Vitamin C - Increase Your Muscle Mass Gains

By Sasa James

Do you sometimes feel your intensity and/or energy levels are going down? Your diet is good, you drink enough water, all other things seams to be perfect but for some reason you lack energy you had just recently. Symptoms of weakness and tiredness are very disturbing but worse of all, very much destructive for all building muscle mass attempts we may have. Good news here! Vitamin C is the answer. Muscle weakness is a common symptom of vitamin C deficiency.

Research showed valuable data. Functions of ascorbic acid indicate that any strength athlete needs to be consuming more than the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) because it has several functions that are important for building strength and muscle mass. Vitamin C is needed for maintaining the strength of tendons and ligaments but also it is essential for the adrenaline synthesis (the hormone crucial for intense training).

Physical training increases oxidative damage to cells in muscle tissue in our body. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that reduces the amount of oxidative damage caused by exercise. Proper amount of vitamin C ensures a lower release of cortisol. Why this cortisol thing is important? Being a catabolic hormone it does serve in other ways but its presence in the muscles promote excessive breakdown of muscle tissue. Therefore, lower secretion of this hormone should provide faster recovery and better performance. But here is a problem: vitamin C is not of the stable structure and it can not be stored it in our bodies. Therefore we need sufficient amounts of vitamin C everyday. You may know that RDA for vitamin C is 60mg/day. However, recent studies in people that are not athletes suggest that a good intake is more likely to be around 200mg/day.
And if you saw ours (or any other good) nutrition calculator you already know it is not too difficult to arrange. 8-ounce glass of orange juice will provide you with around 100mgs of vitamin C.

But it is very difficult to know the right amount your body will need. I must say it wouldn't hurt to supplement with an additional 250-500mgs a couple of times a day particularly if you are already feeling the "down phase" symptoms. I always take an extra 500mg dose with breakfast and before I train just to be sure. To conclude, vitamin C isn't advertised and glorified as so many "big" supplement labels. But despite that, it so important for building new muscle tissue. Fresh sources of the vitamin C like orange juice or lemonade are best in the sense. Adding extra vitamin C by supplementing your diet for most of us is necessary.

You can build up Massive and Strong Body fast, without risking your health. Sasa's advices saved time, money and good health to many Athletes. His dedication, profound experience and personal example are causing the difference. Feel free to visit his web page , claim your Free e-Book's and Video's and learn more on Fast Massive Muscle Building.

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Top 5 Nutritional Tips To Tune-Up Your Immune System

By Raymond Geok Seng Lee

A deficiency of virtually any single nutrient can significantly impair immunity. Throughout the world, nutrient deficiency is by far the most common cause of poor immune function. This fact is by no means limited to people whose diets are restricted by poverty. In America, many people are overfed but undernourished. They choose foods that have a lot of calories but little real nutritional value. Here are some tips that you can benefit tremendously if you follow these guidelines closely.

1. Take A High-Potency Vitamin And Mineral Supplement
Doing so will increase your intake of the key nutrients for immune function, as discussed below. Not long ago, a study of adults found that those who took a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement had a 50 percent decrease in the number of days of illness due to infection compared with the group that took a placebo (dummy pill). Those taking the supplement also showed improvement on eight out of twelve objective measures of immune function. Pretty good results for such little effort!

2. Decrease The Intake Of Saturated Fats And Cholesterol
A diet high in saturated fat suppresses immunity. Many people initially presenting with high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides also report more frequent colds and flu. When cholesterol and triglycerides levels are normalized, proper immune function is restored.

3. Cut Out The Sweet Stuff
Sugar makes your white blood cells sluggish. Studies show that eating 100 g of sugar reduces the effectiveness of a type of white blood cell known as a neutrophil, which engulfs and destroys bacteria, by as much as 40 percent within two hours after ingestion. Since neutrophils account for about 60 to 70 percent of your white blood cells, interfering with them can seriously impair your immune function.

4. Eat Sufficient But Not Excessive Amounts Of Protein
Adequate protein intake is critical in the making of white blood cells, antibodies, and chemical messengers such as interferon. You also need protein to make antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione, which is found in abundance in white blood cells. Elevated glutathione levels are associated with better immune function. People with low immune function can benefit from eating more protein from fish, lean poultry, and lean cuts of meats. There are many vegetarians who are suffering from low immunity solely as a result of not consuming enough protein. I would recommend either soy protein isolate if they eat absolutely no animal products, or whey protein if they eat dairy. An additional 40 to 50 g per day for one month will boost protein stores back to normal. After the month is up, I would still recommend 20 g of either choice daily.

5. Eat Plant Foods
Eat a diet that is rich in a variety of vegetables especially the green leafy ones, fresh fruits whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. These plant foods are rich in essential nutrients and immune-boosting chemicals.

Raymond Lee Geok Seng is one of the foremost experts in the health and fitness industry and is a writer specializing in body health, muscle development and dieting. He has spent countless of time and efforts conducting research and share his insightful and powerful secrets to benefit men and women all over the world. He is currently the author of the latest edition of "Neck Exercises and Workouts." Visit http://www.bodyfixes.com for more information.

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