Product Line:

Pro-GF Anabolic

New Osmotic Stimulant Goes Beyond Creatine

Planet Muscle (March - April 2003)

By Brian Batcheldor

The Creation of a World's Strongest Natural Anabolic Cocktail, The Pro-GF Osmotic Anabolic Stimulant.

The advantages of creatine supplementation are well established, e.g. increased strength, power, muscle vol. and decreased fatigue. However, in terms of competitive advantage, since everyone has had the equal opportunity to use creatine, the search for the next powerful agent has been ongoing.

The promotion of creatine-sugar combination products, (based on the work of Paul Greenhaff) was misguided. These products typically involved huge quantities (75-100 grams) of glucose in an effort to enlist insulin as a creatine transfer and disposal agent. In addition, there was an effort to enlist alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) to improve glucose transport. However, any gains in body weight were, at best, temporary.

In Greenhaff's 1996 study, the influence of insulin on creatine disposal diminished within 24 hours. By around 48 hours, there were zero advantages of the high sugar protocol in creatine retention. A follow up study by Greenhaff in 2000 revealed the same effect could be achieved when creatine is consumed with a blend of approximately 50 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbohydrate.

Research shows that for ALA to exert a positive influence on glucose transport in skeletal muscle, 10 times the dose found in most creatine/glucose/ALA products (i.e. between 11/2 and 3 grams) may be required! Exercise improves insulin sensitivity to a much greater degree than ALA does.

Pronounced and repetitive insulin spikes (creatine) increase glucose taken into fat cells increasing body fat and fluid retention. When compared with straight creatine monohydrate supplementation, expensive product add-ons don't offer any advantage.

CREATINE-PRODUCT COMBOS

While creatine combinations with glutamine, HMB creatine and arginine (in the HIV population-synergy fusion) have surpassed the single effect of creatine, other combinations have failed. One recent study on bodybuilders with ribose for example, concluded that even 10 grams per day yielded essentially nothing.

The late Ed Burke, Ph.D., who was an exercise physiologist at the University of Colorado, was the author of the book, D-Ribose: What You Need to Know [Avery, 1999]. He probably conducted more research on the practical use of ribose with athletes than anyone. He suggested that 35-grams pre and post workout might produce some beneficial effect. I'm not denouncing ribose. Instead, what I'm saying is that there may be an efficacious dose, but no product on the market comes remotely close to being an efficacious dose. Ribose costs about $120 per kilogram!

Liquid creatine (or should I say creatinine products) have been a bust. Some time ago, Roger Harris, Ph.D. of Chichester University, blew the whistle on liquid creatine. He revealed how quickly creatine degrades to creatinine. He stated that most liquid creatine products are not stabilized and actually contain no creatine at all (despite dispensing the product in pharmaceutical-type bottles with labels claiming they have ATP in them).

Besides, it's easy to boost creatine levels merely by consuming regular creatine monohydrate in water. Creatine salts, creatine precursors and insulin mimetics offer no proven advantage. The single most important factor about creatine is the quality of the material used. Sodium is found in very large quantities in some cheap brands and this accounts for excessive fluid retention.

Long before creatine monohydrate, creatine phosphate drips such as Neoton were a closely guarded secret amongst eastern European throwers and strength athletes. I was introduced to Neoton, as an Italian cardiac medication years ago. To elevate creatine levels to the same extent using oral creatine (as Neoton would), athletes would have to resort to conventional loading protocols, which can result in too much fluid retention to make weight without negatively affecting performance. However, we soon found that, where bodyweight wasn't an issue, i.v. creatine offered no other advantages over regular oral supplementation. But - how will today's creatine formulas boost explosiveness, increase relative strength or improve muscularity if they make you hold more water than the Hoover Dam?

A NEXT GENERATION OF MUSCLE BUILDERS

Early in 2002, I contacted Phil Connolly, of a company known as Commercial Protein Corporation. Phil Connolly, without a doubt, is the most knowledgeable person in the world in the protein business. And in fact, he once supplied Scott Connelly, M.D., (no relation, spelled differently) with some of the original MET-Rx protein constituents. Phil's know-how and high quality materials have been the winning formula behind the most successful MRPs and protein products in the industry. His group has the only real quality micellar caseins in the world. Currently, Phil is the engineering brain behind the CNP Professional line, rated as one of the top 3-4 proteins ever developed.

In fact, Planet Muscle has been the only independent entity that has accurately ranked the Yates' protein near the top (long before they advertised anywhere). There's a reason why. This is the only true undenatured micellar casein protein in the world, the choice of a growing number of Olympic athletes.

GLUTAMINE

The muscle power of Glutamine is etched in stone. This amino acid, the most abundant in muscle tissue (over 50% of the total amino acid pool), is a powerful anabolic and anticatabolic. Glutamine boosts anabolism by helping maintain protein balance and increasing protein synthesis while putting the brakes on protein degradation. It increases testosterone secretion and its anticatabolic activity decreases muscle breakdown during metabolic acidosis. This is a catabolic condition common to overtrained athletes or those on excessively high protein diets supplemented with inefficient sources, (e.g. whey-only protein powders).

In one study, glutamine supplementation was even demonstrated to prevent glucocorticoid- (dexamethasone-) induced muscle atrophy, illustrating that this amino acid is a worthwhile addition to the arsenal of any athlete intending to give cortisol a serious ass kicking!

Glutamine concentrations and synthesis are decreased by illness, high intensity exercise and, believe it or not, the use of growth hormone. Under some catabolic conditions, glutamine levels drop by as much as 50%. To make matters worse, it's also largely utilized by the gut and snapped up by the liver for glucose formation (gluconeogenesis).

Timing and source are important too. The few negative studies that found little influence of supplemental glutamine on skeletal muscle levels studied only L-glutamine. Other studies have indicated that peptide-bonded glutamine has higher bioavailability than its free-form counterpart; therefore it makes good sense to use only this form in any glutamine/creatine combination, particularly with creatine and L-glutamine absorption mixing.

GLYCINE, CYSTEINE, NAC, TAURINE

Antioxidants play a major role in protecting your muscles from the oxidative damage in heavy exercise. Along with Glycine and Cysteine, glutamine is also one of the three precursor amino acids necessary for the manufacture of glutathione, the human body's natural, anabolic antioxidant. Various causes of muscular injury, including excessive accumulation of scar tissue, can be directly linked to compromised glutathione. If you've ever blown off a pec or had a bicep recoil up your arm like a roller blind, then this ought to be ringing alarm bells by now, particularly if you're a steroid user. Oral anabolic steroids are known to dramatically deplete hepatic glutathione, thereby exposing the user to greatly increased risk of liver and cardiovascular damage.

The anabolic/anticatabolic response to glutathione elevation has prompted research with cysteine and other sulfur-containing amino acids (e.g. taurine, N-acetyl cysteine) as frontline therapy in the prevention of HIV, cancer and space flight-induced muscle wasting.

Cysteine is a key regulator of muscle cell mass, while taurine plays a vital part in osmoregulation. Because cysteine is less stable and readily oxidized, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is the ideal form for oral use. Recent studies have also indicated that NAC improves exercise performance.

LEUCINE

Leucine supplementation has been shown many times to improve physical and mental performance. Even during calorific restriction, branched-chain amino acids (containing 76% leucine) cause significant loss in bodyfat while preventing any drop in performance. The oxidation of leucine is much higher than that of the other two amino acids (isoleucine and valine). In fact, like glutamine, leucine levels can drop by as much as 30% during intensive training. Finland researchers emphasize leucine supplementation.

Finland is the king of strength athletes. With a population of only around 5 million, Finland has had more 900-lb. deadlifters, World Strongest Man competitors and World Powerlifting champions than you can shake a stick at. Studies have been carried out by Komi and Mero, perhaps, the top two experts in the world on the biochemical aspects of strength training. They have established that strength athletes have an increased demand for leucine and that leucine supplementation increases testosterone and growth hormone.

The authors further discussed the established activity of the leucine metabolite HMB, indicating that this may explain much of the influence on anabolism. However, another leucine metabolite, ketoisocaproate (KIC), has potent anticatabolic properties, while leucine itself is known to strongly stimulate protein synthesis.

Therefore, it makes sense to use leucine following the dosage guidelines by the relevant research.

ARGININE

Arginine modulates stress response to injury, illness and exercise. Arginine is therapeutic for burn victims, AIDS patients and catabolism. As with the preceding amino acids, arginine is rapidly depleted under conditions such as high intensity exercise. Arginine also enhances immune function and is an ammonia scavenger, - effectively removing this harmful by-product of protein that would otherwise lead to catabolism.

Aside from averting catabolism, arginine potentiates anabolism by elevating creatine phosphate and nitric oxide. Elevated nitric oxide leads to an up-regulated protein synthesis response to IGF-1.

Increased muscle levels of nitric oxide and an improved glucose uptake will mean better blood flow and a dramatically improved pump (total growth).

THIS IS POWERFUL!

This amino acid cocktail would be the base for the product that I was looking for, i.e. creatine, glutamine peptides, glycine, taurine, NAC, leucine and arginine. B6 is added to boost carnitine levels, a vital anabolic compound.

Both Phil and I were aware that research already existed on similar combinations of the previously mentioned compounds, all of which had demonstrated a high degree of success in dealing with the extreme muscle wasting associated with various pathological states. These combinations had not only cushioned the impact of such conditions, they had actually managed to reverse the damage and even increase lean body mass.

The sulphur-containing amino acids (NAC and taurine) allow the formula to directly tackle specific catabolic pathways, e.g. those involved in post-steroid muscle loss.

We also decided to add buffering agents to this blend, to improve performance by averting metabolic acidosis, a condition briefly mentioned when covering glutamine. High intensity exercise will result in a build up of lactic acid. The drop in pH will cause an impaired generation of ATP, negative nitrogen balance and lower IGF-1 and thyroid hormone levels, eventually leading to a loss of strength and more rapid onset of fatigue. Buffering agents combat metabolic acidosis, delay fatigue, improve recovery and sustain an anabolic environment.

The ability of amino acids like leucine to stimulate protein synthesis is enhanced by the addition of insulin, so YOU MUST ADD dextrose. Osmosis plays a part in protein metabolism, protein synthesis and breakdown and depends upon hydration. Increased cell hydration is central to amino acid protein synthesis, particularly glutamine. In simple terms, if you increase muscle cell volume, there is a powerful and sustained anabolic surge. Through the combination of this amino acid blend with improved osmoregulation, the formula pushed all the right buttons!

We termed the product "an Osmotic Anabolic Stimulant", because that's exactly what it is. Nothing could have prepared us for what the results and feedback have been! In short, the Osmotic Anabolic Stimulant is astounding:

Like all the athletes, Andy became more explosive and got faster recovery while avoiding over-training. This product is exploding in popularity. Dorian Yates has arranged for it to be used at England's infamous Temple Gym and is promoting it in the States. Its use is spreading like wildfire and Mr. Olympia competitors are beginning to knock at the door.

On receiving six times Mr. Olympia's approval (the bodybuilder with the greatest muscle density ever), the formula was promptly absorbed into the CNP Professional line (Pro-GF, Osmotic Anabolic Stimulant). Our experiments are now an integral part of pre-competition strategies of most of the world's best bodybuilders and athletes.

Recognized as Britain's' top strength coach, Brian Batcheldor has guided Olympic athletes, World Strongest Man competitors, World Powerlifting champions and pro-bodybuilders. Brian is an expert in the field of ergogenesis. He has also been the man behind some of the more innovative additions to the supplement industry. Brian has written for various magazines and lectured around the world. Brian Batcheldor is available for personal consultations and can be reached at www.qfac.com.

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