Turning 40 can be a powerful and transient event even though many women believe that everything starts to change or even fall apart at 40. This doesn’t have to be so! Women can stay strong and competitive, healthy and fit well over the age of 40. There may be some changes you need to make, but it is an important time for you to make these changes so that you can continue to stay in shape.
Some basic dietary changes can help you to supplement your workouts and keep you strong. Calcium, for example, has always been important in a woman’s diet, but it is critical to start supplementing calcium now if you haven’t already. Bone density begins to decline and if this gets really bad, it can lead to osteoporosis later in life. Ginseng is an herb that can help to give you energy when you start to feel fatigue, and some people swear it is what helps keep them young. Consuming a lot of fruits and vegetables is crucial to keeping yourself young. Not only is it very healthy for your body, it is quite beneficial for your skin as well. Natural foods, especially fruits and vegetables, are full of antioxidants, and these help keep free radicals from destroying that youthful appearance of your skin. Also good are salmon and other foods such as almonds, flax and fatty fish which provide a strong source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Again, this is good for your heart health but also for your radiant skin.
Staying in shape also means getting – or staying – physical, of course. You may discover aches and pains that you haven’t noticed prior to turning 40. It’s not because 40 is some magical age, but rather a useful timeline to gauge when women tend to start feeling less energetic, more rigid, or have tighter muscles than they used to. A fun and relaxing antidote to this is yoga. Yoga has been said to be the true fountain of youth! A good, long yoga session a few times a week or a simple practice of ten to twenty minutes daily can relax, tone and lengthen your muscles as well as your spirit. It also helps to de-stress your mind, which has been shown to have an effect on cortisol levels in the body. By reducing cortisol, you can help reduce the belly fat that may be more stubborn to remove these days. Any time of stress-relieving mechanism you use will help keep you young, but yoga is an especially good one.
If yoga isn’t really your speed, pick something that is. Maybe you enjoy spinning, or a step class or kickboxing. Whatever it is, don’t stop now just because you’ve reached that dreaded age. Keeping active now is just as important as it was when you were twenty, if not more so. If your aches and pains feel like they are preventing you from doing what you like to do best, it probably means you need to stretch more. Stretching can be a wonderful tool to keep you young and keep your muscles supple and strong. It can help prevent muscle tears and help you reach new levels of fitness by warming up the muscles and ligaments, but it can also just feel great after a nice, long bout of exercise. If you run or bike, be sure to stretch the calves and quadriceps muscles as well as the hamstrings. If you like to partake in a class at your gym and there is a lot of jumping involved, make sure to stretch the ankles as well. Simply adding ten or fifteen minutes of stretching to your daily routine can make you feel years younger if you are faithful about it.
Staying in shape doesn’t just mean looking good or staying in good shape on the outside. Once you reach the age of forty, keeping up with regular doctor appointments becomes more important than it was in days past. Make sure to get a mammogram and screen for early detection of breast cancer. Make an appointment with your general practitioner for a complete physical. Consult with a dermatologist, and keep regular full-body skin checkups once or twice a year, which can help screen out skin cancer and suspicious moles that may crop up. If you used to see the eye doctor once every couple of years, cut that in half and see him once annually. Unfortunately, the eyes are quick to deteriorate as you age, and you will want to keep up with these check-ups for safety reasons, to be able to keep reading, and to check for signs of glaucoma and other age-related diseases.
Nobody said getting older was fun, but it does not have to be painful. The age-old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure applies to the aging process very well, and if you take these measures you too can age gracefully.
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P90x is the best home fitness workout routine. If you think you are in good shape or are looking for the next thing than look no farther. If you are looking to start working out you need to be warned that this tests even the most in shape people. You will need to be committed and stay focused. P90X blends a variety of exercises and implements a concept called muscle confusion. What this does is it always keeps your muscles guessing. If you workout then you probably have experienced the plateau effect. The plateau effect is when you see very little gains in your workouts because your muscles are conditioned to that workout. You will never be able to push through to the next level if you continue to do the same workouts.
The P90X routine keeps you away from doing the same workouts. When purchasing the product you will be given a plan that you need to follow. It is broken into three months worth of training with two weeks off to get ready to switch to the next plan. The first three weeks you follow the same five workouts. They consist of a lot of chest, back, cardio, Kenpo, and Yoga. The first three weeks are building on your major muscles. This time period will wake up your body and truly test your current fitness level. This is not your normal trip to the gym where you wait around for equipment or spend time talking to people. You are working your butt off for at least fifty five minutes with a couple small breaks in between.
At the end of the first three weeks you switch up the schedule a little. You stay with the Yoga, Kenpo, and a exercise called Plyometrics. To sum up what Plyometrics is you would need to picture yourself jumping and doing lunges for about an hour. Sounds fun huh! Yoga is the sleeper exercise. Most people don’t understand it because you are not lifting weights and not moving anywhere. For a little over an hour you are using the weight of your body to stretch your body to the max. Flexibility is important for all ages. P90X incorporates legs and back routines into this also. The legs and back workout is a real test of your strength. You will be doing lunges and pullups for basically the whole time.
If you have made it past the first sixty days then the last thirty days is where you get to work on what you have built. P90X uses all of the workouts and now you switch them every week. Your body does not know what is going on at this point. You will feel as if it was the first time you did P90X. Every day is something new. You would have seen all of the DVD’s by now. Tony Horton’s jokes are starting to become funny now because you know exactly when and what he is going to say.
P90X transforms the home fitness workout industry. No more going to the gym and wasting two hours of your day waiting for equipment and classes. Personal trainers are a nice thing to have if you can afford it, but with P90X you get one. Tony Horton is 45 years old and is in amazing shape. That should be enough motivation to say that anybody can do this if they stick with it. P90X is not some crazy routine that you need a bunch of different equipment. All that you really need is a pull up bar and dumbbells. If you think you are extreme enough to do this then I suggest you buy this program and do as Tony Horton says and “Bring It.”
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Diabetes and heart disease often go hand in hand. People with diabetes are at a much greater risk of having a stroke, heart attack and high blood pressure. This is because people with diabetes experience changes in the blood vessels that can lead to cardiovascular disease.
In diabetics the linings of the blood vessels become thicker making it more difficult for blood to flow through the vessels. When the blood flow is restricted heart problems or stroke can occur. Blood vessels throughout the body can also be damaged leading to kidney damage, sexual dysfunction in men, eye problems and poor circulation to the legs and feet.
What can you do to reduce your risk?
If you smoke, quit. It’s no secret that smoking is bad for you. Smoking damages your health on many levels but smoking is especially bad for people with diabetes. Smoking restricts and damages your blood vessels, which in a person with diabetes compounds the damage to their blood vessels. If you smoke and have diabetes you more then double the risk of getting heart disease. If you smoke, do your heart a favor and quit.
If you are overweight then lose weight and keep it off. If you’re overweight I’m guessing that you have been told many times to lose weight but this is especially important if you have diabetes.
By losing from 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can make a tremendous difference in your health. Many studies have shown that by losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight you will lower your blood pressure, make it easier to control your sugar, give you more energy and make you feel better. You can easily lose some weight just by making some small lifestyle changes such as eat fresh fruit or carrot sticks as a snack, take a long walk each day, don’t eat between meals, and eat slightly smaller portions.
Get more exercise each and every day. Movement is life, the more you move the more alive you are. Exercise is very important for people with diabetes. Exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system and helps keep the blood flowing to the legs and feet. Regular exercise has been shown to help keep your blood sugar normal. Now you don’t have to run out and get a gym membership and start bench pressing 500 pounds. Start small by going for a brisk walk each day and after doing this for a while add some resistance training in your workout. Have your doctor suggest an exercise plan that is just right for you.
By making some small simple changes you can drastically improve your health and lower your odds of developing cardiovascular disease.
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The following article is written to give the reader quick tips on stomach exercises that will help them develop the ripped abs they all long for. It serves as a guideline for specific stomach exercises that include the routine workouts done in the gym along with some fun alternatives.
An excellent workout that focuses on developing ripped abs are weighted crunches. Next, move on with the obliques at the sides of the belly, while incorporating twisting movements at the waist, preferably with dumbbells. Stay clear of using jerky motions, these often lead to back injuries. Instead, use easy, smooth repetitions. . The next of the stomach exercises to do is twisting leg raises. These hit the sides of your belly below the obliques, or lower abs”. Also straight leg raises are a terrific exercise to help lean down your core.
Here is a quick workout you can do in the pool to add a bit of variety to your abs workout. This method offers many advantages to the floor and machine workout for getting ripped abs, as it focuses on total body fitness while targeting you stomach muscles. Also, you get a high-intensity level, muscle-toning, strength-building fitness regimen that burns lots of calories. The greatest advantage is the low impact water has on your joints while creating resistance over 700 times greater than air. The exercise both tones and strengthens your major muscle groups and it syncs both the upper and lower body for maximum fat burn.
Here are some basic rules to ensure maximum gains while in the pool:
Workout in water that is navel- to chest-deep – when possible, wear water shoes to increase friction – to increase resistance and up the intensity to your exercises, Use aqua equipment – Keep proper form (posture) as your speed increases so that resistance is intensified – for beginners, do your upper- and lower-body moves separately.
This exercise is known as scoop frogs: Start the training with upper-body movements by placing your hands together in a scoop position at the water’s surface. Scoop down. Then scoop back up without breaking the surface. Repeat. As you do each one, alternate your movement so that you move first left, then right. This exercise works the side of our abdominals or your obliques. Use water gloves or paddles for increased resistance. Then focus on your lower-body movements by standing in the water with your legs wide apart. Then leap like a frog, having your knees breach the surface, then go back down, settling briefly on the pool floor. Repeat.
You’ve just been given a set of stomach exercises to help quick-start your journey to obtaining ripped abs. Concentrating on total body fitness while targeting the abs periodically will increase the process of toning your tummy!
Stop being disappointed you don’t have Brad Pitt’s or Keira Knightley’s abs and start doing something about it! Get your free report and learn all the secrets from the number one authority on the net when it comes to gaining those perfect six pack abs you deserve.
http://www.crazysexyabs.com
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Sometimes events in your life lead you down one way streets that you can find very difficult to escape from.
Such is the case with my wife Jane. Some years ago, she was involved in a head on collision with a truck, caused by a hit-and-run driver, and spent months in hospital. Since then, her regular healthy hobbies, such as windsurfing, jogging, and long walks in the countryside have become a thing of the past. Finding it difficult to get involved in any exercise involving much use of her legs, and with osteoporosis brought about by the trauma of the accident, her weight increased, her diet changed, and she was forever having to pop pain-killers and other hormonal drugs.
So the inevitable happened. On a routine trip to her opticians, they noticed signs of high blood pressure, so off she had to go to the doctors, who, sure enough, diagnosed high blood pressure, and so put her on blood pressure pills.
In ten years then, she had gone from a drug-free environment, fit as a flea, to becoming a bit overweight, stymied in the exercises she could do, taking a number of hormone replacement drubs, and now had to take pills for high blood pressure… and in the mean time, she was facing a number of high stress situations in her everyday life due to a massive property scam she and I were fighting.
It was about then that we decide to take stock of our lives, and to make sure we prepared our bodies to be in the best state possible — after all, we both had many issues that were bringing about great stresses, which we knew, were totally bad for the health of our hearts. And the worst part was, Jane in particular, was propping up her body using conventional medicines.
OK, the first thing to realise is that a thin person in poor shape is a lot more susceptible to a more substantial person in good shape. (I am not saying my wife is fat by the way!) The second thing was to realise that, as people who have watched ‘The Secret’ will vouch for, is that the mind can have a great influencing effect on the health of the body, even making some conventional medicines redundant.
So we looked for ways in which Jane could get more exercise on a regular basis, which exercised her legs in a non-weight bearing manner. The personal trainers at our local Harpers gym were very good in that respect and the amount of swimming Jane did had a great effect on her overall fitness, but the biggest change came about by her determination ( use the Mind) to get off the conventional medicines, and get into more natural health remedies. Bearing in mind, exercise counts more toward a naturally healthy heart than diet (within reason), and that as well as contemplating 40 minute workouts on the gym 4 or 5 times a week, even doing the hoovering (Yes, I am a house husband), or having at least one or two sort brisk walk a day can be even more beneficial than your gym work.
The second attack was by looking at natural remedies from diets and natural health supplements, and we embarked in a regime of natural fruits and berries that actually helped to combat arthritis and high blood pressure. We will be discussing the success we have achieved in this manner in another article to be published shortly.
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Aerobics has been the traditional form of working out for so many years that now many people are trying to get away from it because they are either bored of it or think these fad exercises are more effective. Of course change is very important in an exercise regime because the moment you get bored with your exercise routine you have no motivation to do it and therefore you stop working out eventually. There are so many different types of aerobic activities today to choose from that you are bound to find one you like and even several you can alternate between.
Aerobic activity which is integrated into a workout class is perhaps one of the best ways to experience aerobics. When you are in a class with others who are feeling just as nervous and reluctant as you this can actually increase your motivation and with an instructor guiding you there is no time to back out once the class has started. If you find you get started and then quit after only a few minutes than taking a class would be great for you.
Some of the benefits aerobic activity can produce for you include:
Increased heart rate Enhances your body’s energy levels and delivers more oxygen to the muscles Heart beats faster and increases the blood flow to your muscles and then back to your lungs
Aerobics literally means “with oxygen” and your body’s aerobic system is you heart, lungs and blood vessels. The main benefit of aerobic activity is how well your body can deliver oxygen to your muscles and use it for energy. Therefore aerobic activity increases your ability to transport and take in that oxygen to ultimately increase your cardio abilities.
A good aerobic activity such as a step class or even just plain cardio can help you live a longer and healthier life. The key to any aerobic activity is making it fun for yourself because these benefits are something we all need to experience in our lives. To get the best results of any aerobic activity is to participate with moderate to low intensity levels in short durations are first and then increase your durations, not your intensity, as you feel yourself progressing. Keeping a lower workout intensity is the key way to see the wieght loss results you are looking for.
The best way to stay motivated during any type of aerobic activity is to listen to your favorite music, educational books on tape and try to watch your favorite televisions shows to keep your mind occupied before it tries to slow you down. You will find with nothing to distract you, the longer you work out the easier it will become to want to quit early but by listening to music or watching television your mind is focussed on something else.
Aerobics can actually increase your mood, make you feel more energized, helps you maintain your weight and even keep your blood sugar low. With so many different benefits it is hard to understand why people do not want to participate in aerobics. With so many negative influences in our society today when all it takes is a short duration of an aerobic exercise to improve your fitness levels, maintan your weight and more, why not?
Check out your gym or even the workout DVDs you can buy for home and find one you think you will enjoy doing on a regular basis of up to 4 times per week but no less than 3 times a week. Once you have a routine down you will find it much easier to stick with and even enjoy.
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Just because you are a busy person with lots to do everyday, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have time to stay fit and keep in shape while traveling. Excuses do not keep you fit and in shape and able to keep up with the demands of your busy life. If you are a member of a health club it would benefit you greatly if you ask the club if it participates in any programs that offer privileges at other facilities. Guest passes to certain spa and athletic clubs are sometimes free for one day. If your hotel does not have arrangements with a club near your hotel, the hotel that you are staying at just might. Asking at the front desk may open your eyes to many possibilities for a workout away from home and you will find out exactly what your options really are. Lots of hotels at least have treadmills or similar machines, which are much better than simply laying in bed and watching TV during your stay. When traveling just remember that almost every town has a YMCA or YWCA. Locate the yellow pages in your hotel room and give them a call. Again, there is now no excuse to become a traveling couch potato. Opportunities for you to take care of your fitness needs abound in all of your business and personal travels.
If necessary you may need to get a little creative, by using your hotel room as the gym of the day. Exercising in your hotel room is an easily and very convenient way to make certain that you get in your work out without missing a beat. Before you leave for your trip pack some collapsible hand weights or elastic exercise bands or other equipment that is made for travel, and turn your hotel room into the indoor gym that it has the potential to be. Elastic bands are great for getting resistance without lugging around big old dumbbells everywhere you go. Use the chairs and other pieces of furniture to your advantage to satisfy all of your fitness needs. Body weight exercises are enough for a great workout. Combine crunches, pushups, and legups. You won’t exercise a large variety of muscles using only body weight, but you will at least be able to work on your heart and your endurance.
We understand that working out is not as easily done when you are in route to your next destination, so if your time is extremely tight and you don’t have time for a complete work out. There are other alternatives to not working out at all. Stretch in your room, take a long walk. I bet the hotel is just as nice on the other side of the pool. Speaking of pool, you could always take a swim. Swimming is definitely a workout that will work every muscle in your body. With all of these ideas for a good work out, if not the best work out that you’ve ever had, you should no longer have any excuse for not continuing your fitness routine while traveling. Just remember that it doesn’t really matter where you are when you do your work out but that you do your work out where you are. And if you can’t do the exact routine that you are useful, just take solace in the fact that you are getting a workout.
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Do you suffer from chronic lower back or hip pain? Are you seeking alternative methods to relieve your pain? Well, you’re not alone. Over 80 percent of Americans, at some point in their lives, will suffer from some type of lower back or hip pain. Lower back pain alone is one of the most common causes of time lost on the job in the U.S. According to the National Institutes of Health, Americans spend at least 50 billion a year in treatment for low back pain. So, the type of care and treatment that you seek should be well researched so treatments not only relieve pain, but also stress on your wallet. One way to save some money is to research alternative health care. Some, not all alternative solutions to this type of pain, may not only save you money, but may also protect you from unnecessary surgery. Among these alternative healthcare solutions are: exercise, massage, meditation tens units, chiropractic, relaxation devices, and aquatic therapy. Remember, before choosing any alternative healthcare solutions, to always consult your doctor first.
Relieving Back Pain through Exercise
Most people who suffer from lower back or hip pain avoid exercise due to increased pain. However, exercise, when done in the correct manner with the appropriate tools, can diminish pain and improve muscle tone, strength, flexibility, and endurance. Exercise can also relieve pain due to the body releasing neurotransmitters called “endorphins†which act as the body’s own pain killer. Choosing the right equipment is essential to safely increase flexibility, improve strength, and relive pain. Banner Therapy Products is a great source for fitness and exercise equipment. They offer a wide variety of alternative therapy products such as exercise resistance bands, abdominal exercise equipment, aquatic therapy supplies, balance boards, exercise balls, fitness mats and weights. “Whether you are seeking commercial fitness equipment for your spa, fitness center or private gym, we now feature the latest exercise bikes, treadmills and other alternative therapy products for back and hip pain relief,†Tom Maroney, CEO and owner of Banner Therapy Products, said. With one of the largest, online e-commerce sites in the world for alternative therapy products, you are bound to find what you are looking for to relieve your chronic back or hip pain.
Massage, Yoga, Meditation and other Alternative Healthcare Solutions
Other alternative healthcare solution to reduce pain that is related to lower back and hip pain include massage, yoga, meditation and inversion therapy. Massage therapy is the systematic manipulation of the body’s soft tissue for the purpose of relieving discomfort and pain due to injury or chronic pain. Massage therapists use a variety of methods to achieve these results. The main result that people want to achieve is to help the body to heal itself. With yoga, according to Michael Lerner, author of, Choices in Healing, yoga is best known as a set of physical practices that include gentle stretches, breathing practices, and progressive deep relaxation. These physical practices are intended to ready the body and mind for meditation as well as for a meditative perspective on life. These meditative practices also follow a sequence. First developed is the capacity to withdraw the senses from focus on the outer world, then, the capacity to concentrate on a meditative subject — a candle flame, a sacred or uplifting word or image, or the movement of the breath. Finally, and for most of us only occasionally, the concentration leads into a wordless and timeless experience of inner peace. The yoga masters describe various subtleties among these states of inner peace, but most of us, at best, achieve moments of this experience from time to time. Deep breathing and meditation can help us to focus on the back and hip pain and to try to heal. Other solutions include Tens units which are increasing in popularity. TENS, an acronym for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, is a drug-free alternative. It works by sending low-voltage, electrical pulses to the surface of the skin to combat pain. These pulses are transmitted to the underlying nerves. The strength and duration of the pulses are adjusted to suit the individual’s needs. So, these are just a few examples of what you can do to relive chronic hip or back pain; it’s easy to find alternative healthcare solutions if you know where to begin.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=838891
He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything. -Arabian Proverb
1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it’s a stress buster. Think ‘move’ in small increments of time. It doesn’t have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that’s great when you’re up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha…. Then do it!
2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!
3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we’ve seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or ‘tough guy’ stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.
4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them.
5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can’t live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It’s a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: ‘Smoke gets in your eyes’…and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants….hum the tune daily.
6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.
7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it’s because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don’t? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body’s boss.
8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.
9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There’s a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can’t be unhappy when you’re smiling or singing.
10. Choose Your Parents Well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn’t mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you. Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny.
yourhealthdoctor.blogspot.com
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When was the last time you read an article discrediting the effects of glutamine? Maybe this will be your first one? Unfortunately, the majority of bodybuilding and muscle magazines still have this supplement on their “Top 5 Lists.” I am not here to convince you to never buy another tub of glutamine again, but if stay with me, I will do my best to debunk some of the common myths that have led you to believe that this expensive supplement is necessary.
But I Thought Glutamine Was A “No Brainer” Supplement?
Creatine is a ‘no brainer’ supplement, protein powder is a ‘no brainer’ supplement, multi vitamins and fish oils are ‘no brainer’ supplements. Sorry, Glutamine, you did not make the team – despite the fact it gets its own message boards, chat rooms, magazine articles and its own section in the supplement store. I don’t need to remind you that the supplement industry is a billion-dollar industry. Since I used to be a skinny guy myself, I know how badly you want to build the perfect body – or at least one that gets you more dates and more respect at the gym!
Since I have already wasted thousands of dollars on certain, not all, supplements myself, I feel an obligation to tell you the other side of the story. To reveal the glutamine research that NOBODY wants you to read. But this is obvious – nobody makes money disproving the credibility of a hot selling supplement!
So here is where I will make my stand. Glutamine has no muscle-building effects whatsoever. Now before we get too deep, remember that I am not a PH.D student or a research geek. I will pass along the information and let you decide for yourself, and, in the process, do my best to make this fun and interesting.
Glutamine 101
Here is a quick introduction for you skinny guys who have never heard of glutamine. Glutamine makes up 2/3’s of the amino acids in our body, which could make a strong case for it being the most important. Understand that glutamine is also a non-essential amino acid which means your body produces it by itself. This does not mean you do not need it – only that external consumption is not mandatory. The most interesting fact about glutamine is that during times of stress (which is not clearly defined), our amino acid pool is depleted which can prevent muscle growth since glutamine makes up the greatest percentage of amino acids. Hence, the theory for supplementing with glutamine if you weight train.
Glutamine Claims
I cut and pasted these right out of random chat room just to show you I am more in tune with the word on the street:
…glutamine helps with weight training and prevents muscle soreness…
…you need glutamine to repair your muscles.
…supplemental glutamine can help prevent your body from losing muscle.
…glutamine is not worthless. I train with bodybuilders every day and they recommend it.
Glutamine is the most important supplement for bodybuilders…
It boosts immune function which helps you recover from colds much quicker..
Taking large amounts of glutamine before a workout contributes to huge pumps…
Glutamine assists in situations of trauma which contributes to faster recovery…
What Glutamine Sales Reps Are Afraid Of You Discovering
Although the majority of glutamine supplementation hoopla praises its contribution to increased muscle size and strength, decreased chance of overtraining and the other claims above, current research today gives no evident benefits for the skinny guy who wants to build muscle – never mind for any weight trainer in general.
Recently I received an article from a fellow colleague, David Barr MSc., who collected a large batch of research with an exhaustive reference list supporting the notion that glutamine is useful for only very specific conditions (which we will discuss shortly).
Here is a list of some of the most interesting data that David Barr found in his research with my extra commentary:
Just because glutamine has been proven to work in clinical stress testting does not mean it equates to exercise stress that you experience after a killer workout. Clinical stress such as severe burns, AIDS and extensive surgery are good reasons to warrant its, use but you simply don’t cause enough muscular damage during your workouts to justify its use. A 2001 study by Candow et al determined that 0.9g of supplemental glutamine/kg/day during weight training resulted in no considerable effect on muscle performance, body composition or muscle breakdown on healthy adults. Since I am just over 200 lbs that is 80 grams of glutamine a day or over $1000 US in glutamine a year! If 80 grams was shown to have no anti-catabolic effects, why would you waste your money on taking the recommended 5-10 grams per day? The majority of the research on endurance athletes has revealed minimal contribution in regards to enhancement of the immune system. More significantly, a number of studies disclosed information that glutamine supplementation does not alter exercise-induced suppression of the immune system. Contrary to popular belief, whether your glutamine levels drop or not after training, they have no impact on immunity. – Hiscock N, Pedersen BK. Exercise-induced immunodepression- plasma glutamine is not the link. J Appl Physiol 2002 Sep;93(3):813-22 Many claim that glutamine helps increase your ‘pump’ by improving cell volumization. Dr. John Berardi, Ph.D, did some preliminary testing and discovered nothing to support this. Glutamine supplementation has no response on total body water, intra-cellular fluid levels, or extra-cellular fluid levels. – Dr. John M Berardi, Ph.D., Appetite For Construction, JohnBerardi.com 2002 Nov 8 It is still a question whether or not glutamine improves glycogen stores post-weight training. But why should you care? If you are already consuming a post-workout drink with sugary carbs to replenish glycogen (this is mandatory for any skinny guy who wants to build muscle), then further supplementation with glutamine is unnecessary. In conclusion, studies that tested athletes who consumed an amino acid drink post-workout showed an increase in protein synthesis by 48%. However, when glutamine was added to the drink, no additional benefits occurred. That blows the muscle-building theory out the window! So Is Glutamine A Worthless Supplement?
Well, if you stopped reading right now you would think so! And you are probably confused as heck right now because everything you have heard on glutamine before today praised its holiness. Remember, the supplement industry is a billion-dollar industry and nobody makes money by disproving the effectiveness of supplements. In the end, you must decide for yourself what you wish to believe.
When Glutamine Is Worth Using
David Barr fingers a few situations when glutamine supplement will prove useful for the bodybuilder, so here is a chance to see if your glutamine should still be in your budget:
Glutamine supplementation could prove useful for bodybuilders who decrease their testosterone levels after coming off a cycle improperly. Muscle breakdown is at its highest in these circumstances despite a quality nutrition plan, so glutamine might help. During a pre-contest training regiment that consists of very low calories and high volumes of exercise, protein breakdown is much more likely. Basically, any extreme dieting or fat loss program with the hopes of getting extremely lean can result in increased stress, therefore increased catabolism. Competitive bodybuilders and fitness models are perfect examples of those who might benefit from glutamine supplementation in this above-normal fat loss situation. During incidences of extreme weather conditions and/or multi day training, there are situations where extreme stress can be counteract with glutamine supplementation. Triathletes and endurance athletes come to mind. ” Glutamine supplementation would be beneficial for conditions where catabolic waste is at its peak. Severe burns, severe colds or flu’s, severe allergies, alcoholism, chemotherapy, HIV/AIDS, irritable bowel syndrome are a few examples. In Conclusion
At the start I stated that, “Glutamine has no muscle building effects whatsoever.” After reviewing this article, you will notice that is not as black and white as that. However, the take home message, especially to you skinny guys, is that if you are on a proper muscle-building meal plan and using solid post-workout nutrition strategies, glutamine is not a worthwhile supplement for you. Save your money and put it towards food if you are motivated to gain muscle weight.
Save your money and put it towards food if you are motivated to gain muscle weight.
I hope this supplement was a good example of looking at the evidence rather then the hyped-up muscle rags and advice from the ‘expert’ at your gym. In the end, you are free to believe what you wish, but remember that the current research today does not support the spectacular muscle-building effects supplement companies claim.
References
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1. Barr, David J., CSCS, MSc. Candidate.
Glutamine Destroying the Dogma, Part 1 http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=461188
Part 2 http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459884
2.Berardi, Dr. John M, Ph.D.
Appetite For Construction, JohnBerardi.com 2002 Nov 8 http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/qa/afc/afc_nov082002.htm
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=841892
