Category: Supplementation

Dylan and Jacob best workout supplements

Best workout supplements to take

Posted dgreenisfitPosted in Supplementation

The six best workout supplements you should consider adding to your workout routine.

Creatinine

Creatine is one of the best studied supplements. It helps increase energy to our cells. It is known to increase lean mass and strength when supplemented even over a 3 week period. Creatine is also incredibly cheap.

Thinking of getting started on creatine?

 

Science Behind Creatine:
Effect of creatine supplementation and drop-set resistance training in untrained aging adults

Effect of dietary supplements on lean mass and strength gains with resistance exercise: a meta-analysis

Effects of creatine supplementation on body composition, strength, and sprint performance

Creatine Supplementation and Lower Limb Strength Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses

Effects of oral creatine supplementation on muscular strength and body composition

Amino Acids

Amino acids are one of the best workout supplements. Amino acids help you retain lean muscle mass even when you are dieting to lose weight. When studied those who supplemented had lower enzymes associated with muscle breakdown in their blood. Study participants have had decreased muscle soreness, faster recovery, and retained muscle function. Long distance runners have been shown to have better immune function when supplemented with amino acids.

Thinking of getting started on amino acids?

 

Science Behind Amino Acids:
Protein metabolism and physical training: any need for amino acid supplementation?

Effects of resistance training and protein plus amino acid supplementation on muscle anabolism, mass, and strength

Branched-chain amino acid supplementation and the immune response of long-distance athletes

Caffeine

Caffeine is found in coffee, tea and various over the counter workout supplements. Caffeine has been shown to help with fatigue, mood, and alertness. It also has been shown in studies to increase the max number of reps on various exercises and also one rep max.

Thinking of getting started on caffeine?

 

Science Behind Caffeine:
Effects of Acute caffeine ingestion on resistance training performance and perceptual responses during repeated sets to failure

THE ACUTE EFFECTS OF A CAFFEINE-CONTAINING SUPPLEMENT ON STRENGTH,MUSCULAR ENDURANCE, AND ANAEROBIC CAPABILITIES.

The Effect of Ephedra and Caffeine on Maximal Strength and Power in Resistance-Trained Athletes

Effects of Caffeine on Repetitions to Failure and Ratings of Perceived Exertion During Resistance Training

Effects of Caffeine and Aspirin on Light Resistance Training Performance, Perceived Exertion, and Pain Perception

Effect of caffeine on sport-specific endurance performance: a systematic review.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

Studies have shown a decrease in fat, studies in humans have shown a greater decrease in body fat in those who took CLA vs those who took placebo. The estimate could be as much as a 6lb fat loss over a 2 year period. CLA tends to help the most in the first 6 months of use when taking 3.2g daily.

Thinking about getting started on CLA?

 

Science Behind CLA
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), Body Fat, and Apoptosis

Efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid for reducing fat mass: a meta-analysis in humans

Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation for 1 y reduces body fat mass in healthy overweight humans

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Reduces Body Fat Mass in Overweight and Obese Humans

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Reduces Body Fat in Healthy Exercising Humans

Fish Oil

Contain omega 3 fatty acids and has been show to possibly help reduce blood pressure and decrease inflammation. Some studies have shown a decrease in musle sorness in those that supplement fish oil. Males should aim for 1.6g per day and women should aim for 1.1g per day.

Thinking about getting started on fish oil?

 

Science Behind Fish Oil:
The Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on the Inflammatory Response to eccentric strength exercise

National Institute of Health: Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Beta Alanine

Studies have shown increase in physical working capacity at neuromuscular fatigue by increasing carnosine levels in the muscle. The Carnosine levels increase by over 80% when supplemented for 10 weeks. 4-6 grams of beta alanine per day is a good goal for supplementation.

Thinking about getting started on beta alanine?

 

Science Behind Beta Alanine:
EFFECTS OF TWENTY-EIGHT DAYS OF BETA-ALANINE AND CREATINE MONOHYDRATE SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE PHYSICAL WORKING CAPACITY AT NEUROMUSCULAR FATIGUE THRESHOLD.

The effect of beta-alanine supplementation on neuromuscular fatigue in elderly (55–92 Years): a double-blind randomized study

Effect of beta-alanine supplementation on the onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) during treadmill running: Pre/post 2 treatment experimental design

The effects of beta-alanine supplementation and high-intensity interval training on neuromuscular fatigue and muscle function

Effects of Beta-Alanine on Muscle Carnosine and Exercise Performance:A Review of the Current Literature

 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids

Fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids.) What are the benefits?

Posted JacobPosted in Supplementation

Some supplements are pure snake oil; meaning they’re sold by really sly villains with bad intentions and wont do a thing but waste your money, while others actually can benefit you. One supplement I normally take every day is fish oil. Fish oil has a lot of benefits that many people don’t know about. Fish oil is important because it contains Omega-3 fatty acids. Many of these supplements contain both EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

Some of the benefits of these fatty acids include reducing blood pressure, improving cardiovascular health, and recent studies suggest it can help with inflammation. In a clinical study they tested healthy women and men to see if omega-3 fatty acids had an effect on inflammation. For this study they had their subjects do eccentric arm curls while being restricted on their omega-3 intake for 14 days and then again after 7 days of omega-3 supplementation. At the end of the study they found that when omega-3 was added, muscle soreness was 15% less than the diet without it. However, if you are eating foods high in omega-3 fatty acids then you don’t really have to supplement with fish oil. A diet with good amounts of beans, flax, canola oil, and obviously fish will give you the adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids that you need.

Normally you can get it at most vitamin stores and the supplement its self is very cheap. When supplementing with fish oil the adequate intakes differ between age and sex. For most of the population from age 19+ the adequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids is 1.6g for men and 1.1g for women. The adequate amount also changes for pregnancy (1.4g) and lactation (1.3g). Unlike a lot of fats, the body can’t produce omega-3 fatty acids on its own which is why it’s important to include diets that supply the body with these fats or to use omega-3 supplementation. If you want to learn about more of the benefits of fat in your diet check out our YouTube video here. If you are interested in supplementing with fish oil here is a product that is highly rated by a third party company that checks the contents of the supplement and for impurities.

 

Sources for omega-3 fatty acids:

The Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on the Inflammatory Response to eccentric strength exercise

National Institute of Health: Omega-3 Fatty Acids

 

Does CLA work fat and muscle

Does Conjugated Linoleic Acid work? Is CLA supplementation worth considering?

Posted DylanPosted in Supplementation

Some studies have helped answer the question, does CLA work? Its effects have been measured by looking at either fat loss or weight loss. Fat loss is likely the most helpful measurement to answer does CLA work? Like many supplyements and drugs CLA has been studied in both rodents and humans. Rodent studies have shown that CLA consumption can cause apoptosis (cell death) in this case the death of fat cells within 5 days of its consumption. One study found that while body weight didn’t decrease in rodents the amount of fat did decrease. In 2007 a large meta analysis (a study of putting many studies together, 18 in this case to be exact) was conducted. This meta analysis looked specifically at the best studies available on the supplement. They only included human studies that were randomized, double-blinded, and placebo controlled. On top of using the truly gold standard (randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled) methods for research they also used validated tools for testing body composition. The average dose of CLA was 3.2g per day. Some studies have looked at higher doses but they did not find any greater effect. They found that on average those taking CLA lost 0.024kg (0.05lbs) more fat than those taking placebo per week. The supplement usually continued to help the most over 6 months and then had plateaued by two years. Although the math likely isn’t that simple given changing weight and metabolism this may account for around 6 lbs of fat loss over a 2 year period. Rather mild it may seem unless you think of what 6 lbs of fat actually looks at, check out the picture. The picture of the yellow substance (fat) shows 5 pounds of fat compared to 5 lbs of muscle. So you can see losing 5lbs of fat isn’t a trivial accomplishment. Of course CLA isn’t the end all be all of fat loss . Diet and exercise are the mainstay of fat reduction. I am reluctant to say this but the fat loss was observed even without diet and exercise particularly in those who were healthy but overweight. Overall, CLA may help you if you are looking to change your body composition by losing fat. It is important to note that many of the studies do not show weight loss from CLA but rather a change in the percentage of fat and muscle in the body so don’t expect to see changes on the scale. Below is a link to a CLA product from a company called BulkSupplements which has show time and time again by third party testers to be accurately labeled and pure.

 

 

Sources for does CLA work:

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), Body Fat, and Apoptosis

Efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid for reducing fat mass: a meta-analysis in humans

Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation for 1 y reduces body fat mass in healthy overweight humans

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Reduces Body Fat Mass in Overweight and Obese Humans

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Reduces Body Fat in Healthy Exercising Humans

Anabolic Window

Anabolic window of protein intake. Bro science or real science?

Posted DylanPosted in Supplementation

Who has heard of the anabolic window? The question of an anabolic window has been floated around the gym for as long as I can remember. Do you have to take protein in a certain time period after your gym session to get the best results? Is the anabolic window for protein intake just bro science or is there some real science out there to back it up? Most of us who have spent some time in the gym have heard that you should take a protein supplement such as whey protein within 30 minutes of finishing your exercise or risk wasting your workout and not getting the hard earned gains that you have worked for. Fortunately there is some good science to help answer this question.

Following a workout muscle protein synthesis (building of muscle) is increased at least for 3-72 hours post workout. Previous studies have shown that various forms of protein ingestion throughout a 12 hour period post exercise increased myofibrillar (muscle fiber) protein synthesis. The study also stated that the biggest increase was observed in the first 5 hours post workout. They also looked at dosing of the protein. In their study and protein supplementation consisting of 20g x once every two hours for 4 doses (80g) resulted in the best gains. Other dosing regimens such as 10g every hour for 8 hours or two large boluses of 40g were inferior. Another study looking at protein synthesis, found that those who ingested protein immediately after their workout as opposed to 3 hours after finishing their workout had a 3 fold increase in protein synthesis vs a 12% increase in those that waited.

Another study out of Denmark looked at a group of older males who consumed protein at either 5 minutes or 2 hours following their workout. They found that of the two groups those who consumed protein 5 minutes after their workout had an increase in the cross sectional area and mean fibre area of the quadriceps muscle. They were able to study this by taking pictures of the muscle using an MRI machine and actually biopsying the muscle and looking at the individual fibers under a microscope. This increase in muscle size was not observed in the group that waited 2 hours to consume their protein supplement.

All this points towards timing of protein consumption being very important. However a large meta-analysis (basically a study which is done by adding together the results of many studies) of nearly 500 participants which was much larger than any of the studies I have previously quoted found no difference in strength or hypertrophy. One thing the meta analysis did find was the daily amount of protein consumption was correlated to muscle size increases. So in reality getting the right amount of protein may be of more importance than the timing in which it is consumed after workout. This is one of the reasons that when we build meal plans for our customers we use not only use caloric goals but also macro nutrient goals.

Ultimately the science is mixed. The results of the large meta analysis shows the timing of your protein ingestion not making that big of a difference while some smaller studies indicate that it is important. I would recommend ensuring one of your regular meals is consumed following your gym session. However if for some reason you can’t take your protein right after your workout the science says don’t sweat it.

If you are looking for a great protein that has been studied by a third party company and proven to be pure and actually contain what the label states click the protein below. It is unflavored so you wont get the overbearing artificially sweetened taste but you will get the nutrition you are looking for. It’s been reviewed by over 1400 people with 4.5/5 stars on amazon.

Sources for anabolic window for protein intake:

Exercise training and protein metabolism: influences of contraction, protein intake, and sex-based differences

Postexercise nutrient intake timing in humans is critical to recovery of leg glucose and protein homeostasis

The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis

Timing of postexercise protein intake is important for muscle hypertrophy with resistance training in elderly humans

Timing and distribution of protein ingestion during prolonged recovery from resistance exercise alters myofibrillar protein synthesis

 

Plant based protein Ironsnack logo

Plant based protein a good alternative to whey protein supplementation?

Posted DylanPosted in Diet, Supplementation

There is no doubt that non-GMO, vegetarian, vegan, natural, organic, and plant based protein have been buzzwords in nutrition over the last few years. We all know that protein is great for building muscle, boosting the immune system, and regulating blood sugars. But what about vegetable based protein, will it actually do the job? Vegetable based protein is a great choice for people who have either egg or dairy allergies. A Cambridge study found that people using plant based protein as their biggest source of protein had no amino acid deficiencies and therefore were able to utilize the amino acids equally to their whey counterparts. Other studies show it could have less harmful side effects, as well. One study showed that male vegetarians under 65 were 45% less likely to have a heart attack than those who ate meat. Jim Morris is a vegan bodybuilder, who talks about how whey protein was giving him a lot of digestive problems, and the amazing difference plant based protein has made for him. A lot of people have questioned, if we can really use plant based protein the same as whey. Dr. Jordan Joy made a wonderful study titled, “The effects of 8 weeks of whey or rice supplementation body composition and exercise performance.” The results showed that there both groups of protein users gained muscle and strength, but there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. So, if you are deciding to go vegan, vegetarian due to digestive issues or just seeking a healthier life try switching up your protein supplement. It seems that plant based protein is a great option. If you have any additional questions please feel free to contact us or comment below.

Some great options for plant based proteins include:

 

Sources for plant based protein:

The effects of 8 weeks of whey or rice protein supplementation on body composition and exercise performance.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23782948

The nutritional value of plant-based diets in relation to human amino acid and protein requirements
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0029665199000348

Plant-based foods and prevention of cardiovascular disease: an overview
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/544S.short

Anaphylaxis after ingestion of a recently introduced hydrolyzed whey protein formula
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022347605818499

Amino acid supplementation steak ironsnack shark

Amino acid supplementation the benefits go beyond body composition

Posted DylanPosted in Supplementation

What is amino acid supplementation? In a continuation of my supplement ingredient series I want to discuss amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks that form proteins. As all of you probably know proteins are the building blocks of our muscles. Amino acid supplementation became critically important to me during my competition preparation for my first NPC physique show last year, let me tell why. During competition prep you are in a hypo caloric state, meaning you are taking in less calories than your body burns at baseline. This is necessary so you can lose fat and gain the aesthetic display of your physique that goes along with being on stage. Starting my prep I was 175 pounds at 5’10.5” meaning I was on the smaller side compared to my competition. It was essential that I did everything I could to retain lean muscle mass. I wanted to lose fat while retaining as much muscle as possible. Amino acid supplementation has been well researched. A recent study published in 2016 displayed that over an 8 week period athletes supplemented with 7g of amino acids before and 7g of amino acids after their workout even while on a hypo caloric diet lost fat while preserving lean mass. Not only are there these benefits to your body composition but when amino acid supplementation is done properly it has also been shown to decrease levels of enzymes in the blood which are indications of muscle break down. Study participants also reported reduced soreness, faster recovery, and retained muscle function. We will go into further detail on protein supplementation in another article but when protein and amino acid supplementation was use together over a 10 week period of resistance training increase in lean body mass, thigh mass, muscle strength, and anabolic (muscle building) growth factors where higher than when compared to carbohydrates alone. Amino acid supplementation may not just affect your body composition but also your immune function. When long distance runners were studied it was noted that they had decreased immune function (ability to fight bacteria and viruses) following long strenuous runs. When these athletes underwent amino acid supplementation the ability for their body to increase white blood cells to fight infection was boosted. Overall, amino acid supplementation has a wide range of benefits that are backed by scientific evidence. Many pre-workout supplements contain amino acids along with creatine, caffeine, and beta-alanine which we have discussed previously. You also have the option of buying a stand alone supplement to get your pre and post workout amino acids, often times these go for about $0.30 to $1.00 per dose.

Amino Acid Supplementation Sources:

http://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-015-0112-9
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41110-016-0022-x
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00726-006-0398-7
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0899900702007530

Caffeine coffee beans ironsnack logo

Caffeine to boost repetitions and one rep max

Posted DylanPosted in Supplementation

Caffeine is consumed by nearly everyone. Some get their fix with coffee, tea while others go straight for supplements containing the molecule. The beneficial effects are caused by increasing levels of 3’5’ cyclic AMP through inhibition of an enzyme called phosphodiesterase. Cyclic AMP is a derivative of ATP one of the main forms of energy the body uses. The result is increased CNS stimulation and also improve skeletal muscle contraction. There has been a great deal of research conducted on caffeine supplementation and how it affects weightlifting performance. Research has shown increased performance even in those who have previously trained. Specifically it increased the repetitions participants were able to perform when compared to placebo (sugar pill) in bench and leg press. Caffeine also blunts feelings of fatigue in the gym potentially leading to those who consume to lift harder. When people in the gym are surveyed they report enhanced mood and alertness after consuming caffeine. Other studies have show an increase in one rep max on the bench press, however they didn’t note an improvement in lower extremity one rep max. Some researchers have noted that the performance enhancing effect of caffeine may be most notable in exercises that are short-duration and high intensity. The research on caffeine certainly isn’t one sided some studies have reported no change in maximal strength and power in the gym. If you decide to supplement with caffeine it is recommended that you supplement 3-6mg/kg/day. But know that caffeine has some negative effects such as potentially worsening anxiety, causing palpitations, and tremors.

Sources:

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lucas_Guimaraes-Ferreira/publication/278040017_Effects_of_Acute_caffeine_ingestion_on_resistance_training_performance_and_perceptual_responses_during_repeated_sets_to_failure/links/5702a17b08aeade57a2465f0.pdf

http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/abstract/2006/08000/the_acute_effects_of_a_caffeine_containing.8.aspx

http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2008/03000/The_Effect_of_Ephedra_and_Caffeine_on_Maximal.19.aspx

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/James_Green10/publication/23939237_Effects_of_Caffeine_on_Repetitions_to_Failure_and_Ratings_of_Perceived_Exertion_During_Resistance_Training/links/00b7d52bee2b44b6d8000000.pdf

http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2008/11000/Effects_of_Caffeine_and_Aspirin_on_Light.32.aspx

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19077738

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

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