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the anabolics of insulin

wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2005/07/27, 12:13 PM Here's one of the interview in which the whole carbohydrate/insulin issue was first brought up. The article in full is located at http://t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=122FE649E797A0FC1D2ED13D782C1E70.hydra?id=459474 RW � Thanks for your time John. First off, can you give us a brief background on yourself and what stimulated your interest in exercise and supplementation? JB � Well Rob, I think the introduction you gave was pretty comprehensive. As you said, I'm currently a researcher but have an extensive background in competitive athletics. And that's what holds my passion. I love training and consulting with elite athletes in order to apply my university and real-world training in order to take their games to superior levels. And with each new athlete that becomes part of my clientele, I get supercharged about the new challenges that await us! And that's where the research ties in. Every research project I've conducted and every nutritional supplement I've designed has been done with one goal in mind � to figure out how to make better, stronger, leaner and meaner athletes. Lately I've been branded by some of my athletes as "the recovery specialist." This is due to my research that's been focusing on the recovery of ATP, glycogen, and protein balance, and the prevention of overtraining. In addition, I've been working on some nutritional programs and supplements that manage the hormone insulin. RW � So let's talk about insulin. What is insulin and why should athletes and those involved in health and fitness care about it? JB - The current rage in health and fitness is to manage the hormone insulin. But few people really understand this temperamental hormone. You see, insulin is an anabolic giant. It's the most anabolic hormone because it stuffs nutrients like amino acids and carbs into muscle cells to promote growth. But, while it sounds great, getting aggressive with it can lead to serious fat gain. For instance, here are some basics: Insulin is a hormone released into the blood by an internal organ called the pancreas. Insulin functions in many ways as an anabolic or a storage hormone; in fact it's been called the most anabolic hormone. When insulin is released into the bloodstream, it acts to shuttle glucose , amino acids, and blood fats into the cells of the body. "Which cells?" you ask. Well, fat and muscle cells are the important ones in terms of quantity. Now, if these nutrients go predominantly into muscles, then the muscles grow and body fat is managed. If these nutrients go predominantly into fat, then muscle mass is unaffected and body fat is increased. So obviously if there were a way to send nutrients preferentially into muscle rather than fat, trainees would have more muscle mass and less fat mass. That's the goal of my recommended training and eating programs � to increase the muscle uptake of nutrients preferentially. Isn't that the goal of every trainee whether they know it or not? RW � So how can one manage this hormone to promote muscle gains and fat losses? JB � Well, this is where things get tricky. Because insulin is a storage hormone, most people think that since insulin stores nutrients, it should be avoided because it has the potential to store fat. This is a mistake for several reasons. First, there's no way to avoid insulin in the blood. Whenever you eat food, insulin is released. Secondly, if you theoretically could eliminate insulin, you would abolish all of its anabolic effects and its ability to store energy in the muscle. In fact, type 1 diabetics don't produce insulin and as a result, if left untreated, they die. But don't go the opposite route, either. If blood levels of insulin are always highly elevated, trouble results. Chronic elevation of insulin leads to large amounts of fat gain, risk for cardiovascular disease, and ultimately to type 2 diabetes. This second type of diabetes is characterized by obesity, cardiovascular disease, and the poor ability of the muscle to store nutrients, which leads to muscle wasting and tons of fat storage. This is called insulin resistance. So my point is that you need insulin, but you must learn how to balance the anabolic effects against the fat storage effects; to trick it into making you muscular while making you lean at the same time. And this is done two major ways; first by increasing insulin sensitivity in the muscle while decreasing insulin sensitivity in the fat cells and, second, by controlling the insulin released during specific times of the day. RW � Please explain the difference between insulin resistance and insulin sensitivity? JB � Simply put, insulin resistance is bad. If you're insulin resistant, your cells � especially the muscle cells � don't respond to the anabolic effects of normal levels of insulin, i.e. they resist insulin's effects. If this is the case, the body then releases massive amounts of insulin to promote nutrient storage in the resistant cells. Remember, though, that chronic high levels of insulin in the blood are very bad and can cause type 2 diabetes. Insulin sensitivity is therefore very good. In this case, your cells � especially the muscle cells � respond very well to small levels of insulin. Therefore, they need very little insulin stimulation to get into an anabolic state. So high insulin sensitivity at the muscle level is very desirable. One way to remember the difference is as follows. If you're dating someone who responds or reacts to any affection you show them, then he or she is sensitive. So they're a good model for insulin sensitivity. It only takes a little affection to get a big response. On the other hand, if the person you're dating is resistant to your affection, then it takes a lot to get them going. Therefore, they're a good model for insulin resistance. It takes a lot of affection to get even the smallest response. RW � Does insulin sensitivity vary or change? JB � Insulin sensitivity is unique to each individual but the cool thing is that it can be manipulated by exercise, diet, and supplementation. And that's what I do with my clients to dramatically change their body composition. Both aerobic and resistance training greatly increase insulin sensitivity through some different and some similar mechanisms. In addition, supplements like omega 3 fatty acids, fish oils, alpha-lipoic acid, and chromium can increase insulin sensitivity. Finally, moderate carbohydrate diets that are rich in fiber can increase insulin sensitivity. On the flip side, the low-carb, high-fat diets that have become popular can decrease insulin sensitivity. That's why none of my trainees go on no-carb diets, unless they're dieting down for a show and then they'll do occasional no carb diets every few months for a maximum of 3 weeks at a time. RW � So what are some practical ways to manipulate insulin sensitivity? JB � Well, typically I've seen tremendous increases in insulin sensitivity with 3-4 intense weight training sessions per week, lasting 1 hour per session. These sessions should be coupled with at least 3-4 aerobic sessions lasting 30 minutes per week. To really target insulin sensitivity, you would perform these sessions separately. After exercise, the next step would be to supplement with 600 mg of alpha-lipoic acid and concentrated fish oils containing a total of 6-10 grams of DHA and EPA, which are the most active omega 3 fats in fish oils. Finally, your diet can make a big difference. I recommend moderate quantities � 40-50% of the diet � of fibrous carbohydrates like oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. I also recommend eating moderate quantities (30-40% of the diet) of high-quality proteins like casein, whey, chicken, beef, fish, dairy and eggs. And finally, I recommend eating low quantities (20% of the diet) of fats from olive oil, flax oil, fish oil, and nut oils. All of these strategies can be combined to make the muscles more responsive to insulin while simultaneously decreasing the fat's responsiveness to insulin. This means more muscle mass with less fat gain� the eternal quest of the bodybuilder! RW � How important is the insulin sensitivity to my progress as a "natural" bodybuilder? JB � I think that insulin sensitivity dictates your muscle-to-fat ratio, especially when trying to gain or lose weight. If you're more insulin sensitive during a weight-gain program, you'll gain more muscle relative to the fat that you gain. For example, with normal insulin sensitivity, you might gain 1 lb of muscle for every 2 lbs of fat for a 1:2 ratio. With increased insulin sensitivity, you might gain 1 lb of muscle for every 1lb of fat or even better, 2 lbs of muscle for every 1 lb of fat. And if you're dieting, you will lose more fat relative to your muscle loss if your insulin sensitivity is high. Are these things important to bodybuilders? You bet they are! And especially to natural ones. Drug-assisted bodybuilders have super insulin sensitivity. In addition, the drugs enhance their muscle-to-fat-gain ratios. If you're clean, you need to use every natural means at your disposal to alter these ratios as well. RW � So what about the other step in balancing insulin? Controlling insulin release during specific times during the day, right? JB � That's right. Remember, insulin is anabolic so we want bursts of it every day without chronic elevation. An effective way to do this would be to plan insulin bursts after training. In addition, I recommend jacking up insulin at least twice per day, but no more than 3 times. So planning at least 2 high-insulin meals per day is the way to grow and stay lean. To do this we need to first pay attention to something called theinsulin index of foods. If you think I've made a mistake and that what I really mean is the glycemic index, you're wrong. I mean the insulin index. Never heard of it? You're not alone. Although insulin indices are not new, they've been ignored in health and fitness for far too long. RW � What's the difference between the well known glycemic index (GI) and this insulin index (II) you're referring to? JB � The popular glycemic index is a measure of the speed at which carbohydrates enter the blood after a meal. A high-glycemic index means that blood sugar rises rapidly in response to a meal while a low-glycemic index means that blood sugar rises very slowly. Traditionally, nutritionists thought that the faster the carbs got into the blood, the bigger the insulin response. So in an attempt to manage insulin, they recommended always eating low-glycemic foods. However, several studies since have shown that some low glycemic index foods have huge insulin responses! So the correlation between glycemic index and insulin response breaks down with some foods. For example, milk products have a very low glycemic index. But they promote insulin responses parallel to the highest glycemic foods. What's the deal? Well, it appears that there are several other factors that determine insulin release besides carb content and the rate of carb absorption. This is why the insulin index was generated. This index actually measures insulin response to a food. So rather than assuming insulin response is correlated with carb absorption, these researchers decided to go ahead and measure it. And their results were eye opening! RW � If a natural bodybuilder is planning their nutrient intake around the insulin index, what foods would they eat and what foods would they avoid? JB � One thing to keep in mind is that there is no such thing as a bad food. Well, almost no such thing. I don't think anyone can make a case for powdered, cream-filled doughnuts, besides the fact that they taste damn good! But I hope you see my point. Since I said earlier that sometimes you want an insulin surge � especially after workouts � and sometimes you don't � especially at night before bedtime � we have to realize that we use the insulin index not to condemn foods but to decide when to eat them. The point I want to stress is that the insulin index helps us add information to the glycemic index to make better food choices. So using both indices is the way to go. Since milk products have a low GI but a high II, these foods aren't optimal when you want to keep insulin low. Other example foods or meal combinations for this situation are baked beans in sauce, meals with refined sugars and fats, and meals that are protein and carbohydrate rich. Each of these foods/combos have low GI scores but high II scores, none of which are optimal for low insulin times. But remember, some times you want high insulin so don't relegate these foods/combos to a dark corner of your nutritional closet. Conversely, unprocessed fibrous grains and cereals as well as fruits and veggies are great on both scales. In addition, most low-fat protein sources are also great on both scales. RW � So what times of the day should you increase insulin levels and what times should you concentrate on decreasing them? JB � Again, I like to spike insulin 2-3 times per day. Remember, though, that my clients are super insulin sensitive due to the training, diet, and supplementation programs I have them following. So they can handle the insulin surges and can actually grow and get lean at the same time. With this said, natural insulin sensitivity declines at night time so perhaps at night, low insulin choices are best. After training however, the goal should be to send insulin through the roof. A sensible plan is to eat 3 high-insulin meals as your first 3 of the day, and 3 low insulin meals to finish the day. This can be accomplished as follows: 1st 3 meals: Protein plus carbs with no fat 2nd 3 meals: Protein plus fat with no carbs Post-workout meals: Hydrolyzed protein, simple carbs, BCAA, free form amino acids RW � Are there any supplements that affect the release of insulin and if so, how are they beneficial? JB � There certainly are! In fact I'm currently designing a post-workout formula with this goal (as well as a few others) in mind. You see, as I said earlier, I'm sort of a "recovery specialist." I'm hired to consult with many athletes from serious endurance marathoners and triathletes to strength and power athletes like bodybuilders and sprinters. Although I design training and nutritional programs for them, one of my special strengths of focus is how to help those who are "midgets of recovery" (the athletes who are especially prone to over training). One of the main factors in recovery from training is to increase glycogen in the muscle, increase protein synthesis, and decrease protein breakdown. And the way to do this is to get insulin high right after training. I recently did a series on this in Testosterone . The current recovery drink I'm working on is a special blend of glucose and glucose polymers, whey protein hydrolysates, BCAA, glutamine, and some other free form amino acids. This combo of ingredients (in specific ratios) is highly insulin releasing as well as very specific to the recovery of glycogen balance and protein balance. The best thing about this formula is that every person who works out, no matter the sport, can use it. It has only nutritive ingredients and no mysterious herbs or other compound. And it and targets physiological processes common to all activities. RW � Thanks so much for this informative interview John. Is there anything you would like to leave the readers with? JB � Remember, insulin sensitivity is a huge factor in maximizing recovery and making dramatic changes in body composition. Use the insulin index, glycemic index, and smart nutritional advice to take your physique and training to a higher level. In the end, however, although we really focused in on the insulin index and insulin sensitivity with this interview, I want readers to understand that in athletics and training, there are so many other factors that contribute to gains in performance on improved body comp. As my colleague Tom Incledon says, "The cells of the body are like a space ship being bombarded by meteors (hormones and nutrients)." The point is that no hormone or cellular system is independent. When we try to focus on any one thing, it's easy to lose sight of other important factors. So remember, after defining your goals, you need to come up with a plan of attack based only on your personal path. Don't follow someone else's plan to the letter or a generic plan that you read in a magazine. Individualize! RW � Thanks for your time, John. -------------- The best feeling in the world is the feeling you get after a tough set of squats after you step back from the power rack and throw up all over the floor.
DX14AG Posts: 1,055 Joined: 2004/07/22	2005/07/27, 04:26 PM That was a pretty darn good read. I didn't know about the Insulin Index. Never heard of it. I would have thought it was just a nickname for the glycemic Index. Spiking 2-3 times a day...hmm...that sounds very risky. I wonder if it works. I know it's best to do it after workout, but I wonder if it is effective if you spike before workout as well. I doubt it. Plus, I thought that in order for you to have a good insulin response with your post workout drink, you must eat nothing but fibrous low glycemic carbs or else you won't get that great insulin response that you strive for. Once again, this is a great read. DX
mmaibohm Posts: 1,621 Joined: 2003/09/30	2005/07/27, 07:18 PM I am diabetic and be glad your pancreases work lol. With having to take daily injections I suffered the weight gain! I also have to fight for every last bit of muscle or strength I gain but I am winning!
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2005/07/27, 10:11 PM we can discuss this one for a while, and then ill post the next article concerning carbohydrate timing. -------------- The best feeling in the world is the feeling you get after a tough set of squats after you step back from the power rack and throw up all over the floor.
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2005/07/28, 12:00 AM The Taming of Insulin How to make it work for you by Cy Willson Insulin's effects are the center of discussion around every dinner table in the world. Every man, woman and child knows about the importance of insulin and it's various roles. Why, moms even make sure to pack lunches containing the precise amounts of macros to provide a steady and stable insulin release so their little kiddies can focus and learn in school. Why, just last night, presidential candidate Al Gore promised that three billion tax dollars will be allocated to prevent the resistance to insulin in America! Okay, okay, maybe I'm exaggerating just a little! Maybe the general public doesn't view insulin sensitivity and the effects of insulin in the same light as we do. However, for bodybuilders, the above doesn't seem so far fetched. We know how important insulin is to us. We know it's one of the most important hormones in the body in terms of our bodybuilding efforts. Is it just as important as my own beloved hormone, Testosterone? Well, as much as I hate to say it, yes. The reason why insulin is so important is because it's so versatile. It's a hormone that must be manipulated, regardless of the person. Whether you have a hard time gaining muscle or dropping fat, insulin can be a very powerful friend or foe. For those trying to gain muscle mass, spiking insulin levels, while insulin sensitivity is high, can provide a tremendous amount of anti-catabolism in the presence of amino acids. This can, of course, lead to a large increase in muscle mass. This is also one of the reasons many pro bodybuilders use exogenous insulin. On the other hand, insulin resistance can cause a tremendous amount of fat storage. For someone trying to drop body fat, having muscle tissue that's very sensitive to insulin's effects can be very important. Otherwise, losing fat can be extremely difficult. Not only can insulin affect the "golden pair," i.e. muscle gain and fat loss, but it can also affect other hormones as well. It can affect just about every hormone there is, including Testosterone. So, what brings about insulin resistance? Well, one of the main contributing factors is the GI or glycemic index of a food. Chronic consumption of foods that have a high GI, and consequently cause a large release of insulin, will cause the insulin receptors to become less receptive to insulin. This is where you begin to run into problems, such as: increased hunger, an increased chance of coronary heart disease, decreased fat usage, increased aldosterone (the hormone that causes water retention), increased cortisol, decreased growth hormone, a deficiency of chromium, increased homocysteine levels (a risk factor for coronary artery disease), decreased IGF-1, increased SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin), and decreased Testosterone.(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10) AAAAY! No! To prevent all of these horrible things caused by insulin resistance, a diet consisting of low GI foods can decrease insulin resistance.(11) This is one reason why low carb diets are all the rage here lately. For a more complete review of the GI and some food listings, check out this site. In general, though, any type of carb that is highly processed has a terribly high GI. So, if it comes in a bag or a box, chances are, you should avoid it. Because of all the affects that insulin has on both fat loss and muscular gains (as well as health and hormones) I'm going to reveal to you the best ways to become and/or stay sensitive to insulin. First, we'll start with dietary manipulations, then supplements, and finally, we'll look at drugs. Diet: Put Down That Rice Cake, Fatty! Before we get started, I'd like to list the benefits of controlling glucose levels by eating low GI foods. It would be easy enough to assume that whatever insulin resistance may cause, insulin sensitivity would produce the opposite. The most interesting benefits would be increased IGF-1, increased Testosterone, increased fat utilization, and for you health crazed guys, decreased LDL, increased HDL levels, and even more important, increased Glutathione levels.(8,12,13,14,15,16) Glutathione is our body's own natural antioxidant. Very potent stuff! Okay now, let's get down to business! I know there are a lot of foods that can be classified as having a low GI. However, there are some sources of macronutrients that reign far superior to others in terms of how they affect insulin sensitivity. Fat We know that saturated fat and trans-fatty acids should be avoided as much as possible because of their detrimental effects on insulin sensitivity. The first type of fat that has beneficial effects beyond just slowing down the rate of digestion, is none other than monounsaturated fat. This particular fat has been shown to improve glucose metabolism and to lower LDL levels to a further extent when compared to polyunsaturated fat.(19,20) It was also shown to decrease insulin and blood pressure. Rich sources of monounsaturated fat include peanuts and pistachios. Now, don't jump to conclusions and say that I told you to stop consuming polyunsaturated fats rich in omega-6 fatty acids. They are indeed very important and we need them; however, this is the type of fat that most people typically consume large quantities of already and consequently increase their chances of becoming insulin resistant. You see, consuming this type of fat (in large quantities, for extended periods of time) is what can cause problems. It's still far better than saturated fats and trans-fatty acids, though. The last type of fat is also polyunsaturated, but instead, it's rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These are, by far, the most superior in terms of their direct effects on insulin sensitivity. Including this type of fat in your diet can prevent insulin resistance, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce insulin and glucose levels, and decrease protein degradation. (21,22,23,24,25) It's likely that omega-3's accomplish these feats by modifying the phospholipid components in the skeletal muscle membrane, possibly making it more permeable to glucose. Rich sources are fish oil, flax, and walnuts. When adding any of these fats to your diet, try to get in a minimum of 4-6 grams per meal. Carbohydrates When carbs are concerned, we must be very careful, as this is the macro that can have the most dramatic affect on our insulin levels and consequently, how "sensitive" to the effects of insulin our tissues remain. You probably know that sugars are usually the first thing you should avoid when trying to lower insulin resistance, but one sugar can actually benefit you when consumed in sane amounts. That's right, my favorite, fructose. It was shown to increase insulin sensitivity by 34% in diabetic patients.(26) It also has a lot of other benefits that I've already discussed in my article called The Forbidden Fruit. We all know that it's also important to consume insoluble fiber in order to slow digestion and thus lower the GI of our food. Common sources are oat bran, oatmeal, veggies, and certain fruits. However, soluble fibers can also provide some benefit to us as well. One such fiber would be guar gum. Taking 5-7 grams three times daily with meals can significantly reduce the rate at which glucose enters the bloodstream, thereby leading to a reduction of insulin levels and an increase in sensitivity. Protein In terms of what type of protein to consume, there really isn't any conclusive evidence that one type will significantly differ from another in terms of an insulin release. However, when trying to create a meal with an extremely low GI, it would make more sense to use something like casein that has a slower release of amino acids than something like whey (when used alone). This way you'll create a meal that allows for the most stable release of amino acids and glucose. Putting it all Together When trying to combine foods in order to create the lowest GI possible and create a steady environment for muscle growth, energy levels, and fat usage, consider the following: Try using a slow digesting protein, such as casein. Then, use a combination of fats like omega-3, omega-6, and monounsaturated sources, ideally at each meal. Lastly, if you want to use a sweetener, use fructose, along with some type of fiber like guar gum in order to slow digestion even further. As an interesting tidbit, what types of foods you consume can also have an affect on your endogenous Testosterone levels. In fact, it's been demonstrated that when glycemic control was improved in men, Testosterone and its metabolites increased to a significant degree.(12) It's also been shown that HDL levels have a positive effect on T-levels as well.(27) Therefore, increasing the type of fat that raises HDL the most (monounsaturated) would lead to an increase in Testosterone. Why is it so important to increase T-levels (aside from the usual reasons)? Well, it's been shown that low endogenous levels of Testosterone may play a role in the development of insulin resistance.(28) Are You Insulin Resistant? Since there have been a lot people asking me for tips on how they can tell if they're insulin resistant, I've come up with a few quick tests. Now, don't get me wrong here, these aren't by any means 100% accurate indicators of insulin sensitivity. They may, however, tell you if you're higher up the scale in terms of insulin resistance. It's been shown that insulin acts as a vasodilator, causing the blood vessels and vascular tissue to expand and relax.(29) So, it can be assumed that if you're insulin resistant to a significant degree, then your veins may not come to the surface very well after ingesting some type of carbohydrate. This is because the receptors aren't allowing insulin to dock. (Of course, if you're fat, you won't see too many veins anyway.) It's also known that a large increase in blood glucose levels will cause an increase in insulin as well. If muscle tissue is resistant to insulin, then the normal hypoglycemic "bonk" or blood glucose drop that causes drowsiness won't occur. Combining these two ideas together, I came up with this test: In the morning, before consuming anything else, take in some type of high GI food, like white bread or anything with a GI above 100. Then, for about the next 20 minutes to an hour, see how you respond. If you notice an increase in how pumped your muscles feel and your veins come to the surface, and you start to feel drowsy, then it's likely that your insulin sensitivity is high (and that's good.) If, however, these things don't occur, it's likely that you may at least be insulin resistant to a moderate degree. If you are, try the foods and tips above. Don't waste time. It's been shown that consuming a low GI meal can improve insulin sensitivity and lower triglyceride levels in only one day!(30) The Supplement Arsenal! Not only can the following compounds exert those awesome effects in manipulating insulin and insulin sensitivity, thereby increasing muscle mass and decreasing body fat, but some of them possess some pretty potent antioxidant properties. So, they're actually healthy for you too! Biotin While biotin may not be new to either you or your body (as your body already makes some), it has some pretty cool effects on insulin sensitivity, and consequently, on blood glucose levels and control. In a couple of studies, results indicated that biotin may have the ability to act directly on the insulin secreting function of the pancreatic beta cells, the ones that secrete insulin.(31,32) In one study, glucose metabolism was significantly improved, as was insulin sensitivity. These types of results were seen with dosages of around 9-16 milligrams per day. Vitamin E Good ol' vitamin E. It's been shown to be great for a number of things, especially its role as an antioxidant. However, in one study, ten healthy, human subjects and fifteen non-insulin dependent diabetics were given 1,350 IU per day for four months. In both healthy and diabetic subjects, vitamin E supplementation was shown to improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.(33) This is yet another reason to start taking vitamin E if you aren't already doing so. A dosage of around 800-1400 IU should be sufficient. Magnesium Yep, there's no limit to what magnesium can do. I make mine go to the clubs and pick me up some hot ladies, which saves me a lot of time! The problem here is that people aren't consuming enough in their diet or are supplementing with terribly absorbed forms, rather than aspartate or another Krebs cycle intermediate. Magnesium has some profound effects on insulin and glucose metabolism. In fact, it was found that insulin-mediated glucose disposal was decreased in normal human subjects with relatively low plasma magnesium levels.(34) It also improved glucose metabolism and when combined with vanadyl, it had a synergistic effect on improvement of both glycogen synthesis and insulin sensitivity.(35, 36) As far as dosages, take around 350-600 milligrams of the aspartate form per day, but make sure not to consume it with any calcium. Zinc Yep, not only does zinc play an integral part in sex hormone production, but it also plays many roles in insulin utilization, secretion, and synthesis. It was even shown to improve insulin levels in Type I and Type II diabetics.(39) Since it's just an overall important mineral, it should be supplemented into the diet at around 20-30 mg per day. Just make sure to get the aspartate form and never take it with a phytate-containing fiber, as it binds to the zinc and basically renders it useless. (By the way, if you're taking a quality ZMA supplement from a company like Twinlab, Biotest, or EAS, then you've got the zinc and magnesium thing covered. According to Victor Conte, the scientist who formulated the stuff, other companies such as Met-Rx, Designer Protein and Optimum Nutrition are not selling "authentic" ZMA and therefore, it may not be as bioavailable as the real stuff.) Potassium Potassium supplementation has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, responsiveness, and secretion.(37,38) While it's commonly found in foods, you could still benefit from some additional supplementation, just don't get crazy and get some prescription K+ salts. As far as dosages go, 1-2 grams is enough, since going overboard on K+ supplementation can be dangerous and can lead to some nasty and potentially deadly side effects. Alpha Lipoic Acid ALA has been shown to be both water and fat soluble, as well as having potent antioxidant effects. Furthermore, it's had some pretty astounding affects on both insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal.(40, 41) It's also unique in that it's been shown to increase glucose storage in muscle tissue, and not in adipose tissue. Therefore, it seems to increase sensitivity in muscle tissue only. Take around 600 mg per day in divided dosages. Taurine This amino acid is quite necessary for muscle tissue and has actually been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and lower the amounts of intra-abdominal adipose tissue.(42) That's the fat underneath your abs that some doctors call "heart attack fat." Not only this, but taurine possesses some anti-catabolic properties as well. I can't give exact dosages at this time, but around 2-6 grams should be sufficient. Vanadyl Sulfate While this mineral has been in some bodybuilders' cupboards for years because of it's "real world" effects on getting a pump, it's fallen by the wayside in the past few years. This is probably because of the "inconclusive" evidence as to whether it works or not. Although it was found recently that vanadyl doesn't modify the actions of insulin to stimulate glycogen synthesis, it does improve glucose utilization.(43) It was therefore concluded that vanadyl must act at other steps of insulin action, which would explain the lack of evidence for modifying glycogen storage. I'd say that if it works for you, keep using it. The dosage is around 30mg per day. The Flavonoids ? Epicatechin and Quercetin While these plant derived flavonoids may be somewhat familiar to some of you for their super potent antioxidant properties, they possess some powerful effects on insulin as well. First, epicatechin was found to have insulin-like activity, and also was found to reduce glucose levels in a similar fashion to the drug metformin!(44, 45) It was also shown to possess antihyperlipidemic properties in another study, meaning it reduces blood fats.(46) That's some potent stuff, but wait 'till you hear about quercetin! When islets of Langerhans (a type of tissue that partially composes the pancreas and secretes insulin and glucagon directly into the bloodstream) were exposed to either epicatechin or quercetin, insulin release was enhanced by approximately 44-70%!(47) Here's the best part, though. In one study, quercetin selectively inhibited the insulin stimulating effects on glucose transport, oxidation, and it's incorporation into lipids, decreasing lipogenesis by 50%!(48) In other words, it blocked lipogenesis (fat production) caused by insulin and insulin mimicking agents! Now that's impressive! As far as sources for these flavonoids, grape seed extract or bilberry at 800-2,000 mg per day, is rich in quercetin ? 300 mg of green tea extract per day contains enough epicatechin. On a side note, quercetin has been shown to bind at the estrogen receptor and may exert some estrogenic effects. So, you'll need to weigh the evidence yourself and decide whether it's for you. Momordica Charantia This fruit, otherwise known as bitter melon, contains a mixture of sterols that possess super potent hypoglycemic properties. In fact, it's more potent than the oral hypoglycemic drug, Tolbutamide.(49) In one study, after two hours of an oral glucose load of 75 grams, 86% of patients given the extract showed a hypoglycemic effect.(50) It was also shown to increase the rate of glycogen formation by 4-5 times. This was attributed to an increase in glucose utilization.(51, 52, 53) If you want to use it, take 1-3 150 mg capsules per day. References: 1. Roberts SB. "High-glycemic index foods, hunger, and obesity: is there a connection?" Nutr Rev. 2000 Jan;58(6):163-9 2. Lin S, et al. "A prospective study of dietary glycemic load, carbohydrate intake, and risk of coronary heart disease in U.S. women." Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Jun; 71(6):1455-61 3. Ludwig DS, et al. "High glycemic index foods, overeating, and obesity." Pediatrics 1999 Mar;103(3):E26 4. Goodfriend TL, et al. "Plasma aldosterone, plasma lipoproteins, obesity and insulin resistance in humans." Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1999 May-Jun;60(5-6):401-5 5. Lee ZS, et al. "Plasma insulin, growth hormone, cortisol, and central obesity among young Chinese type 2 diabetic pateints." Diabetes Care 1999 Sep;22(9):1450-7 6. Striffler JS, et al. "Overproduction of insulin in the chromium deficient rat." Metabolism 1999 Aug;48(8):1063-8 7. Bar-On H, et al. "Plasma total homocysteine levels in subjects with hyperinsulinemia." J Intern Med. 2000 Feb;247(2):287-94 8. Slagado LR, et al. 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wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2005/08/12, 07:46 PM http://www.glycemicindex.com/ click on database on the left hand side, and then put in the food and it gives you the glycemic index for that particular food. -------------- The best feeling in the world is the feeling you get after a tough set of squats after you step back from the power rack and throw up all over the floor.
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2005/08/12, 07:51 PM insulin index and article::: http://www.mendosa.com/insulin_index.htm -------------- The best feeling in the world is the feeling you get after a tough set of squats after you step back from the power rack and throw up all over the floor.
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2005/08/12, 08:15 PM I also posted an article called "The Satiety Index", in the diet forum. It's about how well certain foods satisfy our hunger. Kinda like when cutting weight for wrestling and dehydrating, you drink hot water instead of cold because it satietes your thirst better. http://freetrainers.com/FT/jsp/Message.jsp?f_ix=3&t_ix=2933
maxichaka Posts: 1 Joined: 2005/08/22	2005/08/22, 06:19 PM Hey guys, i think i need a personal trainer, i live a little bit far from you guys. If anyone here his intrested, i will oay him well, my email is chakamaxi@yahoo.com