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Fish Oils: Just The Facts

Posted on by Kenneth

Alan Aragon, en av verdens ledende innen ernæring har skrevet denne artikkelen om fettsyrer, hovedsaklig Omega 3.

Jeg synes den var såpass bra at jeg ville dele den med dere. Det andre jeg likte, er at den nær sagt knuser MCT, som i det siste har blitt hyllet nærmest som fettkildenes hellige gral av de som selger den.

Postes med tillatelse fra Alan Aragon

The Dawn of Fat Phobia

If you have a few years under your belt, then you can still remember what I call the “Fat-Free 80’s.” Think back to a time when dietary fat was the enemy. Ah, yes… A time when fat-free products lined the outer shelves of the supermarket. A time when it was not a bad thing to get a box of Entemann’s cinnamon rolls, as long as they were the FAT-FREE cinnamon rolls. Health Valley made some positively disgusting fat-free cookies, along with a host of other fat-free products that tasted like sugary cardboard. And we can’t forget the 75% sugar weight gainer products, those were priceless. 1,000, 2000, 4,000 calories per serving, and all you had to do was mix about a cup of powder into your favourite drink. No worries though, these gainers were virtually fat-free! What we were led to believe was that fat-free products equated to fat-free physiques. Unfortunately, that was far from the truth.

During the 1980’s, a disturbing climb in national obesity rates occurred, and steadily kept its course. Large behavioral trend studies such as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES II & III), the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), and the Calorie Control Council Report (CCCR) collectively showed a 31% increase in overweight prevalence from 1976-1991. The punch line? This increase in weight was accompanied by an 11% decrease in percentage of calories from fat (from 41.0% to 36.6%). The most recent report by the BRFSS shows a further decrease in fat intake to 33%, accompanied by an increase in obesity from 11.6% to 22.1%. This is a 90.5% increase in US obesity from 1990-2002[1]. It’s obvious that dietary fat is not the evil culprit in the expansion of the population’s waistline.

A Brief Evolution of Our Knowledge of Fats

As indicated by the fat-free product boom a couple of decades back, there indeed was the widespread belief that ALL fats were a substance to be minimized, or avoided altogether. But with the forward march of research, we came to understand that different fats had different effects on health. Since it’s human nature to think in black and white terms, the great divide initially fell between saturated (SFA) and mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFA & PUFA). SFA were thought to be the root of all evil, conjuring images of arterial plaque and eventual heart failure, while unsaturated fat was regarded as a universally angelic substance. This turned out to be a gross oversimplification of reality.

The intricacies and widely varying sources and subtypes of SFA is another article altogether, but suffice it to say that it’s not that simple to pigeonhole them as unhealthy. SFA are not created equal. They have markedly variable physiological effects from the detrimental all the way to the beneficial. Given this, it depends on which ones you want throw onto the theoretical chopping block. Stearic acid, an SFA abundant in meat & milk fat, has been consistently observed to actually reduce blood platelet aggregation [2]. This is a good thing. In contrast, trans fats (found in high concentrations in commercially baked goods as well as processed & fried foods)  have been observed to negatively impact blood lipids by not only lowering HDL, but increasing LDL as well [3].
Ironically, experimental research exists on healthy humans showing the least fat was oxidized on the MUFA fat dietary treatment, and the most fat oxidized on a trans fat diet [4]. This result echoes what’s been seen in rats as well. It appears that the tighter the control of the study, the less “superior” unsaturated fats turn out to be for any presumed effect on body composition compared to SFA. Throw in the fact that a reducing SFA intake and increasing the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids in the diet reduces testosterone levels [5], and then you have yet another wrinkle in the mix to concern yourself with.

Then you have medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCT), which are SFAs that exhibit physiological behavior that’s closer to carbohydrate than fat. MCT has been hyped to death by those who sell it. But the point is that they are a type of SFA that may potentially have minor benefits on body composition. I personally wouldn’t spend a dime on them, but they nevertheless illustrate the fact that SFAs are a complex and highly varied group of compounds in terms of physiological effect. As always, the effects of each type of fat undoubtedly vary with the population in question, as well as individual response.

Finally, with the black and white fallacy of saturated versus unsaturated fats out of the way, we can now shift the focus on fish oils, which happen to be a rich source of a particular class of fatty acids under intense study, the omega 3’s.

Enter The Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for normal growth and development, but are noted specifically for their powerful influence over multiple physiological processes. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), one of the two essential fatty acids (EFA) that the body cannot biosynthesize and must get from the diet, is an omega-3. EFA are precursors to a class of biologically significant compounds called eicosanoids, which include prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and thromboxanes. Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) can be derived from fish oil, and to a lesser degree, flaxseed oil. Consumption of EPA and DHA has an appreciable number of positive health effects, including decreases in blood platelet aggregation, lowered blood pressure, enhancement of smooth muscle function, decreased inflammation, alleviation of dyslipidema, and treatment of mood disorders [6-9]. There’s even emerging evidence pointing to the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids on bone health [10].

Archaeological research postulates that humans were  biologically designed to thrive on a diet whose ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids was approximately 1:1, and unlikely greater than 4:1. Today, consumption of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids is estimated at roughly 25:1 [11]. This is due in part to a predominance of omega-6 oils available commercially in our food supply (corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, refined packaged grain products & pastries) and a relative minority of omega-3 sources (fatty marine fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and flaxseed oil, walnuts, & small amounts in canola oil). Industrial production of omega-6-rich animal feeds has also resulted in animal tissues (livestock, eggs, and cultured fish) rich in omega-6 and poor in omega-3 fatty acids. This disproportionately high intake of omega 6’s biases our physiology towards thrombosis, hyperlipidemia, and vasoconstriction. The reverse of those effects occurs simply by increasing the proportion of omega-3’s.

Fish Oil as a Fat Loss Supplement?

So far, the resume of fish oil’s health effects is very extensive. But can it add fat loss to the list as well? The buzz in the supplement industry would certainly want consumers to believe so. But as always, the answer can only begin to reveal itself in the research. Human studies examining the effect of fish oil supplementation on body composition are scarce, but that makes it easy to pick them apart.

A decade ago, Couet and colleagues investigated the effect of replacing 6g of visible dietary fat with 6g of fish oil in healthy adults over a 3-week period, done 12 weeks after a 3-week control diet period [12]. Bodyfat mass and respiratory quotient decreased in the fish oil phase. It’s important to note that the flaws in this study’s design are grave enough to almost completely invalidate it. Extremely small sample size (6 subjects total), short trial period (3 weeks), and a complete absence of randomization or treatment balance (opening the distinct possibility for seasonal variation, among other errors) are the main fatal knocks that render this data nearly useless.

In contrast, 2 more recent studies conducted within the past 3 years looking at weight-loss diets supplemented with omega-3’s have not observed any significant effects on body composition beyond what was caused by dietary restriction alone [13,14]. But it’s never that simple, since things may differ according to the population and protocol. In contrast to the previous two trials, Kunesova’s team examined the effects of omega-3 supplementation on severely obese female inpatients undergoing a 3-week very low calorie (525 kcal) in-patient weight reduction treatment [15]. Calories were controlled to accommodate the supplemental omega-3, which was 2.8g/day. Result? The omega-3 supplemented group lost 1.5 kg bodyweight, and 2.2 cm more off the waist than the control group.

How about more relevant populations? As of this writing, there are only three trials in existence examining the effect of omega-3 supplementation combined with a structured aerobic exercise program on body composition. Let’s dig in. In 1989, Warner and colleagues looked at the effect of walking or jogging 3 days/week for 45–50 minutes at 75-80% maximal heart rate in hyperlipidemic subjects randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: fish oil + exercise, fish oil alone, corn oil, or control [16]. Body fat was reduced only in the fish oil + exercise group. These data are severely limited by the absence of an exercise-only control group, leaving a huge question mark open regarding the relative contribution of exercise to the bottom line result. A year later, Brilla and Landerholm conducted a well-designed study on healthy, previously sedentary men [17]. This trial did contain an exercise-only control group, and no effect of fish oil on body fat was observed.

In the most recent fish oil + exercise study to date, Hill’s team examined the effect of fish oil supplementation (6g) on overweight hypertensive/hyperlipidemic subjects (24 men and 41 women) over a 12 week period [18]. Exercise was 3 days/week walking at 75% predicted maximal heart rate for 45 minutes. Body composition was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Predictably, fish oil supplementation improved blood lipids and arterial vasodilation. As for body composition, fish oil by itself didn’t cause any bodyfat reduction from baseline levels, whereas the sunflower oil control gained bodyfat , but to an insignificant degree. However, fish oil + exercise caused a 1.1% greater bodyfat reduction compared to the sunflower oil + exercise control (1.2% reduction versus a 0.1% reduction in the sunflower oil group). But here’s the kicker… The daily intake of the exercising fish oil group averaged 143.4 kcals less than the exercising control group. Factoring in the reduced calories of the fish oil group, we’re now looking at a difference of 0.32 kg (0.7 lb) – less than a pound more weight loss in the fish oil group in 12 weeks.

The Dark Side of Over-doing Fish Oil Supplementation

Yes, Luke, there is always a dark side. In the world of unchecked marketing hype, fish oil has definitely gotten the “more is better” stamp. The problem is, EPA and DHA have a well-documented ability to suppress the body’s immune response. Although not as consistent as the immune effects, data also exist on the ability of EPA and DHA to increase bleeding time and oxidation. Let’s take a look at a couple of the published peer-reviewed research that no one in the fitness industry talks about.

Thies and colleagues examined the 12-week effect of various fatty acid supplement mixes on healthy subjects [19]. Various blends of placebo oil and oils rich in ALA, GLA, AA, DHA, or EPA (720mg) + DHA (280mg) were compared. Total fat intake from the 9-capsule dose was 4 g/d. The EPA/DHA treatment was the only one that had a negative effect on immunity, significantly decreasing natural killer cell activity by 48%. This effect was reversed after 4 weeks of ceasing intake of the supplement.

Rees and colleagues investigated the effects of various amounts of EPA on immune markers in young and older men [20]. In a 12-week study, EPA was incorporated into plasma and mononuclear cell phospholipids. Supplemental EPA in amounts of 1.35, 2.7, and 4.05g/day caused a dose-dependent decrease in neutrophil respiratory burst, indicating the suppression of a cellular defense against immunity threats. This effect was seen in the older, but not the younger men. Based on these and the previous data, if you’re not a spring chicken, and immunity is an issue, you might not want to go hog-wild on the fish oil dosing.

Suggested Use & Take-Home Tips

The cardio-protective benefits of increasing the dietary proportion of omega-3 fatty acids is seen consistently in trials involving various populations and protocols. Fish oil is one of the few supplements that actually has a substantial body of scientific evidence backing it up. However, it’s easy to think in terms of pills instead of food. Those who love fish (and have the time or resources to prepare or order it) can simply increase or maintain their intake of fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, lake trout, herring, albacore tuna, and sardines.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at least two servings of fish per week for the general population. Think of a palm-sized piece as a serving. For those with high triacylglycerol levels, a supplemental 2-4g of combined EPA/DHA is their suggested therapeutic dose. However, note that caution is advised against supplementing more than 3g combined EPA/DHA outside of a physician’s care, since some individuals may risk excessive bleeding [21]. 3 g combined EPA/DHA typically is contained within 10 one-gram capsules. I recommend maxing out your whole food options first before going the supplemental route. There’s always more complete and synergistic nutrition contained within whole foods. Having 6-8 oz fatty fish a minimum of 4 times a week would exempt most folks from needing fish oil supplementation. For those who can’t or won’t eat fish, there’s always fish oil capsules, which thankfully are inexpensive, and more convenient than getting your omega-3’s through fish.

The amount of EPA/DHA per capsule may vary with the brand. Capsules can contain anywhere from 250-500mg. Most healthy folks don’t need more than 3-6 one-gram capsules per day to meet or exceed the amounts that show benefits. There are no definitive conclusions about optimal proportion of EPA:DHA, so to error on the side of safety, I recommend finding roughly an even mix. It’s common and perfectly acceptable for products to contain slightly more EPA than DHA. If at all possible, make sure your supplement is verified by the USP (United States Pharmacopoeia) for the peace of mind that you’re getting what the label is claiming. I would also error on the side of safety and keep them refrigerated. As a side note, there’s a widespread belief that ALA from flaxseed is worthless for increasing EPA/DHA since the conversion is inefficient. However, Harper’s team recently saw 3g ALA/day (from 5.2g flaxseed oil) raise plasma EPA levels by 60% at the end of a 12-week trial [22].

Looking at the body of evidence as a whole, fish oil (or increased fish consumption) has great potential for improving cardiovascular health. But for reducing body fat, the effects are minor to nonexistent. Let’s not forget that fish oil isn’t some magical negative-calorie food. It still contains 9 calories per gram, and no matter how much of those calories are used in its processing within the body, it’s still a net gain in calories after consumption. To sum everything up, fish oil has health benefits, as well as potential risks. It’s certainly not a matter of more-is-better. It might have minor fat loss effects in the obese and overweight population, but their fat loss effect in general is far from conclusively established. Get a variety of fats in your diet, and get them from whole foods whenever possible. Fish oil is merely one of many agents that can contribute to optimal health within the context of well-balanced nutrition. Keep it in perspective, and keep your eye on the facts.

References

  1. Centers for Disease Control: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. 1990-2002 trends data, nationwide. http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/Trends/trendchart.asp?qkey=10010&state=US.
  2. Thijssen MA, et al. Stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids have comparable effects on markers of thrombotic tendency in healthy human subjects. J Nutr. 2005 Dec;135(12):2805-11.
  3. Mozaffarian, et al. Trans fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. N. Engl. J. Med. 2006;354: 1601-1613.
  4. Lovejoy JC, et al. Effects of diets enriched in saturated (palmitic), monounsaturated (oleic), or trans (elaidic) fatty acids on insulin sensitivity and substrate oxidation in healthy adults. Diabetes Care. 2002 Aug;25(8):1283-8.
  5. Haalaininen E, et al. Diet and serum sex hormones in healthy men.
    J Steroid Biochem. 1984 Jan;20(1):459-64.
  6. Schwalfenberg G. Omega-3 fatty acids: their beneficial role in cardiovascular health.
    Can Fam Physician. 2006 Jun;52:734-40.
  7. Psota TL, et al. Dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake and cardiovascular risk.
    Am J Cardiol. 2006 Aug 21;98(4A):3i-18i.
  8. Ismail HM. The role of omega-3 fatty acids in cardiac protection: an overview.
    Front Biosci. 2005 May 1;10:1079-88.
  9. Parker G, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids and mood disorders.
    Am J Psychiatry. 2006 Jun;163(6):969-78. Review. Erratum in: Am J Psychiatry. 2006 Oct;163(10):1842.
  10. Griel AE, et al. An increase in dietary n-3 fatty acids decreases a marker of bone resorption in humans. Nutr J. 2007 Jan 16;6:2.
  11. Simopolous AP. Omega-3 fatty acids in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. J Am Coll Nutr. 2002 Dec;21(6):495-505.
  12. Couet C, et al. Effect of dietary fish oil on body fat mass and basal fat oxidation in healthy adults. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1997 Aug;21(8):637-43.
  13. Fontani G, Corradeschi F, Felici A, et al. Blood profiles, body fat and mood state in healthy subjects on different diets supplemented with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Eur J Clin Invest 2005;35:499–507.
  14. Krebs JD, et al. Additive benefits of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and weight-loss in the management of cardiovascular disease risk in overweight hyperinsulinaemic women. Int J Obes (Lond). 2006 Oct;30(10):1535-44.
  15. Kunesova , et al. The influence of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and very low calorie diet during a short-term weight reducing regimen on weight loss and serum fatty acid composition in severely obese women. Physiol Res. 2006;55(1):63-72
  16. Warner JG, et al. Combined effects of aerobic exercise and omega-3 fatty acids in hyperlipidemic persons. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1989;21:498–505.
  17. Brilla LR, Landerholm TE. Effect of fish oil supplementation and exercise on serum lipids and aerobic fitness. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1990;30:173–80.
  18. Hill AM, et al. Combining fish-oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise improves body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors.
    Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 May;85(5):1267-74.
  19. Thies F, et al. Dietary supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid, but not with other longchain n-3 or n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, decreases natural killer cell activity in healthy subjects aged >55 y. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Mar;73(3):539-48.
  20. Rees D, et al. Dose-related effects of eicosapentaenoic acid on innate immune function in healthy humans: a comparison of young and older men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Feb;83(2):187-8.
  21. Kris-Etherton PM, et. al. Fish consumption, fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids, and cardiovascular disease. Circulation. 2002 Nov 19;106(21):2747-57.
  22. Harper CR, et al. Flaxseed oil increases the plasma concentrations of cardioprotective (n-3) fatty acids in humans. J Nutr. 2006 Jan;136(1):83-7.

Building Muscle 101- Artikkel fra Mark’s Daily Apple

Posted on by Kenneth

Guest Post – Building Muscle 101: Master the Basics

MusclesMuch like was discussed in Fat Loss 101, building muscle is basically a hormonal event. Hormones such as testosterone, insulin, growth hormone and cortisol are giving the body signals on whether to build muscle, or break it down. While exercise is necessary to create a stimulus for certain hormones to be activated, it is also just a small part of the equation. This is why you will see so many people putting in hard effort at the gym day after day, and never really getting any results. So throw away all those books, stop spending $400/month on supplements, cancel your magazine subscription to Muscle Weekly (or one of the other 75+ fitness magazines out there), and master the basics. This is where you get 90%+ of your results from.

Who needs strength training? Everyone! Any age and yes women too! (Don’t fear ladies, you do not have enough hormones to get all big and buff….just that nice toned look you are looking for). In fact, muscle mass has been directly related to the rate at which we age. I guess once you tell the body that you don’t need muscle to do anything, it thinks it is time to shut down! Once you start losing muscle, you see an increase in fat and that is never a good thing for any long term health factor. The muscle most effected is the Type II (Fast Twitch) and not the Type I (Slow Twitch). So moral of the story is, want to live longer then build and keep your muscle! (Just ask Jack LaLanne who is still running around at 94 years young)

Now let’s look at the Hormones we want to use for building and keeping muscle:

* Testosterone – We have all heard about this one, it builds muscle

* Growth Hormone - Another muscle building (and fat burning) hormone

* Insulin – Using this properly can help to stimulate more muscle building by bringing in more amino acids into the muscles (too much and at the wrong time will only store fat)

* Cortisol – The bad guy who breaks down muscle (some is needed, too much is bad)

* Estrogen – Brings down your Testosterone (hence why women will not build the same size muscle as men). Too much has also been linked to cancer.

Ok so now that we know the players, let’s see what we need to do inorder to get the results and control the hormones for building muscle.

* Eat protein – The more amino acids you can make available to the muscles, the more they will be able to build up. There is a point of diminishing returns, but most active people need at least 0.6-0.8g protein per lean (not total) lb of bodyweight.

* Eat Fat – Higher fat diets raise Testosterone levels. Also higher fat diets have a nitrogen sparing effect (which means less muscle breakdown and wasting). Usually this means over 30% of your daily calories should come from healthy fats.

* Eat more Sat Fat and Monounsaturated Fats – These are the types of fat shown to increase more Testosterone levels (Steak and Eggs!). Also your body uses Cholesterol to build the hormone Testosterone (another plug for steak and eggs). If you are still weary about fat and cholesterol, you can read this excellent article and make up your own mind about it. Oh and Zinc is also key to T-levels (3rd plug for steak and eggs).

* Do not eat low calorie – Doing this too often will just cause a drop off in T-levels.

* Get your Sleep - As we talked about in the Fat Loss article, most of your GH is produced at night. So get your sleep and build muscle in the process.

* Skip the Alcohol - I know St Patty’s day is right around the corner, but alcohol in excess drops your T-levels. So keep it to a 2 drink maximum when you do go out otherwise you won’t look too good with less muscle and more fat around your belly.

* Lose the Fat – People who are higher in fat, will always be lower in T-levels (and higher in Estrogen). So goal #1 should be to get your bodyfat lower and then worry about adding in the muscle as it will be easier at that point.

* Take Fish Oil – Omega 3s will keep you building muscle and keep cortisol levels at bay. Also improves insulin sensitivity (see below) of muscles.

* Improve Insulin Sensitivity – Insulin is necessary to shuttle in amino acids into the muscle tissues (although too much is not good!). So you need to do things to decrease insulin resistance and increase insulin sensitivity including lower carb diets, carb cycling, resistance training, losing fat, and yes…fasting.

* Eat Your Veggies – Especially broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage that help to keep the Estrogen levels low (High Estrogen=Low Testosterone). This is also a good anti-cancer strategy especially in women.

* Improve your Gut Health – If you improve your health, your digestion improves and you improve the amount of nutrients/vitamins/minerals that your body can digest/absorb/utilize. Taking things such as digestive enzymes with meal may give you more use of the food you are eating. Oh yeah….fasting also helps to improve gut health!

* Detox Your Body – Get rid of all those toxins, take the toxins out of your daily lifestyle (food, drink, water, air, skin) and let your organs like the liver and kidneys work at more optimal levels. A healthy body will always reflect it and look that way as well.

* Train the Right Way – You want muscles? Then learn how to train them quickly and effectively with resistance training. Start with compound movements first to get the hormones up. Lift heavy and with shorter rest periods (reps of 5-10 with 30-60 sec rest between sets). Do enough volume (25-50 total reps per exercise….5×5, 3×10, etc). Keep the intensity high. Get your workout done in 30-45 min. Lift only 2-3x week (most people only need 2x if they are intense enough….as muscles do NOT grow in the gym, you need recovery!)

* Less Cardio - Too much too often will just waste muscle, lower T-levels and hamper any attempt you have at building muscle. If you want to do something, make it short and intense to keep GH levels high and cortisol levels low. This is why you will never see a chronic jogger with alot (if any) muscle…unless they are eating 5000 cal a day or taking some other type of cortisol suppressing hormone “supplement”. Here’s a good read on danger of the cardio obsession so many people have nowadays.

* Eat Post Workout – As you muscles are primed with high insulin sensitivity for a healthy protein+carb meal. Your window goes from 30min to 3 hours. Best is to eat small but frequent meals (not just one big one). Some people may benefit from a quick amino acid + carb drink (but if your main goal for now is weight loss, skip this!)

So if you are spending 5 days a week at the gym and never seeing results, go over the list about and realize you have to look at the whole picture. You can build plenty of muscle only lifting 2x a week and having the right lifestyle around to support it. If you can master these things and learn how to control your eating, lifting and recovery you will build plenty of muscle. Wouldn’t it also be great if you could do this all while improving your health, losing fat, gaining muscle , detoxifying your body, reducing insulin resistance and eating less calories overall to help extend your lifespan? Could that be…..IF?

Mark’s Daily Apple Note: Thanks to Mike O’Donnell of

The IF Life

for the great Guest Post!

Sjekk ute resten av Mark’s Daily Apple på www.marksdailyapple.com

Artikkel om carb-cycling av Chris Aceto

Posted on by Kenneth

Carbohydrate cycling: this seven-point diet strategy will help you keep bodyfat in check while adding muscle

FLEX has frequently described how you can use carb rotation to assist you in leaning out. By reducing carbs on some days and eating more on others, your body is better able to maintain muscle mass while shedding bodyfat. This is such a potent diet strategy that you can also use it during bulking phases to help you build muscle without adding as much bodyfat as you otherwise might. In other words, if you want to get bigger without getting fat, you should give this 12-day carbohydrate-cycling strategy a whirl.

This strategy is the cornerstone of a mass-building plan that we’ve found to be successful for virtually everyone who’s used it. On this plan, follow four days of moderate carbohydrate intake by eight days of greater carb intake more akin to a traditional high-carb diet, which is so effective in adding mass. This seven-point plan allows the individual who struggles with bodyfat to add mass while keeping bodyfat levels in check.

1) Match protein consumption to bodyweight

Protein gives the body the building blocks of muscle growth. You need to consume at least a gram of complete protein per pound of bodyweight daily. Thus, a 200-pound bodybuilder should eat at least 200 grams (g) of protein per day and, equally important, spread it over five to seven meals. The main twist: Count only the protein found in meat, eggs, dairy and milk- or egg-based protein powders. Although vegetables and grains have some protein, don’t include them in your total.

2) Follow four moderate carb days

Carbs help set up the body hormonally for growth. They induce the release of insulin, which gets protein and carbs into muscles for growth and repair. The downside is that when you take in too many carbs, they can be readily converted to bodyfat and stored. Thus, a moderate intake of 1.5 to 1.75 g per pound of bodyweight each day — for, four straight days — is the baseline level to keep your insulin levels up, helping you to grow. A 200-pounder would consume 300-350 g a day.

3) Eat high carbs for eight days

Moving to a high carb intake after four days of modest consumption pushes up insulin levels even more, which helps drive the body into a stronger anabolic state. Take in 2.5 to 3.5 g of carbs per pound of bodyweight. A 200-pounder would eat 500 to 700 g of carbs daily. These eight days of high carbs will saturate muscle glycogen stores, a strong marker for growth.

4) Repeat

Repeating the cycle of four days of moderate carb intake followed by eight days of high carbs will help keep your bodyfat from rising too much while you continue to pack on mass. Thus, the four modified carb days will allow you to pull back on glycogen stores and keep you lean while bulking.

5) Make adaptations

We’ve established these cycle lengths as a baseline because they seem to work very well for most people. You can make adjustments to the lengths of these cycles based on your own body’s response. If you’re starting to look softer and think that you’re storing more fat than you should, shorten your high-carb cycle to six days and reduce your carb consumption during your moderate phase to the low end of your target range (1.5 g per pound of bodyweight). Keep in mind that individual variance is always a major factor in a bodybuilding diet, and you need to monitor your body to make sure you’re responding in a way that will allow you to reach your goals.

(6) Thermogenic advantage

Bodybuilders understand the concept of thermogenesis — where food, especially carbs, can be burned off (as a byproduct of metabolism) rather than deposited as bodyfat. Thermogenesis is one reason ephedra products can help keep you lean. They can increase your metabolic rate and help promote the burning of carbs as well as bodyfat. Moving from a lower carb intake to a higher carb intake increases the thermic effect. Thus, a 200-pound bodybuilder will burn off some of those carbs during the eight consecutive days when carbs are higher, helping him to stay lean while continuing to build muscle mass.

(7) Thyroid

Thyroid levels can fluctuate with how much as well as what you eat. For example, dieters often experience a drop in thyroid levels while those who overeat can experience an increase in thyroid levels. Even though the increase is usually mild with overeaters, the benefit is less fat storage and greater muscle growth as slightly higher thyroid levels not only help stimulate fat burning but increase protein synthesis. Moving from a lower to a higher carb intake may change hormone levels and might help you look like a bigger bodybuilder, not a fatter one.

Finally

Carbohydrate cycling is a simple but potent formula for muscular growth. Often, when bodybuilders enter bulking phases, they overeat to make certain they’re providing their bodies with all the protein and nutrients they need for maximal growth. The result is more stored bodyfat than desired. By using carbohydrate cycling, you help control the hormones of your body, giving yourself an anabolically desirable environment for maximal muscle growth without the unwanted addition of extra bodyfat.

GUIDE TO CARBOHYDRATE CYCLING

Follow the numbers for your bodyweight to help you pack on quality
poundage during your bulking phase.

               Carb intake for        Carb intake for
Bodyweight  four consecutive days  eight consecutive days
 (pounds)      (grams per day)        (grams per day)

   160             240-280                400-560
   170             255-298                425-595
   180             270-315                450-630
   190             285-333                475-665
   200             300-350                500-700
   210             315-368                525-735
   220             330-385                550-770
   230             345-403                575-805

            Protein intake
Bodyweight   for all days
 (pounds)   (grams per day)

   160            160
   170            170
   180            180
   190            190
   200            200
   210            210
   220            220
   230            230

To order Chris Aceto’s training and nutrition book, Championship Bodybuilding, visit www.chrisaceto.com

Omega 3 & multivitamin fra VitOmega

Posted on by Kenneth

De livsviktige fettsyrene

Moderne, vestlig kosthold inneholder ofte mindre av de viktige fettsyrene enn hva vi faktisk trenger for å opprettholde en god helse.

En av årsakene kan være at vi får i oss for lite av de sunne, flerumettede fettsyrene som finnes i blant annet fet fisk. Er du blant de som tilhører flertallet og som spiser fet fisk som laks, ørret, sild og tunfisk mindre enn tre ganger i uken, kan et tilskudd av omega-3 være nødvendig for å unngå en del livsstilssykdommer og andre plager.

Hva er Omega-3?
Omega-3 fettsyrer er det vi kaller essensielle fettsyrer. At en fettsyre er essensiell, betyr at den er nødvendig for livsviktige funksjoner i den menneskelige organisme. Kroppen kan ikke selv produsere omega-3, den må derfor tilføres via maten eller kostholdet. De viktigste omega-3 fettsyrene er deocosahexaensyre (DHA) og eicosapentaensyre (EPA). Disse fettsyrene finnes som nevnt særlig i fet fisk, skalldyr, sel og hval.

Omega-3 fettsyrer produseres av bakterier på store havdyp, i rundt 0 grader Celsius, i totalt mørke og helt uten oksygen. Disse bakteriene er næringsgrunnlag for plankton i havet, og føres opp gjennom næringskjeden via fisk til mennesker. Når du spiser fet fisk blir en del av Omega-3 fettsyrene bygd inn i kroppens celler, hvor de virker som en beskyttelse for blant annet vårt hjerte- og karsystem.

Interessen for Omega-3 fettsyrer skjøt for alvor fart da man oppdaget at eskimoene svært sjelden er utsatt for hjerte- og karsystem, til tross for at de har et kosthold som er svært rikt på fett. Studier har senere vist at deres fettkilder, som hovedsaklig kommer fra fisk, sel og hval, inneholder “snilt” flerumettet fett, som i motsetning til mange andre fettkilder, faktisk er svært sunt for menneskekroppen. Forskning har siden påvist at disse fettsyrene kan ha en gunstig effekt ved en rekke plager.

Hvordan virker Omega-3?
Mens høyt inntak av “vanlig” fett og kolesterol øker faren for å utvikle hjerte- og karplager, kan fiskefett beskytte mot slike plager. Ved flere studier har man undersøkt effekten av Omega-3 fettsyrer i forhold til ulike hjerte- og karplager. Den viktigste årsaken til dette er at Omega-3 fettsyrer kan redusere fettavleiringer i hjertets blodårer. Omega-3 kan også bidra til å styrke kroppens celler slik at immunforsvaret forbedres.

Hvorfor Omega-3 fra VitOmega?

  • 8 av 10 rapporterer om bedre helse.
  • 100% naturlig fiskeolje med de viktige fettsyrene Omega-3-6-7-9.
  • Kåret til Beste Nettprodukt i Mat & Helse, des. 05. En av verdens reneste fiskeoljer.
  • Anbefalt dagsdose gir 1 gram omega-3 fra kapsler, og 1,4 gram fra flytende.
  • Europeisk utmerkelse for kvalitet og smak på flytende omega-3-6-7-9.
  • Vi tilbyr både gratis, personlig oppfølging, abonnement eller muligheten for å bestille selv.
  • Kvalitetsgaranti siden 1993.
  • Pakke sendt direkte hjem til deg (ikke oppkrav). Enklere blir det ikke!

Oppsiktsvekkende resultat
8 av 10 rapporterer om bedre helse av vår fiskeolje Omega-3-6-7-9!
En undersøkelse blant 1000 kunder viser at hele 8 av 10 har oppnådd bedre helse etter å ha benyttet vår naturlige fiskeolje i 3-6 mnd. Hovedforklaringen til dette kan være pga. vårt høye kvalitetsfokus: Produktet er en av verdens reneste fiskeoljer og 100% naturlig. Produktet gir deg 1 gram omega-3 hver dag, nesten dobbelt så mye som en rekke konkurrenter. I tillegg får du i deg litt av de gunstige fettsyrene omega-6-7-9 som finnes naturlig i fisken, og som trolig kan ha helsemessig effekt.

Forskning på fiskeolje og omega-3
Forskning har vist at Omega-3 fra fiskeolje har gitt svært gode resultater. Få produkter er så godt dokumentert og anerkjent som Omega-3
Omega-3 er godt for*: Hjerte og blod sirkulasjonen, triglyseridnivået, altså nivået av fettstoffer i blodet, blodtrykket, hjernen, nyrer, ledd og muskler, hudproblemer, immunforsvaret, barns læringsevne og gravide.
* Forskningen kan ikke knyttes opp mot et enkelt produkt.

Hvorfor fiskeolje i stedet for selolje?
Mange har latt seg lokke til å prøve ”gratis” produkter med selolje, med abonnementsbinding. Det svært få er klar over, er at fiskeolje inneholder opp mot 50% mer omega-3 enn fra selolje, per enhet. I og med at de fleste seloljeprodukter har små kapsler (500 mg), innebærer dette et inntak på 8 – 10 kapsler for å få samme dose omega-3 fettsyrer (1 gram) som med 3 kapsler med VitOmegas produkt. Selolje inneholder også i utgangspunktet mer forurensning enn fra fisk. Naturlig fiskeolje inneholder også alle de gunstige fettsyrene EPA, DHA og DPA, slik selolje gjør, og i tillegg de gunstige fettsyrene omega-6-7-9.

Fiskeolje og tran
Fiskeolje skiller seg fra tran ved at den produseres fra hele fisken i stede for bare av leveren. Vi i VitOmega benytter hele fisken i vår produksjon av fiskeolje.

Omega-3 fra VitOmega
VitOmegas fiskeolje utvinnes av bl.a ansjos og makrell fra det Antarktiske havområdet. Vi benytter disse fiskene på grunn av at Antarktis er det minst forurensede havområdet i verden og fordi fisken der har et høyere innhold av Omega-3 fettsyrer i forhold til andre fiskesorter.

På bakgrunn av vår produksjonsmetode er vi en av de som har den reneste fiskeoljen som finnes på markedet idag.

VitOmegas fiskeolje Omega-3-6-7-9 ble kåret til BESTE NETTPRODUKT i Mat & Helse des. 2005. Lege Stig Bruset testet nylig 10 forskjellige Omega 3 produkter. Det ble foretatt tester på mengde Omega 3 pr. kapsel, fraværet av forurensning og om Omega 3 produktene var harske. I tillegg ble det beregnet pris pr. gram omega 3. VitOmega ble på bakgrunn av dette kåret til det beste nettproduktet og hadde den billigste naturlige fiskeoljen i sin Omega 3.


Først i verden!
VitOmegas flytende Omega-3-6-7-9 har som verdens første produkt fått europeisk utmerkelse for kvalitet og sitronsmak. VitOmega ble belønnet med en stjerne i ITQI – International Taste & Quality Institute i Brussel.

Omega 3, Multivitaminer og flere godsaker finner dere her!

ExRx.net

Posted on by Kenneth

Dette er en fantastisk god side for alle som vil lære mer om muskulatur og øvelser. Siden inneholder et omfattende øvelses register, fitness verktøy (bmi kalkulator etc), max-rep kalkulator, push-up kalkulator og andre godsaker for dere som vil holde styr på treningen.