When I was a child, long before I got into bodybuilding, one of my favorite snacks was to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Back then, just about all kids loved the same snack. But the peanut butter necessitated including a drink with the snack. The most common drink consumed … [Read more...]
What’s the Best Post-Workout Protein Source? by Jerry Brainum
As I've noted in previous articles in Applied Metabolics the topic of post-training nutrition, or what's the best food or supplements to consume after a weight workout, remains a contentious topic among both athletes and researchers. Several years ago,a few studies were … [Read more...]
Science-Based Optimal Supplement Timing and Dosing by Jerry Brainum
In past issues of Applied Metabolics, I've discussed in depth issues related to protein timing. This relates to the idea that ingesting protein at specific times produces more of an anabolic effect in muscle compared to other times. Timing also relates to … [Read more...]
The Frequency Factor in Training by Jerry Brainum
One of the many factors in determining the rate of gains in muscular size and strength is how often you train, or training frequency. When you first begin to train, it's often recommended that you limit your number of training days to allow time for sufficient … [Read more...]
A few more studies from a different science conference by Jerry Brainum
Last month in Applied Metabolics, several studies presented at a recent science conference were featured, in this case the annual conference of the National Strength and Conditioning Association, that focused on various aspects of nutrition and exercise. As I pointed … [Read more...]
Vitamin D: How much does an athlete or active person need to cure a deficiency? by Jerry Brainum
Vitamin D is often called "The Sunshine Vitamin" for good reason: it's the only nutrient other than oxygen that can be obtained completely for free. When the skin is exposed to ultraviolet B radiation from the sun, 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin is converted into … [Read more...]
Tendon Injuries: Can nutrition help prevent and heal them? by Jerry Brainum
Tendon injuries are the bane of anyone who regularly participates in exercise or sports. They seem to last forever, or are chronic, and the current therapies to treat them don't seem too effective. While muscle injuries are more common than tendon injuries, minor muscle … [Read more...]
Can Ashwagandha help increase muscular size and strength? by Jerry Brainum
Can an herb whose name roughly translates into "smell of horse" help you add muscular size and strength? The herb in question, ashwagandha, has been revered in Ayurvedic medicine, or the folk medicine of India, for centuries. The botanical name for ashwaghanda is Withania … [Read more...]
Exercise gone bad by Jerry Brainum
If you read the latest news about health and disease, you will invariably always find mention of inflammation as being a cornerstone of most chronic diseases. Indeed, out of control inflammation is now known to play a major role in diseases ranging from … [Read more...]
Only the dose determines the poison (hormesis and muscle growth) by Jerry Brainum
Recently, I watched a few videos on YouTube related to nutrition and bodybuilding. In one video, the self-appointed "expert" suggested that the key to obtaining massive muscular arms involved doing 3 sets of 100 repetitions of lying triceps extensions, using 15-pound … [Read more...]