Diet Supplements & Sports Supplements

However a manufacturer wishes to dress up a food supplement - "sports supplements", "bodybuilding supplements", "diet supplements", "health supplements" - and the wonder claims associated with such supplements, you must first consider the fact that it's a supplement - something to add. 

Digesting the above (like the pun!), successful supplementation will be to fulfil your nutritional requirements. Genetic differences aside, a very basic nutritional example is anyone involved within sports. This person's protein and overall calorific requirements will be greater than a sedentary individual of similar weight. Although the sports person may find it easy to increase their carbohydrate and fat intake at meals, they're unlikely to consume an extra couple of chicken breasts a day. Subsequently, although their calorie intake may have increased slightly (through largely carbohydrates and fats), their percentage of protein intake is lower, not greater. Therefore, perhaps the most common form of required supplementation is that of convenient protein shakes. Again though, this is to fulfil your nutritional requirements - to have as well as, not instead of. 

In short, fulfilling your nutritional requirements with, or without, supplementation can make a huge difference to both your training and quality of life. The most important supplements will be your key nutrients, but, in certain circumstances, and depending upon your training and related goals, other supplements can be of benefit. 

Although in its infancy, the Gym Professor free database includes an ever-growing A to Z of supplements (generic names & branded products), so be sure to visit the site to search for any queries you may have.

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Best Regards,

GP

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Supplements

However a manufacturer wishes to dress up a supplement - "sports supplements", "bodybuilding supplements", "diet supplements", "health supplements" - and the wonder claims associated with such supplements, you must first consider the fact that it's a supplement - something to add.

When considering the above in a food context, successful supplementation will be to fulfill your nutritional requirements. Genetic differences aside, a very basic nutritional example is anyone involved within sports. The individual's protein and overall calorific requirements will be greater than a sedentary individual of similar weight. Although they may find it easy to increase their carbohydrate and fat intake at meals, they're unlikely to consume an extra couple of chicken
breasts a day. Subsequently, although their calorie intake may've increased slightly (through largely carbohydrates and fats), their percentage of protein intake is lower, not greater. Therefore, perhaps the most common form of supplementation is that of convenient protein shakes. Again though, this is to fulfill your nutritional requirements - to have as well as, not instead of.

Fulfilling your nutritional requirements with, or without, supplementation can make a huge difference to both your training and quality of life. In short, the most important supplements will be your key nutrients, but, in certain circumstances, and depending upon your training and related goals, other supplements can be of benefit. Across the Gym Professor website (whether already or in the near future), I (Gym P) have independently addressed many aspects of diet, training and supplementation to help answer your questions and help toward your goals.

Tell me more about:

A to Z of Supplements
Key Nutrients
Protein
Creatine

Amino Acid - L-Cysteine

Rather than recite the same information carried across many websites & quoting the same references, I (GP) will try and keep the information relevant to why you've probably searched the Gym Professor site - hair loss products (or better phrased: the promotion of hair growth)?

L-Cysteine can be found among the ingredients list of many hair growth formula's. The reason, growth (& health) of hair depends on adequate levels of L-Cysteine. Although L-Cysteine's a non-essential amino acid (can be made by the body), we've already touched on why consumption of "non-essential" (I'll encase "non-essential" in speech marks in this instance, considering it's a term ONLY!) amino acids are still important through your food intake (a healthy balanced diet will contain many sources of L-Cysteine - poultry, eggs, wheat, broccoli, onions, red peppers).

As regards L-Cysteine's supplementation in the matter of hair growth, having known a couple of people suffer slight hair loss & poor hair health through no apparent predisposition, which would now appear to be attributable to poor nutrition, in their instances (so they felt at least), a greater initial improvement ("jump start") was experienced by supplementing 1g of L-Cysteine daily (for only a couple of weeks) in conjunction with their improved (& continued) eating habits. Of course some people are more predisposed to hair loss than others. A healthy balanced diet may have a lessening effect (& will certainly be beneficial in many other ways), but don't expect miracles from hair growth formula's.

Contraindications: Diabetes and Cystinuria.

Tell me more about: Amino Acids

Amino Acid L-Aspartic Acid

Something (L-Aspartic Acid) that's cropped up a few times recently during the joyous explanation of the Krebs Cyle (Citric Acid Cycle), as oxidation of L-Aspartic Acid plays an intermediate role in the eventual production of ATP.

Fatigue can be experienced if levels of L-Aspartic Acid are too low. Again (as mentioned with other amino acids), your general sources of protein - dairy products, beef, poultry, eggs - are all sources of L-Aspartic Acid and should provide enough L-Aspartic Acid. L-Aspartic Acid's relationship (if too low) to fatigue means that it's often advertised in supplement form to reduce exercise induced fatigue and increase stamina. Again, L-Aspartic Acid's individual importance does not outweigh the recovery benefits of a varied and sufficient intake of protein.

For further information, please consult the Gym Professor website.

Amino Acid L-Tyrosine

Apologies on my (GP) supplement biased, but, if you wanted to know the the chemical formula (by the way, it's C9H11NO3) and who L-Tyrosine (in this instance) was discovered by (btw, it's Justus Von Liebig), then the excellent Wikipedia would be a far greater resource. Personally, I find it all rather interesting, however, considering that you're on the Gym Professor Blog, I would imagine your question is to why L-Tyrosine is an added ingredient in either your "fat loss" supplement or your "mental buzz" supplement?

Well, lets start with the "fat loss" supplement. Amongst many important functions, L-Tyrosine governs production of CCK (Cholecystokinin), which is an appetite suppressant (as well as a pain reduction chemical). That's it, short and sweet.

As regards the "mental buzz" supplements, L-Tyrosine acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter stimulant on the brain and central nervous system. Subsequently, it's often included as a major ingredient (along with caffeine) in "mental buzz" supplements (normally drink form).

Contraindications: Schizophrenics, hypertension, high blood pressure, melanoma.