Again one of those aforementioned words when it comes to muscle recovery is the word ‘Glutamine’ but what exactly is Glutamine? What are its benefits? And will it work for you? Let’s take a look…
What Is Glutamine?
Glutamine is the most common amino acid found in your muscles and is the major factor in how well we recover from an intense workout. The lower the Glutamine levels in your muscles, the slower it will be for your strength and stamina to return to common levels. Consuming a Glutamine supplement means you can get back to maximum training capacity quicker than you could through the natural Glutamine that your muscles produce, a quicker recovery period, a quicker turnaround, result!
Is It The Supplement For You?
If you’re gym goals are to maintain muscle mass during training then look no further than Glutamine. After you work out, the amount of Glutamine in the body decreases severely which can put your body into a ‘catabolic state’ this means that your body is breaking down its own muscle tissue which depletes the muscle, which in return means that it becomes more difficult to keep muscle mass!
Also, as you get older the natural Glutamine created by the body decreases, as this happens it takes longer for you to recover from your regular gym sessions, longer recovery is never a good thing! A helping hand from a Glutamine supplement will offer that reduced recovery period.
When Do You Consume Glutamine? And How Often?
Glutamine should be consumed once you have completed your gym session, this is when the natural Glutamine produced is at its lowest level and requires the heightened levels, and a simple 5g dose would be enough to feed the muscles. Any regular gym goer, whether you lift weights or burn your calories through cardio will enter ‘catabolic state’ through the evening whilst you sleep, so another 5g dose of Glutamine in the morning will help prepare you for the day ahead!
On average, you would want to consume between 10-15g of Glutamine on your work-out days, but it is also wise to remember that your diet can contribute greatly towards the intake of Glutamine. It’s always recommended to follow the guidelines set from the brand that you consume!
People always want to get the most out of the time that they spend exercising at the gym. Pre-Workout supplements are a great way to help you do exactly that! Lots of people take Pre-Workout before hitting the gym or heading out for a run, in hopes of increasing their energy levels, muscle power or endurance during their workouts.
Pre-Workout will usually contain a blend of ingredients ranging from caffeine to guarana to creatine. These ingredients will increase your blood flow, increase your heart rate and increase your focus. This modestly enhances performance in athletes and bodybuilders, and it will give them an edge by helping them push themselves to the limit.
CAFFEINE
Pre-Workout will give off a caffeine rush which can provide a physical boost before a workout. In a 2012 study, it was found that men who took caffeine supplements could deadlift, bench-press and do a lot of other heavy liftings at greater weights compared with men who did not take the caffeine supplements. Also, these studies showed that runners and rowers could increase their aerobic capacity with a dose of caffeine.
Don’t forget that too much caffeine can pose a health risk, however. Always read the label and never exceed the stated dosage.
CREATINE
Almost every type of Pre-Workout supplement contains creatine. Creatine can boost energy production in muscles cells and improve muscle performance. Trials have shown that college footballers who took creatine had less cramping and dehydration, as well as fewer injuries than players who didn’t take creatine. Also, a 2002 study of 20 athletes, found that creatine increased their body mass and gave them peak power during short sprints.
So if you’re a regular visitor to the gym, you’ve no doubt heard someone mention the words Creatine, Amino Acids or BCAA’s, so what exactly are these? Let’s take a simple look into some of the most used supplements on the market today.
There are a lot of questions asked about these supplements as like any others in today’s market you need to know what you’re putting into your body. Everyone’s body is different, we all react differently to what we ingest into our systems, it is important that you know what you can or can’t tolerate when it comes to taking gym supplements as side effects can cause illness.
CREATINE
Creatine is a substance that is found naturally in muscle cells. It helps your muscles produce energy during heavy lifting or high-intensity exercise. Taking creatine is very popular among athletes and bodybuilders in order to gain muscle, enhance strength and improve exercise performance.
About 95% of your body’s creatine is stored in muscles in the form of phosphocreatine. The other 5% is found in your brain, kidneys and liver. When you supplement, you increase your stores of phosphocreatine. This is a form of stored energy in the cells, as it helps your body produce more of a high-energy molecule called ATP. When you have more ATP, your body can perform better during exercise.
Creatine can improve health and athletic performance in several ways. In high-intensity exercise, its primary role is to increase the phosphocreatine stores in your muscles. The additional stores can then be used to produce more ATP, which is the key energy source for heavy lifting and high-intensity exercise.
AMINO ACIDS
Amino acids, often referred to as the building blocks of proteins, are compounds that play many critical roles in your body. They’re needed for vital processes like the building of proteins and synthesis of hormones and neurotransmitters.
Amino acids are organic compounds composed of nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, along with a variable side chain group. There are nine essential amino acids.
The three branched-chain essential amino acids are widely used to alleviate fatigue, improve athletic performance and stimulate muscle recovery after exercise. In a study in 16 resistance-trained athletes, branched-chain amino acid supplements improved performance and muscle recovery and decreased muscle soreness, compared to a placebo.
A recent review of eight studies found that supplementing with branched-chain amino acids was superior to rest in promoting muscle recovery and reducing soreness after exhaustive exercise.
BCAA’S
Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein. There are 20 amino acids that make up the proteins found in our bodies and in the food we eat. Our body can only make 11 of these amino acids which are grouped as non-essential because we don’t need to do anything to get them. This means that somehow, we need to get the other nine essential amino acids through our diet.
The main benefit of BCAAs are their positive effects on your muscles. It has been suggested that BCAAs, especially leucine, can increase muscle protein synthesis (the process your body goes through when it builds muscle mass) when paired with resistance training. This means that supplementing with BCAAs will help to turn on the muscle-building engine and increase your gains after a tough session at the gym.
BCAAs have also been shown to reduce your perceived muscle soreness after resistance training. This means walking will be easier after that dreaded leg day. This will also benefit you further as if you are less sore in the days after an intense workout, you are more likely to make it to your next session, take the stairs instead of the lift or go for a jog when otherwise you might have skipped it due to the pain.
· promote gains in muscle mass, especially when paired with resistance training.
· Reduce muscle mass loss when dieting.
· Reduce natural loss of muscle as we get older.
What are protein supplements?
Protein supplements are dietary supplements that contain a high percentage of protein. This protein is derived from a variety of different food sources. It’s comprised of multiple amino acids, the compounds of lean body tissue that promote healthy skin, hair, bones, fingernails and muscles.
What are the different types of Protein Supplements?
Whey, Soy, Casein, egg, hemp, rice, pea and weight gainer.
How do protein supplements differ to each other?
Proteins differ in their processing, source and their quality. Some are derived from animal produce such as diary products, some come from soy beans, rice and split peas. Quality of a protein is based on their amino acid (AA) content, digestibility speed, and bioavailability. These differences are important to understand how best to combine them with nutrition and training.
Is one protein supplement better than another?
Whey protein is argued to have the highest quality rating out of all protein supplements. This is because of its complete amino acid content (all 9-essential amino acids) and rapid digestibility. Since it is acid-soluble, it exits the stomach quickly resulting in a pronounced rise in blood AA, which is thought to be critical to the stimulation of Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) which is integral to the process of gaining muscle. Therefore, Whey is considered the best protein supplement.
However, each individual will have different goals and reasons for needing more protein in their diet, and alternative protein supplements may be more suitable. For example, vegetarians or vegans may opt for soy protein as it is not derived from animals.
How does a protein supplement help with decreasing muscle loss?
When dieting, exercising or just generally getting older, we lose muscle mass. When your body needs to work harder to function it looks for more sources of energy to balance its processes and repair itself. It uses the amino acids in protein to do this. Thus, we need a higher percentage of protein in our diet, which sometimes can be difficult to fit in on a daily basis. Adding on the go convenient supplements like Whey protein into your diet can help to reduce this loss, as they contain essential acids to keep you stronger and healthier for longer.
How do resistance training and protein supplements work together?
Resistance exercise alone stimulates MPS, but it also increases muscle protein breakdown (MPB). When eating/drinking protein following resistance exercise there is a synergistic effect of resistance exercise and protein, resulting in a greater increase in MPS than either element would produce alone.
Another thing to consider is the timing of protein intake following resistance exercise. Consuming a protein supplement during what is called the “anabolic window” 1 hour before or after resistance exercise is thought to be ideal for promoting muscle growth and strength gains.
So, if you’re looking to increase your muscle mass, or reduce muscle loss or keep a healthy body as you age, combine protein supplements like Whey with your existing diet.
After a strenuous workout the best supplement for years has always been a tasty protein shake. These delicious shakes are often supplemented with a protein bar to get extra sources of protein into your diet to aid recovery. However, in recent years more and more different proteins have launched with additional benefits. In recent years proteins have become more goal specific – this blog will discuss new types of protein and their additional benefits that will help you achieve your fitness goals.
Classic Protein
‘Classic Proteins’ are the most common and are typically made using the proteins found in Milk – Whey and Casein.
WHEY
Whether you are an elite athlete or just starting out at the gym whey protein will work great for you and is the most popular on the market.
There are three types of whey protein: whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate and hydrolysed whey. These have varying protein, lactose and fat contents and provide different health benefits. Standard whey protein concentrate is approximately 70-80% protein, with moderate fat and lactose levels. Whey protein isolate contains nearer 90%, with lower levels of lactose and fat (but also much lower levels of nutrients, too). Hydrolysed whey is absorbed faster than the other types, causing a sharp rise in insulin levels.
There are many benefits to taking whey protein supplements, the first being it helps to lose that stubborn fat but build muscle mass at the same time in order to maintain a healthy weight. By repairing the muscles that you tear during your workout it also will reduce the ‘morning after ache’ which will prevent you from making that your excuse to skip a day (we have all done that). Enjoying a whey shake as part of a balanced diet is also proven to reduce hunger as it helps us to feel fuller and therefore reduce temptation to snack.
When to Take: The best time to take your whey protein shake is immediately after that heavy training session so that the benefits can be put to work straight away, but you can also take whey can be consumed at any point during the day!
Product Suggestion: One of the best whey protein products on the market today is ‘Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey’ – it quite literally is the Gold Standard of whey protein Having been voted the best tasting protein in 2018. You can find the wide range of flavours and sizes right here.
CASEIN
Casein is the other protein found in milk. As like Whey Protein, Casein covers the same benefits the difference is that it is a slow releasing protein. Casein can take up to 6 hours to be ingested fully which means that it feeds your muscles slowly than when compared to Whey or Isolate which gives the muscles that full hit after training. In fact, the protein source found in Casein has been shown in research to release amino acids into your bloodstream for up to 8 hours after taking it.
When to Take: With it being a slow releasing protein, its best form of intake should be before bed to ensure a long, uninterrupted amount to get to work feeding and repairing muscles.
Product Suggestion: Regarded as the best, ‘MuscleTech Nitro Tech Casein Gold’s highly anabolic and anti-catabolic formula promotes a muscle building environment for longer periods of time. Check it out here.
Mass Gainers
The next type of protein is Mass Gainers. These are jam packed full of calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates and are ideal if you are taking protein for weight gain. Whilst the intake of protein may be less when compared to ‘Classic Protein’ a ‘Mass Gainer’ certainly makes up for that in added fats and carbohydrates helping you achieve that huge physique you are after.
A good mass gainer will contain between 500 to 1500 calories so if you are new to this type of protein then it is suggested that you start at the lower end and build yourself up to the ‘big shakes’. The benefits to using a mass gainer lies in its added ingredients, extra carbohydrates give you that added energy boost; the proteins help you achieve a leaner physique, which in return aids your muscle growth and recovery. This is simply a powder that gives you that overall nourishment when it comes to gains!
When to take: The main aim of a mass gainer is to increase your calorie intake and promote muscle growth. This means it can really be taken whenever you desire. If taken in the morning it will fuel your day and instantly boost your calorie intake before even leaving the house. It can also be taken post workout after you have burnt off large number of calories to ensure you are still in a ‘calorie surplus’.
Product Suggestion: When it comes to the lower calorie gains look no further than ‘Serious Gainz’. Does what it says on the tub with high carbs and protein per serving plus it is great value for money! You can find it here.
Also, ‘Serious Mass’ by Optimum Nutrition has a whopping 1250 calories per serving 250g of carbohydrates to fuel intense workouts. This great tasting protein is currently on special offer and can be found right here.
Diet Proteins
These proteins main aim is to help you lose weight. Often containing Whey Protein, they contain several known fat-loss ingredients to give your target of weight loss that extra boost. The benefits of whey protein, as discussed previously, with regards suppressing hunger and shifting stubborn fat, coupled with fat-loss ingredients such as green tea extract make these proteins ideal if your main aim is to lose weight. Some diet proteins are diet specific, for example the Keto Diet is extremely low carbs meaning that shakes have been designed specifically to keep your macros in line with your dietary requirements. Meal replacement proteins are also becoming more and more popular which are full of all the sustenance you would get from a healthy meal without any of the ‘bad bits’ and wasted calories.
When to take: The best time to take these shakes varies depending on your exercise output. Similarly, to the whey proteins though in the morning or post workout is best and obviously with meal replacement protein shakes enjoy it at the time of the meal you are replacing.
Product Suggestion: Regarded as the best diet whey on the market, ‘PhD Diet Whey’ contains a multitude of potential fat-loss ingredients which may assist with the building of fat-free muscle, without any bulking or excess calorie intake. It can also be used as a meal replacement shake too so it is ideal – grab it here.
Hopefully this article gives you a better understanding of what the different proteins are and how the majority all give out the same results added extras can make a wild difference in the outcome.
If you want to check out all our latest protein offers you can do by following the link here.
Products such as Rich Piana’s 5150 and Applied Nutrition ABE are all great pre-workouts. They provide much-needed energy to your body, enabling you to train harder and longer. But, how do you choose the best one?
What is Pre-Workout?
As implied with the name, pre-workout is something you take before you exercise. Most people use it to help them with endurance but also can help to build muscle and increase strength. Most pre-workouts contain the amino acid, beta-alanine which is most commonly used for pronounced effects on high-intensity performance.
Pre-workout usually comes as a powdered substance that you mix with water and drink around 30 mins before you plan to exercise. They typically contain different combinations of ingredients, popular one include: Citrulline Malate, Creatine Monohydrate, Taurine, B-Vitamins, Caffeine & Arginine. Which makes them a very easy alternative to taking several different supplements before you hit the gym.
What Does Pre-Workout Do?
Pre-workout is designed to give you more energy in the gym, that will combat effects such as fatigue and muscle breakdown. Pre-workout has three primary goals that will aid your training session.
1. INCREASE FOCUS
The brain is a muscle that tires like any other muscle in your body. If your brain is fatigued it will wander quite frequently during your training, meaning that you are not getting the maximum return for the time you are putting in at the gym. Pre-workouts stimulate the brain allowing you to stay in your rhythm and maximise your workout due to increased focus.
2. IMPROVE WORKOUT DURATION
Like your brain, your body’s muscles can fatigue and break down leaving you unable to complete the goals you set at the start of the workout. Pre-workout addresses this issue by giving you more energy in your muscles, furthering the duration of your workout.
3. IMPROVE POWER
As mentioned above, when your muscles fatigue and break down you are less inclined to continue your workout at that level. As well as the duration, the power of which you are working out will also be affected. High-quality pre-workouts give you an immediate power boost as soon as you have taken it giving you a bigger boost to lift heavier weights and perform at peak level.
Common Ingredients
The most common ingredient found in pre-workout shakes is caffeine. This is because caffeine can improve muscle power and endurance, without increasing how difficult the activity feels. Therefore, you are able to accomplish a lot more within your workout without feeling like you’re pushing yourself too hard.
B Vitamins, like Niacin and Vitamin B12, are also a common ingredient found in pre-workouts. These vitamins are key for increasing energy and metabolism. Some also contain Creatine Monohydrate, which increases performance in short-duration, high-intensity exercises. It also helps with lean gains, when taken consistently.
Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) are sometimes taken before a workout and can be found in some pre-workouts. They may be included as either a single ingredient or as individual Amino Acids. Amino acids can help to prevent muscle tissue damage and muscle breakdown. They can also help prevent fatigue, which will have a positive impact on performance.
NO2-boosters (Arginine, Citrulline) these essentially expand your veins and arteries, making it easier for blood to flow around your body, delivering nutrients quicker and more efficiently.
In some pre-workouts you may find Taurine (found in meats like Salmon & Beef) it’s a sulfonic acid, it makes the effect of caffeine less of a jolt and crash, it reduces the jitteriness, helping to keep you more effective and productive.
Some pre-workouts contain carbohydrates to top off your available energy stores. However, some are sugar-free and calorie-free. If you’re only planning on lifting, though, you probably don’t need the sugar.
How to Choose the Best Pre-Workout
Choosing the right pre-workout can be daunting, pre-workout is not a universal product for people who want to just increase muscle or participate in a high-intensity workout – but each pre-workout has its own benefits suited to your own goals.
BEST PRE-WORKOUT TO LOSE FAT
You should look for one where caffeine is one of the main ingredients. Research suggests that caffeine can speed up humans metabolism up to as much as 10%. Cobra Labs The Ripper is classed as a fat burner but contains a high amount of stimulants which means it can be used as a pre-workout as well.
BEST PRE-WORKOUT TO INCREASE STRENGTH
Choose a pre-workout that contains a creatine monohydrate like Optimum Nutrition’s pre-workout. This will help boost your production of the molecule Adenosine Triphosphate – which is needed for muscular energy during heavy workouts and can support the increase in muscle mass.
BEST PRE-WORKOUT TO INCREASE MUSCLE SIZE
you would want to go for something like Mr Hyde NitroX. It contains Nitric Oxide which is used by bodybuilders and it is used to regulate specific processes in the tissue. The most common nitric oxide is Citrulline Malate, so as long as it contains that, you are heading in the right direction.
BEST PRE-WORKOUT TO INCREASE ENDURANCE
It should contain a good amount of Beta-Alanine. Applied Nutrition ABE is a great fit for those wanting to increase the longevity of their work-out. Beta-Alanine has been shown to increase the amount of dipeptide carnosine into your muscles which reduces lactic acid which leads to a reduction of fatigue.
BEST PRE-WORKOUT TO INCREASE MOTIVATION
The pre-workout you choose should contain a high amount of caffeine. The way it increases motivation is by firstly stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, which then stimulates your cardiovascular system. It also increases the levels of dopamine, which will cause stimulation in the brain. The highest caffeine pre-workout that we sell is Rich Piana 5150 – it contains 400mg caffeine. This pre-workout gives you ‘scary focus’.
BEST ALL-ROUND PRE-WORKOUT
Redcon1 Total War is a great all-round pre-workout, not only does it give you extreme energy, but it also supports focus and muscle pump. Whilst not being high in something specific, Redcon1 Total War is great if you just want a great tasting pre-workout that does everything.
Final Warning: When taking pre-workout for the first time, or a different product, it is very important to assess your tolerance. Having too little will hinder your workout, but having too much will have negative effects and make you feel uncomfortable. Always read the label.
Everyone has a favourite protein powder, mine is Dymatize ISO 100 Chocolate Fudge Brownie, however, it might not be the best value. In this article, we’re going to look at different premium protein powders and discover which one is the best value for money.
The experiment
Using our own data, we’re going to look at the top 10 best selling protein powders in 2019 so far. From there, work out the price per 100g of protein per product. We’re only going to look at products that weigh between 1.8 kg and 2.2 kg, as they will all be priced similarly by the brand manufacturers. So, who provides the cheapest whey protein?
The results
We are going to be ranking the results by how much it costs per 100g of protein inside the containers. Without further ado, let’s get started and find out what the cheapest product is in terms of grams of protein.
10 – Mars Company Protein Powder 1.8 kg – £4.07 per 100g of protein
At number 10, it’s Mars Protein. It’s true, this protein powder has a brilliant taste that you can only associate with Mars – but at £4.07 per 100 g of protein. Mars is firmly in the relegation zone in this one.
Price: £48.99. Servings: 51, Price per Serving: £0.96, G of Protein per Serving: 23.6g, Price per 1 g of Protein: £0.0407, Price per 100g of Protein: £4.07.
9 – BSN Syntha-6 Edge 1.8 kg – £3.21 per 100g of protein
A surprising finish for BSN. However, it is a high-quality product and you know what they say: “high price means high-quality” and I think that is exactly the case here.
Price: £36.99. Servings: 48, Price per Serving: £0.77, G of Protein per Serving: 24g, Price per 1g of Protein: £0.0321, Price per 100g of Protein: £3.21.
8 – Dymatize ISO-100 2.2kg – £2.90 per 100g of protein
The only Whey Isolate on this list. Whey Isolate typically costs more than regular Whey Protein, thus why it has cemented an 8th place finish on this list. However, if you’re looking for a cost-effective isolate – this is the best value for money in terms of protein.
Price: £52.99. Servings: 73, Price per Serving: £0.73, G of Protein per Serving: 25g, Price per 1g of Protein: £0.0290, Price per 100g of Protein: £2.90.
7 – Musclepharm Combat Protein – £2.66 per 100g of protein
A favourite here at SS Healthfoods, the competitive price signifies that they are going into combat (sorry!).
Price: £35.95. Servings: 54, Price per Serving: £0.67, G of Protein per Serving: 25 g, Price per 1 g of Protein: £0.0266, Price per 100 G of Protein: £2.66.
6 – Dymatize Elite Whey 2.2 kg – £2.54 per 100g of protein
There’s a reason why Dymatize’s second entry on this list is called ‘Elite’. Elite in taste, performance and price – a great all-round protein for anyone.
Price: £39.99. Servings: 63, Price per Serving: £0.63, G of Protein per Serving: 25g, Price per 1g of Protein: £0.0254, Price per 100g of Protein: £2.54
5 – Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey 2.2 kg – £2.51 per 100g of protein
Voted the best tasting protein on the planet in 2018, surely you could forgive Optimum Nutrition for not being top of the list by just tasting their product – so delicious, you won’t regret it.
Price: £44.59. Servings: 74 Price per Serving: £0.60, G of Protein per Serving: 24g, Price per 1g of Protein: £0.0251, Price per 100g of Protein: £2.51
4 – USN 100% Premium Whey 2.2 kg – £2.36 per 100g protein
An underdog on this list just making it into those European places. USN 100% Premium Whey is a well-rounded protein powder and ranking third in the list is a very good value for money product based on the protein content.
Price: £37.99. Servings: 67, Price per Serving: £0.57, G of Protein per Serving: 24g, Price per 1g of Protein: £0.0236, Price per 100g of Protein: £2.36.
3 – PHD Diet Whey 2 kg – £2.21 per 100g of protein
You don’t have to have a doctorate to know that this is a very good deal. Low calorie and low-price of protein, you would be foolish to miss out. This weight-loss aid is a best seller both in-store and online.
Price: £29.95. Servings: 40, Price per Serving: £0.75, G of Protein per Serving: 34g, Price per 1g of Protein: £0.0221, Price per 100g of Protein: £2.21.
2 – Mutant Whey 2.2 kg – £2.09 per 100g protein
8 pence behind the winner, Mutant Whey should be proud of itself. At £2.09 per 100 g of protein, created by athletes for athletes to ensure the highest quality and flavour it makes Mutant fantastic value for money for you.
Price: £28.95. Servings: 63, Price per Serving: £0.46, G of Protein per Serving: 22g, Price per 1g of Protein: £0.0209, Price per 100g of Protein: £2.09.
And the winner is…
1 -Olimp Whey Protein Complex 2.2 kg – £2.01g per 100g protein
You could have 200g of this whey protein powder for less than 100g of Mars Protein. All whilst still being a high -quality product loved across the world, pure and simple protein.
Price: £33.99. Servings: 65, Price per Serving: £0.52, G of Protein per Serving: 26g, Price per 1g of Protein: £0.0201, Price per 100g of Protein: £2.01.
Well, there you have it. A list of our top selling protein powders ranked in order of price per 100 g of protein. We hope you enjoyed it. Why not read one of our other posts and check out our full range of protein powders and use this new knowledge to find a new favourite.
What should you look for when choosing the right protein snack or drink? The main factors when you’re choosing protein snacks should be the taste, amount of protein, sugar and carbs and the price. On average, most protein bars will contain around 20g of protein. You should also look at how much protein you are getting per calorie.
Should you be wary of calories and sugar in protein snacks? A lot of people look at protein snacks as being a healthy snack, compared to other, more obvious sugary foods. However, some of them can contain a higher amount of sugar and calories than you might expect. It’s also a good idea to try and find protein bars with a decent amount of fibre, as this will improve the digestive system and help promote weight loss, as well as having other health benefits.
Take a look at our guide to some of our favourite protein snacks and drinks.
1. Grenade Carb Killa Bars
£1.95 per 60g bar £18.49 for 12 bars
Grenade protein bars are one of the most popular snacks on the market at the moment and there’s a good reason for that. Their protein bars are delicious, whilst still containing a large amount of protein and a low amount of carbs and sugar. The Carb Killa Bars contain more than 23g of protein per bar and they are perfect for a post-workout pick me up, a mid-day treat or an on the go snack.
2. Fulfil Nutrition Vitamin and Protein Bars
£31.99 for 15 bars
Fulfil Vitamin & Protein bars are designed as a healthy, convenient snack that is full of vitamins and minerals. These high protein, high fibre and low sugar bars are the perfect snacks to help you reach your health and fitness goals. Whether your aims are losing weight, gaining muscle or maintaining a healthy balanced diet, fulfil will help you out. Each bar is packed with 20g of protein, less than 3g of sugar and 100% RDA of nine essential vitamins!
3. Quest Nutrition Protein Bar
£1.49 per 60g bar £14.99 for 12 bars
Quest Bars are the perfect nutrition bar if you want top quality protein but want to keep a low amount of carbohydrates in your diet. They’re still as tasty as a candy bar and still maintain all of the nutrients that you’d find in a carefully prepared meal. They are packed with fibre which helps to make you feel full and also helps with digestion.
4. PhD Smart Protein Shake
£1.49 330ml bottle
Smart Protein Shake is a deliciously indulgent and creamy low sugar drink that contains a huge 20g of protein and only 5.3g of carbs per shake. This Shake is the perfect high protein, macro-friendly snack for those looking to consume additional protein throughout the day. People who are active and have a busy, dynamic lifestyle need to live smarter, making high-quality nutrition choices throughout the day and between meals. Smart Protein Shake is a great solution to bridge the morning or afternoon gap between meals without having to compromise on taste and quality. Not only is this shake highly convenient for those who require Protein on-the-go, but it also offers a huge amount of versatility. Pour it over cereal, granola, oats or your favourite dessert as a higher protein, lower calorie and lower sugar alternative to milk.
5. Muscle Moose Mountain Chips
£1.20 per 23g bag
Muscle Moose Mountain Potato Chips were developed to complement your clean and lean diet. These tasty tortilla chips are your new snacking staple! In fact, they contain 5g of Protein. They are also suitable for vegetarians and contain no artificial additives or preservatives. Each pack is filled with crunchy, satisfying and delicious tortillas! Simply couple with a tasty and healthy dip for a quick, guilt-free bite, certain to keep your cravings and diet in check.
One of our best sellers here at SS Healthfoods is Alphaform Labs MK-Extreme, but what really is it? MK Extreme contains MK-677, which you might know as Ibutamoren or Nutrabo, which are known to act in a similar way to SARM’s, but what are they?
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, also known as SARMS, are generally marketed online as the safer alternative to anabolic steroids which science has linked to liver damage and prostate cancer. Ever since these claims, bodybuilders have been looking for a safer alternative to help boost muscle growth without the damaging side effects.
In an interview with coach.nine.com.au, Dr. Krissy Kendall of Edith Cowan University says “The idea of SARMS is that they mimic the effects of testosterone in the body, but unlike using synthetic testosterone or anabolic steroids, they are directly targeted at skeletal muscle”. However, there are many claims that they contain unapproved drugs and can affect the body in adverse ways long term. Dr Kendall goes on to state “There’s not any long-term safety data on SARMS… They’re marketed as a dietary supplement but they do not meet that definition”.
Does that mean that SARM’s are unsafe?
Whilst there are no long-term studies that prove definitively that the use of SARM’s are safe to use, it is uniquely designed to target bone tissue and muscle tissue. That means that the messages it sends to your body targets specific reactions, which is what the ‘S’ in SARM means. This targeting allows this product to do specific things, such as increasing bone density, promote GH secretion as well as enhance the look of your body.
However, it is important to note that a lot of the drugs in usual SARM’s are research drugs and you should always do your own research before using for a product you are not familiar with.
What are the top benefits of MK-677?
MK-677 does not work the same way as a SARM such as LGD-4033 and Ostrarine, but mimics the behaviours but they are not the same and act differently.
1 – Building muscle
A double-blind randomised controlled trial was conducted with 24 men with a BMI equal to obese. The men were observed over 2 months with MK-677 given as a treatment. After the two months, the results showed that the men’s health had improved with an increase in basal metabolic weight and an increase in lean muscle mass.
This shows why MK-677 is popular for its anabolic attribute, it enables the user to promote the gain of lean muscle that most athletes are after. However, these effects can only take place after Nutrobal is consumed. Whilst boosting IGF-1 levels, it also boosts the production of growth hormones.
2- Prevents muscle wasting
Muscle wasting is quite a problem for the elderly, another scientific test was carried out and the results of the experiment showed that it reversed protein loss and muscle wasting. Another test has shown that it prevents muscle loss as it reduced falls in elderly patients with hip fractures by increasing the muscle strength of the affected area.
3 – Increases bone density
Studies have shown the GH can have a positive effect on bone density by affecting bone turnover. In a double-blind randomised controlled trial. MK-677 was shown to increase bone turnover as they expected.
However, the interesting thing is that in order to see the positive effects of MK-677 on bone density, you will need to experience some negative effects as the process starts. Bone turnover begins to decrease at first before increasing, meaning the process can take up to 12 months before you see positive results.
Other benefits
Other key benefits that MK-677 gives to its user is that it promotes a healthy effect on sleep as well as maintaining and even increasing GH levels after puberty.
Possible side effects on MK-677
As aforementioned, MK-677 can reduce bone turnover at first before increasing it, so be aware of that side effect.
The main, noted side effects of MK-677 are muscle pain and increased appetite. Studies have shown however that participants had a reduced insulin sensitivity and higher fasting blood glucose. These results are the same results that people have shown when they have higher levels of growth hormones.
Remember…
Even though MK-677 is not a SARM, you should buy everything that mimics steroids from a trusted source that has verified sales and conduct your own research into every product you are going to buy.
Mass gaining supplements such as Optimum Nutrition’s Serious Mass, Mutant’s Mass and The Bulk Protein Company’s Serious Gainz are all popular amongst bodybuilders and are our top sellers in this field due to our fantastic prices and bundles.
High-quality mass-gainers offer optimum recovery from intense workouts, whilst also feeding your body with enough calories which will enable it to gain muscle. It is derived from a mix of protein, carbs and fats. The most common protein sources within the products are whey, casein and plant for vegans. If it is not a mass gainer you are after you can find our guide on the best value for money proteins here. The carbs in mass gainers usually come from Dextrose, Maltodextrin or Waxy Maize but the fat found in most mass gainers do not really have a standardised substance that goes in. In premium mass gainers, you can find a lot of BCAA, Creatine and Vitamins & Minerals in as brands look to make their products more well-rounded and versatile.
The Benefits of Using a Mass Gainer Instead of a Normal Whey
Help Build Muscle Faster
In 2013, the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition conducted a study into whether carbohydrates are needed to further stimulate muscle protein synthesis/hypertrophy following resistance based exercises. The panel found that “no further beneficial actions of carbohydrates, irrespective of GI, are evident concerning muscle hypertrophy when a protein supplement that maximally stimulates muscle protein synthesis is ingested”. This basically means that the introduction of carbohydrates into a whey protein shake would have not have a noticeable benefit on its user than just a normal shake.
But even with that in mind, mass gainers typically contain higher grams of protein per gram which would help increase the synthesis in its own respect. However, as previously mentioned, brands are now starting to make their mass-gainers more well-rounded so there is now a lot of creatine inside mass-gainers rather than the normal protein/carbohydrates combination. Another study that was conducted in 2007 by Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise found that when supplemented with creatine, protein and carbohydrates, mass-gainers become more effective than the traditional protein and carbohydrates combination.
When supplemented with the right diet and exercise program, the sheer number of calories found in mass-gainers feed the body in order to build muscle after an intense workout. However, a common misconception is that the body will just turn the number of calories left after exercise into muscle; but that is incorrect. Whilst there is a lot of calories, they are only the building blocks to help support your muscles grow to the size you desire.
Support Recovery and Improving Physical Performance
In order to increase muscle and muscle size, you need your body to always be in good shape to increase physical performance. When you are working out, you reduce your body’s stores of muscle glycogen (a form of carbohydrates your body uses for energy). Glycogen is used as the body’s primary source for energy, which is why if you go keto/reduce cabs you will lose energy. Increasing the rate of which your muscles glycogen is replenished after an intense workout will be extremely helpful for anyone looking to gain muscle as your glycogen level will effect on how well you are able to train at a consistently high level.
A study conducted in 2002 found that when you supplement protein and carbohydrates together, it led to an increase in the replenishment of muscle glycogen in the post-exercise recovery period more significantly than just a pure carbohydrate drink.
Improve Protein Balance
As everyone knows, the amount of protein you consume is important in any aspect in the recovery of the body or muscle growth. If you are looking to maintain muscle or increase it, you need to be synthesising enough protein. Exercise creates a negative protein balance in its user as you use up protein during exercise. This, therefore, may lead to slower muscle repair and muscle fatigue.
Traditionally, the best way to create a positive protein balance (more protein that you use) is to supplement exercise with protein powders/shakes. But the aforementioned paragraphs tell us that mass gainers contain a lot more protein than your average protein shake, making it ideal to keep a positive protein balance whilst still maintaining your body’s glycogen levels.
As with anything, consuming too much of something can be detrimental to your health. Mass gainers that contain creatine can cause gastrointestinal problems, however, this can be easily managed by managing your dosage – we’ll explain how to do this later. Whilst on the topic of creatine-infused mass gainers, not increasing your water intake whilst supplementing can cause cramping, which no-one wants.
As previously mentioned, the body does not magically turn the unused calories into muscle but instead can lead to an increase in body fat. Unless your body is burning more calories than you are consuming, the calories that are left will turn into adipose tissue (fat).
Managing your Dosage
Your protein intake should be between 1.1 g to 3.1 g of protein per kg of your body weight, if you are wanting a positive protein balance it should be in the upper region of this estimate. There is no upper limit on how much protein can be taken in one meal, so there are no disastrous consequences if you take more protein than needed.
With mass gainers it depends on your individual goals, too much and your body fat will increase, too little and you will not feed your muscles enough nutrients to grow. It’s always best to conduct your own research into your individual, tailored needs to help you get the best results.
With creatine, you should take around 0.3g per kg of your body weight, however, they can lead to the above side effects, so it might be the best to stop taking it for a while and then onto lower the dosage if you begin to experience cramps or gastrointestinal problems. Always be sure to read the ingredients to make sure you are not overdoing it.
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