Casablancas health, wellness and fitness

Insulin: a misunderstood hormone

2013-01-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

I haven't written anything on here for a while as I haven't had anything I felt needed addressing but I am bored tonight so thought I would clear up some common misconceptions surrounding insulin which I believe to be a very misunderstood hormone.

Insulin is a hormone that regulates the levels of sugar in your blood. When you eat, the pancreas senses the rising glucose and releases insulin which sends the glucose to muscles, the liver and other bodyparts. This regulates itself throughout the day and most people need not even know the existence of it.

There are two other functions of insulin that bodybuilders and gym goers tend to take an interest in it for:
1- Stimulation of muscle protein (protein synthesis)
2- Inhibits breakdown of fat (lipolysis)

Protein synthesis

What most people think- Carbohydrates alone are responsible for stimulating insulin.
What is actually true- ALL FOODS you eat stimulate insulin.

It is true that releasing insulin straight after a workout stimulates protein synthesis (although how much impact this will really have without injecting it is up for debate) but there is no need to consume ANY dietary carbohydrates as protein can do the same job. Protein stimulates insulin just fine.

Lets look at a study that measures insulin secretion after a high carb, low protein meal compared with a low carb, high protein meal. Eac totaled an equal amount of calories (675)

As you can see, the high protein, low carb meal actually generated a HIGHER insulin response which is not what most people have been told- and this is with half the amount of carbs.

As you can see here, the high protein, low carb meal was more drawn out and not a spike which some might argue.

My point here is the you do not need to consume any carbohydrates after a workout. Postworkout nutrition has two goals:
1. Elevate insulin to halt protein breakdown.
2. Provide amino acids for protein synthesis.

Protein does both...

An ideal post workout meal would contain both carbs and protein for a higher insulin response and also read Lyle Mcdonald's work if you can be bothered.

Lipolysis

What most people think: High carb diet/meal--->High insulin--->fat storage
What is actually true: Insulin rises and falls throughout the day but the overall calorie intake is what matters.

Here is a great graph I stole from that demonstrates that the net calorific intake is important and not the small spikes in insulin throughout the day.

Over the 24hr period, it will all balance out and you will still be in a net catabolic state if you are in a deficit.

The south beach diet came out 10 years ago suggested only carbohydrates raised insulin which stored fat and this information is very outdated now and people need to look at the research. Looking at the insulin index we can see that some types of fish are more insulinogenic than white pasta, and all the protein sources are very high.

The point I am trying to make here is that ALL foods raise insulin and there is no need to even think about its role in fat loss and it is ironic that the people that go to the gym (generally fit, healthy and not overweight) that have the best insulin sensitivity are the ones worrying about it.

References
http://alanaragon.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin
http://weightology.net/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17413098

Myth-busting Mondays #4

2012-08-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry there have been no posts for a while, my laptop is broken.

Following on from my last Myth-busting Monday here is an exellent video from Dr. Layne Norton busting protein myths including the one I addressed and also a couple of others.

This week: CREATINE MYTHS

'Do I need to load creatine?'

...NO...your body can only absorb about 10-20g creatine a day max depending on your overall weight and a lot of that will go to waste anyway. Muscle cells will saturate after a week or so taking 3-5g daily anyway. The 'loading' phase was fist introduced when there was little evidence about how much creatine saturates muscle cells so it was always over ingested to be safe. We now know 3g is sufficient but companies have kept advocating loading as you end up using (and wasting) more of their product which in turn, makes them more money.

'Do I need to cycle creatine?'

...NO...this again is another brilliant marketing ploy to get people to stop taking creatine for a couple of weeks and then reLOADING again (see point above to make more money). I have a theory that it also makes creatine sound more potent and effective (anabolic steroids are also cycled). Study suggests that creatine does not diminish with prolonged use.

'Do I need to take my creatine pre/post workout?'

...NO...creatine does not work like this. You have to saturate muscle cells with creatine before you will get any effects from it. You can take it any time of day as long as you are getting 3-5g daily, there is no time of day in particular that it needs to be taken. See Ian Mcarthy video creatine timing.

'What is the best type of creatine to take?'

Hands down creatine monohydrate. All other forms are inferior and more expensive. Creatine mono saturates muscle cells 100%, you can't get better than that so don't believe the marketing hype.
CEE and Kre-alkalyn debunked
CEE and Kre-alkalyn ineffective

Peace and love x

Myth-busting Mondays #3

2012-07-23T10:42:00.001-07:00

'High protein diets put stress on the kidneys'

Unfortunately not many studies have been done on the effects of the Kidneys and Kidney function during high protein diets. The word 'high' is vague; I wouldn't consider 200g p/day to be high for a large athlete yet the government would probably argue that was excessive. Luckily I have finally found a study that examines the dose at 2.8 g/kg. This would work out at 225g a day for me which is way above what i currently consume so I was glad to see such high amounts and I will discuss the results in a moment.
Here, it shows that 1.5g/kg is a safe value to consume without any adverse effects, although it was not tested on athletes. This is the study which uses athletes and bodybuilders on 2.8g/kg p/day. It showed that creatinine, urea, and albumin that were within the normal range and that ultimately this amount of protein does not impair renal function in well-trained athletes or bodybuilders. The last study also shows that a diet consisting of 33% protein while resistance training had no adverse effects on the Kidneys. 33% of a 2500 calorie diet would work out at 206g a day.

Conclusion

High protein diets do not negatively effect the Kidneys or Kidney function. Although the diet was at 2.8g/kg I personally recommend LESS at 1g of protein p/lb. Please see my top 5 supplements and scroll down to 'Whey protein' to find out why.

See you next week x

The 3 best ways to increase stamina

2012-07-22T07:39:00.001-07:00

V02 max, or maximal oxygen uptake, is one factor that can determine an athlete's capacity to perform sustained exercise and is linked to aerobic endurance. VO2 max refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilize during intense or maximal exercise. It is measured as "milliliters of oxygen used in one minute per kilogram of body weight."

1- INTERVAL TRAINING

This type of training is very common and most of you have probably heard it before. It basically involves intense short bursts of cardiovascular exercise followed by a rest/moderate to low pace e.g. sprinting for 30 seconds followed by a 30 second walk for 15 mins. This is the single best way of increasing your stamina quickly and I would recommend it for anyone that does not have the time to perform longer, lower intensity endurance training (which is probably superior but takes up hours every week). A study shows that high intensity interval training (often referred to as HIIT) not only improved V02 max but the anaerobic capacity also increased by 28% which the steady state cardio group showed no improvement on.

2- ALTITUDE TRAINING

You can read about training at high altitude here which backs up claims that it increases performance. Subjects that trained at high altitudes increased cardiovascular performance, VO2 max and hemoglobin concentration levels. OK so most of you reading this will not have the facilities to do this but by restricting oxygen to the lungs when exercising technically replicates this type of training. You can buy a training mask or simply put a straw in your mouth and breathe through that! By restricting your oxygen flow, your diaphragm is strengthened, surface area and elasticity in the alveoli is increased. This may seem difficult at first so I would start of lightly and slowly ramp intensity up as you get used to it.

3- CORRECT NUTRITION

I know I bang on about it on here but I can't stress the importance of correct nutrition enough. You need to stay hydrated with WATER. Just 2% total body dehydration can cause a 20% drop in performance levels. Dehydration also decreases stroke volume, which means a higher heart rate for any given exercise intensity. Anyone who knows anything about endurance training will know how important increasing your stroke volume is. Do not drink energy drinks before exercise see my earlier post on effects of energy drinks on cardiovascular exercise.

YES I KNOW I ALSO BANG ON ABOUT FISH OIL see my top 5 supplements but there is also evidence that it can boost your stamina and is important for lung health. Shoot for 2 g EPA and 1.5 g DHA per day.

REFERENCES
1) http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/anatomyandphysiology/a/VO2_max.htm
2) Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996 Oct;28(10):1327-30.Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max
3) http://www.jappl.org/content/91/3/1113.full

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BYE!

Training to Failure

2012-07-20T09:34:00.000-07:00

This post is going to address the topic of going to complete muscular failure during resistance training. This means, lifting a weight repetitively until you cannot lift any further- in some exercises this means you may have a spotter help you as you fail on the last rep. Going to failure is a fantastic tool but I see so many people in the gym doing this EVERY workout. This is detrimental to your gains- strength and hypertrophy.

The second negative with training to failure is risk of injury. As you push for that last rep, proper form technique can go out the window putting stress on certain muscles/ joints. You also need a spotter with some exercises e.g. the bench press to make sure you do not get stuck under the bar. One exercise I recommend never going to failure on is the Deadlift. Good form is essential and you can injure your back easily by rounding the lower back.

If you fancy a read, here are 5 studies that prove that strength and hypertrophy gains are higher with multiple sets short of failure compared with one set to failure. One point I would like to make is that in the last study it shows that FAILURE TRAINING PERFORMED TOO FREQUENTLY CAN RESULT IN REDUCTIONS IN THE RESTING CONCENTRATION OF TESTOSTERONE. Overtraining also leads to strength loss, poor sleep quality, low energy, low sex drive. Studies conclusively show that going to failure works the CNS (central nervous system) more than the muscles itself so when you keep going to failure you risk burnout (overtraining). If you really need to push to beat that personal best to step up to the next level and beat that last workout then yes it should be used sparingly.

1- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17530977
2- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20300012
3- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18841079
4- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20617335
5- http://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/

Someone who is new to lifting can make incredible progress at the start by going to failure but it is not a long term program, you are setting yourself to hit a wall and potentially begin to get weaker and weaker. What I recommend is training to failure every 6 weeks, slowly build up your strength stopping just short of failure and by about week 6 you should be struggling to keep pushing for heavier weights. This is when you should utilise failure training and push for the new PR for a couple of workouts. Then deload for a week, and repeat.

BYE!

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The Perfect Diet

2012-07-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

Grab a calculator. I'm going to explain how much Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats are required for an optimal diet for YOU. I will try and make this as short and simple as possible as I see lots of different explanations of this are long winded and complex. After writing My top 5 supplements, the feedback I got was good but I realised that all the supplements are a waste of money if your diet is not in check. These numbers are to MAINTAIN bodyweight. I will do 2 more articles in the coming weeks for optimal diets for losing fat/weight and one for gaining muscle/weight.

Before we start: Weigh yourself. Get a pen and a piece of paper and write;
Weight:
Calories:
Protein:
Fat:
Carbohydrates:

CALORIES

Multiply your weight in lbs x14 for a sedentary lifestyle or x15 for an active lifestyle. This will give you a ROUGH guide to how many calories you should be eating a day. The only sure fire way to know exactly how many is to track your calories for a week or so, weighing yourself and see if you gain or lose any weight. This is a good starting point though. Write the answer next to calories.

PROTEIN

I always start with protein because it is an essential macro nutrient (unlike carbohydrates) and most people are under eating it. Protein is simple: eat 1g of protein per lbs of bodyweight. Write this next to protein. See under whey protein to find out why i recommend this amount.

FAT

Fat is next as it is also essential in the sense that it is vital for survival and cannot be made by the body. The only essential fats are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids but optimal fat intake helps regulate hormone levels as well as helping with nutrient absorption. Once fat intake has reached it's peak, there are no benefits from over eating (as opposed to eating more carbs for example which does have benefits). Under eating fats will cause a significant drop in testosterone in men. Multiply your weight in lbs x 0.4- 0.5. This is your fat intake in grams. I tend to go for 0.5 as I just prefer fatty types of food but it is purely up to you. Write the answer in grams next to fat.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbs are non-essential- as in technically the body does not require ANY to survive. The body will create a fuel source if none are consumed- see do low carb diets work for more info. The amount of carbs eaten should be whatever is left over so that you equal your total calories, so- my diet for me will look like this:

Weight- 180lbs
Calories- 2700
Protein- 180g
Fat- 90g
Carbohydrates- Total calories- [Protein (in calories) + Fat (in calories)]

Protein is 4 calories per g so 4x180= 720 calories
Fat is 9 calories per g so 9x90= 810 calories

So 720 calories + 810 calories=1530 coming from protein+ fat.

2700 (total calories) - 1530= 1170 calories that will come from carbohydrates.

Carbs also have 4 calories p gram so divide carbs (in calories) by 4 to give carbs (in grams): 1170/4= 292.5

So my carbohydrate intake per day- 292.5g

SUMMARY
Eat any foods you wish that fit these numbers, it doesn't matter. All i recommend is that you get lots of nutrients in fruit, vegetables (especially green ones!) and whole eggs. Fish oil is important too see this to find out why. If you are having trouble with the carb calculations, comment below and I will help.

Thanks to everyone for reading- I have over 1000 views in 3 weeks so I hope everyone has enjoyed reading as much as I have enjoyed writing x

follow me on twitter @ https://twitter.com/ThomasCasablanc

Myth-busting Monday #2

2012-07-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

I was hoping I wouldn't have to address this topic at all as it is so outdated and been proven conclusively false so many times but I came across 2 separate quotes this week- 1 from Men's Health Magazine and another from The Sun newspaper in a review of the new OMG fad diet so I thought I would put the myth to bed for anyone that still believes it. I think either the Sun 'Doctor' Carol Cooper may have either fallen asleep in her biochemistry lessons or it is possible that she got her PHD a decade or so ago when they were actually still teaching this nonsense.

'Fasting causes the body to go into starvation mode'

Fasting= extended periods of consuming zero calories.

As Dr Cooper likes to call it 'famine' mode. She also uses the word tummy...and also starts a new paragraph with...BUT...(soo not sure if she is a real doctor?!)

What ACTUALLY happens: During periods of non-eating, the body starts burning glycogen for a fuel source. Once all the glycogen stores are used up (which will usually take about 2-3 days! Unless you are doing long periods of intense exercise) the body starts using ketones and fatty acids as a fuel. After a while longer, muscle tissue is used. The timeline looks like this:

0 hours: Glucose still used as primary fuel.
0-6 hours: Glycogen is broken down to produce glucose for the body.
6-72 hours: Glycogen stores are used up and the body breaks down fatty acids. Ketone bodies are produced to help feed the brain.
72 hours and on: Body cells start to break down and proteins are used as a precursor to glucose.

You often hear that fasting slows down the metabolism but I have 2 studies that show that this is not the case. Ref 1 shows no difference in adipose tissue, fat loss or muscle loss in a high meal frequency compared with a low meal frequency. Ref 2 shows that the thermic effect of food does not change whether you nibble on food throughout the day or eat one huge meal. It comes back to the energy balance equation- if the calories are the same, there will be no change in body composition. Ref 4 shows less muscle tissue was lost on an intermittent fasting type calorie restriction and more fat was lost in comparison to a standard straight calorie restricted diet. Could intermittent fasting help PREVENT muscle loss?

I have been doing intermittent fasting every single day for over a year now and have never felt better. See www.leangains.com for more information. On a side note for anyone stupid enough that might believe Dr Cooper's last point about intermittent fasting increasing cholesterol, this study shows decreased cholesterol levels in alternate day intermittent fasting and I could find 10 more that show the same if you want the evidence but I'm sure you won't be taking this doctors advice seriously anymore.

References

1) Br J Nutr. 2010 Apr;103(8):1098-101. Epub 2009 Nov 30.Increased meal frequency does not promote greater weight loss in subjects who were prescribed an 8-week equi-energetic energy-restricted diet.

2) Br J Nutr. 1997 Apr;77 Suppl 1:S57-70.Meal frequency and energy balance.
3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starvation_response
4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21410865?dopt=Abstract

"forgive them, for they know not what they do": Luke 23:34

Top 5 Supplements

2012-07-15T01:33:00.000-07:00

I've wasted some money on supplements in my life. Hopefully this post will save you time trying to work out what is worth taking and what is not, money on wasted supplements (and i will post some links to the cheapest ones I have found) and hopefully they can give you a better quality of life or help you in your particular sport or hobby.

In order of importance:

FISH OIL

This is the single best supplement out there. There is too much to say here so I will link to some other sites if you want to read more. Benefits include reduced risk of cancer, Alzheimer's, lupus, diabetes Parkinson's, depression, improved blood circulation, immune system, arthritis, weight loss, acne, fertility. 3-5g p/day. If you can get this amount without supplementation- great, but it will mean eating oily fish every day. See See how much DHA/EPA is in fish. http://alanaragon.com/fish-oil.html http://www.leangains.com/2011/05/omega-3-fatty-acids-for-muscle-growth.html http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/qa-2.html

WHEY PROTEIN

see my post on is whey protein optimal? on why it is important for anyone on a high protein diet. I advise 1g of protein p/lb of DESIRED body weight e.g. you are 200lbs and you want to get down to 180lbs= 180g protein. Likewise if you are 150lbs and want to bulk up to 180= 180g protein. Anyone that wants to know why I advise such high amounts (and that might be as sad as me and has 2.5hrs of their life to spare) see first and second halves of the protein roundtable hosted by Ian McCarthy.

MULTIVITAMIN

I want to stress the importance of a good quality multi. First, check the doses, you need to be looking at the % of its daily value. The FDA's values are not recommendations, but simply the MINIMUM amount required to prevent deficiencies. Therefore a good quality multi will usually have over 100% of the daily values. Anything less than 10mg of any of the vitamins is too low. Another tip- look at the vitamin B12 and see what form it is in, eitter cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin. If it is the former, it is B12 with a cyanide molecule attached to it. It is cheaper and of very little use to the body. B12 helps with liver function but if you take cyanocobalamin, the liver has to break down the cyanide which is toxic to the human body before it can use it- defeating the purpose of liver restoration in the first place. I believe that it does more harm than good. In the past used to take a multi with cyanocobalamin after drinking alcohol thinking it could help my body recover but i dread to think what stress I was putting my liver under. Last of all- do not rely on a multi to get all your vitamins. Evidence suggests that real food vitamins and minerals are more efficiently absorbed in comparison to supplementing so make sure to get plenty of fruit, vegetables (especially green) and whole eggs.

VITAMIN D
Ever wondered why everyone seems happier when the sun is out? Most people that do not live near the equator are deficient in vitamin D3 which is why I take this and there is growing evidence to support my claims that supplementing with 200iu a day can boost your energy and increase strength and performance. I think you will be hearing a lot about vitamin D in the next few years. Other health benefits are explained here.

CREATINE MONOHYDRATE

If you do not do any type of resistance training- ignore this one. If you do, see this study to see why creatine can and will improve your strength and power. It is so cheap so there is no reason why you can't take this. 5g a day. A few tips 1- creatine timing doesn't matter, you can take it all at once at any time of the day. 2- There is no need to 'load' it as anything over about 8-9g your body cannot absorb. 3- 5g is all you need to maintain muscle saturation. 4- All the other types of creatine are inferior to monohydrate that means kre-alkalyn, ethyl ester, phosphate and citrate. Forget them all they are not as effective and more expensive so don't read into the marketing. 5- There is no need to cycle creatine as there is no evidence whatsoever that the body becomes desensitised to it- I believe that it was a marketing technique to make it sound more potent (i.e anabolic steroids are cycled on and off).

DISCLAIMER

I am in no way financially benefiting from recommending the following supplements:
Fish oil
Whey protein
Multivitamin - I am aware this one is not cheap but quality wise it is so far ahead so is the only one I will take, but if anyone can find an alternative without lower quality I am all ears!
Creatine Monohydrate
Vitamin D

And that is it. That is all i recommend you take. Pretty much all other supplements are useless. I do take some other supplements (mainly my pre-workout cocktail!) but I did not want to confuse this post I just want to keep it basic with my top 5 so people don't think it is necessary to take loads of things. My other supplements do help me but are certainly not essential. If anyone wants to know my other supplements I take just ask and I will comment back in the comment section below. Also, if anyone is thinking of purchasing a supplement, PLEASE comment below before buying and I will let you know what I think, I will respond as quick as I can.

Peace and love x

Ephedrine for fat loss

2012-07-13T17:07:00.000-07:00

I am addressing this topic as I have been asked by a reader what my views are on Ephedrine.

DISCLAIMER

I do not advise or condone the use of Ephedrine. This article is purely for information and entertainment purposes.

For anyone that does not know what Ephedrine is, it is a substance that commonly used as a stimulant, appetite suppressant, concentration aid, decongestant and most commonly used as a fat burner. This is going to be a short article. I do not want to get into why is is a controlled substance (in the USA) or anything like that as it has all been said before.

For more information regarding Ephedrine see WIKIPEDIA or for doses etc or see this well written FAQ

Why Ephedrine is so effective

What separates ephedrine from other fat burners for me is the fact that it actually increases effectiveness with prolonged use. This study shows an improved fat loss in the second half of the trial compared with the first half. This study also suggests prolonged use is more beneficial than 'cycling' the substance.

The second reason ephedrine is so good when used as a fat burner is that it preserves muscle mass- particularly useful for bodybuilders whom it is very commonly used by on strict calorie deficits. See this study (which they actually gained some muscle while losing fat) which proves this.

Other than that, it's not a magic pill, it will increase energy output but about 3-5% if dosed correctly. A few negative effects include sweating, nausea, insomnia but the main one is heart palpitations. Another issue I have with it is that is is commonly sold as an ECA stack (e-ephedrine, c-caffeine, a-aspirin). The aspirin is of very little use, it is put in the stack to try and reduce blood pressure but prolonged use of aspirin can cause stomach ulcers so I would recommend either removing it all together or simply buying the substances separately and using gastro resistant aspirin.

Other than that, I don't have much more to say. There is so much material on this on the internet I would just be repeating stuff. I have never taken it myself so this is all the information I have to go on rather than past experience. If anyone does decide to take it, please be careful and read the FAQ i linked to earlier. Please see http://www.ephedrinehcl.org/index.html to see the studies done on blood pressure which prove you have nothing to worry about. The only reason it is banned is because it is a stimulant it is put in some party pills as it is cheaper alternative which gives a similar euphoric and energetic feeling.

Peace and love x

References
1) Toubro S, Astrup A, Breum L, Quaade F "The acute and chronic effects of ephedrine/caffeine mixtures on energy expenditure and glucose metabolism in humans." Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1993 Dec, Vol 17 (Suppl 3), Pg S73-7; discussion S82, PMID: 0008124407.
2) Astrup A, Lundsgaard C, Madsen J, Christensen NJ "Enhanced thermogenic responsiveness during chronic ephedrine treatment in man" Am J Clin Nutr 1985, Vol 42 (1), Pg 83-94, PMID: 0004014068.
3) Astrup A, Buemann B, Christensen NJ, Toubro S, Thorbek G, Victor OJ, Quaade F. The effect of ephedrine/caffeine mixture on energy expenditure and body composition in obese women. Metabolism 1992 Jul;41(7):686-8 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...5&dopt=Abstract

Effects of energy drinks on cardiovascular exercise

2012-07-11T09:40:00.002-07:00

This article is addressing the following query i received from a reader:

'I'd love to read one about energy drinks and the effects of caffeine, taurine etc. Yours, Jonathan'

Modern energy drinks tend to contain 3 main ingredients; caffeine, taurine and some form of carbohydrate. There are also usually some electrolytes in there to combat those lost in sweat. I have some doubts on the effectiveness to increase cardiovascular performance. Caffeine has been conclusively shown to increase mental focus and intake in sufficient doses can delay the onset offatigue and increase maximal power output during exercise (ref-2). 100-300mg is an acceptable dose for an average adult. I have come across some studies that put energy drinks to the test.

A study (ref-1) was done to assess the effects of energy drinks on energy expenditure and use of fat and carbohydrate as energy sources at rest and during submaximal exercise. the subjects engaged in 15 minutes of treadmill exercise at 50% of their VO2max during which oxygen consumption (VO2; as a measure of energy expenditure)

The following drinks were examined: Drink one= Red Bull. Drink two= Rockstar. Drink three= Monster. Drink four= Fresca, the placebo(an american UNcaffeinated softdrink). Here is a list of their ingredients. As stated above, the main ingredients are caffeine, taurine and carbohydrates (sucrose, glucose).

Results

The results were quite surprising...
There were no differences in heart rate during submaximal exercise after consumption of any of the drinks. There were no differences in VO2 (liters/minute) during submaximal exercise after consumption of any of the drinks.There seems to be no added benefits to drinking caffeinated energy drinks before cardiovascular training in terms of increased performance.

Another (albeit not so controlled) study backs the previous results up further (ref-3). Subjects were given caffeinated energy drinks before intense cardiovascular exercise and the results actually showed that the group that were given the energy drinks actually had LOWER fitness levels.

The last piece of information I am going to share with you is this study where subjects were either given either a glucose drink (flavoured) or a maltodextrin drink (unflavoured) or neither. Subjects were told to simply rinse them around the mouth and spit them out. They were tested via a time-trial course. The results showed that athletes given the glucose or maltodextrin drinks outperformed those on 'disguised' water by 2-3% and sustained a higher average power output and pulse rate. "Much of the benefit from carbohydrate in sports drinks is provided by signalling directly from mouth to brain rather than providing energy for the working muscles," said Chambers.

Summary

What the evidence suggests to me is that there is no actual significant cardiovascular benifits to consuming common energy drinks before exersise. The last study seems to suggest that overconsuming liquids can actually have negative effects (possibly due to liquid in the stomach 'sloshing' about and not digesting properly). On the other hand, caffeine can have some great benifits before resistance exercise.

References
1)Effects of Energy Drinks on Metabolism at Rest and During Submaximal Treadmill Exercise in College Age Male JANAE NIENHUESER1*, GREGORY A BROWN1‡, BRANDON S. SHAW2‡, and INA SHAW3‡
2) 16. Graham TE. Caffeine, coffee and ephedrine: impact on exercise performance and metabolism. Can J Appl Physiol 26 Suppl: S103-S119, 2001.
3)The effect of a caffeine energy drink on cardiovascular responses during intense exercise Joe Sillivent (Tarleton State University), Kim Coffman (Tarleton State University), Jennifer Blevins-McNaughton (Tarleton State University)

Thanks for reading,Tom

Myth-busting Monday #1

2012-07-09T09:02:00.004-07:00

Every monday, I will try to put to bed one common, yet untrue misconception that I see floating about. It annoys me when misinformation is passed about and spreads like wildfire with no evidence or data to back it up. This week:

"Eating carbs after 6/7/8/9 whatever o'clock makes you store fat"

This is such bullshit and anyone that says it really does not know anything about thermodynamics or basic nutrition. Ever heard of glycogen? Excess energy not directly used is stored as glycogen in cells which can be used when required. Everyone stores glycogen and an average male would have to eat over 1000g carbs before filling up their stores. Thermodynamics says that you cannot gain weight at all unles you are in a calorie surplus which again proves the above statement wrong. Are men's health and flex magazine seriously claiming that you can eat less calories than you burn but if the carbs are eaten before bed you will store it as fat!?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21475137 (sorry link not working. Having technical issues so please copy and paste into searchable until I get it sorted!)

This study shows improved fat loss, insulin sensitivity and satiety in a diet with the majority of dietary carbohydrates consumed later in the day.

Myth #1 done. A new one next Monday. Please comment with any claims that you would like me to clear up.

Peace x

Jack3d review

2012-07-07T02:54:00.003-07:00

The pre-workout Jack3d from USP labs seems to be becoming more popular these days so here is my review of the product. I have never bought the product but have taken it on many occasions before a workout.

Let me start off by saying i DO NOT recommend this product. Why? The ingredients are not broken down individually- they advertise it as a 'Proprietary Blend' which anyone who knows anything about marketing knows that this is just a bullshit technique so they do not have to let people know their shitty doses. This way they can add high amounts of the cheaper ingredients and smaller amounts of the more expensive ones. I will break down the ingredients and their effectiveness anyway but please do not read too much into them we do not know the doses and when I asked them if they could provide me with the amounts they said 'No, sorry, this is part of USPLabs’ proprietary blend.'

Ingredients:

1,3-Dimethylamylamine HCL- often shortened to DMAA.

This ingredient is a stimulant which gives you a focused, energetic feeling. It has no beneficial effects whatsoever performance wise to your workout apart from making you feeling pumped up. This is a very strong ingredient which is often used as a 'filler' in ecstasy pills as it gives a similar feeling but is obviously much cheaper. There have been some cases of death after taking large quantities of this substance and for anyone that likes DMAA I would recommend stocking up on it ASAP- believe me it will not be long before it is made a controlled substance in the USA and the UK. New Zealand made the substance illegal on April 7th 2012. The substance is also not permitted for some bodybuilding competitors (WADA,MLB,NCAA). There are some negative effects to this- increased heart rate, nausea, sweating, anxiousness and a feeling of depression a few hours after taking it due to low serotonin levels. This is not highly tested and some long term effects are not known.

**UPDATE 16/07/12**- after releasing this article, a few people disagreed with the statement that DMAA has no beneficial effects on performance. Just thought I would add this study from dmaaresearch.com which shows 'that acute oral ingestion of caffeine and 1,3-D alone or in combination does not significantly improve exercise performance'. I think anyone that thinks that it does help are feeling placebo effects but then again if that works for you then by all means use it.

Caffeine

This is the best pre-workout supplement out there hands down. I do not need to talk too much about this as we all know it's effects. Cheap, safe, works. This will probably be at 150mg -200mg per scoop as it is so cheap so please be careful taking 2 scoops as 400mg is a very high amount and can cause stress on the heart due to increased heart rate.

Arginine

This is a form of Nitric Oxide which increases blood flow to muscles. There is absolutely NO evidence whatsoever that 'the pump' or this ingredient in particular does anything for muscle performance.

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine is a very good supplement. I have 2 problems with this is- an average male needs >3g p/day to stay at muscle saturation and we don't know what how much we are getting per scoop which is not helpful. It is a very cheap ingredient so it is likely a high amount but not enough and if you are not taking this product every day then it is pointless. The second problem is- this can be taken at ANY TIME OF DAY. Taking it pre-workout has no benefits (no negative effects either, it just seems like a waste putting it in and taking advantage of people not knowing when it can be taken). However, I do recommend supplementing with creatine. For more info regarding creatine see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine

Beta Alanine

This is another great pre-workout ingredient but I do not think they have dosed it high enough (studies show 3-6g is effective) for 2 reasons: 1) It is expensive. 2) You get what is called 'beta alanine tingles' after consuming this amount which I did not feel. This is like an itchy feeling on your skin 10-15 mins after consumption. People say you get the feeling after taking 2 scoops so it is most likely dosed at 1.5g but like I said- with 2 scoops you are getting dangerous amounts of the stimulants. This controlled study shows the effectiveness of beta alanine: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20091069/? H

Price

I can find it for £18.99 for 250g ($24). This is 45 servings. I did some quick calculations at a bulk ingredient supplier and i can get all these ingredients separately, mix them together AT SAFE AND TESTED DOSES and this will cost me about £20 for about 150 servings rather than 45. So unless you are just buying it for the taste then I think Jack3d is overpriced and do not recommend buying it for the reasons stated above. I would recommend making it yourself. And like I said, stock up on DMAA if you love it as it will be banned soon YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!! The FDA love controlling poorly tested stimulants when a couple of people take too much on a night out (heard of ephedrine?) even though it can be safe in small quantities.

Any questions, please ask.
Tom

Dramatic weight loss in the first week of dieting

2012-07-05T08:40:00.002-07:00

A quick note on how people can lose so much weight within the first couple of days or first week of dieting following on from my recent article Do low carb diets work?

You often hear people say:

'I have only been dieting for a week/xyz days and I have already lost xyz lbs'

This is down to WATER LOSS. Calorie restriction and primarily carbohydrate restriction causes the kidneys to get rid of water due to a drop in insulin and the ketones that are released cause a dehydrating effect on the body. It is not uncommon to lose up to 15lbs (over a stone) in a large individual and around 6-8lbs (half a stone) in an average individual in the first week of dieting. Glycogen in muscle cells will also be lower which will decrease weight further. After the initial drop- your weight loss will slow down as you have lost the water weight and now you can see actual fat loss.

After a carb-up or binge- you will notice a huge increase in weight- again this is not fat but just water storage and glycogen.

So next time someone says they have lost a dramatic and seemingly impossible amount of weight (or maybe you have yourself), think 'Is this just water weight or actual fat loss?'

Thanks for reading, any questions please ask.
Tom x

Do low carb diets work?

2012-07-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

In the 90s, low carb diets were very fashionable due to the release of The Atkins Diet book. Dr Atkins claimed that eating few or no carbohydrates was more beneficial for fat loss than a straight calorie deficit. Some of the studies are very out-dated and new research has showed conflicting evidence. The studies done back then were heavily manipulated in the favour of Dr Atkins to produce the results that he wanted. I am addressing this topic because this particular diet is becoming more popular recently under the name of the KETO (Ketogenic) DIET.

Before I get into the science, I am going to put it simply. Do low carb diets work? (assuming one is trying to LOSE weight/bodydfat)

YES if you are in a caloric deficit.
NO if you are at caloric maintenance/surplus.

So if you are in a caloric deficit- is there any need for a low carb diet at all? NO. You can and will lose weight by eating less calories than you use, period. But is there any advantage to eating low carbs? This question is not so simple and we will need to take at a few factors...

INSULIN SENSITIVITY

If you have good insulin sensitivity, you will handle dietary carbohydrates with ease. This is the case for most of the population. If you are towards insulin resistant, you will not respond very well at all. Or you may be completely resistant. This is known as typeII diabetes.
It all depends on what your body's blood glucose levels are. Blood glucose goes down with age, so this is something you need to take into consideration, the older you are the less carbs you need and the more protein you need (due to decreased amino acid sensitivity which I will not go into!). Another factor is bodyfat %- a person with low bodyfat will be very sensitive to insulin and conversely, an overweight person will be more towards insulin resistant. The main factor that will affect insulin sensitivity is EXERCISE. All exercise, but more so resistance training is extremely beneficial to one's blood glucose levels (this is why you can get overweight people that exercise regularly that have excellent blood glucose levels). The last one is genetics- some people are born with good or bad sensitivity and there is little that can be done about it.

DO YOU HAVE GOOD INSULIN SENSITIVITY?

The only sure way is to get it tested, but that isn't going to happen as it is impractical so this is one way of doing it. Eat a large meal full of carbohydrates. 100g+ of whatever you like, pasta, potatoes, rice, sugar. Someone with good insulin sensitivity will have more energy after consumption and someone with not so good insulin sensitivity will fell tired and sluggish.

You may already know how you react, so keep this in mind and I will come back to it in a moment.

LOW CARB vs MED/HIGH CARB FOR FAT LOSS

see ref (3). Study shows insulin sensitive women on the high carb diet lost nearly double the weight as insulin sensitive women on the low-carb diet. Similarly, insulin resistant women lost twice the weight on the low-carb diet as on the high carb diet. Research conclusively shows that if you have good insulin sensitivity and low insulin secretion, odds are you will do well with a traditional bodybuilding type of diet which means high protein, highish carbs and low fat. If you’re not insulin sensitive and/or have high insulin secretion, a diet lower in carbs and higher in fat would certainly be more beneficial.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

If you still don't know whether you are insulin sensitive or not- try going on a very low carb diet for a week. You will enter ketosis (see ref 5 for more info). You may feel sluggish, tired and have what is known as 'brain fog' which is where you cannot think clearly and feel slow. If this is the case, you most likely have good insulin sensitivity and should go on a higher carb diet. If you feel fine, then you are not insulin sensitive and feel free to carry on and reap the rewards!

So there you have it. Should you go on a low carb/KETO diet? If you are more towards insulin resistant then YES, but if you are insulin sensitive then NO.

Thanks for reading, any questions please ask.
Tom

References:

Blundell JE, Cooling J. High-fat and low-fat (behavioural) phenotypes: biology or environment? Proc Nutr Soc. 1999 Nov;58(4):773-7.
Pittas AG, Roberts SB. Dietary composition and weight loss: can we individualize dietary prescriptions according to insulin sensitivity or secretion status? Nutr Rev. 2006 Oct;64(10 Pt 1):435-48. Review.
Cornier MA et. al. Insulin sensitivity determines the effectiveness of dietary macronutrient composition on weight loss in obese women. Obes Res. 2005 Apr;13(4):703-9.
Pittas AG et. al. A low-glycemic load diet facilitates greater weight loss in overweight adults with high insulin secretion but not in overweight adults with low insulin secretion in the CALERIE Trial. Diabetes Care. 2005 Dec;28(12):2939-41
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketosis
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/insulin-sensitivity-and-fat-loss.html

Stress, the immune system and how to deal with it

2012-06-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402162546.htm

Study shows that when under stress, cells of the immune system are unable to respond to hormonal control, and consequently, produce levels of inflammation that promote disease.

What is stress?

Stress typically describes a negative concept that can have an impact on one’s mental and physical well-being. My personal opinion is that stress is all in the mind. It is the reaction to the situation, not the situation itself.

What can happen if stress levels are high?

Prolonged stress can cause inflammation in cells and inflammation is partly regulated by the hormone cortisol and when cortisol is not allowed to serve this function, inflammation can get out of control. When under stress, cells of the immune system are unable to respond to hormonal control, and consequently, produce levels of inflammation that promote disease. Because inflammation plays a role in many diseases such as cardiovascular, asthma and autoimmune disorders, it suggests why stress impacts them as well.

What can be done to reduce stress levels?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071008193437.htm

Study shows that meditation can reduce stress.

' the experimental group showed less cortisol release, indicating a greater improvement stress regulation. The experimental group also showed lower levels of anxiety, depression, anger and fatigue than was the case in the control group.'

I recommend meditation as a regular practice to deal with and lower stress levels. This will improve immune system and can also improve mental performance.

How to meditate for beginners will be coming shortly

1) Carnegie Mellon University (2012, April 2). How stress influences disease: Study reveals inflammation as the culprit. ScienceDaily
2)University of Oregon (2007, October 8). Body-mind Meditation Boosts Performance, Reduces Stress. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June

Thanks,for reading,Tom

Is whey protein optimal?

2012-06-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

What is the 'best' type of protein? Which is the cheapest type of protein? I am going to break down whole food protein in comparison to Whey protein to see if it stands up to the task.

Amino acid profile:
Whey protein per 25g serving:

L-Leucine 2470 mg
L-Isoleucine 1520 mg
L-Valine 1440 mg
L-Glutamine 3870 mg
L-Proline 1540 mg
L-Histidine 400 mg
L-Lysine 2120 mg
L-Methionine 440 mg
L-Phenylalanine 670 mg
L-Threonine 1720 mg
L-Tryptophan 240 mg
L-Alanine 1380 mg
L-Arginine 480 mg
L-Aspartic Acid 2490 mg
L-Cystine 440 mg
L-Glycine 530 mg
L-Tyrosine 590 mg

Chicken breast per 28g serving:

L-Threonine 367mg
L-Isoleucine 459mg
L-Leucine 652mg
L-Lysine 738mg
L-Methionine 241mg
L-Cystine 111mg
L-Phenylalanine 345mg
L-Tyrosine 293mg
L-Valine 431mg
L-Arginine 524mg
L-Alanine 474mg
L-Glycine 427mg
L-Aspartic acid 774mg
L-Glutamic acid 1301mg
L-Proline 357mg

Sirloin steak per 28g serving (trimmed):

L-Threonine 238mg
L-Isoleucine 271mg
L-Leucine 473mg
L-Lysine 503mg
L-Methionine 155mg
L-Cystine 77mg
L-Phenylalanine 235mg
L-Tyrosine 190mg
L-Valine 295mg
L-Arginine 385mg
L-Alanine 362mg
L-Glycine 362mg
L-Aspartic acid 543mg
L-Glutamic acid 894mg
L-Proline 284mg

The main amino's the body needs to repair muscle tissue are the BCAA's (branched chain amino acids) which are Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine. As you can see, Whey protein has 4x as much Leucine, 3x as much Isoleucine and over 3x as much Valine as the chicken or the steak. The other amino unessential amino acid that some bodybuilders consider a necessity (although I have doubts as to it's importance) is glutamine which Whey protein has a huge dose of 3870mg per 25g. Whey seems to have the beating in terms of greater amino acid profile here.

Micronutrients

Chicken breast has very little micronutrients in it. It contains some vitamin A (approx 6iu) and but tiny amounts of any other vitamins. As for minerals, it has small amounts of phosphorus and magnesium but nothing of much significance. The sirloin steak is very much the same- trace amounts of any vitamins and some minerals in phosphorus again and quite high in potassium. On the other hand we have whey protein which many people forget is a dairy derivative therefore high in many micronutrients including vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, K, E and being a dairy product- obviously very high in calcium. In terms of micronutrient quality, whey protein has the better numbers.

Price

For £40 I can buy 5kg unflavoured whey, which at 80% protein gives me about 4kg (4000g) protein. So that works out to 100g protein for £1. To get 100g of protein from chicken breast, you would need to eat approximately 2.5-3 chicken breasts (based on 100g breast size which is about average). In supermarkets this will cost you anywhere between £2-£5. Sirloin steak will cost considerably more. Whey protein is one of the cheapest if not THE cheapest source of quality protein. *please note-eggs are a cheap source of protein too costing about £2 per 100g protein*

Satiety

Satiety means how much a food fills you up and/or keeps you satisfied for. Studies show that eating whole foods is more satiating than drinking whey protein see study http://www.ajcn.org/content/41/3/533 'Wadden TA, Stunkard AJ, Brownell KD, Day SC. A comparison of two very-low-calorie diets: protein-sparing-modified fast versus protein-formula-liquid diet. 1985.'

Many people do say that whey fills them up more than whole foods so I think this is more of a personal thing that differentiates between people but as the study shows, on average people are more satiated through whole foods.

Taste

This is again obviously a personal thing. Whey protein flavours have improved drastically over the last decade giving us more choice...but you can't beat a bit of steak!

Other benifits of Whey Protein
- Suitable for vegetariens
- Does not have to be kept refrigerated
- Long expiry date

Summary

Unlike what some so called 'health' magazines say- Whey protein is an excellent source, if not the best source of protein. If you are eating a high protein diet and are not consuming whey protein, I would recommend that you start supplementing with it.

Thanks for reading, Tom.

Site objectives

2012-06-27T13:50:00.003-07:00

Hello, my name is Tom and this site is going to be used to try and assist readers on their path to greater health and well being for mind and body. I will post topics on nutrition, exercise and meditation. Your questions are welcome.

Tom