Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - Tribulus
October 9, 2007
Tribulus terrestris is a herb that comes from a plant found in Asia. It has been used in the past by many cultures for the treatment of liver, kidney and cardiovascular diseases. It has also been used as a diuretic and to treat infertility. In recent years strength athletes in eastern Europe are reputed to have used it to enhance performance.
It is believed to enhance testosterone levels by encouraging the production of lutenizing hormone. Studies have shown that when lutenizing hormone levels are increased, the natural production of testosterone also increases.
It is difficult to assess the validity of tribulus as a muscle growth enhancer because none of the studies carried out have appeared in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Its proponents do suggest that it can prove useful when stacked with 100 mg of DHEA and 100 mg of androstenedione but this takes us into the equally uncertain territory of prohormones which we have covered in a separate article.
If you do wish to experiment with tribulus you can take 750-1250 mg per day divided between meals. Some people experience stomach upsets but this can be minimized by taking it with food. There’s no guarantee that tribulus terrestris will help you grow bigger muscles but many users report a much improved sex drive!
Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.
Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - ZMA
September 25, 2007
ZMA is a scientifically designed anabolic mineral formula containing zinc monomethionine aspartate, magnesium aspartate and vitamin B-6. Studies have shown that it has a clinical effect on testosterone levels when taken in a combination containing 30 mg of zinc and 450 mg of magnesium per day. The most famous study conducted by Lorrie Brilla at Western Washington University indicated that this combination could raise testosterone levels by as much as 30%.
Bodybuilders can obviously benefit from taking ZMA, specifically in the following ways:
1. It increases the body’s natural production of testosterone thus boosting its capacity for building lean muscle.
2. It increases levels of growth hormone.
3. It helps sleep if taken 30-60 minutes before bed thus enhancing rest and recovery.
ZMA has no known side effects but it must be taken in the proper dosage to the exact proportions used in most studies - that is 11 mg of vitamin B-6, 450 mg of magnesium and 30 mg of zinc.
Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.
Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - BCAAs
September 11, 2007
BCAA stands for branched chain amino acids and is increasingly being recognized as an important supplement in the field of sports nutrition. In short the term refers to three essential amino acids - leucine, isoleucine and valine.
Amino acids are widely known as the building blocks of protein. When protein food is eaten it gets digested into individual amino acids and short chains of amino acids that are sufficiently small to be absorbed into the bloodstream. They are then used by the body to build and repair tissues amongst other things.
Amino acids are split between those classed as essential and those labelled non-essential. This simply means that essential amino acids cannot be made by the body, whereas non-essential amino acids can. There are nine essential amino acids and each must be obtained from the diet. The nine essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.
Non-essential amino acids are just as important as the essential variety and the term simply means they can be made by the body from vitamins and other amino acids. The non-essential amino acids are alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, cystine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine and tyrosine.
Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - L-Lysine
August 26, 2007
Lysine is an essential amino acid therefore it must be obtained from the diet as the body cannot produce its own. It is an essential building block for all protein in the body and can be found in animal meats, fish, dairy products, legumes and brewer’s yeast. It performs many useful functions in the body and has proved to be especially useful in treating herpes and cold sores. Lysine also increases the absorption of calcium so it may help to prevent and treat osteoporosis.
To the bodybuilder, lysine offers many benefits:
1. It helps build muscle protein.
2. It helps maintain nitrogen levels.
3. It supports the production of hormones.
4. It speeds up recovery from injury or overtraining.
Although lysine can be readily obtained from many foodstuffs, supplementation can enhance the effects noted above. No problems have been reported with normal usage but high doses exceeding 15 grams can cause stomach problems and cramp.
Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.
Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - L-Carnitine
August 11, 2007
L-carnitine is synthesized in the body from the amino acids lysine and methionine but it can also be found in nutritional sources such as red meats, dairy products and avocados. Its main role in the body is to help metabolize food into energy. L-carnitine does this by transferring long chain fatty acids into mitochondria where they are oxidised to produce energy.
L-carnitine is heart friendly and has been used for many years in the treatment of heart disease. Studies have shown that it can increase the heart’s output and function, stimulate energy supply to the heart and improve overall cardiac performance.
Many bodybuilders use it for the following reasons:
1. It promotes muscle growth.
2. It increases energy.
3. It helps to burn fat.
4. It helps to prevent muscle fatigue.
L-carnitine is a relatively safe supplement provided the manufacturer’s recommendations are followed. As with all supplements, remain aware that l-carnitine could be contained in other products so read the labels carefully to ensure your daily intake does not exceed four grams.
Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.
Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - L-Tyrosine
July 28, 2007
L-tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid that plays a role in the creation of protein. The body can make it from the amino acid phenylalanine but nutritional sources include animal meats, wheat, oatmeal and seafood.
It performs a multitude of important roles in the body including the alleviation of depression, enhancement of thyroid efficiency, strengthening of the immune system, prevention of neurological degeneration and protection of the skin.
Bodybuilders find it useful for several reasons:
1. It offsets the stress and fatigue associated with intensive training.
2. It helps in the retention of muscular protein.
3. It heightens mental alertness thus helping to offset mental fatigue.
With any amino acid supplement overdosing can lead to weakness and nausea so care should be taken in applying small doses and increasing them gradually until an optimum level is reached. Bear in mind that many protein powders and other supplements are fortified with amino acids so check the labels carefully. The manufacturer’s instructions should be followed in all instances.
Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.
Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - L-Taurine
July 14, 2007
Taurine is the second most abundant amino acid in the muscle after glutamine. It performs several useful functions and can act in a way similar to creatine in that it expands cells by helping the muscle to hold more water, thus increasing cell volume. The added benefit for bodybuilders is that these expanded muscle cells boost hydration and stimulate greater protein synthesis giving an enhanced muscle fullness.
The best time for bodybuilders to take taurine is thirty minutes before training and again immediately afterwards as this will heighten the effect of training. With any amino acid supplement overdosing can lead to weakness and nausea so care should be taken in applying small doses and increasing them gradually until an optimum level is reached. Bear in mind that many protein powders and other supplements are fortified with amino acids so check the labels carefully. The manufacturer’s instructions should be followed in all instances.
Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.
Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - L-Arginine
June 29, 2007
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid that the body cannot make naturally. It is found in nuts, seeds, chocolate and raisins.
Arginine is used by the body in the execution of many important physiological processes including hormone secretion, output of growth hormone, removal of toxins from the body and enhancement of the immune system. It is also a precursor of nitric oxide which vasodiolates vessels in the body. For this reason arginine is often used to treat conditions such as angina, high blood pressure, cardiac disease, sexual dysfunction and infertility. Recent research has also highlighted arginine’s ability to scavenge free radicals, remove bad cholesterol, enhance fat metabolism and regulate salt levels.
There are several reasons why arginine appeals to bodybuilders:
1. It prevents the retention of water under the skin thus minimizing bloating and helping to create a ripped appearance.
2. It helps the body to retain nitrogen that is essential to the muscle building process.
3. Its vasodilating abilities support muscle growth.
4. It enhances protein synthesis.
5. It helps to boost the immune system allowing harder training and minimizing the minor illnesses that come from overtraining.
Supplements and Drugs: A Hazardous Combination
June 11, 2007
As I have become more involved in using functional nutritional therapy in my practice, I have come to realize that many people are still confused about the safety and effectiveness of various dietary supplements. Because these products are "natural", many feel they are always safe to use. Although supplements and herbs can be safer than pharmaceutical drugs, they can still function as drugs in the body and should be used with caution and respect.
It is estimated that over 80% of the world’s population and 60 million Americans use some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). However, although many believe CAM compliments their current traditional healthcare, most do not inform their physicians that they are taking these products. And, many providers don’t ask or discuss CAM use with their patients, although one survey of 181 cardiologists found that half of them took antioxidant vitamins, themselves.
What many people don’t realize is that there is no regulatory agency in charge of the supplement industry. Herbal products are not tested for purity, effectiveness and safety as drugs are. In 1994, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) was enacted that requires the FDA to prove beyond any doubt that a supplement is unsafe before removing it from the market. Other than regulating what can be included on the label, they are unable to enforce any other regulation.
Glutathione - Your Brains Master Antioxidant Defense
May 30, 2007
Free radicals and oxyradicals play an important role in the development and progression of many brain disorders such as brain injury, neurodegenerative disease, schizophrenia and Down syndrome.
Glutathione is the brain’s master antioxidant and plays an important protective role in the brain.
According to Dr. Jimmy Gutman, “The brain is particularly susceptible to free radical attack because it generates more oxidative by-products per gram of tissue than any other organ.”
Many neurological and psychiatric disease processes are characterized by… abnormalities in glutathione metabolism and antioxidant defenses.”
Generation of reactive oxygen species (free radicals) and oxidative damage are an important cause of neuron (brain cell) death from brain injury.
Chemicals that cause toxicity to certain brain cells are known to decrease cerebral glutathione (GSH), making the cells more vulnerable to reactive oxygen species (ROS). (1)
On the other hand, over-expression of the glutathione peroxidase (GPX) enzyme potently decreases cell death from brain injury. (2)
Brain Injury and Glutathione - The Gender Difference
Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh have found that males and females respond differently to brain injury. (3)
