Beta-Alanine is known as 3-aminopropanoic acid and is found naturally in poultry and beef. Supplementation with beta-alanine has been found to increase power output and performance on repeated exercise bouts.
There are case reports of beta-alanine causing minor skin irritation and tingling following ingestion. There are several theories put forth for the skin tingle, also know as paraesthesia. One theory states that the tingling is caused by beta-alanine binding to nerve receptors, exciting the nerves and causing them to fire off at random. Many of these nerves are situated just below the skin’s surface, resulting in a prickling/pins-and-needles sensation at certain skin locations. Another theory holds that beta-alanine is a nitric oxide potentiator. Upon ingestion, beta-alanine may augment the nitric oxide effect leading to accelerated vasodilation and blood surface to the skin.
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In a recent experimental study accepted for publication in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Dr. Burke and colleagues at the University of Regina and University of Saskatchewan showed that young adults consuming ENCHARGE 2-3 days per week for 6 weeks during heavy resistance training experience significant gains in biceps muscle size compared to placebo. Interestingly, males who ingested ENCHARGE experienced a greater gain in leg press maximum strength compared to females on ENCHARGE; possibly because males appear to respond more favorably to creatine because of reduced intramuscular creatine content allowing for accelerated creatine uptake with supplementation.
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Commerical energy drinks such as Red Bull have gained popularity among exercising individuals due to its purported effects on physical performance. You would be hard pressed to find a professional athlete or exercising individual who does not ingest some form of energy drink or supplement. The main active ingredient in energy drinks is caffeine. Caffeine is one of the most widely used ergogenic aids, with acute caffeine ingestion increasing aerobic exercise endurance and reducing fatigue. When consumed 60 minutes prior to exercise, caffeine is reported to increase aerobic exercise performance and decrease perceived exertion of exercise. Caffeine doses ≥ 2mg/kg of body weight appear effective; however recent research has shown that sugar-free energy drinks may not be all their hyped to be because they lack carbohydrates. The combination of caffeine and carbohydrates in regular energy drinks is crucial for athletic success.
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Creatine is a nitrogen-containing compound naturally produced in the body and/or consumed in the diet from red meat and seafood and derived from reactions involving the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine. Skeletal muscle creatine content is dependent on muscle fiber composition. Type II muscle fibers have high levels of free creatine (Cr) and phosphocreatine (PCr) which is needed to resynthesize adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and maintain adenosine triphosphate (ATP) during muscle contraction (i.e. PCr + ADP ATP + Cr). Intramuscular creatine stores range from 120-160 mmol/kg dry muscle with approximately 60% being PCr. Creatine supplementation increases intramuscular total creatine (i.e. Cr and PCr) and the increase in PCr may possibly allow one to train with a greater volume of resistance-exercise leading to muscle accretion. In addition to its primary role as a component of high-energy phosphate metabolism, creatine supplementation may increase muscle hypertrophy possibly through an increase in satellite cell activity, cellular hydration status, hormonal proliferation, myogenic transcription factors such as MRF-4 and myogenin or by reducing protein catabolism.
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