Beta Nox

According to a massive amount of scientific research, supplement usage in the daily diet can make a positive difference in your weight training routine. With the right supplements, taken at the right time, workouts become more effective due to an ergogenic effect of essential supplemental fuel not easily obtained in the diet. Although supplement companies claim that their featured product is “like no other product available” the main ingredients included in most mass gaining products are hardly unlike the next product. Therefore, with a never ending realm of scientific research to support the claims for data, it is almost impossible to pick and choose the best product for your workout routine.

For example, you are on the hunt for a supplement to build muscle mass. As a supplement aficionado, it is assumed that you would look for lactate buffers, vasodilators and performance boosters on the labels of your potential products. Unfortunately, it would take you all day to find the best product for anabolic gains, in terms of cost, effectiveness and supported research.

Demonstrating immense performance gains, in conjunction with noticeable changes in body composition, the ideal supplement should counter the pain brought on by stressing the muscles during lifting. Due to the build up of hydrogen ions, which result during high-intensity, anaerobic exercise, lactic acid is the number one culprit to failing a set, when attempting to gain strength during exercise. As much you dig deep for one or two more repetitions, once you feel the burn, it is almost impossible to mentally and physically work through the build up of lactic acid.

During resistance training (or any form of explosive, quick, high-intensity exercise) glycolysis takes place in an effort to break down stored muscle glycogen into glucose. During this process, pyruvic acid is formed and energy is released in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). If the exercise were aerobic, pyruvic acid would enter the mitochondria and produce more ATP. However, due to the lack of oxygen during anaerobic activities, pyruvic acid is turned into lactic acid due to an accumulation of hydrogen ions. It isn’t until sufficient oxygen is available that the unwanted lactic acid can be reconverted into glucose and used for energy. Because lactic acid will occur during any continuous, intense, anaerobic activity the solution to tolerate the acidity of the cells is to train, train and train some more.

When arduous training is already time-consuming and exhaustive, it would be wise to supplement with a product which provides the right fuel to surpass the threshold of lactate accumulation and ultimately foster an increase in strength. Among the most valued products on the market, only a serious lifter would search for a product which buffers lactic acid in addition to increasing blood flow to the muscles. In the past few years, several ground breaking studies have produced valuable research in the sport of building muscle by studying the effects of beta alanine supplementation.

During resistance exercise, concentrations of muscle carnosine increase to contribute to the buffering of hydrogen ions. Although carnosine can be augmented through training, beta alanine supplementation can further increase the concentration of skeletal muscle carnosine to significant levels. In a 2007 study by Derave et al., researchers studied the effects of beta alanine supplementation on muscle carnosine concentration in trained sprinters1. Based on results, beta-alanine supplementation increased muscle carnosine concentration and significantly attenuated fatigue during repeated bouts of exercise. Because beta-alanine is the rate-limiting precursor of carnosine, a product which elevates carnosine levels in skeletal muscle would nonetheless encourage massive strength gains in resistance training individuals.

Similarly, Hoffman et al. studied the influence of 10 weeks of beta-alanine supplementation on high intensity cycling capacity2. After only 4 weeks of supplementation, beta-alanine significantly increased the concentration of muscle carnosine in type 1 and IIa fibers. In addition, subjects significantly increased max power at 4 and 10 weeks of supplementation due to an increase in muscle carnosine content, thus resulting in an increase in the capacity to buffer hydrogen ions.

Although beta-alanine supplementation by itself would provide anabolic gains, nitric oxide supplementation, which influences the size of the blood vessels during exercise, is another effective supplement to help you reach your training goals. Succeeding supplementation with NO2 (nitric oxide) during exercise, blood vessels dilate and an additional amount of blood is sent to working muscles. In addition, NO2 encourages oxygen delivery and the uptake of glucose in order to increase power, muscle growth and power. However, Beta Nox contains an ingredient far beyond basic nitric oxide supplementation. As the other primary ingredient in Beta Nox, arginine aplpha-ketoglutarate improves the absorption of arginine. As an amino acid, which is also a precursor to glutamine, arginine increases nitric oxide production and a result blood vessels dilate and an incredible rush of blood to the muscles promotes an extra surge of energy. Similarly, the caffeine in Beta Nox will encourages enhanced muscle activation and an improved physiological response during training. In addition to metabolizing fat for fuel, caffeine acts as a central nervous system stimulant to increase the release of adrenaline and boost the metabolism.

Obviously, no supplement product is beneficial if you do not spend the time to place stress on the muscles. However, with the right strength training routine and the right products, workouts become more effective. And due to more energy and more power during training, Beta Nox will help you achieve that body you’ve always wanted.

1. Derave, W., Ozdemir, M.S., Harris, R.C., Pottier, A., Reyngoudt, H., Koppo, K., Wise, J.A. and Achten E. Beta-alanine supplementation augments muscle carnosine content and attenuates fatigue during repeated isokinetic contraction bouts in trained sprinters. J Appl Physiol. Nov. 103(5); 1736-43, 2007.

2. Hill, C.A., Harris, R.C., Kim, H.J., Harris, B.D., Sale C., Boobis, L.H., Kim, C.K. and Wise, J.A. Influence of beta-alanine supplementation on skeletal muscle carnosine concentrations and high intensity cycling capacity. Amino Acids. Feb. 32(2); 225-33, 2007.

Marni holds a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology and is a Certified Sports Nutritionist. Marni is a Level-1 Coach and is currently pursuing a Registered Dietician Degree. As a Hammer and Zoot sponsored athlete, Marni recently completed the 2007 Ford Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and also qualified for the 2007 Ford Ironman World Championship 70.3. In addition to public speaking, Marni has several published articles including articles in Hammer Endurance News, Triathlete Magazine and she also writes the nutrition articles for IronGirl.com and BeginnerTriathlete.com. Any questions, Email mrakes1@hotmail.com or visit www.trimarni.com