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Original post can be found at:
http://www.sportsnutritionsupplementguide.com/supplementation/item/1528-the-power-of-leucine
Leucine could be considered the most important supplement you should add to your regimen as you age, especially if you are a competitor. Leucine breaks down much faster during exercise than the other two branched-chain amino acids (isoleucine and valine), and is also unique in that it plays a critical role in intramuscular protein production through anabolic signaling and mediation of insulin secretion, so it certainly makes sense to ensure that you are getting sufficient amounts of leucine in your diet.
If you are over the age of 35 or 40, leucine is depleted even more rapidly, so replenishing this amino acid through leucine rich food or through leucine supplements can be an insurance policy to guard against age-related muscle loss.
Leucine crosses the blood-brain barrier, and once in the brain, it sends satiety signals to the hypothalamus, thus guarding against overeating.1 It also promotes glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity by optimizing glucose metabolism. Another important function which leucine has in the brain is the stimulation of glutamate production and release. Since glutamate is an important neurotransmitter in the brain which is involved in memory and learning, the presence of leucine exerts protective effects on cognitive function.
One study by Donato et al discovered that leucine supplementation while on a calorie restricted diet resulted in more fat loss overall, as well as increased protein synthesis in muscle tissue and the liver. 2 The human requirement for leucine is the highest of all the essential amino acids, at approximately 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight in sedentary adults. However, this requirement does not take into account the muscle preserving needs of individuals who are engaged in intense resistance training. Such individuals benefit greatly from supplementing with up to 200 milligrams of leucine per kilogram of body weight. 3
If you are considering adding leucine to your regimen, be sure to time it so that you ingest it when you take in a protein-rich meal. If you prefer actual food sources of leucine, you can consume turkey breast (over 2 grams of leucine in a 3 ounce serving), fish, dairy products, seeds, soy or nuts. Leucine powder is VERY bitter, so make sure to mix it with a tasty protein powder, or take it in capsule form with your whole food meals. This will optimize protein synthesis in muscle tissue and enhance the anabolic effect.
REFERENCES
1. Potier M, Darcel N, Tome (2009) Protein, amino acids and the control of food intake. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 12(1):54-58.
2. Donato J Jr, Pedrosa RG, Cruzat VF, Pires IS, Tirapegui J (2006) Effects of leucine supplementation on the body composition and protein status of rats submitted to food restriction. Nutrition 22 : 520 –527,2006
3. WHO/FAO/UNU (2007) Protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition. Report of a joint WHO/FAO/UNU expert consultation. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser. 1–265.
The experience of being onstage at an NPC or IFBB bodybuilding contest is unique and exhilarating, and I miss it. What I don’t miss, though, is the maddening prep which precedes the event, and the constant self-scrutiny which always surfaces during prep. I remember when I couldn’t wait to step onstage again, and would always make sure that I had a contest lined up to prep for, but my priorities have shifted dramatically over the past year. One thing I grew tired of with prepping for contest after contest is that I had to be so disciplined all the time, and was unable to ever let loose and have fun for fear of messing up my prep. A few of my closest friends even remarked that I no longer knew how to have fun, and they were absolutely right. Though I understand that the sacrifice is essential for success onstage, I don’t want to live in a constant state of physical and spiritual deprivation. Life is short, and I certainly don’t want to look at my life and think, look at all that fun stuff I missed!
last Fall, I visited Hungary, Sydney, and Bali, and quickly realized during these trips that despite all my efforts to maintain clean eating and regular exercise, there was no way that I would be able to hold onto a goal of competing once I returned home. I had been struggling with significant metabolic issues, and though I ate relatively clean during my travels, I didn’t follow the seven daily meal regimen I had been accustomed to. Here’s another shocker: I had wine while in Hungary because that country is known for its wine, and I am a wine lover. I wasn’t about to deprive myself because of some orthorexic thought process which in previous years would have had me convinced that the fermented libation was evil. I also had little to no access to weight equipment, and though I made every effort to use exercise equipment whenever it was available to me, I didn’t follow the six-day workout regimen which I follow when at home. Was that a bad thing? I think not. I was able to see parts of the world which I had always wanted to see, and I had an amazing time. Thank goodness I didn’t obsess over what I was supposed to do and complain about the lack of resources in these countries.
Though I always want to win, I am not going to have a nervous breakdown over the fact that my placings as a Pro have been underwhelming. I don’t feel pressured to step onstage, and I honestly wouldn’t have a problem with retiring completely from competing if that is what I decide to do. Yet I still get that question, “When’s your next show?” One person (NOT a competitor) went so far as to say, “Hey girl, you need to step up your game!”, which I thought was extremely rude and presumptuous. I am tired of trying to balance a very busy schedule with two-a-day cardio sessions and double training. At the peak of my contest prep, I was training FIVE HOURS daily, six to seven days per week. Every part of my body hurt. I did plyometrics with a foot strain, and trained nonstop with hip bursitis, sciatica, a rotator cuff tear, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel, and a wicked skin reaction to the latex corsets which I would wear. I have been through the paces and have paid my dues. I AM good enough, I just choose to focus my efforts on showing off my brain now. So please don’t tell me that I need to keep running in the race when I already won.
In case you are wondering if working towards a personal best and finally winning my Pro Card was worth all the sacrifice, I can say without hesitation that it absolutely was worth it. Would I do it again? Absolutely. But I will no longer sacrifice balance in my life for the sake of getting to the next level. I have come to terms with the fact that I won’t ever qualify for Olympia, and to be honest, I wouldn’t want that pressure anyway. Life is good, and I have settled into a really nice groove.
Some very well-meaning people in the industry have warned me that the competition in the Pro ranks is getting even stiffer, and I have seen proof of that with my own eyes. Let me be very clear: I am NOT going to get myself all worked up and feel self-conscious because other Pros have raised the stakes. I am quite content to avoid the stage if need be. To be honest, the vast majority of IFBB Pros don’t even compete, so I feel no remorse over my casual attitude towards competing in future events.
Life is about balance, and the way I choose to maintain balance now is by working on my careers, passions and talents fully, without being distracted by notions of returning to the stage. Yes, I love the bodybuilding stage. But I also love my life and the freedom which I reclaimed after shifting my priorities.
You might be under the impression that skipping meals benefits you since you aren’t taking in calories constantly. Well, I’ve got news for you. By skipping meals, you are putting the brakes on your metabolism. Think of it this way. When a fire is burning in a fireplace, the intensity of the fire dies down dramatically when there are only embers and no logs on the pile. Skipping meals has the same effect. What makes it even worse is that, since the metabolism is now extremely sluggish, when you finally DO eat something, your body can’t break down the food as efficiently, and more of it ends up being stored as fat.
If you skip meals, you probably suffer to some extent from malnutrition, since you aren’t consuming sufficient nutrients throughout the course of the day. Chronic malnutrition can trigger the development and progression of a multitude of diseases. The sharp drops in blood sugar which occur as a result of skipped meals cause an increase in insulin resistance, which can result in the development of diabetes.
When you consider how much of a negative health impact skipping meals has, why would you ever do it?
I am the kind of person who burns the candle at both ends, not necessarily because I like to constantly feel like I am being run ragged, but because I always have an insanely busy schedule which has me switching gears constantly throughout each day. My usual response to the question, “What did you do last weekend?” is that I worked. I am ALWAYS working on something, and there is always something to do in my hectic life.
There is a bit which comic John Mulaney performs which captures the feeling which I feel whenever I get the rare chance to actually relax on a weekend. Here’s his bit:
Kids always want to do stuff, kids get angry. They go, “awww, we didn’t do anything all day!”
You ever ask an adult what they did over the weekend and they say they didn’t do anything, their faces light up. It’s like, “What did you do this weekend?” Ï, uh, (big smile across one’s face) I did nothing. I did nothing at all! Did we do anything? No, we didn’t do anything!”
I am definitely feeling the urge to get away so I can get a break from the constant movement which defines my daily life. I firmly believe that everyone should take vacations and go on weekend getaways every now and then to recharge the spirit and relax the body and mind. Though I won’t be able to take any big trips this year, I know that a weekend getaway needs to occur soon so that I can preserve my sanity! The telltale signs of burnout are showing, such as lack of concentration, irritability, and fatigue. The nice thing about living in southern California is that there are so many options available for weekend getaways, so I will make sure to plan something very soon.
The combination of a poorly cooled townhouse (the result of an untimely coil leak in the central air conditioning), night sweats, cats who think it’s cool to use me as a natural radiator, aches and pains in my hips, legs, shoulders, forearms and hands, and a recurrent neck strain have all robbed me of sleep almost every night this summer. With the exception of the cat issue, I was determined to find solutions to all of the sleep robbing elements in my life.
The central air conditioning is finally going to be replaced within the next week (HALLELUJAH!), the night sweats have abated somewhat (due to better hormonal balance in my perimenopausal body), and the aches and pains have been better as a result of fantastic chiropractic work by Dr. Ryan Pendon and Dr. Ryan Chapman from Urban Med. I realized that the neck strain was aggravated by pillows which did a horrible job of supporting my noggin, so I figured I could buy new ones.
Since I always buy new pillows for my bed every year in the autumn months, and wasn’t quite due for a new set, I hesitated on making a purchase. But the pillows I had been sleeping on since November were no longer fluffable, and at night, my head would sink right onto the mattress. I could literally feel the mattress through the pillows! I will admit that I am highly sensitive to tactile changes, just like the princess who could feel the pea through 20 mattresses. So I toughed it out and figured that I would just somehow get used to having deflated pillows. Then I got one of those mailers from Bed, Bath and Beyond, with a 20% off coupon on any one item. After thinking about it for a week, I decided to buy one pillow at a 20% discount.
I ended up with an Isotonic® Indulgence™ Side Sleeper Pillow, originally priced at $59 but which I paid $47 and some change for after using my coupon. This pillow is for side sleepers, but isn’t as firm as some of the other side sleeper pillows I found. Since I always start out my night on my back, I can’t deal with a very firm pillow because it wrenches my neck into an uncomfortable flexed position. The perfect pillow has to be a perfect balance of support and softness, with some loft, but soft enough that it doesn’t feel like my head is resting on a Bosu ball. So far (it has been a couple of nights since I started using this pillow to sleep on), this pillow is doing the trick for me.
Now I only have to deal with one, or actually, THREE issues which interrupt my slumber. The cats rule the roost in our house and have free access to my room, which means that if they want to wrap their perspiration-inducing, furry bodies around me in the middle of the night, I am not exactly going to do anything to prevent them from doing so. However, it is a small price to pay for their constant and unconditional love!
This supplement is truly amazing! It contains a probiotic which breaks down gluten, thus allowing you to consume gluten-containing foods. I decided to give this supplement the ultimate test with a pepperoni pizza and wine cheat meal, and for the first time ever, I had no digestive issues whatsoever. I got none of the abdominal pain or bloating I always get after a meal like that, nor was I tortured by excessive bathroom sessions the next day. This supplement is excellent and enables me to eat some of my favorite foods which I had been avoiding for the last six months since discovering that I had a severe gluten intolerance.
You can order directly from the website too: http://glutagest.com/products/glutagest
There are brave men out there who prefer to allow their twigs and berries to sway freely, without the confines of briefs. Fans of the commando lifestyle say it is more comfortable and completely liberating, but the underwear-clad crowd may argue that it is not very sanitary or dignified. In defense of the unencumbered male, the practice of abandoning underwear can offer a number of benefits.
Some men are prone to intertriginous dermatitis, aka jock itch, and can often benefit greatly from ditching their drawers. Jock itch occurs when the skin undergoes friction, and is intensified by heat, humidity, and excess weight. Severe cases of jock itch actually produce a musty odor, and can become infected by fungi and bacteria. The general recommendation for those who suffer from this condition is to keep the area cool and dry, which is best achieved by using powder and wearing cotton underwear. Since the testicles tend to become sweaty when snug fitting clothing is worn, those most susceptible to jock itch might want to consider omitting the briefs altogether.
Another significant medical issue which benefits from banishing the briefs is fertility. Men who have low sperm count should avoid wearing tight pants and underwear, opting for looser designs which will result in a cooler scrotum. This is one scenario in which going commando on a regular basis could make the difference between being childless and continuing the family name.
What if you don’t have a medical issue, but just want to experience the thrill of banishing your bloomers? The times have certainly changed, and now celebrities like Justin Bieber are being caught sans briefs. In addition, Kimberly Clarke’s Cottonelle brand is now encouraging real people in their television ads to strip off their skivvies in celebration of having clean rear ends. Now that it is summer, you might want to explore going commando and try to catch an extra breeze down south as a result. No one will ever know!
Some guy wrote in on my Facebook Fan Page on June 14 at 1:13am with the following question:
“Why is their Xanthan Gum and Sucralose in Whey 100 Ultra Clean when that will make it harmfull to the body how can you loose weight and build lean muscle with those types of harmfull ingredients put in whey?”
I hadn’t seen the question until now, so I wanted to make sure I posted a response. Here it is:
Xanthan gum is a plant based thickening agent which may cause some digestive issues in those who already suffer from digestive maladies, in which case they probably wouldn’t be ingesting whey in the first place. As for the sucralose, there is a huge controversy regarding potential harm from consuming it, yet nothing conclusive. I am personally not a huge fan of sucralose, but truth be told, it is in many food items. In addition, it can be very difficult to make a palatable whey protein formula without sucralose, since stevia can be very bitter. Please be aware that I am not in any way involved with the manufacture of Royal Sport Ltd. products but I definitely consider them to be some of the best in the industry. Bear in mind that the vast majority of sports supplement products are full of additives, so in this case I think we are talking about choosing products which are on the less offensive end of the spectrum when it comes to flavorings and additives.
