Toxic Popcorn

An ingredient used to create the butter flavor in microwave popcorn, diacetyl, has been causing some concerns for workers in plants who make the product, as it has been shown to have a causative link between the ingredient and bronchiolitis obliterans - a debilitating lung disease. However, a question that has not been addressed is whether or not the diacetyl ingredient is toxic when used in a household setting. Are consumers at risk when microwaving their artificial buttery concoctions? No one really knows, but some manufacturers, such as Pop Weaver (PDF) (HTML), have already removed the ingredient from their product line.

• Diacetyl Ban in California? The Angry Toxicologist
• Wikipedia: Diacetyl
  
• Down with Diacetyl - Beerme.com
  

Archive: Methyl Hydroxy Nandrolone (MOHN)

My article for Methyl Hydroxy Nandrolone (M4OHN) was written for the same company that I wrote my Methyl Hydroxy Testosterone (M4OHT) article for. It was also written in 2004 in a period leading up to the banning of prohormones, when manufacturers were bringing out all sorts of new compounds that were either active steroids or precursors to them. Most all of them had never been tested and were able to be created due to the new found access to a book by Julius Vida, a scientist who synthesized every possible modification of male sex steroids and then published them in a book, entitled "Androgens and Anabolic Agents, Chemistry and Pharmacology", in 1969. Although the book had been long out of date, an individual finally was able to find a copy of it and scanned it, converted it into PDF format, and sold it. This, along with the availability of Chinese companies to synthesize almost anything requested, allowed supplement companies to sell steroids that were never manufactured or widely used - and hence, not scheduled - a legal loophole that is still exploited to this day. Although for some reason, both M4OHN and M4OHT were banned by California state law, they were not banned in any other state, and as such, they were manufactured and sold until finally banned by the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004.


Hydroxy Nandrolone, like its counterpart, Hydroxy Testosterone, is a steroid which is quite obscure and not much is written about it in medical literature. Hydroxy Nandrolone was produced commercially in Italy under the name Steranabol. However, it was sold as an injectable product, as opposed to an oral one, with cypionate ester attached. It is chemically known as oxabolone.

Nandrolone is the base steroid of Hydroxy Nandrolone. Nandrolone deconate is a popular anabolic steroid, commonly known as Deca Durabolin. Deca is well known for being a strong anabolic compound, with fewer androgenic properties. This is due to the fact that nandrolone is missing a carbon atom at the 19 position, giving it overall more affinity for the androgen receptor than testosterone. [1] However, unlike Hydroxy Nandrolone, nandrolone can aromatize into estrogen, which is another factor involved in it's strong anabolic effects.

Like Hydroxy Testosterone, Hydroxy Nandrolone also has a hydroxyl group at the 4 position on the molecule. This makes it incapable of interacting with the aromatese and 5 alpha reductase enzymes. However, since regular nandrolone typically reduces into a much weaker androgen, DHN (dihydronandrolone) via 5AR, this would make Hydroxy Nandrolone more androgenic. In the body nandrolone reduces to DHN through the same pathway that testosterone reduces to DHT. But, in this case, DHN is weaker and less androgenic than DHT, which is responsible for most of testosterone's androgenic effects (acne, androgenic alopecia, prostate issues, etc). So, with Hydroxy Nandrolone, we are left with a more potent androgen since it cannot convert through the same pathway. [2]

When we look at the information on Steranabol, we see that it is overall less potent than its parent, nandrolone. [3] Although not structurally similar, Methyl Hydroxy Nandrolone is probably closer in action to another popular steroid, oxandrolone. Oxandrolone, commonly known for its trade name, Anavar, a very mild oral steroid, even though it's a 17-alpha-alkylated (methylated) compound that's based on DHT. Oxandrolone is well known for for it's safety and low potential for HTPA shutdown. It is usually incorporated into cutting or lean mass cycles, as it will not aromatize because of it's DHT base.

Because of it being derived from DHT, oxandrolone can be somewhat androgenic in higher doses, and this will probably not be as pronounced with Hydroxy Nandrolone. This is because the hydroxyl group reduces androgen receptor binding affinity. There is also a question of progesterone related activity with this compound. It is well known that nandrolone and its derivatives can bind to the progesterone receptor. [4] However, it is thought that progesterone requires the presence of estrogen in order to cause gyno. Therefore, those prone to gyno may not want to use Hydroxy Nandrolone with another aromatizing compound like 4AD, while others might simply just use an anti-estrogen, such as tamoxifen citrate (Nolvadex) - a SERM, or an AI like ATD while on a cycle. However, it is unknown what affinity Hydroxy Nandrolone has for the progesterone receptor, so taking precaution is not unwarranted.

With Methyl Hydroxy Nandrolone, or MOHN, we end up with a very interesting compound. Using MOHN, one would expect increases in lean muscle mass, as well as a noticeable increase in strength. Since MOHN doesn’t aromatize, you would not notice water retention, or other estrogenic side effects typically associated with Deca. MOHN would work well during bulking cycles with the addition of 4AD and 1-testosterone or 1,4andro, and probably work even better on cutting cycles with a lower dose of 4AD. MOHN should be well tolerated by people concerned about side effects, and even women. Being a methylated compound, it will increase strain on the liver, so it would be best not to stack it with other methylated substances. As with MOHT, supplements that assist in liver function, such as ALA, NAC and Milk Thistle would be a welcome addition to the stack.

1. Bergink EW, Janssen PS, Turpijn EW, van der Vies J. Comparison of the receptor binding properties of nandrolone and testosterone under in vitro and in vivo conditions. J Steroid Biochem 1985 Jun;22(6):831-6

2. Van Mol, Peter. Steranabol. Bodybuilding.com

3. Llewellyn, William. Anabolics 2004. Molecular Nutrition, Jupiter FL, 2004.

4. Reel JR, Humphrey RR, Shih YH, Windsor BL, Sakowski R, Creger PL, Edgren RA. Competitive progesterone antagonists: receptor binding and biologic activity of testosterone and 19-nortestosterone derivatives. Fertil Steril. 1979 May;31(5):552-61.

Archive: Methyl Hydroxy Testosterone (MOHT)

My two articles on Methyl Hydroxy Testosterone (M4OHT) and Methyl Hydroxy Nandrolone (M4OHN) were written for a supplement manufacturer who was selling the two compounds. When these articles were written in 2004, both of these were brand new compounds on the then still legal prohormone market. Unfortunately, shortly after M4OHT was released, it was discovered it wasn't just illegal in California, but actually scheduled in the Steroid Control Act of 1990 and removed from the market before very many people had a chance to try it. A slightly weaker version of the non-methylated version was also sold encapsulated in oil and bound to an ester. Neither M4OHT or M4OHN are legally available as a supplement and were permanently scheduled with the passing of the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004.

Hydroxy Testosterone is a relatively new steroid on the supplement scene. William Llewellyn of Molecular Nutrition first brought the compound to the sports world's attention when he discussed its discovery on a popular bodybuilding forum. However, Hydroxy Testosterone did not see the light of day for quite some time after it was initially discussed.

Hydroxy Testosterone is an active metabolite of the European anti-aromatese drug, Formestane (4-hydroxy androstenedione). It was also investigated by the pharmaceutical firm Searle during the steroid hayday of the middle of the last century. However, it was never marketed as an anabolic, probably because of their more potent discovery oxandrolone. Being that it was never produced by a pharmaceutical, and never being included in the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990, it can be considered legal (for the time being at least) to sell as a dietary supplement. However, hydroxy testosterone and its counterpart hydroxy nandrolone are not legal to sell in California, where it is a scheduled drug.

Hydroxy Testosterone is similar to the obscure anabolic steroid, Clostebol (sold commercially as Megagrisevit Mono). Clostebol has been marketed in the past, in parts of Europe and Asia, where it is used as a transdermal and injectable preparation. Clostebol has a chloro group on the 4 position of the molecule, making it incapable of interacting with both the 5 alpha reductase and aromatese enzymes. [1] Hydroxy Testosterone shares this feature by having a hydroxyl group at the same 4 position, it is also incapable of forming DHT and estrogen. This makes it an ideal drug for individuals looking to avoid the common side effects associated with other steroid and prohormone products. Hydroxy Testosterone also has the very interesting feature of acting as a mild aromatese inhibitor and 5 alpha reductese inhibitor. This means that it would act in a similar, albeit weaker, fashion to both the anti-aromatese drug anastrozole and the 5-AR inhibitor finasteride. [2]

According to standard assays of potency, Hydroxy Testosterone shows to have an RBA (relative binding affinity) of 75. When compared to testosterone propionate, hydroxyl testosterone acetate was shown to be 0.65 times as anabolic and 0.25 times as androgenic by injection. [3] This would make it a very mild androgen in nature, and very easy for individuals who are concerned about common side effects of steroidal compounds. Since it does not convert to estrogen or DHT, it would not be an ideal drug for bulking or strength gains, but more suited for lean muscle gains or even fat reduction. Women would most likely tolerate this drug very well.

Now, there is a new version of Hydroxy Testosterone available, which has been methylated. Methylating a drug makes an alteration at the C17 position of the molecule, allowing it to avoid liver breakdown. Two drugs which are methylated are the well known and popular illegal steroids, Winstrol and Dianabol. Although Methyl Hydroxy Testosterone, or MOHT, is not anywhere near as potent as those two compounds, it does have the same methyl alteration, increasing bioavailability and changing the action of the drug in the body. Generally, methylating a compound decreases the binding affinity towards the androgen receptor, making it less potent overall. However, since it greatly increases the half life, bioavailability and has other possible mechanisms, such as decreasing SHBG binding affinity, it would most likely make MOHT more favorable to use.

When we look for comparable drugs known to athletes, only one other comes to mind. Oral Turnibol (OT) is an exotic steroid developed for secret use by East German athletes. Currently, only one known underground lab is known to make it, and it is questionable whether or not it is legitimate. Recently, a prohormone has been sold by various companies of Oral Turnibol labeled as them chemical 4-chloro-17a-methyl-1,4-diene-3,17 diol. It is currently being sold as the supplement Halovar, which converts directly to OT. Oral Turnibol was East Germany's answer to the androgenic structure of Dianabol. [4] With a structure very similar to Methyl Hydroxy Testosterone, with the exception of a hydroxyl group in place of Turnibol's 4-chloro group, it has the same attributes. Turnibol cannot aromatize or convert to DHT. We could generally expect a similar result with MOHT, seen as significant gains in lean mass and mild increases in strength, without the negative side effects of Dianabol. [5] A very interesting account of the use of Oral Turnibol by female swimmers in the former communist East Germany is detailed in the book Faust's Gold by Dr. Steven Ungerleider.

Methyl Hydroxy Testosterone would stack well with just about anything. For bulking, it would stack very well with 4AD and possibly an oralgel or transdermal form of 1-testosterone, 1AD or 1,4andro. For cutting, it would stack well with 1-testosterone or 5AA. In both cases it would work well to help keep the other side effects minimal, by decreasing overall DHT and estrogen, as well as causing a positive hardening effect on the muscle. It would be wise not to stack it with another methylated compound, such as MOHN or Methyl-1-Test for fear of elevating liver enzymes too greatly. For individuals concerned with protecting their liver, supplementing with Milk Thistle or N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) would be wise option.

The dosage of MOHT would probably be in the range of 5-15mg daily. It would be advisable to start off at a low dosage to find out how well it's tolerated, and then work up to a higher dosage. MOHT would be best taken with a meal.

1. Van Mol, Peter. Megagrisevit Mono. Bodybuilding.com.

2. Davies JH, Shearer RJ, Rowlands MG, Poon GK, Houghton J, Jarman M, Dowsett M. Effects of 4-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione and its metabolites on 5 alpha-reductase activity and the androgen receptor. J Enzyme Inhib. 1992;6(2):141-7.

3. Vida, J.A. Androgens and Anabolic Agents, Chemistry and Pharmacology. Academic Press, Inc, New York, 77-91, 1969.

4. Montana, Nelson. Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye. Testosterone Nation.

5. Llewellyn, William. Anabolics 2004. Molecular Nutrition, Jupiter FL, 2004.

New Lab Studies Show Creatine Ethyl Ester & Kre-Alkalyn Ineffective

At the recent International Society of Sports Nutrition, two new studies were released showing that both Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE) and Kre-Alkalyn were ineffective in vitro. The studies were conducted by The Division of Sport Sciences at Northumbria University, Newcastle UK and Kingston University London, Department of Life Sciences by Dr. MJ. Tallon Dr. R. Child.

Both studies used similar methods to compare the rates of conversion of CEE and Kre-Alkalyn to the waste by-product creatinine when compared to Creapure brand micronized creatine monohydrate. "Each product was incubated in 900ml of pH 1 HCL [hydrochloric acid] at 37º +/- 1ºC and samples where drawn at 5, 30 and 120 minutes and immediately analyzed by HPLC [high-performance liquid chromatography] (UV) for creatine and creatinine." [1,2] This occured in both product studies. Although this test was conducted in a laboratory, it was meant to mimic conditions that would be present in the human stomach.

Creatine Ethyl Ester

"Creatine ethyl ester is merely creatine monohydrate with an added ester attached to make the creatine molecule more lipophilic [having an ability to be absorbed by lipids, or fats]." [3] Adding an ester to compounds is nothing new, but until this point, there has been no real data indicating that creatine ethyl ester was any better than any other form of creatine on the market - particularly the most studied form, creatine monohydrate. By adding an ester to a compound for oral consumption, it attempts to allow it to pass through the harsh acidic stomach content and be taken up by lymphatic absorption. Esterification is the process that allows an acid molecule to combine with an alcohol molecule, which removes water from the equation. This makes it more soluble in an oil or fat - similar to esterfied steroids.

Creatine Ethyl Ester has a long history - longer than I actually imagined, with studies dating back to the 1920s. [3] However, this most recent form, which was originally conceived to be used as a dietary supplement was first introduced by The University of Nebraska, which holds patent #6897334: Production of creatine esters using in situ acid production. This patent does not specify the usage of CEE, but only it's production and manufacturer. Initially, CEE was submitted to the FDA for review to market it as an OTC dietary supplement, CE2™, it was rejected by the FDA (PDF) following safety concerns. However, that didn't stop every other supplement company on the planet from picking up the ingredient and selling it, despite the lack of pre-market approval by the FDA of from its patent holders.

The new study involving CEE uses two products, SAN CM2 Alpha - a blended product that includes Di-L-Arginine-L-Malate, Beta-Alanine, and CEE HCL. SAN previously sold a version of CEE that was methylated, a molecular change to the creatine in an attempt to enhance absorption by avoiding breakdown in the stomach and liver. However, this version was removed at concerns about it's potential conversion to methanol. The second brand tested was MRI CE2, which is the original Medical Research Institute that requested approval to market CEE from the FDA. MRI is the company that was founded by Ed Byrd, who also popularized NO2 products. CE2 contains only creatine ethyl ester HCl.

Creatine ethyl ester rapidly degrades to creatinine in stomach acid

Child R and Tallon MJ

Department of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Penrhyn Rd, Kingston-upon-Thames, United Kingdom. University of Northumbria, Sport Sciences, Northumbria University, Northumberland Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, DrChild@CR-Technologies.net

Creatine ethyl ester (CEE) is a commercially available synthetic creatine that is now widely used in dietary supplements. It comprises of creatine with an ethyl group attached and this molecular configuration is reported to provide several advantages over creatine monohydrate (CM). The Medical Research Institute (CA, USA) claim that the CEE in their product (CE2) provides greater solubility in lipids, leading to improved absorption. Similarly San (San Corporation, CA, USA) claim that the CEE in their product (San CM2 Alpha) avoids the breakdown of creatine to creatinine in stomach acids. Ultimately it is claimed that CEE products provide greater absorption and efficacy than CM. To date, none of these claims have been evaluated by an independent, or university laboratory and no comparative data are available on CEE and CM.

This study assessed the availability of creatine from three commercial creatine products during degradation in acidic conditions similar to those that occur in the stomach. They comprised of two products containing CEE (San CM2 Alpha and CE2) and commercially available CM (Creapure™). An independent laboratory, using testing guidelines recommended by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), performed the analysis. Each product was incubated in 900ml of pH 1 HCL at 37º +/- 1ºC and samples where drawn at 5, 30 and 120 minutes and immediately analyzed by HPLC (UV).

After 30 minutes incubation only 73% of the initial CEE present was available from CE2, while the amount of CEE available from San CM2 Alpha was even lower at only 62%. In contrast, more than 99% of the creatine remained available from the CM product. These reductions in CEE availability were accompanied by substantial creatinine formation, without the appearance of free creatine. After 120 minutes incubation 72% of the CEE was available from CE2 with only 11% available from San CM2 Alpha, while more than 99% of the creatine remained available from CM.

CEE is claimed to provide several advantages over CM because of increased solubility and stability. In practice, the addition of the ethyl group to creatine actually reduces acid stability and accelerates its breakdown to creatinine. This substantially reduces creatine availability in its esterified form and as a consequence creatines such as San CM2 and CE2 are inferior to CM as a source of free creatine.

As indicated by the study, the products tested in the sample under performed that of regular micronized creatine monohydrate. In real world terms this would equate to purchasing a product that itself advertises to be superior to "regular" creatine by withstanding breakdown in the stomach and other common problems, yet it turns out that it does not perform as advertised, at least in the lab. The conversion of creatine into creatinine is an unwanted effect of the compound, as creatine needs to make it's way into skeletal muscle cells to be effective. Creatinine is not effective at anything, and high levels in individuals with kidney problems can be hazardous. In fact, creatinine is one of the markers doctors check for when doing routine blood tests to determine if renal failure is occurring.

Kre-Alkalyn

Kre-Alkalyn [KA] is not a modification to creatine itself, but an alternative delivery system for the compound. However, the claims made for Kre-Alkalyn have generally been viewed with skepticism due to the fact that there has been no clinical research performed on it, and the claims made about KA are similar to those made in the past by products such as the well known and bunk liquid creatine.

Here is a partial description taken from an advertisement for a KA product:

Kre-Alkalyn...a patented Creatine in a pharmaceutical delivery system providing maximum stability and absorption. Creatine Monohydrate has been proven through a decade and more of research to enhance strength, endurance, and subsequent athletic performance. The only disadvantages of traditional Creatine Monohydrate are the extremely short term stability, rapid conversation into the bi-product Creatinine when exposed to liquid, and subsequent poor absorption into the bloodstream. Kre-Alkalyn...which is buffered for maximum absorption and stability, solves this dilemma. Kre-Alkalyn...offers the athlete Creatine which is 100% stable, will not break down into Creatinine, and will absorb efficiently into the bloodstream. In fact, each 1 gram of Kre-Alkalyn is equivalent to ingesting 10 grams of Creatine powder allowing the athlete to take far less product while experiencing even more explosive results.

Kre-Alkalyn is covered under several patents for it's usage as a creatine supplement delivery system. Patent #6,399,661 details some of the inner workings of KA:

Abstract
The present invention relates to an oral creatine supplement and the method of making this supplement which includes mixing an alkaline powder with a powdered creatine until the pH of the mixture is in the range between 7-14. A powdered additive is added to the mixture for improving sweetness and taste. Finally, a further alkaline powder is added to the mixture to adjust the pH of the mixture to a range between 7-14. This mixture is then mixed with water prior to ingestion.

What is claimed is:

1. A process for producing a creatine mixture for ingestion comprising the steps of:

mixing an alkaline powder with a powdered creatine to adjust the pH of the mixture to a range between 7-14;
adding a powdered additive to the mixture for improving sweetness and taste; and
adding a further alkaline powder to the mixture to adjust the pH of the mixture to a range between 7-14.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the alkaline powder is comprised of soda ash.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the alkaline powder is comprised of magnesium glycerol phosphate.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the alkaline powder is selected from a hydroxide, carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, tree latex or a phosphate.

5-8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the creatine powder is comprised of creatine monohydrate, creatine phosphate, creatine pyruvate, creatine citrate.

The patent itself includes tests demonstrating KA's ability to defeat conversion to creatinine and the reasoning behind how it works. Like CEE, Kre-Alkalyn is a higher priced creatine product that has less total creatine per dose than standard the monohydrate version. Unfortunately, as with the previous study for CEE, this new study, using the same methods, successfully demonstrates that KA doesn't live up to it's claims and that micronized creatine monohydrate still wins out.

Kre-alkalyn® supplementation has no beneficial effect on creatine-to-creatinine conversion rates.

Tallon MJ and Child R

University of Northumbria, Sport Sciences, Northumbria University, Northumberland Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, Department of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Penrhyn Rd, Kingston-upon-Thames, United Kingdom. DrTallon@CR-Technologies.net

All American Pharmaceutical and Natural Foods Corp. (Billings, MT, USA) claim that Kre-alkalyn® (KA) a "Buffered" creatine, is 100% stable in stomach acid and does not convert to creatinine. In contrast, they also claim that creatine monohydrate (CM) is highly pH labile with more than 90% of the creatine converting to the degradation product creatinine in stomach acids. To date, no independent or university laboratory has evaluated the stability of KA in stomach acids, assessed its possible conversion to creatinine, or made direct comparisons of acid stability with CM.

This study examined whether KA supplementation reduced the rate of creatine conversion to creatinine, relative to commercially available CM (Creapure™). Creatine products were analyzed by an independent commercial laboratory using testing guidelines recommended by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). Each product was incubated in 900ml of pH 1 HCL at 37º +/- 1ºC and samples where drawn at 5, 30 and 120 minutes and immediately analyzed by HPLC (UV) for creatine and creatinine.

In contrast to the claims of All American Pharmaceutical and Natural Foods Corp., the rate of creatinine formation from CM was found to be less than 1% of the initial dose, demonstrating that CM is extremely stable under acidic conditions that replicate those of the stomach. This study also showed that KA supplementation actually resulted in 35% greater conversion of creatine to creatinine than CM. In conclusion the conversion of creatine to creatinine is not a limitation in the delivery of creatine from CM and KA is less stable than CM in the acid conditions of the stomach.

Conclusions

Both studies demonstrate that two new and very highly-touted creatine products do not live up to their claims in lab conditions. Contrary to claims made by both products that they can withstand the supposed problems of regular creatine conversion to creatinine in the body, the in fact work less well than the regular versions. However, it should be emphasized that both of these test are performed in vitro and more studies need to be done, especially on male athletes and weight lifters, to see how they stack up in real world conditions. It is also important to make the determination as to whether or not they have a real effect on strength and body composition. Another factor that is noticeable is the email addresses of the two doctors that conducted the study. Although I am not personally familiar with either of them or their ties to CR-Technologies.net, it does appear that the web page for that domain sells a product called Creasafe™, which claims to be "the worlds safest and most advance [sic] creatine", bringing up the possibility of a conflict of interest. UPDATE: Dr. Tallon has responded to this criticism.

Still, for now, it appears that the best bet for people supplementing with creatine is what has been recommended all along - micronized creatine monohydrate.

References

Thanks to Anssi Manninen for clearing up some confusion in the studies text.

1. Child R and Tallon MJ. Creatine ethyl ester rapidly degrades to creatinine in stomach acid. Department of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Penrhyn Rd, Kingston-upon-Thames, United Kingdom. University of Northumbria, Sport Sciences, Northumbria University, Northumberland Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, DrChild@CR-Technologies.net

2. Tallon MJ and Child R. Kre-alkalyn® supplementation has no beneficial effect on creatine-to-creatinine conversion rates. University of Northumbria, Sport Sciences, Northumbria University, Northumberland Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, Department of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Penrhyn Rd, Kingston-upon-Thames, United Kingdom. DrTallon@CR-Technologies.net

NOTE: The original abstracts of these studies have been posted online at NPICenter. The abstracts which are in this blog were copied and after Layne Norton (str8flexed) posted them on bodybuilding.com, which lead to some of the characters showing up incorrectly.

3. Creatine Ethyl Ester…Reviewing the Literature by Deserusan

New Study Finds CLA Helps in Fat Loss

A new study by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) at a level of around 3 grams per day may have a significant reduction in fat loss when used in conjunction with a regular diet. [1]

CLA in the past has been viewed with skepticism by many because of the variety of studies, some showing that it has no or negative effects in the body, while others showing it has muscle building and fat building properties. There are many different isomers of CLA, and as such, there is no single version of CLA that has proven to be positive or negative overall, and there has been much debate to this end. CLA is also a trans fat which the USDA has reported that it may be a potential risk factor for cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. [2] Shedding a little more light on the differences of the isomers of CLA is an article by Tom Rayhawk for M&M Magazine, entitled "SREBP-1 Proteins, part 2":

CLA or conjugated linoleic acid has received considerable attention in both the medicinal and supplementation industry. Initially, there did seem to be support for its use as a ‘repartitioning’ agent, as CLA improved feed efficiency in mammals, by reducing fat storage pathways and enhancing beta-oxidation through an increase in lipolytic proteins. Their effects, however, seem to be isomer specific. There are two isomers of CLA – cis-9, trans-11 (abbreviated c9,t-11) and trans-10,cis-12 (abbreviated t10,c-12). In essence the ‘good’ characteristics of CLA seem to be attributed to the c9, t11 isomer. In fact, the two seem to have opposing actions... the implications of CLA use depend on the type of isomer used.

There is considerably more information on CLA in Mr. Rayhawk's article starting at the bottom of page one and beginning on page two, from what is quoted above, so I highly recommend checking out the full article for the scoop.

So, as you can see, there is much controversy and confusion over the whole issue of CLA supplementation. However, in this most recent study, which is actual a review of other studies, has demonstrated that supplementation with CLA lost an average of 0.2lbs of fat per week more than others who were not using it. It also showed that these effects started to diminish after around six months of continuous usage. The dosage used in the studies was 3.2gm per day. Since most dietary supplements promoting fat loss benefits with CLA contain only 1gm or less of the compound(s), this may be the reason why many failed to see any benefits when using it in a diet and exercise program. For some time, CLA was somewhat of a "fad" supplement that was advertised as being able to increase lean muscle mass, while at the same time decreasing adipose (fat) storage made it high in demand and quite expensive. The general recommended dosage by most who had researched the CLA stated that in needed to be taken in ranges of 5-10gm per day. Obviously, this was not cost effective for most people and with the minimal fat loss that occurred while taking it caused many people to shy away from it entirely. In fact, in a previous study done in 2004 by the same organization, AJCN, using an animal model showed that "the effect of CLA on body fat is considerably less than that anticipated from mice studies and that CLA has no major effect on plasma lipids." [3]

In 2001, Dr. Lonnie Lowery, a member of the board of directors for the American Society of Exercise Physiologists, attended a conference on CLA supplementation and reported back with his findings in an article, "CLA: Poison or Gift?" for T-Nation. Dr. Lowery reported that the conclusions made were that some of the isomers of CLA were only responsible for muscle increase and no fat loss at all, seemingly contradicting more recent evidence.

First up, Dr. Michael Pariza, a CLA patent holder and "king" of the field, explained the "isomer paradox." What did he mean? For starters, he showed data regarding how the 9,11 isomer of CLA, not the 10,12 version, appears responsible for improving muscle growth. This is interesting because the body can make a bit of 9,11 CLA on its own. Perhaps it is, in fact, a necessary "natural" factor in resistance-training hypertrophy. Regarding body fat, the opposite appears true: only the 10,12 isomer affects fat metabolism. Since the human body can’t synthesize trans-10, cis-12 CLA, its intake from dietary sources (e.g. beef, dairy) appears especially important. He then went on to show that 10,12 CLA has NEVER been shown to have lipolytic (fat burning) effects.

These claims are quoted in the article as being from a single source - the conference that was being attended by Dr. Lowery himself. However, the article itself contains much more information on the subject, and a jumble of more confusing and contradicting claims. The final conclusion?

So what’s the final synopsis on CLA after my European escapade? First, CLA certainly has promise for bodybuilders or powerlifters during a bulking phase [emphasis added] (say, October through February). Holiday season festivities and the associated dietary binges should provide plenty of help during this "mass cycle," eh?

Second, the advent of different isomer-specific products may usher in a more "targeted" approach to CLA supplementation. Third, the necessary dose for bodybuilders and powerlifters may far exceed the cancer-fighting and heart disease-combating doses. This is not an excuse to mega-dose, however. CLA interacts with dozens of genes, with, as yet, unknown consequences. And finally, unusual dietary fats other than CLA, like CLNA and others, may make interesting additions to physique athletes’ arsenals one day.

Because research often moves so quickly it can be hard to keep up with, it seems that these assertions from this 6 year old article might be a bit dated. Still, the scientific and bodybuilding world is still divided as to whether or not CLA may build muscle, cause fat loss, do both, or maybe even neither. However, this new study seems to indicate that there is at least cause to believe that CLA can probably cause a small amount of fat loss when used at the proper dosage. That, along with the fact that it's effects seem to taper out after around six months probably help negate some of the potentially negative long term side effects of CLA supplementation.

So, what's my verdict? It appears that currently the cheapest way to use CLA to the full advantage of someone trying to do a lean bulk or lose fat would be to pick up a few bottles of PBL Clarinol CLA Plus, coming in at only $23 for 8oz and a serving size of 3.5gm per 1/2 tablespoon, which would be a full 30 day supply as recommended by the study. It looks to be the best price for the right amount, the only thing that could potentially be a setback is the "orange creamsicle" flavor. But, for anyone who's ever downed pure olive, flax, or even fish oil, that might be a treat. Be aware that CLA appears to deplete levels of DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) [2], an omega-3 fatty acid found primarily in fish, so you will probably want to take a fish oil supplement along with it. Whether or not CLA stacks well with other supplements to promote fat loss has not been explored much in a clinical setting, with the exception of chromium, which showed no added benefit. [4] Looking at animal studies involving high doses of CLA, it also seems to block out other essential fatty acids (EFAs) and their enzyme pathways [5], so products that include other EFAs, such as VPX's Thinfat or SAN Lipidex could help in preventing deficiencies. For those obviously seeking much more quick and substantial fat loss gains would probably do well to stack CLA with a standard fat burner product, such as German American Technologies JetFuel.

Reuters Health Information (2007-05-31): Fatty acid supplement may aid body fat loss

References

1. Whigham LD, Watras AC, Schoeller DA. Efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid for reducing fat mass: a meta-analysis in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 May;85(5):1203-11.

2. Kelley DS, Bartolini GL, Newman JW, Vemuri M, Mackey BE. Fatty Acid Profiles of Liver, Adipose Tissue, Speen, and Heart of Mice Fed Diets Containing T10, C-12-, and C9, T11-Conjugated Linoleic Acid. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2006 May;74(5):331-8. Epub 2006 May 2.

3. Terpstra AH. Effect of conjugated linoleic acid on body composition and plasma lipids in humans: an overview of the literature. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Mar;79(3):352-61.

4. Diaz ML, Watkins BA, Li Y, Anderson RA, Campbell WW. Chromium picolinate and conjugated linoleic acid do not synergistically influence diet- and exercise-induced changes in body composition and health indexes in overweight women. J Nutr Biochem. 2007 May 23.

5. Raes K, Huyghebaert G, De Smet S, Nollet L, Arnouts S, Demeyer D. The deposition of conjugated linoleic acids in eggs of laying hens fed diets varying in fat level and fatty acid profile. J Nutr. 2002 Feb;132(2):182-9.

Search to Win!

With the ever expanding list of search engines to pick from, there are now several that give their users more than just good results as an incentive to use them. Like what, you might ask? Prizes, points, gift certificates, and cash, in some instances. This new concept in search engine marketing is winning over a wide audience as they have learned from the mistakes of some of their predecessors, like iWon, and have avoided the annoyances of spyware, spam, and over-advertising. Currently, there are two search portals that allow users who sign up to their site to have the ability to win a prize just by doing a search - something all internet users do during their normal course of being online. Searching the internet, like checking your email, chatting with friends, watching videos and downloading files is all part of the daily routine of millions of people who now have included "surfing the web" as part of their daily lives. Companies want to take advantage of this huge market of searchers, and giving people the chance to win something for doing something they will normally do anyway is just a simple choice for most.

A Little History

Before the days of the world wide web, browser wars, and dot coms, there was just the gopher protocol. A sort of plain text web site that was developed at the University of Minnesota. It was a precursor to the hyper text transfer protocol that has come to dominate the web today. But, at the time, it was sort of like a text based FTP that contained no graphics and had no way to stylize it, it was just essentially a way to post information - which is what the post-military internet was mostly about. The main way to query gophers was with search engines like Archie, Veronica, and Jughead. However, once the internet was opened up to people outside of university, military and purely technical institutions, the gopher crawled back in its hole, as a whole new audience came onboard.

Not soon after, the dot-com bubble started expanding, and companies started to create companies based entirely on a model under the assumption that advertising, through banner ads mainly, would pay for just about anything you wanted to give away for free. Once that idea failed, it was back to square one for most companies who relied on the standard business model for internet based businesses. You either had to sell something or provide a service, and non-search companies like Amazon and eBay showed the potential of a strictly internet based company making it big.

Fast forward to today, and big search engines and advertising have come back in a major way. With Google and the contextual advertising concept, content has started to be provided for free once again and people are making real money off it.

Okay, so how do I win stuff?

Right now, there are two popular sites that give you the chance to win prizes. The first is Blingo, which was purchased in the summer of 2006 by Publishers Clearing House. Blingo retrieves its search results directly from Google, so searching Blingo will turn up the same results if you searched for the same term on Google. Prizes are given out randomly throughout the day, and the first 25 results per user are eligible for a prize. These include gift certificates to Amazon and movie tickets as the most common prizes, but some of the larger prizes include electronics like iPods and large cash prizes that would be similar to the amount you might expect to win from a scratch off lotto ticket. Blingo is easy to integrate into your usual search by using their toolbar or search plugin (for IE and Firefox).

Blingo also has a referral program, so you can let friends sign up under you. You can sign up as many friends as you want, and the more friends you have, the more you have a chance to win because each time they search and win a prize, you win the same prize. This month, a single friend I had signed up won twice. My first prize was the choice of a $5 Amazon gift certificate or a free movie ticket, which is what most people will end up winning. However, yesterday I got an email notifying me I had won my choice of a 80-hour TiVO with one year of free service or $250 cash!



With Blingo your chances of winning are totally random, and so it's hard to know when or how often you can win a prize. However, there is another search engine using a similar model that gives you a little more flexibility in how and what you can win.

Read more about Blingo:

• Win with Blingo: About.com
• Blingo - Wikipedia
• Blingo Buzz - The Official Blingo Blog
• Tips for winning on Blingo

Winzy is another search engine that lets you search and get prizes at random times. Winzy retrieves its results from Ask.com. However, it has a few more options that give you chances to win than Blingo. Winzy uses a points based system that gives you points everytime you search. There are also different levels of membership (which are all free) based on how you use Winzy. When you start out, you are at the basic level. But if you set Winzy as your homepage or search from their toolbar or the search box (in Firefox or IE) you become a Gold Member, which gives you more benefits.

Benefits of Gold Star membership include:

• Your first 50 searches each day are eligible to win an instant prize
• You now earn 2x Points for each Winzy search
• You can now earn up to 100 points each day
• You are automatically entered into the month-end iPod Giveaway limited to Gold Star members
• You should see a gold star Upgrade next to your account status

You can also upgrade the level of the "Winzy Fan Club" by having a friend join under you. Like Blingo, Winzy also has a similar feature of allowing friends to join under your referral program and if they win, you also win. The points you earn can be used to play games in their arcade, such as Rock, Paper, Scissors, a slot machine type game for Gold members and a roulette wheel for fan club members. You can choose how many points you want to "bet" in the game and winning can give you more points or prizes.

So, Winzy also gives you the chance to win each time you search through them (up to 50 searches per day for Gold members). You are also entered into sweepstakes and random drawings, giving you more chances to win. They also encourage you to invite more friends, which gives you more chances of winning if your friends use Winzy. They give you a wide range of options to invite friends which include sending an email that comes with a free game that lets a friend win points or a prize instantly, buttons and banners you can place in your signatures on forums or email, your own web site, and etc. You can also add a search box for Winzy on your website. Their referral links are a lot 'cleaner' looking than Blingos, which is made up of a series of random letters and numbers. Winzy's link just has your username after their domain (ie: http://www.winzy.com/pogue)

So what's the catch?

Well, as I mentioned earlier, these new search engines have learned from earlier sites that attempted similar methods of giving away prizes. Both have sites have strict privacy policies and you only have to provide your name and address for being sent prizes. You don't receive any spam, junk mail or telephone calls from either company nor is your name sold, shared or rented to anyone for marketing purposes. The only time you'll get an email from them is for notifications you select, such as when a friend signs up or you win a prize. Their toolbars don't have any hidden spyware or garbage in them, although I just use the search box plugins for Firefox, since I use the Google toolbar. But how can these companies work to give away so many prizes and loot? The simple answer is the basic advertising model that worked so long ago, but is now based on contextual ads. These are shown in every search engine you use, normally at the top and the side, labeled as "Sponsored Results". Since these ads show up results based on what you're searching for, you're more likely to click on them and they make money. Advertisers pay good money for targeted results that people are actually interested in, instead of just some random ad that may or may not have any interest to the person viewing it. Blingo is owned by Publishers Clearing House, a very large company that has plenty of money to give away and invest in this new business model.

In the future, we're likely to see more of these search engines that give away prizes, or maybe even more. Right now, InboxDollars just added a "Paid Search" function that pays you 2¢ just to search on Snap.com. Although that isn't really worth investing a lot of time in using, their search results are actually pretty good and it just goes to show that if search engines are willing to pay people just to perform a simple search, there is clearly a lot of money to be made in the search business.


So, give Blingo and Winzy a try and see how you do. Searching is something you do anyway, so why not get something back for doing it? Feel free to post any comments or if you have had any luck in winning anything!

Colorodo High School Bans Spike Energy Drink After Students Become Sick

According to a video report by CNN, Doherty High School, in Colorado Springs, Colorado has banned it's students from consuming Biotest's Spike Shooters Energy Drink after "In a span of a week, 18 Doherty High School students [...] reported becoming, after drinking an energy drink called "Spike Shooter". The principle of the school banned the drink "on campus" and then "convinced a near-by convenience store to pull [Spike Shooters] off the shelves".

Dr. Jill Martin, the high school's principle, is quoted as saying "If this product is so potent that you have to read the instructions and consider whether to drink it or not something is wrong." Although CNN clearly points out that the label states very clearly that drink should not be consumed by anyone under eighteen. However, it is unreported at this point as to whether any of the students at the high school who consumed the energy drink and reported sickness were over this age, one girl in the report, a 14 year old diabetic, Rachael Woodrum (I'm unsure if I am spelling her name correctly due to a lack of transcript of the video), consumed the drink and become violently ill. According to doctors, the drink may have actually increased her metabolism, something that would be a selling point for any supplement product on the market that would advertise itself for weight loss.

Yet, there appears to be a discrepancy in the report and what is actually written on the products label. An image from the video clearly shows that the label reads: "WARNING: DO NOT IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 OR ELDERLY." (I wonder what the standard age for "elderly" is? When you can get the seniors special at IHOP or your hair starts turning gray?) But, on a can of Spike Shooter I purchased a few weeks ago at Vitamin Shoppe, the label reads
"...IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 16 OF ELDERLY." This is also reflected on the label on the Bodybuilding.com store. This is quite a strange age range to limit users of a dietary supplement to (as Spike Shooter would be classified as a dietary supplement). Click the thumbnail image below to view the enlarged label as shown in the CNN video report.



Warning: Extremely Potent

Spike Shooter is an offshoot energy product, introduced by BioTest Laboratories last August. It was initially only sold in cases of 48 off of the Biotest/T-Nation website. Although it is known that Spike is a creation of Biotest, the manufacturer on the can and in the interview is listed as Spike LLC, possibly a move by the company to limit it's liability in case lawsuits start flying. The original incarnation of Spike is an energy pill, which contains a completely different set of ingredients than the Spike Shooter drink, although both have identical packaging. The Spike energy pill comes as a single serving size tablet, which contains a proprietary formula called T-MAX. The ingredients of T-MAX are labeled as:

Spike Tablet: 400 mg
-T-MAX™[Biotest proprietary thiamine di(2-methylpropionate) disulfide], caffeine

It is believed that this is nomenclature for a "gray area" compound known as Sulbutiamine. Sulbutiamine is sold as a drug in some countries, and is precursor to thiamine (Vitamin B1). It's known as a stimulant and a nootropic (smart drug). The caffeine is included to enhance the stimulant effects of the compound, although a caffeine free version of the Spike tablets are available. Spike tablets were sold at stores such as Walmart and Walgreens for a time, but recently mysteriously disappeared off the shelves, while other similar fat burners and energy pills, such as VPX Redline, continue to be available. Reviews of Spike tablets have been mixed, however, other supplement companies have added this same ingredient to their post-ephedra stimulant products, such as Anabolic Xtreme's Stimulant X.

Spike Shooter has a completely different formula than it's predecessor, and sets itself apart from most energy drinks in that it isn't loaded with sugar as one of it's main ingredients. Spike Shooter contains no calories, no carbohydrates, no fat, no protein and no sugar. The first major ingredient on the can is Vitamin B12 in the form methylcobalamin, a version of B12 mostly studied for reducing homocysteine levels, but also thought to be more effective in areas of the brain. The rest of it's ingredients are also in the form of a proprietary blend.



Two of the most controversial ingredients in this product are Yohimbine HCL (incorrectly labeled here as "Yohimbe HCL" (a non-existant ingredient - either a typo on this printed label or from the manufacturer) and the staggering 300mg of caffeine.



Yohimbine HCL is another "gray area" supplements that is also sold as a drug in other countries for erectile dysfunction, but classified in the US as an "Unclassified Therapeutic Agent" according to the PDR. Prior to a few underground manufacturers selling this synthetic alkaloid, it was only available as Yohimbe, often standardized for Yohimbine, which is thought to be the alkaloid responsible for it's main effects on libido and fat burning by way of blocking alpha(2) adrenoreceptors, responsible for fat storage. α2 receptor sites are located in areas known for fat storage, such as abdominal adipose tissue. Yohimbe and Yohimbine also have a very low dosage required for its stimulating effects, with users not recommended to take more than 3mg at a single serving. Since Spike Shooter has a proprietary blend, it is unknown how much Yohimbine HCL is in the drink, although it is the last one listed, so it should be the smallest dose in the formula.

At the top of the Spike Shooter can it reads "WARNING: EXTREMELY POTENT" and "READ LABEL BEFORE DRINKING", which is what the high school's principle was referring to, quoted above. Whether or not this is a marketing technique or an actual warning is up for debate.



Irregular Heart beat After One Can?

The reporter of the story decided to test out Spike Shooter for himself. He claimed to have a healthy heart history, works out several times a week, and drinks several cups of coffee a day. It's unknown whether or not he had any coffee prior to his ingestion of the Spike Shooter drink that day. However, he had a doctor hook him up to an EKG machine and test his results before and after drinking the can of Spike. Before consuming the drink, his heart results were normal, according to the exam. Afterwards, not only did his blood pressure rise, but he reported developed an irregular heart beat - an extremely dangerous side effect for a simple OTC energy drink. This is exactly the same problems that were reported with ephedra before its ban, and now it appears Spike, and possibly even Yohimbine, might be headed towards that same road.

Double Standards?

Despite the fact that CNN was extremely critical of the Spike Shooter drink, they don't seem to have any problems with advertising some of the same (and competing) energy drinks mentioned in this article on their site. As I was doing a search for a text version of the article I could link to for this blog post, I noticed the following advertisements at the top of CNN's "Sponsored Results". Click the thumbnail image below to view the full image.



You can view the full report on this story from CNN through YouTube in the embedded player below. Feel free to post your comments.