The Official Aminogen Blog

The Scoop: Single Serve Protein Facts

Not to be missed! From the American College of Nutrition, this paper isn't brand new, but it is chock full of information on whey protein.  Lactalbumin, glycomacropeptides, immunoglobulins and other words you'll want to throw around the gym... just kidding.  But you will want to know more about these powerful components of whey.

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!

 

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.

 

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.

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.

Strong Stomach? Digestion Goes High-Tech

How do we know what really happens when we eat?  What goes on in the dark depths of our digestive tracts?

We can feel digestion.  We can measure it on our waistlines. And we can track some of its effects through clinical studies.

But to see what goes on when we eat is difficult.  Technologies like MRIs and endoscopy are limited when it comes to providing a clear picture of digestion. The view of an endoscopic camera is obscured by food in the stomach and MRI's cannot capture the motion of digestion.

So scientists have created a high-tech model of the stomach that allows them to really look at digestion.  It will be interesting to see what kind of research comes of this project, and what we learn about nutrition.

For now, there is at least one thing that we already know for sure, something those of us who work with Aminogen are famous for saying:

It's not just what you eat that counts, it's what you absorb. 

(And you may be surprised by how much of what you eat is not absorbed.)

How well our bodies absorb nutrients depends on factors like:

The amount of time food remains in the small intestine (most nutrients are absorbed here)

How efficiently our body's own digestive enzymes are working

 

As for the first of these factors, if you have not read my post on gastrointestinal transit time and protein absorption, I highly recommend you do.

And as for the second, take a look at how enzymes break down food.

  

 

Now, after reading about nutrient absorption and watching enzymes do their job, you may ask:

If our bodies already have their own enzymes, why take Aminogen?

To which I would say: What a great question! And one that deserves its very own post...

Stay tuned.

Are You Digesting all of the Protein You Eat? Why Timing is Crucial When It Comes to Protein Digestion

There is eating protein.

And then there is digesting it.
 

Anyone who has ever had a high protein meal or protein shake and later felt uncomfortable side effects like gas, bloating or constipation knows the difference.  This happens because undigested protein ferments in the lower intestine and causes those unpleasant symptoms.

Of course, undigested protein does not always cause symptoms. Research suggests that protein absorption is limited by several factors. And symptoms or not, undigested protein means that amino acids and other important nutrients are being wasted.  If you are spending money on quality protein, undigested protein is a waste of money too.

Why Does Some Protein Go Undigested?

We usually think of timing in terms of when to take protein, but the time it takes your body to move that protein through your gastrointestinal tract and digest it is important too. This is called gastrointestinal transit time (GTT).

All absorption of nutrients takes place in the upper gastrointestinal tract (GI).

Amino acids will be absorbed from your protein while it remains in the upper GI.  But propelled by the smooth muscle contraction of digestion, protein will continue to move further down your digestive tract whether you have absorbed all of its nutrients or not.

Protein that is not broken down and absorbed in time will end up in the lower gastrointestinal tract.  It will no longer be absorbed, but will ferment and be eliminated. 

Gastrointestinal Transit Time

GTT is a measure of how long it takes your food to reach the lower gastrointestinal tract. It has a lot to do with exactly how much of the protein you eat gets absorbed, and how much does not.

Your body has limited time to draw nutrients from the protein you eat as the protein makes its way through your digestive tract.  The amount of time your body has before the protein moves too low in the gastrointestinal tract for absorption is critical.

For decades, scientists have been investigating exactly how nutrients are absorbed during digestion.

A 1968 Duke University study examined GTT using barium.* There were 315 people in this study, ages 19 to 80 years. They ingested 16 oz of barium and then underwent an upper gastrointestinal tract exam.

Gastrointestinal Transit Time was measured from the time the subject finished drinking the barium to the time it reached their lower gastrointestinal tract (where absorption ends and fermentation begins).

*If any of you have ever had an upper GI, as I have, you will know that barium is about the same consistency, maybe a little thicker, than the average protein powder mixed with water or milk.

From this study, researchers concluded that the average upper GI transit time is 1.5 hours. 

No significant GTT differences were found between males and females or older and younger subjects.

Protein Absorption

An hour and a half is not a long time for the body to absorb all the protein from one serving, especially if you factor in the rate at which the body can absorb protein.

A review on the rate of protein absorption published in 2006 in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, reported that whey protein isolate absorbs at a rate of about 8g/hour.

Window of Opportunity

This means if one serving of whey protein isolate is 25g with an absorption rate of 8g/hour and it has a 1.5 hour window to absorb it, only 12g of protein would get absorbed.

No matter how “digestible” the protein is, its absorption is still limited by Gastrointestinal Transit Time.  In fact, the faster the GTT, the less time your body has to absorb nutrients.

This is why it is so important to add Aminogen.  You have approximately a 1.5 hour window opportunity to absorb as much of your high protein meal, snack, or drink as possible.  

Make the most of it and increase the amount of protein metabolized and absorbed with Aminogen.

Boost Your Protein Drink

Men’ s Health lists some smart ways to give your protein drink a nutritional boost.  Check out their suggestions here.  I have added a few suggestions of my own below.

Pineapple and Crushed Ice

Stir in with plain or vanilla protein powder and chill for a refreshing twist.  Pineapple is a natural source of enzymes and vitamin C. 

Raspberries, Blueberries, Strawberries

Berries are high in antioxidants.  Since your body accrues oxidative stress during exercise, berries make a great addition to any post-workout protein drink.

Aminogen

… of course!  Like the enzymes in pineapple, the enzymes in Aminogen are natural and plant-based.  The benefit is that Aminogen is formulated and proven to break down the whey protein in your drink. And while some brands of protein powder contain generic enzymes, Aminogen is the only designer enzyme system patented and clinically shown to significantly increase absorption of amino acids and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) from dietary protein. 

Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Digestive Enzymes

What exactly are they, and where does Aminogen fit in? 

 

 

In recent years, researchers have begun to hone in on the importance of digestive health. They are finding that digestion can influence a range of health issues, from immune system function to cognitive performance, energy levels, and overall health.  As a result, more products are becoming available to address digestive woes and support optimal digestion.

 

 

Here is a look at three major digestive health ingredients, and what they do:

 

 

 

Probiotics

 

As live, health-promoting bacteria, probiotics act in the small intestine, where many of the nutrients from food are absorbed.

 

 

Their activity helps to offset the presence of ‘bad’ and infectious bacteria.  By keeping the microecology of the gastrointestinal tract in balance, probiotic bacteria help to create an environment more conducive to proper nutrient absorption.

 

A big part of their benefit comes from probiotics’ ability to convert sugar into lactic acid, which can lower pH in the small intestine and discourage the growth of bad bacteria there.  Healthy bacteria that perform this task are collectively referred to as lactic acid bacteria, or LABs.

Some LAB probiotics you may see listed on a food or supplement label include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. 

 

Prebiotics

 

Prebiotics are like “food” for healthy bacteria.

 

Since the probiotics you can take orally do not usually travel all the way to the large intestine, another way to cultivate healthy bacteria in this area is needed.  This is where prebiotics come into play.

 

When eaten, prebiotic carbohydrates like oligosaccharides and fibers like innulin cannot be digested.  They travel all the way through the gastrointestinal tract until they reach the large intestine.  There, they become “food” for the healthy bacteria that already live there, and help them to grow. 

 

Because the large intestine is the next-to-last stop on foods’ journey toward elimination, undigested food can sit here for some time.  This is when food begins to decompose and ferment.

 

Healthy bacteria help to keep this process in check, interacting with the byproducts of the decomposed food so that they do not overwhelm the digestive system and wreak havoc on the ecology of the gastrointestinal tract.

 

 

Synbiotics

 

A combination of prebiotics and probiotics is known as a synbiotic.  Together, they help to keep your gastrointestinal environment balanced and ready for nutrient absorption.

Digestive Enzymes

If prebiotics and probiotics set the stage for healthy digestion, digestive enzymes take a leading role.  Digestive enzymes are needed to break down specific kinds of foods into smaller parts so that your body can absorb and use them.  Aminogen contains a patented blend of proteases, the kind of enzymes that break down protein.

Just as your body already contains some healthy bacteria, your body also produces its own enzymes.  However, there are several reasons why Aminogen has such a powerful impact on protein digestion.

First, your body’s ability to digest protein depends to some extent on what type of protein you are eating, how it was processed, and what other foods you eat with it.   Whey protein, for example, can be made from different milk sources, and is sometimes processed in such a way that denatures the protein. Denatured protein is much more difficult to digest because the chains of amino acids that make up the protein can curl and solidify, making it much harder for enzymes to ‘cut’ through their bonds.

Aminogen’s patented formula enhances the digestion of many different kinds of protein, including whey.

Secondly, protein must be digested while in the stomach and small intestine.  If the amount of protein you take in exceeds the amount your body’s enzymes can break down before the protein is moved further down the gastrointestinal tract, that protein will not be digested. 

Adding to this problem, your body’s production of enzymes tends to diminish with age.  This is one reason people can experience digestive symptoms as they get older.  It is also a common cause of lowered protein intake among elderly adults, who, along with having more difficulty chewing, report uncomfortable symptoms because their system just cannot “handle” protein the way it used to.

Undigested protein in the lower gastrointestinal tract can cause gas, bloating and constipation. Because Aminogen helps to break down protein and make protein digestion more efficient, users often report a reduction or elimination of such side effects.*

Perhaps most significant, however, is Aminogen’s ability take even a quality, digestible protein and increase its benefits.

In a clinical study, subjects who took Aminogen with their protein achieved a 100% increase in amino acid levels and a 250% increase in branched-chain amino acids, compared to subjects who had the same exact amount and type of protein without Aminogen.

There are other benefits as well.  The same study showed those taking Aminogen had a 12% reduction in C-reactive protein, which is a marker for cardiovascular disease. I try to address other benefits here on this blog. 

Just for now, though, I hope you have a better idea of what Aminogen is, and how it fits into the larger picture of digestive health.

*Interestingly, Aminogen is active at a wide range of pHs, a range that runs the course of the digestive tract.  Because of this, Aminogen not only acts on protein in the stomach and small intestine, but is thought to help clear the lower digestive tract of any decomposing protein.