EN/03/2013 [05]

GLADIATORGLADIATORWOMENWOMENWENDYWENDY MCCREADY MCCREADY

„BIG GUNS”„BIG GUNS” THE HOLY GRAIL THE HOLY GRAIL OF EVERY BODYBUILDEROF EVERY BODYBUILDER

STACKINSTACKINGG A A DIFFICULT ARTDIFFICULT ARTOF COMBINING OF COMBINING SUPPLEMENTSSUPPLEMENTS

MULTIPACK SPORT DAY/MULTIPACK SPORT DAY/NIGHT FORMULA NIGHT FORMULA – 24-Hour vitamin and mineral – 24-Hour vitamin and mineral protection for athletes.protection for athletes.

SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE supplements the diet with top supplements the diet with top class, high-quality protein.class, high-quality protein.

SOLID MASSprovides solid

support while building

muscle mass.The new TREC NUTRITION product design is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also very legible.

MULTIPACK SPORTDAY/NIGHT FORMULA

SOLID MASS

SOY PROTEINISOLATE

CHANGED PRODUCT DESIGN

INDISPENSABLE DAY AND NIGHT

KEY TO BUILDING MUSCLE MASS

A PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVE

NEW STYLE, THE SAME TOP QUALITY

MULTIPACK SPORT DAY/NIGHT FORMULA is a unique two-

phase vitamin and mineral formula created with particular

focus on the specifi c requirements of athletes. The product

adequately addresses nutrient defi ciencies, supplying ingre-

dients which optimize energy metabolism and support regeneration. Thanks

to a new release from TREC NUTRITION, supplementing is easy – a white cap-

sule of MULTIPACK SPORT DAY FORMULA for day-time use contains all the

necessary vitamins and action-stimulating extracts of Ginseng and Guarana.

The formula is enriched with valuable antioxidants from citrus fruit and coen-

zyme Q10 which controls energy production at cellular level. The black cap-

sule MULTIPACK SPORT NIGHT FORMULA is designed for night-time use – it

supplies essential minerals along with GABA, L-theanine and L-tryptophan –

ingredients which promote a good sleep and optimize night-time hormone

secretion.

MARKET NEWS

Protein supplementation is one of the key components of daily sup-

plementation for athletes. Plants, like animals, are able to store pro-

tein. Some of them manufacture proteins with very high nutritional

value and containing amino acids, which are of key importance for

athletes. The record-holder among them is soybean, the seeds of which contain

high-quality protein, providing a complete set

of essential amino acids. Not everyone wishes

or is able to use animal protein-based products,

and this is why TREC NUTRITION introduces

SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE. It is a top quality

dietary supplement based on a pure soy pro-

tein isolate. Thanks to the excellent quality raw

ingredients, the fi nal product has high protein

content with minimal amounts of carbohy-

drates, sugar, fat and cholesterol. The supple-

ment is lactose-free and contains no unneces-

sary additives, which makes it suitable even for

those with food intolerances.

Everyone knows that the key principle for building muscle mass is

energy surplus and an appropriate amount of high quality muscle

building ingredients. Just as we cannot build a house without a solid

foundation, it is impossible to build muscle mass without the cor-

rect amounts of carbohydrates and proteins. Sometimes it is hard to gain more

kilograms without adequate support. Then we know that it’s time to reach for

a high quality gainer. We are introducing a new release in the TREC NUTRITION

range – SOLID MASS. It is a complete carbohydrate and protein nutrition sup-

plement – a solid foundation to help

you build powerful muscle. A blend

of whey protein concentrate, diver-

sifi ed carbohydrates and essential

vitamins helps to quickly correct nu-

tritional defi ciencies and to increase

body mass. SOLID MASS is available

in two pack-sizes – 3000 g and a

monstrously huge 5800 g.

Do you still remember our fi rst packaging design and the navy

blue labels with a characteristic check pattern? So much has

changed since then. With all the subsequent new releases, pack-

aging and labels, one thing has remained constant – the care

we take to ensure that the product you purchase is of excellent quality and

made from the top ingredients which really work. We not only keep abreast

of the latest scientifi c research, which are included in our new formulations

on an ongoing basis, but also the latest aesthetic trends. That’s why we de-

cided to introduce a totally new design concept, thus refreshing our range of

TREC NUTRITION products. We dressed in “new clothes” not only the well-

known classics like the NITROBOLON or the CM3, but also the latest bestsell-

ers i.e. S.A.W. or WHEY 100. The new labels are clear and easy to read, the

graphics dynamic and trendy. All product categories now share a colour code,

which will make it easier to locate the desired TREC product on a store shelf.

So how do you like the new look of TREC?

403/2013

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We like to say that age is only a number, however, when we see senior citizens in our country, We like to say that age is only a number, however, when we see senior citizens in our country, who struggle to get on a bus by themselves, we begin to doubt these words. This is the ques-who struggle to get on a bus by themselves, we begin to doubt these words. This is the ques-tion, in fact: are we doomed to gradually lose skeletal muscle mass? Anybody who works out tion, in fact: are we doomed to gradually lose skeletal muscle mass? Anybody who works out at a gym knows that regular work-outs keep our bodies in good health. The added benefi t is at a gym knows that regular work-outs keep our bodies in good health. The added benefi t is improved appearance – the muscles became tight, the complexion seems younger, we improved appearance – the muscles became tight, the complexion seems younger, we become more fl exible and don’t struggle with everyday mobility issues, typi-become more fl exible and don’t struggle with everyday mobility issues, typi-cally aff ecting people of mature age. However the devil is in the cally aff ecting people of mature age. However the devil is in the detail: each age group is distinguished by a somewhat detail: each age group is distinguished by a somewhat diff erent metabolism – learn about these diff erent metabolism – learn about these mechanisms and slow down the mechanisms and slow down the ageing process!ageing process!

Guys: an instr

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The process of ontoge-

netic human develop-

ment can be divided

into three distinct

stages: the growth of

the organism, a period

of stabilisation and the

ageing stage. The divi-

sions between them are very blurred, often

not noticeable, and the age at which they

occur can diff er depending on individual

genetic predispositions and life style, which

includes physical activity and nutrition.

During the successive life stages there oc-

cur not only changes of the make-up of the

body, manifesting in increasing accumula-

tion of fatty tissue and a gradual decrease

in muscle mass. With age, the functioning

of various organs and of whole systems also

changes. One of the basic characteristics

describing the human organism is the ca-

pacity for physical eff ort of diverse intensity

and duration. This in particular relies on the

effi cient functioning of the muscular, car-

diovascular and pulmonary systems. Their

functioning is closely interconnected. At the

successive human life stages the capacity

for physical eff ort changes signifi cantly. The

dynamics of this process depend not only

on the person‘s age, but also on individual,

genetically determined predispositions as

well as on the individual’s level of physical

activity. The progressive decrease in physi-

cal strength and healthy functioning is one

of the signs of the biological process of age-

ing in the human organism and is linked

with a deteriorating functioning of the car-

diovascular, pulmonary and neuromuscular

systems, and also with a drop in the meta-

bolic rate.

Of no lesser importance in preventive health

care is the social factor, as maintaining signifi -

cant physical activity levels is often crucial for

keeping up high performance that is linked

to manual labour. A signifi cant infl uence on

the progressive drop in healthy functioning

is a lack of opportunity for performing daily

mobility tasks such as walking or stair climb-

ing. Studies conducted in the US indicate that

many individuals over the age of 65 cannot

even manage simple mobility tasks, not re-

quiring much physical eff ort. More than 51%

are unable to perform heavier household

tasks, and approximately 33% cannot walk

a distance of 1 kilometre without rest. This

status quo is accompanied by unfavourable

transformations in body composition which

limit the eff ort ranges. The above data sug-

gests, that the key to a positive change is ad-

aptation.

Keeping up physical activity will ensure a

smaller decrease in muscular mass into late

old age. But can physical activity itself, along

with nutrition and a training plan remain the

same for the duration of one’s lifetime?

Researchers from the University of Birming-

ham in the United Kingdom proved that as

the human organism enters the ageing stage,

sudden attempts at taking up an exercise re-

gime in order to slow down the ageing proc-

ess may in fact bring about the latter’s accel-

eration. The body is unable to cope with an

exhausting exercise workload, which is coun-

ter-productive. Why? An exhausting training

regime results in an increased demand for

glutathione (an antioxidant produced by the

liver, from i.a. L-glutamine) in order to prevent

free-radical damage. However its secretion

by an ageing organism is often impaired. The

stress caused by the exercise load, which at

one stage would have revitalized the body,

over a certain age acts to its disadvantage.

Scientists studied data originating from a

wide group composed of all populations and

concluded that this problem aff ects even

advanced sportspeople. If they don’t train

according to the level which their age and fi t-

ness level allows, they accelerate the ageing

process of the organism. The message is clear,

and it also applies to body builders – training

helps to preserve a youthful appearance and

good health, but its intensity should be adapt-

ed to age. Through over-ambitious exercising,

our cells will be exposed to chronic oxidative

stress, that will ultimately lead to their gradual

destruction and a faster ageing of the entire

organism. And we shouldn‘t forget about the

safeguard provided by correct nutrition. Diet

and supplementation should also take into

account the modifi cations taking place in our

organism with the passage of time.

Nutrition during a period of second youthWhen we train very intensively, our body is

often subjected to great physical and psy-

chological burdens. Long and sometimes

exhausting training sessions can interfere

with the natural equilibrium of the organism

(homeostasis), compromise healthy func-

tioning as well as bring about many health

disorders. In order to improve performance,

both professional sportspeople and ama-

teurs should use specifi c methods of biologi-

cal regeneration, the main goal of which is

the replenishment of energy substrates and

other macro- and microelements which are

being used up as a result of increased physi-

cal eff ort. This is already complicated enough

with a person in the 20–25 age bracket, and

gets even more so with individuals over 50,

when during hormonal changes (andropause

– androgen menopause) it may for instance

be the pancreas that begins to malfunction

and we get to experience what „insulin re-

sistance“ means fi rst hand. Additionally our

bodies manufacture antioxidants less and

ruction manual– how to stay young and fit.– how to stay young and fit.

Table 1. Changes in BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) in time.

Table 1. Changes in BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) in time.AGE MEN

WOMEN

10–18 years (body weight in kg x 17,5) + 651 (body weight in kg x 12,2) + 746

19–30 years (body weight in kg x 15,3) + 679 (body weight in kg x 14,7) + 479

31–60 years (body weight in kg x 11,6) + 879 (body weight in kg x 8,7) + 829

61– years (body weight in kg x 13,5) + 487 (body weight in kg x 10,5) + 596

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less effi ciently, such as the earlier mentioned

glutathione, and due to sarcopenia (the loss

of muscular mass due to ageing) the level of

BMR – Basal Metabolic Rate – decreases rap-

idly, which is represented in the table below.

Estimated BMR for a 78 kg man in the age

bracket 19–30 is 1872 kcal. For the same in-

dividual in the age bracket 31–60 the calorie

requirement is already equal to 1783 kcal,

which is around 90 kcal lower, and for a man

over 60 it is only 1540 kcal, which is a defi cit of

more than 330 kcal in comparison to a young

person. As it is these fi gures give a distorted

picture, since we have assumed for the needs

of this calculation that men across all the age

brackets have an identical body composi-

tion, namely that their mass is an ideal body

weight (IBW) with a body fat percentage of

10%. In the case of ageing individuals it is

rather unlikely to maintain the fatty tissue at

such low levels and at the same time have

such a high percentage of muscular mass.

Increased expression of myostatin which oc-

curs during sarcopenia quite cruelly deprives

the senior persons of their muscular mass –

and in this way limits the level of consumed

calories. The muscle cells are up to eight times

more anabolically active than the fat cells, so

the greater the muscular mass, the more calo-

ries the organism will burn during daily activ-

ity. Each kilogram of muscular mass allows us

to get rid of approximately 50 kcal more per

24 hrs. It will be safe to assume that the Ideal

body weight (IBW) of the senior person under

consideration here is around 60 kg, since the

body fat percentage is higher, and the mus-

cular mass on the other hand is smaller than

of a man in the 19–30 age bracket. Because

of that the actual caloric burn per 24 hrs will

be 1575 for the 31–60 age bracket and 1297

kcal for someone over 60. So it’s not surpris-

ing that calorie-reduced diets followed in

our youth become the daily menu when we

get older, keeping us at a zero or a positive

caloric balance. One just needs to add here

the earlier mentioned weakening action of

insulin, malabsorption, food sensitivities, an

inadequate enzymatic response

– and we get a complete picture of how dif-

fi cult it becomes to fulfi l the nutritional needs

of a senior who gets involved in strenuous

physical eff ort.

It is not only an issue of the caloric content of

the diet. It has been proved, for example, that

reducing the number of calories derived from

fat (from more than 30% to below 15%) and

increasing the amount of fi bre (from below

20 g up to 25–30 g and more daily) signifi -

cantly lowers the levels of total and free tes-

tosterone as well as the androgens secreted

by the adrenal glands (androsterone and

dehydroepiandrosterone). Moreover, dur-

ing 11-day long tests on men who switched

from a typical Western diet to a low-fat diet

(10% fat) with a high quantity of fi bre (35–40

g daily), a 17% drop in the level of free testo-

sterone was noted. A low-fat, high fi bre diet

can be considered an „anti-testosterone“ diet;

the drop in the testosterone level is caused

by the increase of the amount of the pro-

tein called globulin which binds to sex hor-

mones (SHBG). The testosterone circulating in

the blood binds mainly to SHBG and also to

some degree to albumin present in the blood

plasma. Only a small amount of testosterone

doesn’t undergo this process and remains

„free“ , in other words biologically active and

able to enter the cell and activate its recep-

tor. SHBG blocks the action of this hormone,

in other words bioavailability of free testoster-

one depends on the levels of SHBG.

The result of a high protein diet is

decreased production of SHBG.

To give an example – the

tested subjects were placed

in two groups: the fi rst group

followed a high protein diet

for ten days and the second – a

high carbohydrate diet. In the fi rst

group the level of SHBG dropped by

around 39%, which meant that the

bioactivity of testosterone was higher.

One of the main factors controlling

the SHBG synthesis

is insulin. It was shown that consumption of

protein and specifi c amino acids raises the

level of insulin, which in turn lowers the level

of SHBG. The role of „mediator“ is played by

specifi c amino acids, and most importantly

leucine. It has been shown that it triggers an

increase in insulin level, which can be one of

the factors of protein ability to lower the lev-

els of SHBG.

The role of insulin in regulation of SHBG levels

may explain why a low-fat high fi bre diet re-

sults in a drop in the level of androgens – this

kind of nutrition may in fact decrease the rate

of glucose absorption in the small intestine,

which results in smaller fl uctuations of insu-

lin and sugar levels in the blood. It turns out,

that the amount of this hormone both on an

empty stomach and after glucose was given

is inversely proportional to the SHBG levels

in the blood plasma. This indicates, that a

low insulin level raises the SHBG level in the

blood. However, let’s not forget that with

age the activity of the pancreas and the in-

sulin function are prone to disorders. This

condition can be remedied to some extent

by means of sensitizing the cells to glucose

– through regular physical activity and sup-

plementation with products which support

the insulin function, such as leucine – LEU-

CINE FUSIOIN, taurine – TAURINE 900, chro-

mium, creatine – CREA9 XTREME, cinnulin

(cinnamon bark extract) as well as omega-3

fatty acids (SUPER OMEGA-3),

1003/2013

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anti-oxidants, L-carnitine (TREC L-CARNITINE

+ GREEN TEA) and Xylitol (birch sugar). How-

ever, taking into account research on the age-

ing population, it is worthwhile to take a clos-

er look at the role of green tea and creatine in

the functioning of the human body after the

fourth decade of life.

Let’s take a look at a study in which creatine

raised the activity of mRNA IGF-1 without the

aid of exercise. Researchers claim that an in-

crease in dry mass frequently observed after

supplementation with creatine monohydrate

may be transmitted by signalling pathways,

which activate the mRNA IGF-1 in the mus-

cles. It has been discovered that creatine has a

potential antioxidant eff ect at a cellular level.

It prevents oxidative stress in skeletal muscles,

which is a result of the destructive eff ect of

free radicals, leading to cell mutation, de-

struction of tissue and weakening of the im-

mune system. It would seem that maintaining

the levels of antioxidants (i.e. glutathione) and

ATP is an essential combination of processes

indispensable to slow down ageing. The lat-

est research published in the „Journal of Mo-

lecular Nutrition and Food Research“ proves,

that creatine protects the muscle cells against

oxidative stress. This ingredient assists the

muscles in adverse conditions and prevents

the destruction of mitochondria in the cells,

which degenerate with age in the muscles.

As result of this research, creatine may be re-

garded as a supplement which slows down

the ageing processes. Moreover, it has been

proved that it is also a natural inhibitor (a

supressing factor) of myostatin – a protein

which inhibits the development of the mus-

cle mass. This phenomenon, along with the

increased rate of IGF-1 secretion, provides an

incredibly anabolic foundation – this leads to

the conclusion that this ingredient

not only increases the level of lean

muscle mass in young people, but also

prevents the loss of muscle mass related to

ageing. Researchers have high hopes for the

application of this supplement for a wider

market than that of bodybuilding.

Recently, the benefi ts of using supplements

have been presented in a very favourable

light in the context of green tea consump-

tion. Although it is most commonly used for

fat loss, new research discovered some of

its other signifi cant benefi ts. The fi rst study

(published in the „American Journal of Clini-

cal Nutrition”) was conducted on a sample of

more than 42 thousand individuals. The study

objective was to investigate the health ben-

efi ts of green tea consumption in relation to

the consumed dose. The reduction in fatty

tissue wasn’t the focus of interest this time

– it turned out that the increased consump-

tion promotes psychological wellbeing and

helps to soothe disquiet and states of anxiety.

In the event of taking fi ve cups daily (approxi-

mately 100–150 mg EGCG – the most active

polyphenols) it was found that psychologi-

cal anxiety had been relieved by 20%. Other

recently conducted research showed an ad-

ditional unexpected benefi t.

Reports published in „Respiratory Medicine“

suggest that green tea consumption may

prevent damage to the lungs done by smok-

ing, as well as helping to reduce the stiff ness

of muscles used in breathing.

The afore mentioned mitochondrial degen-

eration in the muscles may be an explanation

why after the fourth decade of life, L-carnitine

supplementation becomes more justifi -

able than in one’s younger years. Research

conducted on a substantial group of ageing

people has demonstrated that a daily dose of

2500 mg L-carnitine divided up into 500 mg

servings had a signifi cant eff ect on slowing

down the process of fatty tissue accumula-

tion – both subcutaneous and visceral fat – as

well as creating a chemopreventive eff ect fol-

lowing tumour remission.

Andropause and sarcopenia – a bodybuilder’s nightmareIn the context of the biopsychosocial ap-

proach, andropause is a stage in a man’s life

(usually a man over 50) which heralds the on-

set of old age. This stage is marked by an on-

set of a number of complaints in various areas

of an individual’s functioning, rooted in multi-

ple organ changes taking place in the organ-

ism, including hormonal changes due to age-

ing. We can talk here of somatic aspects (pain,

sleep and appetite problems), psychological

ones (memory complaints, irritability, anxiety)

and sexual ones (erectile dysfunction and a

drop in libido). Among the typical symptoms

of physical changes we can mention the fol-

lowing: a drop in muscle mass by 25%, an in-

crease in the amount of visceral fat by 10 –15 kg,

a decrease in the bone mass (osteopenia),

an increase in insulin resistance (which char-

acterises pre-diabetic changes leading to

a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes), arterial hy-

pertension and scalp hair thinning. Another

result of ageing in men is a gradual drop in

concentration of some hormones, mainly

androgens, and also of the growth hormone

and melatonin, which causes sleeplessness

in older people. Researchers generally agree

that the main culprit of this cascade of nega-

tive biological eff ects are the dropping testo-

sterone levels. The multiple organ ageing of

the organism manifests itself among others

as impairment of the HPTA (hypothalamus-

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pituitar y-testicles

axis) function result-

ing in a downward spiral

– the drop in testosterone

level leads to pancreatic dysfunc-

tion and infl uences a drop in adiponectin lev-

els, which in turn infl uences the accumulation

of visceral fat.

Adipokines secreted by visceral fat interfere

with the blood sugar level, leading to hyper-

tension and hypercholesterolemia, which

ultimately brings the onset of cardiovascular

disease and death.

The phenomenon of the degenerative loss

of skeletal muscle mass by around 23%, ob-

served in men in the age bracket 30–70, is re-

ferred to as sarcopenia. It is also linked with a

drop in the rate of strength development. The

crucial factor con-

tributing to this con-

dition is the decline

in hormonal function

– a dropping level of bio-

logically active testosterone

(between the ages of 40–70

by around 30%) and of the

growth hormone. Men

aged 40–74, despite main-

taining a relatively con-

stant level of lean body

mass (LBM) (accompa-

nied by an increase in to-

tal body weight), suff er

from a systematic drop

in muscle function of

the upper limbs. The

magical age of 30 is

a milestone above

which a drop can be

observed in endog-

enous testosterone

levels, with a system-

atic annual decrease by

1%. From that life stage

onwards, a percentage

increase of fatty tissue

can be observed with a si-

multaneous percentage

drop in muscle tissue.

Testosterone controls the anabolic processes

involved in the maintenance of muscle mass,

so it is not surprising that sarcopenia involves

a reduction of muscle protein – the cross-

section of the muscles decreases, while the

content of the connective tissue and visceral

fat increases. In men over 40 there is also a

change in fat distribution – the fat content in

the trunk grows, while the fat content of the

limbs decreases. This is a very negative phe-

nomenon and it is directly linked to andro-

pause and the impairment of HPTA function

which leads to numerous health complica-

tions – Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension, arte-

riosclerosis and ultimately death. The more

signifi cant changes in the total body weight

become noticeable only around the age of

50, whereas a marked drop in lean muscle

mass happens around 20 years later.

The reduction is accompanied by a decrease

in the total water content of the organism.

There is also a drop in the level of creatine ex-

creted in the urine. This is related to a dimin-

ishing intensity of the basal metabolic rate,

which in turn is associated with the loss of

biologically active tissue, namely the muscles.

The caloric requirement remains at a relative-

ly constant level until approximately age 40,

thereafter it begins to drop gradually (within

a period of 50 years by around 30%). Factors

which may help to reduce the destructive in-

fl uence of a drop in the muscle mass and also

help to combat the changes in body compo-

sition are the following: regular physical activ-

ity, unprocessed foods rich in the essential

unsaturated fatty acids (EUFA), antioxidants,

nutraceuticals, vitamins and minerals.

Workout capacitychanges with ageIt is not thoroughly understood what kind of

changes take place in the muscle fi bres dur-

ing the ageing process of an organism. Many

research studies indicate that the numerical

ratio of fast twitch muscle fi bres (FT) to slow

twitch muscle fi bres (ST) changes with age. It

happens as a result of increased atrophy of FT

fi bres,with the number of ST fi bres remaining

constant, or a greater activity of reinnerva-

tion processes – taking over the function of

inactive mo-

tor neurons by new neurites – in mo-

tor neurons of slow twitch motor units.

Researchers have shown that in men be-

tween the age of 20 and 30, ST fi bres consti-

tute 36% of the total muscle fi bres, whereas in

the age group 30–50 this fi gure was already

44%. In another study was found that in the

age group 20–29 the ST fi bres make up 39%,

and in the age group of 60–65 year old men –

66% of the total fi bres. What is indisputable is

the fact of a more distinct diminishing of the

cross-sectional area of FT fi bres in contrast

with ST fi bres. In 80-year old persons it is, in

contrast to the young, around 26% smaller.

Especially prone to changes are B-type FT

fi bres, namely the ones with the maximum

power and potential for lateral growth. This

process can signifi cantly limit the muscle

strength of elderly persons, and the drop

in the rate of muscle contractions is related

primarily to a diminishing fi ring frequency of

motor neurons.

Muscle strength is a characteristic which is

strongly related to changes in the cross-sec-

tional area of the muscle fi bres, participation

of the individual fi bre types and also to the

activation effi ciency of motor units. A rela-

tively constant level of strength is maintained

until the age of 50, although many research

studies indicate that the drop seems to begin

as early as age 30. A distinct reduction in mus-

cle strength takes place at the age between

50 and 70. During the sixth and seventh

decade of life its maximum value decreases

by around 15%, and later, in the subsequent

decades, drops even by 30%.

These studies explain why endurance train-

ing gets „easier“ with age and why men over

40 achieve good results in sports which focus

on endurance such as instance triathlon. The

increased percentage share of the ST muscle

fi bres along with atrophy and an impaired

function of muscle power creation, explains

why when we get older we should swop

typically anaerobic activities (sprints, MMA,

bodybuilding) for mixed exercise (strength-

and-endurance training, such as e.g. func-

tional training) as well as aerobic exercise

(swimming, running and endurance walking,

cycling).

JAKUB MAURICZ mauricz.com

AGE: MIDDLE AGE 3040PROFILE An excellent period of motor

fi tness, time for achieving best results

in many sport disciplines. A period

of relative maintenance of constant

level of motor skills. For those in-

volved in sport, the early period

of adult life is a time of achieving

top results. The advice for those

not involved in competitive

sports is to take up a relatively in-

tense and systematic physical ac-

tivity of a recreational nature. Most

importantly it will prevent a drop in

physical fi tness, while also serving to

maintain the fi tness gained in the previ-

ous years of life. It is also a stage of developing

muscular maturity, assuming that coordina-

tion had been achieved in childhood – what

is left to do now is its consolidation.

POTENTIAL Unlimited – in the absence of

injury and postural defects any sports disci-

pline can be practised; best time for develop-

ment of muscle mass.

DIET Avoid products which can predispose

one towards the andropause metabolic syn-

drome in the future – sugars, trans fats. Diet

can be rich in energy ingredients, since a

young organism has an excellent capacity for

absorption and utilization of carbohydrates

and fats. Due to the fact that a large muscle

mass can be developed through training at

this time, which involves an increased meta-

bolic rate, supplementation relies mainly on

carbohydrate-protein gainers, used both af-

ter a workout in order to recover the calorie

expenditure in the context of the post-exer-

cise “anabolic window“, and also in-between

meals, so as to increase caloric density. Creat-

ine supplementation, in contrast to later years,

will be more advisable in view of the rate of its

resynthesis and IGF-1 stimulation for muscle

mass gain, and not for its maintenance and

breakdown prevention.

TRAINING Speed- and strength: bodybuild-

ing, martial arts, crossfi t, interval training in-

stead of aerobic training in order to raise ener-

gy expenditure and development of capacity.

SUPPLEMENTATIONSOLID MASS,

MASS XXL,

ISOLATE 100,

CREATRIX,

CREA9 XTREME.

mo

ult

d

n

to

previ-

eveloping

coordina-

THREE AGE GROUPS,THREE AGE GROUPS, THREE RULES FOR STAYING IN SHAPETHREE RUAGE: YOUTH 1930

TOMAS

Z „P

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J” L

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EN

DER

KAROL O

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PROFILE Decline in physical activity levels. In peo-

ple involved in regular training, physical and loco-

motor fi tness can be maintained. It is a time of a

gradual decrease in motor skills in human life. This

concerns predominantly learning new sport activi-

ties. It is true that the decline in fi tness level takes

place slowly and gradually, yet towards the end of

that phase it is quite pronounced. At this time there

are huge diff erences visible between those who are

involved in fi tness training and those who are not –

in the latter physical fi tness and locomotor skills are

low, due to neglect.

POTENTIAL Focused on sport with small move-

ment coordination – the last chance for strength

training. Injury and mobility loss caused by prior

sedentary life style could result in limited function

and be a hindrance to developing physical fi tness.

DIET It is a time when caloric supply in persons in-

volved in regular training should not become too

restricted, although those who are physically inac-

tive may notice fi rst symptoms of insulin resistance.

Low-processed products are recommended as well

as supplements which promote stability of blood

sugar levels. In view of slowly declining testosterone

levels, supplementation with testosterone boosters

plays an incredibly essential role. As a preventive

measure, creatine supplements can also be used in

the heavier training microcycles in order to reduce

oxidative stress and to improve recovery. These

products will also assist in inhibiting the negative

infl uence of myostatin, whose expression limits

training progress in this age group. Lipolytic agent

supplementation is recommended in order to assist

with the metabolism of fatty tissue and combating

cortisol. In this age group, hard-gainers (supple-

ments with a 80:20 ratio of carbohydrate to protein)

should be substituted by bulk supplements, which

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1203/2013

www.vitamin-shop.co.uk

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THREE AGE GROUPS, THREE RULES FOR STAYING IN SHAPERULES FOR STAYING IN SHAPEAGE: MATURE AGE 40+

sulin response (VITARGO ELECTRO–ENERGY).

A compulsory and continuous supplementation

with testosterone boosters is recommended, in

order to minimize complications of andropause.

Because of the degeneration of motor neurons,

a neurotransmitter – Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

has to be used (GABA 750). Creatine is used in

preventing sarcopenia. For a better libido and a

lower blood pressure, supplementation with NO

(nitric oxide) boosters is recommended. In order

to prevent senile dementia supplementation

with additional neurotransmitters and support-

ing substances is imperative. In view of mito-

chondrial degeneration in the ageing muscles,

supplementation with L-carnitine is also useful.

TRAINING Predominantly aerobic sessions, de-

veloping of endurance (long distance running,

triathlon), recreational strength exercises (split

routines) should be replacedby full-body-work-

out sessions. If possible, use the HST method.

There is an ever greater demand for appropriate

biological renewal treatments – sauna, massage,

visits to the osteopath every few months due to

overuse injuries.

SUPPLEMENTATIONWHEY 100,

VITARGO ELECTRO–ENERGY,

ISOLATE 100, TESTO(X)PACK,

DAA ULTRA, GABA 750,

CREA9 XTREME, NITRO(X)PACK,

NITROBOLON, TYROSINE 600,

L–CARNITINE 3000.

PROFILE People with low physical activity

levels already manifest signs of involution proc-

esses; active people on the other hand, can be

involved in many sports on a non-competitive

level, achieving good results, provided physical

fi tness had been maintained since puberty. For

the majority of people this is a time of a rapid de-

cline of physical and locomotor fi tness. Regres-

sion can be observed in daily motor activities

and those linked to professional life. Physical ex-

ercises and sport activities should serve primarily

to maintain cardio-pulmonary fi tness. Attention

should also be paid to fl exibility and relaxation

exercises. Their lack at an older age quickly leads

to mobility reduction in the joints – this condi-

tion which started developing in middle age,

now becomes consolidated in physically inac-

tive persons.Exercises whose aim is to maintain

a correct body posture are also important, mak-

ing it possible to prevent senile kyphosis, among

other things.

POTENTIAL Unlimited, provided that through-

out all of the previous stages we used preventive

measures and led an active life style. In inactive

persons only recreational exercise is possible

with a focus on developing muscle endurance

and preserving the correct body posture. It is

the time when instead of going to the gym, we

should concentrate on activities which aim to

develop our general fi tness.

DIET Sarcopenia, which gets more pronounced

in physically inactive individuals, creates a neces-

sity to lower the caloric supply and to pay closer

attention to what we consume – total ban on

consuming excessive amounts of sugar and a

need to avoid trans fats. Numerous metabolic im-

pairments which occur in this age group create a

situation when every time we overindulge, we

expose ourselves to health complications. In the

context of supply of basic nutritional products, it

is advisable that diet be supplemented with high

quality proteins, e.g. whey and also complex car-

bohydrates which elicit a gentle and gradual in-

CONCLUSIONSThe fundamental prerequisite for maintaining the musculoskeletal system at a high level of fi tness is appropriate physical activity, which helps to preserve muscle mass and muscle strength right into late old age, and also slows down its decline with age. The main rea-son for a progressing muscular atrophy is underuse of muscles in the absence of physical activity. With an appropriate selection of training, nutritional methods and supplementa-tion it is possible to enjoy the fi tness of a young man right into ripe old age. Research shows that 50-year old men involved in resistance training had the muscular strength and diameter comparable to 28-year olds with low physical activity levels. At the same time it has been proved, that the correctly designed strength training programme results in a signifi cant hypertrophy of muscle fi bres and improves the degree of stimulation of motor units not only in middle-aged individuals, but also in ageing persons. The key is appro-priate progressive loading of muscles and its timing and specifi c methods of biological renewal, including massages and sauna sessions, accompanied by correct nutrition and

supplementation – aspects which should never be neglected.

TOMAS

Z „P

APA

J” L

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TOMAS

Z „P

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J” L

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situation w

expose ours

context of s

is advisable

quality prot

bohydrates

have a higher protein content, resulting in a

higher thermogenesis and a reduction in insu-

lin fl uctuation. In view of the slow mitochondrial

degeneration, supplements containing L-carni-

tine are recommended.

TRAINING The progressively slowing down

metabolism requires stimulation – at this stage

the rapid development of ST fi bres at the ex-

pense of FT fi bres hasn’t commenced yet, thus

we can get involved in strength and interval

training. However. one has to pay special at-

tention to proper recovery, since the organism

doesn’t regain its homeostasis as quickly as at

a younger age. Eight hours of sleep, massage,

proper nutrition and supplementation become

very important at this stage, with view to pre-

ventive care.

SUPPLEMENTATION TESTO(X)PACK,

L-CARNITINE + GREEN TEA,

LIPO(X)PACK, FAT TRANSPORTER,

HARD MASS,

BCAA TURBO JET.

1303/2013

www.vitamin-shop.co.uk

AGE 36

LIVES County Durham

HEIGHT: 5’4”

CONTEST WEIGHT: 139-145 LBS

OFFSEASON WEIGHT: 165LBS

YEARS TRAINING: 19

YEARS COMPETING: 17

TURNED PRO: 2004

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS:

2004UKbFF British heavyweight&overall champion

2005IFBB Battle of Champions Texas  

2007IFBB Atlantic City Pro 7th

2008IFBB Tampa PBW Championships Florida  

2009IFBB Atlantic City Pro 

2010IFBB Tampa Bay PBW Champs FLorida 

2010IFBB Battle of Champs Connecticut

2012IFBB Toronto Pro Champs, Canada 3rd

2012IFBB CHicago Pro 7th

I have also guestposed at the Welsh Championships, Brit-

ish Championships, Scottish Championships&Uk Channel

Islands Championships along with many more British

qualifi ers.

I am a qualifi ed Level 3 Personal Trainer, Biomechanics

Trainer&also have a BSc (hons) in Sport&Exercise.

GLADIATORGLADIATOWOMENWOMEN

WENDY McCREADY

1403/2013

www.vitamin-shop.co.uk

It is my dream and has been since before I turned Pro to step onstage at the Ms Olympia.

I am determined to get there and will not give up until my goal is reached. In 2012

I came so close to qualifying. I placed 3rd in the Toronto Pro in Canada where any

previous year i would have qualifi ed had it not been for the new rule changes that

came into place that year. This new change meant winners only qualifi ed and if not

for a little more luck in the judging I would have been there. I brought the best

package in my whole career, my condition was one if not the best onstage and

I was extremely proud, knowing I couldn’t have done anymore. With the help of

John Hodgson himself an IFBB PRO and also my coach, I returned to basics, simply hard

work&consistent cardio and diet, pushing myself to the absolute limits to achieve my best

ever showing. My willpower, hard work&commitment have brought me this far&my deter-

mination to succeed&achieve my goals is stronger than ever. I am now surrounded by a

great support network&I aim to improve on my 2012 best placing.

2013 is my off -season and I aim to return to the competitive stage in early 2014. I train at

Lifestyle Fitness Darlington in County Durham which is a friendly hard working environ-

ment where I have had great support from the fi rst time I trained there. I also train at John

Hodgson’s EVOLUTION GYM in Rochdale where John overlooks my training&nutrition.

John was instrumental in me achieving my best ever condition last year. We are now build-

ing on that&aim to bringer a fuller package with the same level of conditioning.

This year i have had the added benefi t of being sponsored by TREC Nutrition. Their products

are of the highest quality and I have seen great improvements, in particular recovery and full-

ness in my muscles. I use a wide range of products, my favorite is defi nitely the ISOLATE 100

French Vanilla fl avour and also the S.A.W. pre-workout. I have tried many pre workout drinks

in my time and a lot them made me feel wired and then afterwards very lethargic. However

this is not the case with S.A.W., it gives a huge mental boost and great pump without the

downward slump afterwards.

My training partner Slawek Kochan supplies TREC NUTRITION products in his supplement

stores Body Extreme VITAMIN-SHOP® in Darlington and Middlesbrough. His help and sup-

port has been instrumental in my gains this off season.

My determination to succeed and mental tenacity is my greatest asset&the bigger the chal-

lenge the higher I rise. I have learnt that nothing worth having comes easy and I love push-

ing myself both physically and mentally to the max. The only limits are those which we place

upon ourselves&with some support, guidance and hard work nothing is impossible.

GLADIATORORWOMENEN

1503/2013

www.vitamin-shop.co.uk

IT IS MY DREAM IT IS MY DREAM AND HAS BEEN SINCE AND HAS BEEN SINCE

BEFORE I TURNED PRO BEFORE I TURNED PRO TO STEP ONSTAGE TO STEP ONSTAGE

AT THE MS OLYMPIA. AT THE MS OLYMPIA. I AM DETERMINED I AM DETERMINED

TO GET THERE TO GET THERE AND WILL AND WILL

NOT GIVE UPNOT GIVE UPUNTIL MY GOAL UNTIL MY GOAL

IS REACHED. IS REACHED.

1603/2013

www.vitamin-shop.co.uk

LCARNITINEideal in theideal in the war on fatwar on fatThere is a great deal of ongoing change in the fi elds of supplementation and Dietetics. New theories and fashions are springing up all the time for the use of various products. Some of them appear on the scene, rise to stardom for a few seasons and disappear without a trace. However, there are ingredients which have been used successfully for years and one of them is L-carnitine – an old but trusted companion in the war against unwanted fat.

The progress in scien-

tifi c research both in

Dietetics and supple-

mentation continues

to astonish us with

new discoveries. Let us

go back in time a lit-

tle – in the past, prod-

ucts which are nowadays considered ther-

mogenic supplements were not of much

use, and the market that served the fi ght

against excessive fat was dominated by L-

carnitine. Why is it so eff ective in burning

subcutaneous triglycerides? In order to an-

swer this question, we need to look more

closely at its physiological function. L-carni-

tine is a vitamin-like substance, which means

that its correct levels are indispensable for

the proper functioning of the biochemical

processes taking place in our organism. It is

an ingredient of utmost importance for the

intramitochondrial transport of fatty acids, in

addition it infl uences the balance between

fatty tissue and muscle tissue levels. It is true

that thermogenic supplements had been

gaining popularity in subsequent years, and

in the end became competition for L-car-

nitine. But let’s say it clearly, their eff ect on

subcutaneous fatty tissue is completely dif-

ferent. And this doesn’t mean that good old

L-carnitine should now play a marginal role,

on the contrary. Not everyone can take for-

mulations which stimulate thermogenesis.

These supplements, aside from being eff ec-

tive in getting rid of excessive fat, contain

ingredients with the potential to stimulate

the central nervous system (e.g. caff eine).

Moreover, during extreme physical eff ort

they contribute to increases in both body

temperature and blood pressure. What am I

getting at? In fact, it can be concluded from

observation that, although thermogenics are

certainly eff ective, they are not for everybody

– they are not recommended for those who

suff er from ailments of the nervous, cardio-

vascular or circulatory systems. They cannot

be used by suff erers of arterial hypertension

either. What conclusions can be drawn from

the above? L-carnitine, which makes use of

diff erent mechanisms to fi ght subcutane-

ous fat, is an eff ective agent that anyone can

use, whereas thermogenics – despite their

undoubted effi cacy – are not recommended

for everybody.

What is L-carnitineand where does it come from?The substance which

was given the

name carnitine

was fi rst isolated

from meat in 1905

by Gulewitsch and Krim-

berg – following this discovery it took a

long time for research to commence on the

functioning and wider applications of this

compound. It was only in 1947 that it gained

interest, and subsequently became popular

as one of the “miraculous substances“ assist-

ing competitive athletes due to its multi-level

eff ects and high eff ectiveness. After more

research and assessments of its

effi cacy it became commercially

available in a suitable form, as

a dietary supplement recom-

mended for athletes.

What is then this highly sig-

nifi cant substance? L-carnitine

is classifi ed as an organic

compound – the human

organism is able to

synthetize it in

1703/2013

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ideal in the war on fatt

the kidneys, brain and liver from the amino

acids methionine and lysine. It is present in

relatively large quantities in our muscles.

Carnitine, or more precisely 3-hydroxy-4-

(trimethylazaniumyl)butanoate, exists in two

stereoisomers.

L-carnitine– a super transporterThe benefi cial fat burning properties of L-car-

nitine are related to the mechanism of beta

oxidation of fatty acids which takes place in

the organism, and with the transport of fat

molecules. In order to fully understand how

the supplement works one should fi nd out a

bit more about the way it has to travel during

the process. An essential aspect here is also

transport of the free, predominantly long-

chain fatty acids. But let’s start from the be-

ginning, that is from the site of the process. It

all happens in the mitochondrion – a special-

ized cell organelle, a structure which is found

within the cytoplasm. It fulfi ls very specifi c

metabolic functions – in this case it is mainly

transformation of nutrients into energy. How

is it all connected? In the event of extreme

physical exhaustion, for example caused

by training, and during states of hun-

ger, mitochondria work very hard.

After the depletion of the basic car-

bohydrate energy substrates there

is a signifi cant drop in energy levels

and in response to hormonal stimulation

the process of lipolysis is triggered – free fat-

ty acids are released from the adipocytes (fat

cells) and they begin to travel through the

organism. After they reach the muscle cells in

the blood, they enter the mitochondrial ma-

trix through the mitochondrial membrane,

where they are oxidized with a release of en-

ergy. This helps to maintain physical activity.

But it is not as simple as it would seem. Why?

Bboth the outer and the inner mitochon-

drial membranes are permeable exclusively

to short-chain fatty acids. In combination

with coenzyme A, with the involvement of

ATP they are carried into the mitochondrial

matrix. There is a problem with the transport

of long-chain fatty acids, which are much

more numerous in our organism. It is

here that L-carnitine, also

called a super transporter of fatty

acids, comes to the rescue. It combines

with the fatty acids to form acyl-L-carnitine

and only in this form carries them across the

inner mitochondrial membrane – fatty acids

thus conquer the last barrier and reach the

energy-producing furnace of the cell.

In the course of beta-oxidation which takes

place in the mitochondrial matrix the fatty

acids are converted into energy. It is interest-

ing that a very effi cient source of energy, e.g.

the beta-oxidation of one molecule of Pal-

mitic acid, yields up to 106 molecules of ATP.

For the sake of comparison, the anaerobic

breakdown of 1 molecule of glucose yields

only one.

It would be worthwhile to mention here the

process of beta-oxidation itself, which is a

specifi c mechanism of fatty acids combin-

ing with oxygen. Why should be mention it

so late? Because it is only after the complex

fatty acids aided by L-carnitine entered the

mitochondrial matrix that the process of

beta-oxidation is activated. The above men-

tioned compound which is formed as a re-

sult of carnitine combining with the complex

fatty acid (acyl-L-carnitine), with the involve-

ment of the appropriate enzyme, reacts with

coenzyme A – and as a result free carnitine is

generated once again, which can return to its

original site. It is also the time when complex

fatty acids can be converted to energy. It all

depends on the optimal amount of oxygen,

activity level and the number of active mito-

chondria, as well as the sugar level, since the

process of beta-oxidation and thus the com-

plete breakdown of lipids cannot proceed

without the abovementioned ingredients.

What else? No oxidation of long-chain fatty

acids occurring even in the largest quantities

could take place were it not for the presence

of the carnitine transporter and of its biologi-

cally active form – L-carnitine. The greater

the momentary energy demand, the more of

it is required in the cell. Provided there is a

suffi cient supply of carnitine, the process of

oxidation of fatty acids takes place faster and

is more eff ective.

Benefi ts, action and eff ects

L-carnitine is a substance with a

wide variety of applications, and

its working can be described

as multi-level. It acts both as a

transporter of fatty acids, an

intermediary in the process

of their breakdown and an

anti-catabolic agent (in

relation to muscles). It has

a lipolytic eff ect on the sub-

cutaneous fatty tissue. How can L-carnitine

be of use to us? It is eff ective, after an appro-

priate transformation, in limiting the activity

and eff ects of lactic and pyruvic acids (oxida-

tion), which in the face of extreme physical

activity lead to increasing muscle acidity

(impaired acid–base homeostasis). This situ-

ation results in an increased activity of the

enzymes which destroy muscle protein and

the creation of an acidic environment which

they require for their activity. L-carnitine in-

hibits this process and helps to prevent mus-

cle degradation. It also infl uences energy

conversions, as it mediates in the secretion

of an active enzyme which increases energy

production (obtaining of ATP from fatty acids

using cytochrome oxidase). It also exhibits

properties which have a benefi cial infl uence

on psychological well-being – this is linked

1803/2013

www.vitamin-shop.co.uk

to an ability to stimulate production of beta-

endorphins and a simultaneous decrease in

the number of the received pain stimuli.

The anti-catabolic eff ect, which is a support-

ing factor in the stimulation of the anabolic

conditions, can also be strengthened by re-

ducing cortisol to an optimal level – it is af-

ter all one of the more dangerous catabolic

factors which have an destructive infl uence

on the muscle fi bres. In addition, L-carnitine

exhibits antioxidant potential, which has a

protective eff ect on the muscle tissue, guard-

ing it against the free, aggressive, reactive

oxygen species (free radicals – ROS).

What can we achievethrough L-carnitinesupplementation

Maintaining of a balance between fat and

muscle level

Eff ective metabolism of subcutaneous fat

without side eff ects

Better transport and oxidation of free fatty

acids

Decline in bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and

an increase and optimization of good cho-

lesterol levels (HDL),

Improved heart function (choline connec-

tion),

Secondary prevention of cardiovascular

and metabolic disease (health promoting

functions)

Improved sense of comfort and general

psychological well-being,

Antioxidant and anti-catabolic protection

Indirect stimulation of anabolic processes

(muscle growth)

Decline in fatty tissue accumulation with

increasing muscle mass

Dosage,supplementationand scientifi c opinionOn the whole, L-carnitine dosage is possibly

the most controversial of all the aspects relat-

ed to this supplement. Once it was thought

appropriate to limit the dosage to between

0.7–1 g daily, whereas nowadays this limit

has been raised to servings of 2 to 3 g. It has

been proven that L-carnitine essentially does

not provoke any serious side eff ects, whereas

in conditions of extreme physical eff ort it

works with much greater effi ciency in greater

concentrations and increased dosage. It can

be found that in the context of psychologi-

cal and physical exhaustion of the organism

and training development of today‘s athletes

the dosage has been increased on account

of the multidimensional eff ect of the supple-

ment. The once recommended dosage of L-

carnitine is simply too low in relation to the

demand for this ingredient under extreme

conditions, such as a heavy physical workout

in combination with other activities which

place a psychological load on the organism

(professional work, study).

Research fi ndings published in “Metabo-

lism – Clinical and Experimental” and in the

“Journal of the International Society of Sports

Nutrition” in 2009 unequivocally weigh in

favour of L-carnitine and its antioxidant and

anti-catabolic properties. One may

thus draw the conclusion that, in

its diff erent fractions, it improves

the dynamic muscle function and

supports the regeneration of the

muscle fi bres at tissue level. The

same can be said about re-

search conducted at the Uni-

versity of Connecticut, which

confi rmed that the supple-

ment works in that dimension

irrespective of age. Whereas

in the experiments conduct-

ed at the University of Cali-

fornia in Storrs (published in

2008, in the Journal Strength

Conditioning Research) it

was proven that L-carnitine

increased the amount of oxy-

gen used by the subjects in

the study sample group, dur-

ing squats and forearm exer-

cises (the conclusions were obviously drawn

in relation to muscle tissue). In the context of

the same study the subjects were also tested

for the number and presence of markers with

a destructive infl uence on muscle tissue in

relation to free radicals – the obtained results

were satisfactory, as they indicated far lower

levels of destructive markers than in cases

with an absence of L-carnitine supplementa-

tion.

Absorption versus types of supplementThere are diff erent types of carnitine products

available on the supplements market (softgel,

gelatin capsules, liquid, gel) which often con-

tain diff erent chemical varieties of the same

ingredient. It is important to select the cor-

rect form to suit ones individual needs and

demands and according to one‘s convenience

and habits. I recommend liquid gel capsules,

e.g. L-CARNITINE SOFTGEL, which contain a

concentrated and highly absorbable form of

chemically free L-carnitine, often referred to

as L-carnitine base. Liquid-form concentrates

L-CARNITINE GOLD and L-CARNITINE 3000

are also an excellent idea, they contain respec-

tively 2000 mg and 3000 mg of free L-carnitine

per serving. Of course one can also choose a

multi-ingredient product – L-CARNITINE

COMPLEX, which includes such valuable

additions as chromium and Vitamin B6, or a

blend of L-carnitine and green tea (L-CARNI-

TINE + GREEN TEA). These ingredients have a

synergistic eff ect and intensify the process of

fat reduction as well as reduce appetite during

a weight loss diet.

Brief summaryCompared to other fat burners and ther-

mogenics, L-carnitine can be of benefi t to

everyone – it works in a specifi c and posi-

tive way irrespective of age and type of

training one is involved in. It improves both

mental and physical well-being and also ful-

fi ls a health promoting function. There are

no contraindications as to its usage during

a reduction cycle, such as is the case with

thermogenics, which cannot be used by

persons who suff er from cardiovascular or

circulation problems. The multidimensional

working eff ect and user safety, as well as

convenience due to the existence of a va-

riety of forms of the supplement make it

appear in an extremely positive light. Now

you know how it works and why it works so

well – it is a perfect ally in fi ghting fat. It can

also prove to be an excellent supplement

for you, and this is confi rmed by numerous

research results.

JANUSZ ZIÓŁKOWSKI

A PAIR OF GUNS HANGING OFF A PAIR OF GUNS HANGING OFF THE SHOULDERS A DREAM THE SHOULDERS A DREAM OF EVERY MALE GYMGOER.OF EVERY MALE GYMGOER.

HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD REMEMBER THAT THE ARMS REMEMBER THAT THE ARMS ARE NOT ONLY BICEPS, BUT ARE NOT ONLY BICEPS, BUT

ALSO TRICEPS WHICH ACCOUNT ALSO TRICEPS WHICH ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY 2/3 OF THEIR SIZE.FOR NEARLY 2/3 OF THEIR SIZE.

WHY ARE „BIG GUNS” THE HOLY WHY ARE „BIG GUNS” THE HOLY GRAIL OF EVERY BODYBUILDER? GRAIL OF EVERY BODYBUILDER?

EVERYONE WANTS TO HAVE IT, EVERYONE WANTS TO HAVE IT, BUT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS BUT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS

HOW TO GET IT. AND WHAT HOW TO GET IT. AND WHAT IS ARM WORKOUT FOR YOU? IS ARM WORKOUT FOR YOU?

DO YOU LIKE IT OR FIND IT DO YOU LIKE IT OR FIND IT NECESSARY?NECESSARY?M

USC

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GUY

2203/2013

www.vitamin-shop.co.uk

2303/2013

www.vitamin-shop.co.uk

I simply love to exercise this muscle

group. Given the experience accu-

mulated over time, today, as a body-

builder competing in bodybuilding

competitions, I must say that my ap-

proach to biceps and triceps work-

out has changed a lot. Below you

will fi nd a set of exercises for build-

ing guns of steel – powerful and rock-hard

arms.

Steel-cord arms, also known as „guns” to

gym-goers, are a must-have for every body-

builder. Whether you are wearing a T-shirt,

elegant shirt or sleeveless, strong arms will

stand out a mile. The arms are the fi rst thing

to be noticed by other gym-goers and used

to judge their fellow bodybuilders in the

same manner as models are judges on a

casting for a photo shoot. Who wouldn’t like

to have powerful biceps and triceps like Ar-

nold Schwarzenegger during his glory days?

As far as I am concerned, I don’t aspire to be

original and to say that I prefer exercising

legs to exercising arms. An „arm” workout

day is one of my favourite days during the

week.

I am one of the hot heads who love exercising

their biceps together with their triceps. That’s

why I exercise the arms in one workout ses-

sion. This gives me greater strength potential

and I am able to better target the muscles

which work antagonistically. Since the triceps

extend the arms, and the biceps curl the arms,

then why not combine these movements in

one workout session? Of course, my workout

plan for the arms changes during the year. I

change not only single exercises, number of

sets and scope of reps in each set, but also

the way to perform them. At one time, I do

bicep and tricep exercises alternatively, and at

another time I combine them into super sets.

Diff erent workout methods help to derive dif-

ferent benefi ts, depending on the workout

cycle. During the mass building period I try

to do the weaker muscle group fi rst, and the

stronger muscle group second. On the other

hand, during the mass reduction period, each

set of bicep reps is immediately followed by

another set of tricep reps or the other way

round so as to intensify the physical work.

Sometimes it is undoubtedly worth breaking

your routine and include super sets also dur-

ing the mass building cycle.

Workout is one thing, but sometimes our

genetic build-up cannot be beaten. I’ve

never had any problems with my triceps,

but I’ve always had to work extra hard on

my biceps. I struggle all the time to add size

and roundness to my biceps, and to achieve

their desirable shape. As a result of changes

in my workout plan and approach to bicep

exercises I can slowly see some progress,

and therefore I think I’m on the right track.

Unlike other muscle groups, which require as

many as up to 20 sets, arm workout can be

done really fast. The biceps and triceps are

not large muscles compared to e.g. legs or

back, thus it’s suffi cient to do 3 exercises of

4 sets or 4 exercises of 3 sets. Even if you’re

in a hurry, you can have a good arm workout

composed of alternative super sets of exer-

cises for the biceps and triceps. This gives a

great muscle pump so that it is diffi cult to

put on a T-shirt when leaving the gym, and

the only way of preparing a post-workout

shake is to make it in a mixer at home. Ad-

ditionally, you don’t have to be afraid that

on your way home you will get a citation for

talking on the phone – you won’t be able to

keep it up.

ADAM “JABI” JABŁOŃSKI

BICEPS BICEPS BICE

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This is a rather unpopular exercise for the biceps as you can’t

use large weights to command respect among your fellow

gym-goers. However, you should remember that you per-

form bodybuilding exercises for yourself and sometimes

reduced weight combined with a complete isolation of the

muscle helps to achieve much better results than struggling

with huge dumbbells or barbells. This exercise targets arm

muscles located under the biceps which adds visually to the

circumference of the arm, and that’s why they should be in-

cluded in the workout plan both in the mass building and

reducing periods.

HOW TO DO ITSit on a diagonal bench and put its backrest at an angle

slightly greater than 40°. Grab the dumbbells with your arms

hanging down at your sides, forearms pulled to the sides of

the torso which should be kept on the bench at all times.

Closely monitoring the movement, raise the dumbbells

slowly, while achieving a short peak concentration of the

biceps at the end of the concentric phase. Lower the dumb-

bells very slowly until full extension of the biceps and avoid

any overextension.

NOTEIf you put on too much weight, you won’t be able to do the

exercise properly. It’s better to take smaller dumbbells and

feel the biceps working, while trying to perform the move-

ment with surgical precision and very slowly.

This bicep exercise can be performed both at the beginning,

in the middle or at the end of the workout session. I like this

exercise very much because – when properly performed – it is

perfect for achieving peak concentration in the biceps, taking

advantage of the full range of motion. For me, this is a good

mass building exercise, and with adequate „muscle feel” – also

for roundness of the biceps. This is my favourite bicep exercise

with dumbbells.

HOW TO DO ITIn the initial phase, keep the dumbbells in extended hands,

with the arms at the hips, elbows close to the body and thumbs

turned towards each other. Breathing out, make yourforearm

curl and lift the weight, at the same time doing a wrist half-

turn to the outside and trying to tense the bicep. Next, lower

the dumbbell to the starting position, while breathing out, and

then exercise the other arm.

NOTEDuring the concentric phase do not stick your elbows to the

front, and turn the wrists smoothly while lifting the weight. Dur-

ing the eccentric phase try not to extend the arm in the elbow

joint so as to maintain the muscle tension of the biceps. One of

the most frequent errors with this exercise, which I used to make

myself, is using excessive weight and sticking the elbows to the

front which limits the range of motion of the biceps.

DUMBBELL SUPINATING BICEPS CURLSDUMBBELL SUPINATING BICEPS CURLS

INCLINE BENCH DUMBBELL BICEPS CURLSINCLINE BENCH DUMBBELL BICEPS CURLS

STANDING HAMMERSTANDING HAMMERCURLSCURLS

CEPS BICEPS BICEPS

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This is one of the essential bicep exercises in which you can use

slightly greater weights, and therefore it should be started after

a warm-up. Barbell forearm curls are perfect as the second ex-

ercise during bicep workout. After the muscles are warmed up

and pumped up with blood, you can take on a barbell to work

them really hard.

HOW TO DO ITWhile standing with your legs slightly spread, grab the barbell

with a slightly wider grip, keeping your elbows close to the torso

and arms fully extended. Breathing in, raise slowly the arms until

you achieve a peak concentration in the biceps, and then breath-

ing out, lower the barbell, monitoring the movement at all times.

The concentric phase should be ended with full extension of the

biceps, however, avoiding overextension of the elbow joints.

NOTEOf course, as with any other exercise, it is important to have good

technique and choose proper weight. Excessive weight may lead

to torso swinging. Cheated movements are only acceptable in

the last 1–2 reps, but these movements are recommended only

during the mass building period, when your muscles need ex-

ceptionally strong workout impulses.

This exercise can be performed by raising the dumbbells

or by moving them up and at the same time to the side

– try to touch the middle of the right pec with the dumb-

bell held in the left hand and the other way round. Both

exercises target mostly short heads of the biceps, located

on the outside of the arm.

HOW TO DO ITStand upright with the dumbbells hanging down at both

sides of the body, holding them with a neutral grip which

should be maintained through the full range of motion.

Slowly raise the weight with one hand, while monitoring

tension of the biceps, and then lower it gradually.

NOTEIn popular hammer curls, it is important to feel your mus-

cles working and not to jounce the weight upwards. To

perform this exercise with a greater weight, e.g. during

mass building workout, we can use an exercise bench

for support. This prevents cheating your weights up and

helps to isolate and perfectly hit the biceps.

STRAIGHT BAR BICEPS CURLSSTRAIGHT BAR BICEPS CURLS

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This exercise can be used as a warm-up at the begin-

ning of your workout or to „fi nish off ” at the end to

pump you muscles as much as possible. If you are

able to do 3 sets of 15–20 reps without the assistance

of a training partner, then it’s a really good result. You

may also chain up additional weights to the belt so as

to target your triceps with a reduced number of reps.

This exercise is suitable throughout the year.

HOW TO DO ITThe procedure is simple, but you need to remem-

ber a few important details – grab the railings with

a neutral grip, do not lean forward as otherwise the

workout will mostly target the shoulders and chest

muscles. Lower the weight at 90 degrees to the fl oor,

until the triceps in your arm are fully stretched, while

your feet should not touch the fl oor. In the concentric

phase lift the weight until the triceps are fully extend-

ed and tense.

NOTEYou should control the full range of motion and avoid

swinging your body. This exercise should be per-

formed while wearing gloves or workout grips, e.g.

TREC GRIPS.

TRICEPS DIPS TRICEPS DIPS

This exercise is a very good warm-up for elbow joints

and triceps, and next for working your muscles really

hard. It is also perfect for use at the end of your work-

out because it isolates the triceps, especially their short

lateral heads. As a result you can hit all three heads of

the triceps with a good peak contraction.

HOW TO DO ITStand in front of the cable crossover, blocking the lum-

bo-sacral section of the spine, and stick out the chest.

Grab the cable with a neutral grip using both hands,

pull it down, while controlling the movement at all

times and keeping the elbows in one position close to

the body until you achieve full muscle tension. At the

end of the movement you can stretch the cable while

moving each hand to the side so as to hit and fi nish off

the short heads of the triceps.

NOTERemember to use adequate weight and maintain

constant tension of the cable. The cable must move

smoothly, without any sudden pulls.

TRICEPS CABLE PUSH-DOWNTRICEPS CABLE PUSH-DOWN

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EZ BAR FRENCH PRESSEZ BAR FRENCH PRESSFrench press is one of the most eff ective tricep workout exer-

cises, which also involves a serious risk of injury. This is mostly

because of the excessive weight compared to our technical po-

tential and strength. Many young bodybuilders start their tricep

workout from French press and without proper warm-up, as

„you need heavy weights to develop your triceps”. This is true,

however, should the same weight be used by beginners and

bodybuilders with many years of training experience? I don’t

think so! In this exercise the weight should be suchthat you will

be able to do the fi rst set of 12 technical reps without cheating

the weights up.

HOW TO DO ITLay down on the bench with narrow overhand grip on the bar-

bell and pick it up off the rack. With the barbell positioned over

the head, lower it slowly to the forehead with arms held fi xed

at 90 degrees to the fl oor. You should move only your forearms

by bending the elbows. Remember that both the eccentric and

concentric phases should be done slowly, and the elbows must

not go wide apart.

NOTEEZ bar french press is a diffi cult exercise and as such it should al-

ways be performed with a training partner (a spotter). Not only

will he help you lift off the bar from the racked position, but he

will also provide assistance if you run out of energy and catch

the weight to prevent an injury. As a result you will be able to

concentrate on doing the exercise correctly.

CLOSE GRIP BARBBELL BENCH PRESSCLOSE GRIP BARBBELL BENCH PRESSThis exercise may seem to be simple. You might think

it’s enough to get a narrow grip on the barbell and per-

form some barbell curls. Nothing could be further from

the truth. You must remember to control the movement

so that your triceps do most of the work. Elbows must be

kept narrow and close to the body through the full range

of motion. Many bodybuilders fail to follow this rule and

keep their elbows in the same manner as during regu-

larchest barbell press, and they are surprised that such

workout doesn’t target their triceps.

HOW TO DO ITThis exercise is quite similar to barbell chest workout. Lie

down on the bench, dismount the bar from the rack which

can be put slightly higher this time. Hold it in the starting

position with fully extended arms over the middle of your

chest and lower it slowly. Remember to keep your elbows

close to the body. The motion is in the opposite direction

in the concentric phase. You should avoid overextending

and blocking the arms in the elbow joint. Thus, the triceps

will be tense through the full range of motion.

NOTERemember to properly keep your elbows and control the

weight all the time. This is not about breaking a weight-

lifting record, but about having good technique and tar-

geting your triceps.

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KA

RO

L O

LEN

DER

Soon his evening exercises with a barbell and a set of dumb-bells became some-

thing more: a sports passion. In spite of hard training, the expected eff ects did

not come. That was why the young contestant decided to fi nd professional aid. As

he says, he made all possible nutrition errors in that period. Finally, he managed to fi nd a press advertisement

of the VITAMIN-SHOP® chain. Karol did not realise at that time that ordering a parcel full of good quality supple-

ments would infl uence his life that strong. Thanks to that decision, he met a VITAMIN-SHOP® manager, Robert

Rzeźniczak, who off ered cooperation. Soon, Karol opened his own shop, which was the fulfi lment of his dreams.

His diet, supplements and exercises changed. One day, someone asked Karol why he wasn’t taking part in

competitions if he had spent so many years training. At the beginning, that seemed unrealistic, but fi nally, as a

VITAMIN-SHOP® ATHLETES contestant, he decided to enter the bodybuilding stage. His plan was ambitious:

a debut in Ostrów Mazowiecka in Poland, then the London South & East Championship and USN Classic

at Body Expo. Months of killer training and restrictive diet passed fast. Thanks to his shape, Karol won a

high fi fth place at the Bodybuilding Debut at the end of March 2013. The time came to take part in the

next planned competition, where Karol exceeded a weight limit and had to face contestants of a bigger

category who were even 7 kg heavier. And he succeeded. Karol was surprised to win. It was quality, not

weight, that mattered. After 6 days, he took part in another competition, and also stood on the podium,

second only to the UK Champion. Karol Olender is a young man who has shown just how much can be

achieved by hard work.

KAROL IS A YOUNG AND TALENTED BODYBUILDER, WHO BEGAN HIS LOVE AFFAIR WITH WEIGHTS ONLY AFTER HIS ARRIVAL IN THE UK. EARLIER, STILL IN POLAND, HE PRACTISED BREAK DANCE, WITH SOME SUCCESS. INITIALLY, GYM TRAINING WAS SUPPOSED TO RELIEVE HIS EXCESSIVE ENERGY WHICH HE NEVER LACKED IN SPITE OF 12 HOURS OF HARD WORK.

RAFAŁ CEJROWSKI HAS AN UNQUESTIONABLE SPORTS TALENT. HE WAS BORN IN GDAŃSK, WHERE HIS LOVE AFFAIR WITH WRESTLING BEGAN. FOR HIM, SPORT WAS AN EXCELLENT FORM OF ESCAPE FROM THE GLOOMY CLIMATE OF ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS DISTRICTS OF THIS SEASIDE TOWN, WHERE HE GREW UP.

As a VITAMIN-SHOP® ATHLETES contestant, he experimented with various disciplines. He tried football, long-distance running, karate, taekwondo, boxing. But wrestling is what he has always liked most. As a junior, he achieved great successes in this discipline. He was, for example, the Champion of Poland and a member of the Polish national team. Everything was going great, but suddenly his promising career was suspended for several dozen months when his fi rst son was born. As a 20-year-old father, Rafał had to give up sport and decided to leave for the UK, where he joined up with the VITAMIN-SHOP® chain. When he stabilised his fi nancial situation, he came back to professional sport. He lost 10 kg and started training hard to win, after 6-year break, the UK Open Championship in the classic style, in the heavyweight category of up to 96 kg, which surprised everyone. Soon after the competition in Manchester, the Pole also won a star-studded tournament and a year later the championship of Northern Ireland in Belfast. In both events, he chose freestyle and proved how versatile he was.

At present, Rafał is a classic, freestyle and submission-style wrestler and takes up any oppor-tunity to test his strength in all possible variants of grappling. He is preparing for his fi rst MMA gala. As a wrestler who has been technically trained in the standing position, he has great chances to win the champion title. Rafał Cejrowski runs a VITAMIN-SHOP® shop in Watford (London), where supplements are always chosen in a professional manner. In addition, he works as a VIP bodyguard and a personal trainer. He emphasises that this is the fulfi lment of his dreams, because a healthy diet, supplements and training are inseparable parts of his life. Rafał Cejrowski is a proud father of two wonderful sons: Cyprian (11) and Maksimus (2). We are looking forward to his further successes.RA

FAŁ

RA

FAŁ

CEJR

OW

SKI

CEJR

OW

SKI

Cyprian

Maksimus

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In the article below I will present elemen-

tary data concerning stacking of diet sup-

plements.

Experience will tell you the truthMany people get lost in the lengthy cata-

logues of supplements and meal replace-

ments on off er in stores. Even many profes-

sional competitors who know how to use the

STACKINGSTACKING

Supplement combining is a  rare art, which can be mastered with Supplement combining is a  rare art, which can be mastered with a knowledge of fundamental physiological and biochemical mecha-a knowledge of fundamental physiological and biochemical mecha-nisms. This knowledge primarily rests on a recognition of the syner-nisms. This knowledge primarily rests on a recognition of the syner-gistic and antagonistic eff ect, namely the information which tells us gistic and antagonistic eff ect, namely the information which tells us whether the given supplements are compatible in their overall ac-whether the given supplements are compatible in their overall ac-tions, or whether they interfere with one another. They say ignorance tions, or whether they interfere with one another. They say ignorance is bliss, but in my opinion in the event of supplementation with incor-is bliss, but in my opinion in the event of supplementation with incor-rectly combined substances our ignorance can land us closer to an rectly combined substances our ignorance can land us closer to an ICU than to a state of bliss.ICU than to a state of bliss.

products independently, don’t know how to

combine them. As I have already mentioned

in the introduction to this article, combining

supplements requires a certain elementary

medical knowledge, but sometimes all you

need is some evidence, a summary of the ac-

tion of specifi c types of products and such in-

formation can be acquired by thoroughly em-

pirical means – by trying out various dietary

supplements and singlehanded attempts at

stacking them. Unfortunately some consum-

ers end up taking all the available products at

once, without any idea what is good for them

or about supplement compatibility. How-

ever, by sticking to specifi c times of the day

and establishing a proper dosage routine one

can get so much benefi t from supplementa-

tion. Consulting your mates at the gym, you

will probably often have been confronted by

puzzling questions – Czesiek, who after the

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nates from beta-alanine. To put it simply, ad-

ministration of the product itself often impairs

absorption or causes the utilization of the sub-

strate by the organism for its own purposes.

A very similar situation takes place in the case

of combining testosterone boosters which

are often composed of such ingredients as

Tribulus terrestris, an ingredient of TRIBULON

BLACK, Maca root, an ingredient of TREC

XTREME MEN‘S FORMULA, D-Aspartic Acid

in DAA ULTRA or chelated zinc and magne-

sium in TREC ZMA ORIGINAL, or the innova-

tive complex formula containing the most ef-

fective components in TREC TESTO(X)PACK.

However, in the event of stacking, one has to

remember that the recommended dose can

often be lowered. Those higher than 400 mg

per day frequently have the opposite eff ect ,

promoting prolactin and progesterone secre-

tion, often resulting in acne. So as the afore

mentioned examples show, it is not always the

case that more means better. The last issue re-

lating to the safety of supplementation of cer-

tain products is the use of antagonists, as here

the dose of active ingredients which have the

opposite eff ect is of utmost importance. Such

combinations have spawned the most myths.

Let’s then concentrate on the most common-

ly used stimulant – caff eine.

Nowadays many pre-workout stacks contain-

ing Nitric Oxide (NO) Boosters - NITROBOLON

ENERGIZER, S.A.W. - also contain added caf-

feine, despite the fact that in principle the fi rst

class of substances increases the diameter of

the blood vessels so that the muscle pump ef-

fect is easier achieved, whereas caff eine nar-

rows the diameter of the blood vessels, raising

the blood pressure. The amount of the second

ingredient is selected in such a way as to ac-

tivate the brain-to-muscle connections and

produce concentration, while at the same

time not interfering with the relaxation of the

endothelium of the blood vessels and the im-

provement of the muscle pump eff ect. It is all

a question of the administered dose. A caff eine

serving of 1-1.5 mg per kilogram of ideal body

weight (IBW) has a stimulating eff ect on the

motor neurons (projection of the nerve cell

reaching into the muscles), whereas doses of

2.5 mg/kg of IBW and more have a blood-pres-

sure rising, diuretic and analgesic eff ect. One

shouldn’t combine multiple servings of sup-

plements with antagonistic action – again, I re-

fer here to the principle that more doesn’t nec-

essarily mean better. Using large doses of both

substances may lead to feeling unwell, nausea,

drowsiness , and in extreme cases even to col-

lapse. Smaller servings are rather unlikely to

produce such an eff ect.

One ingredient or many – the pros and consAt a time when diet supplements are freely

available, the question arises whether it is bet-

ter and more economical to purchase several

individual products which then can be com-

bined into one dose on one’s own initiative,

or should one trust the manufacturer and buy

a ready-made mix, that comes with a special

measuring spoon for preparing your dose,

and we don’t worry about anything else? This

is quite a complex matter and I think that a ta-

ble is the best way of clarifi cation

So, as evident from the above table, those with

a thinner wallet will probably focus on individ-

ual products and will combine them, within

their fi nancial means, into agents with pre-and

post-training eff ects, as well as all-day supple-

ments, which look after the positive nitrogen

balance, as for instance proteins and amino

acids. The ready-made stacks, on the other

hand, possess the advantage of a much more

complex composition and patented quantity

ratios, which guarantee a specifi c result – of

course taking into account the personal reac-

tion, as there will always be consumers who

will be aff ected in an unexpected way. With

stacks there are also risks of interactions with

prescription medicines – it is easy to asses the

correlation of individually used supplements

with a drug, as in the medication information

leafl et classes of substances are listed which

should not be used concurrently (fi bre, phos-

phodiesterase inhibitors like caff eine etc.).

Problems are created by the use of multi-in-

gredient stacks in addition to individual med-

ications. You never know whether or not the

combination of between a dozen or so supple-

ments is going to enter into a biochemical in-

teraction with the drug in the organism, even

if none of them show any negative correlation

with the medication separately. The synergis-

tic eff ect of combining a dozen or so of them

may have a stimulating or inhibiting infl uence

on the action of the medication and both sce-

narios are equally dangerous. One such recom-

mendation is among others is not to combine

Quercetin, Boswellic acid and other anti-in-

fl ammatories with Heparin (an anticoagulant

commonly given post-operatively), because

STACKING a diffi cult arta diffi cult artof combining supplementsof combining supplementsrecommended dose of a pre-training stack,

made up of eighteen components, experi-

enced light stimulation, but nothing excep-

tional, while Jack on the other hand, after only

a half of the recommended dose had to be

physically forced to quit training and this at-

tempt almost ended up with tearing the door

off its hinges, and Janek after a double portion

was yawning and wanted to go to sleep. Why

does this happen? Because reaction to a sup-

plement is unique and personal. Every one of

us has a diff erent sensitivity to specifi c compo-

nents which act as relaxants or stimulants, but

also diff ers in reaction to absorption of individ-

ual macronutrients. In addition to the above

there can be undetected malabsorption prob-

lems and substance dependence concerning

certain substances. It is unfortunate that, at

a time when supplements are freely available,

we seem to struggle with the “diffi cult“ art of

reading the product label with comprehen-

sion. It frequently happens that a consumer

who receives a sachet with a product sam-

ple, neglects to read the information on the

packaging that it contains four servings of the

product, and that while you are in the proc-

ess of testing your own tolerance to strong

stimulants, you should start with half of the

recommended dose, that is 1/8 of the pack-

aging. Well, I think we can all imagine the ef-

fects of taking 1600 mg caff eine, 1200 mg syn-

ephrine, 8 g beta-alanine and synergistically

acting components, all at once, which after

the person has consumed 8-times the recom-

mended amount are going to make it diffi cult

for them to decide what bothers them more:

high blood pressure 190/160 (atrial fl utter) or

burning-itchy-prickly sensations (paraesthe-

sia) following the consumption of such a high

amount of beta-alanine. There is one other

problem – more doesn’t always mean better,

alhough many people still think that increas-

ing the dose is directly proportional to the

intensity of the eff ect of the supplement. Un-

fortunately this often is not the case, just the

opposite. The Le Chatelier-Braun’s principle

of contrariness is one of the elementary laws

concerning dynamic equilibrium. It states that

a system subjected to a stimulus responds

in such a way as to counteract it. Taking this

into consideration, in sport disciplines which

have an endurance or mixed focus, supple-

mentation is accomplished mainly with beta-

alanine or its mixture with carnosine in the ra-

tio 2:1, despite the fact that carnosine, which is

a powerful intramuscular buff er , in fact origi-

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of their synergistic eff ect, as they promote he-

modilution. Each external or internal injury can

lead to a greater haemorrhage due to the ex-

tended prothrombin time (coagulation).

Timing is everythingNot all supplements perform equally well

when taken irrespective of the time of the day.

Many of them have to be properly combined,

to ensure they produce the desired eff ect and

maximise their eff ectiveness. When it comes

to nutrition and supplementation in sport,

one could say that the correct timing is the

key to success. Below I present what I consider

to be most important supplements in bodyfi t-

ness disciplines and strength training, which

are best taken at strictly controlled times.

MORNINGIt is said, not without reason, that breakfast is

the most important meal of the day. Follow-

ing the nighttime fasting the organism has ex-

hausted a good part of the glycogen stored in

the liver, for the purpose of keeping the brain

in the parasympathetic phase, that is at rest.

During sleep we require approximately 10 g

of glucose per hour in order to nourish our

body, including the brain. It makes sense that,

after eight hours of utilizing the carbohydrates

stored in the liver, they need to be replenished.

It is an excellent time for fast absorbing carbo-

hydrates, such as carbohydrate concentrates

(MAX CARB, VITARGO ELECTRO-ENERGY),

fruit (doses of fructose taken during the day

interfere with fat cell metabolism, so it is safer

to take them in the morning and /or after the

training) as well as slow absorbing carbohy-

drates, which release the energy gradually in

the course of digestion. We need to remember

that a gainer (a carbohydrate-protein supple-

ment – HARD MASS, MASS XXL) with a high

content of complex carbohydrates should not

be considered a porridge equivalent. After

all powder dissolved in water is a liquid, so it

will pass through the digestive tract a lot fast-

er. In order to slow down the release of glu-

cose, a serving of soluble fi bre, e.g. DIETARY

FIBRE APPLE, can be added to this shake. Load-

ing glycogen levels as such will be assisted by

suitable supplements, such as alpha lipoic acid

(ALA), Arginine (AAKG MEGA HARDCORE) as

well as Astragalus extract, one can also pur-

chase Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA SOFT

GEL), which helps stabilize after-meal blood

sugar levels. Ideally suited for this purpose

is also cinnulin, an ingredient of cinnamon.

A high quality protein (ISOLATE 100, PERFECT

WHEY PROTEIN) will help elevate the nitrogen

balance, which following the nighttime fast-

ing has also declined, because protein degra-

dation exceeded its synthesis level. Obviously

one can protect oneself against this phenom-

enon, using concentrates of proteins with low

rate of absorption, such as micellar casein pro-

tein (CASEIN 100, NIGHT PROTEIN BLEND),

or alternatively base one’s meal on milk prod-

ucts containing large quantities of precisely

those protein fractions (cottage cheese, curd

cheese). Together with breakfast it is benefi cial

to take vitamin supplements, because break-

fast, being the largest meal of the day, should

contain large quantities of fats (that is if we don’t

train in the morning after breakfast), in which

vitamins A,D,E, and K can dissolve. These vita-

mins of the B group (VITAMIN B COMPLEX)

will speed up the metabolism of the three ma-

cronutrients and in this way are the key drivers

of the entire human metabolism. If we do have

a thermogenic fat burner at our disposal, such

as CLENBUREXIN, its administration instead of

the morning coff ee is a good idea. It will get

us in a mood for action and will increase the

thyroid function, so that more calories can be

used for the needs of the organism.

BEFORE TRAININGThis is the time when carbo-loading with slow

absorbing carbohydrates and amino acids is

SINGLEINGREDIENT PRODUCT MULTIINGREDIENT PRODUCTPR

ODUC

T CO

ST

EFFE

CTIV

ENES

S When you purchase a single-ingredient product, you know very well what you are paying for,

you know the amount per serving, you determine the dose of the amount of natural carbohyd-

rates or of the simple sugar supplement by yourself.

A manufacturer with greater fi nancial means can aff ord a much more complex formula with

a greater synergistic eff ect. However, a large quantity of sugar added to the product makes

it economically unviable for the consumer. If possible, select product versions without car-

bohydrates, often labelled ‘carb free’, e.g. S.A.W.

READ

YM

ADE

FORM

ULA

When creating a stack from single-ingredient products you might know precisely, what you

put inside, however a ‘proprietary blend’ often means that the manufacturer knows of a

“secret“ quantity combination of the individual products and the correct weight proportions

between them, which are unlikely to be obtained on one’s own initiative.

Thanks to carefully analysed research studies and multiple attempts at creating a formula

with the greatest strength, the manufacturer refers to his own formula as a ‘proprietary blend’

only quoting the net weight of the mixture, without breaking it down into the amounts of

individual ingredients. There is one important rule in the labelling: the higher an ingredient is

on the list, the more of it there is in the formula (it predominates in the contents) – the lower

on the list, the less there is of it.

PROD

UCT

STRE

NGTH Usually this is created by the amount of the serving measured out, less frequently through a

discovery of the most eff ective proportion between ingredients or through the addition of a

large number of synergistically acting components.

Usually created by means of a correctly chosen quantity ratio of individual ingredients and

addition of components with complementary action.

INTE

RACT

IONS

W

ITH

PRES

CRIP

TION

M

EDIC

ATIO

NS A

ND

OTHE

R DI

ET S

UPPL

EMEN

TS It is relatively easy to evaluate the eff ect of a given substance on a prescription drug through

elimination or discontinuation of the dose of one of the components.

Within such a complex formula with multiple biochemical correlations it is very diffi cult to

identify the “culprit“ which interferes with or intensifi es the action of the medication. Usually

during the period of the treatment supplementation has to be discontinued.

Table. Selection of products due to the composition

the key for increasing exercise capacity of the

organism in order to reach top energy levels

and the muscle pump eff ect during exercise.

The additional amount of amino acids in the

bloodstream will protect the muscles against

catabolic wasting, which is a risk during pro-

longed aerobic or interval sessions – training

of a glycolytic nature. It is also a good idea to fo-

cus on thermogenic agents (CLENBUREXIN,

LIPO(X)PACK), if we expect an energy kick-

start and concentration, or alternatively we

can take a nitric oxide booster (NITROBOLON,

NITRO(X)PACK), which will increase the mus-

cle pump eff ect, improve their capacity for

contraction and aid muscle mass develop-

ment. Creatine supplementation (CREATINE

MICRONIZED 200 MESH, CREA9 XTREME)

makes good sense at this stage by virtue of

a low or almost zero content of fat in the

pre-training meal, which results in its perfect

absorption. Besides, its administration im-

mediately prior to the physical eff ort is go-

ing to be a very eff ective protection of the

muscles against catabolic degradation and

it will speed up the rate of ATP re-synthesis

in the cells. It is also a good time for taking

testosterone boosters, as steroidal sapon-

ins present for instance in Tribulus terrestris

(TRIBULON or TRIBULON BLACK) – and in

other agents of this kind, such as DAA ULTRA

– work better in the pre-training phase, at the

time of preparation for eff ort. Linking up with

receptors is then more eff ective.

AFTER TRAININGHere the key aspects are the glycogen super-

compensation eff ect, adjustment of the nitro-

gen balance after sustained muscle microtrau-

ma, ATP re-synthesis in the cell from creatine

phosphate and administration of a nitric oxide

booster with the aim of improving glycogen

loading and removal of free radicals after ef-

fort. But now one thing at a time. The key issue

and at the same time a personal issue, which

3303/2013

www.vitamin-shop.co.uk

requires experimenting, is what one should

take fi rst after completing a strength work-

out – should it be hydrolysed whey protein or

exogenous amino acids, or perhaps carbohy-

drates, in order to satisfy the requirements of

the anabolic window and the supercompen-

sation of the glycogen in the muscles. The sci-

entifi c basis in this situation is the correlation

of the growth hormone (GH) with the insulin-

like growth factor (IGF-1), which in post-train-

ing conditions are inversely proportional. Fol-

lowing strength training, the carbohydrate

reserves in our body are seriously depleted,

which results in a signifi cant spike in the levels

of GH. The receptors and binding sites for the

growth hormone are proteins, and their ac-

tivity sharply decreases in the event of taking

sugars. That’s why it makes sense to take ad-

vantage of the prolonged duration of high GH

levels following exercise and take processed

amino acids in a fast-absorbing form, e.g.

AMINOMAX 6800. After 15–20 minutes a car-

bohydrate concentrate may be served, e.g.

MAX CARB or VITARGO ELECTRO-ENERGY,

which will signifi cantly elevate blood glu-

cose levels, at the same time lowering the GH,

while simultaneously the levels of IGF-1 will be

raised rather substantially. However, everyone

must test these strategies on themselves , be-

cause each organism is diff erent. As I always

say: there is one rule when it comes to nutri-

tion in the bodyfi tness sports – there are no

hard and fast rules. There will be others, who

will achieve better results with a standard ap-

proach, which fi rst focuses on supplying car-

bohydrates, and later proteins. After comple-

tion of a power training it is also worthwhile

to throw in a serving of creatine, i.e. CREA9

XTREME, in order to adjust the defi cit of left-

over creatine phosphate for the purpose of

replenishing the stores of the cell energy/en-

ergy of the cell. Also a serving of a NO booster,

e.g. S.A.W., will enhance a better re-synthesis

of glycogen, will relax the blood vessels, which

is going to improve transport of metabolites

and nutrients. Nitric oxide boosters paradoxi-

cally also work as anti-oxidants (because the

left-over NO themselves, are also free radicals),

so it is good to serve them after training, to

aid the organism in regaining its homeostasis.

BEFORE SLEEPBefore going to sleep, one has to protect one-

self against a drop in the level of amino acids

in the blood by taking proteins with a low ki-

netic rate, and making sure one gets a sound,

uninterrupted sleep. Here I recommend ca-

sein proteins, best if based on the negative

form of this protein, i.e. CASEIN 100. This fac-

tor is indispensable for proper rest and surge

of anabolic hormones, mainly the growth

hormone and testosterone. That’s why taking

minerals with added Vitamin B6 infl uences in-

creased levels of the latter during the phase

of night secretion. This is the combination we

will fi nd in ZMA ORIGINAL or in a capsule

of MULTIPACK SPORT NIGHT FORMULA,

which additionally contains the gamma-

aminobutyric acid, L-tryptophan and L-thean-

ine, which will also have a tranquillizing and

tonic eff ect on tense muscles, letting us have

a healthy sleep. Of course it is also a good mo-

ment for taking a second serving of testoster-

one booster – DAA ULTRA or TRIBULON.

How to eff ectively lose weightSupplements classifi ed as fat burners are not

magic pills enabling us to burn fatty tissue un-

der all conditions. In order to enable them to

serve their function, what is required is a hy-

pocaloric diet or at least a diet with a zero-cal-

orie balance, which means that we consume

the exact amount of calories necessary for our

needs. Below is the formula for calculating this

amount.

TMR = BMR x PALTMR – total metabolic rate – is the number of

calories which must be absorbed for a specifi c

training goal.

BMR – basal metabolic rate – is a number of

calories, required for the maintenance of vital

functioning, such as breathing, digestion and

brain function during 24 hours

PAL – physical activity level – we set it at 1,5 for

those doing intensive bodyfi tness training

Thus, TMR for a slim man (BF 12%) with a body

weight of 72 kg is the following:

TMR = 72 x 24 x 1.5TMR = 2592 kcal

It is only an approximate value, however it

makes it possible to freely manipulate the

number of calories consumed daily. Of no

less importance is the ratio of macronutrients

to the total of calories consumed. Their daily

supply should provide 30% kcal from protein,

40% from carbohydrates and 30% from fats,

assuming that the man in question works out

intensely at the gym and that in terms of so-

matotypes he is an ectomorph, that is, some-

one with a fast metabolic rate. It is another

big simplifi cation, but assuming that we are

going to consume low-processed food prod-

ucts, following a diet which is low in carbohy-

drates but high in protein, it is certainly going

to benefi t the process of development of lean

muscle mass and the maintenance of low lev-

els of body fat.

Pre- and post-training meals should have

a high content of complex carbohydrates

(apart from those taken directly after training,

in the form of supplements, which should

feature simple carbohydrates), as well as in-

clude proteins and a minimum amount of fat.

The use of fat burners will in this case speed

up the metabolism, and make it possible to

get rid of approximately 200–300 kcal more,

which over a ten-day period will ensure a loss

of around 0,5 kg of fatty tissue. Of course the

amount of fat burned could be increased fol-

lowing an appropriate training programme

and a diet which won’t produce rapid increas-

es in the blood glucose levels.

While we are on the subject of fat burning

agents, the best way is to have them stacked

alternately. Early in the morning, in order to

increase the metabolic rate and stimulate

the central nervous system, it is a good idea

to take a serving of a thermogenic agent

(CLENBUREXIN, THERMO FAT BURNER

MAX, LIPO(X)PACK). A few hours later during

lunch it would be worthwhile to take a lipo-

lytic product, e.g. L-CARNITINE 3000, FAT

TRANSPORTER, which increases the bio-

availability of fatty acids as the main energy

source, without producing the eff ect of psy-

chomotor stimulation, which is common with

thermogenics. Another serving of the latter

should be taken in the early afternoon, when

we still have a few hours left at work or have

to sit through a few more lectures at the uni-

versity. Moreover, using it at that time means

that we won’t have any problems with falling

asleep around 11 p.m., something the manu-

facturers usually warn about in their leafl et,

stating that the product should not be taken

at least six hours before bedtime. In the late

afternoon, before a training session, it would

be worthwhile to take the last dose for the day

of a lipolytic product, which will enable the or-

ganism to utilize fat as a fuel alternative, when

the stores of blood glucose are depleted. This

strategy ensures a holistic approach to fat

burning, and when the organism gets addict-

ed to stimulants contained in thermogenics,

one can stop taking them for four weeks, all

the while taking the lipolytic supplements.

It should be noted that these products should

not be taken for longer than 8–10 weeks.

SummaryAbove all, one should remember that it is the

diet, and not supplements, that is the foun-

dation of our nutrition and supplementation

programme. The latter are only an addition,

one could say – the icing on the cake. The

more low-processed foods we consume, the

better for our performance and for the health

of our digestive system. But in a situation

when there is a maximum demand for nutri-

ents from the bloodstream in a short space

of time, diet supplements become indispen-

sable. Moreover, many of them occur in na-

ture only in minimum amounts, as for exam-

ple beta-alanine in watermelons or tomatoes.

Wishing to give 100% of ourselves, we have to

rely on the strength of dietary supplementa-

tion. But this has be done intelligently. I hope

that some of the advice that I have shared

with you is going to help you in your daily

endeavours to further improve your body

shape. JAKUB MAURICZ

LON

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