Bodybuilding with protein-rich diet is healthier

Strength training will result in more muscle mass when combined with a protein-rich diet. Nothing new here, but that strength training combined with a protein-rich diet is healthier might be news to you. Researchers at Pusan National University in South Korea reach this conclusion in a small human study.

The Koreans got 18 males in their twenties, none of whom had previously done weight training, to do strength training for a period of 12 weeks. The men did working sets with 60-80 percent of the weight with which they could just manage 1 rep.

Half of the subjects ate a more or less ‘normal’ diet during the experiment. The energy in their diet consisted of 60 percent energy derived from carbohydrates, 15 percent from protein and the remaining 25 percent from fat. [norm.-prot.]

The other half of the men ate a protein-rich diet. In that diet the energy was derived for 55 percent from carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein and 15 percent from fat. [high-prot.]

Both groups consumed the same amount of kilocalories.

After the training period the researchers discovered that the men who had followed the high-protein diet had built up more lean body mass. This was not the case for the men who had consumed a normal amount of protein in their diet. The body fat percentage had declined in both groups, but the decrease was bigger in the men who had eaten more protein.

The Koreans detected no dramatic effects of the combination of strength training and a high-protein diet on IGF-1, cortisol and testosterone levels. What they did observe was that there was considerably more growth hormone circulating in the blood of the subjects in the high-protein group than in the subjects that had eaten less protein.

The HOMA-IR – a measure of insulin resistance – decreased in the men who had consumed a lot of protein. This meant that their cells became more sensitive to insulin, which is a positive sign.

Moreover, the cholesterol balance of the men who had eaten the high-protein diet improved. Their amount of ‘good cholesterol’ HDL increased.

“In conclusion, these findings suggest that there are hormonal interactions to ameliorate body composition, metabolic profiles, and energy metabolism after a long term higher protein diet and resistance exercise”, the researchers summarise. “However, replication studies with various types of resistance exercise programs and high protein diet are required in order to confirm the results of the present study for current practice in the field.”

How To Prevent Age Related Muscle Mass

Is a loss of strength, mobility, and functionality an inevitable part of aging? No, it’s not. It’s a consequence of disuse, suboptimal hormone levels, dietary and nutrient considerations and other variables, all of which are compounded by aging. One of the greatest threats to an aging adult’s ability to stay healthy and functional is the steady loss of lean body mass – muscle and bone in particular.

The medical term for the loss of muscle is sarcopenia, and it’s starting to get the recognition it deserves by the medical and scientific community. For decades, that community has focused on the loss of bone mass (osteoporosis), but paid little attention to the loss of muscle mass commonly seen in aging populations. Sarcopenia is a serious healthcare and social problem that affects millions of aging adults. This is no exaggeration. As one researcher recently stated:

“Even before significant muscle wasting becomes apparent, ageing is associated with a slowing of movement and a gradual decline in muscle strength, factors that increase the risk of injury from sudden falls and the reliance of the frail elderly on assistance in accomplishing even basic tasks of independent living. Sarcopenia is recognized as one of the major public health problems now facing industrialized nations, and its effects are expected to place increasing demands on public healthcare systems worldwide”

Sarcopenia and osteoporosis are directly related conditions, one often following the other. Muscles generate the mechanical stress required to keep our bones healthy; when muscle activity is reduced it exacerbates the osteoporosis problem and a vicious circle is established, which accelerates the decline in health and functionality.

What defines sarcopenia from a clinical perspective? Sarcopenia is defined as the age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and functionality. Sarcopenia generally appears after age 40 and accelerates after the age of approximately 75. Although sarcopenia is mostly seen in physically inactive individuals, it is also commonly found in individuals who remain physically active throughout their lives. Thus, it’s clear that although physical activity is essential, physical inactivity is not the only contributing factor. Just as with osteoporosis, sarcopenia is a multifactorial process that may involve decreased hormone levels (in particular, GH, IGF-1, MGF, and testosterone), a lack of adequate protein and calories in the diet, oxidative stress, inflammatory processes, chronic, low level, diet-induced metabolic acidosis, as well as a loss of motor nerve cells.

A loss of muscle mass also has far ranging effects beyond the obvious loss of strength and functionality. Muscle is a metabolic reservoir. In times of emergency it produces the proteins and metabolites required for survival after a traumatic event. In practical terms, frail elderly people with decreased muscle mass often do not survive major surgeries or traumatic accidents, as they lack the metabolic reserves to supply their immune systems and other systems critical for recovery.
There is no single cause of sarcopenia, as there is no single cause for many human afflictions. To prevent and/or treat it, a multi-faceted approach must be taken, which involve hormonal factors, dietary factors, supplemental nutrients, and exercise.

Dietary considerations

The major dietary considerations that increase the risk of sarcopenia are: a lack of adequate protein, inadequate calorie intake, and low level, chronic, metabolic acidosis. Although it’s generally believed the “average” American gets more protein then they require, the diets of older adults are often deficient. Compounding that are possible reductions in digestion and absorption of protein, with several studies concluding protein requirements for older adults are higher than for their younger counterparts. These studies indicate that most older adults don’t get enough high quality protein to support and preserve their lean body mass.

There is an important caveat on increasing protein, which brings us to the topic of low level, diet-induced, metabolic acidosis. Typical Western diets are high in animal proteins and cereal grains, and low in fruits and vegetables. It’s been shown that such diets cause a low grade metabolic acidosis, which contributes to the decline in muscle and bone mass found in aging adults. One study found that by adding a buffering agent (potassium bicarbonate) to the diet of post-menopausal women the muscle wasting effects of a “normal” diet were prevented. The researchers concluded the use of the buffering agent was “… potentially sufficient to both prevent continuing age-related loss of muscle mass and restore previously accrued deficits.”

The take home lesson from this study is that – although older adults require adequate intakes of high quality proteins to maintain their muscle mass (as well as bone mass), it should come from a variety of sources and be accompanied by an increase in fruits and vegetables as well as a reduction of cereal grain-based foods. The use of supplemental buffering agents such as potassium bicarbonate, although effective, does not replace fruits and vegetables for obvious reasons, but may be incorporated into a supplement regimen.

As most are aware, with aging comes a general decline in many hormones, in particular, anabolic hormones such as Growth Hormone (GH), DHEA, and testosterone. In addition, researchers are looking at Insulin-like Growth factor one (IGF-1) and Mechano Growth factor (MGF) which are essential players in the hormonal milieu responsible for maintaining muscle mass as well as bone mass. Without adequate levels of these hormones, it’s essentially impossible to maintain lean body mass, regardless of diet or exercise.

It’s been shown, for example, that circulating GH declines dramatically with age. In old age, GH levels are only one-third of that in our teenage years. In addition, aging adults have a blunted GH response to exercise as well as reduced output of MGF, which explains why older adults have a much more difficult time building muscle compared to their younger counterparts. However, when older adults are given GH, and then exposed to resistance exercise, their MGF response is markedly improved, as is their muscle mass.

Another hormone essential for maintaining lean body mass is testosterone. Testosterone, especially when given to men low in this essential hormone, has a wide range of positive effects. One review looking at the use of testosterone in older men concluded:

“In healthy older men with low-normal to mildly decreased testosterone levels, testosterone supplementation increased lean body mass and decreased fat mass. Upper and lower body strength, functional performance, sexual functioning, and mood were improved or unchanged with testosterone replacement”

Contrary to popular belief, women also need testosterone! Although women produce less testosterone, it’s as essential to the health and well being of women as it is for men.

The above is a highly generalized summary and only the tip of the proverbial iceberg regarding various hormonal influences on sarcopenia. A full discussion on the role of hormones in sarcopenia is well beyond the scope of this article. Needless to state, yearly blood work after the age of 40 is essential to track your hormone levels, and if needed, to treat deficiencies via Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Private organizations like the Life Extension Foundation offer comprehensive hormone testing packages, or your doctor can order the tests. However, HRT is not for everyone and may be contraindicated in some cases. Regular monitoring is required, so it’s essential to consult with a medical professional versed in the use of HRT, such as an endocrinologist.

There are several supplemental nutrients that should be especially helpful for combating sarcopenia, both directly and indirectly. Supplements that have shown promise for combating sarcopenia are creatine, vitamin D, whey protein, acetyl-L-carnitine, glutamine, and buffering agents such as potassium bicarbonate.

Creatine

The muscle atrophy found in older adults comes predominantly from a loss of fast twitch (FT) type II fibers which are recruited during high-intensity, anaerobic movements (e.g., weight lifting, sprinting, etc.). Interestingly, these are exactly the fibers creatine has the most profound effects on. Various studies find creatine given to older adults increases strength and lean body mass. One group concluded: “Creatine supplementation may be a useful therapeutic strategy for older adults to attenuate loss in muscle strength and performance of functional living tasks.”

Vitamin D

It’s well established that vitamin D plays an essential role in bone health. However, recent studies suggest it’s also essential for maintaining muscle mass in aging populations. In muscle, vitamin D is essential for preserving type II muscle fibers, which, as mentioned above, are the very muscle fibers that atrophy most in aging people. Adequate vitamin D intakes could help reduce the rates of both osteoporosis and sarcopenia found in aging people leading the author of one recent review on the topic of vitamin D’s effects on bone and muscle to conclude: “In both cases (muscle and bone tissue) vitamin D plays an important role since the low levels of this vitamin seen in senior people may be associated to a deficit in bone formation and muscle function”
and “We expect that these new considerations about the importance of vitamin D in the elderly will stimulate an innovative approach to the problem of falls and fractures which constitutes a significant burden to public health budgets worldwide.”

Whey protein

As previously mentioned, many older adults fail to get enough high quality protein in their diets. Whey has an exceptionally high biological value (BV), with anti-cancer and immune enhancing properties among its many uses. As a rule, higher biological value proteins are superior for maintaining muscle mass compared to lower quality proteins, which may be of particular importance to older individuals. Finally, data suggests “fast” digesting proteins such as whey may be superior to other proteins for preserving lean body mass in older individuals.

Exercise is the lynchpin to the previous sections. Without it, none of the above will be an effective method of preventing/treating sarcopenia. Exercise is the essential stimulus for systemwide release of various hormones such as GH, as well as local growth factors in tissue, such as MGF. Exercise is the stimulus that increases protein and bone synthesis, and exerts other effects that combat the loss of essential muscle and bone as we age. Exercise optimizes the effects of HRT, diet and supplements, so if you think you can sit on the couch and follow the above recommendations…think again.

Although any exercise is generally better then no exercise, all forms of exercise are not created equal. You will note, for example, many of the studies listed at the end of this article have titles like: “GH and resistance exercise” or “creatine effects combined with resistance exercise” and so on. Aerobic exercise is great for the cardiovascular system and helps keep body fat low, but when scientists or athletes want to increase lean mass, resistance training is always the method. Aerobics does not build muscle and is only mildly effective at preserving the lean body mass you already have. Thus, some form of resistance training (via weights, machines, bands, etc.) is essential for preserving or increasing muscle mass. The CDC report on resistance exercise for older adults summarizes it as:

“In addition to building muscles, strength training can promote mobility, improve health-related fitness, and strengthen bones.”

Combined with HRT (if indicated), dietary modifications, and the supplements listed above, dramatic improvements in lean body mass can be achieved at virtually any age, with improvements in strength, functionality into advanced age, and improvements in overall health and general well being.

To summarize, to prevent or treat sarcopenia:

• Get adequate high quality proteins from a variety of sources as well as adequate calories. Avoid excessive animal protein and cereal grain intakes while increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables.

• Get regular blood work on all major hormones after the age of 40 and discuss with a medical professional if HRT is indicated.

• Add supplements such as: creatine, vitamin D, whey protein, acetyl-l-carnitine, glutamine, and buffering agents such as potassium bicarbonate.

• Exercise regularly – with an emphasis on resistance training – a minimum of 3 times per week.

I’m going to conclude this article the way most people would start it, with the good news and the bad news. The bad news is, millions of people will suffer from a mostly avoidable loss of functionality and will become weak and frail as they age from a severe loss of muscle mass. The good news is that you don’t have to be one of those people. One thing is very clear: it’s far easier, cheaper, and more effective to prevent sarcopenia – or at least greatly slow its progression – than it is to treat it later in life. Studies have found, however, that it’s never too late to start – so don’t be discouraged if you are starting your sarcopenia fighting program later in life. People following my programs for either weight loss or weight gain (in the form of muscle…) will be following the proper guidelines for avoiding sarcopenia.

Immune system molecules may promote weight loss

The calorie-burning triggered by cold temperatures can be achieved biochemically -- without the chill -- raising hopes for a weight-loss strategy focused on the immune system rather than the brain, according to a new study by UC San Francisco researchers.The team determined that two signaling molecules secreted by cells of the immune system trigger the conversion of fat-storing white fat cells to fat-burning beige fat cells. Ajay Chawla, MD, PhD, an associate professor of medicine at the UCSF Cardiovascular Research Institute, led the study.

Working with mice, Chawla's team discovered that the signaling molecules, called interleukin 4 and interleukin 13, activate cells known as macrophages, which in turn drive the fat conversion. In one experiment the researchers gave interleukin 4 to fat mice, which increased beige fat mass, leading to weight loss.

The finding builds on previous work by Chawla's team, which reported in 2011 in Nature that cold activates part of the immune system, and specifically activates interleukin 4 in fat. In the new study, Chawla's team determined that both interleukin 4 and interleukin 13 recruit macrophages to fat and that the production of molecules called catecholamines by the macrophages causes the browning of white fat.

When the researchers inhibited interleukin 4 signaling in white fat, they found that the mice made less beige fat, burned less energy, and could no longer maintain normal body temperature in the cold.

The study results are likely to further fuel the quest to identify new ways to pharmaceutically tame obesity by targeting how much energy we burn, not just how many calories we ingest, according to Chawla."If you could increase energy expenditure by even a few percent, over a period of a year or two year you would make a big difference," he said.

The new discovery is surprising, Chawla said, because it makes it clear that this control mechanism for fat burning bypasses components of the autonomic nervous system that govern many physiological adaptations. "Nutrient and energy metabolism has largely been thought to be under the control of the brain and endocrine system," he said.
In comparison to the nervous system, the immune pathway might be more easily manipulated to increase energy expenditure, Chawla said. In fact, another study published simultaneously in Cell by researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School reports the identification of a hormone, produced in fat tissue after cold exposure, that activates interleukin 4 and interleukin 13 to drive fat burning.

Humans and other mammals shiver to keep warm, but cold also triggers the growth of fat cells that burn fuel, instead of the fat cells that store it. Keep humans indoors at 61 degrees to 63 degrees Fahrenheit without allowing them to bundle up, and they lose weight, research shows. That's because they adapt by generating more fat-burning cells to help them keep warm.

In contrast to the power-converting mechanisms in white fat cells, the gears in the power plants within fat-burning fat cells spin inefficiently. This causes them to burn more energy and generate heat. The trigger for this accelerated fat burning is the activation within the cell's power plants -- called mitochondria -- of a protein called uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). Cells with UCP1 are capable of heat generation and fat burning, and are known as brown fat or beige fat, depending on the tissue from which they originate. They have more mitochondria than white cells and therefore have a darker tinge.

In comparison to other mammals, ranging in size from mice to bears, until a few years ago it was widely thought that humans had little brown or beige fat and little potential to generate it.

Although Chawla and many other researchers now believe that the potential to exploit brown fat for weight loss is significant, the amount of individual variation when it comes to brown fat reserves and the potential to generate more brown fat is unclear. "We don't know what the dynamic range is," Chawla said. "It appears that women have more, that we have less as we age, and that obesity is associated with having less brown fat."

Additional UCSF study authors include postdoctoral fellows Yifu Qiu, PhD, Khoa Nguyen, PhD, and Justin Odegaard, MD, PhD; and Richard Locksley, MD, a professor of medicine and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. Richard Palmiter, PhD, professor of biochemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at the University of Washington, also is a co-author of the study. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association.

Sleeping longer makes athletes faster

If athletes force themselves to sleep two hours longer every day, their reaction speed increases and they get faster. Sleep researchers at Stanford University in the US discovered this when they performed experiments with basketball players.

Too little sleep leads to increased body fat, reduced testosterone levels, and decreased oxygen uptake, and animal studies have shown that it leads to muscle decay as well. On top of this, your immune system works better if you get enough sleep, and there are indications that good-quality sleep can extend your life expectancy.

So it’s logical that athletes perform better if they make sure they don’t miss out on sleep. But can athletes improve their performance by going a step further? By making sure they get lots of extra sleep? In 2011 Cheri Mah of Stanford University showed results of a human study that showed this could be the case.

Mah used 11 students from the basketball team for her experiment. She got them to increase the amount of sleep they got to 10 hours a day over a period of 5-7 weeks. Before they started on the ‘sleep extension’ the subjects all slept just under eight hours a day. They thought that this was enough sleep.

Although the textbooks say that eight hours’ sleep is enough, Mah observed that increasing the amount of sleep had a positive effect on the players. She used the Psychomotor Vigilance Task test to measure the players’ reaction times, and discovered that these became faster as a result of more sleep. In the Psychomotor Vigilance Task the subjects look at a black screen. When a point of light appears they have to press a button as fast as possible.

Before starting to sleep longer the athletes had an average of 16.2 seconds for an 86-m sprint. Extending their sleep reduced this to 15.5 seconds.

The subjects also found that they felt better for more sleep: less angry, depressed, stressed, tired and confused, and they had more energy. In addition their aim became better and more accurate.

“This study reveals an athlete’s inability to accurately assess how much sleep one actually obtains each night, thus leading to a misperception regarding the duration of sleep that constitutes adequate nightly sleep time”, the researchers conclude.

Exercise - when is too much?

Most of us worry about not getting enough exercise and the health consequences that go with inactivity, but the other extreme, over exercise also can interfere with health and quality of life. In fact, exercising too much can sometimes be dangerous, as it is often associated with eating disorders, anxiety, depression and perfectionism.

But when is it too much? There is no consensus in the mental health field of what level of exercise is too much, but there is agreement that an unhealthy preoccupation with exercise and extreme discomfort experienced when unable to exercise, referred to as exercise “craving,” indicates a problem.

Specialists who treat eating disorders refer to a tendency to over exercise as Activity Disorder or Compulsive Exercise. It bears similarity to an addiction in that people continue to engage in exercise despite adverse consequences. They may depend on physical activity for self-definition and mood stabilization. People who are preoccupied with exercise may find that it interferes with their work, their relationships and other valued aspects of life.

Lately, eating disorders specialists are recognizing that these disorders are an increasing problem and health risk for younger, preadolescent children and for women in midlife. The highest risk factor for developing an eating disorder is genetics, and this genetic vulnerability is often triggered by the all-too-common practice of dieting and excessive exercise that many of us engage in to try to attain the unrealistic ideals of beauty and attractiveness in our culture.

There is an intense, driven quality to the activity that becomes self-perpetuating and resistant to change. People who over-exercise may report that they feel a lack of ability to control or to stop the behavior. However, many people who over exercise do not think they are overdoing it. They tend to experience a sense of moral obligation to exercise and may feel guilty if they do not complete their regimen.

Here are some typical comments from people who over exercise:

• “My whole day is planned around exercise.”
• “If I am supposed to do 100 sit-ups and I do 99, I feel like a failure. I have to start over.”

Despite their lack of concern, other people in their life may notice that they cancel other obligations in order to exercise, become very irritable or upset if their regimen is challenged and risk their health and safety to maintain their program.

Activity disorder goes hand in hand with eating disorders and is a common symptom of anorexia nervosa. Symptomatic exercise often plays a central role in the progression of the disorder and is equally dangerous to food restriction. One study showed that 78 percent of patients with anorexia nervosa engaged in over-exercise. Like under-eating, excessive exercise is a biologically driven symptom.

Medical dangers from excessive exercise vary for males and females. Males tend to abuse steroids, take special vitamins, and weight gain powders that are not carefully monitored or controlled by the FDA and may be unsafe. They tend to develop torn muscles and ligaments, sometimes to the point where they may be unable to walk. Steroids can be lethal. Females who exercise too much may stop menstruating and ovulating, develop osteoporosis, stress fractures and dehydration.

Excessive exercise can also interfere with school and career, and disrupt relationships. People with these tendencies may avoid social situations because they are self-conscious about their appearance. Basically, they are unable to relax and enjoy life.

People who have been chronically abusing exercise may develop fatigue, reduction in performance, decreased concentration, inhibited lactic acid response, loss of emotional vigor, increased compulsivity, soreness, stiffness, (encouraged by saying ‘no pain, no gain’), and decreased heart rate response to exercise. The only cure is complete rest, which may take weeks to months.

If you are concerned about someone you know and think they may have a problem with excessive exercise, it is recommended that you talk to them about it in a supportive, non-judgmental way. When you express concern, try to assess if the person feels unable to voluntarily control or decrease activity. You may need to discuss the issue multiple times, because they are likely to deny a problem. They may also get a lot of positive reinforcement for their activity from coaches, or others who praise their activity and appearance. Point out how exercise is interfering with other aspects of their life or health and provide evidence.
Treatment for excessive exercise includes cognitive behavioral therapy and sometimes, medication. With treatment and support, it is possible to regain a healthy relationship with exercise.

Watermelon could lower blood pressure, study suggests

Watermelon could significantly reduce blood pressure in overweight individuals both at rest and while under stress. “The pressure on the aorta and on the heart decreased after consuming watermelon extract,” the small study concludes.

Be sure to pick up a watermelon - or two - at your local grocery store. It could save your life.

A new study by Florida State University Associate Professor Arturo Figueroa,found that watermelon could significantly reduce blood pressure in overweight individuals both at rest and while under stress. “The pressure on the aorta and on the heart decreased after consuming watermelon extract,” Figueroa said.

The study started with a simple concept. More people die of heart attacks in cold weather because the stress of the cold temperatures causes blood pressure to increase and the heart has to work harder to pump blood into the aorta. That often leads to less blood flow to the heart.

Thus, people with obesity and high blood pressure face a higher risk for stroke or heart attack when exposed to the cold either during the winter or in rooms with low temperatures.

So, what might help their hearts?

It turned out that watermelon may be part of the answer.

Figueroa’s 12-week study focused on 13 middle-aged, obese men and women who also suffered from high blood pressure. To simulate cold weather conditions, one hand of the subject was dipped into 39 degree water (or 4 degrees Celsius) while Figueroa’s team took their blood pressure and other vital measurements.

Meanwhile, the group was divided into two. For the first six weeks, one group was given four grams of the amino acid L-citrulline and two grams of L-arginine per day, both from watermelon extract. The other group was given a placebo for 6 weeks.

Then, they switched for the second six weeks.

Participants also had to refrain from taking any medication for blood pressure or making any significant changes in their lifestyle, particularly related to diet and exercise, during the study. The results showed that consuming watermelon had a positive impact on aortic blood pressure and other vascular parameters. Notably, study participants showed improvements in blood pressure and cardiac stress while both at rest and while they were exposed to the cold water. “That means less overload to the heart, so the heart is going to work easily during a stressful situation such as cold exposure,” Figueroa said. Figueroa has conducted multiple studies on the benefits of watermelon. In the past, he examined how it impacts post-menopausal women’s arterial function and the blood pressure readings of adults with pre-hypertension.

Which Cardio is Best for You?

Some say steady state, some says HIT, and some say none at all. There are literally dozens of different cardio methods that have been proposed by the experts throughout the last half century. To say that there’s a one size fits all cardiovascular program for each person is quite a big stretch to say the least. However, you should consider several key factors that can help design a routine that best suits your body and daily needs.

Before we even get to what your goals are it’s important to look at your body and does it have any limitations. For example, if you have knee, ankle, or hip problems then biking, sprinting, or steep stair climbing might be out of the question. Or, if you have shoulder issues then distance or sprint swimming might be too hard on the joints. For me, shorter walks or high intensity intervals on a bike give me a reprieve from my joint pain.

After you access if you have any physical ailments that might need to be factored in, I would then look at your diet. Anyone on a moderate to high carbohydrate meal plan should consider putting in a high intensity cardio workout 2-3 times per week. In my experience, very few people will burn off all of their dietary carbs during weight lifting alone to not necessitate adding it into a good routine. Those of you on low carb diets should obviously lean more towards steady-state cardio, but if you’re like me that just might mean that you do shorter sessions, but more frequently. It seems the status quo has always been to do at the max, two, 45 minute sessions. One in the morning and one before bed, but there’s no rule that says you can’t break that up into 3 half hour sessions if it is going to be less impactful on your body. Remember, if you can’t sustain doing something over the long haul, what good is it?

From there we have to look at your goals. Even you permabulkers out there need to do your cardio. Even if it’s just 3, 30 minute sessions while you walk your dog around your neighborhood. The health benefits are enormous, as are the superficial benefits you’ll notice in the gym. Minimal, low intensity cardio will increase your metabolism, lower blood pressure, and stimulate your appetite – things we all need while we’re growing.

If you’re seriously overweight, over 35% body fat, I would recommend steady-state cardio, 30 minute sessions, 6 days per week. The odds that you don’t have bad joints at that level of obesity is slim to none and any high intensity training will either have you feeling terrible or in severe pain. That isn’t to say it can’t be added once some of the fat is lost, but it needs to be monitored closely so you can make the right adjustments.

For average body fat or those looking to lose the arbitrary 10-15lb of fat you can never go wrong with doing cardio after your last meal before bed. Your body naturally slows down all of its processes before we go to sleep, but a quick 25-30 minute walk, an hour after your last meal can make a huge difference in your long term fat loss goals. Plus, it’s a lot better than having to wake up early before work or school to bang out a half asleep workout when you’d rather be eating breakfast or still in bed.
Now, that’s not to say that early in the morning cardio isn’t good for you early risers out there. If it’s the only time of the day you can squeeze it in then that’s great. However, I do feel early morning cardio needs to be well-planned or you can find yourself in a catabolic state very quick and as we all know, that’s not good.

If you insist on doing cardio upon waking up, then I do recommend doing HIT cardio. The reason for doing HIT instead of steady-state at this time of the day is for a few reasons. First, you’ve just fasted for 6-8 hours depending on how long you sleep. By the time you wake up and begin your workout and sit back down to eat breakfast it could be anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes after you’ve already been awake – that’s catabolic. First, when you do high intensity cardio sessions first thing in the morning it’s only going to last 15 to 20 minutes. Second, I recommended sipping on BCAA’s during your routine instead of plain water. Third, you’ll be home quicker after your workout to eat a real breakfast. And 4th, and quite possibly the most important, HIT cardio boosts your metabolism longer throughout the morning and afternoon compared to doing a longer, steady-state, low intensity cardio session.

As far as doing cardio before or after a workout, I’m not a huge fan of either. If you have a busy schedule and absolutely insist on doing it along with your weight lifting then I’d suggest doing it after your workout and post workout protein drink. If you do it before it’ll cut into your energy needed for lifting and that’s just a bad idea. Lifting should always be the most important part of your training regimen. As a side note, if you can structure your cardio inside of your weight training, for a “general physical preparedness” or GPP for short, routine, I think it’s an excellent option during a de-loading phase of training where you aren’t lifting heavy weights in the gym. It will really fuel your metabolism, but also keep injury risk at bay as opposed to doing it when you’re hitting heavy poundage’s.

Give some of these suggestions a try in your own routines and I promise you’ll find success!

A cup of coffee a day may keep retinal damage away

Coffee drinkers, rejoice! Aside from java's energy jolt, food scientists say you may reap another health benefit from a daily cup of joe: prevention of deteriorating eyesight and possible blindness from retinal degeneration due to glaucoma, aging and diabetes.

Raw coffee is, on average, just 1 % caffeine, but it contains 7 to 9 % chlorogenic acid (CLA), a strong antioxidant that prevents retinal degeneration in mice, according to a Cornell study.

The retina is a thin tissue layer on the inside, back wall of the eye with millions of light-sensitive cells and other nerve cells that receive and organize visual information. It is also one of the most metabolically active tissues, demanding high levels of oxygen and making it prone to oxidative stress. The lack of oxygen and production of free radicals leads to tissue damage and loss of sight.

In the study, mice eyes were treated with nitric oxide, which creates oxidative stress and free radicals, leading to retinal degeneration, but mice pretreated with CLA developed no retinal damage.

The study is "important in understanding functional foods, that is, natural foods that provide beneficial health effects," said Chang Y. Lee, professor of food science and the study's senior author. Holim Jang, a graduate student in Lee's lab, is the paper's lead author. Lee's lab has been working with Sang Hoon Jung, a researcher at the Functional Food Center of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea. "Coffee is the most popular drink in the world, and we are understanding what benefit we can get from that," Lee said.
Previous studies have shown that coffee also cuts the risk of such chronic diseases as Parkinson's, prostate cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and age-related cognitive declines.

Since scientists know that CLA and its metabolites are absorbed in the human digestive system, the next step for this research is to determine whether drinking coffee facilitates CLA to cross a membrane known as the blood-retinal barrier. If drinking coffee proves to deliver CLA directly into the retina, doctors may one day recommend an appropriate brew to prevent retinal damage. Also, if future studies further prove CLA's efficacy, then synthetic compounds could also be developed and delivered with eye drops.

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology funded the study.

Walnuts: the perfect food for our brains

Walnuts are the large, single-seeded fruits of the walnut tree. Though different species of walnut exist, the English walnut, which originated in Persia, remains the most popular species. In fact, virtually all of today's commercially-produced walnuts are either English walnuts or hybrids thereof. Other species of walnut, such as the black walnut, are seldom cultivated due to their comparatively tough shells and poor hulling qualities.

Walnuts are highly nutritious, and their health benefits have been well-known in China and India for centuries. They are just as revered in the West, however, and a large number of studies confirm the allegations of the ancient healing systems.

Packed with brain-boosting fats

Walnuts are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, particularly the plant-based omega-3 fat, alpha-linolenic acid. These beneficial fats, which are the same fats that comprise our brains and nervous systems, give walnuts considerable brain-boosting properties. For example, a recent study  discovered that rats that were fed walnuts for 28 days demonstrated a "significant improvement in learning and memory" compared to the control group. A second study showed that the fatty acids in walnut extracts could prevent age-related inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain's hippocampal cells.

Studies have also linked the regular consumption of walnuts to numerous other brain-related benefits, including the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease, and improved inferential reasoning, concentration spans and interneuronal signaling. Just like coconut oil, another food that boosts cognitive function, almost all of these benefits stem from walnuts' high concentrations of beneficial fats.

Cancer prevention

According to a study mice that were implanted with human breast cancers and fed a walnut-based diet experienced a gigantic 80 percent decrease in tumor growth rate compared to the control group. The study also found that walnuts slowed the growth of colon, prostate and renal cancers in mice, with whole walnuts providing the biggest benefits. The researchers attributed these results to certain antioxidant compounds in walnuts, such as tocopherols, beta-sitosterol and pedunculagin, which possess anti-cancer properties.

Strengthen the cardiovascular system

Foods rich in beneficial fats are known to improve our cardiovascular systems, and walnuts are no exception. A recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition, for instance, discovered that walnuts have been shown to decrease "bad" LDL cholesterol and blood pressure. Consequently, the researchers recommend that people add more walnuts to their diets to help prevent cardiovascular disease. Emerging evidence also suggests that walnuts can boost endothelial function, making them a viable treatment for type II diabetes.

Good source of additional nutrients

Though walnuts' rich supplies of good fats will always be their biggest draw, we shouldn't overlook their surprisingly high concentrations of nutrients, which include calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and most B vitamins. Walnuts are especially high in magnesium, an essential macromineral in which an estimated 50 to 80 percent of the United States population are deficient. Like most nuts, walnuts are also a good source of protein, though the protein is incomplete (i.e. it doesn't contain all eight essential amino acids).

Walnuts are best eaten raw and whole. While a lot of people dislike their bitter skins, these skins contain up to 90 percent of the fruit's main cancer-fighting antioxidants, so ensure that they're eaten too.

Recovery of Natural Testosterone Shut Down.

One of the most significant side effects of anabolic steroids use is inhibition of natural testosterone production. There is no way to entirely avoid the problem, but there are ways to minimize the problem and recover natural testosterone levels reasonably quickly after a cycle. In this article, we will look at the problem of inhibition, its causes, and the best solutions currently known.

The Causes of Inhibition

Elevated hormone levels, in general, will cause inhibition of natural testosterone production. Many bodybuilders have come to believe that elevated estrogen levels alone are the sole cause of inhibition, and believe that by blocking estrogen, they can block inhibition.

This is not true. For example, consider the results seen in the second 2-on / 4-off cycle case where used 50 mg/day of Trenbolone acetate, which does not aromatize, 50 mg/day of Dianabol, which does aromatize, and 50 mg/day Clomid as an estrogen receptor blocker.  Estrogen levels remained in the normal range. The Clomid should easily have been able to overcome normal estrogen levels, and so if the estrogen-only theory of inhibition were correct.  But the fact is, his testosterone levels dropped to only 1/10 his baseline value. Estrogen alone was not the cause of his inhibition. It could not have been the cause of any of it, given the normal levels and the Clomid use.

So much for the estrogen-only theory of inhibition that has been claimed by other writers. That isn't to say, though, that estrogen is not also inhibitory: it is.

What then besides estrogen can cause inhibition? DHT, which does not aromatize, has been extensively shown to cause inhibition of testosterone production. Androgen alone, then, is sufficient to cause inhibition. Progesterone is another hormone that can cause inhibition, when used long-term. Paradoxically, in the short term it can be stimulatory. Other relevant factors include beta agonists, opiates, melatonin, prolactin, and probably other compounds. With the exception of beta agonists (e.g. ephedrine and Clenbuterol) and opiates (natural endorphins on the one hand being inhibitory ) manipulation of these would not seem useful in bodybuilding.

The Hypothalamic/Pituitary/Testicular Axis (HPTA)

To understand inhibition of testosterone production, we need to know first how it is produced and how production is controlled. The broad general picture is that the hypothalamus receives a variety of inputs, for example, levels of various hormones, and decides whether or not more sex hormones should be produced. If the inputs are high, for example, high estrogen or high androgen or both, then it decides that little or no sex hormones should now be produced, but if all inputs are low, then it may decide that more sex hormones should be produced. It seems that the hypothalamus doesn't respond only to current hormone levels, but also to the past history of hormone levels. The hypothalamus itself cannot produce any sex hormones  instead it produces LHRH, or luteinizing hormone (LH) releasing hormone, also called GnRH (gonadotropin releasing hormone.) This then stimulates the pituitary gland.

The pituitary uses the amount of LHRH as one of its signals in deciding how much LH it should produce. Proper response depends on having sufficient receptors for LHRH. These receptors must be activated for LH to be produced. The pituitary also uses sex hormone levels, both current and the past history, in deciding how much LH to produce. Some aspects of the pituitary's behavior are peculiar. For example, too much LHRH results in the pituitary downregulating LHRH receptors, with the result that very high LHRH production, which one would think should result in high testosterone production, actually lowers testosterone production. Another oddity is that while high estrogen levels inhibit the pituitary, still some estrogen is required to maintain a high number of LHRH receptors. So both very low and high levels of estrogen can inhibit LH production. LH produced by the pituitary then stimulates the testicles to produce testosterone. Here, the amount of LH is the main factor, and high levels of sex hormones do not seem to cause inhibition at this level.

Inhibition From Anabolic Steroids Cycles

Because high androgen levels sustained around the clock will cause inhibition, traditional cycles simply cannot avoid inhibition of LH production while on cycle. There are three ways to avoid it:

Avoid having high androgen levels around the clock. This can be done, for example, by using oral anabolic steroids only in the morning, with the last dose being approximately at noontime. Even 100 mg/day Dianabol can be used in this fashion with little inhibition. The problem with this approach is that gains are not very good compared to what is seen when high androgen levels are sustained around the clock.

Use an amount and kind of anabolic steroids that is low enough to avoid much inhibition. Primobolan at 200-400 mg/week may achieve this effect. Again, gains will be compromised compared to a more substantial cycle. Testosterone esters and Deca are substantially inhibitory even at 100 mg/week so using a low dose of these drugs will simply result in both inhibition and poor gains.

In principle, one could use an antiandrogen, but this would totally defeat the purpose of the cycle.

Where anabolic steroids doses are sufficient for good gains, an interesting pattern is seen. For the first two weeks of the cycle, only the hypothalamus is inhibited, and it produces much less LHRH as a result of the high levels of sex hormones it senses. The pituitary is not inhibited at all: in fact, it is actually sensitized, and will respond to LHRH (if any is provided) even moreso than normally. After two weeks however, the pituitary also becomes inhibited, and even if LHRH is provided, the pituitary will produce little or no LH. This then is a deeper type of inhibition. After this point, there seems to be no definite further “switching point” where inhibition again becomes deeper and harder to reverse. As a general rule, I would say that there seems to be little difference between using anabolic steroids for 3 weeks vs. 8 weeks: recovery is about the same either way. Between 8 and 12 weeks, it becomes more and more likely that recovery will be difficult and slow, though even at 12 weeks it is common for recovery to not be too problematic, taking only a few weeks. Cycles past 12 weeks seem much more likely to cause substantial problems with recovery. In the hundreds of consultations I have done for people with recovery problems, very few (I can recall two) were for very short cycles such as 6 weeks, while most were for usages of 12 weeks straight or more.

I do not know what changes take place in the hypothalamus and pituitary over a long period of time that result in this problem, but it certainly is true that long-term inhibition makes recovery more difficult on average. I suspect the problem may have to do with change in the “clock” that regulates the pulse rate of LHRH secretion, but I am not sure that that is so.

Drugs of Use With Regard to Inhibition

Arimidex:  A typical dose is 1 mg./day. The timing of the dosage does not matter, since the drug has a long half-life.

Clomid: After a cycle is over, Clomid at 50 mg/day is usually very effective in restoring natural testosterone production. It acts by blocking estrogen receptors at the hypothalamus and pituitary. If androgen levels are not elevated, this is enough to cause production of at least normal amounts of LH, or often more LH than normal. During the cycle Clomid cannot prevent inhibition, though some think using it during the cycle will allow a faster recovery afterwards. That is not proven though. If nothing else, though, it is useful as an antigyno/antibloating agent during the cycle.

Nolvadex: This works in the same manner as Clomid, but not nearly so well with regard to reversing inhibition. It is better to use this only as an anti-gyno/antibloating agent, if at all. If Clomid is used, there is no need for Nolvadex.

HCG: This does nothing with regard to inhibition of the hypothalamus and pituitary. Rather it acts like LH, and causes the testicles to produce testosterone just as if LH were present. It is useful then for avoiding testicular atrophy during the cycle. The best dosing method is to use small amounts frequently: 500 IU per day is sufficient, and 1000 IU may optionally be used. The amount may be given as a single daily dose or divided into two doses. Administration may be intramuscular or subcutaneous. More is not better: too much HCG can result in downregulation of the LH receptors in the testes, and is therefore counterproductive. Overdosing of HCG can also result in gynecomastia.

Ephedrine/clenbuterol: It is possible that the beta agonist activities of these drugs may assist in recovery. Personally, I do recommend the use of ephedrine post-cycle to those who can use it. Clenbuterol has the same effect but acts around the clock, having a longer half life, and allowing a higher effective dose (amount times potency) due to having less relative effect on beta receptors in the heart. I am not sure that Clenbuterol has any better effect with regard to recovery though.

Oral anabolic steroids: 

These do not assist recovery of natural testosterone production, but if used only in the morning, can help sustain muscle mass while in the recovery phase, with little or no adverse effect on recovery.

General Recommendations

Pharmaceutical drugs should of course not be self-prescribed: the following are simply recommendations of what works well, not of what to do without physician's advice. Enough said.
The best cycle plans are either brief two week cycles with short acting drugs, which allow a very fast recovery (less than one week) or cycle of approximately 6-10 weeks, which usually allow reasonable recovery and allow quite a bit of time to make gains. Cycles in the 3-5 week range are less efficient because they combine the disadvantage of relatively little time gaining with the disadvantage of slower recovery.

If a cycle lasts 8 weeks or longer, I think it is best to use HCG during the cycle if possible, as described above. HCG should not be used during the recovery itself since it will increase androgen and estrogen levels, which will be inhibitory to the hypothalamus and pituitary. Clomid use should begin, if it was not used during the cycle, as soon as androgen levels drop enough that recovery becomes possible. This would be about two weeks after the last injection of long acting steroid esters, assuming reasonable doses such as 500 mg/week. Clomid use should start with 300 mg on the first day (50 mg six times) to quickly get blood levels as high as needed, and then maintained with 50 mg/day. This is needed because of the half-life of the drug. It should be continued until one is sure that natural testosterone production is back and testicle size is returned to normal, with the exception that if use has been more than about 6 weeks, one might try dropping it for a few weeks to see what happens. If no further improvement occurs, then Clomid would be resumed. It has been studied medically for long-term use and found safe for periods of at least a year. However, a small percentage of users develop vision problems from Clomid, which are generally reversible upon discontinuing the drug. So if you have this problem, certainly the drug should be discontinued. If aromatizable injectables were used, an antiaromatase would be useful for 3 weeks or so after the last injection, or 4 weeks if dosage was high (a gram per week or more.)

Lastly, ephedrine seems to be of some help. The same dose as used for dieting (e.g. 25 mg three times per day) seems quite sufficient.

Long term inhibition can potentially be a serious side-effect of anabolic steroids use, and this risk should be minimized by avoiding excessively long cycles. This really does not compromise gains greatly, since the body cannot grow rapidly week in, week out, 52 weeks per year anyway. And even moderate post-cycle inhibition is something we wish to minimize, since it is frustrating to lose much of one’s gains in the first few weeks after a cycle as a result of low natural testosterone and no anabolic steroids being used. The advice given above is generally successful in minimizing such losses, and I hope you will find it useful