STOMACH. If taken with food, the amino acids gained from the food will compete with the
supplement aminos and limit their effectiveness.
Formula 1: The “Anticatabolic-Anabolic” Compound
Formula 1 is designed for use both before and during your workout. It includes glutamine,
leucine, KIC (ketoisocaproate) and OKG (ornithine alpha-ketogluterate).
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, and very important. Increasing
protein synthesis for muscle building, and decreasing protein degradation and resulting muscle
breakdown, are both dependent on the size of the glutamine pool in a cell.46,47,48,49 If it’s high,
other amino acids won’t be forced into glutamine production, so they’ll be available for protein
synthesis. Skeletal muscle that might also be used to replace glutamine is also spared. Glutamine
is also important because it acts to keep an existing amino acid balance in the body, thus enabling
the body to synthesize more protein.
Leucine, the branched chain amino listed above, stimulates protein synthesis and inhibits its
breakdown, as do both KIC and OKG. Leucine,^50 OKG,^51 and KIC52,53 all stimulate insulin
secretion as well. This increases the flow of amino acids between muscle cells and has all the
anabolic and anti-catabolic effects mentioned in earlier chapters. Anabolic hormones are
increased, protein synthesis enhanced, and the body isn’t forced into using up its own tissue to
provide energy, as occurs when the body is reliant on carbohydrate-based energy stores.
Basically, Formula 1 does three things. The first is to increase protein synthesis by the anabolic
action of the components in the formula. The second is to make available a free amino acid
pool that’s not going to be used up as a source of energy. The third is to decrease the breakdown
of muscle tissue in the cell by making sure it isn’t called on for energy or to feed other tissues in
the body.
Formula 1 is taken just prior to training. Then, during your workout, you can also sip the
formula in water continuously or put a bit of the powder under your tongue as you go. Allowing
the powder to be held in the mouth before swallowing allows some of the aminos to be introduced
more directly into circulation, thus bypassing the liver. This can result in a higher level of aminos
in the system and may be something you want to try as you train with the formula.
Formula 2: The “Alternate Energy/Antioxidant/Cholesterol Fighter” Compound
Formula 2 combines L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, taurine, methionone, choline, inositol,
and betaine.
On the high fat diet, muscle uses fat for energy during rest and exercise. L-carnitine is necessary
for the transference of fatty acids in muscle cells, where they’re used as an energy alternative to
other, more destructive sources. While generally useless in the general diet, L-carnitine is one
of those substances that, when targeted properly in the high fat diet, can be very effective.
Acetyl-L-carnitine or acylcarnitine is linked to L-carnitine. When L-carnitine is introduced
in the body, acetylcarnitine levels rise, but its been found that acetylcarnitine has beneficial
properties of its own. Acylcarnitine has been shown as a boon to testosterone levels.54,55 It’s also
become a compound of great interest because of its positive effect on aspects of aging and the
SUPPLEMENTATION 57