How Important Is Supplementation For Fitness?

For many who prefer to maintain their weight and their health without the use of supplements, they need to consider that the Industrial Revolution has resulted in a sedentary lifestyle (decreased physical labor requirement) and refined/processed foods which has resulted in a decline in weight management. Our environment has changed faster than we can adapt, many of us as we age store excess energy (fat) as if to prepare for a case in which we couldn’t find food regularly or needed to store energy for physical activity as would have been the case over a hundred years ago.

However, the fact is that we spend most of our time on our butt thanks to technology and it is harming our health. As much as some would like to complain about the health care costs of lifters injuring themselves and requiring surgery, the fact is that the majority of health care costs are the result of heart disease and cancer (the top 2) and many of the major complications of obesity are right below those top two on the list (heart disease is the #1 complication associated with obesity). So if technology has caused us to become sedentary and it has negatively impacted our health, why not fight back with technology?

I’m not talking about becoming dependent on pharmaceutical drugs to maintain your health. I’m talking about the supplement industries ability to aid inmotivation, exercise performance, recovery and the regulation of calories. Take into account a research study done on college age men and women on the effectiveness of supplementing with meal-replacements and a weight loss product on body composition and markers for fitness levels. While the effectiveness of the weight loss supplement was inconclusive (the supplement and its ingredients were not disclosed) it was determined that themeal replacement when used in conjunction with exercise, had positive improvements for fitness levels and body fat reduction (1).

For every person that you can think of that is a supplement guru or lives the bodybuilding lifestyle there are 10 people who either don’t believe in, or fear supplementation. By fearing supplementation I don’t mean being afraid of the products in general, but there are those who feel taking different products at the same time will somehow automatically lead to side effects or degraded health; and in some cases they believe they will receive more muscle growth then they want.

Now there are cases in which creating your own supplement stack is a bad idea and that is always the case when it comes to stimulant or caffeine based products. Everyone has either heard it before or asked the question “can I combine these two pre-workouts?” or “Can I take this pre workout with this fat burner?” Just to make things clear...no stimulant product in the recent history of the supplement industry was designed to be combined with another stimulant supplement.

Part of the reason for so many misconceptions is the result of advertising; unfortunately, to grab the attention of potential customers describing how products make you feel in the most colorful ways possible is part of the game. However, when advertisements start guaranteeing muscle gains in a certain period of time or promote a product as being so strong it could possibly be harmful to your health; that’s when things go too far.

Now for those who don’t believe supplementation is effective at all, it should be known that many of the ingredients and analogues of amino acids are based on things found in food in concentrated amounts for performance. Outside of creatine and protein (especially the BCAAs and the other amino acids that are in protein) there are very few supplements that have a direct correlation with muscle growth.

The majority of supplements, if you look closely, are associated with boosting performance or recovery to aid in your efforts to gain muscle. With all the research being done on supplements and steroids the one thing that can get overlooked at times is the fact that muscle growth has a direct relationship to training. Even if you took steroids, if you sat at home doing nothing, there would be no muscle growth to speak of.

For those who don’t believe in supplementation who feel they are of a higher education level, much of the research disproving the use of supplementation is based on popular supplements like L-arginine being disproven for many of its major uses pre-exercise in terms of increasing the pump or increasing performance (2). But for every bit of researching disproving an ingredients application, there is research supporting ingredients like Citrulline Malate and GPLC (Glycine Proprionyl L-Carnitine) for the same use with benefits for muscular endurance and improved performance.

Also, some of the research discrediting supplementation is ill conceived. All too often research will be done on an ingredient to test for increases in lean body mass after only a short period of time (4-8 weeks) on ingredients that were only meant to promote increases in endurance/performance orrecovery. And they use this as evidence to disprove supplementation use when, as stated earlier; outside of creatine and amino acids much of the ingredients in supplementation promote increases in performance or recovery which allow the user to make gains in muscle growth if diet and training are in line with their goals.

A particular case in which this is evident is in a research study done to determine the effectiveness of a protein/carbohydrate supplement, the researchers attempted to discover some sort of correlation between the supplement and performance despite the fact that it is primarily promoted for recovery. They did however discover markers for increased recovery thanks to protein/carbohydrate supplementation (3).

Another aspect of the supplement industry that is criticized is the pre-workout. It is well known that caffeine interferes with creatine’s effectiveness if they are taken at the same time; however this is not enough to discredit the use of stimulant based pre-workouts. Your strength is largely central nervous system based, so caffeine’s ability to decrease pain associated with exercise and result in an acute increase in strength is very real (4).

Also, in a study done on sedentary (does not exercise on a regular basis) men, it was determined that a low-calorie energy drink aided in their physiological adaptations to exercise (5). This is very important when you consider that it improved their body’s ability to adapt to a stress (exercise) that it was not previously trained to be able to handle.

Supplementation even for beginners can be important for helping them to cope with the physiological stress associated with returning to exercise. More research on popular specific ingredients like the recovery enhancing L-carnitine L-tartrate can be found in the article ‘The Key Amino Acids, Minerals, And Antioxidants For Recovery’ and the latest information on glutamine and creatine supplementation can be found in the article ‘Glutamine and creatine: Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks’.

As far as the concern for taking too many supplements, although too much of something is a bad thing (see ‘The Key Principle for Life, Dieting and Training: Moderation’) much of it is unwarranted. The largest known concerns based on research for supplementation are that fat soluble vitamins (like A, D, E, and K) have known toxicity levels and that taking too much of single amino acids ex: L-Leucine, can interfere with the absorption of other amino acids (6).

Another concern that the NCAA took control of was excess protein supplementation which lead to dehydration. Now the NCAA’s new ruling is to not recommend servings of protein supplements in excess of 40g per serving. However, past this, as long as supplements are taken as recommended there isn’t too much cause for concern. creatine is constantly proven to be safe and effective and recently popular amino acids in research such as L-Carnitine L-Tartrate have also passed their preliminary tests for safety (7).

So in the end, while it is true that you’ll have to do a little research on a supplements ingredients before purchasing and falling into the hype; that doesn’t mean that supplements are ineffective. For every study that discredits a supplement, there is one that proves another ingredient worthy to add to your training regimen, and for every proven ingredient that is discredited for a particular use; if applied appropriately it can be irreplaceable in your supplement stack.

The key thing to also remember is that very few products have a direct relationship to muscle growth; they are mostly training aids, so there should be no fear of becoming too bulky or looking like the bodybuilders in the ads because you are using a product to increase your endurance and another to increase recovery.

Dustin Elliott is the Head Formulator for Betancourt Nutrition.

1. Poole, Chris N; Roberts, Michael D; Dalbo, Vincent J; Tucker, Patrick S; Sunderland, Kyle L; DeBolt, Nick D; Billbe, Brett W; Kerksick, Chad M. The Combined Effects of Exercise and Ingestion of a Meal Replacement in Conjunction with a Weight Loss Supplement on Body Composition and Fitness Parameters in College-Aged Men and Women. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research., POST AUTHOR CORRECTIONS, 14 December 2010
2. Camic, Clayton; Housh, T J; Zuniga, J M; Hendrix, C R; Mielke, M; Johnson, G O; Schmidt, R J; Housh, D J. Effects Of Four Weeks Of Arginine Supplementation On The Physical Working Capacity At The Fatigue Threshold. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 24():1, January 2010
3. Baty, Jacob J. et al. The Effect of A Carbohydrate and Protein Supplement on Resistance Exercise Performance, Hormonal Response, and Muscle Damage. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 21(2):321-329, May 2007.
4. Beck, Travis W. et al. The Acute Effects of A Caffeine-Containing Supplement on Strength, Muscular Endurance, and Anaerobic Capabilities. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 20(3):506-510, August 2006.
5. Lockwood, Christopher M; Moon, Jordan R; Smith, Abbie E; Tobkin, Sarah E; Kendall, Kristina L; Graef, Jennifer L; Cramer, Joel T; Stout, Jeffrey R. Low-Calorie Energy Drink Improves Physiological Response to Exercise in Previously Sedentary Men: A Placebo-Controlled Efficacy and Safety Study. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research: August 2010 - Volume 24 - Issue 8 - pp 2227-2238
6. H. Fisher, P. Griminger, G. A. Leveille and R. Shapiro. Quantitative Aspects of Lysine Deficiency and Amino Acid Imbalance. The Journal of Nutrition, January 18, 1960
7. Rubin, Martyn R et al. Safety Measures of L-Carnitine L-Tartrate Supplementation in Healthy Men Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 15(4):486-490, November 2001.

Amino Acids Why Do We Need Them?

Finding out a little about amino acid basics enables you to get an insight into why they are so important to our bodies. These acids are known as the building blocks of protein, and they are vital to our bodies for many reasons. The day to day function of our bodies relies heavily on adequate levels, and these acids can affect everything from growth to the body's natural treatment of injury and disease. Any deficiency can result in ill health. These acids play a big part in the proper function and natural treatment of your body, and it is important to ensure that you do not become deficient in your amino acid levels. Below is a little information regarding basics when it comes to your health.

Amino Acid Benefits - How They Can Help You

There many basic ways in which amino acids help us on a daily basis. This includes the effective repair of muscles, organ, hair, nails, ligaments, skin - in fact, just about every part of your body relies on adequate levels in order to maintain good health. So, you can see why a deficiency in these amino acid basics could lead to severe ill health. Amino acids are also important in the prevention of some major health problems, such as heart attacks, high blood pressure, and strokes, as well as in the healing of existing health problems such as ulcers.

You can buy a range of supplements these days, but to ensure that you enjoy balanced benefits it is advisable to opt for a supplement that contains a blend of acids - this will ensure that you are not overdoing it on one of them and harboring a deficiency in another.

What Are Amino Acids

amino2222-liquid-facts

Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein and are linked in various sequences and chains (polypeptides), thus accounting for the vast variety of different proteins manufactured by the body. Likewise, our dietary protein differs, and its subsequent utilization by the body.

Scientists have attempted to measure utilization rates of different sources of dietary protein, creating various forms of measure, such as Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) and Biological Value (BV), which you may've come across on the back of your protein supplement tubs.

Other tags, relating to Amino Acids, which you may be familiar with (from reading the back of protein supplements), are the prefix "L" and the noting "BCAA".

An "L" prefix denotes a naturally occurring amino acid. The opposite "D" (which you're probably not so familiar with) is synthetic, and is not normally useful to the body.

"BCAA" is short for Branch Chain Amino Acids. Bonded in a chain configuration, the BCAA's - Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine - collectively form the largest Amino section of human protein (about 33% of MUSCLE protein!).

Naturally occurring Amino Acids are further categorized as "essential", which means that they cannot be made by the body (and, subsequently, have to be included in the diet), and "non-essential", which can be made by the body (NB: Although, still beneficial within diet). A list has been made below. It must be remembered that many work hand-in-hand, and adequate amounts of protein, and good sources of protein (remember, this is what Amino Acids collectively form), are of greater importance and benefit than simply supplementing high dosages of certain Amino's.



Essential:

L-Isoleucine (BCAA)
L-Leucine (BCAA)
L-Lysine
L-Methionine
L-Phenylalanine
L-Threonine
L-Tryptophan
L-Valine (BCAA)

Non-Essential:

L-Alanine
L-Arginine*
L-Asparagine
L-Aspartic Acid
L-Cysteine
L-Glutamine
L-Glutamic Acid
L-Glycine
L-Histidine*
L-Ornithine
L-Proline
L-Serine
Taurine**
L-Tyrosine

*These are regarded as "semi-essential". The reason, they can be made by the adult body, but babies and young children may not be able to manufacture enough for their needs.

**Taurine does not have an "L" prefix as it only exists in one form. Furthermore, Taurine's unusual as it's not incorporated into proteins in the body (likewise, L-Ornithine).

Amino Acids and Muscle Building

Much is said about amino acids as part of good bodybuilding supplementation but few people know exactly what an amino acid is or what its role is in the health and growth of muscle to a body. This article will aim to look at some of the important aspects of amino acids and help you to understand how vital they can be in gaining an advantage at the gym.

In simple terms an amino acid is the building block of protein. When we consume protein it is synthesized or broken down into various amino acids then put together again to form new proteins that make up most solid parts of our body, skin, eyes, hair, and especially muscle.

There are 22 different amino acids in total. 8 of these are considered essential to our bodies and 14 are considered non essential. While the essential of the 22 are mainly supplied to us adequately through a balanced healthy diet, a select few of the non essential ones have been shown to be most significant for bodybuilders. However an important point to note is that ultimately is a healthy protein balance that paves the way for increased muscle growth and that in fact without it, any amino acid can become toxic in its own right. Amino acids are a supplement, an addition to an already strong diet.

Some of the essential amino acids include, Lysine, Phenylalanine, Histidine and Methionine and serve many functions from improving digestion to enhancing, stimulating hormone release to assisting in the breakdown of fats to the improvement of memory and many more.

Another important group of Amino acids are called Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's) which are considered the most important of all. The BCAA's are Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine. The main way they vary from the other 19 amino acids is that they are primarily metabolized in skeletal muscle rather than other tissues of the body. They serve many functions for skeletal muscles including the enhancing muscular cell energy production, enhancing protein synthesis, stimulating metabolic signals, and being a precursor for the formation of other amino acids.

It is through the study of amino acids that scientists are beginning to develop a new kind of supplement for bodybuilders. With the knowledge of the workings of amino acids at a cellular level, they are learning how to manipulate them for the purpose of great effects on the human body. Some examples of this are the new amino acid combinations seen in a muscle building stack of three supplements Leukic, Gakic and Creakic offered by company Muscletech. These supplements are unlike the average protein or creatine supplement in that they actually effect cellular processes and provide near instant effects to the body's chemistry. In this way they are able to give instant increases of performance, recovery and fatigue resistance and are proving to be a force to be reckoned with in the bodybuilding community.

As you can see, correct amino acid supplementation does play an important role in the diet of an athlete. Moreover, if you are neglecting your amino acid intakes and are competing whether it be with your friends or in real competition, you are surely at a disadvantage.

Testosterone Tests

atlas-test-en

Testosterone tests are carried out to measure the testosterone level in your body. These tests are generally of two types - blood tests and saliva tests. Testosterone tests are important to diagnose and cure certain syndromes and diseases associated with testosterone deficiency. These tests are done to evaluate ambiguous sex characteristics, precocious puberty, hirsutism and masculinization, virilizing syndromes in the female, infertility in the male, and rare tumors of the ovary and testicle.

Testosterone tests are carried out in laboratories on blood samples taken from body. These blood samples are usually collected in the morning, because testosterone levels are higher during morning hours. Most laboratory testosterone tests measure total testosterone, as the sum of both bound and free testosterone in the body. The most accurate blood test is the equilibrium dialysis, which measures free testosterones plus a portion of the albumin bound testosterones.

Depot-Testosterone-Enanthate-Unigen1

There are some do-it-yourself home testosterone test kits available at stores and online sites. They measure testosterone level in saliva. These tests are useful for aged persons and those who undergo testosterone replacement therapies. Apart from testosterone levels, saliva hormone tests also provide information regarding levels of other hormones such as DHEA, cortisol and progesterone.

Home testosterone tests are mostly simple - you collect your saliva in tubes provided with the kits at certain times of a day. Then you fill a simple form and mail the sample along with the form in a prepaid addressed mailer. The results are usually obtained in about 10 to 15 days. A complete home testosterone test kit is available from $55 to $80.

The major advantages of salivary hormone tests include low cost, private and convenient collection, and collection of multiple samples without spending the whole day in a laboratory. Testosterone usually follows circadian rhythms, so multiple sample collections allow more precise and accurate evaluation of the fluctuations in the rhythm.

Normal testosterone levels range from 300 to 1,200 ng/dL in men, 30 to 95 ng/dL in women, less than 100 ng/dL in pre-pubertal boys, and less than 40 ng/dL in pre-pubertal girls. Increased levels of testosterone are indicative of sexual precocity, viral infection of encephalitis, tumors involving the adrenal glands, testicular tumors, excessive thyroid production (hyperthyroidism), and testosterone resistance syndromes. Decreased levels of testosterone indicate Klinefelter syndrome, chromosomal deficiency, primary and secondary hypogonadism, and down syndrome.

Testosterone - It is Not just about Sex

It is estimated that over 4 million American men have low testosterone (hypogonadism). This is thought to be primarily responsible for impotence, depression, fatigue, excess body fat and osteoporosis.

Testosterone and DHEA (a precursor hormone for the manufacture of testosterone) slow production after the age of 40. Women have menopause and lose estrogen production over a relatively short period of time. For men, the production of testosterone continues to slow every year for the rest of their lives.

Testosterone is primary to maintain muscle mass

It is necessary for strong bones, to build cardiac muscle, promote coronary artery dilation and help regulate cholesterol. At low levels it may also play a part in the development of Alzheimer's.

Part of the balancing act of nature is that all men have some estrogen in their body and all women have some testosterone.

As testosterone levels drop, estrogen levels rise because of an aromatase enzyme which converts testosterone to estrogen which is stored in fat cells. It is a vicious cycle because the fat cells themselves create more estrogen. The more over weight you are, the more enzyme is produced and the more fat you put on and more stress is put on the liver. It is the liver's job to remove the excess estrogen from the body. Sadly, liver function also decreases as we age.

The brain detects the levels of estrogen and wrongly assumes that the corresponding level of testostrone is being produced - so that cuts down on the signals to produce more testostrone.

testosterone  Tabs

Increase Testosterone

Now you have to do something to increase testosterone. You have several choices. There are creams, gels, patches, injections, herbs and a few "miracle" cures.

According to Dr. Julian Whitaker -"...oral testosterone has the potential for liver dysfunction and a decrease in protective good cholesterol levels. He recommends that saw palmetto 120-360 mg daily to reduce the conversion of testosterone in dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Too much DHT has been linked to various health problems including prostate cancer."

Testosterone Prescriptions and Side Effects

Testosterone prescriptions are most commonly written by doctors for men with testosterone deficiencies caused by andropause or other conditions. Testosterone is a hormone produced by the body and deficiencies cause symptoms such as decreased sex drive, fatigue and moodiness.

These symptoms can be caused by other conditions and even when testing shows that testosterone levels are lower than normal, testosterone supplementation does not always alleviate the symptoms and may inhibit the body's natural ability to produce testosterone. This is just one known side effect.

Testosterone produced by the body causes muscles to grow and strength to increase.

At one time, testosterone prescriptions were written commonly for many conditions. It was praised as a miracle drug. Weight lifters, body-builders and other professional athletes used testosterone and other anabolic steroids for years to enhance their ability and performance.

When testosterone side effects became known doctors stopped prescribing it except in cases where the body's ability to produce testosterone had been damaged by injury or disease and athletes could only obtain it illegally.

Now, once again, a growing number of testosterone prescriptions are being written. Drug companies seeking FDA approval, use test groups to study the effectiveness and common side effects of drugs. In 19% of the patients in the original group for one of the testosterone gels, a prostrate disorder was reported and one developed prostrate cancer.

Other testosterone side effects reported include acne, hair loss, depression, moodiness, swelling in the arms and legs, gynecomastia (breast growth in males), breast pain, high blood pressure, decreased libido and nervousness. Gynecomastia is said to occur frequently.

The companies who make prescription testosterone warn that prolonged use can cause liver damage and cancer. They advise that some patients may develop sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is when a person stops breathing during sleep.

They further advise doctors to continuously monitor patient's testosterone levels, prostrate size and perform other follow-up tests. They advise patients to inform their doctors if they experience any of the listed testosterone side effects.

Testosterone prescriptions and testosterone side effects is the subject of some debate among health care professionals and scientists, with the supporters maintaining that the positive effects outweigh the risks and the critics saying that there are other less hazardous options.

Bodybuilding and Side Effects of Creatine Supplements

When a person is targeting for bigger body mass, he or she usually intakes bodybuilding supplements aside from having rigorous exercise. These supplements helps in building muscle mass and lose fat. Aside from that, these supplements are also helpful in aiding that person to improve at sports performance.

There is a huge collection of bodybuilding supplements in the market. Each of these supplements works differently to be able to help the person achieve the body mass that he or she wants. One of the most common bodybuilding supplements in the market is called creatine.

Creatine is an organic acid that was proven by several studies to give our muscle cells energy. Aside from giving our cells a burst of energy, creatine is also known to give strength, muscle mass and reduce recovery time for tired muscles. This organic acid is also proven to help the brain as well because of its ability to improve recognition memory, mental fatigue reduction and improve brain function. Because of its popularity, different forms of creatine supplements are now available like creatine monohydrate, creatine anhydrous, creatine citrate, creatine phosphate, creatine malate, creatine tartrate, creatine HMB, creatine ester, creatine titrate, liquid creatine, creatine gum and magnesium creatine.

However, there has been news circulating that creatine cause several side effects on one's body. One of the side effects being linked to creatine is related to kidney problems. Some people pointed out that long-term use of creatine might cause kidney stones to some users. But, solid evidence against creatine with regard to this ailment has not been provided.

Another side effect being pointed to creatine is renal stress. This condition will be triggered when a person with existing renal or kidney problems drink creatine. A person might also feel bloated but it could be due to the feeling of gaining mass.

The only proven side effect of creatine to the human body is diarrhea. However, this happened because the athletes using creatine took more than the prescribed amount of creatine. Diarrhea was immediately resolved after reducing the dosage.

Generally speaking, there has been no full proof evidence against the long-term use of creatine. Most of the allegations for this product do not have a strong data that the observed side effects are due to creatine. There are people that suspects that side effects happen on case-to-case basis and might vary according to the form of creatine. Only the over dosage of creatine linked with diarrhea has been proven and it is just logical since it is not really advisable to drink more than the prescribed amount of medication.

Creatine The Popular Bodybuilding Supplement

Why Creatine Is Such a Popular Bodybuilding Supplement

Creatine is a naturally occurring chemical produced in the human body. It is created in the liver and kidneys from the amino acids L-arginine, L-methionine, and glycine. Skeletal muscle contains nearly 95% of all the body's supply. Though it is found in fish and meat, it is a popular supplement for athletes because once converted into phosphocreatine it is stored in the muscles and used for energy. Bodybuilders especially appreciate it because during short bursts of intense exercise, like weight lifting, phosphocreatine turns into ATP, our body's fuel.

First identified in 1832, it did not rise to popularity as a supplement until the early 1990's. Then they discovered it was safe for naturally and legally enhancing athletic performance and increasing lean muscle mass. This supplement has such mass appeal with bodybuilders and other athletes that annual sales are reportedly between $100 and $200 million.

It is also popular among professional athletes. According to published reports, 50% of professional football players and at least 25% of professional baseball players use it. It is wildly popular with bodybuilders because it stimulates muscle growth and increases muscle mass. Pro athletes like Troy Aikman, Sammy Sosa, and John Elway have publicly endorsed it as an important element of their athletic achievements.

Creatine use has increased with adolescent athletes who are anxious to increase their lean muscle mass quickly and improve their performance. Unfortunately, they are also the population most likely not to take it in the amounts supported by scientific findings. Surveys suggest that adolescents exceed both loading and maintenance dose recommendations to achieve their desired results quickly. This is worrisome because although generally safe, in high doses there can be serious side effects like kidney damage.

Professional sports, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the International Olympic Committee all permit its use. However, in 2000 the NCAA prohibited colleges and universities from distributing it or paying for it with school money. Without scientific evidence that it is harmful, they will not ban it.

Some questions do remain because not all of the clinical studies agree about the benefits of using it. However, these variations may be due to such things as carbohydrate intake, muscle fiber type, amount of physical activity, and fitness level. In fact, one study found that increasing carbohydrate intake also increased the muscle's ability to absorb phosphocreatine.

Touted by professional athletes and sports enthusiasts from around the world, this supplement has been a rising star for nearly twenty years. Some may have more questions but for others the verdict is clearly in. Creatine is a winner by a knockout.

stanozolol side effects for men

What is Winstrol?

Winstrol (generic name Stanozolol) is one of the most popular anabolic steroids currently available and ranks right up there with Dianabol and Dec-Durabolin in status when bodybuilders buy anabolic steroids. The number of high-profile positive drug tests involving Stanozolol will give some idea of its popularity. Canadian sprinter, Ben Johnson, went from national hero to social leper after testing positive for Stanozolol after blowing away everyone in the 100-meter sprint at the 1988 Olympics. During the IFBB's short-lived drug testing attempt at the 1990 Arnold Classic, the winner, Shawn Ray, and Canadian pro, Nimrod King, tested positive for Stanozolol. The reason for its popularity is simple - effectiveness and relative safety. Winstrol is a very safe and effective steroid - provided it is used correctly.

We must be careful to distinguish between the two versions of stanozolol that bodybuilders use in their cycles. Injectable Stanozolol is reportedly more effective than the oral version. One unique characteristic about the Injectable form is that unlike most other steroids, which are usually dissolved in oil, Stanozolol is dissolved in water. What this means is that the frequency of injection for Stanozolol is much higher than oil-based steroids. Those steroids dissolved in water must be injected at least every second day, and best results are usually seen when the injections are daily.

Stanozolo is one of the favorites of pre-competitive bodybuilders because it doesn't aromatize into estrogens and cause water retention and other side effects. Injectable Winstrol is reported to give the muscles a harder and more vascular appearance as well as speed up the oxidation rate (burning) of fat. Stanozolol is usually not used alone during the pre-competition period as its low androgenic components make it weak for preserving muscle mass. For this reason many bodybuilders stack it with another steroid such as Parabolan, Primabolin, or Dec-Durabolin.

Although faking steroids is very easy to do, real injectable Stanozolol is easily recognized based on its packaging. Unlike most Injectable steroids which come in small bottles, Stanozolol comes in glass ampoules containing a milky, white, watery solution, which if not shaken for a period of time shows separation of the drug crystals and water. Faking all this, especially the ampoules is extremely difficult to do.

Because it needs to be injected daily or every second day, Winstrol can become one of the more expensive anabolic steroids to use. All those injections may also result in scar tissue developing at the injection sites. It's because of this that many bodybuilders have adopted a sort of "round the clock" pattern of injecting the steroid. This means they rotate injections between their glutes, calves, shoulders, arms, and legs. This is why steroid alternatives are becoming so popular.

Weight Loss Diet tips

Powerful Weight Loss Diet Tips


Everyone knows that most people would like to lose weight, but most don't seem to know the best way to lose weight. To start seeing differences, you have to make some changes in your habit and lifestyle.

Let me share a few very vital weight loss statistics Before I start:

- 64 percent of people in the United States are overweight - Obesity is responsible for 325,000 deaths every year. Alright as you can see Weight Management is a huge Problem in the United States, So we are constantly searching for that miracle drug to help us with weight loss diet.

You may not want to hear, it but it's true - there is no magic spell when it comes to losing weight. However, there are some things that you can do in order to lose fat as quickly as possible.

Here are Six great weight loss tips:

If you favour the traditional route of diet and exercise, then the following tips given below should work greatly to help with weight lose diet:-

1. Eliminate Eating Junk Food.

Most of your efforts to reduce your weight will be unsuccessful of you are unable resist eating junk and processed foods. These primarily consist of fast foods and snack foods such as burgers, pizza, fries, potato chips etc. All of these foods offer very poor nutritional value and it consequently makes no sense at all to carry on eating them. Keep in mind - you will not be able to physically improve on an insufficient diet. You must look carefully at the contents of your cupboard, fridge and freezer and make certain that you switch all sugary and greasy foods with nourishing, healthy alternatives.

2. Drink a Lot of Water- Although you may have heard it over and over again, it is really true. Drinking water not only replenishes your system but also promotes weight loss. How is that possible? Well, as we all know, water is a fluid that directly passes your colon, so drinking water can flush away those toxins and unwanted fats. Drink at least 8 glasses a day for best results.

Water is essential to life and a healthy body. Dehydration will wreak havoc on you and your fitness goals. If you are dehydrated your body cannot function at its optimal level. For example, your muscles will loose strength, you won't burn fat as quickly, and you'll feel tired and fatigued.

3. Reduce the Size of Your Portions-

You should eat five or six small portions each day at regular intervals of about 4 - 5 hours. This will aid appetite suppression and boost your rate of metabolism, causing you to burn additional fat without the need for too much physical effort.

4. Lower Your Calorie Consumption Without Deprivation. Do this by steadily reducing the amount of calories that you get through by a small quantity each day. This will tot up very quickly, but be aware that you will not start to lose weight until you reach the point at which you are expending a more calories than you eat each day. This incremental approach will help to cut down snacking and binging, which would clearly put you straight back where you began.

5. You Want to Start Exercising Regularly-

This doesn't need to be anything excessive, but simply put: working out is almost certainly the most effective way to lose weight and enhance your general heath. Diets by themselves may assist you with losing some weight, but they are not able to improve your stamina, physical fitness, flexibility, mental state and help you achieve numerous other benefits in the way that regular exercise can.

Additionally, exercise is another technique to increase your metabolism, which, once more, helps you to burn off additional fat in less time.

6. Sleep Well- Practice a Good Night Sleep

Sleeping is a favorite quick weight loss tip since it is one of the most effortless. Do not understand the power of having enough sleep. It is vital to your overall weight loss plan. Medical research has proven that sleep deprivation would induce hunger, and improve appetite. This often results in excessive eating. Likewise, having sufficient sleep of at least 8 hours helps to bring a balance to the leptin level and aids weight loss.

There you have the Building block to A Permanent Weight Loss.

There are many ways in which an individual can choose to lose weight. The problem is that diet, and exercise alone for some people still isn't enough, and may leave them struggling to reach their weight loss goals. For many people changing their diet, exercising, and taking nutritional supplements or weight loss products in combination can be the perfect answer to lose weight.

One such supplement is acai for weight loss. Acai is a form of berry that is found in the Amazon, and holds tremendous antioxidant properties. It is also used to increase energy levels, and to improve digestive health. Acai can also help to prevent free radical damage, and diseases like cancer, heart disease, and premature aging. It's the combination of all of these benefits that make acai for weight loss a great option for individuals who need extra assistance.

Acai for weight loss in conjunction with good eating habits, and an exercise routine can be a fast, and healthy way to lose weight. For many, speeding up the process in which they lose weight can help them to feel motivated, and offer them the confidence that they need in order to make the entire weight loss process an easy mental endeavor to embark upon.

One such weight loss product that uses acai is called Acai Berry Select. This is actually offered as a free trial, and is a great way to improve health, and also help to promote healthy weight loss.
Acai berry select can help you lose weight when used as part of a diet and exercise routine-Acai berry contains huge amounts of antioxidants that help to flush the body of toxins, and is most likely the healthiest supplement on the market today.-Acai berry select helps you "lose weight and flush the pounds"

Thanks to a great mixture of healthy weight loss ingredients Acai Berry Select is our top choice for an Acai berry weight loss supplement

Quick Weight Loss Tips

Here are some tried and tested rapid weight loss tips. 

Some may work better for you than others, everyone is different. If you combine these ideas, you can get a good metabolic boost that will lead to more rapid weight loss.

1. Fish oil

Fish oil is a very healthy substance which has been shown to have many health benefits. One of these benefits is it's ability to help you lose fat. Fish oil "turns on" you fat burning genes and "turns off" your fat storing genes. It is also preferentially used for energy, meaning your body will use it for fuel rather than store it as fat, which in turn will increase your metabolism and help you lose fat. On top of all this, fish oil has been shown to help fight many diseases and conditions and keep you in top physical condition. For this reason it is at the top of the list!

                            

2. Green tea

Many people have heard of the health benefits of green tea. One of these benefits is fat loss. This is accomplished through the polyphenols in the green tea, and of particular interest is the catechins. Studies are showing varying increases to metabolism which is understandable due to everyone being unique. However, what is important is that many studies are showing a significant increase in fat oxidation, which means more rapid weight loss for you. Again, on top of all the health benefits, green tea is a no brainer!

3. Multivitamin

Whilst this may not strike you as an obvious fat loss choice, a good multivitamin can definitely help. Vitamins and minerals help your body run properly and many catalyze (speed up) chemical reactions in your body. If you are deficient in some of these key vitamins and minerals, your metabolism will slow down and this makes it harder to lose weight. Because many of us don't get the required RDA of vitamins and minerals because our diets lack fruits and vegetables, a good multivitamin helps us achieve this. As a result, our bodies metabolism can speed up and in turn this increases your weight loss efforts. Great!

4. Coconut oil

This last tip is a little less known, but it can definitely pack a punch. Coconut oil is high in medium chain triglycerides. MCT's are easily absorbed by the body and utilized for energy. You body likes burning them as fuel and as a result you get a metabolic boost out of them. This aids in your quest for weight loss. Coconut oil also contains several anti-bacterial agents and more which help in building a healthier body. This also helps you to get healthy and lose weight.