Does Shut-Eye Work?
November 11, 2008
If you’re low in energy, sleep deprivation may be your problem. According to “the sleep doctor” Dr. Michael Breus, we should be getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. What’s worse is that we’re supposed to wake up each morning without an alarm clock! Ya, sure guys. Over the 20 years I’ve interviewed various athletes, the guys with the greatest difficulty in sleeping are pro bodybuilders dieting down for a show. When dieting these guys are hopped up on all kinds of stimulants. Some legal, some not! Underground drug cocktails are a whole separate topic but their favorite “legal” stimulants include: Ephedra, Caffeine, Alkyl Nitrites, Methyl Synepherine, BPHEA, Yohimbe and a few others. At night when (they now have to sleep) many use the recreational drug GHB to knock them out. “G” as it’s called on the streets and raves usually comes in a liquid form. For others that choose to go “the natural” route, they use some (or all) of the following: Melatonin, ZMA, Kava Kava, Magnolia Bark, Jujube Seed, Phenibut, 5-HTP and L-Tryptophan. Valerian Root, GABA, Inositol, Cis-9,10-Octadecenoamide, White Peony, Ashwaghanda, and Ocimum Sanctum.
Shut-Eye
Several months back Canadian supplement company Fusion Bodybuilding sent me a sample of their “Shut-Eye” sleep product to try out. The instructions on the box were a bit confusing but I eventually figured it out (hey I’m a “supplement genius” not a real genius). That night, I took my serving of Shut Eye about an hour before bed. I’ll be honest though, I doubled the serving size because I wanted to know for certain I was getting enough to knock my ass out! Heck, if it’s free, why not right? Truth be told, one serving has 2 mg of Melatonin which is enough for most people but not for me based on my previous experience with it.
Does Shut-Eye Work?
I slept better than usual and I did wake up without the need for an alarm clock! I also felt well rested which is what I took Shut-Eye to begin with. The formula is well thought out with Melatonin, Magnolia Bark, and Jujube as the main drivers for enhanced sleep. The only complaint I have with it is that I felt a bit groggy when I woke up. This could have been a placebo effect or simply from being a dumbass and taking twice the dose you’re supposed to!
Anheuser-Busch Increases Energy Drink Focus
September 5, 2008
Beer manufacturing giant Anheuser-Busch who are also makers of the world famous Monster Energy drink have now created a subsidiary to their business called 9th Street Beverages that will specialize in energy drinks, high-end waters and other non-alcoholic beverages. Currently, non-alcoholic brands from Anheuser-Busch include 180 Energy , BORBA Skin Balance Water, Icelandic Glacial and Monster.
“With the success of our non-alcohol portfolio and opportunities to continue the momentum, we felt the time was right to bring further focus to this segment of our business,” said David English, vice president and general manager, 9th Street Beverages. “We have a great strategy and with the addition of a dedicated sales team, we’re excited about the future.”
Sales performance for the company’s non-alcoholic portfolio is up 77% this year.
Bad News For Supplement Distributors. Good News For Consumers.
In a previous post on SupplementGenius.com we discussed discussed how most supplement companies in the U.S. rely on large distribution companies like Europa and Boss to sell their products to the thousands of gyms in America. This is just ONE reason why supplements cost so much by the time you buy them in a store or gym. These distributors have been carrying energy drinks like Isatori’s Hardcore Energize Bullet, VPX’s Redline, Biotest’s Spike, ALRI’s Venom and many others. But it looks like Anheuser-Busch will now be entering these locations also with their own energy drinks. Of course, 180 Energy and Monster will be much cheaper though which will force sports supplement companies to lower their prices (finally)!
“Our focus will be on reaching new consumers in accounts where alcohol products are sold as well as accounts where alcohol may not typically have a presence, such as travel and transportation venues and ‘at-work retail’ and specialty accounts such as spas, gyms and health stores,” Mr. English said. “We’ll also continue working with licensed retail accounts to identify opportunities to augment the growth of Anheuser-Busch’s beer brands.”
The subsidiary will include a formal leadership structure for decision-making, along with a sales and marketing group focused on expanding distribution of non-alcoholic products.
SOURCE: Biz Journals
Sugar Free Red Bull May Increase Heart Attack Risk
August 25, 2008
If there’s one thing Scott Welch loves it’s sugar-free Red Bull! This marketing marvel was created in the 1980s by Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz based on a similar Thai energy drink. Red Bull is banned in Norway, Uruguay and Denmark because of health risks listed on its cans, but the company last year sold 3.5 billion cans in 143 countries. One can contains 80 mg of caffeine, around the same as a normal cup of brewed coffee. But according to Australian medical researchers, just one can of the Sugar-Free Red Bull can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.
“One hour after they drank Red Bull, (their blood systems) were no longer normal. They were abnormal like we would expect in a patient with cardiovascular disease,” Scott Willoughby, lead researcher from the Cardiovascular Research Centre at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, told the Australian newspaper.
Red Bull Australia spokeswoman Linda Rychter said the report would be assessed by the company’s head office in Austria.
“The study does not show effects which would go beyond that of drinking a cup of coffee. Therefore, the reported results were to be expected and lie within the normal physiological range,” Rychter told Reuters.
Method
Researcher tested the cardiovascular systems of 30 young adults one hour before and one hour after consuming one 250 ml can of sugar-free Red Bull. The results showed “normal people develop symptoms normally associated with cardiovascular disease” after consuming the drink. But Scott Willoughby said Sugar-Free Red Bull could be deadly when combined with stress or high blood pressure, impairing proper blood vessel function and possibly lifting the risk of blood clotting. “If you have any predisposition to cardiovascular disease, I’d think twice about drinking it,” he said.
SOURCE: Reuters
Does Your Doctor Take Supplements?
August 21, 2008
By Scott Welch
Have you ever wondered if your doctor or nurse follows the nutritional health advice that he or she gives out to you? Here are the results of a recent survey that you may find interesting (or you may just shake your head and say I’m getting really desperate for content these days!).
- 72% of physicians actively used or recommend nutritional supplements
- 87% of nurses actively used or recommend nutritional supplements.
- Of the physicians who personally use supplements, 85% also recommended them to their patients.
- 72% of doctors thought it was a wise idea to take a multivitamin.
- 88% of nurses thought it was a wise idea to take a multivitamin.
- About 50% of the physicians and nurses who take supplements themselves, do so for overall health and wellness measures.
Additionally, one other interesting find was that 28% of doctors admitted to consuming large amount of caffeine! So chug back the REDBULL , hit the dance floor and flex the guns like Jeff Hardcore is in this pic! 
Echinacea Increase EPO
August 14, 2008
By Scott Welch
Fuck bodybuilding, we’re now into Bloodbuilding baby! Well at least endurance athletes at this year’s Olympics are. Artificially increasing the amount of red blood cells in the body will drastically increase endurance because of the extra oxygen carrying capacity provided by the increase in red blood cells. In our bodies, a hormone called EPO (Erythropoietin) is naturally produced by our liver and kidneys and it is used to tell our cells to produce more red blood cells. In the past, athletes increased levels of EPO by getting blood transfusions but now they’re doing this by taking the drug "EPOGEN" (pictured above). Unfortunatelyfor these athletes, exogenous EPO can now be detected when top drug-testing protocols are used. But help may be on the way for natural athletes or cheats looking to jack EPO levels up without getting busted!
Echinacea Increases EPO:
According to a recent study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism , the herb Echinacea may actually elevate levels of EPO. In fact, statistically significant increases of EPO were found at days 7, 14, and 21 reflecting 44%, 63%, and 36% increases! Now the part that supplement companies will not want to here: The dose of Echinacea that was used in this particular study was 8,000 mg (that’s actually 8 grams) per day!
Feasability:
The cost of Echinacea if you bought directly from the factories that processes the herb is roughly $50 per kilogram. This translates to about 40 cents per day if you used the correct dose of 8 grams. Now this is affordable for many of us but unfortunately you cannot buy directly from the factories you must by from a retail store like GNC , Vitamin Shoppe , Vitamin World or online from companies with aggressive pricing like Bodybuilding.com in the U.S. or SupplementsCanada.com in Canada or Tropicana if you’re in the U.K.
Supplement Scam
So here’s what some unscrupulous supplement companies will do when they see this research or read this Blog:
- Decide to come out with an EPO boosting supplement. Just for fun let’s call this bullshit product "SUPER-EPO ".
They will then add an "affordable" dose of Echinacea (likely 1000 mg) to SUPER-EPO and put all kinds of "other ingredients" in with it so that when you read the Supplement Facts you think you’re buying more than just Echinacea!- They will then add in some B Vitamins and key Minerals like Iron to assist with making red blood cells and transferring oxygen in the body (vitamins and minerals cost only pennies to add also).
- Lastly, even though they aren’t giving you the needed 8 grams per day, they will still refer to the same research study above on their label, website and maybe even in their ads!
Don’t believe them. If you’re going to try using Echinacea to increase levels of EPO make sure you use 8 grams per day. And of course, always consult a physician before "experimenting" with supplements.
SOURCE For Echinacea Study: Dr. J. Marrow’s Supplement Research Updates
Skim Milk Outperforms Powerade!
July 30, 2008
By Scott Welch
According to Neil Merrett, Skimmed milk may become an unlikely new secret weapon within an athlete’s gym bag, with new research linking the product to a beneficial effect on preventing dehydration after a workout.
The Milk Development Council-funded study, appearing in the European Journal of Applied Physiology , backs similar research suggesting that skimmed milk is more effective at post exercise hydration than the commercially available carbohydrate-electrolyte drink Powerade (www.powerade.com ).
Researchers at Loughborough University’s School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, said that in trials of seven male subjects, consuming milk after exercising was found to ensure improved fluid balance to the energy drink.
Following post-exercise testing, the study found that subjects who had consumed skimmed milk had a positive fluid balance three hours after exercising, while those consuming electrolyte-fortified products were more negatively affected.
The team, led by Phillip Watson, added that while milk had been found in the study to improve fluid retention over the commercially available carbohydrate-electrolyte drink, Powerade, there were no differences in terms of the exercise capacity of respondents.
I asked Kelly "For The Ladies" McDonald (pictured below carrying two girls on his shoulders!) what he thought of these study results. Mr. McDonald pointed out something that none of the researchers considered. Here’s what he had to say:
"As is evident in the study, there were no statistical differences in terms of exercise capacity in subjects of either group. But what you must consider is how pathetic any dude is going to look drinking milk right before the big game! When it comes to sport, guys say they play for themselves but my "research" has shown that they only play For The Ladies. We call this the FTL factor for short. So if chicks see one guy drinking milk and the other guy drinking Powerade, which guy do you think they’re going home with after the game? The guy drinking Powerade of course! "
SOURCE: www.Nutraingredients.com
Cheap (Yet Very Effective) Pre-Workout Supplement
June 1, 2008
Go to any drug store and ask the pharmacists if you can buy some empty capsules. They will sell them to you for just a few cents each (you need to buy at least 30). On your kitchen counter (clean the surface first!) take ordinary baking soda, stuff the capsules with baking soda until you have 30 in total. Before your next high-rep training session, take all 30 capsules 30 minutes before training on an empty stomach.
Chemically speaking, baking soda is a “base” which means it will neutralize an “acid”. Since high-rep training produces acid in the muscle you are training in the form of lactic acid, taking a “base” will neutralize the acid and allow you to not experience the “burn’ that normally comes with high-rep training. Be careful though because you don’t want to push a muscle too far past the point where you normally stop because of the pain associated with the burn, as you dong so could injury your muscle. But if you monitor it closely, you can notice an immediate imporvement in stamina (the number of reps you can get on a set). Stack this with some Sugar-Free Red Bull or REDLINE EXTREME energy drink or one serving of NO XPLODE and you’re in for a hell of a workout!