Nutrition

Oct 28, 2019 Gigas Editorial approx. 13 min

The 7 best pre-workout supplements

Many people find it difficult to become or remain active. A lack of energy is a common reason for this. To get that extra boost of energy for their workout, many people use a pre-workout supplement. There is a huge variety of different pre-workout products on the market today, all containing a variety of different ingredients. The variety of products and ingredients can be confusing even for experienced exercisers.

This article will look at the most important and widely used ingredients in pre-workout products and help you understand what to expect from which ingredients and which ingredients are best suited to your individual needs.

It depends on the type of training you do

When considering the use of a pre-workout product, it's important to think about your goals and the type of training you want to do.

Typically, individual ingredients found in pre-workout products will only improve certain aspects of training performance. Some ingredients might increase strength or speed, while others might increase your endurance.

Each of the ingredients described below targets a specific type of workout. Knowing which ingredients are best for certain types of training will help you find the pre-workout supplement that is best for you.

Here are 7 of the most important ingredients to look for in pre-workout supplements.

1. creatine

Creatine is a molecule that is found in your cells. In addition to this, it is also a very popular supplement. Most scientists consider creatine to be the number one supplement for increasing strength and speed (1). Scientific research has shown that creatine can increase muscle mass, strength and training performance in a safe and harmless way (1, 2, 3).

Studies report that strength gains from weight training are 5 to 10% higher than average when creatine is taken as a supplement (2, 3, 4). This is probably due to the fact that creatine is an important part of the system responsible for energy production in the cell (5).

When your muscles have more energy during exercise, you can perform better and see greater improvements over time.

If you want to increase your muscle strength, creatine is probably the first supplement you should consider using. The recommended dosage starts with a so-called loading phase, during which 20 grams of creatine are taken in several smaller doses throughout the day. After this loading phase, which usually lasts 5 days, the typical maintenance dose is 3 to 5 grams per day (6).

2. caffeine

Caffeine is a natural molecule found in coffee, tea and other foods and beverages. Caffeine stimulates certain areas of the brain to increase alertness and make you more awake (7). It is also a very popular ingredient in pre-workout supplements.

Caffeine can improve several aspects of exercise performance. It can increase power release and the ability to develop strength quickly. This applies to different types of training including sprinting, weight training and cycling (8, 9, 10).

Studies have also shown that caffeine can enhance performance during long-duration endurance events such as long-distance running, as well as intermittent effort activities such as soccer (10).

Based on many studies, the recommended dose of caffeine for performance enhancement is 3 to 6 mg per kilogram of body weight (10). For a person weighing 68 kilograms, this would be around 200 to 400 mg of caffeine.

Caffeine is considered safe and harmless at these doses and the suspected toxic dose is much higher at around 20 to 40 mg per kilogram of body weight (11). However, doses as low as 9 mg per kilogram of body weight can cause side effects such as sweating, trembling, dizziness and vomiting (10).

Caffeine can cause a brief increase in blood pressure and may promote restlessness, but does not typically cause an irregular heartbeat, also known as arrhythmia (10, 12).

People react differently to varying amounts of caffeine, so it's best to start with a low dose and see how you respond to that dose. In addition to this, it is best to limit caffeine consumption to the earlier part of the day to prevent sleep disturbances.

3. beta-alanine

Beta-alanine is an amino acid that helps to delay muscle fatigue. When acids begin to build up in the body during exercise, beta-alanine helps to combat muscle acidosis (13).

Taking beta-alanine increases the concentration of this amino acid and the natural acid buffer carnosine in the body and can increase training performance. This supplement can specifically help to boost performance during intense efforts lasting from one to four minutes (14). However, it is probably not as effective when it comes to boosting performance during efforts lasting less than one minute.

Some research shows that beta-alanine can be effective in long-term endurance training, but the effects are less than for efforts lasting one to four minutes (13, 14).

The recommended dosage for increasing training performance is 4 to 6 grams, whereby daily intake is also recommended on non-training days (13).

Based on the available scientific studies, this dosage is safe and harmless. The only known side effect is a tingling sensation under the skin after taking higher doses.

4. citrulline

Citrulline is an amino acid that is naturally produced in the body. However, consuming citrulline in the form of food or supplements can also increase citrulline levels in the body. These increased levels can have positive effects on training performance.

One of the effects of citrulline is to increase blood flow to the various tissues of the body (15). In the context of training, this can help provide your exercising muscles with the oxygen and nutrients they need to function well.

One study showed that cyclists were able to cycle around 12% longer before fatigue occurred when taking citrulline compared to the placebo group (16). Another study investigated the effects of citrulline on exercise performance during upper body training with weights. The study participants performed about 53% more repetitions after taking citrulline than members of the placebo group (17). Taking citrulline also significantly reduced muscle soreness on the days after training.

There are two main forms of citrulline supplements and the recommended dosage depends on the citrulline form you are using. Most endurance studies have used L-citrulline, while most weight training studies have used citrulline malate. One dosage recommendation is 6 grams of L-citrulline or 8 grams of citrulline malate (16, 17).

Citrulline supplements appear to be safe and harmless and have no significant side effects even at doses of 15 grams.

5 Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)

Many people are surprised when they hear that this common household product can also be used as a sports supplement. Bicarbonate of soda acts as a buffer, which means that it can help prevent the accumulation of acids in the body.

In the context of exercise, baking soda can help reduce fatigue during exercise, which is characterized by the characteristic burning sensation in the muscles. This muscle burning is an indicator that acid production is increased due to the intensity of the workout.

Many studies have shown that sodium bicarbonate may provide benefits during intense efforts such as running, cycling and repeated sprints (19, 20, 21). There is limited data on the effects during prolonged activity, but one study found that sodium bicarbonate was able to increase power release during a 60-minute cycle ergometer performance test (22).

However, the primary benefits of this supplement are likely to be focused on intense activities characterized by muscle burning.

The optimal dosage for increasing exercise performance is about 300 mg per kilogram of body weight (23). For a 68 kilogram person, this would be about 20 grams.

Sodium bicarbonate is available in health food stores and as a sports supplement. A common side effect is stomach problems after taking it. You can prevent these side effects by taking it more slowly or dividing the total dose into several individual doses.

If you need to control or reduce your salt or sodium intake, you should discuss the use of baking soda with your doctor. The recommended dosage provides a substantial amount of sodium, so it may not be a good idea for people who need to reduce their sodium intake.

6 BCAAs

The branched-chain amino acids - BCAAs for short - comprise the three amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. These amino acids are found in large quantities in many protein-containing products - especially animal products.

Although BCAAs are commonly consumed for their purported muscle-building effects, they are less effective in this regard than whole proteins (24, 25). The high quality protein found in dairy products, eggs and meat usually already provides sufficient amounts of BCAAs to support muscle building and it also contains all the other amino acids your body needs.

However, taking a BCAA supplement still has a number of potential benefits. Some research has shown that BCAA supplements can increase endurance performance in sports such as racing (26, 27). One study conducted on marathon runners reported that the benefits were greater in slower runners than in faster runners (26).

Other studies have shown that BCAA supplements may reduce mental and physical fatigue (27, 28). In addition, some studies show that these supplements can reduce muscle soreness after running and weight training (29, 30).

Despite all these positive study results, the overall study situation on the benefits of BCAA supplements is mixed. Due to the possibility that these supplements may improve endurance performance and reduce fatigue, BCAAs may be a useful part of pre-workout supplementation for some individuals.

Dosages of BCAAs range from 5 to 20 grams. The ratio of leucine to isoleucine to valine varies depending on the product, but a 2:1:1 ratio is common.

Many people consume BCAAs daily through natural foods, which is why BCAA supplements in typical dosages are generally considered safe and harmless.

7 Nitrate

Nitrate is a molecule found in vegetables such as spinach, beets and beet (31). Small amounts are also produced naturally by the body.

Nitrate may be useful for enhancing exercise performance as it can be converted in the body into a molecule called nitric oxide, which can increase blood flow (32).

Nitrate consumed as a sports supplement often comes from beetroot or beet juice. Nitrate may also enhance exercise performance by reducing the amount of oxygen needed during exercise (33, 34).

Studies have shown that beet juice can increase the time to exhaustion in runners during a 5 km run and also increase speed (33, 35). There is also some evidence that nitrate can reduce perceived exertion during running (35). So all in all, it may make sense to consider this supplement if you are doing endurance activities such as running or cycling.

The optimal dosage is probably 6 to 13 mg of nitrate per kilogram of body weight, which would be about 400 to 900 mg for a 68-kilogram person (36).

Scientists believe that nitrates from vegetables such as beet are safe and harmless (37). However, more research is needed to determine the safety of long-term nitrate use.

Should you buy ready-made pre-workout supplements or make your own pre-workout supplement?

If you want to use pre-workout supplements, you can either buy a ready-made product or make your own from individual ingredients. Here are the pros and cons of both approaches.

Ready-made pre-workout products

If you want to buy a ready-made pre-workout supplement, you will find a huge range of products from a variety of suppliers. It should be noted that products with the same ingredients from different manufacturers may contain different amounts of the individual ingredients.

These dosages are not always broken down exactly and are often not based on scientific studies. In addition, many individual ingredients and combinations of ingredients are not supported by scientific research.

This does not mean that you should never buy a ready-made pre-workout product, just that you should look carefully at the ingredients and dosages on the label. Some products also contain proprietary blends that disguise the dosages of the ingredients. This means that you don't know exactly what you are actually ingesting, so it is best to avoid such products.

You can also check whether a supplement has been tested by an independent laboratory. If this is the case, the product will usually have the logo of this organization on the label.

Making your own pre-workout supplement

Another option is to make your own supplement. Although this may seem cumbersome at first, you can ensure that you only consume the ingredients you need for your needs and goals.

To create your own pre-workout supplement, simply buy the individual ingredients you need. As a starting point, you can begin with the ingredients described in this article and select the ingredients that suit your type of training.

If you make up your own product, you can also experiment with different dosages of each ingredient to find out what works best for you.

It is quite easy to find the ingredients described in this article on the internet. If you buy larger quantities of these, you could even save some money in the long run. If the idea of making up your own product doesn't appeal to you, then you should take a close look at the labels of the products on your shortlist and compare the ingredients and dosages with the science-based information in this article.

The bottom line

Even though the individual ingredients of pre-workout supplements have been extensively scientifically studied, most of the pre-made combinations available on the market have not yet been scientifically evaluated. However, based on the information in this article, you now know some of the main ingredients to look for.

When it comes to longer duration endurance activities, you may be able to boost your performance through the use of caffeine, nitrate and BCAAs.

When it comes to shorter duration, intense efforts that result in muscle burning, beta-alanine, sodium bicarbonate, caffeine and citrulline may be helpful.

To perform at your best during strength and speed training such as training with weights, you can try creatine, caffeine and citrulline.

Of course, for some types of training and certain sports, a combination of the above can be useful. In these cases, it makes sense to experiment with ingredients from different categories to find out what works best for you.

You can either choose to create your own pre-workout supplement using some of the ingredients in this article or buy a ready-made combination product.

Whichever you choose, knowing which ingredients are best for which types of training will give you a good starting point to perform at your best.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-pre-workout-supplements#section2

Oct 18, 2019 Gigas Editorial approx. 12 min

Tips of the week men's diet

Most diet books and weight loss programs are designed with a specific group of people in mind. Most popular weight loss plans advertised on TV and the internet are designed with a specific target audience in mind: sedentary women.

Are you a middle-class housewife with 2.3 children in your thirties or forties and your idea of exercise is going for a walk around the block with your girlfriends? No? Then why are you dieting like a housewife from a yogurt commercial?

Think muscle - not weight on the scales

Diets for the average person are designed to achieve the average person's goal: a lower weight on the scales. Even men give in to this obsession with body weight and forget about things like body composition and catabolism.

"Hey, I've lost 10 pounds!" Yes, you've lost 5 pounds of fat, 3 pounds of muscle and 2 pounds of water. Congratulations, you're skinnier, weaker, produce less testosterone and your metabolic rate is now even more modest than before. You just changed your sex without having to inject estrogen or cut off certain parts of your body. Well done with the weight loss. Now go and watch Sex in the City.

Unless you're extremely obese and simply dieting to avoid dying within a year, your diet goals probably exceed what a fad diet has to offer. You want less fat, but you also want more muscle, more strength and increased athletic ability. The diet plan your mom uses or the one you'll find in the latest bestselling diet book can't give you any of that.

Choose a better plan

If you need to follow a diet plan to get back on track, make sure it's designed with your target audience in mind: an exerciser who cares more about looking good and performing well than looking at the numbers on the scale.

Make sure this diet plan takes into account that you want to build muscle and be strong. A little hint: such a plan will probably not be advertised by any D-list celebrities and will not have a name like "Cabbage Detox: tone your belly in two days". If in doubt, you'll find plenty of better diet plans on our site.

Tip: Increase your training intensity in two ways

Put on your gym face. Add these two intensity techniques to your program.

By Paul Carter

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-increase-your-training-intensity-two-ways

Some guy: "I saw you working out at the gym yesterday. I wanted to say hi, but you looked pissed."

Me: "I wasn't pissed off. I was working out."

You're at the gym to work out - not to socialize. Training requires a high level of concentration. Your gym face should reflect your training attitude. Don't put your gym face on at the disco and don't put your party face on at the gym.

I see a lot of people in the gym putting on their party face, socializing and having a great time there. And if that's the reason you're going to the gym, then that's totally fine as long as you're not in the way of others. Not everyone wants to build as much muscle mass as possible or get as strong as possible.

However, if you want to make maximum progress, then you need to train accordingly and take your time in the gym seriously. People often lose focus because they have very mundane training plans that don't require much concentration. In other words, there's no reason to focus or put on your gym face because your workout doesn't require it. Or maybe you're just really bad at working out.

Once upon a time, training with high repetitions was one of the most important foundations for leg training. 20 reps for squats, 50 reps for leg presses. You know, the hard stuff. These guys were using intensity techniques like descending sets, rest-pause, and all other kinds of methods that stretched the set out as much as possible and generated a ton of metabolic stress. They didn't even know what metabolic stress was. All they knew was that if they trained really, really hard, they grew.

Today, you'll see sayings all over the internet like "anything over three reps is cardio." However, the reality is that even the hardest three-rep max set can't compete with a set of high repetition squats to absolute muscle failure. It's not that a set with the 3RM weight isn't hard, but these two variations are simply not comparable. There comes a point in your training life where, if you want to progress, you have to work your ass off.

Two intensity-boosting training techniques

Add one of these intensity techniques, which force you to set personal goals for each training session, to your training:

50% sets

The working set of this technique provides you with a "built-in" goal. Perform this set after your warm-up until absolute muscle failure. Pause for 60 seconds and perform a second set, trying to complete at least half the repetitions you did on the first set. So if you did 10 to 12 reps with 150 kilos on the first set, then you need to aim for at least 5 to 6 reps on the second set. This works well with push and pull exercises.

Target-focused rest-pause sets

Perform one set, pause for 30 seconds, perform a second set, pause for 30 seconds and then perform a final set. If you did 15 repetitions with 50 kilos on your first set, 9 repetitions on the second set and 5 repetitions on the last set, that's 20 repetitions. The goal for the next week is to hit 20 total reps.

At some point you will need to increase the weight on the bar or do more reps with the same weight. This does not mean that you should sacrifice form of execution or quality of exercise execution. It simply means that progressive overload should be the cornerstone of your training ideology - which is especially true for the lean and weak.

Tip: Be willing to train around injuries

Think of injuries as bumps in the road to success, not dead ends. Here's how one of the strongest men in the world deals with setbacks.

by Matt Kroc

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-be-willing-to-train-around-injuries

The stronger you get and the heavier the weights you use, the higher your risk of injury becomes. The guys at the top accept this as part of the process. Success is not dependent on avoiding injury. It depends on how you deal with injuries. The risk of injury increases proportionally with the amount of weight you move. This is because your muscles have a greater potential for growth and adaptation than your ligaments, tendons and joints. Handling heavier weights requires better technique. You may get away with horribly poor form when performing squats or deadlifts with light weights, but with heavier weights the risk of injury will increase.

Often, the ability to continue training successfully after an injury is what determines who reaches the top and who falls by the wayside. Think of injuries as bumps in the road to success, not dead ends.

There is a powerlifter who tore both patellar tendons and was told by doctors that his squat days were over and that he would be lucky if he could run normally again. This man made a comeback with a squat weight of over 500 kilos. He performed heavier squats after his comeback than ever before and broke the 450 kilo barrier.

Dealing successfully with injuries is more of a mental issue than a physical one. Never doubt your own ability to come back stronger than before. It is never a question of whether you can make a comeback after an injury, only how long it will take. The fact that you will recover must be a foregone conclusion.

In 2008, I tore my right quadriceps while doing 10 reps of squats at 260 kilos without bandages. It sounded like a pair of jeans being ripped apart.

Matt Kroc, quadriceps tear

I couldn't even walk at first and people on the internet were talking about my powerlifting career being over.

Never doubt your ability to make a comeback. These comments only fueled me to come back better than ever. I started with bodyweight squats using a countertop to support myself. At first, my arms did more work than my legs. But soon I was able to do squats without the support of my arms and after a few weeks I was back in the gym.

I started with an empty bar and worked my way up week by week. The quadriceps tear happened in January of 2008 and at the UPA Pro AM in July of that year I set a new personal best of 1014 pounds.

Tip: Use continuous tension for muscle gains

Bodybuilders have been doing it for decades and now science has confirmed it. Here's a description of how you can use this method for new gains

By Bret Contreras, Brad Schoenfeld, PhD

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-use-continuous-tension-for-muscle-gains

Muscles respond in desirable ways when they are placed under continuous tension without resting during repetition. Maintaining continuous tension can be achieved in several ways:

By avoiding rest pauses at the highest or lowest point of the movement.
By avoiding the upper range of motion in certain exercises.
By minimizing momentum - excessive momentum can cause a significant deceleration phase at the highest point of the movement, which is characterized by reduced muscle activity.

Scientific research supports the fact that training with continuous tension can provide a potent stimulus for muscle hypertrophy - even when relatively light weights are used (Tanimoto et al., 2008). The true benefits probably have less to do with reduced momentum and more to do with acute restriction of blood flow to the working muscles.

Repetitive muscle contractions cause compression of blood vessels, impairing both the inflow and outflow of blood during exercise, resulting in a hypoxic intramuscular environment. There is evidence that this hypoxic effect mediates a hypertrophy response, possibly related to an accumulation of metabolic products and a reduction in pH associated with such exercise.

These factors are believed to combine to increase muscle growth via a variety of mechanisms, including increased muscle fiber recruitment, acute increases in anabolic hormone levels, changes in myokines, production of reactive oxygen species, and/or cell swelling (the pump).

When should you use continuous tension

When performing heavy multi-joint exercises such as squats, deadlifts and bench presses, focus on using heavy weights, good exercise execution form and setting personal bests. Pause at the highest and lowest points of the movement when needed, use increased momentum to your advantage when appropriate and make sure you perform the exercise through the full range of motion.

For more targeted exercises, however, you can use continuous tension. Think of a piston that moves up and down continuously without built-in rest pauses - this is what your repetitions should look like.

For many exercises, the use of partial repetitions goes well with continuous tension, as some exercises lead to a complete drop in joint torque and muscle activation in the target region. At the highest point of flying movements, for example, there is no longer adequate tension on the target muscles. For this reason, partial repetitions where the weight is only moved over the lower two thirds of the range of motion could be ideal for this exercise. This allows you to maintain continuous tension in these muscles.

When performing exercises such as flying movements, pullovers, hip thrusts and certain variations of curls and tricep presses, focus on maintaining continuous tension in the target muscle. Don't rely on momentum, don't be afraid to limit the range of motion and simply contract your muscles against the resistance.

Tip: Perform hanging fly movements for bigger pecs

Put the barbell down for a while and build your chest using the perfect mechanical position.

By Eric Weinbrenner

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-suspended-flyes-for-bigger-pecs

Exercises performed in a hanging position feel completely different from anything you'll ever do with dumbbells or barbells. There is more range of motion, so instead of holding your arms in a fixed position like when using a barbell, you have the ability to move your arms inward (which is the primary function of the pecs), putting your body in a better mechanical position for maximum pec recruitment.

Dumbbells and cables also allow a similar range of motion, but the fear of falling on your face during hanging flying movements generates significantly more tension in your muscles. Try this exercise with the TRX, gymnastic rings or blast straps:

Hanging flying movements

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4UbSxdRUrE

Set up the equipment so that the handles are approximately at waist height. The lower the handles are, the harder the exercise will be.
Assume a standing push-up position with your hands on the rings or handles and your feet on the floor. Your arms should be stretched and your hands should be under your chest.
Tighten your gluteus and abdominal muscles. This is almost like doing planks in mid-air.
Lower your body over a period of 1 to 2 seconds, allowing your arms to move out to the side. Concentrate on building tension in the chest and not in the shoulder joints.
Pause for a second at the lowest point of the movement.
Push your body back up and repeat the movement, maintaining tension in your chest the entire time.

Most exercisers will be lucky if they can do a few reps without falling, which makes it more likely that the focus will remain on proper form of execution and maximizing muscle contraction - and less on trying to figure out how much weight you can move.

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/tip-guys-stop-using-mommy-diets

By Chris Shugart

Oct 14, 2019 Gigas Editorial approx. 10 min

The best 8 natural diuretics that can help you get rid of excess water retention

Diuretics are substances that increase the amount of urine you produce and can help you to eliminate excess water from the body. This excess water is also known as water retention. Water retention can contribute to a spongy, puffy appearance and result in swollen legs, ankles, hands and feet.

In addition to its potentially unhealthy properties, which include potentially promoting an increase in blood pressure, water retention can make you look fatter and less athletic than you really are.

Much of this unwanted water retention is located in the tissue under the skin and is therefore also known as subcutaneous water retention. This water retention, which lies like a thick, bulky sponge over your muscles, prevents your muscles from showing through the skin and can make even people with a relatively low body fat percentage look soft and spongy.

Reducing excess water retention can therefore significantly improve your muscle definition and hardness, provided you have a sufficiently low body fat percentage.

There are a number of different factors that can cause water retention, including conditions such as kidney disease or heart failure. In most cases, however, mild water retention is due to common things like hormonal changes, the female menstrual cycle, prolonged physical inactivity or dietary factors.

If you are suffering from water retention due to illness or if you experience sudden and/or severe water retention, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible. However, in cases of mild water retention without underlying serious health problems, there are some foods and supplements that can help you get rid of unwanted water retention.

Here are the top 8 natural diuretics and a look at the science behind them.

1. coffee

Coffee is a very popular beverage that is associated with a number of impressive health benefits. However, coffee is also a natural diuretic, primarily due to the caffeine it contains (1).

High doses of caffeine in the range of 250 to 300 mg (equivalent to about three to four cups of coffee) are known for their diuretic (dehydrating) effects (2). This means that consuming several cups of coffee will increase urine production. However, a standard serving - or one cup - will not contain enough caffeine to have this effect.

In addition to this, people who drink coffee regularly often develop a certain tolerance to the diuretic properties of caffeine, which means that they experience little or no diuretic effect (2, 3).

Summary: Drinking a few cups of coffee can act as a natural diuretic and help you lose some water weight in the short term. However, it is possible to build up a tolerance to the diuretic effects of caffeine and therefore no longer experience a diuretic effect.

2. dandelion extract

Dandelion extract, also known as Taraxacum officinale, is a popular herbal supplement that is often used for its diuretic effects (4, 5).

Dandelion extract is believed to be an effective diuretic due to the high potassium content of the dandelion plant (6). Eating potassium-rich foods signals the kidneys that they should excrete more sodium and water (7).

This can be a good thing, as the Western diet is generally very high in sodium and low in potassium, which can lead to water retention (8). In theory, the high potassium content of dandelion means that this supplement could help to eliminate excessive water retention caused by a high sodium intake.

However, the actual potassium content of dandelion can vary, which could therefore also apply to its diuretic effect (6). Animal studies investigating the diuretic effects of dandelion have produced mixed results (4).

There are only a few studies that have investigated these effects in humans. One small human study found that taking a dandelion supplement increased the amount of urine produced during the first 5 hours after taking the supplement (9).

All in all, little is known about the diuretic effects of dandelion in humans, which means that more studies are needed to draw definitive conclusions (4).

Summary: Dandelion extract is a popular herbal supplement that is thought to have a diuretic effect due to its high potassium content. A small human study confirmed a diuretic effect, but further human studies are needed.

3. horsetail

Horsetail is a herbal preparation made from field horsetail (Equisetum arvense). Horsetail extracts have been used for years as a diuretic and are commercially available both as a tea and in capsule form.

However, despite its widespread use, very few studies have investigated the diuretic effects of horsetail supplements (10). One small study involving 36 men concluded that a horsetail extract was as effective as the pharmaceutical diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (11).

Although horsetail supplements are generally considered safe and harmless, long-term use is not recommended. Horsetail supplements should also not be used by people suffering from conditions such as kidney disease or diabetes (12).

Further studies are needed to confirm the diuretic effects of horsetail supplements in humans (10). It should also be borne in mind that herbal preparations may contain varying amounts of active ingredients, which means that their effects may also vary.

Summary: Horsetail supplements are an herbal preparation used as a diuretic for mild water retention. A small study concluded that such a supplement can be as effective as the drug hydrochlorothiazide.

4. parsley

Parsley has long been used as a diuretic in traditional folk medicine. Traditionally, parsley is brewed into a tea that is drunk several times a day to reduce water retention (10).

Studies carried out on rats have shown that parsley can increase urine flow and have a mild diuretic effect (13). To date, however, no human studies have investigated the diuretic effect of parsley. As a result, it is not known whether parsley has the same effect in humans and what dosages are most effective.

Summary: Parsley has long been used in traditional medicine as a mild diuretic. However, there are still no corresponding human studies, so its effect remains unclear.

5. hibiscus

Hibiscus is the collective name for a family of plants known for their brightly colored flowers. The calyx of this plant is used to make a medicinal tea called roselle or "sour tea".

Although there is limited research, sour tea is said to have a number of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure in people with hypertension (14). This tea is touted as a diuretic and an effective remedy for mild water retention.

Some laboratory and animal studies suggest that this tea may have a mild diuretic effect (15, 16). In a small Thai human study, 18 people were given 3 grams of hibiscus in the form of sour tea for 15 days, but no effect on urine output was observed (14).

All in all, the results were mixed. Despite a diuretic effect observed in animals, small human studies have so far failed to demonstrate a diuretic effect (14, 17).

Summary: Hibiscus may have a mild diuretic effect, but this has not yet been demonstrated in human studies.

6. caraway

Caraway is a spice that is often used in dishes such as bread, cakes and desserts. Ancient therapies such as Ayurvedic medicine from India, which use plants as medicine, use caraway for a range of medicinal purposes, including the treatment of indigestion, headaches and morning sickness (18). In traditional Moroccan medicine, caraway is also used as a diuretic.

A study conducted with rats found that administration of a caraway extract in liquid form significantly increased urine output over a 24-hour period (19). However, this is the only study to date that has investigated the diuretic effects of caraway. Further studies are therefore required before conclusions can be drawn about the diuretic effect of caraway in humans.

Summary: It has been shown that caraway can increase urine output in rats over a 24-hour period. However, there are no human studies on this topic to date.

7 Green and black tea

Both black and green tea contain caffeine and can act as diuretics. It has been shown in rats that black tea has a mild diuretic effect. This was attributed to the caffeine content of the tea (20).

However, as in the case of coffee, regular tea consumption can lead to the development of tolerance to the diuretic effects of caffeine. This means that the diuretic effect of tea is only likely to occur in people who do not drink tea regularly (3).

Summary: The caffeine content of green and black tea has a mild diuretic effect, but this is unlikely to occur in people who drink tea regularly due to the habituation effect.

8. nigella sativa

Nigella sativa, also known as black cumin, is a spice that is touted for its medicinal properties. These include a diuretic effect (21).

Studies conducted with animals have shown that a Nigella sativa extract can increase urine production and lower blood pressure in rats with high blood pressure (22, 23, 24).

This effect could be partly explained by the diuretic effects of the extract (25).

However, no human studies have yet been conducted. For this reason, it is unclear whether Nigella Sativa has a diuretic effect in humans or animals that do not suffer from high blood pressure. In addition, the doses used in the studies were much higher than the amounts that would be consumed if this spice was added to the diet (25).

Summary: Animal studies have shown that nigella sativa may be an effective diuretic for animals with high blood pressure, but no human studies have yet been conducted.

Other ways to reduce water retention

In addition to using diuretic plants and supplements, there are other strategies that can also help reduce water retention. These include, among others:

Exercise: Physical activity can help you get rid of excess fluid retention by increasing blood flow to the tissues and sweating (26, 27)
Increasing magnesium intake: Magnesium is an electrolyte that helps regulate fluid balance. Magnesium supplements have been shown to help alleviate water retention in women suffering from premenstrual syndrome (28).
Eating potassium-rich foods: Eating potassium-rich foods can increase urine production and reduce sodium levels, which can reduce water retention (29)
Adequate hydration: Some people think that dehydration can increase the risk of water retention (32)
Reduced salt intake: A diet high in salt can promote water retention (30, 31)

Conclusion

Incorporating some of these foods and drinks into your diet could help you reduce mild water retention. However, many of these remedies lack solid evidence for their effectiveness, making it a bit of a gamble. Nevertheless, combining some of these foods with other healthy changes such as a healthier diet, exercise and adequate hydration could help you get rid of that bloated feeling.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-diuretic-foods-drinks

Oct 09, 2019 Gigas Editorial approx. 8 min

14 simple ways to stick to a healthy diet

A healthy diet can help you lose weight and give you more energy. It can improve your mood and reduce the risk of disease. Despite all these benefits, maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle can be difficult.

Here are 14 simple ways that will make it easier for you to stick to a healthy diet.

1. start with realistic expectations

A healthy diet has many benefits including potential weight loss. However, it's important to have realistic expectations. For example, if you put pressure on yourself to lose weight too quickly, your plan to achieve better health could backfire.

Researchers have found that obese people who expected to lose a lot of weight were more likely to abandon their weight loss program within 6 to 12 months (1).

On the other hand, more realistic and achievable goals can keep you from getting discouraged and could even lead to higher weight loss.

Summary: Realistic expectations increase your chances of maintaining behaviors that are conducive to a healthy lifestyle.

2. think about what really motivates you

Reminding yourself why you're making healthy choices can help you stay on track. It can be helpful to make a list of specific reasons why you want to get healthier. Keep this list handy and refer back to it whenever you feel like you need a reminder.

Summary: When you're tempted to fall into unhealthy behaviors, it can be helpful to remind yourself of something that will help you stay on track.

3. keep unhealthy foods out of the house

It can be really hard to eat healthy when you're surrounded by unhealthy junk food. If your family members want these foods in the house, then they should at least be hidden away and not lying around openly and invitingly.

The saying "out of sight out of mind" definitely applies here. Leaving food lying around in plain sight in different areas of the house has been linked to obesity and increased consumption of unhealthy foods (2, 3)

Summary: Keeping unhealthy foods out of the house, or at least out of sight, can increase your chances of staying on track.

4. don't use an "all or nothing" approach

One of the biggest obstacles to achieving a healthy diet and lifestyle is "black and white" thinking. A common scenario is that you've had a few unhealthy appetizers at a party and then decide that your diet is ruined for the day anyway, so you can stuff yourself with all the unhealthy foods you want.

Instead of thinking of the diet as ruined, try to put the past behind you for the rest of the day and choose healthy, unprocessed foods that contain protein. This will help you feel full and satisfied instead of stuffed and frustrated.

A few foods that aren't on the plan won't make a big difference in the long run as long as you balance them out with healthy foods.

Summary: Not giving in to the urge to judge your day as "good" or "bad" can prevent you from overeating and making poor food choices.

5. always have healthy snacks with you

Maintaining a healthy diet can be difficult when you're away from home for an extended period of time. Unfortunately, when you get too hungry, you can end up grabbing whatever is available. These are often processed foods that don't really satisfy hunger and that's not good for you in the long run.

Having healthy, protein-rich snacks on hand can help you keep your appetite under control until you can eat a full meal (4).

Some examples of good portable snacks are almonds, peanuts and beef jerky. You can also consider filling a small cooler bag with hard-boiled eggs, cheese or cottage cheese.

Summary: In case you might not be able to eat a full meal for several hours, take healthy, protein-rich snacks with you when you are on the road or traveling.

6. change your training and diet at the same time

You may have heard that you shouldn't change too many things at once when trying to improve your health. In general, this is good advice.

However, scientific research has shown that if you make both dietary changes and physical activity changes at the same time, the results tend to support each other.

In a study conducted with 200 people, the group that started a healthy diet and exercise program at the same time found it easier to maintain these behaviors than the groups that started with either diet or nutrition alone and added the other later (5).

Summary: Simultaneous changes in diet and exercise increase your chances of being successful in making healthy lifestyle changes.

7. have a battle plan before you eat out

Trying to maintain a healthy diet when eating out can be a big challenge. Fortunately, there are ways to make this easier.

It's best if you have a strategy in place before you go to a restaurant, rather than being overwhelmed when you get there

Summary: Having a plan before you eat out can help you make healthier food choices.

8. don't let traveling throw you off track

If you're traveling for work or for fun, being outside of a family area can make it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Here are a few tips:

Research in advance what restaurants and supermarkets are available locally.
Pack some healthy food that won't spoil quickly.
Challenge yourself to stay on track for most of your trip.

Summary: You can maintain a healthy eating plan while traveling. All it takes is a little research, planning and dedication.

9. practice mindful eating

Eating mindfully can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Take time to enjoy your food and appreciate its ability to nourish you. This increases your chances of making successful, lasting behavioral changes.

In one study, overweight and obese women who ate mindfully made significant improvements in their relationship with food over a four-month period (6).

Another study of women suffering from binge-eating disorder found that binge-eating episodes decreased from 4 to 1.5 per week and the severity of these episodes decreased. This happened within just 6 weeks (7).

Summary: Adopting a mindful eating approach can help you build a better relationship with food and reduce binge eating episodes.

10. document and monitor your progress

Keeping a record of the foods you eat in a food diary, online or with an app can help you stick to a healthy diet and lose weight (8, 9, 10). Measuring your progress in your exercise program can also be beneficial and provide the motivation that can help you keep going.

Researchers reported that overweight women who were given pedometers walked further and lost more weight over the course of 3 months than women who did not use this tool (11).

Summary: Tracking your food intake and exercise can provide motivation and give you a sense of accountability. Studies show that this helps you stick to a healthy diet and leads to greater weight loss.

11. find a partner who does the same

Sticking to a healthy diet and exercise plan can be hard if you do it alone. Having an exercise or nutrition partner can help, especially if it's your significant other (12, 13).

When researchers compared data from over 3,000 couples, they found that when one person made a positive lifestyle change, such as increasing physical activity, their partner was more likely to follow suit (13).

Summary: Having a partner to guide you through lifestyle changes can improve your chances of success.

12. start the day with a protein-rich breakfast

If your first meal of the day is well balanced and includes adequate amounts of protein, you are more likely to maintain stable blood sugar levels and not overeat during the rest of the day (14, 15).

In one study, overweight women who ate at least 30 grams of protein at breakfast felt more satisfied and ate fewer calories at lunch than women who ate a low-protein breakfast (15).

Summary: Eating a high-protein breakfast helps you stay full and can prevent overeating later in the day.

13 Recognize that it takes time to change your habits

Don't be discouraged if it takes longer than expected to adopt your new healthy lifestyle. Scientists have found that it takes an average of about 66 days to turn a new behavior into a habit (16).

Eventually, a healthy diet and regular exercise will become automatic.

Summary: Do your best to stay motivated and focused while adopting a healthy lifestyle. On average, it takes about 66 days to turn a new behavior into a habit.

14. find out what works best for you

There is no perfect way of eating that works for everyone. It's important that you find a way of eating and exercising that you enjoy, that you can stick to in the long term and that you can follow for the rest of your life.

The best diet for you is one that you can stick to for the long haul.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/14-ways-to-stick-to-a-diet#section14

Oct 02, 2019 Gigas Editorial approx. 9 min

The guide for natural training supplements

In this four-part series of articles, I will cover everything a natural trainer should know about building muscle without using prohibited performance-enhancing substances. In the fourth and final part, I will cover the topic of supplements.

5:45 in the morning.

The iPhone is already blinking when the alarm clock starts ringing, ending the silence of the night.

John rolls to the side and presses the home button on the phone. 5 new emails, 2 calendar reminders and a bunch of irrelevant social media notifications greet him.

His mind starts to wake up, but his body feels the need for more sleep despite the rising sun. John takes a deep breath and straightens his body in bed.

He staggers carefully towards the bathroom and manages to avoid all potentially dangerous pieces of furniture. He steps onto the scales and the numbers become visible.

"110 kilos"

He steps off the scales and shakes his head.

"Strange, I've been hanging around 110 kilos for three months - despite all the new supplements I've been using." Once in the kitchen, he rummages through his supplement bag with sachets and jars while he prepares his supplements for the day.

3 scoops of whey protein
4 capsules of magnesium glycinate
6 capsules of fish oil
2 capsules of zinc picolinate
1 capsule of vitamin D

He shakes his head and turns towards the door. "I'm going to start rattling if I keep taking so many pills..." he mumbles to himself as he leaves the house.

The basics first

Before we go any further, I want to make one thing clear. I am not an anti-supplement guy. On the contrary, I use supplements myself and recommend their use. But supplements are most definitely not a magic silver bullet. You're not going to break through a weight loss or performance plateau just by swallowing a few fish oil capsules and popping a line of creatine.

As I mentioned in the part of this article series that dealt with nutrition, you should get the following 11 basic concepts down pat before you even think about popping a pill:

You should have an adequate overview of your total daily calorie consumption and protein intake.
You should eat a wide variety of whole foods.
You should consume usable amounts of protein in the range of at least 20 to 35 grams per meal.
Get at least 7.5 to 8 hours (or more) of sleep per night.
You should eat lean red meat two to three times a week
Consume foods rich in potassium and add salt to your meals (if you eat bland foods) to ensure an adequate electrolyte balance.
Two to three times a week you should eat 120 to 150 grams of wild-caught oily fish.
You should go to bed before 11pm.
You should eat at least 7 to 10 portions of fruit and vegetables per day.
You should get 20 to 30 minutes of direct sunlight daily.
You should eat 2 to 3 whole eggs a day.

Creatine, caffeine and carbohydrates ... my goodness!

Now that we've addressed points 1 through 11, we can get into some finer details. Of course, this list is by no means all-inclusive and there are certain situations where additional supplements may be necessary depending on specific medical conditions. However, this list is a good starting point for most.

1. liquid carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are supplements? You bet they are. However, we're talking about the liquid version here, not a handful of mashed potatoes. In case you're not clear on the physiological significance of this, here's a quick summary. Carbohydrates cause

A lower incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (1, 2)
Improved glycogen resynthesis (3)
A reduced cortisol response (4)
A better T:C ratio (5).

Dosage: 30-60g depending on the volume of your training session.

2. creatine

Creatine should be a basic supplement for everyone - including those who don't exercise. Scientific research has repeatedly shown the benefits of creatine supplementation when it comes to increasing performance and building muscle. Recently, however, we have also seen more studies indicating a reduction in fatigue during periods of sleep deprivation, cognitive improvements in patients with traumatic brain injury and changes in cerebral oxygenation (6, 7).

Dosage: Maximum 5 grams per day. 10 grams per day could be beneficial for people who are very physically active or have large amounts of muscle mass. A loading phase is not necessary, but could help increase creatinine levels in the brain and improve markers of sleep quality (7).

3. caffeine

Keep in mind that there are people whose performance can suffer under the influence of compounds such as caffeine that cause excessive stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system. You should therefore not automatically assume that caffeine is necessary (look at basic concepts 1 to 11 before resorting to this compound to support performance).

Caffeine can be a double-edged sword - so choose wisely, as you could put yourself in a tricky position with its use and find that this performance-enhancing substance can quickly turn into a lifestyle crutch. Here are some contraindications to keep in mind:

Avoid any caffeine consumption after 1:00 pm

Some people need to limit their caffeine intake to before 11:00 am if they have a genetic alteration of the CYP1A enzyme that affects caffeine metabolism (15).

Be careful about regularly using high doses of caffeine before training sessions after sleeping poorly the night before - you could exacerbate neuroendocrine maladaptations.
If there is evidence of HPA axis dysregulation (cortisol/melatonin disrhythmia, altered cortisol response upon waking, abnormal stress response to exercise, etc.), then caffeine use should be avoided completely.

Dosage: Start with the lowest effective dose - 100mg is likely to be sufficient for non-habitual caffeine users. People who use caffeine more frequently can use a dosage of 3 to 6 mg per kilogram of body weight.

4. magnesium

Despite the marketing hype, magnesium is not a sleep supplement, but plays a role in over 300 enzymatic functions, including sleep-related processes (8). It supports the breakdown of catecholamines and upregulates GABA production, both of which support improved sleep - and this is especially true as we age (9, 10).

And if you're not eating lots of Swiss chard, pumpkin seeds, avocados, dried figs and black beans, then you're probably deficient in this important mineral (11).

When it comes to magnesium supplementation, you should stick to magnesium chelates (e.g. magnesium bisglycinate chelate, buffered magnesium chelate, etc.) and avoid magnesium salts (e.g. magnesium oxide, magnesium stearate, etc.). Most manufacturers use magnesium salts because they are cheap, but unfortunately magnesium salts have poor bioavailability due to their poor absorption.

Dosage: 400-500mg per day, making sure to include a variety of magnesium-rich foods in your diet. Some people may need to go up to 10 x body weight in mg depending on their current nutritional status and symptoms.

5. zinc

When was the last time you ate oysters? If you're like me, the answer is probably "never". Zinc not only plays an important role in immune function, but also acts as an endocrine modulator (aromatase inhibitor) and is promising when it comes to repairing the intestinal mucosa in a chronically permeable intestinal wall (12, 13).

Dosage: 30mg per day. Different types of zinc provide different amounts of elemental zinc and the dosage may vary depending on daily requirements. Sweating increases the excretion of zinc, which is why athletes may need more zinc.

6. vitamin D

20-30 minutes in the sun a day? Good - you're helping to regulate your circadian rhythm and support vitamin D production, which has heart-protective effects, anti-cancer effects and reduces the risk of diabetes.

But if you're like most people in the Western world, you probably spend most of the day indoors - not to mention that the duration and intensity of sunlight varies greatly with the seasons.

Dosage: During the winter months, higher amounts (2,000 to 5,000 IU) will probably be necessary to keep blood levels in the optimal range (250nmol/L) (14). Supplementation may not be necessary during periods of increased sunlight (spring/summer).

7. greens powder/fruit powder

This is more of an honorable mention than a firm recommendation. However, I'm almost certain that 95% of people reading this article do not consume the recommended 7 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, so a high-dose greens/fruit powder will benefit almost everyone.

However, you should still do your best to eat your fruits and vegetables in their natural form whenever possible. Don't try to justify your poor eating habits by using a greens supplement.

Dosage: As much as necessary to meet the recommended intake of fruit and vegetables.

Do your homework

At the end of the day, individualization is important when it comes to performance gains, body composition changes or improving overall health. The best approach is to have your blood levels checked regularly and use targeted supplementation rather than taking a shotgun approach.

Think critically and question everything.

References

Carbohydrate supplementation affects blood granulocyte and monocyte trafficking but not function after 2.5 h or running.
Carbohydrate and the cytokine response to 2.5 h of running.
Contraction-stimulated muscle glucose transport and GLUT-4 surface content are dependent on glycogen content.
Nutritional and contractile regulation of human skeletal muscle protein synthesis and mTORC1 signaling
The impact of an ultramarathon on hormonal and biochemical parameters in men.
Effect of creatine supplementation and sleep deprivation, with mild exercise, on cognitive and psychomotor performance, mood state, and plasma concentrations of catecholamines and cortisol
Effects of creatine on mental fatigue and cerebral hemoglobin oxygenation.
Biochemical functions of magnesium.
Magnesium potentiation of the function of native and recombinant GABA(A) receptors.
Oral Mg(2+) supplementation reverses age-related neuroendocrine and sleep EEG changes in humans.
Magnesium deficiency: pathogenesis, prevalence, and clinical implications.
Zinc and immune function
Zinc carnosine, a health food supplement that stabilizes small bowel integrity and stimulates gut repair processes.
Dietary Supplements for Health, Adaptation, and Recovery in Athletes.
The influence of a CYP1A2 polymorphism on the ergogenic effects of caffeine.

Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/natty-lifters-guide-to-supplements

Previous 1 … 22 23 24 25 26 … 75 Next

You might also like this View all

Jul 23, 2026 Gigas Editorial approx. 2 min

Are foam rollers still worth it?

Jul 19, 2026 Gigas Editorial approx. 2 min

Why small active breaks make sense in an office job

Jul 16, 2026 Gigas Editorial approx. 2 min

What does the body need saturated fatty acids for?