SUPPLEMENTATION
Understanding Glutamine
Glutamine is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. Its side chain is similar to that of glutamic acid, except the carboxylic acid group is replaced by an amide. It is classified as a charge-neutral, polar amino acid. It is non-essential and conditionally essential in humans, meaning the body can usually synthesize sufficient amounts of it, but in some instances of stress, the body's demand for glutamine increases, and glutamine must be obtained from the diet. It is encoded by the codons CAA and CAG.
MCT Oil- is it really bulletproof?
The basics:
You might have heard fitness professionals talking about coconut oil coffees and ketogenic diets for weight loss and optimizing lifestyle. There is so much information out there, it can be hard to identify the facts and make your own decision about using products. So let’s break it down!
Vitamin D- The secrets of the sunshine vitamin
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, which can be found in dietary food sources such as oily fish, eggs and it is often added to dairy products in low amounts. However the greatest source we have is sunlight. Our bodies can make vitamin D from cholesterol if we get enough UV rays! In areas further away from the Equator- this can be difficult!
What does it do?
Vitamin D has multiple roles in the body, and is amazing in its diversity!
Boron’s Bountiful Benefits
Boron is a trace mineral (meaning it is needed in small amounts), a micronutrient with a big role to play in the body’s functions. It is always found bound to oxygen. It has been shown to have effects on human health, impacting bone formation and regeneration, wound healing, vitamin D and sex hormone production, brain function, as well as modulating uptake of calcium and magnesium. It has also been suggested that boron has some anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We can go through these salient effects and how much boron you should be getting, then you can make an informed decision as to whether you think you could do with a top up!
Vitamin D supplementation: How and why?
There’s more than one reason we come back from our week in the sun feeling re-energised. It gives us a big dose of Vitamin D! SO what’s the big deal about this little sunshine vitamin and why is supplementation so important?
Do I need Fat Burners to burn fat?
Burning fat is the primary fitness goal for most people, whether purely for aesthetic reasons, to improve health or any other. Burning fat can be difficult, as it requires consistency and effort. For this reason, people try to find an easy route for securing their fat-loss needs, which leads a lot of people to fat-burners. Fat burners are fantastic for helping you to burn fat, but they will not do it alone. Let's investigate the other factors affecting fat-loss.
Understanding Pre-Workouts
Pre-workout is a genre of bodybuilding supplements. It contains ingredients that are intended to give a sudden boost of energy. These supplements are over the counter and are used by mainly athletes to help aid in performance and recovery. Pre-workout supplements contain ingredients such as, beta alanine, creatine, amino acids, and L- Citrulline, that aid in muscle recovery after a strenuous workout. Pre-workout can be beneficial for performing strenuous exercises. Many supplement brands advertise products containing ingredients that are not proven safe or have a scientifically proven benefit. Some of the supplements being advertised can have little to no benefits and can cause unwanted side effects.
Understanding Whey Protein
Whey protein is a mixture of proteins isolated from whey, the liquid material created as a by-product of cheese production. The proteins consist of α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, serum albumin and immunoglobulins. Whey protein is commonly marketed as a dietary supplement, and various health claims have been attributed to it. An authoritative review published in 2010 concluded that the provided literature did not adequately support the proposed claims.
Understanding Creatine
Creatine is an organic compound with the nominal formula CNCH2CO2H. This species exists in various modifications in solution. Creatine is found in vertebrates where it facilitates recycling of adenosine triphosphate, the energy currency of the cell, primarily in muscle and brain tissue. Recycling is achieved by converting adenosine diphosphate back to ATP via donation of phosphate groups. Creatine also acts as a buffer. Studies in the 1920s showed that consumption of large amounts of creatine did not result in its excretion. This result pointed to the ability of the body to store creatine, which in turn suggested its use as a dietary supplement.
How to optimise your recovery
Over the past few years I have seen a growing interest into the importance of recovery and training.
When I first started training (like many of you reading this I assume) I thought that more was better in the gym. If I do more reps, more sets and train twice a day then surely I must be building more muscle right? I wasn’t sleeping that bad and I was eating a tonne of calories so surely, surely I am gaining muscle? Well, guess what, in hindsight, I wasn’t and my physique hardly changed, but why? I wasn’t optimising my recovery properly. Sure, I had heard that saying ‘you grow when you rest’ but I didn’t really take note of how important it was.