The Official Aminogen Blog

A New Year and A New Reason to Love Your Protein

Welcome back!

It has been a while since my last post, but what better way to begin the new year on the Aminogen blog than with some  truly exciting protein research, hot off the presses?

Let's get right to it. We know that in addition to being important for your muscles, bones and immune system, protein increases satiety and decreases hunger hormones. 

Now, a study in Neuron reveals that protein gives your body a boost in yet another way.  Turns out, the amino acids in protein stimulate orexin neurons.

As the name suggests, these cells produce the hormone orexin.  Orexin revs up your metabolism and makes you want to move. In other words, it energizes.

Orexin is also necessary for the development and regulation of brown fat- the body's thermogenic "good fat;" it actually burns calories.

Low levels of orexin have been found in people with conditions like obesity and narcolepsy, and the hormone is being investigated as a treatment for narcolepsy and other conditions that excessive sleepiness. Orexin seems to counteract the cognitive deficits caused by sleep deprivation.

Even if you've gotten a good night's sleep (can we talk?) orexin plays a definitive role in sleep/wake cylcles, daytime alertness, hunger and metobolic rate. And who couldn't use some help in one, ALL of these departments?

Check out Wired's Jonah Leher for more on how this works in Why Sugar Makes Us Sleepy and Protein Wakes Us Up.

Time Crunch: Making the Most of Your Workout Minutes

The New York Times asked physiologists what they considered to be the single best exercise. It's a question a lot of people would like answered- especially those of us who struggle to fit a workout into our too-busy days, and want to get the most out of any precious moments we can set aside for exercise.

Swimming, walking, H.I.T., running up stairs, the burpee and the squat were all on the list. In addition to providing a decent workout, these activities were considered practical because they could be done in a reasonable amount of time and weren't too difficult to stick with.

 

 

One element of a good exercise all of these experts mentioned-

- building muscle strength.

 

 

It's not about how many hours of aerobics you can squeeze in, or how many calories you can burn (people tend to compensate by eating more after aerobic and endurance exercise, anyway). 

Building and maintaining muscle should factor into any exercise you can find the time to do. Muscle is just too vital for our overall health. And age-related muscle loss, called sarcopenia, is something we are all up against.  It begins as early as age 30.

The article quotes McMaster University Professor of Kinesiology Dr. Stuart Phillips, who proposed the squat for single best exercise.

 

“Each of us is experiencing sarcopenia right this minute,” he said. “We just don’t realize it." Endurance exercise, he added, unlike resistance training, does little to slow the condition.

 

The experts also pointed out that most of the benefits of exercise result from the first 30 minutes of your workout, so if you can find a half-hour somewhere in your day, go ahead and do something good for your muscles!

The Scoop: Single Serve Protein Facts

A Better Whey to Get Full-Fat Flavor

Undoubtedly, milk fat has benefits. But there are still plenty of people looking for low fat foods. If you are formulating a product and you need to reduce the fat content, consider using whey.

A recent study in the LWT- Food Science and Technology finds that replacing some of the milk fat in yogurt with whey protein produced superior sensory and functional properties such as firmness over traditional fat- replacers like hydrocolloids. Swapping whey protein for fat may work for cheese too!

Protein for Endurance

When it comes to endurance, we generally think carbs. The runner loading up on the pre-run pasta. The cyclist with the energy gel.

We've discussed the importance of protein for runners before. Specifically, protein plays an important role  in muscle recovery. Without it, musclecan be broken down for fuel during runs, and unreplenished, lead to loss of lean mass.  Some runners and cyclists struggle with this, and end up looking a little too lean.

Adequate muscle mass is vital for our immune system, bone health and fighting inflammation, not to mention mortality risk- so it's definitely something we want to protect.

Now a report in Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise, the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, shows that protein does even more than protect and recover exercised muscles. 

Researchers found that a high protein diet reduced stress and improved athletes' endurance performance. Athletes in the high protein group also reported feeling better.

Lead researcher Dr. Kevin Tipton theorized tyrosine may one reason protein has this effect, noting previous research on this amino acid's mood-boosting effects.

Read More:

Are You Running in a Carbohydrate Rut?

In It For the Long Haul... Endurance Exercise and Aminogen

Aminogen, Casein and Whey: What You Should Know If You Want to Build Muscle

The authors of this study, from the May issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, begin by pointing out "diminished muscle protein synthetic response" to food intake can contribute to age-related muscle loss.

In other words, as we get older, protein's anabolic effect on our muscles becomes blunted. Our bodies are less adept at converting the protein we eat into lean muscle mass. For example, we know that as we age we produce fewer endogenous digestive enzymes to properly digest protein. Age also seems to decrease our ability to convert dietary amino acids into functional peptides that can perform metabolic tasks.

 

Ok, so we're all getting older, blah, blah, blah... Any good news here?

 

Yes. The kind of protein we eat can make a difference, too. This is good because this is something we have more control over.

The authors here are looking at protein source, rather than our poorly performing digestive systems, for answers. They point out that differences between protein sources, such as digestion absorption kinetics, amino acid composition, or some combination thereof, can affect how much muscle protein synthesis ensues.  

So in this study, whey and casein, two common protein sources with two very different absorption rates (casein tends to be slower) were given to a group of 48 males with a mean (that's mathmatical, not tempermental) age of 78.

The group was divided three ways, recieving either 20 grams of whey, 20 grams of casein, or 20 grams of casein hydrolysate. Proteins were tagged with a phenylanine tracer so that absorption and amino acid kinetics could be accurately observed.

 

How did things turn out?

 

Whey protein outperformed the rest when it came to speed and peak of absorption. And whey protein demonstrated the best postprandial mixed muscle protein fractional synthetic rates - aka muscle building.

 

Bonus: whey protein is naturally higher in leucine, which simultaneously promotes fat loss and support lean muscle growth.

 

The authors conclude:

"Whey protein stimulates postprandial muscle protein accretion more effectively than do casein and casein hydrolysate in older men. This effect is attributed to a combination of whey's faster digestion and absorption kinetics and higher leucine content."

Whey protein was the clear winner when it comes to muscle synthesis in older men.

 

Wait. Read that conclusion again.

 

The authors attribute the superior muscle protein synthesis of whey protein to two factors:

1. Whey's faster digestion and absorption kinetics

2. Higher leucine content

 

Sound familiar? 

 

Aminogen was shown in a published clinical study to:

1. Triple the rate of whey protein absorption

2. Increase levels of branched-chain amino acids like leucine by 250 percent

Ah, interesting.

 

By the way, a friendly reminder not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. While whey may be where it's at for fast muscle synthesis, casein actually has remarkable properties of its own. It moves more slowly through the digestive tract and therefore can be ideal when you want a steady (steadier) influx of amino acids, like overnight. Casein glycomacropeptides promote healthy gastrointestinal bacteria and may support immune and cardiovascular health as well.

The takeaway here is to know your goals when selecting your protein source. And when that includes building and maintaining lean muscle, whey protein has been shown to produce more immediate muscle protein synthesis. Given that the published clinical on Aminogen shows an increased absorption rate (triple!) and increased amino acid levels over whey protein alone, you might do well to keep the patented enzyme in mind as well!

Extra Credit:

Better Results: Whey Protein or Free Form Amino Acids?

Five Ways to Lose Muscle Fast

What Works for Weight Loss: High Protein or High Fiber?

Maybe you don't aspire to be a bodybuilder.

But if you are like millions of other Americans, you do aspire to lose a few pounds, firm up, get a little stronger.

Is protein that big of a deal for someone who's not training for the Arnold?

If you want results, yes. Protein is still a big deal.

A new study published in the Nutrition Journal takes a look at how high protein compares to high carbohydrate ratios can impact weight loss. 

The researchers' thinking was this.  Yes, high protein diets have been shown to be great for weight loss and improving body composition (read: less fat, more muscle). But they felt that most of the studies they found on the topic involved what they dubbed the "wrong" kind of carbs (I'm guessing this means refined carbs, sugar, etc.) 

They wanted to see what would happen when women consumed a moderately high protein diet (30% protein/40% carb) compared with a high "healthy" carb diet (50% carb - 35 grams of which was fiber - 20% protein). Both diets contained moderate amounts the same fats and oils.

Both groups lost weight and improved on cardiovascular measures like LDL cholesterol, triglycerides,etc. But in the end, the high protein group lost more body weight and more bodyfat, and had greater decreases in blood pressure.

More on the power of protein for healthy weight management:

How's Your Diet Going?

Study Confirms More Protein, Fewer Carbs to Keep Weight Off

Protein, Leucine, and Losing Weight

 

Sticks and Stones

Can inadequate protein hurt your bones?

 

 

About six years ago, researchers made the case that protein was essential for bone health. They pointed out that increased protein in the diet was associated with increased bone mineral mass and a reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures.

The more lean muscle mass you have, the better your bone mineral content tends to be, too. But it's more than just a correlation. Dietary protein promotes IGF-1, which stimulates bone growth. Authors of the 2005 review concluded that dietary protein was just as important for healthy bone as calcium or vitamin D.

This year, a literature review of the most recent findings also concludes that protein may contribute to bone health via IGF-1, as well as through enhanced calcium absorption and by increasing lean muscle. They conclude with pretty strong words:

"Recent epidemiological, isotopic and meta-analysis studies suggest that dietary protein works synergistically with calcium to improve calcium retention and bone metabolism. The recommendation to intentionally restrict dietary protein to improve bone health is unwarranted, and potentially even dangerous to those individuals who consume inadequate protein."

 

Who is not consuming enough protein?

 

 We know certain populations are at risk, and others argue certain situations may warrant an increased protein intake. But the recently updated DRI's did not increase protein recommendations, and changes to your diet should never be made without consulting your physician.

 

 

Then what does this review tell us, exactly?

 

 

I think this is a great update on the topic, and something important to keep in mind as we age. What it tells us is that dietary protein is important for a number of reasons above and beyond what typically comes to mind (that goes for muscles to)- so we should factor that in when selecting our protein.

Remember, bones have some interesting, newly discovered functionsof their own too. For women who are approaching or have already experienced menopause, protecting bone growth and density is also a priority.

It seems that aging can take it's toll on bone health for both genders.  Knowing that protein intake is an important part of the bone health equation may be the first step in fighting back.

The Scoop: Single Serve Protein Facts

Researchers report in the Journal of Nutrition that adding whey protein to the high fat diet of female mice decreased their risk of metabolic syndrome. The authors of Dietary Whey Protein Lowers the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet list several benefits from the whey protein:

Less bodyfat         More lean mass            Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity

Does More Protein Mean More Muscle?

It's kind of like asking, Do tempting foods make you want to indulge?

Um, yes. That's why they're tempting. (Why is this even news?? To be fair, the study was interesting, looking at brain activity when viewing tempting food- it's just the headline that elicits a resounding duh.)

And so, maybe the question does more protein equal more muscle?  sounds like a no-brainer too. 

BUT...but...

 

Let's admit it, it's a diet jungle out there. It can be hard to forge your own path to fitness through all of the conflicting nutrition and diet information.

If you're caught in the crossfires of the diet wars (to switch up metaphors) and don't know which way to turn-  low-carb, no-carb, high-fat, vegan, paleo, Dukan, cottonball  (...whaaa?)-  then you want to some good solid science to hold on to.

And even if you already have a healthy admiration for high quality protein, it's cool when science uncovers the mechanisms that make your protein perform.

Plus, it's handy when you're debating the topic with friends.

Let's start with the general premise that, whether you want to lose weight, improve your body composition, or just get healthier, the idea is to keep fat mass minimal while maintaining/building muscle. 

 

 

 

Does protein help you do this? And does more protein = more muscle?

 

Let's start with what we know.

We know protein can help curb your appetite because it increases satiety, making you feel fuller, longer.

And it's not just a mind game; protein lowers levels of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, for at least six hours- much longer than carbohydrates or fat. In fact, while carbohydrate intake also lowers ghrehlin, levels of the hormone not only shoot back up faster, but higher, producing an appetite rebound.

We also know that amino acids leucine and isoluceine promote muscle synthesis and discourage fat accumulation.  (Good news for Aminogen fans, since adding Aminogen to whey protein was found to increase branched chain amino acid levels by 250% versus the same whey protein without Aminogen!)

 

And if that weren't enough, research shows that if you are not getting enough protein, you will be inclined to eat more refined carbs and nutrient-poor substitutes. This is called the Protein Leverage Effect. (Read One Reason You May Be Overeating, and How To Stop Today). 

 

What happens when you start to eat more protein, and fewer carbs?

 

Earlier studies show that a modest increase in protein, combined with a similar decrease in refined carbs leads to weight loss.

Now a new study zooms in on the issue with a close-up look at the genetic effects of increasing protein consumption. (Yup, what you eat can actually upregulate and/or downregulate genes. Which is really good news or really bad news, depending on how you look at it... and what you had for lunch.)

Researchers found that increasing protein intake and reducing carbs (like in the study above) influenced specific gene activity. The increased protein stimulated genes Akt and p70s6, and lowered plasma c-peptide. The net effect: improved insulin sensitivity and muscle protein sythesis in the higher protein group. Increasing carbs and reducing protein had the opposite effect, blunting insulin sensitivity and promoting more metabolic signaling in fat tissue.

It's really important to note here that while the protein:carbohydrate ratio was changed in this experiment, intake totals still fell within the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI, formerly RDA), or the rat equivalent thereof. So we are not even talking about mega doses of protein here, just a shift from more carbs to more protein.

 

 

In this case, more dietary protein did mean more muscle protein synthesis.

 

As for increasing protein intake above and beyond what's currently recommended, that subject is still up for debate. (Remember: Never make changes to your diet without consulting your physician). For now, this is an exciting addition to a growing volume of protein nutrition research that let's us examine how the food we eat changes our body.

Protein and Testosterone: What's the Connection?

A surprising new study  reports that in men, the skeletal system is involved in testosterone production.

Osteocalcin

It turns out that osteoblasts, bone cells that generate new bone tissue, also produce a hormone called osteocalcin. And osteocalcin, the researchers found, seems to promote testosterone production. The surface of testosterone-producing Leydig cells of the testicle have osteocalcin receptors, and testosterone production in these cells seems to be upregulated or enhanced by the presence of osteocalcin (see diagram).

When scientists injected osteocalcin into mice, testosterone levels increased accordingly.  Mice with low levels of osteocalcin were found to have low levels of testosterone, low sperm counts, and poor rates of reproduction.

While it's been known for some time that sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone can affect bone growth, there wasn't any research on the influence of bone on sex hormone levels. Bones were thought to be the product of metabolism (growth, calcification, etc) rather than producers.

Bone hormone osteocalcin was discovered in 1975 (Hauschka Laboratory of Boston's Children's Hospital). Just a few years ago, in 2007, osteocalcin was found to increase insulin sensitivity and secretion, help to control glucose levels and bodyweight.

Protein, Bone Health and Testosterone

So how does protein fit into the osteocalcin-testosterone equation?

A high protein diet has been shown, in animals, to increase bone mineral content. Human studies have shown that a high protein diet improved recovery from hip fractures. Researchers explain that protein stimulates human growth factor, which in turn promotes bone growth. A 2004 study in the Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism confirmed that a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates increased bone growth factor IGF-1in both men and women.*

So what is good for the bones - like protein seems to be- may be good for men's testosterone levels too.

*Interestingly, although the lower estrogen levels women experience after menopause is associated with bone loss, researchers have not yet found evidence of the reverse.  There is no documented effect at this time of osteocalcin on women's estrogen levels or fertility, although future research may prove otherwise. It would make sense, given that low estrogen-osteoporosis connection, but remains to be proven.  

The Scoop: Single-Serve Protein Facts

Think Fast. Danish researchers publishing in the journal Clinical Nutrition report that a high-protein diet increased reaction time when compared to an average-protein diet.

They postulate that increases in plasma levels of branched-chain amino acids and phenylalanine in the high protein group may account for the improved reaction times, since these amino acids are known to play a role in neurotransmitter metabolism, cognitive function and brain cell repair.

Want to test your own?  Take this reaction-time test next time you whip up your favorite protein drink.

[Note: No sheep were harmed in the making of this reaction-time test.]

Trends In Dairy Research

The Dairy Research Institute announced some of the most promising research on dairy over the last year and talks about what the organization plans to focus on in 2011.

Their statement highlights several studies that point to the benefits of whole-fat dairy. 

For example, this study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that intake of whole-fat dairy may help to reduce incidence of type 2 diabetes as it was strongly associated with:

 

Lower body mass index

Smaller waist circumference

Higher levels of HDL cholesterol

Lower triglycerides

Lower total cholesterol

Lower C-reactive protein*

Lower fasting insulin levels

 

The study measured blood levels of trans-palmitoleic acid in subjects and found that the higher the level, the less likely the subject was to develop diabetes.

 

Lead investigator Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian was quoted at heartWire saying, "Trans-palmitoleic acid is a fatty acid relatively unique to dairy foods. We don't make it in our bodies, so consuming it is the only way for it to enter the bloodstream."

 

Another study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found certain constituents of milk fat to lower the risk of heart attacks in men and especially in women. Researchers in this study looked specifically at the effects of pentadecanoic acid and heptadecanoic acid, saturated fatty acids found in milk fat.

In 2011, the Dairy Research Institute says it plans to focus on the effects of three dairy servings per day, how these may improve metabolic health, milk's role in muscle recovery, and translating research findings into practical advice that people can use in their own quest for health.

For more on dairy protein like whey, dairy fat, and all the latest research on the benefits of dairy, you can check the Institute's news site.

*You will probably remember that c-reactive protein levels were lowered in healthy males taking Aminogen with their whey protein more than healty males taking whey protein without Aminongen.

 

If You Have Muscles, Or Know Someone Who Does

The BBC has a 30 minute report on muscle loss that you don't want to miss. It includes interviews with several of the foremost researchers on the subject, which you may also be familiar with as sarcopenia. So pull a chair up next to your computer speakers and get comfortable, your muscles will thank you for it.

 

[BTW-I couldn't track down a transcript of this broadcast, but if you are unable to access this program from your computer, this older BBC article provides some of the same information, minus the most recent research. The bottom of this page also provides links to the researchers mentioned in the audio program.]

 

One of the featured scientists, Professor of Clinical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences at the Univerisity of Nottingham Medical School Mike Rennie, said he was surprised by one of the conclusions from recent research:

 

Loss of lean muscle (lean muscle is crucial for good health ) is primarily a problem of inadequate protein synthesis.

 

Why is this surprising? 

 

How Muscle Is Made

Because muscle is constantly being regenerated through a process of tearing down and rebuilding of tissue.  Muscles are broken down by the body to harvest amino acids, which are then used, in part, to rebuild these muscles. 

The amino acids from muscle may also be used to build hormones, neurotransmitters and other tissues.  They perform a host of other functions within the body. When amino acids are adequately supplied through the diet, the carefully balanced give-and-take of protein supports the healthy functioning of all of these systems, as well as the maintenance of muscle. 

Exercise can cause muscle tissue breakdown, but this breakdown then signals the body to rebuild muscle and store more amino acids there, resulting in muscle growth.

 

How Muscle Is Lost

Both aging and illness can make it difficult for the body to maintain this process; muscles grow weaker and smaller as they are depleted of amino acids.  Rebuilding muscle tissue slows or stops as the body becomes overwhelmed by the demand.

Exactly how this happens is still a hot research topic - getting hotter, in fact, as the US population ages, because loss of muscle mass affects the immune system, bone health, the ability to fight off and recover from major illness, and can lead to injury and disability.

Scientists simply don't have all of the answers yet. But what they have learned is that it's not so much the breakdown of muscle (sometimes called catabolism) that's the problem.  It's when this breakdown is not followed by rebuilding (anabolism).

 

Headed for a Breakdown

Muscle breakdown in and of itself is not the problem, scientists like Rennie and others have concluded, because this breakdown is normal part of muscle regeneration.

For example, as I mentioned earlier, exercise actually induces muscle breakdown. Findings published in the 2004 Journal of Nutrition even show that exercise specifically induces the breakdown of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in muscle.

When everything is functioning properly, this then triggers repair and rebuilding of muscle.  If this doesn't happen, however, muscle is lost. 

Over time, this can add up to some serious lean muscle loss, up to one pound each year, and 80 percent over a lifetime.

 

Why Do You Build Me Up, Buttercup

Branched chain amino acids, it turns out, are really important for muscle building. After exercise, these amino acids have been shown to activate key enzymes that stimulate protein synthesis.

 

The authors of the 2004 Journal of Nutrition study on exercise-induced BCAA catabolism concluded that "....that the BCAA requirement [may be]increased by exercise. BCAA supplementation before and after exercise has beneficial effects for decreasing exercise-induced muscle damage and promoting muscle-protein synthesis."

 

So muscle breakdown during exercise can teach us something about how muscles deteriorate, and what may protect them. 

But what about age-related muscle loss? Does it happen the same way? Can BCAAs  - or anything else, for that matter - help preserve muscle, the way they do after exercise? (pssst...they help when taken before exercise, too, but that's for another post.)

 

 

BCAAs and Age-Related Muscle Loss

For one thing, we know that the BCAAs leucine and isoleucine are known to help preserve lean muscle. Moreover, scientists have recently found that BCAAs leucine, isoleucine and valine increased the lifespan of mice by 12 percent, and improved age-related muscle deficits and mitrochondrial biogenisis (think energy) too.

Their study, "Branched-chain amino acid supplementation promotes survival and supports cardiac and skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis in middle-aged mice," is published in Cellular Metabolism. (quiz: what kind of car does a middle-age mouse drive?)

But older adults may have difficulty taking in adequate BCAAs, since they may have difficulty chewing, produce fewer endogenous digestive enzymes and may be less inclined to choose protein foods. In fact, between 15 and 38 percent of adult men and 27 to 41 percent of adult women may not be getting the RDA for protein on a daily basis. Unfortunately, we know that protein intake is directly correlated to how much lean mass is lost with age.

This does mean though, that older adults can take help support their own muscle health by making sure their diet contains enough quality protein.  Remember, changes to the diet should never be made without consulting a physician.

  

 

Exercise and Aging Muscle

The other good news is that resistance exercise seems to do a good job of maintaining and building muscle, even with age. In fact, Rennie calls the growth response of older adults' muscles to weight bearing exercise "a much bigger response than expected."

While older muscles may respond to exercise more slowly- and perhaps less efficiently- than younger muscles do, they do respond. 

 

 Many say muscle wasting is more a disease of inactivity rather than of age. 

It may be a combination of both.  Scientists are still sorting out the roles of hormones, diet, activity and genes in this puzzle. But the role of exercise is undeniable.

Take a look at this MRI of an 70 year old woman's quadriceps, before and after resistance training, from this study in the Journal of Applied Physiology. Her muscle increased in size by 32 percent over 8 - 12 weeks of daily resistance exercise. Improvements in muscle strength, not just size, were also seen.

Organizations like the National Strength and Conditioning Association provide guidelines for weight-bearing exercise for seniors, but this should only be done under the supervision of a physician or health care provider.

And so, to summarize what we now know about preserving and building lean muscle, the two factors that can make a difference are:

1. Eating and absorbing adequate amounts of high quality protein

2. Stimulating muscles with resistance exercise

Both of these steps should only be done with the guidance of a physician, of course. But science is showing that they may go a long way when it comes to supporting healthy lean muscle.

 

Why Timing Is Everything: Pre Exercise Protein Boosts Metabolism All Day Long

A study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that protein taken 30 minutes before resistance training gave the metabolism a boost that lasted long after the exercise was over- up to 24 hours later, in fact!

The study was small (eight subjects) but I like that it included both men and women in a double-blind two-trial crossover design. Compared with pre-exercise carbohydrate supplementation and heavy resistance training without supplementation, 20 grams of pre-exercise protein supplementation significantly increased metabolism, as measured by resting energy expenditure (REE).

Protein vs Carbs

Here's the difference: while pre-exercise carbohydrate supplementation raised metabolism as well, pre-exercise protein supplementation outperformed carbs at the 24 hour mark and continued to keep REE elevated.

So taking at least 20 grams of protein, 30 minutes before resistance training, just might keep keep you revved up all day long. 

And while we're talking about timing, make sure you are absorbing that supplemental protein properly. 

Read how gastrointestinal transit time (GTT) and the rate of protein digestion can affect absorption (hint: so does Aminogen) here. Don't let incomplete protein absorption slow you down!

 

The Scoop: Single Serve Protein Facts

"Both quality protein intake and frequency are positively associated with favorable body composition and bone health."

That's the conclusion from this study published in the December Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. Researchers found that the number of times each day subjects took in at least 10 grams of essential amino acids from quality protein directly correlated with improvements in lean mass, bone mineral density and bone mineral content.

The link between lean muscle and bone health is clear. For Aminogen fans who know that the enzyme was shown to increase levels of amino acids by 100 percent, and branched-chain amino acids by 250 percent, this is good news!

Study Confirms More Protein, Fewer Carbs to Keep Weight Off

A large-scale study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine concludes that a "modest increase in protein content and a modest reduction in the glycemic index led to an improvement in study completion and maintenance of weight loss."

Researchers studied 773 European families during an eight week period of calorie constriction and found that people consuming slightly more protein, and fewer refined (high GI) carbs were more successful at maintaining their weight loss after the eighth week.

 

 Surprising?

 

It's not the first time we've heard bad news about refined carbs.

And it makes sense, since we know that amino acids found in protein like leucine and isoleucine help to inhibit fat accumulation , promote fat loss and lean muscle maintainence.

Protein also lowers levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) longer than fat or carbohydrates do.

Protein is so key to maintaining weight, in fact, that a lack of of it will drive you to overeat.

 

And Aminogen?

 

Adding Aminogen to protein increases the levels of fat-fighting branched-chain amino acids like leucine and isoleucine by 250 percent, so it makes sense for weight maintenance solutions.

You'd think the number would be lower, given that wild turkeys can run up to 20 miles per hour...

But Americans will eat 45 million turkeys this Thanksgiving - that's some 675 million pounds of high quality protein. 

And pound for pound, in fact, turkey has less fat and more protein than beef or chicken.

Contrary to popular myth, the tryptophan in turkey will NOT make you sleepy.

For one thing, turkey doesn't contain an unusually high amount of tryptophan.  Chicken and beef contain about the same; soybeans, cheese and pork have more.  

Second, a good share of the tryptophan you eat never makes it through the brain's protective barrier (a sort of neurological red velvet rope, no one gets in without being on the list.  And while tryptophan does have an invite, it is easily crowded out by the throngs of competing amino acids waiting in line after a protein meal.)

Likely it's the consumption of lots of fat, lots of carbohydrates (hello insulin!) and lots of extra calories that makes you sleepy. Scientific American has a good explanation here.

[A note on tryptophan: It's an important amino acid and a prescursor to serotonin.  While research does suggest that tryptophan levels in the brain can affect serotonin production and circulation, it is important to emphasize tryptophan levels correlating with serotonin were measured in the brain. Levels outside of the brain can be substantially different. Breaking down the protein you eat, and getting enough tryptophan successfully across the brain's barrier in order to increase brain tissue levels of the amino acid - that's probably not happening during a typical meal, although it can be done. More on this amino acid in future posts...]

But getting back to turkey...

Check out the country's only turkey museum, brought to you by the National Wild Turkey Federation (who knew?)

Be thankful for turkey, and enjoy a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday!

 

Aminogen Now Certified Halal

 Aminogen has now been certified halal by the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA).

 

Just what is halal?

The term halal means “lawful.” Products certified halal are deemed permissible by Islamic law, which requires specific sanitation procedures to be followed when obtaining and processing foods and ingredients, and forbids the use certain substances, like pork, pork byproducts, intoxicants and some synthetic substances.

 

What does this mean for Aminogen?

This means that customers who choose halal products can add Aminogen to their list.  It can be confusing to know how certain products, like supplements, figure in with specific dietary guidelines, so hopefully this will allow shopping halal a little bit easier.

This certification also gives manufacturers working with Aminogen added ingredient value and flexibility. And with the growing interest in halal products -  from both Muslim and non-Muslim consumers - it only makes sense.

You can search a database of halal certified products on IFANCA's site.

UPDATE 5/12/11

IFANCA's database is down at the moment, although you can still visit their main website. I will let you know when the database is back!

The Scoop: Single Serve Protein Facts

We already know that that muscles are an important part of the immune system, and that branched-chain amino acid arginine is a precursor of nitric oxide (which is antimicrobial).  Now researchers are figuring out just how arginine works as part of the immune system, above and beyond nitric oxide production.  

Turns out, this amino acid signals immune system cells called macrophages to start doing their thing.  (Think of a macrophage as a cellular-sized, disease-chomping pac-man).  These guys help to get rid of invading cells and bacteria - and arginine seems to really get macrophages moving.  In fact, scientists reported in the August 17th issue of Science Signaling that adding arginine to the diet of malnourished mice improved their immune response. They theorize arginine does this through three different mechanisms: nitric oxide production, cytokine stimulation and macrophage signaling. 

Apple Pie Protein Smoothie

This recipe can be blended with ice, or, blended with warm apple cider for a real fall treat!

 

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/2 cup almond milk

1/2 cup apple cider

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

 

Blend all ingredients and enjoy!

 

Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie

1/2   canned pumpkin

3/4 cup milk

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Blend all ingredients and serve chilled.

While you're enjoying your smoothie, sit back for this spooky read: How to Take the Fright Out of Eating Right: The Top Five Scariest Things About Changing the Way You Eat... And What You (And Protein) Can Do About It.

Increasing Need for Sarcopenia Solutions

Sarcopenia was named by the CDC as one of the top five health risks for older adults over a decade ago.  And yet awareness of the condition has been slow-growing, until now.

 

Boom!

Enter the baby boomers.This generation is 40 million strong, and expected to live longer than any previous generation.  Many have watched their parents age, become frail, or lose their independence due to a chronic disease or broken hip. Boomers are looking for ways to help aging parents and safeguard their own healthy futures.

Their needs, and ongoing research into the physiological mechanisms behind sarcopenia, have finally driven the issue of age-related muscle loss into the spotlight. It couldn't be more timely.

Muscle loss can begin as young as age 30, when men and women can lose much as a half-pound of muscle each year.  And for every half-pound of lean muscle lost, most are gaining twice as much fat.  This can make muscle loss an insidious process because this additional fat means that the lost lean tissue may not register on the scale. A person's weight may not change drastically even when their ratio of muscle to fat does. (See a New York Times illustration of what this looks like).

Research shows that after age 50, this process significantly accelerates. A 20 to 40 percent loss of lean muscle mass is possible by the time a person has reached 70.

Most baby boomers have already turned 65 as of this year.

 

So why is this muscle loss such a big deal?

Turns out that our muscles do more than just help us move. Our muscles are an integral part of a healthy immune system and metabolism. Lack of lean muscle is even associated with higher mortality rates in men.

Muscles secrete hormones that fight inflammation. They play an important role in the immune system, and serve as a reserve of amino acids needed for tissue repair during illness and injury. Lack of muscle is a known risk factor for those debilitating hip fractures we so want to avoid. A lack of healthy lean muscle can also affect insulin functioning and mineral metabolism, and therefore influences several chronic diseases.

 

In fact, inadequate muscle mass can impact:

Immune response

Chronic diseases such as diabetes and osteoporosis

Survival rates from critical illness such as cardiovascular disease and cancer

Ability to recover from injury and surgery.

 

Given the importance of lean muscle mass, older adults need solutions for muscle health now.

The logical place to begin is by understanding why muscle loss happens in the first place.

 

Motor Neurons

One obvious culprit is lack of use.  Take a look at a neuromuscular junction, the place in the body where muscle fibers connect with the nerve cells that stimulate them.  Moving muscles - walking, gardening, running the elliptical, aka exercise-  gets these nerves firing (a good thing).  This, in turn, signals more nutrients to be sent into the muscle, and encourages muscle cells to make repairs and reproduce. 

When all is quiet on the western front -  aka sitting on the couch watching House marathons - aka inactivity- this process slows dramatically. Atrophy occurs.  A classic case of use it or lose it.

...Easy enough to remedy if you are forty and can schedule some exercise into your day.  Not so easy as you get older, deal with injuries and disabilities, or struggle with painful diseases like osteoarthritis. And making things even more difficult - even when older adults can exercise, it seems that the motor nerve endings weaken and fray, their ability to relay messages to muscle fibers decreases considerably.

 

Molecular Changes

Other contributors to the problem of muscle loss include hormonal and molecular changes that occur with age.  Hormone levels may decrease.  Hormone receptors and uptake of hormones may be diminished, which can alter metabolic processes such as insulin sensitivity and fat distribution.  Expression of microRNA in skeletal muscle (a topic I will explore further in an upcoming post) slows and becomes disregulated. MicroRNA helps to instruct muscle cells on how to grow and function, so when it goes awry, the growth cycle of muscle cells, and consequently protein synthesis, can be affected.

 

Dietary Protein

Finally, scientists have shown that dietary protein plays a role in lean muscle maintenance.

 

Many older adults do not take in Recommended Daily Allowance for protein - between 15 and 38 percent of adult men and 27 to 41 percent of adult women, according to an analysis reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

 

What's more, not all of the protein older adults do get is necessarily utilized by the body. Protein can only be absorbed by the body for a certain amount of time after ingestion. And as we age our bodies produce fewer digestive enzymes, making it more difficult to break down and absorb protein. The undigested protein can create uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms like gas, bloating, and constipation, and people may decrease the protein in their diet in order to avoid this discomfort.

The body also becomes less efficient at using the amino acids it does get from protein.  Since these amino acids are important in such a wide range of physiological functions, from building hormones and neurotransmitters to tissue repair and immune response, the lack of protein can have far-reaching consequences.

 

 Solutions

As the population ages, scientists are looking for ways to combat sarcopenic muscle loss on all three of these fronts.

Physical activity is thought to improve and help preserve motor neuron function, although the ability of some older adults to remain active may be limited, as discussed above. Generally speaking, exercise (under the supervision of a health care provider) is encouraged,  and shown to be beneficial at almost every age.

Researchers are working on ways to affect change through hormonal, molecular and genetic pathways, although it may be a long time before this research translates into available treatments. (Interesting to note, however, is the discovery that one way genes may be turned on, off, or modified, is through good old-fashioned diet and exercise!)

Improving dietary protein intake and utilization is one part of the solution that is practical and obtainable for many people. Simply becoming aware of protein intake, choosing quality digestible proteins, and addressing digestion issues with a health care provider may all be important steps that can make a difference.

Nutraceuticals Spotlight: Aminogen and Sarcopenia Applications

Whether you're worried about losing lean muscle, or you're formulating a new product for same, you don't want to miss this new Nutraceuticals World article.   I'm excited to see a great publication like NW covering this issue!

 

Here's a quote:

"Adequate protein intake is essential for muscle mass maintenance, however, upwards of 40% of Americans, age 70 and older, do not consume enough quality protein. “The body produces fewer endogenous digestive enzymes as we age, meaning that our ability to break down traditional sources of protein (from meat and fish) and absorb amino acids may be compromised,” explained Triarco’s Dr. Anderson. “Nitrogen retention, which is a measure of how much protein is conserved during digestion, can therefore also be affected. Additionally, poor digestion of protein can cause uncomfortable symptoms such gas, bloating and constipation, which can discourage older consumers from getting all of the protein they need.

...Much of what makes Aminogen a great addition to a bodybuilding whey protein…is what also makes Aminogen ideal for older adults wanting to maintain their lean muscle mass,” he said. “Plus, Aminogen’s ability to triple the rate of protein absorption and reduce symptoms of incomplete protein digestion make it ideal for tablet and capsule applications that older adults can take with their regular meals and snacks, in addition to their whey protein."

Whey Protein Peptides and Heart Health

More good heart health news for whey protein. 

In a study published in the November issue of the International Dairy Journal (available ahead of publication online), researchers report that whey protein:

Lowered total cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol)

Lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure in subjects with elevated blood pressure 

Subjects consumed 28 grams daily of either hydrolyzed or non-hydrolyzed whey protein.  Both kinds of protein significantly reduced measures of cholesterol and blood pressure.

It is thought that some of the bioactive peptides (see Table 1 on this link for a complete list) found in whey may act to lower blood pressure. Milk protein peptides are formed through enzymatic breakdown during digestion. 

For more on whey protein and cardiovascular health, and how Aminogen factors in, read this post, this one, and check out the entire cardiovascular health section of the blog.

 

 

Weekend Reading: Why Doctors Are Paying More Attention to Sarcopenia (And Bears)

Losing muscle mass as you age can affect your immune system and increase your chances of injury and chronic disease. 

This week the New York Times reports that doctors are beginning to pay more attention to age-related muscle loss, called sarcopenia.

One interesting question brought up in the article: why do people suffer from muscle loss (brought on by age, inactivity, etc.) while some animals do not?

Bears in hibernation, for instance, do not eat and hardly move - and yet do not suffer from sarcopenia.

Scientist have learned that this is due, in part, to their dramatically slower metabolism during winter, shivering, which produces some muscle movement, and other protective metabolic mechanisms that slow the breakdown of muscle protein).

In fact, some researchers are now looking at how bears preserve muscle in order to help humans do the same.

In the meantime, for more on muscle mass for humans, read these past posts. Learn how Aminogen and protein nutrition factor in when it comes to maintaining your lean muscle.

Muscle Memory

Been a while since you hit the gym? 

The good news is that if you have done strength training in the past, even if that was long ago, you should be able to gain muscle more quickly than if you had never trained at all.

Scientists at the University of Oslo have demonstrated that strength training increases the number of muscle nuclei- the centers of muscle cells - and that these nuclei remain even long after exercise stops and muscles shrink.  This, in turn, makes it much easier to increase muscle size and strength when resuming a strength training program.

The researchers aren't sure exactly how long muscle nuclei hang around, but they think it could be years, even decades.  So the exercise you did for high school sports may serve you well late in life, even if it's been a while.

So what if you weren't an olympic hopeful in your youth?  What if the muscles of your youth don't recall hitting the gym, ever?

Don't be discouraged!  Yes, left unchecked, the aging process will naturally decrease your muscle mass and increase body fat.  When severe, this loss of muscle mass is called sarcopenia.

But exercise at any age has proven benefits, and can help turn the clock back a bit. Maintaining muscle mass becomes increasingly important as we age, becoming a matter of immunity, longevity and overall health. 

The Scoop: Single Serving Protein Facts

Ever wonder what an amino acid looks like?  Sure, you may have seen the molecular structure of an amino acid as they are typically represented in textbooks, etc., but how about an actual picture?

Check out these amazing pictures taken with a microscope, from the Florida State University Research Foundation and Micheal W. Davidson.

Do Your Muscles Have a Secret Second Job?

It's not like they don't have enough to do already. 

 

Holding up your skeletal system, keeping you mobile, even regulating your metabolism... your muscles are busy.

 

Now researchers are proposing that muscles also work as an endocrine gland, producing hormone-like substances that fight inflammation. 

 

 

Inflammation seems to be the common denominator in just about every chronic disease - from diabetes and cardiovascular disease to fibromyalgia and alzheimer's disease.  It's one way your immune system fights off invading pathogens and repairs tissue damage.  It works as a first response to trouble in your body, and as a signal, calling other body sytems to the scene for back-up.  The trouble in chronic diseases, however, is that inflammation is on duty 24/7.  Instead of doing its job and clearing out, the inflammation stays - either because it is still receiving the message from damaged or dying cells that it's needed, or because of some faulty physiological feedback mechanism - inflammation settles in for the long term like a house guest who just won't take a hint.

 

Scientists have now shown that muscles secrete an anti-inflammatory substance during excercise. When a muscle contracts, it releases a peptide called a myokine (myo=muscle, kine=movement) that reduces inflammation. 

 

Could this be why exercise, even in small quantitites, helps us feel 'better,' and seems to reduce pain like backaches and headaches?

 

In this review, reseachers cite a study showing that exercise and modified diet reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent, and another study showing a 35 percent reduction in mortality associated with cardiovascular disease, attributable to exercise alone.

 

What Protein Industry Experts Are Talking About Now

"Listen in" on a conversation between industry experts as they discuss the latest in protein research, nutrition issues and product innovations in this recent article from Natural Products Insider.

I had the honor of participating in the conversation.  I was excited to talk about the Aminogen study as well as the growing evidence that protein (and its more basic units -  amino acids and the biopeptides made up of these amino acids) influences a number of metabolic processes and can truly impact our health.

Read the complete article to get a better sense of what this will mean for protein consumers like you!

Protein, Leucine and Losing Weight

The July 2010 issue of Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care features a review of research on high protein diets and weight loss. 

Co-author Donald K Layman (who will sound familiar from this post on dietary guidelines), concludes that protein intake can protect against lean muscle loss during weight loss. 

He and coauthor Suzanne Devkota draw three conclusions:

1. Protein's ability to protect muscle is due, in part, to branched-chain amino acid leucine, which has been "characterized as a unique signal regulator of muscle protein synthesis."

2. When 2.5g of leucine was consumed, lean muscle was protected and fat loss was promoted.

3. Protein intake, especially as distributed throughout breakfast and lunch, can help preserve this metabolic pattern of muscle preservation and fat loss.

Earlier this year I reported on a Japanese study that found that isoleucine, another branched-chain amino acid, prevented a large percentage (45%) of fat accumulation in mice. Taken together with Layman's observations about leucine's ability to preserve muscle and promote fat loss, and you have a strong case for at least one of the mechanisms behind protein's amazing effects on body composition.

By the way, take a moment to check out the graph from the published clinical study on Aminogen and look at the increases of both leucine and isoleucine with Aminogen. The idea that adding Aminogen to whey protein enhances the building muscle/losing fat effects of protein is not new, and may be attributable to several mechanisms, including the leucine/isoleucine effects.

We know, for example, that not getting enough protein can trigger overeating, and conversely, getting healthy amounts of protein reduces your appetite, especially when compared to other macronutrients like carbohydrates and fat.  Additionally, preserving your lean muscle through diet and exercise improves other measures of metabolic health like insulin sensitivity, which makes your body more efficient at handling food - and that's something we can probably all appreciate!

 

The Scoop: Single Serving Protein Facts

The amino acid arginine is used to make nitric oxide (NO) in the body.  Nitric oxide is an important gas- signaling molecule that promotes the relaxation of smooth muscle, and therefore vasodilation.  Bodybuilders like to increase their vasodilation to get that "pumped" look, fireflies use it to light up, and without it, mice age and die prematurely.

One way to increase your nitric oxide?  Breath in through your nose, where your body's highest concentration of nitric oxide can be found.  Also good to know: In a clinical study Aminogen was shown to increase branched-chain amino acids, including arginine, by 250 percent.

 

Weekend Reading: Rethinking the Rules...

It can be frustrating when it seems like the rules keep changing on us. 

One day something is healthy, the next day it's not. 

But if we don't leave a little room in our thinking to accommodate scientific progress, we can get stuck in outmoded and perhaps, less-than-effective routines. 

If research tells us we can improve on something, why wouldn't we?

Turns out, the latest research has something to say about two long-standing health tenets: the eight glasses of water rule and how to calculate target heart rate in women (hint: you will actually feel better after reading this one!)  Both of these are worth the read.

Sometimes, though, science confirms that what we are doing is working. 

Since the Aminogen blog is all about the latest in protein nutrition, here's one more new study.  This one demonstrates, once again, whey protein's positive effects on blood pressure and vascular function. 

... Because it's nice when science confirms you're on the right track, too!

Strength at Any Age

Your struggles develop your strength. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. 

~Arnold Schwartzenegger

You know by now how important it is for overall health to build and maintain lean muscle mass.  But strength training can seem intimidating to the uninitiated, especially later in life. 

Is it ever too late to get started?

 

Fifty-two year old Lisa Fisco gives us a resounding "no!" At age 47, Lisa was newly divorced, a busy mom with three children and a  successful career in television production. She began strength training to lose weight, eventually losing 100 lbs.  She enjoyed lifting weights so much, though, that she kept at it, and has now set her sights on the 2012 Olympics.

Ed Cook was 48 when his doctor told him he was overweight and headed for chronic disease and early death.  Ed joined a gym that same day, and has never looked back.  Now he is a regular NPC competitor. Don't miss his inspiring before and after pictures.

Your turn. Strength training can be invaluable for women concerned about developing osteoporosis or sarcopenia. And anyone who has decided it's time to do something about their physical fitness (building lean mass is key) can start by reading more here (after they read this, of course).

The Scoop: Single Serving Protein Facts

If you thought ordering your steak rare was daring, check out what human ancestors were doing two million years ago.  Archeologists from Johns Hopkins have discovered evidence that hominids from this time feasted on such sources of protein as sea turtles and alligators.  They speculate that the increased protein may have eventually led to larger brain size.

Weekend Reading: Another Reason to Enjoy Your Protein Shake

Building lean muscle, sculpting your figure, aging gracefully, taming your appetite and maintaning a healthy weight, all in just about any flavor you can dream of.

Chances are you don't really need another reason to drink your protein shake. But with all of the buzz about carbohydrates and cardiovascular health, you may just smile the next time you do.

This month's Scientific American rounds up some of the most convincing new research implicating refined carbohydrates. In some of these studies, subjects eating the most refined carbs had more heart and vascular disease.

Suprisingly for some, restricting refined carbohydrate intake produced better results than restricting dietary fat. For example, the article discusses one study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that found subjects on a low carb diet, unrestricted in fat, lost twice as much weight and ended up with a better HDL/LDL (good/bad) cholesterol ratio than those of the low fat diet.

The article explains these effects could result from the fluctuations in blood sugar that refined carbs can cause.  When blood sugar levels rise quickly and then plummet, this can trigger fat production and inflammation.

A recent New York Times article also reported the link between refined carbs and cholesterol, citing an April 2010 JAMA study which found a statistically significant increases in LDL in women consuming more refined carbs in the form of sugar.

Now, it is important to be clear these studies are looking at refined carbs, not complex carbs like those from whole wheat and vegetables. For a good overview of the difference, and how your body metabolizes them, and a list of examples, check out this page from The Franklin Institute.

As for your protein shake, the evidence for the cardiovascular health benefits of whey protein is impressive.  In fact, scientists are now exploring the role of specific whey protein bioactive peptides in applications such as immune and cardiovascular health.

Add that to what we know about the benefits of adding Aminogen to your whey protein-  and you've got one more reason to feel good about your protein.

 

Aminogen for Cardiovascular Applications

"Triarco Industries announced today new clinical findings which suggest Aminogen® may help support measures of cardiovascular health, such as cholesterol and triglyceride levels. An earlier clinical study, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, found that Aminogen® significantly lowered C - reactive protein (CRP), an indication of cardiovascular inflammation, by 10 percent.  Taken together, Triarco scientists say these results may position Aminogen® as a strong player in the booming cardiovascular health market."

One Reason You May Be Over-Eating and How to Stop,Today

You probably don't do it on purpose.  You probably aren't even aware. 

But by not consuming adequate amounts of protein in your diet, you may inadvertently increase your food consumption in order to compensate.

How does that happen?

Scientists speculate that primates, like monkeys and humans, may regulate their food intake largely by the amount of protein consumed.  In other words, if you haven't had enough protein, your body may urge you to keep eating, even if that means eating more fat and carbs.

In a study published in the Journal of Behavioral Ecology, researchers from Massey University, New Zealand, found that spider monkeys with limited access to protein foods increased their intake of low-protein, high-carbohydrate foods. Overall, they consumed more calories than they did when protein foods were available. Professor Raubenheimer from the University's Institute of Natural Sciences at Albany says research suggests humans have the same tendency.

The Protein Leverage Effect

Raubenheimer calls this phenomenon the "protein leverage effect," one of several interesting discoveries he's made while studying how primates regulate their food intake the wild. 

Basically, the protein leverage effect dictates that inadequate protein intake will spur overconsumption of calories, as the body tries to compensate for the lack.

If the body does indeed regulate appetite by gauging protein levels,this may be one more reason why eating protein promotes satiety.

Are You Under-Eating Protein and Over-Eating the Rest?

How do you know?

Start by looking at your intake as compared to the Recommended Daily Allowance for protein.

You can check food labels or use a protein calculator to get an idea of your daily intake.

Whether or not you fall short of the RDA, you should consult your physician before making changes to your diet. 

But doing this should give you a good idea as to where you are in terms of protein intake.  And simply by making smart choices about your snacks and meals, you may find you may no longer have that nagging urge to overeat.

 

Tone Up and Slim Down With... Heavier Weights?

Conventional workout wisdom will tell you to tone your muscles and slim your waistline, you should use lighter weights and perform more reps.

A New York Times article, however, looking at two studies on female resistance training found that lifting at about 70 to 80 percent of maximum ability burns more energy and promotes greater fat loss. 

Researchers from one of the studies, which followed subjects over six years, concluded resistance training was a viable method for preventing post-menopausal weight gain and changes in body composition.

It seems that lifting heavier weights fewer times resulted in an oxygen demand similar to that created by lifting the smaller weights more times.  And women who lifted as high as 85 percent their maximum ability have been shown to burn twice as many calories in the hours following a workout than when they lifted at a lower weight.

Think Protein Supplements Are Only for the Fitness Elite?

You don't have to live at the gym in order to benefit from a good protein supplement.

In fact, research tells us that protein intake can be just as important if you DO NOT exercise regularly, under conditions like these:

1. Inactivity

Researchers concluded in a review published last year in Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care that patients suffering from systemic inflammation and inactivity due to illness may require more protein to maintain amino acid stores and moderate immune functions.

 

 2. Dieting

In this study, when subjects restricted their caloric intake (eating 80% of estimated energy requirements), skeletal muscle synthesis slowed down.

Remember, when you are trying to lose weight, you are really trying to lose FAT, not lean muscle!

3. Aging

This brief article from industry magazine Food Product Design is just one of many discussions about aging and muscle loss, otherwise known as sarcopenia, in nutrition circles.

Read more about protein benefits we've discussed in the passed: healthy immune response, healthy aging, bone health, cardiovascular health... 

 As always, consult your physician before making any changes in diet or exercise.

 

 

Irish Creme Protein Smoothie

1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder with Aminogen

1 1/2 Tablespoons Low-Fat Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/4 Cup Cold Coffee

1 Tablespoon Chocolate Syrup*

3 Ice Cubes

* For lower sugar option, use 2 teaspoons cocoa powder or chocolate protein powder

Find more great protein recipes here, and have a happy St. Patrick's Day!

How's Your Diet Going?

Japanese researchers have discovered that adding the amino acid isoleucine to a high fat diet in mice reduced weight gain by 6% and fat accumulation by 49%.

In their study, published in the Journal of Nutrition's January issue, researchers fed mice a diet consisting of 45% fat.  Mice that were also given drinking water containing 2.5% isoleucine while on the hight fat diet not only gained far less weight, but had improved insulin sensitivity and lowered skeletal muscle triglyceride levels.

Now, we already know that protein is important for weight loss through several other mechanisms.

Protein keeps you feeling fuller, longer, so you tend to eat less.  It also reduces levels of the appetite-driving hormone ghrelin much longer that fat or carbohydrates do.  Adequate protein intake may also help protect from muscle loss such as sarcopenia.

What this study tells us is there is yet ANOTHER way that protein may help us lose weight. And the news is even better for Aminogen fans, because Aminogen was shown in a published clinical study to significantly increase the levels of isoleucine absorbed from protein.

Strength Training, Muscle Mass May Improve Insulin Sensitivity

Research from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center suggests that exercise stimulates muscles to increase glycogen breakdown.  By mobilizing fuel stores in muscle, the researchers propose that exercise may help to restore energy balance (ie. insulin and glucose).

A previously published study found strength training improved insulin sensitivity in older males with diabetes, and a second study, soon to be published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning research, reported similar results in non-diabetic subjects.

Why is insulin sensitivity so important for lean muscle and overall health?  

Insulin sensitivity is one measure of how efficiently your muscles and endocrine system are working. Many bodybuilders believe that optimizing their insulin sensitivity will help to get energy into their muscles as quickly as possible after a workout, and therefore prevent or minimize a catabolic state (the metabolic state in which the body may break down muscle in order to provide nutrients needed for energy elsewhere in the body).

Check out this video for a better understanding of glucose,insulin and muscle function.

"They Say It's Your Birthday..."

If you think about it, birthdays account for a lot in life - from getting into kindergarten to getting your first driver's license.  And maybe a whole lot more than that, if you're a horoscope reader.

Now your birthday has been tied to your level of fitness and chances of becoming a professional athlete.

A study out of Queensland University of Technology's  Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation reports that a significant number of the Australian Football League's players were born in the early months of the calendar year, like January and February.  The fewest number of players were born in the later months of the year, like November and December.

In a statement from his publisher, author and senior research fellow Adrain Barnett points out that as children in Australia, those January birthdays would have had twelve more months to grow than a child in the same grade who was born in December (the Australian school year starts in January).

Of course, don't forget - there are plenty of reasons to exercise, even if your birthday doesn't predispose you to athletic stardom.

Complete Book Reference: Barnett AG, Dobson AJ, Analysing Seasonal Health Data, Springer, 2010. ISBN 978-3-642-10747-4.

Low Carb, Lower Blood Pressure

A study published in January's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine reports that subjects who went low carb (eating less than 20 grams of carbohydrates each day) not only lost weight, but significantly lowered their blood pressure.  Subjects in the second group, who went on a low fat diet  and took orlistat, also lost weight - but did not see improvements in blood pressure.

The low carb group also had improvement in measures of insulin and glucose function. Yahoo Health gives the details here.

Did taking in fewer carbs (which can mean less glucose and insulin fluctuation) result in these improvements? And was the low carb diet also higher in protein than the low fat diet?

Since we know that some milk proteins act to lower blood pressure, it would be interesting to see the precise composition of the low carb diet; what kind of protein and how much protein did subjects on this diet have?

When I find out more I will let you know!

Fountain of Youth? How Exercise Affects Telomere Length

An article from Time magazine this week explores how exercise improves both physical and cognitive health as we age. The author reports on one study that found that female subjects, age 65-75, significantly improved their walking speed (an indicator of overall health) and executive functioning (memory, organization, etc.) after one year of weekly resistance training.

In this particular study, the same improvements were not seen in women who performed only toning and balance exercises when compared to the resistance training group.

However, other forms of exercise have been shown to improve different measures of health.  This New York Times article describes how when active and sedentary groups of older adults are compared, the active adults show marked improvement in something called telomere length. 

Telomeres are the end-caps of DNA strands (picture them as the ends of a fiber-optic wire). Each time cells reproduce, these ends get a little bit shorter.  Therefore, scientists can use them to measure aging in the body.

Researchers found that while telomeres in older adults were still shortened when compared to younger subjects, the telomers of the more active older adults remained much longer than those of adults who did not exercise.  In older runners, for example, loss of telomere length was reduced by as much as 75%

Exercise has been shown in previous studies to modify the expression of genes, in effect making exercisers physiologically  'younger.' And we know that resistance exercise in particular plays an important role in reducing the risk of sarcopenia.

Check out the American College of Sports Medicine for guidelines on exercise for older adults.

 

Weekend Reading: You Might Want To Sit Down For This One

Actually, make that stand.

Researchers have found that sitting for long periods of time is bad for your health.  One study in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise found that as the amount of time a person sat was positively correlated with mortality. This relationship was independent of whether or not a person was overweight.

A second study in the journal Circulation found that the number of hours sitting in front of the television was also linked with higher mortality.

Given that the typical adult American spends around 4.5 hours each day watching television, 2.5 hours each day sitting in front of the computer (more for office workers), and another 2.5 hours sitting in the car, what does this mean for our health?

Several years ago scientists reported that sitting for more than about 3 to 4 hours turned off the fat-burning enzyme called lipase.  So by sitting for hours on end, not only are you NOT getting the benefits of exercise, but you are TURNING OFF YOUR BODY'S ABILITY TO BURN FAT.

So what's a commuting, office-working, computer-using person to do?

Exercise in a pill can't help with this one. Get up and walk around more, if that's possible. Try this desk workout, if you dare.  And there's always the desk treadmill.

However you manage to do it, the message seems to be move more, and more often, to keep muscles and metabolism happy and healthy.

Pain In the Neck

Um, no.  Actual physical pain in the muscles of the neck and shoulder.

A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology explored treatments for women with chronic neck and shoulder pain. The women were divided into three groups: strength training of the neck and shoulder, aerobic exercise (bicycling), or no exercise.

Researchers found that strength training reduced trapezius muscle pain for the women in that group.  The other two groups did not experience a reduction of pain.

 

Natural Products Insider Explores Enzymes, Aminogen and More

Enzymes: Catalysts for Healthy Living," an article in the January issue of Natural Products Insider, includes some good inside information on the enzyme industry. 

It also features some quotes from Triarco President Rodger Rohde Jr.:

 

“One of the biggest myths there may be about digestion is that everything that you eat will be absorbed. The fact is that the body’s ability to absorb the foods, beverages and supplements that we take depends on our age, the quality of the product, what other products are taken with it, gastrointestinal transit time and so on. In order to benefit from the foods and nutrients we take in, we must break them down properly during digestion and absorb them.”

 

 

  

 

Want to know more? Be sure to check out NPI's article, and read some of our previous posts on the effects of gastrointestinal transit time and aging on protein absorption. 

Further reading:

Prebiotics, Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes

Enzymes Not Included: Why Adding Aminogen Makes Sense

 

Oh, and speaking of myths... have any of your own? Let me know what have you learned about protein and nutrition along the way and how that's changed your health habits and goals.

It All Adds Up

While we're talking about improving our fitness and nutrition choices this year... I came across an article in the LA Times that reminds us what a difference even small changes can make in our health.

The newspaper reports that drinking one soda every day for a year could result in gaining 10 pounds of fat.

But if simple daily habits, like having a soda with lunch, can make such a big difference over time, then the reverse is also true.

The Pennington Biomedical Research Center reports that eating just 100 fewer calories each day can help curb unintended weight gain.  They've put together a great list of foods and snacks to help you identify and eliminate those extra 100 calories from your diet.

And how about a healthy drink alternative? Whey protein shakes can be delicious, deliver nutrients you need, and keep you feeling fuller longer.

Plus, maintaining healthy protein intake (especially when dieting!) helps to promote the RIGHT KIND of weight loss.  If you haven't already read this post on the importance of protein intake when cutting calories, take a minute to check it out.

So let me know, what will you be adding or cutting back on this year?

Resolutions: Make It or Break It Research You Need to Know Now

It's that special time of year again, the post-holiday mass-exodus to the local gym and health food store.  Most of us have resolved to get back on the fitness track and want to stay there. (This IS a good time to find a great deal on a gym membership, so use that to your advantage if your plan includes finding a gym.) 

But no matter how you plan on taking on your fitness and nutrition goals this year, you won't be rockin your resolution if you run out of resolve.

That's right.   You can have the best exercise and diet regimen in the world, but it you run low on mo-jo,  you plans will fall to the wayside faster than a re-gifted sweater.

In fact, according to this article from The Wall Street Journal, 88% percent of resolutions end in failure. Yikes!

But also outlined in the article is research that just might save your 2010 fitness plans. Cliffs note version:

Willpower is a finite resource. 

If you use your willpower to fend off temptation in one area of your life, you are less likely to hold up against temptation in another. And less likely to adhere to your plan to exercise.

This is partly due to the fact that we tend to think, if we are "good" in one instance, we "deserve" to indulge a little in another (ie. "I did that extra 15 minutes on the elliptical today, I think I've earned a donut.")

Willpower also takes a physiological toll.

Resisting temptation uses up brain power and depletes your body's main energy source, glucose.

So how can you use this information to avoid resolution crash and burn?

Don't bite off more than you can chew.

Don't take on too many changes at once. Choose one goal and focus only on that one goal. When you feel like you've made the kind of progress you wanted to see, then start on another. 

Know your enemy.

Make a list of your typical fitness pitfalls and budget your willpower accordingly.  Remember to figure in non-fitness trouble-makers too.  For instance, if you have a weakness for shopping, know that resisting those shoes on sale at the mall might make you feel more entitled to buy an ice-cream on the way out. 

Schedule rest and reduce stress.

Being tired, hungry or cranky will make it harder to stick to your goals.  Find ways to sneak some fun, relaxation and healthy snacks into your day to keep up your willpower energy reserves.