Nutrition
There are few dietary supplements or supplements that offer as many benefits
as fish oil- or omega 3 fatty acids.
Whether you are interested in building muscle or losing fat - or simply want to do something good for your
health, omega 3 fatty acids are always worth a
supplement.
As the name suggests, fish oil comes from the tissue of fatty fish. It contains
a high amount of omega 3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These 2 fatty acids are among the most important fatty acids
of the omega 3 group.
What is eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) good for?
A sufficient supply of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) can contribute to a good
immune defense, good blood clotting, healthy blood pressure and a healthy
heart rate.
New studies even show that EPA can help promote positive emotions
and contribute to a reduction in anxiety and depression.
EPA also has an anti-inflammatory effect in the body.
EPA is partly converted into DHA in the body!
What is docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) good for?
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is particularly effective in the brain and retina. For example,
a sufficient supply of DHA particularly improves receptivity and
memory performance. DHA also stabilizes serotonin and
dopamine levels in the brain, which can reduce susceptibility to stress and depression.
Like EPA, DHA is anti-inflammatory.
New studies even suggest that omega 3 fatty acids can prevent joint pain
!
Omega 3 fatty acids are essential, which means that the body cannot
produce these fatty acids itself. An exogenous supply is therefore extremely important.
What are the other most important reasons to consume omega 3 fatty acids or fish oil
?
1) Healthier blood cholesterol levels
Fish oil ensures better cholesterol levels. If you do not have an optimal HDL / LDL ratio
in your body (a marker for bad cholesterol levels) then 3-6gr
fish oil / day can already do wonders for your HDL / LDL ratio. In addition,
the triglycerides in the blood are lowered - so that the blood remains thin and
does not thicken.
2) Improved bone health in old age
As you get older (especially in women in & after the menopause), the
bones become more unstable. The bones become thinner and there is a risk of osteoporosis. New
studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids in combination with calcium can contribute to
healthier bones in old age.
3) Protection against cancer
Fish oil can also help to make you less susceptible to cancer. Every day
the body has to defend itself against the attack of free radicals. These
free radicals can promote cancer - therefore it is important to block them with
antioxidants (vegetables & fruit). Fish oil is also an antioxidant and
can therefore also help to fight free radicals.
Conclusion
Omega 3 fatty acids should always be consumed in a good ratio to omega 6 fatty acids
. Omega 6 fatty acids are mainly found in vegetable cooking oils
. An optimal ratio of omega 6 / omega 3 fatty acids should be 4 / 1
. This means that if you consume 4 grams of omega 6 fatty acids, you must consume 1 gram of omega 3
fatty acids - as omega 3 & 6 fatty acids are antagonists that can cancel each other out
(if the ratio is poor).
Evidence
Adler, AJ. (1997). Effect of garlic and fish-oil supplementation on serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in
hypercholesterolemic men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vol 65, 445-450.
Kruger, M.C. et al. (2007). Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and the Regulation of Bone Metabolism.
Experimental Biology and Medicine. 232:1275-1288.
Caygill, C.P. et al. (1996). Fat, fish, fish oil and cancer. British J. Cancer. July; 74(1):159-164.
I've been reading a lot lately about D-Aspartic Acid (DAA) and its use as a supplement for the purpose of hormone manipulation. I've been doing more research on DAA and NMDA (N-methyl D-aspartate) receptor mediated hormone regulation and the more I read, the more excited I got about the possibilities associated with it. As far as performance enhancement supplements go, I believe this area of research has the greatest potential to bring us closer to steroid-like results without the negative side effects of steroids. This month, I'll go into a little more detail about exactly how DAA works at the molecular level and then introduce the reader to an exciting discovery I recently made that could dramatically enhance the effects of DAA supplements.
To refresh the reader's memory, DAA works by binding to and activating the NMDA receptor. NMDA receptors are found throughout the brain and are involved in various regulatory processes including memory storage and mood. As far as DAA supplements are concerned, the NMDA receptors in endocrine tissues such as the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and testes are of primary interest. When DAA is consumed, it is absorbed into the blood and preferentially taken up by the aforementioned endocrine tissue types. There it stimulates the NMDA receptors. In the hypothalamus, stimulation of the NMDA receptors leads to the production of the GnR hormone. GnRH stimulates the pituitary gland to release luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). LS and FSH are transported to the testes to initiate the process of steroidogenesis, which leads to the release of testosterone into the bloodstream.
The key here is therefore the NMDA receptor. The more this receptor is activated in the hypothalamus, the greater the release of GnRH and ultimately the greater the release of testosterone. The NMDA receptor is unique in that it requires activation by two ligands. In the hypothalamus, D-aspartic acid is the primary ligand for the NMDA receptor. The secondary ligand (or co-activator) is the amino acid glycine. Both DAA and glycine have specific binding sites on the NMDA receptor.
The administration of DAA leads to its uptake into the hypothalamus, where it stimulates the NMDA receptor. However, maximal stimulation also requires adequate amounts of the ligand that binds to the glycine binding site of the receptor. One might think that the consumption of glycine in the form of a supplement should ensure glycine co-activation. However, the scientific literature has shown that this method has limited efficacy.
The reason that glycine administration is not very effective in stimulating NMDA receptor activation is not clear, but one of the reasons is related to the fact that glycine is efficiently removed from synapses by the reuptake regulator glycine transporter 1 (GT1).
Interestingly, much of the scientific research published on the topic of stimulating NMDA receptor activity centers around the theory that NMDA receptor hypoactivity is a causative factor in schizophrenia. Over the years, scientists have investigated ways to stimulate NMDA activity for the purpose of treating schizophrenic patients. Targeting the GT1 protein has proven to be one of the most effective strategies. And one of the most effective ways to achieve this is through supplementation with a relatively simple amino acid.
Welcome to the world of Sarcosine
The simple amino acid I'm talking about is sarcosine. Sarcosine is also known as N-methyl glycine. Administering 2 grams of sarcosine per day has been shown to increase NMDA receptor activity quite effectively and this dosage appears to lead to an impressive reduction in both positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenic patients.
Of course, we are not concerned here with treating schizophrenia, but rather with maximizing stimulation of natural testosterone production. However, the mechanism in question is exactly the same for both purposes. By blocking the reuptake of glycine, one increases the concentration of glycine in the NMDA synapses of the neurons and thus increases NMDA nerve transmission. Some antidepressants or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) work in the same way, although the aim here is to increase transmission of the serotonergic or dopaminergic neurons and not the NMDA neurons.
Blocking glycine reuptake is not the only mechanism by which sarcosine stimulates DAA activity. Sarcosine can also bind to the glycine binding site of the NMDA receptor. It even binds there with a higher affinity than glycine. Knowing all this, one realizes that sarcosine has a quite dramatic effect on NMDA nerve transmission compared to glycine or other endogenous ligands for the glycine receptor such as D-serine.
The future
I will continue to explore new ways to investigate the amazing NMDA pathway for increasing hormone levels and enhancing performance. I trust that amino acid based supplements for the purpose of hormone manipulation are beyond the reach of regulatory intervention and therefore will not meet the same fate as prohormones and steroidal based estrogen blockers in the past.
Of course, I am not naïve enough to think that any effective testosterone booster or supplement for the purpose of performance enhancement will not incur the wrath of doping test organizations and misguided sports and fitness purists. However, when the day comes that people are tested for their amino acid levels and companies are visited by police officers with warrants for such products, then that will be the day the supplement industry should start to worry! But stranger things have happened - so you never know what's to come!
Protein synthesis is a term you will come across frequently when reading articles about building muscle. But what exactly is protein synthesis? Put simply, the term protein synthesis describes the build-up of new body proteins, which includes muscle protein.
When this build-up of muscle protein occurs on a larger scale, it is also referred to as hypertrophy or muscle growth and this is the process by which our muscles become larger. This article looks at how the amino acid leucine regulates skeletal muscle protein synthesis after training.
What role does training play?
Different forms of training influence muscle protein turnover in different ways. Endurance training affects muscle protein turnover by reducing the rate of skeletal muscle protein synthesis and increasing the rate of protein or muscle breakdown.
Training with weights, also known as resistance training, is unique compared to other forms of training in terms of its effect on muscle protein turnover, as a training session with weights increases both the rate of skeletal muscle protein synthesis and the rate of skeletal muscle protein breakdown. The overall effect of both endurance training and resistance training is a negative net protein balance or muscle breakdown.
In the short term, training therefore results in a catabolic state in both cases. In the long term, however, resistance training is associated with maintaining or increasing muscle mass.
The role of leucine
It has been shown that for a positive protein balance after training, protein and in particular the amino acid L-leucine must be consumed and that the protein balance will remain negative until protein and leucine are consumed.
Leucine is one of the three branched-chain amino acids, also known as BCAAs. Leucine is unique in its ability to stimulate skeletal muscle protein synthesis. In fact, leucine has a factor of 10 greater effect on protein synthesis than any other amino acid.
But how exactly does leucine stimulate skeletal muscle protein synthesis? To understand this, we first need to understand the pathway that leucine activates. It has been shown that leucine activates one of the most important complexes of the anabolic pathway, known as the Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR).
mTor is a protein synthesis regulator, an energy sensor and a nutrient sensor for the availability of amino acids - in particular the amino acid leucine. mTor is activated when ATP levels are high and is blocked when ATP levels fall. The activation of mTOR is crucial for skeletal muscle hypertrophy.
You can think of mTOR as the cell's amino acid sensor, which reacts sensitively to higher leucine concentrations. Decreasing leucine concentrations signal mTOR that there is not enough dietary protein to synthesize new skeletal muscle protein, which results in mTOR being deactivated. When leucine concentrations increase, this signals mTOR that there is sufficient dietary protein to synthesize skeletal muscle protein and mTOR is activated.
The activation of mTOR
Although scientists do not yet know exactly how leucine activates mTOR, it has been shown that mTOR is sensitive to leucine concentration and ATP levels. Falling ATP levels, just like low leucine concentrations, can reduce the activation of mTOR. Activation of mTOR is closely associated with an increase in the rate of protein synthesis. mTor increases the rate of protein synthesis via two different mechanisms:
Mechanism number 1
mTOR phosphorylates a binding protein called 4E-BP1 and deactivates it. When 4E-BP1 is activated, it binds a protein called eIF4E and prevents it from combining with another protein called eIF4G to form the eIF4E*eIF4G complex. The formation of this complex is a critical factor for the continuation of protein synthesis
In short, by deactivating 4E-BP1, mTOR ensures that the eIF4E*eIF4G complex can be formed, thereby allowing protein synthesis to continue.
Mechanism number 2
mTOR activates a protein called ribosomal protein S6 (aka rpS6 or p70 S6). rpS6 increases the synthesis of components of the protein synthesis pathway. mTOR therefore not only increases the rate of protein synthesis, but also increases the capacity for protein synthesis.
An analogy that can help to better understand this mechanism would be to compare it to a construction company building a new skyscraper. The construction company would be mTOR and the skyscraper would be the protein you are trying to synthesize. The construction equipment needed to build the skyscraper would be the components of the protein synthesis pathway and leucine would be the money needed to fund the project.
If enough money is available (increasing leucine concentrations), then the construction company can not only start building the skyscraper (synthesizing muscle protein), but also buy more machines (increasing the amount of protein synthesis pathway components) to increase the capacity and speed at which the skyscraper is built (the muscle protein that is synthesized).
Leucine also increases the rate of protein synthesis by increasing the availability of eIF4G for the formation of the eIF4E*eIF4G complex by increasing the phosphorylation of eIF4G.
The effects of leucine supplementation in practice
Now that we have the dry science behind us, the question is what it tells us. Is there a benefit to supplementing extra leucine, or is a high protein diet enough to provide sufficient leucine? There is some evidence that supplemented leucine may have benefits even with adequate protein intake.
Recently, scientists conducted an experiment in which subjects performed 45 minutes of resistance training and then supplemented with carbohydrates, carbohydrates & 30 grams of protein, or carbohydrates & protein & leucine.
The scientists found that the carbohydrate/protein/leucine supplement reduced protein breakdown more and increased skeletal muscle protein synthesis more than the carbohydrate/protein supplement and the carbohydrate-only supplement.
One possible explanation for these results could be the rapid increase in plasma leucine levels that can be achieved with the help of the leucine supplement. Complete proteins linger longer in the stomach and intestines before the amino acids they contain enter the bloodstream. As a result, leucine plasma levels rise more slowly and reach a plateau.
Even with fast-digesting proteins such as whey protein, it can take hours for the leucine contained in the protein to be released and enter the bloodstream. For this reason, leucine plasma levels will never reach high peaks.
An isolated leucine supplement, on the other hand, is rapidly absorbed and quickly enters the bloodstream, resulting in a sharp increase in plasma leucine levels and a dramatic increase in intracellular leucine concentrations, activating the anabolic pathways described above.
Conclusion
After reading this article, it should be clear to everyone that leucine increases protein synthesis by increasing the activity of mTOR and the phosphorylation of eIF4G.
Leucine has a far greater stimulatory effect on protein synthesis than any other amino acid and it has been shown that protein synthesis responds to a relatively small amount of leucine in a similar way to a full protein meal.
It has also been shown that the addition of leucine to a high protein meal further increases the rate of skeletal muscle protein synthesis.
However, further research is needed to show whether athletes can benefit in the long term from supplementation with leucine in addition to a high-protein meal in terms of an additional increase in muscle mass.
What is special about post-workout recovery and this product? First, we need to look at the post-workout window and the special properties of this particular high molecular weight carbohydrate.
The immediate post-workout window, also known as the "anabolic/anti-catabolic window", is without a doubt the critical window for anyone looking to build muscle and improve performance. The nutrients consumed during this period can have a huge impact on body development and overall health. There are countless products on the supplement market that are specifically designed for use immediately after training, some of which are better suited for this purpose and others less so.
Scientists began studying the effects of loading up on carbohydrates back in the sixties. This research eventually culminated in the development of an entirely new carbohydrate product that is clearly superior to most other carbohydrates for post-workout use.
What makes Vitargo® different from other carbohydrate sources?
With Vitargo is a patented high molecular weight carbohydrate produced from a special barley starch. The actual starting substance is of secondary importance and, in principle, a product like Vitargo could also be made from waxy maize starch, rice starch or potato starch, as the special extraction process is primarily responsible for the special properties of the finished end product. This extraction process gives Vitargo its special molecular fingerprint. As this manufacturing process is protected by patents, not every company can produce a product like Vitargo.
There are now numerous studies that have demonstrated the special properties of Vitargo. These studies show that Vitargo is far superior to conventional carbohydrate sources such as maltodextrin or simple sugars such as dextrose after training. These are human studies carried out with athletes, rather than inconclusive animal studies. In addition to these studies, the practical experience of countless athletes shows the benefits of Vitargo.
But apart from the special manufacturing process, what makes Vitargo different from other carbohydrate sources such as carbohydrate drinks like Gatorade or plain white bread? The key to Vitargo's effectiveness lies in its osmolality, its molecular weight and the branching of the starch chains.
Osmolality refers to how much water is drawn around a specific object. As Vitargo has a low osmolality, very little water is drawn into the stomach, which means that Vitargo does not lead to a bloated stomach after consumption. No stomach bloating means that it passes through the stomach quickly, which is desirable as regeneration does not take place in the stomach but in the muscles. A longer gastric retention time of the carbohydrates consumed after training means that the critical time window after training cannot be used optimally.
The short gastric retention time and fast gastric passage make Vitargo so effective. Vitargo passes through the stomach and into the bloodstream twice as fast as conventional carbohydrates. The faster a carbohydrate product passes through the stomach and into the bloodstream, the faster it can replace muscle and liver glycogen used during training. As long as carbohydrates are in the stomach, they can do nothing.
However, the low osmolality associated with Vitargo's molecular size is not the only reason Vitargo enters the bloodstream faster than other carbohydrates. The second reason is the high degree of branching of the starch chains. All low osmolality starch products may be able to pass through the stomach quickly and enter the small intestine quickly where they are digested and absorbed, but what good is a product that enters the intestine quickly but is digested and absorbed slowly?
In addition to Vitargo reaching the small intestine twice as fast as the same amount of maltodextrin or simple sugars, it is also digested and absorbed faster. The massive branching of the Vitargo molecule allows it to be digested and absorbed into the bloodstream twice as fast as other carbohydrates. This has been clearly demonstrated in human clinical studies.
Because Vitargo passes through the stomach twice as fast and is digested twice as fast in the small intestine and enters the bloodstream, Vitargo is much more effective than other carbohydrates.
The insulin advantage
So far, we have a way to get glucose into the bloodstream at record speed without causing stomach bloating.
In addition, a scientific study showed that insulin levels increased 1.8 times faster after exercise than after consuming an equivalent amount of maltodextrin or sugar just 10 minutes after ingesting 100 grams of Vitargo.
Insulin is particularly important in post-workout recovery as it opens the muscle cells to the supply of glucose, amino acids and other nutrients. In addition, insulin is the human body's primary anti-catabolic hormone, which stops the increased breakdown of muscle protein that follows intense resistance training.
The huge increase in insulin levels caused by Vitargo explains why it replenishes muscle glycogen stores 1.7 times faster than the same amount of other carbohydrates. Insulin activates glucose uptake into the muscles and storage in the form of glycogen.
Recent studies may show a way to further improve the effect of Vitargo. A recent study concluded that a combination of Vitargo with L-carnitine can dramatically increase carnitine stores in the muscles. This results in more carbohydrates being stored for increased growth and recovery, while ensuring that fat is still burned.
When you train with weights or do other high intensity sports, the faster you can absorb nutrients and replenish glycogen stores after your workout, the faster you will recover from those workouts. If you can end the muscle catabolism that follows training more quickly, you will also achieve faster gains in muscle mass and a faster improvement in athletic performance.
Why are well-filled glycogen stores so important
If the body lacks glycogen during exercise, it will be difficult to maintain exercise intensity and achieve a muscle pump. In addition, glucose is the brain's preferred source of energy. This glucose can come directly from the digestion of the food you eat or the breakdown of glycogen stored in the liver.
Without sufficient amounts of glucose to fuel the brain, lethargy and fatigue can occur, while a lack of glucose in the muscles can result in a drop in exercise intensity. To prevent this, Vitargo can be consumed before, during and after training, without training being hindered by a bloated stomach.
The next level - Vitargo S2
This product is characterized by a much better solubility in water and other liquids. In general, starch products do not dissolve particularly well in water, which is not much different with the original Vitargo. But Vitargo S2 is different.
The truth about waxy corn starch
The first studies to investigate the particular effect of a product made with the special manufacturing process used by Vitargo used a product made from potato starch or waxy maize starch. The results of these studies led to some supplement manufacturers simply launching waxy maize starch on the market and claiming that it had similar effects to Vitargo.
These products are said to pass through the stomach faster, replenish glycogen stores faster and better, increase insulin secretion and speed up recovery, but in reality they work no better than plain white bread. The only advantage that waxy maize starch has for the manufacturer is that this product is very cheap to produce and therefore allows a high profit margin.
A human study comparing waxy maize starch with a mixture of maltodextrin and sucrose and with white bread found that waxy maize starch and white bread supplied the body with glucose at the same rate, while the mixture of maltodextrin and sucrose released glucose into the bloodstream twice as fast.
In addition, the mixture of maltodextrin and sugar produced an insulin response three times stronger and white bread twice as strong as waxy maize starch, indicating that waxy maize starch is a more slowly digestible carbohydrate source.
Since the goal after exercise is to replenish muscle and liver glycogen stores as quickly as possible and have a strong insulin response, and you want to have as much readily available carbohydrate as possible during exercise, these results do not necessarily favor waxy maize starch.
A summary of the benefits of Vitargo
- The special patented manufacturing process is responsible for the special properties of Vitargo
- Vitargo passes through the stomach and into the bloodstream twice as fast as maltodextrin and sugar
- Vitargo replenishes muscle and liver glycogen stores 1.7 times faster than maltodextrin and sugar
- Vitargo causes a 1.8 times stronger and faster insulin release than maltodextrin and sugar, which accelerates the replenishment of glycogen stores
- Vitargo passes through the stomach particularly quickly due to its low osmolality and high molecular weight and does not cause bloating of the stomach
- A combination of Vitargo and carnitine can increase muscle carnitine and glycogen stores while the body continues to burn fat
L- Carnitine is a naturally occurring chemical compound in the body that is synthesized from the
amino acids L- lysine & L- methionine. Many athletes supplement L- carnitine
as a fat burner, as it can increase fat metabolism. It binds to the long-chain
fatty acids and then transports them to the mitochondria (power plants in the cells),
which ultimately burn the fat molecule
But there are other benefits to using L-carnitine.
1) L-carnitine can help build new muscle mass!
This is especially true for hardgainers. By using carnitine, they can improve their maximum strength
and use heavier weights. And if they use heavier weights,
their muscles will undoubtedly get bigger too....
2) L-carnitine can help maintain bone mass as you age!
Osteoporosis (loss of bone mass) is a common problem in older people.
This means that bones are no longer stable and can break more quickly.
L-carnitine can slow down this process of bone mass loss as it strengthens the
bone structure.
3) L-carnitine can prevent heart disease!
Several studies have shown that the use of L-carnitine after a heart attack can reduce the
risk of another heart attack.
4) L-carnitine can combat male infertility!
Men who are unable to conceive can also benefit from carnitine. It increases the
number of sperm and their quality
5) L-carnitine can be helpful for type 2 diabetes!
People who suffer from type 2 diabetes can also benefit from carnitine, as it helps to
increase glucose oxidation, glucose uptake and glucose storage.
6) L-carnitine strengthens the immune system!
Carnitine acts as an antioxidant in the body and can therefore mitigate damage to healthy cells
caused by free radicals. This helps with colds and allergies.
7) L-carnitine improves cognitive performance in Alzheimer's disease!
Numerous clinical studies have confirmed that carnitine has a positive effect on
cognitive performance in Alzheimer's disease. Although there are no long-term studies yet,
long-term intake is likely to lead to an increase in long-term memory performance.
How much L-carnitine should I take per day?
The recommendations range between 2-4 g/day.
If you use acetyl carnitine, 0.5 - 1 g is sufficient.
For those who do not supplement carnitine, the following foods with a high carnitine content
are suitable:
- red meat
- dairy products
- nuts
- seeds
- asparagus
- broccoli
- mustard
- bananas
