* Information taken from Wikipedia

Bodybuilding supplements are substances taken by athletes involved in weight training or other sports to aid in the building of lean muscle mass or to cause fat loss.

Bodybuilding supplements may also be used to improve sports performance and improve recovery from events and training. One important distinction exists in many weight training groups between supplements and anabolic steroids. There is a common misconception among non-supplement-users that supplementation for muscle-building purposes is the same as steroid use or, at the very least, leads to steroid use.[citation needed] However, this charge is often challenged by supplement users on the grounds that supplements do not mean to change natural hormone levels (primarily those of testosterone) beyond natural limits, while anabolic steroids do.

Protein

This bodybuilding supplement contains whey protein and creatine monohydrate, as well as vitamins and other supplements.Bodybuilders often take a powdered form of protein, the essential building blocks for muscle. Protein powder is generally consumed immediately after exercising, or in place of a meal. Having sufficient protein intake allows for efficient growth and repair of muscle tissue.

Whey protein is the most commonly used type of protein. It contains high levels of all the essential amino acids not produced by the human body, and is absorbed by the body very quickly.
Casein protein (or Milk protein) is the richest in glutamine, an amino acid that aids in recovery, and has casomorphin which helps the body to absorb the amino acids over a long time.
Soy protein contains all essential amino acids, and is an alternative protein for vegetarians. Soybeans also contain isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen, which have a weak estrogenic activity [1].
Egg white protein is a lactose- and dairy-free protein.
Hemp seed contains complete and highly-digestible protein and hemp oil is high in essential fatty acids.

Glutamine
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in human muscle and is supplemented because supplement manufacturers claim the body's natural glutamine levels are depleted during anaerobic exercise. It is argued that bodybuilders should supplement with glutamine, as deficiency may lead to a weakened immune system and wasting of muscle tissue.[citation needed] It is sold as a micronized, instantly soluble powder. Some studies [2] [3] have shown there to be no significant effect of glutamine on bench press strength, knee-extension torque or lean muscle mass when compared to controls taking a placebo, though another study found that glutamine is beneficial in raising T-helper/suppressor cell ratio in long distance runners.[4]


[edit] Branched chain amino acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein; the body breaks consumed protein into amino acids in the stomach and intestines. There are three branched chain amino acids (BCAAs): leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Each has numerous benefits on various biological processes in the body. Unlike other amino acids, BCAAs are metabolised in the muscle and have an anabolic/anti-catabolic effect on it. [5]


[edit] Meal Replacement Products
Meal Replacement Products (MRPs) are either pre-packaged powdered drink mixes or edible bars. Both are consumed in the place of a whole-food meal. Generally MRPs are high in protein, low in fat, have a low to moderate amount of carbohydrates, and contain a wide array of vitamins and minerals.

The majority of MRPs use whey protein, calcium caseinate or micellar casein, soy protein, and egg albumin as the protein source. Carbohydrates are typically derived from maltodextrin, oat fiber, brown rice, or wheat flour. Some also contain flax oil powder as a source of essential fatty acids.

MRPs can also contain other ingredients that are deemed beneficial to bodybuilders. These can include, but are not limited to: creatine monohydrate, glutamine peptides, L-glutamine, calcium alpha-ketoglutarate, additional amino acids, lactoferrin, conjugated linoleic acid, and medium chain triglycerides.


[edit] Prohormones
Main article: Prohormone
Prohormones are precursors to hormones and were most typically sold to bodybuilders as a precursor to the natural hormone testosterone. This conversion requires naturally occurring enzymes in the body. Side effects are not uncommon, as prohormones can also convert further into DHT and estrogen. To deal with this, many supplements also have aromatase inhibitors and DHT blockers such as chrysin and 4-androstene-3,6,17-trione. To date most prohormone products have not been thoroughly studied, and the health effects of prolonged use are unknown. Although initially available over the counter, in 2004 their purchase was made illegal without a prescription in the US, as it remains so in almost all countries and is proscribed by most sporting bodies.


[edit] Creatine
Main article: Creatine
Creatine is an organic acid naturally occurring in the body that supplies energy to muscle cells for short bursts of energy (such as lifting weights) via creatine phosphate replenishment of ATP. A number of scientific studies have shown that creatine can increase strength,[6] energy[7], muscle mass, reducing recovery time. In addition, recent studies have also shown that creatine improves brain function[8] and reduces mental fatigue.[9]

It increases what is known as cell volumization by drawing water into muscle cells, making them larger. This intracellular retention should not be confused with the common myth that creatine causes bloating (or intercellular water retention). Creatine is sold in a variety of forms, including creatine monohydrate, and creatine ethyl ester, amongst others. Though all types of creatine are sold for the same purposes, there are subtle differences between them, such as price, and necessary dosage. Non-supplemental suppliers of creatine include various types of offal, red meat, and kidney meat.

Claims that creatine could be stressful to the kidneys (due to primary renal elimination via creatinine) has been proven false through Studies conducted by Universites and Independent Organizations.[10]


[edit] Thermogenic products
Main article: Thermogenics
A thermogenic is a broad term for any supplement that the manufacturer claims will cause thermogenesis, resulting in an increased metabolic rate, increased body temperature and consequently an increased rate in the burning of body fat. Until recently almost every product found in this supplement category comprised the "ECA stack": ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin. However, on February 6, 2004 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the sale of ephedra and its alkaloid, ephedrine, for use in weight loss formulas. Several manufacturers replaced the ephedra component of the "ECA" stack with bitter orange or citrus aurantium (containing synephrine) instead of the ephedrine. To date the effectiveness of this new combination is not conclusive.


[edit] Testosterone boosters
There are several naturally occurring plants and vitamins as well as synthetic chemicals that supplement companies claim may produce an increase in testosterone levels. However, the validity of many of these products is questionable due to a lack of valid scientific research showing their effectiveness at this time. Some commonly taken supplements of this type are ZMA and Tribulus terrestris.

The relatively new drug 4-androstene-3,6,17-trione may increase the testosterone-estrogen ratio.[citation needed]

Excess testosterone can cause undesirable side effects, such as hair loss and acne,[citation needed] and may be converted into estrogens,[11] which can have undesirable effects on males.[12]


[edit] See also
Dietary supplement

[edit] References
^ PDR Health"Soy Isoflavones" Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
^ Candow DG, Chilibeck PD, Burke DG, Davison KS, Smith-Palmer T. (2001) Effect of glutamine supplementation combined with resistance training in young adults, European Journal of Applied Physiology€
^ Antonio, J., Sanders, M., Kalman, D., Woodgate, D. and Street, C. (2002) The effects of high-dose glutamine ingestion on weightlifting performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 16, 157-160
^ Castell, L. and Newsholme, E. (1997) The effects of oral glutamine supplementation on athletes after prolonged, exhaustive exercise. Nutrition 13, 738-742
^ Karlsson HK, Nilsson PA, Nilsson J, Chibalin AV, Zierath JR, Blomstrand E (2004). "Branched-chain amino acids increase p70S6k phosphorylation in human skeletal muscle after resistance exercise". Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 287 (1): E1–7. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00430.2003. PMID 14998784.
^ Becque, M. et al. (1999). Effects of oral creatine supplementation on muscular strength and body composition. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 32:3, 654-658.
^ Birch, R. et al. (1994). The influence of dietary creatine supplementation on performance during repeated bouts of maximal isokinetic cycling in man. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 69, 268-270.
^ Rae C, Digney AL, McEwan SR, Bates TC. (2003). "Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain performance: A double blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial.". Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Biological Sciences 270 (1529): 2147–2150. doi:10.1098/rspb.2003.2492. PMID 14561278.
^ Watanabe A, Kato N, Kato T. (2002). "Effects of creatine on mental fatigue and cerebral hemoglobin oxygenation.". Neuroscience Research 42: 279–285. doi:10.1016/S0168-0102(02)00007-X. PMID 11985880.
^ Creatine Studies, Possible Adverse Effects of Creatine Supplementation.
^ Modified aromatase inhibitors having improved bioavailability, USPTO Application #20050203074
^ Glossary of Prostate Cancer Related Terms, Prostate Cancer Research Institute

*Info taken from Wikipedia

An essential amino acid or indispensable amino acid is an amino acid that cannot be synthesized de novo by the organism (usually referring to humans), and therefore must be supplied in the diet.

Essentiality vs. conditional essentiality in humans
Eight amino acids are generally regarded as essential for humans: phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine, methionine, leucine, and lysine.[1] Cysteine (or sulphur-containing amino acids), tyrosine (or aromatic amino acids), histidine and arginine are additionally required by infants and growing children.[2][3] Essential amino acids are so called not because they are more important to life than the others, but because the body does not synthesize them, making it essential to include them in one's diet in order to obtain them. In addition, the amino acids arginine, cysteine, glycine, glutamine, histidine, proline, serine and tyrosine are considered conditionally essential, meaning they are not normally required in the diet, but must be supplied exogenously to specific populations that do not synthesize it in adequate amounts.[4][5] An example would be with the disease phenylketonuria (PKU). Individuals living with PKU must keep their intake of phenylalanine extremely low to prevent mental retardation and other metabolic complications. However, phenylalanine is the precursor for tyrosine synthesis. Without phenylalanine, tyrosine cannot be made and so tyrosine becomes essential in the diet of PKU patients.

The distinction between essential and non-essential amino acids is somewhat unclear, as some amino acids can be produced from others. The sulfur-containing amino acids, methionine and homocysteine, can be converted into each other but neither can be synthesized de novo in humans. Likewise, cysteine can be made from homocysteine but cannot be synthesized on its own. So, for convenience, sulfur-containing amino acids are sometimes considered a single pool of nutritionally-equivalent amino acids as are the aromatic amino acid pair, phenylalanine and tyrosine. Likewise arginine, ornithine, and citrulline, which are interconvertible by the urea cycle, are considered a single group.


[edit] Recommended daily amounts
Estimating the daily requirement for the indispensable amino acids has proven to be difficult; these numbers have undergone considerable revision over the last 20 years. It was known for years that infants were unable to synthesize histidine, but only relatively recently has it been determined that adults are also unable to do this. The following table lists the WHO recommended daily amounts currently in use for essential amino acids in adult humans, together with their standard one-letter abbreviations.[3]

Amino acid mg per kg body weight mg per 70 kg mg per 100 kg
H Histidine 10 700 1000
I Isoleucine 20 1400 2000
L Leucine 39 2730 3900
K Lysine 30 2100 3000
M Methionine
+ C Cysteine
15 (total) 1050 1500
F Phenylalanine
+ Y Tyrosine
25 (total) 1750 2500
T Threonine 15 1050 1500
W Tryptophan 4 280 400
V Valine 26 1820 2600

The recommended daily intakes for children aged three years and older is 10% to 20% higher than adult levels and those for infants can be as much as 150% higher in the first year of life.


[edit] Use of essential amino acids
Foodstuffs that lack essential amino acids are poor sources of protein equivalents, as the body tends to deaminate the amino acids obtained, converting proteins into fats and carbohydrates[6]. Therefore, a balance of essential amino acids is necessary for a high degree of net protein utilization, which is the mass ratio of amino acids converted to proteins to amino acids supplied.

All essential amino acids may be obtained from plant sources, and even strict vegetarian diets can provide all dietary requirements, provided they are based on a variety of whole plant foods. Some believe that careful monitoring of nutrient levels is important in strict vegetarian diets, but there are virtually no cases of protein-deficiency among populations consuming adequate calories. The only common cases of protein-deficiency occur among populations that are chronically undernourished.[citation needed]

Complete proteins contain a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans. Animal sources such as meat, poultry, eggs, fish, milk, and cheese provide all of the essential amino acids.[7] Complete proteins are also found in some plant sources such as quinoa,[8] buckwheat,[9] hempseed,[10] and amaranth,[citation needed] among others. Soybeans are considered by some to be a source of complete protein[11] although this is contested.[12][13][8]

The net protein utilization is profoundly affected by the limiting amino acid content (the essential amino acid found in the smallest quantity in the foodstuff), and somewhat affected by salvage of essential amino acids in the body. It is therefore a good idea to mix foodstuffs that have different weaknesses in their essential amino acid distributions. This limits the loss of nitrogen through deamination and increases overall net protein utilization.

Protein source Limiting amino acid
Wheat lysine
Rice lysine
Legumes tryptophan
Maize lysine and tryptophan
Pulses methionine (or cysteine)
Egg, chicken none; the reference for absorbable protein


[edit] Mnemonics
Using the one letter designation shown above, mnemonic devices have been developed for students wanting or needing to memorize the essential amino acids. Previous devices have utilized the first letter of the amino acids name, and in general did not include arginine which is not always essential. One mnemonic device that has been used in the past is PVT TIM HALL.[14]

Another method uses the first letter of each essential amino acid to begin each word in a phrase, such as: "Any Help In Learning These Little Molecules Proves Truly Valuable."[15] This method begins with the two amino acids that need some qualifications as to their requirements.

Note that these devices work by using the first letter of the actual amino acids name. Due to repetition of letters, several amino acids have one letter abbreviations that are different than their first letter (e.g. lysine is K). Thus the complete list of essential amino acids utilizing one-letter codes is MILKVWTHFR.


[edit] See also
Essential nutrient
Essential fatty acid
Biological Value (BV)
List of standard amino acids
Edible protein per unit area of land
Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score
Protein

[edit] References
^ Young VR (1994). "Adult amino acid requirements: the case for a major revision in current recommendations". J. Nutr. 124 (8 Suppl): 1517S–1523S. PMID 8064412.
^ Imura K, Okada A (1998). "Amino acid metabolism in pediatric patients". Nutrition 14 (1): 143–8. doi:10.1016/S0899-9007(97)00230-X. PMID 9437700.
^ a b FAO/WHO/UNU (2007). "PROTEIN AND AMINO ACID REQUIREMENTS IN HUMAN NUTRITION". WHO Press., page 150
^ Fürst P, Stehle P (2004). "What are the essential elements needed for the determination of amino acid requirements in humans?". J. Nutr. 134 (6 Suppl): 1558S–1565S. PMID 15173430.
^ Reeds PJ (2000). "Dispensable and indispensable amino acids for humans". J. Nutr. 130 (7): 1835S–40S. PMID 10867060.
^ McGilvery, Robert W. Biochemistry, a Functional Approach 1979. Chapter 41, esp Page 787
^ "Nutrition for Everyone: Basics: Protein". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved on 2008-05-15.
^ a b http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19940015664_1994015664.pdf
^ Buckwheat Profile
^ hempnutrition.qxd
^ http://www.truestarhealth.com/members/cm_archives12ML3P1A8.html The Scoop on Protein Powders By Sofia Segounis, Nutritionist
^ THE DOWNSIDE OF SOYBEAN CONSUMPTION
^ Protein Means Power and a Whole Lot More
^ Mnemonic at medicalmnemonics.com 442 128
^ Williams, R.A.D.; Eliot, J.C. (1989). Basic and Applied Dental Biochemistry. Elsevier Health Sciences, p.149. ISBN 0443031444.