The Supplement Series
Supplements are a huge part of the fitness world, from the social media powerlifter taking pre workout straight with a sip of water to the bodybuilder stacking five to ten supplements, it seems that everyone is supplementing. In this blog post we will give our best general advice, but please remember that everyone’s needs are different and specific. Ultimately many members of the Desert Barbell community have asked us what supplements we recommend and what supplements to avoid. As an Exercise Physiologist and Sport Psychologist, we will share the supplements that are safe for good bodily health and good for mind function as well.
The notion in the fitness community is that you must take supplements to reach your goals. This is due to the business model big box gyms implement to maximize revenue. “Without Supplements the program is not complete”, Crunch VP. Although this attitude toward supplements can create a conflict of interest and mistrust, there are some supplements that can aid in your recovery and performance. One of the supplements that we recommend is L-arginine to maximize recovery growth and brain function.
L-Arginine
Our top pick overall is L-Arginine, this amino acid is not essential - meaning that we can produce it in the body, however, the production of L-Arginine is dictated by your genetics. Without getting into the chemistry, L-Arginine gets oxidized to Nitric Oxide (Gas), this is the active form of this amino acid. Nitric oxide acts as a chemical messenger in the brain and throughout the body. The main role of this amazing amino acid is to influence many different pathways in our body, some being performance related and some being regenerative. The pathways influenced by L-Arginine include pyrimidine and polyamine biosynthesis.
As it relates to performance, this supplement causes the blood vessels to dilate increasing blood flow, endurance and stamina. The increase of blood flow helps lipoproteins in the circulatory system to carry fat out of arteries to be used as energy, increasing fat burn and decreasing heart related illness. In addition to improving your stamina, L-Arginine increases the biosynthesis of Creatine. Creatine is produced in the body and is used for explosive short duration energy (ATP-PCr system). Other performance related benefits when paired with high intensity (heavy lifting) resistance training include an increased production of testosterone, growth hormone and muscle growth.
L-Arginine also improves memory and learning in older adults. Nitric Oxide, the active form of L-Arginine, helps produce important chemicals in the brain including urea, creatine, nitric oxide, agmatine, glutamic acid, ornithine, proline and polyamines. All these compounds are essential in regulating mood, awareness, regulation and production of brain protein and in one study conducted in Oxford University it slowed down premature brain aging.
How Much Should I take?
The recommendation from the Drug and Food Administration (FDA) is a range from 2g-18g per day. However, most labels in the supplement suggest to take one serving of 10g equivalent to one scoop provided in the container. It is important to note that there are advantages of taking L-Arginine when you are older, the suggested age to start supplementing is 35. In one study subjects under 30 experienced some resistance to their own production of Arginine biosynthesis, although more research is needed to consider age as a contraindication. I suggest to cycle your use, two months on and one off if you are under 30 to be safe.
Risks
There is little to no risk of using Arginine. If the dosage is abused, then gastrointestinal irritation is bound to occur. No risk of poisoning or overdose. If you are taking other supplements or medications, it is always good practice to consult your primary health physician before taking Arginine or any other supplement.
Takeaway
To conclude please remember that L-Arginine has various functions in the body and that its most direct effect is targeting the cardiovascular system. Blood vessel dilation is one of its more immediate effects contributing to lowering blood pressure and anxiety. It is a safe supplement for the healthy (with no cardiovascular or metabolic disease) individual. Its performance effects include more explosive energy and increased cardiovascular stamina. To maximize the effects any supplement should be paired with individualized training specific for your training goal. Our Physiologists and Certified Personal Trainers are ready to help you with all your coaching needs. Thank you for allowing us to give you our top supplement over all and we hope this article was helpful. If you have any questions please contact us at 626.464.7413.