Tag: Jerry Brainum
Straight Facts: More Top Effective Bodybuilding Supplements Proven By Science
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Jerry Brainum returns with part two of his list for the most effective bodybuilding supplements based on scientific studies.
In the massive world of sports and nutrition supplements – there are a lot of claims as to what brands and what products are the best for bodybuilding and fitness. Most of this is just marketing and sadly, many substances in supplements are unnecessary additions to your diet for improved fitness. However, this does not mean that all supplements are a waste of money. That’s why Jerry Brainum has returned with the second part of his list for the most effective bodybuilding supplements. In this episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum breaks down the best bodybuilding supplements proven by scientific studies.
The claims made by supplement companies need to be backed by some sort of study. Baseless claims cannot be used to market products. While this is great in theory, it’s relatively easy to manipulate studies to fit a business narrative. There are even rich enough businesses that invest in their own studies – likely bent towards making sure the outcome looks appealing to buyers. That’s why Jerry Brainum has spent his time looking at the most neutral and diverse collection of studies he could find that investigate nutrition supplements and their effects.
Last episode, Jerry Brainum broke down the most effective supplements backed by science – but he couldn’t fit the entire list in one episode. So we’re back this week to complete the list. What are the best supplement products that will actually work based on rigorous and peer reviewed studies? Let’s find out.
Sodium Bicarbonate
Sodium Bicarbonate is used as a blood buffer – often times in medical emergencies at the hospital. But its effects also have use in the fitness world. sodium Bicarbonate buffers the build up of acid produced by your muscles when you exercise. This makes the supplement a great addition to your stack if you perform high intensity exercise or athletic activity. By buffering the acid – it reduces soreness and fatigue as you train.
The big downside here is that Sodium Bicarbonate, true to its name, contains a lot of sodium. So it may be hard to dose this supplement depending on your nutrition needs outside of fitness. Typically, you will need to take 0.2 grams per kg of bodyweight in order to receive the effects of this supplement. It should be taken at least 60-150 minutes before physical activity.
If you find yourself having gastrointestinal issues caused by this supplement, try adding a small dose of carbs. It will help settle and prevent stomach issues.
L Carnitine
L carnitine is a supplement that is actually produced naturally in the body. It’s a very vital substance that is needed to transport small chain fatty acids into the mitochondria of our cells. This is where fat is oxidized – making it essential in our body function. Due to this functionality, l carnitine gained a reputation as being a useful fat burning supplement.
A problem arose when using l carnitine as a supplement product in your diet. The substance would not make it’s way into the muscle – thus making it likely ineffective as a fat loss supplement.
This all changed when scientists determined that taking l carnitine alongside carbs raises the body’s ability to absorb the substance into your muscle. The downside here is that the carb amount suggested is no slight number – about 95 grams.
However, by adding carbs alongside an l carnitine supplement, absorption into the muscle increased by 15%. While this sounds like a small amount, it was enough to show proven improvement in muscle loss. The l carnitine in the muscle triggers your muscle to prioritize burning fat during a workout. Some studies show that even with the additional carbs – enough fat was burned to not only even out the carb intake but lead to additional fat loss.
Jerry Brainum believes this is a double edged sword and might not work for everyone. Especially in bodybuilding, needing to add extra carbs may not be the best option for you. With the added amount of carbs, insulin levels might get thrown off which could lead to additional unintended weight gain despite the l carnitine in action.
However, other studies have shown that even if you take l carnitine without carbs – it can lead to increased fat loss. Currently, these studies are at odds with others that have shown no fat loss increase. So this is not fully confirmed.
Citrulline
Citrulline is a substance found in natural foods – particularly in larger amounts in watermelon. When consumed, citrulline travels directly to the kidneys where it is processed into arginine. The arginine then quickly helps to produce nitric oxide in your body. This, of course, can help enhanced exercise performance by widening blood vessels leading to more oxygen to working muscles.
So why not just take arginine as a supplement directly? Interestingly enough, when arginine is consumed, it actually processes into citrulline in the kidney. This will eventually lead to nitric oxide production – but at a much slower rate with up to 60% of the original supplement not being absorbed by the body. Citrulline, on the other hand, absorbs much better and is quicker acting.
The best time to take citrulline is typically an hour before exercising to receive the effect. With a dose of 6-8 grams.
Wrap Up
Jerry Brainum admits that this list is not fully exhaustive to all supplements that have a positive effect on bodybuilding and fitness. However, these are the top supplements that have been rigorously proven by science. There are many other supplements that certainly work based on anacdotal evidence over decades of the industry. That being said, they have not been as deeply studied. For the purposes of Jerry Brainum’s list – he wanted to only include directly proven by science supplements.
You can watch Jerry Brainum detail this best bodybuilding supplements proven by science part two in the video above. Make sure to check out new episodes of Straight Facts every Wednesday only on Generation Iron or where ever podcasts are downloaded.
Straight Facts: The Most Effective Bodybuilding Supplements, Backed By Science
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Jerry Brainum lists the most effective bodybuilding supplements according to scientific studies.
The bodybuilding and sports supplement industry has boomed over the last few decades. What was once dominated by a small number of tried and true brands is now overloaded with hundreds of supplement companies and manufacturers. While having purchasing choice is great to best get what you need – it can also make supplementation confusing. Which brands should you trust? Which types of supplements actually work? Am I being scammed? In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum breaks down the top supplements backed by science to guarantee results.
It seems like nearly every week a new kind of supplement product hits the market. Each one advertises that it is the best solution to optimizing your fitness training. But how do you separate the over-exaggerated marketing from the real deal supplements that make a difference? While FDA approval of a supplement is a good start – deeper scientific studies are required to know if a supplement actually will make changes to your training and diet.
That’s why Jerry Brainum broke down a short list of science research backed supplements that are considered most consistently effective for bodybuilders and athletes. Keep in mind this list is considering legal over the counter supplements and not PEDs such as steroids. Let’s jump into it.
1. Creatine
After piling through the data, Jerry Brainum found that most scientific studies endorse creatine as an effective supplement. It works for 80% of people who use it in an aggregate score of research studies and essays. Creatine is probably one of the earlier supplements you were made aware of back in high school – and for good reason. It keeps your muscles supplied with energy for muscle contraction. It stimulates intramuscular insulin growth factor one which is a direct anabolic effect. It also helps to reduce acidity in muscle – which is a big factor in fatigue during training. It is without question the number one most effective supplement.
RELATED: Best Creatine Supplements For Bulking & Muscle Growth
2. Caffeine
While technically more of a drug than a supplement, studies have shown that caffeine, an all natural substance, is effective for sports supplementation. Whether you get the caffein boost via a pre-workout supplement or simply a few cups of coffee – there’s no doubt that this drug works to boost your energy.
A few tips to keep in mind. You’ll want to ingest caffeine (coffee for example) one hour before you workout in order to get the best effects from it. However, if you train late – then the boosting energy of caffeine will last well into the night and might make it harder for you to sleep. This can hurt your muscle recovery.
Note – if you have any kind of heart or artery disease or complication, caffeine can restrict the dilation of your arteries. This can reduce the amount of blood pumping into your heart. Which can cause health risks if you have any known pre-existing heart and artery conditions.
RELATED: Best Pre-Workout Supplements For Bodybuilding & Muscle Gain
3. Nitrates
Nitrates are substances found naturally in green leaf vegetables (such as beets). This is a great way to get the benefits of nitric oxide without taking boosters (which may come with additional ingredients you may want to avoid in your diet). Nitrate takes about 2-2.5 hours from the time you consume it before you get the full effect during a workout. Effects include dilation of blood vessels – which helps you get a great pump and great delivery of oxygen to muscles.
4. Beta Alanine
Beta Alanine increases the production of carnosine in the body. This helps increase muscle endurance by preventing acidity build up in muscle which is one of the factors that cause fatigue. Essentially, much like nitrates, this supplement can help stave off fatigue. This allows you train harder and longer in the gym.
On a personal note – Jerry Brainum mentions his own use of beta alanine. In his experience, a low dose did not help him. But after going to a higher dose he was able to see an effect.
RELATED: Straight Facts – The Pros And Cons Of Beta Alanine
Wrap Up
While the supplements listed here are backed with rigorous research to endorse their efficiency, it should be noted that if something works generally on paper it may not work for you. Each individual has unique genetics. No one drug affects a person exactly the same way.
If you are not using some of these supplements in your diet – and are looking for a natural way to increase performance – try adding these into your stack. Evaluate if the results work for you, adjust, and repeat. You might just find something to give you the edge during bodybuilding training.
You can watch Jerry Brainum go into full detail about this supplements in our latest episode of Straight Facts above. Make sure to check out new episodes every Wednesday only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network or wherever podcasts are downloaded.
Straight Facts: Everything You Need To Know About Fake Steroids On The Black Market
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Jerry Brainum breaks down the straight facts of black market steroids and the odds that the substances will be fake.
In the 1990s, the United States passed the Steroid Control Act – which changed the legal status of steroids and many other PEDs. It became much more strict on how doctors can prescribe steroids. Thus, the athletic use of steroids was altered away from more legitimate sources and turned towards the black market. Much like other illegal designer drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine, and heroine – you simply don’t know exactly what you are getting in black market steroid products. In our latest Straight Facts episode, Jerry Brainum explains in detail the reality of black market steroids – and your odds of getting a fake or dangerous product as a result.
The legality of obtaining steroids and other PEDs changed significantly in the 1990s. Due to steroids becoming a fully controlled substance – a black market emerged to fill the gap for athletes and bodybuilders looking to still obtain these drugs. Much has been talked about how the war on drugs simply drives users to turn to shadowy less legitimate sources. For steroids, this is no different. Now many steroid users turn to the dark web or foreign countries to obtain substances.
The problem with this, as Jerry Brainum points out in this episode, is that there are no regulations for black market substances. This means that you never really know what you are purchasing and putting into your body. Drug deals simply want to make a profit – and will do whatever is possible to reduce costs and earn more overhead. That means diluted substances, cheaper packaging, and cheaper methods of creating these substances.
It should come as no surprise this hurts consumers the most – and not just in their wallet. It can have serious health risks caused by bogus substances being put in a person’s body. Or it can have health risks by requiring a user to simply take more and higher doses of the drug due to their lack of optimal effect.
That’s why Jerry Brainum has dedicated this episode to looking at a series of studies that breaks down the reality of what black market steroids and PEDs actually look like – and what the odds are that a user is getting fake substances. Let’s jump into it.
RELATED: Bodybuilders Are Dying: An Investigation Into Modern Bodybuilding, Health, & PED Use
Nearly 1/3 of black market steroids are fake
Jerry Brainum starts the episode with a few anecdotal stories. While Brainum does not use steroids himself, he is deeply rooted into the bodybuilding industry. He has spoke with many individuals who claim to be using certain steroids – and aren’t getting the kind of results that Brainum knows should be possible from earlier eras of the sport. It’s clear even on an anecdotal level that black market steroids are scamming buyers.
To back this up, Jerry Brianum turns to a recent series of studies that analyzed 5,400 anabolic agents on the black market. Overall, the study showed that cumulatively, 36% of the substances were found to be fake. That’s over 1/3 of all black market steroids.
While this number should be alarming to you – it does alter depending on where you live. For example, the study showed that Brazil was best known for selling fake steroids. Fake or diluted substances were found in 49% of the substances analyzed compared to as low as 15% in other countries.
In addition to this, the type of steroid substance mattered as well. Oil based steroid substances were far more likely to be fake or diluted. With 43-65% of analyzed oil substances being fake vs 29-37% of tablet steroids being found fake.
What does it mean for a steroid substance to be fake? They contain substances other than anabolic materials. For example, Jerry Brainum points out one note from the study that claimed certain so-called steroids contained anti-malarial substances instead.
RELATED: The Anabolic Doc Reaction To VICE Video: How Steroids Became More Popular Than Heroin
Other concerns with black market steroids
Jerry Brainum also discusses other findings made by the studies. Particularly that methods of cutting costs lead to sub-optimal steroid substances on the black market. Business would cut back on packaging, storage conditions, and purposefully dilute the substances in order to make more money out of less substance.
All of these factors can lead to a steroid becoming sub-optimal. Even if the steroid is not fake – it will be less powerful than its dose purports to contain. This has many dangers – one being that an individual may believe they can handle a certain dose of the diluted drug. When they then get hands on perhaps a non-diluted version of the substance – they will unknowingly take more – wreaking havoc on the body and possibly leading to long term serious health risks.
Wrap Up
Jerry Brainum is aware that drug and PED use will not disappear from bodybuilding or any other sport. With the current state of laws in the United States regarding steroids – it’s unavoidable that individuals will turn to the black market. But Brainum hopes that this information can help educate those who are thinking about taking the risk.
If a bodybuilder wants to take that risk – that’s their freedom. But individuals unknowingly taking a risk, believing the black market substances are legitimate, is a tragedy. That’s why Brainum hopes people watch and absorb this episode.
You can watch Jerry Brainum’s full breakdown in our latest episode of Straight Facts. Make sure to watch new episodes every Wednesday only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network. Or where ever podcasts are downloaded.
Straight Facts: The Very Real Dangers Of “Blasting And Cruising” With Steroids
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Jerry Brainum explains why you should never follow a “blasting and cruising” steroid regimen due to very serious health concerns.
Last week, Arnold Schwarzenegger restated his worry about the abuse of steroids in modern bodybuilding. Jerry Brainum agrees – and he believes the most dangerous aspect is in an increasingly popular new steroid regimen that pushes the boundaries into serious health consequences. Brainum is referring specifically to “blasting and cruising” – a steroid regimen that avoids cycles all together and instead keeps you on some form of steroid non stop. In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum breaks down the very serious dangers of blasting and cruising – and warns that bodybuilders avoid it entirely.
It’s no secret that steroids are used in bodybuilding. While the pros avoid directly commenting on use – it’s an unspoken understanding in the industry for fans and athletes alike. Typically, a bodybuilder will go on a steroid cycle. This involves taking steroids for a set period of time and then coming off the steroids. Then repeat. It’s a literal cycle.
When a bodybuilder is “off cycle” – they go into post-cycle therapy. Over time, a bodybuilder is unable to naturally product testosterone after a cycle. Post-cycle therapy is a series of supplements that helps kick start that natural testosterone production.
Blasting and cruising abandons the cycle entirely and keeps a bodybuilder on some form of steroids throughout the entire year. Jerry Brainum has noticed that this is a more modern technique that was rarely done in previous eras fo the sport. It’s also a technique that has extremely dangerous consequences. Let’s jump into it.
What Is Blasting And Cruising?
Blasting and cruising is an alternate technique of steroid use in bodybuilding. It foregoes the typical cycle in favor of a new one that keeps the individual on steroids throughout the entire year. Instead of a typical on and off steroid cycle – this new cycle is blasting and then cruising.
Blasting is when you go on a typical normal heavy steroid regimen. This is very similar to a traditional cycle. However, instead of going off cycle after – the bodybuilder will “cruise” which is to switch into a low dose steroid regimen. After the cruising period, the bodybuilder goes back to blasting. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Why is Blasting And Cruising Dangerous?
Blasting and cruising keeps a bodybuilder on some dosage of steroids all year. This prevents the body from having a break from these powerful drugs and repairing the potential damage caused by them.
Jerry Brainum explains that during a traditional cycle, the body processes steroids via the liver. Of time, this can lead to inflammation and even damager to the liver. Typically, when a bodybuilder goes off the cycle, the liver is able to slowly repair any of that damage. It should be noted that in rare instances, this damage cannot be undone. This all comes down to genetics – but majority of individuals do recover.
Compare this to blasting and cruising. By never coming off steroids, the repair of the liver never happens. While the cruising period is a relatively safe dose of steroids (typically somewhere around 100mg), staying on the drug non-stop has slow long term consequences.
The liver never repairs. Instead, it continues to slowly become inflamed and damaged. Eventually, this turns into liver disease. Once a person reaches the point of liver disease, this cannot be undone. It can lead to severe complications and even death.
A Note About Steroids And Cardiovascular Health
It should be noted that while a typical cycle often allows the liver to repair and recover – there are still other serious side effects and health risks to taking steroids recreationally. Even if a person does not blast and cruise – a typical steroid cycle can lead to long term heart complications and cardiovascular disease.
In addition to this – long term steroid use can lead to a permanent inability for the body to natural produce testosterone. This requires a lifetime on testosterone replacement therapy (or TRT). If this is not done, an individual will suffer many consequences. Not particularly fatal – but life changing.
This is all to say that a traditional steroid cycle is not a 100% safe alternative to blasting and cruising. However, science proves that the blasting and cruising method is far more dangerous and leads to far quicker and more guaranteed health risks.
Wrap Up
The bodybuilding community have been debating about the rise of steroid abuse for years now. With many deaths plaguing the sport, fans, athletes, and industry professionals are worried that drug use has gone too far. The abuse has reached a fever pitch – and serious consequences will continue to follow.
This is why Jerry Brainum wanted to break down the blast and cruise steroid technique. It is simply one aspect of how far drug abuse has been pushed in the sport compared to older generations. It’s a warning and hopefully a wake up call for young athletes to consider their health before diving into these risky trending regimens.
You can watch Jerry Brainum go into full detail in our latest episode of Straight Facts above. Make sure to check out new episodes every Wednesday only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network. Or wherever podcasts are downloaded.
Straight Facts: Why You Need To Stop Taking Turkesterone Now!
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Jerry Brainum breaks down the straight facts behind the popular supplement Turkesterone – and how it fails as an anabolic substance.
In the effort to be the best in the world, individuals will search high and low for the best way to get an edge over the competition. In bodybuilding this can take many forms including searching for the key secret workout plan, discovering a new posing trick, or finding a new supplement that increases gains. Ecdysteroids are a class of substance that are often marketed as a legally anabolic supplement. Most popular of these substances is Turkesterone. But does it really work? In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum explains why Turkesterone fails as an anabolic substance.
In no secret in the bodybuilding world that anabolic steroids are used to increase muscle growth and recovery. But the truth of the matter is that steroids are illegal to use for recreational activity and often banned in most professional sports. So there will always be individuals looking for the next new substance that acts like steroids – but is legal. For example, many have turned to SARMs, which have a more of a grey area legally compared to steroids – at least in the United States.
This is also where Turkesterone comes in. Turkesterone is a legal supplement that can be purchased over the counter. It is part of a class of substances called Ecdysteroids and has gained popularity as an anabolic supplement by athletes over the past few decades. But does Turkesterone really work? Jerry Brainum turns to past studies – and a more recent study to break down the truth behind this controversial over the counter substance.
Is Turkesterone Anabolic?
The short answer is – no, Turkesterone shows no proven record of being anabolic. Jerry Brainum digs back through past studies on insects and rodents that showed promise for anabolic effects – but it has never been proven in human consumption. Up until recent, Turkesterone was never studied specifically – but many other Ecdysteroids have gone through trials that yielded little to no results.
So how did we get here? Why is this supplement seen as an anabolic option by athletes and bodybuilders? It started due to the chemical makeup behind Ecdysteroids. They contain a similar structure to testosterone. But just because the structure is similar – doesn’t mean the effects are. Which is why scientists took it to studies for proof. The ultimate human trials were disappointing for anyone hoping to find a healthy and legal way to boost muscle protein synthesis in a serious way.
Debunking The Myths Behind Turkesterone
There will be those who doubt the accuracy of past studies behind Ecdysteroids. For one, most studies do not focus on Turkesterone specifically. Perhaps that specific substance does work compared to others. This is why Jerry Brainum turns to a much more recent study that focus specifically on Turkesterone.
Ironically, this study was only done on rodents. While other past Ecdysteroid studies seemed to show some slight promise in rodents – this study found that the substance did not reach any anabolic pathway for the mice. Therefore – there was no way it could have an anabolic effect on muscle protein synthesis.
Deniers will also point out that these studies were not done on humans. Furthermore, the mice were not put through exercise. Perhaps this substance, like steroids, needs exercise to show results. Jerry Brainum debunks this line of thinking as well. He points to a 1966 study that proved once and for all that testosterone, even when not exercising, increased muscle mass. Yes, exercise is vital to reach more noticeable levels. But the important point is that anabolic substances will work with or without exercise. Turkesterone does not.
The Placebo Effect
So why do so many people still swear by Turkesterone if it has no proven effect? Why do so many people believe it works? Even Joe Rogan has given time on his podcast discussing with Andrew Huberman about Turkesterone. This is a big platform that can influence a lot of people.
Jerry Brainum believes that this is simply the placebo effect. In fact, he thinks for some people, Turkesterone really does help them increase muscle size. Not because of the actual chemical makeup of the substance but instead because of the psychological boost it gives users who think it works.
Brainum goes on to say that just because a person believes they saw results from the supplement, doesn’t mean that is proof. There are many factors to account for – which is why studies are done in the first place. Correlation does not equal causality.
Is Turkesterone bad for you? It doesn’t seem so. But Jerry Brainum is convinced after looking at the data – this supplement does not have an anabolic effect. It’s a waste of money and energy that can be better spent elsewhere.
Wrap Up
Ultimately, there is no damage being done if you take Turkesterone. But it won’t be helping your gains either beyond a possible placebo effect. You can watch Jerry Brainum go into detail and break down the facts behind Turkesterone in our latest episode of Straight Facts above. Make sure to check out new episodes every Wednesday only on Generation Iron or wherever podcasts are downloaded!
Straight Facts: The Truth Behind Nutrient Timing Before & After Workouts
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Jerry Brainum breaks down the straight facts behind nutrient timing. When does it matter and when is it BS?
It’s generally known that a person’s diet and nutrition are equally, if not more, important than workouts for meeting your physique and fitness goals. What you put in your body directly effects the “fuel” used during workout and recovery. But beyond general diets – there is a concept known as nutrient timing. Does the timing of when you consume certain nutrients and supplements vastly affect the results of our workout? In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum separates fact from fiction with a complete breakdown of nutrient timing before and after your workout.
We all have limited time in a day. So for those fitness obsessed, it’s important to best optimize a workout to save time and reach goals as fast as possible. In terms of diets and supplementation, this is where the concept of nutrient timing comes in. Can a person perfectly target a window of time for supplementation and nutrition in order to get a boost to their workout? Whether that be more energy, more optimized protein synthesis, or better rest for recovery?
According to Jerry Brainum, the answer is that nutrient timing can help improve the results of your workout – but only slightly. At the end of the day, nutrient timing will not be a make or break aspect for those looking to upgrade their health and physique to the next level. Let’s break it down in detail.
The Two Hour Window: Should You Take Protein Supplements Right After A Workout?
When the fitness community talks about nutrient timing – the most popular consensus is a two hour window before and after your workout. When it comes to consuming protein or protein supplements after a workout – many believe that it’s vital to consume protein within that two hour window to help optimize protein synthesis.
However, according to Jerry Brainum, recent studies show that protein synthesis reaches it’s peak between 24-48 hours after a workout. Essentially this debunks any importance of consuming protein immediately after a workout. So long as you are getting the amount of protein you need every day – your body should be putting it to best use.
On the flip side, it does not hurt to take protein supplements right after a workout. So there is no reason to avoid the two hour nutrient timing window. With science changing and updating all of the time – you can choose to still take protein right after a workout just to be safe.
Carbohydrate Replenishment After A Workout
So we covered protein synthesis after a workout – but what about carbohydrate replenishment? During your workout, your body will use glycogen (from carbs) for energy. Because of this, many fitness enthusiasts would also use the two hour nutrient timing window to restore on carbs.
Jerry Brainum states that while it’s true that glycogen is burned during a workout, resistance training typically does not burn all of your glycogen stores in on session. So can consuming carbs immediately after a workout help? Yes – but only in slightly. It’s not a game changer for your physique, strength, or fitness levels.
However, if you are someone who does long endurance workouts – then carb replenishment after a workout can be vital. Longform exercise and endurance training will typically burn through your entire glycogen stores. So it’s extremely important for someone like a long distance runner to beef up on carbs right after a long training session.
Overall, Jerry Brainum explains that studies have shown that the body has a hierarchy of demands after a workout session. When your body is depleted in glycogen stores after a workout – it will prioritize replenishing glycogen before turning carbs into fat stores in your body. So yes – eating carbohydrates immediately after a workout is effective. How effective depends on the kind of training you are doing.
Nutrient Timing Before A Workout: Things To Consider
So we discussed at length nutrient timing after a workout – but what about before? Typically nutrient timing before a workout comes down to ensuring you have enough energy to put up your best training. A pre-workout supplement or caffeine can be helpful raising energy levels. Typically, caffeine takes about an hour to kick in – so consider this with your nutrient timing before a workout.
On the other hand, caffeine also stays in your system for about six hours. So if you are a night trainer, consider this fact when timing your caffeine intake for a workout. You don’t want to be unable to sleep and recovery later in the night.
Hydration is also extremely important before a workout. While the timing of consuming water comes down to how hydrated you are during the full day – the most important thing to consider is to stay hydrated by the time you train. Studies show that being dehydrated can lead up to a 4% decrease in strength – according to Jerry Brainum.
Wrap Up
So is nutrient timing a magic bullet that will transform your fitness regimen? No, not really. But there are some true valuable aspects to nutrient timing that should be considered. Nothing will be a game changer – but small things can all add up to a better fitness lifestyle. Each individual is different. Whatever ultimately helps you become a more focused and successful person in fitness should not be avoided.
You can watch Jerry Brainum go into complete detail about all aspects of nutrient timing in our latest episode of Straight Facts above. Make sure to check out new episodes every Wednesday. Only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network or where ever podcasts are downloaded.
Straight Facts: Best Ways To Avoid Training Injuries In The Gym
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Jerry Brainum explores the top ways to improve your training and prevent injury in the gym.
When performing resistance or weight training in the long term, an injury will most likely occur in your future. It’s simply part of the risk of lifting heavy weight and pushing the body to new limits. However, injuries can be largely mitigated and reduced to less serious damage. How? In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum breaks down the key tips, techniques, and tactics to reduce your chance of injury during training.
Sometimes a weight training injury is unavoidable. But many times, the injuries we see in the gym can be avoided if better focus and care was taken during a workout. Some of these factors are invisible and health related. Others are direct tactics that can be employed during a workout. In either case, it’s important for lifters to be vigilant about weight training safety. After all, a person could be one serious injury away from never being able to lift weight seriously again.
Let’s break down Jerry Brainum’s key tips and techniques for avoiding injury in the gym below.
Always Use Proper Technique
Form and technique are vital aspects to focus on when you are weightlifting. While some bodybuilders may “bend” technique and form to push their bodies harder, this is the exception and not the norm. Performing an exercise with incorrect form can lead to eventual injury.
Jerry Brainum believes that today’s gym-goers are far less focused on technique. He considers this a shame as technology has provided more resources than ever before right at the tip of our fingers. Yet despite these resources, distractions seem to actually be making form worse.
While this is just an anecdotal observation by Brainum, it’s still important to remain focused, do your research, and always ensure you have perfected exercise form before moving up to heavier weight. If you sacrifice form just to feel proud about moving up to the next weight – you are heading straight towards eventual injury. This leads us into our next tip…
Don’t Lift Too Much Weight, Too Soon
There is a sense of pride in breaking new PRs and lifting more weight than your friends or colleagues in the gym. However, that pride can drive us to lift too heavy, too soon. Typically when we push too far, we sacrifice form. But even beyond this, if your body is not ready to take on such an increased load of weight – the body can bend too far and lead to serious injury.
Don’t Forget To Warm Up & Stretch
Warming up might sometimes seem boring. Especially the more often you exercise and lift. However, warm ups are vital to preventing injury. Before a workout, your muscle tissue will be more “stiff.” A warmup helps flex and loosen the tissue. If you jump straight into heavy weight – that stiffness might lead to your muscles being unprepared for weight you can typically handle. Thus leading to an injury.
Jerry Brainum also discusses the concept of stretching between sets. Is it necessary to keep the muscle tissue flexible? There are two schools of thought on this. Some studies have shown that stretching between sets can actually increase muscle growth. While other studies have questions the validity of those claims.
Jerry Brainum’s suggestion? Stretching between sets will not harm you but it might have a slight chance of improving your workout. So if you want to give it a shot – go for it!
Avoid Bad Spotters At All Costs
A selection of exercises in the gym may require a spotter. A spotter is someone who watches the weight and provides a helping hand when you have maxed out or made an error in your lift. It’s important to ensure that your spotter takes it seriously and pays attention. One distracted moment can lead to an injury.
Don’t Overtrain
Some lifters are so focused on making gains that they hit the gym seven days a week for multiple hours a day. This is a mistake. Muscle does not grow during a workout. It grows during rest and recovery. If you do not provide your body time to recover you are not only denying optimized muscle growth – but putting yourself into a situation where you are not fully recovered and therefore may become more easily injured.
RELATED: Top Signs Of Overtraining And How To Avoid It & Tackle Fatigue
Don’t Slack On Nutrition
While this will be less of a problem for competitive bodybuilders, general lifters must be aware of how important nutrition is to fitness. If you are not getting the proper nutrition, your muscle tissue might be weakened. Thus more open to injury. The same can be said for recovery. If vital nutrients for recovery are missing from your diet – then your recovery becomes less optimized. This, of course, means you may not be fully recovered by your next workout and become injured.
Don’t Get Distracted By Your Phone
Unlike the past, there are little computers in our pockets that can now distract us no matter where we are. This includes the gym. But just like how you shouldn’t text and drive, you also shouldn’t text and lift weight. Bother are essentially “operating heavy machinery” and should be treated as such.
Being distracted by your phone can lead to slacking on form, or perhaps slacking on spotting a friend. It can, essentially, lead to lack of focus on the other tips listed in this video and article. So when you come to the gym, put the phone on silent and focus on the workout.
Wrap Up
You may notice that many of the items on this list are common sense. But distractions, overeager intentions, and lack of research can lead to these simple techniques being ignored. That’s why Jerry Brainum decided to break down his best tips and techniques for avoiding injury. Once they become second nature – they hardly feel like a task at all.
You can watch Jerry Brainum go into full detail in our latest episode of Straight Facts above. Don’t forget to catch new episodes every Wednesday. Only on Generation Iron and wherever podcasts are downloaded!
Straight Facts: Are Pain Killers Like Aspirin Killing Your Gains?
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Jerry Brainum breaks down recent studies that seem to prove certain pain killers block hypertrophy and muscle protein synthesis. Should you be worried?
When training seriously in the gym for size and strength – it’s inevitable that pain and injuries will occur. While most will always aim to avoid serious injuries like a pec tear, wear and tear is unavoidable. So it’s common for bodybuilders to use over the counter pain killers like aspirin to help reduce soreness, aches, and pains. But recent studies show that drugs like aspirin may be blocking muscle hypertrophy. Should this be a real concern for serious bodybuilders? In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum breaks down NSAID painkillers and whether or not they could be hurting gains in bodybuilding.
There are a wide variety of pain reducing drugs on the market. The ones that make headlines most often these days are opiates due to their addictive nature and the massive health concern they’ve called. On the other end of the spectrum you have anti-inflammatory pain killers – these are called NSAIDs in the medical community. Aspirin and Ibuprofen would fall under this category.
Nearly all of us had turned NSAIDs at one point or another – whether to reduce a headache or a sore body part. It’s been a household staple for decades. However, a recent study seems to show that NSAIDs have a side effect that reduces muscle hypertrophy and protein synthesis. That sentence alone will make serous lifters and bodybuilders shudder with fear. Do these drugs actually reduce gains? Jerry Brainum, being passionate in the bodybuilding community, decided to use his knowledge to put the study to the test – and see if these findings will really have an affect on a bodybuilder’s lifestyle.
Do NSAID pain relief drugs reduce muscle hypertrophy?
Based on a recent study, it does appear that NSAID drugs do slightly block muscle hypertrophy. However, Jerry Brainum points out that the medical communities relationship with NSAID substances has always been a roller coaster. In fact, there have been studies in the past that claimed the same thing – only for newer studies to deny it. With each passing decade, the scientific community discovers new findings that change their outlook on these drugs.
To add to the confusion, there also seem to be conflicting studies depending on the age of the individual. A study showed that young adult subjects (20s and 30s) had an increase in muscle mass and hypertrophy upon using NSAIDs. On the flip side, older individuals (50+) showcased an increase in muscle growth upon using NSAIDs. How is this possible?
Jerry Brainum explains that as we get older, we start to experience systemic inflammation. This kind of inflammation can get so bad that it leads to very serious conditions in old age. It’s the reason why we have the stereotype, “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” Typically, it’s vital for those growing order to add resistance training to their health regiment. It can literally stave off this systemic inflammation and make you a more able and mobile older individual.
So what does this have to do with NSAIDs? It seems that the reason older individuals experienced an increase in muscle growth while using NSAIDs comes down to the benefits of reducing systemic inflammation. The contradiction between younger and older individuals in this study is not a mistake. The NSAIDs likely do still block muscle hypertrophy – but for older individuals the benefit of reducing systemic inflammation leads to more optimal workouts. Thus better overall hypertrophy.
So should bodybuilders avoid NSAIDs like Aspirin?
Ultimately, Jerry Brainum believes that the affect NSAIDs have on muscle hypertrophy is too minimal to truly kill gains. This study also would need further research and follow up to become more reliable. However, if you want to be safe rather than sorry, Brainum has some advice to avoid any negative ramifications.
If you are going to use pain killers like NSAIDs to reduce pain – simply wait at least four to five hours before taking an aspirin. This will allow the benefits of training to take their effect – if you still feel pain after that, the drugs will do their job reducing inflammation with little damage to your muscle growth.
Wrap Up
Painkillers such as aspirin has been a part of normal life for many in the world. So it could be shocking to find out they have an effect on bodybuilding physiques. While this is likely a game changer for anyone competing in the sport, Jerry Brainum’s breakdown provides insight into whether or not this had real world practical ramifications. You can watch his full comments in our latest episode of Straight Facts above! Don’t forget to watch new episodes every Wednesday only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network.
Straight Facts: Is The Future Of Mass Monster Bodybuilding Doomed?
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Jerry Brainum believes that the peak of bodybuilding has passed and been on a downslide ever since – breaks his evidence down in a latest video.
Modern bodybuilding has been under scrutiny in many ways for the past decade or so. First due to the distended stomachs and “unpleasant” look of bloated mass monster physiques. And now more recently due to the many tragic untimely deaths of relatively young bodybuilders. That’s why this week Jerry Brainum is going to look at the recent past to try and predict the future of bodybuilding – particularly Men’s Open. Is it doomed towards more of a health and popularity decline? Or will there be a shock to the system to change the trajectory of the sport? In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum predicts the future of bodybuilding using today’s evidence.
Distended stomachs, untimely deaths, and heavier bodybuilders each generation are all pointing to one thing. Modern bodybuilding is focused on drug use and abuse at a level unseen in previous eras. In looking at the past and present to predict the future trajectory of the sport – Jerry Brainum sees many evolving factors that change the industry. But one thing that has changed the most far more than any other factor is the amount of drug use.
Jerry Brainum believes that if the sport continues down this course – that young bodybuilding deaths will continue. In fact, he believes that the young bodybuilders today will have an increased risk of dying by their early 50s. Brainum’s biggest question when lookin towards the future is – what is the limit? Both in terms of mass monster size and drug use doses. Is today’s port on the precipice of a fundamental change? Or will it continue to push boundaries for decades to come?
RELATED: Bodybuilders Are Dying – An Investigation Into Modern Bodybuilding, Health, & PED Use
Tracing the evolution of mass monster mentality and drug use in bodybuilding
Jerry Brainum starts off this episode with a brief overview on how the sport has gotten to where we are today. He starts by pinpointing one of the most historical culture shifting moment in the sport. When Dorian Yates debuted his mass monster physique – he showed a new bar that bodies can achieve. Brainum believes this was the single most defining moment of modern bodybuilding history. It changed everything.
Shortly after that – drug use continued to push boundaries. The evolution and information about these drugs became more known in the sport. By the early 1990s, insulin was introduced into the sport. Instead of being used as medicine for those with diabetes, it was used in combination with steroids to push bodybuilding size even further.
With the advent and eventual ubiquity of the internet – access to illegal and banned substances became even easier. Drug use increased even faster. Limits and doses increased. Which brings us to where we are today.
Predicting the future of competitive bodybuilding
So how does this course show us what the future holds? Jerry Brainum believes that many of today’s bodybuilders are taking such high doses of PEDs that medical professionals can’t even accurately know what kind of health effect it will have.
Brainum fears popular drugs like Trenbolone will have a devastating impact on the health of athletes as they age. Not only in terms of untimely deaths – but also early onset Alzheimers disease. Brainum states that studies have shown Trenbolone can trigger early onset Alzheimers. Despite no longer being legally produced – it’s widely popular among bodybuilders who compete.
Jerry Brainum believes that the only thing that can change the course of bodybuilding, mass monster sizes, and drug use – is to hit an absolute limit to what is possible. At some point, bodybuilders simply won’t be able to get bigger. Or perhaps at some point, the deaths will be so devastating that young athletes will change mindset on drug use and physique desires.
The question is, are we reaching that point currently or is that still far out from now? Jerry Brainum believes that the true peak of bodybuilding ran between the Golden Era of the 70s through to the early 90s. Ever since then, Brainum believes that bodybuilding has been on a decline in both popularity, quality of physiques, and health of the athletes. Will the 2020s be the rock bottom? Or will it take longer?
Brainum believes that the true peak of bodybuilding ran between the Golden Era of the 70s through to the early 90s.
How genetic therapy might change the game for bodybuilding
Jerry Brainum also predicts that gene therapy will one day completely transform bodybuilding and physiques. It’s still a very long way off from being an option – but Brainum thinks that gene therapy will one day replace traditional PED use. If the very genes can be manipulated to increase muscle size and become readily available to athletes – it will be used in droves.
However, Jerry Brainum also thinks this will lead to a brand new series of health related issues. Early gene therapy has already shown its dark side – with subjects growing tumors, being diagnosed with cancer and even dying. Who knows what kind of health ramifications can happen down the road if gene therapy (and even black market illegal gene therapy) becomes available to athletes.
Will Classic Physique become the new normal?
Jerry Brainum also touches upon the invention of the Classic Physique division and whether or not that will change the course of bodybuilding’s future. Brainum believes that, based on how fast the division has grown, Classic Physique will one day become the most popular division and highlight of the sport. Chris Bumstead’s immense popularity is early proof of this.
Jerry Brainum does not, however, believe it will kill Men’s Open bodybuilding. The freak factor is just too exciting to disappear. Instead, he thinks there will simply be less athletes interested in doing Men’s Open – which will lead it to becoming an exciting, but smaller division.
Wrap Up
Ultimately, Jerry Brainum paints a grim picture of the future of bodybuilding. His assessment almost seems like a stock market going into a bear market. While it will hurt many people, the sport simply needs to crash in order to reset and grow again. And much like the stock market – it’s hard to predict when the real deal crash will arrive.
You can watch Jerry Brainum go into full detail in our latest episode of Straight Facts above. Make sure to also stop by the Generation Iron Fitness Network every Wednesday for new episodes each week.
Straight Facts: Should You Eat Chicken Or Fish For Best Fat Loss While Retaining Muscle?
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Jerry Brainum answers: which protein source is superior for losing fat and retaining muscle – chicken or fish?
While bodybuilders spend a significant amount of time trying to bulk up and build muscle – they also go through a cutting phase leading into a competition. The goal of this is to cut out as much fat as possible without burning away muscle. It’s not possible to avoid burning muscle completely of course, which is part of the skill and tactics that go into being a successful bodybuilder. During the cutting phase, protein still needs to remain constant. Which brings up the question – which is the superior protein to eat during cutting? In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum compares chicken and fish to determine the best protein to eat while losing weight and maintaining muscle.
While bodybuilders are hyper focused on getting as lean as possible during competition prep – the concept of eating lean meats to stay thin and healthy is a universal one for many health conscious individuals. And for those who value maintaining strength and some sort of muscular physique while also staying thin – maintaining appropriate protein intake is vastly important.
Typically lean low calorie proteins come down to chicken or fish. Both are seen as the best protein source while trying to stay health and lean. But is one better than the other? Jerry Brainum looks at both protein sources and their nutrition profile to find out. Let’s jump into it.
First thing first – is it possible to eat red meat while losing weight?
At the top of the video, Jerry Brainum starts first by breaking a few myths about red meat and weight loss. It’s often believed that red meat needs to be cut out of a diet in order to lose weight. So if you want to maintain muscle while getting lean – chicken or fish is the only way to go.
While chicken and fish are likely your best options – not all red meat is as bad for your weight and health as you might be led to believe. It largely comes down to the cut of meat you consume – as there are fatty red meats and lean red meats.
Jerry Brainum references a study that showed lean cuts of red meat only had a difference of one to two grams of fat compared to chicken. This is a very small difference that would likely have little effect on your weight loss or gain.
So what’s the moral here? While it’s good for your overall health to reconsider how much red meat you eat on a weekly basis – for weight loss it is not 100% the enemy. Be smart, research the right cuts, and you can still fit in some red meat while hitting your fitness goals.
However, chicken and fish also offer a lot of other nutritional value to overall health as protein sources – which is why we can jump into those options in the battle for best weight loss proteins.
The pros and cons of chicken for weight loss
The first important factor to consider when eating chicken while trying to lose weight is what part of the chicken you are consuming. Dark meat is often fattier while light meat is packed with more protein. Chicken breast specifically seems to have the highest protein content and the least fat. This is why bodybuilders typically eat chicken breast above all else.
It’s also important to note that the skin contains fatty tissue. So this should be removed when eating during weight loss.
Chicken shares a lot in common with fish when it comes to b-complex vitamins – which are very helpful for turning calories into energy. But a huge positive is that chicken is much higher in vitamin D – which is already a vitamin that humans lack as we increasingly turn to digital technology and stay inside.
The pros and cons of fish for weight loss
On the other hand, fish has a lot of the same basic qualities as fish in terms of fat content and protein. However, fish are often packed with omega-3 fatty acids. These are considered an essential nutrient to overall long term health. So it’s great to have this in your diet separate from weight loss itself.
One thing of note – many bodybuilders and other fitness individuals hyper obsessed with weight loss might opt for low fat fish like cod. The problem here is that low fat fish often has less of the most important omega-3 fatty acids our bodies need. So you are essentially denying yourself a big benefit of fish when eating low fat species. On top of this – the fat content of a fattier fish like Salmon is such a small difference from chicken, it rarely is needed to eat low fat fish.
Another benefit of fish is that they are extremely low in calories compared to other protein sources. So when bodybuilders come to the final weeks of contest prep – it might be the best option for getting as lean as possible. This might not be as important for those who are just generally trying to stay lean for lifestyle reasons.
In terms of vitamins – fish are very high in vitamin B-12 and studies have also shown that fish are very good for helping to keep your intestinal biome healthy. This can have a huge effect on your overall health including your immune system – as noted by Jerry Brainum in a previous video.
So what is best? Chicken Or Fish?
After breaking down the pros and cons of both chicken and fish – Jerry Brainum believes that there is not enough of a significant difference between the two. Whether you want to eat chicken or fish while you try and get lean is completely up to your personal taste.
It can be argued that fish has a slight edge in terms of overall nutritional factors for your health. But if your main goal is to stay lean and keep on as much muscle as possible – both chicken and fish are a great way to keep protein in your diet without packing on too many calories.
You can watch Jerry Brainum go into complete detail in our latest episode of Straight Facts above. Make sure to visit Generation Iron every Wednesday for new episodes!