TF7 Labs is finally coming to America! The UK based supplement company with unique product names and packaging has decided to finally cross the pond and release their line of supplements in America available both online and in retail stores across the nation.
Altus Premier Nutrition is unveiling it’s second product in it’s sports nutrition line REMAXX. REMAXX joins Altus’ pre-workout MAXX OUT as the second product under the line.
The brand that brought you our #1 rated pre-workout DVST8 White Cut is making another big splash on the scene with the announcement of two new intra-workout supplements, Inspired Nutraceuticals Endless.
In part III of our expert roundtable series, featuring Kris Gethin, Marc Lobliner, Mark Glazier and Ryback Reeves, we talk about a hot topic: steroids, social media and regrets.
In part II of our expert roundtable series, featuring Kris Gethin, Marc Lobliner, Mark Glazier and Ryback Reeves, we dive into the world of supplements and sports nutrition.
In part I of our Expert Roundtable you will get to know the participants a little more. We will ask them questions about their background and how they got involved in the industry. We will discuss their role models, and how they influenced them. Then we will finish by asking their opinion on the sport of bodybuilding.
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1547699936506{padding-bottom: 24px !important;}”]A simple Google search of “Apple Cider Vinegar” will bring up numerous articles talking about all the positive benefits of using this powerful liquid. While most of us will run out and buy a bottle of it after reading an article about the benefits of apple cider vinegar on CNN.com, many of us don’t really understand why we should buy it and use it. This is especially true in the world of bodybuilding and fitness.
If you take apple cider vinegar for the sole purpose because you’ve heard it is good for you, or you saw someone take it that’s fine, but you should seek a deeper understanding of the health benefits you obtain from this. For those of us in the world of bodybuilding, there is simple one major reason we should consume apple cider vinegar: it aids in building hard, lean muscle.
Before we get into the #1 benefit of apple cider vinegar in building muscle you should know a little bit more about apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is not a miracle liquid. You want to consume apple cider vinegar in conjunction with a healthy diet and training program. I would recommend if you are trying to build lean muscle to drink apple cider vinegar with our lean mass training program.
It’s important to know where apple cider vinegar comes from, what benefits we has humans derive from it, how to take it, how often we should take it and when we should take it.
Apple cider vinegar is not a miracle liquid that is going to allow you to pack on pounds of lean muscle without hard work in the gym and your kitchen. It is important we start with that because far too many times people will read claims about a supplement or a product and believe it is a miracle in a bottle. This is just simply not true. However, when used correctly and with a proper diet and training program, apple cider vinegar will help you build lean muscle.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]The biggest benefit to using apple cider vinegar when trying to build lean muscle is that apple cider vinegar has been medically proven to lower your blood sugar levels. According to WebMD, apple cider vinegar has an anti-glycemic effect by partially blocking the digestion of starches in your body. The digestion of starches in your body will raise your blood sugar levels. Apple cider vinegar’s ability to block part of that digestion process allows you to better control your blood sugar levels.
How does this help you build lean muscle? Spikes in blood sugar increases the body’s production of insulin to help absorb the glucose into the muscles and into fat storages. The glucose that isn’t absorbed into your muscles or burned as energy are then stored in these fat storages for use later (to be burned off as energy).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”3448″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1509583252760{padding-bottom: 24px !important;}”]According to the American Diabetes Association, consuming apple cider vinegar helps your body’s maintain insulin production levels by lowering glucose in the blood stream. The result is less glucose being stored in your fat storages to be burned later as an energy source (if you don’t use enough energy to burn these stores then it becomes fat). Consuming apple cider vinegar helps control blood sugar level spikes, and this can limit any fat gain from consuming carbohydrates and other starches.
Most people will take their apple cider vinegar like you’d take a shot of Jack Daniels. No mixing, nothing, just straight from a shot glass. If you do this you should stop. According to Yahoo! Health, you should stop taking shots of apple cider vinegar because it’s very acidic, and overtime it will eat away at your esophagus and eat away your tooth enamel. They recommend that you dilute one to two tablespoons in eight ounces of water.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]If you are looking for an all-natural fat burner then I would suggest consuming apple cider vinegar the way I do. I mix one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in six ounces of Suja Green Juice. You can get a big container of this at your local Costco, or you can buy the smaller ones at target. The acid from the apple cider vinegar mixes with the acidity of the vegetables in the juice and creates a natural thermogenic in your body. This thermogenic effect raises your body temperature and burns more fat. Another way to build lean muscle mass.
Overall, you should mix it with something. The taste is not great. It is very acidic so you can get that “burning” feeling when you drink it. Even when you mix it my suggestion is drink it quickly so you don’t have to taste it much. Trust me, the poor taste is worth the benefit.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”3449″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]
This is a big debate. Some people say you should consume apple cider vinegar in the mornings. Other people say you should do it before every meal. There really is no one proven method that works better than others. However, if you have been reading this article, you understand the benefit apple cider vinegar has on blocking our body’s ability to break down and digest starches.
If your goal is to avoid blood sugar level spikes, and this insulin level spikes then you should consume your apple cider vinegar with high starch meals. I suggest after you are done eating.
By taking the apple cider vinegar along with high starch meals you are aiding your body in the utilizing the number one benefit of apple cider vinegar, controlling your blood sugar levels. I would recommend doing this with every high starch meal you consume. Your body will digest a portion of the starches, the insulin will transport the glucose to your cells and muscles where needed and limit the amount going into fat storage. This will in turn allow you to still build lean muscle, without increasing any unwanted body fat.
Apple cider vinegar provides many health benefits. The number one benefit to those who are looking to build lean muscle is the ability apple cider vinegar has to control your body’s blood sugar levels. By consistently keeping your blood sugar levels around a healthy level you are limiting the amount of glucose being transported into fat storage by insulin. You are able to use the glucose you need for energy and muscle growth, without getting the unwanted fat gain.
You should consume apple cider vinegar with every high starch meal. Apple cider vinegar helps block the digestion of a portion of the starches you consume. Starchy foods raise your blood sugar levels. By limiting the digestion of those foods you are also limiting the rise in your blood sugar levels.
Lastly, you should always mix apple cider vinegar with another liquid and never take it straight. Taking it straight can eat away at your esophagus and your tooth enamel. By mixing it with a healthy greens beverage you turn it into a natural thermogenic thus increasing fat loss and metabolism.
Apple cider vinegar can be purchased at many stores and online by clicking here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1547700012450{padding-bottom: 24px !important;}”]Proprietary blends have ruled the sports nutrition industry for a long time. Supplement manufactures were able to use this kind of labeling due to the end-consumer being uneducated in the world of supplements. There has been a mind-shift in the consumer; however, over the past several of years to being more aware of what they are putting inside of their bodies. This mind-shift is forcing supplement companies to re-think their labeling techniques and moving them into a world of full disclosure. The question many consumers have is why did it take this long for manufactures to change their methods?
It is important to know what a proprietary blend is and why the supplement companies used them. We will discuss the many facets of a proprietary blend, including what they are, why they are used and who they benefit. We are also going to look at three popular supplements that use a proprietary blend and explain why you should demand full disclosed labels.
Before we jump into the details of proprietary blends, it is important to note that there are supplement companies out there that have been using full disclosure labels for years, some even since their beginning. Companies like NutraBio have been using full disclosure labels since 2001. They are one of the few companies who are actually sending their sales force out into the market to educate the consumer and the sales staff at supplement stores like GNC. You will see a lot of positive reviews on NutraBio on our website due to their full transparency. We are big fans of full transparency.
I will be the first to admit that when I started using supplements back in 2010 I did not know what a proprietary blend was. In fact, I didn’t even know that term existed. I would do as many of you do: read reviews on websites like BodyBuilding.com and make my decision based on that. Since being a part of the sports nutrition industry I have educated myself on the difference between proprietary blends and fully disclosed supplements. As the consumer, you need to know what you are putting inside your body. It’s the safe thing to do. It’s the smart thing to do. So why are we still spending billions of dollars on proprietary bends? It’s because we don’t know any better, and we don’t take the time to educate ourselves.
We will continue to review proprietary blends on Fitness Informant. I will admit, I have personally reviewed many supplements on this website that use a proprietary blend. I have actually given many supplements a positive review that use proprietary blends. It’s true that some proprietary blend supplements work and are very effective. However, when we review the profile or dosage we can never give it a big score because the fact is we are unsure. That brings us to our definition of what exactly is a proprietary blend…
A proprietary blend is a method supplement companies use in labeling their products. Imagine you have a cup of sugar, flour and salt all mixed together. However, you are not sure how much salt, sugar or flour you have in the cup. Do you have 1/2 cup of flour, 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of salt? You can’t tell and you never will unless you pay for a test to determine the cup’s content. All three ingredients are the same color, and they “blend” well together. I wanted to use this simple example for you to start thinking about proprietary blends.
Now take this same idea and apply it to supplements. Supplement companies like to “stack” ingredients together and throw it on a label as one big blend. To the consumer it appears like you are getting a whole lot of 10+ different ingredients, and you just assume you are getting one packed product. Think again. But why do companies do this? Because we don’t know any better.
There are several reasons why supplement companies use proprietary blends. The majority of reasons supplement companies use proprietary blends are to save themselves money during product so they can turn a big profit when they sell the supplements. There is one reason, however, that a supplement company may use a proprietary blend that we can understand is a legitimate reason why. Let us explain four of these reasons now.
Ask yourself this question: how many times have you bought a supplement because the company touted they used a certain ingredient in the product? I bet many of you have. Here’s one ingredient that many people bought products based on it’s inclusion in products: DMAA. Let’s use the DMAA ingredient as an example of how proprietary blends work in the supplement company’s favor due to marketing. Let’s call this supplement company ABC Supplements.
ABC Supplements just released a new pre-workout called “Cutting Edge Pre-Workout.” Their package design is a bright orange color that stands out on any shelf. On the front of the pre-workout it has in a big starburst “DMAA Enhanced Pre-Workout.” Right away you are thinking that this product must kick-ass because it is DMAA enhanced. You grab the product from the shelf, turn it around and look at the label. The label has three different blends: NO Boosting Blend, Laser Focus Blend and Maximum Energy Blend. Now you’re thinking that this is the best pre-workout on the planet that you are getting all three facets that a pre-workout must provide. TAKE MY MONEY!
The NO Boosting Blend contains 2,100mg of seven different ingredients, none of which you even know what they do. You’ve seen these ingredients used on other supplements so you “know” that this is legit. Ingredients such as L-Cittruline, Agmatine and Theobromine.
The Laser Focus Blend contains 400mg of five ingredients. Again, many of these you’ve seen listed on other supplements before, but none of which you know what they do. Ingredients such as Caffeine, Theanine and N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine.
Now we’re on to the “Maximum Energy Complex.” You see 1.3 Dimethylamylamine listed on the label. This is DMAA. You also see other ingredients such as 3.7-dimethyl-1h-purine-2 6-dione (another form of Theobromie), Glucuronolactone (used a lot in energy drinks) and other names you cannot pronounce. These are scientific names so you think to yourself that this product is awesome. But your eyes are locked on the DMAA. This blend comes in at 1,500mg and includes 12 ingredients. WOW! You see that big number and you automatically associate it with DMAA and think all other 11 ingredients are just an extra addition, one of which is Dextrose (more on this in the section below). It says on the package DMAA Enhanced. All of these signals tricks your brain into thinking that this product is stacked. Therefore, you take this product to the counter and pay whatever the sticker price is. But how do you know how much of each ingredient you need?
Some ingredients cost a lot of money. Supplement company’s can include extremely small amounts of these expensive ingredients and toss it on the label to “trick” the consumer. Let’s go back to our previous example of ABC Supplements’ “Cutting Edge Pre-Workout.”
The consumer purchased this pre-workout based on the fact that they wanted a “DMAA Enhanced” pre-workout. There is nothing wrong with DMAA (in our opinion). In fact, many DMAA based products work extremely well. Blackstone Labs used to make a DMAA based pre-workout called “Dust Extreme.” That product contained 75mg of DMAA. In the example above, the proprietary blend has 1,500mg. It seems feasible that 75mg of 1,500mg could be DMAA. But how would you ever know?
ABC Supplements is in the profit-making business. They don’t want to spend a lot of money making the product. They want to spend their money on packaging and social media ads. So they decide to include 10mg of DMAA per serving, but they do not disclose this. This means that ABC Supplements essentially just drops a little bit of DMAA per serving when they created this mix. I know you’re thinking to yourself that a supplement company wouldn’t do this…you’re dead wrong. They do…and they do it all the time.
The next time you buy a proprietary blend product just look at your label. Do a quick Google search on some of the ingredients. You can find the proper dosage needed for many ingredients this way. Then start adding them up and compare your number to the number the supplement company uses in their blend. It’s eye opening.
Using cheap fillers is directly tied into underdosing quality ingredients. Let’s re-visit our example of ABC Supplements’ “Cutting Edge Pre-Workout.” Specifically let’s look at the “Maximum Energy” complex which was 1,500mg of 12 ingredients which included DMAA and Dextrose.
Dextrose is a cheap carbohydrate. You can buy five pounds of Dextrose for around $20 as a consumer, now imagine what the manufacture pays. ABC Supplements does not disclose how much of these 12 ingredients that they are using in this “blend.” So they could essentially use 1,400mg of Dextrose, 10mg of DMAA and 90mg of all other 10 ingredients, but as the consumer you don’t know this and you think you are getting a heck of of product! They are able to underdose on an ingredient like DMAA and then use a cheap filler like Dextrose and then charge the consumer $40-$50 for 20-servings of this. You buy in. They cash out.
As a company, through trial and error, you discover an amazing combination of ingredients that provides excellent results that no other supplement provides you would want to protect that from copy cats. The sports nutrition industry is full of copy cats. If a product proves to be effective there will be 10+ other companies lining up to copy your formula. If you are a fully disclosed product then copying this is easy. If you use a blend it makes it a lot more difficult for companies to copy you.
This is a “legitimate” reason to use a proprietary blend. It’s essentially similar to having a patent on a product. However, although you have a protected formula through a proprietary blend, other companies can easily find out what is in each serving.
Third-party companies could copy your formula by trial and error or using a third-party test. So it is not fool proof. Although this is a “legitimate” reason to use a proprietary blend, we don’t feel it is enough of an excuse to use one due to the fact that you can get it tested and find out the breakdown anyways. So you really are not protecting your product from copy cats, are you?
Many companies will claim that this is the reason they are using a proprietary blend. I wish that was true. However, 99.9% of companies do not actually have a formula they are protecting and even if they did other companies can find out what is in it through testing. Most supplement companies are using proprietary blends due to a combination of reasons 1-3 above.
We understand that our made-up product above might not seem realistic. We are going to look at three different products that use proprietary blends and break them down for you.
360 Cut PRE uses two different blends in this pre-workout: 360Energy & Pump Blend and 360Muscle Power & BCAA Blend.
Let’s break down both blends in terms of dosage and ingredients to “expose” this supplement for you.
360Energy & Pump Blend – 5,540mg
Creatine Monohydrate, L-Tyrosine, Caffeine Anhydrous, Glucuronolactone, L-Citrulline, L-Carnitine, L-Carnitine Tartrate, Magnesium Creatine Chelate, L-Glutathione, Adenosine 5′ Triphosphate Disodium, Beet Root Extract[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”3441″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1509582533083{padding-bottom: 24px !important;}”]The 360Energy & Pump Blend uses 11 ingredients to make up the 5,540mg. Supplement companies like to use milligrams because it’s typically how we see ingredients broke down, but also because they can use a large number in the thousands. It makes your mind work. Let’s put 5,540mg into grams: 5.54g.
The first ingredient listed in creatine monohydrate. Studies have shown, consistently, that 5g of creatine monohydrate is effective for supplementation. If this was properly dosed that would mean that there is 540mg left to spread across 10 ingredients. So we can safely assume that it is underdosed on creatine monohydrate (plus this is a cheap ingredient).
Let’s look at the second ingredient: L-Tyrosine. This ingredient is an amino acid used in a lot of pre-workouts. If you look at the proper dosage of this ingredient studies show that you should consume 100-150mg per kg of bodyweight. If you are 200lbs that means you are 90kg which means you need about 9,000mg of L-Tryrosine to be effective. This is 9g. You know that this pre-workout does not contain that.
L-Cittruline should be dosed anywhere from 3-6g per serving. L-Carnitine, to be effective, should be at least 1,500-3,000 per serving. I think the writing is on the wall here.
360Energy & Pump Blend – 5,225mg
L-Taurine, L-Alanine, Potassium Phosphate, Di Magnesium Malate, L-Valine, L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, L-Glutamine
We start with L-Taurine, which a proper dosage of this is 500-2,000mg. That takes quite the big chunk out of this “blend” right away.
The main area of focus on this blend is the BCAA portion of it. Studies have shown that a 2:1:1 ratio is the best. So that would be two parts L-Leucine to one part L-Valine and L-Isoleucine. If this product had 2g of L-Leucine that would then mean there is 1g of each L-Valine and L-Isoleucine which is a total of 4g. We can make the determination that this product does not contain much BCAAs.
Then there is Glutamine. Glutamine speeds up recovery. A typical dosage of L-Gluatamine is 5g. Are you with me here? I think you get the idea that this product is underdosed in many ingredients. Even the cheap ingredients like L-Gluatmine.
APE uses one blend: APE Pro-Testosterone/Anti-Estrogen Complex Blend containing seven different ingredients (one of them being Black Pepper Extract which helps with absorption).
APE Pro-Testosterone/Anti-Estrogen Complex Blend – 1,305mg
GlycoCarn® (Glycine Propionyl-L-Carnitine Hydrochloride), TestoSurge (Fenugreek Extract 80% Glycosides) (Trigonella Foenum Graecum) (Seed), Maca Extract 4:1 (Lipidium Meyenii) (Root), Indole-3 Carbinol, EuryGold (Std. To 28% Glycosaponins, 20% Polysaccharides) (Eurycoma Longifolia) (Root), Bioperine® (Black Pepper Extract) (Std. To 95% Piperine) (Piper Nigrum) (Fruit)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”3442″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1509582643403{padding-bottom: 24px !important;}”]First, know that 1,305mg is only 1.3g of this product. This is based on two capsules. The first ingredient, Glycine Propionyl-L-Carnitine Hydrochloride, has shown to increase natural testosterone levels. However, studies indicate that these results were based on supplementing with 2g of this. Sure, if you take one serving 2x per day you could essentially get 2g but then you’d be left with 610mg of the other ingredients.
Another popular testosterone boosting ingredient used in APE is Maca Root. Maca is typically supplemented at 1,500-3,000mg per day to be effective. If you included this at a proper dosage plus the Glycine Propionyl-L-Carnitine Hydrochloride you are already over the serving size dosage.
The same can be said for Fenugreek. This is used in a lot of testosterone boosters. Proper dosage of Fenugreen is 500-600mg per day for effectiveness in increasing your body’s natural test levels. The conclusion we can make is that APE is really underdosed to be an effective testosterone boosting supplement.
BSN’s Syntha-6 Protein is one of the most popular proteins on the market today. It is rated 9.2 out of 10 at BodyBuilding.com based on an astounding 3,996 reviews! Believe it or not, protein powders can use “blends” as well. In Synth-6’s case, it uses a “matrix” aka blend.
This is important to note in proteins because certain types of proteins can be expensive to make if you’re the manufacture. This protein retails for $50 for five pounds, typically of a protein powder.
Protein Matrix – 22g
Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Micellar Casein, Milk Protein Isolate, Egg Albumin, and Glutamine Peptides
BSN will tell you that they use these different protein sources for different absorptions rates (fast digesting and slow digesting proteins). That is a legitimate excuse, but it would also be legitimate if they told us how much of each we are getting. Take a look at MHP Super Whey Protein Plus, it has a protein complex containing three sources of protein that equal 25g. They go one-step further and tell us that out of that 25g you are getting 12g from whey protein hydrolysate, 8g from whey protein isolate and 5g from whey protein concentrate.
You may recall in the beginning of this article we talked about full disclosure labels. This is the trend that many companies are going because the consumer is demanding it. Full disclosure is exactly how it sounds, each ingredient is listed on the label along with the dosage of each ingredient. This does not mean that each fully disclosed supplement is properly dosed. In fact, many of them are still underdosed, but it takes the guessing out of the game. You know exactly what you are getting per serving. This is responsibility on the part of the supplement company and the consumer. Let’s take a look at a case study to show you the difference.
NutraBio has been doing fully disclosed labels since 2001 (they initially did propriety blends until they realized that it was not benefiting the consumer). You may have seen many positive reviews from us on this company. In fact, it is one of our top brands. We are fans of NutraBio because of their use of high quality ingredients at proper dosages. How do we know? They list them out on their label.
PRE Extreme contains seven “matrix” in their pre-workout but each one is broken down to the individual ingredient. For the purpose of this case study we will look at two of the seven.
ATP Power, Strength & Recovery Complex – 9g
L-Leucine (fermented natural, HPLC) – 3.5g
Betaine Anhydrous (trimethylgycine, HPCL) – 2.5g
PharmaPure Creatine Monohydrate – 2g
Creatine HCI – 1g
You can look at this and see that these four ingredients equal of 9g. You may recall that we talked about Creatine Monohydrate earlier and that an effective dosage is 5g. PRE-Extreme contains 2g. So you know that it is not the proper dosage of Monohydrate, but you also get 1g of Creatine HCI, which studies show you don’t need a full 5g to be effective. Even if this was underdosed in areas, you would know.
Focus & Drive Stimulation Complex – 1.9g
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine (HPLC) (NATL) – 1.2g
Caffeine – 350mg
– Caffeine Anhydrous (HPLC) – 250mg
– Infinergy (as 133mg di-caffeine malate yielding 100mg of caffeine) – 100mg
TheaPure L-Theanine (HPLC) – 300mg
N-Methyl Tyramine (HPLC) – 50mg
Hordenine HCI (HPLC) – 50mg
Yohimbe HCI – 4mg
Huperzine A (HPCL) (as huerzia serrata leaf standardized extract) – 100mcg
NutraBio discloses the exact dosage of each ingredient in this complex. They also go one-step further. They disclose where some of the sources came from. Take Infinergy for example. They break it down as far as saying that 133mg actually yields 100mg of caffeine. You don’t find this everywhere. NutraBio does it right.
The point of this article is not to tell you that proprietary blends are not effective supplements. The point is that as the end-consumer you should demand fully disclosed labels. You should want to know everything you put inside your body. You’ve earned that right.
As mentioned earlier, we will continue to test and review proprietary blended supplements. Some of them may score very well overall. However, the profile and dosage ratings will always take a hit since we cannot accurately tell how much of each ingredient is being used.
At the end of the day it is your money. You spend it how you want. Our job is to help educate you on the supplements so that when you spend your hard-earned money you are buying something that works. The chances are very high that a fully disclosed product will always rate higher than a proprietary blend. Why? Well if you are a fully disclosed product you want to dose the product very close to the clinical dosage or accepted dosage because anyone can research any particular ingredient you use.
If you have any questions regarding proprietary blends or fully disclosed supplements please leave a comment in the comment section below. We would love to help![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1509581943886{padding-bottom: 24px !important;}”]Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. They help repair damaged tissue and transport nutrients to your muscles. Amino acids also play a large role in other bodily function like metabolism. There are 20 different amino acids. These 20 amino acids are broken into two categories: non-essential amino acids and essential amino acids (EAA’s). It is important to understand the difference between the two before we dive into the difference between branched chain amino acids (BCAA’s) and essential amino acids.
Non-essential amino acids are amino acids that our human bodies can produce. These are: alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine and tyrosine. Most humans are not deficient in these areas. That is because your body produces them. You can also find non-essential amino acids in the food we eat. Rarely do you need to supplement with non-essential amino acids but more and more people in the fitness community are. Unless you have a deficiency you should be able to get by without supplementing with outside sources.
Essential amino acids are the exact opposite of non-essential amino acids. These are amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the human body (meaning our bodies cannot produce these so we have to obtain them from outside sources). These are: arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
It is important that our bodies receive the proper amounts of EAA’s each day to prevent muscle breakdown. Our bodies do not store EAA’s for future use (as we do with fats, starches, etc). Failure to consumer proper amounts of EAA’s daily can have a negative impact on your gains.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]Essential amino acids serve many functions in the human body when it comes to muscle growth. EAA’s are required to build new muscle tissue (growth). EAA’s also help repair cells during the recovery process. Failure to obtain enough EAA’s in your diet can result in muscle breakdown.
The sports nutrition and fitness industry has opened the doors on EAA’s supplements. They seen a need for these supplements, specifically with the heavy lifting community. Those of us who like to lift heavy to gain size need adequate amounts of EAA’s. Most of us don’t supplement with EAA’s. We rely on our food intake to do the job.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”3435″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1509581612967{padding-bottom: 24px !important;}”]If your goal is to increase size, then it is important that you make sure you get enough EAA’s in your diet. You can get EAA’s from food sources like chicken, turkey, venison, elk, eggs, spinach and protein powders. If you believe your diet is healthy and you’re consuming enough of these food sources (proteins), then you should not have to supplement with EAA’s. However, if you need more EAA’s in your diets then try one of these three EAA’s products out prior to your workouts:[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” centered_text=”true” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”3425″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][vc_column_text]
Universal Nutrition Juiced Aminos
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” centered_text=”true” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”3436″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][vc_column_text]Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” centered_text=”true” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”3437″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][vc_column_text]Prime Nutrition EAAs
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1509581959389{padding-bottom: 24px !important;}”]Branched chain amino acids are different from non-essential amino acids. Why? Because BCAA’s are EAA’s. Confused? Don’t be. BCAA’s are three of the ten EAA’s. The three BCAA’s are leucine, isoleucine and valine. They are known as branched chain amino acids because of their structure: they are branched chain.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]Branched chain amino acids play a vital part in muscle recovery and protein synthesis. BCAA’s are required for maintaining muscle tissue. Proper intake of BCAA’s can also help prevent muscle soreness, prevent delayed onset muscle soreness, preserve your muscle glycogen levels and prevents muscle protein breakdown during exercise. BCAA’s can also increase the nitrogen levels in your muscles which minimizes the loss of muscle tissue. Failure to obtain enough BCAA’s in your diet can result in muscle breakdown and loss of gains.
Branched chain amino acids are abundant in the sports nutrition and fitness industry. Typically, you will get a higher concentration of BCAA’s when you buy a BCAA product versus the BCAA’s you will get in an EAA product. EAA’s contain BCAA’s but not as high of a concentration. A widely accepted ratio of BCCA’s is a 2:1:1 ratio. More and more supplement companies are experiencing with varying ratios of BCAA due to the positive effects of leucine.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”3438″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1509581986998{padding-bottom: 24px !important;}”]Leucine is the primary BCAA responsible for muscle building. Think of your car. You need keys to get your car to start. Now think of leucine as the keys and the engine as protein synthesis. Leucine is the activator of protein synthesis. Most studies suggest you should take 5g of BCAA’s at the 2:1:1 ratio post-workout.
Branched chain amino acids should be used by anyone that is serious in the fitness industry. Yes, you can get BCAA’s from protein shakes and food sources like meats but most of us need to consume the BCAA’s right around workout time. It is not always the easiest to cook a steak up post-workout as we are always on the go. We suggest that you use one of these three BCAA’s products intra and/or post-workout to increase gains:[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” centered_text=”true” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”3142″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][vc_column_text]
NutraBio Intra Blast
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” centered_text=”true” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”3145″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][vc_column_text]Metabolic Nutrition TRI-PEP
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” centered_text=”true” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”3143″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][vc_column_text]Pitbull Labs BCAA
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]Branched chain amino acids are essential amino acids. Meaning they cannot be produced by the human body. Higher amounts of BCAA’s are required during workouts and after workouts to speed up muscle recovery, reduce fatigue and reduce muscle soreness, thus increasing your muscle growth.
Essential amino acids do contain BCAA’s but in lower quantities. These should be consumed pre-workout. You can see our amino acid reviews guide here for our top product picks. EAA’s aid in the growth of new muscle tissue. EAA’s are found in food and typically we consume adequate amounts on the daily basis, unless we are intense, heavy lifters.
Finally, it is important that everyone’s body and everyone’s diets are different. If you think you might need to supplement with EAA’s or BCAA’s I encourage you to try them. They are not harmful. The majority of the products on the market today are good tasting and can be used throughout the day. It is all trial and error with any supplement. Put EAA’s and BCAA’s to the test and see if you notice any positive differences in your muscles.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1509580974318{padding-bottom: 24px !important;}”]As good as it feels to get to the gym every day, recovery days are needed. Off days actually are essential to maximizing your training results.
Time away from protein is not.
Protein is a nutrient primarily responsible for muscle repair and growth. Protein builds muscle. It’s not rocket science.
What can feel like a confusing equation is figuring out what to be eating, and when to be eating it, to optimize protein consumption throughout your day.
For most people, it is recommended to take your body weight and multiply it by .5. That result is the minimum amount in grams of protein you should aim for each day (150 pound person, 75 grams of protein, etc.). You can use protein calculators on various websites and enter your activity levels (sedentary or active job) and goals (fat loss, maintaining, muscle gain) to spit out a target number for you individually. That number should not vary whether you’re on a training day or an off day in the gym.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1/2″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”3430″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1509581082771{padding-bottom: 24px !important;padding-left: 40px !important;}”]Here are just some top proteins to include in your diet:
Grass-fed beef – 19 grams protein (3 ounces)
Organic chicken breast – 36 grams (4 ounces)
Black beans – 15 grams (1 cup)
Free-range eggs – 7 grams (1 large egg)
Almonds – 6 grams (1 ounce)
Cottage cheese – 27 grams (1 cup)
Non-fat greek yogurt – 17 grams (6 ounces)[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1509581098375{padding-bottom: 24px !important;}”]
Be consistent with your protein packing – even when you’re not pushing weight in the gym.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1/2″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Now, the when to consume your protein is another question. It really depends on your body and what type of protein you’re consuming. Whey protein (what many of us put in a protein shake before or after a workout) is absorbed by the body in about 8 grams per hour. Soy protein is closer to 4 grams per hour, while a cooked egg is closer to 3 grams per hour.
The body can only digest and absorb so many grams of protein at a time. The precise amount of what that number is will vary from person to person. Some studies say 30 grams per meal, some say 50 grams, but what is universally accepted as fact: a professional football player and a gymnast are not going to react the same to the same diet. That seems pretty common sense, but there really is not magic formula.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1/2″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”3431″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1/3″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”3432″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”2/3″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]In general, if building muscles is your goal, spreading your protein intake out among all your meals will be much more effective than trying to get the entire day’s allotment in two huge meals. Altering this plan on training days isn’t necessarily recommended either. Your body likes consistency. The exception to this is your post workout protein powder shake (or protein-heavy meal) on a training day. Make sure to check out our 5 best protein powder picks for 2018.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]
If you’re not eating enough protein, your body (and mind) will probably let you know sooner than you think.
Eating too little protein each day can result in a number of symptoms, including a few obvious ones: trouble building muscle mass, low energy levels and bone or joint pain.
There are studies that also show the following as side effects to protein deficiency:
Without an adequate supply of protein, your body won’t support muscle growth properly. You won’t reach your goals. Consumer proper amounts of protein based on your body type and your goal. From protein bars (click here to see our top recommendations) to beef, You will achieve more than you think.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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The content on Fitness Informant® is for information purposes only. By delivering the information contained herein is does not mean preventing, diagnosing, mitigating, treating or curing any type of medical condition or disease. When beginning any natural supplementation regiment or integrative treatment, the advice of professionally licensed healthcare providers is advisable to seek.
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