Articles
Ultimate Protein Buyer's Guide
No nutrient has been utilized more for building lean muscle and transforming the physique than protein. In fact, it is the single most important nutritional component in the muscle-building equation. That is why it's vitally important for any bodybuilder or other athlete to know the facts regarding protein, and why certain types are better than others. That's also why the product development team at ProSource is providing this comprehensive overview of the latest scientific findings surrounding protein, important detailed information regarding different types of protein, how they are produced and which one is best suited for each objective. Several of the most relevant forms of protein will be defined and discussed relative to their respective advantages and disadvantages. The intent is for you to use this guide to better understand how to maximize the muscle-building results of your training program with optimal protein supplementation. In addition to comparing all of the common forms of protein, distinctions will be made between concentrates, isolates and hydrolysates, as well as specialty extracts that have recently been developed, which have shown to provide significant benefits with regard to muscle synthesis. Finally, a rating from 0 to 10, with 10 as the absolute best, will be assigned to each form of protein to simplify decision-making regarding what protein you should consider. All Things Protein Adequate protein is critically important for many aspects of health. But for athletes who train to maximize muscle mass and minimize body fat, like bodybuilders, the need for adequate protein at necessary times cannot be overstated. Intense exercise training both challenges and damages muscles, which increases the body's requirement for protein. When protein (as well as carbohydrates and fats) is provided in optimal amounts, the rate at which the body can recover from the workout and build more muscle is sharply increased [1, 2]. When choosing your protein supplement, it is important to clearly understand several key things about your body and how it handles the protein you ingest. The ultimate goal of this guide is to provide the most detailed assay on our industry's most relevant protein sources so everyone, from top competitive bodybuilders to the weekend warriors, can gain from this report, as it should prove to be invaluable toward your bodybuilding efforts. FIRST, proteins are made up of amino acids, which can be put into groups based on how easy it is for your body to produce them. Amino acids that your body makes in large amounts are called nonessential amino acids because it is not essential for you to get them from your diet. On the other hand, amino acids that your body cannot make at all are called essential amino acids because it is essential you get them in adequate amounts from the food or supplements you consume. Lastly, some amino acids are produced in good amounts by our body but under times of stress (like when you are ill or when you are training heavily) the body does not produce enough of them. These are called conditionally essential amino acids. SECOND, proteins are commonly classified as complete or incomplete proteins. A complete protein is any protein source that provides both adequate amounts and ratios of the essential amino acids to facilitate the rebuilding of various proteins found throughout our body. Consequently, an incomplete protein is any protein source that does not provide either adequate amounts or ratios of the essential amino acids to support cellular protein growth. How do I know if a protein is complete or not? If your source of protein is derived from an animal it is considered a complete protein source. Examples then include beef, pork, fish, egg, milk (or dairy products), and poultry such as chicken, turkey or game fowl. Proteins derived from plants are incomplete, with soy being the only noteworthy exception as recent high quality isolate versions of soy protein may be considered complete [3]. THIRD, muscle cells have been shown by research to absolutely require essential amino acids to reach maximal rates of synthesis or growth, and resistance exercise requires even further increases [4, 5]. It is becoming abundantly clear that the essential amino acid, leucine, in particular, plays a critical role in stimulating muscle protein synthesis and scientists continue to examine and explore the extent of this bioactivity [6, 7]. This point is so important that a dedicated section on leucine is provided later in this guide. FOURTH, research has determined that the optimal dose of essential amino acids to maximize muscle protein synthesis is approximately 10 to 12 grams [1, 8-10]. Increased levels of muscle protein synthesis can remain for 2 to 3 hours after their ingestion, whereby another dose of amino acids is needed to favorably shift the cellular balance between protein growth and protein breakdown [11]. Additionally, research tells us that when the levels of amino acids decrease outside of the muscle cell, that protein synthesis will decrease [12]. Therefore, one of the most important dosing strategies is to pattern your eating and supplementation to deliver around 10 to 12 grams of essential amino acids every 3 hours or so, if at all possible. FIFTH, a few recent studies shed some light on the question of how much protein to consume in one setting. The first study provided graded intakes of powdered essential amino acids in 0, 5, 10 or 20-gram doses to either young or older men and found that 10 grams of essential amino acids was the ideal dose [10]. Another study compared muscle protein synthesis changes in younger men after they ingested either 0, 10, 20 or 40 grams of egg protein. The authors concluded that 20 grams of protein was the optimal amount. The 20-gram dose led to significantly greater levels of protein synthesis than the 5 or 10-gram dose and was equivalent to protein synthesis levels produced when a 40-gram dose was ingested [13]. The latest study used whey protein and also concluded that 20 grams of protein appeared to be an optimal dose. However, if you're an older man and the protein is consumed shortly after a resistance workout, a higher dose could be considered [14]. The biggest take-home message is that mega doses of protein are simply not needed and you are better served to provide a 20-25 gram dose more frequently throughout the day. SIXTH, how you take your protein, either as one large dose or spread out over several small doses is commonly considered. This question was also recently addressed by researchers, who concluded that, while both patterns of ingestion increased muscle protein synthesis, a larger dose led to larger increases in amino acid levels in the blood, when compared to spreading that same dosage out over several hours. Two important messages stem from this work, and the first is to just get the protein inside you. Second, the authors felt that the bolus ingestion led to better changes because the dose of leucine provided was at, or closer to, required levels [15]. SEVENTH, the content of leucine within your protein is growing to be a more important factor seemingly each year. While the collective function of the essential amino acids is a key consideration, more and more research continues to tell us that the branched-chain amino acid content [16, 17] and in particular the leucine content of a protein source, may be as important of a consideration. As it stands, scientists feel that the leucine content alone can be responsible for impacting how much muscle mass can be gained due to leucine's central role in activating proteins responsible for muscle protein synthesis[18]. "It is becoming abundantly clear that the essential amino acid, leucine, in particular, plays a critical role in stimulating muscle protein synthesis..." For example, when essential amino acid drinks containing different doses of leucine were given to healthy adults during a bout of cycling exercise, the drink with the higher content of leucine was responsible for greater improvements in muscle protein synthesis [19]. Even without the anabolic power of exercise, leucine-enriched meals given to older men have been shown to support increased rates of muscle protein synthesis [20]. The most convincing evidence, however, comes from a recent study, published in 2012, where multiple doses of whey protein, leucine and essential amino acids were provided both at rest and after a resistance exercise. A whey protein isolate was found to promote the longest increase of muscle protein synthesis, while even a small dose of protein (6.25 grams) with added leucine was still able to promote similar increases in blood levels of both the essential amino acids and leucine [21]. Clearly, the extreme importance of leucine in the bodybuilding equation has been well established in the scientific community, while the evidence still continues to mount. With that, the production of leucine-specific supplements, and protein products with added leucine, has been on the rise. Of these products, there is one in particular that has most every protein expert excited, simply because it does the best job possible in providing the most bioavailable potency of leucine. Word has been spreading fast about NytroWhey Ultra Elite, not only because it provides the most powerful compendium of premium protein content, but also because it contains Leuvon 590 (leucine bound leucine peptides). This highly bioactive peptide formula yields up to four times more leucine than other protein products. That is a pivotal difference. Furthermore, Nytro Whey Ultra Elite has taken full advantage of the recent development by Glanbia Nutritionals, a world leader in protein technology and development, by also providing two elite proteins (Provon and TherMAX) that, according to Glanbia research, delivers a final protein with not only the highest levels of bioactive leucine, but also superior amounts of hydrolysates that promote rapid incorporation of essential amino acids into your growing muscles. Determining Protein Quality A few standard methods are commonly used to discuss differences in the overall quality of proteins found in various food sources. As we discussed earlier, a complete protein is considered to be of higher quality due to its containing higher amounts of all of the essential amino acids. Chemical scores are also used to determine protein quality, whereby the amino acid content (especially the essential amino acid content) of any given protein is compared to a standard or reference protein (e.g., egg protein). If, for example, a protein contains 80% of the amount of one (or more) amino acid(s) in comparison to the reference protein, this protein source is given a score of 80. Proteins that contain all of the essential amino acids in amounts identical to (or greater) than the reference protein are subsequently assigned a chemical score of 100 (or higher). Thus, a higher chemical score infers a higher quality protein. Another method, net protein utilization, uses a similar concept that evaluates how much protein is utilized by the body per dose of protein being delivered. Therefore, any protein source that results in greater amounts of protein being utilized per gram is assigned a higher score, which suggests them to be of higher quality. The most commonly discussed and accepted method of determining protein quality is the protein digestibility corrected amino acid scores (PDCAAs). This method uses a formula to calculate a score that represents both the amino acid requirements of our body and their ability to digest the protein. The higher the PDCAA score, the better the protein. Table 1 provides both net protein utilization (NPU) values and PDCAA scores for different types of protein. Leading Canadian scientists recently published a paper that identified a shortcoming relative to the PDCAA method, whereby no value can be greater than 1.00. In fact, they performed their own calculations and indicated that many forms of protein, including milk solids (1.21), casein (1.23), whey (1.21) and soy (1.04) would all have values above 1.00. This is an important point to consider as it brings to light subtle differences between various sources of protein that, along with other factors such as protein digestion rates, branched-chain amino acid content or other amino acids, may contribute to factors that dictate how much muscle can be gained if consumed as part of a heavy resistance training program. In other words, although the PDCAA method tells us clearly that proteins like whey, casein and soy are all high quality, assigning them the same score may be misleading, as the actual amino acid contents of these proteins are different, and as a result, have been shown to go on to impact how our body responds to resistance exercise and subsequently builds muscle [8]. In summary, several different types of protein exist, some of better quality than others. To optimize delivery of the needed amino acids as well as other valuable nutrients various sources of protein can provide, it is first recommended that people eat a wide variety of proteins from the foods found in their diet. Resistance training athletes and bodybuilders are recommended to consume a diet that contains around 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight. For individuals weighing between 160 and 250 pounds (72 -- 114 kgs), this means they should be eating around 86 to 182 grams of protein each day [1]. Due to the vast amount of research surrounding sources of protein like whey and casein as well as the changes seen with exercising athletes, these proteins are the most commonly considered for athletes who train to improve not only their performance, but also both their muscle mass and body composition. Production Methods and Techniques All proteins may come from the same source, but how the original source of protein is prepared is very important. To help understand the concept, let's say we have a pail of protein produced from one batch of milk from one cow. You could even go so far as to assume that milk was produced on the same day and same time of day when the cow was eating the same diet, etc. From that large base of protein, three production processes are typically used (concentrate, isolate or hydrolysate) and can all be produced from the same vat of milk protein. A concentrate can have a large range of carbohydrate, protein and fat and by definition must be between 34 to 89% protein by weight. This means if 100 grams of a concentrate are produced, 34 to 89 grams must be protein for it to be called a concentrate. However, you must be aware that a company can put the word concentrate on its label and the final product could only be 35% protein by weight, which means that somewhere close to 65% of it will be carbohydrate and fat. Not good. Let's look now at whey isolate, which, by definition, must be at least 90% protein by weight, which means that if 100 grams are produced, at least 90 grams of it must be protein for it to be called an isolate. As noted earlier, whey isolate provides the greatest content of pure protein, amino acids, leucine and other health promoting components, such as the vital glycomacropeptides. The key is quality, and the highest quality isolate in the industry today is Provon from Glanbia. This form is manufactured using state of the art Cross Flow Microfiltration (CFM) processing that yields the highest amount of pristine protein content possible. As a result, it is the highest quality whey isolate available. To find it, look no further than NytroWhey Ultra Elite. This powerful protein complex, also found in NytroWhey Original, offers the purest, highest quality whey isolate for optimum muscle growth. Lastly, hydrolysate formulations are a relatively more recent form of protein that continues to gain in stature due to its greater absorption benefits. Hydrolysates can be produced from most sources of protein (whey, casein, soy, etc.) and can also be made from concentrates or isolates. A hydrolysate product can go through any one of a number of techniques to hydrolyze or partially break down the long peptide chains found in every protein we eat. Most often, hydrolysates are produced using either enzymes that specifically break apart certain proteins or acid mixtures that also naturally cleave bonds found within protein molecules. Hydrolysates continue to be popular for fitness and bodybuilding for a number of reasons. For starters, studies indicate that shorter chains of amino acids are rapidly digested and incorporated into the tissues of the body faster than any other form of protein. This rapid absorption is perfect for immediate assimilation, which benefits every bodybuilder seeking fast mass gain. It also is extremely beneficial for an athlete who needs to recover as rapidly as possible (maybe because they are training 2x in one day or they have another game or event tomorrow)[22]. The degree of hydrolysis is key. Proteins that can report higher degrees of hydrolysis and a greater abundance of very short peptide chains (2 to 5 amino acids long) are typically favored. Finally, research has suggested that hydrolysate versions may also reduce allergens, which may be important for certain individuals [23]. "Whey protein isolate has excellent levels of all of the important amino acids. It is easily digested, mixes well, absorbs quickly and has the most scientific support." To ensure the greatest potency hydrolysate, it is best derived from an isolate rather than a concentrate, for the afore-mentioned reasons. That's why it is critical to look for a protein product like NytroWhey Ultra Elite that contains a hydrolylsate (TherMAX) produced from a whey protein isolate base (Provon) that delivers the highest degree of hydrolysis in the bodybuilding industry. Another important consideration here is the fact that TherMAX is derived from a proprietary enzymatic processing technique, not chemical, that not only yields optimum amounts of very small peptides but also produces a superior taste. All in all, this combination lays the groundwork for a product to deliver not only high levels of critically important amino acids, but also makes them rapidly available to the muscle tissue so they can go to work immediately. Protein Sources Milk proteins are the predominant source of proteins used by bodybuilders for a number of reasons, but mainly because they are the highest quality and easily have the greatest amount of research performed on them. Briefly, whole milk is approximately 87% water and 13% solids. The solid proportion is comprised of many compounds, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, etc. Approximately 27% of the solid fraction is protein, with ash and other minerals (6%), fat (30%) and lactose (27%) comprising the remainder of the solid proportion. The protein proportion naturally found within milk is subsequently divided into approximately 80% casein protein and 20% whey protein. Whey Protein Whey protein is the liquid portion of milk produced as part of the cheese-making process via ultrafiltration, and is commonly formulated into either concentrate, isolate or hydrolysate versions. Whey protein is considered a complete protein and, according to many different rating scales, has the highest level of quality (see Table 1) [8, 9]. In addition to packing the most punch relative to amino acid content, whey proteins are very soluble and as a result are digested rapidly. The digestion rate of whey protein is a key point as studies have shown that the faster digestion rate of whey is responsible for the rapid increases in amino acid concentrations in the blood, which leads to rapid increases in muscle protein synthesis [24, 25]. Follow us on or for a chance to win this product! Whey Protein Isolate As highlighted in the previous paragraph, isolate versions of whey protein are considered to be of the highest quality available. Whey protein isolate has excellent levels of all of the important amino acids. It is easily digested, mixes well, absorbs quickly and has the most scientific support. Several studies have clearly shown that delivering a dose of whey protein isolate of about 20 grams every three hours or so is an extremely potent and effective means to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis. The most convincing of these studies provided whey protein isolate to young, active men who were experienced with resistance training. The first study reported that almost a two-fold greater increase in lean body mass occurred, in addition to greater increases in bench press strength, when compared to athletes who ingested carbohydrates [26]. This same research group later compared the changes in strength, muscle mass and body composition in two groups of young, healthy males who were already experienced with resistance training after one group ingested whey protein isolate and another group ingested a casein protein. When whey protein isolate was ingested, significantly greater increases in lean body mass and strength were found, when compared to the changes seen after casein ingestion [27]. Finally, a recent paper outlined the findings from nine different published studies that were at least eight weeks in duration which compared the resistance training adaptations seen after the subjects ingested either milk, whey protein, soy protein or carbohydrate. Collectively, this approach detailed the responses seen in close to 250 research subjects, which identified that whey protein ingestion was responsible for the greatest increase in lean mass, averaging slightly over an eight pound increase in muscle mass [8]. This paper and others [9, 28] strongly support the contention that whey protein isolate is the most effective protein supplement for a bodybuilder to ingest. To produce a whey protein isolate, two additional filtering processes are typically used: ion-exchange or cross-flow microfiltration. Ion-exchange is a chemical process that produces a product high in amino acid content, but largely damages the biological activity of many important fractions found in the protein. On the other hand, cross-flow microfiltration yields a product with amino acid levels equal to or greater than that of ion-exchange, but does not damage any of the natural biological fractions found within whey proteins. In addition to the outstanding levels of protein, essential amino acids and leucine, whey protein isolate, more so than any other type of protein, contains a number of important bioactive fractions that are responsible for several important health effects. For example, whey protein has high concentrations of the amino acid cysteine, which is closely linked to antioxidant protein, making the cells stronger and more resistant to damaging free radicals [1, 8]. In addition to cysteine, whey isolate also contains a mixture of beta-lactoglobulin (~65%), alpha-lactalbumin (~25%), and serum albumin (~8%) along with a host of illness-preventing immunoglobulins. Collectively, these microfractions convey several additional health-promoting attributes, most importantly an ability to strengthen the immune system. For a number of reasons, these fractions are important to promote maximal health and depending on the type of filtering process that is used; both the content and biological activity of these fractions can be severely altered. Therefore, when deciding on a whey isolate protein, the majority of scientific thought considers Cross Flow Microfiltration (CFM) as superior to ion-exchange filtration. Follow us on or for a chance to win this product! Whey Protein Hydrolysate Hydrolysate products are produced from intact protein sources such as whey protein and casein protein. A number of positive benefits that research has indicated may confer favorable muscle building results are derived from the hydrolyzing process. For starters, a number of studies indicate the smaller, shorter chains of amino acids produced in the hydrolysis process may enter the bloodstream directly, surrounding your muscle more rapidly and effectively, while avoiding first-pass extraction by other organs in the body, such as the liver and intestines [29, 30]. Particularly when the hydrolyzed protein product is produced from a high quality whey protein isolate, as is the case with NytroWhey Ultra Elite, this effect will make more amino acids available to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. As discussed above, a critical factor that drives increases in muscle protein synthesis is the amount of amino acids found right outside the muscle cell, and whey protein hydrolysates are extremely effective at stimulating these increases. Additionally, hydrolysate products stimulate rapid increases in the anabolic hormone insulin, which bodybuilders have known for years to be intimately involved in many aspects of growth and recovery [31]. It's important to understand that many different types of protein can be hydrolyzed, but just because one protein is hydrolyzed doesn't mean they are all the same. The degree of hydrolysis is an important factor that can impact some important characteristics from one protein to the next. Degree of hydrolysis is a determination of what extent the protein chain has been broken apart; more specifically it is often represented as a percentage of the peptides that are hydrolyzed all of the way down to peptide chains that are just two and three peptides in length. The greater the percentage the more complete the hydrolysis process, which subsequently will fully facilitate the positive attributes associated with a hydrolyzed protein. As a point of comparison, many commercially available "hydrolyzed proteins" have a DH (degree of hydrolysis) of just 2 or 4 on the scale. An elite quality hydrolyzed protein like MyoZene from BioQuest has a DH many, many times that rate. All in all, any protein product which possesses a higher degree of hydrolysis will optimize the absorption and delivery of its constituent amino acids, while providing a sharp and rapid spike in insulin. This is a good thing. To fully illustrate the positive impact of different types of protein, a recent scientific study compared the changes in muscle protein synthesis of soy protein isolate, micellar casein and a hydrolysate made from whey protein isolate both at rest and after a single bout of resistance training. When compared to soy protein isolate and micellar casein, whey protein hydrolysate was responsible for extremely sharp and rapid increases in the amount of essential amino acids found in the blood as well as the greatest increases in muscle protein synthesis [32]. More specifically, greater rates of muscle protein synthesis were found at rest without any influence of exercise, and when a single bout of resistance training was added. In fact, whey protein hydrolysate was actually several orders of magnitude more effective at increasing muscle protein synthesis when taken in the immediate period of time after completing a weight workout--the one-hour window of opportunity, if you will. In short, a hydrolysate produced from whey protein isolate works very well at rest on a non-workout day, but works even better when taken shortly after a workout. Similarly, a study completed by Cribb and colleagues compared the ability of a hydrolyzed whey protein isolate to stimulate changes in strength and body composition over the course of several weeks while completing a heavy resistance training workout. In this study, ingestion of a hydrolyzed whey protein isolate was responsible for greater increases in strength as well as greater improvements in both lean muscle mass as well as fat mass when compared to ingestion of a casein protein product [27]. Whey protein, whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate have been summarized here first because they are the best for fast and potent delivery of amino acids and other growth factors. Premium quality isolate versions of whey protein, such as those found in NytroWhey and NytroWhey Ultra Elite, have the highest concentrations of essential amino acids, including leucine and the other branched-chain amino acids, while also taking advantage of ultra and cross-flow microfiltration that yields a product with exceptional bioactivity. No other protein product has as much support from the scientific community as whey protein isolate. Its ability to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis without exercise, and even higher levels when combined with resistance exercise, eventually goes on to produce greater increases in strength, muscle mass and body composition improvements. In closing, any conversation regarding protein for bodybuilding and other fitness interests should start and end with a high quality whey protein isolate. Statistics on Whey: Essential Amino Acid Content (mg/ gram of protein): 63 - 66 PDCAAs: 1.00 NPU: 92 Rating: 10 Follow us on or for a chance to win this product! Micellar Casein Micellar casein is another excellent protein, with some similarities to whey, but also differing dramatically in its bioactivity. Micellar casein is the thick or "curd" portion of milk produced as part of the cheese making process. When directly compared to other forms of protein, micellar casein has exceptionally high levels of the essential amino acids, including leucine. The most interesting aspect of micellar casein is its powerful anti-catabolic benefits stemming from its ability to digest slowly, which allows for higher, more balanced leucine levels over an extended period of time. Unlike whey protein, micellar casein protein is not soluble in the acidic environment of the stomach, which leads it to clump up and thus digest in a much slower fashion [24]. This digestive action is extremely favorable, and in fact, research studies using miceller casein over the last ten years continually show that it has a powerful ability to prevent the loss or breakdown of protein, while also still providing a robust ability to facilitate protein growth [25, 33]. The long, slow release and strong ability to prevent muscle loss and breakdown are the exact reasons why bodybuilders must consider a micellar casein protein product in their regimen. One that is just being released amid much acclaim is Ultimate Casein from BioQuest. This new product is striking in its purity, quality, efficacy and even delicious taste, so it would appear to be an excellent start. Advances in modern membrane technology have permitted manufacturers to isolate native micellar casein from fresh skim milk. This native micellar form is a pure protein with an excellent amino acid profile absorbable over a long duration. Even when compared to whey, micellar casein is responsible for an improved balance of protein across the tissues of the body over time periods of up to seven hours [24, 25]. In summary, adding micellar casein to your daily regimen covers your growth and recovery efforts during long periods of time when you don't have ready access to regular sources of protein and amino acids (such as during sleeping). In fact, it is perfect for use before bedtime because of its unique ability to provide a steady supply of protein overnight. A word of caution. Not all casein products contain micellar casein, and instead, incorporate sodium, potassium or calcium caseinates. Caseinates are made to improve and speed up the protein's ability to digest by changing its chemical properties. While good for some purposes, this is the exact opposite effect a bodybuilder or strength and power athlete should look for in a casein product. The value of micellar casein comes from its ability to digest slowly, not quickly, as we have whey isolate and hydrolysate for that. Moreover, all of the supportive scientific research conducted using casein, which has demonstrated its ability to digest slowly, was performed with micellar casein [24, 25]. Overall, micellar casein is an excellent source of protein that contains very good levels of all of the essential amino acids and offers a great complement to the faster absorbing isolates. But to get the benefits of slow digestion and prevention of protein breakdown, a product like Ultimate Casein that uses a superior form of micellar casein must be considered. Statistics on Micellar Casein: Essential Amino Acid Content (mg/ gram of protein): 45.0 -- 49.3 PDCAAs: >1.00 NPU: 78 Rating: 9 Follow us on or for a chance to win this product! Milk Protein The FDA states that products containing milk protein concentrate (or isolate) should contain all of the proteins naturally found in milk, and moreover, these proteins should exist with the same ratios as those naturally found in milk. As mentioned before, bovine (cow) milk contains approximately 80% casein and 20% whey. Therefore, products containing milk protein concentrate or milk protein isolate are best considered as "blends" of whey and casein. As with casein and whey protein, concentrate and isolate versions of milk proteins can be produced and some people feel like you can get "the best of both worlds" by consuming a milk protein concentrate or milk protein isolate. Interestingly, limited research is available examining the impact of milk protein concentrates or isolates. However, when one considers the powerful outcomes for both whey and casein individually, a combination of the two does seem to be a solid concept. One available study did examine the impact of a blend of whey (40 grams) and casein (8 grams) in young, healthy, active men, who resistance-trained four days per week while supplementing on exercise days over a 10-week period [34]. When changes in strength and body composition were compared to a carbohydrate placebo and another group containing mostly whey protein, the authors found that muscle-mass gains as well as maximal strength levels were greater when the blend of whey and casein was consumed [34]. Furthermore, a two-part study using fat-free milk compared the changes in amino acid levels and muscle protein synthesis to a soy-protein and carbohydrate-containing beverage. The fat-free milk was responsible for the greatest increase in amino acid and muscle protein synthesis levels in the short term [35] and when compared to the changes in fat-free mass after 12 weeks of resistance training and consuming either drink, the fat-free milk beverage was responsible for significantly greater increases in muscle fiber size and overall muscle mass [36]. Of course, it is important to note that this is in comparison to soy protein, not whey isolate or micellar casein. Statistics on Milk Protein: Essential Amino Acid Content of milk protein isolate (mg/ gram of protein): 48.9 PDCAAs: >1.00 NPU: Rating: 8 Animal Proteins (beef, poultry and fish) Proteins found in beef, poultry (chicken, turkey and game fowl) and fish are complete proteins that can also contain significant amounts of other healthful nutrients. While the overall protein and essential amino acid content of beef can be quite good, the content of some negative health nutrients, primarily cholesterol and saturated fat, should be a consideration, particularly if you have elevated levels of risk for cardiovascular disease. Similarly, poultry and fish are excellent sources of protein and when the type of meat (white vs. dark) is carefully considered as well as the preparation method (baked, grilled, fried) these are excellent lean sources of protein. Certain types of fish are particularly attractive as they can provide substantial amounts of healthy fats and nutrients that other forms of animal proteins typically fail to provide. It is widely recommended that daily intake of these proteins occur, but due to the need for proper storage and preparation the convenience and use of these types of proteins in and around your workout (to take advantage of effective nutrient timing) is challenging. For these reasons, animal proteins are commonly not considered as a protein source for an athlete to consume on the run or before or after a workout. Certainly, they should be a large part of your overall diet but just as certain, they are not as efficient as supplemental protein. Statistics on Animal Proteins: PDCAA: 0.85-0.92 Rating: 7 Egg Proteins from egg whites are considered to be of high quality and are still used as the reference or standard protein for determination of NPU values (see table 1). Albumin, a key protein found in egg whites is also found in our blood and is used by the body to help carry various substances throughout the body and to minimize amino acids from being broken down so they can be used to later build proteins, like muscle protein. A recent study used egg protein in dosages ranging from 5 to 40 grams to determine the dose that optimizes muscle protein synthesis response. A 20-gram dose was determined to be the optimal dose of egg protein to maximize muscle protein synthesis [13]. For years, egg protein was considered one of the best protein sources, but higher production prices and associated challenges have led to a decrease in the use of egg protein in dietary supplements. Again, good in the diet, especially the whites, but not a substitute for supplemental whey and micellar casein protein products. Statistics on Egg: Essential Amino Acid Content (mg/ gram of protein): 50 PDCAAs: 1.00 NPU: 72 Rating: 6 Soy Soy protein is extracted from the soybean plant, and despite lacking or having low levels of methionine, soy is considered a good source of protein. Soy protein has excellent digestibility, making its constituent amino acids highly available to bodily tissues [3]. Soy proteins are available in isolate (>90%) and concentrate (>70%) versions, and thus are excellent sources of protein for vegetarians. Known more for potential health benefits rather than for bodybuilding, soy protein contains isoflavone glucasides, which may be linked to improvements in lipid and bone, while promoting possible reductions in the risk for heart disease and various cancers [37], but these results are not conclusive [38, 39]. The ability of long-term soy use to potentially impact the balance between estrogen and testosterone has resulted in soy protein being considered an inferior form of protein for athletes and bodybuilders. It is worth noting that recent studies have provided conflicting results regarding soy protein's ability to impact circulating levels of testosterone [40, 41]. Relative to exercise, a recent study had a small group of young, healthy, exercise-trained men consume a small dose (22.4 grams) of a soy protein isolate at rest and before a single bout of lower-body resistance exercise [32]. Drink ingestion resulted in significant increases in essential amino acid levels in the blood, with and without exercise. Additionally, synthetic rates of muscle protein synthesis were also found to increase when drink ingestion was combined with resistance exercise [32]. However, when these changes were compared to those seen in older men after 20 grams and 40 grams were ingested on separate occasions of both whey protein and soy protein, whey protein was responsible for greater increases in muscle protein synthesis, which the authors attributed mostly to the differences in leucine content [42]. Statistics on Soy: Essential Amino Acid Content (mg/ gram of protein): Soy Protein Concentrate: 49 Soy Protein Isolate: 62 PDCAAs: 1.00 NPU: 72 Rating: 7 Gelatin Gelatin is produced from the collagen found oftentimes inside the hide and bones of both swine and bovine. Gelatin is known to contain protein, collagen and various amino acids and it is marketed as part of food products as well as bone and other dietary supplements. The overall protein quality of gelatin is extremely poor. Unfortunately, there are a number of products on the market, including a few protein bars that contain varying amounts of gelatin in lieu of quality protein. Statistics on Gelatin: PDCAAs: 0.08 NPU: N/A Rating: 0 Conclusion--Top 3 Proteins for Maximum Muscle-Building As we now know, there are a number of key factors that exist regarding protein supplementation and maximizing the adaptation your body will make to adapt to stressful and challenging exercise. While a number of proteins are available on the market, the fact is, whey isolate, whey hydrolysate (preferably derived from whey isolate) and micellar casein are the proven and preferred Top 3 proteins in both the scientific and bodybuilding communities. This ranking should be prefaced by the fact that these proteins must be of the highest quality in order to ensure results beyond adequate and into the rarefied realm of maximum efficacy! Ultra and Cross Flow Microfiltration whey isolate protein, as found in NytroWhey products, deliver the highest amounts of pristine, amino-rich protein, including leucine, and should be a strong consideration for any bodybuilder who wants to pack on muscle and improve their body composition. More recent advances in protein technology have led to the development of a superior hydrolysate protein that's derived from a whey isolate base and provides rapid absorption of essential aminos and other key growth factors, as found in NytroWhey Ultra Elite, which also yields the highest amounts of synthesizing leucine in the category. An additional important consideration involves doing all that you can to minimize the loss or breakdown of the muscle you do build, while also adding to your mass gains even while you sleep. In this regard, research continues to demonstrate that micellar casein is the best protein for this effect and Ultimate Casein is our industry's most powerful available. While an athlete's overall daily diet of various proteins (e.g., milk, egg, and animal proteins) provides a critical foundation of nutrition, the combination of a high quality whey protein isolate or hydrolysate product during and after your workout, with a micellar casein at night, is certain to result in the most effective delivery of critically important amino acids to successfully prime your muscles for rapid growth and optimum physique development. Chad Kerksick, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science in the Health, Exercise and Sport Sciences department at the University of New Mexico. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in exercise physiology, biochemistry and nutrition. His research interests and expertise focus on studying the impact of exercise and nutrition interventions on health, performance and recovery. References: 1. Campbell, B., et al., International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2007. 4: p. 8. 2. Kreider, R.B., et al., ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review: research & recommendations. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2010. 7(1): p. 7. 3. Rodriguez, N. and W. Lunn, Proteins and Amino Acids The Repair Blocks Their Place in Growth and Recovery, in Nutrient Timing Metabolic Optimization for Health, Performance and Recovery, C. Kerksick, Editor 2011, CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL. p. 44-60. 4. Tipton, K.D., et al., Nonessential amino acids are not necessary to stimulate net muscle protein synthesis in healthy volunteers. J Nutr Biochem, 1999. 10(2): p. 89-95. 5. Volpi, E., et al., Essential amino acids are primarily responsible for the amino acid stimulation of muscle protein anabolism in healthy elderly adults. Am J Clin Nutr, 2003. 78(2): p. 250-8. 6. Fujita, S., et al., Nutrient signalling in the regulation of human muscle protein synthesis. The Journal of physiology, 2007. 582(Pt 2): p. 813-23. 7. Drummond, M.J., et al., Nutritional and contractile regulation of human skeletal muscle protein synthesis and mTORC1 signaling. J Appl Physiol, 2009. 106(4): p. 1374-84. 8. Phillips, S.M., J.E. Tang, and D.R. Moore, The role of milk- and soy-based protein in support of muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein accretion in young and elderly persons. J Am Coll Nutr, 2009. 28(4): p. 343-54. 9. Tang, J.E. and S.M. Phillips, Maximizing muscle protein anabolism: the role of protein quality. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care, 2009. 12(1): p. 66-71. 10. Cuthbertson, D., et al., Anabolic signaling deficits underlie amino acid resistance of wasting, aging muscle. FASEB J, 2005. 19(3): p. 422-4. 11. Bohe, J., et al., Latency and duration of stimulation of human muscle protein synthesis during continuous infusion of amino acids. J Physiol, 2001. 532(Pt 2): p. 575-9. 12. Bohe, J., et al., Human muscle protein synthesis is modulated by extracellular, not intramuscular amino acid availability: a dose-response study. J Physiol, 2003. 552(Pt 1): p. 315-24. 13. Moore, D.R., et al., Ingested protein dose response of muscle and albumin protein synthesis after resistance exercise in young men. Am J Clin Nutr, 2009. 89(1): p. 161-8. 14. Yang, Y., et al., Resistance exercise enhances myofibrillar protein synthesis with graded intakes of whey protein in older men. The British journal of nutrition, 2012: p. 1-9. 15. West, D.W., et al., Rapid aminoacidemia enhances myofibrillar protein synthesis and anabolic intramuscular signaling responses after resistance exercise. Am J Clin Nutr, 2011. 94(3): p. 795-803. 16. Nair, K.S. and K.R. Short, Hormonal and signaling role of branched-chain amino acids. J Nutr, 2005. 135(6 Suppl): p. 1547S-52S. 17. Rennie, M.J., et al., Branched-chain amino acids as fuels and anabolic signals in human muscle. J Nutr, 2006. 136(1 Suppl): p. 264S-8S. 18. Kimball, S.R. and L.S. Jefferson, Signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms through which branched-chain amino acids mediate translational control of protein synthesis. The Journal of nutrition, 2006. 136(1 Suppl): p. 227S-31S. 19. Pasiakos, S.M., et al., Leucine-enriched essential amino acid supplementation during moderate steady state exercise enhances postexercise muscle protein synthesis. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2011. 94(3): p. 809-18. 20. Rieu, I., et al., Leucine supplementation improves muscle protein synthesis in elderly men independently of hyperaminoacidaemia. The Journal of physiology, 2006. 575(Pt 1): p. 305-15. 21. Churchward-Venne, T.A., et al., Supplementation of a suboptimal protein dose with leucine or essential amino acids: effects on myofibrillar protein synthesis at rest and following resistance exercise in men. The Journal of physiology, 2012. 22. Manninen, A.H., Protein hydrolysates in sports nutrition. Nutr Metab (Lond), 2009. 6: p. 38. 23. Schaafsma, G., Safety of protein hydrolysates, fractions thereof and bioactive peptides in human nutrition. Eur J Clin Nutr, 2009. 63(10): p. 1161-8. 24. Boirie, Y., et al., Slow and fast dietary proteins differently modulate postprandial protein accretion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1997. 94(26): p. 14930-5. 25. Dangin, M., et al., The digestion rate of protein is an independent regulating factor of postprandial protein retention. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 2001. 280(2): p. E340-8. 26. Burke, D.G., et al., The effect of whey protein supplementation with and without creatine monohydrate combined with resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscle strength. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2001. 11(3): p. 349-64. 27. Cribb, P.J., et al., The effect of whey isolate and resistance training on strength, body composition, and plasma glutamine. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2006. 16(5): p. 494-509. 28. Hayes, A. and P.J. Cribb, Effect of whey protein isolate on strength, body composition and muscle hypertrophy during resistance training. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care, 2008. 11(1): p. 40-4. 29. Monchi, M. and A.A. Rerat, Comparison of net protein utilization of milk protein mild enzymatic hydrolysates and free amino acid mixtures with a close pattern in the rat. JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition, 1993. 17(4): p. 355-63. 30. Stoll, B. and D.G. Burrin, Measuring splanchnic amino acid metabolism in vivo using stable isotopic tracers. Journal of animal science, 2006. 84 Suppl: p. E60-72. 31. Manninen, A.H., Hyperinsulinaemia, hyperaminoacidaemia and post-exercise muscle anabolism: the search for the optimal recovery drink. British journal of sports medicine, 2006. 40(11): p. 900-5. 32. Tang, J.E., et al., 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, 2009. 107(3): p. 987-92. 33. Dangin, M., et al., Influence of the protein digestion rate on protein turnover in young and elderly subjects. J Nutr, 2002. 132(10): p. 3228S-33S. 34. Kerksick, C.M., et al., The effects of protein and amino acid supplementation on performance and training adaptations during ten weeks of resistance training. J Strength Cond Res, 2006. 20(3): p. 643-53. 35. Wilkinson, S.B., et al., Consumption of fluid skim milk promotes greater muscle protein accretion after resistance exercise than does consumption of an isonitrogenous and isoenergetic soy-protein beverage. Am J Clin Nutr, 2007. 85(4): p. 1031-40. 36. Hartman, J.W., et al., Consumption of fat-free fluid milk after resistance exercise promotes greater lean mass accretion than does consumption of soy or carbohydrate in young, novice, male weightlifters. Am J Clin Nutr, 2007. 86(2): p. 373-81.
Learn more
Rare Excellence in Supplementation
The way some supplement manufacturers carry on, you’d think respect is something you earn by launching an ad campaign or buying the services of a few high-profile social media influencers. As if it's something you can outsource to consultants rather than earn over years of hard work and due diligence.At ProSource, we know better. While dozens of these big splashy start-ups come and go every few years, leaving their outlandish promises unfulfilled, we've been advancing the science of physique transformation, performance enhancement, and strength and muscle gain for two decades.How do you earn a peerless reputation as America's premier manufacturer and retailer of sports nutrition supplements? By researching and developing the innovative products that have helped countless athletes achieve their fitness goals and attain new performance benchmarks for over twenty years. That's how.ProSource: A Supplement Institution Built to LastThe vast majority of supplement manufacturers fail because there's no money in their budgets for real science. Once you're done writing checks to celebrity spokespeople and influencers, buying ad space all over the internet, and financing lavish displays in chain stores that are also taking a cut of your proceeds, there isn't much left for the much less glamorous business of conducting real scientific research and development. That's unfortunate, because their products end up being weak, under-dosed copycat versions of better products based on cutting-edge science these fly-by-night manufacturers have no access to. New customers queue up to buy these highly-hyped products and discover right away that they don't work. No viral Instagram post or fancy display can overcome that.At ProSource, we do things differently. We've always depended on the best and truest form of promotion to drive sales: word of mouth from our legions of loyal customers who use our products every day to lose fat, gain muscle, and attain ever higher standards of physique and performance enhancement.Our unique and visionary direct-to-consumer merchandising model cuts out every added expense that serves to inflate the retail prices of our competitors, helping us ensure that every ProSource product you buy is the ultimate supplement value for your money. These marketing and distribution efficiencies put ProSource in the unique position of being able to underwrite the research necessary to the formulation of truly ground-breaking supplement technologies and to utilize only the highest grade ingredients and most potent dosages in our products. A Proud Legacy Of Sports Supplement ExcellenceAny discussion of ProSource's unique contribution to the sports supplement industry and the lives of so many athletes serious about their nutritional requirements has to start with our flagship protein formulas, NytroWhey and NytroWhey Ultra Elite. Original NytroWhey paved the way for the modern era of high-bioavailability, great-tasting pure whey isolate formulas that we know today. Before NytroWhey, virtually all commercially available protein formulas were primitive concoctions of low-quality whey concentrates, caseinates, and inert fillers, all processed via a crude ion-exchange method that damaged pH-sensitive amino microfractions in whey, rendering the protein formulas themselves all but useless.ProSource's NytroWhey changed all that. Original NytroWhey was the first 100% whey isolate formula processed via a superior cross-flow microfiltration method ideal at preserving the elusive and invaluable micro fractions in whey. The difference between NytroWhey and cheaper ion-exchange and acid-treated wheys was like night and day. Years later. ProSource would again astound the industry by introducing NytroWhey Ultra Elite, a state-of-the-art premium protein that added two of the most cutting edge protein technologies in existence -- an advanced whey hydrolysate and a leucine-peptide-bonded form of protein -- to the original 100% whey isolate. Again, we were years ahead of the industry curve. Likewise, our natural testosterone booster, AndroTest, is another breakthrough product that established a new gold standard in the industry and serves as another example of our science-based approach to product development. Before AndroTest's appearance, most of the "experts" believed that a true clinical-grade natural testosterone booster was an impossibility. ProSource proved them wrong by investing years of investigation and great research capital into evaluating mechanisms of action, eventually identifying and then refining a unique natural agent of male hormone support. ProSource became the only manufacturer that has ever succeeded in overcoming the processing, standardization, and cost hurdles inherent in incorporating clinically meaningful amounts of this proxtodioscin-rich botanical super compound into a clinically validated supplement. Today, our commitment to sports science continues undiminished. Our new VyoCore performance enhancement technology, launched under the CellDyne brand, is helping athletes greatly expand their strength, endurance and work-output capacity. VyoCore's multiple vectors of performance maximization include the only form of true adenosine-5-triphosphate clinically validated to produce strength increases of 147%, as well as an advanced osmolytic agent that hydrates cells in order to increase strength and endurance. VyoCore also contains a muscle-carnosine supporting mechanism that optimizes lactic-acid buffering in muscle to increase endurance, plus state-of-the-art cell volumizers, recovery aminos, and organic energy and focus factors designed to provide a clean, powerful boost. Needless to say, VyoCore has already created a sensation among athletes seeking to improve their performance and dominate in sports competition.A True Commitment to Excellence Again and again throughout the years, ProSource has invested the time and investigatory effort to expand the frontiers of supplement science and used the fruits of those investigations to form the foundation of breakthrough products that have changed our industry for the better. These are standards of excellence our competition simply cannot afford to match. This combination of superior quality and greater value has earned the trust and loyalty of generations of athletes and active, fitness-minded ProSource customers. And it will continue to do so as we launch new initiatives and continue to meet the needs of our loyal customers into our third decade.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.
Learn more
How Fast Do You Lose Muscle When You Stop Training?
Given how hard it is to build significant amounts of muscle during long stretches of focused and extensive training, you’d think it would be only fair that you would keep that muscle for at least as long during layoffs from training. Alas, however, the physique gods are not nearly so forgiving. In fact, it can be amazing just how quickly you lose muscle mass during inactivity. Even short terms breaks of relative inactivity can have compromising effects. In a 2016 study published in the journal Diabetes, researchers studied the effects of just one week of bed rest on otherwise healthy, well-trained young males. The results were startling. Bed rest resulted in an average loss of 1.4 kg (3.1 lbs) of lean tissue mass for the males, with related losses in strength and an increase in whole body insulin resistance. Three pounds! Think of how long it takes to build that kind of mass! Similarly, in a Danish study published in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, researchers found that active young men lost 28% of strength in leg muscle after two weeks of immobilization with a cast, as well as an amazing 17 ounces of muscle mass. Worse yet, returning to previous levels of training volume for six weeks and longer did not entirely restore the athletes' previous strength levels or muscle mass. Finally, in another study, published in 2013 in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers studied the effects of strength training and short-term detraining on women aged 50 and over. Strength training over a period of 12 weeks had predictable effects, yielding significant increases in 1 RM for bicep curl, trunk flexion and other movements. They then studied the effects of a 4-week detraining period on the same group. Subjects in the group experienced a significant adverse effect on muscle power, as well as increases in fat mass and decreases in skin fold thickness. Researchers have also noted that cardiovascular fitness begins to decline after one week of inactivity, with measurable increases in resting heart rate and simultaneous decreases in blood volume after that interval. Flexibility declines as well, and power (defined as strength times distance over a period of time) diminishes faster than strength. In general, the rule of thumb is that it takes three weeks of training to gain back what is lost for every one week of detraining. Which is to say, it doesn't take long to lose what you invested so much time in gaining.Detraining and Muscle Loss:It's Not All Bad NewsFortunately, there are mitigating factors that can help you retain muscle mass longer during times of detraining. One is simply the duration of your previous regimen of training and the level of fitness you've attained over that time. Athletes who are well-trained and have participated in a consistent regimen of physical exercise for one year or more will lose their gains more slowly than people whose training regimen is of shorter recent duration and more intermittent. In fact, researchers have suggested that athletes who have attained a high level of fitness may retain most of that capacity for as much as three months of relative inactivity, while those newer to training can lose as much as 80 percent of their gains in as few as two weeks. When it comes to training volume, clearly consistency is key. Make the investment. The other mitigating factor is nutrition. Or, more specifically, the branched chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. BCAAs are essential because they are the building blocks of protein. The body uses them to facilitate muscle growth and repair and yet does not produce them; they must be assimilated through food. BCAAs have long been a valued tool in the arsenal of athletes who are entering into a period of caloric deficit to cut fat while retaining muscle.Leucine, in particular, functions as the primary activator of the mTOR anabolic pathway that governs protein synthesis and consequent muscle repair and growth. Clinical findings in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggest that BCAA supplementation will maintain lean mass and improved recovery even during periods of substantial caloric restriction. It stands to reason, then, that BCAA supplementation would, at the very least, help expand the window of muscle and strength retention during periods of detraining as well. During those intervals, then, it would be well-advised to supplement with either a BCAA supplement or a superior-quality protein formula or mass builder (such as ProSource's NytroWhey Ultra Elite or BioQuest's MyoZene) that has been augmented with an advanced leucine delivery system. And, of course, to keep your period of detraining to at most a week or so.We can't emphasize enough that nutritional supplementation is no substitute for diligent, targeted training. You can mitigate the deleterious effects of detraining over the short term, but otherwise, nothing works better than hard work. Dirks ML, Wall BT, van de Valk B, Holloway TM, Holloway GP, Chabowski A, Goossens GH, van Loon LJ. One Week of Bed Rest Leads to Substantial Muscle Atrophy and Induces Whole-Body Insulin Resistance in the Absence of Skeletal Muscle Lipid Accumulation. Diabetes. 2016 Oct;65(10):2862-75. doi: 10.2337/db15-1661. Epub 2016 Jun 29.Vigelsø A, Gram M, Wiuff C, Andersen JL, Helge JW, Dela F. Six weeks' aerobic retraining after two weeks' immobilization restores leg lean mass and aerobic capacity but does not fully rehabilitate leg strength in young and older men. J Rehabil Med. 2015 Jun;47(6):552-60.Delshad M, Ghanbarian A, Mehrabi Y, Sarvghadi F, Ebrahim K. Effect of Strength Training and Short-term Detraining on Muscle Mass in Women Aged Over 50 Years Old. Int J Prev Med. 2013 Dec;4(12):1386-94. 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.
Learn more
Supplementation For Power and Strength
Size. Speed. Performance. Improvements in each are the pathway to success in all forms of athletic endeavor. To get there, though, you need to maximize workout production. You need to do more work in the same time interval, add more volume, lift more weight. In short, you need to increase strength and power.Before we get to the supplementation strategies for achieving that goal, it should be noted that there are numerous highly effective training, nutritional, and lifestyle adaptations that are central to optimization of strength and power. You should be making sure you're eating enough and implementing a balanced, healthy meal plan. You should be varying your workouts and emphasizing compound movements. You should be keeping a training journal and using visualization techniques. The list goes on.Supplements, as we always say, are not magic bullets. You have to put in the work and make the correct choices to reap the rewards. Use supplements to support the efforts cited above and you will attain your strength and power objectives. Which supplements? Well, read on. BetaineWhat is strength? Strength is the combined end result of a number of intramuscular outcomes involving muscle contractility, blood flow, nutrient delivery, hydration and waste removal, which when maximized lead to enhanced muscle power and endurance. Investigations into the cellular mechanics of hydration, waste removal and the postponement of fatigue have led researchers to betaine, also known as trimethylglycine, a nutrient that helps support cell hydration and volume during the dehydration, stress, and metabolite accumulation associated with high-intensity exercise.Early evidence of positive outcomes of betaine supplementation collected from clinical studies has been encouraging. For instance, in a published College of New Jersey study, athletes supplementing with this osmolytic agent experienced an increase of 30% in squat repetitions after 7 days of supplementation and 60% after 14 days, as well as significant increases in the quality of repetitions performed. Betaine also works in combination with other strength and power-enhancing factors to support performance. In a recent study published in the journal Amino Acids, study participants supplemented with placebo, creatine, or a combination of betaine and creatine over a period of 10 days. The creatine/betaine supplemented subjects experienced significant increases in power output during squat exercises when compared to the placebo group. Creatine/betaine supplementation led to significantly greater increases in maximal upper-body and lower-body strength as well. Creatine MonohydrateWhich brings us to the big daddy of supplemental strength support. If we haven't laid out enough evidence to convince you to make creatine a regular part of your daily regimen by now, we just don't know what to say. Creatine, especially in its monohydrate form, has been associated with positive effects on strength and endurance increase, training capacity, muscle mass, and overall cell hydration and volumization in literally hundreds of clinically studies conducted all around the world. In fact, a comprehensive review article published in 2015 in the journal Sports Medicine offered a meta-analysis of over 60 clinical studies devoted to creatine’s impact on physique and performance. It concluded that creatine not only increased strength across the board for test subjects receiving creatine, but it did so irrespective of training background, training protocol, dose taken or duration. Enough said? Yeah, we thought so. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)Supplement researchers have long been familiar with the central role ATP availability plays in muscle strength and performance. When energy is needed to facilitate muscle contraction, ATP is broken down in the cell, unleashing energy to transport protein and fats into and out of cells, support intercellular communication, facilitate DNA and RNA synthesis, and trigger muscular contraction. Since our bodies keep very little ATP in reserve, however, it was believed that little could be done to optimize its function. And then scientists began to look at the benefits to be accrued by increasing ATP availability outside the cell via precisely timed dosing of ATP before workouts. Specifically, in In a 2012 double-blinded, placebo-controlled study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, sixteen participants received either supplemental ATP (400 mg/day) or a placebo for 15 days. The researchers found that subjects who supplemented with ATP for 15 days experienced reduced muscle fatigue and improved ability to maintain a higher force output at the end of an exhaustive exercise bout. The authors speculated that supplemental ATP may provide cumulative benefits in strenuous, repetitive, and exhaustive exercise activities, which could lead to improved strength and lean body mass gains. In another study, conducted by researchers at the University of Tampa, twenty-one resistance trained males took either 400 mg of a patented form of ATP or placebo. Muscle mass, strength and power were measured at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, and 12. The results were dramatic. Test subjects who supplemented with Peak ATP® experienced an average of 147% increase in strength compared to placebo (55.3 kg vs. 22.4 kg), as well as a 30% increase in power (796 vs. 614 watts), a 100% increase in lean body mass (4.0 kg vs. 2.1 kg), and a 96% increase in muscle thickness (4.9 mm vs. 2.5 mm). Research into the connection between ATP supplementation and strength increase is still in its infancy, and much more investigation needs to be done. However, given the promising early results and the appearance of patented nutraceutical sources of ATP such as Peak ATP®, which is identical in structure to actual human ATP, this area of supplemental science is certainly worth keeping an eye on. Vitamin DCompared to the cutting-edge supplementation technologies cited above, Vitamin D might seem like a humble addition to this list. But Vitamin D has some surprising benefits to offer athletes looking for a strength and power advantage. In a study conducted in 2012 and published in the Journal of Sports Sciences, researchers recruited 14 footballers from a Premier League club academy and supplemented half with 5000IU of vitamin D per day for eight weeks, the other half a placebo. The players did a battery of physical tests before and after supplementation. The supplement group saw a significant improvement in their vertical jump and 10m sprint performance, compared to the placebo group, and there was a trend toward significance in improvements in 1-RM bench press and back squat as well. For you men who are reading, a 2010 study published in the journal Hormone and Metabolic Research, featured healthy male subjects given 3332 iu of Vitamin D3 per day for a year. At the end of that year, those subjects ended up having 25.2% higher T-levels when compared to placebo. Vitamin D supplementation is also associated with better bone mass support and immune function. LeucineThe more scientists investigate leucine, the more they recognize that this essential amino acid is the key that cranks the engine of protein synthesis. Leucine is one the three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and the primary activator of the mTOR anabolic pathway that governs protein synthesis and consequent muscle repair and growth. In fact, without sufficient leucine present, muscle tissue will remain in a negative nitrogen balance post-exercise and protein synthesis will not initiate at all. So leucine not only provides the building blocks for protein synthesis, it also plays a critical role in up-regulating the process. Thus, adding additional leucine to your diet is an effective strategy to maximize muscle size, strength and power after resistance exercise. How much leucine? The general consensus based on clinical studies suggests that intake of about 2.5 grams of leucine (in a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine to isoleucine to valine, the other BCAAs) is sufficient to stimulate protein synthesis. ProbioticsWill probiotics, on their own, make you stronger? Of course not. But they will help you assimilate and utilize the nutrients that support strength increase. The more we learn about our "gut biomes," the more we recognize just how varied and numerous the strains of microorganisms are that populate it and how specialized each one is. Unfortunately, when subjected to one-dimensional diets high in carbs and fats and low in other beneficial food sources like cruciferous greens, that diversity of bacteria dwindles and nutrient absorption is impaired. Supplementation with a high-quality probiotic formula that contains several strains of microbiota, combined with a healthy, well-balanced meal plan (so those new strains of bacteria have something to eat) can revitalize and re-energize you generally and provide your muscles with the nutrients they need to thrive, grow and perform maximally.Baguet A. et al., 2009. Carnosine loading and washout in human skeletal muscles. J Appl Physiol, 106: 837-842. And Harris RC, et al., 2006. The absorption of orally supplied beta-alanine and its effect on muscle carnosine synthesis in human vastus lateralis. Amino Acids, 30(3): 279-289.Stout JR, et al., 2006. Effects of twenty-eight days of beta-alanine and creatine monohydrate supplementation on the physical working capacity at the neuromuscular fatigue threshold. J Strngth & Cond. Rsrch, 20(4): 928-931. Smith A E, et al., 2009. Effects of beta-alanine supplementation and high level intensity interval training on endurance performance and body composition in men—a double-blind trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr., 6: 5. Lanhers, C., B. Pereira, G. Naughton, M. Trousselard, F. X. Lesage, and F. Dutheil. 2015. "Creatine Supplementation and Lower Limb Strength Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses." Sports Med 45 (9):1285-94. doi: 10.1007/s40279-015-0337-4.Rathmacher, J. A., Fuller, J. C., Baier, S. M., Abumrad, N. N., Angus, H. F., & Sharp, R. L. (2012). Adenosine-5-triphosphate (ATP) supplementation improves low peak muscle torque and torque fatigue during repeated high intensity exercise sets. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 9(1), 48.Lowery, RP, et. al. Oral ATP administration improves blood flow responses to both animal and human training models. Presnted at the 10th Annual ISSN Conference. Colorado Springs, CO. June, 2013. Assessment of vitamin D concentration in non-supplemented professional athletes and healthy adults during the winter months in the UK: Implications for skeletal muscle function. Close, Graeme, Cobley, James, et al. Journal of Sports Sciences 31(4), October 2012.Horm Metab Res. 2011 Mar;43(3):223-5. doi: 10.1055/s-0030-1269854. Epub 2010 Dec 10. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. 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.
Learn more
The New Science of Performance Maximization and Muscle Enhancement
When you take into account everything that has to go exactly right to create a productive workout – proper focus, momentum, form, and work output on the front end, then maximized and precision-targeted muscle support to repair damage and spur growth on the back end -- it's a wonder any of us ever gain a single ounce of extra muscle mass. The key is to hit the gym floor prepared to perform at the highest level – with utmost intensity, aggression, and work capacity – and leave the floor with all your bodily repair and recovery functions primed and ready to derive maximum benefit from every rep and set you just powered through. That’s your destination, and the road to that desired outcome lies through proper supplementation that targets every pathway of performance optimization and muscle mass increase. And not just any supplementation, either. You need a new kind of pre-workout formula that harnesses the most advanced science and incorporates it in the ultimate comprehensive multi-pathway approach. That product has arrived in the form of VyoCore from CellDyne, and it has revolutionized the entire pre-workout category even as it has created a sensation among dedicated athletes and gym warriors.Shift Your Training Output and Athletic Performance Into High Gear With VyoCore Do you want to dominate the competition? Then strength and endurance are the name of the game. So many pre-workout formulas out there are little more than a cup of black coffee in disguise. Yes, they’ll amp you up with some caffeine and other stimulant content. But that’s just one piece in a pretty big puzzle. You need a pre-workout formula that supports EVERY pathway of muscle maximization and performance potential. VyoCore is a clinical-grade technology designed to enhance endurance, power, strength, recovery, hydration, energy and focus. Its multiple vectors of performance maximization include the only form of true adenosine-5-triphosphate clinically validated to produce strength increases of 147%, as well as an advanced osmolytic agent that hydrates cells in order to increase strength and endurance. VyoCore also contains a muscle-carnosine supporting mechanism that optimizes lactic-acid buffering in muscle to increase endurance, plus state-of-the-art cell volumizers, recovery aminos, and organic energy and focus factors designed to provide a clean, powerful boost. Let’s start with strength support. Advanced Support for Strength, Endurance, Hydration, and Intensity VyoCore is powered by a patented form of adenosine 5*-triphosphate disodium, identical to actual human ATP, that has been linked in clinical studies to a whole host of performance and physique benefits. In a landmark double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted by researchers at the University of Tampa, twenty-one resistance trained males took either 400 mg of patented form of ATP found in VyoCore (which is also the clinically indicated dosage contained in VyoCore) or placebo. Muscle mass, strength and power were measured at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, and 12. The results were dramatic. Test subjects who supplemented with Peak ATP® experienced an average of 147% increase in strength compared to placebo (55.3 kg vs. 22.4 kg), as well as a 30% increase in power (796 vs. 614 watts), a 100% increase in lean body mass (4.0 kg vs. 2.1 kg), and a 96% increase in muscle thickness (4.9 mm vs. 2.5 mm).You want enhanced endurance? VyoCore contains a key active ingredient that supports carnosine levels in muscle tissue, a prerequisite for postponement of the onset of fatigue, muscle "burn" under stress, and loss of strength. In fact, in a clinical study, this carnosine-supporting mechanism has resulted in 80% increases in muscle carnosine over a ten-week period and more than a 16% increase in physical work capacity. Test subjects supplementing with this compound have experienced improved muscle endurance, decreased acidosis, and better performance in high-intensity interval training. Cellular hydration is paramount for proper cell function. Once hydration collapses within the cell, your chances of experiencing adequate recovery and growth evaporate along with it. That’s why VyoCore contains an advanced osmolytic agent that helps support cell hydration and volume during the dehydration, stress, and metabolite accumulation associated with high-intensity exercise. Indeed, in a published College of New Jersey study, athletes supplementing with this agent experienced an increase of 30% in squat repetitions after 7 days of supplementation and 60% after 14 days, as well as significant increases in the quality of repetitions performed. And, of course, VyoCore has you covered for energy production, focus, and intensity as well. VyoCore contains a 90% pure organic caffeine derived from green coffee beans and designed to deliver a clean, powerful boost in energy, mental alertness and performance. This compound is non-GMO-sourced and provided in a precision-targeted 225 mg dose intended to provide maximized benefit without over-stimulation. VyoCore further supports the mind-muscle connection with advanced co-factors that facilitate neurotransmitters in the brain linked to cognitive function and stress relief. The Most Advanced Mechanisms of Performance andMuscle Optimization, Provided in Clinically Validated Dosages In short, VyoCore is literally in a category by itself. Unlike virtually all other pre-workout formulas, its active ingredients are the actual patented, university-tested technologies used in the clinical studies that validate their effectiveness, and they’re dosed in the amounts clinically indicated in those university studies. No generic substitutions, no “pixie dusting” of ingredients. Just as importantly, VyoCore is guaranteed to be absolutely 100% free of banned or illegal substances. VyoCore’s comprehensive multi-pathway complex of strength, endurance and energy-production co-factors will greatly expand your performance potential and training output, paving the way for significant improvements in muscle size and athletic achievement. Power your way past the competition with VyoCore! Wilson JM, et al. Effects of oral adenosine-5’-triphosphate supplementation on athletic performance, skeletal muscle hypertrophy and recovery in resistance-trained men. Nutrition and Metabolism. 2013, 10:57. Baguet A. et al., 2009. Carnosine loading and washout in human skeletal muscles. J Appl Physiol, 106: 837-842. And Harris RC, et al., 2006. The absorption of orally supplied beta-alanine and its effect on muscle carnosine synthesis in human vastus lateralis. Amino Acids, 30(3): 279-289. 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.
Learn more
9 Things You Can Do Today to Achieve Your 2020 Physique Goals
There are no shortcuts to real physical transformation. Whether you want to lose fat, put on more hard, toned muscle or both, you've got a long road ahead of you. That doesn't mean, however, that there isn't something you can do right now, TODAY, that will greatly improve your chances of success. Here are nine life hacks you can employ to achieve your ideal 2020 physique: Track Your Transformation ProgressTo get where you're going, you've got to know where you've been. You've got to see the progress, day by day, and learn from it. On a bad day, it helps to see where you've faced adversity in the past, and conquered it. For these reasons and many others, it pays to track your progress to your goal. There are many ways to do this. Some people go all in on social media, posting pictures and observations, rep charts and meal breakdowns and more to Instagram or Facebook. This has advantages, especially if you're not shy. You'll receive insights and support from people with similar interests and goals. You'll have added incentive to succeed, as people root for you. Your inspiring story might even earn you some influence, the coin of the social media realm. If you're a little more reticent, there are other ways to chart your fitness journey. Start a password-protected WordPress blog and open it to as many (or as few) fellow fitness travelers as you wish. A basic WordPress blog costs about $3 a month, or the equivalent of a protein bar. Or, for that matter, get yourself an actual $3 notebook and keep track there. The important thing is to be specific about the daily details of your transformation, while recording your insights and frustrations and epiphanies in real time. Every transformation is a story. Start writing yours down! Turn Your Bedroom into a True Sleeping ChamberExercise, diet, and rest. Each is equally crucial to the success of your transformation. If your bedroom is an entertainment center, you're effectively squandering potentially gains by withholding the rest time your body needs to recover and grow, and you're probably disrupting your body's hormonal balance as well. Do you have a TV in your bedroom? Take it down off the wall. You don't need it there. Move your phone charger to another room too, and plug your phone into it when you go to sleep at night. Keep your room dark and cool, about 65 degrees. Most importantly of all, set a regular consistent bedtime and wake time, and keep to them. Get seven hours of sleep per night. You'll be more alert and refreshed during the day, and your body will perform at a higher level in every way. Download an AppWhether it's weightlifting or CrossFit or running or daily nutrition tracking, you can bet there's an app for it. The best apps do a whole lot more than merely track your heart beat or your distance traveled. There are apps that will process your benchmark information and create a personalized workout for you. Apps that will time your sets and breaks during weight training; apps that will get you a cheap or free slot in a fitness class in any gym near you; apps that will grade any food item for its nutritional value with one swipe of its barcode. There's even an app that will offer you personalized training and fitness advice from professional athletes, Olympians, and record holders from around the world. Researchers are finding that people who use fitness apps are more likely to commit to daily physical activity and stay with it. Give one a try today. Buy Groceries. Prepare This Week’s Meals. Repeat.Planning is the foundation for success. That means devising a workout regimen, varying it consistently and intelligently to prevent your body from acclimating to it, and committing to it. It also means maintaining your nutritional macros over the long haul. Proteins, fats, and carbs in whatever precise ratio works best for you. This is exceptionally hard to do when you're guesstimating it on the fly with trips to convenience stores, fast-food emporiums and restaurants. The portions are too large, the junk calories too omnipresent, the temptation too overpowering. The antidote to this scenario is to have a couple of meals prepared in advance every day and to fill in the gaps around those meals with protein shakes, complex carbs and perhaps a protein bar. Vary your meals to keep them interesting. The hours that you spend on a Saturday morning preparing and storing a week's worth or meals will pay off handsomely as you progress toward your transformation goal. Eat BreakfastWe know, you've been hearing it all your life. But what if we told you that NOT eating your breakfast can have both short-term and long-term implications for your physique and overall wellness? When you wake up in the morning, your body is experiencing a number of negative outcomes that are entirely predictable in the wake of an extended period of fasting. Your metabolism has slowed dramatically because your body is attempting to store up calories in response to famine. This low metabolic rate will persist as you postpone breakfast into lunch and will result in your body tapping into the glucose stored in your muscle for fuel. That's bad for your muscles. Eating breakfast will quickly restore muscle glycogen levels and prevent the fatigue and lack of focus attendant upon low blood-sugar levels. Fasting also causes cortisol levels to surge, leading to fatigue, anxiety, headaches and increased blood pressure. The long-term effects of skipping breakfast don't look all that great, either. According to the American Heart Association, people who regularly skip breakfast are more susceptible to heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. The bottom line? Eat breakfast today! Shorten Your Workout While Maintaining Your WorkloadIf you are adhering to a regular workout regimen with proper splits and you're not getting the results you want, your problem probably isn't volume. It's pace. Are you waiting for a machine or a bench or a spot in the rack? Always have an alternative or two pre-planned. And try to navigate around peak attendance times at your gym if you can. Do you have a chatty or just plain slow workout partner? Consider going it alone. Do you have your phone with you on the floor? Why? Are you using it for music or a podcast? We're big fans of going old-school and getting an iPod. You can find plenty of them on eBay for $50 and none of them rings, texts or besieges you with social media notifications. It's forty-five minutes, dude, you can detach from the grid for that long. Is your workout taking up a full hour or more? Here's our suggestion. Shave 10% off your current max lifts for each exercise and shorten your workout by five minutes. Easy, right? Now increase your volume on each exercise gradually until your former max lifts are restored. Then take five more minutes off and 10% off your volume again. Repeat until you get down to forty-five minutes. That's about right. Schedule a Comprehensive Medical Check-UpYou should be doing this once every year, but many people (especially younger people) simply don’t. Other people who do get a check-up are submitting themselves to a bare-bones, weight-and-blood-pressure-and-cholesterol check that reveals little or nothing of use to someone who's serious about performance and physique. And that’s a mistake. Your yearly physical is a golden opportunity to check for chemical or hormonal imbalances that may be undermining your performance capacity or results. Be prepared with questions for your doctor. Ask your doctor for a true comprehensive blood test that checks for deficiencies in key nutrients like folate, calcium, magnesium, Vitamin D and iron. Have your testosterone levels and thyroid function checked. Get an advanced cholesterol and lipid panel and get your inflammation and cortisol response assessed. You can get as little or as much benefit from each medical check-up as you're willing to ask for. Opt for more. Supplement Wisely and ConsistentlySupplementation is key. We say this all the time, but we don't mean you have to break the bank to achieve real results. Too many people surf the wave of each supplementation fad, spend too much money, and then give up when they don't look like a fitness model in Men's Journal. The truth is, a few supplement basics, applied consistently over time, will help get you where you want to be. A good high-quality creatine monohydrate formula will support strength increase, helping you boost exercise productivity. A high-quality, dependable whey isolate formula will help you bridge gaps in your meal regimen and support muscle repair and recovery. A sturdy 2:1:1 ratio BCAA formula taken before or after your workout will spur all-important protein synthesis and maintain muscle tissue post-workout. A comprehensive joint-support compound will help ensure that your tendons, cartilage and connective tissue are strong and flexible, while reducing your susceptibility to catastrophic injury. Healthy fats, in the form of an Omega-3 supplement, will help you maintain cardiovascular health and good cholesterol levels. Once you have these basics in place, you can explore more exotic alternatives. Take Up Yoga or MeditationMindfulness. The ability to focus completely on the task at hand, whether it's a set of four max-rep bench presses, a series of sprints, a job assignment or just enjoying a healthy meal. Being able to exist entirely in the present moment is a super-power that all elite athletes possess. Many receive extensive coaching and instruction to enable them to achieve this mindset even during the most stressful moments of competition. Isn't it time you brought the full power of your mind to bear on your fitness journey? Take a meditation class or add an element of stretching and flexibility to your search for zen by taking a yoga class. 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.
Learn more
Is Creatine Timing Important?
Athletes can (and will) argue all day about the relative benefits of every sports nutrition supplement under the sun. When it comes to creatine, however, that debate is largely over. Creatine plays a key role in synthesizing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in muscle tissue, a compound that releases energy used for muscle contractions, which in turn boosts strength, overall athletic performance, and, in time, increased muscle mass. More than twenty years on from creatine’s ascension into the first rank of supplementation options, there can be little doubt about its indispensability for athletes. If you’re not using creatine, you should be. Literally hundreds of clinical investigations have identified creatine’s positive effect on strength, size and workout performance.Still, though, fitness-conscious people have questions. One is which form of creatine is best. We’ve always stated our preference for creatine monohydrate, simply because that is the form of creatine that has been used in the vast majority of studies that have validated the compound’s efficacy. Esterified and buffered creatine have their fans, but we are aware of no studies that attach any significant added strength or performance benefit to these modified forms of creatine, and their significantly higher cost seems to us unwarranted.The second question people ask us is, “When should I take creatine?” Here the consensus is much less clear. In the old days, much was made of the need for “creatine loading,” a primary phase in which people were urged to take as much as twenty grams of creatine for a five-day period to “top off” creatine stores in muscle tissue, then modulate down to three-to-five grams of creatine per day afterward. Is this necessary? Well, perhaps. Maybe your existing creatine stores are precariously low because you never eat red meat, so you really need to give them a boost. Maybe, somehow, you’re really pressed for time and need to get up to top creatine capacity ASAP. The truth is, however, your muscles can only assimilate and store so much creatine and the rest goes to waste. Today’s creatine monohydrate products are so pure and potent (unless you’re buying some inferior bargain creatine at the grocery store sourced from Chinese or Russian suppliers) that a more gradual loading phase (10 grams per day) or no loading phase at all will still get you to the same place in, at most, a few weeks. It’s up to you.And then there’s the question of taking creatine before your workout, after your workout, or whenever. A few years ago, there was a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition which purported to show that post-workout creatine supplementation was the superior method. A closer look at the actual results, however, showed that the outcomes associated with pre-workout and post-workout supplementation of creatine, as quantified by body composition and 1-RM bench press, were virtually equal. The real takeaway from that study is that creatine supplementation provided real increases in muscle strength and muscle mass for both groups of test subjects.The truth is, the issue of nutrient timing isn't nearly as consequential for creatine supplementation as it is for, say, protein supplementation. A single 30-gram serving of protein will trigger a surge of protein synthesis that will last approximately three hours. After that, your body will slip into a negative protein balance and start breaking down muscle tissue for fuel. Creatine stores in muscle, on the other hand, don't fluctuate nearly as much. As long as you're taking your three-to-five gram daily dose of creatine monohydrate, you should have adequate creatine stores on hand to support the kind of high-intensity resistance training that leads to significant gains. In short, take creatine whenever, as long as you take it.Antonio, J., & Ciccone, V. (2013). The effects of pre versus post workout supplementation of creatine monohydrate on body composition and strength. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1), 36.
Learn more
Can Resistance Training Improve Cardiovascular Health?
You want to build muscle? Lift weights. You want to strengthen your heart? Put your running shoes on.This has been the conventional belief of every gym rat who has ever grumbled his (or her) way through thirty minutes on the treadmill. But what if this consensus wisdom is wrong? What if resistance training is every bit as good -- or even better -- at improving heart health as running or biking?Well, climb down from the stationary bike and hear the good news. Recent research indicates that weight training isn't just excellent for building bigger muscles. It also improves heart and lung function and may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Resistance training is also associated with a lower body mass index (BMI), which is another key factor for enhanced heart health.Let's start with strength training's effect on blood pressure. In a study conducted at Appalachian State University and published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, scientists investigated the vasodilatory and arterial distensibility responses in test subjects who performed short, intense bouts of either resistance training or aerobic training. After exercise, aortic and femoral pulse wave velocity was measured as an index of overall blood flow and forearm vasodilatory capacity was measured to determine blood pressure. After exercise, test subjects who performed resistance exercise experienced increases in limb blood flow as well as lowered blood pressure at 40 minutes post-exercise when compared with subjects who performed bouts of aerobic exercise. The researchers theorized that strength training increases the amount and efficiency of blood flow to muscle tissue, literally giving your cardiovascular system more places to put blood, which in turn lowers overall blood pressure, as compared to aerobic activity, which does not increase blood flow in the same way and does not deliver an equal benefit. Strength training may also decrease belly fat, which has been strongly associated with cardiovascular disease. In a study published in the journal Obesity in 2015, researchers measured waist circumference change over 12 years in 10,500 men engaged in either resistance training or vigorous aerobic activity. The result? Test subjects who strength trained for 20 minutes per day gained less age-related visceral fat over a period of 12 years compared to those who spent the same amount of time engaged in cardiovascular activity. Here, scientists theorize that strength training may actually speed up metabolic rate, which in turn would result in decreases in fatty tissue around the midsection. Strength training has also been associated with lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, maintenance of stable blood sugar levels, enhanced bone and joint strength, better sleep, and improved mood. It can help improve endurance, flexibility, stamina, balance, and coordination. And yes, it will enhance your cardiovascular health. How much so, you ask? Well a large-scale study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise earlier this year offered up some pretty definitive numbers.Study: Moderate Strength Training Reduces Risk of Cardiovascular Disease by 40% to 70%In the study, researchers investigated the associations of resistance exercise with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, and further examined the mediation effect of body mass index between resistance exercise and cardiovascular disease outcomes. Test subjects were 12,591 participants (mean age 47 years) who had participated in an Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study in which they had completed extensive lifestyle and exercise surveys and underwent at least two preventive health examinations between 1987 and 2006. When researchers collated the data that was collected, they found that as little as one session of resistance exercise per week (less than one hour) cut the participants’ risks of heart disease and dying from a cardiovascular event by 40 to 70 percent, compared to subjects who did no resistance training. This held true even if the resistance trainers did not perform the recommended amount of aerobic exercise every week. Though more research is needed to validate this finding, this is pretty stark evidence that strength training and cardiovascular health are strongly interconnected. ConclusionSo what is the takeaway from all the evidence cited above? Simply this: Strength is good. When your muscles are stronger, your functional capacity increases, your heart doesn't have to work as hard and key markers of heart health are impacted positively. Keep in mind that we're not saying you should ditch cardio entirely; getting your heart rate elevated for thirty minutes or so twice a week definitely has its benefits. But of the two forms of exercise, resistance training and aerobic exercise, only one supports both muscle increase AND cardiovascular health. Thus, strength training represents the best and most productive use of your exercise time.Collier, Scott R; Diggle, Michelle D; Heffernan, Kevin S; Kelly, Erin E; Tobin, Melissa M; Fernhall, Bo. Changes in Arterial Distensibility and Flow-Mediated Dilation After Acute Resistance vs. Aerobic Exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: October 2010 - Volume 24 - Issue 10 - p 2846-2852.Rania A. Mekary, Anders Grøntved, Jean‐Pierre Despres, Leandro Pereira De Moura, Morteza Asgarzadeh, Walter C. Willett, Eric B. Rimm, Edward Giovannucci, Frank B. Hu. Weight training, aerobic physical activities, and long‐term waist circumference change in men. Obesity, Volume 23, Issue 2, February 2015, pages 461-467.Liu, Yanghui; Lee, Duck-chul; Li, Yehua; Zhu, Weicheng; Zhang, Riquan; Sui, Xuemei; Lavie, Carl J.; Blair, Steven N. Associations of Resistance Exercise with Cardiovascular Disease Morbidity and Mortality. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: October 29, 2018, Volume Publish Ahead of Print, Issue p doi: 10.1249/MSS.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.
Learn more
The FDA Revises Its “Net Carbs” Guidelines For Protein Bars
Breaking Supplement News Big changes are in store for makers of some of the nation’s top-selling protein bars, as the Food and Drug Administration has revised its determination of what constitutes carb content in protein bars. Specifically, the watchdog agency's reclassification of isomalto-oligosaccharides (or synthesized IMO fiber) as a carb, not an indigestible fiber, will more than likely result in significant increases in the "net carb" total listed on the ingredient panels of many bars. Now, we know what you may be thinking. A carb is a carb is a carb, right? Well, not always. Sometimes a carb is a fiber. And sometimes that fiber is identified as an indigestible fiber, enabling some manufacturers to decrease the net carb count listed on their bar packaging. This has been the case with isomalto-oligosaccharides for quite some time, despite science going all the way back to 1992 (Kohmoto, Takanobu, et. al) disputing the degree to which these IMOs are truly indigestible. Unlike the natural fiber you would find in bran flakes or oatmeal, IMOs are a sweet-tasting prebiotic fiber synthesized via enzymatic reactions involving starch. And it turns out that our bodies can digest these synthesized fibers much more efficiently than was previously believed. In fact, our small intestines contain a number of specialized digestive enzymes that can digest up to 83% of IMOs as a sugar called maltose. If this revised estimate of the digestibility of IMOs is taken into account, then the Nutritional Facts panels of quite a few typical protein bars (I.e. many of the best-selling, inexpensive protein bar brands) are about to undergo some dramatic changes. Indeed, this is the claim of a class action lawsuit brought against one high-profile protein bar manufacturer in 2013, which claimed that, due to the underestimation of IMOs’ digestibility, their bars’ packaging “understated their calories by at least 20% and overstated their dietary fiber by 750%, based upon their testing and the generally accepted methodologies for testing fiber.” In effect, some fiber really isn’t fiber; it’s just hidden sugar. This is what the FDA has, at last, determined. Better late than never, we say. IMOs and Your Dietary Regimen The reclassification of IMOs is critically important for fitness-conscious people who are careful about what they eat. If you’re looking to attain a healthy, active lifestyle and peak physique, you know the importance of maximizing quality protein intake while dialing down carb consumption (especially junk carbs). Typical protein bars seemed to offer the ideal “win-win” solution to this challenge: plenty of protein and relatively few net carbs. And they tasted pretty good as well! Setting aside the issue of the actual protein quality of common protein bars (which is pretty inferior), we now know that even the stated carb content of these bars is deceptive. Claims of low net carbs on product packaging are revealed to be largely false. Your ‘4 net carb” protein bar is, in fact, an “18 net carb” protein bar, and you’re consuming plenty of extra, hidden calories in the form of sugar, too. This is a nutritional disaster for anyone trying to achieve their fitness and physique goals by, in part, adding these lesser proteins bars to their regimen. If you’re lucky enough to find a protein bar that has a good quality source of protein, combining high amounts of fiber during the intake of this protein will only cause everything to flush through your body faster ultimately blocking the absorption of the protein. The Emergence of a New and Nutritionally Superior Protein Bar Fortunately, the news is not all bad when it comes to protein bars and your nutrition. Firstly, we want to emphasize that dietary fiber is essential to your health. Dietary fiber, like that found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, will help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk for diabetes and heart disease. The emphasis here is on natural fiber. You don’t need fiber in your protein bar, and you certainly don’t need synthesized IMO fiber. And what about protein bars? The news here is good as well. There are new, advanced protein bars out there that contain no excess carbs disguised as bulky nutritionally useless fiber. Our own multiple-award-winning ProSource Bar contains very little dietary fiber (just a gram or two) and about four grams of sugar. Instead of trying to fake the numbers, The ProSource Bar uses a small amount of sucralose, the only non-nutritive sweetener actually made from sugar. And that’s just the beginning of the story of the ProSource’s Bar’s nutritional benefits. The ProSource Bar is powered by a blend of highest-quality, ultra-hydrolyzed whey protein and cold-processed, micro-filtered whey protein isolate, protein sources chosen specifically for their complete and highly-bioavailable amino profiles. The ProSource Bar recipe is based on a philosophy of incorporating wholesome and nutritious ingredients. That means no IMO fibers, no sugar alcohols to cause you intestinal distress and bloating, no fillers or gelatins or indecipherable ingredients. You’ll also find no cheap whey concentrate or soy protein in ProSource Bars. Even soy lecithin (a common emulsifier in inferior protein bars) has been eliminated in favor of healthy sunflower oil. The end result of all these highest-quality proteins and nutritious ingredients? The best-tasting protein bar you’ll ever enjoy. Adhering to our philosophy of providing the best proteins on earth in a recipe based on wholesome ingredients hasn’t always been the easiest path to pursue, especially in a protein bar marketplace where many of our competitors are cutting costs with inferior ingredients and making false nutritional claims. But in the end, as this FDA ruling makes clear, we have been vindicated in our approach to nutrition. Enjoy every crunchy, creamy bite of your ProSource Bar secure in the knowledge that you're supporting your fitness regimen and your healthy lifestyle to the fullest. Scientific References Kohmoto, Takanobu, et al. “Metabolism of13C-Isomaltooligosaccharides in Healthy Men.” Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, vol. 56, no. 6, 1992, pp. 937–940., doi:10.1271/bbb.56.937. 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.
Learn more