The Official Aminogen Blog

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!

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.

 

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!

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."

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!

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."

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.

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?

 

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.

Should Dietary Protein Guidelines Be Changed? Part II

In my last post  we looked at two reasons why Donald K. Layman believes protein dietary guidelines should be changed.   

Today, we'll take a look at two more:

 

"Amount of Protein in an Individual Meal Matters."

 

In other words, in order to benefit from protein in certain ways, you have to absorb a certain amount of protein in a certain period of time. 

How protein is distributed throughout the day is also important. Layman says that the amount of protein in each meal becomes a factor in building and maintaining lean muscle, especially as we age.

He explains that in children and young adults, muscle protein synthesis is stimulated by insulin and dietary energy.  Later in adulthood, however, muscle protein synthesis becomes increasingly dependent on the essential amino acid leucine.  Remember, leucine helps drive dietary energy away from fat cells and into muscle cells (and Aminogen increases leucine levels by 230 percent).

Exactly how much leuciene and other amino acids from protein are needed to promote muscle protein synthesis?  Layman cites studies that say the answer is 15 grams of essential amino acids.  This would be around 30 grams of whole protein.  He also reminds us that the typical adult breakfast contains less than 10 grams of protein.  For an average adult, inadequate protein intake at breakfast may cause the body to break down muscle, in order to obtain the amino acids it needs and is not getting from the diet.

From this we can see that in order to take in enough protein to maintain healthy lean mass, we have to consider not only how much protein we eat in total for one day, but how much we are absorbing each time we eat.

 

"Most adults benefit from protein intakes above the minimum Recommended Daily Allowance."

 

This is Layman's conclusion after reviewing scientific studies. Of course, no one should make changes to their diet or increase their protein intake without consulting their physician first.  But Layman is suggesting that experts consider the benefits of protein and the important functions of specific amino acids that a growing body of research supports.

 

Among the health benefits of protein Layman lists:

Body compostition

Weight loss and satiety

Cardiovascular health support

Dietary support possibly benefiting conditions such as metabolic syndrome and sarcopenia

 

It will be interesting to see further studies on these effects and whether such research does eventually lead to new dietary guidelines. I will certainly keep you updated here!