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.

If there’s one herbal supplement you’re familiar with, it’s probably ginseng, which has been used for centuries as a tonic, stimulant and aphrodisiac. Ginseng also boosts your cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems, and appears to build strength and endurance by enhancing the function of your adrenal glands during workouts. It helps the body adapt to stresses, both physical and emotional, and a plethora of research backs up its abilities. In fact, the World Health Organization states that clinical data support the use of ginseng for enhancing mental and physical capacities in cases of weakness, exhaustion, tiredness and loss of concentration.

In a study supporting the effectiveness of ginsenosides - the primary active ingredients found in ginseng - researchers from California State Polytechnic University (Pomona) suggest that ginseng can give you more energy, particularly during workouts. Researchers gave male and female subjects 675 mg of Chinese ginseng or a placebo before breakfast and dinner for 30 days. They then measured subjects’ time to exhaustion in a stationary cycle test in which the resistance was gradually increased until subjects couldn’t pedal anymore. After taking ginseng for 30 days, subjects could cycle for four minutes longer than those taking the placebo. This suggests that using ginseng can help you get more reps with a given weight before reaching failure. And that means more muscle growth over time.

Try taking 500-1,000 mg of Chinese ginseng before breakfast and dinner. Look for ginseng supplements that are standardized for at least 2% ginsenosides. There are about 10 different ginsenosides in ginseng, with each providing different benefits, such as preventing fatigue during workouts.

In many mainstream diet strategies, calories are considered king. The mantra: eat fewer calories than the body needs, and then watch fat melt away. Seems straightforward enough.
As far as bodybuilders are concerned, though, merely dropping a few unwanted pounds is not generally the goal. No, it's all about getting ripped, so that every ounce of muscularity and striation pops through paper-thin skin. So, is the formula that simple? Is calorie counting all there is to it?

Far from it, in fact. When the goal is to get extremely lean, calories matter, but there are also lots of other factors to consider. The goal of
reducing bodyfat to absurdly low levels causes a struggle inside the body; metabolism, the calorie-burning "engine", slows. The result is a
mathematical dilemma: the longer or harder you diet to achieve your goal, the more your metabolism adapts — and decelerates to a near crawl.
If you were to exclusively follow a calorie-counting formula, eating fewer calories than the body requires, you would never achieve crystal-clear muscularity with little or no bodyfat. For starters, strict dieting can cause a drop in thyroid hormone levels.

Thyroid hormones drive metabolism, so even a mild decline can be dietary suicide. Ironically, eating, as in eating a lot of calories, can have the opposite effect, making thyroid hormone levels rise.
This is why I suggest that dieting bodybuilders use an undulating pattern, following a strict calorie-controlled diet for three or four days, with the fourth or fifth day set aside for a much higher calorific intake. This ensures the overall calorific intake is still somewhat low, but includes a day when calories are much higher. The higher calorie intake keeps the metabolic engine from downshifting. For example, a common diet strategy for a 200-pound bodybuilder might comprise four days of 1,800-2,200 calories, with an increase of several hundred calories on the fifth day. On average, over a few weeks, this would be a moderately lower-calorie diet, but, much more importantly, it would not disrupt the metabolism.
There's more. Low-calorie dieting for extended periods without taking a break can cause a change within fat cells. Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) is an enzyme that unlocks fat cells and allows bodyfat to be burned. However, over time, HSL levels flatline when calories remain low. What makes HSL move back up to favourable levels? The answer is eating. That's another reason to avoid stubbornly sticking with the simple premise that eating fewer calories will consistently result in rock-hard muscularity.
An important factor in all of this is anabolism. If you can maintain an anabolic state while dieting, you'll get ripped to shreds. That's because anabolism, the building of muscle tissue, demands calories. Some would argue that to maintain an anabolic state, a bodybuilder must eat more calories than he burns. Not so. To stay in an anabolic state, the body needs energy and lots of it, but much of that can come from energy reserves, otherwise known as bodyfat. In short, you can't change fat into muscle, but you sure can build muscle using fat. The muscle-building process can feed off your bodyfat to support growth. The big problem with calorie counting and cutting is that eating less nearly always compromises anabolic status.
When calories go down, it's hard to keep muscle. Protein, however, can serve as a saviour. Generally, protein needs rise at the start of a diet, and then continue to rise every week during the diet. Here's why: chronic lower-calorie dieting creates a condition where the body becomes more efficient at burning protein, even on diets that include days when the bodybuilder eats significantly more calories to avoid a metabolism slowdown. Lowered glycogen stores also necessitate increased protein intake. When muscle glycogen reserves stay low, which occurs during all diets that restrict or control carbohydrate intake, the body burns more protein.
One way to sidestep the burning of muscle is to consume more protein from egg whites, chicken, turkey, fish and lean meat, as well as low-fat dairy and protein powders, starting three or four weeks into a diet plan. The added protein blocks the breakdown of muscle tissue by acting as a sort of sacrificial lamb. Instead of burning muscle, the body burns the extra protein. In essence, you preserve muscle, maintain an anabolic state and keep your metabolism heading in the right direction.
Keep in mind that adding at least 100 grams a day of protein to a diet will increase the total calories you'll eat. If you were consuming 1,800-2,200 calories a day, adding another 100 g of protein will bring that daily total up to 2,200-2,600. You will be taking in more calories, but you should be happily experiencing a continuous loss of bodyfat. In our world, that result is king.

Powerhouse Foods

Four types of foods stand out as particularly rich in disease-preventing nutrients. These include green leafy vegetables, yellow/orange, fruits and vegetables, cruciferous vegetables and citrus fruits. Going by color, consider these foods:

Whites: Eat cauliflower, a cruciferous vegetable, more often than potatoes. This pale cousin of broccoli tastes milder but still has plenty of phytochemicals to help protect against cancer. Enjoy it raw to save the Vitamin C and B vitamins.

Greens: Broccoli is on the eat-more list, along with Brussels sprouts, cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables. They contain special phytochemicals that combat aging disease processes. In the leafy greens, go for dark lettuces, such as romaine and red leaf, along with spinach. In general, more color means more nutrition.

Yellows/Oranges: Eat more carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, oranges and grapefruit. The carotenoids (orange pigments) are converted by the body into Vitamin A and also serve as antioxidants to help prevent heart disease and certain types of cancer. The citrus fruits provide Vitamin C as folate.

Reds: Eat more tomatoes, red peppers, and strawberries. Cooked tomato products, such as spaghetti sauce, are good, too; the antioxidant and immune-system booster lycopene appears to be more concentrated and available in cooked foods. These red foods also contain Vitamin C.

Quick overview:

Active Life: Approx. 21 days
Drug Class: Anabolic/Androgenic Steroid (for injection)
Average Dose: 250-1000 mg/week (males only)
Acne: Yes
Water Retention: Yes
High Blood Pressure: Yes
Liver Toxic: Low
Aromatization: Yes
DHT Conversion: Yes, high
Decrease HPTA function: Yes, severe

Sustanon 250� is an oil-based injectable testosterone blend, developed by Organon. It typically contains four different testosterone esters: Testosterone propionate (30 mg); testosterone phenylpropionate (60 mg); testosterone isocaproate (60mg); and testosterone decanoate (100 mg), although a lower dosed version is also produced. An intelligently "engineered" testosterone, Sustanon is designed to provide a fast yet extended release of testosterone. The propionate and phenylpropionate esters in this product are quickly utilized, releasing into circulation within the first four days. The remaining esters are much slower to release, staying active in the body for about two and three weeks (respectively).

As with all testosterone products, Sustanon is a strong anabolic with pronounced androgenic activity. It is mainly used as a bulking drug, providing good gains in strength and muscle mass. Although it does convert to estrogen, as is the nature of testosterone, this injectable is noted as being slightly more tolerable than cypionate or enanthate. Such observations are only issues of timing however. With Sustanon, blood levels of testosterone are building more slowly, so side effects do not set in as fast. For equal blood hormone levels however, testosterone will break down equally without regard to ester. Also correlating with estrogen, water retention would be noticeable with Sustanon, unless steps were taken to minimize estrogen.
Many individuals like to use a combination of Nolvadex & Proviron, while others use an anti-aromatase like Arimidex, Femara, or Aromasin, to help control estrogen related side effects.

Being a strong androgen, we can expect the typical side effects. This includes oily skin, acne body/facial hair growth and premature balding. The addition of Proscar/Propecia should be able to minimize such side effects, as it will limit the conversion of testosterone to DHT (dihydrotestosterone) . Sustanon will also suppress natural testosterone production rather quickly. The use of HCG and/or Clomid/Nolvadex are necessary at the conclusion of a cycle in order to avoid a hormonal crash. Remember though, Sustanon will remain active in the body for up to a month after your last injection was given. Beginning you post cycle drug therapy immediately after the steroid has been discontinued will not be very effective. Instead, HCG or Clomid/Nolvadex should be delayed three weeks, until you are near the point where blood androgen levels have dropped significantly.

Although Sustanon remains active in the body for approximately three weeks, injections are taken at least every 10 days. An effective dosage ranges from 250mg (one ampule) a week, to 1000mg (four ampules) weekly. Some athletes do use more extreme dosages of this steroid, but this is really not a recommended practice. When the dosage rises above 750-1000mg per week, increased side effects will no doubt be outweighing additional benefits. Basically you will receive a poor return on your investment, which with Sustanon can be substantial. Instead of taking unnecessarily large amounts, athletes interested in rapid size and strength will usually opt to addition another compound. For this purpose we find that Sustanon stacks extremely well with the potent orals Anadrol and Dianabol. On the other hand, Sustanon may work better with trenbolone or Winstrol if the athlete were seeking to maintain a harder, more defined look to his physique.

Sustanon 250 is probably the most sought after injectable testosterone. I must however emphasize that this is not due to an unusual potency of this testosterone combination however (remember esters only effect the release of testosterone), but simply because a "stack" of four different esters is a very good selling point. In many instances you will get a lot more for your money with enanthate, so don't let the fancy stack fool you. Sustanon is however still very abundant on the U.S. black market, and doesn't stay long on dealer's shelves. In fact the high demand for this steroid has stirred new interest in its manufacture, particularly by veterinary companies in Mexico.

Creatine is actually a nutrient that is formed naturally in the body. It is amino acid based and is created by the amino's already in your body that you get from the food you eat. Creatine is present in the highest amounts in red meat.

Once your body gets creatine from meat or other sources it converts it into phosphocreatine. Phosphocreatine is important because it is used to store energy in your muscle. Energy that you'll need to do rep after rep in the gym to build your muscles bigger and stronger. That's why creatine is used by so many to increase their lean muscle mass and their strength. Creatine is considered quite safe and is classed by the FDA as a food supplement.

Some people have said that creatine is the most legitimate sports supplement available today, largely because there has been so much research done with creatine compared to other sports supplements. Creatine is used extensively, mostly by those athlete's who can bebefit from increased strength such as weightlifters, bodybuilders, wrestlers and even sprinters. All of these sports require sudden bursts of strength (or energy) for short periods of time and that is exactly what phosphocreatine provides to them. In addition, creatine helps athletes to recover faster from maximum efforts.

Creatine is safe even if massive doses are taken because the body will only store so much and the rest is expelled as waste through the kidneys. An additional benefit of creatine supplementation is that it can supercharge the body with much higher levels of creatine than normal diet alone. Phosphocreatine is known to bond with water so this creates an increase in weight that is also beneficial to most strength athletes.

Creatine is almost without side effects. Some people will experience cramps when they begin to take creatine, but this is almost always because they are not taking in enough water with their creatine. Dosages of creatine should be 3-5 grams of creatine per day. Each gram should be taken with 8 ounces of water to avoid cramping and to help superhydrate the muscles. Some people have suggested a pre-loading phase with super high levels of creatine being ingested, but this is really not necessary as your body will get to it's maximum creatine levels within a week or two anyway.

Creatine is available in several forms with the most popular being creatine monohydrate. Usually this type of creatine is combined with glucose or another simple sugar to create an insulin spike and increase absorbtion of the creatine. This is ok it you're bulking, but quite bad for those who are cutting carbohydrates to lose weight. Another alternative is creatine ethyl ester which is a bit more expensive, but is not combined with simple sugars and has an absorbtion rate 30-40 times that of creatine monohydrate.

No matter which you choose, creatine is a mainstay for the strength athlete. If you haven't tried it yet I suggest that you do. Some people see very impressive strength gains and weight gains of 10-15 pounds in several weeks.

Whey is one of the two proteins found in milk and milk products and it is obtained as a by-product while making cheese. Whey protein is a fusion of globular proteins that can be separated from whey. Whey Protein is known to be a very rich source of amino acids and it contains minimal fats and cholesterol. Initially, whey protein was considered a waste product obtained while making cheese, until its nutritional properties were discovered. It was a common myth that whey protein is beneficial only for the athletes, bodybuilders and sportsmen. Today, whey protein is gaining popularity among people of all ages due to its varied nutritional and health benefits. Lets have a look at some of the health benefits of whey protein.

Nutritional Benefits
Whey protein contains high levels of amino acids like essential amino acids (EAAs), branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) like leucine and cysteine. EAAs and BCCAs in whey protein help in the maintenance of muscle tissues and protein synthesis by the body. Leucine plays an important role in the protein synthesis and muscle growth. It is hence considered to be very essential for the athletes and bodybuilders. Cysteine is essential for the production of glutathione in the body. Glutathione is an anti-oxidant that is known to have anti-cancer properties and it also boosts the immune system. Whey protein provides quick nourishment to the muscles and is therefore referred to as 'fast protein'.

Health Benefits
Whey protein is known to play an important role in weight loss and weight management, maintaining cardiovascular health, providing nourishment to cancer patients, improving memory, infant nourishment and aging healthily.

Weight Loss and Weight Management: Whey protein contains minimal fat and cholesterol and is consumed as a pre-exercise meal. Studies have proved that the amino acids present in whey protein help improvise the body composition while promoting loss of fat from the body. It has bioactive components that reduce appetite and burn down fats.

Nourishment for Cancer Patients: Whey protein provides the essential nourishment that cancer patients require, but are not able to gain due to loss of appetite and side effects of cancer treatments. It is soluble, easily digested and easily absorbed by the body, which proves to be very beneficial to cancer patients. It is also said to prevent the growth of cancerous tumors and boost the immune systems of cancer patients.

Memory Improvement: Studies show that whey protein improves memory, cognitive performance and performance under stress.

Cardiovascular Health: Inclusion of whey protein in daily diet is known to have reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disorders. It also helps combat high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, thereby preventing many kinds of cardiovascular disorders.

Diabetes: Whey protein helps combat Type 2 diabetes, as it is high in biological value. People suffering from type 2 diabetes can include whey protein in their diets to control blood sugar levels.

Infant Nourishment: Whey protein is being included in infant food formulas, as it is essential for their healthy growth and development. It provides them with the adequate nourishment, as it contains similar components that are found in the breast milk. It is also necessary for pregnant women, as it provides them with the increased amount of protein that their body demands.

Healthy Aging: Whey protein helps combat sarcopenia that is associated with old age and the consequent weakening of muscles. It reduces loss of protein and promotes protein synthesis in the body.

Whey protein also helps in the rapid healing of wounds, improves the functioning of the immune system, combats food allergies and body detoxification. It is available as a dietary supplement in the form powders, drinks, concentrate, etc. The various health benefits of whey protein make its addition to our diets a must.

Well, amino acids in food make up protein. When protein is digested it is once again broken down into specific amino acids, that are then selectively put together for different uses. These new proteins formed in the body are what make up most solid matter in the body: skin, eyes, heart, intestines, bones and, of course, muscle.

That's why understanding what each of these aminos can do and getting more of them in your diet can be very beneficial to reaching specific goals, such as muscle building. Of course, one mustn't exaggerate, because a good protein balance is what provides health and stability, without it any of the amino acids can become toxic.

An issue that has been brought up in the case of phenylalanine, but holds true for all amino acids. To counter potential harmful effects, getting enough vitamins and minerals is important because they insure proper conversion of protein to amino and vice versa.

Depending on who you talk to, there are around 20 to 22 standard amino acids. Of those 20-22, 8 to 10 of them are considered essential, which means that you need to get a certain amount of them in your diet to function properly - our bodies cannot synthesize them from other materials, so we only get them from food.

Is it worth your money? What does it have to offer you in terms of helping you burn off that fat that's still lingering around?

Here's what.

First, realize that this is an ephedra free product.

Right away, this should alleviate many individuals' fears, who worry about what ephedra does to the body and whether or not it's safe for them to be taking.

Synephrine is an ingredient that you'll find in many fat burners and acts in a similar manner to ephedra with its main influence to increase energy levels, ramp up the metabolic rate, and therefore, enhance the fat loss process. Synephrine itself is derived from the fruit called, Bitter Orange (or Citrus aurantium).

Almost no fat burner would be complete without the inclusion of caffeine. Caffeine increases alertness levels, enhances energy, and increases NEAT in some people (fidgeting types of movements). All of these can translate to more calories burned for you over the day, which then equates to greater fat loss.

Guggulsterones is an ingredient that has been used for many, many years and is now being shown to be quite effective in helping with fat burning.

Another benefit that this ingredient has is that it supports a healthy thyroid glands, and ensures that your main hormones, T3 and T4 are working in a normal healthy range. This is incredibly important in the maintenance of a healthy metabolic rate, which is without a doubt critical in the fat loss game.

Another ingredient you'll find in Lipo 6 is Bioperine, which is an extract of black pepper. The main function Bioperine has is the increased absorption of other supplements, meaning they will work more effectively with your system.

In addition to that, it will also help to increase the absorption of the foods you are eating as well, meaning you'll get even more from your diet. Since when you are trying to lose body fat you're typically eating a lowered calorie intake which can be associated with nutrient deficiencies (since it's hard to get in all the vitamins and minerals on less food), this can really be advantageous when it comes to your overall health.

Finally, the last critical ingredient in Lipo 6 that helps it deliver you the results you're looking for is yohimbe. Yohimbe has a couple of benefits. First, it acts as a vasodilator, helping get blood to the tissues in need. When you're just completed a hard workout, this is going to help your muscles receive the nutrients they need from your post-workout meal.

Additionally, another big benefit that yohimbe has is to increase blood flow to the extremities and appendages. For those who have dieted down to low body fat percentages already, or perhaps you are already noticing this, when you get quite lean, certain normal activities diminish.

So, if you are looking for a good all-around, ephedra-free fat burner, Lipo 6 is a good option. With plenty of testimonials to back this product, it works quite well for most individuals.

Keep in mind however, that fat burners work to the extent that they help make the process of dieting and working out easier. Do not think that you can simply take a supplement and see the fat fall off. You still must do the work required; the fat burner is just going to amplify your results, to help you see success faster with less frustration.

Those who are not committed to putting in the time in the gym and watching what they place in their mouth, are likely going to be disappointed in any fat burner they take, regardless of the brand or ingredients. Quick fixes don't work, so the sooner you can come to terms with reality, the sooner you can get the body you desire.

To maximize mass gains the basic rule of thumb is to take in protein throughout the day at two-hour intervals, and that time-released plan includes the preworkout meal. I generally train in the late morning, and I have a meal replacement powder -- high in protein, amino acids and minerals with only a small amount of carbs -- about 90 minutes prior to my session. If you plan to eat two hours before training, it's fine to opt for a balanced meal of chicken breasts (protein), rice or potatoes (starchy carbs) and green vegetables (complex carbs).

Immediately after training, I slam down a simple-carb drink to raise insulin levels, force the carbs and amino acids back into the muscle and to restore glycogen levels. This recovery-drink supplement should be 75% simple sugars and 25% quick-to-digest proteins, an ideal postworkout carb-to-protein ratio to spur recovery.

Some bodybuilders equate sugar with energy and therefore jump to the conclusion that it's best to load carbs prior to a workout as a kickstarter. That's exactly the wrong thing to do, because your blood sugar levels will actually drop during the training session, and you'll fatigue more quickly and lose endurance. To maximize energy and recovery, like I say, I schedule a carb drink immediately after the workout is over. One hour later, I eat another balanced meal of protein (beef, chicken or fish) and complex carbs (potatoes or rice and a fibrous green vegetable). Lack of careful planning is the main impediment to making progress. Only so many nutrients can be absorbed in one meal, and that's why the goal is to eat six or seven small meals to supply your body with its essential muscle-building elements.

My diet has evolved and improved since I retired from competitive bodybuilding. I've done considerable research on how to integrate a blend of fast-and-slow-acting proteins into my meal plan to trigger growth. The following chart details my typical day of meals -- designed to maximize protein intake and trigger gains in lean body mass -- while I'm at home in Birmingham, England.

That's my nutritional rota, and it keeps the metabolism ticking along quite nicely. The biggest mistake most bodybuilders make is skipping meals and then foolishly trying to overcompensate by bingeing and overeating later in the day.

Plan ahead. Allow your body adequate postworkout carbs for recovery. Don't go too low on carbs or your body will be forced to recruit protein for energy during workouts. Pack in enough protein to ensure steady gains and to feel healthier and stronger at the office and in the gym.

A French scientist discovered creatine in 1835. Creatine is a natural constituent of meat, mainly found in red meat. Creatine is manufactured naturally in the body from the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine. This process takes place in the kidneys, liver, and pancreas.

Approximately 40% of the body's creatine stores are free creatine (Cr), while the remaining 60% is stored in form of creatine phosphate (CP). The typical male adult processes 2 grams of creatine per day, and replaces that amount through dietary intake and fabrication within the body.

Creatine is used for the resynthesis of ATP. ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is the "power" that drives muscular energetics. When a muscle is required to contract, the bonds in the ATP molecule are split, yielding ADP (adenosine-diphosphate). The energy released by breaking this bond powers the contraction of the muscle.

When ATP is depleted within the cell, the cell can no longer contract. There are several methods by which the body rebuilds ATP. The fastest method, without oxygen, is through CP. Creatine phosphate is "split" to yield the phosphate portion of the molecule.

This phosphate portion bonds to the ADP, turning it back to ATP. Once CP stores within the cell are depleted, the body must use other methods to replenish ATP.

Supplementation with creatine increases Cr and CP within the muscle, allowing further capacity to regenerate ATP. In other words, the creatine enhances the ability of the muscle to maintain power output during brief periods of high-intensity exercise. The periods are brief because the ability of a cell to store CP is limited, therefore the body will quickly move to other methods of replenishing ATP.

The majority of studies regarding creatine supplementation have used creatine monohydrate, the form of creatine bound to a water molecule. Some studies suggest that the combination of creatine and carbohydrate will enhance absorption or "uptake" of creatine. Science shows that creatine is unstable in liquid form, meaning that serum or liquid delivery systems are currently not supported by scientific literature.

The creatine rapidly degrades to creatinine, which is not useable by the body. There is very little support for the notion that creatine in any type of mixture, including an effervescent mixture, is absorbed more efficiently by the body. A company known as Albion Laboratories, Inc. claims to have found an effective delivery mechanism by chelating creatine to magnesium (a chelate is an organic compound that is typically absorbed more readily by the body than individual elements).

ARGININE!

One bodybuilding supplement MVP is undoubtedly arginine, an amino acid which can benefit the hard-training athlete in two distinct ways.

For a while, we've known that arginine appears to bump up GH by cutting down the release of growth hormone inhibiting hormone, which curtails the release of GH. By decreasing GHIH release, arginine boosts GH output. Then in the late '90s, nitric oxide was found to play a critical role in numerous physical processes. It was also discovered that the body produces NO from arginine.

That finding initiated a wave of NO supplements containing arginine as the main ingredient. Nowadays, NO's ability to dilate blood vessels is the main reason bodybuilders take arginine. Dilated blood vessels are open wider, allowing more blood flow through to the muscles, along with greater amounts of oxygen, nutrients, anabolic hormones and water. This results in a bigger muscle pump, greater strength (as discovered in a 2006 study), increased muscle growth and even fat loss (as was shown in a 2007 study).

Taking arginine seriously to enjoy all the benefits this alpha amino offers, you need to be concerned with several factors: timing; the form of arginine you take; proper dosing; and, to boost its effects, stacking arginine with other supplements.

* Timing As research is now showing to be true for numerous supplements, timing is one of the most critical aspects of taking arginine. When it comes to higher NO levels, no time of day is more important than 30-60 minutes before workouts. Boosting NO levels preworkout will dilate your blood vessels to provide your muscles more blood flow, oxygen, nutrients and anabolic hormones. This will create a greater pump during the workout, as well as increase your energy levels and allow you to train harder and longer. It will also benefit muscle recovery and growth afterward. In fact, you should consider having a second dose of arginine at the end of your workouts, further boosting blood flow to your muscles for even greater muscle recovery and growth.

* Stacking If you read the ingredients list on most NO boosters, you will likely notice that in addition to arginine, the products include multiple other supplements. These are added to enhance the effects of arginine. One common addition is citrulline. This amino acid not only promotes energy, but also increases blood levels of arginine, which can then be converted to NO and GH. Look for supplements that provide 1-3 g of citrulline per dose.

The body requires an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase to convert arginine to NO. To maximize the amount of arginine that is converted to NO, you need to take a supplement that increases the activity of NOS, such as 50-100 milligrams of Pycnogenol (a trademarked extract of the French maritime pine tree), or 100-200 mg of standardized American ginseng. You should also consider using supplements that decrease the breakdown of NO to enhance its benefits in the body for even longer. An easy way to do this is to take 500-1,000 mg of vitamin C, as research shows this vitamin protects NO by preventing its degradation by free radicals.

In addition to supplements that boost NO production and decrease its breakdown, you should also consider taking supplements that increase blood flow through a mechanism that doesn't rely on NO. Rutaecarpine is an extract of Evodia rutaecarpa, an herb that promotes blood vessel dilation by altering calcium levels in the cells that form blood vessels. Take 10-100 mg of rutaecarpine with each arginine dose to maximize blood flow.

Use the following guidelines to get maximal benefits from arginine. You can buy each supplement separately and take them together or look for products that include them all.