteria in cows' stomachs from the grass they eat. Because cows today are generally fed grain instead of grass, and even grass-fed ones are not allowed to graze outside for as long as they used to, CLA production has dropped dramatically. Many experts estimate a 75% reduction in CLA levels in meats and dairy products. So, the main way to ensure you're getting sufficient CLA is to supplement with it.

Many bodybuilders don't seem to supplement with CLA, perhaps because the majority of research on CLA has shown just modest reductions in bodyfat and small gains in muscle mass. Two recent studies should change that.

The first, performed at the University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), looked at the effects of CLA on muscle gain and fat loss during a weight-lifting program. Seventy-six subjects completed a seven-week program that consisted of lifting three times per week. Half of the subjects took five grams (g) of CLA per day; the other half received a placebo. The researchers reported in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise that the group supplementing with CLA increased their muscle mass by more than three pounds compared to less than half a pound for the placebo group. The CLA group also had greater strength gains in the bench press and lost about two pounds of bodyfat--without dieting. The placebo group, on the other hand, actually gained about one pound of fat.

So consider getting fat, in the form of CLA, to get lean and add quality muscle mass.]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2307 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:18:21 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2307
Time your arginine/NO booster with a whey protein shake around workouts

Wondering what the most effective way to take arginine supplement is? Sounds like a conundrum worthy of Weider Publications' Senior Science Editor, Jim Stoppani.

Says Dr. Stoppani: FLEX recommends that you take a minimum of 3 grams to as much as 10 g of arginine before workouts. Arginine will increase levels of nitric oxide, which will enhance blood flow to muscles during a workout. This gives you more energy for training, as the greater blood flow delivers more oxygen and nutrients to muscles. It also enhances growth — greater blood flow delivers more anabolic hormones, such as growth hormone and testosterone, to muscles. In addition, greater blood flow to muscles boosts your pump.

Arginine also has been shown to raise GH levels. It takes about 30-45 minutes for arginine to be absorbed by your body and go into action, so you'll want to take it about 30-45 minutes before your workouts. And, yes, arginine tends to be better absorbed by the body when it is taken without other food. For scheduling around workouts, take an arginine/NO booster 45 minutes before gym time. Then, wait until you get to the gym to down your preworkout protein shake and carbs. This will give you the advantages of the arginine supplement and the protein/carb shake without them interfering with each other.]]>
Time your arginine/NO booster with a whey protein shake around workouts

Wondering what the most effective way to take arginine supplement is? Sounds like a conundrum worthy of Weider Publications' Senior Science Editor, Jim Stoppani.

Says Dr. Stoppani: FLEX recommends that you take a minimum of 3 grams to as much as 10 g of arginine before workouts. Arginine will increase levels of nitric oxide, which will enhance blood flow to muscles during a workout. This gives you more energy for training, as the greater blood flow delivers more oxygen and nutrients to muscles. It also enhances growth — greater blood flow delivers more anabolic hormones, such as growth hormone and testosterone, to muscles. In addition, greater blood flow to muscles boosts your pump.

Arginine also has been shown to raise GH levels. It takes about 30-45 minutes for arginine to be absorbed by your body and go into action, so you'll want to take it about 30-45 minutes before your workouts. And, yes, arginine tends to be better absorbed by the body when it is taken without other food. For scheduling around workouts, take an arginine/NO booster 45 minutes before gym time. Then, wait until you get to the gym to down your preworkout protein shake and carbs. This will give you the advantages of the arginine supplement and the protein/carb shake without them interfering with each other.]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2292 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:11:26 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2292
Mix whey, soy and casein for best muscle-building results

We here at FLEX recommend that in addition to whey you also use soy and casein protein around workouts. Soy, like whey, is fast digesting, which gets aminos to your muscles rapidly digesting. Plus, research shows it enhances muscle recovery better then whey due to its antioxidant components and its ability to boost nitric oxide levels.

Casein, on the other hand, is very slow digesting, which provides it the benefit of decreasing muscle breakdown. Today, we know that casein taken after workouts boosts protein synthesis, and research confirms that adding it to a post workout whey shake enhances muscle growth far beyond that capable without the added casein.

So go ahead and use this mixed protein power immediately after workouts for aiding muscle recovery and for boosting muscle growth. As always, go with about 40 grams of protein total, such as 20 grams of whey, 10 grams casein, and 10 grams of soy, along with 40-100 grams of fast-digesting carbs.]]>
Mix whey, soy and casein for best muscle-building results

We here at FLEX recommend that in addition to whey you also use soy and casein protein around workouts. Soy, like whey, is fast digesting, which gets aminos to your muscles rapidly digesting. Plus, research shows it enhances muscle recovery better then whey due to its antioxidant components and its ability to boost nitric oxide levels.

Casein, on the other hand, is very slow digesting, which provides it the benefit of decreasing muscle breakdown. Today, we know that casein taken after workouts boosts protein synthesis, and research confirms that adding it to a post workout whey shake enhances muscle growth far beyond that capable without the added casein.

So go ahead and use this mixed protein power immediately after workouts for aiding muscle recovery and for boosting muscle growth. As always, go with about 40 grams of protein total, such as 20 grams of whey, 10 grams casein, and 10 grams of soy, along with 40-100 grams of fast-digesting carbs.]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2287 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:03:46 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2287
By Jim Stoppani

We have advocated taking vitamin D for its host of benefits that include enhanced muscle strength, fat loss, bone health, immune function and mental health. Now new research from the Cooper Institute (Dallas, Texas) shows another reason you should be getting ample vitamin D - cardiovascular fitness. The researchers reported in a 2011 issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise that men with the highest blood levels of vitamin D had less bodyfat and greater cardiovascular fitness. So it seems that getting plenty of D can help keep you leaner and fitter, which not only is important for your physique but your heart health and overall well being. FLEX recommends getting in 2,000-5,000 international units of vitamin D per day, taken with meals.

2.000-5,000 IU OF VIAMIND FOR HEART HEALTH

REFERENCE: S.W. Ferrell, "Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Adiposity, and Serum 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D Levels in Men," Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 43(2):266-71, 2011.

--Jim Stoppani, PhD]]>
By Jim Stoppani

We have advocated taking vitamin D for its host of benefits that include enhanced muscle strength, fat loss, bone health, immune function and mental health. Now new research from the Cooper Institute (Dallas, Texas) shows another reason you should be getting ample vitamin D - cardiovascular fitness. The researchers reported in a 2011 issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise that men with the highest blood levels of vitamin D had less bodyfat and greater cardiovascular fitness. So it seems that getting plenty of D can help keep you leaner and fitter, which not only is important for your physique but your heart health and overall well being. FLEX recommends getting in 2,000-5,000 international units of vitamin D per day, taken with meals.

2.000-5,000 IU OF VIAMIND FOR HEART HEALTH

REFERENCE: S.W. Ferrell, "Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Adiposity, and Serum 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D Levels in Men," Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 43(2):266-71, 2011.

--Jim Stoppani, PhD]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2286 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:01:05 +0000 darksidefitness]]> https://hypermuscles.com/showthread.php?tid=2286 Training booster stack

WHEY, CAFFEINE AND CREATINE COMBO

Whey protein, creatine and caffeine before every workout are all supplements that, taken individually pretraining, have been proven in numerous studies to boost workout performance, including muscle strength, endurance and workout intensity. Also well known are the musclebuilding effects of whey and creatine. A recent study shows that these three supplements stacked together postworkout can boost your results.

THE STUDY Researchers from the University of Oklahoma (Norman) had subjects take either a whey, creatine and caffeine combo or a placebo before they ran on a treadmill for as fast as they could for as long as they could.

THE RESULTS They reported in a 2010 issue of the journal Nutrition Research that when the subjects drank the whey/ creatine/caffeine combo, they were able to run about 10% longer at their “all-out” pace. Since this was running at an all-out pace, which they could only maintain for a couple of minutes, this is more equivalent to weight lifting than it is to cardio. In other words, taking a combination of whey protein, creatine and caffeine before workouts can help you get more reps with a given weight. And that can lead to greater muscle growth.

THE DOSAGE As we regularly recommend, go with 20 grams of whey protein, 2-5 g of creatine and 200-400 milligrams of caffeine within 30 minutes before workouts.

— Jim Stoppani, PhD]]> Training booster stack

WHEY, CAFFEINE AND CREATINE COMBO

Whey protein, creatine and caffeine before every workout are all supplements that, taken individually pretraining, have been proven in numerous studies to boost workout performance, including muscle strength, endurance and workout intensity. Also well known are the musclebuilding effects of whey and creatine. A recent study shows that these three supplements stacked together postworkout can boost your results.

THE STUDY Researchers from the University of Oklahoma (Norman) had subjects take either a whey, creatine and caffeine combo or a placebo before they ran on a treadmill for as fast as they could for as long as they could.

THE RESULTS They reported in a 2010 issue of the journal Nutrition Research that when the subjects drank the whey/ creatine/caffeine combo, they were able to run about 10% longer at their “all-out” pace. Since this was running at an all-out pace, which they could only maintain for a couple of minutes, this is more equivalent to weight lifting than it is to cardio. In other words, taking a combination of whey protein, creatine and caffeine before workouts can help you get more reps with a given weight. And that can lead to greater muscle growth.

THE DOSAGE As we regularly recommend, go with 20 grams of whey protein, 2-5 g of creatine and 200-400 milligrams of caffeine within 30 minutes before workouts.

— Jim Stoppani, PhD]]>