The djwolford Supplement Superthread
A thread for workout supplement information, reviews and discussion. I'll start out with the basics and then get in to some of the lesser known supplements.
BCAAsSpoilerThe phrase branched-chain amino acids or BCAA is sometimes used to refer to the amino acids having aliphatic side-chains that are non-linear. These are leucine, isoleucine and valine. The combination of these three essential amino acids make up approximately 1/3 of skeletal muscle in the human body, and play an important role in protein synthesis. BCAA’s are currently used clinically to aid in the recovery of burn victims, as well as for supplementation for strength athletes.
Branched-chain amino acids are especially important to athletes because they are metabolized in the muscle rather than the liver. This means that they can be used either to build new proteins or be burned as fuel to create energy. Supplementing with BCAA's has been shown to result in measurable gains in both muscle strength and size. Taken before a workout BCAA's can improve performance and delay the onset of fatigue. They also operate as anabolic agents allowing the body to burn fat and not muscle.
As a supplement that has no reported side effects, branched chain amino acids offer many benefits to the serious bodybuilder.
Sources- http://ezinearticles.com/?Know-Your-...-BCAAs&id=4453
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branched-chain_amino_acids
CaffeineSpoilerOne of my favorite pre-workout supplements, caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a psychoactive stimulant drug and a mild diuretic. Caffeine was discovered by a German chemist, Friedrich Ferdinand Runge, in 1819. He coined the term "kaffein", a chemical compound in coffee, which in English became caffeine. Caffeine is also part of the chemical mixtures and insoluble complexes guaranine found in guarana, mateine found in mate, and theine found in tea; all of which contain additional alkaloids such as the cardiac stimulants theophylline and theobromine, and often other chemicals such as polyphenols which can form insoluble complexes with caffeine.
Caffeine is an excellent fat-burner. Many bodybuilders stack caffeine with ephedra and aspirin for the very effective ECA stack. Even alone, caffeine is very effective at leading to increased oxidation and a desired thermogenic effect. Use 200 mg, twice per day, to assist with diet and cardio for losing body fat.
Without a doubt, caffeine leads to increased energy. For most sedentary people, that might be the energy they need just to walk to the car and to their cubicle at work. But for advanced bodybuilders, who subject their systems to intense daily training for 60 to 120 minutes, that extra energy can make a good workout into a great workout.
Sources- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine
http://ezinearticles.com/?Advantages...ders&id=829809
Casein ProteinSpoilerCasein (from Latin caseus "cheese") is the predominant phosphoprotein (αS1, αS2, β, κ) that accounts for nearly 80% of proteins in cow milk and cheese. Milk-clotting proteases act on the soluble portion of the caseins, K-Casein, thus originating an unstable micellar state that results in clot formation. When coagulated with rennet, casein is sometimes called paracasein. Chymosin (EC 3.4.23.4) is an aspartic protease that specifically hydrolyzes the peptide bond in Phe105-Met106 of κ-casein and is considered to be the most efficient protease for the cheese-making industry (Rao et al., 1998). British terminology, on the other hand, uses the term caseinogen for the uncoagulated protein and casein for the coagulated protein. As it exists in milk, it is a salt of calcium. Casein is not coagulated by heat. It is precipitated by acids and by rennet enzymes, a proteolytic enzyme typically obtained from the stomachs of calves. The enzyme trypsin can hydrolyze off a phosphate-containing peptone.
Micellar casein, an extremely slow digesting and rich protein source that continues to feed your muscles long after whey proteins have dropped off. In fact, studies with this undenatured form of isolated casein protein (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1997 Dec 23;94(26):14930-5) have demonstrated it to sustain steady amino acid elevations for an incredible 7 hours. It was shown to offer a strong anti-catabolic effect not noticed with fast digesting whey protein, and actually fostered a much more positive overall net protein balance in comparison.
While whey protein may increase protein synthesis to a very high degree, higher than casein, scientists are now recognizing that micellar casein is much more important in preventing muscle breakdown. In fact, additional research is demonstrating that the slow and sustained release of amino acids from micellar casein can cause a 'timed release' trickle of amino acids into the bloodstream which can last for as many as 7 full hours after ingestion.
Micellar casein is the natural, undenatured form of casein found in milk. It is separated from milk by means of ultrafiltration, without the use of chemicals, which increases the amount of bioactive milk peptides that support immune function as well as enhance muscle growth. A property of micellar casein is that it may have the ability to form a "gel" in the gut. This provides a steady release of amino acids into the blood stream, which makes it an excellent choice for a long lasting anti-catabolic protein.
Sources- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casein_protein
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/mic.html
CreatineSpoilerCreatine is a nitrogenous organic acid that occurs naturally in vertebrates and helps to supply energy to muscle. Creatine was identified in 1832 when Michel Eugène Chevreul discovered it as a component of skeletal muscle, which he later named creatine after the Greek word for flesh, Kreas.
There is one good reason why three out of four of the '96 summer Olympic medallists used creatine: it works and it works well. A French scientist first discovered creatine in 1832, but it was not until 1923 that scientists discovered that over 95% of creatine is stored in muscle tissue. The first published report of creatine having bodybuilding effects was The Journal of Biological Chemistry in, get this, 1926! Although we've known about creatine for quite some time, the first real use of it to enhance performance was the 1992 Olympic games in Barcelona, Spain.
So, what is creatine? Our bodies naturally make the compound, which is used to supply energy to our muscles. It is produced in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys, and is transported to the body's muscles through the bloodstream. Once it reaches the muscles, it is converted into phosphocreatine (creatine phosphate). This high-powered metabolite is used to regenerate the muscles' ultimate energy source, ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Unlike steroids or drugs, creatine is 100% natural and occurs naturally in many foods; therefore, it can never be banned from any sports or international competitions (unless they banned eating meat). Many foods especially herring, salmon, tuna, and beef contain some creatine.
Creatine is bodybuilding's ultimate supplement, and for good reason. For one thing, creatine can significantly increase lean muscle mass in just two weeks. It is also responsible for improving performance in high-intensity exercise, increasing energy levels, and speeding up recovery rates. It's no wonder athletes who use it have such of an edge over those who do not. Soon nearly every athlete who competes will use it (if they don't already). Creatine's ability to enhance energy reserves in muscles comes from its muscle protein synthesizing action, while minimizing protein breakdown. This occurs because creatine has the awesome effect of super-hydrating muscle cells with water. It enhances muscles' growth too-making muscle fibers bigger and stronger.
Quite a few studies have been done on creatine to figure out why and how it works so well. There have been over twenty double blind (meaning neither the researchers nor the subjects knew who was getting what), placebo-controlled studies conducted on creatine in the past five years. They proved that creatine increased energy levels, resulting in increased strength, endurance levels, and recovery rates. Another unexpected benefit attributed to creatine was discovered as well: creatine accelerates fat loss, while building lean body mass.
Excellent results have been observed in taking creatine monohydrate in two different ways. The first way is called loading. This method works very well for anyone who has never taken creatine before. Just as the name implies, it involves loading up or saturating your muscles with creatine. During the first four days to a week, take 20 to 30 grams per day. Mix it with non-acidic juice or water. Grape juice works well. After this loading period, take a regular intake of between five to fifteen grams per day to keep your muscles saturated (no need to over do it). The other method is a more gradual approach to supplementing with creatine monohydrate. Over the course of an extended period, one basically skips the loading phase and just supplements with five to fifteen grams per day, everyday. The best results have been noticed when creatine is combined with a high carbohydrate base, such as dextrose (glucose) and taken about one-half hour before training.
Sources- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/creatine.html
Creatine MonohydrateCreatine Monohydrate by ShinySidesWhat is it?
Creatine is a metabolite produced in the body composed of three amino acids: l-methionine, l-arginine, and l-glycine. Approximately 95% of the concentration is found in skeletal muscle in two forms: creatine phosphate and free chemically unbound creatine. The remaining 5% of the creatine stored in the body is found in the brain, heart and testes. The body of a sedentary person metabolizes an average of 2 grams of creatine a day. Due to their high intensity training, bodybuilders metabolize higher amounts.
Creatine is generally found in red meats and to some extent in certain types of fish. However it would be hard to get the amount of creatine necessary for performance enhancement as even though 2.2 pounds of red meat or tuna contain approximately 4 to 5 grams of creatine, the compound is destroyed with cooking. Therefore the best way to get creatine is to take it in powder form.
How does it work?
While there is still much debate in how creatine exerts its performance-enhancing benefits it is commonly accepted that most of its effects are due to two mechanisms:
* Intra-cellular water retention.
* Creatine's ability to enhance ATP production
Basically once the creatine is stored inside the muscle cell, it attracts the water surrounding such cell thereby enlarging it. This superhydrated state of the cell causes nice side effects such as the increase of strength and it also gives the appearance of a fuller muscle. Some studies suggest that a super hydrated cell may also trigger protein synthesis and minimize catabolism.
In addition creatine provides for faster recovery in between sets and increased tolerance to high volume work. By upgrading your body's ability to generate ATP, you can exercise longer and harder as you will minimize your lactic acid production and be able to take your sets to the next level with less fatigue.
Creatine also seems to allow for better pumps during a workout. This may be due to the fact that it possibly improves glycogen synthesis. In addition, studies have shown that creatine helps lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The mechanisms by which it exerts such benefits remain unknown.
How to Use It
While most companies suggest a loading phase of 20 grams for 5 days and 5-10 grams thereafter, little benefit has been shown from loading. The same results are shown for someone who is loading as for someone who takes 5 grams after each workout.
The reason for this is simple. There is only so much creatine that the body can store. Creatine is stored every time you take it, so by taking it every day, eventually you will reach the upper levels that provide performance enhancement. After you reach that level you could get away with just taking it on your weight training days as it takes two weeks of no use to for the body's creatine levels to get back to normal.
Another issue is cycling. If creatine were a supplement that loses effectiveness as time goes by, then cycling would be recommended. However, that is not the way creatine works.
Conclusions
The greatest advantage that creatine gives you (besides the cosmetic effect of bigger looking and fuller muscles) is that it enables you tohandle more volume and recover faster in between sets by upgrading the body's capabilities to produce ATP, thereby decreasing the production of lactic acid.
Source:The Body Sculpting Bible for Men by James Villepigue and Hugo Rivera
Multi-VitaminsSpoilerMulti vitamins are not only a needed element for any bodybuilder or strength training athlete; the multi vitamin has to be a high quality product. The multi-vitamins that are picked up from the local supermarket are not a good quality product. The multi vitamin has proven itself to be highly imperative to maintaining good health and providing the body with the nutrients that aren't included in the diet. They provide immune support as well as promote a growing environment for the body to strengthen and prosper.
The main reason that multi-vitamins are so important in today's society is that our food lacks many significant nutrients. Some of this is due to over processing of our foods and chemically modifying them to produce bigger, better foods. Much of the nutritional value of the food is lost in the processing stages and as a result, most westerners suffer from vitamin deficiency. There is a huge hole to be filled with the missing nutrients from the food in this fast paced modern world and the multi-vitamins can successfully bridge that gap.
When it pertains to bodybuilders and strength training athletes, multi vitamins hold an even higher significance. This is due to the enormous amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are depleted through strenuous physical activity. Multi vitamins keep those nutrient levels stable and balanced and are a simple solution to not acquiring the proper nutrition from a traditional food diet.
Many self-professed experts have made unwise claims that bodybuilders and strength training individuals don't need multi-vitamins. This is a dangerous statement when you consider the nutritional value of food alone! If you can't replenish vitamins and other nutrients through multi vitamins and the food is seriously lacking them; where would you get the vitamins from if not multi-vitamins? To summarize and reinforce the issue, multi vitamins are an empirically imperative part to any person's diet whether an athlete or not. Athletes need to ensure they get enough more than the average person because they burn up far more nutrients than the average non-athlete.
There are a couple of tips to consider when choosing the right multi-vitamins in order to get the best available. One must check the ingredients and make sure that both nutritional and botanical ingredients are included. These are very important to the effectiveness of the multi-vitamins and are the first things to look for when selecting high quality multi vitamins. Botanical ingredients are basically herbs and nutritional ingredients are comprised of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. These together make the highest quality multi-vitamins available and can generally be purchased at a health food store or supplement outlet.
In closing, multi-vitamins are a highly beneficial way to ensure proper levels of vitamins and other nutrients in the body. This is very helpful in strength training and bodybuilding due to the rate of depletion of nutrients during rigorous exercising. Multi vitamins are also highly beneficial to improve, promote and maintain general health.
Source- http://ezinearticles.com/?Multi-Vita...Item&id=594510
Nitric Oxide BoostersSpoilerNitric oxide is a free form gas produced by the body in order to communicate with other cells. It is created when enzymes break down the amino acid arginine. The main benefit of nitric oxide is its role in controlling the circulation of blood and regulating activities of the brain, lungs, liver, stomach and other organs. It also helps in the control of blood pressure, dilates blood vessels to cause penile erection and is used by the immune system to fight viral, bacterial and parasitic infections.
It is the ability of nitric oxide to increase blood flow that is of most interest to bodybuilders who can benefit as follows:
1. The increased blood flow delivers more nutrients to the muscle cells thus helping them to grow during the adaptation and recovery phase.
2. Its ability to reduce inflammation helps muscles that have been subjected to extreme stresses.
Given its close relationship with arginine care should be taken in applying small doses and increasing them gradually until an optimum level is reached. Bear in mind that many protein powders and other supplements are fortified with amino acids so check the labels carefully. The manufacturer's instructions should be followed in all instances.
Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article
Source- http://ezinearticles.com/?Know-Your-...-Oxide&id=4457
Soy ProteinSpoilerSoy protein is generally regarded as the storage protein held in discrete particles called protein bodies, which are estimated to contain at least 60–70% of the total soybean protein. Upon germination of the soybean, the protein will be digested, and the released amino acids will be transported to locations of seedling growth. Legume proteins, such as soy, and pulses belong to the globulin family of seed storage proteins, called leguminins (11S) and vicilins (7S), or glycinin and beta-conglycinin, in soybeans. Grains contain a third type of storage protein called gluten or "prolamines." Soybeans also contain biologically active or metabolic proteins such as enzymes, trypsin inhibitors, hemagglutinins, and cysteine proteases very similar to papain. The soy cotyledon storage proteins, important for human nutrition, can be extracted most efficiently by water, water plus dilute alkali (pH 7–9), or aqueous solutions of sodium chloride (0.5–2 M) from dehulled and defatted soybeans that have undergone only a minimal heat treatment so that the protein is close to being native or undenatured. Soybeans are processed into three kinds of modern protein-rich products: soy flour, soy concentrate, and soy isolate.
Another measure of a protein's use in nutrition is the Biological Value scale. The Biological Value method, which dates back to 1911, relies on nitrogen retention as a measurement of protein quality. Soybean protein isolate has a biological value of 74. . Whole soybean has a biological value of 96, and soy milk 91.
Soy protein is approved for those who are lactose intolerant, and can be used as a meat substitute. Much more than just an ingredient for a protein shake, Soy protein can be used for cooking instead of flour, producing high protein foods that are extremely low in fat, a bodybuilder's dream come true! Soy protein is derived exclusively from soy beans.
Soy protein provides a healthy way to get non-animal protein into your diet. It is great tasting, natural and can have a plethora of healthy effects on the body. It is ideal for high protein/low carb diets! It's valuable constituents include saponins, phytosterols, and isoflavones. This is one of the best things about soy protein! Saponins support healthy immune system function and combine with cholesterol to reduce it's absorption into the body through the small intestine. Phytosterols have also been shown to help maintain cholesterol levels already within normal range.
The anabolic isoflavones in soy (genistein and daidzein), not only have exhibited effects as powerful antioxidants, but have been shown to exhibit positive health benefits for both men and women.
Sources- http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/soy.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_pro...of_soy_protein
Whey ProteinSpoilerWhey protein is the collection of globular proteins that can be isolated from whey, a by-product of cheese manufactured from cow's milk. It is typically a mixture of beta-lactoglobulin (~65%), alpha-lactalbumin (~25%), and serum albumin (~8%), Whig are soluble in their native forms, independent of pH. Whey has the highest biological value (BV) of any known protein.
The protein fraction in whey (approximately 10% of the total dry solids within whey) comprises four major protein fractions and six minor protein fractions. The major protein fractions in whey are beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, bovine serum albumin and immunoglobulins. Each of these components has important disease-fighting effects. In addition, whey protein is easily digestible.
Whey proteins score a 1.14 on the "Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score", but the reported score is 1.0 - the max value allowed by USDA. What this means is that whey scored higher than allowed! It's simply that good.
Biological value is another measure for protein quality. It measure the amount of protein retained from the absorbed protein, and guess what? Whey protein scored 100 on this, higher than all other types of protein, even soy protein. Another quality measure for protein is the "Protein Efficiency Ratio", which whey scored near top of all proteins at 3.2 - just below that of egg protein at 3.9. The highest this score, the better the quality.
Studies have found whey proteins contain just the right combination of amino acids at the right concentration for optimal performance. Both hormonal and cellular response are greatly enhanced with whey supplements.
Sources- http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/pr...upplements.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whey_protein
Originally Posted by Toki
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