Tendinitis is an inflammation of the connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone. Tendons transmit the forces a muscle generates to the skeletal system. Thus, they’re important mediators of muscle contraction. This relationship, however, puts them in harm’s way because every time a muscle contracts it places stress on the tendon. The most common, but by no means sole, cause of tendinitis is overuse (i.e., repeating the same movements so frequently that they become destructive to the involved structures).

Bodybuilding seems to be the poster activity for tendinitis because it involves the harshest risk factors: intense muscle contractions, repetitive movements and heavy loads. And the condition plays no favorites, afflicting the seasoned veteran as well as the newbie.

WHEN INFLAMATION STRIKES

Here are some strategies you may find useful if you’re struggling with the symptoms of tendinitis.

Warm up well prior to any intense or aggressive lifting. Use light weights for several sets to increase blood flow, particularly to the tendon areas that are prone to lower blood circulation.

Gently stretch the area of discomfort. The tendon attaches the muscle to the bone, so any stretch of the muscle can also place a stretch on the tendon as well. When done with care, stretching may reduce the tension along the whole musculotendinous complex. It can be effectively used before and immediately after working out. Be sure to stretch to tolerance, not pain.

Vary your movement patterns by trying new exercises. Because tendinitis results from overuse, step out of the merry-go-round of repetitive motion and try new movements, even substituting machines for free weights and vice versa.

Ice after working out. One approach is to put a cold pack on the irritated area for 10–15 minutes, depending on the tissue thickness in the area. Be sure to remove the cold pack as soon as the area begins to feel numb. Another method is to use an ice bath in which you plunge the irritated tendon into a bucket filled with cold water and ice chips. This is a more aggressive form of cryotherapy — and isn’t for the faint of heart. When used after stretching this method is even more advantageous because it freezes the tissue in a lengthened position and helps the weight trainer recover more quickly. (Cautionary note: Remove the area from the ice bath as soon as it begins to feel numb.)

Consider bracing the area. For instance, you could wear a neoprene sleeve or Velcro strap over your elbow as you train your biceps or triceps. Studies have shown stress on the tendon may be reduced by more than 80% with bracing. Another way to reduce tendon stress is with a taping method known as Kinesio Taping. Kinesio Tape is different from athletic tape in that it doesn’t lock an area up tightly but better facilitates the muscles to play that role.

Supplement to ease your tendon irritation. A number of supplements, including those that can be used either topically or orally, have been shown to help with tendinitis. Keep in mind, however, that no substance has shown an ability to reverse the cellular damage of tendinitis; only time and healing can do that. But certain supplements may be helpful in reducing the pain and inflammation associated with tendinitis and cultivating a supportive environment for healing. Those noted as being effective are:

>> Fish oil. Some bodybuilding authorities recommend up to 30 grams a day, but 5 grams is a more conservative daily dose that may be effective.
>> Glucosamine sulfate. Take 1,500 milligrams four times a day for the first few days then 1,500 milligrams per day thereafter.
>> Magnesium. Take 250 milligrams two times a day.
>> Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Follow the directions on the product label.
>> Vitamin C. 1000–3000 milligrams per day.

1. Don't diet impatiently—Your body needs at least three weeks to adapt to dietary modifications, so be patient. Don't anticipate immediate changes. If you start a high-carb, moderate-protein, low-fat diet with reduced calories, visible progress will probably not occur until after 21 days.

2. Don't lose track of tracking calories—Count everything you eat; not only calories, but carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Consult Nutrition Almanac or a comparable source.

3. Don't eat haphazardly—Whether you're trying to lose fat or gain lean body mass, remain consistent. Sporadic eating is anathema to progress. If you're a hard-gainer or have a difficult time getting ripped, the five-meals-a-day plan is the best; it stabilizes nutrient absorption while inhibiting fat storage.

4. Don't be scale-subservient—Don't depend upon the scale to fine-tune your diet. It's a good general gauge, but seeing a numerical difference can cause one to overcompensate. It's better to rely on photos and an unbiased eye.

5. Don't overeat—Bodybuilders who try to gain mass often overeat, taking in too many calories that turn to body fat. They do the same with carbohydrates, expecting more energy for hard training. Get enough, not an excess.

6. Don't be a follower—There's nothing wrong with doing what the pro bodybuilders do, but use their diet only as a template, then adapt it to your metabolism. Jay Cutler's diet might be similar in most regards to Dexter Jackson's, but it's not identical.

7. Supplements are not magic bullets—In relying too much on supplements, bodybuilders often fail to consume enough calories and proteins to stimulate a positive nitrogen balance for muscle building, or they fail to reduce their food calories and consequently add body fat. Remember: supplements "supplement" food; they don't replace it.

8. Don't be a single-food slave—Vary your diet. It's too easy to burn out from eating only chicken breasts or canned tuna every meal, day after day.

9. Free yourself from fat-free tyranny—Removing fat completely from your diet and relying exclusively on non-fat foods and fat-free proteins such as turkey, fish and protein powders can retard growth or lead to a decrease in fat metabolism. A low-fat diet that includes essential fatty acids found in meat, chicken and fish is better.

10. Avoid sudden, enormous changes—When adding or subtracting calories from your diet, do so gradually, to give your body time to adapt. A radical reduction will cause the body to hoard fat; a radical increase will stimulate fat storage.

Gastric Bypass Improves Sexual Performance In Morbidly Obese Men

            Grossly obese men have an increased risk of sexual dysfunction, including erection problems and decreased sex drive. High levels of body fat trigger insulin resistance, which interferes with Nitric Oxide (NO) production— an important regulator of blood flow to the penis and the rest of the body. Ramzi Dailai, from the Albert Einstein Health Network, found that sexual performance improved following gastric bypass surgery in morbidly obese men (body mass index greater than 51 kg/m²; 30 is overweight). The amount of weight lost following surgery was highly predictive of improvements in sexual performance capacity. Sexual performance returned to near normal values in men who lost 67 percent of excess weight. Poor metabolic health is the principal cause of sexual problems in aging men, such as erectile dysfunction. Gastric bypass surgery improves metabolic function and sexual performance. (Journal American College of Surgeons, 207: 859-864, 2008)

 

Meltdown Increases Caloric Expenditure And Fat-Burning Before and After Exercise

            Meltdown is a weight-loss supplement that includes synephrine, caffeine, phenylethylamine, yohimbine, and hordenine. Each of these substances is thermogenic (increases caloric expenditure). In our Supplement Research column this month, we reported a study by Jay Hoffman and co-workers, showing that Meltdown increased resting caloric expenditure by 20 percent for several hours.

            A study by Darryn Willoughby from Baylor University and colleagues found that Meltdown increased caloric expenditure and fat burning before and after a short, maximal bout of exercise in college-age men. They rested one hour, took 3 Meltdown capsules (500 mg) or a placebo (fake Meltdown), rested another hour, took a maximal treadmill test (approximately 12 minutes of exercise to exhaustion) and then rested another hour. Meltdown increased caloric expenditure by 10 percent during the two-hour experimental period (rest + exercise + rest) and increased estimated fat use by 6 percent. Blood pressure and heart rate were similar between Meltdown and placebo. Meltdown increases metabolic rate at rest and during recovery from exercise without imposing additional loads on the cardiovascular system. (Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 5: 23, 2008)

 

Green Tea Decreases Abdominal Fat

            Green tea is a popular weight-loss supplement that also improves blood sugar regulation and influences fat cell turnover. While it is not a magic bullet that instantly improves metabolic health, it helps. Kevin Maki from the Provident Clinical Research, in Bloomington, Indiana showed decreases in total abdominal fat, subcutaneous abdominal fat (under the skin), and blood triglycerides (blood fats) in people consuming a green tea beverage containing 625 mg of catechins and 39 mg of caffeine for 12 weeks, compared to a placebo (green tea without catechins or caffeine). The people also did 180 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise.

            Caffeine and catechins— particularly epigallocatechin-3-gallate— speed metabolism and fight fat. Other studies found that green tea extract increased the conversion of testosterone to estrogen in fat cells, which might have negative effects in bodybuilders. Green tea is an effective fat fighter that complements the effects of exercise. However, bodybuilders should use it with caution. (Journal of Nutrition, 139: 264-270, 2009; Journal of Nutrition, 138: 2156-2163, 2008)

 

Caffeine Works Faster In Men Than In Women

            Ninety percent of Americans consume caffeine every day in one form or another. Most people drink coffee, tea, or other caffeinated beverages as pick-me-ups to increase alertness, or consume them as weight loss supplements to lose body fat. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that improves wakefulness, alertness, and some types of athletic performance. It affects some people more than others, depending on tolerance, body size and gender.

            A University of Barcelona (Spain) study showed that caffeine had a greater, faster effect in men than women. The scientists measured the short-term (first 30 minutes) and long-term (rest of the day) effects of caffeine ingestion in nearly 700 college students. Coffee increased alertness within 45 minutes, but the effects were greater in men than women. Decaffeinated coffee also increased alertness, although the effects were less than regular coffee. In most people, the effects of caffeine last for 2-3 hours, but can last as long as 10-12 hours in pregnant women and in people with liver disease. (Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 32: 1698 DO, 2008)

 

Endurance Exercise Reduces Fat Surrounding The Heart

            Fat surrounding the organs, particularly in the abdomen, decreases metabolic health, which can lead to heart attack, diabetes and stroke. Heart fat (epicardial fat) restricts movement of the heart and increases blood pressure. Abdominal fat promotes insulin resistance, which interferes with important chemicals that regulate blood flow and blood pressure. A Japanese study found that 12 weeks of endurance training (three times a week for 60 minutes) decreased abdominal and epicardial fat. Blood pressure decreased in direct proportion to decreases in heart fat. Exercise is an effective technique for decreasing abdominal and heart fat and improving metabolic health. (Journal of Applied Physiology, 106: 5-11, 2009)

 

Sleep Less, Snack More

            Sleep-deprived people eat more snacks. Inadequate sleep is linked to obesity, but scientists aren’t sure why. Arlet Nedeltcheva and co-workers from the University of Chicago found that appetite and food intake from snacks increased more following sleep deprivation (5.5 hours of sleep per night) than normal sleep (8.5 hours). Eleven middle-aged adults lived in a sleep laboratory for 14 days and had free access to good-tasting food. During their stay, they were allowed long and short sleeps. Sleep duration did not affect caloric intake during meals. However, people ate 221 more calories and 4 percent more carbohydrates per day from snacks following sleep deprivation. Energy expenditure (metabolism plus physical activity) was the same on long and short sleep days. People eat more snacks when they don’t get enough sleep, which promotes obesity. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89: 126-133, 2009)

 

Uncoupling Might Be Key To Future Weight-Loss Drugs

            Energy metabolism works through a series of coupled reactions. This means that energy released by breaking down fats, carbohydrates and proteins is captured in other reactions such as making ATP (a high energy chemical) or storing fats and carbohydrates. Uncoupling occurs when the energy from food breakdown is released as heat instead of being captured as ATP. The cell mitochondria (cell energy centers) contain uncoupling proteins such as UCP1, which convert energy directly into heat.          All mitochondria contain UCP1, but they are particularly concentrated in brown fat. The body has evolved to store energy (fat) efficiently, but developed the ability to generate heat through uncoupling to protect itself from cold and hypothermia (drop in body temperature). Drug makers are targeting genes that cause uncoupling in cells to increase metabolic rate and help people lose fat. This could lead to new, more effective drugs for weight loss. (International Journal of Obesity, 32, S32-S38, 2008)

 

Rimonabant Combined With Metformin Promotes Weight Loss

            Rimonabant and metformin improve blood sugar regulation and promote fat loss. Rimonabant (Accomplia) decreases body fat and reduces heart disease risk factors in overweight people. The drug works by blocking the same receptors that give marijuana users the munchies. The endocannabinoid-CB₁ system— the receptors that cause the marijuana high— promote food cravings linked to obesity. While it is widely prescribed outside the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has not approved it, because of its severe psychological side effects.

            Metformin, sold as Glucophage, Riomet, and Fortamet, is the most common drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, particularly when obesity and insulin resistance accompany it. It works by moving sugar from the bloodstream into the cells. It is a good drug for active diabetics because it rarely causes low blood sugar, even during intense exercise. A study conducted at the University of Hull in Great Britain showed that obese women who lost weight with rimonabant maintained weight loss with metformin. This drug combination is particularly effective in overweight people with diabetes. However, it is unlikely that the FDA will approve rimonabant anytime soon. (Clinical Endocrinology, 70: 124-128, 2009)

A recent study featured 12 young men, average age 26. In the first part they took a capsule containing ingredients equivalent to 3 1/2 cups of green tea three times a day, the last one hour before exercise. Other subjects got a placebo containing corn flour. The exercise consisted of 30 minutes of cycling at an intensity equal to 60 percent of maximum heart rate. In the second part of the study 11 of the men took an oral glucose-tolerance test before and after taking green tea capsules.

Those who took the green tea capsules had a 17 percent greater contribution of fat to energy expenditure during exercise than those who took the placebo. That scale of fat oxidation was over and above what usually occurs during exercise, pointing to a definite green tea effect. The second part of the study showed that green tea increased insulin sensitivity by 13 percent, which reduced the insulin response to a glucose load by 15 percent.

Another study, this one with isolated fat cells, found that green tea can inhibit the development of new fat cells. The mechanism is an inhibition of GPDH, an enzyme, along with the inhibition of PPAR-gamma, a protein that boosts bodyfat. Green tea acts as an oxidant in fat cells—but that’s good because it activates AMPK, a protein that stimulates fat oxidation in muscle during exercise.

Application: Drink green tea for health and to get leaner and/or take a green tea supplement three times a day to augment fat burning.

Nutrient Timing of Whey Protein and Creatine Increases Muscle Growth

 

What's so special about when we eat? To the average person who is not exercising, it does not really matter when you consume nutrients. While nutrient timing isn't critical to the average person, it’s essential to guys who lift weights who are looking to increase muscle mass. Muscle anabolism due to exercise and nutrient intake is influenced by various factors, such as the type of protein. For example, milk protein ingestion following resistance exercise results in greater amino acid uptake by muscle than ingestion of Soy protein.8 Others have documented that a rapidly absorbed protein such as whey is going to lead to a greater insulin and amino acid response than milk casein. Examining the science of nutrient timing in detail, it becomes clear that it's not just the type or the amount of food you eat that counts, but when you consume it in relation to exercise.

 

For example, researchers investigated the relationship between acute and 24-hour changes in muscle protein metabolism in volunteers over a 24-hour period under two conditions: (1) while resting and (2) when they performed resistance exercise and ingested EAAs (essential Amino Acids). EAA ingestion and exercise increased 24-hour muscle protein synthesis and improved nitrogen balance over 24 hours. More importantly, the difference between rest and exercise was identical whether measured over 3 hours or 24 hours. These results support the contention that acute changes in protein synthesis after resistance exercise represent small changes that occur over longer time periods, resulting in changes in muscle mass.7 Deposition of muscle protein following each bout of exercise is small and the accumulation of these small changes gradually increases muscle mass over a period of training. This gradual accumulation of new proteins may explain why changes in muscle mass with training are generally not measurable until after several weeks of training.

 

Windows of Anabolic Muscle Growth

Many people forget that pre-exercise nutrition is just as important as post-exercise nutrition. Previously, it was reported that ingestion of 6 grams of essential Amino Acids before exercise resulted in greater muscle protein synthesis than when the Amino Acids were given after exercise. The author suggested that the greater rate of protein synthesis was due to increased amino acid delivery to muscle from exercise-induced increases in muscle blood flow.9 Another study reported that when protein supplementation was consumed immediately before exercise over a period of 14 weeks, it resulted in greater hypertrophy of the knee extensors than consuming the same protein after the resistance training session.10

It’s important to emphasize that you don’t need a whole lot of protein either; researchers have noticed measurable changes with as little as 15 grams of protein before exercise. Shortly after resistance exercise, if you have not consumed protein pre-exercise, your body is in a catabolic state in the absence of a good nutritional strategy, and this phase can remain catabolic until Amino Acids are ingested. Many people like to wait till they get home to eat after exercise and some people (after intense exercise) may have a blunted appetite, which causes them to not eat.

 

New research suggests that having a whey protein shake may be the most anabolic supplement you can take. Interestingly, although the cells are primed for muscle building, a previous study reported that taking a whey protein shake before and immediately after exercise resulted in greater increases in muscle mass compared to a group who consumed whey protein in the morning and right before bed.1 Another study reported that waiting as little as 2 hours to consume a protein shake resulted in blunted muscle hypertrophy and reduced strength gains.2 An anabolic phase occurs immediately after the workout and lasts about an hour or two. New research suggests that taking a small dose of whey protein (15 grams) both before and after exercise may be the optimal anabolic nutrient timing for muscle growth.

 

Secrets of Nutrient Timing Revealed

So how big of a deal is nutrient timing for muscle growth? Researchers randomly assigned subjects to consume a whey protein shake before and immediately after exercise, while another group got a drink that looked and tasted exactly the same as the whey protein shake, but was just a placebo. Neither the subjects nor the researchers knew who was getting the whey protein and who was getting the placebo drink. There was no difference between the daily protein, carbohydrate, fat and total calorie consumption between the two groups; the only difference was a whey protein shake added before and after exercise. So how much of an effect can two little whey protein shakes make?

 

The men performed resistance exercise for 21 weeks; at the end of the study, the subjects who consumed as little as 15 grams of whey protein before and after exercise had greater increases in muscle hypertrophy than the control group. The group that consumed the whey protein before and after exercise had an increase in muscle quadriceps area of ~10 percent while the control group had an increase of ~7.5 percent. Of the muscle strength variables, whey protein intake had a positive effect only in isometric leg force production in the leg press (the increase was greater than the control group). So here you have two groups doing the exact same exercises and workouts, yet a simple whey protein shake was the only difference for those who got bigger!

 

The researchers wanted to get down to the molecular level to find out what the hell was going on. The researchers also took muscle biopsies to examine changes in gene expression from the legs of the subjects one-half hour before and 1 hour and 48 hours after exercise. So what was the difference between the groups?

 

Whey Protein Before and After Exercise Alters Gene Expression

The researchers found that levels of a protein called cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (cdk2) mRNA increased significantly after the resistance bout, but only in the whey protein group. What’s so special about this protein called cdk2? This protein is a marker of satellite cell activation. Remember, satellite cells are baby muscle stem cells that are sitting around waiting to get activated so they can merge with muscle to increase muscle mass. Interestingly, the increase in cdk2 remained elevated after 21 weeks of resistance training, but again only in the whey protein group. Therefore, it seems evident that protein ingestion close to the resistance exercise bout increases cdk2 mRNA expression and is going to enhance satellite cell activity.

 

In a separate research study, when scientists altered genes of mice to have reduced muscle gene expression of cdk2 levels, the mice were scrawny compared to the normal group.3 Other studies have shown that cdk2 inhibitors increase myostatin levels and inhibit satellite cells from being activated.4 So taking whey protein before and after exercise can really augment your strength and muscle mass gains, primarily mediated through enhanced satellite cell activations, and it seems that as little as 15 grams of whey is all that is needed. This is the first study that has reported that whey protein shakes before and immediately after exercise enhanced muscle satellite cells. An interesting finding was both groups ate the same amount of protein during the study; the only difference was the timing of the protein.

 

Super Stack: Creatine and Protein Enhance More Muscle Mass

            Researchers in Canada at the University of Regina took the research a step further. Previous research has shown that Creatine increases muscle mass and whey/casein protein increases muscle mass, so what happens when you stack both? They took older men and gave them Creatine (.1 g per kg of bodyweight), Creatine plus a whey/casein protein shake, or a placebo. The subjects trained for 10 weeks, three times a week. At the end of the study, the group that consumed the whey/casein protein and Creatine increased muscle mass more than the Creatine group alone.6

 

The whey/casein protein and Creatine group also had greater increases in bench press compared to the other groups. As I mentioned, this study used older men, but here is the good news for older men: researchers found that a combination of Creatine and whey/casein protein increased muscle mass more in older men than when given to younger men! They also used a really low dose of Creatine (8 grams a day), which was only given on training days. This study is in agreement with a previous study in which Creatine and protein consumed before and after exercise resulted in greater increases in muscle mass than Creatine alone.11

 

Another interesting aspect of the study is that the researchers alluded to the aspect of nutrient timing of Creatine. The authors suggested that taking Creatine before or after exercise seems to have anabolic effects compared to other times, much like protein ingestion. Based on these findings, it appears that the timing of Creatine is just as important as whey protein before and after resistance training.

 

Creatine Increases Muscle IGF-1

New research shows that Creatine enhances muscle growth by a new mechanism. Researchers found that when muscle fibers were in the process of forming new muscle fibers, Creatine sped up the process. The researchers found that when new muscle fibers are being formed, ATP-dependent reactions are necessary. Creatine selectively enhances ATP in cells, so this process likely sped up the muscle growth process. Multiple studies have demonstrated increasing energy demands during muscle growth. Although energy is supplied through the cooperative interplay of multiple systems, the accumulation of Creatine may facilitate maximal rates of ATP replenishment during muscle growth. Another interesting finding was that the injection of Creatine into injured skeletal muscle increased growth of regenerating muscle fibers. All these results add new insight into the usefulness of Creatine playing a major role in the muscle growth process.

 

Just when you thought it could not get any better...it does. Researchers in Canada reported that when young men performed eight weeks of resistance training, subjects had a significant increase in muscle IGF-1 expression (55 percent); however subjects consuming Creatine had greater IGF-1 expression in muscle (78 percent)! The Creatine group also had greater increases in type II muscle fibers (28 percent) than the control group (5 percent). Interestingly, the researchers found that the changes in lean muscle mass were correlated to the changes in intramuscular total Creatine levels and the changes in IGF-1 levels in muscle were related to the changes in intramuscular total Creatine levels.5

 

            The supplement market is growing faster and faster, with new products that promise gains in muscle mass but without scientific-based studies to validate these claims...it’s a gamble. The supplements that have been shown to increase muscle mass and satellite cell activity are Creatine, whey protein and leucine; they have been given the stamp of approval for increasing muscle mass when used before and immediately after exercise. It’s the two products that have consistently been research-proven to enhance muscle mass. Guys who pound the iron should be consuming both for consistent gains in muscle mass.

 

References:

1.     Cribb PJ, Hayes A. Effects of supplement timing and resistance exercise on skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2006 Nov;38(11):1918-25.

2.     Esmarck B, Andersen JL, Olsen S, Richter EA, Mizuno M, Kjaer M (2001) Timing of postexercise protein intake is important for muscle hypertrophy with resistance training in elderly humans. J Physiol, 535:301-311.

3.     Berthet C, Aleem E, Coppola V, Tessarollo L, Kaldis P (2003) Cdk2 knockout mice are viable. Curr Biol, 13:1775-1785.

4.     McCroskery S, Thomas M, Maxwell L, Sharma M, Kambadur R. Myostatin negatively regulates satellite cell activation and self-renewal. J Cell Biol, 2003 Sep 15;162(6):1135-47.

5.     Burke DG, Candow DG, Chilibeck PD, MacNeil LG, Roy BD, Tarnopolsky MA, Ziegenfuss T. Effect of Creatine supplementation and resistance-exercise training on muscle insulin-like growth factor in young adults. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2008 Aug;18(4):389-98.

6.     Candow DG, Little JP, Chilibeck PD, Abeysekara S, Zello GA, Kazachkov M, Cornish SM, Yu PH. Low-Dose Creatine Combined with Protein during Resistance Training in Older Men. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2008 Aug 5.

7.     Tipton, KD, Borsheim, E, Wolf, SE, Sanford, AP & Wolfe, RR. (2003) Acute response of net muscle protein balance refl ects 24-h balance after exercise and amino acid ingestion. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 284, E76-E89.

8.     Tipton KD, Ferrando AA. Improving muscle mass: response of muscle metabolism to exercise, nutrition and anabolic agents. Essays Biochem, 2008;44:85-98. Review.

9.     Tipton KD, Rasmussen BB, Miller SL, Wolf SE, Owens-Stovall SK, Petrini BE, Wolfe RR. Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 2001 Aug;281(2):E197-206.

10.  Candow DG, Chilibeck PD, Facci M, Abeysekara S, Zello GA. Protein supplementation before and after resistance training in older men. Eur J Appl Physiol, 2006 Jul;97(5):548-56.

11.  Candow DG, Chilibeck PD. Timing of Creatine or protein supplementation and resistance training in the elderly. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab, 2008 Feb;33(1):184-90. Review.

  12. O'Connor RS, Steeds CM, Wiseman RW, Pavlath GK. Phosphocreatine as an energy source for actin cytoskeletal rearrangements during myoblast fusion. J Physiol, 2008 Jun 15;586(Pt 12):2841-53.

While L-carnitine has several functions in the body, it’s best known for shuttling fat into the portion of cells known as mitochondria. Fat is burned, or oxidized, in the mitochondria in a process called beta-oxidation. Carnitine is essential for that process.

Glycine-propionyl-L-carnitine is a specialized form of carnitine that’s particularly beneficial for heart function. The heart prefers fat as an energy source, and GPLC is used therapeutically to treat heart failure and poor blood circulation. Studies show that GPLC has more affinity for muscle than other forms of L-carnitine, and they suggest that using GPLC may boost exercise efficiency by lowering lactic acid and causing fat to be used more efficiently as an energy source.

Fifteen experienced weight-trained men were given 4.5 grams a day of either GPLC or a placebo. They were also given carbohydrates to promote insulin release, as insulin fuels carnitine uptake into tissues. 

Under normal circumstances nitric oxide release occurs with turbulent blood flow, such as that induced by exercise. NO is synthesized and released in the endothelium, or lining of blood vessels. In that manner, NO inhibits the clumping of blood platelets and expands the diameter of blood vessels. The net effect is increased blood flow and, in the case of bodybuilding exercise, increased muscle pump and delivery of nutrients and oxygen to working muscle.

The study showed that NO release was significantly higher in those who took the GPLC supplement than it was in those who took the placebo. As to how GPLC works in relation to NO, the authors weren’t sure. One theory is that it inhibits an oxidative enzyme that rapidly degrades NO because of an increase in free radicals. Another theory is that GPLC augments the activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, the enzyme in the blood vessel walls that produces NO from arginine.

GPLC may be a useful adjunct to NO supplements, since it independently augments NO release and has no known side effects. It provides other benefits, such as increased muscle and heart efficiency, along with lower lactic acid production during intense exercise. In that sense, it would be complementary with beta-alanine, which is mainly used to control the higher acidity levels produced during exercise. GPLC also helps maintain androgen cell receptors, which increases the anabolic efficiency of testosterone. In fact, some pre-inary studies suggest that GPLC may be of use in treating male impotence.

Application: Try a few grams of glycine propionyl-L-carnitine along with your arginine-based nitric oxide precursor for a more powerful vasodilating effect—a.k.a. a full-blown pump with streakng vascularity.

 

Bloomer, R.J., et al. (2007). Glycine propionyl-L-carnitine increases plasma nitrate/nitrite in resistance-trained men. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 4:22.

A recent study featured 12 young men, average age 26. In the first part they took a capsule containing ingredients equivalent to 3 1/2 cups of green tea three times a day, the last one hour before exercise. Other subjects got a placebo containing corn flour. The exercise consisted of 30 minutes of cycling at an intensity equal to 60 percent of maximum heart rate. In the second part of the study 11 of the men took an oral glucose-tolerance test before and after taking green tea capsules.

Those who took the green tea capsules had a 17 percent greater contribution of fat to energy expenditure during exercise than those who took the placebo. That scale of fat oxidation was over and above what usually occurs during exercise, pointing to a definite green tea effect. The second part of the study showed that green tea increased insulin sensitivity by 13 percent, which reduced the insulin response to a glucose load by 15 percent.

Another study, this one with isolated fat cells, found that green tea can inhibit the development of new fat cells. The mechanism is an inhibition of GPDH, an enzyme, along with the inhibition of PPAR-gamma, a protein that boosts bodyfat. Green tea acts as an oxidant in fat cells—but that’s good because it activates AMPK, a protein that stimulates fat oxidation in muscle during exercise.

Application: Drink green tea for health and to get leaner and/or take a green tea supplement three times a day to augment fat burning.

Let's dispense with the usual discourse on good versus bad stress. We all know that life's motive force is good stress; bad stress, on the other hand, can damage and even destroy an organism. For bodybuilders, a mere subclinical (undetectable) amount can bring muscle growth to a dead stop, reverse it or, worse, precipitate a career-ending injury.

Usually, stress is up to you: the more disciplined and responsible you are, the more control you have over your life, and the less stress you will feel. Countering that, though, are your expectations and motivation to succeed, which, while good and necessary for a bodybuilder, carry with them their own burden of stress.

The dilemma, then, is to retain those stresses but manage them. Proper nutrition goes a long way toward that end, but it takes more than sufficient protein and calories. As stress increases, so does your body's uptake of amino acids, to fortify your blood-sugar increases, which in turn open the floodgates of so many other cascading metabolic consequences. A stress-resistant diet, then, is not as simple as a bodybuilder's usual chicken-and-rice menu. Numerous nutrients are needed, so see to it that you get a substantial number of selections from the following:

• Vitamin A: liver, carrots, egg yolks, dark-green leafy vegetables.
• B vitamins:
Thiamine (B-1) — whole grain bread, oatmeal, brown rice, wheat germ, artichokes, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, peas, oranges, cucumbers. Pyroxidine (B-6) — leafy vegetables, whole grains and cereals, beans, peas, lentils, tuna, bananas. PABA — whole grains and cereals, leafy vegetables, beans, peas, lentils, potatoes.
• Vitamin C: citrus fruit (oranges, grapefruit, lemons, etc.), tomatoes, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, raw peppers, potatoes, raw spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, watercress, black currants, papayas.
• Vitamin E: wheat germ, whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat, oatmeal, cornmeal), asparagus, spinach, sweet potatoes, beet greens, turnip greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli.
• Drink at least eight glasses of water per day, plus at least eight ounces for every 15 minutes of physical activity.
• A sample menu for bodybuilders doing exhaustive weight training in addition to other stresses could include the following:
Cereal — oatmeal, whole grain, etc., up to one cup a day, topped with ½-cup skim milk.
Fresh fruit — five of your choice per day.
Fresh juices — up to six ounces per day.
Potatoes — up to six per day.
Brown rice — up to three cups (cooked) per day.
Pasta — up to four cups (cooked) per day.
Vegetables — raw or steamed; avoid avocado, hearts of palm and olives.
Whole-grain breads — up to six slices per day.
Meats — up to 32 ounces per day.
Legumes — up to two cups per day.
Nuts and seeds — up to one ounce per day.
Dairy products — an individual choice.

Nolvadex and Gynecomastia

This drug is used as a first line defense against breast cancer. In the late 80´s, Dan Duchaine speculated that it could also be used by bodybuilders to halt the development of another type of tumor in the mammary gland, Gynecomastia.

Nolvadex is commonly referred to in quite a few ways: as a SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator), as an anti-estrogen and finally as a triphenylethylene.

Nolvadex actually has quite a few applications for the steroid using athlete. First and foremost, it´s most common use is for the prevention of gynecomastia. Nolvadex does this by actually competing for the receptor site in breast tissue, and binding to it. Thus, we can safely say that the effect of tamoxifen is through estrogen receptor blockade of breast tissue, especially since total body estradiol increases with use of tamoxifen. Clearly, if you are on a cycle which includes steroids which convert to estrogen, you may want to consider nolvadex as a good choice to run along side them.

Nolvadex Cycle

Nolvadex, however, is not the most potent ancillary compound we can use on a cycle, but it is probably the safest considering it doesn´t actually reduce estrogen in your body keeping some estrogen floating around could have many benefits on muscle growth, as well. Estrogen is also important for a properly functioning immune system, and not only that, but your lipid profile (both HDL and LDL) should also show marked improvement with administration of tamoxifen. Many bodybuilders actually use this stuff during their cycle for the health benefits provided by it. If, however, you are preparing for a bodybuilding contest, you need to use something which will suck most (if not all) of the estrogen out of your body. I am speculating that you may be able to use Nolvadex for the majority of a contest prep cycle, to keep yourself relatively healthy.

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Milk thistle