Supplement Q&A with All Star Health, Volume I
Supplement Questions & Answers, Round One
All Star Health is starting a new blog series in which we’ll answer any and all of your supplement/training questions, so fire away! Feel free to post a question at one of these three locations:
- Twitter: @AllStarHealth
- Facebook: All Star Health’s Fanpage
- Comment on this blog post
Q: “What are the differences between supplemental whey protein and protein from whole foods with respect to muscular reconstruction?”
A: Without going into too much detail, the main differences include the amino acid composition and absorption rate of the protein. You’ve probably heard that whey protein absorbs quite quickly relative to other proteins, which is true. Egg protein and casein protein (the other protein in milk besides whey) absorb much slower than whey, therefore making each protein ideal at specific times throughout the day. Every type of protein absorbs at different rates and has varying concentrations of amino acids, so it’s important to get as wide of a variety of proteins as possible from whole foods and then use protein supplements after this basic requirement is met. As far as muscular recovery goes, it’s more important to concentrate on total protein intake rather than the types of proteins. For example, it’s much better to consume 200 grams of mixed proteins from animal meats, whey supplements, eggs, fish, legumes, and nuts than it is to consume 150 grams of a touted “super protein” like egg whites all day long.
In my opinion, I’d aim to have a whey shake first thing in the morning and pre or post-workout. I’d have a casein shake at night so the protein is able to be absorbed while I’m sleeping and help increase nitrogen retention in muscle tissues, protein synthesis, and overall muscular recovery. Finally, I’d eat 30-50 grams of lean protein with each of my 4-6 meals throughout the day, such as protein from lean meats, fish, eggs and egg whites, organic whole milk, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and even fruits. Furthermore, the vitamin and phytonutrient benefits of these whole foods in addition to their protein content should not be overlooked. Here, balance and moderation are key.
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Q: “Can betaine increase my bench press?”
A: A better question is, “can betaine increase muscular strength and endurance?” It would be highly unusual for a non-injection product to increase only a certain area of performance. In other words, it’s highly unlikely that any supplement will increase your bench press but not your squat or tricep push down.
If you want to increase your bench press, you need to bench (SAID principle). I don’t think the addition of betaine will make much of a difference if you’re looking to strictly increase your bench. Sound pre and post workout nutrition as well as taking BCAAs intraworkout and creatine will boost your bench press more than anything.
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Q: What fish oil product offers the highest concentrations of EPA/DHA for the price?
A: Softgels: BodyStrong Fish Oil
Liquid: Carlson Norwegian Cod Liver Oil
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If anybody has any questions feel free to comment on this blog and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks for the great questions! 🙂