Supplements For Everyone

1.PROTEIN POWDERS: Everyone in my opinion can benefit by using a protein powder. The things that surprise me the most is the amount of people that (it usually is the ladies that think this.) they will BULK up or Protein builds muscle and the more muscle we have the more fat we burn. It’s as simple as this, the human body will actually burn more calories from fat just to absorb and breakdown protein, so we are constantly burning fat, Not only that but muscle actually takes up 4 times LESS room on the human body than what fat does. FOOD, over POWDERS? Of course protein from food sources is crucial; however research shows us that the amount of protein and the rate at which it is absorbed within 30 minutes after training will actually determine the amount of growth and recovery of our muscles for the next 48 hours. So it is crucial to use a fast releasing protein within 30 minutes after our workouts (cardio or weight training) to get the best out of our training and supplements. One of the best tips is that make sure to also use a slow releasing protein with some essential fats right before bed time. Remember this, every two and a half to three hours the human body will start breaking down muscle as we starve it of protein, you DON”T want to do this. As this could potentially be six to eight hours of muscle breakdown and when muscle breaks down I promise you fat cells will increase in size. So we can help our muscles recover and burn fat at the same time.
Summary - Whey Protein: has the highest bioavailability (best absorption and digestion by the body) of any form of protein, including whole food protein,  Whey protein comes in several different forms. What differs between them is the ease and speed of digestion. It is very important to get the correct protein for the correct time of day, nutrient timing is crucial for effective results.

Whey protein concentrate – The largest of all whey protein molecules, generally takes between 3-4 hours for your body to break it down enough that it can be absorbed into the blood stream. This protein is best for use during the day, preferably in a blend with the following two types.
Whey protein isolate – Smaller molecule than the concentrate, digestion speed is approximately 30mins to 1 hour. Best usage is within a blended protein during the day.

Hydrolysed Whey – The fastest digesting protein, with the amino acids being absorbed in anywhere from 5mins to 15mins depending on the percentage of hydrolysis. To make hydrolysed whey, they use a technique which partially digests the protein without denaturing the amino acids (hence the term pre-digested), this accounts for the rapid absorption. This type of protein is best used immediately after exercise.

Soy Protein -  would be a good choice for those people who are allergic to dairy but not my chosen protein has its very hard to digest.
- Those that are lactose intolerant can still use a whey protein, as many are now lactose free.
- Soy has a lower bioavailability than whey
- Soy can contain natural phytoestrogens (plant estrogens).
- Soy Protein Powders are usually only available in an isolated form.

Casein: Casein protein is a very slowly digesting protein, with a very large molecule size. Casein also comes in several different digesting speeds, with micellar casein being the slowest digesting. It can take up to 8 hours to digest. The benefit of having amino acids travelling to your muscles while sleeping (normally a catabolic state) cannot be under-rated.
Normally casein is available in a blended protein with the fast and slower digesting whey proteins used for a bed time protein or during the day meal.

2. GLUTAMINE: This is one supplement that I feel everybody on the entire planet should be using. Every single time we put our bodies under physical or mental stress (that’s all the time isn’t it J) our body releases a nasty little stress hormone called cortisol. Imagine Pacman eating up the little dots in the video game, well this is what cortisol does to our Glutamine stores. Glutamine is an Amino acid (building block of muscle) that makes up nearly 65% of out muscle tissue. Here is what happens, when we are under stress cortisol will start snacking on Glutamine and once the muscles storage of Glutamine are depleted cortisol will then start breaking down Glutamine from every vital organ in our bodies including the Kidneys, gall bladder, intestinal tract, lungs and our entire intestinal tract. Our Brain and our lungs actually use Glutamine to remove waste product (nasty toxins) called ammonia away from our bodies which in turn also helps our memory. If these organs are affected by the loss of Glutamine then it’s very easy to see that our immune system will be affected so by keep Glutamine stores up we will also starve off colds and flues. More great research shows that Glutamine allows a little lobe at the base of the brain called the pituitary gland to release the most important hormone for burning fat and building lean muscle, Growth Hormone.
Summary - Glutamine is your body’s most abundant amino acid, found naturally in all proteins. It makes up approximately 60% of your muscle tissue, it makes up the lining of your digestive tract, is used to make glutathionine (a potent anti-oxidant), used for liver health, immune function, glycogen storage, brain function – the list goes on.
- Second most important supplement for anyone who trains!! Incredibly important when dieting and training for competition.
- In order to keep our bodies recovering and growing and to prevent it from breaking down, we need at least an extra 10 grams per day. 5g should be in your post workout shake, with the other 5g being taken either first thing in the morning or before bed.
- Reduce muscle breakdown, lactic acid build up, delayed onset muscle soreness and immune system failure with glutamine!!

3. E.F.A’S: Essential fatty Acids such as Fish oil and Flaxseed oils are an absolute must for everybody and again even children will benefit from their use. Essential fatty acids from fish oils and flax seed contain Omega 3, 6 and 9 and all of them perform so many functions in the Human body. Just some of the benefits are lubrication and anti inflammatory for our joints, lowering cholesterol, lower blood pressure, increase testosterone levels in males, maintain and balance out oestrogen levels in woman, helps increase brain cognition which helps with memory, vision, concentration and most importantly essential fatty acids like flax and salmon oil helps us burn body fat at an alarming rate by helping the human body to shut down “Lipogenic” genes, these are genes in the body that actually make us store fat. Earlier I mentioned that essential fats are good taken with Protein before bed, the reason is because oils hold onto nitrogen (proteins) and therefore allowing amino acids to be used longer in our bodies to reap their benefits.

4. MULTI VITAMINS : Now here is a Pandora’s Box of the supplement world. It completely astounds me the number of people that neglect a multi vitamin. The ingredients in Multi Vitamins perform over 10 thousand functions in the human body; the following are just a few, B Vitamins are essential for stimulating the central nervous system, allowing every macronutrient like proteins, fats and carbohydrates to be broken down and therefore allowing us to absorb our nutrients properly. Not to mention energy production. Vitamin C is essential for the immune system and one of my personal favourites for smokers as it helps to cleanse the blood stream and plays a huge role in the rebuilding process of collagen. I like to refer to Vitamin C as the Nicotine Scrub brush. Zinc and Magnesium will be found in any Vitamin worth its salt, as they are both crucial. Zinc is critical in the proper production of testosterone and allowing the body to repair cell damage. Without Magnesium our muscles wouldn’t relax and contract properly, which would make life very difficult to say the least, so when you get those nasty little cramps in the calf muscles and toes that is Mother Nature’s way of telling you you’re deficient in Magnesium. Not to mention the most important muscle in our body (our heart) needs Magnesium to pump blood to and from it. To all those people reading this thinking “Well I eat well and don’t need a multi Vitamin”, Guess again because unfortunately Australian soils are very deficient in vitamins and minerals so we don’t get all that we need in food. This is partly because farmers don’t put the same nutrients into our soils like they use to (like blood and bone) and also largely due to pollution being so much stronger in this modern era. So if you want to get about 50% better absorption out of your food then use a multi vitamin and stay away from the cheap nasty supermarket brands because they are about 97% synthetic which means your body will not absorb them properly and so much of your money will just get flushed down the toilet in the form of a nice strong colour.

5. B.C.A.A: Branch Chain Amino Acids like Glutamine are another must have supplement which is why they so easily fit in to my Top Supplement recommendations. Branch chain amino acids, consists of 3 amino acids and these are Leucine, IsoLeucine and Valine. What makes these three amino acids so important is the fact that they are not naturally manufactured by our bodies so it is a MUST that we get them into our diets through supplementation. The most important one of the three is without a doubt Leucine, DO NOT TRAIN WITHOUT LEUCINE. Leucine has this amazing ability to switch on our bodies anabolic receptors like no other supplement; it literally is like an anabolic key to our muscle rebuilding process. Remember; we are either in an anabolic state (muscle building) or a catabolic state (muscle breakdown) so the trick is to make sure we are feeding our bodies for muscle growth and recovery. Along with Protein powder and glutamine there is nothing better for recovery in my opinion than Leucine. In research Leucine has been proven to be even more anabolic than whole protein like whey and will actually stop the body eating away at muscle. Leucine is an absolute must have supplement for a body builder or even an endurance athlete and more importantly a pre contest body builder as that’s when the body is trying so hard to hang on to precious muscle tissue due to the extra stress being put on it.  

Summary about BCAA’s:
- Combination of L-Leucine, L-Valine and L-Isoleucine.
- Highly anti-catabolic
- Best taken before a workout or cardio session on an empty stomach.

6. Vitamin E: Are you putting oils (good fats or bad fats) into your body every day? Yes you are and so am I. Here is the thing... Every single fats that go into our bodies will eventually oxidize (Turn Rancid) and when this happens free radicals are created and we don’t want this as free radicals can cause such side effects as smells through the skin and urine not to mention they can go a long way to breaking down the DNA structural integrity of our heart walls leading to heart disease and brain disease’s. What happens, is Vitamin E makes receptor sites that allow the body to absorb the oils, which will stop them converting into free radicals in our bodies. Not only is this but Vitamin E a very strong antioxidant, which will act as a free radical scavenger so it will prevent these side effects from happening. Other benefits of Vitamin E are that it is fantastic for helping to increase blood flow to the heart, regenerating cell damage to our skin and heart walls not to mention it is a great anti-inflammatory as well. So be sure to put Vitamin E in your supplement regime just as I have.

7. Liver Cleansing Products: One of the biggest thrills working in this awesome industry for me is helping people and friends not only drop body fat but just have healthy bodies. So you can all imagine how many times a day I get asked “what is the best thing to lose fat”? My answer is short and sweet, “There is no one thing” our bodies work synergistically just like the different components in a car work together. With this said, apart from Proteins and E.F.A’s as mentioned above, the other most important ingredient is a good Liver cleansing product. You see, every single thing that goes into our mouths, has to be broken down by our liver. The liver is the organ that is easily under more pressure and works harder than any other organ and is the organ that actually holds more blood at any one time than any organ.
The liver is the detoxification pathway for our bodies and it is the livers job to breakdown and metabolizes all proteins, Carbohydrates and fats that we consume and more importantly to help break down toxins and chemicals. It is these very toxins and chemicals that eventually put so much stress on the liver that ends up wreaking havoc on our metabolism. Once the metabolism becomes affected then it is goodnight to fat burning not to mention our bodies will be subject to many side effects such as skin breakouts, smelly skin and urine, not to mention a lack of energy. All good Liver products should contain Milk Thistle (also known as St.Marys Thistle) I promise the benefits of a good liver product will show up almost straight away and that will include having to tighten up the belt buckle as your waist tightens.

8.Creatine: The modern day phenomenon of creatine supplementation simply takes this natural process to the next level by allowing an individual to take in more creatine than he/she could normally consume via a "normal" diet. Creatine is not an herb, mineral, vitamin, hormone, or steroid. Creatine is a natural nutrient found in our bodies and the bodies of most animals. Approximately 95% of the body's creatine supply is found in the skeletal muscles. The remaining 5% of creatine is scattered throughout the rest of the body, with the highest concentrations in the heart, brain and testes. Creatine is best taken on an empty stomach and after taking it for a 3 month to have a complete rest for at least two weeks before starting another cycle. It is advised to drink lots of water and not to take creatine if you do have medically conditions to check with your practitioner. There are various types of creatine and a citrate creatine normally doesn’t need loading as would a monohydrate as its easier absorbed.

L-Arginine: Like other amino acids, L-arginine is found in proteins in small quantities, but only when used in large amounts and in a timed-release form (such as Arginine Alphaketoglutarate – A-AKG) does it create the desired effect. Weight trainers take arginine for two main functions, to increase growth hormone secretion and to augment nitric oxide (NO) synthesis.
- NO acts as a signalling molecule to facilitate the dilation of blood vessels, increasing the amount of blood and nutrient delivery to muscles.
- Increased NO has also been found to create a positive nitrogen balance, increase satellite cell division (the cells which repair muscle tissue), increase strength and also endurance.

Tribulus/Testosterone Boosters:
- Tribulus is a herb which increases Luteinising Hormone, which is a precursor to both Testosterone and Oestrogen.
- Tribulus is one of the main ways a natural trainer can increase his testosterone levels.
- Tribulus is only recommended for male trainers over the age of 24.
- It is important with all herbs to check the standardisation of the herb. Before you buy Tribulus it is important to note the percentage of saponins and protodiacins per serve.
- Best usage is to cycle on for four weeks and then off for four weeks.
- Tribulus is often combined with longifolia jack, avena sativa and vitex to increase potency and decrease production of oestrogen in the system.

Carnosine/Beta Alanine: The final word is Carnosine holds great promise as a 100% natural and valuable supplement and just about any athlete will benefit from increased Carnosine concentrations and the explosive power and recovery and Nitric Oxide potentiating properties that it produces. We know that we are able to increase our muscle Carnosine concentrations through anaerobic training and that continued oral supplementation of Beta-Alanine, Histidine or even Carnosine itself will result in increased Carnosine concentrations. We also know that Beta-Alanine and Histidine may be a more cost-effective method for increasing tissue Carnosine concentrations performance enhancing compound for basically any athlete, especially those who train with high intensity.

Supplements for Weight Loss

Fat Metabolises: Come in two different types, stimulant based (Caffeine based) and non-stimulant based (non-caffeinated). Anyone sensitive to caffeine and its effects are better off with a non-stimulant fat metaboliser. Fat Metabolisers are designed to increase fat loss, resting metabolic rate, tolerance to exercise, energy, and to decrease appetite. Best used 6-8 weeks out from competition.
When stimulant based fat metabolisers are used, it is even more important to take a good quality multi-vitamin, as the caffeine will deplete your vitamin and mineral stores.

CLA: CLA is a very specific fatty acid from the essential omega-6 family of fats. CLA is one of the essential fatty acids and has been shown to have numerous positive biological effects
 These effects include the reduction of body fat storage, and increase in lean muscle mass.
CLA has also been shown to protect against cardiovascular disease.
CLA increases lipolysis, that is, the breakdown of stored fat.  CLA comes in two different forms, cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12. A product containing both these two forms has been found to be most effective, with the ratio heavily leaning towards the cis-9, trans-11 type.

L-Carnitine: L-Carnitine is a non-essential amino acid which can be taken in either: liquid, powder, tablet or capsule form. L-Carnitine is a fatty acid transporter; it aids the transportation of fats from the body’s fat stores into the mitochondria of the body’s cells where it is used as energy. L-Carnitine is best used in conjunction with cardiovascular activity where fat burning through the use of aerobic energy is at its highest.

Chromium: Stabilises Sugar Levels and Sugar Cravings. Remember to Look After Your Liver. A sluggish liver! A sluggish metabolism! The liver is what helps you metabolise fats!

Seek Professional Advice before starting any new exercise programme or diet.

A beginner who is starting a bodybuilding programme will benefit from going to your local doctor and getting a physical. Sounds cliché but having a check-up can rest your mind assure and set you on the right positive track here are some of the tests you can ask for especially if you have a history of family illness it is a very good idea to get a check-up before you start any physical programme. You ensure that all your systems are in working order. If for instance a test indicates that your kidney function is abnormal, this not only will impair your progress but it may also make it dangerous to consume the amount of protein needed to make gains. For bodybuilding success, one needs a healthy heart, healthy kidneys and a healthy liver. If any of these systems is not working, then not only does this represent a health hazard, but also you won't be able to make the gains that you could. So having said that, good blood work to get done to check these systems is the following: To check cardiovascular function you need the following tests: Total cholesterol, LDL/HDL, Triglycerides, C-reactive protein, Homocysteine levels. To check liver function you need: alkaline phosphatase, GGT, SGOT, SGPT To check kidney function you need: creatinine, BUN, and the creatinine/BUN ratio. For males, a PSA test is also wise to ensure adequate prostate function.