2009 Studies & Research Blog

It seems you can’t go anywhere without hearing about Nitric Oxide products - from NO-Xplode to NO Shotgun, Nitric Oxide activators are all the rage. But because so many of these products contain caffeine, citrulline malate, beta-alanine and a host of other ingredients, it’s hard to determine what effect the Nitric Oxide activators, such as L-Arginine, actually have. Because of this, some people get the impression that they don’t do anything on their own. But what does science have to say about it? Let’s dive into the research.

The first study examined the effects of L-Arginine supplementation on circulation and exercise capacity, but the supplement was administered for only one week. The dosage for each participant varied, as the researchers administered .5g of L-Arginine per each 10kg of body weight. Even over the short duration of the study, significant differences were observed. The first result of the one-week L-Arginine supplementation was the decrease in pulmonary arterial pressure by 5mmHg. Additionally, the researchers found that pulmonary vascular resistance decreased by 16 percent. In some participants, this decrease was even more significant; 10 patients experienced a 20 percent drop in pulmonary vascular resistance. This allows for easier blood flow through the body, enabling oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to working cells more efficiently.

The changes in arterial pressure and vascular resistance were not the only significant changes that resulted from the L-Arginine supplementation. Mean systemic arterial pressure dropped by 5mmHg as well. Additionally, there was an 11 percent average decrease in systemic vascular resistance. The researchers found that exercise capacity was affected by the L-Arginine supplementation through the study as well. The participants experienced an increase of 65ml/min in VO2 max (maximal oxygen consumption, a measure of aerobic capacity). Because of this, there was also a significant increase in peak workload - an average of 10 Watts (1).

Other studies have also indicated that L-Arginine supplementation has worthwhile benefits for fitness enthusiasts. The amino acid has been shown to boost protein synthesis as well as help heal wounds. L-Arginine supplementation has also been linked to enhanced responsiveness of the pituitary gland, the master gland of the endocrine system.

Lastly, researchers have observed that the combination of L-Arginine and exercise have synergistic effects. One study involved participants in four groups - one placebo, one participating in exercise, one supplementing with L-Arginine, and one exercising and supplementing with L-Arginine. While both the exercise-only and supplement-only groups did experience improvements in vasodilation over the four-week period, the group that exercised and used L-Arginine had the greatest results, with arterial diameter increasing by 12 percent (3).

Based on this research, it seems there are many benefits to be attained by saying "Yes" to NO supplements.

SOURCES:

1. Nagaya, Noritoshi, et al. Short-term Oral Administration of L-Arginine Improves Hemodynamics and Exercise Capacity in Patients with Precapillary Pulmonary Hypertension. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2001; 163(4): 887-891.

2. Brown, Liz. Arginine and Exercise. Better Nutrition, 2000. 62(6): 30.

3. Hambrecht, R., et al. Correction of endothelial dysfunction in chronic heart failure: additional effects of exercise training and oral L-arginine supplementation. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2000; 35(3):706-713,

One particular supplement that many fitness or bodybuilding competitors - or even someone who is just looking to take their workout to the next level find themselves using is ephedrine, caffeine, or ephedra and caffeine paired together.

The primary benefits these supposedly offer are enhanced energy, increased metabolic rate, and decreased feelings of fatigue.  Before jumping onto any one of these supplement protocols though, it’s important to understand which will offer the primary benefits.

Recently researchers wanted to study the different effects of ingesting caffeine, ephedrine, or theri combination on muscular endurance.  The study was designed so that either caffeine (4 mg/kg), ephedra (0.8 mg/kg), a combination of both, or no supplement at all was taken in.

Ninety minutes later, the subjects were asked to perform 3 supersets consisting of a leg press (80% of 1 RM to exhaustion) followed by the bench press (70% of 1 RM to exhaustion) with two minutes of rest between each superset.

The results of the study indicated that trials that involved ephedrine ingestion caused significant increases in the mean number of reps completed for both exercises but only during the first superset. In addition to this, the systolic blood pressure reading before the exercise was completed was also significantly increased when the ephedra was taken in compared with the other two trials.

Therefore, from this study it was concluded that there was a greater magnitude of benefits when ephedrine was taken in with the caffeine than when caffeine was utilized alone. What’s more is that researchers found little difference between the ephedrine group and the ephedrine with caffeine group, indicating that caffeine may have very little impact on the benefits you are feeling.

Reference:
Bell, DG. (2003) Effects of ephedrine, caffeine, and their combination on muscular endurance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Jun; 35(6):987-94.

For many fitness enthusiasts, a pair of headphones is just as essential a piece of exercise equipment as a pair of dumbbells. Thanks to advances in technology that have driven down the cost and size of portable music players, being force to listen to whatever
is playing over the sound system at the gym is no longer necessary. It seems nearly every exerciser at the gym is supplying their own personal soundtrack via an iPod or similar device. While many feel that music has the ability to pump them up, there has been little scientific research exploring the possible beneficial effects of music on the body and exercise performance. Recently, though, the Journal of Exercise Physiology addressed this issue with a novel experiment.

The study included both males and females and the participant pool was broken into three groups: fast music, slow music, and no music, corresponding to what subjects would be listening to during the experiment. Regardless of what they were listening to, each of the groups participated in the same mode of exercise - steady state cardio with no incline. The researchers were unsure of the effects of the music, as it has traditionally been used more for relaxation than to augment athletic performance. In addition, previous research has yielded inconsistent results.

The subjects jogged for 15 minutes, with measurements for heart rate, stroke volume (the volume of blood ejected during one contraction), frequency of breaths, oxygen consumption (the amount of oxygen used by tissues during respiration) and cardiac output (the amount of blood pumped from a ventricle in one minute) taken every minute, beginning at the seventh minute of exercise. To ensure that these measurements were not affected by external factors, subjects were prohibited from exercising 24 hours prior to the session, and from consuming caffeine for four hours beforehand.

After compiling the statistics, the researchers found several striking differences between the fast, slow, and no music groups. Those listening to the music with a faster tempo displayed greater rates of oxygen consumption, cardiac output, stroke volume and frequency of breaths than those in the other two groups. In addition, systematic vascular resistance also decreased significantly. And while listening to music with a faster tempo appeared to increase the work of the lungs, there was no difference in blood pressure between any of the groups.

The researchers also pointed out that the increase in oxygen consumption also triggered an increase in caloric expenditure for the fast music group, suggesting that listening to high-tempo music during exercise can actually aid in weight management by burning more calories. Lastly, the researchers noted that "by acting as a positive influence on caloric expenditure, fast music may motivate the individual to increase adherence to exercise, allowing a greater caloric expenditure over time."

So put away the slow jams - for fast-paced fat burning, there’s a need for speed!

SOURCES:

Birnbaum, et al. Cardiovascular responses to music tempo during steady-state exercise. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, 2009; 12(1): 50-56

It’s a common thought in the health and fitness world that those who are engaging in regular physical exercise have significantly higher BMR’s because of it.  For this reason, many people who are exercising feel they can eat a higher calorie diet because ‘they workout’.

If you find yourself in this mindset and eating more food because you believe you’re experiencing an increase in metabolic rate from working out, you may want to rethink that.

Recently a study was conducted by the clinical Epidemiology Program that assessed the effect of exercise training on resting metabolic rate in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

The study was designed to so that 103 participants (both male and female from 39-70 years of age) were divided up into four different groups.  Group one participated in aerobic training, group two was assigned to a resistance training protocol, group three was to perform combined aerobic training with resistance training, and group four was the control group who did not perform any exercise at all.

The subjects followed their specific exercise protocol for a period of 22 weeks during which RMR was measured by indirect calorimetry, 30 minutes after an overnight fast and body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedance.

These measurements were taken when the study first started, at the 3 month mark, and then again after 6 months time had passed.  The results of the study demonstrated that the RMR did not change significantly over any of the groups even though there was improvements seen in peak oxygen consumption and muscular strength in those individuals who were doing the exercise program.

This study then demonstrates that while you may see good physical gains after participating in an exercise program, this does not necessarily mean your BMR (basal metabolic rate – the number of calories you burn during the day at rest) has increased by a significant amount.

Individuals who perform regular physical activities will have larger daily calorie needs and expenditures but this is mostly due to the calorie expenditure of the actual exercise session – not because of the exercise session.

So just don’t go adding a bunch more calories to your diet because you believe you’re boosting your metabolic rate or you could eventually find your body fat levels starting to go up.

Reference:
Alberga, A. et al. (2009). The Effect of Exercise Training on Resting Metabolic Rate in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Jun 30.

This isn’t your grandfather’s form of cardio. Recently, high-intensity interval training has surged in popularity, freeing fitness enthusiasts from long hours on the treadmill. HIIT is highly efficient, boosting the metabolism into a calorie-burning frenzy and challenging the
cardiovascular system. As a result, all types of athletes, from bodybuilders to basketball players, have adopted high-intensity interval training as a means to minimize time spent in the gym while maximizing endurance performance and improvements in body composition.

Unfortunately, though, high-intensity interval training is not without downsides. HIIT can be hard on the joints and can also diminish the body’s stores of glycogen, phosphocreatine, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Because of this, HIIT cannot be performed for long periods of time - which is great for those trying to save time, but can be an issue for those who are trying to burn a lot of calories. But the lack of glycogen, phosphocreatine and ATP can also interfere with other athletic pursuits, such as weight lifting or sports. So is there any way to soften the blow?

According to recent research from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, there is, and it’s as close as your nearest supplement store. What is this magical endurance aid? Beta-alanine. Beta-alanine is classified as a non-essential amino acid, and interestingly, is not believed to be used in the building of proteins. This amino acid is usually not ingested on its own unless it is supplemented; rather, the most common sources are the dipetides carnosine, anserine and balenine. While these are contained in fish, beef and chicken, the amount of beta-alanine from those sources is not sufficient to trigger the results of the following study (1).

In the study, forty-six college-aged men who had not taken supplements within the past six months participated in two three-week programs of high-intensity interval training and either placebo or beta-alanine supplementation. Fitness assessments were taken prior to the program to find a baseline, and also at the midpoint and end of the study.

Even after only the first three weeks, several significant changes were noted between the beta-alanine group and the placebo group. Those supplementing beta-alanine demonstrated longer time until exhaustion and improved maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 Max). Additionally, the increase in Total Work in the beta-alanine group was nearly double that of the placebo group. The supplement group also experienced positive changes in lean body mass, while the placebo group did not (2).

While high-intensity interval training can be helpful on its own, beta-alanine supplementation appears to increase the positive effects as well as improve work capacity, making your training more effective than ever before.

SOURCES:

1. Beta-Alanine. The Facts. http://www.betaalanine.info/

2. Smith, Abbie E., et al. Effects of [beta]-alanine supplementation and high-intensity interval training on endurance performance and body composition in men; a double-blind trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2009; 6(5): 5

A recent study compared two creatine dosing protocols and looked at 24 hour urine excretion of creatine and methylamine. Subjects took 5 grams of creatine 4 times a day for five days and the other trial had subjects taking 1 gram 20 times a day. The more frequent lower dosing protocol showed significantly less creatine was excreted in the urine when compared to the higher dosing protocol.

While it’s likely unrealistic to dose 1g of creatine 20 times a day, this study does give important insight into lower more frequent dosing being the optimal method of creatine supplementation. One of the more recent findings of creatine supplementation is  we no longer need the loading(20gram) a day phase and can establish the same muscle creatine concentrations at 30 days, when using a much lower dose of 3 grams a day.  Since many of us our now are utilizing these much lower dosing strategies( 3-5g) a day, it would be interesting to see a study compare 5 grams a day, taken one time, or the same dose broken up into various doses and then look at urinary excretion.

It has been postulated that the CREAT transporter has limited capacity and ingesting large amounts of creatine at one time overwhelms its uptake ability, allowing much of the creatine to get metabolized and excreted in the urine. The other area of interest when looking at the reasons why smaller dosing may be more beneficial, is the faster downregulation of the CREAT transporters that the larger and less frequent doses of creatine may bring about compared to smaller more frequent dosing strategies.

Sale C, Harris RC, Florance J, Kumps A, Sanvura R, Poortmans JR.
Urinary creatine and methylamine excretion following 4 x 5 g . day(-1) or 20 x 1 g . day(-1) of creatine monohydrate for 5 days

By: ATHLETIC EDGE NUTRITION

When it comes to physical training, the mind can be a very powerful thing.  You’ve probably experienced this yourself a number of times before.  For example, recall an instance when you felt fully motivated and ‘pumped’ to get into the gym.  How did the performance go on that day? Likely, you pushed hard – possibly even set some new personal bests.

Now recall a time when you felt like you had to drag yourself to the gym, feeling like you’d rather be anywhere but working out.  How was your performance that day? Chances are you would have been better off staying home.

While there are obviously going to be factors that influence how your body feels going into a workout (sleep, nutritional status, overall stress level, length of time from last workout, etc), your mental state can really influence the overall performance you see.

Recently researchers wanted to look at the perceived influence of caffeine on workout performance.  Many people already know that caffeine is said to be a substance that enhances performance and as such, you’ll find it in many of the popular sport and energy drinks available.

The study was designed to look at the variables of number of reps performed, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), blood pressure (BP), and peak heart rate (PHR) during resistance training exercises.

The issue of caffeine was factored in by dividing the subjects into two different groups; one group that was told they would ingest a 250 ml beverage containing 3 mg/kg caffeine and the other told they would ingest a 250 ml placebo beverage without caffeine.

The twist of the study however was that neither of the beverages contained caffeine, therefore it was measuring the change in performance of the subjects who simply thought they were taking caffeine (hence looking at the placebo effect or the power of the mind).

The results of the study indicated that the group who believed they had consumed caffeine completed a total of two more reps for each exercise, had a lower level of RPE, and there were no substantial differences in peak heart rate across the two groups.

Therefore, from this study we can conclude that in some cases, simply thinking that you’re taking a stimulant is enough to actually produce better performance gains.  The question then needs to be asked, could mental training, that is teaching oneself how to mentally boost yourself up before a workout, have its own place in your muscle building workout program?

Perhaps one of the key aspects that distinguish those who really reach new limits with their training and those who progress but to not nearly the same extent is partially an issue of mental state along with their body genetics and training/diet habits.

Reference:

Duncan, MJ, et al. (2009) Placebo effects of caffeine on short-term resistance exercise to failure. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. Jun;4(2):244-53

Sometimes, it seems like the BCAAs - leucine, isoleucine, and valine - get all the attention in the world of sports nutrition. But is that really fair? While BCAAs do aid in recovery and prevent catabolism, other amino acids shouldn’t be forgotten. One in particular, carnitine, is just beginning to get more attention, as recent research has indicated that it has a variety of properties that would potentially be useful for strength and endurance athletes.

As an amino acid, carnitine plays a role in muscle-building, but also in transporting fatty acids through the body to areas where they can be used for energy. Additionally, carnitine aids in the process of fat oxidation, the conversion of fatty acids into fuel. And while your body can synthesize carnitine, the amount produced is often less than required for active individuals. In order to see whether increased amounts of carnitine could boost exercise performance, scientists provided the amino acid to subjects over the course of a resistance training program.

The program in the study consisted of both compound and isolation exercises for the lower and upper body. The individuals in the study were also asked to record their total calorie counts as well as protein, carbohydrate and fat intake to provide the most accurate data. Additionally, the study was double-blinded and placebo-controlled.

At the close of the study, there were significant differences between the carnitine and placebo groups. Those supplementing carnitine produced greater peak power, with improvements of up to 15.7 percent compared to the placebo group. In addition, the rate of decline in power was lower with the carnitine group, suggesting improvements in endurance.

The improvement in endurance was likely also related to the lower lactate levels found in the carnitine group - measurements taken post-exercise found that those taking the supplement had lactate levels up to 16.2 percent lower than the control group. As a result of these findings, the researchers concluded that carnitine supplementation "may significantly enhance anaerobic work capacity" in athletes.

While carnitine is present in red meat and dairy products, the quantities present in these foods may not be sufficient enough to stimulate the results found in this study, so a supplemental form of carnitine would be appropriate. Earlier studies have suggested that carnitine supplementation can also increase VO2 Max, increase muscle glycogen stores, and improve recovery from exercise. It is also believed to have potent effects for weight loss. So even if you haven’t heard bout carnitine, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth hearing about.

SOURCE:

Jacobs, Patrick L., et al. Glycine propionyl-L-carnitine produces enhanced anaerobic work capacity with reduced lactate accumulation in resistance trained males. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2009; 6(9)

It’s often said that when following a fat loss diet, you’re going to be far better off focusing your carbohydrate sources around those that are rated low on the glycemic index.  These sources of carbs such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables tend to produce less of a blood-sugar-insulin response on the body therefore won’t cause rebound hunger as much and should leave you feeling fuller and more satisfied.

But how accurate is that advice?  This is what researchers recently wanted to assess to get a clearer picture on how large of an influence the glycemic index had on weight loss.

The study was designed so that the two diets were eaten for a period of 12 months total, the first six where the diets were provide and in the last six were the subjects self-administered the plans.  One was rated as having a high glycemic load and the other was a low glycemic load with both plans being a 30% calorie restriction.  

The recorded measurements used for the study were body weight and percentage of body fat, resting metabolic rate, hunger, and satiety.

After the twelve month period was up, it was demonstrated that both groups exhibited very similar changes in energy intake, body weight, and body fat, and that the resting metabolic rate did not differ significantly between the two groups.

The percentage of weight change at the twelve month period was 8.04 +/- 4.1% in the high glycemic load diet group and 7.81 +/- 5.0% in the low glycemic load group.

In addition to this, the subjects did not report a difference in hunger, satiety, or satisfaction in terms of the type and amount of food provided during the calorie restriction period.

This study demonstrates the fact that when it comes to fat loss, of primary importance will be total calorie intake.  After that has been accounted for, it appears as though the glycemic load of the carbohydrates eaten will not have that large of an effect meaning that if you do so choose to include higher glycemic carbs in your diet, it shouldn’t have a negative influence provided you are making sure the total calorie count stays in balance.

ReferenceBhapkar, MV. et al. (2007). Long-term effects of 2 energy-restricted diets differing in glycemic load on dietary adherence, body composition, and metabolism in CALERIE: a 1-year randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  Apr;85(4):1023-30.