One supplement that’s all the rage right now are HCG products, be they drops, sprays,
or “Homeopathic” HCG supplements.
Do any of them act like real HCG a doctor would prescribe? I answer that question in this vid!
“Low T” or low testosterone is a common message seen on TV commercials and discussed on web forums, etc. Is it a legit problem or an invented syndrome to sell testosterone?
BTW, you’ll find a number of articles and other vids on the topic of testosterone, and HRT/TRT for men by searching the site here if interested in more detailed information.
How do you know if the supplements you are using are high quality? Using highest quality starting ingredients? Can you tell from the label?
I give some insight into the realities of the supplements YOU use!
If you’re following the health news, you know that vitamin D currently is in the media spotlight, and rightly so. Will Brink just did a great podcast “Vitamin D3 – scam or panacea?“, giving an overview on the importance vitamin D. In this article I will expand upon some key points taken up in the podcast, and back up the case with a solid reference list of recent studies on the topic. I will also present some revealing prevalence stats on vitamin D insufficiency, in order to convince you to get your blood levels checked to find out your vitamin D status.
Vitamin D is interesting for several reasons:
1. The role of vitamin D for health promotion has undergone a paradigm shift. While traditionally thought to only be important for development and maintenance of strong bones, an impressive body of scientific research has accumulated over the past decade, showing that adequate vitamin D levels are necessary to prevent many diseases, especially cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, endothelial dysfunction, diabetes (both type-1 and type-2), the metabolic syndrome, chronic inflammation, cancer, osteoporosis (including falls and fractures), muscle weakness, cognitive dysfunction and mental illness, autoimmune diseases (e.g. multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis), infectious diseases, as well as infertility and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes [1-24].
Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is associated with all-cause mortality [1], and supplementation has been shown to decrease mortality rates [25, 26]. It has been estimated that doubling vitamin D levels in the general population (from 21 ng/mL to 44 ng/mL) would reduce vitamin D-related disease mortality rate by 20%, and increase life expectancy with about 2 years [27].
2. Insufficient levels of vitamin D also have direct implications for fitness enthusiasts and athletic performance, due to the importance of vitamin D for muscle function (I will cover this in much more dept in an upcoming article) [28-39].
3. In contrast to other vitamins, vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is very common (more on that below).
4. The vitamin D requirement for health promotion and protection against the mentioned diseases and muscle dysfunction is much higher than the dietary recommendations (RDA) for bone health [4, 40-45].
Having heard about all the vitamin D benefits you might wonder what is the optimal vitamin D level? How low is too low and how high is too high? How much vitamin D does one have to consume to reap all the benefits? Let’s find out…
Vitamin D3 is now claimed as a cure for everything from cancer to heart disease to erectile dysfunction. What’s the truth?
What does the science actually say? How does one know the right dose for them? Can it raise testosterone? How much is too much and is it toxic at high doses?
Can it really help fight the major diseases of our society?
Learn the answers to those questions and many more in this show with Dr. Lopez and myself.
Listen to the show HERE
Note From Will: Folks, I didn’t write this article. Dr. Lopez did. It’s an excellent review of the recent negative findings on fish oil that’s creating confusion for people. I have gotten many emails asking to clarify the issue, but Dr. Lopez’s article does it so well, I asked his permission to use it on the BrinkZone. Enjoy! 
PS, Dr. Lopez will be a guest on BrinkZone Radio shortly to cover Vitamin D and other topics.
By Hector Lopez, MD, CSCS, FAAPMR
Recently, the media seems to have jumped all aboard the anti-fish oil bandwagon full stop.
A recent study published in September of 2012 [1] stated that perhaps fish oil is not that good, and the media is already foaming at the mouth ready to start the finger shaking, and even stating that “the proof is in.” But, is that really so?
In the meantime, here is the video from ABC News to watch to give you an idea.
I have been asked for my professional opinion on the recent attention drawn to the September 2012 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) by Rizos EC et al [1]. As you can imagine, the last couple of days have been very busy answering emails/calls from various stakeholders in the dietary supplement and omega-3 fish oil industries. The stakeholders range from friends and family to fellow scientists and colleagues, to high-level executives and principals of client companies. I have a few things to say about the manner (at times disingenuous) in which the meta-analysis has been misrepresented.
Multiple video segments from major media outlets have even quoted some of their experts as saying, “they would rather the public spend their money elsewhere as the proof is in with this study.” Perhaps the media would feel more at ease suggesting that the public consume another box of “whole-grain” yet low fiber, highly processed cereal, “natural fruit juice”, or better yet, “linoleate-rich vegetable oils full of omega-6 fatty acids” (hey they are polyunsaturated too, right)?
I don’t mind that the media shares their opinion, but at the very least, do what is possible to educate the very audience that they are obviously trying to persuade. I find it hard to believe the public would not be interested in some other material facts to allow consumers to make an informed decision, so here are my top 11 facts that the media ignored.
This show I cover whey protein. If you think you know whey… What makes
whey unique from ALL other proteins tested? What’s the major differences between isolates and concentrates you need to know? What about claims of “grass fed” whey being superior to others? How does whey impact your health?
That’s just tip of the iceberg of what I cover in this latest BrinkZone Radio show!
Listen to this show HERE
Getting older doesn’t automatically preclude you from learning how to lift weights and resigning yourself to a loss of strength and functionality.
I have been diagnosed as having Parkinson’s, scoliosis and rheumatoid arthritis which have caused loss of muscle strength. I believe a regime of regular exercise can significantly retard further muscle atrophy and help increase tone and strength. Sumi has been a great help to me in achieving my goals.” Al
The effects of age related muscle-wasting (sarcopenia) may be counteracted by resistance training (J Strength Cond Res. 2011 Feb;25(2):326-33.), and we’re not talking about the little pink dumbbells, either. Somewhere around 60% of a maximal effort weight and higher reps, and even using free weights (not JUST the machines). For more information on the causes, prevention, and treatment for sarcopenia, there’s an extensive article on the BrinkZone HERE if interested in additional information.
Older trainees in the gym normally stick with familiar cardio machines, but if you’ve ever seen Al in action, you might want to clear some space. Al’s been a client of mine for over half a year now, and in that time he’s seen some impressive gains in strength and coordination.
Which is important when you also have Parkinson’s. He’s also in his 70’s.
Although Al’s determined personality makes our work outs fairly intense, trainees with Parkinson’s can use resistance training pretty much like everyone else. And just like anyone else, he got stronger with a basic program for resistance training.
Learn the Facts on HIIT Training!
Brink Zone Radio – High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), overrated or the optimal form of exercise?
HIIT training has become very popular recently, but what is HIIT training? Who will benefit from it? What’s the difference between HIIT and interval training? Is it superior to aerobics? In this show we answer those and many other questions about HIIT training with researcher Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan.
Listen to this show HERE
Part 1 of 3 on the deleterious effects of too much sitting
Are you struggling to lose that extra flab and all those nasty calories that seem to be glued to your waistline? Do you ever wonder why, despite your hard training and dieting, you still have those annoying love handles? Then maybe you should try to implement the NEAT way to fat loss…
