fitness
Fitness regimes, advice, and trends in the Longevity health and wellness sphere.
Caffeine as an ergogenic aid
Logistically speaking, caffeine is likely the most easily accessible, and most prevalent, ergogenic aid for recreational consumption. Caffeine is a stimulant that itself is non-caloric, and provides no energy in the form of carbohydrate, fat, or protein. Thus, its energetic effects are not derived from the caffeine molecule itself, but are a result of the processes the presence of caffeine generates. The most regarded physiological mechanism by which caffeine enhances one's performance is its ability to block, or inhibit the action of adenosine. (Ferré, Sergi.) Adenosine is a byproduct of ATP utilization that builds up during exercise. Adenosine has receptor sites in the brain that, when bound to adenosine, downregulate one's production of excitatory and stimulating neurotransmitters. As adenosine receptor saturation increases, one will have greater perception of fatigue, and desire to sleep. Under normal conditions adenosine will progressively saturate the adenosine receptor throughout the course of the day. During sleep, the adenosine molecules that are bound to the adenosine receptors will be recycled for other physiological functions, such as the regeneration of ATP. Caffeine also has the ability to bind to an adenosine receptor, but it does not produce any action. In essence, Caffeine inhibits adenosine from binding to the adenosine receptor, thus terminating the progresive development of fatigue. Due to the limited number of receptor sights, caffeine will bind to the available adenosine receptors and block the adenosine molecule from binding and promoting drowsiness and fatigue. One caveat to the process of adenosine inhibition is that adenosine production does not come to a standstill. One will continue to create adenosine as a byproduct of ATP utilization, however the adenosine molecule is unable to bind to its receptor to downregulate one's nervous system. Consequently, unbound adenosine levels accumulate during the period of time caffeine is inhibiting the adenosine receptor, and as caffeine metabolizes there is a high concentration of unbound adenosine molecules that have accumulated in the presence of caffeine. Additionally, caffeine will increase the secretion of catecholamines, most notably adrenaline. Catecholamines are hormones that serve a plethora of effects on our body, the predominant effect being an increased tolerance to pain, an increased awareness, and a priming effect on one's muscular system. We naturally secrete catecholamines in response to pain, and they play a pivotal role in decreasing one's perception of pain and fatigue during exercise. Furthermore, an increase in catecholamine stimulates a multitude of processes that prime one for a physical exertion. For example, catecholamines can bind to cell receptors that stimulate the release of calcium located inside the cell. Calcium subsequently binds to a receptor named Troponin C, which consequently alters the potential of a cell to allow for a muscle to shorten. (Guest, Nanci S., Kuo, Ivana Y) Furthermore, caffeine increases our fuel availability in the form of fatty acids, and glucose in our blood stream. (Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research.) As mentioned, catecholamines upregulate a series of processes that prime an individual for a physical exertion. Catecholamines bind to receptor sites on adipose tissue and stimulate the release of fatty acids from adipose tissue to be mobilized, or released, into the bloodstream to make it readily available to the cell to create ATP. When fatty acids are available in unison with glucose, fatty acids can be used simultaneously alongside the available glucose for ATP production. Inevitably allowing for a certain degree of glucose preservation due to a reduced need to rely primarily on glucose for energy production during aerobic respiration. Due to the relative low intensity of endurance sports, athletes have available oxygen to undergo aerobic respiration. When energy needs increase to a level that surpasses our capacity to supply oxygen, we begin to metabolize glucose in order to fuel source anaerobic cellular respiration. Due to the duration of an endurance event, an athlete will typically have enough oxygen available to maintain a state of aerobic respiration. Anaerobic respiration allows an athlete to metabolize either carbohydrates or fatty acids to provide the energy needed for cellular respiration. Conversely, at the end of a race, in which an athlete would typically begin to sprint, an athlete loses the ability to consume enough oxygen to keep them in a state of aerobic respiration, inducing hypoxia, requiring cells to undergo anaerobic respiration. Glucose is the required fuel source for anaerobic respiration, and fatty acids cannot be used to fuel cellular respiration without the presence of oxygen. Caffeine is advantageous due to its ability to allow fatty acid metabolism during the earlier, aerobic, components of the race, thus allowing for the preservation of the glucose required for anaerobic respiration in the later components of an event.
By Calvin Scheller3 years ago in Longevity
Lectins
Introduction It is often assumed that the benefits of a diet are from the foods that we include, but I would postulate that many of the effects come from the removal of foods that are detrimental. Moreover, you may have persisting syomtoms that are not due to your current diet, but actually due to foods that you are in the past!
By Calvin Scheller3 years ago in Longevity
How many rest days should I take
By far one of the most common questions when it comes to exercise is, "how many rest days should I take?" By God, I wish I could answer this question accurately and tell everyone how many rest days they actually needed. But I simply cannot. Recovery is very complex, and there are a myriad of factors outside of simply the stress of training that affect one's recovery. Stress is stress. Whether it is work stress, family stress, relationship stress, training stress, it's all stress
By Calvin Scheller3 years ago in Longevity
Anti-inflammatory steroids
Anti-inflammatories and your muscle In order to grow muscle, we need to stress a muscle more than it is currently adapted to handle, which will produce a degree of inflammation. It is this inflammation that is used as the initial signal that the muscle needs to be repaired. And, if there is sufficient material (amino acids mostly) then we will increase the size of the muscle, which could come in the form of larger muscle cells (Hypertrophy) or cellular division that increase the number of muscle cells (Hyperplasia). The inflammation induced by training is important for the repair to continue. Anti-inflammatories, as the name implies, will reduce the inflammation, and inhibit the signal. These compounds reduce the signal for the body to adapt and enlarge the muscle, and muscle growth is handicapped.
By Calvin Scheller3 years ago in Longevity
Benefits Of Rhinoplasty Treatment
Rhinoplasty, also known as nose surgery, is a cosmetic procedure that can provide a variety of benefits beyond just improving the appearance of the nose. This procedure can address functional issues, such as breathing problems, as well as aesthetic concerns, resulting in a more harmonious and balanced facial appearance. In this article, we will explore the benefits of rhinoplasty and how this procedure can improve both the form and function of the nose.
By iefsafrica3 years ago in Longevity
Top Weight Loss Tips for 2023
Weight loss is one of the most popular goals people set for themselves, especially at the start of a new year. In 2023, there are several weight loss tips that can help individuals achieve their goals. Here are the top 20 weight loss tips for 2023:
By John Briches - New View Dynamics3 years ago in Longevity
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST IN 2 WEEKS
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST IN 2 WEEKS Many people at some point want to drop some pounds quickly. It is considerably harder to lose weight quickly. Fast weight loss can be challenging, but it's simpler than you might think if you know what to do. You must reduce your weekly calorie intake by at least 20% if you want to lose weight quickly. With the right diet, training, and cardio routines, you can drop pounds quickly. You must be in a calorie deficit for continued weight loss, which means you must expend more calories than you consume.
By Nikilesh Srinivasan3 years ago in Longevity
7 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Fitness and Weight Loss a Long Time Ago
As we grow up, there are several things we wish we had known earlier in life. One of the critical areas that many of us are interested in is health, fitness, and weight loss. In today's fast-paced and high-stress world, maintaining physical and mental health is a top priority. However, there are various misleading myths about fitness and weight loss that many people believe, leading to unhealthy habits and a lack of progress. Therefore, it is vital to learn from experiences and knowledge from professionals in the field of health and fitness. Here are some of the seven things that I wish someone had told me about fitness and weight loss a long time ago:
By Angelina Reen3 years ago in Longevity
Hormones Released Through Exercise
Let’s talk about these magical little chemicals that our bodies produce. Hormones are like the messengers of our bodies - they travel through our bloodstream and communicate with different organs to regulate all sorts of things like growth, metabolism, and reproduction. And when we exercise, our bodies go into overdrive, releasing all kinds of hormones to prepare us for the workout ahead.
By Think Move Strive 3 years ago in Longevity
