OneLastRep.com

By: Darrell Miller

The new knowledge found by scientists connecting free radicals to a number of degenerative biologic functions, combined with the increase in the median age, has made interest in antioxidants skyrocket. Because the population wants to enjoy life as much as possible and are willing to fight the effects of aging from all angles, antioxidants are becoming the choice weapon to do this. Even though consumers are not always able to interpret the scientific jargon about antioxidants and how they work, they do have a feeling that they do work and are, in general, safe and an essential part of a proper diet.

Antioxidants are powerful compounds which are able to stop the rush of cellular damage that are caused by free-radicals. Oxidants can damage cells by starting chemical chain reactions, or even damaging DNA at the cellular level. Because DNA is the blueprint for our cells to reproduce, damage to it can cause serious problems. Thankfully, plants and animals have found a way to fight oxidative damage by manufacturing antioxidant compounds within the body. However, levels of these fighters decline along with age, causing ingestion of antioxidants more and more important.

The body creates glutathione peroxidase (GPx) as its own protective mechanism to target lipid hydroperoxide and hydrogen peroxide. By increasing fruit and vegetable intake, the production of GPx can be improved and supplemental selenium can also help this production as well. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is also created in the body to target free radicals and break it down into hydrogen peroxide and oxygen. With SOD supplementation, you can protect DNA from oxidative damage and increase the blood antioxidant activity and improve health.

Far beyond internal defenses, nature has also provided us with thousands of antioxidants. Included in these are: vitamin C, which acts as a foil for oxidative stress relative to cardiovascular disease; vitamin E, which is helpful for healthy immune and cardiovascular function along with preventing cholesterol fractions from oxidizing into more harmful forms; and coenzyme Q10, which facilitates the energy process and works as an antioxidant by picking up free radical molecules and rendering them harmless.

By controlling free radical production before the chain reaction of damage can occur, oxidative stress and the human diseases associated with it can be avoided. Consumers are encouraged to take a comprehensive multivitamin/mineral product that are loaded with vitamin A, C, D and other substances that act as an antioxidant and fight free radical damage.

Because the brain has high levels of lipids, it is especially susceptible to oxidation, causing damage to cells, tissues, and genetic material. Unchecked oxidation can contribute to the development of illnesses including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia. Several antioxidant compounds have been shown in studies to produce positive results including Carotenoids, vitamins A, C, and E, tocotrienol, alpha lipoic acid, melatonin, grape seed extract, and pomegranate.

The eyes let in UV light, which is a key contributor to oxidation, leaving the retina as an ideal environment for the generation of free radicals. Because of this, antioxidants serve a vital role in the eyes. Carotenoids are extremely important in the eyes, as lutein and Zeaxanthin are based in the macular pigment and supplementation of these can prevent retinal degeneration by protecting the eyes from damaging sunlight. Astaxanthin can also protect the eyes from lipid per oxidation. Some specific flavonoids that help protect the eyes against antioxidant damage include quercetin, EGCG (green tea), and bilberry.

Berries, especially cranberry and blueberry are extremely rich in antioxidant polyphenols. These, along with lycopene, are extremely useful to help prevent oxidative stress that can affect the heart. It is recommended by the American Health Association to consume a diet high in food sources of antioxidants and other heart-protecting nutrients including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. A combination of vitamin supplements and good diet can help one live a longer healthier life.

More information is available on antioxidant supplements is available at VitaNet ®, LLC Health Food Store. vitanetonline.com/

FitnessDude :: Apr.28.2008 :: Supplements, Nutrition :: No Comments »

By: Franchis

Creatine ethyl ester is a recently introduced performance enhancer in the domain of bodybuilding. The basic composition of the substance includes creatine ether and ester. The substance is a new rage among athletes and others who want to gain muscle fast. The stuff has been found to be effective in strength training and in improving the performance of athletes. Human bodies easily absorb it and is said to be at lest 40 times more functional than the other body supplements. It is transported to the body muscles quickly and effectively. The ester attached to it uses body fat easily and can permeate the cell walls providing maximum benefits to the muscles. It is taken in small doses and people of all ages can make use of it without any risk factor. It does not cause water retention in the body and is quite effective in maintaining the muscle concentrations and giving it a solid appearance.

People buy prohormones also. It is a kind of pro steroid used as a body supplement. This body supplement has been in use since 1998 and has raised many controversies. Pro steroids are available in the market with various brand names. Banned in 2005 by the federal government of America under the anabolic steroid act 2004, pro steroids promise significant improvement in the muscle gain by reducing extra fat. These are hormonal substances. They get converted in to active hormones through the enzymatic process. These active hormones are anabolic hormones that stimulate androgen to improve strength and size of the muscles. But anabolic hormones are not natural and produce side effects that are injurious to health.

Moreover as a body supplement they are not as effective as creatine is. In addition to it, pro steroids can be taken in limited quantity. Presently sale, distribution and possession of prohormone are punishable crimes. There is no official recommendation to buy pro hormones. So it is always better to gather further information before using pro steroids. Moreover it would be a blunder to consider creatine and pro steroids one and same. There are big differences between the two. Pro steroids are weak anabolic steroids and their effectiveness depends on the diet take during the course of the bodybuilding program. Moreover the pro steroids are much hyped bodybuilding supplements. So lack of knowledge makes people more vulnerable to it. Currently creatine is said to be the safest body supplement widely in use.

Read more on Creatine Ethyl Ester. Also you can buy prohormones and muscle building supplements for bodybuilding.

FitnessDude :: Apr.28.2008 :: Supplements, Nutrition :: No Comments »

In human beings, coenzyme Q10 is the most common occurring form of coenzyme Q, needed by and found in every cell in the body. Perhaps its primary function is to ensure the production of adequate energy within the cell mitochondria, but coenzyme Q10 is also a powerful anti-oxidant, and is particularly important because it is the only fat-soluble anti-oxidant which can be manufactured within the body. Like other fat-soluble anti-oxidants, such as vitamin E, coenxyme Q10 is vital for the protection of fatty structures within cells from the damage and degeneration which may be caused by oxidative reactions and free radical activity.

But the anti-oxidant role of coenzyme Q10 doesn’t end there. It’s also important in stimulating the anti-oxidant activity of vitamin E, and the two nutrients are together vital for preventing the oxidation of Low Density Lipids (LDLs), the blood fats better known as “bad cholesterol”, widely recognised as one of the key risk factors for heart disease, still the major cause of premature death in the Western world.

Blood levels of coenzyme Q10 are lower than those of the other vital anti-oxidants, vitamins C and E, but the nutrient is found in greater concentrations both in muscles and the major organs of the body; the liver, kidneys, brain and especially the heart. But the extent to which levels of coenzyme Q10 within this organ are correlated with disease remains a matter of dispute. Orthodox medicine is predictably cautious and maintains that more research is required before any definitive statement of coenzyme Q10’s benefits can be made.

Nutritional therapists, however, argue that patients with heart disease have consistently been shown to have substantially lower levels of coenzyme Q10 in their hearts than their healthy counterparts. It is also clear that supplementation with coenzyme Q10 has been effective in increasing tissue concentrations of the nutrients in such patients. Logically enough, conclude the nutritional practitioners, it follows that supplementation should improve outcomes for heart patients, and some reported research with daily doses of 100mg does indeed suggest significant benefits, particularly where problems seem to lie in the heart muscle itself.

It is particularly important to note that levels of coenzyme Q10 in the hearts of older individual are significantly lower than those of younger people, as the body’s production of the nutrient declines markedly from around the age of forty. Experiments on older rats have shown that supplementation with coenzyme Q10 can significantly increase concentrations, with improved heart protection in consequence, but conventional medicine still declines to accept the obvious analogy with regard to human health.

Likewise, there is controversy surrounding the potential benefits of the anti-oxidant activity of coenzyme Q10 in preventing atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, a major precursor of deadly heart disease. What is clear, however, is that coenzyme Q10 is effective in reducing the oxidation of dangerous LDL cholesterol, which is a known risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. It should perhaps be no surprise, therefore, that coenzyme Q10 supplements have been shown to retard the development of this condition in small animal experiments. But whilst admitting that these results are encouraging and exciting, orthodox medical opinion continues to insist that more research is necessary before a definitive statement of the benefits of coenzyme Q10 for human health can be made. To the interested layman, however, there seems little reason to suppose that the results of the animal experiments would not also be reflected in humans. And certainly this is the conclusion which many nutritional practitioners have reached; regularly recommending doses of anything up to 400 mg of coenzyme Q10 a day.

The case for supplementation with coenzyme Q10 for sufferers from atherosclerosis and other heart conditions has been strengthened by recent research showing that one of the side effects of the popular statin drugs commonly prescribed in these circumstances is to reduce blood levels of coenzyme Q10. Conventional medicine does not accept that this reduction will necessarily have adverse consequences, but if it is accepted that coenzyme Q10 has the benefits detailed above, the conclusion seems clear enough. This is not of course to suggest that statin drugs should not be taken, but that it may well be wise to supplement with coenzyme Q10 at the same time.

As noted above, the other major factor reducing concentrations of coenzyme Q10 in blood and tissue is simply the ageing of the organism itself, as the body’s ability to synthesize coenzyme Q10 declines dramatically in the later years of life. Given the importance of the nutrient as an anti-oxidant, this is of particular concern in the context of the onset of degenerative diseases. It seems that coenzyme Q10’s fundamental role in the production of energy may make it important as a fat burner, thereby helping in the battle against obesity and related conditions such as diabetes.

Nutritional practitioners even claim that the anti-oxidant and energy producing qualities of coenzyme Q10 make supplementation with the nutrient an important weapon in the fight against cancer, perhaps the ultimate degenerative disease.

But like all the body’s nutrients, coenzyme Q10 functions best in the presence of adequate amounts of all the others; and it is particularly important to ensure, through supplementation if necessary an abundant supply of the other vital anti-oxidants, vitamins C and E.

Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specializing in direct marketing and with a particular interest in health products. Find out more at http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/BenefitsOfCoenzymeQ10.htm

FitnessDude :: Feb.03.2008 :: Supplements, Nutrition, Health :: No Comments »

Pssst!

Have you heard?

There’s a hormone called HCG that causes you to lose tons of weight when you inject it. I know you’ve been looking to drop a few pounds so I’m gonna give you my source. Call this toll free number and talk to my guy about setting up an appointment. Sure, it’ll cost you a bundle, but what’s money compared to looking great?

You’re reading this article right now because you have been excited by the possibility of a quick weight loss treatment that supposedly makes those extra pounds melt away like magic.

The HCG protocol for weight loss is one of the hottest fads right now largely due to it being mentioned in a book by a dubious author named Kevin Trudeau. I call him dubious because he has several FTC violations, has served prison time for fraud and has many unhappy customers – just do a search for his name and you’ll see for yourself.

Anyway, Kevin wants you to believe that HCG is some kind of new treatment that has just been discovered to work miracles. In fact, HCG has been studied numerous times to see if it really does help people lose weight. These studies were done back in the 1970s, so this isn’t anything new.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) concluded that, “There was no statistically significant difference between those receiving HCG vs. placebo during any phase of this study.”

Other studies came to the same conclusion: that there is no scientific evidence to support the claims that HCG helps people to lose weight. However, since HCG is a hormone found naturally in the body, there are some doctors who still insist that it does work for weight loss.

In 1974, the U.S. FDA banned the use of HCG as a weight loss remedy, it is still allowed to be used as a fertility treatment. Therefore, if you live in the United States, you’ll find it difficult to get HCG shots for losing weight. There are supposedly a few clinics here in the U.S. that administer the shots for weight loss, but finding one will be time consuming. These clinics are few and far between and the shot regimen is expensive.

If you do choose to buy HCG from another country or black market source, please know that you are risking your health. I would recommend that you not take HCG on your own to lose weight, since you don’t know what kind of formulation you’ll be getting. You should only get the injections under a health professional’s care.

The side effects associated with HCG injections are:

* Abdominal discomfort
* Fatigue
* Headache
* Irritability
* Sore breasts
* Water Retention

If you were to ask me, I would say that you should absolutely not get HCG injections to help you lose weight. Messing around with hormones can have an adverse effect on your body, not to mention that there’s no real proof that you’ll lose weight any quicker than if you adjusted your eating and exercised more.

I think you’ll do much better by following a healthy eating plan, which includes adding some low-impact exercise to your daily routine. The thing to remember is that weight loss starts in your head. The best weight loss solution is one where you decide to make a permanent commitment to yourself to live your life healthier and happier.

Delicious Wuyi green tea is 100% natural and organic. The perfect tea for health and fitness. This pure, Chinese green tea is pre-brewed in individual packets, so all you have to do is mix it with water. Drink healthy and live happy. http://greenteaforweightloss.blogspot.com

FitnessDude :: Feb.02.2008 :: Supplements, Weightloss, Fitness :: No Comments »

By: David Monyer

20 Mass Gaining Tips for the Hard Gainer. If you are having a hard time gaining muscle mass or, if you just want to have a little more information on how to stay on track with continuing gains in your muscle mass, here are 20 tried and true bodybuilding tips. Learn these 20 tips and apply them to your bodybuilding program regularly.

1. Increase resistance regularly. Your muscles will grow in response to increased demand upon them. You must regularly increase your weight, reps, or intensity in order to increase your muscle mass.

2. Use Moderate Reps. Sets of 6 to 10 reps are best for bodybuilders. Sets of five or less reps tend to build more strength than muscle mass and sets greater than 10 reps tend to increase endurance in a muscle, rather than cause it to grow in size. (The exceptions to this rule are calves, abdominals, and forearms, which tend to respond best in rep ranges of 10 to 15).

3. Use Basic Exercises. Build your workouts around compound multi-joint movements such as squats, deadlifts, barbell rows, military presses, and bench presses (inclined, flat and decline).

4. Eat Protein Frequently. Each day you need to give your body 1 to 1.5 grams of high quality protein per pound of body weight. Divide this intake into five or six meals that are spaced no more than three hours apart. Try to get most of this protein from animal sources like beef, fish, dairy and high quality protein supplements.

5. Do Not Use Shortcuts. Avoid trying to speed up your progress by working out too much without sufficient rest, taking steroids, eating too many unnecessary calories and using weights that are too heavy. These methods will do more harm than good in the long run.

6. Evaluate Your Physique. Take a good look at yourself in a mirror and do an honest assessment of your weak points and strong points. Arrange your exercises to hit your lagging muscles first when you are strong, and hit your best body parts last. If your shoulders tend to be narrow, be sure to emphasize deltoid movements, especially lateral raises. If your hips tend to be wide, you may need to prioritize your lats to create the V- taper.

7. Get Enough Rest. You grow when you are resting, not when you are training. Be sure to give each muscle group at least four days rest between workouts in order to recuperate and grow. Be sure to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night for maximal muscle growth.

8. Create Intensity. Use more intense methods like forced reps, negative reps and drop sets on most of your exercises. This will all allow you to push your muscles past failure and trigger even more muscle growth.

9. Try New Equipment. You should base your bodybuilding program around compound free weight exercises as mentioned in Tip number 3, but don’t be afraid to experiment with some of the machines that are available in your gym. Some machines can stress your muscles in new and different ways which can stimulate new muscle growth.

10. Make Periodic Changes. Every month or two alter the order in which you do your exercises, or alter the exercises you do for a particular body part, or alter the number of sets and reps. Your muscles will become accustomed to the same workouts if they are repeated over and over again. Periodic changes will keep your muscles from adapting and therefore continue to stimulate new muscular growth.

11. Know Your Limits. Understand what your realistic potential is in the sport of bodybuilding. If you are unlikely to compete at a champion level, be realistic about how much money you spend on supplements, how much time you spend in the gym, and how much effort you put into your training. There is no sense in going broke, alienating your family, and risking injury f there is realistically no real possibility of ever making it to the pro level.

12. Supplement Your Diet. As a bodybuilder, you need much more protein and other nutrients than your average person. Be sure to supplement your diet with protein powder, creatine, multivitamins, glutamine, etc. in order to meet the additional demands on your muscles.

13. Prevent Injuries. One of the biggest potential roadblocks to your muscle building success is a training injury. A serious muscle tear or tending injury will not only halt your progress in the short term, but in some cases can limit your long term success as a bodybuilder. Always warm up and stretch before getting to your heavy sets. Start with a relatively light weight and pyramid up from there to your heaviest set. Be sure to use a spotter or power rack on your heaviest sets.

14. Limit Your Volume. Don’t do more than about 15 working sets for your larger body parts (quadriceps, back, chest) and no more than 12 working sets for smaller muscle groups (biceps, triceps, forearms, hamstrings, cabs and abdominals).

15. Train the Weakest Muscles First. Whenever possible, train your weakest body parts first, when you have more energy and strength. If certain muscle groups continually lag behind, increase the volume on those body parts, and possibly decreased the volume in your strongest body parts until your body reaches a better balance.

16. Train Your Entire Body. Do not neglect any body part. Be sure to train your forearms, legs, and lower back just as vigorously as you’re training chest and biceps.

17. Learn to Control Your Muscles. Practice flexing each muscle in your body. This will help to develop the mind-muscle connection that will enable you to apply more force in each repetition of your exercises.

18. Trust Your Instincts. After you have been training for about a year, you should have a good idea of which exercises and techniques work best for you. You should also have some idea about which time of day you feel the strongest. The more closely you monitor your body and the way you feel after a workout, the better you will be able to increase your intensity, and therefore increase your muscle mass.

19. Set Achievable Goals. You should always have a goal you are working towards. You should have some short-term goals such as adding 10 pounds to your bench press, adding a half-inch to your biceps, or losing and inch around your waist. Short-term goals should be achievable in a time frame of several weeks to a couple of months. In addition, you should have a few long-term goals such as gaining 10 pounds of muscle in one year, increasing your bench press to 300 pounds, or competing in your first bodybuilding contest. Goals are essential to keep you motivated and to give you a sense of accomplishment as you reach each one.

20. Keep A Positive Attitude. It has been said that your attitude determines your altitude. This is especially true when it comes to changing your body from an average one to a powerful and muscular one.

Muscular gains do not come easy, but if you keep a positive mental outlook, continually look forward to your next work out and apply these 20 tips, you will see great improvements to your physique in a short period of time.

David Monyer has been an avid bodybuilder for over 20 years and has written numerous articles on all aspects of the sport. For more information and sources for the best prices on supplements, visit: http://www.rocksolidbodybuilding.com

FitnessDude :: Nov.12.2007 :: Supplements, Nutrition, Fitness, Bodybuilding, Workout :: No Comments »

By: David Monyer

What is it?

Whey protein is one of the two types of protein found in cow’s milk. Milk is approximately 87% water and 13% milk solids. The milk solids are comprised of fat, lactose, protein and a small amount of other minerals. The protein portion of the milk solids is approximately 80% casein protein and 20% whey protein.

Whey protein is digested by the body much faster than casein and more closely resembles human milk, which makes it the most nutritious protein available.

Where does whey protein come from?

As mentioned above, whey protein comes from cow’s milk. To make whey protein supplements, the whey protein is separated from the fat and lactose, using one of several methods in order to create a powder of concentrated whey protein.

What is whey protein isolate?

Whey protein isolate is a more expensive form of whey protein. Whey protein isolate contains 90% or more protein and very little fat compared to whey protein concentrate, which could contain between 29% and 89% protein. The primary difference between whey isolate and concentrate is that whey protein isolate is made from a longer filtering process.

How is whey protein made?

Ion exchange is one method used to make whey protein. When the casein or curd and milk fat are separated from milk in order to make cheese, the remaining liquid whey goes through a series of filters to separate the whey protein from lactose and other ingredients. This concentrated liquid whey then enters an ion exchange vessel, which then uses electrical charges to purify the whey protein. The purified whey protein is then dried to remove moisture.

Why is whey protein so popular?

Whey protein is extremely popular among bodybuilders for several reasons. The biggest reason is because whey protein is the most complete, and most quickly digested protein available. It has the highest biological value and contains branched chain amino acids, which are critical in building muscle mass. The second reason why whey protein is so popular is because compared with other proteins, it is much less expensive.

Who can benefit from supplementing with whey protein?

Anyone involved in sports activities, especially bodybuilding, will benefit greatly from supplementing properly with whey protein. In addition to supplying the body with all the essential and nonessential amino acids, whey protein is especially rich in naturally occurring branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine). These particular amino acids are used directly by skeletal muscles, and therefore are in great demand during exercise or strenuous sports activities.

How much whey protein should I take?

Your daily intake of protein should be between 1 and 1.5 g of protein per pound of body weight. This means a 200 pound bodybuilder, should be consuming 200 to 300 g of protein each day. This amount should be divided up into at least 5 or 6 feedings. Two or more of your protein meals should be made up of seafood, beef, chicken, milk and other dairy products. The remaining feedings can consist of protein shakes made with whey protein. If your goal is in the middle of the range, and each feeding should consist of 40 to 50 g of protein.

The majority of whey powder supplements contain about 22 to 24 grams in a serving. Most whey protein supplements also come with a scoop that is equal to one serving, therefore, each shake should consist of two scoops of whey protein.

David Monyer has over 20 years of bodybuilding experience, making most of his muscle gains in his basement gym, and various clubs and gyms over the years. For more information and well researched sites to purchase equipment and supplements, visit http://www.RockSolidBodybuilding.com.

FitnessDude :: Oct.31.2007 :: Supplements, Nutrition, Bodybuilding :: No Comments »

By: aseya

Beauty is what most, if not all, people want to have. In fact, billions of dollars are spent every year just to attain the elusive dream of physical perfection. Surgical procedures have been designed to improve and alter the nose, chin, mouth, and even the entire face and body of a person who would be willing to spend for it. Of course, not everyone can afford these highly expensive medical procedures.

Manufacturers of beauty products offer a cheaper alternative through the various brands and concoctions they feed to a large market. Beauty soaps, astringents, lotions and a host of other beauty products are packaged and sold to an eager army of customers. These products all “promise” to make a woman’s skin more soft, smooth, and silky.

These products are not only limited to toiletries and tabletop skin cleansing preparations. It extends to a wide range of pharmaceutical items as well. Some of these pharmaceutical products include acne pills, growth pills, and slimming pills.

While it is true that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” — society has already set some standards on what constitutes beauty. People have differences in terms of what is beautiful in terms of skin, hair color, shape of the eyes, or the fullness of one’s lips. Still, most people agree on one thing: the shape of a woman’s body. For this reason, weight loss pills are among the most bought beauty products in the market.

Weight loss pills contain different chemicals and ingredients that either reduce a person’s appetite or prevent the absorption of fat in the body. For example, ephedra is still being used as an ingredient in some weight loss pills. Ephedra is a botanical product widely used to enhance alertness and as a weight loss aid. It is actually a low stalky shrub with jointed green to brown stems and tiny unnoticeable leaves. It is the source of ephedrine alkaloids and has a long history of medical use in China. Reported adverse effects led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban ephedra-containing products in the United States in 2004, although it can still be legally sold as tea. Despite the ban, many ephedra products are still being sold over the Internet. The main slimming effect ephedra is appetite reduction. Possible side effects of long-term ephedra use include high blood pressure, heart rate irregularities, sleeplessness, seizures, heart attacks, strokes, and even death. Other weight loss pills uses different kinds of chemical contents. Some dietary pills block the absorption of dietary fat, which is relatively safe, but can cause constipation, bloating and other stomach ailments. Other weight loss pills reduce body fat and build up muscles. These products are relatively safe.

Green tea extract is also used for slimming purposes. The extract increases calorie and fat metabolism and decreases appetite, although there is limited evidence to support the claim. However, long term use of green tea extract can cause vomiting, bloating, indigestion, and diarrhea.

With all these weight loss pills easily available on the market, one can easily think of a “dieter’s dream” where every single fat-burning product is within reach. Dietary supplements and weight loss aids are not subject to the same rigorous standards applied in the regulation of prescription drugs or medications sold over-the-counter. Thus, they can be marketed with limited proof of effectiveness and safety. Vendors can make health claims about products based on their own review and interpretation of the studies without the authorization of the FDA, however the FDA can pull a product off the market if its proven dangerous.

A persons scrutiny and curiosity would be their best protection. Reading labels and consulting doctors or pharmacists about the dietary supplement they are taking or considering taking is advised.

DrugstoreTM.com is a reputable online drug store. From sexual health to a woman’s health, sleeping aids to weight loss pills, our online pharmacy offers convenient customer access to various health medicines, including an array of health product and medicare prescription drug.

FitnessDude :: Sep.28.2007 :: Supplements, Health, Fitness :: No Comments »

By: JM Ferreira

If you’re old enough to remember, or lucky enough to have saved some bodybuilding magazines from the 80’s then you could see which muscle building supplements they were advertising then and which ones are still being advertised today. There’s a few that have carried on because they work. Truth is, so many products come and go because they’re fads and simply don’t do what they promised.

It’s easy to get your head spinning and wondering about all the ads in the mags and what people say about this new product and that. If you’re serious about bodybuilding but haven’t been at it for several years or you aren’t getting ready for a contest, then the best advice about muscle building supplements is “stick to the basics”.

There have been a few constant, proven supplements that have helped people speed up their muscle building process. Products that have not gone away and won’t because they are part of the basic building blocks of a complete bodybuilding program. Here they are:

1) Protein Supplements (Whey Protein, Meal Replacements, Protein Bars)
2) Creatine
3) Glutamine
4) Multivitamins & Minerals
5) Essencial Fatty Acids
6) Glucosamine

1) Whey Protein Since muscles require protein and lots of it for growth we give the NO.1 spot to protein. Of all the types of protein available whey protein is the beat you can put into your body. Why? Because it rates highest in “bio-availability” meaning the largest amounts will be absorbed into your body than any other type of protein.

Whey Protein has all of the essential amino acids and is high in the Branch Chain Amino Acids which will prevent your muscle tissue from breaking down during your workouts.

The two main types of whey protein you’ll find on the market are isolate and concentrate. Both are of the highest quality and the difference is isolate tends to mix better in liquid and some people say it tastes better. You can also buy products which are a mixture of both isolate and concentrate whey protein.

To make sure you get all your protein requirements every day, whey protein is the way to go.

Meal Replacements (MRP’s) Meal replacement powders have become very popular probably because of their convenience. Whereas whey protein has just one type of protein and no real amounts of carbs, fats, or vitamins and minerals, a MRP usually has several types of protein like casein, milk, egg, and whey combined along with carbs, vitamins and minerals so it really is more of a meal.

The good thing about MRP’s is the convenient packets and the more complete nutrient value but the the downside is they are more expensive than the pure protein products.

Protein Bars Protein bars can have their place. You can take them anywhere with you and just start chewing, no powders to mix or anything like that so convenience is really the key with bars. The downside is they are usually higher in sugar and are made with a lower quality protein found in the other products mentioned above..

2) Creatine This supplement is the most popular muscle building product used today, and for good reason… it really does work. It has been proven in the lab and in the gym.

Here’s what it does for you: 1) will increase your lean muscle and strength 2) will speed up your recovery time 3) decrease lactic acid production 4) decrease mental fatigue Recently, more studies have been made on creatine and there is great news about it’s benefits for not only muscle builders but for all around health. It has been shown to improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. It improves sarcopenia which is a loss of muscle mass due to aging, improves function of the brain, and improves cardiac function in those with congestive heart failure.

A truly modern supper supplement if ever there was one.

3) Glutamine Glutamine another of the basic and essential muscle building supplements. It’s noticeable effects won’t be as instant as creatine but rather help you get faster overall gains in the long term. It is one of the amino acids who’s major role is to make protein for your body. It promotes muscle growth while decreasing muscle catabolism, which is when your muscles get stressed and start to break down after being heavily stressed from a hard workout which will have a negative affect on the glutamine levels in your body. Providing sufficient amounts of glutamine will eliminate this muscle-robbing catabolic state.

Your body gets gluamine from protien-rich foods like diary, poultry, red meat, fish and beans but to get a lot of it you’d have to eat real large amounts of these foods so a supplement for additional glutamine is a good idea.

4) Multivitamins & Minerals In a perfect world, with a perfectly balanced diet you wouldn’t need to take a multivitamin & mineral pill but unfortunately most of us don’t eat perfectly balanced diets and if we did chances of our food being nutrient rich and organic are not too good.

There are thousands of reactions going on in our bodies which rely on enzymes. Vitamins ensure that enzymes are there in quality and quantity to make sure these chemical reactions happen efficiently in our bodies constantly.

So vitamins are important for overall health but for muscle building as well. Hard workouts will tax many vitamins in your body and therefore to keep the muscle building process happening in a positive way, supplementation is key.

5) Essential Fatty Acids A good portion of your diet needs to be fat. No, not the kind that comes from greasy fries or doughnuts but the good, natural fat we can get from peanuts, avocados, cold water fish like salmon, olive oil and flax seed oil.

Fatty acids will improve your metabolism, increase your testosterone production and your growth hormone secretion therefore playing an important role in building muscle.

6) Glucosamine When glutamine joins forces with glucose, they form a sulfate called glucosamine. Most simple carbohydrates are used as an energy source but glucosamine gets right into the structure of your body tissues.

The sulfate chondroitin can also help to prevent injuries by getting around your joint surfaces and giving a smooth range of motion. This works well with glucosamine and some companies have created products using both.

Not only does it help in reducing joint inflammation and pain, it actually treats the problem by rebuilding damaged cartilage and connective tissue.

There you have it, the top 6 best muscle building supplements you can use to round out your work out program to get the maximum amount of gains. Remember, these supplements won’t work unless you do! Most of your gains will come from hard work and a good diet. Used as part of a good training program you will see results a lot faster with the proper supplements.

For all the Best Muscle Building Supplements visit http://Supplements-Direct.com and sign up for the FREE newsletter to receive the must have e-book “8 Things You Must Do To Build Maximum Muscle”

FitnessDude :: Sep.27.2007 :: Supplements, Nutrition, Bodybuilding :: No Comments »