2009 Studies & Research Blog

While there is plenty of literature out there regarding what it takes to build muscle – a proper weight training program that provides an overloading stimulus combined with nutrition to support this, there are still some people who are misled when it comes to protein intake.

Those who are relatively new to working out often think that by filling their system with protein, they’re taking on step ahead in the game of getting ‘huge’.  Not quite.

Researchers from the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education in Long Beach, California had a group of seventy-three healthy males take part in a study that was designed to determine the effect of nutritional supplementation on muscle mass gain when coupled with a weight training program.

The males were divided into three different groups, each of which consumed a different supplement protocol.

Group one consumed an extra 8.4 Mj a day in the form of 356 grams of carbohydrates and 106 grams of protein.  The second group consumed a supplement that contained the same amount of carbohydrates and protein (isocaloric), while group three did not take in a supplement, thus acting as the control group.

All groups maintained the same diet apart from the supplement.

During the study, they performed a weight training program four times a week, for an eight week period, after which they were evaluated for muscle gain.

The results found that even though all groups consumed the same amount of calories in their diets apart from the supplements, only the two supplemental groups showed an increase in lean body mass, with the range being increases between 0-6.3 kg for the carbohydrate protein supplement group and 0.9-5.9 kg for the high carbohydrate group.

Interestingly, all groups showed increases in strength gains, with no significant difference between noted between the various groups.

So, to put this into practice, you can increase your strength without eating at a caloric surplus, however, in order to show increases in lean body weight, that surplus is needed.  While most people do recognize this fact, many fail to realize that the gains can be just as good with that surplus coming from mostly carbohydrates as compared to carbohydrates and protein.

Thus, once you have met your protein requirements, carbohydrates become just as good at building new muscle tissue – if not better, than extra protein does.

Reference:
Garhammer, J. Effects of high-calorie supplements on body composition and muscular strength following resistance training. (2002). Journal of Sports Med Phys Fitness. Sep;42(3):330-7.

For quite some time, regardless of the research, the mainstream media has mislead people in believing that creatine can cause renal(kidney) dysfunction. While previous research has shown no such connection in healthy individuals, more research continues to be published, supporting creatine’s safety. A recent study in 2008 looked at renal function in healthy males, ages 18-35 years old. It was a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study, with the placebo group ingesting dextrose and the treatment group, ingesting 10 grams of creatine a day.  Individuals underwent three training sessions a week for three months.

The researchers looked at serum creatinine, serum and urinary sodium and potassium and cystatin C levels.  No significant changes were seen on renal function between the placebo group and the creatine group.This study adds to the body of evidence, that in healthy individuals, creatine does not cause any renal issue.

Another media myth exposed by actual published research.

Gualano B, Ugrinowitsch C, Novaes RB, Artioli GG,et al.
Effects of creatine supplementation on renal function: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2008 Jan 11 [Epub ahead of print]

Kaempferol, a plant flavonoid, is found in many supplements especially fat burners. Its inclusion in fat burners is due to evidence showing metabolism enhancement. Its mode of action involves increases in cellular energy expedenture via increased cAMP generation. Not only that, but studies show that Kaempferol increases T3 production - a thyroid hormone capable of increasing basal metabolic rate.

Interestingly enough and in addition to its lipolytic properties, a new study conducted on Kaempferol at Jagiellonian University School of Medicine, Krakow - Poland, showed positive cardiovascular benefits. kaempferol appeared to inhibit the conversion of Angiotensin I to Angiotensin II in a dose-dependent manner. Since the peptide angiotensin II is a potent vasoconstrictor (constricts blood vessels), the inhibition of it via Kaempferol may help in maintainig healthy blood pressure. The researchers concluded that this study may help in designing a new class of cardiovascular drugs - ACE inhibitors.

Reference:

Olszanecki R, Bujak-Gizycka B, Madej J, Suski M, Wo?kow PP, Jawie? J, Korbut R.Kaempferol, but not resveratrol inhibits angiotensin converting enzyme.J Physiol Pharmacol. 2008 Jun;59(2):387-92.

Many people know the benefits that consuming a post-workout shake has.  In order to get your muscles on the path to recovery in the quickest manner possible, the post-workout shake is a must.

Post-workout shakes should consist of both carbohydrates and protein, with little dietary fat – as this will slow down the process of digestion.

What individuals usually put in their post-workout shake will vary from person to person; some prefer to blend up fruit, protein powder and juice, while others opt for a simple protein powder with dextrose combination.

Many will add creatine or glutamine to the mix, to further enhance the muscular gains they’ll receive from their workout.
Recently, researchers out of the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences in Loughborough University looked at an alternative for a post-workout drink – milk.

They had seven male volunteers either ingest a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution or else skimmed milk, with the volume in both causes equal to 150% of their body mass lost during the exercise session.  

After the three hour recovery period was over, subjects were then looked at in terms of recovery state and fluid balance and both drinks put them in a positive fluid balance, however, the carbohydrate-electrolyte solution did not restore potassium balance, and both beverages did not fully replace lost body sodium.  

Furthermore, after the three hour recovery period had finished, they also performed an exercise capacity test where they exercised at 61% of their peak VO2 max and it was found that there was no different in exercise time to exhaustion.

Therefore, this study demonstrates that milk may actually be a terrific post-workout beverage, however, you may also want to take in some additional sodium if doing highly intense exercise, or exercise that lasts for a long duration in time.

Reference:
Love, TD. Et al. A Comparison of the Effects of Milk and a Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Drink on the Restoration of Fluid Balance and Exercise Capacity in a Hot, Humid Environment. (2008). European Journal of Applied Physiology, July 10.

Vibration training is becoming more and more popular. Is it superior to conventional weightlifting?

To answer this question, Rønnestad randomized 14 experienced weight lifters aged 21 to 40 years (177.8 ± 6.5 cm and 76.2 ± 8.8 kg, on average) in two groups. The men were training at least 3x per week for at least one year and could squat at least 2.2x their body mass once (1 RM = 368.7 lbs or more, on average).

Both groups followed a 5-week, ondulatory-periodized program (3-4 sets of 6-10 repetitions) of smith machine squats. One group squatted on the floor; the other on a vibrating plate.

Before and after the 5 weeks of training, Rønnestad measured the subject’s countermovement jump height and maximal squat strength (1 RM).

After the 5 weeks, only the “vibration” group jumped higher. Both groups squatted heavier after the 5 weeks, but the “vibration” group did not improve significantly more than the other.

These results are especially interesting since they were obtained on experimented lifters. They apply to athletes who jump or who rely on short, powerful muscular contractions (such as basketball, volleyball, and football).

Source:

Rønnestad BR. Comparing the performance-enhancing effects of squats on a vibration platform with conventional squats in recreationally resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2004 Nov;18(4):839-45.

Three damn good reasons crunches and sit-ups won’t get you six pack abs:  
1. They’re too easy. Don’t get me wrong here: crunches and sit-ups work for beginners, because they need to start easy. Still, after at most eight weeks, they lose their effectiveness.
2. They don’t define the abs. Crunches and sit-ups don’t melt belly fat. They will strengthen your abs (until week 9), but what good is it to have strong abdominals under a thick layer of fat?
3. They target the lower abs poorly. Ever done an exhausting crunch session? Remember where it burns at the end? About at the middle of the trunk, right? Think that works the lowers abs? It doesn’t.

Click right here to discover in minutes how to get a six pack abs.

With the advent of modern medicine there are numerous approaches to treat aches and pains. As we age and continue in our pursuit of physical excellence often times we are sidelined by repetitive motion related injuries in the joints or just everyday bumps and bruises. Let’s not forget delayed onset muscular soreness either more commonly known as DOMS.

There are many approaches health enthusiasts take to relieve these minor aches and pains. Unfortunately, excessive use of NSAIDs like ibuprofen can cause a host of unwanted ailments including stomach ulcers and kidney failure. Another popular OTC painkiller called acetaminophen is the number one cause for liver failure in the United States. Obviously, these aren’t the brightest choices to take on a regular basis.

Researchers from the Department of Pharmacology, at the Appasaheb Birnale College of Pharmacy in  Maharashatra, India have been studying the indigenous plant extracts of Cissus Quadrangularis, more commonly referred to as cissus, for it’s analgesic effects. Cissus is already a popular supplement for joint health and has even proven to increase bone fracture healing in canines. However, it appears that the research group lead by Professor Mate concluded that cissus extract could indeed help reduce both neurogenic pain as well as inflammatory pain.

These results were on par for the effect of powerful narcotic based pain relievers. NSAIDS mainly reduce peripheral pain so by acting as a central analgesic as well, cissus proved to be quite effective.

For the fitness enthusiast who is prone to various low level aches and pains, cissus could prove to be a potent ally in the struggle to remain consistent in your fitness approach. All this froma plant that contains a cocktail of vitamin C, carotenes, physterols, calcium, sitosterols, amyrin, and amyrone. Nothing is worse then being sidelined and forced to sit around the house right?

Mate GS, Naikwade NS, Magdum CS, Chowki AA, Patil SB. Evaluation of anti-nociceptive activity of Cissus quadrangularis on albino mice, International Journal of Green Pharmacy, 2008 2(2): 188-121

Full text found here.

We all know that when engaging in any type of physical activity that drinking is a must. The negatives associated with hypohydration in endurance training is well established - more catabolic responses. However, the effects of hypohydration on resistance training hormonal responses is unclear until now. Researchers at the University of Connecticut, Storrs observed the effect of different hydration states on the endocrine and metabolic responses to resistance exercise. To study this, they recruited 7 adult healthy resistance-trained males and had them exercise in 3 different hydration conditions:

1-euhydrated (EU)
2-hypohydrated by ~2.5% body mass (HY25)
3-hypohydrated by ~5.0% body mass (HY50)

The researchers concluded that hypohydration significantly
1) increased circulating concentrations of cortisol (catabolic hormone)
2) weakened the testosterone response to exercise
3) altered carbohydrate and lipid metabolism

So the bottom line here is If you want to make the most of your workout , stay hydrated !!

Reference:

Judelson DA, Maresh CM, Yamamoto LM, Farrell MJ, Armstrong LE, Kraemer WJ, Volek JS, Spiering BA, Casa DJ, Anderson JM.EFFECT OF HYDRATION STATE ON RESISTANCE EXERCISE-INDUCED ENDOCRINE MARKERS OF ANABOLISM, CATABOLISM, AND METABOLISM. J Appl Physiol. 2008 Jul 10.

With the high number of people out there utilizing low-carb diets as a way to reduce body fat, the consumption of artificial sweeteners has definitely gone up.  Gone are the days when you only consumed these in replacement to sugar in your coffee or tea.  Now you’re finding these sweeteners appearing in many other beverages and food products as well.

Sugar-free Jell-O, sugar-free pudding, sugar-free chocolate, sugar-free candy, sugar-free condiments…the list goes on.

But do these artificial sweeteners really help with weight loss?

Researchers recently looked at how this ‘false’ sensation of sweetness would affect the appetite and corresponding food consumption.  For a period of 10 weeks, they had both overweight men and women consume daily supplements that contained either sucrose (regular sugar) or artificial sweeteners.

The total average calorie content of the sucrose contained 3.4 MJ of energy, while the sweetener supplements contained only 1 MJ.

After the 10 week period, the sucrose group had increases in total energy intake, increases in carbohydrate intake, and small decreases in both fat and protein intake (food intake was not regulated).

The artificial sweetener group, on the other hand, had decreases in sucrose intake and energy density.

The body weight and fat mass was also lower in the sweetener group, as well as the systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Therefore, to put this into practice, if you’re trying to lose weight at the moment, artificial sweeteners can be of use – especially for those who are already suffering from high blood pressure.  Some people were under the impression that while artificial sweeteners would decrease the calories from that particular food or beverage you consumed, they would serve to stimulate your hunger, causing you to eat more elsewhere, thus not having any effect on weight loss.

From the results of this study, this does not seem to be the case.

Reference:
Astrup, A. et al. (2002) Sucrose compared with artificial sweeteners: different effects on ad libitum food intake and body weight after 10 wk of supplementation in overweight subjects.  Am. J. Clin. Nutrition. Oct; 76(4):721-9.

At what point during my workout set will extra carnosine concentrations exert their strongest effects?

Boosting carnosine levels with beta-alanine is effective at all points during your set, whether you’re lifting heavy or doing endurance work, but will exert its largest benefits in our energy system called glycolysis. Your body uses three energy systems to perform work: the ATP-PC system(think creatine), which is primarily used during heavy lifting and for sets up into the 5-6 rep range; the glycolytic system(think beta-alanine), which is predominantly used roughly within the 7-15 rep range and up; and the oxidative/fat system, which is used primarily in endurance training. Our energy systems are utilized simultaneously; however, depending on the level of intensity or duration of exercise and fitness levels of the individual, certain energy systems will become more dominant in producing energy needed for that activity. Anybody who trains with weights will primarily use the first two systems and, in both cases, the build-up of hydrogen ions will contribute to fatigue in both systems, especially glycolysis.

Glycolysis is where the supplement creatine falls a little short and beta-alanine is strongest. Creatine is mostly effective in the ATP-PC system, which relies on stored ATP and re-synthesis using phosphocreatine (PC) for intense, high-energy contractions. Taking creatine will help your explosive strength but it likely won’t help you as much as beta-alanine will in the 7-15 rep range. As anyone trying to build muscle mass knows, you must train in both low (1-6) and moderate to high (7-15) rep ranges to maximize muscle mass gains. Beta-alanine, by increasing carnosine concentrations, can buffer/fight the H+ build-up that occurs in both these ranges, but more so in the moderate to high(7-15) rep ranges than creatine can.  On the contrary, creatine is better suited to the lower rep set up into the 5-6 rep range. allowing you to maintain forceful contractions for longer periods of time.

Decreasing cellular fatigue is an additional strength of beta-alanine. A recent study demonstrates that beta-alanine outperformed creatine in decreasing cellular fatigue, giving it advantage over what has been considered the most effective sport supplement of the last decade.

More to come…

There has been various studies suggesting benefits with caloric restriction. Some of these benefits include:

1. Reduction of sarcopenia with aging
2. Increased health and longevity
3. Increased life span

Researchers have shown that the positive benefits of caloric restriction may be attributed to Sirt1 activation. Now, I have discussed the benefits of Sirt1 activation in a previous blog. However, for a quick recap, the activation of this enzyme offers a myriad of positive outcomes on health such as improved metabolic parameters and physical capacity. However, little is known regarding Sirt1 and adipose tissue in humans. Researchers in Denmark conducted an experiment to asses any activity of Sirt1 found in human adipose tissue.

To investigate this, they recruited nine volunteers and took biopsies from subcutaneous adipose tissue before and after the CR period. For the CR period, the researchers had the subjects fast for a total of 6 days. The results of the study showed that CR increased Sirt1 mRNA expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue more than twofold. In addition, they provided evidence that lean females (n=12) had more than twofold higher Sirt1 expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue compared to obese women (n=12).

With these data, the researchers concluded that human adipose tissue contains Sirt1 and might play an important role for the beneficial effects of calorie restriction in humans.

Reference:

Pedersen SB, Olholm J, Paulsen SK, Bennetzen MF, Richelsen B. Low Sirt1 expression, which is upregulated by fasting, in human adipose tissue from obese women. Int J Obes (Lond). 2008 Jun 17.

Many of you are probably in the habit of taking caffeine prior to your workout.  Whether you choose to down a cup of coffee, pop a caffeine pill, or combine it in some form of stack such as ephedra and caffeine, there is no doubt that for most of us, caffeine will increase energy levels and athletic performance.

But, have you ever thought about taking caffeine after your workout is finished?
Researchers recently looked at what the benefits would be if you added caffeine to your post-workout regimen and the effects were considerable.

You should already be aware that consuming carbohydrates in the post-workout period is important in order to maximize the muscle glycogen resynthesis rate that occurs, which essentially prepares you for your next workout. On top of that, by having fast acting carbs in your post-workout meal, you’ll spike your insulin, which then also helps protein get shuttled into the muscle cells that much faster as well.

What this study revealed though, was that when a group of athletes consumed both carbohydrates and caffeine following an exhaustive exercise session, they had a corresponding 66% higher level of glycogen in their muscle tissues four hours after finishing this exercise compared to carbohydrates alone.  It is important to note that the level of caffeine was set to 8 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight (the equivalent of 5-6 cups of coffee).  Therefore, one factor that could become problematic is being able to get a full night’s sleep with this much caffeine going through the body.

If you can tolerate it though and don’t have troubles sleeping (especially for those of you who work out in the morning), this is a significant number and could make an incredible difference on your recovery and training abilities.

Keep in mind that the exercise performed was glycogen-depleting; therefore, the effects may not be quite to this extent if just a regular exercise session was performed. However, it’s still something to definitely keep in mind when you’re creating your next post-workout meal.

Reference:
Pedersen, D. et al.  High rates of muscle glycogen resythnesis after exhaustive exercise when carbohydrate is co-ingested with caffeine. Journal of Applied Physiology.