True or False.....Whatcha guys think about these claims...

**Tbucket** · 07-02-2008, 01:05 PM

.....from the "experts" over at Mens Health....this month in their rag, they have a 2 page article, "7 ways to Muscle-Up your Diet"....

#5, regarding PWO shakes= "......by adding BCAA's like leucine, help stimulate the production of insulin -the bodys most muscle-building hormone- and trigger genes responsible for muscle growth. Add 5-10 grams to your shake....."
QUESTION: Is it worth buying leucine to add to the PWO for this claim?

#6, regarding Green Tea= "......has been shown to help reduce stomach fat by increasing fat oxidation directly in the abdomen....."
QUESTION: Is it worth buying supps of green tea and has anyone had any results from adding it to their cocktail of supps/regime?

**Tbucket** · 07-02-2008, 01:08 PM

OK, well I saw/read the recent thread about tea after I posted this, so now curious if anyone has real world experience to testify to this.

**abbot138** · 07-02-2008, 01:21 PM

Green tea is good stuff, but as far as any "spot fat reduction," nooooo, not possible. Mens Health and Fitness has a way of playing with words so that they're not exactly lying, but its far from ther truth, kind of stretching the thuth so to speak. Green tea can help speed up metabolism and burn fat which in turn would eventually lead to reduced stomach fat but as far as green tea actually targeting stomach fat, nope. Leucine is a quality amino, i just buy a BCAA powder mix, but yeah i use it pre and post workout and somtimes during....You should prob stay away from Mens Health and Fitness, most magazines are garbage overall. If anything you should check out Muscle and Fitness, always some quality articles in there (some BS to tho, gotta seperate the 2).

**Tbucket** · 07-02-2008, 01:28 PM

Yeah, the wife bought a script from one of those door to door rag saleskid for my b-day (thought she was doing something good) I usually just thumb thru it once maybe twice and trash it but this caught my eye a little, the whole target mentallity which doesnt make sense at all, but thought Id ask anyway

**abbot138** · 07-02-2008, 01:39 PM

Yeah, i mean both the supps they listed are quality, you just have to kind of read between the lines and skip the BS. They target more of the 40-50 something weekend warrior types, not the serious lifter.

**sweeney todd** · 07-02-2008, 04:25 PM

green tea from beyond a century is good stuff.

**novastepp** · 07-06-2008, 07:58 AM

i drink many different teas throughout my day. i love the stuff.

as for leucine. you are better off buying BCAAs. i mix about 15g in with some water and G2 gatorade with some sugar free lemonade crystal lite. i sip it before, during, and after my workout, up until my PWO meal. i maaaaay still have the article on my comp, but I remember that leucine begins protein synthesis on its own. i'll dig it up.

**quadsofsteel** · 07-06-2008, 08:25 AM

im not too sure where i read this or if its true but i think the text I read said that insulin only becomes anabolically active when there are high amino acids in the blood. Because the amino acids (unsure) act as somewhat of a carrier of the insulin into the muscles.

**C_Bino** · 07-06-2008, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by quadsofsteel

im not too sure where i read this or if its true but i think the text I read said that insulin only becomes anabolically active when there are high amino acids in the blood. Because the amino acids (unsure) act as somewhat of a carrier of the insulin into the muscles.

Anabolic pathways do not have to be dealing with muscle. You do not need to have high amino's for insulin to work. Or else then insulin wouldnt work well in vegetarians and vegans.

Now, polypeptides are required in order to produce hormones and insulin s obviously a hormone. So people lacking EAA's and CEAA's may develop problems producing and maintaining certain hormone and enzyme levels in their bodies.