Do You Buy Glutamine?

2010-07-30 / Supplements / 0 Comments

L glutamine was once considered a non-essential amino acid because the body could make its own from the amino acids glutamic acid, isoleucine and valine. Recently, nevertheless, it has grow to be what is generally known as a conditionally essential amino acid because in instances of physical stress, such as intense exercise and surgery, the body requires more of it to take care of its glutamine stores in blood and muscle. This is why many atheletes wish to take glutamine after very physical and strenuous exercise because it helps their bodies recuperate quicker.
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I additionally guess you didn’t know that l glutamine supplements may help in restoring and maintaining a correct immune system and help with digestion. If you happen to have the flu and even the widespread cold, glutamine is used to assist to fend off the unwanted virus. Under these circumstances, L glutamine becomes a conditional amino acid, that means the body can’t make enough by itself to meet the demands of the added stress.

Now, the million dollar question is, do glutamine dietary supplements help restore depleted ranges of L glutamine in instances of stress? There seems to be some debate on this issue. Guys that take them swear by them, and when you do analysis on glutamine supplements, you will find plenty of studies that support the speculation that they do indeed assist restore depleted levels.

If you keep digging, nevertheless, you will find a whole lot of guys and “experts” who say the jury is still out on how effective they really are. Unfortunately, the bottom line is there appears to be no conclusive proof that taking dietary supplements will help to restore depleted levels of L glutamine in times of stress or over exertion. Perhaps they’ll work for you, or perhaps the won’t. Everyone is different and respond differently to the same supplement. So why not simply give them a try to experience the effects for yourself. They are completely safe and relatively inexpensive.

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Natural Semen Supplements

2010-07-26 / Supplements / 0 Comments

Most men would do anything to increase their semen production. Men seem to measure their manhood with the volume of semen they ejaculate. Not only this, women also find larger volume of semen as something visually stimulating.

No wonder, more and more are interested in increasing their semen volume. Though certain foods such as celery, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds etc., can help you make more semen, natural semen supplements are the best aid to multiply your semen production manifold.

Such supplements are a powerful pack of age old herbs, minerals and amino acids that can do wonders for both your semen production and erectile function.

One of the most important ingredients in such supplements is zinc. This is the mineral that plays a very important role in the production of testosterone which happens to be the hormone that controls production of semen in your body.

Testosterone production begins declining in your body as you get older and this seems to have direct impact on your semen volume. No wonder, most men find their semen production declining with age.

Besides zinc, there are many other herbs in such supplements that help boost the production of testosterone. Some of the best examples of such herbs include ku gua, dong chong xia cao, tribulus terrestris etc.,

Apart from the above herbs, good quality natural supplements also include ingredients such as solidilin, drilizen, ling zhi, fucus vesiculosus, xian mao etc.,

Not only this, certain amino acids such as l-arginine, l-carnitine, l-glysine etc., also form an integral part of such supplements. L-arginine is a great testosterone booster. Not only this, it also helps increase blood flow to the penis which is great for your libido.

Top notch semen supplements can make you produce up to 500% semen within a few weeks.

Besides increasing your semen volume, such supplements can also help increase the force with which you ejaculate so that you can enjoy intense orgasms.

Such supplements also ensure rock solid and longer lasting erections by increasing blood flow to the penis. Not only this, they also help boost your libido or sex drive. Another advantage of such supplements is that they can help increase your sperm count. This gives a bog boost to your fertility.

Top notch supplements are clinically approved and do not have any side effects.

This is one of the most important reasons behind their extreme popularity.

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Protein Supplements For Gym Enthusiasts

2010-07-23 / Supplements / 0 Comments

Protein supplements are often times mistaken as being for the sole use of gaining weight or even bodybuilding, this is not true, as many dietitians and so called weight loss gurus will endorse or recommend that one increases the intake of protein when trying to lose weight. Where the confusion often arises is the actual amount required or suggested dependent upon what your goals are, being weight gain or weight loss.

When considering a workout routine, one has to take into account the level of intensity or rigor of the workout sessions, as these have a direct bearing upon the amount of protein supplements or other protein that the average man (or woman) may require. Current nutritional statistics indicate that the average person, without doing any physical activities will require just over 0.35 grams per pound of body weight of protein or protein supplements. However for those that are involved in physical or fitness activities this amount with increase drastically, and the type of activity also has a bearing upon this amount.

In the case of an athlete or similar type of sport the amount of protein supplements required or at the very least recommended is certainly more than the above mentioned average requirement, however within the case of the gym enthusiast or more so the strength and body building trainer, this recommended amount is even more than that of the athlete, approximately double than the average man or woman. One of the most interesting points that has been provided by researchers is that when someone takes in excess of one gram of protein supplements or other source, they are in fact wasting their time, in that the body will not be able to burn off these calories which will ultimately result in ending up as fat on the body. To this end many a newcomer to bodybuilding or gym training will pursue a protein rich diet as well as incorporate protein supplements, which according to the specialists is in fact overkill, and really a pointless exercise as the individual is defeating the object here.

The effects of excessive protein consumption are another issue worth highlighting here, and tests have revealed that an increased risk of gout, osteoporosis as well as kidney stones may come about from such excessive intake. As the old saying goes ‘all in moderation’, is well worth keeping in mind here. If you are at doubtful or lacking the knowledge within this area then the best bet would be to seek professional advice regarding such intake, as well as your specific dietary requirements in line with your exercise routines.

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Reducing Cholesterol With Natural Supplements

2010-07-20 / Supplements / 0 Comments

Cholesterol is a wax-like substance that’s found in the bodies of every known mammal. A certain amount of it is necessary to maintain various bodily functions. However, of the two types of cholesterol, only one is good. People with high levels of the bad type may benefit by learning about reducing cholesterol naturally.

This substance is needed to keep a mammal’s cell membranes in proper working order. It’s also a component of bile acids, steroid hormones, and certain fat-soluble vitamins. (Vitamins A, E, D, and K are included in that group.)

A human body will synthesize much of what it requires. Meat and dairy products, particularly beef, pork, shrimp, cheese, poultry, and egg yolks, are other sources. Plant-based foods normally don’t contain it, unless it was put there during processing.

However, if a person’s blood test shows a high level of serum cholesterol, that could be a sign of impending heart disease or stroke. The problem is that “LDL”, short for “Low Density Lipoprotein”, can build up inside the walls of a person’s arteries, eventually closing them off. If this happens to the arteries that supply blood to the tissues of the heart, it could lead to a heart attack. A build-up in arteries to the brain may result in a stroke. (In fact, this is the number one cause of heart disease and stroke.)

“HDL”, short for “High Density Lipoprotein”, is the good type. In addition to supporting essential bodily functions, it can also help to clean LDL from artery walls. Certain foods, like olive oil and fatty fish, can help raise levels of HDL and lower levels of LDL. Limiting the intake of certain types of fat can also lower serum levels. Saturated fats, such as those in red meat, and trans-fats, such as those found in margarine, are particularly rich sources of LDL.

For some people though, just a change of diet may not completely do the trick. They may consult their doctors, and come home with a prescription for some sort of drug that’s supposed to fix the problem. While these drugs may work, they might also have side-effects. Fortunately, there’s something else that a person can try before resorting to drugs.

Many different supplements are available which may help out with reducing cholesterol naturally. Among them are capsules that contain fish, flaxseed, or borage oils. (Some products have a mixture of the three.) Garlic capsules, lecithin tablets, and lecithin granules are also advertised as being able to help. Natural supplements have not only been shown to work, they’ve been shown to work without side-effects.

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Importance of Antioxidants

2010-07-16 / Medications / 0 Comments

Oxidation affects every cell in our body. It is a chemical reaction between oxygen and living tissue in which the atoms in a cell lose electrons – think of it as similar to metal corrosion. Everything that we eat or drink, the polluted, chemical filled, air that we breathe and even physical exercise creates oxidation.

As a result, unstable atoms with missing electrons are created – these are called free radicals. These free radicals interfere with and destroy our healthy cells: a process that leads to faster ageing and diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s, kidney failure, Alzheimer’s and even schizophrenia.

To stop the oxidation damage, our cells must become balanced again. This is the purpose of the antioxidant. Antioxidants are friendly particles which are effective because they give up their own electrons to the free radicals. When a free radical gains the electron from an antioxidant it no longer needs to attack the cell and the chain reaction of oxidation is broken. After donating an electron, an antioxidant does not become harmful itself because it has a special ability to lose an electron without becoming reactive. Our body has its own antioxidant defence system; however there are far more free radicals that attack us today than our body is able to fight on its own.

What are the Health Benefits of Antioxidants? Slowing down the effects of ageing, improved brain activity and memory, lower risk of diseases that have oxidative stress at a cause – heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis, increased metabolism, stable nervous system, increased glucose tolerance and others.

How are antioxidants measured? One common measure is ORAC units. The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) test is the standardized method used by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for testing food’s and supplement’s anti-oxidant capacities. It allocates scores for the ability to neutralize free radicals and create balanced healthy cells. The basic understanding of the ORAC test is that the higher the ORAC score of a food or supplement, the higher the antioxidant level.

How many antioxidants do I need a day? The daily recommended antioxidant dose is 5000 ORAC units. Sadly, in reality 80% of our population is consuming less than 1,000 ORAC units a day. This is seriously concerning!

Even if you have your “5 a day” of fruit and veg, you may only consume an ORAC content of about 1,750 units a day on average instead of the necessary 5,000. Nowhere close to start slowing down your body’s degeneration.

Which foods are rich in antioxidants? USDA study conducted at Tufts University showed that Acai berry in its freeze-dried form had the highest amount of antioxidants out of all fruit and vegetables – the ORAC value of 102,700. Maqui berry in its dry form also took a high position in the list – 75,000 ORAC units. It was followed by goji berry, cranberries blueberries, raspberries, mangosteen, pomegranate and artichokes.

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Fructooligosaccharide (FOS)

2010-07-14 / Supplements / 0 Comments

Fructooligosaccharide or FOS, is a naturally-occurring substance that is used primarily as artificial sweetener and as a healthier alternative to sugar produced from sugar cane. FOS is found in highest concentration in Jerusalem artichokes and yacon (root crops that closely resemble yams and sweet potatoes) and also in substantial amounts in bananas, onions, chicory root, garlic, asparagus, barley, wheat, jicama, tomatoes and leeks.

FOS became commercially available in the 1980s as a response to the growing clamor of consumers for healthier and more nutritious foods. Thus, with the help of nutritionists and health food advocates, enterprising manufacturers started producing articificial sweeteners by extracting FOS from fruits and vegetables providing a level of sweetness between 30 to 50 percent of sugar in commercially prepared syrups.

FOS, also known as oligofructan or oligofructose promotes proper absorption of calcium in the body. The high solubility of calcium in acid makes it more easily digested in the stomach resulting to a lower pH level and also facilitates a more speedy transport of food from the stomach into the bloodstream. Therefore, a diet rich in FOS will provide you with an adequate supply of calcium necessary for the proper maintenance of healthy bones and teeth.

Long before FOS became known world-wide, it was already popularly used as dietary supplement among health-conscious Japanese men and women since before the 1990s for its prebiotic properties. Prebiotics are nutrients that cannot be properly digested in the stomach but serves as a great source of energy by beneficial bacteria called bifidobacteria or bifidus, that dwell in the colon necessary for growth and multiplication. The presence of FOS in the intestines promotes general gastrointestinal health.

Because FOS is indigestible, they pass through our digestive system chemically unchanged making it a perfect sugar substitute because of its zero calorie content. It is a combination of this low calorie benefit and the sweetness level it provides that makes FOS a popular sweetener for a variety of food products currently sold in the market. But even if fructooligosaccharides can be produced naturally, this product is now commercially mass produced because of the growing demand by consumers of this health food product.

FOS is also known to strike a balance between the bad and good bacteria in the digestive tract. Dominance of the bad bacteria causes a condition called dysbiosis which can trigger a chain reaction of various illnesses that can seriously affect the body.

Other benefits of FOS is its ability to relieve constipation, other gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and lactose intolerance.

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Vitamin D Fraud

2010-07-13 / Vitamins / 0 Comments

Vitamin D is essential for our bodies to maintain our health, with lots of amazing benefits, but there are two forms of Vitamin D. Many manufacturers use the second cheap, ineffective variety. Don’t waste your money.

  • What Vitamin D Does
  • What does Vitamin D do for us? It helps our body get calcium from our food so that our bones remain strong. Vitamin D deficiency was first associated with rickets, and soft bones, but now we know that Vitamin d does a great deal more. It helps maintain our cardiovascular health and deficiencies in vitamin D are associated with more cardiac deaths. It helps to prevent cognitive impairment as we age, in kids it helps to prevent severe asthma. It is being studied for its role in preventing and treating many forms of cancer. It is also known to help prevent Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance and Multiple Sclerosis. It is extremely helpful for those who suffered SAD which is a depression caused by lack of sun and it is being studied in many other forms of depression.

  • Where Do You Get Vitamin D?
  • Vitamin D is commonly known as the sunshine vitamin, because the sun’s UVB rays allow our body to produce Vitamin D. Without the sun your body can’t produce it and there are few foods that give you Vitamin D particularly if you are vegetarian and even fewer if you are vegan. The foods that have the most Vitamin D are fortified dairy products, like cheese, some fortified grain products, egg yolks, fish and fish liver oils. But the truth is for many people the only way they get enough Vitamin D is through supplementation.

    You may have seen the orange juice and other products fortified with vitamin D but, not only is there very little, it is the cheap ineffective variety. You see you can ingest lots of things that sound like they could be good for you but if they are not bio-available than it is your excrement that gets them. Vitamin D comes in 2 forms; D2 which is not very bio-available and is quite weak, but it is cheap to produce. So guess which kind gets put in all these designer drinks and foods? The powerful kind is Vitamin D3 and it is much more expensive. Nonetheless find a good D3 supplement. You need at least 2000 IU daily and tests are showing that in fact we may need a lot more than that. Europe is already recommending up to 5000 IU a day.

    As more is learned about vitamin D the more we realize its importance and for a large part of the world, everyone north of about 40 degrees North latitude, they cannot get enough Vitamin D from the sun for about 8 months of the year. So when you can get out in the sun unprotected, sunscreen blocks the UVB rays, for 15 -20 minutes a day. Do so when the sun is low in the sky so you do not get too much direct sun. If your skin color is dark you can take more sun, but still be careful. You need some UVB but you don’t need a burn. Eat as many of the foods as you can that do contain Vitamin D and last but certainly not least, supplement with a good Vitamin D3 supplement.

  • Vitamin D Deficiency, Becomes More Common as We Age
  • See your doctor and have an investigation for Vitamin D deficiency particularly if you have muscle or bone aches or pains, if you feel like you are experiencing memory impairment, if you are fatigued or have low energy constantly, if you have symptoms of depression, sudden and frequent mood swings and/or sleep irregularities. Those who suffer from any of the renal or intestinal problem disorders such as Crohns disease should certainly get yourself checked for Vitamin D deficiency as you may be having trouble absorbing or converting the nutrient. Also as we age our body becomes less and less able to mobilize Vitamin D so our calcium absorption could decline dangerously.

    The medical profession is beginning to realize just how important Vitamin D is, but the studies are just beginning. What is known for sure is that you must have lots of Vitamin d and most people must supplement. When you look for D Vitamin supplements don’t let them defraud you, get Vitamin D3. Your long term health depends on it.

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    The Nitric Oxide Shootout

    2010-07-07 / Supplements / 0 Comments

    Nitric Oxide products have enjoyed a long history as premier muscle builders. Along with creatine, they define the pre-workout market! I am going to define “nitric oxide” a little differently than most, because I view nitric oxide products as ones that don’t contain creatine. There is nothing wrong with creatine, but it isn’t a nitric oxide product just because it contains some arginine. Most of these kitchen sink products on the market contain everything from neurotropics to arginine to creatine in an effort to boost performance, but to me they miss the mark completely. I feel that mixing everything together in one big scoop just isn’t effective! That being said, luckily there are true NO products on the market that don’t rely on creatine to boost their pumps and use the power of arginine and arginine co-factors to give you wicked pumps in the gym. Unfortunately the studies on Arginine products are not very supportive for their desired function, increasing NO2.

    First on the list is NO2 (R) from MRI, the company that put NO on the map! NO2 is currently sold as NO2 – Black and it contains the same basic formula of L-Arginine AKG as the original formula along with some new co-factors that help supposedly improve the conversion to Nitric Oxide. NO2 – Black contains Arginine alpha-Ketoglutarate (A-AKG) 3000.00 mg along with the NO2 Black Proprietary Blend 150.00 mg Alpha-Lipoic Acid (thioctic acid) ACTINOS2 Whey peptide Fraction. Let’s look at these ingredients one by one to discuss their role in NO production. A-AKG is a staple performer for NO products, it is simply L-Arginine mixed with a krebs cycle intermediate alpha-ketogluterate. It probably has some absorption benefits over straight L-Arginine, since I believe that peptides are better than singular amino acids for passing through the intestine. The other ingredients are a bit of a mystery. Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a great anti-oxidant, and is certainly good for you but I am not exactly sure how really benefits NO production. A quick literature search does show that it could help with NO production in diabetic patients, so it is possible it helps. The ACTINOS2 is a whey protein fraction that is supposed to help upregulate eNOS, which is an enzyme that converts Arginine to Nitric Oxide. Unfortunately, I am not sure what this fraction is, so we will have to take their word for it. Still, NO2 Black is a solid choice for an NO product and since it started the revolution it is the “champ”.

    Force Factor (R) is a brand that was completely born on the internet. They have some seriously outrageous advertising, but that aside, let’s look at the ingredients and see what they have to offer over NO2. It contains some very familiar ingredients such as Arginine alpha-Ketoglutarate (A-AKG), Arginine Ketoisocaproate (A-KIC), L-Arginine Monohydrate, which are all similar forms of L-Arginine bonded to krebs intermediates. This I hate, they use ingredients like Di-Potassium Phosphate, Calcium Phosphate and magnesium stearate as “active ingredients” when in fact they are the binders that hold the tablet together and don’t do anything as a supplement. It does have some cool things like NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) and L-Citrulline Monohydrate but the last ingredient, the L-Citrulline is last on the list, making it a very, very small quantity. Too bad, because Citrulline is a very cool ingredient that can help boost NO. NAD is an energy co-factor and a pretty cool ingredient, that can give you natural energy, which is a good addition.

    The final product is Anadraulic Pump from LG Sciences. It is a bit different, since it is a drink vs pills, but it has some interesting ingredients for building pumps and increasing focus. It includes the usual suspects for boosting NO, L-Arginine HCL and L-Arginine AKG, but also L-Arginine Nitrate which is a new ingredient that combines the power of natural nitrates in foods like beets with L-Arginine. It’s pretty new, so there is no true data on it, but the manufacturer of this particular ingredient swears you can “feel” it. Anadraulic Pump also contains other amino acids meant for increasing performance like L-Taurine, L-Alanine, L-Aspartic Acid, all of which are shown in the literature to increase athletic performance. Taurine is popular in energy drinks for its energy boosting benefits, L-Alanine is similar to Glutamine, being used up when you exercise and Aspartic Acid may increase stamina and physical performance. Finally it has Quercetin, which may boost athletic performance and will also stop the body from reducing the enzyme responsible for destroying L-Arginine. This enzyme reducing effect should really help the conversion of Arginine to NOS, which is the point of pump products. Finally, it contains Geranium Oil Extract #105-41-9, which is a stimulant that will give you a natural energy boost prior to working out. Being a powder, it has a flavor called “Citrus Blast” which tastes similar to weak “Tang(R)” I suppose. It is pretty tasty and I actually looked forward to drinking it.

    Each product delivers on it’s promise to give you NO boosting Arginine, along with co-factors. I feel the best are NO2 – Black and Anadraulic Pump, then it comes down to whether you want the simple formula in NO2 or the more advanced powder on Anadraulic Pump, specifically the inclusion of the Geranium Oil Extract, that gives you a stimulant boost. If you want a pill, stick with NO2, but if you want a powder, with some cool free form amino acids and a razor sharp stimulant, you should try Anadraulic Pump. Both products have a healthy dose of Arginine, which can also help with fat loss and are consumed with lots of water during the day to make them active. There are lots of products with creatine in them that take on the “NO” title, but I still don’t feel that those are TRUE nitric oxide products, since they tend to have everything thrown together and should be put into the creatine category.

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    The Advantages of Fish Oil Consumption

    2010-07-02 / Supplements / 0 Comments

    The health benefits of fish oil are plenty. It can aid in the treatment of heart disease, depression, ADHD, anxiety, low immunity, inflammation, arthritis, IBD, AIDS, macular degeneration,eye disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, ulcers and high cholesterol. It can too assist in losing extra pounds, fertility and skin maintenance and pregnancy.

    Plenty of the health benefits we can gain from fish oil can be lined to the presence of Omega 3 essential fatty acids like DHA or Docosahexaenoic acid and EPA or Eicosapentaenoic acid. There are likewise another functional fatty acids such as Gamma-linolenic acid or GLA and Alpha-linolenic acid or ALA. There are several fatty fish that can give fish oil like herring, mackerel, sardines, lake trout, salmon and albacore tuna. These are the type of fatty fish that can render the better quality of fish oil. The kind of fish applied and the purity standards being adopted in oil refining will regard the quality of fish oil.

    A lot of advantages correctly? Let us talk further with regards to the leading function it can play for our body.

    Great for the heart

    According to the American Heart Association or AHA, Omega 3 has been verified through clinical trials that it can cut the risk of acquiring cardiovascular diseases or CVD. Fish oil is plentiful in Omega 3 and Omega 3 lessens the chance of heart diseases. It can also lower the levels of LDL cholesterol which is seen as abusive cholesterol, and augments the points of HDL which is taken as good cholesterol.

    Fish oil can likewise prevent the formation of triglycerides and lessens the stages of unneeded triglycerides. Fish oil can also forbid atherosclerosis according to basic researches. In this matter, fish oil is good in treating heart strokes and regular intake of such will keep several sudden cardiac demises. Advance study should still be imparted to determine these findings.

    Great for the immune system

    Regular ingestion of fish oil can assist beef up resistance degree of the human body, thereby establishing your body shielded from illnesses like cough,cold and flu. Omega 3 fatty acids that can be incurred in fish oil benefit the immune system by maintaining forces on cytokines and eicosanoids in our body. Fish oil is as well thought to aid in the treatment of lupus, a disease due to the invasion of the immune system of the human body on various organs and tissues. In addition, fish oil can aid in cutting the anguish and inflammation in areas such as lungs, eyes, kidney, , joints, heart, nerves and blood vessels.

    Good for lessening weight

    Fish oil can likewise aid in dropping off weight. Study has expressed that it can develop the efficacy of work out while minimizing weight. Work Out blended with fish oil intake has a positive outcome on the figure and the makeup of the body.

    These are simply 3 advantages of oil using up that are discussed in points. There are different profound health profits to discuss. There is as well a developing trend today of applying fish oil supplement in lieu of fatty fish consumption because of the presence of toxins in several fatty fish. You can buy such health supplementations from drugstores or online pharmacies now.

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