The process of “taking in” nutrients from the environment. Nutrients are absorbed by either passive diffusion (a process where nutrients move from one area of high concentration, say your gut, to another area of low concentration of that nutrient, like the bloodstream) or active diffusion (by receptors in the gut that act as gates and allow nutrients to enter into the bloodstream regardless of concentration).

The acquisition of characteristics, which are protective to the system/s that are stressed be exercise training; for example, the ability to generate more force is one adaptation of muscle to the challenge of progressive strength training. To illustrate further; an increase in the muscle protein synthesis with resultant muscle hypertrophy/growth also accompanies effective, heavy resistance training: Adaptation can take many different forms to many different activities.

ATP is a high-energy compound stored within muscle and other cells in the body. ATP has 3 phosphate molecules attached to each other with high-energy bonds to a 5-Carbon sugar molecule + a Nitrogenous Base. When a muscle cell requires energy to contract (like when you’re doing biceps curls), ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is broken down into ADP (adenosine diphosphate) + Pi (inorganic phosphate). ATP can be thought of as the actual fuel responsible for muscular contraction. The ATP-phosphagen system provides an immediate source of energy lasting less than 20-25 seconds, often suited for rapid, short-duration, high power activities such as lifting weights, hitting a power sled, sprinting, swimming, cycling, or running.

An array of more than one amino acid, which taken together as a group, may enhance the physiologic function of the same amino acids in isolation.

Refers to pathways involved in the “building up” of biological molecules, repairing cells, and tissues [e.g. muscle contractile protein(s)/ muscle cell repair].

Refers to all the metabolic processes that cause synthesis and hypertrophy of tissue such as fat, muscle, and bones to occur.

Refers to the ability to sustain work by (e.g. weightlifting, sprinting, etc.) using energy producing pathways that do not require oxygen.

The absence of or without water. Creatine anhydrous is a form of creatine without the water molecule (--“hydrate”) attached to it.

Referring to something that prevents muscle tissue breakdown through the inhibition of catabolic mechanisms, thus allowing anabolic processes to prevail.

Refers to preventing “catabolism” or breakdown of macromolecules; particularly lean tissue/muscle protein.

PLEASE SEE ENDOGENOUS ANTIOXIDANT SYSTEMS.

A group of biologically occurring substances that counteract the effects of Free Radicals. In quenching free radicals, these substances neutralize and inhibit the potentially harmful effects of oxidation.

This biochemical pathway is responsible for generating NO (nitric oxide). Arginine is a substrate (raw material) for all the NOS (nitric oxide synthase) enzymes. The endothelial NOS family of enzymes lines the vascular bed and feeder arteries of skeletal muscles, to allow these blood vessels to dilate in an effort to increase blood flow to the target tissue. The “NO” category of supplements attempt to exploit this pathway by creating a relative oversupply of the starting raw material (i.e. Arginine) in many different forms.

The processes that are beyond absorption or “taking in” of nutrients. It describes processes that cells utilize in order to “incorporate” the nutrients into its basic structure, metabolism, or function.

Loss of size and function, usually in reference to skeletal muscle.

An attempt to increase and enhance the muscle’s ability to generate energy for driving muscular work and activity.

Measure of how much you take by mouth actually enters to bloodstream to provide an effect. It could be seen as a ratio of how much one takes in by mouth to how much is present in the bloodstream after absorption. For example, if you swallow 10 grams of a supplement or drug and 9 grams are found in the bloodstream to provide a biological effect, then the supplement or drug has about 9grams/10grams = 90% bioavailability.

The processes that take place in a cell; these processes involve a starting chemical or compound that then goes through various transformations to produce and end-product and usually requires energy, enzymes etc.

A Coenzyme involved in many metabolic reactions including the metabolism of glucose.

The analysis of the bodyweight into simpler components (1) percentage of the bodyweight composed of fat (2) percentage of the bodyweight composed of lean body mass which is the fate free mass or weight (or total weight accounted by bone mass plus muscle mass). There are many ways to calculate body composition (such as electrical impedance technology, calipers, DEXA scanning etc.). If for example, a body composition is calculated to be 10% body fat, and the client weighs 200 lbs., the client has 180 lbs. of fat free mass and 20 lbs. of fat mass. (0.10 x 200 lbs = 20 lbs. of fat mass; 200 – 20 lbs. = 180 lbs. fat free mass).

A subgroup of essential amino acids that have similar routes of catabolism, primarily in peripheral tissues (muscle). The three that belong to this group are Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine.

A biological process that describes the breakdown of tissue (muscle, fat, bone etc

Refer to chemical substances which act as messengers to regulate and affect metabolism in tissue. Some of these hormones in excess (during times of physical stress, environmental or endogenous threat), may encourage the breakdown of protein, glycogen, and lipid to provide readily available substrates, intermediates and energy. Examples of stress hormones include: cortisol (glucocorticoids), epinephrine, norepinephrine, glucagons, thyroid (T3), aldosterone (mineralocorticoids).

Refers to the process of degradation and breakdown of more complex molecules such as protein, glycogen, and stored lipid into more simple constituents to yield energy. (See also definition for catabolic stress hormones)

Increasing the volume of a cell by increasing its water and biochemical nutrient content.

This is a broad, umbrella term that may be subdivided further into 3 components, namely:

1) Nutrient timing,
2) Nutritional Periodization, and
3) Supplement Holidays

Nutrient Timing refers to providing strategic nutrients and nutritional support at specific times relative to exercise training, energy expenditure, recovery, rest, adaptational curve, and natural biorhythms in order to optimize physiological benefit. According to the premise of nutrient timing, consuming the same nutrient and quantity may have a different effect when taken at different times of the day or training cycle. In other words, “Nutrient Timing” has to do with taking certain supplements or nutrients at a specific time in preparation for or in response to exercise or stress.

Nutritional Periodization involves the concept of tailoring nutritional needs (supplements, macronutrients, and energy intake) to specific training cycles throughout the year for optimum health and performance. Adjusting and manipulating macronutrients/ supplementation as an athlete modulates their volume, intensity, and total workload is an example of nutritional periodization. For bodybuilders and strength athletes this may be during the off season versus pre-contest, training camp, or during the season.

Supplement Holidays offer a physiologic “respite” to maintain optimal responsiveness to nutrients over time. The time off of certain supplements may allow for re-sensitization of the physiologic systems and biochemical pathways involved in nutrient metabolism. We are all familiar with the notion of having to make more of something to get the same or similar effect. Sometimes just getting off certain things for a while allows your body to reset itself.

Trace metal that is a component of many metalloenzymes involved in cellular metabolism.

The form of creatine molecularly bonded to a water (“hydrate”) molecule. This is the most commercially abundant form of creatine in the market. This is the most studied form of creatine to date. It is also the most commonly used creatine in clinical trials.

Once inside the skeletal muscle cell, 60-65% of creatine is in the form of CP (creatine phosphate), with the remaining 35-40% as free creatine.

If you look at the diagram below, creatine ionically bonded to phosphate (PO4) is the form that predominates in muscle cells.

< Img Src…. >

Also known as Tumeric is found in yellow curry spice. The dosages found in AntioxCene™ have potent anti-oxidant activity. Higher dosages demonstrate anti-inflammatory activity and may help in inflammatory conditions and in treating certain cancers.

A drug or herbal preparation intended to make your body excrete (get rid of) water from your body. Diuretics work on various parts of the kidney to increase water/electrolyte excretion and/or decrease electrolyte re-absorption as the kidneys filter blood. Much of the weight reduction that results from the use of diuretics is water weight from volume depletion.

Synonymous with effective or having an intended effect.

An acronym for Epigallocatechin Gallate found in Green Tea. They belong to a class of compounds called Polyphenols. EGCG may decrease incidence of many cancers, arthritis, and other inflammatory conditions. Human studies have shown that EGCG may enhance fat-burning beyond the effects of caffeine alone with consistent diet and exercise.

Refers to an elaborate, natural defense system against free-radicals found within the body. This system includes scavenger enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase, metal-binding proteins, and others designed to “quench” the free-radical chain reaction and protect from potential damage. In addition, there are nutritive/ dietary reducing agents which provide anti-oxidant and other functions. These nutrients include: vitamins (A, C, E), minerals (selenium, manganese, copper, zinc), and others (e.g. polyphenols, alpha-lipoic acid, co-enzyme Q10, etc.).

Simply means higher rates of anabolism, higher rates of protein synthesis, and hence higher metabolic drive toward building more muscle.

Special proteins in the body that have very specific functions, either cell transport, transformation of chemical from one form to another, and messenger functions in the cell to name a few. The point is enzymes are catalysts---they make any process much more efficient and/or exponentially faster compared to its absence.

The eight essential amino acids include leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, methionine, and threonine. Arginine and histidine are “conditionally essential” in children and infants, respectively. These are amino acids that cannot be synthesized within the body and must be obtained from the diet.

Macronutrient that provides the most energy per gram of consumption. One gram of fat eaten or consumed provides 9 kcal of energy. Because of this, excess energy, i.e. if one eats more in calories than used up in a day, much of that excess energy is stored as fat. Biochemically, fat is made of very long carbon units or groups that virtually make it insoluble to water, i.e. it repels water very strongly.

Actually would fit multiple definitions

1. The application of exercise training, nutrition, holistic lifestyle changes to COMPLEMENT traditional medical/ pharmacologic treatment using a COMPREHENSIVE, INITERDISCIPLINARY approach (happy marriage between "fitness" and "medicine").

2. Also, striving to meet the medical/clinical needs of individuals who seek a 'fitness lifestyle' in the pursuit of optimal health and quality of life.

A group of Polyphenolic compounds (chemical term that means it contains multiple benzene rings) that can be further divided in various subgroups such as: Isoflavonoids, Anthocyanins, and Flavones to name a few. Flavonoids found in various foods, plants, vegetables have gained popularity because of their anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic properties. Flavonoids are simply water-soluble plant pigments.

A form of amino acids delivered to the body without being chemically bonded to or modified by another compound. For example, one way to deliver amino acids to the body is to consume protein, which can then be digested in the stomach and small intestine to simpler amino acids; or you can simply consume amino acids in “free form” as themselves. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.

A highly reactive/unstable atom, molecule, or molecular fragment with an unpaired electron in its outer orbit. They are produced during a large number of metabolic reactions (in particular any requiring oxygen). In addition, external environmental factor and some medications also contribute to “free radical load” or “oxidative stress”. Free radicals have been implicated in many diseases and dysfunction including: DNA damage, atherosclerosis and vascular disease, heart disease, neurological disorders, systemic inflammation, diabetes, cancer, and over 50 others.

Tissue damage involves degradation of tissue structure by free radicals. The damage intrinsically alters DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids etc. of the cells involved. When many cells are damaged to affect the function/structure of tissues, then you have tissue damage by free radicals.

This theory was first postulated by Dr. Denham Harmon, and it is the most popular and widely tested in the field of Gerontology (study of aging). Aging is the progressive accumulation of adverse changes over time that increases the probability of disease and death. The “free-radical” theory hosds that aging may be due to the cumulative effects of free radical reactions on biological molecules such as DNA, RNA, proteins, and lipids. This damage, in turn, alters the structure and/or function of membranes, receptors, gene expression, cells, tissues, and organs. Because aging is such as complex process, it likely involves a combination of “damage” accumulated over time along with an element of “programming” inherent in genetics.

The simple 6-carbon sugar that is the basic unit of many more complex carbohydrate forms.

Carbohydrates may be assigned a value relative to a reference (such as glucose) known as the glycemic index; an index that measures how high a particular carbohydrate can raise one’s blood sugar in relation to a reference or standard. The reference is assigned a value of 100.

A state of equilibrium or status quo, in an organism. It encompasses all the processes in the body that keeps it in the “same” state over time. The body “keeps” itself metabolically and structurally constant despite large changes in the environment. Hence, despite large changes in the environmental temperature for example, the body retains its body temperature nearly constant as well a the countless metabolic functions carried out within the body. It also relates to the body’s resistance to higher rates of protein synthesis, large changes in bodyweight etc.