Protein X4. The most important protein meals of the day!

Protein plays a crucial role in bodybuilding, we all can acknowledge this jus t because everyone promotes it as being one of the most if not the most important supplement for muscle building purposes. There are 4 meal protein containing meals that are a MUST if you want to maximize your muscle’s anabolism throughout the day. The first meal containing protein should be breakfast right when you get up in the morning. The second meal containing protein should be the pre workout meal which ranges sixty to 90 minutes prior to training. The third meal containing protein would of course be post training so that your muscle fibers recuperate from all the stress it has just been through. The fourth and final protein containing meal should be right before bed to maintain anabolism as you sleep.
The first meal breakfast is basically your jumpstarting meal in achieving anabolism since you are coming out of a catabolic state (REM sleep). Since protein has the highest statiety of all macro nutrients, it will allow your hunger to be suppressed faster which is ideal for anyone is on the go to work and does not have time to over indulge in their first meal. This would also be great for anyone on a cut who is trying to minimize their caloric intake thus allowing them to achieve a better sense of well being. High protein diets have also been associated with lowering levels of Ghrelin which acts similar to the hormone letptin made from the adipose tissue which is also known to induce statiety quicker. Science has also suggested that lower levels of Ghrelin lead to deeper and better quality of sleep which allows for more Growth Hormone release; more Growth Hormone release leads to fat loss, muscle recovery, less skin wrinkles and the list goes on. There are also prescription medicines that block Ghrelin release which used to treat patients with obesity. Here is an excerpt that shows that the source protein can be that of whey protein:
“Whey Proteins in the Regulation of Food Intake and Satiety

Bohdan L. Luhovyy, PhD, Tina Akhavan, MSc and G. Harvey Anderson, PhD

Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA

Address correspondence to: Bohdan L. Luhovyy, PhD, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Rm 329, FitzGerald Building, 150 College St, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M5S 3E2. E-mail: bohdan.luhovyy@utoronto.ca

Whey protein has potential as a functional food component to contribute to the regulation of body weight by providing satiety signals that affect both short-term and long-term food intake regulation. Because whey is an inexpensive source of high nutritional quality protein, the utilization of whey as a physiologically functional food ingredient for weight management is of current interest. At present, the role of individual whey proteins and peptides in contributing to food intake regulation has not been fully defined. However,

* Whey protein reduces short-term food intake relative to placebo, carbohydrate and other proteins.
* Whey protein affects satiation and satiety by the actions of: (1) whey protein fractions per se; (2) bioactive peptides; (3) amino-acids released after digestion; (4) combined action of whey protein and/or peptides and/or amino acids with other milk constituents.
* Whey ingestion activates many components of the food intake regulatory system.
* Whey protein is insulinotropic, and whey-born peptides affect the renin-angiotensin system.

Therefore whey protein has potential as physiologically functional food component for persons with obesity and its co-morbidities (hypertension, type II diabetes, hyper- and dislipidemia).

If the favourable effects of whey on food intake, subjective satiety and intake regulatory mechanisms in humans are obtained from usual serving sizes of dairy products. The effects described have been observed in short-term experiments and when whey is consumed in much higher amounts. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 26, No. 6, 704S-712S (2007)”

I don’t know about you but I would rather take 1-2 scoops of whey protein then fry a couple of eggs. Whey protein can save time and money which is why my vote goes to whey as my source of protein especially before work during breakfast. One could go with a protein shake of either concentrate such as WheyToBuildMuscle or Isolation which is a whey isolate based product. Below another excerpt showing how protein during breakfast is a great way to enhance the anabolism of one’s muscles through Growth Hormone stimulation and bringing cortisol to a hault as mentioned earlier.

“Protein breakfast is an anabolic breakfast

If you eat pure protein first thing in the morning, your body will produce more anabolic hormones like growth hormone and insulin than if you breakfast on a mix of protein, carbohydrate and fat. What’s more, protein meals lower your cortisol levels. Endocrinologists at the university of Erlangen-Nuremburg in Germany discovered this when they did a human study.

The researchers gave men aged between 18 and 40 a mixture of 24 g amino acids dissolved in a glass of water, at 8 o’clock in the morning. The mixture contained the amino acids Val, Leu, Ile, Phe, Tyr, Try, Lys, Met, Cys, Thr and His, as well as vitamins, minerals and trace elements. It was an SHS International product. Test subjects in control groups ate nothing [fasting control group] or were given skimmed milk that contained the same amount of joules as the amino acid shake [iso control group]. The energy in the milk powder meal was derived primarily from carbohydrates and secondly from protein.

The pure protein breakfast caused a high GH peak: the concentration rose on average by a factor 21, and remained high for about an hour and half in most subjects. Bear in mind that values on the y-axis of the graph below rise logarithmically.

No doubt meals composed of protein alone also cause a similar GH peak, although probably not so pronounced. Could be interesting for athletes and life extensionists. So make your breakfast and/or lunch as high proteins as possible, and your GH production will soar, along with your IGF-1.

The amino acid breakfast also lowered the subjects’ cortisol levels. By the end of the experiment, the cortisol level of the amino acid group had halved, whereas the cortisol level of the subjects in the milk powder group had only gone down by about ten percent.

Many natural strength athletes consume regular small meals consisting entirely or almost entirely of protein. They prefer to take in their carbohydrates during the meals just before and after training sessions. One argument against this pattern is that your insulin only rises after you’ve eaten carbohydrates, and insulin is a strongly anabolic hormone.

A German study however shows that when it comes to meals containing split amino acids the argument doesn’t hold up. The amino acids make the insulin level rise more than a milk-powder carbohydrate meal.

The German study confirms the value of one of the most interesting diet for strength athletes that’s been devised so far: Ori Hofmekler’s Warrior Diet. Hofmekler’s diet is somewhat eccentric and pretty extreme, but with a few adjustments it could be damned interesting for athletes.

J Endocrinol. 2003 Nov;179(2):237-44.”

The pre workout meal is crucial for performance so you need to be wise in what you choose to eat. I am avid believer of carbohydrates incorporated for one’s pre and post workout meals, but I also HIGHLY recommend protein during these meals as well. Depending on how much time you have is how one would choose between a product like Isolation by Brutal Alchemy or Gear by Needtobuildmuscle. You are probably asking yourself well when does one use the Isolation over Gear and vice Versa. Since Gear is a faster acting Protein product because it contains PeptoPro and hydrolyzed whey. PeptoPro has the lowest molecular weight of all forms of making it ideal to use pre and post workout due to its abilities to prevent the breakdown of muscle and control cortisol release allowing for anti catabolic state. Gear also contains Super Plasma Serum which does allows one not to need as much protein per serving when consuming since 5 grams is the approximate of 20 grams from standard whey protein. Gear would be ideal for someone who gets out late from work and goes straight to the gym. At this point the individual can pop 5 pills or more (optional) in the car on his way to the gym, and then take another 5 post training so that he can make it on time for dinner and then of course get ready for the next work day. Gear is designed for a person with a tight schedule where time is of the essence. Gear also digestive enzymes which ensure that there is no GI distress disturbances associated with whey and so that the absorption/bioavailability rate is even better allowing for more nitrogen retention. Gear is best suited pre, post training, and in between meals.

Below is an excerpt showing that Gear also come in handy during a workout, so let’s say you have plenty of time to consume a shake of Isolation prior to your workout but as you train you know that your muscles will start to breakdown. Say goodbye to your worries of muscle tissue breakdown because Gear is to the rescue.

“Pre-digested protein during workout stimulates muscle growth

Consuming small quantities of protein during a weight workout increases the protein production in your muscles, write researchers from the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands, in the American Journal of Physiology.

The researchers got ten young test subjects to do a whole body weight-workout. During the training session the athletes were given something to drink every 15 minutes.

The composition of the drink varied. On one occasion the athletes were given 0.15 g sugars per kg bodyweight per hour. [CHO] Half of this consisted of glucose sugars, and the other half maltodextrin.

On the other occasion the athletes were given proteins in addition. [CHO+PRO] The subjects were given 0.15 g PeptoPro per kg bodyweight per hour on top of the sugars. PeptoPro is a hydrolysed protein that the body absorbs ultra fast.

What’s interesting about the Dutch study is that the test subjects trained at the end of the day, so they had already eaten. Their meals were composed of 60 percent carbohydrates, 14 percent protein and 26 percent fat. In studies like this the researchers usually get their subjects to train on an empty stomach. As a result, most studies on the effects of protein before or after training say little about real-life situations.

The researchers discovered that ingesting protein during the training session enhances muscle tissue build up.

The breakdown of protein in the body is 8 percent lower in the CHO+PRO group, and protein production is 33 percent higher.

The researchers are not sure exactly how the protein supplementation causes this effect. Ingesting normal protein before training stimulates muscle build up because the protein means the muscles have more amino acids available after the training. The muscle cells need that protein for recovery. But PeptoPro – which consists of fragments of protein chains composed of two or three amino acids – enters the bloodstream almost immediately. So maybe it’s worth making sure that there’s an increased supply of amino acids to the muscles during a training session. The scientists suspect that this enhances the growth stimulus of the workout.

“Even in a fed state, protein co-ingestion prior to and during resistance type exercise improves whole-body protein balance and stimulates muscle protein synthesis during exercise”, the researchers conclude. “Protein co-ingestion prior to and during resistance type exercise might be advocated to further improve skeletal muscle reconditioning during resistance-type exercise training.”

Athletes who want to experiment with their protein intake during a training session probably won’t notice anything if they use ordinary proteins. It takes too long for the digestive system to break down the protein into pieces that are small enough to enter the bloodstream. But you could try pre-digested amino acids in a preparation like PeptoPro.

Source:
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Jul;295(1):E70-7.”

Now if you got plenty of time to spare then Isolation would be ideal since each serving of Isolation contains 26 grams of protein giving you about 6 more grams of protein than a solid serving of Gear would provide. Now if one is a heavyweight he may want to add another scoop of whey protein to give him a total of 52 grams of protein 1 hour to ninety minutes prior to training. Sixty to ninety minutes will give plenty of time for the Isolation to be digested especially if one is taking fifty two grams of protein in a single serving. As you see Isolation is more ideal for an individual with more time on his hands and provides a whopping serving of protein which is much needed prior to training. For example, let’s say that one works from home and he takes his shake of Isolation at five in the evening, by six thirty to seven he will be able to go train and get home early. Gear and Isolation can be used in conjunction which is how I personally like to do it for my post workout needs. I usually take four to five caps of Gear along 1 scoop of Isolation with water. You get a quick absorbing protein which is much needed along a slower but efficient source of protein within one’s system, and both protein supplements have low molecular weight which means that is ideal for post workout training, when cortisol and muscle tissue breakdown are wreaking havoc on precious muscle. Low molecular weighted protein will bring cortisol to a hault, restore muscle fiber tissue and increase testosterone levels which are all much needed for any serious bodybuilder or athlete.

Now that I started mentioning Gear and Isolation’s purpose in the third important meal that REQUIRES protein intake, let us breakdown why Protein is crucial for post training purposes. When you start to train one’s body tells their brain to activate the epinephrine hormone (aka adrenaline). Once your epinephrine levels start going via norepinepherine response, one’s heart rate elevates along with the contraction of blood vessels and eventually dilated air passages which cause flight and freight response. This response occurs when the sympathetic nervous system is signaled to go off by the Central Nervous system, only the parasympathetic system can calm down the sympathetic system which is what occurs when one stops doing physical activity letting the body know that there is no need for heightened bodily response. In order to prolong the adrenaline synthesis, the adrenal cortex releases cortisol. This is where the trouble begins. When this hormone increases it raises blood sugar levels which DECREASES Insulin Sensitivity, insulin is a highly anabolic hormone that allows us to make muscle from our the carbohydrates we consume though glycogen storage. If Insulin Sensitivity is decreased, this will mean fewer carbohydrates can be stored as glycogen and more as glucose within the adipose tissue. Research shows that too much cortisol and lowered Insulin Sensitivity can lead to obesity as well. Of course high blood pressure will become an issue if heightened cortisol levels continue. One of the main problems in today’s society is stress, so extra stress from cortisol release will only make health worse instead of allowing exercise to beneficial to one’s health. A friend of mine has just turned 34 and he has had five heart attacks due to stress. I know the fact that works in real estate is not easy especially with our current economic scenario but five heart attacks is just not comprehendible to my thoughts. As 11-beta HSD1 over rides 11-beta HSD2, cortisol to testosterone ratios become uneven as well. Anyone looking to build muscle can kiss their chances of doing so because lower levels of testosterone with higher levels of cortisol means less anabolism. Last time I checked, the word anabolic means to build muscle, so if one has higher levels of catabolic hormones as opposed to anabolic hormones, they will have a reduction in muscle mass. In other words, 3-5 equals negative 2. This is a bodybuilder’s nightmare, think about it; you are regressing below from where you started. I don’t know about you but I like to continue to progress in my goals, not achieve less than what I already have; it just does not make sense to me.

Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research:

January 2010 – Volume 24 – Issue – p 1

doi: 10.1097/01.JSC.0000367235.14590.c1

Another great postworkout suggestion is to take creatine, carbohydrates and protein post workout especially while on a bulk. Studies suggest this combo makes an ideal complementation of each other since creatine stimulates protein synthesis and satelite cells. Protein is a MUST post training to restore muscle fiber tissues, stop the rise of cortisol leading to rise in testosterone levels, bring down Ghrelin levels, and increase IGF levels. Carbohydrates restore glycogen and also allow the body to store more protein which means MORE ANABOLISM leading to more muscle growth. This combo allows the body to recover a lot quicker making a staple supplement for any serious lifter. Again I like to take 5 caps of Gear for quicker acting protein along 1 serving of Onslaught, this acts as a 1-2 punch. The creatine from Onslaught starts to synthesize the protein from Gear while the protein from Onslaught is still being digested. Again more protein synthesis leads to more strength, recovery, and muscle growth. Honestly, one cannot ask for more from their supplement. (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise:

December 2001 – Volume 33 – Issue 12 – pp 2044-2052)

Onslaught also contains HMB which has been used by Olympic athletes for many years like PeptoPro, there is a reason why. HMB is a Leucine metabolite that was discovered by a professor from the Iowa State University. At first this compound was used to enhance athletic performance but recent studies suggest besides aiding muscle growth/strength gain it also IMPROVES cholesterol by lowering low density lipotropin also known as the “bad” cholesterol. This means that it gives leeway to enhance blood flow which improves endurance as well. An improvement in endurance can lead to better cardio which can lead to easier fat loss along a stronger heart. This explains why endurance athletes such as many competitive Olympic athletes supplement with HMB. (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise:

May 2001 – Volume 33 – Issue 5 – p S340)

Now if you are on a recomp, MuscleReplenisher is for you my friend. It contains creatine, protein, and carbohydrates just like Onslaught. You are probably thinking so what is the difference? Muscle Replenisher contains Alpha Lipoic Acid which helps the muscle store my creatine within the muscles by upregulation of the glycoprotein GLUT-4. This in return will allow more glycogen uptake and utilization leading to more lean muscle. Let us not forget that Alpha Lipoic Acid stabilizes Blood sugar levels, after a workout one’s blood glucose levels are signifigantly higher. Alpha Lipoic Acid will drop blood sugar levels to stabilize the body and allow Insulin to work quicker which in turns allows for MORE FAT LOSS AND MORE GLYCOGEN UPTAKE. This allows one to get the most out not only the creatine but the maltodextrin as well. Alpha Lipoic Acid is also touted as a POTENT anti-oxidant that helps cholesterol and keeps free radicals down. Here is an abstract showing proof that Alpha Lipoic Acid will help blood sugar levels by increasing insulin sensitivity:

“α-lipoic acid (ALA), a naturally occuring compound and a radical scavenger was shown to enhance glucose transport and utilization in different experimental and animal models. Clinical studies described an increase of insulin sensitivity after acute and short-term (10 d) parenteral administration of ALA. The effects of a 4-week oral treatment with α-lipoic acid were evaluated in a placebo-controlled, multicenter pilot study to determine see whether oral treatment also improves insulin sensitivity. Seventy-four patients with type-2 diabetes were randomized to either placebo (n = 19); or active treatment in various doses of 600 mg once daily (n = 19), twice daily (1200 mg; n = 18), or thrice daily (1800 mg; n = 18) α-lipoic acid. An isoglycemic glucose-clamp was done on days 0 (pre) and 29 (post). In this explorative study, analysis was done according to the number of subjects showing an improvement of insulin sensitivity after treatment. Furthermore, the effects of active vs. placebo treatment on insulin sensitivity was compared. All four groups were comparable and had a similar degree of hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity at baseline. When compared to placebo, significantly more subjects had an increase in insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (MCR) after ALA treatment in each group. As there was no dose effect seen in the three different α-lipoic acid groups, all subjects receiving ALA were combined in the “active” group and then compared to placebo. This revealed significantly different changes in MCR after treatment (+27% vs. placebo; p < .01). This placebo-controlled explorative study confirms previous observations of an increase of insulin sensitivity in type-2 diabetes after acute and chronic intravenous administration of ALA. The results suggest that oral administration of α-lipoic acid can improve insulin sensitivity in patients with type-2 diabetes. The encouraging findings of this pilot trial need to be substantiated by further investigations. Free Radical Biology and Medicine
Volume 27, Issues 3-4, August 1999, Pages 309-314’’

The last key meal that requires protein is right before bed. When one goes to bed their muscles become catabolic and lose nitrogen retention. Most people who sleep on an empty stomach which leads to gluconeogenesis, this results in weight/muscle loss. If one is looking to put on quality muscle then need to find a way to get protein to stay in the system while they are asleep to keep anabolism throughout the body and muscles. Typical whey protein takes 20-60 minutes to be digested and display its effects on the muscles of the body. Unfortunately two to three hours later, the effects dim and the body will require more protein to maintain the anti-catabolic/anabolic state. This is where Casein comes to the rescue. Casein is a protein that is mainly composed of milk, only twenty percent of the protein is whey derived. Now you are probably asking yourself well what is so special about milk derived protein, well I am glad you asked; casein protein forms a gel-like clot within the stomach lining that allows it to slowly digest. This means that the body will go throw a slow but efficient duration of protein synthesis allowing the body to reap the benefits of protein for a MUCH LONG TIME! Typically, one serving lasts about eight hours within the body which gives your muscles anti-catabolic effects for one’s standard sleep duration. I don’t know about you but that gives me a sense of relief to know that I can take casein protein before bed and not have to worry about my muscles being depleted when I wake up. You have people who say that protein will blunt the release of endogenous Growth Hormone. That is utterly false since as mentioned before, protein prevents Ghrelin release which allows the body to jumpstart Growth Hormone release and testosterone production. You get a synergistic benefit for recovery and anabolic purposes from these two hormones. As science explains, testosterone is needed for muscle growth and bone anabolism while Growth Hormone is needed for cartilage/joint restoration and fat loss, not to forget the anti-aging properties of Growth Hormone. Casein will also suppress cortisol levels even further allowing for an even better anti-catabolic state of the body. I usually take 1-2 scoops of N2Matrix 30-45 minutes prior to sleep. Usually most casein based protein supplements taste horrible, but N2Matrix actually tastes like vanilla pudding which is not bad at all. N2Matrix was the first casein product that I was able to consume without getting a gag reflux. I have even vomited after consuming a serving of horrible tasting casein. I know that if I am able to bare the taste of N2Matrix, then I know all other individuals who have had bad experiences with casein will like N2Matrix.

Now again, if time is very important to your schedule, N2Mix and Better Bar Proteins make GREAT on the go protein meals/snacks. I love eating N2Mix while I am doing online work since I cannot leave my computer screen at all during certain times of the day. N2Mix really comes in handy for someone who is real bus since it comes in a snack bag and does not require one to put it in a shaker cup. Better Bar Protein Bars also are real easy to take on a car ride or to an office, since all one has to do is put a couple of protein bars in a ziplock bag and put in their pocket. When they need a snack or protein for a meal, all they got to do is grab a bar from their ziplock bag and eat away; ITS THAT SIMPLE! These on the go protein supplements are EXTREMEMLY CHEAP so I really cannot see why someone would not want to invest on these delicious protein supplements. Plus one can eat these snacks at any time of the day!

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