Fitness Newsletter 

Benefits of ProArgi-9

Posted by: Dr. Allen( Synergy 8/27/2004 )

The Good, the Bad And the Awful of Low-Carb Food   

Posted by:  Elizabeth Freeman   (eDiets  4/18/2004)

Steroids: The Great Deceiver

Posted by:  Phil Kaplan (eFitness  4/5/2004)

 "Oh, no! Not the Carbs! Anything but the Carbs!"

 Posted by:  ( BeachBody   02/17/2004)

Getting Proactive About Protein: The ins and outs of the body's building blocks
Posted by:  Denis Faye (BeachBody  1/14/2004)

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"Oh, no! Not the Carbs! Anything but the Carbs!"

Posted by:  ( BeachBody   02/17/2004)

Whether it's the low-carb beer you can sip at your local watering hole, or Monica and Rachel slinging Atkins quips on the latest episode of Friends, carbohydrates are the new "bad guy" du jour. Fast food joints are offering "protein style" bunless burgers. KFC's latest ad campaign features a skinny dude chomping on fried chicken, implying that a 470 calorie, 28 g of fat (8 g of it saturated), 1230 mg of sodium, 0 g of fiber Extra Crispy™ Chicken Breast will actually help you lose weight—because it's low carb. It's getting ridiculous!

Funny thing is, most people don't even know what a carbohydrate is or what it does—which is sad indeed, considering it's the body's primary source of fuel and a powerful tool for even the most casual of athletes. Like any food group, carbs should be eaten in moderation, but they have an important job to do, so let's shed some light on them. Sit down, set aside that tub of greasy poultry, and let's take a look at our much-maligned little buddy, the carbohydrate.

At their simplest, carbs are sugars, most notably glucose. Also known as blood sugar or dextrose, glucose flows through the bloodstream, where, thanks to the conductor insulin, it is absorbed by every single cell in your body and converted into energy. Excessive amounts of carbs are stored as fat, so it's important not to overeat them. But carb consumption should be directly associated with activity level, since you burn them quickly whenever you do any level of exercise. Excessive carb consumption can make you fat and lethargic, but so can excessive protein, fat, or alcohol consumption. Without enough carbohydrates, your body's ability to perform, both athletically and mentally, becomes compromised.

Carbs come in several forms. They can be simple carbs, complex carbs, or fiber, all of which play important roles in the dietary scheme of things. Let's look at them one by one.

Simple carbohydrates
Also called "sugars," there are six types of simple carbs. Three of them, the monosaccharides, are carbs at their most basic: glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Glucose, as we discussed, is the body's primary energy source. If you get too much, it's stored as glycogen. When your blood sugar is low, your body taps into these glycogen stores. However, in the event that your glycogen stores are also maxed out, then the glucose is stored as fat.

Fructose, or fruit sugar, is the second monosaccharide. Unlike glucose, fructose doesn't go straight into your system. Instead it passes through the liver, where it is usually turned into glycogen, or occasionally glucose—and, as is the case with all sugars, the too-much-turns-to-fat thing still applies. Depending on who you talk to, or whose scientific report you read, this extra step can either be a good thing or a bad thing. Some sources insist that it increases triglycerides, or fat levels, in your blood. Others claim that this extra step prevents blood sugar levels from spiking.

The third monosaccharide, the cosmically titled galactose, only occurs naturally in dairy products. Like fructose, galactose must pass through the liver to be processed.

The other three simple carbs are the disaccharides, meaning, on a molecular level, that they are just two monosaccharides pasted together. They are called sucrose, maltose, and lactose.

The most famous of these is sucrose, otherwise known as table sugar. It consists of a glucose molecule and a fructose molecule. When you consume sucrose, the glucose is quickly digested while, as you may have guessed, the fructose heads for the liver.

In an interesting aside, it's worth noting that high-fructose corn syrup, another villain in the world of healthy eating, is actually approximately 50% glucose and 50% fructose, making it very similar in composition to sucrose. All the hysteria over "HFCS" may indeed be warranted, insofar as Americans are eating too much of it—but at the end of the day, too much sugar is too much sugar, whether it's HFCS or common everyday sucrose.

The second disaccharide is maltose, which is two glucose molecules bonded together. Later we'll learn about starch, one of the complex carbohydrates. When starch is broken down, it turns first to maltose, then glucose.

The final disaccharide is lactose, which comes from dairy products. Lactose is a combo of glucose and galactose. Lactose intolerance happens when your stomach doesn't have enough of the special enzymes needed to separate the two simple sugars.

So there you have the simple carbohydrates. Let's move on to the complex ones.

Complex carbohydrates
Complex carbs are just a bunch of simple carbohydrates bonded together. The fancy name for them is polysaccharides. Again, there are three kinds: glycogen, starch, and fiber.

Glycogen, as we learned earlier, is the way we store glucose for easy access. There's no way to eat the stuff, so there's really no need to discuss it further.

Starch is the vegetable answer to glycogen—thousands, sometimes millions of glucose molecules bonded together. Corn, potatoes, yams, rice, and other grains are some of the better-known starch sources. It's generally believed that complex carbs, because they are complex, break down more slowly in our system. However, when starch-containing foods are overly processed, they become a lot more like sugar than starch, meaning that your body pumps them into your blood more quickly.

An interesting way to see this in action is to take a piece of white bread, which is heavily processed white flour, and put it on your tongue. Notice, after a second, that the taste becomes sweet. That's the sugars breaking down, right there on your tongue. Now try it with whole grain bread. It doesn't work the same, does it?

Although the overprocessing of the starch is partly the reason for this, another reason white bread converts to sugar so fast is that in the refining process, the wheat is stripped of our third complex carb, the real key to slowing down the absorption of glucose: fiber.

Fiber is the most complex of the carbohydrates—so complex, in fact, that the human body can't digest it. It just passes right through. There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber turns to a gel on your insides and actually soaks up cholesterol. You'll find it in oats, beans, carrots, and apple peel. Insoluble fiber, which shows up in wheat bran and in kidney, pinto, and lima beans, just goes right through you and is essential in keeping you regular.

While these are very important functions, for our purposes, both types of fiber do one other crucial thing: they slow the rate at which your blood absorbs glucose. So for example, if you eat an apple, the sugar doesn't blast into your system because the fiber in the skin holds it back. This gives you a steady flow of energy and reduces the chance of a blood sugar spike, which is great because—as we all know—when blood has too much sugar in it, it converts the extra sugar to fat. Also, when your blood gets too much sugar, your pancreas generates extra insulin—which, once it's dealt with the sugar, will have nothing to do except cause you to crave more sugar, which you really don't need.

Fats and proteins also slow the absorption of glucose into the blood. With this in mind, Canadian scientists came up with something called the glycemic index (GI), a scale of how fast the sugar in carbohydrate foods enters your body. Foods that are mostly carbs with little or no fiber, protein, or fat, such as white bread, rush into your blood. These foods earn higher ratings on the glycemic index. Foods with a slower absorption rate earn a lower rating. The trick is to create a diet that is rich in low-rated foods. When you eat higher-rated foods, make sure to mix them with lower-rated foods, to slow absorption.

Of course, there are times when a blood sugar rush is a good thing. For example, if you're bonking, or running out of blood sugar while being active, you need to recharge fast. Since your glucose and glycogen are low to empty at this point, a sugar spike isn't going to provide enough glucose to create fat. This is when a banana or a sports drink like Gatorade^® comes in handy.

You can also take advantage of low blood sugar with a recovery snack that is 4 parts carbs to 1 part protein. The carbs will rush into your system, replenishing your glycogen stores, and the small amount of protein will piggyback with them, heading right to the muscles and beginning resynthesis. Oatmeal and fruit juice with protein powder are good examples of 4 to 1 snacks.

It's important to remember that the GI rating shouldn't be a primary factor in food choice. Just because a food doesn't rate high on the index doesn't mean it's good for you. Both Coke and peanut M&Ms have acceptable ratings. Coke's carbonation hampers digestion, lowering the GI, but it's loaded with empty calories and has no nutritional value, so there's no point in drinking it. M&Ms have all that fat from the chocolate and peanuts slow things down, but they too have little nutritional value and they're full of saturated fat. When you're operating on a calorie deficit, you need to make every calorie count. These foods count for nothing.

Furthermore, the glycemic index is relatively new to the world of nutrition. While it was founded on solid science, research is still being conducted as to its validity for weight loss. However, when used in conjunction with fiber intake, the case becomes much stronger, as there is more and more research indicating the benefits of fiber.

Simply put, carbohydrates are fuel. If abused, yes, they can be evil, but so can proteins and fats. If eaten properly, they will increase the energy you have throughout the day and during your workouts. A meal filled with lean protein and fiber-rich carbohydrates will help create a healthier you in ways that KFC never, ever will.

Getting Proactive About Protein: The ins and outs of the body's building blocks
  Posted by:  Denis Faye (BeachBody  12/14/2003)

In the last few months, we've gotten the skinny on fats and sweetened up our knowledge of carbohydrates. Now it's time to beef up on protein.

Unlike carbs and fat, protein isn't actually a fuel. In extreme circumstances, it can be used as a fuel, but this causes great stress to the body and can result in loss of muscle mass, given being used as a fuel causes protein to stop doing what it's supposed to do—act as a building block for body tissue. 

Muscles, ligaments, and tendons are all made of and repaired by the stuff.

Meet Team Protein

When you eat protein, your body breaks it back down into twenty different amino acids. Of the twenty, eight cannot be manufactured by the human body; therefore, it is essential that we get them through our diet. These fittingly entitled essential amino acids are tryptophan, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine.

The other twelve are glutamine, arginine, tyrosine, glycine, serine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, taurine, cystine, histidine, proline, and alanine. While they aren't necessary for a healthy diet, supplementing of these amino acids isn't uncommon. For example, many athletes take glutamine. Being the body's primary transporter of nitrogen into muscle cells, it's used to support muscle growth and inhibit muscle tissue breakdown. But if you choose to supplement single amino acids, do so with caution. There still isn't a lot of research on the practice, and some experts believe it can have negative effects such as inhibiting the absorption of other essential amino acids, since amino acids compete for space when crossing something called the blood-brain barrier.

And this is where you'll find them

Let's focus on the essential eight. The traditional source of complete protein is meat. Pork, beef, foul, lamb, fish, alligator, and ants—all creatures great and small are made of protein. Dairy and eggs are also good sources of complete protein.

But what happens if you don't want to take all your protein from animals? No problem. The only nonanimal-derived source of complete protein is soy, so soy milk, tempeh, and tofu all provide the essential eight.

Even if you don't like soy, there's still hope, but it gets a little more complex. Whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat, provide some of the eight. Legumes, such as beans, nuts, and peas, also provide a few of the eight, so by combining the two, grains and legumes, you get yet another complete source of protein. No wonder rice and beans play such a major part in diets across the world!

And then there's protein powder. While it may seem like some magic amino acid elixir, protein powder comes from pretty mundane stuff. Most powders are either soy- or whey-based, so they're complete. By the way, although whey is dairy, as in "curds and whey," whey protein powders are generally lactose free. When choosing a protein powder, keep in mind that soy tends to aid muscle endurance while whey works better for muscle resynthesis, so when on a serious weight-training program, whey can be more advantageous.

Soy and other vegetable protein sources are perfectly healthy. Vegans and vegetarians may have to pay more attention to their diet, but they can be just as fit as their flesh-eating counterparts.

Sounds great, let's eat!

So how much protein do you need? The RDA is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Any less than that can lead to reduced resistance to disease, skin and blood changes, slow wound healing, and muscle wasting. For athletes, the numbers are more like 1.2 to 1.7 grams. But you can lose a lot of sleep juggling these all these numbers, so if you're trying to lose weight, making protein 30% of your caloric intake is a good start. Once you've lost the weight and want to build muscle, you might want to start shifting that percentage around. Many athletes lower that number, mainly because the more exercise you get the higher percentage of carbs you need for energy. Others use short-term high-protein diets, which come into play mainly for bodybuilders trying to get ripped for a competition.

On a meal-to-meal basis, keep in mind that the body can only digest so much protein per meal. For women, that number is usually around 25–35 grams. For men, it's around 40–50 grams. If you eat more than that, your body will still break it down to amino acids, but it will store those acids as fat. This is highly variable and based on a number of factors, mainly weight and exercise frequency, but we all have a saturation point. So try and get some protein at each meal.

As with carbs and fat, taking in protein is all about balance, but if you do find that magic number (think 40-30-30), your muscles will thank you by growing and toning. The rest of your body will thank you by staying healthy.

Steroids: The Great Deceiver

Posted by:  Phil Kaplan (eFitness  4/5/2004)

There are two primary parts of the endocrine equation that are being ignored in this oversimplified line of thought.
We are all biologically unique and the drugs and dosages that act to compensate for low testosterone levels in one individual might supercompensate in another and the side effects cannot be predicted with any level of accuracy. Worse yet, many of the side effects, such as gradual stress placed upon the liver, may not make themselves known for years. Decreases in HDL production, increases in blood pressure, and alterations to the myocardium cannot be detected in the mirror.

When you mess around with a link in the hormonal chain, you are altering the activity of the glandular system as a whole, and short term increases in testosterone can lead to long-term decreases in endogenous hormonal production. 

If you've been sent a link to this article because youcve asked me a steroid question, my first question to you is, have you carefully examined the specifics of your training? Most people I meet who are looking for their first cycle are simply missing some part of the formula for ongoing growth. They're failing to cycle their training regimens, they're sticking with the same old workout they've been doing for months, they're failing to provide a greater challenge to muscle, or they're overtraining and failing to adequately recuperate. 

Even if their training regimens are well strategized, if they aren't taking in enough protein-sparing nutrients, they're limiting their muscular growth potential, and if they're failing to take in sufficient calories and amino acids for growth, all the training in the world will leave them frustrated. Whenever someone comes to me for a consultation before using steroids, we've been able to facilitate new gains... naturally.

I will never recommend that anyone use steroids. Will I understand if someone opts to use them? In some cases, yes. Are they as bad as the media reports would lead us to believe? I'd have to say many of the shocking reports are overblown in their severity, but that doesn't mean steroids are safe.

An interview I conducted with former Mr. Olympia competitor Mike Christian on my radio show several years ago shared some of the realities behind uncontrolled drug abuse. When we're dealing with professional athletes, or aspiring pros, who are thrown into arenas where superhuman drug-enhanced strength is the norm, anabolic steroids become almost an absolute, but even the pros need clear direction and education.

In 1999 Sonny Schmidt, at 46 years old, placed third in the Masters Olympia. On January 25, 2004, Sonny Schmidt died. 

In 2003, 285-pound 30-year-old bodybuilder Scott Klein died of heart failure. 

Remember that picture of Ron Teufel I told you about at Champions Gym? He died in 2002 at the age of 45. 

These are just a few of the premature deaths related to users of anabolic steroids at relatively high dosages. There are also the stories of pros at the highest levels suddenly dropping out of competition... permanently... due to liver failure. 

I'll never forget retired pro bodybuilder, Steve Brisbois, telling me first hand about the death of Mohammed Benaziza seven hours after winning the Dutch Grand Prix. The interview I did with steroid guru Dan Duchaine from his prison cell has been one of my most publicized radio shows to date. Dan has since died of liver failure... at the age of 48. 

I remember interviewing Scandinavian bodybuilding giant Viggo Snowhill about his drug use less than 24 hours after leaving the hospital where he was near death from a GHB overdose. Bill Pearl, who has been retired from competition for decades but is without question a bodybuilding legend made the following comment on my show, Phil, the guy left standing on the stage today at the end of a bodybuilding show is probably the guy in the arena who is closest to death.

The bodybuilding realities, or at least the dark side, has been well protected, but it's important that those who are lured by easy muscles, lots of chicks understand the whole picture.

Going back to the email I wrote this article to answer, the line, I really don't care what happens to me after 30, makes, at least in his eyes, most of the premature deaths I've mentioned meaningless, but I'd guess that any competent psychologist would identify the win at all costs death wish as a twisted perspective on achievement.

Because I know that many regular juicers who come to read this article will turn their noses at the deaths I've mentioned, if you're asking me a steroid related question, I'm not going to give you the steroids kill you speech, nor am I going to deny that they can help to pack on lots and lots of muscle. Testosterone and hormonal products do have their place. 

In aging individuals where endogenous production of testosterone has declined, hormone replacement can certainly add to the quality of life. I'd even suggest that those who are paid to perform at superhuman levels can find a benefit that outweighs any downside if their prescription is supervised and their body chemistry is monitored by the watchful eye of someone with a recognized credential and proven expertise in the workings of the endocrine system. Still, I am going to suggest that in an individual with a functional glandular network, more rewarding gains can be achieved naturally. 

If I've dissuaded you from the idea of using steroids, great! If you're still tempted, at the very least consider investing in credible information related to the endocrine system. Set up a consultation with a qualified medical professional who can request and assess a hormonal screening before you spend money on substances you don't fully understand. Once the first cycle begins, it's difficult to turn back. 

Training and eating... that's the magic... and if you're willing to take the high road, the magic can lead to immense long term reward.

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The Good, the Bad And the Awful of Low-Carb Food 
Posted by:  Elizabeth Freeman (eDiets  4/18/2004)

Taste buds don't lie. In a quest to see what this low-carb stuff is about, we sampled plenty of products. Some were tasty, some were so-so and a few were almost inedible. 
And just in case we had different standards from carb-counters, we enlisted a few dieters in the project and compared notes on how the products tasted. 
In most cases, low-carb foods don't come cheap. When you indulge, the first place you'll lose weight is in the wallet. 
"Low carb is going to be the hot button this year," said Leo Darrow, category manager for Dierbergs Markets. "The demand for low-carb items started before Christmas. It's hard to keep up with the demand, and some manufacturers are changing and redefining their labeling for carb-conscious consumers. They don't want to be left behind." 
Schnucks offers a variety of low-carb foods for customers and is constantly trying to expand the variety, said Lori Willis, director of communication for Schnucks Markets. 
Straub's has its carb-conscious prepared deli foods reviewed and analyzed by Connie Diekman, a registered dietitian. At Wild Oats, consumers can look for shelf labeling throughout the store that identifies food products containing 10 carbs or less. 

Even Walgreens has hopped on the bandwagon with a low-carb product section, and some tasty Russell Stover low-carb candy can be found at some store checkout aisles for about $1 per piece. 
Just what classifies a food as low-carb? The jury's still out. 
Unlike legally defined label designations such as "reduced fat" and "low calorie," no official definitions guide terms such as "low-carb," "reduced-carb" and "carb-free." The Center for Science in the Public Interest argues that such terms should be regulated, and the Grocery Manufacturers of America recently petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to set up reg ulations for carb claims. 

In the meantime, manufacturers are rewriting labels and refocusing the marketing of foods that are even moderately low in carbs. If you're counting carbs, be sure to check the nutrition facts box. Many food manufacturers boast of what they call "net carbs," subtracting carbohydrates from sugar alcohol and fiber, so read the fine print for the full picture. 
Here's the breakdown on our taste-test results. In most cases, the low-carb eaters agreed with those who aren't restricting carbohydrates. 

--- 

THE GOOD
-Atkins Crunchers Barbeque Snack Chips (1 ounce, $1.29), 4 net carbs 
If you're on a low-carb diet and crave a crunchy snack besides pork rinds, these aren't bad. They're a chiplike snack made with soy protein. Almost as good: Atkins Crunchers Sour Cream & Onion Snack Chips, with 5 carbs. 

-All In One Dexatrim Diet Bar (1.77 ounces, $1.99), 1 net carb 
White Chocolate Raspberry 
This is by far the best of the meal-substitute diet bars we tasted. Almost good enough for dessert. (We weren't nearly so enthusiastic about the Lemon Bar Crisp flavor, which had a bitter aftertaste.) 

-Atkins Endulge Mint Wafer Crisp (1 ounce, 99 cents), 4 net carbs
Kind of like a mint Twix bar; pretty tasty stuff. 

-Pure De-lite Milk Chocolate with Almonds bars (1 1/3 ounces, $1.99), 3 net carbs 
This sugar-free bar made from Belgian chocolate has a rich flavor, despite the artificial sweetener. 

-Breadsmith Reduced Carb Raisin Cinnamon Bread (16 ounces, $5.89), 7.5 net carbs per slice 
Although Breadsmith makes several reduced-carb breads, this one was favored by everyone. This product had a good overall flavor. One note: The slices seemed small for the number of carbs incurred. 

-Sara Lee Delightful Bakery Bread (16 ounces, $2), 9 net carbs per slice 
Sara Lee makes several low-carb breads. Tasters favored the white version. A slice is the same size as regular sandwich bread. 

--- 

THE SO-SO
-Adam Matthews Low Carb Sugar Free Cheesecake (32 ounces, $12.99), 3 net carbs 
Those of us who aren't watching our carbs thought this product was adequate but objected to the aftertaste. The carb-conscious didn't mind so much. 

-Atkins Quick Quisine (8 ounces, $3.29), Orange-Cranberry Muffin Mix, 3 net carbs 
Even the carb-conscious were divided on this product. One dieter thought the muffins tasted fine, while another disliked the taste and texture. A taster who's not counting carbs likened the flavor and dry consistency to sawdust. 

-Cabana Ice (16.9 ounces, 99 cents), No carbs 
We sampled cherry and lemonade versions of this drink. Except for the supersweet aftertaste, they tasted like powdered drink mixes marketed to kids. 

-Atkins Advantage Shake (Chocolate or Creamy Vanilla), (11 ounces, $1.69), 1 net carb 
This reminded us of traditional canned diet meal supplements. Both had an unpleasant aftertaste, which was more pronounced in the chocolate version. 

-Lean Cuisine Cafe Classics, Herb Roasted Chicken (8 ounces, $3.39), 25 carbs 
This frozen entree tasted pretty much like most other frozen entrees we'd tried - not a lot of real flavor and on the salty side. The vegetables, which included potatoes, were mushy. We also thought the carb count was high for carb-conscious consumers.


THE AWFUL 
-Darielle Pizza (7 ounces, $5.79), 10 net carbs 
You need to read the label carefully on this one - one pizza is considered two servings. It tasted like cardboard with tomato sauce and cheese. 

-Think Thin! Low Carb Diet Meal Alternative Nutrition Bar, Mixed Berry Lite (2.1 ounces, $1.99), 3 net carbs 
We really disliked this bar, which bore no resemblance to any berries we've ever tasted. It brought to mind some horrible protein bar meal substitutes we sampled several years ago. 

-Keto Bar Oatmeal Raisin Crunch (2 ounces, $1.99), 3 net carbs 
This chewy concoction tastes more like peanut butter cardboard than anything else. 

Benefits of ProArgi-9

ProArgi-9  is a revolutionary new product with a proprietary blend of the amino acid L-arginine.

1. L-arginine has been shown to provide the building blocks necessary for the body to maintain its own healthy growth hormone (HGH) levels. HGH may help promote muscle mass, support muscle growth, stimulate muscle development, aid in decreasing body fat, and stimulate production of human anti-aging mechanisms in persons over 23.

2. L-arginine helps produce nitric oxide (NO)                                                                    

3. Helping maintain blood pressure levels that are already within the normal range

4. Benefiting the cardiovascular system

5. Helping promote sexual function 

6. Research indicates that L-arginine may be beneficial in helping maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

7. L-arginine may boost energy levels

8. L-arginine has been shown to have a positive impact on the immune system

9. L-arginine is an adaptogen. Adaptogens help you adapt to changes in life, environment and may increase stamina and sports performance. 

Frequently Asked Questions:
What Synergy products may be taken with ProArgi-9? 

None of the Synergy products listed below may be taken within 2 hours of taking ProArgi-9 as there will be interference with the uptake of L-arginine. Food, proteins, amino acids, sugars, fat, and drinks other than water, compete with L-arginine for uptake across the blood-brain barrier. It is for this reason that doses of more than 1 scoop (daytime dose) of ProArgi-9 must be taken 30 minutes apart from any food, drink, and most nutrients. No deleterious effects will occur, but it is simply a waste of time and product to take L-arginine with competing agents. When taking ProArgi-9 at bedtime, no food, drink (except water), or nutrients may be eaten within 2 hours of taking ProArgi-9.

Who Can Use ProArgi-9?

ProArgi-9 was designed for use by adults (persons over the age of 23) who have declining levels of human growth hormone (GH).  ProArgi-9 has been used safely in humans for the past 20 years (since 1983) and has the longest history of use in humans of any L-arginine product. Thousands of professional athletes, as well as non-athletes, have used ProArgi-9 with no adverse side effects.

Is ProArgi-9 accepted for use by athletes by the Olympic Committee?

Yes. Athletes using ProArgi-9 have won Gold medals. ProArgi-9 is used and promoted by famous world-class athletes who have used ProArgi-9 during their careers and in their competition events. ProArgi-9 is legal for use in Olympic games, IFBB world body building competitions, WPF power lifting events, fitness pageants, NFL events, NBA events, the Ironman competition, and any other sports event.

Does ProArgi-9 contain any hormones?

No. Hormones can only be prescribed safely by a physician. The human body produces its own growth hormone naturally. The hypothalamus regulates the release of growth hormones as well as thyroid stimulating hormone, Lutenizing hormone (LH) and Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The anterior pituitary makes Trophic hormones which activate endocrine system glands. Growth hormone is a Trophic hormone, and as such can be promoted by administration of a natural Homeostatic HGH protocol.*

Can ProArgi-9 be mixed with protein drinks?

No. Other amino acids may not be ingested simultaneously with ProArgi-9, and that includes protein and amino acid supplements and foods or drinks containing protein and/or amino acids. However, you can ingest it two hours before or after taking ProArgi-9. Other amino acids compete with L-arginine, particularly Lysine, and can render the formula inert. You can take your protein supplement, shake or bar, following your workout. Make sure the product or meal is also low glycemic unless you have depleted muscle glycogen during your workout or training regimen. L-Arginine is an ingredient in my protein shake. 

Can't I take a double dose, say 50 grams of protein, to get sufficient arginine?

No. Very little of the arginine in the protein shake will be able to cross the blood-brain barrier. These are amino acids that compete for the same pathway. The stomach should not contain amino acids that compete with L-arginine. Athletes that take their protein shakes with their arginine supplements are wasting their time and money.

How much L-arginine is in a serving of ProArgi-9?

One serving of ProArgi-9 contains 5,000 milligrams (5 grams) of pure free form L-arginine.

How should ProArgi-9 be used?
For General Health Benefits: Mix one serving with 4-8 oz. water (depending on individual taste). Stir to dissolve. If water is very cold, mixture will take about 1 minute to dissolve. Add ice to activate the flavor system if desired. One serving may be taken twice per day. Food and drinks may be taken with daytime servings, but high glycemic food and drinks should be avoided. Do not use L-lysine within 2 hours of taking this product. Nighttime Dosage Information: Take 1-2 servings in desired amount of water, 30 minutes prior to sleep on an empty stomach. Do not ingest food, including protein drinks, L-Citrulline, high glycemic drinks, or supplements containing any other amino acids with or within 2 hours of taking this product at bedtime. Optional instructions for athletes: Athletes may elect to take ProArgi-9 at bedtime on an empty stomach and again 30-45 minutes prior to exercise. On non-exercise days, athletes should take ProArgi-9 only at bedtime. ProArgi-9 should not be cycled. Most sports drinks interfere with GH release, so only drink water near desired GH release times.

Is the ProArgi-9 safe to use if you have ocular or other herpes?

Arginine should not be used for any person with ocular herpes (required statement by law), but persons with non-ocular herpes may try the ProArgi-9. In a certain substrate of the population, any form of arginine will re-stimulate symptoms, and if this happens, they simply stop using the product.

Copyright ©2003 ESCC, Inc. All Rights Reserved.