Are you addicted to energy drinks, coffee or other caffeinated products?  In today’s fast paced society it is hard to keep up without an extra edge.  Most of us turn to energy drinks or coffee for a quick fix.  However over the long term caffeine can actually cause more fatigue.  Over time most people develop a tolerance to caffeine and need more and more for the same energizing effect.  At some point this ever escalating amount of caffeine will burn out your adrenal glands and you will crash feeling tired all the time even while using heavy doses of stimulants.  For an alternative to caffeine try using any or all of the following.  Vitamin B-12 is a key cofactor in energy production and can cause a quick and sustained boost in energy.  Acetyl L-Carnitine boosts mental focus and clarity while increasing energy levels.  DMAE increases blood flow to the brain and creates a state of mental alertness.

Just about everyone is aware that calcium is necessary for healthy bones.  However what you may not be aware of is that magnesium is even more important for bone health.  Most of us get an adequate amount of calcium in our diets and multivitamin the problem is that calcium will not stay in the bones without magnesium.  Magnesium not only strengthens bones but it can improve mood and help with relaxation.

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Growth hormone is looked at by many as the fountain of youth. It has been said that growth hormone can decrease body fat, increase muscle, reduce wrinkles and signs of aging. While some of this is based in truth like most other claims there is also quite a bit of exaggeration. Actual growth hormone cannot be purchased over the counter and is accessible only by prescription from a physician. Many supplement companies have claimed to have products which mimic growth hormone but few products produce actual results for their users. One new product which looks promising is Pro-GH produced by NOW Foods under the NOW Sports label. This product was formulated by a physician and is undergoing clinical studies to validate its efficacy.Reports from individual who have tried it are promising. There are two ways to take the product. The first is before a workout to enhance strength, muscular endurance and hormone output. The second is at night before bed to promote hormone release during sleep. Users have reported feeling more energy, increases in strength, increases in endurance, greater sex drive, and fat loss.

This product can be used by both men and women as growth hormone is not gender specific.

NOW Foods Tryptophan

Sleep is key for maintaining health and well being. The proper amount of sleep and you will feel better, maintain a healthier weight and have fewer health problems. Too much or to little sleep and your health can take a turn for the worse. Sleep problems are linked to obesity, heart disease, certain cancers, low energy levels, and depression. Most people should try to get between 7-8 hours of sleep per night but this may vary depending on the individual. The two major sleep issues for most people are falling asleep and staying asleep. If you have either of these issues there are a few natural products which can help you get a better nights rest. To help fall asleep try taking the amino acid L-Tryptophan about forty minutes to one hour before going to bed. This amino acid relaxes the body and brain and at the right dose can allow you to fall asleep easier. To maintain sleep throughout the night try using GABA this stands for Gamma Amino butyric Acid. This product helps you reach a state of deep restful sleep called REM sleep which will help keep you from waking during the night.

High blood pressure can lead to health problems and even contribute to a heart attack.  Blood pressure can be controlled by diet but if diet alone cannot bring blood pressure back to normal levels there are several natural products which can help.  Hawthorn Berry extracts and Garlic can help the body correct high blood pressure levels and help maintain it at a normal level.  To be effective they must be taken every day and look for a Hawthorn Berry Extract that is standardized to ensure you are getting enough of the active ingredients.

SARMS have been in the news recently as a way to give men and women the benefits of using illegal anabolics without the risks to health and safety. SARM technology uses new compounds that are only anabolic in specific tissues, meaning they have all the muscle building benefits of testosterone without the negative side effects of illegal steroids. The side effects of illegal steroids can be liver toxicity, kidney problems and even cancer in the most severe cases.

SARMS in the form of prescription drugs will likely enter the market place in the next 5-10 years.  However they will be available by prescription only.  These prescription drugs have the potential to live up to the claims of being able to target specific muscle tissues causing growth and strength without producing the negatives associated with steroids.

A few supplement companies have jumped on the band wagon promoting natural products they claim are SARMS.  These products typically consist of disguised herbals such as tribulus or furulic acid neither of which would work as advertised.  It is doubtful that a natural product could function as a SARM so be wary of these manufacturers and spend your money on proven ingredients and products.

The Claims for USP Labs Anabolic Pump are pretty bold.  They claim the product mimics insulin and that it will actually push nutrients into muscles and keep carbs from being stored in fat cells.  They have gone so far as to say you can eat almost anything you want and it will be forced into the muscle cell as food/fuel for the muscle.  They claim that the product completely shuts down the ability of the body to store calories as fat.

If you take a look at the ingredients of the product you may recognize them from some other formulas which are typically targeted towards people with blood sugar issues or people with pre diabetic conditions.  The ingredients in Anabolic Pump can help keep blood sugar levels more stable which can help in weight management but the effects tend to be very subtle and because of their subtlety most people don’t notice results from them.  The ingredients in this product will definitely not produce muscle gains nor will they provide better pumps during a workout or promote strength.

Nitric oxide products are hot right now and you will see a large number of products containing argnine or some version of it.  Argnine converts to nitric oxide in the body which increases blood flow, muscle pumps and can enhance erectile function.

If you are truly looking for increased strength and performance you should also take a look at Citrulline Malate.  Citrulline Malate also converts to nitric oxide and has been shown to help the body clear lactic acid from the muscles.  Citrulline has been shown in studies to improve strength and muscular endurance.  In fact in terms of performance and strength Citrulline Malate has been shown to be more productive than argnine.

Research on post-workout nutrition has revealed the perfect meal that will replenish energy, eliminate fatigue, support muscle retention (and growth if you are heavy resistance training) and reduce fat storages.

The researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch performed several detailed studies, examining six separate meals after workouts.  The meals ranged from high protein-low carb, high carb-low fat, high carb-low protein, high protein-low fat, and everything in between.  The researchers measured several indicators of recovery.  To the surprise of many, the very best (by far) meal was found to have 30-40 grams of carbohydrate (75% sugar), 20 grams of high quality protein, and zero fats!  Fat grams were found to slow the absorption of this time sensitive meal.  High amounts of protein were excreted in the urine.  The carbohydrates were preferred by the body for glycogen replacement and insulin response.

So why is this important?  The study showed a substantial improvement in strength, lean muscle mass, fat reduction and overall energy levels in the group using the meal listed above.  In short, they changed their body faster and to a greater extent than everyone else.

How can you test this?  Biorhythm’s AfterGlow (Post Workout Euphoria) adopted this exact meal plus additional amino’s, vitamins and cortisol suppressants to make the perfect post-workout meal.

In the battle against fat 7-oxo or 7-keto DHEA carries a lot of weight. Double blind placebo controlled studies have shown this ingredient to increase resting metabolic rate by as much as 5.4%. 7-oxo DHEA also works to stop reductions in metabolic rate when calories are restricted during dieting. 7-oxo DHEA achieves thermogenisis not by acting as a stimulant but by increasing the activity of fat burning enzymes. Weight lost while using 7-oxo DHEA tends to be fat as this ingredient has been shown to spare muscle tissue.

7-oxo DHEA can be found in Ultra Lean FX and Synthrolean.