SuppVersity - Nutrition and Exercise Science for Everyone

Studies in men suggest no effect of the hormonal response on training outcome - What about women? A news study provides insights that may be relevant for both female and male gymrats. It has been a few years that I last wrote about the "hormonal ghost". Back in the day, Stuart M. Phillips published an excellent paper that debunked the myth of a mechanistic link of post-exercise increases in testosterone, growth hormone, IGF-1 and co., on the one hand, and exercise-induced strength and size gains, on the other hand. And for those for whom Phillip's review of the literature was not convincing enough, Daniel WD West's 2012, which showed none of the expected associations between exercise-induced hormone profiles (first and foremost higher post-workout testosterone levels) and the rate or significance of muscle strength and size gains in a large cohort of young men after weight training, should have been evidence enough to stop believing in "hormonal ghosts",...

Yes, I could have exploited the ambiguity and called this article "Training 'On Cycle', Done Right - Women See Much Better Results When Periodization is in Line W/ Their Period", but let's be honest: This is a science website and that's neither scientific, nor actually funny, is it? As a man, I have to admit to being at best well-read, yet not experienced in all things "menstrual cycle". So, while I do only know the (very different) things I've heard from (ex-)girlfriends about how they feel during the different phases, I do know that the hormonal differences in the luteal phase, with high levels of progesterone and estrogen, and the follicular phase with low progesterone and eventually increasing estrogen levels are pronounced enough to cause much more than just mood disturbances. For many trainers, however, the estrous cycle is still a closed book. "Can you train, or not!?" Especially male trainers are not just insensitive when ...

Do you really need a barbell or will hopping around in a group dance course or working out in the water aka hydrogymnastic suffice to build the 2015 cover model physique that's part of your new year's resolution? A recent Portuguese + Brazilian study may hold the answer to this "important" question. It's about time to think about a good new year's resolution; and since any resolution that's aimed at losing weight and/or building a better physique, naturally involves exercise, the latest study from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro comes right in time (Soares Costa de Mendonça. 2014). The study that was conducted by Rosa Maria Soares Costa de Mendonça, Adenilson Targino de Araújo Júnior from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro in Portugal, Maria do Socorro Cirilo de Sousa from the Federal Institute of Technology Education in Brazil and Helder Miguel Fernandes from the Research Centre for Sport in Portugal was designed to ...

Do you have to train like a woman (whatever that may be), Ladies, if you want to develop the cover model physique Orit Tsaitlin already has? No, you're not mistaken. Today's SuppVersity article is not a review of the latest science, it's in fact an interview. An interview with Sports Nutritionist & Strength Coach (CISSN, ISSA, MBA, B.Sc.) Orit Tsaitlin. It's not just that the mantra, "Nutrition Strategy and Body Transformation - Where Fitness and Science meet", on the frontpage of Orit's website that sounds pretty similar to the SuppVersity slogan "Where Bro- & Proscience Unite in the Spirit of True Wisdom", but also some of Orit's post on the SuppVersity Facebook Page , as well as a couple of short chats we had that inspired me to do a short interview with her. An interview that revolves around the useful- or rather uselessness of the average fitness magazine and the nuanced differences between training and nutrition principle...

It's a beautiful sight (and site) - that's for sure, but compared to "true" exercise doing Thai Chi in the bay is not exactly going to yield live-changing results. Ok, I have to admit, I am a dopamine junkie, and probably that's because I suck at everything that's slow and takes time... but enough of these personal details. After looking at the study outcomes you will certainly agree: True exercise - in this case in the form of circuit training - will always prevail! But let's tackle one thing after the other. The study we are looking at was conducted at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Chia Yi and Chang Gung University (wherever that may be.... well, obviously in China). The participants were 180 women (aged 45–75 years) who were divided into a circuit exercise group, Tai Chi group and a control group. What did the women do? Well, actually I would first like to point out that there was one thing, the women did not do and that's restricti...