CORE 4:

YOUR

“Never put off UNtil
tomorrow what you can do
today.” I bet you’ve never
heard that before! All joking
aside, I can’t think of a more
appropriate quote to use
when it comes to achieving
good health. Years of “putting
off” a healthy lifestyle often
lead to years of dependency
on prescription medication
and doctors, all leading to
regrets. There are no “do-
overs” in life. Time goes by
so fast that before we know
it, we wish we had our
younger years back. How
many people have said, “If
we just had one more shot,
we know we’d do it right?”
Now is the time to get fit
and healthy, and, with Max
Muscle’s Core 4 program, it’s
easier than ever.

46 WWW.MAXMUSCLE.COM ı SEPTEMBER 2010

SOLID
FOUNDATION
By Jennifer Lee

Essential for life are each of the components of Max Muscle Sports
Nutrition’s Core 4. A person could actually survive on nothing but the
Core 4 which, although we don’t recommend trying, is another example
of the power of getting these nutrients into your diet now. How many of

>>
you can actually say that you know you are getting the optimal amounts of
vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids from your diet? How many go
through the day without thinking about how protein may affect your mood,
food cravings and energy levels? And, how many don’t realize that they
may achieve more health benefits by simply taking glutamine every day
than by taking many prescription medications that mask illnesses rather
than ever begin to fix them? The Core 4 is simple to incorporate into your
life. It starts with high quality, properly synthesized products that contain
vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, glutamine and protein. Visit your
local Max Muscle Sports Nutrition store today to make sure you
are using only the highest quality supplements available. It’s time to build
your solid foundation for life!

SEPTEMBER 2010 ı WWW.MAXMUSCLE.COM 47

1
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals play essential
roles in most metabolic processes in
our body. They act as anti-oxidants,
co-enzymes and catalysts, playing
roles in a number of chemical reactions.
Most of us know that it is crucial to
get enough of these micro-nutrients
in our diet but most don’t know if they
really are getting enough. Taking a high
quality supplement will help to provide
the nutrients we may be lacking.
The University of Australia conducted a study in 2006 in which overweight or obese
individuals were given 6 grams of omega-3 fish oil daily in combination with 45
minutes moderate aerobic exercise three times per week. Three other groups were
also studied: one taking just fish oil, one taking safflower oil and one taking safflower
oil in combination with 45 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise three times per
week. The study lasted 12 weeks and through a Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry
(DEXA) at the conclusion of the study, the group taking fish oil plus the exercise lost
significantly more fat than any of the other groups. “The results of the study showed
that the total proportion of fat in the body, particularly in the abdominal region, was

Vitamins
Vitamin C is present in every cell of the
body. It provides antioxidant protection
by neutralizing free radicals. Vitamin
C can regenerate Vitamin E and is
also important in collagen synthesis,
carnitine synthesis, immune function
energy metabolism, and many other
important functions in the body.
Vitamin C is water soluble and may be
lost from the body at higher volumes
during times of stress, so be sure to
eat plenty of foods high in vitamin C as
well as supplement each day and after
exercise.
B vitamins are important for energy,
metabolic functions, red blood cell
formation and division, insulin sensitivity,
detoxification, mood enhancement, as
well as many other critical processes.
B complex vitamin supplementation
has been recommended to help with
pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), in-
sulin sensitivity, alcohol addiction,
depression and high blood pressure.
Women of child-bearing age should
take folic acid daily, and Niacin (B-3)
is being used to help reduce LDL (bad)
cholesterol levels and to increase HDL
2
reduced significantly in the FOX group (fish oil plus exercise), but not by fish oil or
exercise alone.” One possible explanation for this is that omega-3’s strengthen the
walls of blood vessels allowing more blood and nutrients to muscles during exercise,
increasing exercise performance and metabolism.
rus in the blood. Vitamin D is important Essential Fatty Acids
for immune support, strength and new Supplementing with essential fatty acids
research is showing it reduces the risk can be life changing. The benefits we
of many forms of cancer. This vitamin get from fish oil, which is an omega-3
is highly recommended for individuals essential fatty acid containing EPA
with conditions that range from Par- and DHA, are vast. Omega-3’s reduce
kinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation, improve brain function,
infertility, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, provide immune support, strengthen the
liver disease and others. vascular system, and aid in fat burning.
Fish oil is suggested for children with
Minerals attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Minerals play critical roles in a number (ADHD) and for women who experience
of reactions in the body and must be pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS.)
obtained through our diet since our Omega-3 Plus is a pharmaceutical-
body cannot synthesize them. Despite grade fish oil supplement you can find at
the fact that we Americans typically eat any Max Muscle and offers 1 gram of fish
a lot of food, mineral deficiencies still oil per soft gel. Take two to six Omega-3
exist. Some important roles of minerals: Plus soft gels per day to make sure you
• Calcium maintains bone strength are getting optimal amounts of EPA and
and structure DHA. For those who cannot have fish
• Iron transports blood to the muscles oil, try Max EFA’s. Max EFA’s provide
• Sodium helps to control water a combination of omega 3, 6 and 9 by
balance offering flax seed oil, wheat germ oil,

(good) cholesterol levels. A quality
multi-vitamin will have an appropriate
balance of the B vitamins.
Fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E and
K. These vitamins are stored in fat
tissues in our body. Vitamin A’s primary
functions relate to eye health, immune
function, bone development, growth,
reproduction and detoxification. Vita-
min E is a powerful antioxidant and is
important for healthy cell membranes
and for a healthy circulatory system.
Vitamin K aids in the formation of blood
clotting factors and bone proteins.
Much attention has been brought to
vitamin D recently because so many
Americans have been found to have
a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is
critical for bone health. It helps the
absorption of calcium and regulates
proper levels of calcium and phospho-
3
• Magnesium is necessary for muscle
relaxation, neuromuscular activity,
protein synthesis, fat synthesis and
energy production
• Zinc is critical to immune function
• Manganese helps with carbohydrate
metabolism, bone development,
protein digestion, collagen
formation, protein synthesis (and
more)
It is important to note that large
quantities of minerals should not be
supplemented. Consumption of high
amounts of one mineral, can inhibit
absorption of another, for example,
high consumption of zinc can impair
copper absorption. Both major and
trace minerals are needed in very
small amounts by the body and a good
supplement should provide enough for
optimal health.
evening primrose oil, conjugated linoleic
acid and borage seed oil.
Glutamine
Glutamine is the most abundant amino
acid in the blood and in muscles. It
stimulates the synthesis and inhibits
the degradation of proteins. Glutamine
is a carrier of nitrogen and has been
called the “nitrogen shuttle.” Research
suggests that glutamine, when taken
post exercise, stimulates glycogen re-
synthesis. Many people who exercise
or train frequently and do not take
glutamine post exercise have shown to
have low plasma levels of glutamine.
Several hours of recovery are required
before normal plasma levels are
restored and if not fully restored before
your next training session, can lead to
overtraining.
 Other types of metabolic stress such
as illness, inflammation, injury, infection
and surgery, can deplete glutamine
reserves, which is why glutamine is
considered a conditionally essential
amino acid and must be obtained from
the diet. Glutamine works synergistically
with insulin to hydrate the cells, which
makes supplementing with glutamine
and carbohydrate immediately after
exercise critical. Oral glutamine sup-
plementation has been shown to be very
safe and well tolerated. Take a minimum
of 5 grams of glutamine post exercise. It
“time-released” protein, making it a
good choice to add to whey protein or
to consume prior to bedtime when our
bodies are in a fasting state.
Soy protein is a plant protein and
contains adequate quantities of
the essential amino acids histidine,
isoleucine, leucine, lysine, tryptophan,
valine, phenylalanine and tyrosine.
Soy has a high protein efficiency ratio
(PER), and has shown to reduce blood
cholesterol levels, making it a great
choice for a protein supplement.
Egg white protein is another

4
is also recommended to take throughout popular choice for protein
the day and before bed. supplementation and is
also a slower digest-
Protein ing protein. Egg white
The human body contains thousands protein contains all of
of different types of protein, each the essential amino
performing important functions. acids and is often
Protein consumption through our the standard used
diet is critical to life, and although for measuring the
Americans consume an average of protein quality
100 grams per day, assuming that our of other foods.
diets contain enough protein would Other benefits
not be necessarily correct. When we of protein in-
talk about getting enough protein in clude:
our diets, what we should really stress • Appetite
is getting the right protein in our diets. suppression
It is not the protein that operates at through
the functional level in our body, but secretion of
rather the amino acids we get from the hormones that
protein, which means knowing what promote satiety
type of protein is best given your goals • Increased energy levels by stabilizing
and needs is extremely important. blood sugar
Whey protein is an excellent source • Recovery from exercise by
of glutamine, glycine and the branched- promoting protein synthesis
chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine Recommended intakes of protein
and valine.) Whey protein transits the will vary for most people. Athletes and
stomach quickly for fast absorption by very active people, who consume
the intestines making it ideal to con- higher amounts of calories than
sume post exercise to speed recovery. the average person, are advised
Rich amounts of glutathione, a power- to consume higher amounts of
ful antioxidant, are contained in whey protein, approximately 1.0 to 1.7
protein. Glutathione is involved heavily grams per kilogram of body weight.
in metabolic detoxification and levels Many athletes, especially strength
of glutathione have shown to decrease athletes, will consume even higher
with exercise. Peptides from whey amounts. MS&F
protein have also
shown to enhance
the activity of our
immune system. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical
Casein protein Nutrition had female participants increase protein
comprises 80 per- consumption to 30 percent of total calories, and participants
cent of the protein voluntarily reduced calorie intake by 441 calories per day.
found in milk and The participants reported feeling greater satisfaction while
does not clear the
less hungry and they experienced weight loss after they
stomach as fast
increased their protein intake. By the way, 30 percent of
as whey protein. It
is a slower digest- total calories on a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet would be
ing protein, often approximately 150 grams of protein.
referred to as a