Protein-fiber supplement plus exercise promotes fat loss

Let’s face it, dieting sucks. Roughly 90 percent of people who lose weight through dieting alone gain it back within 12 months. Only some people lose weight through exercise alone. Christopher Lockwood and co-workers from the University of Oklahoma found that combining exercise (weight-training +30 minutes of aerobics) with a high-protein, high-fiber supplement (full strength, made by Philips Performance Nutrition) increased body fat compared to groups that exercised or remained sedentary. All subjects taking the supplement showed improvements in body composition. The supplement group improved most in weight lifting strength, endurance and maximal oxygen uptake. The diet was monitored but not controlled. The supplement group ate fewer calories, more protein and fiber, and less carbohydrate than the other groups. Exercise plus a high protein-fiber supplement (40 grams protein per serving; 6 grams fiber per serving) is a relatively painless way to loss fat and gain muscle without dieting. (Nutrition Metabolism, 5:11, 2008; online publication)

Timing important for protein and creatine supplementation

Muscle loss in older people decreases physical capacity, independence and quality of life. Muscle mass decreases because of reductions in anabolic hormones, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition. Weight training, protein and creatine monohydrate can help preserve or increases muscle mass in older adults. Canadian researchers, in a review of literature, concluded that supplement timing is critical for maximizing their effects on muscle mass in older adults. Taking the supplements shortly before or after weight training increases muscle blood flow, which speeds delivery of amino acids and creatine to the tissues. Protein and creatine supplements are valuable for preserving or increasing muscle mass in older adults, particularly if they are taken close to periods of increased muscle blood flow. (Applied Physiology Nutrition Metabolism, 33: 184-190, 2008)

Amino acid speeds protein synthesis after weight training

Cells use amino acids to make new proteins, but amino acids do a lot more than that. Amino acids activate signaling protein synthesis and increase muscle fiber size. Muscle tension, blood levels of amino acids (particularly leucine) and insulin are key factors triggering muscle growth. They activate signaling pathways inside the cells that promote protein synthesis in the muscles and modify muscle protein breakdown, remodeling and repair. Chemicals called ribosomal protein S6 kinase and the target of rapamycin (mTOR) are important cell-signaling molecules that are sensitive to small changes in energy status and are major forces in protein synthesis. They work like biological computer programs to line up amino acids needed to produce new muscle tissue. Micah Drummond and Blake Rasmussen from the University of Texas Medical Branch, in a review of literature, concluded that after weight training, feeding a supplement high in leucine-rich essential amino acids and carbohydrates activated protein-signaling molecules that promoted protein synthesis and muscle growth. Bodybuilders should consume carb-amino acid supplements high in leucine before and after training to maximize protein synthesis. (Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 11:222-226, 2008)

GlaxoSmithKline wants FDA to require proof of weight-loss claims

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitors the health benefit claims made by food supplement manufacturers. Supplement makes are prohibited from making unsubstantiated health claims for their products. GlaxoSmithKline, maker of the over-the-counter weight-loss drug Alli, petitioned the FDA to require makers of weight-loss supplement to obtain pre-market approval before the products can be sold to the public. They stated that weight loss affects serious diseases such as diabetes, coronary artery disease and arthritis. Also, the average person thinks that the FDA closely monitors product safety and weight loss claims by supplement makers. Critics say that new regulations are unnecessary because the FDA already monitors statements regarding weight loss supplements very carefully. (The Tan Sheet, April 28, 2008)

Citric acid prevents fatigue

Fatigue occurs during exercise when energy supply from cell metabolism does not keep pace with the energy demands of the muscles, nervous system and other organs. Citric acid and L-carnitine are promising supplements because they might boost cell energy levels. Citric acid helps convert carbohydrates, fats and protein into usable energy in the cells. It is used as a food preservative and flavor enhancer and is found naturally in fruits such as lemons and limes. L-carnitine helps move fats into the energy center of the cells where they are broken down to form ATP-a high-energy chemical vital for exercise. Japanese researchers found that citric acid (2700 milligrams a day for one week) prevented fatigue during two 2-hour rides on a stationary bike, while L-carnitine (1000 milligrams per day for one week) did not. Before you break out the lime juice, the changes were small and might have been due to the design of the study. We need more research before we can recommend citric acid as a fatigue-preventing supplement. (Journal Clinical Biochemistry Nutrition, 41: 224-230, 2007)

Caffeine reduces led pain during exercise

Governor Arnold, in his first mainstream movie “Stay hungry” said, “You must burn to grow.” Pain is a natural part of intense exercise. You feel the pain during the last few reps of intense sets during weight training, the final 100 meters in a 400 meter sprint, or the hike up a big hill to get to the lake on a backpacking trip. Many athletes take caffeine supplements to give them extras energy and fight muscle pain linked to fatigue. Rachael Gliottoni and Robert Motl from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that caffeine decreased leg pain during a stationary bike for 30 minutes at 80 percent of maximum effort. The subjects were given 5 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram bodybuilder or a placebo (fake caffeine) 60 minutes before exercise. Caffeine does not improve maximum strength and power, but allows people to train harder and makes them feel more energetic. Caffeine is no longer banned in Olympic sports, but is prohibited in college sports if urine levels exceed 15 micrograms per milliliter (two to three strong cups of coffee). (International Journal Sport Nutrition Exercise Metabolism, 18, 103-115, 2008)

Caffeine increases leg power in the heat

Heat increases exercise capacity, particularly when you’re dehydrated. Increased body temperature causes a competition for blood between the skin (cooling) and muscles (exercise), which reduces the heart’s capacity to pump blood. It also causes fatigue in the nervous system (brain and nervous) that interfere with muscle activation and strength. Spanish researchers found that feeding fluids and caffeine increased muscle activation and force capacity during exercise in the heat. Trained cyclists exercised in the heat (98º, 29 percent humidity) for 2 hours at 63 percent maximum effort followed by a maximum sprint. A drink containing water, caffeine and carbohydrate was best for preserving leg power and reducing nervous system fatigue. This study showed that consuming “high energy” beverages, such as red bull or rock star that contain sugar, water and caffeine might prevent fatigue and preserve sprint capacity during endurance exercise in the heat. (Medicine Science Sports Exercise, 40: 744-751, 2008)