Posts tagged Fish Oil
Top 5 Supplements For Gaining Muscle Mass
1. Fish Oil- With enough Omega 3s you can put your body into an anabolic (building muscle) state. Fish oil is excellent at reducing inflammation soreness post work outs allowing you to begin the recovery process faster. It also improves insulin sensitivity; allowing more amino acids and glucose to reach the cells and therefore decreases recovery time. By loading a diet with the good fatty acids you can dramatically increase gains, especially if you have been stuck at a plateau.
2. Multi-vitamin- A good multi-vitamin can do wonders for gaining muscle mass and your overall health. The human body can not produce many of the vitamins and minerals it needs on its own, it must be supplemented. After a workout a cell needs all of the necessary components to synthesize protein if any of the components are defeceient or absent the cell will enter a catabolic state. When a cell is in its catabolic(muscle break down) state it can not begin the recovery process after a workout.
3. Pure Whey Protein- A pure whey protien source is an excellent source of protein for the body. Pure whey protein is low heat processed and the important proteins such as immunoglobulins are not denatured. Its purity gives it a high content of glutathione, a very anti-oxidant protein. Whey protein is a rich source of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), containing the highest known levels of any natural food source. BCAAs are important for athletes since unlike the other essential amino acids, they are metabolized directly into muscle tissue and are the first ones used during periods of exercise and resistance training. Whey protein provides the body with BCAAs to replenish depleted levels and start repairing and rebuilding lean muscle tissue. Whey protein is also very soluble, easy to digest protein and is efficiently absorbed into the body. It is often referred to as a “fast” protein for its ability to quickly provide nourishment to muscles.
4. Carbohydrate Powders- Carbohydrate Powderworks as a source of high quantum of complex carbohydrates to the body and help it to undertake rigorous exercise and weight lifting regimes. Carbohydrate powder is designed as the dietary supplement so that your body gets nutritional benefits and stabilizes the levels of blood sugar throughout the day. The carbohydrate powder is highly recommended for pre as well as post work out supplement regimes so that your body remains in good health and shape. The powder quickly delivers glucose to the blood and raises the insulin levels. This translates into faster muscle glycogen repletion after intense workouts or competitions.
5. Post Work Out Nutrients and Meal- Immediately after exercise or workout it is critial to put the body into a state of positive protien balance. Protein balance is not just about muscle. If the body remains in a negative protein balance for too long, every cellular function can be negatively affected. Clinicians recognize the fact that a negative protein balance is a downward spiral that has similarities in both intense training and sever illness. With proper nutrition and supplementation it can be halted. It can be halted by stopping protein breakdown with insulin. Insulin increases protein synthesis by 67% compared to protein synthesis without insulin. Insulin levels can be raised with the consumption of carbohydrates.
Research has shown that liquid nutrition is the only option to rapidly supply the body with the carbohydrates and proteins it needs in a timely manner. A properly designed post-workout shake consumed within 10-15 minutes after a workout can dramatically increase and eliminate any hormonal trauma caused by exercise. It is a good idea to consume a shake and as soon as that has digested a well balanced meal to fuel the body for your next workout.
Fish Oil? Are you taking the right stuff?
Fish oil for years has been an essential supplement for athletes and individuals looking to support their health. Fish oils have many benefits for the body; these
benefits can be attributed to their high concentration of Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for along list of bodily functions; the list is extensive some of the most important benefits can not be overlooked.
- Increased cell membrane health- fish oils contribute to growth of healthy and adaptive cells which allows the cells to be more responsive to changes in the cellular environment (i.e. loosing weight and gaining muscle).
- Activation of fat burning genes- fish oils actively promote the body’s functioning of fat burning lypolytic genes to holistically burn fat.
- Reduce inflammation- Omega 3 fatty acids have a remarkable ability to reduce inflammation in joints and muscle tissue after a workout.
- Improves blood flow to brain- fish oils act as a “cellular lubricant” in the body allowing for the increased blood flow to the brain, for better mental health.
- Decrease blood pressure- fish oils are wonderful stress reducers as they prevent the production of adrenal hormones in response to stress, helping to keep your blood pressure low.
Obviously fish oils are remarkable for their health benefits and there are many reason(above) that you can argue for their use. But recently a study was produced by a non for profit group which reported that of the top 10 companies selling fish oils 3 were containing high levels of pcb’s. PCB stands for Polychlorinated biphenyl compounds which were banned in the 1970′s for their carcinogenic effects. So despite all the benefits that fish oils have behind them you must be cautious of what you are putting into your body. See the full report of all companies that violated the level of allowed pcb’s here. Of the supplements tested the ones with the lowest overall pcb were; Solgar Norwegian Cod Liver Oil and Twin Lab Norwegian cod Liver Oil. All in all fish oil has many benefits that cant be denied and we still recommend its use but it is important as with anything you put into your body that you do your research before hand.
