Q: I know you had specific reasons for adding Glutamine to the original Met-rx and Physique 2.0. But still to this day I hear so many people give credit to Glutamine as a credible standalone supplement. What is your take on Glutamine as a standalone supplement? Is it worthy of additional supplementation much like creatine?
A: Absolutely NOT. Glutamine supplementation is useful only within the context of a specific amino acid array ingestion scheme. It can play a role in many ways but for the purposes of muscle building it will assist in at least 3 specific ways; as an exchange transporter for leucine at the cell membrane, as an anapleurotic modifier of fatty acid oxidation in the Krebs cycle, and finally as an mTOR amplifier working via some as yet unspecified component of the ERK pathway. It is most effective when used as such with a nominal co-ingestion of a modest amount of glucose.
Q: I have a friend of mine – a female, age 30, good health, trying to lose some bodyfat, etc. – but has one kidney (she was only born with one, but it’s healthy nonetheless). With this profile, do you see any concerns with a) high protein consumption (such as your 200+ gram/more is better rule), and b) being on a ketogenic diet (if desired)?
A: There is no objective published data on solitary kidney and dietary protein intake and/or ketogenic regimens that I am aware of. If she switches to high(er) daily protein intake she should have a routine creatinine and BUN (possibly urinalysis for proteinuria) checked within a month of commencing the change.
Q: You have mentioned in talks the significance of leucine as it relates to muscle protein synthesis. What would be an effective amount of leucine to add to a serving of Whey (say 30 grams of WPI) for post workout supplementation? I assume a free form powder of leucine would be most ideal as opposed to capsules, right?
A: There is no need to add any additional leucine as long as you ingest 30 grams NET of whey protein as a pulse "dose." Whey proteins contain (on average) 10.8% leucine by weight, so 30 grams of whey will deliver 3 grams of leucine along with the other NEAA's required to build "complete" proteins (in the case of muscle, Myosin Heavy Chain II). Human isotope data clearly shows that fractional muscle protein synthesis peaks around 2.0 to 2.5 grams of leucine. Since leucine is the driver of the MTORC1 enhancement of protein translation efficiency and since MTORC1 activation predicts phosphorylation of the ribosomal p70 S6 kinase (a biomarker of downstream MHC II synthesis) adding EXTRA leucine to 30 grams NET of a serving of whey protein is unnecessary.
Q: Are you familiar with or have any knowledge of the SARM called Ostarine? I understand it’s a relatively new compound (at least on the market). Do you think this is something worth trying or is it too early to tell?
A: There is no reliable information on MK 2866 as I believe trials are at Phase III. Bodybuilding applications are anecdotal. Legit supplies would be difficult to authenticate and thus status is currently Russian Roulette.
Q: Have you heard of PYCNOGENOL? I understand it’s an antioxidant that seems to be touted as the latest “wonder pill” used to treat a whole host of conditions. Is there anything specific about its use that you personally find impressive? Are there any specific health/medical applications that you find it to be most useful in treating (or have seen literature to support)?
A: The primary "interest" in this supplement is due mainly to its effects in suppressing a key pro-inflammatory compound named tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), and thus it has been assessed in a variety of chronic disorders in which this molecule has been suspected in the disease dynamic. To my knowledge there has been no consensus evaluation in meta analysis to date proving efficacy in any of the chronic human studies of its efficacy in various disorders. It is a "genuine" antioxidant supplement and thus may be of value to chronic "high intensity" exercise populations (including weight training athletes) who are interested in the possible performance improvements that may accrue with chronic supplementation. It is certainly NOT a "wonder" supplement as can be verified by the supplement's price and availability.
Q: What is your opinion of Tart Cherry? Would this be one of those “effective” anti-oxidants good for muscle recovery? If so, what would be an effective dose, if any?
A: Tart Cherry Juice concentrates would be predicted to be effective for this purpose. Studies on humans in various exhaustion-type exercise protocols indicate a total dose of 300mg total anthocyanins orally is effective in restoring contractile function. I believe Tart Cherry juice concentrates have about 10 mg/ml of anthocyanins so that would mean a 30ml dose should be effective.
Q: There has been a lot of buzz lately about supplement companies “spiking” their protein products with various aminos and other cheaper substitutes. Have you done any product testing recently, and are there any brands on the market that you are confident are not conducting these practices?
A: I have not personally conducted testing but the phenomenon of spiking is widespread due to the ever escalating price of whey proteins in the marketplace. Cheaper pricing should raise "suspicion level" on dairy containing protein products.
Q: When it comes to animal/dairy protein sources (whole food or powder), do you see any noticeable difference in terms of amino acid content from grass-fed vs grain-fed meat/dairy? Or for other sources (ie. fish) wild vs farm raised? I know there are differences in terms of fatty acids and micronutrients, but in terms of just the amino acid profile, are there any advantages for grass-fed/wild caught?
A: NO. The only differences are slightly different yields in terms of $$/gram of protein recovered. But the differences are only relevant to dairy farmers and only when the herd size is enormous. If the outcome measure is totally dependent ONLY (i.e. not other factors like accompanying bioactives) on the amino acid distribution in the diet then the source is irrelevant.
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