oxygenmagAU Jan/Feb 2018 33
REPLENISH
PROTEIN IS THE FUEL BY WHICH
MUSCLES GROW, BUT A FEW KEYSUPPLEMENTS CAN STIMULATE
PROTEIN SYNTHESIS.nutrients that will help your muscles to con-
tract more powerfully without tremendously
increasing their overall size.
BCAAs. These three amino acids (leucine,
isoleucine and valine) are unique from other
aminos because they can be used as fuel
within muscle tissue, allowing for increased
muscular endurance and faster recovery.
Leucine is the anabolic trigger for growth, so
it helps to build new muscle tissue, plus may
increase growth hormone and reduce corti-
sol. Even if you’re not looking to get bigger,
branched-chain amino acids are critical for
muscle power and endurance during intense
training, plus recovery afterward. When sup-
plementing, use a BCAA with at least a 5:1:1
ratio (leucine to isoleucine and valine) and
take 5 to 10 grams before training.
B-complex vitamins. Among the group
of eight vitamins known as B complex — all
of which are critical for conversion of food
to energy — at least four play an additional
role in development of strength. Niacin (B3)
is key to energy production and hormone
manufacturing, both of which are necessary
for muscular development. Vitamin B6 (pyr-
idoxine) is critical for transforming amino
acids into proteins, thereby providing the
building blocks for healthy muscle tissue.
Biotin (B7) is also important for amino-acid
metabolism, which helps promote improve-
ments in muscle function, strength and
endurance. Finally, B12 (cobalamin) assists
in energy production and health of red blood
cells. It is also necessary for proper immune
function, which is needed for proper muscle
recovery and cumulative development of
strength. Be sure to take at least 100 per cent
of the daily value of B3 (20 milligrams), B6
(2 milligrams), B7 (300 micrograms) and
B12 (6 micrograms) each day as part of an
overall B-complex formula. Because the B
vitamins are water-soluble, any excess not
immediately used is flushed out in the urine.
Therefore, you can supplement more than
once daily or use a timed-release formula.
Beta-alanine. This non-essential amino
combines with histidine in the body to
form carnosine, which is shown to increase
muscle strength, endurance and tone.
Beta-alanine is the limiting factor in this
equation, so its supplementation is critical
for improved performance. You can find this
amino in pre-workout supplements or take
it on its own. Ingest 1 to 3 grams before and
after workouts.
Betaine. Another non-essential amino
acid, betaine has been shown to have
potential benefits for improving body com-
position and helping to promote muscle
gains through its role in protein synthesis.
Recent research shows that betaine helps
increase muscle power output and muscle
force production, reduce muscle pain, and
boost muscle endurance and performance of
quality lifting repetitions. It’s also shown to
help improve fat-burning capacity. For best
results, supplement with 1500 to 2000 milli-
grams daily.Vitamin C. This antioxidant vitamin is
critical for synthesis of collagen and elastin,
which are necessary for tendon and ligament
structure and function. Tendons anchor mus-
cle tissue into joints, while ligaments provide
joint stability — both critical to
muscle activity. Vitamin C also
contributes to the health of blood
vessels, which provide oxygen and
nutrients to muscle tissue. Another
water-soluble vitamin, it can be
consumed safely well in excess of
the 60-milligram RDI. But don’t
take too much C — one study
showed that 1000 milligrams daily
(along with 235 milligrams of vita-
min E) actually hampered strength
increases in response to heavy
training.ZMA. This supplement is a combi-
nation of zinc monomethionine/
aspartate, magnesium aspartate
and vitamin B6. Research shows
that it helps to boost strength and
power, enhance muscle recovery
and even aid in fat loss. It does so
in part by promoting higher levels
of testosterone and insulin-like
growth factor-1 (IGF-1) during
intense training. Zinc is also
known to be involved in protein
synthesis, while magnesium works
on the pathways that influence
muscle growth. For best results,
take two capsules of standardised
ZMA before bed, which will deliver
20 milligrams of zinc and 300 mil-
ligrams of magnesium. It will also
enhance your sleep.