Combining casein protein powder with flaxseed oil can help maximize gains
By Jim Stoppani
CASEIN
One of the major benefits of casein protein is the fact that humans digest it very slowly. Certain types of casein supply amino acids steadily to muscles for up to seven hours, which helps prevent muscle breakdown during sleep or between meals. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.19.10 | No Comments
Reduce cortisol levels with a few cups of the stuff your grandmother drinks
By Tabatha Elliott
You should, by now, be well aware of the havoc the catabolic hormone cortisol can wreak on your physique. You should know that it can compete with testosterone receptors in muscle cells, as well as block testosterone production by the Leydig’s cells in the testicles. Cortisol also can increase the breakdown of muscle protein for use of its amino acids, which get converted to glucose for fueling the body. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.19.10 | No Comments
Drink eight ounces of pomegranate juice with 20 g of whey protein before workouts for a better pump
By Tabatha Elliott
Every hardcore bodybuilder knows to take nitric oxide boosters like arginine, not just for the pump they deliver, but for muscle growth and strength gains as well. Few may realize, though, that to help protect their increased NO level, they should consider reaching for a cold refreshing glass of pomegranate juice. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.19.10 | No Comments
Diets high in quercetin are linked to lower incidence of heart disease and certain cancers
By Jordana Brown
Forget steak and chicken breasts, and put aside your protein powder. We have a new muscle-building food to add to your menu: capers.
Don’t like them? OK, then, how about onions? What these two unusual vegetables (not to mention apples, tea, broccoli and citrus fruits) have in common are high levels of a powerful antioxidant flavonoid called quercetin. Scientists already knew that diets high in quercetin are linked to lower incidence of heart disease and certain cancers, but a recent study has shown that quercetin may also lower blood pressure. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.19.10 | No Comments
Taking arginine to the extreme for a bigger pump, greater strength, muscle growth and fat loss, too
By Jim Stoppani
Let’s dive into arginine and the many benefits this amino has to offer.
ARGUEMENTS FOR ARGININE
Bodybuilders use arginine to boost growth hormone levels. 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. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.18.10 | No Comments
Stack these two supplements to get ripped and pumped
By Jim Stoppani
• CITRUS AURANTIUM
Commonly referred to as bitter orange, this plant contains the active ingredient synephrine. Synephrine is similar chemically to ephedrine, yet it does not raise heart rate and blood pressure as ephedrine can. Synephrine mimics the actions of norepinephrine. This neurohormone works to increase metabolic rates. Synephrine also stimulates receptors on fat cells that increase lipolysis — the release of fat from the fat cells to be burned for fuel. In addition, synephrine has even been found to decrease appetite. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.18.10 | No Comments
How much do you have to eat to fill yours?
Getting all your daily protein can be a challenge. Using prepackaged protein foods in addition to shakes and powders can help you get in your baseline gram per pound of bodyweight each day.
If you’re a 200-pound bodybuilder, here’s the amount of some bodybuilding foods, in no particular order, that you’d have to consume to get 200 grams of protein if you were to depend on that one item for your daily requirement. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.18.10 | No Comments
Cultivated “meat” used to be science fiction, but is now a reality
By Jordana Brown
During the course of your day, you may go through enough animal protein to keep a small farm in business. Yet, regardless of the reason — be it ethics or concern about farming practices and the environment — some people wrestle with their daily slaughter. If you’re a bodybuilder who still wants to put on quality muscle but doesn’t want to participate in the killing of thousands of cows, chickens and fish in the process, there may be an alternative. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.18.10 | No Comments
Fight tempting treats with a combination of whey and glucomannan
By Jim Stoppani
The holidays, along with muscle-blurring foods, are fast approaching. Instead of saying “good-bye” to your six-pack however, try combining whey and glucomannan to keep yourself from going overboard during the celebrations and losing your lean look.
WHY WHEY?
Research confirms that you can lose more bodyfat by supplementing with whey protein. One major reason for this is the ability of whey to blunt hunger. A University of Surrey (United Kingdom) study reported that subjects who drank a whey protein shake 90 minutes before eating a buffet meal ate significantly less food than when they drank a pre-meal casein protein shake. Whey raised levels of the hunger-blunting hormones cholecystokinin and glucagonlike peptide-1 by 60% more than casein did. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.18.10 | No Comments
Pycnogenol’s dual benefits make it an ideal bodybuilding supplement
by Jim Stoppani
Looking for another line of defense against that knee or shoulder pain that’s been bothering you? A patented compound from the bark of the French maritime pine tree (Pinus pinaster) may be the answer.
The bioflavonoids and polyphenols that are within Pycnogenol are similar to the compounds in red wine that contribute to its ability to improve heart health. Studies have found the compound to have a variety of benefits, including decreasing blood pressure and improving skin health. Several recent studies report that Pycnogenol can also decrease joint pain while improving joint function. This makes it an excellent choice for bodybuilders suffering from pain in their knees, shoulders or other joints that have been overworked from years of heavy lifting. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.18.10 | No Comments
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