vince_andrich’s BodyBlog

Killer New Fat Loss Compounds

By Vince Andrich

Wouldn’t it be nice if science had THE PILL that made bodyfat merely melt away? Sounds great right? Don’t misunderstand me, I am a big fan of science, but I hope the magic pill NEVER comes. The reason is, if hard work, dedication and persistence are taken out of the equation, all the benefits we have as bodybuilding artists will amount to ZERO. I don’t know about you, but I like the fact that what I do with my hobby of diet and exercise makes me different than the €˜normal’ people on the street. So, I am not a fan of getting a FREE ride, but I do appreciate it when science brings us new compounds that will help us build leaner more attractive bodies.

Accelerating Your Fat Loss €˜Investment’

Even if the fat loss miracle PILL never arrives, science is making great strides in uncovering the variables associated with fat gain and loss. One of my good friends Peter Miller at Integrity Nutraceuticals turned me on to two such ingredients that look like KILLER fat loss compounds. Believe me when I tell you, Pete Miller has the science down COLD, so I think both of these compounds are definitely worth looking at (product developers go here www.integritynut.com).

“An analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common-sense “intuitive linear view. So we won’t experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century€”it will be more like 20,000 years of progress…at today’s rate … Artificial Intelligence Expert Ray Kurzweil

Razberi-K …Radical Fat Burning Swiss Army Knife
The first interesting compound is called Razberi-K, also known as 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) butan-2-one, which is a ketone unique to red raspberry. Raspberries contain many bioactive constituents beneficial for health. One particular constituent, 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) butan-2-one appears to have the potential to decrease body fat.  In a recent study, mice were fed a high fat diet to induce obesity while treated groups were also fed an additional 1 or 2% raspberry ketone. The treated groups gained less body fat than the control groups.

How does Razberi-K work?

In laymen terms, Razberi-K appears to have at least two beneficial effects for losing bodyfat namely, decreasing absorption of dietary fat and increasing norepinephrine-induced lipolysis (see http://blog.bodybuilding.com/vince_andrich/2006/10/12/neuro-chemical-diet-warfare/). Importantly, research suggests that in the reduction of absorption of dietary fat, the inhibition of trioleoylglycerol hydrolysis plays a major role. Further research advocates that enhancing lipolysis may augment glycerol release, increasing the translocation of hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) in fat cells, and increasing brown adipose tissue, known to increases thermogensis and oxidation of body fat.
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Application and Serving Size
Razberi-K is appropriate in a product for weight management. It can be administered in a capsule, tablet, powder or liquid. The recommended serving is 100 mgs twice daily.
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Look for products with the Integrity Nutraceuticals Trademarks, to be sure you’re getting the real deal!

iFAS50…Putting the Brakes on Fat Storage
Another very interesting fat loss compound is called iFAS50. According to the R & D staff at Integrity Nutraceuticals, this novel ingredient is comprised of three potent Fatty Acid Synthase (FAS) inhibitors: Green Tea, Tuber Fleeceflower and Parasitic Loranthus. Processed uniquely, the herbs in iFAS50 are blended and then extracted together. This method promotes synergy and provides a consistent and even distribution of the herbs. Research suggests that Green Tea, Tuber Fleeceflower and Parasitic Loranthus are among the most potent inhibitors of FAS.

What the Science Says about iFAS50
As you might already know, Fatty Acid Synthase is a multienzyme process resulting in the synthesis of fatty acids. Regulators of FAS are insulin and glucose; hence by prolonged consumption of high-carbohydrate or fat-free diets, FAS synthesis increases. Fatty acids once produced are esterified and stored in fat cells as an oily substance called triacylglycerol. The process of FAS is mediated by the enzyme acetyl-CoA caboxylase (ACC). Glucagon, an important hormone produced by the alpha cells of the Islets of Langerhans, is known to interfere with ACC thus inhibiting FAS.

The bottom line is that when FAS is inhibited, the body’s ability to store fat is greatly reduced, making iFAS50 an excellent fat loss tool. In addition, inhibiting FAS also exerts numerous indirect properties particularly on hypothalamic neurons. FAS inhibition results in a significant reduction of feeding behavior according to studies. The last benefit is extremely interesting to me since I believe the next generation of fat loss products MUST take into consideration feeding behavior (see my blog, (see http://blog.bodybuilding.com/vince_andrich/2006/10/12/neuro-chemical-diet-warfare/).
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Application and Serving Size
iFAS503 is appropriate in a product for weight management. It can be administered in a capsule, tablet, powder or liquid. A serving of 250 mgs twice daily is suggested.

Again, look for products with the Integrity Nutraceuticals Trademarks; to be sure you’re getting the real deal!

You can reach Integrity Nutraceuticals direct by calling 941.342.0007 or via email at: sales@integritynut.com

I just got a question about glycogen (or stored carbs in muscle  or liver) that asked;

Q: How do you know you’ve used up all your glycogen stores from a workout? When you fatigue and can’t get those last two reps up without help, does that mean you’re muscle glycogen stores are empty/low? I ask because I’m not sure exactly how much post workout gatorade powder to drink. I’m still about 20 lbs away from my goal and at this point I don’t want anything to hinder fat loss.

A: If you want make sure fat loss is still in play keep in mind that for best results your body has to switch gears post workout to refill glycogen and increase anabolic drive, which includes clearing waste products, delivering aminos, ATP, and glucose etc..

In the grand scheme post workout insulin release from glucose will up regulate your glucose burning ability and drop your fat burning rate slightly more than 50
–so unless you really pig out you will be fine…

For more detail here is a small section of a book I wrote called No Mistakes with my buddy Rob Thoburn…

"The see saw aspect of this fuel-burning metabolism lies in the fact that carbohydrate (glucose) and insulin shift your body’s fuel-burning mixture toward glucose oxidation and away from fat oxidation (Flatt et al., 1985; Hussain et al., 1995). At a blood insulin level less than that found following a normal meal, the breakdown of body fat can be reduced by some 50Bonnadonna et al., 1990; Jensen et al., 1989; Swislocki et al., 1987).

But in the grand scheme of things this carbohydrate-induced suppression of your fat-burning metabolism will not necessarily make you fat. Remember that your body must undergo this metabolic shift at mealtime so that it can load your muscle cells with glucose (as glycogen) and stimulate them to oxidize it for energy. The priority of these metabolic events over those governing fat lies in the fact that your storage capacity for carbohydrate is much, much more limited.

So while eating carbohydrate will indeed prompt your metabolism to burn less fat temporarily, it will also cause it to store and oxidize that carbohydrate."

On a side note if you want to be bigger and leaner, don’t skimp on your post workout carbs, just try to make sure you don’t keep insulin spike too long. Safe bets post workout are yams, brown rice and a bit if simple sugars (gatorade is cool).

Vince

The Next Frontier in Legal Fat Loss Pharmacology that

Goes BEYOND €˜Thermogenics’ for Rapid & Permanent Fat Loss

PART ONE

By Vince Andrich

Over the years, I’ve probably been asked more about getting ripped than about any other fitness-related topic. I’m totally cool with that because my focus has always been on the cosmetic aspects of nutrition and exercise. While some may balk at the idea of cosmetic fitness, it is my view that people are more likely to put forth the effort it takes to get the health benefits associated with fitness, if they are doing it the name of vanity. Arguably, improving your appearance seems to have more immediate “benefits than for example, improving heart health, making it a much more motivating pursuit. Ironically, what it takes to improve cosmetic fitness in fact delivers superior health benefits, but that’s another article all together.

Needless to say, the topic of getting ripped is an area that really intrigues me, and I’ve got more than a few theories that I’d like to elaborate on. But beforehand, we all need to get on the same page and understand that if you wanna get ripped €” if you really want to get lean €” there is no such thing as a free ride. Next, let’s agree that any serious “cutting regimen includes an eating strategy based on some type of macronutrient control and manipulation. The wide range of eating strategies includes everything from protein/carb cycling to simple calorie control, but for the sake of this conversation it doesn’t matter. Now, if you’re still with me, understand this: I believe that no matter what “diet you’re on, going beyond your previous best “muscle to fat ratio will eventually come down to a game of mental Russian roulette.

That’s right. Think about it! When you attempt to go beyond your normal limits in any endeavor the mind calls the shots. Those who’ve been there know what I mean. Like Christopher Walken’s character in the Deer Hunter, you take your diet to the point where each day, you roll the cylinder and see if you can escape the bullet in the chamber that will be your mental breaking point.

Don’t be confused; I’m not talking about a breakdown of mental motivation, that’s another discussion. I’m talking about improving your chances of diet success by tweaking the balance of your “mindspace through the use of what I like to call “Neuro Chemical Diet Warfare.

Engineering Irrational Minds To Prevail
I could be way off, but my opinion is that concentrations of neuro chemicals that can benefit dieters are scarcer, or simply less affective when the body is deprived. My reasoning? Well, it seems when deprived, the mind automatically obsesses on the exact thing you’re being deprived of……even if the obsession irrational. For example, I remember during those last weeks of contest dieting, the mere thought of being “allowed to eat anything “extra was always top of mind. I’d often say to myself; “maybe I screwed up my food journal and can eat another meal. Knowing full well that my food journal was always followed to the letter €” to the last morsel. So why would I begin this debate with myself? Sound familiar?

I know it has been written about many times before, but it’s worth mentioning again; dietary restrictions kick in untold years of programming that tells your brain that “you’re starving. So even if you really aren’t starving €” even if you have plentiful food within your reach €” your mind becomes irrationally obsessed with eating.

Quite possibly our starvation radar goes off even sooner when we are simply attempting to go below a certain level of bodyfat, often called the “set point. This effect is most pronounced and extremely exaggerated when restricting water, say for a bodybuilding contest or making a weight class. All you can think about is liquids, or something wetter than your dry like the Sahara desert mouth! Seriously, until you REALLY restrict water intake you just don’t know how good a thimble of water or ice cube sounds. These thoughts take precedence over everything. No doubt food (and more so, water) top the charts for survival and so getting an extra edge in this arena will be tough, but certainly worthwhile. IMO, this survival or pleasure mechanism can be overridden.

Why? Because it happens naturally in everyday life, and is most easily seen when a person either falls in love or they have issues with their love interest such as the possible break-up of a marriage/relationship. Simply stated, the desire for food has been known to significantly change whenever a person experiences something very pleasant or unpleasant.

These are just a few of the reasons I believe tweaking your supply and balance of serotonin, epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine is seriously a BIG DEAL when it comes to fat loss. No matter how experienced you are as a dieter, understanding the power of these neurochemicals holds the key to suspending or minimizing those unforgettable feeding signals that are hardwired into our biology.

Talking Points, Theories and Situation Analysis
The talking points set out below outline a possible prototype for future neurochemical diet strategies. Take these points for what they are; theories, but they are theories with the added insight of what really goes on inside the mind of a serious dieter. Some experts in the applicable fields will probably cringe, at least in places, because inevitably, some of my pop neuroscience is simplistic to the point of perversion. But I am not here to cure mental illness; but I do want to give YOU a mental advantage so you can lose more fat with less pain and suffering.

So that’s all the apologies I’ll make. I feel the subject matter is relevant and in the near future will be key a factor in any high level athlete or serious dieter’s fat loss plan. It is almost insane NOT to realize, quite intuitively that is, that the mind is the ultimate decision maker and all diets succeed or fail because of these decisions.

Willpower and Anti-Food Psychotropics
There is a whole host of psychotropic players that can affect food intake, but for the most part your brain levels of two key neurochemicals €” serotonin and dopamine €” seem to be most notable. The problem is that when it comes to making neurochemical connections to food intake, not everyone has the same wiring, and thus, there is not one off-the-shelf solution. Take serotonin for example; this neurochemical has been linked to carbohydrate cravings and is, in fact, released in response to eating carbohydrates. This is why dieters who want to naturally increase their brain levels of serotonin often take the supplement 5-HTP, a precursor to serotonin. The simple reasoning for increasing serotonin in the brain would be to reduce or delay your carbohydrate cravings. Put another way, your mind knows that eating carbs will eventually lead to the release of -serotonin, but if brain levels are “artificially adequate (through supplementation) your cravings might be minimized. On the surface this seems to be a great idea for low-carb dieters or those with heavy carb cravings.

Too bad it’s not that simple

Let’s take a look at some popular drugs that work on serotonin. It is well established that many people who use Prozac®, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), eat less and therefore can lose weight (although in some cases weight gain does occur). In contrast, Paxil®, another brand name SSRI, lists weight GAIN, not LOSS, as a side effect. In fact, I’ve spoke to many people who use Paxil and swear it is the cause of their weight gain. Now, it can be argued that the two SSRI compounds listed above are similar, but not exactly the same. However, it would seem that inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin would result in many of the same side effects or benefits. But it doesn’t always work that way. Something else must be going on.

The answer may be found in a study comparing the effects of fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft®), citalopram (Celexa©) and fluvoxamine (Luvox®) on extracellular concentrations of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. In this study, only fluoxetine (Prozac) showed robust and sustained increases in extracellular concentrations of norepinephrine and dopamine after acute systemic administration. This simple difference might explain why Prozac could be a better drug for dieters. Of course this study doesn’t take into consideration what happens when you’re faced with dietary “restrictions.

Keep that thought:.

On the flip side, dopamine, a naturally produced neurochemical, functions as a neurotransmitter that activates dopamine receptors. Dopamine is also a neuro-hormone released by the hypothalamus. Dopamine is a precursor to epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and is part of the catecholamine family, which plays a key role in releasing energy from fat and inhibiting fat storage. So, maybe we should just find a way to crank up the dopamine, right?

Well, take a look at this:

One drug affects dopamine and IMO, deserves much attention when it comes to dieting. The drug is Bupropion (amfebutamone), which is better known by the brand names Wellbutrin and Zyban.

I’m fascinated because the chemical is both a dopamine reuptake inhibitor and a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Also, Bupropion has only a small effect on serotonin reuptake. Not surprisingly it is similar in structure to the stimulant cathinone, and to phenethylamines in general. It is a chemical derivative of diethylpropion, an amphetamine-like substance that is prescribed as an appetite suppressant. Pretty, cool so far, right?

For an athlete looking to get ultra ripped however, we want a reduction in appetite, not amphetamine induced anorexia that will grind up our mind and muscle and spit it out. You see if you flip the dopamine switch on high and break off the knob, you’ll be headed for a downhill spiral. This is because the closer you chemically get to amphetamines such as methamphetamines or cocaine, you beat on your dopamine system to the point where the desired signal is always ON and the neurotransmitters are not recycled. The net result is that dopamine gets severely depleted and the user becomes mentally addicted and in no condition to positively alter body composition.

The good news is that when dopamine rises to higher ranges in an intermittent fashion, our body handles the increase by engaging dopamine transporters (DAT’s) to remove excess dopamine from the receptor, effectively ending the signaling of the neurotransmitter and recycling the transmitter. So a transitory boost in dopamine levels when food cravings are imminent could be a very useful appetite suppressor. For sure it seems any positive neurochemical diet protocol would require the availability and proper recycling of serotonin and dopamine. Coincidently, Bupropion is also used to for smoking cessation, and since people who quit smoking seem to gain weight, there must be another food connection. So what’s the big deal with smoking?

Stay tuned for PART TWO