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The human physique has a limited capability for producing energy on
its own. The system in the body that gives you the energy needed for
sustained intense workouts is called the ATP-PC (Phosphagen) system.
ATP is short for adenosine triphosphate, while PC stands for
phosphocreatine. Both are components that produce energy on the
cellular level when their chemical phosphate bonds are broken. The
processes of digestion and eventually the breakdown of PC will provide
the energy necessary to regenerate the ATP compound that produces the
energy needed to do work. In the muscle cells, it is the ATP-PC cycle
that actually provides energy for individual protein filament
contractions. However, when the ATP stores are depleted, the muscular
contractions are impaired, and your workout suffers.
If you’re eating optimally and still ‘hit the wall’ in your workouts,
what else can you do? You need to replenish your source of fuel at the
cellular level! But how do you do that? Unfortunately the process of
digestion is too slow to provide you with a quick source of fuel when
you’re training. That means you still need an ideal energy source that
will spare protein and provide you with the energy needed to push you
through an intense workout. Creatine monohydrate may just be the
answer you have been looking for! It has been tested extensively, and
has been shown to be a possible answer to your stamina/growth dreams.
Creatine is not a new product on the supplement market. But the
addition of beneficial Malic acid is different, that is in comparison
to products that have been produced in the past that claim to be so
called ‘enhanced’ creatine products. As we all know many of these
products are just marketing hype, basically an effort to add value,
adding a twist to the old ‘stand by’ base ingredient. What is exciting
is that the addition of Malic acid bound to creatine shows promise.
When malic acid (a component that is used in the Krebs cycle to
increase energy) and creatine monohydrate are combined to form the
compound creatine malate, the resulting product is a more bioavailable
form of creatine monohydrate, which may prove to be more efficient in
increasing the production of energy because of the impact it has on
ATP production and utilization. And any product that can give you the
edge in helping you to recuperate faster and that helps you to build
muscle and gives you more energy should be at the top of your list of
products to take every day! Creatine not only will help to restore
energy, but it can buffer the build-up of lactic acid that occurs
during exercise, which is also a cause of fatigue and failure.
The addition of chondroitin sulfate to the product adds value that you
won’t find in most other products sold to the active athlete. During
those hard workouts there is a major amount of stress placed on the
joints and the tissues that support proper joint function. Chondroitin
sulfate is a major constituent of cartilage, which is the tissue that
allows the joints to move smoothly. It provides structure, holds water
and nutrients, and allows other molecules to move through cartilage.
This last property is important since there is no blood supply to
cartilage. In degenerative joint disease (which occurs due to a number
of reasons including over use) there is a loss of chondroitin sulfate
as the cartilage erodes. And with an estimated twenty one million
adult sufferers in the United States , the interest in chondroitin
sulfate is no surprise.
Chondroitin sulfate belongs to a family of heteropolysaccharides
called glycosaminoglycans or GAGs. Glycosaminoglycans are also known
as mucopolysaccharides. This macromolecule naturally co-exists with
several other known GAGs, including keratin sulfate, heparin, heparan
sulfate and dermatan sulfate. As stated, chondroitin sulfate is found
in humans in their cartilage, bone, cornea, skin and the arterial wall
and needs to be replenished on a regular basis, especially if you
train hard year round.
Another ingredient that works synergistically with chondroitin is
glucosamine. There are several different kinds of glucosamine products
on the market and all work in a somewhat similar manner. There are
literally hundreds of scientific studies on the use of this ingredient
that show it reduces pain and helps rebuild connective tissues in the
joints. Glucosamine is readily absorbed by the body, it is a substance
that is naturally found and made in the body, but due to a number of
factors it is produced in limited amounts and needs to be supplemented
in the diet to have a therapeutic effect. And again this is especially
true if you are a hard working athlete where damage to the joint
tissues is more prevalent. Even though this is not a cure for these
degenerative diseases it is a ray of hope for alleviating the pain and
discomfort that is associated with the pathology. Lets face it, any
down time from training is time wasted, so it only makes sense to get
the protection and energy ingredients you need all in one product. It
is only common sense that if you take care of your body by taking what
it needs to perform well, you will make the gains that others dream
about!
References:
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Racette
SB. Creatine supplementation and athletic performance. J Orthop
Sports Phys Ther. 2003 Oct;33(10):615-21.
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Kreider,
R.B., 1999. Dietary supplements and the promotion of muscle growth
with resistance exercise. Sports Medicine 27:97-110.
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Becque,
M.D., et al. 2000. Effects of oral creatine supplementation on
muscular strength and body composition. Medicine and Science in
Sports and Exercise 32: 654-658.
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Constantz RB. Hyaluronan, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate: roles
for therapy in arthritis? In: Kelley WN, Harris ED, Ruddy S, Sledge
CB, eds. Textbook of rheumatology. Philadelphia : WB Saunders, 1998.
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Deal CL,
Moskowitz RW. Nutraceuticals as therapeutic agents in
osteoarthritis: the role of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and
collagen hydrolysate. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 1999; 25: 379-95.
These
statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This products is not
intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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