The basic building block for muscle development is protein, but alas all protein is not created equal. Protein is made of amino acids. Amino acids are the basic building blocks of muscle. Therefore, protein is an essential ingredient for muscle building. You can't build muscle without it! You will want to take in about 1-2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight throughout the day. So an average person who weighs 150 lbs would want to consume between 150 and 300 grams of protein in a day.

One of the most popular proteins on the market today has been recently advanced! Providing the body with an abundance of high-quality protein and carbohydrates, as well as a wide array of vitamins, minerals, and other important micronutrients is vitally important to your efforts to build a better body. Unfortunately, in today's busy world, it's sometimes difficult, even for the most dedicated people, to find the time to shop for, prepare, and consume multiple meals, day in and day out, that contain all of the nutrients necessary to support their efforts to build better bodies.

The new formula Myoplex Precision Nutrition offers you a comprehensive, convenient, and economical tool you can use to help make sure your body has the nutrients it needs to build muscle and maintain energy. Myoplex provides 42 grams of a unique and proprietary blend of high-quality proteins, which includes ion-exchanged whey protein-perhaps the best protein available today. This unique formula also includes Cell Volumizing amino acids, L-glutamine and taurine, as well as an abundance of vitamins and minerals. Each serving of Myoplex also contains 24 grams of carbohydrates and only 2 grams of fat.

Myoplex was designed to support your efforts to build a better body when used along with an effective diet and exercise program. An added bonus is that Myoplex is pretty darn good tasting too.

The serving size is 1 packet (76 g) and each serving provides:

Mornings are usually tough for me so I drop a packet of Chocolate Myoplex into a blender along with a banana, water, ice, and a small scoop of all-natural peanut-butter. Myoplex blends up easily and makes for a creamy shake. I have been using Myoplex to support my muscle building efforts for two years now and have been extremely happy with the product. However the product is not just for gym buffs, I know mothers and fathers who use it just to make sure they are getting complete nutrients when they do not have time for a standard meal. I highly recommend the Myoplex protein formula.

ZMA is a scientifically designed anabolic mineral formula. It contains Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate plus Magnesium Aspartate and vitamin B-6. It is an all-natural product that has been clinically proven to significantly increase anabolic hormone levels and muscle strength in trained athletes.

Zinc and Magnesium are commonly depleted from your body. Studies have shown that supplementing with Zinc and Magnesium each day can elevate testosterone levels. Elevated testosterone levels can dramatically enhance muscle building efforts.

ZMA is an all-natural, nonsteroidal testosterone booster and it increases insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) for proven muscle strength increases during workouts. Increased muscle strength allows one to move more weight or move weights for longer periods of time. The increased work load on the muscle will cause the muscle to grow.

The most talked about study is the following. Lorrie Brilla, PhD, a sports performance researcher at Western Washington University, recently reported that ZMA significantly increased free testosterone levels and muscle strength in NCAA football players. These ZMA study results were presented by Dr. Brilla on June 2, 1999, at the 46th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Seattle, WA, and were published in the official ACSM journal, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Vol. 31, No. 5, May 1999.

Specifically, Brilla reported that "a group of competitive NCAA football players who took ZMA nightly during an eight-week spring training program had 2.5 times greater muscle strength gains than a placebo group. (250% better results!) Pre and post leg strength measurements were made using a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer." The strength of the ZMA group increased by 11.6% compared to only a 4.6% increase in the placebo group.

Basically, this means that if you went up 10 pounds on your bench press in eight weeks without ZMA, you WOULD have gone up 25 pounds in that same period if you had been taking ZMA.

Our staffer, an avid gym buff who works out at least 5 times a week with weights, decided to put ZMA to the test. Here is his review:

The serving size of ZMA is three capsules per day, I initially thought that the three capsules should be spaced out evenly throughout the day but the directions clearly indicate take three capsules (3 for men, 2 for women) on an empty-stomach 30-60 minutes before bedtime. Furthermore for best results it is indicated to avoid taking with dairy or other calcium containing food or supplements.

Within 2 weeks I noticed significant strength gains in 3 of my main problem exercises. I say 'problem' because I have hit a plateau or become stuck on maximum weights for a few months now. I had tried different combinations of exercises as well as a few different products but no success. That is until I began taking the ZMA.

After about two weeks I was able to increase my bench press, squat, and bicep curl past my aforementioned plateau levels. It has been a little over a month now and I have added even more gains to my weight training. I know if I continue with this regimen I will be able to add even more muscle as a result of the increased weight movement.

I would recommend this product to anyone who is looking to add a little kick to their muscle building workout program. ZMA may be just what you need to reach your own muscle building goals.

Creatine is one of the most popular and commonly used sports supplement available today. The basic process of how creatine works within the body is this; creatine increases ATP (energy source muscles use for power) availability which allows the body to move more weight and/or perform more reps. The increased work load stimulates the muscles to grow. Creatine should be taken post-workout.

What is Creatine?

Creatine is naturally found in meat, predominantly in red meats. Creatine is also made naturally within the body from the amino acids arginine, methionine, and glycine. Most adult males processes about 2 grams of creatine per day. This amount is replaced through dietary intake and creation within the body.

Creatine is used for the resynthesis of ATP, ATP is the "power" that drives muscular energetics. When a muscle is required to contract, the bonds in the ATP molecule are split, yielding ADP (adenosine-diphosphate). The energy released by breaking this bond powers the contraction of the muscle. When ATP is depleted within the cell, the cell can no longer contract. There are several methods by which the body rebuilds ATP. The fastest method, without oxygen, is through CP. Creatine phosphate is "split" to yield the phosphate portion of the molecule. This phosphate portion bonds to the ADP, turning it back to ATP. Once CP stores within the cell are depleted, the body must use other methods to replenish ATP.

Supplementation with creatine increases Cr and CP within the muscle, allowing further capacity to regenerate ATP. In other words, the creatine enhances the ability of the muscle to maintain power output during brief periods of high-intensity exercise. The periods are brief because the ability of a cell to store CP is limited, therefore the body will quickly move to other methods of replenishing ATP.

Is Creatine Supplementation Safe?

The majority of studies indicate that supplementation with creatine for prolonged periods of time using large doses are safe. One study concluded that supplementation from nine (9) weeks up to five (5) years did not adversely affect renal function . Yet another study examined muscle damage, hepatic (liver) and renal (kidney) function, and found no adverse effects from creatine supplementation.

There is potential cause for concern, however. The by-product of creatine use in the muscle is creatinine. Creatinine is typically harmless, and is flushed by the kidneys. When the kidneys are not functioning properly, however, any type of excess strain can cause problems. Creatinine levels are typically used to monitor kidney function, and creatine supplementation will raise these levels. A study done on animals with existing kidney problems showed that creatine supplementation aggravated and increased the acuteness of these conditions. Therefore, creatine supplementation may not be wise for individuals with renal disease or dysfunction.

The largest safety concern with creatine is most likely the quality of the product. Creatine is manufactured from sarcosine and cyanamide. During the production of creatine, contaminants such as dicyandiamide, dihydrotriazines, creatinine, and various ions are produced. Supplementation with large doses for prolonged periods of time with a product that has not been sufficiently screened for contaminants could be cause for concern. Finding a reputable company that provides quality creatine product is very important when considering creatine supplementation.

Is Creatine Supplementation For Everyone?

Creatine supplementation may not be effective for everyone. Due to the mechanisms by which creatine supplementation works, it may not be effective for endurance athletes to supplement with creatine. A significant percentage of the general population appears to have no response to creatine.

People on vegetarian diets seem to have a greater response to creatine, theoretically due to the lack of dietary creatine intake. From this, it can be inferred that individuals who consume large amounts of protein on a daily basis, especially red meat, will have a less significant response to creatine supplementation to the amount being ingested through typical dietary means.

Our Choice.

We chose EAS Phosphagen as our choice for a highly effective creatine supplement. The Phosphagen HP formula is based on university research to provide the most effective creatine transport mechanisms available. Basically optimizing the way creatine is pushed into the muscle. The recommended dose for Phospahgen HP is to four to five daily servings (depending on bodyweight) in divided doses with or between meals, for a total of five days. After this, a maintenance dose of one to two servings per day should be sufficient. Once again the most important time to take the Phosphagen serving is 1-hour after your weight training workout.

A study at Creighton University revealed Phosphagen HP produced a 30% greater increase in performance than regular creatine. It's impossible to say exactly how much size and muscle strength each person may get from using Phosphagen HP. As individuals differ, so will results; however, numerous athletes and fitness buffs have experienced extraordinary improvements in lean mass gains while using Phosphagen HP.