Articles
Soy Vs. Whey
Why do you work out? If you're like most people your reason is likely to feel better, enhance your physique by building lean muscle and losing fat, and/or to improve your health. These processes require a number of factors to be in order and a primary component is your diet, which many people feel is by far the most important component. To put it one way, having a "perfect" workout day is far easier as you can shown up to the gym and train your tail off, but a "perfect" nutrition day goes from sun up to sun down -- every day! Building muscle and burning fat demands intense, consistent workouts along with a killer diet, plus enough healthy calories to facilitate muscle growth (but not too much or you will build fat). increasing protein intake is one of the best strategies to accomplish this needed balance. for a chance to win this product! Not All Proteins Are Created Equal Can you increase your protein intake to levels you need to build muscle and still support and even improve your health? This too can be a tricky balance and in this regard, this is where the source of your protein can become important. How many different sources of protein can you think of? Beef, bison, chicken, turkey, milk, soy and many plants have some protein in them as well. While a protein source like beef can range a great deal in the amount of protein, fat and cholesterol they contain, other protein sources like milk proteins (whey in particular) and soy offer excellent health benefits, but the extent to which they support your workout goals can vary widely. Soy protein, in fact, is considered by many to be one of the more healthy proteins. The components found within soy are isoflavones that contain naturally occurring nonsteroidal substances called phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens interact with the estrogen receptor on the muscle membrane and increasing your intake of soy-based products naturally increases your intake of phytoestrogens which may result in decreased incidence of coronary heart disease and different cancers (Erdman and Fordyce 1989, Montgomery 2003). Isoflavone and phytoestrogen intake may also improve risk for osteoporosis, reduce triglycerides as well total and LDL cholesterol (Wong, Smith et al. 1998, Teede, Dalais et al. 2001) and can be a key part of a successful weight management program (Bhathena and Velasquez 2002). Soy Protein and Hormonal Response The health benefits of soy are well established, but speculation remains whether regular ingestion of soy protein is ideal for resistance training males who seek to maximize various hormonal responses in an effort to get stronger and increase their muscle mass. In fact, a good amount of scientific evidence exists to support both sides of the argument and fortunately, a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition sheds some light on this exact topic. The purpose of this study by researchers at the University of Connecticut was to examine the extent to which soy and whey protein impacted changes in various hormones in response to a single bout of heavy lower-body resistance training (Kraemer, Solomon-Hill et al. 2013). The authors had ten college-age resistance-trained men perform three identical experimental trials. Each trial was separated by a 14-day period called a washout period. Each trial began with a 14-day supplementation period where participants consumed either 20 grams of a carbohydrate placebo, 20 grams of soy protein isolate or 20 grams of whey protein isolate each morning during the supplementation period. After the supplementation period, participants performed a single bout of lower body resistance training by completing 6 sets of 10 repetitions at approximately 80% of each study participant's one-repetition maximum (1RM). A series of seven blood samples were collected before and within the first hour after completing the exercise bout to measure changes in key hormones such as testosterone, cortisol and estrogen. The authors found that when soy protein was provided, serum levels of testosterone were diminished and cortisol levels (a stress hormone) were greater when compared to the levels measured when whey protein was consumed. When both testosterone and cortisol were observed together, 20 grams of whey protein supplementation promoted and sustained higher levels of testosterone while also causing the lowest levels of cortisol (Kraemer, Solomon-Hill et al. 2013). The authors concluded that supplementation with whey protein led to the most favorable changes in hormones found in the blood in response to a single bout of resistance training and in particular that ingestion of soy blunted increases in testosterone and increased levels of cortisol. Other studies exist to demonstrate that using soy protein can negatively impact levels of key hormones such as testosterone (Gardner-Thorpe, O'Hagen et al. 2003), sex hormone binding globulin (Habito, Montalto et al. 2000) as well as the ratio between testosterone and estrogen (Habito, Montalto et al. 2000). Moreover, it is thought that soy may inhibit the function of some key enzymes that facilitate the production of various androgens (Evans, Griffiths et al. 1995, Makela, Poutanen et al. 1998). for a chance to win this product! Whey Protein Generates a Preferable Hormonal Response Whey protein, particularly high quality hydrolyzed isolate versions such as BioQuest's MyoZene and ProSource's NytroWhey Ultra Elite possess extremely favorable profiles of amino acids and in particular contain the highest concentrations of the essential amino acids as well as the branched-chain amino acids. As mentioned before, a recent study reported that when similar amounts of protein were given prior to completing an intense bout of lower-body resistance training, the most favorable changes in both testosterone and cortisol were found when a whey protein isolate was given (Kraemer, Solomon-Hill et al. 2013). Isolate versions of whey protein like those found in MyoZene and the entire NytroWhey family are the purest forms of whey protein and as a result contain the highest amounts of protein, essential amino acids and branched-chain amino acids (the good stuff) and the lowest amounts of fat and carbohydrate (the bad stuff). Whey Protein Ingestion Supports Increased Protein Synthesis Hormone response is important, but there are other factors in play as well. Two recent studies compared the impact of soy and whey protein on changes in muscle protein synthesis at rest as well as after resistance exercise. The first study had young college-aged men complete three experimental trials where during each visit they ingested similar amounts of either whey, casein or soy protein. Muscle protein synthesis was measured both at rest and after a single bout of resistance exercise. At rest, rates of muscle protein synthesis after whey protein ingestion were 18% greater than when soy protein was ingested. When the same response was measured after completing a single bout of heavy resistance exercise, the results favored whey protein even more, leading to 31% higher values of muscle protein synthesis (Tang, Moore et al. 2009). Think these results only apply to young men? Think again! These results were reported again in a later study which used older men whereby whey protein ingestion resulted in greater levels of muscle protein synthesis when compared to soy protein ingestion (Yang, Breen et al. 2012, Yang, Churchward-Venne et al. 2012). In conclusion, soy protein, particularly isolate versions, are considered to be high quality sources of protein, but a number of studies continue to provide evidence that soy protein ingestion might lead to unfavorable changes in key hormones that are a part of the muscle building process. On the other hand, high quality, isolate versions of whey protein like those found in MyoZene and the NytroWhey Ultra Elite have the highest levels of amino acids and when compared head to head, and a number of studies indicate that whey protein ingestion promotes greater increases in muscle-building processes. Do you take a soy protein supplement? What have your results been with it? Let us know in the comments field below! References Bhathena, S. J. and M. T. Velasquez (2002). "Beneficial role of dietary phytoestrogens in obesity and diabetes." Am J Clin Nutr 76(6): 1191-1201. Erdman, J. W., Jr. and E. J. Fordyce (1989). "Soy products and the human diet." Am J Clin Nutr 49(5): 725-737. Evans, B. A., K. Griffiths and M. S. Morton (1995). "Inhibition of 5 alpha-reductase in genital skin fibroblasts and prostate tissue by dietary lignans and isoflavonoids." J Endocrinol 147(2): 295-302. Gardner-Thorpe, D., C. O'Hagen, I. Young and S. J. Lewis (2003). "Dietary supplements of soya flour lower serum testosterone concentrations and improve markers of oxidative stress in men." Eur J Clin Nutr 57(1): 100-106. Habito, R. C., J. Montalto, E. Leslie and M. J. Ball (2000). "Effects of replacing meat with soyabean in the diet on sex hormone concentrations in healthy adult males." Br J Nutr 84(4): 557-563. Kraemer, W. J., G. Solomon-Hill, B. M. Volk, B. R. Kupchak, D. P. Looney, C. Dunn-Lewis, B. A. Comstock, T. K. Szivak, D. R. Hooper, S. D. Flanagan, C. M. Maresh and J. S. Volek (2013). "The effects of soy and whey protein supplementation on acute hormonal reponses to resistance exercise in men." J Am Coll Nutr 32(1): 66-74. Makela, S., M. Poutanen, M. L. Kostian, N. Lehtimaki, L. Strauss, R. Santti and R. Vihko (1998). "Inhibition of 17beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase by flavonoids in breast and prostate cancer cells." Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 217(3): 310-316. Montgomery, K. S. (2003). "Soy protein." J Perinat Educ 12(3): 42-45. Tang, J. E., D. R. Moore, G. W. Kujbida, M. A. Tarnopolsky and S. M. Phillips (2009). "Ingestion of whey hydrolysate, casein, or soy protein isolate: effects on mixed muscle protein synthesis at rest and following resistance exercise in young men." J Appl Physiol 107(3): 987-992. Teede, H. J., F. S. Dalais, D. Kotsopoulos, Y. L. Liang, S. Davis and B. P. McGrath (2001). "Dietary soy has both beneficial and potentially adverse cardiovascular effects: a placebo-controlled study in men and postmenopausal women." J Clin Endocrinol Metab 86(7): 3053-3060. Wong, W. W., E. O. Smith, J. E. Stuff, D. L. Hachey, W. C. Heird and H. J. Pownell (1998). "Cholesterol-lowering effect of soy protein in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic men." Am J Clin Nutr 68(6 Suppl): 1385S-1389S. Yang, Y., L. Breen, N. A. Burd, A. J. Hector, T. A. Churchward-Venne, A. R. Josse, M. A. Tarnopolsky and S. M. Phillips (2012). "Resistance exercise enhances myofibrillar protein synthesis with graded intakes of whey protein in older men." The British journal of nutrition: 1-9. Yang, Y., T. A. Churchward-Venne, N. A. Burd, L. Breen, M. A. Tarnopolsky and S. M. Phillips (2012). "Myofibrillar protein synthesis following ingestion of soy protein isolate at rest and after resistance exercise in elderly men." Nutr Metab (Lond) 9(1): 57. 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4 Moves for a Massive Chest
Faking a straight on, one dimensional selfie on Facebook is easy, but real life is three dimensional and eventually someone will see you from the side. The chest is a very noticeable body part; a well-developed chest commands respect, shows strength and screams masculine virility. If your chest isn't getting deeper, wider, and fuller, then it's time to take some advice from a guy not known for his bodybuilding wisdom. Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Here at ProSource we are after one thing: results. Let's look at some highly effective, under-utilized exercises in building a massive chest. Plyometric Push-Ups Bodyweight movements are mentioned rarely in bodybuilding publications and literally never outside the context of a high-rep burnout. Plyometric push-ups will be performed as a warm-up before hitting the heavy pig iron. This serves a couple of purposes: to recruit High Threshold Motor Units and increase neural drive to the muscles. In lay terms, we are going to recruit large muscle fibers and wake up the central nervous system (CNS). Neuromuscular Facilitation, not fatigue, is our objective; that's why the reps are low. Perform this exercise for 3 sets of 3 to 6 reps with 1 to 2 minute rest interval between sets. Performance Get in a push-up position on the ground Hands spaced at bench press grip width Do a push-up and explode in to the air as high possible, land and repeat in rapid-fire style Do not exceed 8 reps Board Press To get big you have to go heavy! Because the range of motion is reduced with board presses, we can handle heavier weights contrasted to a conventional bench press. Full range of motion is generally the rule of thumb, but partials need to play a role for maximal muscular development and strength. By handling overloads in board presses, it will remove some of the shock from full-range-of-motion movements. We will do 3 sets of 3 reps as heavy as possible and finish with a set of 15 reps. Rest 2-3 minutes between sets. Performance Have a competent spotter hold two 2 x 4 boards on chest Un-rack the barbell at arms extension over your boards Grab the bar with your strongest bench press grip width Keep your upper back tight Make sure your feet are flat throughout the entire movement Lower the barbell under control to boards; pause for 1 second Forcefully push the bar back to arms extension Smith Machine Overload Bench Press I have some ocean-front property in Arizona if you think you are going to maximally develop a huge chest without any eccentric overload work! Heavy negatives induce greater muscle damage than any other type of contraction. Up to 60% percent more weight can be handled on an eccentric contraction contrasted to a concentric contraction. Eccentrics allow us to do more work longer and work past failure on the positive portion of a set. Furthermore, intense eccentric movements force muscle fibers and surrounding satellite cells to fuse, resulting in muscle fiber growth. Assuming you have two competent spotters, it's tough to beat the eccentric overload bench press for a safe, effective eccentric emphasis exercise. Do 3 sets of 5 reps, rest 2-3 minutes between sets. Performance Lie flat on a bench placed under a Smith Machine (the bar should be directly above your chest) Load the bar with 10%–25% extra weight on the outside of the bar sleeves Lower the weight to your chest At chest level, have a partner on each side pull the extra weight off the bar Forcefully press the weight back to starting position Then have the partners add the weight back to the bar Repeat for necessary reps Here it is in Action Chain Flyes Flyes are a great chest exercise, but they may fall on the risk side of the risk-to-benefit ratio for those with shoulder problems (due to the excessive strain in the stretched position). Thus, many lifters in this situation often opt to only train with cables. But chain flyes are a game changer! Chain flyes are performed by attaching the handles you use to perform cable cross overs to chains. You are still able to get some of the stretch (lacking in cables) that you feel with dumbbells. Yet, as your arms abduct to the fully stretched position, the chains unload on the floor. This removes much of the strain from the shoulders. As you adduct, or squeeze your arms back together, the chains start to lift off the floor again, giving you the peak contraction advantage of the cables. Even with 100% healthy shoulders, chain flyes require you to produce more force where you are strongest -- providing an extreme overload. Select a weight you are capable of doing 12 reps with. Do 10 reps, rest 40 seconds, then attempt 10 reps again; if you are unable to do 10 reps, do nine, if you can't do 9, do 8, if you can't do 8, do 7, do this all the way down to one. If the set is less than 10 reps go to failure; rest 40 seconds after each set. Perform this for a total of 10 reps; this should be brutal. Performance Attach a single-handle attachment with a carabineer to a chair Lie flat on a bench Lift the handles with chain above your chest with arms in a slightly bent position (your arms never straighten out throughout the entire movement) Lower to the side until your chest muscles are stretched Bring the handles together in a giant, bear hugging-like motion Hold the handles together at the top for a brief moment Return to starting position Supplementation Suggestions More muscle damage means more time to recover. I highly recommend ProSource's Mega BCAA from anecdotal experience and validated in scientific literature. When you're going harder and longer, some ProSource Beta Alanine will help you postpone fatigue as well. Final Thoughts If your chest hasn't grown since the second Bush administration, what do you have to lose? Give these unconventional movements a try and you can expect some unconventionally great gains.
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Post-Workout Care And Feeding For Muscle Mass
If you’re doing your due diligence in the gym, but you’re not getting the physique results you want, then chances are your fault lies in your diet, not your exercise regimen. The truth is, the vast majority of sufficiently trained fitness-conscious people are short-changing themselves every day when it comes to nutrition. Either they're simply not consuming enough muscle-supportive calories or they're falling prey to all-too-common myths about proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. This is particularly true when it comes to post-workout nutrition.Let's start with proteins. Do you believe that you're consuming enough grams of high-quality protein to increase muscle mass? Many dedicated gym-goers believe they are, but they are mistaken. The U.S. government’s recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein for a 180-lb adult male is 56 grams. While this might be enough for an untrained individual with no particular physique goal in mind, it is woefully insufficient for anyone trying to add significant muscle mass. In fact, sports nutrition experts suggest that highly trained athletes should consume about 0.75 grams of daily protein per pound of body weight. That’s 135 grams for a 180-lb person.And then of course there's the matter of protein quality. Most top-selling, big-brand protein formulas will tout protein contents of 20 to 25 grams per serving. But a closer look at their labels reveals that a surprising amount of that consists of lower-quality whey concentrates, soy or wheat proteins, and worse. If pure whey protein isolate and hydrolyzed whey aren't featured near or at the top of the ingredients list, you're holding an inferior protein product.Whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate contain more than 90% protein, virtually no lactose or fat, and are superior in generating increased protein synthesis and muscle recovery response. Whey contains an abundance of leucine, the branched chain amino acid responsible for unleashing protein synthesis in muscle tissue. Consumed after vigorous resistance exercise, leucine is essential to maximizing total muscle protein synthesis response, which in turn helps damaged muscle tissue repair, recover, and eventually grow.Whey concentrates often get a bad rap, but the truth is, a wide spectrum of quality exists within this category. Whey protein has a good potential to support your training and physique goals, but it is important to find a whey concentrate product that is 100% whey protein, formulated via advanced low-temperature, ultra-filtration processing, with no cheap fillers or unproven blends, as found in many "bargain" whey products sold by less scrupulous manufacturers. There's also the matter of protein timing. It's important to spread out your protein consumption to maintain a positive anabolic state throughout the day. A 25-gram serving of protein will support an increase in protein synthesis activity that will last approximately three hours. Thus, consuming most of your protein at a single meal, like dinner, will provide a narrow peak for growth potential in terms of your entire day. Your goal should be to make sure that each of your three main meals includes an ample-sized portion of protein from whole-food sources (beef, chicken, fish, etc), while you utilize supplemental protein formulas to fill in the nutritional gaps in your regimen. The Myth of the "Bad" CarbohydrateHas any dietary fad wreaked more havoc on the physiques of fitness-conscious Americans than the demonization of the carbohydrate? For decades, we've been told to restrict or eliminate carbs from our diet. A whole ketone diet culture has grown up around this philosophy. And while a low-carb diet may make sense for individuals focused exclusively on fat loss and slimming down, for athletes looking to add muscle mass, carbs are essential. Indeed, without carbs you're never going to grow the muscle mass you desire.At the most basic level, carbohydrates provide the energy necessary for a productive workout. They support intense workouts more efficiently than any other energy source. Depriving your body of carbohydrates during and after periods of intense exercise will result in depleted glycogen reserves that in turn will cause your body to use proteins scavenged from muscle tissue as an energy source.Protein literally needs carbohydrates to repair damaged muscle tissue. Carbohydrates raise blood glucose levels, potentiating insulin release, which in turn plays a key role in skeletal muscle protein synthesis by activating ribosomal activity and growth initiation factors within skeletal muscle. Elevated insulin levels also appear to prevent muscle protein breakdown, which contributes to the overall anabolic effect of not only insulin but insulin-like growth factors as well. Higher insulin levels will help keep skeletal muscle in a state of positive protein balance before and after a training session if carbohydrates are ingested.So as we can see, underestimating the quantity and quality of your protein intake, while depriving yourself of energy-providing, protein-synthesis-triggering carbohydrates, is a worst-case scenario for muscle growth after exercise. What to do about this state of affairs? Supplement with a wide-spectrum protein-and-carbs post-workout infusion.After Mass: Potent Post-Workout Anabolic FuelThe good news is, you don't have to break the bank to derive maximum muscle-building power from every bout of high-intensity resistance training you complete. After Mass post-workout formula from ProSource checks all the boxes of your anabolic nutritional requirements.After Mass was and is one of the pioneering supplement products in the field of hydrolysate proteins. These proteins, formulated via a process of extensive hydrolysis (or pre-digestion) that yields extremely low di- and tri-peptide aminos, are absorbed directly into the bloodstream, resulting in more efficient utilization for muscle synthesis. The ingestion of premium hydrolyzed whey protein immediately after exercise potentiates the highest levels of blood amino acids, which are associated with augmented nitrogen utilization, protein synthesis and a greatly elevated anabolic state. After Mass was the first post-workout formula to incorporate this advanced hydrolyzed whey technology and make it not just palatable, but genuinely delicious. In addition to its hydrolyzed whey content, After Mass's tri-phasic protein complex also features ultra-quick absorbing whey protein concentrate and casein hydrolysate. These proteins are present in the exact same ratios found in mother's milk and provide both fast-release protein for immediate synthesis, plus premium-grade, slower releasing proteins to keep a steady stream of aminos flowing into your system for extended benefits.You want invaluable carbohydrate content to up-regulate insulin release and support protein synthesis? After Mass has you covered here too, in the form of 48 grams of precision-targeted, high-glycemic carbs. Finally, After Mass provides numerous, full value vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B-12, thiamin, pantothenic acid, along with calcium, phosphorus and others, plus medium chain triglycerides as an energy source.Real Physique Results at an Affordable PriceAll of the advanced growth factors in After Mass have established this mass-building powerhouse as a staple in the supplement regimens of serious athletes for years. Another aspect of After Mass that has made it an enduring favorite is its price. In an era in which prices in the post-workout category have been soaring, ProSource has continued to utilize its direct-to-consumer retailing model and supply chain expertise to keep the price of After Mass affordable to its countless fans. After Mass continues to be one the most powerful, most comprehensive, and most affordable post-workout mass-building options available!Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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Meta-Analysis: Omega-3 Supplementation Reduces Markers of Inflammation and Muscle Damage Post-Exercise, Improving Recovery
If you take your training seriously, then you've undoubtedly encountered the philosophy of "No Pain, No Gain." The idea is that you're not going to make any progress toward your physique and performance goals unless you push yourself to your limits and then some small stretch beyond them. This philosophy can also be brought to bear at the cellular level, in the notion that you have to break down some muscle tissue in order to build it back better, bigger and stronger.Like any simple maxim, this philosophy is true up to a point. Hard work has its rewards: if you're just going to coast along at minimal effort, you're never going to get anywhere. However, there is a point at which excessive workload and excessive damage becomes detrimental to your overall progress.Injury is an obvious example. If you push yourself past your breaking point and suffer a severe injury, you're going to have to curtail or suspend entirely your training regimen and you're obviously going to lose ground in pursuit of your fitness goals.Slowed, inefficient or incomplete recovery from exercise can also undermine your progress toward muscle size and strength gains. When you engage in strenuous resistance exercise, you damage muscle cells and inflammation occurs as your body directs increased blood flow to muscle tissue to replenish oxygen, fuel muscles, and clear out waste. Among these waste products generated by muscle stress are creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and myoglobin (Mb) concentrations leaked into the bloodstream.These symptoms express themselves in the form of reduced range of motion, decreases in neuromuscular function, and extended periods of swelling, which can impair muscle function and inhibit the potential to engage in high‐intensity exercise on subsequent days. You can ameliorate the counterproductive effects of this exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) by simply getting sufficient rest between bouts of exercise, so your body can fully recover. Problems result however if your muscles are recovering too slowly. Insufficiently recovered muscle tissue breaks down further and more swiftly during successive bouts of exercise, and both performance and subsequent growth is impeded.Of course, you can attempt to push through these negative outcomes, but slow or incomplete recovery from high-intensity exercise can create a negative feedback loop in which strength and size gains are undermined by weakened cell function and decreased workload capacity.So what is the solution? Well, you can get even more rest. Or you can incur less EIMD by training less aggressively. Or perhaps, as researchers are finding, you can turn to a powerful nutrient closely linked to anti-inflammatory properties, cell membrane integrity and muscle recovery.Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Super-Versatile Wellness NutrientFish oils rich in Omega-3 fatty acids are something of a wonder nutrient for typical health-conscious individuals and hard-training athletes alike. When untrained people go to the doctor and receive blood test results that suggest their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels are high or their blood pressure is borderline high, they are very likely -- at least in the beginning -- to receive a prescription for a high-quality fish oil supplement high in the fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), that may confer important health benefits.What are these health benefits? Ongoing research suggests that in addition to potentially increasing levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and lowering levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, Omega-3s may be helpful in regulating blood pressure, reducing plaque build-up in arteries, supporting bone health and improving immune function.Some of these health benefits are still subject to further clinical investigation. Another robust area of clinical investigation involves the interaction between bodily inflammation and Omega-3 supplementation. And here, a recent meta-analysis of numerous studies suggests that hard-training athletes may accrue significant benefits from adding Omega-3s to their supplementation regimen.Meta-Analysis of Omega-3 Studies Highlights Reduction of Exercise-Induced Muscle DamageIn this recent survey of studies (1 Gao Xin), published in the scientific journal Food Science & Nutrition, researchers considered randomized placebo-controlled trials published between 2002 and 2017 in which subjects were supplemented with Omega-3 fish oils or placebo and tested for creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and myoglobin (Mb) concentrations, all markers of EIMD and resulting inflammation."The aim of this review," the researchers stated, "was to assess whether Omega-3 consumption affected the response of muscle damage indicators to physical activity followed by the start of a training program. The current meta‐analysis results, conducted on 10 Research Control Trials, displayed beneficial effects of Omega-3 supplementation in reduction in EIMD indicators during exercise protocols of various periods."This included significantly reduced levels of CK, LDH and Mb concentrations in all Omega-3 supplemented subjects, leading the researchers to conclude, "most of these studies suggested Omega-3 consumption attenuates the magnitude of the serum muscle enzymes response to damaging exercise, lower inflammatory response, and less myofibrillar disturbance."Some studies suggested that, since docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are incorporated into phospholipids of muscle cell membrane, Omega-3s may help to improve muscle cells' membrane stability and subsequent lowered release of enzymes. Regardless, the researchers summed up their findings, stating that "outcomes within the current meta‐analysis indicate that Omega-3 supplementation is effective for alleviating EIMD after exercise muscle damage," and advised that "further studies with diverse dosages of Omega-3 and different exercise protocols are required to assess the best dosage and repetition per day for optimized recovery." Superior-Quality Sources of Omega-3s Offer the Best ProtectionHere's where we can offer a little of our own advice: Quality is of the essence. "Best dosage" involves seeking out the absolute highest-quality sourcing of Omega-3s possible. Many low-grade, supermarket-shelf fish oil products from generic manufacturers are rife with alarming levels of contamination and contain very little actual active-ingredient DHA and EPA. ProSource’s own Omega-1250 has long been a quality leader in this category. It is derived from pure deep-sea, cold-water sources that are molecularly distilled and highly purified. Each softgel capsule contains an ultra-potent 750 mg of the highest quality Omega-3 fatty acids, including high amounts of EPA (450 mg) and DHA (300 mg).ProSource has long recognized the critical health and exercise advantages provided by Omega-3s, and our super-premium fish oil supplement reflects that commitment. Reduce excessive muscle damage, shorten recovery, and pave the way to improved performance and greater results with pure, premium-grade Omega-3s. Scientific References1 Gao Xin and Hesam Eshaghi. Effect of omega‐3 fatty acids supplementation on indirect blood markers of exercise‐induced muscle damage: Systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials. Food Sci Nutr. 2021 Nov; 9(11): 6429–6442.Use products as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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Power Peak Performance with a Beta Alanine and Creatine Combo
The perfect workout — the ultra-productive workout that most efficiently generates new muscle mass — is all about volume and duration. Volume is obvious; the more weight you can lift, the more power you can generate, the stronger you are, the bigger you can get. Duration doesn’t refer to the length of your workout — a session that goes on much beyond 45 minutes to an hour actually becomes counterproductive — but rather to the length of each set. The key is to maintain proper form on each rep, while postponing fatigue and putting off that last rep as long as possible until you finally have nothing left to give.That last brutal rep — the rep to absolute failure — is especially important because it facilitates the release of lipase, a pancreatic enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of fats for energy. Those last difficult reps also promote the release of testosterone and growth hormone which will aid in increasing lean body mass, fat burning and recovery. Finally, that last rep is stressing and damaging muscle fibers that your body will have to rebuild bigger and stronger to meet the extreme physical challenges that lay ahead. Unfortunately, most training individuals don't attain any of these benefits because they're lifting too little and giving up too soon.Modern sports nutrition science, however, offers a dramatic edge to serious athletes looking to increase workout productivity, specifically in the combination of supplemental creatine monohydrate and beta alanine.A Perfect Synergy for Dramatic Muscle Growth IncreaseIf power and duration are the keys to an ultra-productive training session, then creatine monohydrate and beta alanine are paired perfectly to help you get to your goal.Creatine monohydrate, of course, is second only to whey protein in its importance to athletes seeking to increase strength and muscle mass. It supports muscle cell volumization by literally pulling water into the muscle cell, making muscles bigger and fuller. Bigger and fuller muscles can generate more force potential. Proper cellular hydration also facilitates the Kreb's cycle, the process whereby muscle cells convert nutrients like carbohydrates and fat into ATP, which in turn facilitates the contractions that make exercise possible. Creatine, especially in its monohydrate form, has been associated with positive effects on strength and power increase, training capacity, muscle mass, and overall cell hydration and volumization in literally hundreds of clinical studies conducted all around the world. Creatine has functioned as the wellspring of muscle strength and power increase for generations of successful athletes.This brings us to duration. If creatine has you covered for short, intense bursts of power, then beta alanine has you covered for stamina. A naturally occurring beta amino acid, beta alanine plays a rate-limiting role in carnosine production by interacting with histidine. High muscle carnosine levels improve muscle performance through their ability to buffer skeletal muscle pH (acidity) during high intensity, fatiguing exercise. By counteracting the negative effects of lactic acid formation, beta alanine allows your muscles to delay the onset of fatigue, increasing endurance and forestalling muscle failure.Creatine monohydrate and beta alanine appear to be the perfect one-two punch for peak performance and growth, and clinical science backs this up. In one ten-week study, published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, collegiate football players experienced significant increases in strength after supplementing with a combination of beta alanine and creatine, as compared to placebo-controlled test subjects. In the same study, the subjects who took beta alanine along with creatine also lost body fat and gained muscle, without altering their diet or training program. [Hoffman 1] Supplement with High-Potency, Super-Premium Forms of Both Creatine and Beta AlanineClearly, creatine monohydrate and beta alanine, working together in perfect tandem, have significant benefits to offer hard-training athletes. Adding them to your regimen can be as simple supplementing with each individually. Indeed, ProSource offers both products in highly potent, super-premium formats. ProSource Creatine Monohydrate is 100% Creapure® sourced from Alzchem of Germany, the world leader in superior creatine manufacturing. This ultra-pure, micro-crystallized creatine monohydrate is unsurpassed in providing the muscle volume and strength-increase results you're seeking. Likewise, ProSource Beta Alanine is 100% sourced with CarnoSyn® brand carnitine, well-established as the gold standard in the industry, and reliably pure and potent to ensure maximum efficacy. Or you can take both creatine monohydrate and beta alanine in precise ratio (with added co-factors) via an advanced, super-premium pre-workout like BioQuest's Fusion Force®. The creatine in Fusion Force® is the same 100% Creapure® found in ProSource's stand-alone brand, and Fusion Force's beta alanine is 100% CarnoSyn® sourced. The ultimate multi-pathway pre-workout performance optimizer, Fusion Force® supports every aspect of performance and muscle growth, while delivering its key ingredients in optimal potencies.One of Fusion Force's key active ingredients, betaine, has been associated with cell-volumizing and power-enhancing qualities much like those of creatine monohydrate. Betaine anhydrous, also known as trimethylglycine, is an amino acid derivative of choline that helps support cell hydration and volume during the dehydration, stress, and metabolite accumulation associated with high-intensity exercise. Fusion Force also provides a powerful matrix of precision-targeted essential aminos, dynamic energy-boosting compounds, muscle pump potentiators, and fat mobilization co-factors. The result is a true all-in-one performance optimizer that functions as an ideal solution for athletes seeking a vitalizing surge of strength, stamina, energy and training intensity that will help you attain peak physique enhancement.Scientific References1 Jay Hoffman, Nicholas Ratamess, Jie Kang, Gerald Mangine, Avery Faigenbaum, Jeffrey Stout. Effect of creatine and beta-alanine supplementation on performance and endocrine responses in strength/power athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006 Aug;16(4):430-46. Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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Heart Healthy Habits -- Get Active and Stay Active Into Your 40s and Beyond
Healthy is as healthy does.This is especially true when it comes to staying active as you get older. Even the simple act of getting out of your chair and walking around can improve your quality of life immeasurably over the short and long term. The devastating effects of a sedentary lifestyle, particularly on cardiovascular health, have been made clear in two research papers published in the last year — one a clinical study involving over 90,000 participants in the UK and the other a meta-analysis of over 100 clinical studies investigating the effects of inactivity, prolonged daily sitting and sedentary lifestyles.Inactivity and Cardiovascular HealthThe majority of American adults spend more than half of their waking hours sitting. That's a conservative estimate. It's not hard to do, really. You drive to work, you sit at your desk all day, you eat lunch at your desk, you drive home, you spend a few hours in front of the TV. That's a lot of sitting. If you're in the minority, you get out to the gym a few days a week and get in some exercise. Still, in the grand scope of things, that's just a few hours taken away from a full-time job of just sitting around.So what are the health outcomes, specifically for cardiovascular health, from all this chronic inactivity? How much activity is enough? Is there a point at which more activity offers little or no increased benefit? A new study from the UK, published in the journal PLOS Medicine in 2021, accessed a unique data resource to arrive at some pretty compelling conclusions.One of the major drawbacks of clinical studies involving lifestyle variables -- especially in large groups of test subjects -- is that they rely on self-reported data as provided in questionnaire answers. Test subjects are notoriously inaccurate when reporting something as subjective as exercise. They can overestimate training volume and intensity during exercise while discounting entirely activity levels attained during other parts of the day. Researchers have long intuited that there is an inverse relationship between physical activity and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. That is, the more exercise you get, the less your risk of incurring cardiovascular disease. But there has always been uncertainty about the strength of this association because of the unreliability of the data. From 2013 to 2015, an organization known as UK Biobank sought to improve the accuracy involved in measuring how active people really are. They placed accelerometers, small lightweight motion sensors, on the wrists of more than a half million people aged 40 through 69 and used them to more accurately measure the physical activity status of these test subjects.In 2021, researchers isolated more than 90,000 participants in the Biobank co-hort (again, aged 40 to 69) who had no previous reports of cardiovascular disease at the time of the measurement and followed up on their medical history. They found that higher levels of physical activity were associated with lower risk for cardiovascular disease, and that this result was similar across total, moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical exercise. Just as importantly, the researchers found that individuals who engaged in higher levels of physical activity had lower risk for cardiovascular disease throughout the range of physical activity measured. The lowest risk for cardiovascular disease in the UK Biobank cohort was seen at the highest level of physical activity, whether total, moderate-intensity, or vigorous-intensity. In conclusion the researchers noted that their findings "aligns with the recommendations of the UK Chief Medical Officer’s report on PA that 'some physical activity is good but more is better'." [1 Rema Ramakrishnan, et al] A Meta-Analysis of Over 100 Studies Links Sedentary Habits to Several Markers of Cardiovascular DiseaseAnother ambitious recent scientific research paper, this one published in the journal Nature Reviews Cardiology in 2021, also takes a comprehensive view of the relationship between inactivity and poor cardiovascular outcomes, placing it in a broad perspective [2 David W. Dunstan, et al.]. This paper took the form of a meta-analysis of over 100 recent clinical studies investigating the effects of prolonged daily sitting and inactivity, and its results were eye-opening.These researchers reaffirmed the validity of accumulating, highly informative evidence from prospective epidemiological studies documenting that long periods of time spent in sedentary behavior can lead to adverse health outcomes — particularly for cardiovascular disease. They then went on to break down individual mechanisms of sitting risk.The researchers noted that vascular function is affected during prolonged periods of sitting, citing a meta-analysis of 17 studies showing that prolonged sitting led to an acute impairment of vascular function as measured by flow-mediated dilation. Another negative outcome of this reduced vascular function or "blood pooling" in large, lower-limb, weight-bearing muscles, is the reduction in metabolic demand and blood flow during prolonged sitting that is likely to contribute to acute increases in blood pressure. Studies suggest that the lower metabolic demand of sitting, coupled with reduced levels of vasodilatory metabolites, might lead to vasoconstriction in inactive muscles and, consequently, to increased peripheral resistance and mean arterial pressure.Sitting-induced metabolic dysfunction can also have an effect on glucose levels in the blood, another key marker of potential cardiovascular stress. The researchers note that postprandial glucose, insulin and triacylglycerol levels in blood are acutely elevated after periods of prolonged sitting, while a meta-analysis of 37 studies showed that regular interruptions with physical activity during prolonged sitting had a significant beneficial effect by acutely reducing glucose and insulin levels compared with continuous sitting.In addition, increased systemic inflammation caused by prolonged sitting can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. The researchers point out that extended periods of inactivity are detrimentally associated with levels of C-reactive protein and IL-6 in the plasma, indicators of chronic low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress. The authors also highlight negative effects on cerebral blood flow (as a result of blood pooling in the lower extremities) and sitting-induced "exercise resistance," which is the reduced capacity of your body to benefit -- over time -- in whatever amounts of physical activity you do participate in. Sit Less and Move MoreIt should be emphasized here that the negative cardiovascular outcomes detailed above arise from an excess of daily cumulative hours of sitting and being sedentary. This means that, while exercise is important, it is not sufficient to sit around all day, then go all out in high-intensity exercise mode at the gym for 45 minutes (three times a week), then go back to being a couch potato. The key is to increase the total amount of overall activity in your day. This is particularly important for people over the age of 40. Observational evidence suggests that people start becoming less active as they enter their 40s and 50s -- exactly at the point where increased physical activity would do the most good.The great thing about adopting a heart-smart lifestyle based on overall activity is that just about anything that isn't sitting counts. Including walking your dog. In fact, a recent paper published in the research journal BMC Public Health (3 Balin, et al) highlights the association between dog ownership and numerous healthy outcomes in terms of daily walking and activity. There are so many terrific ways to exercise and just one boring way to sit. Take a walk on the beach. Work in your garden. Fly a kite. Take up yoga. Increase your one-rep max in the bench press. Go bird watching. Ride a bicycle. Run sprints up stadium stairs. It all counts, and it all helps to decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease, while improving your quality of life. The key is to find something you like and make it an alternative to chronic inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle.ConclusionMany of our readers here at ProSource.net are already highly active individuals, enjoying the health benefits of weight training, cardio exercise, and competitive sports. Many are younger people. And that’s all good. The point here is that physical activity in all its forms is and should be a lifetime pursuit. Not just for now, but into your 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. The benefits in terms of quality of life are immeasurable. And it’s truly amazing just how little it takes to get so much in return.Scientific References1 Rema Ramakrishnan, Aiden Doherty, Karl Smith-Byrne, Kazem Rahimi, Derrick Bennett, Mark Woodward, Rosemary Walmsley, Terence Dwyer. Accelerometer measured physical activity and the incidence of cardiovascular disease: Evidence from the UK Biobank cohort study. PLOS Medicine, January 12, 2021.2 David W. Dunstan, Shilpa Dogra, Sophie E. Carter & Neville Owen. Sit less and move more for cardiovascular health: Emerging insights and opportunities. Nature Reviews Cardiology, Volume 18, pages 637–648 (2021). 3 Marcel Ballin, Oskar Antonsson, Viktor Rosenqvist, Peter Nordström & Anna Nordström. Association of dog ownership with accelerometer-measured physical activity and daily steps in 70-year-old individuals: a population-based cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health volume 21, Article number 2313, 21 December 2021. Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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