The 4th of July fireworks – summer fun – sitting around the campfire – so many exciting things to do this summer season. But what about giving some “spark” to your muscles? Our muscles need to be engaged and supported on a regular basis. Did you know you have over 600 muscles in your body? And have you ever thought about what your muscles do?
Usually when someone is talking about “muscles” they think lifting weights, running, exercise, biceps, quads, abdominal “6-pack”, etc. But did you ever extend that thought process to blinking, chewing, talking, writing, digestion, blood pressure, breathing, HEART BEAT? All these functions involve muscles as well. So it’s important we provide necessary nutrients (as well as exercise) to keep this important system in the body as healthy as possible. Even the National Institutes of Health has publications promoting “Healthy Muscles Matter”. So where do you start?
https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/kids/healthy-muscles
Since muscles are made up of amino acids and we consume amino acids in our diets through protein consumption, it’s important to evaluate our daily protein requirements. In a Harvard publication it is recommended, as a general rule of thumb, that you consume approximately 7 grams of protein for every 20 pounds of body weight. This requirement would of course change depending on your exercise routine, but it’s a good place to start.
Protein sources in food are very abundant – chicken, fish, red meat, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains and even some fruits and vegetables have protein. However, there are times when we may want to supplement with additional amino acids to provide our body with what it needs to help support our healthy muscles.
Let’s look at a couple important amino acids, starting with glutamine.
This amino acid should be on everyone’s radar. L-Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body and yes, it is concentrated in muscle tissue but also is found in other parts of the body. Glutamine also supports the production of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant found in the body. Intense physical activity uses up some of the body’s glutamine reserves, so you can understand why supplementation post workout could be a beneficial addition to your supplement routine. Glutamine is considered a non-essential amino acid (the body can make it).
Glutamine can be found in beef, fish, chicken, dairy, some vegetables, miso, tofu, grains and legumes. There are also L-Glutamine supplements available. It is recommended to take glutamine (and other amino acids as well) on an empty stomach. Many people choose to take glutamine after working out to support muscle recovery. However, it’s important to select your glutamine supplement carefully, making sure it is of the highest quality.
The glutamine supplement ingredient AjiPure® is one of the best in the industry. It is a pharmaceutical grade amino acid that is tested for purity as per pharmaceutical standards. Biochem has a fantastic product that can provide that for you!
The Biochem Glutamine Pure is an excellent choice because it is an easy to mix, pharmaceutical grade powder that is KETO friendly, Vegan and contains no GMO’s.
Continuing to explore amino acids and supporting muscles, there is a group of essential (must be consumed) amino acids known as Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) that specifically support protein synthesis and muscle recovery. BCAA’s are the amino acids l-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, and L-Valine and these amino acids are 3 of the 9 amino acids that are considered “essential”. It is recommended if you are using a supplement that the BCAA’s have the ratio of 2:1:1 (L-Leucine:L-Isoleucine:L-Valine), which is the best to support utilization. Biochem’s BCAA supplement is KETO friendly, Vegan, mixes easily, tastes fantastic and has the recommended 2:1:1 ratio of those key amino acids.
We know that amino acids support lean muscles but there is a hormone, testosterone, that also plays a role in helping to maintain lean muscle mass. While declining levels of testosterone is a normal part of aging, many men may choose to incorporate a dietary supplement to support their testosterone levels.
It is always recommended to check with your Health Care Provider to see what your testosterone levels are before taking any supplementation.
If it’s decided that taking something to boost testosterone might be the right option for you, it’s important to choose a quality supplement. Biochem has a testosterone booster called TEST which contains a key ingredient, Testofen®, that is a clinically studied fenugreek extract shown to support an increase in free testosterone levels.
Supplementing with any or all three of these amazing Biochem products can provide key nutrients to take you to your #NextLevelLiving goals and “Fire Up” those muscles.
Testofen® is a registered trademark of Gencor
AjiPure ® is a registered trademark of Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ajinomoto Co., Inc.