Josh Perez Fitness

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule that acts in many tissues to regulate a diverse range of physiological and cellular processes. It’s role was first discovered by several groups who were attempting to identify the agent responsible for promoting blood vessel relaxation and regulating vascular tone.

This agent was termed endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), and was initially assumed to be a protein like most other signaling molecules. The discovery that EDRF was in fact nitric oxide – a highly reactive gas – has led to an explosion of interest in this field, resulted in over 60,000 papers published in the last ten years and won the Nobel prize in 1998.

Nitric oxide has now been demonstrated to play a role in a variety of biological processes including neurotransmission, immune defense, the regulation of cell death and cell motility.

Wondering if nitric oxide supplements will benefit you? Here are 5 reasons to take a nitric oxide supplement:

Nitric Oxide Provides An Energy Boost

To gain muscle you must train hard. Intense training sessions require an abundance of energy, yet we all have our days where we feel fatigued either prior to, or during our workouts. If fatigue is an issue, a nitric oxide supplement can help you.

Nitric oxide helps to deliver oxygen to hard working muscles. Because of this, you will not only be able to train deeper into sets, but also deeper into grueling workouts. Nitric oxide allows you to train longer and stronger, and in this sense, works as an energy booster.

Nitric Oxide Helps To Burn Fat

Everyone wants to keep bodyfat levels to a minimum. Whether you are trying to cut fat and hold on to muscle, or build muscle while minimizing fat gain, you want to keep your metabolism running as fast as possible. A nitric oxide supplement will help you in the battle against fat.

Not only does nitric oxide give you an energy boost, helping you to train longer and more effectively, but it also encourages the body to burn body fat as fuel. A study in the American Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism revealed that 9 subjects supplementing with L-arginine (a nitric oxide precursor) had more glycerol and an increased concentration level of nonesterified fatty acids. These factors indicate a potential to burn more fat.

Nitric Oxide Helps You Recover Faster

Proper recovery is key to building muscle and maximizing athletic performance. When it comes to recovery, you will want all the help you can get. Life doesn’t always cooperate; stress and lack of proper sleep can impact how fast you bounce back during and after a workout.

Nitric oxide improves blood and oxygen flow to the muscles, allowing faster delivery of muscle repairing and fatigue reducing nutrients. Cells will be able to get what they want, when they need it. A nitric oxide supplement will assist you in bouncing back, and prep you for the next workout to come.

Nitric Oxide Pumps You Up!

There is nothing better then feeling jacked in the gym. You hammer out set after set, blasting a muscle beyond fatigue and into the growth zone. Yet many times, it’s hard to tell if the muscle group you are targeting is getting properly hit.

A nitric oxide supplement pumps you up! Nitric oxide contributes to mind blowing muscle pumps, providing confidence that you are properly blasting a muscle. Your muscles will feel full, swole, and ready to burst, motivating you to train harder and longer.

Nitric Oxide Helps You Gain Muscle

Think about this for a moment…if you are able to train longer, stronger, with more energy and motivation, and more focused, what will the result be? The answer is obvious! Faster gains.

Nitric oxide supplementation will directly (and indirectly) lead to increases in muscle mass and strength. Because you are able to train longer, you will train stronger. Because you are able to punish your body with greater weight and intensity, the result will be faster gains.

Conclusion

Nitric oxide products are some of the most popular supplements in the muscle and strength building industry. Why? Because they work, and work well. If you haven’t tried a nitric oxide supplement, now’s the time! It is recommended that you try several different products to see which is best for you.

Here are some of the best selling nitric oxide supplements currently on the market:

• Jacked
• NO Shotgun
• NO Xplode
• SuperPump 250
• Black Powder
• White Flood

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The role and goal of this energy system is to maintain optimal stores before training/ intense training and help maximize resynthesis (rebuilding a damaged section) during exercise. This energy system is very important for athletes involved in strength training programs and intense sports because it helps to fuel “maximal physical effort” during the entire competitive exercise/ game – also it is near impossible to use food sources to load the phosphocreatine system, so supplementation is the best alternative. Phosphocreatine is also called creatine phosphate.

Creatine is a substance found in skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle. Creatine synthesis occurs in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas from the amino acids methionine, glycine, and arginine (Sorry had to get technical). The majority of the body’s creatine resides in the skeletal muscle, which is where about 1/3 of creatine exists. Typically, the body produces about a 1 gram of creatine, obtains 1 gram from food, and loses about 2 grams. The average concentration of total creatine in skeletal muscle varies between 100 and 150 mmol/kg in average weight humans like 160-175 lbs.

See the Phosphocreatine product that I recommend

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Vitamins are organic components in food that are needed in very small amounts for growth and for maintaining good health. The vitamins include vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin A, and vitamin K, or the fat-soluble vitamins, and folate (folic acid), vitamin B12, biotin, vitamin B6, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin C (ascorbic acid), or the water-soluble vitamins. The energy components of nutrition are sugars, starches, fats, and oils, and these occur in relatively large amounts in nutrition.

Here are the essential vitamins and their vitamin duties:

• Vitamin A (Beta Carotene): Promotes growth and repair of body tissues; reduces susceptibility to infections; aids in bone and teeth formation; maintains smooth skin.
• Vitamin B-1 (Thiamin): Promotes growth and muscle tone; aids in the proper functioning of the muscles, heart, and nervous system; assists in digestion.
• Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin): Maintains good vision and healthy skin, hair, and nails; assists in formation of antibodies and red blood cells; aids in carbohydrate.
• Vitamin B-3 (Niacinamide): Reduces cholesterol levels in the blood; maintains healthy skin, tongue, and digestive system; improves blood circulation.
• Vitamin B-5: Fortifies white blood cells; helps the body’s resistance to stress; builds cells.
• Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine): Aids in the synthesis and breakdown of amino acids and the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates; supports the central nervous system.
• Vitamin B-12 (Cobalamin): Promotes growth in children; prevents anemia by regenerating red blood cells; aids in the metabolism of carbohydrates, and fats.
• Biotin: Aids in the metabolism of proteins and fats; promotes healthy skin.
• Choline: Helps the liver eliminate toxins.
• Folic Acid (Folate, Folacin): Promotes the growth and reproduction of body cells; aids in the formation of red blood cells and bone marrow.
• Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid): One of the major antioxidants; essential for healthy teeth, gums, and bones; helps to heal wounds, fractures, and scar tissue.
• Vitamin D: Improves the absorption of calcium and phosphorous (essential in the formation of healthy bones and teeth) maintains nervous system.
• Vitamin E: A major antioxidant; supplies oxygen to blood; provides nourishment to cells; prevents blood clots; slows cellular aging.
• Vitamin K (Menadione): Prevents internal bleeding; reduces heavy menstrual flow.
• Vitamin B12: deficiency causes megaloblastic anemia and, if severe enough, can result in irreversible nerve damage.
• Niacin: deficiency results in pellagra. Pellagra involves skin rashes and scabs, diarrhea, and mental depression.
• Thiamin: deficiency results in beriberi, a disease resulting in atrophy, weakness of the legs, nerve damage, and heart failure.
• Vitamin C: deficiency results in scurvy, a disease that involves bleeding.

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A balanced diet is an essential prescription for healthy and vibrant skin. The good news is that the foods that happen to be good for your skin are also good for your overall health. Many people find that the appearance of aging skin, wrinkles, thickening, discoloration, and decreased elasticity — is one of their biggest beauty concerns. While genetics largely determines when your skin starts to show these signs of aging, and the extent to which it shows them, environmental damage to your skin, as well as damage you cause yourself through lifestyle choices, can greatly accelerate this process.

Skin damage occurs as a result of oxidation, a chemical process in which unstable molecules called free radicals steal electrons from healthy cells. The most damaging oxidative stressors that we expose ourselves to are smoking and sunlight. You’re probably familiar with some antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene). Others, which you may be less familiar with, are collectively known as phytochemicals (there are hundreds of them), and they are found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans.

To keep your skin looking youthful – well protected, and nourished focus on the foods that are good sources of the following nutrients and youthful skin antioxidants:

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is involved in the production of collagen (which keeps skin firm) and protects cells from damage caused by free radicals. Scientific studies have found that when lab animals eat vitamin C — fortified food, their skin is better able to fight oxidative damage. It’s important, then, to replenish your skin’s vitamin C stores every day by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Good sources include bell peppers (red, green, and yellow), broccoli, cantaloupe, mangoes, oranges, pineapple, snow peas, strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelon. Best Vitamin C Supplement

Vitamin E
Vitamin E helps protect cell membranes and guards your skin against damage from the sun’s UV radiation. Some research has suggested that vitamin E may work in combination with vitamin C to provide an extra degree of anti-aging skin protection. However, because recent studies have raised some questions about the safety of vitamin E supplements, this nutrient should come from your diet, not from high-dose pills. It’s best to stick with food sources like wheat germ, fortified whole-grain cereals, nuts and seeds, olive oil, Swiss chard, and spinach, as well as the small amount of vitamin E found in a multivitamin. Best Vitamin E Supplement

Beta-carotene
Beta-carotene, another antioxidant that’s critical for skin health, is converted to vitamin A in the body and is involved in the growth and repair of body tissues. It may also protect your skin against sun damage. In extremely high doses, however, pure vitamin A from supplements can be toxic, so be sure to avoid them unless a doctor has recommended them and is closely supervising you. Beta-carotene from foods like apricots, cantaloupe, carrots, red bell peppers, mangoes, pumpkin, and sweet potato is sufficient and entirely safe for your skin.
Best Beta – Carotene Supplement

Selenium
Selenium is an antioxidant mineral that helps protect the skin from sun damage; it also helps the skin maintain firmness and elasticity. Selenium obtained from food has been shown to reduce sun damage and even prevent some skin cancers in animals. Be sure to avoid selenium supplements, however. The Nutritional Prevention of Cancer Trial found that people with a high risk of nonmelanoma skin cancers who took selenium supplements actually had a 25 percent increased risk of squamous cell carcinomas. The best food sources for selenium are Brazil nuts (no more than 1 or 2 nuts a day because the selenium is so concentrated), tuna (canned, light), crab, oysters, whole-wheat pasta, lean beef, shrimp, whole-wheat bread, turkey, wheat germ, chicken breast, mushrooms, and eggs.
Best Selenium Supplement

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Although not classified as antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids help maintain cell membranes so that they are effective barriers — allowing water and nutrients in but keeping toxins out. These healthy fats also reduce inflammation throughout the body, which may translate into fewer skin breakouts. Omega-3s also seem to offer the skin protection against sun damage. In a study of skin cancer, people who ate diets rich in fish oils and other omega-3 fats had a 29 percent lower risk of squamous cell skin cancer than those who got very little omega-3 fats from food. Good food sources include wild salmon, herring, mackerel (but not king), sardines, anchovies, flaxseed, walnuts, and soybeans.
Best Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplement

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Did you know that your digestive tract contains more than 400 types of “friendly” bacteria? This bacteria, commonly referred to as probiotics (which means “pro-life”), help reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and promote a healthy digestive system. Probiotics are live bacteria with clinically-documented health benefits. It appears that when the digestive system is kept healthy, other body systems greatly benefit as well.

Health Benefits:

• Protect against infection
• Enhance and boost the immune system
• Promote and improve digestive health
• Promote urinary and genital health
• Assist in the management of inflammation
• Alleviate diarrhea caused by antibiotic treatments
• Help alleviate symptoms of lactose intolerance
• Improve some types of eczema in infants and children
• Reduce cholesterol levels
• Decrease the risk of certain cancers

It is important to note that each type of friendly bacteria has a specific health benefit to the body. With over 400 different types of probiotics identified, researchers are just starting to uncover the health roles and benefits of each.

Food Sources

• Yogurt
• Drinkable, squeezable yogurts
• Fermented milk such as sweet acidophilus milk
• Kefir
• Fluid milk with added probiotics

Through fermentation, probiotics enhance the flavor and texture of these particular dairy products. Dairy foods actually buffer your stomach acid and bile, thereby protecting the probiotics from the stomach acid so that they can reach the intestines.

Raw (unpasteurized) yogurt is loaded with bacteria. Most yogurts today are pasteurized and these bacteria are killed. However, some friendly bacteria are added back. Look for a yogurt that contains the “live and active culture” sign on the label. Pay close attention to the expiration date because these live bacterial cultures can diminish with time.

Probiotic Supplements

Probiotic supplements are available in a variety of forms, such as freeze dried powder, capsules, wafers, and liquids. Remember to exercise caution before using a probiotic supplement. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements in the same way as it regulates medication. Legally, manufacturers can sell supplements, even with little or no research on how well it works or how safe it is. Supplement and medication reactions can occur, therefore seek the guidance of your health care provider before using any probiotic supplement.

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What Vitamin World is:

High-quality vitamins and supplements at unbeatable prices! The first Vitamin World store opened its doors in 1976. Headquartered in Long Island, NY, Vitamin World manufactures over 1,000 superior-quality vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other nutritional supplements in our own state-of-the-art facilities. The manufacturing facilities total over 1 million square feet and we produce supplements in every available form, including tablets, two-piece capsules, softgels, powders and liquids.

They’re high-tech laboratories are located right here in the USA, where their quality control experts can oversee every step of the manufacturing process. Their commitment to producing the highest quality products is evident in the many sophisticated tests that they perform throughout the production process. In many ways, Vitamin World has set the standard for high quality vitamin manufacturing.

The scientists and researchers in their laboratories adhere to the strictest government testing procedures to assure the potency, stability and purity of their products. Additionally, they guarantee that their vitamins and supplements are absolutely free of contaminants.
For more information please visit the Vitamin World website.

Vitamin World’s Guarantee: Vitamin World is proud of the quality of their products and want to make sure you are completely satisfied. Vitamin World guarantees every product that they sell. Vitamin World products are manufactured under even more stringent quality controls than required by federal and state agencies for food. Your satisfaction is totally guaranteed for a full year from purchase date. If you are not completely satisfied, return the unused portion with a short explanation and they will promptly refund your money for the unused portion.

Which supplements is Vitamin World designed for:

Vitamin World supplements and products are designed for toddlers to the adults. Remember, a supplement is used for exactly like it says it is, to supplement your nutrition. We use vitamins, nutrients and minerals to fill in the gaps with what we are missing from food. Taking a multivitamin, antioxidant, fat burner, muscle builder will help you to achieve your goals effectively than without.

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An exerciser or athlete’s expectations of meal replacement formula’s are often unrealistic. This is completely understandable considering the barrage of advertisements that one encounters in the popular media (magazines and television). Like in Flex magazine, Muscle and Fiction whoops I mean Muscle and Fitness and other notable popular magazines. What meal replacement formulas are, as exactly as the name implies, meals designed for a quick absorption. I created this meal replacement formulas buying guide for the understanding of the everyday exerciser and athlete.

Currently in vogue is the high protein, low carbohydrate meal replacement. The implied or stated use and its pre- and post workout aid in creating an anabolic (muscle building) environment. All sports and exercise research shows that carbohydrates are necessary in a higher proportion than protein to facilitate recovery. Carbohydrates are absolutely necessary to replace glycogen lost during high – intensity exercise.

Additionally, the presence of carbohydrates via post workout stimulates the release of insulin, which basically is a anabolic signal, starting the cascade of events leading to protein synthesis (The rate your muscles rebuild themselves after being broken down by intense training). Protein should always be present in the meal replacement formula (but shouldn’t be the highest percentage) to supply the amino acids necessary to rebuild and increase muscle. Remember the more muscle we have – the more calories we will burn at rest and will have a smaller percentage of bodyfat.

The proper ratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats can also optimize the anabolic environment by supporting favorable testosterone levels. Many exercisers and athletes consume high protein diets in the hopes of stimulating muscle anabolism (the process in a plant or animal by which food is changed into living tissue) yet this will actually impair ultimate muscle growth through a reduction of serum testosterone (A testosterone test measures the amount of the male hormone, testosterone, in the blood.).

For Females:

If your a female exerciser or a athlete competitor – look for “Lite Meal Replacements Powders.” Each serving typically contain less than 200 calories with smaller amounts of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. This still works well because it is nutritionally packed with essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins. Here are my top picks for meal replacement formula’s for the women exerciser and athlete.

Click on the following Meal Replacement Formulas image for a full description:

For Males:

If you are a male exerciser or a athlete competitor – look for “High Carbohydrate/Protein Meal Replacements Powders.” These meal replacements formulas contain the highest amounts of protein ranging from 39 grams of protein per serving up to 60 grams of protein per serving. These meal replacement formulas cater to men who also seek to elevate their protein intake and performance. Here are my top picks for meal replacement formulas for the male exerciser or a athlete competitor.

Click on the following Meal Replacement Formulas image for a full description:

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