The Official Aminogen Blog

2009 Shaping Up to Be a Good Year

(For fitness, at least!)

Let's take a look at the American College of Sports Medicine's fitness predictions for 2009, the issues and exercise trends deemed most visible this year:

1. Educated and experienced fitness professionals

2. Children and obesity

3. Personal Training

4. Strength Training

5. Core training

6. Special fitness programs for older adults

7. Pilates

8. Stability ball

9. Sports-specific training

10. Balance training

As we approach the half-way mark for the year, are you making progress with your fitness goals?  Do any of these trends resonate with you?

 

Soda, Potassium Levels and Muscle Health

In the International Journal of Clinical Practice, researchers describe cases in which they believe excessive consumption of soda may have resulted in lowered levels of potassium, a condition called hypokalaemia.

Potassium interacts with sodium to regulate water in the body, and it is crucial for nerve and muscle function.  Low potassium can lead to symptoms like nausea, heart palpitations, muscle cramps and muscle weakness.

Good sources of potassium include orange juice, bananas and potatoes.

Read the BBC's report and learn more about potassium and muscle health here.

 

Going Lean

... requires resistance exercise and a healthy protein intake, especially as we age.

Lean muscle mass plays an important but often-overlooked role in our health , and it's never too soon to start taking care of it.

 

For a Good Cause

Each year between the ages of 30 and 60 the average person can expect to lose one-half a pound of muscle, a process known as sarcopenia.  At the same time, the average person will also gain one pound of fat.

As the years go by, this shift in body composition really adds up. At some point between the ages of 50 and 75, an average person may have lost some 25 percent of their lean muscle mass. 

Sarcopenia can affect our immune systems, our risk of injuries and our ability to recover from them. It can also play a role in chronic conditions like diabetes and osteoporosis.

As we age it's important to resist this physiological entropy by maintaining and building our reserves of lean muscle and fighting off the fat.

Reduce, Re-use, Recycle

 

Losing lean muscle can slow fat burning and muscle protein synthesis, therefore leading to further lean muscle loss. 

Lean muscle affects our metabolism in at least three ways:

 

Reduce 

Lean muscle is the largest location in the body where lipid oxidation, or fat burning, takes place.  Scientist think that less muscle can result in a diminished capacity to get rid of fat.

Re-use  

Muscle tissue is also the primary depository for glucose disposal. Once they fill to maximum capacity - around 250 grams of glucose for an average person - glucose then must be stored in the liver and in fat cells.  Exercise uses the glucose stored in muscles and in doing so helps to promote healthy glucose metabolism.  This is important in the preventing or minimizing chronic conditions like diabetes, macular degeneration, and perhaps even Alzheimer's.

Recycle

Recent research confirms that blood plasma levels of essential amino acids help to regulate protein synthesis. Low levels of these amino acids result in lower rates of muscle protein synthesis. What's more, the body needs amino acids for a number of important jobs in addition to muscle building. If there are not enough amino acids available in the blood,  it will break down lean muscle and use amino acids stored there for these other functions.

 

You Can Make a Difference

Scientists believe that our slowing metabolism and decreased ability to oxidize fat is a result of the typical decrease in lean body mass, rather than simply a function of age.

In order to prevent lean muscle mass as we age, experts recommend resistance exercise coupled with sufficient, quality protein intake. 

In fact, in his report for the U.S. Dairy Export Council on sarcopenia and whey protein, Dr. Paul J. Cribb states:

"An individual's habitual protein intake may prove to be one of the more important variables that influence the size of human muscle mass since recent work has confirmed that the concentration of EAA [essential amino acids] in the blood (plasma) regulate protein synthesis rates within muscle."

 

If I could turn back time..

OK, so you may not have wanted a Cher song stuck in your head for the rest of the day, but you will want to know about this study.

Researchers were looking at the connection between exercise, aging and muscle loss.  They wanted to know to what extent strength training could affect the progression of sarcopenia.

They had two groups of male and female subjects -those younger than 25 and those older- participate in six months of leg strength training.  The exercise had tangible results for the older subjects.  Their leg strength increased by 50 percent.

What the researchers discovered next, however, was even better news.  It turns out that the strength training improved function on a genetic level in the older subjects, in effect making some of their genes perform like those in the 25 years and younger group.

Exercise Influences Genes

 

Scientists suspect that sarcopenia is related to mitochondrial dysfunction within skeletal muscle cells. Mitochondria are tiny organells within cells that convert certain chemicals into functional energy. Energy distribution is fundamental  to physiological processes like muscle exertion, building and repair.  

So the researchers in this study took muscle biopsies in order to take a closer look at the effects of strength training on a genetic level. They found that there were 596 genes expressed differently in older versus younger subjects.

Amazingly, the expression of 179 of those genes was positively affected by the exercise.

In other words, the strength training literally 'turned back the clock" on those genes, so that they acted a bit more like the gene of the younger adults. Cellular repair was improved and mitochondrial damage was lessened.

 

Strength training made subjects younger, to a degree, on a genetic level.

 

Enzymes Not Included: Why Adding Aminogen Makes Sense

Of course, always consult with your physician before taking a supplement or changing your supplement use. 

That being said, let's get back to the question posed in my last post: why add Aminogen? After all, there are enzymes in the foods we eat, and our bodies produce their own enzymes too.

Enzymes in Food

As the article in Scientific American points out, while there are enzymes in food, these are destroyed during cooking.  And when we eat foods in their raw form, our own stomach acid can destroy them anyway. 

You see, enzymes are all very different, and quite particular about what kind of environment they will survive and function in.  They require a specific pH (amount of acidity) in order to work. The stomach is quite acidic and therefore many of the enzymes we ingest are destroyed and inactivated here.

Endogenous Enzymes

These are released by the stomach and pancreas in response to the food that we eat. They are created by our bodies for the purpose of digestion. But these have their limits as well.

First, there are genetic differences in enzyme production.  This is why, for example, some people cannot digest dairy foods and are considered to be lactose intolerant.  Their body simply does not produce the enzyme needed to break down the lactose sugar in milk.

Second, our bodies may not always release enough enzymes for the amount of food we eat.  In the case of a high-protein drink, which would have a gastrointestinal transit time of around 1.5 hours, the body may not have enough time to produce and churn out enough enzymes to break down all of that protein before it slips further down the digestive tract, where it is no longer absorbed.

Athletes and dieters should pay particular attention to this fact because they spend money on supplemental protein. Protein has been shown to be important for satiety, weight loss, improved body composition and muscle mass, but how can taking in more protein benefit you if your body does not absorb it?

Third, our production of digestive enzymes diminishes with age. Food that is not digested properly can cause symptoms like gas, bloating and constipation because they have not been absorbed properly.  This is not only uncomfortable, but it means missing out on nutrients.  And older adults need adequate protein to maintain muscle strength, immune health and more.

Adding Aminogen

So we've established why the enzymes in food and even those produced by our own body may not be sufficient for optimal digestion.

What does adding Aminogen do?

Aminogen is a patented enzyme specifically formulated for protein digestion.  It works in the digestive tract's range of pH's, so it will not be destroyed or deactivated in the stomach or small intestine.

It's been proven in a published clinical study to triple the rate of protein absorption  - take note athletes and dieters- so adding it to high-protein foods and beverages means that extra protein is not wasted.  What's more, it was proven in the same study to increase levels of amino acids absorbed from protein by 100 percent and branched-chain amino acids (important for building muscle) by 250 percent.

I often hear from people who take Aminogen that protein digestion becomes much more comfortable, too, without the gas or bloating that signals incomplete digestion.

So if if you've ever:

Experienced symptoms of incomplete protein digestion,

Spent money on supplemental protein and want to make sure you absorb the amino acids you are paying for,

Or are concerned about getting adequate protein nutrition...

I'd say adding Aminogen makes a whole lot of sense.

Cup of Mo-Jo

It seems that not only can caffeine enhance physical performance, but it may help reduce the pain of muscle soreness after exercise.

A study in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Metabolism found that caffeine reduced muscle pain after a high-intensity workout.  Researchers speculate caffeine may do this by blocking adenosine, a chemical associated with the inflammatory response. Increased levels of adenosine also signal to the body that it is time to sleep, which is why caffeine's ability to block adenosine activity also reduces fatigue.

Another important factor in muscle recovery - the body's ability to replenish stores of amino acids used by muscles while active.  This is why Aminogen's ability to triple the rate of protein absorption and increase levels of branched-chain amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine is so valuable for muscle recovery.  In fact, these three amino acids alone make up one-third of all skeletal muscle, so replacing them after exercise is crucial for not only building muscle, but keeping the muscle you already have.

Weekend Reading: What's Old is New Again

Or maybe it's just that if something works, it never really goes out of style. 

I came across a book called Anderson's Physical Education : Health and Strength, Grace and Symmetry in an online library archive(hey, for some people browsing an online library archive site is fun, and this one is pretty interesting!)

The book was published in 1897 and extols the virtues of fresh air, healthy eating, complete with illustrated muscle stretches and strengthening exercises - many of which people still do today. What struck me was how much of the author's advice (no relation to me) is still relevant, over a hundred years after it was written.

And speaking about health and fitness days of old, check out the Online Physical Culture Museum featuring Eugen Sandow and bodybuilding's earliest stars. There you can find old books like the one by Sanford Bennett,  who began to get in shape at age 50 and ended up looking younger and stronger at age 70.

Like Your Crazy Cousin Lou

"Americans' Weight Issues Not Going Away", says a recent Gallup Poll.

The November 2008 poll reports that 59 percent of Americans want to lose weight, while 30 percent say they are "seriously trying" to lose weight.

Interestingly, women's reported ideal weight - the weight they wish they could be - increased from a range of 134 to 138 pounds in the previous poll, to 140 pounds.

Taking into account women's actual average weight, most women would be about 20 pounds heavier than their desired weight.

Men who were asked the same question answered their ideal weight would be around 180 pounds, making the average man about 14 pounds over what they wish they weighed.

With around two-thirds of Americans overweight or obese, it looks like our weight problem is not going away any time soon.

So which category would you put yourself in, the wanting to lose weight group or the seriously trying to lose weight group? And has your idea of what your ideal weight should be changed?

Inside the Protein Factory

Have you ever wished you could hand-pick your supplement ingredients, whip them up in a bottle, and wah-lah…. a protein made just for you!?

 

Then you have to stop by the Protein Factory, where you can do just that.

Protein Factory President Alex Rogers inadvertently began his business back in the early years of the internet.  He was someone who liked to workout, and took protein to build muscle. 

When he found he had more whey protein on hand than he could use, he went online to try and sell his surplus.  Alex found it was a great way to sell his extra protein, and he liked talking with other fitness-minded folk about nutrition.  He let people know about his own results with the various protein powders he had tried.

Ten years later, Alex is doing the same thing, on a larger scale.  His site offers information, advice, and gives customers an easy way to design their own protein blends.   Customers can choose everything from protein type – whey concentrate, isolate, soy, etc. – to flavor, to specialty ingredients like omega-3’s and, of course, Aminogen.

I was able to talk with Alex a few days ago (that's him in the picture below) and ask him what it’s like on the frontlines of the protein supplement business:

What gave you the idea to allow people to create their own formulas?

I started Protein Factory a little over ten years ago.  It really began as a result of my own search for a good protein supplement.  I started working out in college, and I knew how important protein was for building muscle and getting results.  But I had trouble digesting your typical whey concentrate, and realized it might be the lactose.

I finally tracked down a whey isolate that worked really well for me - this was before isolate was available in most places.  Well, at one point I had a surplus and got online to find out if anyone wanted to buy it, and that’s when the idea for Protein Factory really came about. And it grew from there.  I think I can say that we were one the first companies to offer whey protein isolate.

Allowing people to create their own formulas just makes sense.  It means that they can take into account their own nutrition needs and experiences, just like I did when I found a lactose-free protein worked better for me.

Who would you say is your typical consumer?

Most of our customers are 24 or older. But we get people at all sorts of fitness levels, from beginners to award-winning athletes - a real mix. 

One of our customers, for instance, is Great Lakes Regional Master’s Deadlift  winner Martin Montgomery.  At age 66, Martin's lift of 502 pounds was third all-time for his age group/weight class.

When did you get interested in bodybuilding and how did you learn what you know about nutrition?  

I have always just been into working out.  Like most people, I really started to get into it in during high school and then college. Through my own research – by taking the time to read the actual studies behind products.

What is a best-selling product right now?

Our CFM (Cross-flow Microfiltration) Whey Protein Isolate.

(Alex has a great presentation on this product; you can watch it here).

  

How do you decide which new formulas/ingredients to offer?

Well, first and foremost, we don’t follow trends, we innovate.  A lot of  companies out there invest more in the marketing of a product than the actual science, so the products can be over-hyped. Protein Factory only uses ingredients that are based on science,  and we only offer products that we believe in.

What is the most important thing to consider when creating your own formula?

Quality of ingredients, taste, and price.  You have to use quality ingredients, but if they don’t taste good you won’t use them.

What trends are you seeing in customer orders right now?  How do you think the economy is affecting supplement sales? 

If anything, we have had more customers.  In this economy, I think that is because we keep our prices as low as we can.

 What advice would you give customers on a budget?  What is the most important, supplement-wise?

                

Use a good quality whey protein mixed with slower-digesting casein.  That way you  

get the anabolic effects of a fast-absorbing protein along with the anti-catabolic protection of slower-digesting casein. 

 What are some of the craziest questions/comments you have gotten from consumers?

One customer who purchased our organic instantized whey protein told us he

gained two pounds in one hour! 

 

While I cannot vouch for his weight gain, I can say that people are definitely interested in our organic whey.  As far as I know it may be one of the only organic whey protein mixes available on the market.

Do you ever get questions about Aminogen?

Usually people want to know more about what it is and how it works. I tell them it’s a digestive enzyme that can help them get more out of their protein by increasing the amount of amino acids they absorb.

What would you tell customers NOT to do when choosing and buying supplements? What is the biggest mistake people make?

Don’t forget about taste!  It doesn’t matter how many nutrients are packed in there, if it tastes horrible you are not going to drink it.

What would you say to someone who is intimated buy all of the information out there on nutrition and supplements?

It can be intimidating.  That’s why at Protein Factory we created EZ Lab.  It helps people who want to find the best protein formula for their specific needs and goals, but are not sure how to get started.  All you have to do is enter some basic information about your body type, weight, goals, etc, and the EZ lab makes recommendations.

Where can your fans/customers meet you?  Will you be attending the upcoming Arnold?

We won't be at the Arnold, but do meet up with us on our website forum, as we will be revealing a new label line soon.

More Evidence That Muscle Matters

The importance of muscle is a well-covered issue here on the Aminogen blog.  We know that muscle plays an important role in immune function, recovery from injury, and overall health.  What's more, we know that lack of lean muscle can be a serious problem, especially as we age. Lack of lean muscle is even associated with higher mortality rates in men.

Now January's issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism reports that among people with osteoarthritis, those with greater quadraceps (thigh muscle) strength suffered less knee pain and displayed better knee function.  The study found that stronger quadraceps seemed to protect against cartilage loss at the lateral compartment of the patellofemoral joint.

The researchers cautioned that osteoarthritis sufferers should not attempt to strengthen this muscle or undertake an excercise program without the supervision of their physician.