20 Ways To Stay Motivated In 2016 9 Things To Keep In Mind On Shoulder Day Creatine Cycle – Myth Or Not ? When To Take Creatine ?Keeping up with the supplement market isn’t easy, especially with new products popping up every day- each one promising less body fat or muscle growth, among other health claims. Researchers have examined many of these supplements, but conflicting scientific evidence doesn’t stop marketing. Supplement companies often latch onto promising early research on a supplement while ignoring follow-up studies that suggest their product is ineffective. Knowing what supplements are just media and marketing hype will save you time and money in the long run. These five supplements have been shown to be ineffective, yet they’re still quite popular. Glutamine plays a vital role in muscle cells during muscle contraction. Early studies found that adding glutamine to a muscle cell causes a dose-dependent increase in muscle protein synthesis, the process through which muscle cells are rebuilt after exercise.
Later, it was discovered that this effect doesn’t provide any benefits for an adult engaging in regular exercise. Glutamine supplementation results in the glutamine being sequestered by the liver and intestines and released to the body on an as-needed basis. Since the supplemental glutamine spike never reaches the muscles, the increased muscle protein synthesis effect associated with glutamine never actually occurs in people after supplementation. BCAAs are a group of three amino acids often supplemented to improve muscle protein synthesis. Research suggests the amino acid leucine is predominantly responsible for this effect. BCAA supplementation does improve muscle protein synthesis, in the same way that protein does. Instead of adding BCAAs to your protein shake, just throw in another scoop of protein. It’ll taste better and have the same effect. People that prefer to go to the gym before eating, or while fasted, can supplement BCAAs to take advantage of the improved muscle protein synthesis effect without breaking their fast by consuming too many calories.
Otherwise, BCAA supplementation is unnecessary if you’re already getting enough protein. L-Arginine was the first supplement in the nitric oxide booster category. Studies show that elevated levels of nitric oxide in the body could be beneficial during exercise by improving blood flow, which results in better recovery and improved aerobic and anaerobic endurance. A nitric oxide molecule is produced as part of the reaction that converts L-arginine to L-citrulline, but increasing the amount of L-arginine available to the body doesn’t result in increased nitric oxide levels. Instead, most people experience diarrhea. Other nitric oxide boosters include L-citrulline and agmatine, neither of which have solid evidence to suggest they improve nitric oxide levels after supplementation. However, dietary nitrates, which are found in leafy greens and beets, have been found to improve exercise performance due to increased nitric oxide levels if eaten before a workout. Recent studies on betaine, also known as trimethylglycine, suggest that betaine supplementation can improve power output and physical endurance.
However, researchers note that this effect is unreliable. Betaine does provide benefits for physical performance after supplementation. It causes cellular swelling and improves methylation status. Cellular swelling stresses the muscle cell and causes it to grow, while improved methylation status increases the synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine and creatine, resulting in improved physical performance. The reason betaine is on this list is because creatine and choline also induce cellular swelling and improve methylation status, respectively. Both of these supplements are more effective and reliable than betaine. Eating at least four egg yolks a day can also render choline supplementation unnecessary. Bottom line: though betaine does have an effect on physical performance, other supplements are both cheaper and more effective while serving the same purpose. HMB is a metabolite of leucine, which means that it’s a product of leucine metabolism. HMB supplementation is claimed to improve physical performance and muscle protein synthesis.
Unfortunately, research suggests that HMB is not an effective ergogenic aid because its effects are weak and unreliable. HMB supplementation also fails to outperform placebo when it comes to improved muscle protein synthesis. In one recent study, athletes using a free acid form of HMB showed dramatic improvement in muscle growth. Can these results be taken as conclusive evidence? The only difference between the more common calcium salt HMB and the tested free acid HMB are their absorption rates, and a faster absorption speed typically doesn’t turn a placebo into a steroid. Before HMB can be called a wonder supplement, the experiment should be replicated to verify the findings. HMB supplementation is sometimes recommended during weight loss, since HMB may prevent muscle protein breakdown, but much more research is needed to confirm this effect. It’s easy to get caught up in shortcuts and marketing buzzwords. Media hype about individual studies and celebrity endorsements of new supplements fill the airwaves, making it difficult to ignore new products.
When supplement companies claim their products stand up to scientific scrutiny by pointing to outdated studies, it becomes even harder to separate fact from exaggeration. Don’t let marketing fool you into believing you need the newest, latest, best supplement. Learn to identify misleading statements, and read beyond the abstract of studies. This will help protect your wallet and your health.He’s a nutrition researcher with an MPH and MBA from Johns Hopkins University, and is on hiatus from a PhD in nutrition in which he researched the link between diet and chronic pain. He has published peer-reviewed articles on vitamin D and calcium as well as a variety of clinical research topics. Kamal has also been involved in research on fructose and liver health, mindfulness meditation, and nutrition in low income areas.We get a lot of questions about supplements – What to take, how much and when? There’s so much information out there, it’s no wonder people find this topic confusing.
So, we reached out to Dr. Andy Galpin, professor of sport science, for help. Andy, based on the available evidence, what should athletes consider taking on a daily basis and why? The most important to remember is that food and sleep always take priority. You cannot use supplements to cancel-out poor rest and nutrition, it just doesn’t work. I wish it would! But supplements should be used as more like a dollop of hot sauce on top of your giant taco salad. You have to keep them supplemental. Get this business sorted out and you can think about what to take. The supplements you choose should be a direct reflection of your goals. I’ll use myself as an example. 1 have no competitions coming up. I’m very happy with my current body composition, but I would like to drop about 3% body fat. I would also like to add about 3-5 pounds of muscle tissue, because as I’ve said before, building and maintaining healthy, functional muscle tissue is always important. Finished up talk nutrition and such with the folks at @crossfit_reality.
Ps. That gym is LEGIT! By far the most impressive gym I’ve ever seen. And I was highly impressed with the coaches knowledge. If you’re in the Long Beach area and not training here you’re a fool. A photo posted by Andy Galpin (@drandygalpin) on Jan 17, 2015 at 5:03pm PST As far as training goes my strength is low at the moment. I’m also really focusing on improving my conditioning. However, longevity and lifelong health are still my priorities. That’s what drives my decision making when it comes to what does, or doesn’t, go into my body. HOW TO DECIDE Before you take it, do your homework. Answer some critical questions: 1. Is it safe? Honestly, if you have any doubts at all, don’t take it. That’s my best advice. You have to be comfortable with your decision. If the product is from an established and well reviewed company then chances are good that it’s fairly safe when used appropriately. But still, do your research. You can be sure that if the product seems suspect to you, then it most likely is.
2. Doest it work? You have to be very careful when you do your research. That’s because almost EVERY SUPPLEMENT on the market is supported with research to show that it “works.” The real question is, what does “work” mean for you? Is it a 3% performance improvement over 8 months? Think about this carefully. What kind of evidence is actually available? Specifically, was the research conducted in humans or animals? That matters a lot. Also, what was reported? Was performance actually measured in the study, or was it an arbitrary blood marker, or some other kind of secondary measure of “performance.” One final note: Even if there is a lot of evidence supporting a supplement, it still might not work for you. You must always carefully observe and record your experience. 3. Finally, is it worth the price? I don’t know what your monthly budget looks like, but for me, paying $500 a month for supplements that might improve my conditioning 2% over the next 8 months isn’t worth it.
You have to think about your needs. For my professional fighters, I say go for it. When your livelihood is on the line in a sport like that then you MUST leverage every legal advantage. But you really should consider the cost if your only goal is doing better in the gym. We’re fans of BCAA’s (branch chain amino acids) to help reduce muscle breakdown during exercise and promote faster recovery and muscle building after workout. They also allow you to workout longer with more energy. But remember supplements SUPPLEMENT. If you’re not consistently getting to the gym, eating real food, and getting good sleep put your efforts there first! (@barbellshruggedpodcast) on Feb 9, 2015 at 11:54am PST Here are the supplements that I have found to be beneficial, cost-effective, and supported by EXCELLENT high-quality evidence. I take everything around 4 key time points – the morning, pre-workout time (evening for me), during the workout, and then bed time. I start the day with fish oil at breakfast – About 2-3 grams of a high quality EPA/DHA.
Again, be very careful when you’re picking a fish oil product. They all report a total amount of oil, as well the total amount of EPA and DHA. That gap between total fat and EPA/DHA represents the amount of “filler” fat in each serving. Base your dose on how much EPA & DHA you want, NOT how much “fish oil” is in the serving size. For example, some companies will give a serving size of 1 gram of fish oil, but this will only contain about 100 mg of EPA and 50 mg of DHA. This is obviously a problem. This isn’t a product you should find while bargain hunting. The other two supplements I take every morning are Vitamin D and Creatine. For the Vitamin D, I take about 3-5,000 IU’s a day. There’s variability there, especially during times of the year where I might be outside and under the sun more often. For Creatine the dosing “sweet-spot” is about 0.03-0.05 grams/kilogram of bodyweight. For me this is about 3 grams a day, which is plenty. Timing of ingestion doesn’t matter.
Also, stick with the monohydrate variety. It works great, and there’s no clear benefit to the more expensive products. I love beta alanine, it’s great stuff. Especially for sports like Crossfit. Right now I take about 4 grams before training, but I must warn you – You MUST start this supplement VERY SLOWLY. More is definitely not better. Take too much too soon and you will have acute “crack-head” like symptoms. Your skin will itch and burn like crazy! Note: Unlike creatine, I cycle on and off this supplement during the year. If I’m not doing much conditioning, I back off. It’s loses value if I’m just focusing on strength. Getting set for our mock meet this morning at 10:30. 13 lifters will be competing today. A photo posted by Csuf Weightlifting Club (@csufweightlifting) on Jan 25, 2015 at 8:03am PST The best way to improve the quality and effectiveness of your training is to appropriately fuel your efforts. For me, that starts with a protein powder.
I love high-quality varieties that actually include some carbohydrate and fat. One thought on fueling your workouts. Dose will depending on training intensity, but also your training schedule really matters. For example, I drink down 1-2 scoops of powder during training. The harder the training, the more calories I will need. However, I avoid this if I have a few days of recovery coming up. Just for the sake of repeating – Just because you can take it doesn’t mean you should. With proper recovery (sleep AND food!), I have no issues replenishing my glycogen stores. The extra calories are just extra at that point, and therefore aren’t going to help me get leaner. Just before I go to bed I take another 2-3 grams of EPA/DHA. There’s no reason you couldn’t take it all at once, but I like to spread the dose out as much as possible. No, I don’t do this everyday. I take days off. Also, I tend to respond better when I play around and adjust my fish oil intake. When life or training stress goes up, for example, I will take a little bit more.