There 
seems to be an evolution underway when it comes to carbohydrate drinks with the introduction of Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin (HBCD). HBCD’s are a new type of glucose polymer that is produced by a reaction between waxy maize starch and a special branching enzyme, forming a cyclical structure.
Zinc 
is a vital mineral which is found in every tissue in the body due to its involvement in cell division. In the world of fitness and bodybuilding, zinc has a number of roles, including maintenance of normal hormonal levels, proper endocrine function, body composition, energy levels, optimal physical performance and protein synthesis. Thus it is crucial to maintain normal levels of zinc in the body when training or prepping for a competition.
Zinc is highly concentrated in meat, dairy and some seafood. This is why vegetarians most commonly suffer from zinc deficiency. So how can you tell if you suffer from a zinc deficiency? Common symptoms include an altered sense of taste which leads to cravings for sweets and salty foods. Other symptoms of zinc deficiency include low energy, infertility, low libido, memory problems, poor immunity and diarrhea.
In Part 1, 
we discussed the benefits of using Creatine, Protein and a Multi-Vitamin. In part 2 we will introduce the benefits of supplement with Fish Oil, BCAA’s and Glutamine. Supplementation can make up a major part of anyone’s game plan so understanding which ones to use is a great benefit in achieving your goals.
Fish Oil:
Most of the health benefits of fish oil can be contributed to the presence to Omega 3 fatty acids...
Antioxidants 
have become a hot topic in combating disease in recent years, and the list of these substances has grown thanks to extensive research which has been conducted and disseminated to the public. A particularly powerful antioxidant is curcumin. Curcumin, an extract which is derived from turmeric, has been used in Asian curries for many centuries and has also been used for treatment of arthritis and other health conditions. Only recently has curcumin received attention from the United States regarding its remarkable benefits as a potent antioxidant.
Perhaps the most exciting potential benefit of curcumin is that it may help to prevent and treat cancer by inhibiting cancer cell growth and the growth of blood vessels which feed into tumors...
Cortisol’s 
Functions
Cortisol has gotten a bad rap in recent years due to its nickname, the “stress hormone”. What occurs during times of excessive emotional stress? The adrenal glands respond by producing more cortisol in an effort to provide more energy and a higher pain threshold which is in keeping with the “fight-or-flight” response you may be familiar with. Normally, cortisol levels are at their highest in the morning then decrease progressively throughout the day, but if your body is placed under excessive stress, it may produce abnormally high levels of cortisol which disrupt this natural pattern. The resulting elevation in cortisol stimulates the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats and also triggers insulin release. These activities can result in an increased appetite and uncomfortable hunger pains. Blood glucose levels also rise as a result of excessive cortisol release, and if that glucose is not used for energy, it will be stored in the body’s fat reserves, particularly in the fat cells of the abdominal region...
Friends 
and others at the gym often ask me which supplements I take and what I recommend they take to get their best possible results. My supplement use is dependent upon my specific goals at that time as they can change throughout the year. My standard “go-to” supps” I use on a regular basis are whey protein, a multi vitamin and creatine. All three of these are essential in producing lasting and hardcore results. For many of the people asking me for advice, these are good options for them as well...
Last 
month’s article was on the importance of our health in relation to sculpting the physique of our dreams. I thought I would continue down that path and talk about free radicals and antioxidants. For those that are not familiar with free radicals they are organic molecules responsible for aging, tissue damage, and possibly some diseases. Some of these molecules are very unstable and looking to bond with other molecules destroying their health and further continuing the damaging process. Not all radicals have a negative consequence in the body, but for the purpose of this article we will focus on just the negative consequences of free radicals and how to combat them.
There are five different forms of free radicals:
How 
do you recover from a hard gym session? If you are not recovering after a single workout session then this will impact you in the short term, it's when you are seeing this regularly that it really becomes an issue in and outside of the gym. One of my solutions to recovery is the supplement L-glutamine
L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acids found in human muscle and plasma and over 60% of the free-floating amino acid pool in skeletal muscle cells is made up of L-glutamine. It is also a primary nitrogen donor, meaning that it moves the nitrogen around in the body to where it is needed as maintaining a positive nitrogen balance is absolutely necessary for muscle building.
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