Archive for the 'Supplements' Category
Glutamine for muscle growth and fat loss
There are massive amounts of nutritional supplements marketed toward athletes today. Many magic-pill wonders quickly fade away as other fitness fads hit the market – each making a few dollars during their short shelf life. Others withstand the test of time; positively passing many scientific and anecdotal trials. Probably the most debated dietary supplement available is glutamine. It’s a non-essential amino acid, which means it can be synthesized in the body. The big question facing bodybuilders is whether exogenous use is necessary to build muscle and lose fat. Read more
No commentsCaffeine enhances testosterone during exercise
Hard physical training requires massive amounts of energy and sustained mental focus. Caffeine has been employed as an ergogenic in athletics for many years – from recreational bodybuilders to competitive athletes. The substance positively affects time-to-exhaustion and endurance-training potential. Caffeine has a large number of reported physiological benefits to athletes; such as greater muscle contractions from antagonistic actions on adenosine receptors, delayed fatigue by stimulating the central nervous system, direct neuro-endocrine activation and direct actions on skeletal muscle function. It has been shown to support endurance athletes engaged in strenuous cycling, running and swimming. Caffeine has also been shown to improve performances in intermittent high-intensity team sports.
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Protein requirements for building muscle
For bodybuilders engaged in a progressive resistance training program, protein-rich foods are quickly identified and desired for packing on muscle. For anyone engaged in routine physical activity, protein is one of the most popular dietary supplements today, for building up the body’s force-producing abilities. Media reports have suggested that chronically high protein intake can cause unnecessary stress on the body’s filtering processes. However, these reports are often based on non-human subjects, inactive people, and persons with impaired renal function. For healthy, active men and women, an increase in dietary proteins can safely and effectively improve exercise performance by enhancing energy and increasing muscle mass. Read more
No commentsNicotine in fitness – the good, bad, ugly
Nicotine is commonly associated with smoking cigarettes – something routinely shunned by people in pursuit of greater physical performance. However, is nicotine itself the venom? Moreover, could it provide an ergogenic affect for athletes?
Nicotine was first identified in the early 19th century. It’s an addictive alkaloid that has long been obtained from the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, Nicotiana tabacum. Nicotine is its main active ingredient. It is well understood that smoking tobacco is toxic to the human body; causing irritation of lung tissues, constriction of blood vessels, increased blood pressure and heart rate, as well as central nervous system stimulation. The bad is well known, but the potential for good is often less understood; as well as how the two relate. Read more
No commentsExercise affects the immune system
Resistance and endurance training are commonly seen as healthy activities to engage in – but can exhaustive exercise increase the likeliness of getting ill? The human body is a complex physical structure of organic tissue – an isolated event can affect tissues in several other locations. The immune system is an adequate ambassador of our complexity and is essential for maintaining health. Dysfunction can lead to a wide variety of diseases. A common perception by elite athletes is that frequent and intense exercise leaves the body predisposed to infections. However, an inconsistency exists when health care professionals suggest that regular exercise is beneficial to the immune system by providing some resistance to infections. So, who’s right? Read more
2 commentsWater - nature’s ergogenic
One ergogenic aid impacts major physiological events within the human body - actions distinguishing the difference between record-breaking performance and ultimate failure. This fluid pours as a colorless, tasteless and odorless substance; essential to all known forms of life. Under most circumstances, it’s free of charge and widely available. Water’s importance in human performance is frequently taken too lightly by athletes, introducing life threatening situations if neglected all together.
There are a lot of suggestions regarding proper water intake, as well as a few rumors about how long someone can survive without it. The fact is: there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to proper hydration. Individual requirements can vary based on body weight, genetic predisposition, heat acclimation and metabolic efficiency. Athletic people are at a great risk for dehydration due to activity levels, environmental changes during exercise and dietary adjustments that can swing cellular hydration levels. Maintaining adequate hydration improves performance. Read more
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