‘Tis the Season to be….lean? What a contradiction that is. The truth is, ‘tis actually the season to be inactive, or even out of shape. The period from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day is one full of parties and more effort toward “eat, drink, and be merry” than maintaining our focus on exercising and preserving a lean, muscular body.
Assuming we have the ability to stay on track, what are the challenges we face?
The Challenge
Before, during, or between exercises, there is a risk of muscular breakdown during rigorous physical activity often leading to injury, tissue damage and even muscle loss. Insufficient protein and supportive nutrient intake can create a challenge to not only thegeneration of muscle but also its preservation via repair and prevention of catabolism.
While the focus is generally on muscle gain or weight loss during intense exercise, the risk of loss of immune strength and potential flu infection is very high, particularly those training for endurance events (hence the increase of colds and infections after events). Immune system decline can result in an increased risk of infection, fatigue and muscle strength.
Electrolyte loss during excessive sweating is common and if not addressed, can lead to depletion of minerals. This can result in increased physical stress, muscle fatigue and cramping as well as reduced regulation of the nervous system. Also, heart and blood vessel health is important to maintain nitric oxide levels, allowing your vessels to dilate and your blood to flow freely during exercise.
While all of the above affect the muscles and the physical side of exercise, the mental side must also be addressed to help maintain focus, positive mood and to keep our neurotransmitters at appropriate levels to support feelings of wellbeing and mental clarity.
The Solution
IDLife Lean delivers a carefully researched and designed complex of “targeted” amino acids, branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), minerals and energy nutrients to support muscle generation and preservation, immune function, electrolyte depletion, cardiovascular health and mental focus and vigor.
L-Glutamine and L-Arginine are natural amino acids that, in periods of extreme stress such as heavy exercise or an injury, support muscle preservation, improved tissue repair, reduced healing time, increased muscle energy and proper nervous system function. They both also support healthy immune function and healing of wounds and injuries. L-Glutamine helps increase lean body mass while supporting the minimization of fat absorption and also has a unique capacity to support a low carbohydrate diet regimen or sugar restriction when taken one hour before meals. L-Arginine also helps boost Nitric Oxide synthesis that promotes efficient blood flow and overall heart function.
Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine are Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), essential amino acids that cannot be synthesized in the human body and are critical for muscle growth and maintenance. They have important roles in the generation of various tissues, healing and metabolic processes via the protein synthesis in the liver. BCAAs play a central role in the metabolism of muscle tissue, therefore supporting both muscle generation and preservation and muscular health insurance.
Betaine (Trimethylglycine) is a natural methylation agent that helps increase the neurotransmitters Serotonin, Norepinephrine and Dopamine to better regulate mood, focus and mental energy during intense exercise. Magnesium and Potassium are critical minerals that help minimize electrolyte loss, contributing to better muscle contraction, energy production, nerve conduction and reduced muscle cramps. Magnesium is also depleted during period of physical and mental stress and is needed for 300 enzymatic reactions in the body.
Lean also includes L-Tyrosine, an amino acid precursor to the catecholamines Dopamine (helps regulate sugar craving) and Norepinephrine (vigilance and concentration) and is central to support thyroid and adrenal metabolism. L-Tyrosine aids in improving workout energy as well as thermogenesis and may be helpful in stress reduction.
Also supporting thermogenesis is Bioperine, a form of Piperine, which enhances nutrient digestion and gastrointestinal absorption. Thermogenesis is NOT just about heat, but how that heat converts to increased body metabolism by digesting and utilizing the nutrients provided to increase thermal energy and help the body “amp up”. In this specific formulation, Bioperine has been shown to help increase the digestion of Magnesium, Potassium, Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine; those nutrients shown to help maintain electrolyte activity and muscle generation.
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