Whey protein, BCAAs, Glutamine: How to invest the money? By Vic Goyaram

Whey protein, BCAAs,  Glutamine: 

How to invest the money?

Researched and Composed by Vic Goyaram
Exclusive for Bodybuilding Mauritius

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Rationale of this article

I have very often received questions from people willing to start supplementing with protein but are confused about what to choose among Whey protein, BCAAs and Glutamine. This is because for some the differences among these products are still confusing and the reasons for this are as follows:

• Some supplement labels are somewhat confusing to the layperson. Too much scientific jargon used as a marketing tool in an attempt to sound impressive to the consumer.

• Commonly terminologies like "anti-catabolic", "anabolic" and "promote muscle recovery" are used on the labels, leading people to believe that these products can be used interchangeably (Fig. 1).

This article attempts to clear any possible confusion, explain the differences among these products and serve as a guide on how to spend your money.

Fig. 1: Supplement labels are sometimes confusing. Glutamine and BCAAs

are labelled as "recovery" supplements, leading people to believe that

they can drink use either BCAAs or Glutamine  as a recovery supplement

Whey protein

For a detailed description of whey protein, the reader is referred to our whey protein article (link coming soon). Whey protein is basically a collection of several proteins that are called whey microfractions. As you probably already know, proteins are chains of units called amino acids. Therefore, whey protein is a collection of several chains of amino acids (microfractions). When your body digests these proteins under the action of proteolytic enzymes, amino acids are released. These amino acids are then used by body tissues (not only muscles) for making proteins by the process of protein synthesis.

Whey protein provides the whole assortment of amino acids necessary for body protein synthesis, namely essential amino acids (those that they body cannot produce and must necessarily come from the diet) as well as non-essential amino acids. In addition, Whey protein is rich in Glutamine and the three Branched Chain amino acids (Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine) as shown in Fig. 2 below.

Fig. 2. The Essential Amino acids profile whey proteins and other commercially available proteins per 100g of product. 

(Graph acknowledgement: Suppversity Blog Click here to visit)

Peptide-bonded v/s free form amino acids

Glutamine and BCAAs in whey protein are peptide-bonded amino acids, meaning they are part of the amino acid chains that make up the protein (Fig. 3). When ingested, these need to be broken down by digestive enzymes to release these amino acids. Peptide-bonded amino acids therefore take more time before they can appear in the bloodstream. Of course various proteins differ in the speed at which they are digested to release amino acids. 

On the other hand, Glutamine and BCAA supplements contain amino acids in the free form. The body does not need to break down any protein to obtain these amino acids. They are rapidly available to be absorbed and this appear in the bloodstream quicker. Similarly, amino acid supplements that provide the full spectrum of amino acids (Fig. 4) also contain free-form amino acids. 

Fig. 3. Intact proteins in whey contain amino acids that are peptide-bonded, that is, part of a protein chain. Your body needs to digest the protein to liberate the amino acids

Fig. 4. Amino acid supplements contain free-form amino acids.

Your investment guide

Now that you are equipped with a basic knowledge of protein and amino acid supplements, consider the following scenarios:

Case A: A case for buying whey protein: If you struggle to obtain enough protein  

As we know, ensuring an adequate intake of protein is fairly expensive from both food and supplemental sources. It is very likely that many persons reading this are not able to meet their protein needs. Our priority should be to ensure protein intake to the best of our ability (of course, without neglecting other macro-nutrients and the proper ratio of the same). This must dictate where our money should be spent on: on solid food sources of protein, followed by supplements to top it off.  I always advise to prioritise food sources of protein like chicken, meat, fish and eggs before worrying about flashy whey protein supplements although whey protein does have its importance.

Therefore, if you are unable to get enough proteins you aren't going anywhere by taking only BCAAs and Glutamine. These, particularly the BCAAs, are important amino acids that are involved in the recovery process but they are not sufficient for protein synthesis in the absence of sufficient amounts of the whole spectrum of amino acids. As I posted recently, some people having read that BCAAs promote muscle recovery are resorting to drinking only BCAAs after workouts, much to the neglect of their need to get all the other amino acids from other sources. This practice is fine as long as you drink some form of fast carbs after workout and follow it with a meal containing protein a bit later. 

Do this: After looking into your diet, make sure you are getting enough protein from food sources at regular intervals throughout the day. Do not buy whey protein with the aim of replacing meals or thinking you will get away skipping meals by drinking it. Then invest in a protein supplement which may be whey or a protein blend. If you think you are not eating enough protein and want to supplement do not go and spend your money on Glutamine and BCAAs, invest it in a protein supplement.

Fig 5.Glutamine supplementation may have recovery benefits but it does not mean that you drink only Glutamine after workouts.

Case B: You want to get the benefits of free-form BCAAs and Glutamine

Assuming that you can ensure adequate protein through a combination of food and protein supplements, there may be added benefits of using BCAAs and Glutamine as follows:

BCAA supplementation during cutting: 

BCAAs are critical during cutting phases because you'll be eating less carbohydrates and thus have low muscle glycogen levels, the preferred energy source for bodybuilding workouts. Training on low muscle glycogen favours the breakdown of muscle protein in order to obtain amino acids for energy. The BCAAs are the amino acids that are used up the most, in particular Leucine. In this case, supplementation with free form BCAAs is warranted as a means of minimising protein breakdown and muscle tissue loss. Furthermore, during a cutting phase protein intake is increased in order to make up for decrements in carbohydrate intake and as a means of sparing muscle protein for use as energy.  Keep in mind that BCAAs do trigger an insulin response that you may think is counter-productive during a cutting phase because the release of insulin is supposed to bring fat burning to a grinding halt. However, the nature of the insulin release triggered by Leucine v/s carbs is different. There is only a single insulin response to an intake of BCAAs while carbs trigger a longer-term release of insulin. Therefore, BCAAs have more benefits than drawbacks to a bodybuilder on a cutting phase because it helps in muscle retention.

BCAA supplementation during mass training?

During a mass gaining phase energy provision is generally adequate, muscle glycogen is filled to capacity to fuel workouts and the risk of using muscle protein as fuel is lower. You can get away with not using a BCAA supplement in the presence of adequate protein intake and supplementation with whole proteins like whey protein which provide BCAAs already. 

However, there is increasing data from research showing that the BCAAs, particularly Leucine, can trigger anabolic signals inside your muscle cells and thus switching on muscle protein synthesis (Fig 6). Such findings warranted the development of supplement protocols that included supplementing with free form BCAAs in between meals in order to keep the "anabolic switch on". A dosing protocol is 5g BCAAs between meals that are spaced about 3-4hrs in between. However, keep in mind that switching on anabolism is meaningful only in the presence of adequate supplies of all the other amino acids.  There is a lot of interesting data on BCAAs which will be the topic of another article. A good protocol for BCAA intake is 5g morning, 5g preworkout, 10g postworkout and 5g at bedtime as recommended by Dr. Layne Norton who is an authority on BCAAs and muscle protein synthesis.  The above benefit of keeping the anabolic switch on relates to rapid rises to BCAA levels in blood that would follow BCAA supplementation in the free form. Whey and other proteins do contain BCAAs but these are released at a slower rate than those from free-form supplements. A rapid rise in blood amino acid levels (aminoacidemia) is needed for this particular effect. 

However, while the proposed mechanism by which BCAA triggers the anabolic switch has been elegantly laid out, it remains to be seen whether there is a long term effect in terms of lean body mass gain in humans. In other words, whether taking free form BCAAs in addition to the BCAAs you are getting from whole-protein foods/ supplements is giving you any extra muscle. Future articles will be devoted to particular aspects of BCAAs.

Fig. 6. Leucine activates the important anabolic switch "mTOR",

 providing a basis of Leucine supplementation in the free form

Glutamine supplementation
Glutamine supplementation may be important to the athlete as it is involved in a number of functions like ammonia scavenging  muscle protein synthesis, glycogen synthesis and immune functions. Based on glutamine's involvement in important physiological processes we cannot extrapolate and say that taking extra glutamine will give additional benefits. There is no evidence that glutamine supplementation even in the long term has a significant effect on muscle performance, muscle protein degradation and body composition in young healthy adults as found in a study by Candow et al. (2001).

Remember that glutamine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning that it can be synthesised by the body from essential amino acids, particularly the BCAAs. With this in mind, a well fed body is well able to meet its daily glutamine demands even under stressful exercise. Your aim should be to ensure an adequate supply of essential amino acids from food sources and should you be taking whey protein then your glutamine needs would be easily covered. Future articles will deal with aspects of glutamine (research, its other functions and "benefits" and supplementation rationale).  

The take-home lesson

Your whole proteins are very important because they provide the whole assortment of amino acids. Maintaining adequate intake of the same should be your main priority. BCAAs are supplements with great merit in both bodybuilding and other competitive sports and their use in the free amino acid form is warranted in pre-contest training as well as mass training, as recent data suggest. However, the use of BCAAs will only be meaningful in the presence of sufficient proteins that provide the full amino acid spectrum for protein synthesis. Finally, if you are someone struggling with protein intake from food and want to supplement then invest in a good whey protein before considering BCAA or glutamine. Finally, there is no evidence that glutamine supplementation will lead to increased muscle mass should all your essential amino acids be met by food or a whey supplement. However, glutamine may have other benefits for the bodybuilder.

References

Candow DG, Chilibeck PD, Burke DG, Davison KS, Smith-Palmer T: Effect of glutamine supplementation combined with resistance training in young adults. Eur J Appl Physiol 2001, 86(2):142-9

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©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.

Disclaimer:

The Content on this site is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties. Correspondence: vicgoyaram@gmail.com

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Healthy Eating: You Are When You Eat

by Ram

That our personality is determined by what we eat is based on the belief “You are what you eat” expounded by Anthelme Brillat-Savarin and  Ludwig Feuerbach who declared that food affects one’s health and state of mind. The philosophy of conscious eating is emphasized in the Ayurvedic texts, the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads. According to these texts, if digestion is not optimal, it can trigger imbalances in other systems of the body, including the mind. Optimal digestion directly and swiftly corrects imbalances and in doing so, brings an end to suffering and prevents future disease. Most of us experience digestive disturbances at some time in our lives, some acute and some chronic that cause both discomfort and embarrassment. Correction of the digestive system is a part of the treatment of every imbalance in the body.

The above texts also stress the importance of being in tune with nature while eating consciously. Through food we connect to nature and become one with it. When we live in harmony with nature we experience optimal health and digestion and peace of mind. When we are out of harmony, we experience suffering. In realizing our connection to nature through eating, our relationship with food becomes a sacred experience. Furthermore, our close connection with nature also helps us to become aware of the role of the movement of the sun in influencing and impacting our digestion. The sun represents the fire element and in the physical body this is reflected as the process of transformation of the food by the heat of the digestive juices (jatharagni in Ayurveda). Thus, when the sun is at its peak in the sky, digestion is stronger and optimal. Similarly, digestive capacity is at its ebb during dawn or in the evening twilight when the sun is either rising or setting. Therefore, the above texts also recommend eating our largest meal during the midday hours when the sun is at its peak and smaller meals in the morning and evening. Such timed meals based on the sun’s position not only prevent weight gain and onset of other digestive-related problems but also ensures a disease-free long life. Some of these facts were clearly laid out in Nina’s post Yoga for Healthy Eating: An interview with Dayna Macy

Glad Day by William Blake

The above mentioned principles of consciously eating in tune with the sun’s position is now supported by a recent research study Timing of food intake predicts weight loss effectiveness  that suggests that you’re not only what you eat, but when you eat. According to this research study, having lunch as the main meal of the day (anytime before 3 pm) in fact could help you lose weight. The study just published in the International Journal of Obesity was carried out by a team of researchers at Spain’s University of Murcia, Boston's Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Tufts University in Medford, Mass. In this prospective study, 420 overweight men and women who lived in the Spanish seaside town of Murcia were monitored for 20 weeks while restricting their calorie intake to about 1,400 a day. The participants were divided into two groups: early-eaters who ate their lunch anytime before 3 p.m. and late-eaters that ate after 3 p.m. Among the findings reported in the journal:

• Early eaters lost an average of 22 pounds in 20 weeks; late eaters lost about 17 pounds.
• The late eaters consumed fewer calories during breakfast and were more likely to skip breakfast than early eaters.
• The late eaters had lower insulin sensitivity, which is a risk factor for diabetes.

The researches also noted that the effects of sleep and biological clocks have a close association with weight regulation in animals. If the timing of meals doesn’t match with the sleep cycle, there is a disconnect between the different body’s biological clocks leading to obesity and other physical problems. Thus, the results of the study not only demonstrate the need to avoid eating late at night but also the findings unequivocally demonstrate that timing of meals is a clear predictor of weight-loss effectiveness. While shifting to an early feast may not be too difficult for folks in Spain where the main meal of the day happens to be at mid-day, it could take quite an effort to convince folks here in the U.S., where the largest meal of the day (aka dinner) coincides with the setting sun. But give it try—remember to make hay and eat your biggest meal while the sun shines.

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Glucosamine supplements: a critical evaluation. By Vic Goyaram

A critical evaluation of Glucosamine-based Joint supplements

Researched and composed by Vic Goyaram

Introduction

Glucosamine is a very popular ingredient in supplements meant for patients of osteoarthritis as well as people engaged in sports and physical exercise for the maintenance of healthy joints and joint regeneration.  Most joint supplements are based on Glucosamine which is purported to help to support the structure and function of joints because it is a substrate for the biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycan (GAG), the building blocks of joints (Fallon, 2001). Glucosamine exists under several forms in supplements, namely Glucosamine hydrochloride, N-Acetylglucosamine and the most popular chemical form Glucosamine sulphate. The latter form is the most studied scientifically. Glucosamine by itself accounted for USD 720 million in terms of sales in 2005. This article attempts to review key aspects of glucosamine supplementation, including a discussion of the evidence for and against its effectiveness in joint healing.

Glucosamine product formulations and dosages

Most joint products contain glucosamine either as Glucosamine sulphate by itself or with added Chondroitin and MSM (Figure 1).  However, although these different forms of glucosamine may be chemically related the effects may not be the same when taken as supplements for the purported benefits.  Sulphate is the form which has been used in most scientific studies on Glucosamine. Additionally, some joint product formulations will also include other ingredients like MSM, Bromelain and Collagen (Figure 2) which may be involved in joint support. These products may come in the form of tablets, capsules or powder although tablets remain the most common formulation, from personal observation.

Figure 1: The most common glucosamine-based joint support
product formulation containing MSM and Chondroitin

Figure 2: Example of more advanced formulations containing 
glucosamine and other ingredients. The effectiveness of such formulas
 will be subject of another article.

The dosages vary from product to product but most contain about 1500-2000mg Glucosamine per recommended serving.

Dosage and precautions

Glucosamine is not recommended for children as it is mainly used to treat OA (a condition that affects adults) and its safety for children has not been studied. The recommended dosage for adults is 500 mg, 3 times daily, for 30 - 90 days. Once daily dosing as 1.5 g (1,500 mg) may also be used.Most studies show that glucosamine needs to be taken for 2 - 4 months before it is effective, although you may experience some improvement sooner. Glucosamine and chondroitin can be used along with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat OA. Glucosamine must not be administered haphazardly because it can have interaction with or counteract the effect of some medications like Warfarin (Glucosamine may increase the blood thinning effect of warfarin), Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (Glucosamine may reduce the need for NSAIDs), blood sugar lowering medications or insulin (Glucosamine may change the dose needed for blood sugar lowering medications and insulin).  Therefore it is always best to obtain medical clearance before commencing glucosamine treatment in the presence of existing medical conditions that necessitate the use of the above drugs.

Evaluating the evidence for the effectiveness of Glucosamine

The use of glucosamine is common among athletes at all ages and levels (Buckwalter 2003) but here is little if any evidence currently available about the claimed anti-inflammatory, analgesic, or protective effects of glucosamine in the athletic environment.  One study by Ostojica et al. (2007) studied the effect of 4 weeks of glucosamine administration (1500 mg per day) on the functional ability and the degree of pain intensity in competitive male athletes who had acute knee injury.  No significant difference was seen in pain intensity and knee swelling between the glucosamine and placebo group.  However, improvements in knee flexion and extension were noted thereby indicating that glucosamine may have an effect on joint mobility in injured states.

Glucosamine has been studied in cases of osteoarthritis (OA). Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that occurs when cartilage breaks down and is lost, either due to injury or to normal wear and tear. It commonly occurs with age. In some studies, glucosamine supplements have:

(a) decreased the joint pain of OA, 

(b) improved function in people with hip or knee OA, 

(c) reduced joint swelling and stiffness and 

(d) provided relief from OA symptoms for up to 3 months after stopping treatment

Not all studies are positive, however, and several more recent ones have not found any positive effect from taking glucosamine For example, in the large clinical trial by Sawitzke et al. (2008), called the 2006 Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), conflicting and somewhat confusing results. The study of about 1,600 people with OA of the knee found that glucosamine alone, or in combination with chondroitin did not reduce pain in the overall group, although it did appear to lessen pain among those with moderate to severe OA of the knee. This study has provided the impetus for further research. Studies are currently being conducted to see whether the glucosamine-chondroitin combination may in fact help those with more severe OA in an attempt to see whether any benefit is seen in more severe cases.  The study also tested whether glucosamine or chondroitin (together or alone) slowed the loss of cartilage in their knees. They showed no difference in cartilage loss compared with people who took placebo. In light of these conflicting findings, more research is warranted on Glucosamine before it can conclusively be said to be effective.

References

Buckwalter, JA. 2003. Sports, joint injury, and posttraumatic osteoarthritis. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 33: 578–588.

Fallon K. Glucosamine in the management of osteoarthritis. Int SportsMed J. 2001; 2(4).

Ostojica S.M, M. Arsicb, S. Prodanovicc, J. Vukovica & M. Zlatanovicd. Glucosamine Administration in Athletes: Effects on Recovery of Acute Knee Injury. Research in Sports Medicine: An International Journal. Volume 15, Issue 2, 2007. pages 113-124

Sawitzke et al. The Effect of Glucosamine and/or Chondroitin Sulfate on the Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis: A GAIT Report. Arthritis Rheum. 2008 October; 58(10): 3183–3191

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My Bio: I am a Mauritian originally from Roche Bois, Port Louis and now based in Cape Town, South Africa where I am busy with my postgraduate studies in molecular biology of exercise. My research, supervised by Prof. Edward Ojuka, looks at the influence of nutrition and exercise in gene expression in muscle, research which is relevant and applicable to exercising individuals, sports persons and diabetic individuals. The knowledge that I share with you stems from my 18 years of experience in bodybuilding and 8 years (and counting) of university education in the field. I have also published work in the American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism (2013), International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (2013) and co-authored two book chapters on exercise and diabetes. I also presented my research work at the 2012 International Sports and Exercise Nutrition Conference (UK). I am grateful to each and everyone at the UCT Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine. "Knowledge without sharing is worth nothing"

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©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.

Disclaimer: The Content on this site is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties.  Correspondence: vicgoyaram@gmail.com

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Glucosamine products pictured in this article are trademarks of NOW and Solgar.

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Holding It All Together, Part 1: Ligaments

by Baxter

As I was prepping for my upcoming workshop this Saturday on Yoga and the Musculoskeletal System out in Brentwood, CA (see Brentwood Yoga Center Workshops for registration information), I decided to look back at my old blog posts to see what I had written regarding tendons and ligaments, two of the main structures we’ll be talking about this weekend. And much to my surprise, I found that I had not yet addressed these basic and vital topics. So today I thought I’d begin a discussion on ligaments, anticipating that I’ll come back to tendons again in the future.

Let’s begin by looking at some basic definitions for these two structures. Both ligaments and tendons are composed of something anatomists call “connective tissue,” which is a collection of tissue types that often serve the function of keeping our different body structures together, and include such diverse tissues as the above tendons and ligaments, as well as fascia, intervertebral discs, cartilage in the ears and nose, cartilage coating the ends of bones and others. Connective tissues, depending on what their function in the body is, will either be more or less elastic by virtue of the proportions of the components that make up connective tissue: collagen and/or elastin fibers, which float in a semi-fluid gel called ground substance. According to Mel Robin, in his book A Physiological Handbook for Teachers of Yogasana, connective tissue works as a mechanical support or binder for other tissues, allows for food and waste from cells to move in and out, acts as a lubricant and is the body’s glue. 

So what then are the structures that ligaments glue together and what are the unique features of ligaments? Ligaments are specialized connective tissue that binds bones to bones. They keep the bones of your joints in close proximity so they don’t dislocate (which sometimes still can happen, in the shoulder joints, for example), and they allow for a certain amount of passive movement in some directions and restrict movement in others.  In fact, restraining movement is one of the main functions of ligaments. They happen to be high in collagen fibers and low in elastin fibers, which makes ligaments strong, but not very flexible. According to David Coulter in his book Anatomy of Hatha Yoga ligaments are:

“...made up of tough, ropey, densely packed inelastic connective tissue fibers, with only a few cells interspersed between large packets of fibers.”

Knee Joint (with ligaments)

Usually, the amount of stretch that can take place in a ligament is very minor, only around 4%, but there are exceptions, such as ligaments in the cervical spine region, which have been found to stretch up to 200%! In contrast, those around the knee joint have very little elastin, so are much more rigid to provide more stability to the joint. This can have relevance for our yoga practice. As an example, deep flexion (forward bending) of the neck as in Shoulderstand will not permanently overstretch the neck ligaments. But deep flexion (bending) of the knee as in Supta Virasana has to be approached cautiously and mindfully so as to not overstretch the supporting ligaments of the knee. If the ligaments are overstretched, they will not return to their original length and will be permanently loose and ineffective in stabilizing the knee. In general, you want to focus on stretching the muscle and not the ligaments in your yoga practice.

Another reason to avoid overstretching or, even worse, tearing a ligament, is that ligaments have a poor blood supply. Due to this poor supply, getting repair cells into an injured ligament and taking away the waste and injured material is more difficult, and healing is therefore slow. Also, ligaments have very few cells—which are the things that have to be stimulated in an injury to produce more fibers and fluid—and this contributes to slow healing as well. 

Those out there who have injured the ligaments at the side of the knee joint, the collateral ligaments, via sports like soccer or football, can attest to the long healing times I am referring to here. When we sprain a ligament, not only do we experience some pain and swelling, but the area also seems looser and more prone to re-injury. A ligament sprain that almost everyone has experienced at one time or another like this is the outer ankle.

It seems that one of the safest ways to stretch your tight muscles, and avoid stretching your supportive yet rigid ligaments, is via moderate intensity, slow, held stretches. Warmer muscles and ligaments seem to do this more healthily then cold ones, so I like to move slowly and mindfully in and out of a position a few times to warm up the tissues, and then follow that up with a more sustained hold. And the good news regarding safe stretching is that our nervous system warns us as we approach the kind of overstretch that could tear our ligaments (and tendons) through pain (which can have a whole range of variety and intensity), trembling or weakness. This is yet another reason to pay close attention to the sensations that arise as you perform your asanas. Also important is the location of the sensations, as those arising in the mid-length of the muscles is much more acceptable than sensations occurring right over joints. You might hang in there a bit longer in the first instance and come out of a stretch promptly in the latter!  

Next time, I’ll discuss tendons, which share some similarities with ligaments, but have some unique functions as well.

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Clenbuterol as a fat loss agent. By Vic Goyaram

Clenbuterol as a fat loss agent
 Researched and composed by Vic Goyaram

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Clenbuterol: the new wonder 'mainstream' weight-loss drug

Clenbuterol (henceforth, Clen, for short) very often features in the fat burner arsenal of experienced competitive bodybuilders who probably have a decent understanding of the effects and side effects of the drug. However, I have recently been alarmed at the number of questions about Clenbuterol that I have received from a number of people who are most likely unaware of the basics of fat loss dieting and who have probably been told by their peers in the gym to use pop some Clen tabs to get ripped. In the pharmacies where I work part-time I often get women who come looking for Clen and Anavar for fat loss. 

This article is intended to give you a background on Clen, its effects and side effects in order to help you make an informed decision.  I have personally never used Clen and most of my experience comes from my understanding of biochemistry, pharmacology, physiology and my interaction with people who have used it for its physique enhancement effects.

The regulatory status of Clenbuterol

"Clen is not approved for human use in the US"
In the USA, Clen is not approved for human use even for medical purposes. It is only approved for use in horses suffering from respiratory problems. Clen is not intended for human use or for use in food producing animals in the USA. Outside the U.S., Clen is available on prescription for the treatment of breathing disorders like bronchial asthma in humans. Livestock producers in countries like Mexico and China use Clen in animals to improve meat quality. Clen is available in tablets (0.01 or 0.02 mg per tablet) and liquid preparations as Clenbuterol hydrochloride. 

In the US Clen is allowed only as a veterinary drug 

"Clen is listed as a banned substance by the WADA and natural bodybuilding federations"
Clen is listed by the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) as a performance enhancing drug. Some natural bodybuilding federations like the International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA) list β-2 agonists like Clenbuterol and Salbutamol on their banned substances list as they follow the WADA protocol. 

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Basic pharmacology of Clenbuterol

The chemical structure of Clenbuterol

Clen is a classified as a sympathomimetic drug. It is so named because it stimulates the sympathetic nervous system whose general action is to initiate a "flight or fight" response (an overall stimulant effect). Clen does this by activating receptors called β-2 adrenergic receptors. 

Stimulation of these β-2 adrenergic receptors gives rise to effects like:

• Smooth muscle relaxation in the bronchi (bronchodilation). The main pharmacological use of Clen, asthma treatment, is in fact based on this effect.

• Fat breakdown in adipose tissue (triglycerides broken down into fatty acids that can be oxidised) hence it's effect as a cutting drug.

• Dilation of arteries that lead to skeletal muscle, allowing more efficient oxygen transportation to muscles.

• Stimulation of anabolism in muscle (relevance of this effect in humans will be discussed below).

After ingestion, Clen is readily absorbed (70-80%) and remains in the body for awhile (25-39 hours). As a result of its long half life, the adverse effects of Clen (more below) are often prolonged.

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Clen use in bodybuilding

A. Thermogenic and stimulant effects
Clen is used at about 60-120µg per day by bodybuilders often in combination with other fat burner drugs like the thyroid boosting drug T3, Yohimbine and Ephedrine/ Caffeine/ Aspirin (ECA) stack. The dosage is split in several intakes of 20µg. First time users generally test their sensitivity to Clen for determining the dosage. Clen is a fast acting drug and results come very fast, nearly immediately. An increase in body temperature is generally noted which is typical of Clen's well-known thermogenic effects.

Bodybuilders in contest preparation mode also stack Clen with steroids like Winstrol, Anavar and Equipoise. Users also report an increase strength with Clen especially in the first 2-3 weeks of use. This is possibly due to the stimulant properties of the drug. 

B. Receptor down-regulation
The body gets used to Clen fairly rapidly because the beta receptors are rapidly down-regulated. This means that the number of receptors decrease in response to the excess of beta-agonist (Clen), a usual response of the body. That is why Clen is generally used for relatively short periods of time, usually 4-6 weeks and use drugs like Ketotifen to try keep the receptors up and running.

When the body sees too much Clen (beta-agonist), it will decrease
the number of beta-receptors as a means of protecting itself

C. Anabolic effects

I would like to elaborate a lot on this one because a lot of people have asked me about the anabolic effects of Clen because they have read about it and thus want to use Clen to avoid the side effects (including injection pain) of steroids. Stimulation of the beta-2 receptors activates anabolic pathways in skeletal muscle and is the mechanism by which Clen exerts its anabolic effects.  Besides its effects on fat loss Clen may also produce a mild anabolic effect. I know you must be thinking "Hell yeah, I found what I wanted! Losing fat while putting on a bit of muscle!". Please be warned that while the mechanism of beta-2 agonist  anabolism is well established these effects may not happen with the doses used in humans. Let me tell you why:

The anabolic effect of Clen has been found in animals and not in humans. In these studies large amounts of Clen were used which is far in excess of what is safe for human consumption and what is recommended for bronchodilation. In a study by Choo and colleagues (1992), an anabolic effect was seen in rats that were given 4mg of Clen per kg of bodyweight. This means 400mg Clen for a 100kg person. Now remember that common doses for fat burning is 60-120MICRO grams per day. Be careful not to extrapolate animal data to humans especially unsupervised drug usage. Some people I know have reported that they retain muscle very well on clen but then they were also using anabolics like Winstrol and Equipoise so they real anabolic contribution of Clen cannot be determined. 

Below are two good review articles on the topic of Clen use to increase muscle mass and both come to the agreement that knowledge of the effects of Clen on muscle come from animal (laboratory or slaughter stock) experiments and not human data and therefore cannot be extrapolated to humans. Experiments on the safety, efficacy and cardiovascular side-effects are needed.

(Spann and Winter, 1995)

(Prather et al., 1995)

Side effects
Although the reported fat burning effects of Clenbuterol are fantastic it doesn't come without a share of serious side effects. These side effects can be classified as follows:

• Psychological side effects: As Clen is a nervous system stimulant emotional side effects are known to occur with its use. Many people report severe nervousness, paranoia and anxiety. Tremors are also very common and this reduced one's ability to perform physical tasks like writing, typing and holding objects. Insomnia may also result from Clen use especially when you have built up your dose. People who already suffer from psychological disorders like depression and anxiety are most likely to be at greater risk to experience the psychological side effects of Clen. Should you fall under such category it is best to speak to your medical practitioner before taking Clen. Do not play with your mental health.

• Short and long term cardiovascular side effects: Clen users report that cardiovascular side effects appear quite rapidly. These side effects include tachycardia (heart palpitations) and high blood pressure and the headaches that accompany these. In some users these side effects have been enough to get them to quit using Clen. In experiments using rats, the long term use of Clenbuterol has been to cause an infiltration of collagen fibres in the heart wall. Collagen stiffens the heart muscle and reduces its functionality. Most Clen use is unsupervised and its consequences in people with pre-existing heart conditions and hypertension are not to be taken lightly. Taking Clen under these conditions can be a tragedy waiting to happen.  There have been cases of sudden death with Clen use.

• Cramps: Clen is known to cause some bad cramps because it depletes the amino acid taurine. Taurine supplements help against Clen-induced cramps.

"Jumping" on Clen

First of all, I do not recommend Clenbuterol as a fat burner is you haven't mastered the basics of dieting like sorting out your diet and exercise program. Do not think you can get away by popping Clen tabs on a poor diet.  Do not look shortcuts and rather educate yourself. Do not listen to the guy who is selling you Clenbuterol and telling you "just drink this" without even talking about a proper diet strategy with you and asking about your medical history. Clen isn't your typical fat burner sitting on the shelves in the supplement store. Clen is serious business. Most of the questions about Clen use that I have received are from people who are clueless about their own nutrition. Imagine my horror when they also told me that they are doing endless sit-ups with no results and cannot answer me about the approximate number of calories they consume. I hope this article has shed some light on this topic. For those who want to learn more about dieting basics I will recommend the following two articles. Please read them carefully to know how your eating should be like before considering the use of Clen. They are written by two of my role models, Doug Brignole and Dr. Layne Norton.

The Ultimate Cutting Diet – Devised By Pro Natural Bodybuilder Layne Norton

How to get a lean midsection by Doug Brignole

References

Choo J.J, Horan M.A ,Little R.A, and Rothwell N.J. Anabolic effects of Clenbuterol on skeletal muscle are mediated by beta 2-adrenoceptor activation. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab July 1, 1992 263:(1) E50-E56

Prather ID, Brown DE, North P, et al. Clenbuterol: a substitute for anabolic steroids? Med Sci Sports Exerc 1995 Aug; 27(8):1118-21

Spann C, Winter ME.Effect of Clenbuterol on athletic performance. Ann Pharmacother. 1995 Jan; 29(1):75-7.

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My Bio: I am a Mauritian originally from Roche Bois, Port Louis and now based in Cape Town, South Africa where I am busy with my postgraduate studies in molecular biology of exercise. My research, supervised by Prof. Edward Ojuka, looks at the influence of nutrition and exercise in gene expression in muscle, research which is relevant and applicable to exercising individuals, sports persons and diabetic individuals. The knowledge that I share with you stems from my 18 years of experience in bodybuilding and 8 years (and counting) of university education in the field. I have also published work in the American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism (2013), International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (2013) and co-authored two book chapters on exercise and diabetes. I also presented my research work at the 2012 International Sports and Exercise Nutrition Conference (UK). I am grateful to each and everyone at the UCT Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine. "Knowledge without sharing is worth nothing"

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