CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH
By Steve Blechman and Thomas Fahey, Ed.D.Supplements
July 2019 musculardevelopment.com MD 39
WHEY PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS
Cut Fat and Increase Insulin Sensitivity
Obesity and insulin resistance are two mammoth health problems facing industrialized
countries because they increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and premature death.
More than 60 percent of Americans are overweight. Insulin resistance, once a problem in middle-
aged and older adults, is occurring in school-age children at an alarming rate. The large “baby
boom” generation is reaching retirement age— a time when degenerative diseases are most
common. Soaring medical costs for these preventable health problems threaten to place an
economic anchor on the national economy. Physical inactivity and the American diet— high in
calories, red meat, saturated and trans fats and simple sugars, and low in calcium and fi ber— are
the main causes of these health problems. Scientists are seeking simple ways to reduce calorie
intake and reduce insulin resistance. Australian researchers found that rats placed on a diet high
in whey protein had less abdominal and overall fat and lower food intake than animals fed a high-
fat meat diet. The study showed that a high-protein diet helped the animals lose fat and that whey
protein was superior to meat protein in reducing weight gain and increasing insulin sensitivity. If
this study applies to humans, a good weight-loss strategy might be to have a whey protein shake
in the morning and late aft ernoon. The liver would use the amino acids from the protein to maintain
blood sugar (a process called gluconeogenesis) and prevent hunger. (J Nutr 134: 1454-1458)Magnesium + Creatine Boosts Muscle Strength and Size
People who drink soft water oft en don’t take in enough magnesium. The critical mineral is essential for energy reactions in the
cells that help you lift weights, run, jump and throw. Low magnesium intake is also associated with osteoporosis, heart disease,
Alzheimer’s disease, abnormal heart rhythms, asthma, att ention defi cit disorder, stroke and chronic fatigue. Researchers from
Western Washington University showed that supplementing magnesium with creatine resulted in increased quad strength and
body water. The study shows the importance of magnesium for athletes involved in intense exercise. You can take all the creatine
supplements you want, but they won’t improve performance unless you have magnesium available to get the reactions going.
(Metabolism 52: 1136-1140)Creatine Doesn’t
Impair Temperature
Regulation During
Exercise
Creatine monohydrate is extremely
popular with bodybuilders and
power athletes, and is one of the
most researched supplements
on the market. More than 1,000
studies have been conducted, which
have shown that creatine is a top
supplement for exercise performance.
An enduring urban legend is that
creatine causes muscle cramps and
impairs temperature regulation,
particularly during exercise in the
heat. With no evidence, some sports
organizations have urged athletes not
to use creatine because of possible
dangers associated with its use. The
recommendations are not justifi ed
for male athletes, but we know litt le
about the eff ects of creatine in women.
Plymouth State University scientists
found no gender diff erences in core
temperature, skin temperature,
or cardiovascular response to 30
minutes of exercise on a stationary
bike following seven days of creatine
supplementation (20 grams per day).
This is another study showing that
creatine supplementation is safe. (J
Athletic Train39: 50-55)