Shake Things Up

I frequently suggest protein shakes to aid people in meeting their health goals. Having tasted many more protein shakes than most, I can usually suggest some non-offensive mixes to use. The problem is protein tastes bad. It really does not matter what the original source is, it just does. I hear about how bad they can be every day.

Here is the thing: you don't have to just mix it in water and drink it. I am always shocked by people when I suggest mixing vanilla protein with orange juice to make an Dreamsicle shake. Or mixing chocolate protein with coconut milk, it's like drinking a Mounds Bar, but good for you. I can't drink milk, personally, so I often use almond milk to make my shakes.

Or, you could add stuff to the shakes by mixing them in a blender. Peanut butter, chocolate protein, and milk/water, maybe some ice equals a peanut butter cup. Try the same with vanilla protein and it is a fantastic surprise. You could use berries, bananas, and vanilla protein for a great smoothie. Use frozen berries and now it is an icy drink to beat the awful heat this year. Hell, just add banana and you are on your way to a better shake.

Want to use it a meal replacement? Add some ground flax or chia seed for omegas and fiber. Maybe some wheat, barley, or other greens to pack in more nutrients. At the end of the mix, you are still looking at fewer calories than anything you are likely to find at the coffee shop on the way to work.

There are many reasons supplement your diet with protein. As a calorie source that your body TENDS to not store as fat, it provides amino acids used for hundreds of bodily functions. It can help you recover from activity or get ready for the day. It helps your body's nitrogen balance which promotes muscle building and fat loss. Yada Yada Yada. You've heard all that before. If your reason for not using a protein shake in your diet has been taste. Well, give these suggestions a shot.

Chef VG

In “D” News

The latest in a long line of confusing studies, meta-studies, and other press released articles has come out in favor of Vitamin D. The last spree of info was condemning calcium, if I recall, for bone support. All of this conflicting info brings people to me, looking for my take on what is going on. Mostly, I think, because I tend to be skeptical of anything in the press positive or negative.

The articles are picked up by media outlets to draw interest to their site. Let's face it, they need eyes to get advertising revenue. (hint, hint) I personally believe this is the reason sites are so willing to report meta-studies in the first place. The purpose of a meta-study is to determine where to focus more scientific investigation, not to provide a statement of fact. Meta-studies often show findings that are outside of the accepted community of information. Damned scientists and their need to always want to understand things! The problem comes when the media picks up a study and applies it across the population at large.

So, when I see a news piece like the one above I look at it skeptically to determine why I am seeing it in the first place. Especially this one. Really, vitamin D is good for bones? That is news worthy? Next we will be told that cranberry is good for UTI's. Oh, wait, here is a meta-study for that. 

What may be kinda cool, is the reminder that vitamin D is a hormone the body produces. One of the things it does involves the production of testosterone in the body. Hmmm. The latest plague attacking society according to the TV advertising I have been abused by is Low T. I wonder if there might be some kinda link between the lack of outdoor activity in the sun, the sunscreen applications that can be measured in pounds, and the this new disaster to humanity. Hmmm.

VG

Questions About Mixing Creatine, Arginine, and Caffeine

The other day I was discussing pre-workouts and somebody asked how I felt about the use of caffeine in them. Just about every pre-workout in the market has at least some caffeine, so it must be a great idea right?

Yes and no.

Caffeine is a great stimulant. It helps with metabolism and appetite control. It is also something most people are used to and understand. It is also a vaso-constrictor and a diuretic. As such, it raises blood pressure, which is a bad idea when you exercise, FYI.

One of the stated functions of a pre-workout is providing a muscle pump. This is the feeling you have when you have been lifting and your muscles feel full and stronger. The funny thing is, if you want a muscle pump you kinda need water. It is not air filling those muscles cells after all. So again, caffeine? It actually works counter to this purpose as well. Especially when you remember that creatine, an almost ubiquitous ingredient, wants to put water into muscle cells!

Then there is arginine. Workhorse of the pre-workouts. The only supplement that I feel is critical to a pre-workout drink. It supports better blood flow, which in turn means better nutrient delivery and waste removal during the workout, which allows for a less impeded workout that will send a loader signal to the body to build muscle. Which, unless you have ISSUES, is the entire point of lifting that ridiculous weight in the first place. Caffeine = vaso-constrictor. UMM, what the hell would you want that anywhere near your workout?

So, why is it there? The market demands it! If a pre-workout does not make you all but vibrate from the stimulants it will not sell. Like many other pastimes, working out has its serious enthusiasts, its duffers (VG), and its posers. Most of those are the ones you see grunting and looking at themselves in the mirrors. The serious poser is usually shaped like the letter V, because they NEVER work any muscle group lower than their rib cages. They buy and use the majority of the pre-workouts in the market and the need to feel the energy.

The solution is for the manufacturers to add enough arginine and creatine to ensure the can overcome the negative sides of the caffeine. They also need to instruct the user to mix it with adequate amounts of water. NOPE. The amount of arginine and creatine needed would cut into profits. And, let's face it, this shit tastes bad, so they tell you to use enough water to get it down the throat.

ARRRGH

Pre-workouts are fun. I, as a duffer, use them and frequently report my opinions on them. But they are not key to a good workout. The do not produce muscle gains. You Do! Remember, you do not, will not, can not ever build any muscle in the gym. You only tell your body you need more muscle. If you are choosing a Pre-workout keep in mind that you will need to supplement the supplement to keep the message to your body loud.

VG

Day One, Again

So today I started a new exercise campaign. Again. I started running again, after a brief hiatus. I had to focus on my bike training for a local MS ride. I also help the Fat Bottomed Girl with her training. This was her first real biking in many years so I was excited to help her get going.

Locally it is hot. Of course, this year that means in the continental US. That means getting up early to “beat” the heat. So, at early o'clock, when The Doctor told me “allons-y”, I was somewhat lacking enthusiasm for getting out of bed. Normally coffee would be the number one priority for the morning, but, caffeine is a vaso-constrictor and a diuretic, so that is right out. I also have a ridiculous tolerance to blood in my caffeine steam, so I get little energy from the stuff anyhow.

What to do, what to do. Bet you can't guess what the Vita-guru will suggest.

Right, I have a supplement for that! Today's morning came with a shot of SuperPump Max from Gaspari.  I have the orange flavor and must say it is about as enjoyable as Tang. A good pre-work out drink that focuses on delivering creatine and arginine for your workout. I find that the energy matrix of this pre-workout does not really affect me. To be fair to the supplement, remember my afore stated stimulant tolerance. I have chosen SuperPump for that very reason. If the energy from the pre-workout is to strong it will over-amp my heart and interfere with my run. I added 3 grams of AAKG to the mix and used about 10 oz of water to mix it.

FYI – For those of you who use a pre-workout to provide better vascularity during your workout, why do you only mix it in 4 to 6 oz of water? If you dilate up your blood vessels don't you need something to take up the space? Do you want your body to pull the fluid from you muscles? Food for thought.

On the whole I would say I like effects of SuperPump Max. Anyone looking for a pre-workout that successfully pumps up your muscles is going to like this drink. It is very good for the lifters that it was designed for. My only issue comes post-workout. The creatine still moves though my system rapidly causing a need for the restroom. When Rich brought out this product he assured me that the days of SuperDump were over. UMM not quite. If your workout will go over 1ish hours plan a break in the middle, cause you are gonna take it.

VG

Time to Get Back On the Horse

Hey I'm Back

I know it has been a while since I have regularly posted. It has been an interesting spring. But hey, summer is here. Time to get serious about play!

Over the next weeks I will discuss summer fun and the supplements that will help you get the most out of your summer. Today I just want to thank you all for coming back and reading along. If you have any questions for me just click the “Ask the Vita-Guru” button on the top right and I will get them.

Tune in next time. Same bat-time, same bat-channel.

VG

Failing Grades

Wow, been a while. It has been a tough year here at Vita-guru. One of me had a month long computer problem, then another of me lost a very dear friend suddenly. Combine all that with training and my other employment and team Vita-guru was not very prolific at the prose production.

Yesterday I was “discussing” various multivitamin/multiminerals in the market with a couple of friends out for lunch. One of the ladies was buying her supplements from some never-heard-of-before supplement company. She proudly boasted that they were “pharmaceutical grade”. The implication is superior quality that is rare to find in the industry.

Yep. Sure. Got it. OK then.

Here we go. Pharmaceutical grade is marketing bullcrap. I have found ONE supplement manufacturer that can back that up with a use claim as well. Ajinomoto makes amino acids with the pharma claim, then backs it up with having a pharmaceutical division and being the major supplier of free aminos to the medical industry for their various needs. They do not make multivitamins.

The tightly held secret of supplement companies is that most don't make their product in-house. They have teams of scientists looking at the data and determining what they want their supplement to include. Then they give the new supplement formula to a buyer who prices it out. Next, to some accountant. So, the scientists look at the data and start over. I assume that scientists drink heavily, largely due to the accountants. (maybe lawyers, too)

Eventually, the raw materials are bought and sent to a job shop that probably also encapsulates medicines and pet supplies. There is your pharmaceutical grade production. Big Fuckin' Deal. You want to impress me? Get rid of the “accountant” and let the good stuff out.

All this leads back to the lady and her friend. They came to me because she wanted to see what I was about. Her friend was allergy miserable. I suggested a simple nasal wash and an Olbas Inhaler. I use them and went from being a connoisseur of allergy meds to not having any real problems for 5 years.

Her friend was thrilled. She was trapped by marketing.

One last note. Annual medical checkups are a good thing. DO THEM FOR YOUR FRIENDS.

Lesson Learned

Recently, I learned that crossing a pretty but remarkable DUMB puppy and a laptop computer can result in a case of Blogus Interruptus. Very aggravating.

On another note. In the last two days several people have remarked on the use of cinnamon for blood pressure support. That was a new one for me. I new that cinnamon help maintain blood sugar levels by mimicking insulin in the body. No that is not an excuse to eat a dozen snickerdoodles. (Who needs an excuse for that anyhow! Come on people priorities!) It appears that it is that very same activity that is causing the blood pressure support. In a 2006 study in diabetics adding about 1 gram of cinnamon had a positive impact on both BP and glucose levels.

And just briefly, a word about the news out today. If you are reading only the headlines today you will probably dump your EFA supps in the trash. A meta-study released showed no help from cardiovascular disease re-occurrence from fish oil supplements. You only found out it was a meta-study if you read the article looking for an explanation. The study authors even tell you that the had to ignore data to support their findings. This is why the concept of meta-studies has little value in the real world.

Sorry for the gap in posts. Watch out for puppies.