Tongkat Ali/Long Jack
February 19, 2009 by About Supplements
Filed under Body Building Supplements
Tongkat Ali/Long Jack
What is it?
Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia Jack) also known as Long Jack, is an herb found in Indonesia. It contains compounds known as “quassinoids” such as eurycomalacton, eurycomanon, and eurycomanol as well as others.
What is it supposed to do?
Tongkat Ali (TA) is sold as a male sexual enhancer, muscle builder, and testosterone booster. It has a long history in Indonesia as a male sexual enhancer, with it being sold as a testosterone booster/muscle builder a more recent development.
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GABA
February 19, 2009 by About Supplements
Filed under Body Building Supplements
GABA
What is it?
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is primary inhibitory neurotransmitter found in the brain and is produced from glutamate and vitamin B6, via the enzymes L-glutamic acid decarboxylase and pyridoxal phosphate. There are neurotransmitters that cause excitation in the brain and there are neurotransmitters that have the opposite effect. The balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters is essential to proper brain function and has direct effects on all facets of human physiology, mood, health, and well-being.
What is it supposed to do?
Because GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, it’s associated with inducing relaxation, reducing stress, and as a sleep aid. For example, drugs in benzodiazepine family (e.g., zanex, etc) have been shown to induce relaxation by stimulating GABA receptors, and hence induce relaxation. There’s a long list of drugs that work by interacting with GABA receptors (GABA receptor agonists) or act by increasing levels of GABA in the brain, with varying effects.
This is an extremely simplified explanation for an incredibly complex –and not fully understood – system, but it will have to suffice for this section.
As a supplement, GABA has a reputation for improving sleep and causing mild relaxation. Particular to the interests of bodybuilders and other athletes, GABA has been sold as a growth hormone (GH) releaser due to GABA’s known role as a modulator of GH release.
For more detailed information, including effectiveness, dosages, possible side effects as well as independent science based reviews of over 60 weight loss ingredients we recommend the well respected Will Brink’s supplement review module found in his complete BodyBuilding Revealed program.
Visit this site for further details:
www.Bodybuildingrevealed.com/ingredients
Beta-alanine
February 19, 2009 by About Supplements
Filed under Body Building Supplements
Beta-alanine
What is it?
Beta-alanine is the only naturally occurring beta amino acid. Beta amino acids have their primary amino groups attached to the beta, rather than the alpha carbon. Although beta-alanine is involved in the formation of other, larger molecules, it is not found in proteins.
What is it supposed to do?
Beta-alanine is being touted as “the new creatine” and the latest breakthrough supplement in the world of sports nutrition. It’s used by the body to synthesize carnosine (L-beta-alanyl-L-histidine). Carnosine performs a variety of valuable roles, including: inhibiting the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) which can damage tissues, chelating metal ions, and scavenging free radicals. Carnosine’s importance to athletic performance, however, lies in its ability to buffer hydrogen ions produced in skeletal muscle during high intensity exercise. It is thought that direct supplementation with carnosine precursors might be as – or even more – effective at increasing muscle carnosine stores than supplementing directly with carnosine. So why not just use carnosine you ask? Though you will find more in depth information in the next section, here’s the reason in a nutshell: Studies show ingested carnosine is simply broken down into its constituent parts and reformed into carnosine. Studies generally find that ingesting beta-alanine is actually superior for increasing tissue carnosine levels then ingesting carnosine itself.
For more detailed information, including effectiveness, dosages, possible side effects as well as independent science based reviews of over 60 ingredients for gaining muscle mass we recommend the well respected Will Brink’s supplement review module found in his complete BodyBuilding Revealed program.
Visit this site for further details:
www.Bodybuildingrevealed.com/ingredients
CLA
February 19, 2009 by About Supplements
Filed under Diet - Weight Loss Supplement Reviews
CLA
What is it?
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is a fatty acid derived from the essential fatty acid Linoleic Acid. CLA is found predominantly in dairy products and some meats and appears to be a fat with some unique effects on the metabolism of animals and (hopefully) people.
What is it supposed to do?
CLA has been sold as both a fat loss supplement and as a sports nutrition product for adding muscle. The sellers of CLA focus on the fact that in animals such as rats and mice, CLA causes rats and mice to lose bodyfat while adding lean tissue (i.e. muscle).
Like so many products, CLA may have legitimate health uses. CLA can be found as different isomers (i.e., cis-9/trans-11 and trans-10/cis-12 isomers) and recent research suggests different isomers are responsible for different effects, such as anti cancer, anti obesity, etc.
For more detailed information, including effectiveness, dosages, possible side effects as well as independent science based reviews of over 60 weight loss ingredients we recommend the well respected Will Brink’s supplement review module found in his complete Fat Loss Revealed program.
Visit this site for further details:
www.fatlossrevealed.com/diet-ingredients
L-Carnitine
February 19, 2009 by About Supplements
Filed under Diet - Weight Loss Supplement Reviews
L-Carnitine
What is it?
L-Carnitine is an amino acid like substance the body synthesizes from the amino acid Lysine. The vitamins B-6, niacin, C, with iron and the amino acid methionine are required for production of carnitine in the body. The major dietary source of carnitine comes from animal meats, especially red meats (i.e. steak from cows, lamb and sheep). Carnitine has many functions in the human body, but is best known for its ability to shuttle long chain fatty acids across the membrane of cells so they can be burned (oxidized) for energy by the mitochondria.
Mitochondria are often referred to as the “power house” of cells where energy is produced. The actual process of how carnitine shuttles fatty acids to the mitochondria is fairly complex and detailed. Suffice to say, it involves several enzymes and steps before the fats you want to burn end up being utilized by the mitochondria. So, the carnitine shuttle system is essential for the body to be able to burn fats as energy, and this information can be found in any decent biochemistry text book.
What is it supposed to do?
As the above section mentions, carnitine is sold in hopes that it will help the body shuttle more fatty acids into cells to be used as energy rather than stored as abdominal blurring blubber. The idea is that taking in additional carnitine will supposedly help the body burn more fat for energy and make dieting more effective. Carnitine is also sold as a sports supplement for increasing energy and may have several medical uses. The concept is pretty straight forward, but does it actually work?
For more detailed information, including effectiveness, dosages, possible side effects as well as independent science based reviews of over 60 weight loss ingredients we recommend the well respected Will Brink’s supplement review module found in his complete Fat Loss Revealed program.
Visit this site for further details: