Caffeine Caffeine is a popular supplement used to improve performance and increase alertness. Americans consume 200-300 milligrams of caffeine per day. As one of the most widely used ingredients in pre-workout supplements, it's important to verify its efficacy in improving exercise outcomes. What is Caffeine? Caffeine is a substance found naturally in many...
Fruit Juice Americans don't eat enough fruits. In a 2010 survey, an insanely high 80% of Americans did not meet fruit recommendations. Fruit juice is marketed as a healthy alternative to other sweetened beverages and as a way to increase nutrient intake. There is a high degree of controversy on whether fruit...
Fasted Cardio Fasted cardio is a somewhat popular craze in the fitness world. It's essentially working out on an empty stomach, typically in the morning. Proponents argue exercising after an overnight fast forces the body to rely on fat for energy. This results in increased fat losses. Unfortunately, the body is...
Anabolic Window A few things happen during a workout requiring recovery. First, the body burns through a lot of its energy stores. Once the workout is over, the body needs to replenish these stores. Second, exercising damages muscle tissue. Rest and proper nutrient intake repair this damage leading to "gains." The...
Creatine and Aerobic Performance Creatine is one of the most popular supplements available. When thinking of its possible benefits, we typically imagine gaining muscle, strength, and overall size. Rarely do we think creatine has the potential to increase cardiovascular or aerobic performance. Basic Creatine Explanation After you eat fats, carbs, and proteins, the...
Palm Oil Originally, trans fats were produced as a way to solidify unsaturated fats/vegetable oils. This was more desirable than using animal fats in some products. Unfortunately, it turned out trans fats were extremely unhealthy. The FDA is currently in the process of banning trans fats from foods. The logical...
Trans Fats Trans fats are a type of man made fat originally produced in the late 19th century. Scientists discovered they could create a vegetable oil that was solid (instead of liquid) at room temperature. Getting vegetable oils to act more like animal fat (butter, lard) was a boon for the...
What is creatine? Creatine is one of the most popular supplements in the fitness industry. It plays an important role in energy metabolism and supplementation provides many benefits including increased muscle mass, strength, and improved body composition. How does creatine work? When we eat macronutrients, they get converted into adenosine triphosphate or...
Saturated Fat Saturated fat is known as the unhealthy or "bad" fat. Coconut oil has given saturated fat a makeover in recent years and many openly doubt the negative health effects associated with saturated fat. Some even go as far as touting it for its potential health benefits. What is fat? Dietary fat is...
High Protein Diets High protein diets are more mainstream than ever. Bodybuilders, powerlifters, and plain gymrats use these diets to increase muscle mass while others see benefits in terms of improved body composition, weight loss, and more efficient dieting. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of protein is only 0.8 grams per kilogram...
