Cortisol is an enemy of muscle growth.

Cortisol is a stress hormone put out by our adrenal glands. Many people who are hooked on stimulants may also have high Cortisol levels. Stimulants like coffee produce 2 other stress hormones called epinephrine and norepinephrine. Epinephrine works hand and hand to trigger for more production of Cortisol.

Cortisol is a key marker of over-training. Do you wonder why you see so many people in the gym who workout out hard and get no growth? Cortisol may be the culprit. Too much Cortisol is caused by bad stress.

Cortisol can increase fat while breaking down muscle. Cortisol increases Insulin’s ability to produce more of a fat accumulating hormone called Leptin. Overweight people have high amounts of Leptin. There are many studies showing that stress increases fat around the belly area. Cortisol in smaller doses can work in concert with epinephrine and norepinephrine to speed up the amount of glycogen forced out of the liver to be burnt as energy. These 2 results show that there is a chemical difference between good and bad stress.

Too much Cortisol breaks down muscle for energy and inhibits collagen production and decreases amino acid uptake into muscles. Cortisol can break down collagen in skin ten times faster than any other type of protein. Collagen protein also makes up our connective tissue.

Cortisol acts as a pro-inflammatory hormone to balance potassium and sodium to bring pH back to normal. Supplementation of Magnesium to further balance electrolytes lowers Cortisol. When the body is too acidic many immune system enzymes do not activate. Cortisol can shut down parts of our immune system but can be protective against toxins from bad bacteria.

Cortisol counter acts Nitric Oxide by helping constrict blood vessels in our arms and legs. Cortisol is part of our fight or flight protection system.

Cortisol is produced to counter allergy symptom causing histamine. Cortisol helps control rheumatoid arthritis by regulating potassium.

Cortisol is not a bad hormone but only acts bad when it gets out of balance because of too much bad stress in our lives. Too much stress leads to being a flabby pencil-neck.

Time your Carbohydrates to Save Muscle and Recover Fast

Carbohydrates are the most misunderstood part of our diet. Some people think carbs are evil. Endurance athletes live off of a mostly carb diet. The biggest part of this misunderstanding is the misunderstanding of how carbs are used as energy. Insulin is the hormone that controls how fast carbohydrates are either stored or burnt. The quicker your body burns carbs as energy the more carbs you need to burn as energy. When you are producing a lot of Insulin you body slows down it’s ability to burn fat. That is why someone can get fat on a low fat high carbohydrate diet.

There is a misconception that Insulin is one of the most powerful anabolic hormones. Insulin is a weak anabolic hormone but a very strong anticatabolic hormone. Anabolism is muscle growth and Insulin is a weak transporter of protein but a very strong transporter of carbohydrates.

Cell death by catabolism is caused by not enough energy from ATP to repair the cell.

Anabolism is caused by a supercompensation reaction caused by catabolism. The best training method for anabolism is to trigger the use of all muscle fiber types. Taking the complete spectrum of muscle fibers to the edge of ATP deprivation creating a catabolic reaction and triggering a supercompensatory environment creates large amounts of anabolism.

The path from carbohydrate to ATP = carbohydrate -> Glucose-6-phosphate -> glycolysis -> Pyruvic acid -> acetyl coA -> Citric Acid cycle -> 2H+ and 2e- -> Electron Transport chain -> ATP

Carbohydrates need Insulin to be transported into muscle and liver cells for storage. Insulin can slow down the burning of fat and speed up the storing of fat. Insulin is doing this because it is prioritizing carbohydrate usage and contributing to storing calories the most effective way as fat. This process is called glycogenesis. All carbohydrates are forms of sugar and all of them get broken down into glycogen by glycogenesis.

Insulin is one of the only hormones which drops during exercise. The main reason is due to increased efficiency due to mechanical pumping while exercising. If insulin did not drop during exercise blood sugar would drop to rapidly and your workout would be done very quickly.

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load are 2 ways carbohydrates are measured on their effect on Insulin. The Glycemic Load is the more important metric. Gylcemic Index measures the speed that your body can break down the carbohydrate into glucose. Glycemic Load is a measure of how much Insulin will be released when eating a certain amount of food. The more Insulin the less fat your body will burn and the more your body will prioritize on using carbohydrates as energy.

Carbohydrate literally means watered carbon. Carbohydrates by divination attract water wherever they are present. When you are tired while eating enough food you may be dehydrated. Your body needs water to transport carbohydrates. Your body needs carbohydrates to transport water.

The Journal Obesity Research showed “Carbohydrate consumption–acting via insulin secretion and the “plasma tryptophan ratio”–increases serotonin release; protein intake lacks this effect.” Low Serotonin can cause depression and high serotonin can cause euphoria. Carbohydrates can become addicting and give people a drug like effect.

There are several different types of carbohydrates used by Max Muscle, Amylopectin, Maltodextrin, Trehalose, Dextrose, Lactose & Fructose.

Amylopectin is a high molecular weight carbohydrate that quickly passes through the stomach getting to the intestines. Amylopectin quickly increases blood glucose levels and increases insulin levels. Amylopectin is perfect for improving glycogen storage very quickly after exercise. Amylopectin should only be used as an after workout recovery supplement. Amylopectin raises insulin so much that long term regular use causes insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can lead to diabetes.

Maltodextrin is easily digestible, being absorbed as rapidly as glucose. Maltodextrin can be derived from any starch, usually rice, corn or potato.

Trehalose is a disaccharide formed from starch. It has high water retention capabilities.
Trehalose is also an antioxidant.

Dextrose is the biologically active form of glucose. Dextrose is closest in chemistry to blood sugar.

Lactose is left in trace amounts in certain whey protein powders. Lactose is a disaccharide. Many people don’t have enough of the enzyme lactase to digest lactose. None of the Max Muscle proteins have enough lactose to cause me any problems. I am highly lactose intolerant.

Fructose is a monosacchride found in many foods including honey. Fructose is derived from the digestion of sucrose. The difference between crystalline fructose and high-fructose corn syrup is 98% fructose vs. 50/50 split of fructose and glucose.

Carbohydrates are the most misunderstood part of the American diet. If used properly carbohydrates can save muscle keep you hydrated and give you tons of energy. If misused carbohydrates can make you fat and turn you diabetic. Carbohydrates can be addicting. For athletes carbohydrates are the fastest way to recover and stop muscle damage. Make sure you time your carbohydrates correctly and you will stay successful in your athletic endeavors

Crack Down on Vitamins Again?

GAO report – Dietary Supplements: FDA Should Take Further Actions to
Posted by: “Douglas Kalman” dkalman@miamiresearch.com   dougkalman
Mon Mar 2, 2009 12:28 pm (PST)

New GAO Report Finds Need for Additional FDA Oversight of Dietary
Supplements

<http://energycommerce.house.gov/index2.phpoption=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=1509>

<http://energycommerce.house.gov/index2.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=1509&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=1>

Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), Rep. Bart
Stupak (D-MI), and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) released a new Government
Accountability Office (GAO) report identifying several factors that
limit FDA’s ability to protect consumers from unsafe dietary
supplements. These factors are limits on FDA’s authority to obtain
information about dietary supplements on the market, few FDA resources
devoted to dietary supplement oversight, and limits on FDA’s authority
to remove unsafe dietary supplements from the market.

The report calls for additional FDA regulatory authority to ensure
better FDA oversight of dietary supplements, including enhanced
registration of dietary supplement facilities and expanded reporting of
adverse health effects of supplement products. The report recommends
that FDA issue guidance to industry to clarify which supplement
ingredients are new and to submit evidence of safety before they can be
marketed. The report also notes the need for more consumer outreach and
education.

“I am troubled that the FDA lacks the basic information necessary to
protect consumers from unsafe dietary supplements,” said Rep. Waxman,
Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. “The FDA clearly needs to
have more resources to give consumers real protection. I intend to work
with my colleagues in Congress to ensure that FDA has the tools it needs
to address this and other important public health missions.”

“We know that there are problems with the FDA. Reports like this show us
just how deep the problems run,” said Rep. Dingell, Chairman Emeritus of
the Energy and Commerce Committee. “FDA is woefully unprepared to deal
with dietary supplements and in its current condition, FDA can not fix
the problem. FDA needs the resources and adequate authorities so the
agency can start addressing this problem. The GAO findings are quite
valuable and Americans will be quite distressed as they learn just how
ineffective the FDA has become in regulating dietary supplements.”

“Based on GAO’s analysis, we can add dietary supplements to the growing
list of products that show the FDA is failing at its core mission of
protecting the public’s health,” said Rep. Stupak, Chairman of the
Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. “We need new leadership in
place at the FDA to finally begin the task of recommitting the agency to
protecting the American people from unsafe food, drugs, medical devices
and now dietary supplements. The FDA should review and quickly implement
GAO’s recommendations, particularly working to expand efforts to collect
adverse event data from consumers in order to better understand the
problems encountered with use of dietary supplements.”

“There are 29,000 varieties of dietary supplements on the market today
with 1,000 new products being introduced each year. Many of these
products are safe; I take my vitamins every day. The problem is that
some supplements contain concentrated extracts of herbs and botanicals
mixed with other ingredients that can be harmful,” said Assistant Senate
Majority Leader Durbin. “Our experience with ephedra should convince
everyone that the FDA should have the regulatory authority it needs to
protect the American consumer. I will continue work with my colleagues
in Congress and with the administration to make sure we do to everything
we can to protect the public health.”

The GAO report, Dietary Supplements: FDA Should Take Further Actions to
Improve Oversight and Consumer Understanding
<http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090302/gaoreport.pdf> ,
states that a lack of information is one of the most significant factors
that limit the FDA’s ability to identify and properly act on safety
concerns regarding dietary supplements and foods with added dietary
ingredients. GAO recommends that the FDA issue guidance on new dietary
ingredients and clarify the difference between dietary supplements and
foods with added dietary ingredients to prevent firms from circumventing
safety standards by simply reclassifying their products as dietary
supplements. The report noted the need for improved education and
outreach efforts to increase consumer understanding of the safety and
efficacy of dietary supplements and foods with added dietary
ingredients. And GAO also recommends that the FDA be given additional
authority to require firms to self-identify as dietary supplement
companies, to provide information about their dietary supplement and
dietary additive products and ingredients, and to report adverse events.

Max Muscle’s Max Gourmet Gainer

The newest maximum muscle performance weight gainer from Max Muscle is Max Gourmet Gainer. Max Gourmet Gainer is the best tasting weight gainer made. Gourmet Gainer is densely packed with the clinically proven performace enhancing carbohydrate to protein ratio of 2:1. Gourmet Gainer is ideal to take up to 4 times per day. The best time to take Gourmet Gainer is right after your workout. The special blend of insulin enhancing carbohydrates will trigger an anti-catabolic cascade that will trigger lots of muscle growth.

1. Gourmet Gainer is the best tasting weight gainer made
2. clinically proven performace enhancing carbohydrate to protein ratio of 2:1
3. take up to 4 times per day
4. take Gourmet Gainer is right after your workout
5. trigger an anti-catabolic cascade that will trigger lots of muscle growth

Max Muscle’s Max Gourmet Protein

Max Muscle’s best high protein low carb solution is Max Gourmet.

Max Gourmet is designed to make you feel full and satisifed with it’s creamy smooth goodness while delivering you low calories. Max Gourmet is high in protein, low in carbs and delivers a proper amount of heart healthy essential fatty acids. The addition of IgG immune improving antibodies from Colostrum will keep you healthy. Creatine inside Max Gourmet will increase your anabolic response toward weight training. The essential fatty acids inside Max Gourmet will decrease inflammation while increasing recovery from your workouts.

Max Gourmet is the perfect choice for your meal replacement needs providing added recovery for your workouts.

1. best high protein low carb solution
2. makes you feel full and satisifed
3. high in protein, low in carbs
4. keep you healthy
5. perfect choice for your meal replacement

Doctors Don’t Know Enough About Nutrition

The lastest survey published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition says Doctors don’t know enough about nutrition. “Only 14% [of the 54% of physicians that completed the survey] felt physicians were adequately trained to provide nutrition counseling.” Interns who did take Nutrition courses were more critical of physicians who didn’t. 77% of physicians completing the survey aggree that “nutrition assessments should be included in routine primary care visits”.

Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 27, No. 2, 287-298 (2008)
Published by the American College of Nutrition

http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/2/287?etoc

Phosphatidylserine Can Block Muscle Damage

Taking 600 mg of phosphatidylserine (PS) can lower the muscle damaging hormone cortisol by increasing the testosterone to cortisol ratio. The researchers suggest that phosphatidylserine is effective combating exercise-induced stress.

The effects of phosphatidylserine on endocrine response to moderate intensity exercise
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2008, 5:11doi:10.1186/1550-2783-5-11

“The findings suggest that PS is an effective supplement for combating exercise-induced stress and preventing the physiological deterioration that can accompany too much exercise. PS supplementation promotes a desired hormonal status for athletes by blunting increases in cortisol levels.”

http://www.jissn.com/content/5/1/11

Bad Bacteria Makes People Fat

Scientists have found a form of bacteria found in large doses in obese people and not in skinny people. Right now it is not totally proven if the bacteria causes fatness or if fatness causes more of the bacteria to grow. The bacteria Firmicutes may cause infectobesity. In future the newest diet pills may kill specific bacteria that causes fat gain & adding good bacteria that causes fat loss.

Tests on Mice show when they are loaded with bacteria called Firmicutes and low in another bacteria called Bacteroidetes they get twice as fat as other Mice on the same diet.

Common sense dictates that having the right kind of bacteria will make you healthier. You can do this already by picking up a good Pro-biotic that can withstand room temperatures. Many pro-biotics that need to be refrigerated have already died before they even get to the store shelves.

http://microbioresearch.blogspot.com/2008/07/overweight-blame-bacteria-in-your-gut.html

Wisdom From A World Record Holder

Nine Things By Matt Rhodes Learned from World Record Holder Vincent Dizenzo
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/ten_things_dizenzo.htm

1. Psychology
“No matter how he feels, he’ll always answer, “I’m feeling f***ing great!” There are no excuses for having a bad day. It’s your job to put yourself in the right frame of mind to succeed.”

Every day is your best day. Whatever the universe throws at you, just take and learn from it. You will only become stronger if you accept reality and move forward changing your perception and you will get better control of your reality.

2. Breathing
Without O2 you can’t do anything. BREATH properly and you will get plenty of your number one nutrient.

3. Toes up
“We all know that we need to have most of our weight on our heels when we lift”

Do you want an instant 20 pound jump in your Squat? Put on some Wrestling shoes.
I’ve found incredible results using wrestling shoes while working out. Wrestling shoes offer no cushion for your feet. Cushion is great for running sports but terrible for Powerlifting. Wrestling shoes allow to push the power from the resistance of the floor directly into your muscles and the weight being moved.

4. Video
“This is the best way to see what you’re doing. Your training partners can tell you what you’re doing wrong or right, but it will only really click when you see yourself doing it.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8JjqhkmYAk

5. Leg drive in the bench
“It’s just like you’re “on the bottom.” Drive those hips as if…”

I make sure my legs can drive resistance straight through the floor making the Benchpress exercise a whole body movement.

6. Breathing revisited
“Hold your breath.”

This is HUGE!!!!!! Holding your breath during an exercize will put internal pressure on your core muscle tightening them. Forget the Swiss Ball, just practice holding your breath during reps, your core muscles will respond like never before. WARNING: If you have high Blood Pressure holding your breath will increase it even more ,so be careful.

7. Diet and supplementation
“Put the good stuff in your body. Every big bastard (275 and above) eats crappy food. We love it. The cholesterol flows through our veins and our hearts skip beats as if to say, “WTF is wrong with you?”

Diet and supplementation is everything. If you aren’t giving yourself the proper nutrients to recover you will never get anywhere. Ever wonder why a lot of guys call themselves “hard gainers”? Just ask them to list you what they eat and as them if they are eating well enough. You will find the “hardgainers” don’t eat well enough and usually do the same workout year after boring year.

8. Sleep
“You’re supposed to get one hour of sleep for every two hours that you’re awake.”

How many people do what they are supposed to do. When you are tired, rest, go to a park, rest and relax. Meditate. I watched a video of Tibetan Buddhist Monks who were released from prision and wasn’t allowed to sleep for 18 years. He was locked up in solatary for all of those 18 years and had bright lights and loud music played 24/7 for all 18 years. he put himself in a deep meditive state for 18 years. They released him because he could never be broken and wasn’t going to fight back violently when released.

http://www.brainsync.com/

At least get 6 hours of sleep per night and catch up during your days off. You won’t grow if you don’t allow yourself to rest.

9. Expect to move big weights
“Expect greatness from yourself and you’ll get it. Greatness isn’t measured in world records. It’s measured in setting and breaking your own goals and records.”

So many guys at the gym think if they keep lifting puny weights on machines for 12 – 15 reps that one day they will become strong. WRONG!!! In order to become strong you have to lift heavy weights, plain and simple.

My standard Leg workout is simple
Squat 3 sets of 3reps, 2 sets of 2 reps, 3 – 4 sets of fast moving singles
Hack Squat 2 sets of 3, 2 sets of 2 fast reps
45 deg Leg Press 5 sets of 3 fast reps

my Squat Personal Record is 515 lbs @ 162 lbs set 6-4-08

Mission Statement

Dan Gilliland will bring you up to date news and incites about nutrition, fitness & healthy lifestyles.

The Secret Key to Health isn’t just about eating right and taking the right supplements. The secret key to health is living congruently and accepting who you are and living the life you want. Once you fill your life with your desires everything else just falls into place.