BOOST Yourself, Reduce Fatigue and Falling Energy
September 12, 2021Metabolic Flexibility – a Cornerstone For Healthspan and Longevity
October 22, 2021BUILD, Food for Your Muscles
In the last few decades, the fitness industry has grown rapidly. Along with it, the supplement industry grew exponentially, and nowadays we can find various products on the supplement market. It is in human nature to strive for perfection, both in terms of knowledge and physical appearance. Some of us are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve our goals. This leads us to a fundamental question; what should we do to improve ourselves?
Dedication and passion are critical traits for success, but when we hit plateau’s, they don’t always suffice and we sometimes need help to push through to achieve greater results. Adding supplements in addition to our nutrition could increase our performance, but with a wide range of available products, the real question is what supplements to consume? Are they all good, as the producers say? Unfortunately, many of the supplements found on the market are of at least questionable quality.
The development of the internet and social networks has drastically altered the ability to disseminate information and market products (and much more), and we are now bombarded with a constant stream of information every day, some factual and some fraudulent. With an overabundance of information it becomes an art to find the sources which offer objective and honest information. Unfortunately, many of the supplements on the market are not scientifically validated, contain potential contaminants, and rely on slick marketing tactics in order to drive sales.
However, some supplements have been thoroughly researched in many high-quality studies. The Australian Institute of Sport has come up with a categorizations of supplements, breaking them into 4 groups (group A represents top quality and proven supplements with strong scientific evidence for use in specific situations in sport, while group D represents banned substances).1 BUILD, a strength and muscle gain formula from the TRUE|PERFORMANCE line of Drink HRW, is a mixture containing 5 g of creatine monohydrate, 3 g of hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB), and 3 g of β-alanine. Although BUILD does not fit into the ’A’ category of supplements, as defined by the Australian Institute of Sport, two out of three of its ingredients do, with the third (HMB) being given serious consideration. To better understand why this mixture is the right choice for improving muscle growth, we will briefly explain each of the given supplements’ functions in the following paragraphs.
Basics of creatine
Creatine is the most clinically validated sports supplement, and thus belongs to group A. It is a derivative of the amino acid glycine and is naturally synthesized in our body, primarily in the liver, and in smaller quantities in the kidneys and pancreas. Creatine is predominantly (95%) stored in the skeletal muscles, while the remaining 5% is distributed between the brain, liver, kidney, and testicles. About two-thirds of muscle creatine in the human body is stored as creatine phosphate (or phosphocreatine, PCr), while the remaining part is in free form. The total amount of muscle creatine in a 70 kg man is 120 – 140 g with individual variations depending on the muscle mass and types of muscle fibers.2, while the upper limit is considered to be 160 mmol/kg.2
Daily creatine requirement for basic needs, provided either by food or endogenous synthesis in a 70 kg man is about 1-3 g, with the amount needed increasing with body mass and training intensity.3 The major dietary sources of creatine are meat and fish, with bioavailability being an issue, and meaning that the daily creatine load in vegetarians and vegans is almost zero. Based on the latest research, there is a lack of creatine intake among the general population, not just the non-meat eaters.4 The same group of researchers found that creatine deficiency in children is closely related to children’s physical growth and development.5 Therefore, it is time the general population needs to be made aware of the fundamental importance creatine has as one of the primary nutrients and amino acids that affect the work of our cells in many ways.
The easiest way to compensate for creatine deficiency is through commercially available supplements. In a recent paper of Prof. Sergej Ostojić, creatine is marked as a supplement intended for the general population6 and not only professional athletes to whom creatine supplementation increase endurance during high-intensity training. This idea is not so old, knowing that in the book „Creatine the power supplement“ 3, creatine was classified as one of the essential nutrients among proteins, fat, and carbohydrates. Because we cannot get enough creatine through the diet, and an additional 3-5 gr of creatine supplementation is recommended for archieving better results. BUILD contains 5 gr of creatine monohydrate, and it is an excellent addition to a diet for elevating muscle creatine levels. Also, it is proven that 5 gr of creatine a day does not require the usual loading phase. In this way, athletes can avoid the weight gain that usually occurs with the traditional protocol of supplementations.
The importance of creatine
Creatine plays a significant role in energy metabolism as a substrate in the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)8 in the process of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) phosphorylation in short and high-intensity activities.7 Every start of some physical activity is dependent on creatine, primarily from creatine phosphate, which through a process called creatine kinase leads to a rapid release of energy. 9In the first 6 seconds of maximal intensity, 30-50% of creatine is emptied, while after 30 seconds, 80% of creatine is reduced from muscle.8 The time required for complete resynthesis is about 7 minutes. With this in mind, the need for creatine supplementation is completely justified.
Benefits of creatine supplementation
Creatine monohydrate is the most researched form of creatine. Chronic creatine supplementation has been found to increase lean body mass and improve exercise performance.10-13 Three-days supplementation of creatine increased thigh muscle volume and enhanced cycle sprint performance in elite power athletes, especially in females.14 But creatine supplementation is not reserved just for professional athletes. Adding creatine to a daily routine in untrained aging males augments the gains in muscle mass in drop-set resistance training.15 Creatine supplementation plus resistance exercise increases fat-free mass and strength.9 Additionlly, long-term use has significantly affected performance by improving training quality as compared to one-time supplementation. For example, 25 young male athletes were submitted to a controlled strength-training program for 42 days, followed by a detraining period of 21 days. Both creatine and control group experienced gains in strength, while there were increase muscule mass only in the creatine group. Further, there were no changes in body water levels, or fat mass, which indicates that subjects archieved more significant muscle mass gains. In addition, creatine can also increase muscle mass by enhancing protein synthesis.16
Moreover, creatine can improve training in many other ways. ATP binds H+ ions during the resynthesis process, so creatine can reduce muscle acidity and act as a buffer. It is also used in endurance sports or aerobic activities where creatine supplementation reduces inflammatory processes after a training episode.17 Because of its ability to bind water, creatine has the potential in sports that take place at high temperatures, where creatine supplementation has been shown to be successful in reducing athlete dehydration.18 Due to all the above, it can be considered useful for individual sports such as athletics, swimming, tennis, bodybuilding, martial arts, and team sports such as football, American football, basketball, handball, volleyball, hockey, etc.
HMB – a secret ingredient to bulk you up
Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB) is another supplement that received a lot of attention in relevant scientific research. HMB is a metabolite of the essential amino acid leucine, the most important branched-chain amino acid. Being a metabolite of leucine found in both plant and animal sources like grapefruit and catfish, HMB has been credited as a dietary supplement. Along with α keto-isocaproate and isovaleryl-CoA, HMB mediates the anabolic and anticatabolic effects of leucine. HMB’s anabolic impact involves complex processes that activate the process of muscle protein synthesis, whereas its anti-catabolic effect is reflected in the prevention of muscle protein breakdown. When compared to leucine, HMB appears to be much more effective at slowing muscle protein breakdown.19
HMB is widely utilized as an ergogenic aid, especially by bodybuilders and strength/power athletes to improve exercise performance and skeletal muscle growth.20 HMB also contributes to a faster muscle recovery from strenuous strength training and has positive effects on specific aerobic capacity variables in endurance and martial arts athletes.21, 22 Taken together, HMB and creatine have an ideal synergistic effect in terms of increased strength and anaerobic performance.23 In elderly and diseased populations, HMB increases the benefits of (exercise) rehabilitation programs and enhances recovery from hospitalization and surgery. Moreover, HMB may help to maintain bone density, improve cognitive function, and reduce abdominal fat, all of which are important in the elderly.24
HMB has both anabolic and anti-catabolic effects. It increases protein synthesis by similar mechanisms as leucine, while on the other side, it blocks catabolism processes;11 may also increases the extraction of growth hormone secretion and insulin-like growth hormone (IGF1), which could improve lean muscle mass. Further, it can reduce muscle inflammation and breakdown of muscle tissue after resistance training. Doses of 3 g per day are recommended for an ideal effects.1225 BUILD contains exactly 3 g of HMB, indicating that the manufacturer took care that their product is in agreement with the best scientific recommendations. Because of its anti-catabolic properties, it can also be useful in sports that require a specific weight category, during cut weights. Of course, for the best results, structured and well-organized resistance-strength training is required. Since there are no side effects of HMB supplementation, it’s highly recommended for individuals who want to increase muscle mass.
Basics of beta-alanine
Beta-alanine (BA) is a non-essential amino acid synthesized in the liver and can be found in foods such as red meat, chicken, pork, and fish. Combined with L-histidine, BA forms a dipeptide called carnosine, whose main function in muscle is pH regulation.26 Some research shows that a limiting factor for carnosine synthesis is its bioavailability in the diet.27 Numerous scientific data investigating BA have shown and confirmed increased carnosine level in a muscle,27, 28 which suggests BA supplementation is justified and more efficient than dietary absorption.
Buffering capabilities are considered to be a primary function of carnosine. The increase in intramuscular carnosine greatly affects the regulation of acidity during high-intensity anaerobic activities, when there is a large production of hydrogen ions (H+). As the training load increases, the production of lactic acid and H+ increases, leading to decreased pH values, which causes acidosis, reduced force production and increased fatigue.29 The increased concentration of H+ initiates a decrease in the formation of the transverse bridge of actin and myosin, which further causes a decrease in muscle contraction. Improving the intracellular buffer capacity by BA supplementation and increasing carnosine levels can delay fatigue and prolonge exercise.
Benefits of beta-alanine supplementation
Beta-alanine supplementation has the most notable effects on high-intensity activities lasting 1-4 minutes.29 Such workouts require great effort and using BA can significantly reduce muscle pain during or after training. BA is a „must-need“ for bodybuilders and weightlifters, but also other athletes whose workout requires great strength and endurance, such as martial arts, swimming, rowing, etc. BAThe biggest benefit is obtained in prolong anaerobic exercises. Also, it can also reduce the subjective feeling of fatigue, thus contributing to sports performance and increasing training volume.30
In addition to the above, carnosine has very strong antioxidant and antiageing effects.31, 32 It also prevents calcification of the blood vessels.33 Since the presence of carnosine in the body directly depends on beta-alanine, using BA brings your body to the desired state.In strength training, it leads to increased training volume, but unlike creatine, it does not increase muscle strength. So, the role of this supplement is to increase the volume and improve the quality of training. Improved quality of training equals an increase in strength and physical fitness. Depending on the amount of ingested BA, muscle carnosine level may increase from 59 – 200% after 24 weeks of supplementation.34 Moreover, there is no clearly defined upper limit of carnosine in the muscles. In terms of safety, the only side effect is paraesthesia (tingling, itching) if BA is consumed too aggressively. Although no current studies are examining long-term BA supplementation, it is considered that there are minimal health risks. Overall, BUILD contains a moderate to high βb-alanine (3gr) dose, βb-alanine supplementation ranges from a 1.6 up to 6.4 g/day dose. In combination with one or more ergogenic agents, scientific data has shown improved performance effects, but the action mechanisms have not been scientifically explained.
Conclusion
BUILD is among the first if not the first scientifically-based products on the market to combine the three most science-based and clinically validated ingredients for building muscle mass and give you those extra reps in training. This supplement’s advantage is the correctly determined doses tested and verified in countless studies. Taken together, creatine, HMB, and BA act synergistically and complementary to build up physical performance. Also, from a scientific perspective, they tackle different physiological targets and work perfectly well together. Few studies examined the combined effects of creatine and beta-alanine. For example, in one such study, combining supplementation caused decreased neuromuscular fatigue and improved physical working capacity.18
To summarize, BUILD can increase exercise capacity and, exercise intensity, enhance muscle growth, has anabolic and anti-catabolic properties, and acts as a buffer. Consider all the facts; there is no need to separately buy all of these supplements when you receive them in one smart supplement. Build your exercise based on science, not the marketing hype.
References
1. Australian Institute of Sport. Sports Nutrition, Supplements and Sports Foods 2019 [Accessed 2021 04 Sept]. Available from: https://www.ais.gov.au/nutrition/supplements.
2. Cooper R, Naclerio F, Allgrove J, Jimenez A. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012;9(1):33-.
3. Williams M, Kreider R, Branch JD. Creatine: the Power Supplement. 1st ed: Human Kinetics; 1999.
4. Korovljev D, Todorovic N, Stajer V, Ostojic SM. Temporal trends in dietary creatine intake from 1999 to 2018: an ecological study with 89,161 participants. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18(1):53.
5. Korovljev D, Todorovic N, Stajer V, Ostojic SM. Dietary Intake of Creatine in Children Aged 0–24 Months. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 2021.
6. Ostojic SM. Creatine as a food supplement for the general population. Journal of Functional Foods. 2021;83:104568.
7. Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, Ziegenfuss TN, Wildman R, Collins R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14(1):18.
8. Hargreaves M, Spriet LL. Skeletal muscle energy metabolism during exercise. Nature Metabolism. 2020;2(9):817-28.
9. Balsom PD, Söderlund K, Ekblom B. Creatine in Humans with Special Reference to Creatine Supplementation. Sports Medicine. 1994;18(4):268-80.
10. Rawson ES, Stec MJ, Frederickson SJ, Miles MP. Low-dose creatine supplementation enhances fatigue resistance in the absence of weight gain. Nutrition. 2011;27(4):451-5.
11. Gotshalk LA, Kraemer WJ, Mendonca MAG, Vingren JL, Kenny AM, Spiering BA, et al. Creatine supplementation improves muscular performance in older women. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2008;102(2):223-31.
12. Cooke MB, Rybalka E, Williams AD, Cribb PJ, Hayes A. Creatine supplementation enhances muscle force recovery after eccentrically-induced muscle damage in healthy individuals. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2009;6:13-.
13. Chilibeck PD, Stride D, Farthing JP, Burke DG. Effect of Creatine Ingestion after Exercise on Muscle Thickness in Males and Females. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2004;36(10).
14. Ziegenfuss TN, Rogers M, Lowery L, Mullins N, Mendel R, Antonio J, et al. Effect of creatine loading on anaerobic performance and skeletal muscle volume in NCAA division I athletes. Nutrition. 2002;18(5):397-402. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-9007(01)00802-4
15. Johannsmeyer S, Candow DG, Brahms CM, Michel D, Zello GA. Effect of creatine supplementation and drop-set resistance training in untrained aging adults. Experimental Gerontology. 2016;83:112-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2016.08.005
16. Francaux M, Poortmans JR. Effects of training and creatine supplement on muscle strength and body mass. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology. 1999;80(2):165-8.
17. Bassit RA, Curi R, Costa Rosa LFBP. Creatine supplementation reduces plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and PGE2 after a half-ironman competition. Amino Acids. 2008;35(2):425-31.
18. Kilduff LP, Georgiades E, James N, Minnion RH, Mitchell M, Kingsmore D, et al. The Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Cardiovascular, Metabolic, and Thermoregulatory Responses during Exercise in the Heat in Endurance-Trained Humans. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2004;14(4):443-60.
19. Wilkinson DJ, Hossain T, Hill DS, Phillips BE, Crossland H, Williams J, et al. Effects of leucine and its metabolite β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate on human skeletal muscle protein metabolism. J Physiol. 2013;591(11):2911-23.
20. Pittler MH, Ernst E. Dietary supplements for body-weight reduction: a systematic review. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2004;79(4):529-36.
21. Rahimi MH, Mohammadi H, Eshaghi H, Askari G, Miraghajani M. The Effects of Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate Supplementation on Recovery Following Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2018;37(7):640-9.
22. Kaczka P, Michalczyk MM, Jastrząb R, Gawelczyk M, Kubicka K. Mechanism of Action and the Effect of Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB) Supplementation on Different Types of Physical Performance – A Systematic Review. J Hum Kinet. 2019;68:211-22.
23. Fernández-Landa J, Calleja-González J, León-Guereño P, Caballero-García A, Córdova A, Mielgo-Ayuso J. Effect of the Combination of Creatine Monohydrate Plus HMB Supplementation on Sports Performance, Body Composition, Markers of Muscle Damage and Hormone Status: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2528.
24. Engelen MPKJ, Deutz NEP. Is β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate an effective anabolic agent to improve outcome in older diseased populations? Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2018;21(3):207-13.
25 Wilson JM, Fitschen PJ, Campbell B, Wilson GJ, Zanchi N, Taylor L, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB). J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013;10(1):6.
26. Varanoske AN, Stout JR, Hoffman JR. Chapter 28 – Effects of β-Alanine Supplementation and Intramuscular Carnosine Content on Exercise Performance and Health. In: Bagchi D, Nair S, Sen CK, editors. Nutrition and Enhanced Sports Performance (Second Edition): Academic Press; 2019. p. 327-44.
27. Harris RC, Tallon MJ, Dunnett M, Boobis L, Coakley J, Kim HJ, et al. The absorption of orally supplied β-alanine and its effect on muscle carnosine synthesis in human vastus lateralis. Amino Acids. 2006;30(3):279-89.
28. Hill CA, Harris RC, Kim HJ, Harris BD, Sale C, Boobis LH, et al. Influence of β-alanine supplementation on skeletal muscle carnosine concentrations and high intensity cycling capacity. Amino Acids. 2007;32(2):225-33.
29. Hobson RM, Saunders B, Ball G, Harris RC, Sale C. Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Amino acids. 2012;43(1):25-37.
30. Hoffman JR, Ratamess NA, Faigenbaum AD, Ross R, Kang J, Stout JR, et al. Short-duration β-alanine supplementation increases training volume and reduces subjective feelings of fatigue in college football players. Nutrition Research. 2008;28(1):31-5.
31. Prokopieva VD, Yarygina EG, Bokhan NA, Ivanova SA. Use of Carnosine for Oxidative Stress Reduction in Different Pathologies. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2016;2016:2939087-.
32. Hipkiss AR, Baye E, de Courten B. Carnosine and the processes of ageing. Maturitas. 2016;93:28-33.
33. Huang Y, Wang J, Luo M, Yan D, Zhang C. Carnosine attenuates vascular smooth muscle cells calcification through mTOR signaling pathway. AGING MEDICINE. 2020;3(3):153-8.
34. Blancquaert L, Everaert I, Derave W. Beta-alanine supplementation, muscle carnosine and exercise performance. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care. 2015;18(1):63-70.