HMB (Intermittent fasting)

Can you shed body fat while holding onto muscle mass? If you supplement correctly, you can.

Intermittent fasting is one of the fastest growing diet trends for fat loss. However, it generally means going 12 to 24 hours without ingesting calories of any kind. Millions of people have benefited from the rapid weight loss associated with intermittent fasting, but when you restrict nourishment, especially without protein or amino acids for hours, you run the risk of elevating cortisol (a catabolic hormone) and putting the body in a state of catabolism — potentially endangering your hard-earned gains.

One familiar product, however, could very well be your key to avoiding undue muscle loss. A recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate — commonly known as HMB free acid (HMB-FA) — may be an ideal supplement for those who partake in intermittent fasting.

HMB, found in foods like avocado, alfalfa, catfish and citrus fruits, is an active anabolic metabolite of the essential branched-chain amino acid leucine, which resides in all human muscle cells.

In the aforementioned study, researchers from Texas Tech University assessed the effects of HMB-FA supplementation on catabolism (muscle breakdown), cortisol release, testosterone and resting energy expenditure during a period of acute fasting. Eleven healthy men and women participated in the double-blind placebo-controlled experiment, during which they received either an HMB-FA supplement or a placebo during a three-day meat-free diet, followed by a 24-hour fast.

Interestingly, markers of catabolism were unaffected by acute fasting, so there was no observed impact of HMB on muscle breakdown. However, with HMB supplementation, the fasting cortisol response was blunted by a whopping 32 percent, with no effect evident in the placebo group. In males, testosterone-to-cortisol ratios increased 162 percent from 0 to 24 hours of fasting with HMB-FA, mainly because of reductions in cortisol.

Action Point: If you’re using intermittent fasting as a dieting strategy or if you just want to keep cortisol levels in check, it seems that HMB-FA might provide some supplemental support. According to research, the best dose for HMB is 38 milligrams/kilograms of body mass daily (about 17 milligrams/pounds of bodyweight), split into three equal doses. Take one dose 30 to 60 minutes before training, another immediately after training and another with a meal. On rest days, take your three doses with breakfast, lunch and dinner. You’ll notice the greatest effects of HMB after two weeks of supplementation and chronic consumption is deemed safe.

Exercise preserves muscle

If you lose 4.5 kg of body weight, you may be lighter, but if 2.3 kg of that loss are muscle, you sure won’t be stronger, and your performance can suffer. Appearance-wise, you can still look flabby when muscle tissue is lost. Exercise is one of the best ways to make sure you are shedding weight from fat stores rather than from muscle stores. Researchers have put this principle to the test. In a study of 10 overweight women, half of the women were placed in a diet-plus exercise group and half of the women in an exercise-only group. The women in the first group followed a diet that reduced their calories by 50 percent of what it took to maintain their weight, and they worked out aerobically six times a week.

The women in the exercise-only group followed the same aerobic exercise program but followed a diet designed to stabilize their weight. After 14 weeks, it was time to check the results. Here is what happened: Both groups lost weight. But the composition of that loss was vastly different between the groups. In the group that dieted and exercised, the weight lost was 67 percent fat and 33 percent lean mass. In the group that only exercised, the women lost much more fat—86 percent fat and only 14 percent lean mass! Not only that but RMR declined by 9 percent among the dieters, whereas it was maintained in those who only exercised.

What does all this tell us? Sure, you can lose weight by low-calorie dieting. But you risk losing muscle. Also, your metabolic rate can plummet, sabotaging your attempts at successful weight control. With exercise and a nonrestrictive diet, you preserve calorie-burning muscle and keep your metabolism in gear.

Lift Heavy to Get Lean

The greater the EPOC, the more total calories burned and the more potential fat loss.

When it comes to torching body fat and staying lean, what really counts is maximizing the number of calories burned after the workout (at rest), not during it — the concept of excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), or “afterburn” for the layperson.

The greater the EPOC, the more total calories burned and the more potential fat loss. That said, it appears heavy weights provide a great afterburn.

One study showed that EPOC was higher in subjects who did low-rep sets of 80 to 90 percent of their one-rep max than it was in subjects who did sets of 15 reps at 50 percent of 1RM.

The take-home here: Incorporate relatively heavy sets in the five- to six-rep ballpark on a regular basis in addition to the hypertrophy sweet spot of eight to 15 reps. Both ranges are great for promoting muscle gains and keeping the fat off your physique.

Exercise hikes your fat burning after exercise. Scientists call this condition excess postexercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC. The more oxygen you use, the more fat you are likely to burn. We have known for years that all kinds of exercise can raise what I call your afterburn, the amount of oxygen you use for recovery, which can translate into the amount of fat calories you burn after exercise. The key has been to understand what kinds of exercise raise this value the highest for the longest period of time. The answers have been coming fast and furious, and the winner for how high EPOC can go is clearly high intensity interval training, known as HIIT.

With HIIT, your workouts will be shorter, but you’ll actually be working out at a higher intensity than when you are doing steady exercise on the cardio machines at your gym. Basically, you work out in intervals—bouts of all-out effort at a rate of 80 to 90 percent of your maximal heart rate (MHR), alternated with short stretches of active recovery. You can do any kind of high-intensity exercise to meet the guidelines of HIIT all-out effort training (e.g., sprinting outside on a track, working out inside on a rowing machine, using a stationary bike or treadmill, or even performing plyometrics) for one to two minutes. On a 1 to 10 scale of perceived exertion, your high-intensity training should exceed a level of 7. Active recovery can be the same activity but at a lower intensity (e.g., from a sprint on a track to a jog, from a twominute hill climb on an indoor bike to a three-minute flat at a level of 4 or 5, or from intense plyometrics to squats, sit-ups, and push-ups). This cycle is repeated for about 20 minutes. Plenty of research shows that HIIT is a super-effective way to burn fat.

Studies show that your afterburn rate rises exponentially with an increase in intensity during exercise. This is in contrast to a linear increase in afterburn as exercise duration increases. While steady state exercise at high intensity burns a higher EPOC compared to moderate intensity aerobic exercise or circuit training, high-intensity interval training leads to higher oxygen consumption per time during exercise, which results in the highest EPOC, afterburn. The length of afterburn has not been consistent among studies, ranging from 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on the fitness level of the subject and the intensity and number of bouts of the training session. The more fit you are, the greater the physical challenge, but the very short duration of HIIT also limits the duration of EPOC, despite its high peak value.

And here’s something else: HIIT is a great way to burn belly fat. In a study from the University of Virginia, researchers recruited 27 middle-aged, obese women with metabolic syndrome (a prediabetic condition) and had them complete one of three 16-week aerobic exercise interventions: no exercise training (control); low-intensity exercise training (LIET); and HIIT. At the end of the experimental period, HIIT had significantly reduced total abdominal fat, and there were no such changes in the control or LIET groups. This is not to dissuade you from doing moderate-intensity training, endurance training, or circuit training. Testing has shown that if you measure calories burned during exercise, a longer duration exercise session or even a steady state high-intensity exercise session will likely burn more calories. Cumulatively over time this may lead to more total calories burned. But if your time is limited and you need to be efficient with your training, the short duration of HIIT won’t decrease your calorie-burning potential; you make some of it up in the afterburn. It’s also a great way to change up your training and add variety, which keeps you interested and more likely to stick with exercise daily. If you want to know what muscle groups create greater EPOC, just think about what it takes to recover from a leg/glute/lower body day compared to an arm/chest/upper body day. That’s your clue to the fact that working big muscles like glutes create a higher afterburn than working smaller muscles likes biceps and chest. (Believe me, I’m not judging your chest or biceps!) The big picture here is that exercise variety promotes all kinds of improvements in fitness and strength, speed, and power. Changing up your routine and adding in HIIT protocols on short days can make a big a difference to your cross-training and body-sculpting goals. Now let’s add in a little discussion about diet and HIIT, to demonstrate how recovery feeding can bump up your fat burn. Scientists in Japan wanted to know if HIIT would enhance the increase in oxygen consumption that comes from eating food, called the thermic effect of food (TEF). Ten subjects spent multiple 24-hour sessions in a metabolic chamber. HIIT exercise consisted of six or seven bouts of 20-second bicycle exercise (intensity: 170 percent V∙O2max) with a 10-second rest between bouts. HIIT was always preceded by 10 minutes of exercise at 50 percent V∙O2max. On two separate days, four subjects were fed lunch and dinner and EPOC was tested with and without exercise. Six different subjects fasted and were studied on two separate days with and without exercise. The researchers’ main finding was that HIIT enhanced a small but significant increase in diet-induced (fed) TEF during the 10.5 hours after exercise, with no comparable increase with feeding but without exercise. Eating is part of your daily routine. If you get in a HIIT workout before you eat, you capitalize on your fat-burning potential. That’s an entirely new benefit from your recovery shake or meal, so don’t skip it thinking that you’ll lose more weight. That’s like leaving money on the table!

Create Your Own Supplement Stack

Branched-Chain Amino Acids

Goals: Increased strength, focus, energy, muscle building, decreased catabolism

BCAAs are the essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. They are called “essential” because the body cannot manufacture them, thus they must be acquired in the foods and supplements we ingest.

BCAAs make up a large proportion of the total amino-acid content in skeletal muscle, and during exercise, they are readily broken down (catabolized) to produce energy. Taking BCAAs before, during and after training ensures that the blood has an abundance of essential aminos necessary to fuel your workout and support recovery. Taking BCAAs preworkout and intraworkout conserves your muscle BCAA stores, increases fatigue resistance, protects the body from catabolism and decreases recovery time.

The BCAA leucine boosts the release of the anabolic hormone insulin. You want insulin levels to be rapidly elevated after your workouts because this hormone carries nutrients such as glucose and amino acids into muscle cells — promoting greater protein synthesis and muscular gains. Remember, for the greatest results, make sure that each serving of your BCAA supplement has at least twice as much leucine as isoleucine and valine (i.e., at least 2:1:1, leucine:isoleucine:valine ratio).

What are they? BCAAs are the essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine, which share a unique branched-chain structure (hence their name) and are stored in muscles. They’re considered “essential” because our bodies cannot produce them, so they must be taken in through the diet.

How do they help you refuel and recover? During heavy training, the body takes BCAAs from active muscles to be used as energy — a catabolic process. Refueling with BCAAs immediately after exercise boosts blood levels and shuts down catabolism. In addition, taking BCAAs provides the body with surplus leucine, which turns on anabolism and supports heightened protein synthesis. The anti-catabolic and anabolic support offered by BCAAs helps speed recovery and boost muscle growth.

Creatine

Goals: Energy (ATP), strength, power, anabolism

The research supporting creatine as a strength and muscle builder is undisputable. Creatine taken preworkout is rapidly taken up and stored in skeletal muscle where it provides much-needed high-energy creatine phosphate to supply muscles with the substrates to quickly make ATP (energy for contraction). Having elevated creatine stores available in working muscle promotes dramatic increases in strength and power during explosive and extended performances, with less time needed for rest.

When taken after exercise, creatine monohydrate can replenish and boost muscle creatine stores. Having extra creatine around after training not only provides energy substrates for future exercise bouts but also promotes greater protein synthesis (into recovery) by physical and hormonal mechanisms. First, it increases the amount of water taken up by muscle cells — which swells the muscle and signals for increased repair. (It also makes your muscles look bigger.) Second, it increases the production of insulin-like growth factor-1 and decreases myostatin levels (the “anabolic brakes”) during recovery from heavy training.

Beta-Alanine

Goals: Increased exercise intensity and volume, power, strength gains

In skeletal muscle, beta-alanine reacts with histidine to produce carnosine. Beta-alanine is the rate-limiting substrate in the formation of carnosine; thus, when it is supplemented adequately, it elevates

muscle carnosine levels. Research shows that just four weeks of beta-alanine supplementation can increase muscle carnosine levels by more than 60 percent. Elevated muscle carnosine increases exercise performance through its ability to reduce skeletal muscle acidity during prolonged high-intensity exercise. Since fatigue during heavy exercise is exacerbated by the accumulation of acidic metabolic byproducts, it makes sense why increased intramuscular carnosine levels would be beneficial to bodybuilders and strength athletes alike. Research has shown that stacking beta-alanine with creatine can significantly improve exercise endurance performance.

Formulation: Preworkout 2 to 3 grams; postworkout 2 to 3 grams

Citrulline

Goals: Vasodilation (increased blood flow to exercising muscle), muscle pump, energy

This amino acid also helps prevent muscle fatigue because it assists in production of energy by increasing the rate of phosphocreatine and ATP production. Citrulline converts to arginine (the precursor to nitric oxide) in the body and optimizes blood and nutrient delivery to working muscles.

Once L-citrulline is in circulation, it is converted to L-arginine by the kidneys, leading to increases in blood levels of L-arginine and nitric oxide. Recent research indicates that citrulline supplements increase blood levels of arginine and nitric oxide more effectively than arginine ingestion. Increased production of nitric oxide promotes vascular dilation, which helps support blood delivery and metabolic waste removal throughout the body. It’s this nitric-oxide-potentiating effect that gives L-citrulline supplements their pump-promoting properties. Beyond creating incredible pumps, a single preworkout dose of citrulline was recently shown to combat exercise-induced fatigue, increase time to exhaustion and substantially decrease muscle soreness.

Although this may sound like a logical approach, ingesting L-arginine does not boost blood arginine levels as well as pure L-citrulline. This is because the gut and liver contain enzymes called arginases, which serve to break down and eliminate exogenous arginine. So, because of these arginases, L-citrulline is more efficacious in elevating blood arginine and NO than arginine itself. In fact, a study presented in 2006 illustrated that acute ingestion of L-citrulline elevated plasma arginine levels by approximately 227 percent (within four hours of ingestion) compared to only 90 percent with the equivalent dose of arginine.

Formulation: Preworkout 2 to 3 grams; intraworkout 2 to 3 grams

Caffeine

Goals: Energy, focus, intensity, increased exertion

Although caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, its effects on energy levels go far beyond its energetic buzz. Many studies show that preworkout caffeine supplementation dampens perceived exertion and muscle pain during exercise and into recovery. As such, many find that preworkout caffeine promotes higher workout intensity and volume, resulting in greater gains in a shorter time.

Formulation: Preworkout 200 to 300 milligrams; intraworkout 100 to 200 milligrams (optional)

Your workout window should be split into three supplemental periods: preworkout, intraworkout and postworkout. Here are the critical time periods.

Preworkout: 30-60 minutes before training

In the hour before training, you should be priming your internal environment for work. This means optimizing your mind and body with the right macronutrients and supplements necessary to maximize performance.

In a shaker, mix 10 to 20 grams of your favorite whey protein isolate or blended protein supplement in 12 to 16 ounces of water. Leave some room in the shaker cup because you will be adding the rest of your preworkout ingredients to this shake. Whey protein contains high levels of essential amino acids, which serve to keep blood amino acids high at the onset of exercise.

Intraworkout: 10-20 minutes into training

During your workout, you want to assure that your body and mind are full of key substrates needed to fuel your workout. In fact, there are key amino acids (like glutamine and branched-chain amino acids), micronutrients and electrolytes that can be depleted because of increased metabolism and sweating associated with exercise. Proper fueling during this period will ensure that you sustain your workout intensity from start to finish.

In a shaker, fill with 12 to 16 ounces of your favorite electrolyte sports drink (can be sweetened with sugar or sugar-free — depending on goals). You will mix your intraworkout supplements in this drink and sip it while you are on the gym floor. This cocktail is designed to replenish lost electrolytes and substrates needed to push you through your workout. There are quite a few powders on the market that you mix with water, or simply use a ready-to-drink electrolyte beverage like Gatorade or Gatorade G2.

Postworkout: Immediately after training

Immediately after you train, your body’s internal environment is optimized for nutrient absorption. As such, immediately postworkout is the perfect window to provide macronutrients and supplements that replenish what was lost, for greater gains in recovery, muscular development and performance.

Protein

Amino Acids

Both muscle and milk contain all the naturally occurring amino acids, and thus meat and dairy products are valuable foods (both have high biological value, and dairy sources have higher values). The most abundant amino acids in muscle are the three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), leucine, valine, and isoleucine, which together account for 20% of the total amino acids found in muscle protein. Both meat and dairy protein have high BCAA content.

Athletes at Risk of Insufficient Protein Intake

People with extremely low protein intakes may suffer from protein deficiency, which can compromise function and ultimately lead to loss of body protein (atrophy). Certain groups of athletes are primarily recognized as being at risk from protein and energy deficiency: female runners, male wrestlers, boxers and other athletes in weight category sports, ski jumpers, male and female gymnasts, and female dancers. Although protein intake for these groups may be adequate on average, certain people within these groups may have protein intakes well below the RDA due to low energy intake.
Another group that has been suggested to be at risk is vegetarian athletes. Plant food
sources typically contain lower-quality proteins that have low levels of one or more
essential amino acids .

In addition, the digestibility of plant protein can be low compared with animal protein. Although some concern exists that vegetarian athletes may struggle to meet the protein requirements, the evidence for this is lacking, and adequate protein intake seems possible through a balanced vegetarian diet.

Amino Acid Metabolism

The metabolism of most amino acids is linked to the metabolism of other amino acids, and some amino acids can be synthesized from other amino acids. This feature is especially important in conditions of limited dietary protein intake or when metabolic requirements increase. Some amino acids are essential and are not synthesized in the body, whereas others can be synthesized in the body (nonessential amino acids) .
Amino acids are involved in a variety of biochemical and physiological processes, some of which are common to all and some of which are highly specific to certain amino acids.
Amino acids are constantly incorporated into proteins (protein synthesis), and proteins are constantly broken down (protein degradation or breakdown). The vast majority of the amino acids in the body are
incorporated into tissue proteins, but a small pool of free amino acids also exists (about 120g of free amino acids are present in the skeletal muscle of an adult). Amino acids are constantly extracted from the free amino acid pool for synthesis of various proteins, and breakdown of protein makes amino acids available for the free amino acid pool.

Timing of Protein Intake

The timing of food intake after exercise is important to the balance between protein
synthesis and protein degradation. Studies have investigated protein ingestion immediately after exercise, 1 or 3 hours after exercise, or before exercise. In one study by Tipton et al. (2001), volunteers ingested 6 g of essential amino acids plus 35 g of carbohydrate immediately before and immediately after completion of an intense leg resistance exercise bout. Amino acid uptake seemed to be greater when the nutrients were ingested before the exercise bout than immediately afterward, but the anabolic response was similar in magnitude for both preexercise and postexercise feeding. This study suggested that the anabolic response to exercise and amino acid and carbohydrate ingestion is greater with preexercise ingestion versus immediately postexercise, and it was suggested that the observed differences were likely related to the delivery of amino acids to the muscle. Free amino acids ingested before exercise may result in increased amino acid delivery (because of increased blood flow to active muscles during the exercise session) and lead to superior amino acid uptake compared with amino acids ingested after exercise. However, this study was performed with essential amino acids. When some of these studies were repeated with whey protein (and no carbohydrate), the difference between feeding before a bout of resistance exercise and after was not evident. The current consensus is that ingesting protein soon after exercise (within approximately 1 hour after exercise),
which is more practical than preexercise protein consumption, is the best way to increase net protein synthesis postexercise.

5 Best Types of Supplements for Your Brain

Functions of the Brain

The brain is one of the most complex organs in the body. To name a few, the brain is responsible for your cognition (reading, writing, learning, thinking), your movement (walking, coordination), your senses (hearing, vision), and controlling fundamental bodily functions (breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure, etc.).
Signs of brain fog, memory loss, and fatigue are all symptoms of overload. Long-term poor brain health can lead to many concerns, including cognitive impairment and dementia. Cognitive decline can be seen by changes over time in the brain. These changes include tissue damage, increased risk of genetic conditions, reduction in energy production, and inflammation.
There may be many reasons as to why you are suffering from lack of brain power. Regardless of the “why,” our brain health is important and the steps you take to maintain a healthy brain can help lead you to living a longer and fuller life.

5 Everyday Supplements Your Brain May Be Missing

omega-3

The body can synthesize certain fatty acids, however, it cannot synthesize polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids due to the lack of certain enzymes in the body that produce alpha-linoeic acid (ALA).

When the body is unable to synthesize a certain nutrient, it becomes categorized as “essential.” Therefore, it is recommended to incorporate dietary sources rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as well as considering supplementation.
ALA is the precursor for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA is responsible for optimum neural and visual functions. DHA and EPA also help in the process of lowering triglyceride levels and play a key role in inflammatory processes. Meaning, these nutrients may help to reduce overall inflammation in the body, especially in individuals who suffer from inflammatory diseases.
The Research
Studies show an inverse relationship between the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and frequency of depression. The same is true for Alzheimer’s disease. Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids may be linked to reducing the risk of this disease and is suggested to slow down symptom progression of those with Alzheimer’s.
A 2016 study evaluated the effects of omega-3 fatty acid on learning memory and formation. For 26 weeks, 44 individuals aged 50-75 years either consumed 2200 milligrams per day of omega-3 fatty acids or consumed a placebo.
Researchers found that the recall of object locations was significantly better after supplementation compared with those who took the placebo. Therefore, their memory had improved after supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids.
Sources, Deficiencies, & Side Effects
Dietary sources of EPA and DHA include mackerel, sardine, tuna, and algae. ALA is found in dark green leafy vegetables, flax seed oil, chia seed oil, eggs, meats, walnuts, and hazelnuts.
If you do not consume these foods regularly, you may be missing out on adequate omega-3 fatty acid intake. A deficiency is rare, but may cause rough, scaly skin and a red, itchy rash.
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of omega-3 fatty acid has not been established. However, most studies supplement omega-3 fatty acids between 500 milligrams to three grams per day.
Side effects of too much omega-3 fatty acids should also be noted. Omega-3 fatty acids, in excess, may cause bleeding problems, affect immune function, and/or cause GI distress.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends no more than three grams per day of EPA and DHA combined, including up to two grams per day of dietary supplements. Individuals taking Warfarin should discuss omega-3 fatty acid supplementation with their doctor prior to taking.
Summary
Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in anti-inflammation in our bodies. Supplementation of these fatty acids may help to improve memory and mood and may even help to reduce cognitive decline in aging.

Caffeine

Caffeine, an ergogenic aid, has been well studied. Grabbing a cup of coffee is one of the most common solutions to fixing that mid-day brain fatigue.
Consumption of caffeine enhances dopamine (DA) in the brain. Dopamine is responsible for our daily behaviors; what we eat, how we learn, and our addictions. Low dopamine levels may result in depression, fatigue, and changes in mood.
The Research
A 2015 study evaluated the effects of caffeine as a psychoactive substance. Twenty healthy male subjects consumed a 300-mg dose of caffeine, which reflects caffeine consumption in two to three cups of coffee. A second observation was done with the same 20 male subjects consuming a placebo, without caffeine.
The subjects were asked to describe their mood; if they were alert, tired, sleepy, or moody. These subjective measures were taken before the study and at two intervals (30 min and 120 min) after the placebo and caffeine administration.
This study found a significant higher self-report of ‘alertness’ at both 30- and 120-minute intervals. Researchers also saw a significant reduction in sleepiness at 120 minutes compared to the placebo group.
Other studies have found that caffeine may improve an individual’s attention and productivity. A significant relationship was observed with caffeine consumption ranging from 40 mg to 280 mg and improved speed and accuracy, as well as improved focus.
Sources, Deficiencies, & Side Effects
The most common sources of caffeine include coffee and tea. However, you may be surprised to find there are other foods and beverages we encounter in our daily diet that also contain caffeine. This includes decaf coffee, sodas, non-cola sodas, chocolate, ice cream (chocolate or coffee flavors), energy waters, energy drinks containing alcohol, energy drinks, and some pain relievers.
The amount of caffeine may vary in each of these items, but it is still important to note caffeine can be found in other items besides coffee and tea.
There are no deficiencies associated with caffeine as caffeine is not essential to our body. However, those who consume an excess amount of caffeine for a prolonged period of time may experience withdrawal symptoms.
It appears that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day can be safe for most healthy adults. This would equate to 4 cups of brewed coffee. Side effects with consumption greater than 400 milligrams may experience migraine headaches, insomnia, irritability, restlessness, frequent urination, fast heartbeat, and more.
Caffeine consumption may interact with certain medications and herbal supplements. Also, caffeine can affect some medical conditions. It is recommended to discuss potential interactions and/or concerns of caffeine intake with your doctor prior to consumption.
Summary
One to two daily cups of coffee may help to improve fatigue, attention, and focus. If you are drinking more than this amount, it is highly recommended you reduce your caffeine intake.

B Vitamin Complex

The B vitamins are essential for normal physiological functions. There are eight B vitamins which include thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) biotin (B7), folate (B9), and vitamin B12 (cobalamin).
Each B vitamin plays their own role in the body. A few responsibilities of B vitamins include converting food into energy, production of red blood cells, DNA production, creation of neurotransmitters, and regulation of gene expression.
The Research
B complex vitamins contain all eight B vitamins. This supplement has shown to reduce fatigue and improve alertness.
A 2010 study evaluated the effects of a high-dose B vitamin complex on psychological functioning. For 33 days, cognitive performance, mood, and fatigue were assessed in 215 full-time employed males (30 to 55 years).
Researchers found that this population of healthy males may benefit from supplementing with B vitamin complex. Improved levels of stress, mental health, and cognitive performance were found during intense mental processing.
Other studies have found that supplementation of folic acid and related B vitamins helped to reduce brain atrophy. Furthermore, optimal intake of B vitamins can be associated with improved cognitive health while aging and may be crucial in maintaining brain health.
Sources, Deficiencies, & Side Effects
Most often, you do not have to worry about a deficiency, unless you are following a diet that significantly reduces consumption of all B vitamins. A deficiency in certain B vitamins result over an extended period of time as these vitamins are water soluble.
The most common deficiencies of the B vitamins would be from vitamin B12. This deficiency could be from reduced absorption, post weight loss surgery, digestive disorders (Celiac disease or Crohn’s disease), or from following a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Side effects of vitamin B12 deficiency may include feeling tired and weak, constipation, loss of appetite, weight loss, and megaloblastic anemia. Numbness and tingling in your extremities may also occur.
There can also be side effects associated with taking a vitamin B complex. This is not common, especially if you are taking the supplement correctly. However, the following side effects may still occur, such as dizziness, frequent urination, change in the color of urine, black stools, constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, and redness or irritation of the skin.
There is no recommended dosage of B vitamin complex to consume, however, each B vitamin has their own recommended daily allowance. It is important to discuss supplementation of vitamin B complex with your doctor prior to taking.
Summary
Supplementing with a B vitamin complex may help to reduce stress and boost mental health and cognitive performance.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, another water-soluble vitamin, is unable to be synthesized in the body. Therefore, this vitamin is essential to our diet.
Vitamin C is involved in biosynthesis of collagen, L-carnitine, and other neurotransmitters. This vitamin is also needed for protein metabolism. Vitamin C is mostly known as an antioxidant and has been shown to regenerate alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E). Antioxidants reduce the damaging effects of free radicals in the body. Lastly, vitamin C aids in immune function and improves absorption of nonheme iron.
As you can see, Vitamin C is essential to our diet as it plays many important roles in our bodies.
The Research
In 2017, a study observed the correlation between vitamin C concentrations in men and women compared to metabolic health and cognitive impairment. Researchers observed lower levels of cognitive impairment in those with the highest plasma vitamin C concentrations. These subjects with optimal plasma vitamin C were also found to be in better health (low BMI, normal weight, less risk of disease) compared to those with lower levels of vitamin C.
Other research has found that higher level of vitamin C concentrations are usually demonstrated in the cognitively intact groups compared to cognitively impaired groups. Researchers theorize this may be due to the antioxidant properties. However, more research should be conducted on the direct relationship between vitamin C supplementation and brain health.
Oxidative stress can occur when cells cannot adequately destroy the excess free radicals. This can cause damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA and can lead to a higher risk of degenerative and chronic diseases. Adequate consumption of antioxidants can help to reduce oxidative stress, therefore, reducing risk of certain diseases.
Sources, Deficiencies, & Side Effects
The best sources of vitamin C include fruits and vegetables, specifically citrus fruits. Vitamin C is also widely fortified in many foods. The next time you eat or drink something that has a label, check the nutrition facts to see if vitamin C has been added to the product.
The RDA for vitamin C is 90 mg for adult men and 75 mg for adult women.
Deficiencies may occur in those who smoke or experience secondhand smoke. This is because smoking increases the need for more vitamin C to repair damage caused by free radicals. A smoker will need to increase their daily vitamin C consumption by 35 milligrams. A prolonged deficiency may result in scurvy, but is not common in the U.S.
Other deficiencies may occur in those that have a limited diet or have certain medical conditions that cause severe malabsorption.
Side effects of taking too much vitamin C include diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps.
Summary
Vitamin C can be a great supplement to take to help maintain brain cognition and fight aging processes, such as oxidative stress.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be synthesized in the body endogenously from ultraviolet rays from sunlight through our skin. However, amount of daily sun exposure, where you live, and other factors can affect Vitamin D synthesis.
Vitamin D has many responsibilities in the body. This vitamin aids in absorption and maintenance of calcium (bone health), cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduction in inflammation.
Most importantly, emerging research has been finding links between adequate vitamin D status and brain cognition.
The Research
Vitamin D’s active form has shown to have neuroprotective effects on clearing amyloid plaque, which is a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. Several studies have found an association between low levels of vitamin D and Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
More research is needed to clearly define vitamin D’s role in preventing or treating Alzheimer’s disease.
A study in 2015 evaluated the association between vitamin D status and change in cognitive function in a diverse older adult population. Researches found that lower vitamin D status was associated with accelerated decline in cognitive functions, especially in those who had a higher risk of vitamin D insufficiency.
Another study found cognitive improvements in older adults supplementing with vitamin D after one to 15 months. Researchers suggest that most populations can benefit from vitamin D supplementation, not just to maintain brain health, but perhaps to restore it.
Sources, Deficiencies, & Side Effects
Dietary sources of vitamin D include fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel), beef liver, cheese, egg yolks, and fortified foods and beverages (breakfast cereals and milk).
Nowadays it is common to be deficient in vitamin D due to less sun exposure as most individuals are sitting in offices during prime-time hours of ultraviolet rays. Also, geographical location and inadequate dietary intake of vitamin D containing foods will also put you at risk for a deficiency.
A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Osteoporosis is a bone condition that can occur as you get older with insufficient intake of vitamin D and calcium.
Too much vitamin D may cause nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, confusion, and problems with your heart rhythm.
The RDA for vitamin D for men and women ages 19-70 years old is 600 IU. However, today you will see your doctor prescribe a megadose of vitamin D if you are deficient. Discuss the dosage of vitamin D with your doctor prior to taking.
Summary
Vitamin D may be helpful in maintaining cognitive function in healthy adults and may even help older adults improve some cognitive impairment.

Making the Right Decision

Every day new information appears on the internet influencing our decisions to follow a healthy lifestyle. Often, we are overwhelmed and misled with information speculating what we should eat or drink to help live a longer and healthier life. Sometimes it is hard to filter through all the information and decipher the truth.
Rest assured that the nutrients above are evidenced based and have been researched many times over. In fact, more research is needed to assess the direct relationship between each nutrient and how the nutrient impacts our brains’ daily functions.
Thankfully there are a few steps that you can take to start improving your brain power and quality of life now. A few would include making any necessary changes to your diet, incorporating some of the dietary sources listed above, and supplementing a nutrient when appropriate.
Also, it is important to note that all diets are not created equal. If you are following a diet that restricts certain food groups, it is important to discuss these changes with your doctor and ask about appropriate supplementation.
When used correctly, supplements can be a great addition to your diet, especially when it comes to improving and maintaining your brain health.

Caffeine

Caffeine is one of the most widely used supplements in the world, especially among tactical groups. It is a central nervous system (CNS) and metabolic stimulant used to reduce feelings of fatigue and to restore mental acuity. Many studies have demonstrated the exercise performance–enhancing effects of caffeine. The traditional hypothesis is that caffeine increases the levels of fight-or-flight chemical messengers, including epinephrine and norepinephrine, which promote fat utilization and result in the sparing of intramuscular glycogen. Furthermore, there are strong data to support the use of caffeine for enhancing mood, vigilance and focus, energy, and marksmanship all important components of tactical performance. The benefits of caffeine have been repeatedly shown, especially in military personnel. The Committee on Military Nutrition Research and the Food and Nutrition Board have accepted that 150mg of caffeine will increase endurance and physical performance among military personnel. Additionally, a dose of 200 mg has been shown to improve focus and vigilance during a shooting task, despite 72 hours of continuous sleep deprivation. Also, successive caffeine intake (four 200 mg doses over 24 hours) in the late evening and early morning aided in maintaining cognitive function over a three-day period with minimal sleep. In addition, caffeine may help tactical athletes by positively influencing their psychological state and altering their pain perception. Research has shown caffeine supplementation to result in reduced rating of perceived exertion during constant load exercise, which may translate to improved training volume and thresholds during military tasks. The risk of caffeine at appropriate doses is low, while the benefits are high. However, it is suggested that athletes take an initial dose of 3 mg/kg body weight to test for caffeine sensitivity. The overconsumption of caffeine from a variety of sources, such as chewing gum with coffee, soda, and blended supplements, causes adverse effects in tactical personnel, so care should be taken to assess all caffeine sources. Of interest to tactical personnel, cycling from high to low (or no) caffeine intake may increase physiological sensitivity.

Key Points About Caffeine

• Doses of 200 mg consumed 30 to 60 minutes before exercise appear to be most effective for physical and e performance.

• Caffeine may enhance fat oxidation and spare carbohydrate, which may improve performance.

• Evidence suggests that a beneficial effect from caffeine can be achieved with a dose of 1.4 to 4.0 mg/lb (mg/0.5 kg) body weight. This would equate to 266 to 760 mg for a 190-pound (86 kg) person.

• Overconsumption of caffeine can result in negative side effects.

• To date, the largest amount of caffeine ingested by tactical personnel in controlled studies was 800 mg (consumed in four divided doses of 200 mg) over a 24-hour period, with no adverse effects in caffeine-naive and caffeine-habituated Special Forces personnel.

zinc

?Zinc, one of the antioxidant minerals, is important for hundreds of body processes, including maintaining normal taste and smell, regulating growth, and promoting wound healing. research has revealed that female bodybuilders, in particular, don’t get enough zinc in their diets. Zinc is an important mineral for people who work out. As you exercise, zinc helps clear lactic acid buildup in the blood. In addition, zinc supplementation (25 mg a day) has been shown to protect immunity during periods of intense training. There is not much research on zinc supplementation and exercise performance. Interestingly, though, one study shows that if you’re an endurance athlete who follows a diet that is rich in carbohydrate but low in protein and fat, you could be setting yourself up for a zinc deficiency, resulting in a loss of too much body weight, greater fatigue, and poor endurance. Too much zinc might be a bad thing, however. It has been associated with lower levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and thus may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. What’s more, excess zinc over time may create mineral imbalances and produce undesirable changes in two substances involved in calcium metabolism: calcitonin, a hormone that boosts calcium in bones by drawing it from soft tissue, and osteocalcin, the key noncollagen protein needed to help harden bone. By eating zinc-rich foods, you can get just the right amount, which is 8 milligrams a day for women and 11 milligrams a day for men. The best sources of zinc are meat, eggs, seafood (especially oysters), and whole grains. If you restrict your intake of meat, taking a multivitamin-multimineral each day will help fill in the nutritional blanks.

Protein: A harmful or beneficial nutrient for bone

High protein intakes are considered essential to support the demands of training, and as such, athletes are recommended to consume more protein (between 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg/day, with up to 2.2 g/kg/day considered useful in some situations) than the general population (currently 0.8 g/kg/day). At the same time, there is a long held belief that higher protein intakes may actually have a negative influence on bone health. This is based on the “acid-ash hypothesis”, which suggests that animal proteins are acidic, and so can disrupt body pH. A balanced pH is essential for function of all body cells, and so the body will counterbalance an acidic state by increasing the availability of alkaline minerals, so normalising pH. The problem is, that most of the bodies alkaline minerals (e.g.,calcium) are stored within the bone. A chronic need to normalise pH in response to habitually high protein intakes, can, in the long term, result in bone mineral loss and weakening. Supporting this hypothesis is evidence that diets with a high potential renal acid load (PRAL), namely those high in animal proteins, are associated with a greater loss of calcium in the urine. This may be associated with lower bone mineral density, and an increased rate of bone loss.

The acid-ash hypothesis does have some possible merit, but it also describes just one of the pathways through which high protein intakes may theoretically influence bone, and is by no means the full story. For a start, the acid-ash hypothesis assumes that the calcium lost in the urine when protein intakes are high, comes from the bone. It seems, however, that higher protein intakes actually increase the amount of calcium that is absorbed from foods, and the increased calcium found in the urine when protein intake is high comes from this increase in calcium availability, and not from the bone, as was originally assumed.

Another important point, is that calculations of dietary acid load, are not only influenced by a high intake of acidic foods, but also by a low intake of alkaline foods. Most alkaline foods (e.g.,fruits and vegetables) are also rich in a wide range of micro- and phyto-nutrients that are essential to bone health. It is possible, therefore, that the poorer bone outcomes reported in individuals who consumed an acidic diet, were not actually due to high protein, but to a shortage of nutrient rich fruits and vegetables.

More importantly, evidence exists to show that not only is protein not harmful to bone, it can actually be beneficial. Bone tissue is made up of ~50% protein, which makes it essential that athletes consume sufficient protein to support the increased rate of bone turnover caused by athletic training. Additionally, protein ingestion is known to increase the production of a number of hormones and growth factors, such as IGF-1, which are also involved in the formation of bone. Perhaps most importantly, the physical loads caused by exercise training are recognised as the main determinant of bone. Athletes in high-impact sports are frequently reported to have stronger bones that non-athletes. These loads come from a combination of both gravitational and muscular forces. It follows, therefore, that if higher protein intake positively impacts muscle mass function, and the capacity to undertake exercise training, it should also positively influence bone.

Considering all of these factors, it seems paradoxical to believe that higher protein intakes could really harm bone. Ultimately, the only way to determine the net influence of protein intake on bone, is to examine original studies that investigate this. A large number of these types of studies have been conducted, and the results have subsequently been statistically combined in high-quality meta-analyses [5]. Considering all available evidence, the answer is clear: Provided calcium intake is adequate, there is no evidence to indicate a negative influence of protein on bone, and instead a positive, albeit small, effect on bone mineral density and fracture risk has been identified. And so, the consensus is that protein is an essential nutrient, not only for muscle, but also for bone.