It is often taken for granted but sex drive is a key marker of health. It involves a constellation of psychological and hormonal factors directly influenced by almost everything – genetics, gender, lifestyle, current health status, relationship and even personality. It is tricky, inconsistent, emotional and personal.

Most people think testosterone is what makes you a man. But the truth is, testosterone does not directly affect sex drive. Its dihydrotesterone (DHT).

What exactly is DHT?

Like testosterone, DHT is an androgen hormone. It is product from testosterone after conversion by 5-alpha-reductase. Unlike testosterone which mostly acts in the muscle tissues (anabolic), DHT works in the cells as a CNS stimulator. Compared to testosterone that can help build muscle mass, DHT does promote metabolism and boost strength.

How DHT Affect Your Sex Drive

While testosterone may be vital for men’s health, it is not the focal factor in the ideal male hormonal profile. In some ways, testosterone’s real benefit is by converting into a much stronger male hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

So, how powerful is DHT when compared to testosterone for boosting sex drive? According to Stephen Harrod Buhner, author of Natural Remedies for Low Testosterone, DHT is much more powerful than testosterone as it binds 10 times more to the androgen receptors, it cannot be converted to estrogen (unlike testosterone) and it can actually block aromatase enzyme – the enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen. Hence, aside from being more potent than testosterone, DHT is powerful aromatase inhibitor too.

Having an adequate DHT in the body offers a wide range of benefits:

• Anti-depressant effect
• Increases strength
• Improved libido, mood and well-being
• A potent estrogen receptor antagonist
• Facial hair growth
• Cortisol antagonist

Unfortunately, DHT levels decline for different reasons such excessive conversion of testosterone to estrogen or low production of testosterone (low T).

The symptoms of low T vary from person to person but here are the most common signs/symptoms of testosterone deficiency.

• Decrease in sex drive/libido
• Low energy level
• Loss of muscle mass
• Erectile dysfunction
• Irritability, depression

Testosterone and DHT are not the only key players that influence your sex drive. The other one is dopamine.

How Dopamine Influence Your Sex Drive and Erectile Functioning

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a huge role in your sexual functioning. In fact, it is essential for an erection to happen. It is one of the primary chemicals that act during erection and it triggers a series of interactions among body chemicals such as testosterone, serotonin and nitric oxide.

Aside from erection, dopamine is vital for libido because it is released in the brain when a man anticipates or craves sex. Without the release of dopamine, there would be no urge or anticipation for sex and thus, no libido.

Testosterone is a basic ingredient for your sexual functions to work properly, and sufficient levels of T are needed to create a suitable environment for sexual activity to happen. Also, adequate testosterone level is required to produce dopamine. If a man is experiencing low testosterone, it means his body would not be able to produce sufficient amount of dopamine.

When responding to sex, testosterone is quite slow to act. It needs a neurotransmitter like dopamine to send signals quickly. Therefore, when a man is craving or anticipating sex, dopamine is released to send a message to the neurons. As such, dopamine is the chemical that stimulates sexual motivation.

Unfortunately, dopamine has the risk of being desensitized. This is when typical stimuli (like seeing your wife naked) cannot elicit enough sexual motivation. One reason is excessive viewing of pornographic material.

Porn overstimulates the brain’s reward system, bombarding it with high levels of dopamine until it gradually becomes less sensitive to a typical stimuli. When there is excessive dopamine, the dopamine-receiving neurons shuts down to protect from overstimulation.

This results to a non-response to dopamine or a depletion of dopamine. When this happens, you feel lazy and it becomes difficult to feel pleasure. Unfortunately, the only you can release more dopamine for you to feel pleasure is the increase in the use of porn. The only way to bring things back to normal is to wean off porn and allow your brain to adjust again.

Other benefits of dopamine to your sex drive include:

• Inhibit prolactin. Prolactin imbalance is a common cause of sexual issues in both men and women.
• Promote testosterone synthesis by stimulating gonadotropic releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH is secreted by hypothalamus. It regulates the production of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). GnRH does most of the work when it comes to increasing testosterone production. It’s the first step in the system that works for testosterone secretion.

Poor Blood Flow May Be the Culprit

Sometimes, erection problems may not be caused by low testosterone or dopamine. In addition, erection problems often don’t affect your sex drive.

If this is the case, you may be experiencing reduced blood flow in your penis. One of the common reason for poor blood flow is plaque buildup in the blood vessel walls of your penis. An erection involves your hormones, nerves, brain and blood vessels. If there’s anything that interferes in one of them, it can lead to problems of getting an erection.

Having Low Sex Drive or Problems in Erection?

When it comes to addressing issues on erection and libido, there is no one-size-fits all cure or remedy. You need to visit your doctor to be checked, or at least, get a hormone panel test. Include your neurotransmitter levels checked too. You can opt for testosterone replacement therapy or choose the natural path.

There are a number of natural testosterone boosters (e.g Tongkat Ali, Maca, Mucuna Pruriens, Panax Ginseng, Tribulus Terrestris) and nitric oxide enhancers that you can use to help address your sexual dysfunction.

I. Sexless Marriages On the Rise: 15 to 20 Percent Of Couples Have Sex No More Than 10 Times a Year. Retrieved from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/newsweek-cover-no-sex-please-were-married-71373437.html

II.  Buhner, S.H. Natural Remedies for Low Testosterone. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=ImEoDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

III. Hamdi, M.M & Mutungi, G. Dihydrotestosterone activates the MAPK pathway and modulates maximum isometric force through the EGF receptor in isolated intact mouse skeletal muscle fibres. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/jphysiol.2009.182162/abstract

IV. Ly, LP et.al. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial of transdermal dihydrotestosterone gel on muscular strength, mobility, and quality of life in older men with partial androgen deficiency. Retrieved from  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11549629

V. Casey, RW & Wilson, JD. Antiestrogenic action of dihydrotestosterone in mouse breast. Competition with estradiol for binding to the estrogen receptor. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6542571

VI. Kerr, JE, et.al. Androgens modulate glucocorticoid receptor mRNA, but not mineralocorticoid receptor mRNA levels, in the rat hippocampus. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8809674

VII.  Giuliano F, Allard J. Dopamine and male sexual function. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11805404

VII. Ben-Jonathan N1, Hnasko R. Dopamine as a prolactin (PRL) inhibitor. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11739329

IX. S Li, G Pelletier. Role of dopamine in the regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the male rat brain as studied by in situ hybridization. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/endo/article-abstract/131/1/395/3034704/Role-of-dopamine-in-the-regulation-of-gonadotropin?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Acupuncture: An Alternative View Of The Body’s Energy Systems

You’ve probably heard the terms “acupuncture” and “acupressure” tossed around loosely by friends, or health experts for that matter. And for the most part, you think they are one and the same. While theoretically their end goals are roughly the same – restoring energy flow (also called life energy, Qi or Chi) via stimulation of specific points on the body known as acupoints.

The major difference between the two techniques, however, is the fact that one (acupuncture) uses special needles that are inserted beneath the skin, while the other (acupressure) makes use of external force to stimulate the acupoints.

Which now brings us to the question at hand- how exactly does this benefit you in your strength training journey? Let’s explore how this Ancient Oriental technique can help take your training to the next level.

Stimulating Acupoints Can Boost Energy Levels

Let’s face it; there are days (or weeks, or months) when you don’t feel like doing a damn thing. We’ve all likely experienced such a phase, probably occurring after you’ve run out of preworkout powder (ha!). Luckily, this is one of the issues acupuncture or acupressure may help address, as the Chinese believed that if Chi is blocked from flowing in channels known as meridians, a lack of energy or drive can result.

Likewise, they strongly believed in the concept of Ying and Yang, whereby if they are not in an acceptable balance of sorts, dysfunction results. Yang is associated with “over activity” or stimulatory effects, while Ying, the opposite. So, if you are feeling underwhelmed from getting up off the chair, your Ying characteristics are probably dominant.

Acupuncture Can Promote Detoxification

The way acupuncture can promote detoxification is a bit complex. However, to simplify, the basic theory is that the needles are able to either attract or repel certain ionic compounds, which improve chi flow in meridians. Blockage of chi is believed to be a major contributor to dysfunction as it occurs in the body, so it only makes sense to re-establish normal flow.

Pain Relief

Pain has a much deeper origin that merely at the point felt, as it has been proven to have a strong neuronal connection as well. In fact, pain relief is responsible for the largest collective body of studies conducted on acupressure and acupuncture, for one simple reason- it works.

Researchers have performed brain scans while acupuncture/acupressure was being performed, and have identified changes in cerebral blood flow that indicate pain relief. But pain doesn’t just “magically” stop because of a blood flow pattern in the brain, as in reality many neurotransmitters are involved as well.

Among these neurotransmitters stimulated are the endorphins, feel good chemicals associated with pleasure or joy. One theory also believes that the metal needles used in acupuncture have a way of interrupting the electrical nerve pain impulses, “breaking” the effect of discomfort which would have been propagated.

Numerous studies have been conducted investigating the effect of these techniques on relative pain, with as much as 85% of subjects observing a measurable degree of pain relief. Among the most popular uses for acupuncture in particular is its application for back pain, for which its efficacy has been confirmed.

Acupuncture Can Help Prevent Muscle Atrophy

Muscle atrophy and catabolism are two things no strength athlete want to hear, as it signifies loss of muscle mass, with decreases in strength an accompaniment. There are cases whereby changes to the level of mRNA result in decreased expression for protein synthesis, inhibiting the ability of the body to gain or retain muscle mass. Acupuncture can help to significantly reverse this effect. This particular effect can be extremely beneficial if recovering from injury or a period of inactivity.

Acupuncture Increases Strength Output

This is possibly the most earth shattering reason to add acupuncture to your strength training workout. A study conducted in Germany during 2010 on 33 recreational athletes, compared the effects of acupuncture to incorrectly done “sham” acupuncture (not done using acupoints). In particular, the quadriceps muscle was subjected to the investigation analyzing changes in isometric strength. The result was a noticeable increase in isometric strength. The findings are important since it signals the fact that acupuncture may be used for performance enhancement, as well as rehabilitation aimed at the neuromuscular aspect of recovery.

Both Acupressure And Acupuncture Improve Blood Flow

Blood flow is essential to getting the most out of your workout, as it can determine the rate of protein synthesis, speed at which waste and metabolic byproducts are removed from your blood, or just the sheer feel of “the pump” which is what many strength athletes are after during a workout. Acupressure and acupuncture have been used to stimulate blood flow and enhance the flow of Chi in meridians under the skin.

Which Is Superior?

It would be unfair to rate one as better than the other, as they both possess unique advantages over each other.

For example, acupressure may be a better choice in persons with a phobia of needles, or for more localized cases of pain. Acupressure is relatively easy to learn, and can easily and quickly be picked up by a skilled massage therapist.

Acupuncture, on the other hand, has the distinct advantage of being able to alter electrical neuronal activity, to modulate pain or spasms among other things.  Acupuncture, in contrast to acupressure, requires skill to properly locate and puncture acupoints, as it is not merely poking the body with needles.

A mix of both techniques may yield best results for strength athletes, as they can synergistically be used to improve performance, relieve pain and more.

Concluding Notes on Acupuncture

Acupressure and acupuncture is catching on worldwide- it is no longer just some obscure oriental technique, but a proven medical treatment or adjuvant technique to treat conditions and keep the body operating optimally.

The goal of an effective strength training program should be to make the body more functionally strong, while minimizing the risk of adverse effects. You can offer yourself some degree of insurance by simply incorporating these two techniques as part of a holistic health care regimen.

Ginseng’s Benefits for Athletes

Ginseng refers to a class of adaptogenic herbs from the family Araliacae. As an adaptogen, it is commonly used as a restorative and therapeutic tonic to bring a ‘balancing effect’ on the body. Adaptogens are attributed to an increase in resistance to a broad array of stressors, which include chemical, physical and biological factors. As one of the most researched performance herb, we now know that the main compound in ginseng are the saponins called ginsenosides, which provide the wide range of positive effects ginseng is touted for.

Panax ginseng, also called Chinese or Korean ginseng, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries as a tonic to improve the central nervous system, enhance sexual function, accelerate metabolism and protect you from stress and fatigue.

Ginseng Improve Performance and Recovery

Thanks to its potent saponins, ginseng earned a legendary status among sports enthusiasts and athletes. Numerous studies have proven that this herb can improve endurance, muscular strength and aerobic capacity.

In a review of herbal sports supplement by Dr. Luke Bucci, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it appears supplementation of Panax ginseng may increase aerobic work capacity and muscular strength.

According to Bucci, nearly 75 percent of the studies compiled and reviews confirmed the beneficial effect of Panax ginseng supplementation. For example, in a study done by a team of researchers in Sweden, Panax ginseng improved post-exercise recovery and maximum oxygen uptake. Quadriceps strength increased by 18 percent and pectoral strength increased by 22 percent as per dynamometer.

Similarly, researchers at the University of Chieti, Italy found ginseng supplementation to be beneficial by improving time to exhaustion, total work load, oxygen consumption, ventilation and aerobic capacity.

Other Health Benefits of Ginseng

In addition to improving performance and recovery, ginseng offers many major health benefits. Several studies have proven that ginseng supplementation reduces insulin levels and blood glucose levels. While the exact mechanism of action is still unknown, it may be due to ginseng’s ability to improve insulin sensitivity. It can also be the herb’s ability to delay gastric emptying, meaning it takes a while to break down food. Regardless of its action, these benefits denote that it can reduce the risk of diabetes and help lower cholesterol.

Ginseng has been found to improve cognitive function, alertness and mood. For centuries, ginseng is known to boost men’s sexual performance. It may be because it increases the level of luteinizing hormone, which encourages production of testosterone.

Moreover, ginseng has been proven to boost immunity and help prevent cough and flu. It can also improve general well-being and the quality of life.

Kombucha’s Benefits for Athletes

Kombucha is a fermented drink of black tea and sugar. It is a natural probiotic that is known for its energizing effect and detoxifying action. It contains a colony of yeast and bacteria that are responsible for the fermentation process. After being fermented, it turns carbonated and contains enzymes, vinegar, B-vitamins, probiotics and a high concentration of glucaric, lactic, acetic and gluconic acids.

Kombucha’s for Detoxification and Hormone Balancing

The negative effects of excessive estrogen manifest in nearly everything – from obesity and gynecomastic to erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer. Estrogen in men is a serious matter and if you find it hard to achieve your fitness goals or even just feeling manly, excess estrogen might be the culprit.

For athletes, a balanced hormone profile is even more important as it can give you more edge on the competition. Hormonal balance is necessary to achieve peak fitness.

But honestly, in this modern age, with our food industry and the environment filled with toxins, pollutants, xenoestrogens and endocrine disruptors, can you prevent having excessive estrogen and other hormone-related health issues?

One of the ways our body eliminates toxins is through conjugation – a process where toxins are turned into water soluble substances called glucuronides. After the conjugation, glucuronides pass through the liver, then to the bile and finally to the intestine where they are excreted. But high levels of beta-glucuronide can delay this process. The enzyme works by inhibiting conjugation, separating the conjugate bone and allowing them to be reabsorbed. The toxins and hormones reenter into the body’s circulation.

Further, increase in beta-glucuronide increases the number of estrogen receptors. It means that the estrogen hormones that are supposed to be excreted now bind to more receptors, causing difficulty to lose fat and increase in tissue growth such as Gynecomastia. Estrogen dominance is one of the leading causes of infertility and other health problems in women.

Glucaric acid’s (calcium d-glucarate) detoxifying and even anti-carcinogenic activities are attributed to its capacity to increase glucuronidation and elimination of toxic compounds. During Phase II liver detoxification, steroid hormones, chemical carcinogens and other fat-soluble toxins are bonded with glucuronic acid and excreted through the bile.

Further, Glucaric acid, which is the primary acid in kombuchas, prevent beta-glucuronide from disrupting the process. Glucaric acids’s disruption of beta-glucuronidase let the body get rid of hormones such as estrogen before they can be reabsorbed. In a study, large doses of calcium d-glucarate have been found to lower estrogen levels in mice by 23 percent.

Drinking Kombuchas, a rich dietary source of calcium d-glucarate, provides a safe and effective solution to ensure your body is processing and eliminating these harmful substances on a daily basis. It offers a more natural solution to preventing excessive estrogen and achieving hormonal balance. 

i.   Acupuncture for chronic low back pain in long-term follow-up: a meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials.[ The American journal of Chinese medicine.2013] PubMed- NCBI. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23336503

ii.   Acupuncture can improve skeletal muscle atrophy[Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB).2012] Sciencedaily. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423162247.htm

iii.   Immediate effects of acupuncture on strength performance: a randomized, controlled crossover trial.[ European journal of applied physiology.2010] PubMed- NCBI. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20499248

iv.   Bucci, Luke. Selected herbals and human exercise performance. Retrieved from http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/72/2/624s.full.pdf+html

v.    Megna, M. et.al. Effects of Herbal Supplements on the Immune System in Relation to Exercise. Retrieved from http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/03946320120250S107

vi.   Ginseng and male reproductive function. School of Biological Sciences; University of Hong Kong. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3861174/

vii.  Walaszek Z, Hanausek-Walaszek M, Minto JP, We bb TE. Dietary glucarate as anti-promoter of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced mammary tumorigenesis. Carcinogenesis 1986;7:1463-1466. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3091283

Sulforaphane’s ability to do everything we just discussed should make you want to start eating your broccoli as well as possibly supplementing with a good sulforaphane product (which is very few and fair between.) In terms of an applicable dosage, it seems that right around the 30mg per day mark is proven in literature to be beneficial (with some even dosing it up to double based on their body weight being higher.) Sulforaphane’s benefits are endless and is a must have health AND ergogenic aid supplement for any serious competitor (or at least it is in my eyes.)

References

1. Protein oxidation and aging. E. R. Stadtman. Science. 1992 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1355616)
2. Sulforaphane Activates Heat Shock Response and Enhances Proteasome Activity through Up-regulation of Hsp27. Nanqin Gan, Yu-Chieh Wu, Mathilde Brunet, Carmen Garrido, Fung-Lung Chung, Chengkai Dai, Lixin Mi. J Biol Chem. 2010 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20833711)
3. Role of increased expression of the proteasome in the protective effects of sulforaphane against hydrogen peroxide-mediated cytotoxicity in murine neuroblastoma cells. Mi-Kyoung Kwak, Jeong-Min Cho, Bo Huang, Soona Shin, Thomas W. Kensler. Free Radic Biol Med. 2007 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17664144)
4. Sulforaphane induced adipolysis via hormone sensitive lipase activation, regulated by AMPK signaling pathway. Ju-Hee Lee, Myung-Hee Moon, Jae-Kyo Jeong, Yang-Gyu Park, You-Jin Lee, Jae-Won Seol, Sang-Youel Park. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2012 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22982310)
5. Identification and role of the basal phosphorylation site on hormone-sensitive lipase. A. J. Garton, S. J. Yeaman. Eur J Biochem. 1990 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2165906)
6. 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranoside-induced AMP-activated protein kinase phosphorylation inhibits basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, lipid synthesis, and fatty acid oxidation in isolated rat adipocytes. Mandeep Pinky Gaidhu, Sergiu Fediuc, Rolando Bacis Ceddia. J Biol Chem. 2006 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16816404)
7. Sulforaphane causes a major epigenetic repression of myostatin in porcine satellite cells. Huitao Fan, Rui Zhang, Dawit Tesfaye, Ernst Tholen, Christian Looft, Michael Hölker, Karl Schellander, Mehmet Ulas Cinar. Epigenetics. 2012 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23092945)
8. Sulforaphane attenuates hepatic fibrosis via NF-E2-related factor 2-mediated inhibition of transforming growth factor-β/Smad signaling. Chang Joo Oh, Joon-Young Kim, Ae-Kyung Min, Keun-Gyu Park, Robert A. Harris, Han-Jong Kim, In-Kyu Lee. Free Radic Biol Med. 2012 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22155056)
9. Inhibition of histone deacetylase 6 acetylates and disrupts the chaperone function of heat shock protein 90: a novel basis for antileukemia activity of histone deacetylase inhibitors. Purva Bali, Michael Pranpat, James Bradner, Maria Balasis, Warren Fiskus, Fei Guo, Kathy Rocha, Sandhya Kumaraswamy, Sandhya Boyapalle, Peter Atadja, et al. J Biol Chem. 2005 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15937340)
10. Histone deacetylase inhibitors: signalling towards p21cip1/waf1. Matthias Ocker, Regine Schneider-Stock. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2007 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17412634)
11. A novel mechanism of chemoprotection by sulforaphane: inhibition of histone deacetylase. Melinda C. Myzak, P. Andrew Karplus, Fung-Lung Chung, Roderick H. Dashwood. Cancer Res. 2004 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15313918)

Now, the moment you’ve been waiting for, MYOSTATIN INHIBITION! I’m sure many of you have skipped ahead to this part so I wont waste anymore time digging into the literature! Sulforaphane seems to repress myostatin transcription and suppression within skeletal muscle satellite cells. Fan et al discusses this relationship in great detail. Satellite cells function as skeletal muscle stem cells to support postnatal muscle growth and regeneration following injury or disease. There is great promise for the improvement of muscle performance in livestock and for the therapy of muscle pathologies in humans by the targeting of myostatin (MSTN) in this cell population. Human diet contains many histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, such as the bioactive component sulforaphane (SFN), whose epigenetic effects on MSTN gene in satellite cells are unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the epigenetic influences of SFN on the MSTN gene in satellite cells. The present work provides the first evidence, which is distinct from the effects of trichostatin A (TSA), that SFN supplementation in vitro not only acts as a HDAC inhibitor but also as a DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor in porcine satellite cells. Compared with TSA and 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC), SFN treatment significantly represses MSTN expression, accompanied by strongly attenuated expression of negative feedback inhibitors of the MSTN signaling pathway. miRNAs targeting MSTN are not implicated in posttranscriptional regulation of MSTN. Nevertheless, a weakly enriched myoblast determination (MyoD) protein associated with diminished histone acetylation in the MyoD binding site located in the MSTN promoter region may contribute to the transcriptional repression of MSTN by SFN. These findings reveal a new mode of epigenetic repression of MSTN by the bioactive compound SFN. This novel pharmacological, biological activity of SFN in satellite cells may thus allow for the development of novel approaches to weaken the MSTN signaling pathway, both for therapies of human skeletal muscle disorders and for livestock production improvement (7.) Even furthermore CJ et al states “Sulforaphane (SFN) is a dietary isothiocyanate that exerts chemopreventive effects via NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated induction of antioxidant/phase II enzymes, such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). This work was undertaken to evaluate the effects of SFN on hepatic fibrosis and profibrotic transforming growth factor (TGF)-β/Smad signaling, which are closely associated with oxidative stress. SFN suppressed TGF-β-enhanced expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a marker of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, and profibrogenic genes such as type I collagen, fibronectin, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 in hTERT, an immortalized human HSC line. SFN inhibited TGF-β-stimulated activity of a PAI-1 promoter construct and (CAGA)(9) MLP-Luc, an artificial Smad3/4-specific reporter, in addition to reducing phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Smad3. Nrf2 overexpression was sufficient to inhibit the TGF-β/Smad signaling and PAI-1 expression. Conversely, knockdown of Nrf2, but not inhibition of HO-1 or NQO1 activity, significantly abolished the inhibitory effect of SFN on (CAGA)(9) MLP-Luc activity. However, inhibition of NQO1 activity reversed repression of TGF-β-stimulated expression of type I collagen by SFN, suggesting the involvement of antioxidant activity of SFN in the suppression of Smad-independent fibrogenic gene expression. Finally, SFN treatment attenuated the development and progression of early stage hepatic fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation in mice, accompanied by reduced expression of type I collagen and α-SMA. Collectively, these results show that SFN elicits an antifibrotic effect on hepatic fibrosis through Nrf2-mediated inhibition of the TGF-β/Smad signaling and subsequent suppression of HSC activation and fibrogenic gene expression” (8.)

References

1. Protein oxidation and aging. E. R. Stadtman. Science. 1992 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1355616)
2. Sulforaphane Activates Heat Shock Response and Enhances Proteasome Activity through Up-regulation of Hsp27. Nanqin Gan, Yu-Chieh Wu, Mathilde Brunet, Carmen Garrido, Fung-Lung Chung, Chengkai Dai, Lixin Mi. J Biol Chem. 2010 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20833711)
3. Role of increased expression of the proteasome in the protective effects of sulforaphane against hydrogen peroxide-mediated cytotoxicity in murine neuroblastoma cells. Mi-Kyoung Kwak, Jeong-Min Cho, Bo Huang, Soona Shin, Thomas W. Kensler. Free Radic Biol Med. 2007 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17664144)
4. Sulforaphane induced adipolysis via hormone sensitive lipase activation, regulated by AMPK signaling pathway. Ju-Hee Lee, Myung-Hee Moon, Jae-Kyo Jeong, Yang-Gyu Park, You-Jin Lee, Jae-Won Seol, Sang-Youel Park. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2012 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22982310)
5. Identification and role of the basal phosphorylation site on hormone-sensitive lipase. A. J. Garton, S. J. Yeaman. Eur J Biochem. 1990 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2165906)
6. 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranoside-induced AMP-activated protein kinase phosphorylation inhibits basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, lipid synthesis, and fatty acid oxidation in isolated rat adipocytes. Mandeep Pinky Gaidhu, Sergiu Fediuc, Rolando Bacis Ceddia. J Biol Chem. 2006 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16816404)
7. Sulforaphane causes a major epigenetic repression of myostatin in porcine satellite cells. Huitao Fan, Rui Zhang, Dawit Tesfaye, Ernst Tholen, Christian Looft, Michael Hölker, Karl Schellander, Mehmet Ulas Cinar. Epigenetics. 2012 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23092945)
8. Sulforaphane attenuates hepatic fibrosis via NF-E2-related factor 2-mediated inhibition of transforming growth factor-β/Smad signaling. Chang Joo Oh, Joon-Young Kim, Ae-Kyung Min, Keun-Gyu Park, Robert A. Harris, Han-Jong Kim, In-Kyu Lee. Free Radic Biol Med. 2012 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22155056)
9. Inhibition of histone deacetylase 6 acetylates and disrupts the chaperone function of heat shock protein 90: a novel basis for antileukemia activity of histone deacetylase inhibitors. Purva Bali, Michael Pranpat, James Bradner, Maria Balasis, Warren Fiskus, Fei Guo, Kathy Rocha, Sandhya Kumaraswamy, Sandhya Boyapalle, Peter Atadja, et al. J Biol Chem. 2005 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15937340)
10. Histone deacetylase inhibitors: signalling towards p21cip1/waf1. Matthias Ocker, Regine Schneider-Stock. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2007 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17412634)
11. A novel mechanism of chemoprotection by sulforaphane: inhibition of histone deacetylase. Melinda C. Myzak, P. Andrew Karplus, Fung-Lung Chung, Roderick H. Dashwood. Cancer Res. 2004 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15313918)

The best place to start is its anti-aging properties that seem to be based around its ability to reduce cellular build up of modified proteins, and the research comes to us from three different authors: Stadtman et al, Gan et al, and Kwak et al. Stadtman stated that a number of systems that generate oxygen free radicals catalyze the oxidative modification of proteins. Such modifications mark enzymes for degradation by cytosolic neutral alkaline proteases. Protein oxidation contributes to the pool of damaged enzymes, which increases in size during aging and in various pathological states. The age-related increase in amounts of oxidized protein may reflect the age-dependent accumulation of unrepaired DNA damage that, in a random manner, affects the concentrations or activities of numerous factors that govern the rates of protein oxidation and the degradation of oxidized protein (1.) It is conceivable that stimulating proteasome activity for rapid removal of misfolded and oxidized proteins is a promising strategy to prevent and alleviate aging-related diseases. Sulforaphane (SFN), an effective cancer preventive agent derived from cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to enhance proteasome activities in mammalian cells and to reduce the level of oxidized proteins and amyloid β-induced cytotoxicity. Here, we report that SFN activates heat shock transcription factor 1-mediated heat shock response. Specifically, SFN-induced expression of heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) underlies SFN-stimulated proteasome activity. SFN-induced proteasome activity was significantly enhanced in Hsp27-overexpressing cells but absent in Hsp27-silenced cells. The role of Hsp27 in regulating proteasome activity was further confirmed in isogenic REG cells, in which SFN-induced proteasome activation was only observed in cells stably overexpressing Hsp27, but not in the Hsp27-free parental cells. Finally, we demonstrated that phosphorylation of Hsp27 is irrelevant to SFN-induced proteasome activation. This study provides a novel mechanism underlying SFN-induced proteasome activity. This is the first report to show that heat shock response by SFN, in addition to the antioxidant response mediated by the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway, may contribute to cytoprotection (2.)  The 26S proteasome is responsible for degradation of abnormal proteins and may play a role in cell survival upon oxidative stress. The indirect antioxidant sulforaphane (SFN) protects animal tissues from chemical toxicants by increasing the expression of several families of Nrf2-regulated genes. The role of induction of the 26S proteasome in cytoprotection by SFN was investigated in murine neuroblastoma Neuro2A cells. SFN enhanced the expression of the catalytic subunits of the proteasome, as well as proteasomal peptidase activities in these cells. Such treatment with SFN protected cells from hydrogen peroxide-mediated cytotoxicity in a manner dependent on proteasomal function. Inhibition of proteasome activities using pharmacological interventions significantly attenuated the protective effects of SFN against hydrogen peroxide cytotoxicity, as well as protein oxidation. Moreover, overexpression of the catalytic subunit PSMB5 enhanced proteasome function and led to elevated resistance against hydrogen peroxide toxicity and extent of protein oxidation compared to blank-plasmid-transfected cells. Pretreatment of PSMB5-overexpressing cells with SFN did not further enhance this resistance. Collectively, these results suggest that the cytoprotective effects of SFN against oxidative stress are in part due to up-regulation of the proteasome system. Therefore, inducers of proteasome expression may ameliorate the accumulation of damaged proteins associated with neurodegeneration and other diseases in whose etiologies protein oxidation plays a role (3.)

References

1. Protein oxidation and aging. E. R. Stadtman. Science. 1992 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1355616)
2. Sulforaphane Activates Heat Shock Response and Enhances Proteasome Activity through Up-regulation of Hsp27. Nanqin Gan, Yu-Chieh Wu, Mathilde Brunet, Carmen Garrido, Fung-Lung Chung, Chengkai Dai, Lixin Mi. J Biol Chem. 2010 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20833711)
3. Role of increased expression of the proteasome in the protective effects of sulforaphane against hydrogen peroxide-mediated cytotoxicity in murine neuroblastoma cells. Mi-Kyoung Kwak, Jeong-Min Cho, Bo Huang, Soona Shin, Thomas W. Kensler. Free Radic Biol Med. 2007 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17664144)
4. Sulforaphane induced adipolysis via hormone sensitive lipase activation, regulated by AMPK signaling pathway. Ju-Hee Lee, Myung-Hee Moon, Jae-Kyo Jeong, Yang-Gyu Park, You-Jin Lee, Jae-Won Seol, Sang-Youel Park. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2012 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22982310)
5. Identification and role of the basal phosphorylation site on hormone-sensitive lipase. A. J. Garton, S. J. Yeaman. Eur J Biochem. 1990 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2165906)
6. 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranoside-induced AMP-activated protein kinase phosphorylation inhibits basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, lipid synthesis, and fatty acid oxidation in isolated rat adipocytes. Mandeep Pinky Gaidhu, Sergiu Fediuc, Rolando Bacis Ceddia. J Biol Chem. 2006 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16816404)
7. Sulforaphane causes a major epigenetic repression of myostatin in porcine satellite cells. Huitao Fan, Rui Zhang, Dawit Tesfaye, Ernst Tholen, Christian Looft, Michael Hölker, Karl Schellander, Mehmet Ulas Cinar. Epigenetics. 2012 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23092945)
8. Sulforaphane attenuates hepatic fibrosis via NF-E2-related factor 2-mediated inhibition of transforming growth factor-β/Smad signaling. Chang Joo Oh, Joon-Young Kim, Ae-Kyung Min, Keun-Gyu Park, Robert A. Harris, Han-Jong Kim, In-Kyu Lee. Free Radic Biol Med. 2012 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22155056)
9. Inhibition of histone deacetylase 6 acetylates and disrupts the chaperone function of heat shock protein 90: a novel basis for antileukemia activity of histone deacetylase inhibitors. Purva Bali, Michael Pranpat, James Bradner, Maria Balasis, Warren Fiskus, Fei Guo, Kathy Rocha, Sandhya Kumaraswamy, Sandhya Boyapalle, Peter Atadja, et al. J Biol Chem. 2005 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15937340)
10. Histone deacetylase inhibitors: signalling towards p21cip1/waf1. Matthias Ocker, Regine Schneider-Stock. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2007 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17412634)
11. A novel mechanism of chemoprotection by sulforaphane: inhibition of histone deacetylase. Melinda C. Myzak, P. Andrew Karplus, Fung-Lung Chung, Roderick H. Dashwood. Cancer Res. 2004 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15313918)

Chili peppers have capsaicin in their seeds and white inner membrane. This bioactive plant compound is what makes chili peppers hot and spicy.

It is this same compound that can be used as a medicine for pain and for managing inflammatory diseases. A study published in Pharmacological Reviews showed that capsaicin can be a cure for arthritis pain, neuropathic pain, and other dermatologic problems.

Capsaicin also helps give the immune system a boost. And here’s another surprising benefit: it can literally heat things up in your bedroom!

So, if you still think that chili peppers are only for use in food, think again!

Chili Peppers for Burning Fat

A lot of assumptions have been made regarding the ability of chili peppers to increase the rate of our metabolism. Various studies show that there are chili peppers that can increase metabolism by causing a rise in body temperature. The substance Capsaicin plays a huge role in this.

The spiciness of a chili pepper depends on the amount of capsaicin in it. The more capsaicin, the spicier the pepper is. Because of the heat generated through eating a chili pepper, the body burns more calories. The body temperature of a person is directly proportional to the calories burned after a meal.

However, this is subject to limitations. The effect of chili peppers on the metabolism of a person is not that significant. Eating a spicy dish can only temporarily increase metabolism by about eight percent. This means that for a person to notice a significant effect on his weight, he needs to eat more than just a bowl of chili peppers, and he needs to eat them on a daily basis. In other words, you better like spicy food enough to eat chilies at every meal, or you better use a capsaicin supplement to benefit.

Another theory related to this includes the feeling of satisfaction after a meal. Capsaicin has appetite suppression effects, making a person feel fuller even if he only ate a little. With that feeling of satisfaction, a person is likely to overeat and consequently, he’ll be able to maintain his weight if not altogether lose some.

Capsaicin’s effect on appetite leads to a decrease in overall calorie intake. A study published in Clinical Nutrition proved this theory as participants consumed capsaicin, green tea, and sweet peppers.

Sweet peppers with capsaicin were shown to help reduce total calorie intake by the participants yet still maintaining a positive energy balance. Green tea with capsaicin was more effective in suppressing appetite during a calorie deficit.

But despite its low correlation with metabolism, there is a positive trend between capsaicin and fat oxidation. Fat oxidation is the process of breaking down stored fat lipid molecules to create the energy needed by the body to function. This is important for people who work out.

Researchers from the Department of Human Biology in the Maastricht University reported that capsaicin can sustain fat oxidation and help maintain weight.

Chili Peppers and Sex

There are a lot of foods that can increase sex drive. These aphrodisiacs include fruits such as watermelon and avocado and spices such as garlic and, you got it; chili peppers.

Because of the spiciness of the capsaicin present in chili peppers, a person can experience an increase in heat and sweating. Because of this, there is also an increase in blood flow in the body which is very beneficial for men when it comes to erections.

Capsaicin also helps release endorphins, a chemical also released during  orgasms. In other words, chili peppers can help induce feelings of pleasure which can benefit women who usually find it hard to reach orgasm when having sex. This was further discussed in a study relating to thermogenesis.

Also, a study by scientists at the University of Grenoble in France suggested that eating chili peppers regularly causes an increase in the levels of hormones that makes a man more sexually active. The research found a relationship between a man’s levels of testosterone and regular consumption of spicy foods. This study, however, was only limited to men. There are no studies supporting this conclusion on the side of women, even though testosterone also correlates with a higher sex drive in women.

Chili Peppers and Heart Health

Capsaicin is said to have the ability to lower the damage done from heart attacks and strokes. A study by Dr. Keith Jones was conducted to find a connection between the two.

The experiment was first tested on the skin of mice. After applying capsaicin to the mice, researchers observed that protective “pro-survival” pathways were activated in the heart tissues of the mouse.  There was a huge decrease in the death of cells in the rodent’s heart during an heart attack.

However, this does not automatically mean that the same thing will happen if capsaicin when applied to humans. Further research is being conducted to prove these predictions.

When it comes to stopping heart attacks with chili peppers, there are varying opinions and assumptions. Many researchers claim that there is not enough evidence associating with peppers and stopping a heart attack that is already in progress. It might even lead to a more dangerous situation if applied without sufficient study.

Taking chili peppers during a heart attack could lead to an adrenaline rush and increase in heart rate. If this happens while the blood flow to the heart is decreased, the tissues in the body could suffer damage, or worse, these tissues could die.

This, however, is not the case when the issue about preventing heart attack is being discussed. There is a considerable number of researchers who claim that capsaicin in chili peppers can prevent the occurrence of heart attacks because it thins the blood, essentially blocking heart attacks from happening in the first place.

This assumption is also supported by the low rates of heart disease in countries such as Mexico and Asian countries where people tend to serve food containing plenty of chili peppers.

Remember, greater heart health translates into greater physical performance both in your sport discipline of choice, as well as in the bedroom!

Conclusion

As doctors and scientists try to discover new cures to different diseases, natural substances are often forgotten, many people need to know about the profound benefits chili peppers has on our health.

Even if there is only some evidence that links capsaicin to weight loss, there is a significant connection found between sexual health and the chemical compounds in chilies. So, if you ever feel like you need to spice up your libido, it’s time whip up some chili!

In fact, the most beneficial compounds are often found in the parts which we humans don’t eat. A good example of this is the blood flow increasing amino acid L-Citrulline (which can bring on a mean pump), but is commonly found in the rind of water melons, so not something we often benefit from in our diets.

Another good example which this article is about is Hesperidin, a bioflavonoid most commonly found in citrus fruits such as oranges and tangerines. Hesperidin is a very potent antioxidant and is great for increasing blood flow in a similar fashion to L-Citrulline, however, it does it by it’s antioxidant powers rather than converting to nitric oxide precursors such as L-Arginine, like L-Citrulline does. Since it is such a great antioxidant it also offers the body lots of protection, especially cardioprotective and protects the brain from stressors, both physical, chemical as well as emotional (stress).

How to consume Hesperidin

However, we’re sorry to report that no, your morning glass of OJ does not contain any Hesperidin awesomeness, the compound is only found in the rind of citrus fruits. You can supplement with Hesperidin naturally by drying and consuming tangerine peels. When dry, their peel usually consists of 5-10% Hesperidin, and a supplemental dose would be around 5-10g dry peel.

Just make sure you get organic tangerines and wash them before drying. Many tangerines (non organic) are sprayed with lots of pesticides which can be very damaging to consume daily. This is why Hesperidin is more often consumed through supplements such as in our flagship nootropic formula Mental Trigger.

What is Nootropics

Nootropics are smart drugs and cognitive enhancers that are especially formulated to improve mental performance such as memory, focus, creativity and reduce emotional stress. Since Hesperidin is one of the most potent antioxidants on the market today it synergizes perfectly with all the other potent ingredients in Mental Trigger, and makes it one of the best cognitive enhancers on the market today. Let’s take a look at what really makes Hesperidin deserve a premiere spot in our nootropic supplement line.

Top Benefits of Hesperidin

Anti-Inflammatory

There are both good and bad inflammation. Bad inflammation can be chronic inflammation from an unhealthy diet or long-term persisting injury, and good inflammation would be the resulting inflammation in your muscles after resistance training that will increase blood flow to promote growth and repair. Hesperidin has been shown to lower markers of inflammation in the body, which is especially helpful for chronic inflammatory conditions.

Protects the Heart

Inflammation in the arteries and heart is also what degrades heart function over time and eventually leads to heart disease. Hesperidin protects the heart against oxidative stress and is hence beneficial for heart function and treating high blood pressure. Studies showed that  Hesperidin increases antioxidant levels and lowered inflammation in the heart. Remember that greater heart function also translates to greater physical endurance.

Prevents Fat Accumulation

Adiponectin is a protein hormone in the body that controls fat metabolism and glucose control. Better glucose control generally translates to less body fat storage, and Hesperidin has indeed been shown to decrease abdominal fat, body weight, total BMI as well as increase metabolic rate. All in all, for being an antioxidant, Hisperidin shows some very interesting fat burning effects without being a stimulant.

Promotes Bone Health

For athletes in general, but even more so for people who do a lot of resistance training and heavy lifting, bone health is crucial. With age, your bones can become weaker and brittle since many people suffer bone loss as an effect of the aging process. Hesperidin has been shown in studies to increase bone cell formation and improve bone metabolism. The improvements in bone health seems to stem from its mild estrogenic effects, since estrogen is the hormone primary responsible for maintaining bone strength.

Reduces Stress and Enhances Sleep

Both physical as well as mental stress increase oxidative damage in the body. Anything that has an antioxidant effect can make the body stronger against this oxidative damage and hence reduce stress. Because Hesperidin is such an potent antioxidant, it can help reduce stress and protect your body from oxidative damage. It also seems to have mild sedative properties that can enhance sleep by activating opioid receptors in the brain.

Increases Blood Flow

The most potent effect of supplementing with Hesperidin however is an increase in blood flow. This happens because Hesperidin promotes a widening of the blood vessels which allows for more blood to flow through. In athletes this can be very beneficial for achieving greater muscle endurance and pump. In fact, the blood flow increase is so great (24% increase), that it puts Hesperidin right up there at the top among other great vasodilators such as L-Citrulline, Agmatine and Cacao extract.

Conclusion

If you have problems staying focused at work or in the gym, we highly recommend you try Mental Trigger today. Remember, mental power also translates into the results you see physically, as the mind is the source of all action, and action is what builds epic physiques. Start growing a limitless mindset today to fuel that growth!

Yoga actually has numerous benefits for men, especially the relaxing meditational aspects of the practice. In fact, meditation can actually make men manlier.

The Yoga-Meditation Connection

To fully understand how performing meditation could help men become manlier, it is important to know the relationship between the two.

Yoga and meditation are irrevocably connected. Notice how yoga has the eight limbs principle with dhyana, or meditation, as the seventh limb.

Meditation involves going inward and yoga is all about fluidity. In yoga, the body executes moves, or relishes in the stillness of certain poses to strengthen both body and mind. It is without a doubt a physical activity; however, it also paves the way for meditation and contemplation. The physical activity that is yoga and the mental strengthening in the meditation combine to form a complete body and mind exercise.

How Yoga and Meditation Make Men Manlier

There are numerous physical and mental benefits of meditation for men, here’s the facts:

Lowers Cortisol Levels (The Stress Hormone) and Boosts Testosterone

Cortisol and testosterone are two different hormonal messengers produced by the body. Cortisol is produced during times of stress and is responsible for elevating blood glucose levels in fight-or-flight situations to provide quick energy. Testosterone, on the other hand, is responsible for the development and maintenance of manly traits, whether physical or behavioral.

Cortisol and testosterone are interrelated in such a way that when levels of cortisol in the body are high, testosterone production becomes low. This is bad for men and can eventually lead to start developing more feminine qualities if stress is prolonged (for example increased body fat around waist and hips, emotional reactivity etc). Meditation help maintain optimal testosterone levels by reducing stress levels.

Studies showed that once men perform relaxing activities such as meditation, their stress and cortisol levels significantly lowered, and in turn, their testosterone levels increased. Not only that, practicing meditation trains an individual to have a high tolerance to common stressors, thereby preventing cortisol levels from rising frequently.

Increased Sex Drive

Meditation indirectly increase a man’s libido by way of increasing testosterone levels and decreasing stress. As previously mentioned, performing relaxing activities would boost a man’s testosterone level. High testosterone levels are associated with a high libido, and your partner would surely love the heightened desire you’d show.

Look And Act More Masculine

While doing relaxing meditation or yoga, men benefit from better digestion, contributing to an improved metabolism. Yoga movements help with digestion. Moreover, they also massage the intestinal tract, thereby promoting good bowel movement.

Not only does yoga help reduce body fat, it also tones and conditions men’s muscle in places that would normally be hard to get to with regular weight lifting. The physical movements created in yoga promotes even muscle mass. Strengthening of the core is also a main advantage when performing yoga and aside from having a well-chiseled body, yoga also conditions a man’s body by increasing its flexibility despite muscle size development. Being full of muscle but barley able to move is not a great sight.

Improved Sexual Performance

You’d be a beast in bed if you have higher testosterone levels. But all the core and body weight exercises in yoga provides a good workout, boosting your stamina, which in the end allows you to perform better in bed. You also get more flexibility so you are free to explore various positions. This, combined with a heightened libido, results in a more exciting sex life.

Improved Self Confidence

Having the appropriate mentality will allow you to project an aura of masculinity. Being self-assured, for starters, would definitely boost your perceived manliness.

Having confidence in yourself will enable you to believe in yourself and in your capabilities. It would also allow you to be fully accept your limits. All these are attractive qualities in men but what makes them more potent is that if you like who you are, and you are genuinely not bad to others, others tend to value you highly.

With meditation, you can train your mind to view things from another perspective and understand how others see you. You can train yourself to focus on the inside, and to open your mind up to the rest of the world. These activities also give a sense of greater personal power to fully deal with tricky situations.

Yoga postures makes men walk taller and prouder, thereby inhibiting the development of uneven muscularity and promoting good posture. Furthermore, with mind body  training, your limits will be tested and extended, making you realize that you could now do things you once thought was impossible.

Enhanced Discipline and Self Control

Being manly means being a gentleman and having full control of your faculties. By performing meditation, the mind would be developed in order to focus on one goal. It limits distractions and trains the brain to focus on what is important.

Self-control is also an important thing when it comes to confrontations, which are traditionally between men a showdown of who can be the most rugged. But come to think of it, is it manly to start a fight and be confrontational?

By doing meditation, you can focus on the things that truly matter and be more mindful of the possible repercussions of what you do.

Be More Relaxed

It’s true that aggressiveness is associated with men, but being aggressive bordering on violent is no way to live. Instead of being high-strung, you can be the epitome of in control calmness and benefit from being able to respond to any adverse situations. Being calm and collected further adds to your manliness and character, especially because it would allow you to take charge of a situation, like a man should.

Conclusion

Not all that society dictates are true and should be followed. Sometimes, what the norms tend to say is opposite to what is good for you.

Meditation is not at all a “feminine” activity. It requires dedication, discipline and mental exertion. If you are mentally capable of being in control of yourself and your own mind, there is nothing you cannot achieve!

Ephedrine was the highly effective weight loss supplement that took the world by storm. Derived from the Chinese herb Ephedra, it’s ability to increase rates of burning fat as well as heat expenditure, and metabolism made it incredibly popular as a supplement. However, after several people died from the side effects of excess and prolonged (ab)use of Ephedrine, it has since been banned and is not legal in many regions of the world.

In this article we are not going to talk about Ephedrine, rather Octopamine which is a new and upcoming supplement with similar effects. In other words, it can serve as a fully legal alternative to people who cannot get their hands on Ephedrine anymore.

What is Octopamine

Octopamine was discovered 1948 by an Italian scientist named Vittorrio Erspamer. He found the compound in the salivary glands of the octopus, which is where it gets its name from.

Octopamine is an endogenous biogenic amine and is closely related to the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. In supplements today, it is derived from the amino acid Tyramine, which can be found in a wide array of foods such as liver and tomatoes.

Octopamine is a metabolite of the compound Synephrine, which bears many similarities with Ephedrine but is not as potent. However, Octopamine in isolated form seems to be a more powerful stimulant than Synephrine and also have similar fat burning effects to Ephedrine.

A Potent Nootropic & Stimulant

Octopamine because of its stimulant properties similar to Ephedrine, is also a great nootropic. Many people choose to take it as an aid to maintain focus and energy for a prolonged period of time. Comparable to the likes of Adderall and Ritalin, though not as strong. If this is your primary interest for using this compound, however, Modafinil would probably be a better choice.

The following benefits can be attributed to Octopamine:

Increased Energy
Improved Focus
Enhanced Motivation
Promotes Wakefulness & Alertness
Promotes Fat Loss While Also Preserving Muscle

Octopamine experts most of its beneficial effects through stimulating the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine in the body. Similar in ways to how other stimulants work such as Caffeine and Ephedrine.

These neurotransmitters play important roles in our sympathetic nervous system and are called catecholamines. They are usually released by the body as a stress response to help the body adjust and provide energy to deal with the stressor.

Best for Fat Loss

It is believed that Octopamine can imitate dopamine and norepinephrine neurotransmitters and activate their receptors. Because of this, it can as such be considered a neurohormone or even a kind of neurotransmitter in its own regard.

Octopamine stimulates adrenergic receptors (it’s a beta 3 adrenergic agonist) which cause fat cells in the body to break down. This releases fat from fat deposits such the belly and mobilizes it to be used as energy, essentially burning it off.

Octopamine is also thought to speed up metabolism in the body, supporting weight loss, improving insulin sensitivity, and reducing appetite. Since it can be considered more of a neurotransmitter than just an stimulant, tolerance is unlikely to develop, and Octopamine can be used for long durations of time without losing any of its effectiveness in burning fat.

Uses

Octopamine is best used by athletes who want to burn fat while also preventing muscle loss while dieting. It is thought that Octopamine may prevent the breakdown of protein for energy, rather promoting fat burning for energy.

Keep in mind however that Octopamine has been banned by WADA because of its stimulatory properties so be careful if you’re an athlete. It also has limited research on humans which is why you should not mix it with lots of other stimulants. If you are generally sensitive to stimulants, have high blood pressure, or suffer a heart condition, don’t use Octopamine.

Conclusion

Because of its excellent fat burning capabilities and similarities to Ephedrine as a stimulant, Octopamine is included as one of the core ingredients in our flagship fat burner product Double Tap. If you are struggling to get down to single digit levels of body fat, Double Tap can help you on that last push to burn it off.

When you start to talk about whole foods, most guys have no clue what you are going on about, probably mistaking you for another one of those raw vegans… If I rather told you that whole food nutrition is what fuelled the beasts of the golden era of bodybuilding such as Vince Gironda, Larry Scott, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, you might be more interested to hear what I have to say.

In this article, we will provide a broad overview of general bodybuilding nutrition, especially what you should be shopping for and why. Don’t get me wrong though; whole foods does not mean you have to eat your foods whole or only foods from Whole Foods Market for that matter. Sit tight and let’s get down to the basics.

Whole Foods Is Not a New Idea, Rather the Old School Way of Eating Which Created Legendary Physiques

One of the most know bodybuilding trainers of all time is the “Iron Guru” Vince Gironda, one of the trainers of legends such as Larry Scott and Arnold Schwarzenegger at their prime. Gironda emphasized wholesome nutrition, and his meal plans would often seem pretty basic. Emphasis was put on raw eggs because of the anabolic fatty acids (CLA) they contain, as well as on fresh meats, cottage cheese, heavy cream and green leaf salads. Meals was often uncomplicated, minimally processed and included prime ingredients such as the examples just mentioned, supplying the maximum amount of nutrition in each bite. Fuel for muscle growth is simple and the more you start to fry it, dehydrate it, pulverize it, mix it, add additives to it, the more the quality of the actual foods decrease.

One exception among the processed foods Gironda held high was liver tablets, which is dehydrated liver pressed into tablets, but only because many find the taste of eating liver unpleasant. The liver is, in fact, the most nutritious whole food on the planet and contains more vitamins and minerals than any fruit or vegetable. Liver tablets were consumed in-between meals to maintain positive nitrogen balance and promote muscle growth. Over the years the popularity of liver tablets has decreased in favor of less nutritious options such as high GI maltodextrin meal powders. Essentially, this is processing and stripping away all the important vitamins and minerals initially provided by mother nature and ending up with a powdered product with a low nutritional value. In other words, this is far from ideal.

Redcon1 MRE: A Whole Food Meal Replacement

Here at Redcon1 however, we “don’t mess with mother nature,” which is why our MRE meal replacement product contains only the best natural foods to fuel your muscles with the quality nutrition they deserve. Nature has already perfected the dietary macros and vitamins and minerals contained in natural foods. MRE is not one of those maltodextrin & whey protein mixes devoid of any micronutrients; we based our product on real whole foods and all the nutrition they naturally contain. We did not separate, isolate or derive them from anything, they are served exactly as they are intended but in easily digestible form. This is also what forms the basis for the whole foods way of eating for growth.

The Benefits of Real Food

Because whole foods come in the exact form that nature intended them to be eaten, they are ideal for our digestive systems to process efficiently. Try to imagine the difference once you drench those potatoes full of rancid vegetable oil and fry them close to destruction, which damages not only the potatoes but also your gut when you eventually chow them down there through your meal. Yes, sorry to break it to you guys but fries are a less than ideal food so to speak.

You ‘can’ build muscle eating junk food, but that could also be compared to scuba diving with only one lung. It can be done but it is less than ideal, and it will be holding you back from reaching your full potential. If you want to grow, you should provide your body the best fuel possible to promote that growth.

Consider these reasons in favor of whole foods:

Processed foods contain additives and preservatives that can hamper your performance
Processed foods contain rancid oils which can disrupt your fatty acid balance and promote inflammation
Processed foods contain hidden allergens for people who are sensitive
Processed foods are often loaded with refined sugar and low on fiber
Whole foods contain lots of phytochemical and other powerful nutrients that can increase your performance
Whole foods contains adequate amounts of vitamin & minerals, removing the need for taking a multivitamin

Whole foods contains more fiber, which is a crucial component to detox and metabolize toxins and excess hormones such as estrogen (buildup of estrogen can cause feminization in men)

Whole foods protects from disease

In other words, the foods you should be avoiding are the ones that have been ‘messed’ with so to speak. Meaning, those that have been overly processed, refined, isolated and artificially infused with preservatives, sugars or rancid oils. This is often done to make the foods taste better as well as last longer on the shelves in the supermarket; however, this also makes them a lower quality option regarding nutrition.

The Foods to Avoid

Unfortunately, the types of food you should avoid, are often the majority of the premade foods in your supermarket, including almost all of the drinks and sodas unless they are completely sugar-free. These processed foods are also the products that sell the most in local markets, this, however, does not mean they are the best choices. People simply do not have the knowledge to make healthy choices for themselves, so they focus on the foods that taste the best, which is often the sugary processed ones.

Some examples of processed foods to avoid are the following. Of course, there are much more than the ones below, but this should give you an idea:

Sodas
Potato chips
Crackers
Snack bars
Candy
Prepared soups
Frozen dinners/desserts

Boxed cereals
Bread
Spaghetti/Noodles
Prepared Pizza Sauces
Yogurts with added sugars
Hotdogs
Pancake mix

Sugar: The Worst Nutrient

We got a beef with sugar. Many people and even some athletes argue that sugar is still a good source of energy for working out, and yes it is true that it is a concentrated source of glucose which is adequate fuel for the body. However, long term high sugar consumption will wreck your insulin sensitivity, potentially causing all kinds of problems such as higher amounts of visceral fat (belly fat), blood sugar imbalances, low testosterone and eventually even diabetes. Sugar is no joke.

Once you give up sugar and stay away from it for awhile, your body’s metabolic processed will rebalance themselves, and you will find those blood sugar dips don’t come around anymore, as well as not needing to rely on a jolt of soda to give you that boost in daily energy.

All in all, an inability to being able to stop eating sugar is the same as any type of addiction and is so hard to stop because sugar disrupts normal energy function in your body and hijacks your reward system. You become dependent on it for energy and feeling good. The subject of sugar in the diet could cover a whole article in itself but let me leave you with one interesting study that might get you to think again before reaching for that candy bar. In a study done on rats, sugar was shown to be more addictive than cocaine.

What You Should Be Shopping For

To make whole food shopping easy in the supermarket, focus on the produce sections containing fresh meats, fresh vegetables and fruit, nuts, seeds and whole grains. There are some borderline processed foods though that are ok because they still maintain all their nutrition. Some good examples are peanut butter (which is also one of the best bodybuilding foods), applesauce, carrot juice, and oat flour.

In above examples the form of the foods has just been changed, the nutrition is still there. This goes in line with the idea of eating whole foods, just make sure that no extra sugar has been added to them. Our recommendation is to make products such as nut butter yourself to make sure you get good quality. All of the previously mentioned processed foods can all be done with just a blender and the raw ingredients in your home.

Examples of good whole foods based snack foods are:

Bananas
Apples
Grapes
Carrots
Cold cooked potatoes
Dried fruits
Nuts
Seeds
Boiled eggs

Frozen fruits and vegetables are generally ok in a whole foods based diet, however, keep in mind that the frozen products tend to be the cheapest and that also means they are using the lowest quality ingredients from the start. It is better to buy fresh to make sure you always get the highest quality foods you can possibly buy. Your body will thank you for it.

However, make sure your fresh produce is not too old, as soon as it is plucked from the soil or tree it starts to deteriorate. Local farmers markets are the absolute best places to go shopping for food since the produce is the freshest there. Another option is to look online for companies that deliver fresh organic produce and meat directly to your door by courier.

The following are some good examples of whole food stable foods. The idea is to combine at least 1 food from each group to form the basis of each meal:

Whole food sources of carbohydrate:
Brown rice
Quinoa
Potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Fruit

Whole food sources of protein:
Beans
Lentils
Fresh meats
Eggs

Whole food sources of healthy fats:
Olives
Avocados
Full-fat dairy (raw if possible), almond or cashew milk

Nuts
Seeds

Whole food sources of fiber:
Vegetables (emphasis on green salads)
Fruits

Pick and arrange the foods depending on the dietary macros you are currently aiming for. I like to keep carbohydrates restricted for cutting body fat and only used them as needed for exercise performance. Protein and healthy fats should form the majority of your calories unless you are looking to bulk, in which case you should add a source of carbs in each meal.

Another important aspect we have to address is organic and non-GMO:

Focus on Organic Labels

Organic foods tend to be more expensive since they involve the use of milder (organic) pesticides only, such as mineral based ones or caffeine. Organic grow operations also operate in a more renewable fashion that does not deplete the land and requires less energy. Also, animals raised organically to be sold as organic meat contains no artificial growth hormones or steroids. Not only is this better for the world as a whole, but also for your body.

Conventionally grown crops that are not organic are often sprayed full of strong chemical fertilizers that have adverse health effects in humans when consumed. In fact, many of them are potent anti-androgens and xenoestrogens, especially those growth-promoting hormones that are injected into conventionally raised meat. These types of compounds can give men low testosterone levels when consumed in excess, promoting estrogen dominance. If you’re an serious athlete, trust me when I say that low testosterone levels can spell the end to your career unless dealt with quickly. Also, organic farming ends up with a product that contains less toxic byproducts such as cadmium, which in the long run will keep you in better health.

Focus on Non-GMO Labels

GMO stands for genetically modified organism, which is basically when we humans have genetically engineered a type of crop in a laboratory to produce higher yields or to make them better at resisting certain diseases. The problem that arises is that we try to outsmart mother nature, which is proving to bring out new issues in these foods because consuming them can have side effects on your long term health.

The following are some examples of foods that have GMO versions being sold in the US:

• Corn
• Canola
• Soy
• Cotton
• Beets
• Papaya
• Alfalfa
• Zucchini
• Potatoes

Animal studies done on consumption of GMO foods has been shown to come with many serious health risks such as immune system imbalances, infertility, insulin resistance and accelerated aging.

Still, companies grow and sell these foods to you in the name of higher revenues, simply because it is hard to prove that eating these foods was the cause of you developing these issues many years later. GMO foods are banned in many other parts of the world such as Europe, which should be enough to make you think that this is indeed one serious issue. It is simply not worth the potential risks, so always go for non-GMO marked products.

Conclusion

All in all, remember these points next time you go shopping:

The sooner the plant goes from the soil/tree to your plate the better
Focus on whole foods that retain all their original nutrition without adding extra sugars, preservatives or oils.
Stick to organic and non-GMO
Avoid food groups that almost always contains added sugar such as sodas and other readily made drinks
Split and base your meals up into categories and pick one food from each group to form the basis of the meal, such as fresh meat, eggs & dairy, vegetables and combine with a natural carb source as needed for performance (wholegrain & fruits).
For quick snacks that are portable, focus on fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds. Or even better would be our MRE product which offers the wholesome nutrition of a full meal in the convenience of a liquid drink.

Bodybuilding nutrition does not have to be complicated, it is rather easy and most often our modern processed foods that make it hard. Remember, quality in everything is what brings out amazing results, this also applies to muscle mass. The legendary Vince Gironda always promoted good nutrition as being 85% of the work for building impressive muscle. Quality training and quality nutrition are critical to success.