From the DEA

 From the New Yorker

What is a neuroendocrine response and how do you get one?

Partial answer from Greg Glassman in Girevik Magazine:

Neuroendocrine response is a change in the body that affects you either neurologically or hormonally, (i.e., what most people want… RESULTS). Most important adaptations (RESULTS) to exercise are in part or completely a result of a hormonal or neurological shift. Current research, much of it done by Dr. William Kraemer, Penn State University, has shown which exercise protocols maximize neuroendocrine responses. Deadlift, squat, presses, and cleans all have a demonstrated potent neuroendocrine response.

Among the hormonal responses vital to athletic development are substantial increases in testosterone, insulin-like growth factor, and human growth hormone. Exercising with protocols known to elevate these hormones eerily mimics the hormonal changes sought in exogenous hormonal therapy (steroid use) with none of the deleterious effect. Exercise regimens that induce a high neuroendocrine response produce champions! Increased muscle mass and bone density are just two of many adaptive responses to exercises capable of producing a significant neuroendocrine response.

Don’t forget to include a healthy dose of neuroendocrine response type exercise to your program at Athlon Elite!  All of our programs are designed with this in mind.

In  recent discussion about the happenings at the Long Beach American College of Sports Medicine it was noted that one of the more interesting topics was gene expression and how different genetic makeup will respond differently to exercise.  Nobody is testing for these genes yet, but they will be soon.  Pay attention to this stuff as it is a big part of the future.  More info from the WSJ health blog:

Another company is jumping into the growing world of direct-to-consumer DNA testing today. For $2,500, Navigenics will tell you your genetic risk for 18 different diseases — at least according to the best available genetic studies. Another $250 a year gets you an ongoing subscription to the company’s services.

As the WSJ notes, the company has a pretty detailed privacy policy. That’s a nod to the fears of many that genetic testing might work against them, by alerting potential insurers or employers to a person’s health risks.

Of course, Navigenics’ competitors — mainly the Google-funded 23andMe and deCODEme, an outgrowth of deCode Genetics — say they have tight data protection, too. The other companies charge roughly $1,000 for their service.

The business and science is outpacing regulators, the WSJ notes, and there’s little oversight of the way the companies analyze the information and what they do with the data once they have it. Last year, a member of the UK’s Human Genetics Commission said understanding of how genetic risk factors work is still too limited to make strong predictions about an individual’s risks of developing many common diseases. “My message is you are wasting your money,” buying such a test, she said.

Bonus Gene: Wired’s science blog has an in-depth comparison of the offerings from Navigenics and 23andMe.

From Marks Daily Apple:

• The divide from one “multivitamin” to another can be, well, cavernous. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of junk out there – incomplete, impure, inconsistent “formulas” (if you can truly call them something as intentional as formulas at all). Select a multivitamin from a trusted source to ensure you’re getting a product that offers purity as well as accurate and consistent dosages of nutrients. Yes, you’d think this would be a given, but it’s not. Many products, when tested by consumer advocacy groups, have been shown to not even contain some of their advertised nutrient ingredients or to contain certain ingredients at toxic levels. Some have even been shown to contain lead, presumably from subpar manufacturing conditions.

• I think a “multivitamin” should be more than a collection of a few vitamins. And most people really do want more than that. For the best benefit, look for a comprehensive daily nutrient supplement that offers the full array and appropriate balances of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and beneficial plant extracts. I never recommend supplementing piecemeal: a B-6, a calcium
chew, a vitamin C tablet, etc. Not only is this approach incomplete; you risk lack of absorption or redundancy of nutrients. More about that in a minute.

• For maximum potency, consider the freshness of vitamins. Many people would be surprised to know that store bought vitamins can sit on shelves for months or even years before being purchased. (And that doesn’t include the time they sat in warehouses and in multiple transports!) Liquid vitamin formulas, in particular, lose potency relatively quickly and oxidize easily. I would advise against them.

• Speaking of multivitamin “form,” tablets or caplets can be problematic as well. Because uncoated tablets don’t offer any buffer, they can irritate the stomach. On the other hand, caplets can have such a hard coating that they don’t fully dissolve and can become, as nurses call them, “bedpan bullets.” (There’s an image for your day.) On top of that, vitamins in caplet or capsule form can have unnecessary gums, glue, fillers and binders. The key is to find a formula that balances ease of absorption and natural buffering. Capsules with only essential ingredients are best. And I highly recommend a formula that contains enzymes for optimum absorption.

• The mark of a quality formula is the bioavailability and appropriate balance of its nutrient contents. I could talk forever and a day about this subject, but let me just give a few examples of what I mean. A quality formula contains the more “bioavailable” form of vitamin D, which is D3. Cheaper, lower quality supplements contain D2, which also happens to be the form used to enrich milk. A quality formula contains vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin and not cyanocobalamin. It should contain vitamin B6 as pyridoxal 5’ phosphate, the metabolically active form, and not pyridoxine.

• Likewise, the ability of the body to best absorb most nutrients involves those nutrients’ synergistic relationships, so to speak. Take beta carotene. There are over 500 carotenes, and optimum absorption and utilization occurs when they’re taken together. A hallmark of a quality formula: mixed carotenoids. Other examples include spectrum vitamins like B and E (with alpha, beta, delta and gamma tocopherols). Taking only one form of either doesn’t make any sense and won’t do you much good. You might as well throw your money down the toilet. Look for both mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols, the two main groups in the vitamin E complex.

• Finally, there are the basics. It’s important to expect the best in terms of protection. Make sure the bottle is in a protective sleeve. In most cases, multivitamins are only protected by the bottle cap. Also, look for added layers of protection from air and light to ensure freshness and full potency.

If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits and ideal formulations of particular nutrients, I recommend checking out these non-profit scientific research sites. (And, as always, share your choice with your doctor.)

• PLoS Public Library of Science
• Vitasearch
• PubMed

Make sure you are getting your Daily Vitamin from Athlon Elite.  Work is good but nutrition and recovery are essential!  Balance your life with Athlon Elite!

Athlon Elite is proud to provide FREE vitamin D while you train each and every sunny day.  Nowhere but Athlon Elite has an outdoor patio where you can suffer through a REAL workout!

 From Wikipedia:

Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble prohormones, the two major forms of which are vitamin D₂ (or ergocalciferol) and vitamin D₃ (or cholecalciferol).^[1] The term vitamin D also refers to metabolites and other analogues of these substances. Vitamin D₃is produced in skin exposed to sunlight, specifically ultraviolet B radiation.

Vitamin D plays an important role in the maintenance of organ systems.^[2]

• Vitamin D regulates the calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood by promoting their absorption from food in the intestines, and by promoting re-absorption of calcium in the kidneys.
• It promotes bone formation and mineralization and is essential in the development of an intact and strong skeleton. However, at very high levels it will promote the resorption of bone.
• It inhibits parathyroid hormone secretion from the parathyroid gland.
• Vitamin D affects the immune system by promoting immunosuppression, phagocytosis, and anti-tumor activity.

Vitamin D deficiency can result from inadequate intake coupled with inadequate sunlight exposure, disorders that limit its absorption, conditions that impair conversion of vitamin D into active metabolites, such as liver or kidney disorders, or, rarely, by a number of hereditary disorders.^[2] Deficiency results in impaired bone mineralization, and leads to bone softening diseases, rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, and possibly contributes to osteoporosis. Research has indicated that vitamin D deficiency is linked to colon cancer; conflicting evidence links vitamin D deficiency to other forms of cancer.

Season, geographic latitude, time of day, cloud cover, smog, and sunscreen affect UV ray exposure and vitamin D synthesis in the skin, and it is important for individuals with limited sun exposure to include good sources of vitamin D in their diet.

In some countries, foods such as milk, yogurt, margarine, oil spreads, breakfast cereal, pastries, and bread are fortified with vitamin D₂ and/or vitamin D₃, to minimize the risk of vitamin D deficiency.^[15] In the United States and Canada, for example, fortified milk typically provides 100 IU per glass, or one quarter of the estimated adequate intake for adults over the age of 50.^[

Fortified foods represent the major dietary sources of vitamin D, as very few foods naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D.

Natural sources of vitamin D include:^[1]

• Fish liver oils, such as cod liver oil, 1 Tbs. (15 mL) provides 1,360 IU
• Fatty fish species, such as:
  • Herring, 3 oz provides 1383 IU
  • Catfish, 3 oz provides 425 IU
  • Salmon, cooked, 3.5 oz provides 360 IU
  • Mackerel, cooked, 3.5 oz, 345 IU
  • Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 1.75 oz, 250 IU
  • Tuna, canned in oil, 3 oz, 200 IU
  • Eel, cooked, 3.5 oz, 200 IU
• Mushrooms provide over 2700 IU per serving (approx. 3 oz or 1/2 cup) of vitamin D₂, if exposed to just 5 minutes of UV light after being harvested;^[16] this is one of a few natural sources of vitamin D for vegans.
• One whole egg, 20 IU

Fluid was voted best overall nutrition product on Saturday, March 1at TriFest! Learn more about recovery nutrition and Fluid here:

www.livefluid.com/gradeschool.php

Now is the time when many Fall Sports athletes that are thinking ahead begin a hypertrophy cycle.  Along with this cycle comes the need to supplement with protein.  A real simple guideline to use during a hypertrophy cycle is to try for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.  If you are 220lbs you should be shooting for 220 grams of quality protein.While there are many sources of protein (egg whites are 6-8 grams of protein each), not all are the same.  Whey protein has long held a special place in the hearts of those looking to put on some mass:  Whey Protein is derived from milk protein. However, unlike milk proteins - whey protein does not contain fat or lactose sugar. Whey protein is the best form of protein to take when using a supplement. Basically with Whey Protein you get all the advantages of protein without the excess baggage other proteins come with - no fat and no lactose. Not only that, studies have shown that Whey Protein can increase our blood levels of glutathione. Glutathione is an antioxidant which is essential to a healthy immune system. As we get older glutathione levels decrease and our immune system weakens. Studies are still being done - but at the University of Nebraska Medical center they were able to extend the life span of hamsters by 60% by supplementing their diet with Whey Protein. So, whey protein is not only good for building and repairing muscles, it also may extend your life.Get your whey (and a bit for your hamster) at Athlon Elite and while you are at it ask about the value of hypertrophy programming in meeting your fitness goals!