Nutritional Strategies & Supplements for Fitness, Sports Performance & Optimal Health

#1

Volosaurus rex

Doctorate in Volology
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#1
I don’t know what forum would ultimately receive the most viewership for this topic. If contributors to this thread believe that another location would stimulate more traffic, please let me know. In any event, I was surprised to discover, via our trusty “SEARCH” function, that only four threads have been initiated on this website which reference nutrition in their titles. For that reason, it is my hope that this thread will provide Vol Nation a legitimate source of science-based information pertaining to nutritional strategies and supplements for fitness, sports performance, optimal health and weight/fat loss, as well as additional resources relevant to these topics. Contributors are, of course, welcome to steer the conversation in any direction which conforms to the overall thread title.

To kick things off, let’s briefly address some of the benefits associated with supplementation with vitamin D3. In the opinion of Michael Faloon, editor of Life Extension Magazine, “No other nutrient, drug, or hormone has gained more scientific credibility than vitamin D” (Startling Findings About Vitamin D Levels in Life Extension Members - Life Extension). One of the easiest and dirt-cheap methods of increasing testosterone levels is by increasing your serum level of vitamin D3. "A study found that giving men with low testosterone and vitamin D deficiency 3,332 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year raised their free testosterone levels by 20 percent. They also lost 6 kg over the course of the study! Vitamin D is thought to inhibit aromatization of testosterone to estrogen.” See Get Lean By Taking Vitamin D - It Raises Testosterone & Elevates Metabolism | Poliquin Article. "Low vitamin D is [also] associated with greater fat mass in all ages, races, and both genders. For instance, a new study of overweight women found that those who took Vitamin D for 12 weeks lost 2.7 kg of fat compared to a placebo group that lost nothing. They didn’t even modify diet or weight train" (Take Vitamin D To Lose Fat & Gain Muscle | Poliquin Article). Perhaps the single greatest benefit derived from Vitamin D3 supplementation is reduction of mortality associated with falls in the elderly.

Most people are seasonally, if not chronically, low or outright deficient in vitamin D3. "The best way to know your vitamin D status is to have your doctor measure the blood level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (not to be confused with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D). The minimum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D required for health is controversial, and can also vary by the method used for measurement. However, most authorities have argued that a rock-bottom minimum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of 30 ng/mL, or 75 nmol/L, is the point at which phenomena associated with deficiency begin to be corrected” (Vitamin D). According to Michael Faloon, editor of Life Extension Magazine, "Some people waste their money by taking baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood tests. If you are not taking at least 3,000 IU of vitamin D each day with a heavy meal, you are almost certainly going to have insufficient blood levels. It's better to start taking a total of 3,000 to 8000 IU of vitamin D each day with your heaviest meal and then have your blood tested for 25-hydroxyvitamin D in 30-60 days” (Vitamin D Blood Levels - Life Extension).

For a dissenting opinion on long-term high-dose vitamin D supplementation, see Precision Nutrition » Vitamin D supplements: Are yours helping or hurting you?.
 
#4
#4
I am Vitamin D3 deficient. I take a 5k dose daily with breakfast. I find it helps with emotional stresses and works as a good metabolizer.
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#6
#6
I am Vitamin D3 deficient. I take a 5k dose daily with breakfast. I find it helps with emotional stresses and works as a good metabolizer.
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My doc has me on that too. My understanding we usually get the majority of d-3 from the sun.
 
#7
#7
My doc has me on that too. My understanding we usually get the majority of d-3 from the sun.

You are supposed to absorb it from the sun, but apparently a lot of us don't absorb enough.
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#8
#8
You are supposed to absorb it from the sun, but apparently a lot of us don't absorb enough.
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I never had an issue until I retired from my lawn service business. Go figure.

I just hope it's ok to mix these things together. I'm ready to build some muscle.
 
#9
#9
I never had an issue until I retired from my lawn service business. Go figure.

I just hope it's ok to mix these things together. I'm ready to build some muscle.

Vitamin D mixed with anything shouldn't be a problem. Do some serious research on anything else. Protein is good, creatine depends, but most other stuff you have to be careful with when mixing. Just do good research, even though long term effects for most of the stuff is completely unknown
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#10
#10
Vitamin D mixed with anything shouldn't be a problem. Do some serious research on anything else. Protein is good, creatine depends, but most other stuff you have to be careful with when mixing. Just do good research, even though long term effects for most of the stuff is completely unknown
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Any suggestion on protein? The shakes taste like crap.
 
#12
#12
wow, OP is talking about nutrition, but it looks like SPAM to me


I DON'T PRODUCE SPAM, EVER!!! However, I do believe strongly in the use of sound nutrition, strategic use of supplementation and exercise in pursuit of optimal health, with minimal medical intervention necessary.
 
#14
#14
You are supposed to absorb it from the sun, but apparently a lot of us don't absorb enough.
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It depends, among other things, on the season, latitude and time of day at which you are exposed to sunlight. If sufficient skin surface is exposed to sunlight between 10am-2pm daily during the summer, yes, you will produce more than enough vitamin D without supplementation. Use of sunscreen, however, will protect against skin cancer but thwarts the ability of receptor sites in the epidermis (skin) to produce vitamin D3 naturally. If one is overweight, vitamin D3 tends to be sequestered in fat tissue, so serum levels become suppressed. As we age, we also become somewhat less efficient at processing vitamin D. As for seasonality, Tennessee is on the cusp of the latitude above which no amount of solar exposure IN WINTER will produce vitamin D naturally, regardless of the duration or time of day at which skin is exposed to sunlight. Finally, African-Americans are at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency. Their higher melanin count (i.e. darker skin) is an adaptation to intense equatorial solar radiation. When they live in more northerly latitudes, they have more difficulty producing sufficient vitamin D, a problem that is further magnified in late fall, winter and early spring.
 
#15
#15
You are supposed to absorb it from the sun, but apparently a lot of us don't absorb enough.
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Technically, vitamin D3 is produced from a cholesterol derivative in the skin through an ultraviolet-dependent reaction.
 
#16
#16
Any suggestion on protein? The shakes taste like crap.


As kiddiedoc suggests, quality is an important consideration in choosing protein powder. Inferior, cheap-grade protein powders often cause gastrointestinal distress, particularly bloating. Are you currently using a soy-based protein, mixed-blend protein, whey protein concentrate or whey protein isolate? You have to make the decision where to strike the balance between value/price point and quality. Optimum Nutrition is, indeed, a popular choice. If you want the highest "octane" whey protein isolate possible, AST Sports Science VP2 Whey Isolate, Nature's Best Perfect Low Carb Isopure, or Biotest Metabolic Drive are exceptional products but they are expensive (roughly $30 or more for a 2-lb. canister). More economical alternatives, which still provide excellent quality, include EAS 100% Whey Protein and Designer Whey. Historically, I have found the best prices online at Discount Vitamins, Supplements, Health Foods & More | Vitacost and Home Page Featured Products at DPS Nutrition - Discount Nutritional Products. The latter source specializes in sports nutrition products, whereas vitacost.com's product line is oriented more towards general health.
 
#17
#17
I am Vitamin D3 deficient. I take a 5k dose daily with breakfast. I find it helps with emotional stresses and works as a good metabolizer.
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How long have you been taking that dosage level and have you seen a significant increase in beneficial HDL levels yet? That is a benefit that some cardiologists are reporting among their patients. Incidentally, is breakfast typically your biggest meal of the day? Since D3 is fat-soluble, you may derive greatest benefit from taking it in conjunction with your biggest meal of the day.
 
#18
#18
Any suggestion on protein? The shakes taste like crap.

Dymatize Iso-100

Best I have ever used

100% Whey Isolate and desolves great in water. Taste is top notch. Gourmet Chocolate and Fudge Brownie are the best. Strawberry is next
 
#19
#19
Of note, the articles linked in the OP are from a non-credible source and not congruent with current medical literature. Also, the reference values and recommended intake amounts are quite different than current acceptable standards. In fact, the daily Vit D doses suggested could be harmful.

I would advise anyone considering mega doses of vitamins or any other supplements to discuss this with their physician. DO NOT rely on for-profit websites or "journals" for accurate information.
 
#20
#20
As kiddiedoc suggests, quality is an important consideration in choosing protein powder.

That was not my intent. It just blends well and tastes good. There is little to no evidence that one source of protein is superior to another.
 
#21
#21
How long have you been taking that dosage level and have you seen a significant increase in beneficial HDL levels yet? That is a benefit that some cardiologists are reporting among their patients. Incidentally, is breakfast typically your biggest meal of the day? Since D3 is fat-soluble, you may derive greatest benefit from taking it in conjunction with your biggest meal of the day.

My cholesterol levels, heart rate, BP levels, etc, etc are that of a healthy 20 year old (I'm 33). The effects I get from the D3 are more energy, better sleep and a higher metabolic rate resulting in keeping my weight down. And I can tell it on an emotional level too. Much happier.

And I simply don't absorb enough. I'm outside a lot in short sleeves and often shorts, but my body doesn't make the conversion. Even if I just miss one day, I can feel it. Initially my doctor had me taking an extra high dose once a week to get me back to normal levels then set me at the 5k daily dosage. My happiness and energy levels were through the roof the first two days taking it and then I would quickly decline. Things seem more normal now.
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