Month: December 2016

beta-alanine molecule

Beta-Alanine a worthwhile supplement to boost muscle performance

Posted DylanPosted in Supplementation

Previously we have discussed the workout supplement creatine. Today we want to talk about another popular supplement called beta-alanine. As you may know when you work out byproducts of energy expenditure build up within your muscles. Beta-alanine helps increase carnosine a substance that buffers hydrogen ions (acid) in your muscles. Given that these byproducts add up the most during high intensity exercises this is where beta-alanine may help you the most by keeping your muscles working optimally during exercise. Carnosine is often lower in women, the elderly, and possibly those who are vegetarians. Interestingly sprint-trained athletes tend to have higher levels of carnosine than most individuals this could be because elite sprinters have ideal genetics or it also could be due to a slow adaption that occurs during training. High intensity interval training has also been shown to increase muscle carnosine leaves. There are quite a few scientific studies on the supplement. A study from 2010 of 51 young men taking creatine and beta-alanine showed that both beta-alanine and creatine increased physical working capacity at neuromuscular fatigue threshold in untrained men. Another study in older men and women over the age of 55 found that 90 days of beta-alanine supplementation increased physical working capacity by over 28% through delaying neuromuscular fatigue. Dosages of 4-6 grams per day resulted in 20-30% increase in muscle carnosine by two weeks, 40-60% after four weeks, and 80% by ten weeks. One of the common side effects of beta-alanine is paresthesia (feeling of pins and needles) you may notice this when you take the supplement. As far as changes in body mass results have been mixed, some showing increased body mass while others have shown no changes. β-alanine is found in many over the counter supplements and may be a worthwhile supplement to add to your regimen.

Sources are included below.

http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/abstract/2006/11000/effects_of_twenty_eight_days_of_beta_alanine_and.33.aspx

https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-5-21

http://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-7-20

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-008-0911-7

http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/2/1/75/htm

Dietary fiber an important part of your diet

Posted JacobPosted in Diet

Dietary fiber is an important element in every diet but it is often an overlooked. Fiber offers many benefits for the even though you may not be aware of them. One thing everyone normally knows is that fiber helps regulate bowel movements. This is especially important if your plan on cutting or losing weight. Why? A lot of the times I see people cut weight they tend to cut carbs way down. When they do this they could pick foods that do not have adequate amounts of fiber in them. Many people aim for higher protein diets and these can tend to cause constipation. The number on the scale shouldn’t determine the changes in your body composition as you start a diet and fitness routine. With constipation it can be difficult sometimes to tell if that week you were in the right caloric deficit. You may think that you didn’t lose weight at all and that you need to cut back on calories when in reality you are having irregular bowel movements and holding onto that extra weight. However, that’s not the only benefits that dietary fiber offers. Fiber also helps with regulating blood sugar, reducing cholesterol, and helping with weight loss by creating a sense of being more “full” so reduces the tendencies to eat excessively. All fiber is not created equal though. There are two types of fiber soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber can dissolve in water taking on a more gel like form. This type of fiber is especially important in reducing blood sugar levels and cholesterol. Insoluble helps regulate bowel movements and is especially important to put in your diet if constipation tends to be a problem. The suggested amount for males is 38g of fiber while for females it is 25g. So if you want to throw some high fiber foods in your diet you can try whole-wheat spaghetti, black beans, split peas, raspberries, artichoke. Fiber enriched cereals and supplements also offer options for reaching your daily dietary fiber goals. There are many more foods high in fiber and are listed in in the reference for the chart below.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/high-fiber-foods/art-20050948

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983?pg=1

Well prepared for a high dietary fiber lifestyle
Got to be prepared for high dietary fiber.

Ironsnack introduction and philosophy

Posted DylanPosted in People & Blogs

Welcome to our website. Let us introduce ourselves and give you an idea about our philosophy. We are 2 medical students (Sean and Dylan) and 2 US military members (Jackson and Jacob) who love fitness. We each have different interest and focus within the larger realm of fitness. We hope that you can join us throughout our development. We will bring you guys science based workout and nutrition information along with practical knowledge that we picked up in the gym.

Creatine monohydrate with ironsnack shark

Should you take creatine? Monohydrate vs Hcl

Posted DylanPosted in Supplementation

Should you take creatine? Creatine monohydrate vs creatine HCl.

Supplements in the gym… are they necessary and do they work? Well the bottom line is if you have good nutrition and you work hard in the gym you will see improvements. However, proper supplementation can sometimes help. Today we are going to discuss one of the most popular workout supplements. Creatine is a substance that supplies energy to cells, particularly muscle cells. Energy from creatine helps with short explosive movements that require quick energy. Its effects have been studied over many years. A 2003 meta-analysis (a bunch of studies combined together from 1967-2001) found creatine to be one of only two supplements out the 250 that were investigated to show increase lean mass (muscle) and increase strength gains over a 3 week period of supplementation. Just this year a study by Zello out of Canada found that creatine supplementation resulted in increased muscle mass in males and females who hadn’t previously trained in the gym. The muscle benefits were observed more strongly in men than women. Similar results were found in a 2000 study where increase in lean muscle was found when combining bicep exercises with creatine supplementation. Findings for improvement in leg strength were also found in a study by Lanhers, Pereira, Naughton et al. in 2015. There are many types of creatine two common types you can purchase are HCl and monohydrate. HCl tends to dissolve more easily and to have better absorption in the body. In a study of 40 weightlifters in 2015 both types of creatine at a dose of 5 grams per day increased performance but only HCl effected the individuals body composition (make up of fat, muscle and overall body weight). The good news is creatine is also one of the most affordable supplements so if you are working hard in the gym and eating right it’s worth considering as an addition to your routine.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S053155651630256X

http://search.proquest.com/openview/fe7b4d28c97892d1ff60fd488bc235b4/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=716360

http://jap.physiology.org/content/94/2/651.short

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard_Kreider/publication/13754611_Effects_of_creatine_supplementation_on_body_composition_strength_and_sprint_performance/links/02bfe513e2c04271e6000000.pdf

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-015-0337-4

http://general.utpb.edu/fac/eldridge_j/kine6362/ancillaryfiles/becque_creatine.pdf

Ironsnack shark eating before bed nighttime eating

Nighttime eating. Should you eat before bed?

Posted DylanPosted in Diet

Some people avoid nighttime eating but is this the right move? Well some studies have shown that nighttime eating can actually increase your resting energy expenditure into the next morning. This means you are burning more calories when you wake up the next morning. Whey protein seemed to have the greatest effect on ramping up your resting energy expenditure when compared to casein protein or consumption of carbohydrates. Another study of 44 men showed an increase in muscle strength when protein consumption before bed was combined with resistance exercised compared to those who didn’t take protein supplementation before bed. In this same study men had greater gains in muscle mass as well. If these three positive effects weren’t enough to encourage you to have some delicious protein before bed a study published in 2012 showed that consuming casein protein just before sleep increased amino acid levels in the blood throughout the night and also increased protein synthesis. A study published just last year noted the benefits of increased muscle protein synthesis and cardiometabolic health in those that consumed small 150 calorie meals at bedtime (pretty close to a protein shake). Looking at the results of these studies it’s a no brainer to schedule a portion of your protein intake for the end of your day just before you lay your head on the pillow. This strategy will keep your muscles growing and boost your metabolic rate for the coming day.

Sources include:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4425165/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22330017?dopt=Abstract http://jn.nutrition.org/content/145/6/1178

https://doi.org/10.1017/S000711451300192X