Fructose is a simple sugar found in many foods, including fruit sugar, honey, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup. It’s almost twice as sweet as sucrose (table sugar).
When humans consume excess fructose, it’s more likely to go towards the production of fatty acids and cholesterol than toward the production of glucose to fuel your muscle.
For bodybuilders, you can eat some fruits (2-3 servings) on a daily basis without worrying about the side effects of fructose. Fruit juices, however are a different story as they do not have the fiber that slows down digestion and absorption of whole fruit.
Fructose does have some advantages within the human body. When you consume fructose it does not elevate blood insulin levels much and by keeping insulin levels down helps avoid the deposition of fat.
For those who want to lose bodyfat, then avoiding fructose as much as possible is probably a good idea, otherwise 2-3 servings of fruit a day is recommended.
Omega For Muscle
The omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish, and the omega-6’s, found in safflower and corn oil, are known to be “good?fats. Not only are these fats beneficial for your health (they promote a lower incidence of heart disease, arthritis,
and have anti-inflammatory properties), they may also help muscle protein accretion as shown by a study conducted in Japan in 1999. If you are looking for an anti-catabolic fat, omega-3’s may work best.
My suggestion is to eat omega-3 fatty acids in fish at least twice a week.
My Favorite Supplement Combination
My favorite supplement combination is creatine monohydrate, glutamine, and a good quality whey protein powder (whey protein isolate).
Creatine is a compound necessary for the regeneration of ATP for muscle contraction. This supplement increases one’s strength and endurance tremendously during intense workout session. Recommended dosage 5g before and right after training.
Glutamine is an amino acid that inhibits muscle breakdown and is the most abundant amino acid in the body, hence it is important for muscle recovery after a strenuous workout session. 2g after training 2g right before bedtime.
Whey protein has the highest biological value (a value that measures protein quality) and is rapidly absorbed , necessary for keeping the body in an anabolic state (muscle building) especially right after training. I consume 3 protein shakes a day. One in mid morning, one (combined with creatine and glutamine) within 30 minutes after training and one right before bedtime (combined with glutamine) for the process of muscle building during the 8 hours of sleep.
Best Ways To Stimulate Growth Hormones For Mass
Glutamine gets it done Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in our body and is important in the
recovery process after a strenuous workout session. Take 2 g before and after your
postworkout meal for GH spike.
Eat a high glycemix index carbs before training Oatmeal and yams are the best carbs choices for your pre workout meal, as they
are digested slowly and peomote the release of small to moderate amount of
insulin. High glycemix index carbs, such as sugar, fruits and rice cakes promote
surges in insulin that inhibit the release of GH.
Eat right postworkout meal Fast acting carbs such as fruit juices, mashed potatoes and carbs drinks should be
paired with easy-to-absorb protein sources like whey protein to increase GH
output in .the first hour after intense training
Train heavy Exercise is an effective method of releasing GH. Train with heavy weights and
maximum intensity on all your lifts to kick start your GH into high gear.
Stick to basics Compound multijoints exercises like squats , bench press and leg press (in which
you utilize the heaviest poundages) are superior to leg extension, dumbbell flyes,
leg curls when it comes to releasing GH
Rest between sets Rest 1-2 minutes is an ideal length of time , with greater GH releases occurring on
the shorter end of that range.
More sets for more GH release Training to failure for multiple sets are necessary for more GH release. Make sure
you are lifting heavy and working har in each exercise to maximize gains.
Go for the herbal blast A combination of 334 mg of Mahuang (2-4 caps) and 150-200mg of caffeine (1-2
cup of coffee) prior to a workout act as a stimulant to increase the force of muscle
contractions while boosting norepinephrine (NE) can help you train harder, spares
glycogen and may help you increase GH if you don’t overtrain. Training too hard
and too frequent (overtraining) increases cortisol excessively which suppresses
IGF 1 and limits effects of increased GH.
Different Types of Protein
Whey Protein
Advantages:
Contains 10% intact imminoglubin proteins that help support the body’s immune system (immuno enhancing property)
Contains the highest concentration (23-25%) of BCAA. BCAA is important to
bodybuilders because they are the integral part of muscle metabolism and are the
first aminos sacrificed during muscle catabolism (ie: in a strict diet) .
Has a very high biological value (BV). BV is basically a measure of how well a protein is utilized by the body.
Ability to stimulate IGF-1 or insulin growth factor production
Disadvantages:
It is the most expensive protein especiallt ultra filtered ion exchange whey protein isolate.
Low in essential amino acid namely phenylaline.
Casein
Advantages:
May help regulate transit time of proteins through the gut. This showing of transit time may help increases absorption of amino acids.
Greater protein absorption may help bodybuilders more easily meet the amino acid requirements.
Contains very high glutamine content. At 20.5% , it is the higher than whey , soy
and egg protein. This can help spare muscle during intense training in periods of
dieting.
Disadvantages:
Not as quite as abundant in BCAA as whey protein
Nautral casein sometimes tend to contain moderate to high levels of sodium and
lactose.
Soy Protein Isolate
Advantages:
Contains the highest concentration of amino acids in what is referred to by protein technologies
as the "critical cluster". This includes the BCAA and the 2 conditionally essential aminos- glutamine and arginine.
These concentrated source of critical aminos may help bodybuilders spare muscle during a diet phase.
A consistent intake of soy protein may enhances one’s endogenous production of thyroxin T 4 and T3 and even
insulin , thus increases the metabolic rate.
Disadvantages:
Low in essential amino acid namely methionine
Egg Protein
Provide and outstanding amino acid profile
Provides an excellent high quality whole food protein source
What to When and Why
Bulking Up
I suggest focusing mainly on the use of whey protein mixed with casein with a 1:1 ratio. This will create a total protein which is very well balanced in overall protein.
Other benefits of this combination includes casein’s high glutamine profile which covers for whey’s lower level. Glutamine is indispensable when come to growing muscles.
Casein’s slow digestion may allow more of the protein mixture to be absorbed from the gut. When you are trying to pack on muscles, it’s hard to eat all these foods to support muscle growth, so any digestion enhancement is a plus.
Dieting Down
I suggest a combination of soy protein isolate 50%, whey protein 25% and casein 25% would be ideal. Soy protein is dieter’s protein due to its ability to help increases metabolism through support of thyroxine production, even during high physical stress and low calorie intake is invaluable.
2. This combination is not only possible balance out any of the shortcomings of soy –namely lack of methionine but also to provide a healthy dose of BCAA and glutamine to help prevent muscle catabolism.
3. The addition of whey protein also brings its unique immuno-enhancing properties to the mixture which is very important during calorie restricted diet.
7 ways to Maximum Muscle Growth
?Lift Weights!
Do heavy sets of 4-12 reps. Muscles growth only occur when muscle cells are damaged. You have to provide a significant amount of stress to the muscle that leads to muscle growth. Lift heavy enough that you cannot go beyond 12 reps and occasioanally lift super heavy weights that allow you to perform no more than 4-5 reps.
?Do Not Work Out Too Often
If a particular bodypart is sore, do not work it until the soreness is gone
?Eat a High Protein Diet
Consume at least 2 g per lb of bodyweight each day to stimulate muscle growth as protein is the building block of muscles.
?Eat Frequently
Eat 4-6 small balanced meals (with carbs, protein and some fats) spread evenly throughout the day so that your insulin level is consistant and to keep you in an anabolic (muscle building process) state at all time! Eating more often will also maintain stable energy level , a controlled appetite and so on.
?Use Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine is one supplement to lean body mass and strength. It is a naturally occurring chemical that is one of muscle’s main source of energy. Take 5 g before and 5 g after workout for maximum benefit.
?Gorge Your Body with Carbohydrates After Your Workouts.
Drink a high protein drink to lower the cortisol level (leads to overtraining and muscle destroying) following a workout. Downing a protein shake following a workout will also increase glycogen level and supply muscle with the protein they need to recover from the damage you have no doubt incurred.
A good protein shake should consists of:
50-100 g of carbs (mixture of low and high GI)
40g of good quality protein (ie: micro filtered whey protein isolate)
5 g of creatine monohydrate
?Change Your Training Routine Often
Use a variety in your workout to shock your muscles into new growth. If you follow the same routine all the time, your body will adapt to the same stress applied and your progress will be in a hault!
