Creatine Treatment for Neuromuscular Disease

>ite the observation that 95% of the total creatine pool is found in muscle tissue, the remaining 5% is found in the heart, brain, neural tissue, and testes. These observations have pointed some early research efforts towards the effects of creatine in patients with neural and myocardial disorders. In a randomized, controlled trial of creatine supplementation in patients with mitochondrial cytopathies, Tarnopolsky et al. measured fatigue in patients with mitochondrial cytopathies, an abnormality associated with decreased basal and postactivity muscle PCr. Measurements included the following: activities of daily living (visual analog scale), ischemic isometric handgrip strength (1 minute), basal and postischemic exercise lactate, evoked and voluntary contraction strength of the dorsiflexors, nonischemic isometric and dorsiflexion torque (NIDFT, 2 minutes), and aerobic cycle ergometry with pre-and postlactate measurements. Creatine treatment resulted in a significantly increased handgrip strength, NIDFT, and postexercise lactate, with no changes in the other measured variables. The authors concluded that creatine increased the strength of high-intensity anaerobic­and aerobic-type activities in patients with mitochondrial cytopathies but had no apparent effects on lower-intensity aerobic activities. In another investigation, Tarnopolsky and Martin administered creatine to neuromuscular disease patients at 10g daily for 5 days and 5g daily for 5 days in a pilot study followed by a single­blinded study. The researchers found a significant increase in high-intensity strength in patients with neuromuscular disease.


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Learn tips about treatment and prevention for Allergic Asthma. Also learn some of its causes and symptoms.
Category: HealthPosted by thomas


Oxidation is a Vital Process

Taking a step back, although increased oxygen processing and subsequent radical production seem to be the ultimate villains to exercising individuals, this is not necessarily the case. It’s not news to anyone that people need oxygen to survive. This fact is made obvious by traveling to a high altitude, where symptoms quickly arise largely because of the lack of oxygen in the local environment. In an effort to get the oxygen it desperately needs, the body starts adapting to the low-oxygen (hypoxic) conditions immediately. By making more red blood cells (i.e., erythropoiesis) to carry oxygen and by better processing what little oxygen is there, the body starts to look more aerobically oriented-a situation that is advantageous to endurance athletes upon returning to lower elevations. But oxygen is not just for producing physical work; it is also a vital process for combustsing our food at rest, supplying energy for numerous metabolic processes and producing body heat. Once again, human beings are principally aerobic animals, even if some choose to focus on primarily anaerobic sports, like weight trainers do.

Furthermore, processes such as lipid peroxidation (cell membrane oxidation by free radicals) are not uniformly pathologic either. This process of breaking down lipids in the cell membrane is one way that the membrane renews itself. In addition, lipid peroxidation can form necessary mediators of inflammation and immune function. Even the leukocyte oxidative burst that occurs as a result of cell damage or foreign invaders is part of antigen defense and a necessary clean-up step that precedes new tissue growth (hypertrophy). It is primarily when the pro­oxidant:antioxidant ratio becomes elevated that a detrimental sequelae of events occur, damaging structures like cell and mitochondrial membranes and nuclear material. Chronic elevation of this ratio has, indeed, been implicated in a variety of disease states. Thus, although excessive amounts of cell oxidation can be detrimental, without some oxidation humans could not survive. It seems then that one of the nutritional goals of athletes should be to limit the deleterious effects of accelerated oxidation without affecting oxidative processes critical to health and performance. In other words, athletes should seek to find the ideal antioxidant balance.


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Category: SupplementsPosted by thomas


Does Exercise & Health Reduce Breast Cancer Risk?

According to an 11-year study in Breast Cancer Research concerning 32,000 postmenopausal women, daily vigorous exercise can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by up to 30 percent! Granted, this study was carried out on women who were of normal weight and who exercise on a regular basis, but the figures are exceptional compared to women who don’t exercise.

The study showed that a sedentary lifestyle - even in women who are in good shape- can create more risk for developing the disease. The vigorous activities in the study included heavy housework, strenuous sports or running and fast dancing. The study showed that it’s not essential that the exercise be carried out in a fitness center or gym to be effective. It’s also widely known that women who have woman’s health insurance coverage are more likely to detect and treat breast cancer before it becomes a major issue.

Women who are overweight and who do vigorous exercise are still at risk for developing the disease due to their overweight status and the toll it takes on their bodies. Women with normal weight bodies will benefit the most from regular strenuous exercise. Increasing the level of physical activity also lowers the risk of developing cancer in postmenopausal women, according to the study.

The longer the exercising goes on, the better the woman feels and consequently, she will have a much better chance of not developing the disease. The activity level must be at least moderately vigorous such as brisk walking or running and add up to at least seven hours a week to become effective at lowering the risk of developing breast cancer. Exercising at a less than vigorous level may help you to lose weight or tone up muscles, but has no discernable effect on lowering the risk of breast cancer.


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Category: HealthPosted by thomas


Phosphates Control the Rate of Enzymes

Most individuals are familiar with phosphates as being part of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). As we know, phosphates (inorganic) can control the rate of enzymes, especially in glycolysis. Some evidence suggests that phosphate supplementation may provide some benefits during periods of dieting. Minimal, if any, animal research has been reported investigating the potential use of phosphate as a fat-loss agent.
Human Studies

The supplementation of phosphate in the form of potassium-phosphate and magnesium-phosphate has been shown to increase postprandial thermogenesis in obese women but not in lean women The increase in energy expenditure ranged between 6-16%. The mechanism as to how a single dose of phosphate can increase energy expenditure may be related to futile cycling, but this is speculative.

Phosphate supplementation during a period of caloric restriction has not been shown to promote a more rapid rate of fat Obese women consuming about 1000 kcal/day, in addition to 4 g/day of phosphate salts, experienced a 4.5-kg loss of body mass, while the placebo group experienced about a 5-kg loss of body mass over a 28-day period. However, resting metabolic rate (RMR) significantly increased in the phosphate group, but the placebo group did not experience a change in RMR. An increase in RMR is associated with an increase in caloric expenditure. However, the increased RMR associated with phosphate supplementation did not result in greater rate of fat loss.

A follow-up study by the same group provides an explanation for the effect phosphates have on RMR. They reported that phosphate supplementation (about 4 g/day) prevented a decrease in triiodothyronine (T3) during caloric restriction, while the RMR increased approximately 12-19% during the treatment periods. Even though RMR was significantly elevated during the treatment phase, weight loss was not affected by phosphate supplementation.

Although phosphate supplementation does not appear to accelerate fat loss during periods of reduced caloric intake, phosphates may help prevent a decline in RMR that is common during dieting. Further research needs to verify this finding.
Safety and Toxicity

Adverse side effects do not appear to be associated with phosphate supplementation. However, an excess of phosphorus (a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio lower than 1:2) has been shown to lower the blood calcium level, which may result in the loss of bone.


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Category: SupplementsPosted by thomas


Safety and Toxicity of Creatine Supplementation

Several studies have evaluated the effects of short- and long-term creatine supplementation on hematological profiles and have found that creatine supplementation does not significantly affect the following variables - carbon dioxide, uric acid, total protein, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, ionized calcium, phosphorus, leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, hemoglobin, hematocrit, total bilirubin, total iron, platelets, red blood cells, red blood cell distribution width, mean corpuscular volume, or mean platelet volume. Studies have shown an elevation in creatine kinase, which normally rises dramatically (> 1000 U/L) in the blood in response to intense exercise alone. The clinical significance (if any) of these findings is difficult to discern.

Almada et al. examined possible serum enzyme changes associated with creatine supplementation. After analysis, no changes were noted for AST, ALp, GGT, LDH, or pooled (male and female) CPK. However, there was a significant increase in CPK in males and group total protein at week 8 (p < 0.05). To this end, CPK values for males were and 122.3 U/L for base­line, week 4, week 8, and week 12, respectively. Many studies have documented the intracellular accumulation of creatine and PCr in skeletal muscle following creatine supplementation. This is true especially of males. During this study, the authors observed an increase in total serum CPK activity only among males receiving creatine (week 8). Note, however, that muscle damage resulting from exercise is commonly associated with increases in CPK levels that may remain elevated for up to 48 hours.

Overall, these data suggest that creatine supplementation may increase several markers of organ function. However, each of the enzymes that were significantly elevated can be released from damaged skeletal muscle and are sometimes used as indicators of training intensity (e.g., creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase). Given the increased capacity for muscular work output following creatine loading, it is plausible that an increase in contractile forces was generated during the normal exercise regimens of these subjects. In turn, this may contribute to increased disruptions in muscle membrane integrity and thus, consequentialleakage of cellular enzymes into the surrounding tissue.

Data collected by Almada et al. suggest that total protein may be transiently elevated during creatine supplementation. However, note that these elevations do not exceed normal reference ranges in adults (6.4-8.3 g/dL). Also, these elevations may reflect increases in dietary protein intake, which may cause minor, yet statistically significant increases in total protein levels. Additionally, estrogen status and timing of menstrual activity may also account for changes in females. However, when the data were separated by sex, no significant differences were noted.


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Category: SupplementsPosted by thomas


Facts about Nutritional Supplements

>rent a car bulgariaently, supplements marketed to athletes promise to enhance muscle mass, strength, and speed despite the dearth of scientific evidence supporting these claims. Often, many such products are promoted based on observations from in vitro (test tubes and tissue cultures) and animal trials, with no confirmation in humans. Should the “Animal Olympics” become popular in the future, a whole new marketing strategy may subsequently emerge. Indeed, although animal data are intriguing, lack of follow-up in human trials is akin to relegating those findings observed in animals to substantialleaps of faith for human usage.

For instance, companies selling nutritional products often take a sales-before-science outlook on product promotion and have fallen victim to the abhorrent practice of presenting their “scientific data” at trade shows long before it is thoroughly researched. To this end, magazines abound laden with colorful graphs and figures attempting to prove that the advertised product is the best, yet no references are provided citing any scientific evidence to back these claims.

As scientists, coaches, and practitioners of strength and power sports, it is tempting to laugh this off as just another chapter in the history of nutritional charlatanism; we are quick to condemn because it doesn’t fit our current paradigm. We disbelieve new and novel findings because we are trained to be skeptical. And sadly, we discount an attempt at innovation because our governing organizations don’t have a position statement covering the topic. Thus, we fall too easily into that habit of being sheep, instead of independent thinkers willing to challenge the marketplace and scientific arena. Unfortunately, this is a poor stance to take on the subject of supplements, especially as we are supposed to be the enlightened ones, owing to our years of training and practice in the field.


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Category: Sports ControversyPosted by thomas


Know more about teeth whitening and health supplements

Everyone is always willing to have brighter smile but smoking, caffeine and age factors bring up yellow looking and stained teeth. Putting up with the discolored teeth and always hiding your smile is the thing of past. But today there are wide varieties of teeth whitening options available that can get you a beautiful smile.

From teeth whitening tooth paste to applicators, gel to strips all are included in the teeth whitening kit. This kit is an effective way to get organic treatment which yield instantaneous and better results.

Body building as well as sports nutrition is generally on the minds of youngsters who are fitness freaks. Health supplements are the best way that can give you strength to perform your work outs in a comfortable way. These supplements help in speeding up the process of muscle building and provide essential nutrients to the body. These health supplements do not have side effects, if consumed in right proportion. They act as fillers that satiate the nutritional requirements of body in an appropriate way. They are available in different compositions like vitamins, carbohydrates and minerals and must be taken as per the level of one’s needs.


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Category: HealthPosted by thomas


Uses of Tribulus Terrestris( Puncture Vine) or Caltrop fruit

Tribulus terrestris is also known as Puncture Vine and Caltrop fruit. Proponents of its use claim the substance acts as a luteinizing hormone stimulant that can increase the body’s production of testosterone, which in turn would augment protein synthesis. Claims are based on obscure case studies published in foreign journals that are not easily obtained. Still, despite this lack of evidence, internet and magazine ads appear regularly touting its unfounded effects. To further fuel the fire, former Eastern block “experts,” now residing in the United States, have begun to speak of “proprietary knowledge and expertise” regarding the use of this formerly guarded “state secret.” Currently, however, there is only one peer-reviewed study available on the use of Tribulus terrestris in healthy resistance-trained subjects. Of general interest to athletes and those sports medicine professionals dealing with these individuals is that studies used to substantiate advertising claims often deal with disease or deficiency states and are not applicable to healthy populations. This is certainly the case with the data cited by supplement manufacturers marketing Tribulus terrestris.

Human Studies

In one of a handful of studies, Wang et al treated patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) using Tribulus terrestris. According to 406 cases of clinical observation and a cross test (67 cases treated with Yufen Ningxin Pian as control) in this Chinese journal, the results showed that the total rate of remission of angina pectoris was 82.3% in patients treated with Tribulus terrestris versus 67.2% in the control group. Similarly, the total effective rate of ECG improvement (52.7%) was higher than that of the control group (35.8%).

In another study examining the purported hormonal implications, Adimoelja et al. used Tribulus terrestris in the treatment of male subfertility. With the primary aim of examining alternative therapies to hormonal treatment, these investigators examined the use of this traditional herbal medicine used for centuries all over the world. The use of Tribulus terrestris in Asian countries has been claimed to improve strength. To scientifically evaluate these claims, extraction of the active components in this study were performed, identified, and purified. The main active constituent identified was protodioscin, a nonhormonal agent having a steroidal chemical structure similar to dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). The dried powder extract was then experimentally administered in a double-blind study involving 45 subfertile men with moderate idiopathic oligozoosperms. During the trial, 36 of the men were treated with Tribulus terrestris dry powder extract and men were administered a placebo. After 3 months, 7 men were able to conceive with their wives. This was attributed to the enhancement of sperm function after Tribulus terrestris consumption. Further studies involving diabetic impotent men treated with Tribulus terrestris dry powder extract showed a significant increase of DHEA-S blood levels as well as improvement of libido.

Despite these results, two observations should be noted. First, this is not a peer-reviewed study. Second, despite the apparent effect of Tribulus terrestris in a hormonally compromised population, its effectiveness remains to be determined in a healthy male population. To this end, Antonio et al. examined the use of Tribulus terrestris with the express purpose of studying the effects on body composition and exercise performance in resistance-trained males. During this trial, 15 subjects were randomly assigned to a placebo or Tribulus terrestris (3.21 mg/kg body weight daily) group. Body weight, body composition, maximal strength, dietary intake, and mood states were determined before and after an 8-week exercise (periodized resistance training) and supplementation period. After 8 weeks, there were no changes in body weight, percent body fat, total body water, dietary intake, or mood states in either group. Muscle endurance (determined by the maximal number of repetitions at 100-200% of body weight) increased for the bench and leg press exercises in the placebo group whereas the Tribulus terrestris group experienced an increase in leg press strength only. Therefore, owing to these preliminary data, supplementation with tribulus terrestris does not appear to enhance body composition or exercise performance in resistance­trained males.

Safety and Toxicity

There may be concerns about the safety of long-term, high-dose Tribulus terrestris supplementation in humans. Tribulus terrestris ingestion may cause toxic reactions in animals. It should be noted that “natural” and “herbal” supplements are not safe for all individuals and can be harmful to the health and well-being of athletes if improper dosing or a potentially dangerous substance is used. Tribulus terrestris is promoted as a safe alternative to anabolic steroids despite the fact that no toxicity studies in athletes have been conducted.


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Category: SupplementsPosted by thomas


How to Burn Excessive Fat – Common Question with Simple Solutions

Losing fat has been included in the list of arts, as it is learnt on the basis of definite rules. The dietary habits of people across the globe have always had deep impact on their lifestyle. And the conclusion is that majority of people have a common topic of discussion – how to lose fat?

Maintain a strict diet schedule, enhance the weight of muscles in body, follow workout sessions on regular basis and keep your spirit encouraged enough to achieve the target. These are the pieces of advices recommended to people with surplus body fat. But, the output of following them depends upon the motivated attitudes of people.

Is it worthwhile to trust weight loss programs provided by expert websites? Well! The answer certainly depends upon the source providing these programs. In past few years, a number of genuine websites have mushroomed on web space, concerned about your desire to lose fat. You can

Way To Lose Fat is one of these websites, which exhibits flair in providing your body with appropriate weight. The website not only offers most trusted weightloss tools and programs, but also provides informative content on keeping your body weight in balanced amount.

The website can be treated as a useful resource to learn about most appropriate weightloss pills and low carb diets. The website facilitates content under the guidance of experts in this field. Thus, you have a trustable resource available in the form of this website to get entertained with efficient weight loss techniques.


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Weight Loss Procedures Holding Great Weight

The process of gaining weight is slow and so is the process of getting rid of it. However, the availability of modernized weight loss procedures has certainly enhanced the pace of reducing body weight. Here is a discussion dedicated to most competent procedures to achieve the target at fast pace.

The diet pills are definitely the topmost procedures for gaining a body with balanced fat. You can find products fabricated from natural products like acai berry, which are highly proficient in killing the excessive amount of body weight. These products enhance the metabolism inside body and remove the toxins present in body.

Apart from these pills, there are other methods like specially designed diets and recommended workout sessions, which can efficiently kill the weight from human body. The exercising and workout routines aim at increasing the muscle weight of body, thus leaving little space for excessive fat to appear.

Once you start your journey on the road of attaining low weight, you need to dedicate yourself towards the process. All the procedures mentioned above must be facilitated by a strong motivation to get back into normal shape.

In this process, you can take help from websites like Diet Pills Hut, which act like escorts to help them in choosing best of the weight loss products. You can visit this website to know which latest weight loss pills are creating waves in the market. Your process of losing weight is perfectly fueled with the help of content provided by this website.


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