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Mark

How to Identify if You Have Gynecomastia or Chest Fat: 5 Ways to Know the Difference

March 10, 2019 By Mark 11 Comments

How to identify gynecomastia

You’ve noticed your chest swelling up and they’re starting to resemble those of women. But how do you know if you have gynecomastia or just chest fat?

If you want proper treatment administered you’ve got to know what you’re dealing with. While the symptoms are the same – swelling chest – they are not the same.

How to know if you have gynecomastia

There are a ton of articles online about gynecomastia and various treatments, but few are helpful since they don’t bother to distinguish between pseudogynecomastia and gynecomastia.

Unless you know the difference between the two you won’t know what approach to take and it could make your condition worse.

If you want to know whether that is fat or gynecomastia, follow the steps described below.

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Ways To Check If you Have Gynecomastia

If you know that you have gynecomastia, there are steps you can take to deal with it. But first, you have to make certain what kind of man boobs you have.

1. Notice Hormonal Changes

Are you experiencing hormonal changes? More than 65% of 14-year-old males experience a buildup of tissue during puberty, so swelling of the chest is normal and will return back to normal in a year or two.

Changes in hormone levels are natural, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept the results.

If you’re no longer in your teens and have man boobs, it could be due to your being overweight or obese.

As your body accumulates fat, it is stored in various areas including your chest.

Another possible cause is medications, drugs or steroids you take.

If you’re in your late 30s and experience mood swings, loss of libido, general weakness and it is accompanied by an increasingly fatty chest, it could be due to changes in your hormones.

If you’re still not sure if it is gynecomastia or fat, consult your doctor.

2. Do a Self-examination

On the surface, it might seem like chest fat and gynecomastia are the same, but there are subtle differences that you can determine by self-examination.

If they are fatty deposits, they will look like breasts and feel soft when you touch them. Due to the excess skin formation, it has a saggy look.

Gynecomastia, on the other hand, has a stronger resemblance to a woman’s breasts, and they are also firmer. It isn’t as saggy as pseudogynecomastia, so that is another way to tell the difference.

Does it sound like the kind of self-test that women do to check if they have breast cancer?  Yes, it is, and it is effective for men too. While it may feel a bit awkward standing in front a mirror feeling your breasts, it is proven.

3. Search for Lumps

Do self examination to identify gynecomastia

Feel your chest area and feel a lump. If it is gynecomastia, you will feel a small lump below the nipple area. If left untreated this increases in size.

If there is a lump you should see a doctor immediately. It could be gynecomastia, but it may also be breast cancer. Yes, breast cancer can occur in men though it’s rare.

This part of the self-test might be scary, but it is very rare for men to get breast cancer. Chances are that lump is just gynecomastia, and it is better if you know anyway.

Be careful when looking for the lumps and check both breasts thoroughly.

4. Feel for Any Tender Spots

As you continue your self-examination, run your hand slowly along your chest and feel for any sensitive spots.

Regular fat doesn’t feel any different, but gynecomastia feels tender and/or sensitive.

The tenderness/soreness is usually felt near the nipples. Set up an appointment with your doctor right away if you feel anything out of the ordinary.

Tell your physician or medical provider if you feel pain since it could be symptomatic of other conditions.

5. Examine Your Nipples

To find out if you’ve got chest fat or gynecomastia, you have to examine your nipples. If they are puffy and erect, those are signs of gynecomastia.

You may also be able to feel the swollen area or the nipples themselves could be swollen. You just need to stand in front of a mirror and look for the signs.

If you notice these then it’s more likely you’ve got gynecomastia. See your doctor if you’re convinced that this is gynecomastia.  Do not buy any treatment, medications, or supplements until your doctor has verified your findings.

What is Gynecomastia?

How gynecomastia looks like

It is a male breast condition that leads to breast tissue enlargement. The tissue is palpable or firm, extending from the nipples out.

Gynecomastia affects both breasts and is a condition associated with male glandular tissue growth and has a symmetrical occurrence.

Causes Of This Condition

Gynecomastia is caused by hormonal imbalance. Males afflicted with this condition have an excess secretion of estrogen due to a reduction in androgenic hormone production or excess estrogen production.

Estrogen is responsible for the development of breast tissues and allows the breast ducts to branch and enlarge. This hormone is also responsible for breast tissue vascularity.

When a man has gynecomastia, there is too much estrogen and not enough testosterone, and the result is man boobs.

Hormonal imbalance has many possible causes. Aside from gynecomastia, it could also be due to kidney ailments, tumors, hyperthyroidism, liver disease, and medications.

Steroids are another common cause of hormonal imbalance as it limits the amount of testosterone your body generates.

How Common is Gynecomastia?

Anyone who searches Google for how do you know if you have gynecomastia or something similar will find a lot of confusing information because some people think it is normal.

Gynecomastia is not normal, but it is common in three stages: infancy, puberty and among overweight men.

During the pregnancy stage, the placenta turns hormones to estrogenic substances, and as they enter the baby, the breast tissues get larger.

Gynecomastia also occurs during puberty when the male body undergoes changes as the male secondary characteristics develop.  This change usually happens between 10 to 14 years of age.

The last common occurrence is among the elderly, from 50 to 80 years old. During this period the accumulated fat turns into estrogen and leads to enlargement of the breast in males.

Gynecomastia Treatment

Now that you know what gynecomastia looks like it is easier to seek and find treatment. The first step is to consult your doctor to rule out other possible causes.

Even if you are certain the symptoms are similar to gynecomastia, it is better to be safe and rule out other possible causes.

Once it has been determined that it is gynecomastia you can go over the various treatment options.

An ideal option is to take supplements that inhibit estrogen and stimulate testosterone production. By taking this in the prescribed manner you’ll be able to bring your hormone levels back to normal.

If your hormonal imbalance was due to steroids, go on a Post Cycle Therapy. Your PCT plan depends entirely on what kind of steroid you took so plan accordingly.

The time it takes for your breasts to normalize will depend on the severity of your condition.

What is Pseudogynecomastia / Chest Fat?

How pseudogynecomastia or chest fat looks like

In the chest fat vs gynecomastia debate, the two are often mistaken for each other but as this guide has shown, they are not the same.

Pseudogynecomastia or lipomastia is a frequently seen condition among males and occurs due to the fatty deposits in your chest.

Unlike gynecomastia, pseudogynecomastia does not cause soreness, numbness or pain. In fact, you won’t feel any discomfort, and that is how it should be.

After all, these are just fats that have been deposited in your chest the same way fat is distributed in your belly and other body parts.

Because there is no pain or discomfort, few men find the need to go to their doctors and seek treatment. While the condition can be embarrassing, there is no serious complication that will arise from this.

Causes

Pseudogynecomastia occurs because there is too much adipose tissue. When you’re overweight the aromatase enzyme converts a higher amount of estrogen than normal, and this is what leads to the swelling of the tissues.

Difference from Gynecomastia

Aside from what has already been stated above, pseudogynecomastia does not produce palpable mass. There is usually no need to do any hormonal examination unless the patient asks for it or is experiencing other symptoms.

Treatment

There is no need for medical treatment for pseudogynecomastia. There is no hormonal imbalance that needs to be checked.

The best way to deal with this is to go on a diet and lose weight. By working out you’ll lose unwanted pounds and fat, not just on your chest but the rest of your body.

Conclusion – What Options Do You Have

If you look up how do you know if you have gynecomastia online, you’re going to find a lot of information but many can confuse you instead of helping you.

Many also don’t take into account the difference between gynecomastia and chest fat which could have repercussions for the treatment.

I hope that after reading this article you know the difference so you can take the right action to get rid of this issue.

There are some effective solutions that can help you eliminate your moobs.

Surgery is one of the options but you don't need to undergo such serious and expensive treatment.

Follow the link below to learn about a natural treatment that works very well especially when used together with a workout regime.

 

4.4 / 5 ( 17 votes )

Fat Burning Exercises for Women – The Best Way to Lose Belly Fat

March 6, 2019 By Mark 5 Comments

Fat burning workouts for women

In this article, I have compiled a list of fat burning workouts for women which are known for the quick results and ease of practice. But these workouts, for sure, ask for consistency.

Make a habit of following these workouts at least 5 times a week and you would start noticing the results yourself.

I know how desperate you are to know how to lose belly fat for women, especially if you've tried every diet out there (Keto, CICO and Paleo to name a few), which is why I have compiled a list of fat burning workouts for women that help to burn belly fat and to get you in shape both at home and at a gym.

>>Working on Your Perfect Body? Check these Female Bodybuilding Supplements>>

Fat burning workouts for women

Staying in shape and looking smart go hand in hand with hard work. Especially when you have a body that loves to give home to those sticky fats. It takes a few munches out of the line to gain weight but losing those few pounds could stretch over the months.

The tedious task of burning that stubborn fat is best done by setting a workout routine. But the thing to keep in mind in here is to stay consistent with the workout; either you spare five minutes for it or an hour, keep it on a daily basis.

Be it a morning walk or a night stroll, biking or swimming, gym workout or a few crunches in your living room, consistency is the key.

When we talk about weight gain and fats, we come across the fact that women all around the world have a higher tendency to gain weight compared to men, owing to the factors of childbirth and excessive hormonal changes in their bodies.

Once the fat accumulates, it becomes hard to lose and the worry starts.

The first thing a woman should know is to love her body no matter how fat she is, hating yourself is not the solution.

Obesity and excessive weight invite a number of diseases and malfunctions in the body, as it affects the efficiency of the organs; diabetes and hypertension are top of them.

A healthy body is much more important than a beautiful body and luckily it is no more a dream now.

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Fat burning workouts for women - infographic

Fat burning workouts for women at home

Mentioned below are five simple, yet promising fat burning exercises for women that would give your metabolism a boost, are easy to practice and could be done at home without any instructor.

If you keep following these five basic exercises with consistency and diet control, you could get the desired weight loss results in even lesser time.

All these cardio workouts could be done at home easily as they do not require any equipment. You could practice them during cooking or laundry washing as well. All you need is the motivation to stay in shape.

  • Fat burning exercises for womenSkip off that stubborn fat with rope: Rope skipping is known to be one of the oldest forms of cardio that boosts metabolism and increases blood flow, helping you burn calories and lose pounds. Make sure to stay light on your feet and stretch your arms, working through your wrists while jumping and inhaling. Exhale on the way down to the ground and repeat the whole thing again and keep increasing the count every day a little.
  • Crunch away the saggy belly: Women with heavy fat on their tummies feel the crunches to be the easiest workout, probably because you get to lay down in this workout, who knows. Lie down on your back, stretch your legs to their full, tuck your tummy in as much as you can, put your both hands under your head, head facing the sky. Now lift your neck and put full pressure on the tummy while you do so. This will help squeeze your upper tummy. Make several repetitions.
  • Pedal off the abdominal fat: Cycling does not only help get your tummy tucked, it affects your whole body and helps build up the muscle, increases your stamina and strengthens your heart. If cycling in outdoor is not a feasible option for you, then that living room rug of yours could help you a lot. Just lie down on your back, lift your legs bent at the knee, both hands behind your head, lift your head and start pedalling your feet in the air. You will feel the involvement of the whole lower body in this workout which is promising for weight loss. Even better option is joining a spinning session in the gym.How to lose belly fat for women
  • Jump to pump the heart: Turn the beat high on the stereo and start jumping on your feet, let the energy in your arms swing out, jump, kick, punch the air and make your heart beat faster. This is the most enjoyable workout. Open your legs in the air, twist the feet, enjoy the beat and bring on the heat.
  • Jogging off those muffin cups: Jogging too is known to be the simplest yet one of the best ways to lose belly fat. All you need to do is to find a place in the house where you could make a little run job easily. Now inhale and start jogging forwards, taking little steps while moving your arms in a cycling motion. Once you get in a flow, start leaping a bit faster.

Trouble-free fat burning exercises for women in gym

The women who get to the gym for a workout, have one major advantage over the women who workout at home, which is a company. Being alone at home for the workout does not give you the motivation that you get at the gym.

If you want to know how to lose stomach fat at gym faster, just get a friend along to gym and you both will keep each other motivated for weight loss. The effective weight burning workouts at the gym also depend majorly on the availability of required equipment.

If you wish to build up some muscle along with losing weight, start lifting weights. Pick little weights at the beginning and then increase with time.

Set a routine for the gym and give yourself some rest days too. This will help you not to get bored of the same routine each day.

Elliptical Trainer: it is a stationary machine which imitates the staircase movement. It could be used for running, jogging and brisk walk. As it does not exert extensive pressure as that of a treadmill, starting with this basic machine would be enjoyable too.

Best way to lose belly fat

Treadmill: Treadmill is a gym trainer that is designed mainly for running and jogging. Having a heavy belt at the foot that you have to push backwards with extensive force, the mill helps your muscle get build up in the legs and helps reduce the body fat.

Benches: once inside the gym, you will find a number of benches along the weights. Each bench is designed to facilitate fat burning. For every specific bench, you gym trainer will instruct you differently. Get the tummy tucker and burn fat on belly.

Ball: Those colorful huge balls in the gym are great for losing tummy fat. Lying down on them or using them in aerobics will boost up your weight loss process.

Fat burning foods for women – Food that helps to lose your pounds!

If you love to eat and run away from any weight loss programs just because you can’t starve yourself, here is the good news for you. You can eat as much as you like even for the weight loss. But change the choice of foods towards healthy and nutritious ones.

You would be amazed to know that there are several foods that target your belly fat directly and help tighten the tummy.

Here at MassGainSource, we have compiled a list of 7 fat burning foods for women that are not only nutritious but also aid remarkably in tummy tucking.

Fat burning foods for women

  • Grape Fruit: Top on our list here is the grapefruit-undoubtedly a magical fruit. It helps lower the insulin levels in the body which in turn promotes weight loss and a fast metabolism.
  • Lemon: Not only would lemon help you look slimmer, it would help you look prettier too as it helps increase the metabolism of the body and brings a natural glow to the skin making you look younger.
  • Watermelon: The role of the watermelon in weight loss is even prettier than its looks. The excess amount of water in watermelon promotes digestion and helps you feel lighter. From now on, try snacking on watermelon in place of pizza.
  • Almonds: Almonds are rich in protein, they kick-start your metabolism and keep your tummy feel full.
  • Green Tea: This natural tea has known for its wonders in the field of weight loss. Helping one’s body get rid of toxins and keep you energised for the whole day, replacing your soft drinks with green tea could be marvellous.
  • Pineapple: Like watermelon, pineapple is rich in its water content and low in calories. Take it in the form of plain juice or add other fruits to make a punch, this fruit would help tighten that saggy tummy a lot.
  • Cucumber: Cucumber is the best kind of salad too and helps burn fat since its 80% water. Water increases the metabolic activity of the body and helps you lose fast.

How to lose stomach fat with drinking waterPlain water…not so plain!

Drinking plenty of water helps a lot in weight loss; it keeps the body hydrated and helps a lot to digest food. The more water you take in, the higher will be the metabolism in your body.

Drinking water on an empty stomach is known for its remarkable weight loss effects. Drinking a glass of water right before you start meal helps you feel full earlier and keeps your hand off the plate. Wherever you go, keep a small bottle of water along with you. Drink, refill and lose.

A Little change in the habits

Say goodbye to those bad habits and get in shape. Next time when you go for your 12 am fridge checking, try drinking water and move away from the fridge. When you have the option to choose between a fruit and a candy bar, go for natural one.

You could spice up your diet with the flavors you love, make smoothies from fruits and vegetables, enjoy colorful salad bowls, squeeze delicious juices from seasonal fruits, mixes those juices up and enjoy the cocktails, make sweet and salty combinations out of nuts…in short you could do a lot that you like and enjoy.

Partner up with a member of a family to keep you motivated at home and a friend outside home. With the change in these habits, add the fat burning workouts for women to your routine too and in no time you would see wonders.

Be sporty…get in shape!

When we face the question how to lose belly fat, being sporty can help you a lot and it will keep you happy too. If you get bored of those evening workouts, try going out to some outdoor sports club.

Join a team and start playing. Sports are the healthiest of habits as they keep both your mind and body healthy and active.

The best sport for women is basketball in my opinion. It keeps you active throughout the game and burns a lot of calories too.

You could also go swimming with a friend and race. Swimming helps build up your muscle and stamina both.

If you like to cycle, go to some nearby park and pedal away the fats and worries together. If you have a knack of walking, go for an evening stroll.

The indoor games also help you lose weight. Table tennis, for instance, is an easy to play game while it helps you burn the fats a lot.

In short, there are many ways to aid you in your fat burning process. Just go picking the one that suits you and get in shape in no time.

Just remember that consistency is the key for everything to show some result. Good luck!

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4.7 / 5 ( 12 votes )

Hormones Infographic – Complete Guide to Your Hormones

February 6, 2019 By Mark Leave a Comment

I would like to present you an awesome infographic that shows how hormones are produced in your body and how they work.

If you want to build muscle or get more fit you should be aware how your hormones work, so you can use them in your favor.

This infographic will show you your hormones in a simple but interesting way:

Hormones 101 Infographic

Infographic source: Dr. Kate Kass

Check the links below to learn more about important hormones, especially for high performers and bodybuilders:

Testosterone: Symptoms, causes and treatments for low testosterone levels.

HGH: How to naturally increase your Human Growth Hormone levels.

4.7 / 5 ( 3 votes )

Muscle Car CrazyBulk Competition – Your Chance To Win a $40k Mustang

December 28, 2018 By Mark Leave a Comment

CB Muscle Car Competition

CB Muscle Car Competition

CrazyBulk runs a competition where you can win a $40k muscle car. Here is what you need to know to enter the competition and have a chance to win:

Entering this competition could not be simpler. For each $5 you spend on CrazyBulk.com you will certainly get 1 entry. As long as you're an US resident you'll be immediately entered into the competition when you place your order.

So what's the competition all about?

Muscle Car athletes

CrazyBulk started the competition back in November 2018. The main price is a $40k muscle car but thereare also several other rewards totaling over $3k in worth.

I assume that that lean muscle is pretty high on your agenda. I reckon you’d probably love a car with bodywork to match your own, right?

CrazyBulk decided to give away a $40k muscle car to one of their fans – and if you play your cards right, that fan could be you.

Up for grabs is an awesome muscle car. She’s stylish, she’s sexy, she’s sleek (and just look at that physique):

Muscle car mustang

Appears like something you wouldn't mind keeping in your garage, huh?

Head over to their website for your chance to win >>

Entry is simple and you will automatically receive 1 entry for every $5 you spend on CrazyBulk products.

There’s plenty of runner-up prizes up for grabs, including:

  • 3 x Beats Solo3 wireless headphones
  • 5 x $100 CrazyBulk gift card
  • 10 x CrazyBulk branded T-shirts.

There are numerous other ways to enter the competition – the one being to treat yourself to some muscle-pumping CrazyBulk products.

CB Muscle Car banner

However, Placing an order isn’t the only way to enter. Like winning, but not ready to order CrazyBulk supplements? Chill out!

You just need to head over to the competition website and enter your details. And don’t worry – it doesn’t have to cost a dime to be in with a chance of winning. You do, however, have to be a US resident.

Transform your body and win a muscle car >>

BCAA Benefits for Fitness Enthusiasts: What Do BCAAs Do?

October 31, 2018 By Mark Leave a Comment

What BCAAs do to your body

When you’re reading up on protein supplements and other additions to your diet to help with your workout, you may have stumbled upon mentions of BCAAs.

What BCAAs do to your body

You may have noticed how manufacturers tend to brag about how their supplements contain large quantities of these BCAAs, with the understanding that athletes want these BCAAs in the first place.

After all, many in the industry already realize the various BCAA benefits.

But if you don’t, that’s okay, because you’re on the right web page. When you’re done with this article, you should be among those in the know about the critical role of BCAAs for athletes and gym goers.

What are BCAAs and What Do BCAAs Do?

BCAAs stand for branched-chain amino acids, which include 3 essential amino acids in particular. These are leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

The term “branched-chain” in the BCAA name is due to their unique molecular structure with chains having branches off to one side.

What’s of more importance to people like us who work out is the fact that your body cannot make these particular amino acids. That’s why they’re called “essential”.

You need them in your diet, or else you won’t have them in your body at all. And if your diet doesn’t give you enough BCAAs, you better get them from supplements.

You have 20 different amino acids in the proteins in your body, and 9 of them are essential(1) because your body can’t produce them on its own.

The BCAAs as a group make up about 35 to 40 percent of all your essential amino acids and about 14 to 18 percent found in the muscles.

How BCAAs Work:

Unlike other amino acids, the BCAAs aren’t broken down in the liver. Instead, they’re broken down mostly in the muscle.

It’s for this reason that experts believe BCAAs are involved in producing energy for you to use when you’re working out.

Your body can use the BCAAs as building blocks for protein, and by now you should know that protein is the raw material your muscles need to rebuild.

That’s why many people take protein supplements, and why they pay special attention to BCAA levels.

BCAAs also reduce the serotonin production in your brain. This, in turn, reduces your feelings of tiredness when you work out. BCAAs also be part of regulation your blood sugar levels.

They preserve sugar stores in your muscles and liver, and they also stimulate your cells to absorb sugar from your bloodstream.

Leucine, in particular, is critical especially in how it affects your ability to build muscle proteins. On the other hand, isoleucine and valine are more important for energy production and for regulating blood sugar levels.

What Are the Benefits of BCAAs?

So do BCAAs work? Yes, it does work to help athletes in various ways. Are BCAAs worth it?

That’s a question only you can answer, but for many the answer is clear—it’s worth it.

Benefits of using BCAA when building muscle

You only need to glance at several important benefits to be convinced:

1.BCAAs Fight Off Fatigue

What’s your most common “enemy” when you work out? It’s probably fatigue. If you get tired, then you’re done.

You can’t overstrain yourself because when you’re tired and you still continue working out, you may just injure yourself as well.

So the goal for you is to want to fight off fatigue(2) so you can last longer with your workouts.

You can do more reps and lift heavier weights, which can then lead to bigger muscles at a faster rate. That’s what BCAAs do for you.

A lot of studies show that if people take BCAA supplements, they’re less likely to get tired.

Fewer people report fatigue, and people are able to exercise for longer periods of time when on BCAA supplements.

2.BCAAs Improve Workout Performance

When you work out, you use up your amino acids. It’s been shown that your stores of BCAAs in the body are quickly used up when you work out.

So logically, if you improve your BCAA levels with supplementation, your BCAA stores should last longer.

With BCAA supplementation, researchers have found that athletes can enjoy certain benefits for their workout performance.

Some athletes enjoyed increased muscle strength and power output. Slower marathon runners were able to improve their running times.

3.Lower Blood Sugar Levels

Some studies have also indicated that BCAAs can help promote blood sugar control. However, the results of these studies have been inconsistent and inconclusive. But it’s an intriguing benefit.

Having high blood sugar levels is a natural consequence when you’re eating too much and not getting enough exercise.

When you’re sick or simply just stressed, your blood sugar goes way up as well. A high blood sugar level is also common when you’re tired or thirsty, or if you’re losing weight much too quickly.

When you do have high blood sugar, it can cause your body to lose too much fluid. You may faint or vomit, or just feel sick to your stomach.

So with BCAAs, you may just avoid all these problems.

4.BCAAs Reduce Muscle Soreness

It’s common to have sore muscles when you’re done with your workout, especially when you exercise with high intensity.

You may want to get a massage for those muscles because muscle soreness can slow down your recovery and your overall workout progress.

There have been several studies that have indicated that muscle soreness can be alleviated with BCAA supplementation.

Studies show that those who take BCAAs give ratings of up to 33% lower for their perceived level of muscle soreness.

In addition, when asked to do the same strength training exercises they did after 24 to 48 hours, the people on BCAAs were able to improve their performance by up to 20%.

Take note that this isn’t a universal benefit. It only affects some people this way. Its effects can be different depending on the person.

5.BCAAs Increase Muscle Mass

BCAA users feel lesser pain after workout

Many people who go to the gym want to gain bigger muscles. It’s a popular fitness goal because bigger muscles look good, and they increase strength. This leads to improved athletic performance and most likely a better social life too.

BCAAs help with increased muscle growth by activating the enzymes that are responsible for building muscles.

The studies confirm that BCAAs help with getting bigger muscles, and they’re especially effective when you have higher levels of leucine compared to the isoleucine and valine levels.

Still, protein is still the most important part of your supplementation when it comes to building muscles. But you can get 2 birds with 1 stone by making sure that your protein supplement comes with adequate BCAA levels.

6.BCAAs Improve Your Breathing

What happens when you work too hard or run too quickly for too long? If you’re not a costumed superhero, you end up gasping for breath. You need more oxygen to function.

The nice thing about BCAAs is that they can increase your average oxygen intake by as much as 19%. You’re able to get more oxygen into your lungs.

BCAAs also improve your body’s ability to receive and process oxygen even at higher rates.

Finally, BCAAs also lower the CO2 levels in your blood. This usually rises when you’re working out hard, so the supplement can balance things out nicely.

7.BCAAs Reduces Your Feelings of Pain

When your brain thinks that you’ve just undergone something stressful, it reacts by sending out a neurotransmitter and stress hormone called norepinephrine(3).

The hormone fights off the stress by increasing the blood flow to your muscles, triggering the release of sugar (glucose) in your blood, and increasing your heart rate.

Norepinephrine is responsible for speeding up your reaction time and it also boosts your alertness. With this hormone, you’re less concentrated on any pain you may be feeling.

One study showed that BCAAs increase Norepinephrine levels in rats. This is a hopeful sign that it may have the same effect with humans.

8.BCAAs Prevent Muscle Wasting

It’s normal when your body constantly breaks down and rebuilds your muscle proteins.

You just want to make sure that muscle protein synthesis is greater than your muscle protein breakdown. That’s to maintain and develop your muscles.

When you fail at this and your protein breakdown is greater than your protein synthesis, it’s called muscle wasting.

It’s a common symptom of malnutrition, as your body doesn’t rake enough protein for your muscles to feed on for rebuilding.

You also see it when you fast, or if you have cancer or a chronic infection. But it’s also a common symptom of just getting older.

It’s for this reason why you need protein supplementation. You also need BCAA supplementation because you need to make sure you’re maintaining your BCAA levels in your body.

But the BCAAs help also by slowing down the body’s process of muscle protein breakdown.

This effect is rather noticeable when taken by the elderly or by people with conditions such as cancer.

With BCAAs, muscle wasting can at least be inhibited somewhat.

Top Food Sources

Like protein, BCAAs don’t have to come solely from supplements.

Foods containig BCAA are beneficial for health

These supplements are to make sure that you have enough BCAAs.

But you can also get BCAAs from your food. In fact, there’s a long list of food items which can offer BCAAs.

However, some food items contain more BCAAs than others.

If you’re concentrating on getting enough BCAAs, then you better get the following BCAA foods with your meals:

  • Fish, poultry, and meat. Each 3-ounce serving gives you about 3 to 4.5 grams of BCAAs.
  • Lentils and beans. A cup offers about 2.5 to 3 grams.
  • Milk. It’s not just good for your bones. It also offers 2g of BCAAs.
  • Tempeh and tofu. These are vegetarian staples, which can provide 0.9 to 2.3g per 3-ounce serving.
  • Cheese. Each ounce provides 1.4g.
  • Eggs. A large egg gives you 1.3g.
  • Quinoa. A cup offers 1g.
  • Pumpkin seeds. Each ounce has 1g.
  • Nuts. Depending on the nuts you’re snacking on, each ounce of nuts provides about 0.7 to 1 gram of BCAAs.

If you already have lots of protein in your diet, then in all likelihood you’re getting enough BCAAs.

But if you’re not getting enough protein, then you need to make sure you’re getting your BCAAs along with your protein.

You also need more BCAAs if you’re an athlete because you use up your BCAAs with your exercise efforts.

Proper Dosage

The proper BCAA dosage for you depends on your physique, your gender, and your fitness goals.

The old thinking (circa 1985) was that you need at least 15 mg of BCAA per day or each pound you weigh. So if you weigh 180 pounds, it means you need at least 2.7g of BCAAs per day.

Now after several decades of new research on the topic, experts believe that you need around 65mg per day for each pound you weigh. Now a man who weighs 180 pounds needs at least 11.7g of BCAAs a day.

As a general rule, men need about 12g of BCAAs each day. For women, this drops to just 9g per day. For most people, about 5 to 12g of BCAAs should be enough.

Sources

1. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/essential-amino-acids

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16424144

3. https://www.britannica.com/science/norepinephrine

 

Discover Top 7 Creatine Benefits for Bodybuilders

October 26, 2018 By Mark 1 Comment

Benefits of using creatine

Athletes these days are so competitive that they try all kinds of stuff to get ahead of their rivals in their sports.

Even those whose sole purpose for training is to simply better themselves try to use various supplements to help them get an edge.

Benefits of using creatine

It’s for this reason why creatine is among the most popular health supplements in all sports. Creatine benefits are so astonishing, and yet it’s legal to use, unlike anabolic steroids.

Take creatine, and you enhance your body in many ways to improve your performance and physique. The benefits of creatine even apply to your mental function as well.

Perhaps you’re hesitant about using this supplement because you’ve been burned before. You may have taken other supplements that didn’t quite perform as well as the manufacturers claimed.

So does creatine work at all?

The short answer to this question is yes, it does. Beyond the thousands of anecdotal reports and customer reviews, you also have a ton of data backing up claims regarding the various ways that creatine helps athletes.

Creatine has been subjected to so many studies that in fact, it’s one of the most researched health supplements of all time.

So what does creatine do to your body? Here are some benefits that you’ll appreciate.

1. Creatine Stimulates Muscle Cells to Produce More Energy

If you’re an athlete, you want to feel energetic. Feeling blah is a total no-no, whether you’re playing a game of football or just lifting weights in the gym. That’s what creatine does—it gives you the energy you need.

This isn’t some sort of psychological mumbo-jumbo related to positive thinking or whatnot. As it turns out, researchers have discovered that creatine boosts the stores of phosphocreatine in your muscles.

This is important because phosphocreatine is crucial for the formation of new ATP (Adenosine triphosphate), which is a molecule that your cells use for all your basic functions and for energy.

When you exercise, your body breaks down the ATP to produce the energy. However, you use up ATP faster than your body creates it. So when you run out of ATP, you basically run out of energy.

With creatine, you’re able to produce more ATP so that you’re not as easily tired w3hen you exert yourself with maximum effort.

2.Improves High-Intensity Exercise Performance

When you’re lifting weights, running around the track, or playing a sport, there will be times when you need to operate with high intensity.

Creatine improves HIIT performance

You’ll have to lift the heaviest weight you can or sprint as fast as you’re able to.

As you’ll find out later as you go through these lists of creatine benefits, creatine enhances a lot of your body functions and features.

It boosts your strength and your ability to run quickly and throw things.

You’re able to last much longer with your athletic efforts, and when you do get tired you recover faster. Even your brain improves.

All these enhancements combine to dramatically improve your ability to work at high intensity.

All the various studies done on creatine acknowledge this, with results that indicate that your high-intensity performance can improve by as much as 15%.

3.Accelerates Muscle Growth

Your muscles are the most important part of your body for your athletic performance, and you can work out to get them bigger to make yourself stronger and less prone to injury.

It’s why anabolic steroids are so popular despite the inherent dangers of taking such a supplement. But creatine can also help with muscle growth, and it’s safe enough to use that it’s legal.

There’s no shortcut to getting muscles. You have to go with resistance training like lifting weights. But when take your creatine supplements, you get bigger muscles in a shorter amount of time.

It’s so effective in boosting the rate of muscle growth that it’s acknowledged that creatine is the most effective supplement for muscle mass enhancement among all legal supplements.

How fast does it take?

It doesn’t take long at all. You can take it for a week and you’ll notice results.

This is to the increased water content in the muscles at first. But since your gym performance improves with creatine supplementation, it follows that you’re able to work more effectively when you exercise and lift weights. Naturally, your muscles get bigger faster.

So with creatine, you get bigger muscles sooner, and it’s safer and also quite affordable even compared with other supplements. The value for money with creatine is simply astonishing.

4.Reduce Fatigue or Tiredness

When you pay sports or exercise in the gym, eventually all that effort makes you tired. It’s natural and to be expected. But with creatine, you don’t get as tired and you feel better even when you do.

Numerous studies have demonstrated this effect in various scenarios:

  • One study that involved sleep deprivation found that when you’re up all night, taking creatine boosted energy levels and decreased fatigue levels.
  • Another study went on for 6 months involving people with brain injury. Among the patients who took creatine, only 10% of them experienced fatigue. That’s a very small percentage, especially as the control group had 80% of them complaining of fatigue.
  • Are you a cyclist? If you are, then you may be interested to know that a study involving cyclists showed that those who took creatine didn’t feel as tired as the ones who didn’t take creatine.

5.Encourages Bone Healing

It’s not just about the muscles. Creatine also helps with bones.

Scientists at the Institute of cell biology in Switzerland discovered that the use of creatine can be very useful for the treatment of osteoporosis patients and those with bone fractures.

So what does creatine do to help with bones?

Part of the reason for this is creatine’s ability to boost cellular energy.

Cell energy is crucial with bone development and maintenance, so it’s great when you have osteoporosis.

What’s more, creatine also stimulated alkaline phosphate activity, and this alkaline phosphate is important for bone growth.

6.Boosts Glucose Tolerance

Creatine boosts glucose tolerance

When you take creatine as a supplement, you improve your glucose tolerance.

Creatine stimulates the IGF-1 and IGF-2 to increase the expression of glucose transporter type 4. This, in turn, boosts glucose tolerance. So now creatine can help in the fight against diabetes.

This is important because diabetes has become so prevalent. It was found in 2015 that more than 30 million Americans had diabetes.

That’s close to 10 percent of the whole US population. About 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year as well.

With close to 80 thousand deaths due to diabetes in 2015, it’s also the 7th leading cause of death in the US.

In addition, more than a quarter of a million deaths in 2015 listed diabetes as either the underlying or a contributing cause of death.

7.Enhances Brain Function

Despite the many wisecracks about jock brainpower, the truth is that athletes are at the very least extremely knowledgeable about their sport and their exercises.

Scientists have also discovered that it’s not only good for your muscles and bones. It’s also good for your brain.

This was discovered when some scientists tried if creatine can help with patients dealing with neurodegenerative disorders.

They found that it could; creatine works as a neuroprotectant, which means it increases the chances of nerve cells to survive environmental traumas.

But it also helps those who don’t have neurodegenerative diseases. These scientists had 2 groups of subjects, with one taking creatine supplements.

These people were vegetarians and vegans, and they were chosen because they didn’t take creatine before they joined the study.

After 6 weeks with the members of one group taking just 5g of creatine a day, they were all given tests that measured their verbal memory and their non-verbal intelligence.

Afterward, it was found that the creatine group members were better at solving problems with time constraints, compared to those who didn’t take creatine. The creatine takers also demonstrated a better short-term memory.

Conclusion

With all these benefits, it’s pretty clear why creatine is so popular among athletes. It’s safe and affordable, and yet the benefits and advantages it offers are simply amazing.

Battle Ready Fuel Creatine containerAthletes become stronger with creatine, and they’re able to last longer without getting tired. It helps with their bone growth too.

It even makes their brains function better, which again explains why so many school trainers recommend this for their athletes.

Yes, it’s true that illegal anabolic steroids can also work. But it’s also true that these steroids are dangerous to use, which is why they were banned in the first place. Because they’re illegal, they’re also much more expensive to buy.

But with creatine, you get a legal supplement that’s a lot safer. It works, and yet you don’t have to pay as much. You should use creatine if you’re serious about your workouts.

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