Top 6 Supplements for Gaining Muscle Mass
February 19, 2008

1. Fish Oil
Yes. Fish oil. You can be anabolic with enough Omega 3s. For example, I was once training a first-round pick for the NFL. He put on 29 lbs of lean body mass in one month once I jacked his fish oil intake to 45 grams a day. If you want to put muscle on and lose fat, take at least 30 grams of fish oil a day. Additional reasons for using fish oil include:
1. It reduces inflammation.
2. It improves insulin sensitivity: makes glucose and amino acids get better in your starved muscle cells.

Taking fish oil in a liquid form is the most economical way of doing it. But taking them every meal works best.  I always recommend a combination of liquid and capsules - Liquid for home meals, and capsules for away from home meals.

2. Paleo “Primal” Greens:
What? Ground veggies? Yes, indeed.
The more alkaline you are, the more anti-catabolic you are. Cortisol puts the body in an acidified status; Primal Greens alkalizes you and reverses that state in no time. A Primal Green drink with 40 BCAA tablets post-workout will put you immediately in an anabolic state. Primal Greens are rapidly becoming a staple recovery in the U.K. in both football and rugby circles. Some athletes like to alternate between Primal Reds and Primal Greens to get a broader base of micro-nutrients.

3. Whey Stronger:
This product is great for the following reasons:
1. It is low-heat processed. All of the important proteins like immunoglobulins are not denatured. It is the same proteins you would find in organic milk.
2. The milk comes from grass-fed cows. Therefore, it is rich in CLA, another well acknowledged anti-catabolic nutrient.
3. It is rich in BCAAs and glutamine, important anti-catabolic factors.
4. It is a better precursor for glutathione, therefore a more anti-oxidant protein. 

In order to maximize the benefits of Whey Stronger, use 0.25 g per pound of bodyweight, first thing in the morning with 1 tablespoon of glutamine. Use it again, 0.25 g per pound of bodyweight, post-workout.

4. Carbohydrate Powder:
My philosophy on any nutrient is that if you want the best results, get the best stuff.

There are a lot of carb powders out there to chose from but my favorite is unflavored Vitargo ultra-soluble powder. It reloads glycogen the fastest.

Vitargo is a better choice because of it leaves the stomach faster, delivering glucose more quickly to the blood, and potentiating insulin release to a greater extent, compared to maltodextrin or maltodextrin + simple sugars.

These three metabolic attributes translate into faster muscle glycogen repletion after intense workouts (or competition), and an increased ability to drive the transport of anabolic/anti-catabolic nutrients like branched chain amino acids, creatine, and even carnitine.

Carnitine does not accumulate or "load" in muscle unless accompanied by high insulin concentrations, explaining why virtually all carnitine studies have NOT shown increases in muscle carnitine after oral or even intravenous dosing in multi-gram doses.  Additionally, very recent research indicates that the exceptional potentiating effects of Vitargo on insulin release may  "switch off" muscle Protein Breakdown in human muscle. Together, Vitargo can speed recovery and muscle refueling, drive nutrient transport, and foster an environment in muscle that supports gains in lean mass, both as carbohydrate/glycogen and muscle proteins.

Vitargo is coming out with ready-to-drink bottles, which should make it convenient for those of you who are pressed for time when leaving the gym. Use 1 g per pound of bodyweight, mixed in with the Whey Stronger.

5. Multi-Intense or Uber Nutrients
A single nutrient deficiency can halt muscle growth altogether. After running countless Comprehensive Metabolic Profiles, it has become obvious that overcoming deficiencies has often blasted plateaus in strength and muscle mass gains. For example, many baseball pitchers and track throwers were shown to be deficient in taurine and magnesium, because of all of their high velocity throws. Restoring those two vital nutrients brought about immediate increases in performance in the gym. In order to maximize the benefits of this nutritional solution, take 2 tablets, 3 times a day, in the middle of meals. That regimen should cover your nutritional bases.

6. Post Workout Nutrition
No matter if you’re Superman or Soccer Mom, you will have to combat the Triple Threat Post-Workout Trauma that occurs after every exercise session – Aerobic Exercise & Weight Training!

The Triple Threat Post-Workout Trauma

1. Protein Breakdown is Increased. Protein Breakdown indicates that body tissues are being degraded. Increases in Protein Breakdown can lead to losses of muscle tissue and increase in fat. Remember, all body tissues, bones, skin, blood, enzymes and hormones are made of protein - yes the protein you are suppose to be eating.

2. Negative Muscle Protein Balance. - A Negative Protein Balance means the body is losing muscle not building muscle. Protein Synthesis (muscle building) – Protein Breakdown (muscle loss) = Muscle Protein Balance

3. Glycogen Stores are Low. Low glycogen stores mean that there’s less cellular energy for daily life and less energy for recovery and subsequent workouts.

What is the Importance of a Positive Protein Balance?
Protein Balance isn’t just about muscle. If the body remains in a Negative Protein Balance for too long, every cellular function can be negatively affected. Exercise Scientists have studied several parallels between the physiological effects of intense training and those seen in several illnesses. Many diseases cause a similar protein breakdown as scene in exercise that can lead to a Negative Protein Balance and a fast deterioration of the patient’s condition. Clinicians recognize the fact that a Negative Protein Balance seen in illness is a downward spiral that has to be stopped. So with proper nutrition and supplementation, they manage it. And that's exactly what endurance athletes and weight trainers need to do.

What Happens After Exercise? The Bad News
Immediately after aerobic “cardio” exercise the body makes a dramatic shift to a Negative Protein Balance. There is a large increase in Protein Breakdown (muscle loss) and a big decrease in Protein Synthesis (muscle building). Research has also shown that you can remain in a severe Negative Protein Balance for 8 hours or more after endurance exercise and possibly never climb into a Positive Protein Balance before your next exercise session. Say goodbye to the muscle.

Immediately after a strength workout, Protein Synthesis (building) either stays the same or slightly goes up but Protein Breakdown (muscle loss) goes way up. This will also lead to a Negative Protein Balance and a loss of muscle. The prognosis for weight trainers is a little better than our endurance friends because within a few hours Protein Synthesis (building) starts to climb and Protein Breakdown (muscle loss) starts to fall. Within 24 hours (dependant of nutrition, rest, stress, etc) the body will try and achieve a Positive Protein Balance where Protein Synthesis is greater than Protein Breakdown (MUSCLE GAINS).

A Failure to Rapidly Bring the Body Back Into Recovery Mode You Will Be Faced With

Prolonged muscle soreness and fatigue. Poor subsequent performances on the track, field, and/or in the gym. Symptoms of and or full-fledged staleness and overtraining. Minimal or no fat loss and muscle gains despite a well-designed training program. Losses of muscle mass and a secondary lowering of metabolic rate can occur A dramatic increase in injuries

Stop the Triple Threat Post Workout Trauma Dead In its Tracks
It is possible to completely avoid the Triple Threat Post-Workout Trauma by managing your post-workout period correctly. You don't have to lose any muscle. And not only that, if you know how, you can actually achieve and maintain a Positive Protein Balance within 1 hour after the workout. Did you get that? You can recover within 1 hour!

Stopping Protein Breakdown with Insulin
Scientists have known for a long time that the hormone insulin had a big impact on Muscle-Protein Balance, but they couldn’t figure out if it impacted Protein Synthesis or Protein Breakdown. Recently scientist have discovered that high blood levels of insulin increased Protein Synthesis by about 67% while not changing Protein Breakdown. They came to the conclusion that elevated levels of insulin post workout allows muscle breakdown to diminish quickly so Protein Synthesis can dominate and we can quickly get back to building muscle and losing fat. Insulin also causes vasodilation “vessels open up and transport more protein, carbs, amino acids blood and nutrients to the cells".

Consuming protein with carbs vs. carbs alone results in 103% higher insulin response"
This is why Gatorade is not on option here – No Protein in Gatorade

Post Workout Shake
Research has concluded that liquid nutrition is the only option here, liquid nutrition is more rapidly digested and absorbed, and nutrients are delivered faster to the muscles. A properly designed Post-Workout shake consumed within 10 minutes after a workout can dramatically decrease and/or eliminate any hormonal trauma caused by exercise.

Rapidly replenishing low glycogen stores in your muscles. Rapidly decreasing the muscle Protein Breakdown that occurs with exercise – no muscle loss Rapidly forcing further increases in muscle Protein Synthesis in weight trainers and/or restore muscle-Protein Synthesis in endurance athletes. Decrease muscle soreness and daily fatigue. Increase performance in the gym or track and decrease risk of injury.

How much Carbohydrates and Protein
Endurance and Aerobic Training – In the past endurance athletes have traditionally been encouraged to consume 1.2 g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight immediately after training/competition. In addition, they are encouraged to continue this supplementation every 2 hours up until 6 hours after their exercise bout. Recent evidence, however, indicates that the addition of protein to a carb drink can actually increase insulin levels higher than carbs alone There seems to be a synergistic insulin release with protein plus carbs. The current recommendations for endurance athletes have therefore changed to include protein. Eating every 2 hours is still recommended, but now endurance athletes are encouraged to consume 0.8 g of carbs per kg of bodyweight in combination with 0.4 g of protein / kg of bodyweight.

Weight Training –Weight training does not deplete glycogen stores as much as aerobic exercise so fewer total calories will be needed. We recommend a special blend of 0.6 -1.2 grams of carbohydrates per kg of LBM and 0.6 grams of protein / kg of LBM immediately after training. If you’re an athlete on a mass cycle than we would recommend 2 servings of the post workout drink, one immediately after training and another one 30-60 minutes later. Normal eating could be resumed 2-3 hours later.

No Carb Post Workout Shake – Poliquin Performance believes that every male athlete should be under 10% body fat and females under 14%. If your body fat levels are higher than 10 or 14 we suggest using a higher amount of glutamine and glycine and drop the carbs. Once your body fat hits below these markers you can follow the other protocols.

Poliquin’s Recommendations for Post Workout Nutrition

0.6 grams of whey protein isolate per kg of lean body mass 0 -1.2 grams of carbohydrates “Vitargo, dextrose, malto-dextrin or Natural fruit juice per kg of lean body mass 0.33 grams of glutamine per kg/bodyweight - 20 – 50 grams glutamine* 5-20 grams glycine – start with 5 and build up if you can’t tolerate 20 grams you have a weak liver- reduces cortisol Poliquin Triple Threat Post Workout shake – Clients with lower body fats Poliquin Whey Isolate mixed with glutamine and glycine for clients with body fats over 10 and 14%

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