Sportsnutritionguide PDF

Parrillo
Sports Nutrition Guide

Table of Contents
Section I: CapTri® Nutrition Updates
Update #1 - Gaining Muscle and Staying Lean: A Common Sense Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Update #2 - Diet to Lose Fat and Stay Lean. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Update #3 - Ultra High Energy Diets For Athletes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Section II: Questions and Answers with John Parrillo

The Benefits of Protein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Usage of Powdered Supplements as Meal Replacements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Weight Training to Lose Body Fat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
How to Eat Five to Six Meals a Day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
The Many Benefits of Aerobics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
How to Avoid Losing Energy During Workouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
How to Keep Energy Levels High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Pushing Past Plateaus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Eating the Right Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
About the Parrillo Nutrition and Training Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Off-Season Nutrition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Losing Body Fat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
The Trouble with Fruit and Fruit Juices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Finding the Perfect Supplement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Conventional Dietary Fats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Section III: Technical Supplement Bulletins

Bulletin #1 - MCFAs: A Fat That’s Not Stored as Body Fat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Bulletin #2 - MCFAs: An Amazing Energy Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Bulletin #3 - Energy and MCFAs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Bulletin #4 - MCFAs: Metabolic Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Bulletin #5 - Energetics and Thermogenesis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Bulletin #6 - Liver: Natural Iron. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Bulletin #7 - Protein: Superfood for Bodybuilders Part I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Bulletin #8 - Protein: Superfood for Bodybuilders Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Bulletin #9 - Carbs: Ultimate Food Fuel Part I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Bulletin #10 - Carbs: Ultimate Food Fuel Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Bulletin #11 - Carbs: Ultimate Food Fuel Part III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Bulletin #12 - Carbs: Ultimate Food Fuel Part IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Bulletin #13 - Supplements for Ultimate Endurance Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Bulletin #14 - Supplements for Ultimate Endurance Performance Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Bulletin #15 - Muscularity and Mass: Optimize Your Hormonal Response. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Bulletin #16 - The Insulin-Glucagon Axis and the Control of Nutrient Partitioning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Bulletin #17 - Maximizing Anabolic Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Bulletin #18 - Growth Hormone: The Ultimate Weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Bulletin #19 - The Ultimate Formula For Losing Body Fat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Bulletin #20 - The Ultimate Formula For Losing Body Fat, Part 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Bulletin #21 - The Ultimate Formula For Losing Body Fat, Part 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Bulletin #22 - Fruit and Your Diet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Bulletin #23 - Fruitless Dieting: More On Why Fruit Turns To Body Fat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Bulletin #24 - Activating Muscular Growth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Bulletin #25 - Activating Muscular Growth: Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Bulletin #26 - Activating Muscular Growth: Part III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Bulletin #27 - Diet and Supplementation to Maximize Energy and Growth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Bulletin #28 - Parrillo Performance Guide to Muscle, Part 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Bulletin #34 - Muscle Up - The Keys To Building Mass And Staying Lean. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Bulletin #35 - Muscle Up - The Keys To Building Mass And Staying Lean, Part 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Bulletin #36 - MCT’s - Setting The Record Straight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Bulletin #37 - Carbohydrates: Mega Fuel For Growth And Energy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Bulletin #38 - Carbohydrates: Mega Fuel For Growth And Energy, Part 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Bulletin #39 - Programmed For Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Bulletin #40 - Programmed For Success: Supplementation For Optimal Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Bulletin #41 - Programmed For Success: Supplementation For Optimal Results, Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Bulletin #42 - Creatine: Why Has This Become A Must Supplement For Bodybuilers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Bulletin #43 - High Performance Essential Fatty Acids. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Bulletin #44 - Gain Muscle & Lose Fat: Breakthrough News For CapTri® Users. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Bulletin #45 - Fructose: The Ideal Carbohydrate Source For Gaining Fat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Bulletin #46 - Nutrition & Training 101. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Bulletin #47 - Exploring The High Fat Diet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Bulletin #48 - Exploring The High Fat Diet, Part 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Section III: Technical Supplement Bulletins Continued
Bulletin #49 - Energy Channeling For Ultimate Sports Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Bulletin #50 - Attention To Detail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Bulletin #51 - Endurance Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Bulletin #52 - Endurance Performance, Part 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Bulletin #53 - The Parrillo Performance Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Bulletin #54 - No Limits: How To Break Through Plateaus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Bulletin #55 - No Limits: How To Break Through Plateaus—Part 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Bulletin #56 - No Limits: How To Break Through Plateaus—Part 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Bulletin #57 - Carbohydrates — The Optimal Fuel For Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Bulletin #58 - Carbohydrates — The Optimal Fuel For Success, Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Bulletin #59 - The Ultimate Growth Combo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Bulletin #60 - The Energetics of Nutrient Metabolism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Bulletin #61 - The Energetics of Nutrient Metabolism, Part II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Bulletin #62 - Ultimate Endurance Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Bulletin #63 - Losing Body Fat With CapTri®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Bulletin #64 - Unlocking the Mystery of Fat Loss and Muscle Gain, Part I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Bulletin #65- Unlocking the Mystery of Fat Loss and Muscle Gain, Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Bulletin #66- Optimizing Anabolic Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Bulletin #67 - Rock Solid Evidence Supports Taking Minerals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Bulletin #68- Lose Twenty Pounds of Fat and Gain Five Pounds of Muscle in Ten Weeks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Bulletin #69 - The Impact of Dietary Energy on Body Composition, Part I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
II
Bulletin #70 - The Distribution of Dietary Energy and It’s Impact on Body Composition, Part II . . . . . . . . . 283
Bulletin #71- Growth Hormone Physiology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Bulletin #72 - Controlling Insulin for Optimal Results, Part I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Bulletin #73 - Controlling Insulin For Optimal Results, Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Bulletin #74 - Controlling Body Fat Metabolism, Part I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Bulletin #75 - Controlling Body Fat Metabolism, Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Bulletin #76 - Cortisol Suppression: Muscle Myth of Nutritional Reality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Bulletin #77 - Post Workout Nutrition, Part I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Bulletin #78 - Post Workout Nutrition, Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Bulletin #79 - Counting Calories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Bulletin #80 - Rut Blasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Bulletin #81 - Eating for Muscle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Bulletin #82 - Rest to Grow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Bulletin #83 - Vitamins and Minerals, Part I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Bulletin #84 - Vitamins and Minerals, Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Bulletin #85 - Vitamins and Minerals, Part III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Bulletin #86 - Carbohydrates: The Bodybuilders Best Friend or Worst Enemy?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Bulletin #87 - Build Muscle While Simultaneously Stripping Off Body Fat, Part I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Bulletin #88 - Build Muscle While Simultaneously Stripping Off Body Fat, Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Bulletin #89 - Creatine Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Bulletin #90 - Doing Carbs Right: Controlling Insulin Release. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Bulletin #91 - Zap The Fat Permanently. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Bulletin #92 - Boost Endurance Naturally and Safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Bulletin #93 - Effect of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) on Cellular Energy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Bulletin #94 - Nutritional Supplementation: An Overview, Part I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Bulletin #95 - Nutritional Supplementation: An Overview, Part II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Bulletin #96 - The Protein Packed Diet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Bulletin #97 - Nutritional Supplementation: An Overview, Part III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Bulletin #98 - Immuno-Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Bulletin #99 - A Pumped Up Supplement Strategy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Bulletin #100 - Jump Start the Fat Burning Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Bulletin #101 - Pumping Dietary Iron. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Bulletin #102 - Recharge With Glutamine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Bulletin #103 - Supplementation Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Bulletin #104 - Nutrition for Older Athletes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Bulletin #105 - The Latest Word on Amino Acid Supplements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Bulletin #106 - The Case Against Fruit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Bulletin #107 - Make the B-Grade for Ultimate Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Bulletin #108 - Evening Primrose Oil - When Fat is Your Best Friend. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Bulletin #109 - Four Powerful Secrets to Physique Perfection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Bulletin #110 - Pre-Exercise Supplementation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Bulletin #111 - MEP’s or MRP’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Bulletin #112 - Mighty Minerals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Bulletin #113 - Food over Genetics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Bulletin #114 - The Parrillo Guide to Amino Acid Supplementation (part 1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Bulletin #115 - The Parrillo Guide to Amino Acid Supplementation (part 2 ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Bulletin #116 - Mold More Muscularity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Bulletin #117 - The Parrillo 4-Step Prescription for Plateaus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Bulletin #118 - Your Guide to Supplement Bars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395
Bulletin #119 - The Latest Word on Fructose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
Bulletin #120 - Boosting GH Naturally With Nutrition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Bulletin #121 - Body Type Dieting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
Bulletin #122 - High Fat Dieting Taken to the Next Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Bulletin #123 - Calories: Why I Insist You Need Lots of Them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
III
Bulletin #124 - Supplement Secrets You Won’t Find in a Health Food Store. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
Bulletin #125 - The Whey and Creatine Blast!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Bulletin #126 - Parrillo Bars: Catabolism’s Worst Enemy! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Bulletin #127 - Nutrient Partitioning: How To Control the Insulin/Glucagon Axis!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Bulletin #128 - Clearing Up the Confusion Over Carbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Bulletin #129 - Hormone Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
Bulletin #130 - Creatine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
Bulletin #131 - BCAA’s: Activating Muscular Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
Bulletin #132 - Erythritol: Top Next Generation Sweetener. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
Bulletin #133 - Captri®: Exploring The High Fat Diet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
Bulletin #134 - The Winning Fat Loss Formula. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427
Bulletin #135 - The Anabolic Effect Of Food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429
Bulletin #136 - Natural Regulation Of Cortisol To Maximize Lean Mass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
Bulletin #137 - Herbs, Food, and Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
Bulletin #138 - Creatine for Maximum Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435
Bulletin #139 - Recovery Nutrition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437
Bulletin #140 - The Scoop on How to Recupe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439
Bulletin #141 - Stay Fit & Lean This Holiday Season. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
Bulletin #142 - Ultimate Endurance Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
Bulletin #143 - Supplementation & Rest Go Together. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
Bulletin #144 - Fat Loss Accelerators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 449
Bulletin #145 - Vitamin C’s Performance Punch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
Bulletin #146 - Joint Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
Bulletin #147 - Vitamin E for Health & Exercise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 455
Bulletin #148 - From Here to Serenity: How to Nutritionally Tame the Tension in Your Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
Bulletin #149 - Nutrition 101: Get Lean By Getting Back to Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459
Bulletin #150 - 10 Reasons to Love Fats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461
Bulletin #151 - Prediabetes and Your Diet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465
Bulletin #152 - Inflammation and Your Diet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
Bulletin #153 - Supplement Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
Bulletin #154 - Parrillo Nutrition Supplies What Your Body Demands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471
Bulletin #155 - Carotenoids Count! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Bulletin #156 - The Many Wonders of Minerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 475
Bulletin #157 - Dessicated Liver: A Nutrient Treasure Trove for Exercisers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477
Bulletin #158 - Eating Out on the Parrillo Nutrition Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479
Bulletin #159 - Fat-Burning Food Chemistry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481
Bulletin #160 - Parrillo Nutrition Program Boosters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Bulletin #161 - Using Creatine As a Weight-Loss Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
Bulletin #162 - The Alternating Diet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
Bulletin #163 - Protein Power - More Proof. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491
Bulletin #164 - Supplementing For The Endurance Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493
Bulletin #165 - 8 Secrets to Keep Your Six-Pack Ripped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495
Bulletin #166 - Rest, Recuperation & GH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499
Bulletin #167 - Older Means Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501
Bulletin #168 - MCT Oil Really Is A Fat-Burning Fat!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503
Bulletin #169 - Amino Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505
Bulletin #170 - Back on the Wagon: My 2-Day Undo Diet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507
Bulletin #171 - The Real Superfoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511
IV
Section IV: Medium Chain Triglyceride Technical Reports
Report #1 - Metabolism of Medium Chain Triglycerides: Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Report #2 - Metabolism of Fatty Acids. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Report #3 - Cellular Energy Production. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Report #4 - Cellular Energy Production: Thermogenesis and Metabolic Rate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Glossary

VI © 2004, 1992 Parrillo Performance • Fairfield OH 45014 • (513) 874-3305 • ORDERLINE 1-800-344-3404
Parrillo Performance
NUTRITION
C Update 1:
Gaining Muscle
O and Staying Lean
N
T Update 2:
Diet to Lose Fat
E and Stay Lean
N
T Update 3:
S
Ultra High Energy
Diets For Athletes
UPDATES
Results . . . That’s What You Get From Parrillo Products
© 2004, 1992 Parrillo Performance • Fairfield OH 45014 • (513) 874-3305 • ORDERLINE 1-800-344-3404
© 1999, 1992 Parrillo Performance. All rights reserved. Duplication of this book, or any portion, in any way
without the expressed written consent of Parrillo Performance is strictly prohibited by U.S. copyright laws.
Parrillo Performance Update #1
Gaining Muscle and Staying Lean:

A Common Sense Approach
by John Parrillo
Are you training hard but not put- After being digested, these fats are
ting on enough muscle? The answer transported to fat depots and stored.
is simple: eat more calories. The Simple sugars and other refined
problem is how do you eat plenty carbohydrates are released into the
of calories to make muscle without bloodstream more rapidly than they
getting fat at the same time? can be used for energy or converted
Whether you gain muscle or fat to glycogen. This elicits a large in-
depends largely on what foods you sulin release which in turn causes
eat. While too many calories from the excess sugar to be converted
any food can make you fat, some to fat. On the other hand, ex-
foods have much more tendency cess calories from protein and
to make you fat than others. To unrefined complex carbohy-
prove it to yourself, just pull out drates have less tendency
1000 calories of rice and chicken to be stored as fat. Good
from your diet and replace it with lean protein sources in-
1000 calories of cheese burgers and clude skinless chicken
french fries and see what happens. breast, skinless turkey
You have to learn to structure your breast, fish, and egg
diet so that you supply calories from whites. Good sourc-
foods that don’t make you fat. es of starchy carbs
There are different kinds of calo- are beans, rice, pota-
ries. Some foods make you fat and toes, peas, corn, and
oatmeal. We also
recommend you eat
a lot of fibrous veg-
You have to learn to etables such as spinach,
structure your diet so lettuce, carrots, broccoli, green
beans, and asparagus.
on the fire, then eating CapTri® is
like pouring gasoline on the fire.
that you supply calo- And here’s where CapTri® fits This makes CapTri® an ideal en-
ries from foods that in. CapTri® provides 8.3 calories
per gram - twice the caloric density
ergy source for bodybuilders and
other athletes - it allows you to
don’t make you fat. of protein or carbohydrates. But
consume a ton of calories without
instead of being stored as body fat
getting fat.
CapTri® is immediately burned to
The replacement of conventional
release energy (1). Whereas con- dietary fats with lipids like Cap-
some foods just naturally make you ventional fats are stored in body Tri® results in much less body fat
lean and muscular. Your worst ene- fat depots, CapTri® is transported (2,3). This is not so surprising since
mies are fatty foods and simple sug- directly to the liver where it is con- CapTri® is immediately burned for
ars. Conventional dietary fats are verted into energy (1). If eating energy while regular fats are just
very prone to be stored as body fat. regular food is like throwing a log stored as body fat. The amazing
Gaining Muscle and Staying Lean: A Common Sense Approach
Effects of feeding carbohy-

drates, conventional fat, and
MCT on body componsition in
the rat. MCT feeding resulted
in 5 and 10% increases in
body protein as compared
to feeding carbohydrates or
comventional fats, respec-
tively. Daily lipid deposition
was 60% less in the MCT
group. Data from Crozier et
al, 1987, table 2.
thing is that diets containing lipids calories as fat. The amazing thing whereas conventional fats contrib-
like CapTri® result in less fat gain is that when lipids like CapTri® are ute to weight gain by increasing
than even low-fat diets (2,3). In included in the diet these fat-mak- body fat (7, 8). Medium chain
other words, CapTri® results in less ing enzymes are less active—even triglycerides like CapTri® increase
fat gain than carbohydrates. And if in the presence of insulin (2). This protein synthesis in the liver more
your weight goes up, and it’s not fat, suggests that CapTri® may permit so than conventional fats or glucose
then it must be lean mass. you to derive the anabolic effect of (7). Also, after glycogen stores have
To understand this you have insulin while avoiding its fat-pro- been depleted the branched chain
to know something about carbohy- moting effects. Could this be the amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and
drate metabolism. Carbohydrates reason athletes on our diet expe- valine are oxidized as fuel in the
are released into the bloodstream rience increased muscularity with muscles. In the liver, CapTri® is
as glucose and this stimulates the
pancreas to release insulin. Insu-
lin in turn causes cells to absorb If eating food is like throwing a log on the
glucose and amino acids, support-
ing growth. For this reason many
fire, then eating CapTri® is like pouring
people consider insulin to be the gasoline on the fire. This makes CapTri®
most powerful anabolic (growth-
promoting) hormone. However, an ideal energy source for bodybuilders and
insulin and glucose also promote
fat accumulation by increasing stor- other athletes because it allows you to con-
age of fatty acids in fat cells. So
the same hormone which promotes
sume a ton of calories without getting fat.
growth also promotes fat storage.
If carbohydrates are released into
converted into ketone bodies which
the bloodstream faster than they can decreased body fat?
be used for energy and to replace The anti-catabolic properties of are released into the bloodstream
glycogen, the excess will be stored CapTri® are another good reason and used as fuel (1). “Skeletal mus-
as fat. to include it in your mass building cle can readily burn ketone bodies
The enzymes that make new body diet. Studies show that lipids like for fuel and may spare the oxida-
fat and convert glucose into fat are CapTri® spare body protein (7). tion of branched chain amino acids
less active if lipids like CapTri® Structured lipids, which contain and reduce skeletal muscle protein
are included in the diet. Insulin medium chain fatty acids, improve catabolism,” (6). The sparing of
normally stimulates these fat-stor- nitrogen balance and are believed to BCAA would leave these amino
ing enzymes to store any excess increase weight by protein retention acids available to build muscles in-
Gaining Muscle and Staying Lean: A Common Sense Approach
stead of being burned as fuel. References

CapTri® is a special lipid called 1. Bach and Babayan, Medium 5. Hill, Peters, Yang, Sharp, Kaler,
a medium chain triglyceride which chain triglycerides: an update. Am. Abumrad, and Greene, Thermogen-
is purified from coconut oil by frac- J. Clin. Nutr. 36:950-962 (1982). esis in humans
tional distillation. This is the same during overfeeding with medium
way that jet fuel is purified from 2. Lavau and Hashim, Effect of chain triglycerides. Metabolism 38:
crude oil. CapTri® has a differ- medium chain triglyceride on lipo- 641-648 (1989).
ent molecular structure than regular genesis and body fat
fats and this results in it being im- in the rat. J. Nutr. 108: 613-620 6. Babayan, Medium chain triglyc-
mediately burned for energy in- (1978). erides and structured lipids. Lipids
stead of being stored as body fat 22: 417-420 (1987).
(1). In CapTri®, all of the harmful 3. Crozier, Bois-Joyeux, Chanez,
long chain fats have been removed, Girard, and Peret, Metabolic effects 7. Record, Kolpek, and Rapp, Long
leaving only a pure energy source induced by long- chain versus medium chain length
which is absorbed and metabolized term feeding of medium chain triglycerides - a review of
as rapidly as glucose (1). CapTri® triglycerides in the rat. Metabolism metabolism and clinical use.
is burned so fast that it doesn’t have 36: 807-814 (1987). Nutr. Clin. Prac. 1:129-135 (1986).
a chance to be stored as fat.
To derive the maximum benefit 4. Seaton, Welle, Warenko, and 8. Kennedy, Structured lipids: fats
from CapTri®, or any other supple- Campbell, Thermic effect of me- of the future. Food Technology,
ment, use it in conjunction with dium chain and long Nov. 1991, p. 76-83.
the proper diet. The Parrillo Per- chain triglycerides in man. Am.
formance Nutrition Program, by J. Clin. Nutr. 44: 630-634 (1986).
John Parrillo, describes the ultimate
diet for bodybuilders. How to eat
to gain muscle and lose fat. Proper Just one tablespoon of CapTri®
nutrition is the foundation of body- with each meal provides the
building success. We provide the
quality colories your body needs
information you need to make your
effort in the gym pay off - big time. for adding lean body mass and
What sets us apart is our program keeping bodyfat to a minimum.
is based on sound, basic principles
of healthy nutrition. With Parrillo,
food comes first, then supplements.
We find that basic nutrition gets
better results than high-tech hype.
We’re here to show you how to get
big. Now.
CapTri® is the most highly
refined, ultrapurified MCT on the
market. The formulation of Cap-
Tri® was specifically designed for
people who want to be as lean
as possible. CapTri® is available
exclusively from Parrillo Perfor-
mance. If you need to go up in
calories to put on more muscle, try
CapTri®.
Diet to Lose Fat and Stay Lean

by John Parrillo
loss, there are no miracles of it is muscle and water. And
or shortcuts. It takes a in the process your metabolism
good lean diet and slows down and your fat stor-
plenty of aerobic age systems are cranked up. So
exercise. We’ve when you resume normal caloric
developed an ap- consumption you gain back the
proach to dieting weight you lost, if not more. The
we call “building difference is you lost mostly mus-
your metabolism.” cle and you gain back mostly fat,
Instead of starving your- so the net result of your diet is
self, give your body all that you’re fatter than when you
the nutrients and calories it started. This is why low calorie
needs to be healthy. diets are not effective.
Your metabolic rate is your So what do you do? How
body’s rate of energy expen- can you achieve an energy def-
diture, in calories per hour (1). icit without losing muscle and
Your body is constantly consum- activating your fat storage sys-
ing energy to maintain itself and tems? By feeding your body the
fuel activities. When you drasti- right combinations of foods, at
cally reduce calories your body the right times, you can shift your
thinks it’s starving, so it slows metabolism into an anabolic, fat-
down your metabolic rate to burning mode. That’s what the
save fuel. You actually Parrillo Performance Nutrition
lose more muscle than Program is all about. By speed-
fat during low calorie ing up your metabolism you can
diets. And since mus- achieve an energy deficit without
cular tissue burns more cutting calories.
calories per hour than fat As you know, different foods
People used to believe that the tissue, if you lose muscle mass have different effects on your
way to lose weight is just to eat your metabolic rate automatically body. Foods like cheese burgers
less. And sure enough, if you slows down. and french fries tend to make you
consume less calories than you Paradoxically, drastically cut- fat. On the other hand, it’s hard
expend then you’ll lose weight. ting calories actually promotes fat to get fat eating rice and fish. Sci-
But whether the weight you lose storage by increasing the activity entists call this “food efficiency”
is muscle or fat depends on how of a fat storage enzyme called - the calories consumed of a par-
you do it. Just like a certain diet lipoprotein lipase (2). When your ticular food divided by the result-
helps you stay lean while you’re body’s starving it wants to hold ing weight gain (3). The higher
gaining muscle, the proper diet on to all the fat it can, to try and the food efficiency, the more that
will help you hold onto your mus- ensure its survival. Your body fat food contributes to weight gain.
cle while you’re losing fat. stores represent an energy reserve Foods with a low food efficiency
We believe that proper nutrition to keep you alive until the famine are more prone to be burned for
is the foundation of bodybuilding passes. So during a low calorie energy instead of being converted
success. When it comes to fat diet you do lose weight, but most to body weight.
CapTri® is a special kind of that when lipids like CapTri® carb diets for years. When you
fat called a medium chain tri- are used in place of carbohy- reduce carbs you in turn reduce
glyceride. CapTri® harnesses drates, body fat stores are lower insulin (remember, insulin pro-
the energy density of fat but is (3, 8). And less carbohydrates motes fat storage) and activate
not stored as body fat (4). The are converted into fat, even in the the carnitine shuttle. The carni-
molecular structure of CapTri® presence of insulin (8). Insulin tine shuttle is a transport system
results in it being metabolized is an anabolic hormone which which moves fatty acids inside
differently than conventional fats. is released from the pancreas in mitochondria - the furnaces in-
Instead of being transported to response to an increase in blood side cells where foods are burned
fat depots like regular fats, Cap- glucose (sugar). Insulin causes for energy. Carbohydrate metabo-
Tri® is transported directly to the cells to absorb glucose and amino lism generates a by-product called
liver and is immediately burned acids, thereby stimulating growth. malonyl-CoA, which inhibits the
to produce energy (4, 5). As a Unfortunately, insulin also causes carnitine shuttle. This is why not
result, CapTri® has a lower food fat cells to absorb glucose and much body fat is burned for ener-
efficiency than regular fats (3, fatty acids, stimulating fat stor- gy as long as carbohydrate fuel is
5). When conventional dietary age. Fat storage enzymes are less available. During low carb diets
fats are replaced with lipids like active when lipids like CapTri® no malonyl-CoA is produced so
CapTri®, test animals stay much are added to the diet, even under the carnitine shuttle is activated.
leaner (6, 7). Probably the most conditions of insulin stimulation The body shifts into a fat-burn-
amazing thing is that lipids like (8). ing mode. Glucagon is another
CapTri® also have a lower food Bodybuilders have used low- hormone, also produced by the
efficiency than carbohydrates (3,
8). This means that it’s harder
for your body to convert CapTri®
into fat than it is to store excess
carbohydrates as fat.
Bodybuilders use CapTri®
while dieting because it has a
lower food efficiency than car-
bohydrates and conventional fats
(3, 6, 7, 8). CapTri® is burned
rapidly in the liver (4, 5) and
some of the energy is released as
body heat in a process known as
thermogenesis. The thermogenic
effect is probably the most im-
portant reason why CapTri® has
such a low food efficiency (5, 7,
9, 10). Instead of being stored as
fat, excess calories from CapTri® Metabolic rate for the six hour period following MCT- or LCT-
are converted to body heat, and containing meals. The thermic effect of feeding (TEF) was
this means you burn more calories calculated as the metabolic rate following feeding minus the
per hour. This explains why calo-
fasting metabolic rate, in Calories per hour. The area between
ries from CapTri® contribute less
to fat stores than an equivalent the curves (shaded represents the difference in TEF for MCT
number of calories from conven- and LCT. The bar graph at right expresses TEF as percent of
tional fats or carbohydrates (3, 6, total ingested energy (1,000 Calories). Since CapTri is more
7, 8). efficiently converted to energy, it has less tendency to store as
Scientific studies have shown body fat.
pancreas, but with the opposite stead of being stored as fat. (1987).
actions of insulin. After you eat a CapTri® is the most highly
big carbohydrate meal your body refined, ultrapurified MCT on the 4. Babayan, Medium chain tri-
releases insulin which causes cells market. The formulation of Cap- glycerides and structured lipids.
to absorb glucose. Some of the Tri® was specifically designed Lipids 22: 417-420 (1987).
glucose is used for energy and the for people who want to be as lean
excess is stored as glycogen and as possible. CapTri® is available 5. Bach and Babayan, Medium
fat. As the blood glucose level exclusively from Parrillo Perfor- chain triglycerides: an update.
goes down, the insulin level goes mance. So if you’re looking for a Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 36:950-962
down too. After your cells run out good source of calories to provide (1982).
of glucose, glucagon is released energy while dieting, try Cap-
as a signal to begin burning fat. 6. Geliebter, Torbay, Bracco,
The problem with the old low- Hashim, and Van Itallie, Over-
carb diets is that you don’t have feeding with medium chain tri-
much energy and your metabo- glyceride diet
lism slows down because you’re results in diminished deposi-
not consuming enough calories. tion of fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 37:
You’re really not consuming any 1-4 (1983).
fuels that your body likes to use
for energy. In the new low-carb 7. Baba, Bracco, and Hashim,
strategy, you use CapTri® in Enhanced thermogenesis and di-
place of starchy carbs. This re- minished deposition of fat in re-
sults in decreased insulin produc- sponse to
tion and increased glucagon re- overfeeding with diet contain-
lease. The carnitine shuttle is ac- ing medium chain triglyceride.
tive and fat metabolism proceeds Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: 678-682
at a maximal rate. The calories (1982).
from CapTri® provide the energy
you need to keep training hard. 8. Lavau and Hashim, Effect
Also, by substituting CapTri® for Tri®. And do your aerobics. of medium chain triglyceride on
an equivalent number of calo- References lipogenesis and body fat in the
ries from carbohydrates you avoid rat. J.
the slow-down in metabolic rate 1. Guyton, Textbook of Medical Nutr. 108: 613-620 (1978).
which inevitably results from cal- Physiology, p. 952. Published by
orie-restricted diets. Since Cap- W.B. Saunders, 1976. 9. Hill, Peters, Yang, Sharp,
Kaler, Abumrad, and Greene,
2. Kern et al, The effects of Thermogenesis in humans during
CapTri®, as a regular supple- weight loss on the activity and overfeeding
ment to your nutrition pro- expression of adipose tissue lipo- with medium chain triglyc-
gram, gives you the calories to protein lipase erides. Metabolism 38: 641-648
stay lean and maintain energy in very obese humans. New (1989).
while cutting carbohydrates. Engl. J. Med. 322: 1053 (1990).
3. Crozier, Bois-Joyeux, Chanez, 10. Seaton, Welle, Warenko, and
Girard, and Peret, Metabolic ef- Campbell, Thermic effect of me-
fects induced by long-term feed- dium chain and long chain
Tri® has a lower food efficiency ing of triglycerides in man. Am. J.
than carbohydrates, this means medium chain triglycerides in Clin. Nutr. 44: 630-634 (1986).
your calories will be burned in- the rat. Metabolism 36: 807-814
10 © 2004, 1992 Parrillo Performance • Fairfield OH 45014 • (513) 874-3305 • ORDERLINE 1-800-344-3404
Ultra High Energy Diets for Athletes

by John Parrillo
days try to limit fat consumption to energy: fat and carbohydrate. Car-
as low as 5% of calories. What’s the bohydrate is your body’s favorite. It
problem with using fat as an energy burns the carbs first and saves the fat
source? for later. Why? Because fat is twice
The main thing is that as concentrated in calories as carbs,
dietary fat has a very strong your body reserves fat for its storage
tendency to deposit as form of energy. By storing energy as
body fat instead of be- fat it can compact more energy into
ing burned for energy. a smaller space.
Here’s why: Conven- Fats are converted into energy
tional dietary fats are in the mitochondria - little furnaces
not soluble in water and inside cells where foods are burned.
this makes them very The problem is regular fats can’t
hard for your body to make it into the mitochondria by
digest and absorb. In themselves - they have to be carried
fact, the fat molecules inside by a transport system called
can’t even get into the the carnitine shuttle (1). And the car-
capillary beds of the nitine shuttle isn’t very active as long
small intestine. Inside as carbohydrate fuels are available.
intestinal cells these Carbohydrate metabolism generates
fats are incorporated a by-product called malonyl-CoA,
into carrier particles which inhibits the carnitine shuttle
called chylomicrons (1). This is the reason your body
(1). The chylomicrons doesn’t burn much fat for energy
Athletes and other extremely are released from the small intestine until the carbs are used up.
active people have an increased need into the lymphatic system, a network CapTri® is a member of a
for energy. Some bodybuilders and of vessels throughout the body for class of lipids called medium chain
endurance athletes consume 8,000 transporting large particles. The triglycerides. CapTri® has a differ-
to 10,000 calories a day to fuel their chylomicrons are released from the ent molecular structure than body
activities and support growth. That’s lymphatic system into the blood- fat, so your body doesn’t just auto-
about five times as much energy as stream through the thoracic duct, in matically store it in fat depots. In
sedentary people. Fat is nature’s the neck. Once in the general circula- fact, your body treats it more like a
most concentrated energy source, tion the chylomicrons are transported carbohydrate (2). Remember how
providing 9 calories per gram - twice throughout the body - including to fat regular fats are incorporated into
the caloric density of protein or car- stores. The presence of glucose and chylomicrons, transported via the
bohydrate. The liver and muscles insulin stimulates fat cells to store the lymphatic system, and are ultimately
are capable of metabolizing large fat molecules as body fat. So most of delivered to fat cells? CapTri® is a
amounts of fat for energy. So fat the fat on your plate is going to end much smaller molecule and is more
should be a great source of energy up on your waist or hips. soluble in water, and this results in
for athletes, right? Why doesn’t your body just go it following a different metabolic
Not quite. As you know, ahead and burn the fat as fuel instead pathway.
bodybuilders avoid fat like the of storing it? There are two primary CapTri® is transported di-
plague. Most bodybuilders these forms of fuel your body uses for rectly from the small intestine to the
© 2004, 1992 Parrillo Performance • Fairfield OH 45014 • (513) 874-3305 • ORDERLINE 1-800-344-3404 11
liver by the portal vein (1,2). In the than conventional fats (2). In the liv- reserve coincides with the onset of
liver CapTri® is immediately burned er CapTri® is metabolized so rapidly fatigue (6). It’s especially notice-
to produce energy (3). In contrast to that the capacity of the Krebs cycle able when you’re on a low-carb diet
conventional fats, CapTri® can get can be overwhelmed (2). A major getting ready for a show. Lipids
into the mitochondria by itself and portion of the acetyl-CoA is then di- like CapTri® have been shown to
doesn’t require the carnitine shuttle rected toward the synthesis of ketone decrease glucose uptake and utiliza-
(1,2). Therefore, CapTri® is burned bodies (2). The ketone bodies are tion (5) resulting in a glucose-sparing
at the same time as carbohydrates released into the bloodstream and are effect (7). Unlike conventional fats,
(4). Inside mitochondria, CapTri® taken up by muscles and used as fuel CapTri® can be burned for energy
is burned in a process called beta- (3). Ketone bodies are a fast burning even while there are still plenty of
oxidation. Blocks of two carbon fuel and are used quite efficiently carbohydrate fuels available (4).
atoms are removed from the fatty by muscles (3). Ketone bodies have This additional energy source makes
acid chain, generating a metabolic been observed to decrease glucose the glycogen last longer. And if
intermediate called acetyl-CoA. The uptake and utilization (5). An added your glycogen reserves last longer
acetyl-CoA can then experience vari- benefit is that the ketones produced you’ll have longer, more intense
ous metabolic fates, including ATP from CapTri® also spare the oxida- workouts.
production via the Krebs cycle and tion of branched chain amino acids, Bodybuilders use CapTri®
oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid leaving them available for use as to provide energy for long hard
synthesis or elongation, and forma- protein in the muscles instead of be- workouts. Endurance athletes mix
tion of ketone bodies (2). ing burned as fuel (3). CapTri® into drinks so that they can
How does the energy from Bodybuilders and endurance go farther before running out of gly-
CapTri® get to my muscles? Since athletes know all too well that when cogen. CapTri® is the most highly
CapTri® does not require the carni- you run out of glycogen, you run refined, ultrapurified MCT on the
tine shuttle for entry into mitochon- out of energy. Your body can store a market. The formulation of CapTri®
dria, it bypasses the rate limiting very limited amount of carbohydrate, was specifically designed for people
step in fatty acid oxidation. Medium in the form of glycogen, in the liver who want to be as lean as possible.
chain fatty acids are thus burned and muscles. Scientists have shown CapTri® is available exclusively
much more rapidly and extensively that depletion of a muscle’s glycogen from Parrillo Performance. If you’re
The mitochondrion. Entry of conventional fats is limited by the activity of the carnitine shuttle.
Since CapTri® can enter by itself, it is immediately burned for energy.
5. Lavau and Hashim, Effect of

medium chain triglyceride on lipo-
genesis and body fat in the rat. J.
Nutr. 108: 613-620 (1978).
6. Vander, Sherman, and Lu-

ciano, Human Physiology - The
Mechanisms of Body Function, p.
236.
Published by McGraw-Hill
Book Company, 1980.
7. Cotter, Taylor, Johnson, and

Rowe, A metabolic comparison of
pure long chain triglyceride lipid
emulsion (LCT) and various medium
chain triglyceride (MCT)-LCT com-
bination emulsions in dogs.
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 927-
939 (1987).
Figure 2: The Carnitine Shuttle.
looking for a concentrated source of One tablespoon of CapTri®

calories which can readily be used is loaded with 114 calories,
for energy, try CapTri®. as many as a 6.5 ounce baked
potato. CapTri® provides
References
bodybuilders and endurance
1. Record, Kolpek, and Rapp, athletes a high-density energy
Long chain versus medium chain source immediately available
length triglycerides - a review of to be used as fuel.
metabolism and clinical use.
Nutr. Clin. Prac. 1:129-135 (1986).
2. Bach and Babayan, Medium

chain triglycerides: an update. Am. J.
Clin. Nutr. 36:950-962 (1982).
3. Babayan, Medium chain

triglycerides and structured lipids.
Lipids 22: 417-420 (1987).
4. Sucher, Medium chain tri-

glycerides: a review of their enteral
use in clinical nutrition. Nutr. Clin.
Prac. 44: 146-150 (1986).
Section II
Q. I’ve heard so many things about how much protein is
enough and how much is too much. Can you clear up
some of this confusion about protein and amino acids.
A. We’ve been getting a barrage of calls and

questions lately about protein. “Can’t the
body only digest 50 grams of protein a
day? Isn’t too much protein bad for you?
this places some particular demands on the protein
needs of the body. Prolonged aerobic exercise, for ex-
ample, can burn amino acids, after the body uses up its
stored carbohydrate for energy, thus elevating protein
Can too many amino acids be harmful?” requirements.
To address these questions, let’s take a look at what Aerobic training in a protein-deficient state can lead
science says. to a condition called “sports anemia,” in which red
The amount of protein actually required by bodybuild- blood cells and serum iron levels are reduced. Dur-
ers is as hotly debated as the entire subject of nutrition. ing training muscle fibers are damaged and must be
The National Research Council sets the recommended repaired following the exercise period. If your protein
daily allowance (RDA) at 0.8 grams per kilograms of intake is low, the body draws on red blood cells, hemo-
body weight a day — the equivalent of 0.36 grams per globin, and plasma proteins as a source of protein for
pound of body weight a day. Based on the RDA, a 200- muscular repair. When this happens, little protein is left
pound bodybuilder would require 73 grams of protein a to rebuild red blood cells at the normal rate, and sports
day. Unfortunately the RDA was established with aver- anemia can be the result.
age people in mind — not athletes. Clearly, bodybuilders must include ample protein
Protein supplies nutrients called amino acids which in their diets to promote muscular fitness. Individual
are required for every metabolic process. All muscles protein needs vary and depend on a number of factors,
and organs, in fact, are made from amino acids. Like including a bodybuilder’s training intensity and level
most athletes, bodybuilders have higher requirements of conditioning. I have seen many bodybuilders im-
for protein than the average person. Without enough prove their physiques by increasing their protein intake
protein, you cannot build muscle, repair its breakdown to as high as 2.5 grams per pound of body weight a day
after training, or drive your metabolism. — nearly seven times the RDA.
Various studies indicate that weight training athletes Based on our experience at Parrillo Performance, hard
need greater amounts of protein. In one study, for training bodybuilders can achieve excellent results by
example, ten weight lifters trained intensely and con- consuming 1.25 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of
sumed 0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight a body weight a day. On our program, one gram of your
day. Four of these athletes were found to be in negative protein intake per pound of body weight should come
nitrogen balance. from lean protein sources such as lean white meat
In another study, weight lifters who increased their poultry, fish, and egg whites; The other . 25 to .5 per
protein intake from 1.0 to 1.6 grams per pound of body pound of body weight should come from vegetables,
weight a day were able to increase both strength and particularly beans, corn and legumes. Avoid red meats
lean mass. and egg yolks. These are high in fat which easily con-
Serious bodybuilders train aerobically as well, and verts to body fat.
Now about amino acids. These provide another way
Questions & Answers With John Parrillo
to take in additional protein. Amino acid formulations
are especially beneficial during periods of intense train-
ing and strict dieting. To protect lean body mass, many
competitive bodybuilders increase their usage several
months before competition.
The branched chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine
and valine are directly involved in building muscle tis-
sue. By carrying nitrogen, they assist the muscles in
synthesizing other amino acids to promote growth and
repair.
People consuming a high-protein diet should be sure
to drink plenty of water and to get enough calcium.
Protein metabolism generates ammonia, which is con-
verted to urea and excreted in the urine and sweat.
Drinking plenty of water aids the kidneys in removing
this nitrogenous waste and dilutes calcium salts which
could form kidney stones.
Notably, there is no evidence suggesting that strength
athletes consuming a high-protein diet have an increased
incidence of kidney disease. The data suggesting that a
high-protein diet contributes to the progressive nature
of disease come from people with pre-existing kidney
problems. Many studies have demonstrated a positive
correlation between protein intake and urinary calcium
excretion. Results are equivocal regarding protein
intake and calcium absorption. Some studies show
that protein improves calcium absorption while others
show the opposite. Calcium balance can be maintained
during high protein diets by assuring adequate calcium
and phosphorus intake (at least the RDA, 800-1200
mg/day) from both diet and supplementation.
Q. I’ve read a lot about using powdered supplements as meal
replacements, either to lose body fat or put on mass. Are
they effective or is this just hype?
A. To get the results you want, food cells from the invasion of the bacteria responsible for
will always work the most effectively. certain types of pneumonia, influenza, and other seri-
In years of working with bodybuilders ous respiratory tract infections.
and athletes, we have found that food is The bacterial population of the gi tract obviously
superior to all-supplement diets. Food plays an important role in nutrition and health. Sci-
provides something that all-supplement entists are now exploring the use of oligosaccharides
diets do not: the raw materials your body needs for in the treatment of digestive disorders, elevated blood
growth or for stimulating chemical processes involved fats, and other health problems. The ability of oligo-
in the breakdown, absorption, and assimilation of nu- saccharides to promote healthy bacterial growth un-
trients. The digestive process, for example, requires derlines the importance of food as the source for these
“real” food — complete with its balance of nutrients protective factors. In other words, you cannot obtain
and fiber — to do the job for which it was designed. such factors from supplements.
The presence of food, acids, and enzymes in the duo- In the Parrillo Performance Nutrition Program, we
denum (the first section of the small intestine) and the state that “food is the cornerstone of nutrition.” If you
jejunum (the second section of the small intestine) do not eat the proper foods --lean proteins, starchy
stimulates the production of hormones required for the carbohydrates, and fibrous carbohydrates, nothing else
absorption of nutrients. Without food, these processes matters. No supplement can ever provide all the ben-
are interrupted, and the proper assimilation of nutrients efits that food supplies. We were built to process food
is hindered. , proteins, carbohydrates, and fats – not powdered or
Other important issues are involved as well. Foods liquid supplements alone.
such as legumes and other starchy carbohydrates con- That’s not to say certain types of supplements are not
tain special complex sugars called “oligosaccharides.” effective. They are — but only when taken with food
These sugars exert a healthful effect on the growth of and at the proper time and in the proper combinations.
beneficial bacteria in the gastro-intestinal (gi) tract. The Parrillo Performance Nutrition Program tells you
One family of these bacteria is called bifidobacterium. exactly how to do this.
Because of the oligosaccharides’ effect on this type of If you want to make the best possible progress with
bacteria, the sugars have been called “bifidus factors.” your physique, I suggest that you forget the hype (and
When bifidobacterium and other helpful bacteria are that’s what it is) surrounding all-supplement diets or
present in the gi tract, they prevent dangerous and meal replacement programs and get back to basics.
sometimes deadly bacteria such as salmonella and And that means food.
E.coli from colonizing.
Human milk is another food that contains oligosac-
charides, and it is well known that breast-fed infants
quickly develop a protective population of bifidobacte-
ria. Oligosaccharides have also been shown to protect
Q. Does weight training have any direct effect on fat-
burning?
A. Definitely. And the reason has to do But like the slow-twitch variety, fat can be burned by
with the muscle fibers, the basic ele- the fast-twitch oxidative-glycolytic variety for energy.
ment of the muscle. Muscle fibers are Interestingly, you can change pure fast-twitch fibers
divided into three types: slow-twitch into fast-twitch oxidative fibers by high-volume train-
(also called slow-oxidative (SO) or ing such as long duration aerobics or intense high-
Type I), fast-twitch oxidative-glyco- intensity training. Furthermore, this type of training
lytic (FOG or Type IIa) and pure fast-twitch (FT or actually increases the number of mitochondria in fast-
Type IIb). twitch fibers to levels higher than those found in slow-
The slow-twitch fibers contract slowly. But they can twitch fibers. With more mitochondria in muscle cells,
sustain their contractions for long periods without fa- the fast-twitch muscle fibers burn more fat. Through
tiguing. These fibers are used more in endurance activi- high-volume training your body literally becomes as
ties such as long-distance running or swimming. Ge- fat-burning machine.
netically, athletes with a predominance of slow-twitch If you want to burn more body fat, I suggest that you
fibers perform well in endurance competition. do high-rep work using heavy poundages. Work out
Slow-twitch fibers get most of their energy from intensely — so that you are breathing hard each time
burning fat, a process that requires oxygen. This is you finish a set. Increase the frequency and duration of
further kindled by the fibers’ ample supply of blood your aerobics too.
vessels, mitochondria (cellular furnaces where fat and This regimen is precisely how competitive body-
other nutrients are burned) and glycogen and blood fats builders train to lose fat before a contest. It’s an all-out
inside their cells. approach that verges on over-training. But that’s what
The pure fast-twitch fibers are different. They contract you have to do to change the fat-burning capacity of
rapidly but fatigue more easily. Their energy comes your muscle fibers. Remember too that you must fol-
from burning glycogen. There are fewer mitochondria low a high-calorie, nutrient-dense nutrition program
in the cellular make-up of fast-twitch fibers. Athletes (food and supplements) as outlined in the Parrillo
who excel in speed or power events such as sprinting Performance Nutrition Program to fuel this level of
or weight lifting appear to have a higher percentage of intensity.
fast-twitch fibers.
Fast-twitch oxidative-glycolytic fibers contract
quickly too, but they do not fatigue as fast. This may
be because they have more mitochondria than the pure
fast-twitch type but less than the slow-twitch fibers.
Q. Like most people these days, I have a busy schedule.
Often it’s hard to get my five to six meals every day.
Got any suggestions?
A. Sticking to a multiple-meals nutrition

program is easier and more convenient
than most people realize. Here are sev-
eral tips that will help you get all your
acids available to muscle tissue for growth and recov-
ery. Insulin’s release is triggered by the conversion of
carbohydrate into glucose by the liver.
Frequent meals also increase “thermogenesis,” the
meals in. First, cook several meals ahead production of body heat from the burning of food for
of time each day and pack them in plastic containers energy. Following a meal, your metabolic rate is el-
until you’re ready to eat them. That way, your food evated as a result of thermogenesis. So the more meals
is ready for microwaving. Second, incorporate meal you eat, the higher your metabolism stays throughout
supplements such as the Parrillo Supplement Bar™, the day for fat burning and muscle building.
ProCarb™, or Hi-Protein Powder™ into your daily Finally, with a constant nutrient supply, you are nev-
nutrition program. An example of an eat-anywhere er forced into a starvation mode. With meals coming
meal is a Supplement Bar, several rice cakes, a can of at regular intervals, your body learns to process food
tuna, and some fibrous carbs such as raw broccoli or more efficiently, and your metabolism is accelerated
cauliflower. This works well if you can’t prepare a full as a result.
meal. Another good idea is to put a couple of scoops of John Parrillo is the creator of the high-calorie ap-
ProCarb™ and/or Hi-Protein Powder™ in your water proach to losing body fat and burning muscle. In
bottle. When you’re ready to eat, fill it with water, and fact, a leading muscle magazine has called him “an
drink it, along with some chicken, tuna, or rice cakes, exercise and nutrition genius who knows more maxi-
and some raw fibrous carbs. mizing muscle mass and losing body fat than anyone
I’m glad that you recognize the importance of eating else in the world.” John is the author of the new book
five, six, or more meals a day. This pattern of eating is HIGH PERFORMANCE BODYBUILDING and his
metabolically beneficial in three ways. To begin with, best selling manuals, The Parrillo Performance Nutri-
multiple meals that include starchy carbohydrates help tion Manual™ and The Parrillo Performance Training
keep insulin constantly present in the body. This pow- Manual™.
erful, growth-producing hormone helps make amino
Q. I’ve heard that doing aerobic exercise is a good way to burn
body fat, but won’t it also cause me to lose muscle mass?
A.
Never underestimate the power of aero- absence of glycogen. You become leaner as a result.
bics in your training program. It has Then later, the carbohydrates you eat are efficiently
numerous benefits, from fat-burning to re-supplied to muscles, without being turned into body
cardiovascular health to improved re- fat. Plus, your metabolism is activated for the entire
covery mechanisms. day.
Many bodybuilders, however, typi- Most people don’t understand the importance of
cally shy away from aerobic exercise, particularly in “aerobic intensity.” For a long time now you’ve prob-
the growth season, fearing that it will cause a loss of ably been urged to achieve your “target heart rate” dur-
muscle mass. This loss, however, has less to do with ing aerobic activity. This is the elevation of the pulse to
aerobics and more to do with improper diet. A body- approximately 60 to 80 percent of your maximum heart
builder who loses muscle during a period of aerobic rate (220 minus your age). Reaching target heart rate
training is simply not eating enough to compensate and keeping it there for at least 20 minutes is supposed
for the calories spent by the aerobic activity. Take in to boost general cardiovascular conditioning. Also, it’s
enough quality calories, and you’ll preserve muscle always been assumed that if you exercise at your target
mass while your body fat drops. heart rate long enough, you burn more fat.
Aerobics forces oxygen through your body, increas- Optimal cardiovascular is not achieved by just raising
ing the number and size of your blood vessels. Blood your heart rate, but is rather optimally achieved by in-
vessels are the “supply routes” that transport oxygen creasing “oxygen uptake” or VO2max. This represents
and nutrients to body tissues, including muscles, and your body’s maximum capability to deliver oxygen to
carry waste products away for muscular growth, repair the working muscles. So how do you boost your VO-
and recovery. the expansion of this circulatory network 2max? By exercising so intensely that you’re breath-
is called “cardiovascular density.” ing hard. The harder you breathe the more energy you
Your ability to build additional muscle is limited by expend, and the more fat your burn. Granted, less of
your degree of cardiovascular density. Without aero- a percentage of fat is being burned compared to total
bics in your total bodybuilding program, your body calories, but more fat is being burned because more
can’t create any new supply routes for your newly work is being performed.
developed muscles. The more blood vessels you have Train consistently like this, and some important
and the bigger they are, the longer and more intense metabolic changes take place inside the body. First,
your workouts can be. In other words, the better your the mitochondria (cellular furnaces where fat and other
cardiovascular density, the greater potential you have nutrients are burned) increase in size and total number
for building bigger muscles. inside muscle fibers. Second, muscle fibers build up
Do your aerobics in the morning for 45 to 60 minutes more aerobic enzymes — special chemicals involved
— before breakfast. By exercising before your first in fat-burning. Third, Aerobic exercise appears to in-
meal, you begin burning fatty acids for energy in the crease levels of myoglobin, a muscle compound that
accelerates the transfer of oxygen from the bloodstream

into the muscle fibers. Remember to eat more protein
so that you don’t develop sports anemia.
Larger mitochondria and more of them, greater levels
of aerobic enzymes, and increased blood flow — these
factors all boost the fat-burning capability of muscle
fibers. The more aerobically fit you become and the
harder you train, the more your body learns to burn fat
for energy. So you can see why intense aerobic is so
important for leaning out.
Endurance athletes have known these things all
along. That’s why bodybuilders can learn a lot from
the training regimens of endurance athletes. They train
regularly and at long duration at or near their VO2max,
and as a result their muscles are conditioned to rely
more heavily on fat for energy and less on stored car-
bohydrate (glycogen). To approach the training level of
an endurance athlete, perform aerobics several times a
week, at my recommended duration. But don’t “coast.”
Work out hard, so that you’re breathing hard. The
harder you breathe, the more fat you burn.
Q. Halfway through my workouts. I’m losing energy in
the gym. I feel that this is stalling my progress. What’s
A.
wrong and what can I do about it?
It sounds to me like your might not be taking in enough calories throughout the day. Make sure
you’re fueling your body properly by eating five, six or more meals per day with ample calories to
fulfill your energy requirments. Your meals should consist of lean proteins, strachy, complex carbs and fibrous
carbs. This combination will give you a slow release of glucose for sustained energy levels throughout the day.
Also, practice pre-and post-workout supplementation, in addition to regular supplementation of vitamins, miner-
als, aminos, lipotropics and others. About 30 minutes before training take a supplement such as Max Endurance
Formula™. Also, drink a carbohydrate supplement such as Pro-Carb™ while working out. This should help
delay the onset of fatigue. To replace glycogen stores (muscle fuel) following your workout, supplement again
with Pro-Carb™ or one of our supplement bars.
Q. I’m an active person who works out, either aerobically
or with weights, about six times a week. My problem is
that I always feel like I’m out of energy. What can I do
A.
to keep energy levels high without gaining body fat?
How do you get health and vitality? food supplements such as medium chain fatty acids
In a word, calories. You’ve got to eat like CapTri® and from protein and carbohydrate sup-
more of the right kinds of foods to build plements like Hi-Protein Powder™ and Pro-Carb™.
health. Unfortunately, some people still think that “less Nutritional supplements play a key role in metabo-
is more;” that is, the fewer calories they eat the more lism and nutrition. Used in conjunction with the proper
body fat they’ll lose. They start subsisting on diets in foods, they assist in decreasing body fat supporting
the 600 to 1000 calories range, most often while try- muscle growth, extending endurance and promoting
ing to follow rigorous aerobics and weight training better recovery and repair after training.
schedules. These sub-calorie regimens don’t provide Food selection is critical. My program includes lean
enough food to fuel their energy requirements. Their proteins (fish, white meat poultry, and egg whites),
bodies go into a breakdown mode, in which muscle starchy carbohydrates (potatoes, yams, brown rice,
tissue (including heart muscle tissue) is lost. Not only legumes and whole grain cereals) and fibrous carbo-
that, vital nutrients are pulled from tissues to fuel the hydrates (salad vegetables, green beans, cauliflower,
body, depleting nutritional reservoirs. The consequence broccoli and others).
is exactly the opposite of what is desired: poor health, Each meal should be structured to include a lean
sickness, injury. protein or two starchy carbohydrates and one or two
Sub-calorie diets also slow the metabolism, the fibrous carbohydrates. This combination of foods has
body’s food-to-fuel process, making it easier for the two important benefits: First, the protein and fiber slow
body to store fat. Nor can muscle be built if the me- the digestion of carbohydrates — and consequently
tabolism isn’t running up to speed. the release of glucose — to provide consistent energy
The answer to getting lean, muscular, and healthy levels and sustained endurance throughout the day.
is increasing calories. On the Parrillo Performance Second, this combination provides a constant supply
Nutrition Program, you gradually increase calories to of nutrients so that your body can maintain its energy,
lose body fat and gain muscle. Depending on your sex, growth and repair status.
size, activity level and present metabolic state, you eat Also, you should eat five to six meals a day or more,
between 2,000 and 10,000 a day, sometimes more. spaced two to three hours apart. This pattern of eating
When people first hear that my Nutrition Program is metabolically beneficial — for three reasons. First,
allows up to 10,000 calories a day or more, they are it helps naturally elevate your body’s level of insulin,
amazed. But not all of those calories come from food. A a hormone with powerful anabolic (growth-producing)
certain proportion comes from nutritional supplements. effects. One of its chief roles in the body is to make
If you’re eating 10,000 calories a day, for example, amino acids available to muscle tissue for growth and
about 4,000 of those calories are usually obtained from recovery. Insulin’s release is triggered by the conver-
sion of carbohydrate into glucose by the liver. When

glucose is introduced into the bloodstream, the pan-
creas releases insulin in response.
For growth to occur, insulin must be constantly pres-
ent in the body so that amino acids and glucose can
move into the muscle tissue. Following a meal, amino
acids remain available for protein synthesis for only
about three hours. By eating meals of protein and car-
bohydrate two to three hours apart, you assure that your
system is releasing adequate amounts of insulin, which,
in turn, can exert its growth-producing action.
The second reason frequent meals are beneficial
involves “thermogenesis” — the production of body
heat from the burning of food for energy. Following a
meal your metabolic rate is elevated as a result of ther-
mogenesis. Consequently, the more meals you eat, the
higher your metabolic rate stays throughout the day.
Third, with a constant nutrient supply, you are never

forced into a “starvation mode,” a state induced by re-
peated cycles of low-calorie dieting in which the body
prepares itself for famine. Because meals are coming at
shorter, regular intervals, your body learns to process
food more efficiently, and your metabolism is acceler-
ated as a result.
Q. My bench press hasn’t increased in a year. What should
I do?
A. There are two tactics you can use: thes

first is difficult, and the second is easy.
I’ll start with the difficult tactic. First of
all, incorporate negatives in your bench
fascial stretching between sets, will increase your golgi
tendon reflex threshold. The higher your golgi tendon
reflex threshold, the more intensely you can train. This
leads to greater gains in strength and size.
press routine. Negatives, in which the The easiest tactic you can use to increase your bench
eccentric or lowering portion of the exercise is per- press is to consume more calories to gain more weight.
formed , enhance neuromuscular efficiency — the abil- Concentrate on gaining weight at the rate of a pound
ity to recruit a greater number of muscle fibers during per week per 100 pounds of bodyweight. To do that,
muscular contraction. gradually increase your intake of lean proteins, starchy
By doing negatives, you totally exhaust low threshold carbohydrates and fibrous carbohydrates until you are
nerve paths, allowing you to systematically work the gaining at the suggested weight. Quality weight gain of
higher threshold nerve paths. This ultimately trains the muscle will help boost your strength levels in all your
whole muscle to fire at once. Negatives build a quick- lifts, in addition to your bench press.
firing muscle and you become stronger as a result.
Heavy negatives performed with a spotter, as well as
Q. Why do you have certain foods on your nutrition
program, while excluding others like fruit and dairy
A.
products?
In working with top bodybuilders and and finally to the bloodstream. Because of fructose’s
athletes for over 20 years. we’ve identi- molecular structure, the liver readily converts it into a
fied which foods yield the best results in long chain triglyceride (a fat). Therefore, a majority
terms of physique and performance. We’ve learned of the fruit you eat can ultimately end up as body fat
exactly what foods to eat, what foods to avoid, and on your physique. The athletes on our program notice
how to structure meals. incredible differences when they eliminate fruits and
Lean protein, for example, supplies nutrients called juices from their diets. Eliminating fruit in favor of
amino acids which are required for every metabolic natural complex carbohydrates, which are also high
process. Athletes have higher requirements for pro- in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, helps competitors be-
tein than the average person. Without enough protein, come leaner and more muscular.
you cannot build muscle, repair its breakdown after Dairy products should be avoided too because they
training, or drive your metabolism. contain lactose, a simple sugar. In addition, dairy
Starchy and fibrous carbohydrates supply energy products are high in fat. Both simple sugars and fat are
and are stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. easily converted to body fat.
You need certain fats called Essential Fatty Acids First and foremost, our Nutrition Program is based
(EFAs), which must be supplied by the diet. EFAs on food– foods with a “high-nutrient density.” This
regulate many biological functions, including the describes ratio of nutrients in a food to the energy it
manufacture of connective tissue, cellular walls, and supplies. Natural starchy foods like potatoes, yams,
hormones. You can get EFAs from safflower oil, brown rice, and whole grains are packed with carbohy-
canola oil, flaxseed oil, linseed oil, and sunflower drates, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Fibrous veg-
seed oil, among others. etables are rich in vitamins, minerals, water, fiber, and
It’s true that fruits and fruit juices are not included carbohydrate. And, lean proteins (white meat poultry,
in our program. Before explaining why, let me say fish, and egg whites) are high in protein, vitamin, and
that fruit is very healthy and high in vitamins, miner- minerals. In short, high-density nutrient foods pack a
als, and fiber. We recommend it for health-conscious lot of nutritional wallop, and that’s why they’re on our
people who are not trying to maximize muscle and program.
minimize body fat. We suggest, however, that body- Try to stay away from low-nutrient density foods.
builders avoid fruit and fruit juices. These are typically “junk foods” such as processed
Here’s why: Fruit contains fructose, a simple sugar foods, sweets, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, and
that is easily converted to body fat. In digestion, food high fat foods. Low-nutrient density foods are easily
passes from the stomach to the intestines to the liver
converted to body fat or, as in the case of alcohol, can

interfere with the body’s ability to metabolize fat.
You can increase the nutrient density of your nutri-
tion by adding in supplements, but only after you are
eating properly. By taking supplements, you force
your digestive system to process more nutrients. This
allows the nutrient levels in your body to be increased
at the cellular level beyond what can achieved by food
alone. This, along with a gradual increase of calories,
helps your body grow. Supplements are quality nutri-
ents that work in conjunction with food to help your
body build its metabolism and recovery mechanisms.
Never be misled into thinking that supplements work
alone, however. Food is the ultimate growth-enhanc-
ing substance.
Q. There are all kinds of bodybuilding systems out
there. How does yours compare to the others?
A. Today, it seems that so many athletes

are searching for a miracle supplement
or a miracle training technique that will
transform their physiques overnight.
correctly, supplements can be added to your diet to
maximize the results.
3. Workouts: The optimum training routine em-
ploys heavy/low rep sets to build mass and thickness
What they don’t realize is that they must and high rep sets to build shape and “cardiovascular
take a comprehensive approach to bodybuilding. density.” By cardiovascular density, I mean the size
At Parrillo Performance, we teach you the basics– a and number of blood vessels. When this circulatory
set of interrelated programs that are “synergistic;” that network is increased, more nutrients are carried to the
is, they all work together to produce the best results. muscles while performance-inhibiting toxins are effec-
There are five interdependent components involved: tively transported away. All of this results in muscular
proper nutrition, supplementation, training, stretching, growth. In other words, the greater your cardiovascu-
and aerobics. These work synergistically to produce lar density, the bigger you can become.
results. I’ll briefly explain each one: 4. Fascial Stretching: This is an advanced and spe-
1. Proper nutrition: This involves training your me- cialized method of stretching which I developed just
tabolism to partition food more effectively, so it can be for bodybuilders and athletes. It involves stretching
used to burn fat and build muscle. A diet that achieves between each exercise set when the muscle is fully
this is a high-calorie one (between 2,000 and 10,000 pumped and utilizes some very aggressive self and
calories a day or more) with five or more meals spread partner-assisted stretches. Fascial stretching stretches
throughout the day and spaced two to three hours the fascial sheath that covers the muscle and leads to
apart. greater mass, muscularity, and muscular separations.
The meals in this diet should include the proper 5. Aerobic Training: This is absolutely critical for
combination of lean proteins, starchy carbohydrates, three reasons. First, aerobic exercise enhances re-
and fibrous carbohydrates. This combination of foods covery. Second, it builds cardiovascular density; and
slows your digestion for consistent energy levels and third, it accelerates fat-burning. Aerobics should be
increased endurance throughout the day and provides performed at certain times during the day: at night af-
a constant supply of nutrients for muscular growth and ter your last meal and in the morning before breakfast,
repair. especially if you are trying to lose body fat. In the
2. Supplementation: Vitamins, minerals and elec- morning, your body draws upon fatty acids for energy
trolytes, amino acids, medium chain fatty acids, aspar- in the absence of muscle glycogen. As a result, more
tates, lipotropics, and other supplements increase the body fat is burned.
nutrient density in body cells, activating your body The key point to remember is that these components
chemistry for growth. Supplements, however, will work together. The most intense training system in the
never replace proper nutrition. Once you’re eating world, for example, will yield only marginal results
unless you’re fueling yourself with proper nutrition.

Used together, however, each of these components
will help you achieve your physique and performance
goals.
Q. Even though I’m a competitive bodybuilder, I never
know exactly how to eat in the off-season to get good
results. What’s your off-season nutrition prescription?
A. Many bodybuilders use the off-season

to go off their diets, eating everything in
sight and paying very little attention to
nutrition. For competitive bodybuilders,
multiple meals (five, six, or more a day). In addition,
use CapTrir, supplements such as ProCarbt, Hi-Protein
Powder, or any of our Supplement Bars to increase
your daily caloric intake. (For more information on
the off-season is the ideal time to put on muscle, while off-season nutrition, consult the Parrillo Performance
staying relatively lean. That way, you don’t have to Nutrition Manual. Ordering information is on page
diet as hard as your contest approaches. In the off-sea- 14. ) Be as consistent with your nutrition during the
son, you must eat enough to increase your body weight off-season as you are during the competitive season,
and still stay strict on your nutrition program. Eat the and you’ll emerge ready for your contests bigger and
right foods (lean protein, starchy carbohydrates, and more defined.
fibrous carbohydrates) in the right combinations and in
Q. I’ve been dieting to lose body fat for 12 weeks now, and
I seem to have reached a plateau. What should I do?
A.
It sounds like you’ve been in a caloric- struct new muscle and stay lean. Not all foods do this.
deficient state for too long. Your body The same number of calories from different foods has
has adjusted to that caloric level, and as different effects on your body weight. This is very
a result, it stops burning body fat. When easy to prove. Just try replacing 1,000 calories of
denied enough food, the body begins to potatoes and brown rice with 1,000 calories of candy
feed on the protein in the muscles. Because muscle is the and ice cream in your diet, and see what happens to
body’s most metabolically active tissue, depleting it in- your body fat levels.
terferes with your ability to burn calories. Plus, staying Conventional dietary fat and food containing it (in-
in a caloric-deficient state lowers your metabolic rate, cluding fatty cuts of meat) tend to be easily stored as
making it harder for your body to burn fat. body fat. The reason is the chemical composition of
To break your plateau, move into a caloric-surplus dietary fat is similar to that of body fat, so very little
state. This will help recharge your metabolism. For a pe- energy is needed to turn dietary fat into body fat. By
riod of two to four weeks, gradually increase your calo- contrast, protein and carbohydrate must be chemically
ries — even to the point of gaining weight at the rate of converted to fat before they can be stored as fat. This
a pound per week per 100 pounds of body weight. That conversion process uses up a portion of the calories
way, you can increase your muscle, which in turn boosts contained in the protein and carbohydrate food, and
your metabolism so you can burn fat much faster. this expenditure reduces the tendency of these foods
Look at it this way: If you gain a pound a week for to be converted to body fat.
four weeks and lose a pound a week for four weeks, Simple sugars are easily converted to body fat too,
you’ll gain more mass and be much leaner than if you although to a lesser extent than conventional fat.
tried to lose first and gain later. So try to put on weight When simple sugars are released into the bloodstream
for several weeks. You will be amazed at how much big- faster than the body can use them to replenish glyco-
ger — and leaner — you will get. Depending on your gen stores or meet energy requirements, an over-pro-
sex, size, activity level, and present metabolic state, you duction of the hormone insulin occurs. This insulin
should eat enough calories a day to gain at the desired response causes fat cells to take up the excess sugar
rate. and turn it into body fat. Insulin is important in the
Additionally, make sure you are increasing calories process of protein synthesis for muscle growth; yet,
with the proper foods — foods that will help you con- paradoxically, too much stimulates fat production.
Q. Why do you exclude fruit and fruit juices from your
Nutrition Program?
A. I am frequently asked to explain why

fruit and fruit juices are not included in
my Nutrition Program. The answer has
to do with a little-understood simple
simple sugars do. In one study, a diet high in starchy
carbohydrates restocked more glycogen in the muscles
48 hours after exercise than simple sugars did.
If you eat simple sugars like fructose, you’re not
sugar found in fruit: fructose. going to be able to store as much glycogen. What
Fructose came into favor years ago because of its low implications does this have for you as an athlete or
glycemic index. Unlike other simple sugars, it triggers bodybuilder?
neither a surge in insulin nor a corresponding drop in First, you won’t be able to train as hard or as long
blood sugar an hour or more after eating it. But there’s during your next workout because you will be glyco-
more to the fructose story. gen-deficient.
After you work out, your body moves from an en- Second, you’ll notice less of a pump while working
ergy-using mode (catabolism) to an energy-storing and out, also due to lower glycogen stores in the muscle.
rebuilding mode (anabolism). During the transition, If you can’t get a good pump, it’s difficult to fully
dietary carbohydrate is broken down into glucose and stretch the fascia tissue surrounding the muscle when
fructose to be used for “glycogenesis,” the manufacture you stretch between sets. This limits your growth po-
of glycogen to restock the muscles and liver. tential.
Fructose is used primarily to restore liver glycogen; Third, fructose is easily converted to body fat. Be-
it’s really not a good re-supplier of muscle glycogen. cause of fructose’s molecular structure, the liver read-
Glucose, on the other hand, bypasses the liver and is ily converts it into a long-chain triglyceride (a fat).
carried by the bloodstream straight to the muscles you Therefore, a majority of the fruit you eat can end up
just worked, where the glycogen-making process be- as body fat on your physique. People on our program
gins. Any muscle emptied of glycogen due to exercise notice incredible differences when they eliminate fruits
is first on the list to get its quota of glucose. and juices from their diets.
Clearly, one of the keys to effectively restoring gly- If you want to get leaner and more muscular — and
cogen is the type of carbohydrate you eat. Natural, build your recuperative powers by restocking glycogen
complex carbohydrates such as potatoes, yams, whole more efficiently — avoid fruit altogether and choose
grains, corn, legumes or maltodextrin-based drinks like starchy and fibrous carbohydrates instead, as our Nutri-
our Pro-Carb™ Formula do a better job at this than tion Manual recommends.
Q. Is there such a thing as the “Perfect Supplement” and
what is it?
A. As bodybuilders and athletes, we’re

continually on the trail of the perfect
nutritional supplement. What is the “per-
fect supplement” and does it exist on
fibrous carbs. In the growth-season you need at least
one gram of protein from a lean protein source, such
as white meat chicken or turkey or fish, per pound of
bodyweight. You should obtain an additional .25 to .5
the market? The answer to both of these questions is gram of protein per pound of bodyweight from carbo-
YES! hydrates. Protein supplies amino acids for growth and
To begin with, it’s formulated to build mass and are the building blocks for every cell in the body.
burn bodyfat. It provides all the essential and protective Starchy carbohydrates include such foods as po-
nutrients your body needs for peak health, including tatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, rice, oatmeal, and other
protein, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins, unrefined cereals, beans and legumes. In addition to
minerals and antioxidants. supplying vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, these
The perfect supplement is a slow-release energy foods give you energy to train and the ability to recover
source, one that builds and re-builds glycogen stores quickly.
for endurance and stamina as well as for repair and Fibrous carbs include asparagus, broccoli, cauli-
recovery. It also has the ability to increase your me- flower, green beans, spinach, salad vegetables, and oth-
tabolism. And, it contains fiber to keep your digestive er high fiber, low calorie vegetables. Besides providing
system in good working order. fiber, these foods also supply an abundant amount
This supplement also contains amino acids, includ- of vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and antioxidants.
ing the branched chain aminos, to help synthesize pro- During pre-contest dieting, you can adjust your intake
tein for muscular growth. What’s more, it helps prevent of starchy carbs and fibrous carbs to help burn more
sports anemia, electrolyte imbalances, and other condi- bodyfat.
tions associated with hard training. Next on the list of food “musts” are fats. Each day,
Is there such a supplement...one that does it all... take one teaspoon to one tablespoon of unsaturated
one that will transform your physique and boost your oil. Safflower, sunflower, linseed, flaxseed or Hain
performance to never-dreamed of levels? All-Blend are excellent choices. These supply vital
You bet. And it’s called “FOOD.” nutrients called Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) which are
Think about it. Food really does all these things. It involved in many biological functions.
is the “perfect supplement.” It’s one thing to select the right foods and yet an-
For starters, it does build mass and keep you lean other to know how to properly combine them to build
— as long as you choose foods that partition to muscle metabolism. Each meal should include one lean protein
and energy stores and not to fat depots. Your food source, one or two starchy carbs and one or two fibrous
should come from lean proteins, starchy carbs and carbs. This combination of foods is critical. The protein
and fiber slow the digestion of starchy carbohydrates,

giving you consistent energy levels throughout the
day.
You should structure your meals so that you eat
five, six or more meals a day, spaced two to three hours
apart. By eating multiple meals in this manner you give
yourself a constant supply of nutrients so your body
can grow and get big.
Your meals should total between 2,000 and 10,000
calories or more a day. Your individual requirements
will vary, depending on your sex, age, size, level of
conditioning, metabolic status and proximity to your
next contest. Do not jump in at the highest caloric
level, however! You must gradually increase your daily
calories. If you plateau and are not making gains,
gradually add in between 300 to 500 calories to keep
putting on weight.
The point is, food is the foundation. There’s no
supplement that has ever come close to providing
everything you get from food. That’s not to say that
you don’t get results from supplements — you do. But
you have to start with food first. When you add the
right supplements to the proper nutritional foundation,
you’ll be bowled over by the progress you can make.
Q. I’ve read a lot about high fat diets. What is your view
on this type of dietary regimen?
A. Diets high in conventional fat (other-

wise known as long chain triglycerides
or LCTs) have been around for a long
time and now appear to be making a
diets have been linked to cancer, possibly due to the
role in fat suppressing the immune system. (Food
Technology, 1991)
These health consequences do not occur with
comeback. There are, however, a num- diet supplemented with medium chain fatty acids
ber of problems associated with these diets. While (MCFAs), however. In fact, a five-year study by the
being high in fat, they are also low in carbohydrates, American Health Foundation demonstrated that MC-
the body’s preferred source of fuel. Low carbohydrate FAs (includes MCTs) are a non-tumor promoting fat.
diets upset the body’s electrolyte balance, namely the Other research has shown the MCFAs and other struc-
sodium/potassium ratio. Along with glycogen stores, tured lipids like omega-3 fatty acids do not hinder the
this may be the reason for the weight gain experi- function of the RES. (Food Technology, 1991)
enced when carbohydrates are added back into the
diet. This weight gain may not be muscle If you follow the Parrillo Nutrition Program, you
The fats typically used in high fat diets come from know that we recommend supplementing the diet with
processed sources, often containing high levels of the lipid CapTri, our MCFA. CapTri can be used to
bacteria, which impairs the function of the Reticu- supply additional calories to support muscular growth
loendothelial System (RES). The RES plays two and energy needs — without being stored as body fat.
important roles in the body. First, it clears harmful For a detailed explanation of how this supplement
bacteria in the system. And second, it is involved in works, consult the Parrillo Performance Nutrition
lipid clearance. (Guyton’s Textbook of Physiology, Manual. Where conventional fats are concerned, we
368-369) recommend that you eat up to one tablespoon a day or
After a person goes on one or two cycles of a high more of safflower, linseed, canola or flaxseed oils to
fat diet, certain cells in the RES that produce antibod- prevent an essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency.
ies become loaded with fat droplets, and their ability
to clear bacteria from circulation is reduced. Bacteria
goes undigested, is not processed in the liver and can
end up in the lungs. This action can cause inflamma-
tion and possible organ failure. In addition, high fat
Section III
Parrillo
Performance
Technical Supplement
Bulletins
Introduction
People come to us for results. It’s that simple. Results are the bottom line.
Bodybuilders care about gaining muscle, losing fat, and improving overall
health - and they come to us because we can show them how. There are prob-
ably a hundred companies that will be happy to sell you supplements. What
sets us apart is we provide the information you need to get results — as well
as the highest quality supplements available. The foundation of our program
is The Parrillo Performance Nutrition Manual. We believe that food is the
foundation of nutrition and to derive the most benefit from supplements they
should be used in conjunction with the proper diet. We’ve spent years work-
ing with bodybuilders perfecting the optimum diet for gaining muscle, losing
fat, and improving overall health. Some people work hard at bodybuilding but
don’t make any progress because they’re missing one component, and that’s
holding them back. Our program works the best because it’s a comprehensive
approach to bodybuilding, based on proper nutrition, intense training, aerobics,
and stretching.
You’ve seen people who train hard but never seem to grow, and people who
spend a lot on supplements but don’t get any results. Not on our program. We
know of no one who has followed our program without getting good results.
True, our program is demanding and it takes an enormous amount of work,
dedication and consistency. It’s not for everyone — it’s for serious bodybuild-
ers who are willing to put forth the effort to get results.
In the Nutrition Manual, we explain the practical information about how
to design your diet: which foods to eat, how to combine them, how to divide
your calories among protein, carbs, and fat, and how to make adjustments to
your diet to ensure that you continue making progress. These days, nearly
all of the competitive bodybuilders are following this diet. It has become so
standard that you don’t really hear people arguing about nutrition in the gym
much anymore.
Basically, everyone is in agreement about what the optimum diet is. But
we still get a lot of technical questions about the reasons behind the diet — the
underlying principles of biochemistry and metabolism. That’s why we’ve put
together this series of technical bulletins that address many of the biological
processes behind nutrition and supplementation. These bulletins should help
you better understand how the body utilizes the foods and supplements you
incorporate in your diet.
Parrillo Performance Nutrition Bulletin # 1
MCFAs: A Fat That’s Not Stored As Body Fat

by John Parrillo
stand the basics of how fats are metabolized processed in the liver so there is little left
in the body. Conventional dietary fats to be stored as fat.
found in foods are called “long chain tri- CapTri® provides the caloric density of
glycerides” (LCTs). They contain long fat —but without the tendency to be stored
chain fatty acids (LCFAs), which are 16-22 as fat (1). In fact, medium chain triglycer-
carbon atoms in length. This also turns out ides have been demonstrated to contribute
to be the kind of fat stored on your body. less to body fat accumulation than conven-
CapTri® is known as a medium chain tional fats or even carbohydrates.
triglyceride (MCT), because it is made In summary, excess calories from any
of “medium chain fatty acids” (MCFAs), food can be stored as fat, but some foods
which are only 6-12 carbon atoms long. are much easier to convert to fat than oth-
This difference in molecular structure is ers. Carbohydrate or protein has to be
the ultimate reason why CapTri® behaves converted to fat before it can be stored
differently in the body than conventional as fat. Conventional dietary fat, on the
fats (1). other hand, already has the same chemical
You know that your body is about 70 per- structure as body fat. This is why excess
cent water and that fat is not very soluble in calories coming from conventional fats
water (oil and water don’t mix). Your body are very prone to be stored as body fat.
has to go through an elaborate digestive CapTri® is processed by the liver and is
process in order to absorb and metabolize immediately burned to produce energy, so
fats (2). The gall bladder produces bile to it has very little tendency to contribute to
help dissolve the LCTs, generating little body fat stores (1).
fat droplets called micelles. Cells in the CapTri® is the purest, most highly refined
intestines make protein carrier molecules to MCT on the market and is considered to be
CapTri® is retained in help transport the triglycerides. These fat- the world’s premier MCT supplement.
protein complexes are called chylomicrons CapTri® is an excellent way to provide
the liver and is immedi- and are released from the intestines into extra calories which can be used to support
ately burned to produce the lymphatic system. The chylomicrons activity or growth without contributing to
energy, so it has very little eventually reach the bloodstream through body fat.
the thoracic duct. Once in the bloodstream,
tendency to contribute to the fats are circulated throughout the body. REFERENCES
fat stores. Insulin causes fat cells (adipocytes) to
absorb the fat molecules and store them 1. Bach and Babayan, Medium chain
as body fat. triglycerides: an update. Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
CapTri® has a smaller molecular struc- 36: 950-962 (1982).
We want everyone who uses our prod-
ture and is more soluble in water (1). 2. Record, Kolpek, and Rapp, Long
ucts to be on the proper diet. After the
Therefore, it is easier for your body to ab- chain versus medium chain length triglyc-
foundation is laid with the proper foods,
sorb and does not require this complicated erides - a review of metabolism and clinical
supplements can be used to further increase
digestive process. Whereas conventional use. Nutr. Clin. Prac. 1:129-135 (1986).
nutrient levels beyond what can be ob-
fats are prone to be stored as body fat, 3. Seaton, Welle, Warenko, and
tained from foods alone. So to understand
CapTri® is transported directly from the Campbell, Thermic effect of medium chain
how CapTri® works and how to use it, we
small intestine to the liver by the portal and long chain triglycerides in man. Am. J.
have to discuss it in the context of a total
vein. In the liver, some of the CapTri® is Clin. Nutr. 44:630-634 (1986).
program of nutrition. The most surprising
turned into ketone bodies which the mus- 4. Hill, Peters, Yang, Sharp, Kaler,
thing about CapTri® is that it is technically
cles can use for energy (1). Some is used Abumrad, and Greene, Thermogenesis in
a fat, yet paradoxically it contributes less to
for thermogenesis (heat), and a portion humans during overfeeding with medium
fat stores than conventional fats and even
is converted to ATP, the energy currency chain triglycerides. Metabolism 38: 641-
carbohydrates.
of the cell (1,3,4). CapTri®, therefore, is 648 (1989).
To understand why, you have to under-
MCFAs: An Amazing Energy Source

by John Parrillo
Excess calories from any food can possible. If your muscles are a race car,
be stored as body fat, but some foods are then your liver is the pit crew. Your liver
much easier to convert to body fat than occupies a central position in metabolism,
others. Conventional fats are the easiest including metabolism of fat.
to store as body fat because they already Once inside the cells, fat molecules
have the same chemical structure as body are burned in structures called mitochon-
fat. By comparison, protein and carbohy- dria. The mitochondria are little furnaces
drate have to be chemically converted into where the foods you eat are burned to
fat before they can be stored as fat. This produce energy. All of the enzymes re-
conversion process uses up some of the sponsible for fat burning are located in
calories contained in the protein or carbo- the mitochondria. Therefore, if fats are
hydrate food, so this reduces the tendency not permitted to enter the mitochondria,
of these foods to contribute to body fat they cannot be burned for energy. Con-
stores. This is why we recommend a diet ventional fats (LCTs) cannot simply enter
high in natural complex carbohydrates the mitochondria by themselves because
and lean protein, and that consumption of they can’t penetrate the mitochondrial
conventional fats be kept to an absolute membrane (1). Instead, they have to be ac-
minimum. Just be sure to take a tablespoon tively transported across the mitochondrial
of linseed oil or safflower oil everyday to membrane by a special transport system
supply essential fatty acids. called the carnitine shuttle. Without the
Since CapTri® is transported to the carnitine shuttle (1), conventional dietary
liver (instead of fat cells) and burned for fats and body fat cannot be burned for
energy, it’s no surprise that it contributes energy. (Given an adequate diet your body
less to body fat accumulation than conven- can make its own carnitine, but we add
CapTri® can be burned tional fats do. The amazing thing is that some to our Lipotropic Formula just to
for energy even in the CapTri® contributes less to body fat stores make sure.)
than carbohydrates (3, 4). Even though Carbohydrate metabolism gener-
presence of carbohy- we’ve just started our discussion of how ates an intermediate called malonyl-CoA,
drates CapTri® works, we’ve already hit on the which inhibits the carnitine shuttle (1).
central reason why so many bodybuilders Furthermore, carbohydrates trigger insulin
are using it today: CapTri® is extremely release, and insulin stimulates fat synthe-
In the last bulletin we discussed the caloric dense, but due to the way it is me- sis and fat storage. For these reasons, fat
difference in molecular structure between tabolized, it has very little tendency to be is not burned much as an energy source
CapTri and conventional fats. Conven- stored as body fat. It’s the ideal supple- if carbohydrate fuel is available. This
tional dietary fat is very similar, chemi- ment for bodybuilders—concentrated is why we recommend that you do your
cally, to body fat, so the body has a strong source of calories that won’t make you aerobics either first thing out of bed before
tendency to simply “file away” dietary fat fat. The calories from CapTri® represent breakfast, right after training or after your
as body fat. an energy source which can be used to fuel last meal because at these times you’re
Conventional fats are circulated activity or support weight gain. relatively carb depleted and will burn more
throughout the body, picked up by fat cells Now, let’s examine what happens fat for energy.
and stored in the presence of insulin and with CapTri® inside the liver. The liver is In contrast to conventional fats, Cap-
glucose (1). In contrast, CapTri® is a miraculous organ; it’s the workhorse of Tri® can enter the mitochondria by itself
not circulated throughout the body, but in- your metabolism. Your liver knows more and does not require the carnitine shuttle
stead is transported directly from the small about biochemistry than all of the scientists (1, 2). Therefore CapTri® can be burned
intestine to the liver. CapTri® is retained in the world. When you mention body- for energy even in the presence of carbohy-
in the liver, where it is rapidly burned to building, everybody thinks of muscles. drates. This is another reason why CapTri®
produce energy (2). But your liver is doing all the behind-the- has very little tendency to contribute to
scenes biochemical work that makes it body fat stores: Conventional fats
MCFAs: An Amazing Energy Source
can be burned only after carbo- energy is used by the muscles and some is medium chain triglycerides on lipogenesis
hydrate fuels have been exhausted, but converted to body heat. Once the CapTri® an body fat on the rat. J. Nutr. 108:613-
CapTri® can be burned at the same time is burned up, there’s nothing left to be 620, 1978.
as carbs (5). The calories from CapTri® stored (2). 4. Crozier, Bois-Joyeux, Chanez,
are an additional energy source which can • CapTri® does not require the carni- Girard and Peret, Metabolic effects in-
be used at the same time as carbohydrates, tine shuttle for entry into the mitochondria, duced by long-term feeding of medium
and this helps the carbohydrate fuel last so it can be burned for energy at the same chain triglycerides in the rat. Metabolism
longer (6). This is known as the glyco- time as carbohydrates (2, 5). 36: 807-814, 1987.
gen sparing effect . The more energy you For these reasons, we recommend 5. Sucher, Medium chain triglyc-
have, the longer and harder your workouts CapTri ® as a key supplement in your erides: a review of their internal use in
can be. nutritional program. Unlike dietary fats, clinical nutrition. Nutr. Clin. Prac. 44:
Lets’ summarize the reasons why CapTri® supplies the body with calories 146-150, 1986.
CapTri® is not stored as fat: ready to be burned for energy with very 6. Cotter, Taylor, Johnson and Rowe,
• Conventional fats have the same little tendency to be stored as body fat. A metabolic comparison of pure long chain
molecular structure as body fat, but Cap- triglyceride lipid emulsion (LCT) an vari-
Tri® has a different molecular structure REFERENCES ous medium chain triglyceride (MCT) -
(1, 2). LCT combination emulsions in dogs. Am.
• Conventional fats are circulated 1. Record, Kolpeck and Rapp, Long Clin. Nutr. 45: 927-939, 1987.
throughout the body, and insulin stimulates chain versus medium chain length triglyc-
fat cells to pick up the fat molecules from erides - a review of metabolism an clinical
the bloodstream and store them. CapTri® use. Nutr. Clin. Prac. 1: 129-135, 1986.
is not circulated throughout the body but 2. Bach and Babayan, Medium
is processed by the liver (1, 2). chain triglycerides: an update. Am. J. Clin.
• In the liver, CapTri® is rapidly Nutr. 36: 950-962, (1982).
burned to produce energy. Some of this 3. Lavau and Hashim. Effect of
Energy and MCFAs

by John Parrillo
fat but CapTri® does not. Whereas regular between burning something in a fire and
fats are circulated throughout the body and inside your body is that the energy of a
are prone to be stored as body fat, CapTri® fire is released as heat to the surroundings.
is transported directly to the liver where it When foods are burned inside the body,
is immediately burned to produce energy some of the energy is captured so it can be
(1). Conventional dietary fats have the used by the body. This process of burning
same molecular structure as body fat, so foods occurs in the mitochondria, and the
it’s easier for your body to store them. energy is captured by a molecule called
Metabolism of conventional fats is ATP. ATP is the direct source of energy
a lot of work for your body (as you’ve used for all bodily functions, including
noticed on the stair climber) and in general muscle contraction. Before the energy
your body will go to the trouble to burn contained in foods can be used by the body,
these fats as your carbohydrate sources it has to be converted into ATP.
are depleted. CapTri®, while being a fat, Unfortunately, body fat and con-
has a different molecular structure from ventional dietary fat cannot enter the
the fat stored on your body: The fatty mitochondria by themselves because the
acid chains are shorter (1). As it turns fat molecules can’t make it across t h e
out, this results in CapTri® being very mitochondrial membrane (2). These
easy for your body to metabolize, and your fat molecules have to be actively carried
body prefers to burn CapTri® for energy across the membrane by the carnitine
rather than converting it to the form of shuttle. If carbohydrate fuels are available,
storage fat (1). If eating regular food is this transport system is not very active
like throwing a log on the fire, then eating (2). This is why your body burns fat only
Whereas regular fats CapTri® is like pouring gasoline on the after carbohydrates have been depleted and
fire. Since CapTri® burns so fast, it has is one of the reasons why fat tends to be
are circulated through- very little tendency to be stored and that is stored so easily. In contrast, CapTri®, with
out the body and are the reason it’s so popular with bodybuild- its small molecular structure, can get into
ers. The calories from CapTri® can be the mitochondria by itself and doesn’t need
prone to be stored as used to fuel activity or to support weight the carnitine shuttle (1,2). This means
body fat, CapTri® is gain. Athletes add CapTri® to their food that CapTri® is burned immediately— at
to provide additional calories and make the same time as carbohydrates (3). This
transported directly to drinks out of CapTri® to use while they additional energy source has a carbohy-
the liver where it is im- train. Some endurance athletes even use drate-sparing effect (4).
it while they’re running. What happens to CapTri ® inside
mediately burned to We explained that CapTri® is metab- liver mitochondria? If CapTri® is burned
produce energy. olized in liver mitochondria. Mitochondria in the liver, how can the energy get to my
are little furnaces inside cells and are the muscles? Here’s how:
site of cellular energy production. Mito- Once inside the mitochondria, all
chondria are sometimes referred to as “the fats are burned in a process called beta-
MCFAs (includes MCTs) are very powerhouse of the cell.” As you know, the oxidation. In beta-oxidation, blocks of two
easy for your body to metabolize. In fact, body produces energy from the foods we carbon atoms at a time are chopped off the
your body prefers to burn MCFAs for eat by combining the foods with oxygen end of the fatty acid chain. This forms an
energy rather than converting them to from the air we breathe. This type of intermediate called “acetyl-CoA” which
stored body fat. So far in this series we’ve chemical reaction is called “oxidation” be- then enters an energy-producing pathway
covered the digestion, absorption, and cause it involves reaction with oxygen and known as the “Krebs cycle.” The products
metabolism of CapTri® and conventional is very similar to burning things in a fire. of the Krebs cycle then enter the “electron
dietary fats. We’ve also explained the Many oxidation reactions release energy, transport chain” which generates our old
reasons why conventional fats make you just like a fire does. The main difference friend ATP, as the chart below shows.
Energy and MCFAs
All of this occurs inside the mito- into the bloodstream and are taken up by of the most efficient ways to get your body
chondria. What happens with CapTri® is muscles to be used for energy (1). In the the energy it needs for desired results.
that it gets burned in the liver so fast that muscle cells the ketones are converted
it makes an enormous amount of acetyl- back into acetyl-CoA and are further me- REFERENCES
CoA, and the Krebs cycle can’t keep up tabolized to generate ATP, as outlined.
with it all. In other words, the Krebs cycle This explains what happens to CapTri® 1. Bach and Babayan, Medium chain tri-
can only make ATP so fast, and CapTri® inside liver mitochondria, how it is con- glycerides: an update. Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
can overwhelm it. So what happens is that verted into energy, and how this energy is 36: 950-962 (1982).
some of the acetyl-CoA gets diverted to a transported to the muscles to be used. 2. Record, Kolpek, and Rapp, Long chain
different metabolic fate—conversion to One interesting point about ketone versus medium chain length triglycerides
ketone bodies (1). bodies is that they are readily excreted in - a review of metabolism and clinical use.
This process is termed “ketogen- the urine - unlike fatty acids or glucose. Nutr. Clin. Prac. 1:129-135 (1986).
esis”— which simply means the manu- So any extra calories which are not used 3. Sucher, Medium chain triglycerides:
facture of ketones. What happens is two as fuel can be eliminated instead of being a review of their enteral use in clinical
molecules of acetyl-CoA combine to make converted into fat. Add that to your list of nutrition. Nutr. Clin. Prac. 44: 146-150
one molecule known as a ketone body, reasons why CapTri® is not stored as fat. (1986).
or simply a ketone. This process occurs CapTri® , unlike conventional di- 4. Cotter, Taylor, Johnson, and Rowe,
with regular fats too. Your body produces etary fat, is burned very quickly in the A metabolic comparison of pure long
ketones from your body fat while fasting. liver, producing acetyl-CoA. Part of this is chain triglyceride lipid emulsion (LCT)
Under normal conditions, however, regular converted to ATP in the Krebs cycle. The and various medium chain triglyceride
dietary fats do not produce many ketone remainder, which is a significant portion, (MCT)-LCT combination emulsions in
bodies because they’re not burned that is converted to ketones which travel from dogs. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 927-939
fast. The Krebs cycle can keep up with it the liver to the bloodstream to the muscles (1987).
and turn all the acetyl-CoA into ATP. But where it is converted to energy.
CapTri® —and not regular fats—will still You can see that CapTri ®, as a
produce ketone bodies if carbohydrates are supplement to your daily diet, provides
ingested at the same time (3). This indi- your body with the energy-producing
cates two things: that CapTri® is burned at calories used in metabolic processes by
the same time as carbohydrates, and that being converted to ketones which are used
CapTri® is burned really fast. directly by the muscles as energy. Ketones
So, a significant proportion of the can also be excreted by the body when not
CapTri® molecules are converted into ke- used, therefore not being converted to
tone bodies in the liver. These are released bodyfat. Simply put, using CapTri® is one
MCFAs: Metabolic Rate

by John Parrillo
est bodybuilders are also the ones who You can think of your metabolism as the
consume the most calories - as many as flow of energy through your body. This
8,000 to 10,000 a day. On the other hand, energy is measured in calories.
how many fat people have you met who The “metabolic rate” is your body’s
are always on a diet - who skip meals and rate of energy expenditure, and is ex-
live on 1,000 calories a day? Obviously, pressed in calories per hour. Nearly all
the bodybuilders know something the of the energy expended by the body is
others don’t. If 8,000 calories can make ultimately converted to heat (2). (The
you lean and 1,000 calories can make you only real exception to this when work is
fat, then there must be something going performed outside the body.) Therefore,
on here. the metabolic rate can be measured as
When it comes to gaining or los- the amount of heat given off by the body.
ing weight, everybody is obsessed with Since greater than 95% of the energy
how many calories they consume. And liberated by the body is derived from the
that’s good - but it’s only half the story. reaction of foods with oxygen, the meta-
Changes in body weight are not governed bolic rate is proportional to the rate of
by energy consumption, but by energy oxygen consumption (2). In practice, the
balance. There are two sides to the bal- metabolic rate is measured by the rate of
ance equation: energy consumption and oxygen consumption, since this is much
energy expenditure. Many people over- easier than trying to measure how much
look the expenditure side of the equation, heat the body gives off.
because they don’t understand it, but it’s Anabolism means “building up,” and
just as important. Obviously you will describes the process of building new
have more control over your body if you bodily tissues. Anabolism is growth.
You can control your learn to control both sides of the energy Anabolic steroids are called anabolic be-
equation, instead of just one. And we’re
rate of energy expen- here to show you how.
cause they stimulate growth. Your body
produces its own anabolic steroids natu-
diture by careful se- Everyone knows that you expend en- rally, and our program is designed to help
ergy when you exercise. The lifecycle
lection of foods and even tells you how many calories you’re
you take maximum advantage of what
your body is capable of doing naturally.
supplements, proper burning. You probably also know that Foods provide the building blocks that
your body is constantly burning calories, your body is made out of as well as the
nutrient combining even when you’re just sitting around. But energy which fuels your activities. The
and proper timing of what you may not realize is that your rate process of growth essentially amounts to
of energy expenditure - your rate of calo- your body disassembling the molecules
meals. rie burning - goes up every time you eat of the food you eat and restructuring
(1). And how much it goes up depends them into the molecular form of new hu-
Last month we talked about how on what you eat. So therefore you can man tissue. This transformation process
CapTri is burned in the liver to produce control your rate of energy expendature requires energy, as well as the building
energy, and how some of this energy is by careful selection of foods and supple- blocks used to make new human tissue.
converted into ketone bodies which are ments, proper nutrient combining, and Catabolism means “tearing down,” and
used by your muscles. Now we’re go- proper timing of meals. To understand is the process of degrading nutrients to
ing to take a look at the bigger picture of how to do this, you have to know some provide energy and building blocks. The
energy production by the body. Granted, basic science. foods you eat can experience three gen-
you’re probably not a biochemist, and Metabolism is a term which describes eral metabolic fates: they can be burned
may not care about what happens to ev- the total chemical activity going on in- to release energy, they can be digested
ery molecule inside your body. But the side your body (2). Metabolism has two into small building blocks to be used for
more you understand about something, sides: an energy-consuming component growth, or they can simply be excreted.
the better you can control it. called “anabolism,” and an energy-pro- Your body is pretty efficient at absorbing
It’s no coincidence that the biggest, lean- ducing component called “catabolism.” nutrients, and not too many are excreted
MCFAs: Metabolic Rate
without being used. If you consume nu- have the whole day to burn off any excess supply extra calories but has very little
trients in excess over what is required to calories you consume at breakfast - any tendency to make you fat.
maintain your current body weight and excess calories you consume right before Next month we’ll go into more detail
activity level, the excess calories will bed are likely to be stored as fat. about the thermogenic effect, energy ex-
generally be converted into body weight Another one of the keys is to combine penditure, and introduce you to the con-
- either muscle or fat. The Parrillo diet your foods properly, so as to slow the cept of food efficieny.
is specifically designed to provide your release of glucose into the bloodstream.
body with the building blocks it needs Carbohydrates are digested down into REFERENCES
to construct new muscular tissue, but not glucose, which is the form of sugar re-
to give it building blocks which are used leased into the blood. If too many carbs 1. Van Zant, Influence of diet and ex-
to make fat tissue. Of course, excess are consumed, or if they are released into ercise on energy expenditure - a review.
calories from any food can be converted the blood too rapidly, the insulin response Int. J. Sports Nutr. 2: 1-19, 1992.
to fat, but if you are careful and do ev- causes the excess to be taken up by fat 2. Guyton, Textbook of Medical Physiol-
erything just right you can direct most of cells and converted into fat in a process ogy. Published by W.B. Saunders, chap-
those excess calories to muscle. We’ll go known as lipogenesis. (We’ll get more ter 71, 1976.
more into this in the coming months. into that in the coming months.) By 3. Baba, Bracco and Hashim, Enhanced
After you eat a meal your body begins eating unrefined, complex carbohydrates thermogenesis and diminished deposition
to burn the food to release energy. Since - and not simple sugars - you slow the of fat in response to overfeeding with diet
food is burned by reaction with the oxy- release of glucose into the blood. This containing medium chain triglycerides.
gen that we breathe, the rate of oxygen is also the reason we have you combine Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: 678-682, 1982.
consumption increases after eating. This fibrous carbs and protein together with 4. Hill, Peters, Yang, Sharp, Kaler, Ab-
is proportional to the increase in meta- your starches at each meal - it slows the umrad and Greene, Thermogenesis in
bolic rate - the rate of energy expendi- rate of digestion and release of glucose. humans during overfeeding with medium
ture. So in other words, the metabolic And guess what else? CapTri dramati- chain triglycerides. Metabolism 38: 641-
rate increases after you eat (1). The same cally increases the rate of oxygen con- 648, 1989.
number of calories (the same amount of sumption - and thus the metabolic rate 5. Seaton, Welle, Warenko and Camp-
energy) from different types of foods can - after a meal. It’s no accident that we’ve bell, Thermic effect of medium chain and
have different effects on metabolic rate incorporated CapTri at the core of our long chain triglycerides in man. Am. J.
(3). Different foods increase the meta- supplement program. The reason? As Clin. Nutr. 44: 630-634, 1986.
bolic rate to different extents probably you know, CapTri is a very concentrated 6. Bach and Babayan, Medium chain tri-
due to both the inherent energy content source of calories - calories that can be glycerides: an update. Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
and chemical composition of the food, as used for energy and to support weight 36: 950-962, 1982.
well as its rate of digestion and absorp- gain. The increase in oxygen consump-
tion. tion that occurs after you eat CapTri
So how do you use this information? means that it is being burned very fast
There are several key ideas. One is that (4, 5). Remember, foods are burned by
you should eat small, frequent meals. reacting with the oxygen we breathe, so
Since your metabolism speeds up after the reason oxygen consumption increases
each meal, eating frequently keeps your after you eat is to supply enough oxygen
metabolism elevated all day. If you eat to burn the food to produce energy. As
3,000 calories per day, you will be leaner we explained last month, some of this
if you eat six 500 calorie meals instead energy is converted to ketone bodies and
of one 3,000 calorie meal. If you provide transported to the muscles. But that’s not
your body with too many calories at one the whole story.
time, some of them will be converted Some of the energy from CapTri is con-
to fat. Give your body a constant and verted into body heat in a process known
steady supply of energy - enough to fuel as thermogenesis (4, 5). This is the single
your activities and make muscle, but not most important reason why excess calo-
so much that you’re putting on fat. Your ries from CapTri have less of a tendency
body can only make muscle so fast, so to make you fat than excess calories from
we suggest you gain no faster than 1-2 other foods. CapTri is burned so fast
pounds per week. that excess calories from it are turned
Another important point is to always into body heat instead of being converted
eat breakfast - this gets your metabolism into fat. This is why I’ve called CapTri
going first thing. This is why breakfast is the best supplement ever developed for
probably your most important meal. You bodybuilders - it’s an excellent way to
Energetics and Thermogenesis

by John Parrillo
eating habits. Our Nutrition Program is calories from carbohydrates are used for
based on using nutrition to control your energy; and calories from conventional
metabolism. It is possible to eat more than fat are very prone to be stored as body
before and get leaner and more muscular fat. Simply put, the net energy balance
as a result. We teach you how to control determines whether you will gain or lose
your metabolism, so you can target your weight, but what kind of foods you eat will
calories to muscle and train your body to determine if it’s muscle or fat.
burn fat instead of storing it. The food that you eat can experi-
Gain and loss of body weight are ence three general metabolic fates. It
governed by a simple thermodynamic prin- can be burned to liberate energy, it can
ciple: the conservation of mass and energy. be converted into body weight, or it can
If more or less calories are consumed than be excreted. All foods release heat when
expended then weight is gained or lost, they are burned. Not all foods are burned
respectively. Although this statement is completely to produce energy however;
correct, its simplicity is deceiving (1). The some of them are only partially degraded
human body is very complex, and here’s to provide building blocks to support re-
where some knowledge about metabo- pair and growth of your tissues. The heat
lism comes in handy. Different foods are liberated from a particular food is thus a
metabolized differently and are converted measure not only of its energy content but
into body weight with different efficiencies also of its tendency to be burned. This is
(2). This is described by the term “food known as the “thermic effect “of food
efficiency,” which is defined as the calories (TEF), or the “thermogenic effect” (1).
consumed of a particular food divided by Increased thermogenesis means increased
the resulting weight gain (3). You may heat production, and this correlates with
The net energy balance not have realized it, but a given number increased oxygen consumption and meta-
of calories from one food may have a bolic rate (4). Food efficiency is simply
determines wheather very different effect on your body weight a measure of how efficiently a particular
you will gain or lose than the same number of calories from a food is converted into body weight. Foods
different food (2). This is easy to prove. with a high food efficiency are more prone
weight, but what kind Just pull out 1000 calories of potatoes and to be converted to body weight while foods
of foods youeat will rice from your diet and replace it with 1000 with a low food efficiency are more prone
calories of candy and ice cream, and see to be burned for energy.
determine if it,s muscle what happens. CapTri® has a very low food effi-
So you must not only consider the ciency due to the thermogenic effect. This
or fat. net energy balance (calories consumed means that it is burned for energy instead
versus calories expended) but also the of being converted into body fat. CapTri®
type of calories consumed. If we were is rapidly absorbed and metabolized to re-
Last month we talked about metabol- throwing foods into a bonfire they would lease energy (5). As we’ve discussed pre-
ic rate—the body’s rate of energy expendi- all burn about the same. However, hu- viously, some of this energy is converted
ture. Most people are very aware of their man metabolism is more complex than into ketone bodies which are transported
caloric consumption, but many still ignore a bonfire. To the human body, not all to the muscles to be used as fuel to power
the expenditure side of the energy balance calories are the same. Different foods are muscular contractions (5). Some of the
equation. That’s a shame, since it is energy digested at different rates and with differ- energy released when CapTri® is burned
balance, not just energy consumption, ent efficiencies. And different nutrients is simply converted to body heat in the
which determines whether you’ll gain or perform different functions within the process of thermogenesis (2,6,7).
lose weight. As it turns out, you can exert body. Generally speaking, calories com- Think of it this way: CapTri ® is
a considerable amount of control over ing from protein are used for maintenance, burned very efficiently, so it is stored very
your metabolic rate by following certain repair, and growth of tissues and organs; inefficiently.
Energetics and Thermogenesis
If you’ve read the previous bul- even better, but rats don’t exercise much.) 6. Hill, Peters, Yang, Sharp, Kaler, Ab-
letins, you now understand the basics of This means that CapTri® is more difficult umrad, and Greene, Thermogenesis in
what CapTri® is, how it works, and why for your body to convert into fat than humans during overfeeding with medium
it’s so different from other fats. Now we carbohydrates are. Do bodybuilders take chain triglycerides. Metabolism 38: 641-
can get into more detail about some of its advantage of this? You bet they do. 648 (1989).
more interesting properties and the ways When you’re gaining weight in the 7. Seaton, Welle, Warenko, and Campbell,
bodybuilders use it. off season, you can add CapTri® to your Thermic effect of medium chain and long
It should come as no surprise to you food to provide extra calories. And those chain triglycerides in man. Am. J. Clin.
that CapTri® has a lower food efficiency extra calories are less prone to be stored Nutr. 44: 630-634 (1986).
than regular fat (2). This means that regu- as fat than if you used conventional fats or 8. Lavau and Hashim, Effect of medi-
lar fat will contribute more to body weight carbohydrates to supply the extra calories. um chain triglyceride on lipogenesis and
gain than an equivalent number of calories Before a contest you can decrease your body fat in the rat. J. Nutr. 108: 613-620
from CapTri®. (Unfortunately, most of carbohydrate intake and make up the dif- (1978).
the weight you gain from regular fat will ference with CapTri®. This lets you use
be fat, not muscle.) The main reason for the low-carb strategy to lose fat, but the
this is that CapTri® is burned for energy, calories from CapTri® provide a source
and a significant portion of this energy of energy in place of the carbs so you
is released as body heat (2,6,7). While don’t feel like you’re starving. CapTri®
regular fat can also be burned for energy, it is a concentrated source of calories which
has more of a tendency simply to be stored can be used to support weight gain, and
away as body fat, since it already has the the low food efficiency makes it a good
same molecular structure as body fat. Reg- source of calories when you’re dieting.
ular fats (LCTs) are not burned much as That’s why most of our bodybuilders use
long as carbohydrates are available, since it year-round.
the carnitine shuttle is not activated until Keep in mind, CapTri® is not a drug,
carbohydrate fuels have been depleted. and there’s nothing magic going on here.
You can think of the carnitine shuttle as a CapTri® is just a food which provides
switch which turns on fat burning after the calories, like any other food. The point is
carbs have run out. that different types of foods have different
But what may come as a bigger sur- molecular structures and and are therefore
prise is that CapTri® also has a lower food processed differently by the body. Differ-
efficiency than carbohydrate (3,8). This ent foods have different effects on your
means that CapTri® is burned even more metabolism.
efficiently than carbs! These experiments REFERENCES
were performed on rats, since at the end of 1. Van Zant, Influence of diet and exercise
the experiment you can dissect the rat and on energy expenditure - a review. Int. J.
accurately determine its body composition. Sports Nutr. 2: 1-19 (1992).
Generally, the rats are fed a caloric excess 2. Baba, Bracco, and Hashim, Enhanced
so they will gain weight during the trial. thermogenesis and diminished deposition
The rats are divided into three groups: a of fat in response to overfeeding with diet
low-fat group, a LCT group, and a MCT containing medium chain triglyceride. Am.
group. Grams of protein were held con- J. Clin. Nutr. 35:678-682 (1982).
stant among groups, and the remainder of 3. Crozier, Bois-Joyeux, Chanez, Girard,
calories are supplied as carbs, conventional and Peret, Metabolic effects induced
fat, or MCT. by long term feeding of medium chain
Of course, the rats fed conventional triglycerides in the rat. Metabolism 36:
fats (LCTs) gained the most weight—be- 807-814 (1987).
cause they gained more fat (3,8). Lean 4. Guyton, Textbook of Medical Physiol-
body mass was essentially the same in all ogy. Published by W.B. Saunders, chapter
groups at the end of the experiment. Of the 71 (1976).
three groups, the rats fed MCT were by far 5. Bach and Babayan, Medium chain tri-
the leanest. They gained about 60% less glycerides: an update. Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
fat than either the LCT or low-fat groups 36: 950-962 (1982).
(3). (I’m sure the results could have been
Liver: Natural Iron

by John Parrillo
so critical that if tissues are deprived of (1). Many times a feeling of fatigue or low
oxygen for more than a few minutes they energy is the result of an unrecognized iron
will die. deficiency (2, 3).
As you know, red blood cells are Dietary iron sources are usually
responsible for transporting oxygen to all divided into two general categories: heme
the tissues of the body. They do this by iron and nonheme iron (2). Heme iron is
binding oxygen to hemoglobin, the red iron which is already bound to heme— the
pigment in the blood. Hemoglobin is a red pigment in hemoglobin. Good sources
protein that includes a special chemical of heme iron are red meat and liver. White
structure known as heme—a complex of meat chicken and turkey breast also contain
porphyrin and iron. And it’s the iron which heme iron, but in lower amounts (2). The
binds oxygen in the lungs and subsequently form of iron found in plants is not incor-
releases it in the muscles and other periph- porated into heme and is therefore called
eral tissues. Muscles contain myoglobin, an nonheme iron. Iron from red meat and liver,
oxygen-carrying protein that works inside in the form of heme iron, is much easier for
cells. Like hemoglobin, myoglobin also your body to absorb (6).
requires iron to bind oxygen. Without the Iron deficiency is associated with
vegetarian diets (1). Some vegetables,
Iron defeciency is widely such as beans, corn, and spinach, contain a
recognized as the most significant amount of iron. Unfortunately,
iron from vegetable sources is poorly ab-
common nutritional defi- sorbed (1). Only 1.4% of iron from spinach
ciency in the world is absorbed. Seven percent of iron from
soybeans is absorbed, making it one of the
Liver has been a mainstay supple- iron, the whole oxygen transport system best vegetable sources of iron.
ment for bodybuilders and power athletes won’t work. Not only that, but iron is also Red meat provides much higher
for years — and for good reason. Recently, required by the enzymes in the electron amounts of iron per serving than vegetable
endurance athletes have also realized the transport chain—the series of reactions in sources (2). Additionally, liver is an
incredible nutritional value of liver. Liver which oxygen is consumed in the cells. So even better source of iron than red meat.
provides heme iron, high quality protein, iron is required not only for transporting Furthermore, the iron from red meat and
and B vitamins, thereby meeting several of oxygen to the tissues but also for its use liver—heme iron—is much easier for your
the increased nutritional needs of athletes inside cells. Because of its critical role body to absorb (2, 6). About 15-20% of iron
in a single blow. Heme iron is responsible in oxygen utilization, iron has earned its from red meat and liver is absorbed (2). The
for hemoglobin’s ability to carry oxygen reputation for occupying a central position higher iron content of these foods, along
in red blood cells. Heme iron is the best in energy metabolism. with the greater bioavailability of heme
absorbed — the most bio-available — of Iron deficiency is widely recognized iron, makes red meat and especially liver
all iron sources (2,6). And liver is nature’s as the most common nutritional deficiency much better dietary iron sources.
best source of heme iron (2). in the world (2, 3). As many as 22% of Another factor may also be in-
Your body generates energy by break- American women are iron deficient, and volved in explaining the association of
ing down foods and transporting the food the number is as high as two-thirds in iron deficiency with vegetarian diets. The
molecules to all the cells of the body. Inside developing countries (1, 2). The daily iron efficiency of iron absorption depends on
the cells, the foods are burned in a chemical requirement for women is 18 mg per day, protein intake (5). Meat proteins improve
reaction called “oxidation,” which simply while on average they obtain only 10-12 the absorption of heme and nonheme iron
means reaction with oxygen. (This is very mg per day (1). Men have lower daily (5). Furthermore, the presence of heme iron
similar to what happens to food when it iron requirements, so are somewhat less also improves the absorption of nonheme
burns in a fire.) For foods to be converted prone to suffer from deficiency. Among iron (4). Athletes who do not eat red meat
to energy, the cells have to get plenty of athletes, about 10% of males are iron or liver have an increased risk of develop-
oxygen. This constant need for energy is deficient, compared to 22-25% of females ing anemia (6).
Liver: Natural Iron
Anemic children and adults are often may soak up all of the incoming protein available iron source. Parrillo Performance
thought of as backward or apathetic (2). and not leave enough left to rebuild new red Liver-Amino Tablets™ are made from
Recently it has been realized that sub- blood cells at the normal rate. Increased de-fatted liver, which means you don’t
clinical iron deficiency, less severe than protein intake may be effective in treating get all the fat and cholesterol that comes
anemia, can result in poor performance on sports-induced anemia (1). Often times, an along with liver and red meat. Plus we add
a variety of behavioral and cognitive tests athlete experiences a decrease in red blood predigested casein to further increase the
(2). This effect is reversible and responds cell count and serum iron levels during the protein content to 1.5 grams per tablet. This
to iron supplementation, depending on early phase of training (1). This could be is why we feel Parrillo Performance Liver-
the severity of the deficiency. Some test due to the fact that aerobic training causes Amino™ is one of the best supplements
scores of children improved after a single an increase in myoglobin (an oxygen car- available for bodybuilders and endurance
iron injection, while in other experiments rying protein) and cytochrome content athletes: It provides heme iron, high quality
11 or 12 weeks of iron therapy resulted in of muscle tissue and the protein and iron protein, and B vitamins all in one.
improvement. Several studies have found required for their formation could be ob-
a positive correlation between IQ and iron tained from destruction of red blood cells REFERENCES
level: the higher the iron level, the higher (1, 3). In other words, myoglobin may be
the IQ (2). Bear in mind, however, these increased at the expense of hemoglobin if 1. Haymes; Proteins, Vitamins, and Iron; in
studies are concerned with deficient chil- protein intake is inadequate. Ergogenic Aids in Sport; ed. Williams; Hu-
dren, and increasing iron levels in children Athletes with low hemoglobin levels man Kinetics Publishers; 1983; p.27-55.
with already sufficient amounts would not do not perform as well at endurance events.
be expected to confer any advantage. Interestingly, endurance athletes have the 2. Scrimshaw, Iron Deficiency, Scientific
It is well established that iron defi- highest incidence of sports anemia and American, October, 1991, p. 46-52.
ciency decreases work output and athletic also have the highest protein requirements.
performance (3, 6). This is primarily due There seems to be an iron cost associated 3. Sherman and Kramer, Iron Nutrition and
to reduced oxygen carrying capacity of the with exercise (3) and there is no question Exercise, in: Nutrition in Exercise and Sport,
blood, but reduced aerobic capacity of the that iron deficiency compromises athletic eds. Hickson and Wolinsky, CRC Press,
muscle (due to tissue level iron depletion) performance (6). Studies suggest that ath- 1989, p. 291-308.
is involved as well (3). Iron supplemen- letes have a higher than usual incidence
tation has been shown to be effective at of iron deficiency, and this is probably 4. Steen, Nutrition Considerations for the
increasing productivity of iron deficient caused by iron depletion during exercise Low Body Weight Athlete, in Sports Nu-
workers. Plantation workers and rubber (3). Female athletes and endurance athletes trition for the 90s, eds. Berning and Steen,
tappers in Central America (2) and tea pick- are especially at risk of iron deficiency (1, Aspen Publishers, 1991, p. 153-174.
ers in Sri Lanka (3) who were iron deficient 2, 3, 6). Iron deficiency anemia reduces
displayed decreased performance and work maximal oxygen uptake, reduces work 5. Wapnir, Protein Nutrition and Mineral
output. Following iron supplementation, output, and increases the time required to Absorption, CRC Press, 1990, p. 99-129.
productivity improved (2, 3). Also, iron recover between workouts (1). Encourag-
deficient children and adults are much more ingly, iron supplements have been shown 6. Whitmire, Vitamins and Minerals: A
likely to suffer from infectious diseases to be effective in reversing the effects of perspective in Physical Performance, in
than those receiving iron supplementation iron deficiency and in restoring hemoglobin Sports Nutrition for the 90s, eds. Bern-
(2). White blood cells need plenty of oxy- levels (1, 2). Iron supplementation is effec- ing and Steen, Aspen Publishers, 1991,
gen to kill invading bacteria. And having tive in improving athletic performance and p. 129-151.
a good, strong immune response is critical work output of deficient individuals (1, 3).
to maintaining optimum health. It has been reported that iron supplementa-
“Sports anemia” is induced by ex- tion alone will not correct true sports ane-
ercise training and endurance athletes are mia, which is reasonable when considering
especially at risk (1, 3, 6). Many times, it as a protein deficiency. However, since
sports anemia is not associated with a true liver provides both high quality protein and
iron deficiency. Skeletal muscle fibers are heme iron it should be beneficial to athletes
damaged during intense exercise training, suffering sports anemia. Liver may also be
and this damage must be repaired during effective in preventing the iron deficiency
the recovery period following exercise. If induced by exercise training.
dietary protein intake is inadequate, the Liver is the best source of heme iron
body will draw on red blood cells, hemo- (2). Heme iron is damaged by cooking,
globin, and plasma proteins as a source of reducing the bioavailability of iron by as
protein to repair the muscles (3). If protein much as 50% (5). Desiccated liver supple-
intake is limited, repair of muscle tissue ments thus represent probably the most bio-
Protein: Superfood For Bodybuilders, Part I

by John Parrillo
Proteins are found in all cells and tis- called “incomplete” proteins. However,
sues and are required for the structure and if vegetable proteins are combined prop-
function of every part of the body. And of erly, the balance of amino acids in the
special interest to bodybuilders, muscles combination can approach the amino acid
are made of protein. profile found in animal proteins.
Proteins are chain-like molecules, While animal proteins are generally
and the links of protein chains are called high quality protein foods, a problem
amino acids. About 20 different amino arises in that many of them also contain
acids occur in human proteins. Twelve of a lot of fat. You must be selective when
these can be made within the body. The using animal proteins to avoid the fat
other eight are called “essential amino ac- that comes along with them. Good lean
ids” because they cannot be made by the protein sources include skinless turkey
body; therefore, it is essential that they breast, skinless chicken breast, fish, and
be obtained from the diet. The proteins egg whites. Occasional red meat is fine,
as long as you consume the leanest cuts.
Protein is required in the Always trim all visible fat.
diet to maintain tissues and
There has been a lot of debate about
organs and to supply build- kg body weight per day (g/kg/day). This
the protein requirements of athletes. His-
works out to be 0.36 grams per pound
ing blocks for growth. torically, nutritionists assert that athletes
body weight each day (g/pound/day),
do not require any more protein than
which is 56 grams per day for a typical
sedentary people. Athletes, however,
you eat as food are not directly incor- male and about 72 grams per day for
believe they need more. There is some
porated into your body tissues. Instead, a 200 pound bodybuilder. This value
reason behind both points of view. On
the protein chains are digested to yield for the RDA was determined to be the
one hand, it is well known that weight
short fragments (peptides) and individual amount required by most of the aver-
lifting causes damage to muscle tissue
amino acids which are absorbed into the age population—not for athletes or other
(1). So it makes sense that someone who
bloodstream. The individual amino acids very active people. Recently, a new way
lifts weights would have to eat more pro-
then serve as building blocks your body of measuring the protein status of the
tein than a sedentary person because his
uses to build its own proteins. If any one body has been developed—the metabolic
body has to repair that damage. Further-
of the amino acids is deficient, your body tracer technique. Using this method, pro-
more, if you want to increase the amount
can’t make new protein molecules. They tein requirements are seen to be 23-178%
of muscle mass on your body, it seems
all have to be there at the same time. greater than estimated by the nitrogen
obvious that you would have to eat some
balance technique (2), a conventional
Protein is required in the diet to extra protein to support this growth. On
method of measurement.
maintain tissues and organs and to sup- the other hand, nutritionists point out that
ply building blocks for growth. Proteins this increase need for protein is offset by Much modern research indicates that
from animal sources such as meat, eggs, increased efficiency of protein utilization the protein needs of athletes range from
and milk, are called “complete” proteins in the trained athlete (1). If your body 1-2g/kg/day (0.45-0.9g/pound/day)—
because they supply all the essential utilizes its protein food more efficiently, about twice the RDA (3). Other studies
amino acids. Animal proteins provide then it may not need any extra after all. suggest that some hard training strength
a balance of amino acids similar to that Furthermore, eating excess protein does athletes require in excess of 2g/kg/day
of human tissues. Plant proteins have not in itself make you more muscular. (0.9 g/pound/day) to maintain nitrogen
a profile of amino acids different from If it did, we would just eat more protein balance (4) and that as much as 3.5g/
human proteins. For this reason animal food and get more muscular. Unfortu- kg/day (1.6g/pound/day) may be benefi-
proteins are considered to be higher qual- nitely, it’s not that easy. cial in maximizing gains in strength and
ity protein foods. Most vegetable pro- mass (5). Apparently, the increase in ef-
The National Research Council sets
teins are deficient in one or more of the ficiency of protein utilization which has
the recommended daily allowance (RDA)
essential amino acids and are therefore been reported to occur during adaptation
for protein intake at 0.8 grams protein per
Protein: Superfood For Bodybuilders, Part I
to exercise may not always be enough to

offset the increase protein demand. In
other words, the RDA for protein may
not always be enough even if it is utilized
with 100% efficiency. The RDA protein
recommendation may be enough for sed-
entary people but endurance athletes and
very muscular athletes need more.
Use Parrillo Performance Hi-Protein
Powder™ for increased protein needs.
See bulletin #8 for more on protein.
REFERENCES
1. Hickson JF and Wolinsky I. Human
protein intake and metabolism in exercise
and sport. In: Nutrition in exercise and
sport, eds. Hickson JF and Wolinsky I, p.
5-36. CRC Press, 1989.
2. Lemon PWR. Protein and Amino
Acid Needs of Strength Athlete. Interna-
tion Journal of Sport Nutrition 1: 127-
145, 1991.
3. Lemon PWR. Protein and Exercise:
update 1987. Med Sci Sports Exercise
19: S179-A190, 1987.
4. Celejowa I and energy balance in Pol-
ish weight lifters during training camp.
Nutr Metab 12: 259-274, 1970.
5. Dragen GI, Vasiliu A, Georgescu E.
Effect of increased supply of protein on
elite weight lifters. In: Milk Proteins,
eds. Gasesloot TE and Tinbergen BJ, p.
99-103. The Netherlands: Wageningen,
1985.
Protein: Superfood For Bodybuilders, Part II

by John Parrillo
Strength training is a powerful ana- greater nitrogen retention than 1 g/kg/
bolic stimulus and, if performed prop- day (0.45 g/pound/day) (8,9). Taken
erly, results in increased lean body mass together, these results suggest that a pro-
(2). Specifically, the amount of myofi- tein intake of 2 g/kg/day (0.9 g/pound/
brillar protein, composed of actin and day) is inadequate for many athletes
myosin, is increased. Muscular tissue and that as much as 3.5 g/kg/day (1.6
is made of protein which is synthesized g/pound/day) works better for at least
from amino acids. The amino acids are some hard training athletes. Another
derived from the digestion of protein reason athletes require more protein
foods. Therefore, eating more protein than sedentary people is that amino ac-
foods provides more building blocks ids are used as fuel during exercise. Af-
for the synthesis of new muscular tissue ter the body uses up its glycogen stores,
(2, 6). After all, during intense weight it begins to burn amino acids (the build-
lifting, the muscle fibers are damaged ing blocks of protein) and fat for energy.
(this is why you’re sore after a workout), In the liver, amino acids with three or
and they must be repaired(1). Muscular more carbon atoms can be converted
growth occurs by over-compensation into glucose via a process called “gluco-
during the repair process. The harder neogenesis.” The branched chain amino
you weight train the more damage you acids (BCAAs) leucine, isoleucine, and if protein intake is inadequate. Further-
do to your muscles (which stimulates valine can be burned for energy directly more, skeletal muscle fibers are dam-
growth), and the more protein you need in the muscle. aged during intense exercise training,
to repair that damage. While strength
This becomes significant during high and this damage must be repaired during
athletes have known this for years, many
intensity endurance exercise. Under the recovery period following exercise.
nutritionists assert that excess protein
conditions of prolonged endurance ex- If dietary protein intake is inadequate,
will be stored as fat or glycogen. To
ercise (a 10-mile run, for example), the the body will draw on red blood cells,
reconcile these views, we should realize
oxidation of amino acids can approach hemoglobin, and plasma proteins as a
that most studies which fail to demon-
recomended daily protein requirements, source of protein to repair the muscles
strate that exercise increases protein
and dietary amino acid needs could (17).
requirements use subjects who are not
be elevated substantially (2, 10). In Increased nitrogen excretion (in
training intensely enough to stimulate
contrast, studies involving low inten- urine and sweat) is commonly observed
increases in lean body mass.
sity exercise actually indicate decreased after exercise, suggesting that protein
To extract several examples from protein need as the athlete adapts to the is being used as an energy substrate
the scientific literature: In a group of 10 training regimen. to fuel activity (1). Nearly all studies
weight lifters exercising intensely and which include nitrogen loss through
Oftentimes, an athlete experiences a
consuming 2 g/kg/day (0.9g/pound/day) sweating find subjects to be in nega-
decrease in red blood cell count and se-
protein, 4 were in negative nitrogen tive nitrogen balance during endurance
rum iron levels during the early phase of
balance (4). In another study, a protein activities. During prolonged exercise
training (6). This condition, known as
intake of 2.8 g/kg/day (1.3 g/pound/day) blood glucose levels drop, eliciting a
sports anemia, could be due to the fact
was found to result in higher nitro- release of glucagon from the pancreas.
that aerobic training causes an increase
gen balance and greater muscular gains This hormone mobilizes amino acids
in myoglobin ( an oxygen carrying pro-
than an intake of 1.4 g/kg/day (0.64 from muscle tissue to serve as substrates
tein) and cytochrome content of muscle
g/pound/day) (7). When weight lifters for glucose synthesis in the liver. Dohm
tissue, and the protein and iron required
increased their protein intake from 2.2 and coworkers (10) found an increase
for their formation could be obtained
to 3.5 g/kg/day (1.0 to 1.6 g/pound/day) in urinary urea excretion (waste prod-
from destruction of red blood cells (6,
they increased in strength and lean mass ucts from protein catabolism) during the
17). In other words, myoglobin may be
(5). A protein intake of 2.6 g/kg/day day following a 10 to 12 mile run by
increased at the expense of hemoglobin
(1.2 g/pound/day) was found to produce
male runners. This result indicates an energy intake. For growth to occur, starchy and fibrous carbs. We’ve seen
increase in protein catabolism induced adequate protein and calories must be bodybuilders greatly improve their phy-
by endurance exercise. The amount consumed to maintain the body as well siques by following these guidelines.
of protein metabolized was calculated as provide enough building blocks for
If you don’t consume enough pro-
to be 57 grams, enough to supply 18% new muscular tissue.
tein, your rate of muscular growth will be
of the energy expended during the run.
Since protein needs vary depending retarded. To help you meet your protein
The authors suggested that protein was
on exercise type, intensity, frequency, needs, we have developed Hi-Protein
catabolized, possibly from skeletal mus-
duration, environment, and level of con- Powder. Each scoop provides 20 grams
cle, to provide precursors for glucose
ditioning of the athlete (14), it is impos- of ultra quality protein.
synthesis in the liver.
sible to make exact recommendations
People consuming a high protein
In summary, the short term stud- for an individual athlete. It is pos-
diet should be sure to drink plenty of
ies indicate that endurance exercise is sible, however, to extract some mini-
water and to get enough calcium. Protein
catabolic in nature, leading to an acute mum guidelines from the literature. The
metabolism generates ammonia, which
increase in protein catabolism. Some general trend, (among intensely training
is converted to urea and excreted in
long term studies suggest an adaptive athletes) seems to be increasing protein
the urine and sweat. Drinking plenty
response to endurance training whereby intake increases nitrogen balance and
of water aids the kidneys in removing
the proteins are utilized more efficiently Athletes interested in in-
this nitrogenous waste and dilutes cal-
(1). Other experts suggest that protein creasing muscular mass
cium salts which could form precipitates
requirements of trained athletes remain
elevated after adaptation (11, 12, 13). should still participate in
(kidney stones). Notably, there is no
evidence suggesting that strength athletes
For example, 57 grams of protein— aerobic exercise but eat
consuming a high protein diet have an
equivalent to the RDA for a 158 pound enough additional protein
increased incidence of kidney disease.
man - may be catabolized as fuel during
The data suggesting that a high protein
a 10-12 mile run (10). Apparently, the and calories tocompensate
diet contributes to the progressive nature
increased efficiency of protein utilization for the energy expense.
of kidney disease come from people
which occurs as an adaptive response to
with pre-existing kidney problems (2).
endurance training is not sufficient to muscular gains, at least to a level of 3.5
Many studies have demonstrated a posi-
accommodate the demands of intense or g/kg/day (1.6 g/pound/day). Encourag-
tive correlation between protein intake
prolonged endurance exercise. ingly, protein supplements also seem
and calcium excretion (16). Results are
to be effective in improving gains in
Of course, these arguments should equivocal regarding protein intake and
muscle mass over that resulting from
not discourage strength athletes from calcium absorption. Some studies show
training alone (15).
engaging in aerobic exercise. Aerobic that protein improves calcium absorption
exercise is required to condition the car- The published studies generally use while others show the opposite. Calcium
diovascular system and maintain overall subjects engaged in either strength train- balance can be maintained during high
health and is very effective at burning ing or endurance exercise, but not both. protein diets by assuring adequate cal-
fat. Athletes interested in increasing Many professional bodybuilders perform cium and phosphorus intake (at least the
muscular mass should still participate two hours of intense weight lifting plus RDA, 800-1200 mg/day). Each of our
in aerobic exercise but eat enough ad- two hours of aerobic conditioning per Mineral-Electrolyte tablets provide 250
ditional protein and calories to compen- day (or even more), while at the same mg calcium and 250 mg phosphorus.
sate for the energy expense. time consuming a calorie restricted diet.
REFERENCES
Rather than being exceptional, we deal
Lemon (2) states, “Although the
with many athletes following such a 1. Hickson JF and Wolinsky I. Human
current recommended dietary allowance
regimen as they prepare for competi- protein intake and metabolism in exer-
does not recognize that protein/amino
tion. These athletes undoubtedly have cise and sport. In: Nutrition in Exercise
acid needs are higher in strength ath-
exceptional protein requirements. On and Sport, eds. Hickson JF and Wolin-
letes, there is a substantial amount of
The Parrillo Perfromance Nutrition Pro- sky I, p. 5-36. CRC Press, 1989.
experimental support to the contrary...
gram, we recommend that bodybuilders
If high protein/amino acid diets are 2. Lemon PWR. Protein and Amino
consume 1.5 grams of protein a day per
advantageous, it may be due to in- Acid Needs of the Strength Athlete. In-
pound of body weight. One gram per
creased amino acid availability and the ternational Journal of Sport Nutrition 1:
pound of body weight should come from
enhanced anabolic stimulus of heavy 127-145, 1991.
lean proteins, with the remaining .5 gram
resistance exercise.” The athlete should
per pound of body weight coming from 3. Lemon PWR. Protein and exercise:
bear in mind the importance of adequate
update 1987. Med Sci Sports Exercise gains. (abstract) Can. J. Sports Sci. 15: strength improvement. Sports Sci Exch
19: S179-A190, 1987. 14’s 1990. 2, 1989.
4. Celejowa I and Homa M. Food 9. Tarnopolsky MA, Lemon PWR, Mac- 14. Houck J and Slavin J. Protein nutri-
intake, nitrogen, and energy balance Dougall JD, and Atkinson SA. Effect tion for the athlete. In: Sports Nutrition
in Polish weight lifters during training of body building exercise on protein for the 90’s, eds. Berning JR and Steen
camp. Nutr Metab 12:259-274, 1970. requirements. (abstract) Can. J. Sports SN, p. 1-14. Aspen Publishers, 1991.
Sci. 15: 22’s, 1990.
5. Dragen GI, Vasiliu A. Georgescu E. 15. Frontera WR, Meredith CN, and
Effect of increased supply of protein on 10. Dohm GL, Williams RT, Kasperek Evans WJ. Dietary effects on muscle
elite weight lifters. In: Milk Proteins, GJ, and Van Rij AM. Increased excre- strength gain and hypertrophy during
eds. Gasesloot TE and Tinbergen BJ, p. tion of urea and N-methylhistidine by heavy resistance training in older men.
99-103. The Netherlands: Wageningen, rats and humans after a bout of exercise. (abstract) Can. J. Sports Sci. 13: 13P,
1985. J Appl Physiol: Respirat Environ Exer- 1988.
cise Physiol 52: 27,1982.
6. Haymes E. Proteins, Vitamins, and 16. Wapnir RA. Protein nutrition and
Iron. In: Ergogenic Aids in Sport, ed. 11. Friedman JE and Lemon PWR. Ef- mineral absorption. CRC Press, 1990.
Williams MH, p. 27-55. Human Kinet- fect of chronic endurance exercise on Chapter 5: Calcium, magnesium and
ics Publishers, 1983. retention of dietary protein. Int J Sports phosphorus absorption, nutritional sta-
Med 10: 118-123, 1989. tus and effect of proteins, p. 77-98.
7. Consolazio I, Nelson RA, Matoush
LO, Harding RS, and Canham. Nitrogen 12. Tarnopolsky MA, MacDougall JD, 17. Sherman and Kramer, Iron Nutrition
excretion in sweat and its relation to ni- and Atkinson SA. and Exercise, in: Nutrition in Exercise
trogen balance experiments. J. Nutr. 79: and Sport, eds. Hickson and Wolinsky,
399-406, 1963. Influence of protein intake and training
CRC Press, 1989, p. 291-308.
status on nitrogen balance and lean mass.
8. Lemon PWR, MacDougall JD, Tar- J Appl Physiol 64: 187-193, 1988.
nopolsky MA, and Atkinson SA. Ef-
fect of dietary protein and bodybuilding 13. Lemon PWR. Influence of dietary
exercise on muscle mass and strength protein and total energy intake on
Carbohydrates: Ultimate Food Fuel, Part I

by John Parrillo
grams of sugar will have a different effect Be sure to avoid simple sugars.
on your body than one hundred grams of These include not only processed sugar
starch, even though both supply 100 grams but also foods like honey, milk, and fruit.
of carbohydrate. Milk contains lactose, or milk sugar. Fruit
The Parrillo Performance Nutrition contains a simple sugar known as fructose,
Program further subdivides complex carbs which is easily converted to fat in the liver
into two classes: starchy carbs and fibrous (1). Although fresh fruit and low fat dairy
carbs. Good sources of starchy carbohy- products are healthy, nutritious foods, they
drates are potatoes, rice, beans, oatmeal, contain a lot of natural sugars which are
and whole grains, and good sources of easily converted into body fat. If you’re
fibrous carbs include broccoli, lettuce, spin- striving for ultimate leanness and a high
ach, green beans, asparagus, and other fresh energy level, avoid the consumption of
vegetables. On The Parrillo Performance sugary foods, including fruit and dairy
Nutrition Program, you eat at least one to products.
two servings of starchy carbs and one to Animals have a very limited ability to
two servings of fibrous carbs at each meal, store carbohydrate and instead rely on fat
along with a lean protein source. as the storage form of energy. Fat is a more
High fiber foods such as fibrous carbs efficient way to store energy because it con-
contain cellulose, a plant carbohydrate that tains nine calories per gram, as compared
Carbohydrates are grouped into two humans cannot digest. Cellulose, provides to four calories per gram in carbohydrate,
general classes: complex carbohydrates bulk which helps with elimination and and because it does not require water for
and simple sugars. Complex carbohydrates is good for your intestines. Also, fiber storage, as does carbohydrate. Since ani-
are nothing more than simple sugars linked and protein slow the digestion of starchy mals are mobile, they store energy as fat.
together into long chains. Your body di- carbs, resulting in a more gradual release That way, they can store more energy in
gests the complex carbs into simple sugars of glucose into the bloodstream and more less space and with less weight.
and releases them into the bloodstream as sustained energy levels. This way, insulin Only about 600 grams of glycogen
glucose. In the end, then, all carbohydrates release is more moderate, rather than the (the body’s storage form of carbohydrate)
are converted into glucose before they are sharp spike of insulin released in response can be stored by the human, although this
used. Based on this, you might think it to simple sugars. When you combine probably varies according to the individ-
wouldn”t make any difference whether ual’s training state, diet, and amount of
you get your carbs from starch or simple muscle mass. Glycogen is stored mostly
sugars—but it does. Because simple sug- in the muscles where it will be used, and
Simple sugars are released into the also to a small extent in the liver. Muscle
bloodstream immediately, causing a rapid
ars are released faster
glycogen is not released into the blood-
increase in blood sugar level and an insulin than the body can burn stream and is only used by the muscle in
surge. Because simple sugars are released them for energy or store which it’s stored.
faster than the body can burn them for After muscle glycogen stores be-
energy or store them as glycogen, insulin
them as glycogen, insulin come depleted, liver glycogen is broken
causes the excess to be converted to fat. causes the excess to be into glucose units and released into the
Complex carbs, on the other hand, converted to fat. bloodstream for use by working muscles
must be digested, a process that slows throughout the body and by the central
down their rate of release into the blood- nurvous system. Because the human
stream, resulting in a more moderate foods in the way recommended by our body cannot store much carbohydrate, it is
insulin release and a more uniform energy nutrition program, you have more energy very important, especially for athletes, to
level. Also, since they don’t cause as big and less fat storage. Plus, you can eat all regularly consume a diet high in complex
an insulin release, complex carbs are not as the vegetables and salad greens you want carbohydrates to fuel the body.
prone to be converted to fat. One hundred and still stay lean. Many experiments indicate that
Carbohydrates: Ultimate Food Fuel, Part I
carbohydrate is the body’s preferred fuel is that it produces lactic acid as a waste high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. We also
during exercise. More than 99 percent product. Lactic acid accumulates inthe recommend carbohydrate supplementation
of the carbohydrate is used in the body to muscles and the blood and is responsible with Pro-Carb™, which is formulated with
form adenosine triphosphate, or ATP (2). for the burning sensation at the end of the maltodextrin, a slow-releasing carbohy-
ATP is the fuel source used directly by the set. The accumulation of lactic acid shuts drate. Not only is it high in carbohydrates,
muscles to power contractions. ATP is not down energy production and forces you but a Pro-Carb™ drink also supplies water
stored by the body so it must be constantly to stop and rest. Most of the lactic acid which is needed for glycogen storage. To
produced from the aerobic metabolism of makes its way from the muscles into the order Pro-Carb™, call our toll-free number
carbohydrates, fatty acids, and amino acids bloodstream. The liver is able to convert at 1-800-344-3404.
(aerobic means “with oxygen”). the lactic acid back into glucose so it can be
Carbohydrate is unique in that it can used as fuel again. The conversion of lactic REFERENCES
also be metabolized anaerobically (without acid back into glucose requires oxygen, and
oxygen). The anaerobic production of ATP this is why you continue to breathe hard 1. Shafrir E. Fructose/sucrose me-
from carbohydrate is called glycolysis. for a few minutes while you’re recovering tabolism, it’s physiological and pathologi-
Glycolysis makes a big contribution to after a set. This pay-back from anaerobic cal implications. In: Sugars and Sweeten-
the energy expended during very intense metabolism is called “oxygen dept.” ers, Kretchmer N and Hollenbeck CB, eds.
exercise of short duration, such as weight In conclusion, your body likes to burn CRC Press, 1991.
lifting. Lifting weights requires so much carbs for energy and to store energy as fat.
energy so fast that aerobic metabolism Generally speaking, the more carbs you 2. Pate, TD and Brunn, JC. Fun-
can’t keep up with the demand. By the eat, the more carbs your body will burn for damentals of carbohydrate metabolism.
time oxygen can get from the lungs to the energy, and the more fat you eat, the more In: Nutrition in Exercise and Sport, eds.
muscles and inside the cells, your set is fat you’ll store. This is why athletes—and Hickson, JF and Wolinsky, I. CRC Press,
already over. especially bodybuilders—should eat a diet 1989.
Although glycolysis is relatively high in complex carbohydrates and low in
inefficient, it offers the advantage of gen- fat, In fact, anyone interested in having a 3. Zubay, Biochemistry. Addison-Wes-
erating energy instantly upon demand. One lean, high-energy body should consume a ley Publishing Company, 1983.
disadvantage of anaerobic metabolism
Carbohydrates: Ultimate Food Fuel, Part II

by John Parrillo
is the fuel source used for most forms metabolism of carbohydrates and fat in
of exercise, especially weight training. the trained athlete (4).
It takes 30 to 60 minutes of exercise for In addition to increasing muscle
fatty acids to be available to the muscles glycogen storage, endurance training also
to use as fuel (1). Up until this time, increases the muscles’ ability to use fat as
glucose derived from muscle glycogen an energy source. This increased ability
is the primary fuel. to burn fat spares glycogen stores, thus
This is why it’s best to do your further increasing endurance (4). Endur-
aerobics when you’re glycogen depleted, ance training increases the size and num-
and the hormones released during exer- ber of mitochondria in the muscles and
cise have had time to mobilize fatty acids. activates enzymes involved in the Krebs
An excellent time for aerobics is in the cycle and oxidative phosphorylation - the
morning before breakfast, because you’re central energy producing pathways of
glycogen depleted then. And, the longer the body (1,3). This is one reason why
you spend exercising, the more fat will bodybuilders should engage in aerobic
be used as the fuel source. exercise: It increases the ability to burn
Exercise training, especially endur- fat for energy. This not only helps you
ance exercise, increases aerobic capacity. stay lean but also spares glycogen so you
High intensity exercise of short As the heart, lungs, and blood system can train harder and longer.
duration, such as weight lifting, relies get bigger and stronger, they can deliver Muscle glycogen reserves become
on the anaerobic pathway for adenosine more oxygen to the tissues. This allows progressively lower during exercise.
triphosphate (ATP is the fuel source used relatively more fat to be used at a given During long bouts of exercise, glycogen
directly by the muscles to power muscu- level of exercise intensity. The anaero- reserves may drop to critically low levels
lar contractions.) Under these conditions, bic threshold is the intensity of effort at - to the point of glycogen depletion (1).
only glucose can be used as fuel (1). which lactic acid begins to accumulate The athlete then feels exhausted and must
Exercise of low to moderate intensity and is usually expressed as a percentage stop exercising or dramatically reduce the
(up to 60 percent of aerobic capacity) of aerobic capacity (1). Lactic acid is intensity. The point of muscular fatigue
can be fueled almost entirely aerobically produced from anaerobic metabolism of coincides with glycogen depletion (5).
(1). This means that carbohydrate, fat, glucose, so the anaerobic threshold is a This is separate from momentary muscu-
and amino acids can all be used as fuel measure of how well your body is trained lar failure at the end of a set which is due
for low intensity exercise. for aerobic energy production. Trained to lactic acid accumulation. Glycogen
Hormones are released into the athletes start to accumulate lactic acid reserves can also be depleted gradually
bloodstream during exercise, and these at about 70 percent of aerobic capacity, over a period of days if carbohydrate in-
promote fat mobilization and the use of while untrained individuals begin to take does not match that utilized during
fat for energy. At low to moderate inten- accumulate lactic acid in their blood at exercise. This feeling of fatigue from
sity exercise, fat and carbohydrate each about 50 percent aerobic capacity. failure of adequately replenish glycogen
supply about half of the energy (1). Furthermore, if aerobically trained reserves is often interpreted as overtrain-
Fat cannot be metabolized rapidly and untrained individuals exercise at the ing. In some cases, overtraining may
enough to meet the energy requirements relative intensity (the same % VO2max), be alleviated by increased carbohydrate
of intense exercise (above 70 percent the untrained individual will accumulate consumption. Not getting a good pump
aerobic capacity). Furthermore, it takes more lactic acid in the muscles and blood in the gym is a clue that you’re probably
more oxygen to burn fat than to burn than the trained individual (3). The dif- glycogen deficient.
carbohydrate (1,2). This makes carbo- ference would be even greater if exercise The amount of carbohydrates you
hydrate a better fuel choice for intense was performed at the same absolute take in affects your training intensity. A
effort, when oxygen supply is limited. oxygen requirement. This is explained in group of athletes consuming 300 to 350
For a given amount of oxygen, more part by decreased clearance of lactic acid grams of carbohydrate per day was seen
energy can be obtained from carbohy- through the liver by untrained individu- to become progressively more glycogen
drate than from fat. Muscle glycogen als (3) and also by more efficient aerobic depleted during successive days of train-
ing (6). After several days, these athletes athletes trying to further increase caloric 3. Nagle FJ, Bassett DR Jr. Energy
were unable to continue with heavy intake. Carbohydrate beverages are also Metabolism in Exercise. In; Nutrition in
training. In contrast, a diet providing useful during training and athletic com- Exercise and Sport, eds. Hickson, JF and
500 to 600 grams carbohydrate per day petitions to help maintain energy. The Wolinsky, I. CRC Press, 1989.
was seen to result in complete repletion best carb drinks contain slow-release
of glycogen reserves, and athletes on glucose polymers (dextrins) rather than 4. Sherman, W. Carbohydrates,
this diet were able to maintain a heavy simple sugars such as glucose, sucrose, muscle glycogen, and muscle glycogen
training schedule. or fructose. This is the formula contained supercompensation. In: Ergogenic Aids
Of course, these numbers are not in our Pro-Carb™ powder drink mix in Sport, ed. Williams, M. Human Kinet-
prescriptive. An individual athlete’s made from maltodextrin, a slow-releas- ics Publishers, 1983.
carbohydrate requirement depends on ing carbohydrate. To order Pro-Carb™,
his energy needs, which in turn depend simply call our toll-free orderline at 1- 5. Vander, Sherman, and Luciano,
on the type, intensity, duration, and fre- 800-344-3404. Human Physiology - The Mechanisms
quency of exercise. Endurance athletes of Body Function, p. 236. Published by
require the most energy and the most McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1980.
carbohydrates. The longer and harder 6. Costill DL, Bowers R, Branam G,
you train, the more carbohydrate calories REFERENCES Sparks K. Muscle glycogen utilization
you need. during prolonged exercise on succes-
Some athletes train so heavily that 1. Coleman,E. Carbohydrates: the sive days. J. Appl. Physiol. 31: 834-
they have trouble consuming enough master fuel. In: Sports Nutrition for the 838, 1977.
high carbohydrate foods to fuel their ac- 90’s, eds. Berning, JR and Stenn, SN.
tivities and replenish glycogen stores (1). Aspen Publishers, 1991.
Also, consuming a huge volume of food
can cause gastrointestinal distress, bloat- 2. Guyton, Textbook of Medical
ing, or discomfort, and is not conducive Physiology. Published by W.B. Saun-
to optimal exercise performance. ders, chapter 71, 1976.
Carbohydrate drinks are very
useful in this situation, as well as for
Carbohydrates: Ultimate Food Fuel, Part III

by John Parrillo
of calories) resulted in glycogen stores cle Amino Formula™) may help prevent
of 204 mmol/kg, which supported 170 any skeletal muscle protein catabolism.
minutes of high intensity exercise. This Bodybuilders who want to use gly-
experiment provides solid evidence that cogen supercompensation to pump up
a high carbohydrate diet is beneficial for their muscles during competition should
endurance performance. be aware that endurance training is the
Taking it a step further, it was found ultimate stimulus for increased muscle
that glycogen stores could be even further glycogen synthesis. (1). Endurance
increased by a supercompensation tech- training increases the activity of glyco-
nique. For three days, the athlete trains gen synthase, the enzyme responsible
as usual but consumes a low-carbohydrate for glycogen storage (1). Furthermore,
diet that completely depletes the glycogen the effect is specific for the muscles
reserves. Then, for the next three days, the used. Glycogen depletion and subse-
athlete rests and consumes a high-carbo- quent supercompensation is localized to
hydrate diet. During this recovery period, the muscles which are exercised (4). For
the body overcompensates and stores more example, endurance training legs will
glycogen than normal. When used before promote glycogen loading in legs but not
competition, this technique helps extend in arms. The endurance athlete practic-
The technique of glycogen super- endurance limits. ing glycogen loading should glycogen-
compensation (glycogen loading) allows A more moderate approach has also deplete using the same form of exercise
an athlete to nearly double the level of been developed which seems to work just as he will perform in competition. The
stored muscle glycogen (1). The greater as well (3). In this protocol, the athlete bodybuilder getting ready for a show
the pre-exercise glycogen content, the consumes a 50% carbohydrate diet for should train all major muscle groups to
greater the endurance potentionial (1). three days, while training hard. For the the point of glycogen depletion for a few
The maximum amount of carbohydrate next two days, carbohydrate intake is in-
which can be stored by the body is re- creased to 70% of calories, and exercise If you supply your body
ported to be 600 grams (1), although this time is decreased to 20 minutes. On the
probably varies according to the individu- last day before competition, the athlete with a given amount of car-
al’s amount of muscle mass. Presumably, rests and consumes a high-carbohydrate bohydrate as either com-
more muscular athletes have the ability to diet. This experiment demonstrated that plex carbs or simple sug-
store more glycogen and thus would be it’s not necessaryto totally deplete gly-
expected to have more endurance. cogen reserves for supercompensation ars, both will help replenish
In 1967, a classic study was per- to occur. glycogen stores, but more
formed to examine the effects of carbo- Bodybuilders should probably not
hydrate intake on glycogen levels and strive to totally deplete their glycogen
of the simple sugars will be
endurance (2). Endurance was measured reserves because at that point it’s very converted to fat.
by exercise time to exhaustion at VO- easy to lose muscle. As a general guide-
2max (75% maximal aerobic capacity). line, we suggest while de-carbing that
A direct relationship was found between you adjust your carbohydrate intake so days before carb loading. A good way
carbohydrate content of the diet and that you lose your pump about three- to gauge this is to train to fatigue using
endurance time. A low carbohydrate fourths of the way through the workout. high rep sets until you lose your pump.
diet (5% of calories) provided muscle For most bodybuilders, this turns out to Then, for the last two or three days be-
glycogen stores of 38 mmol/kg, which be between 100 and 300 grams of carbs fore the show, taper down your activity
sustained one hour of exercise. A moder- per day - an amount sufficient to stimu- and increase your carbohydrate intake.
ate carbohydrate diet (50% of calories) late glycogen supercompensation without Details are described in the The Parrillo
resulted in glycogen levels of 106 mmol/ causing a loss of lean body mass. Also, Performance Nutrition Program.
kg, which sustained 115 minutes of ex- supplementation with branched chain Starchy carbohydrates (complex
ercise. The high carbohydrate diet (82% amino acids (Parrillo Performance Mus- carbs) such as brown rice, potatoes, yams
and grains seem to be more effective in and assimilation of carbohydrate calories to 600 grams of carbs per day (4). Ath-
replenishing glycogen stores than simples in liquid form. Also, subjects in the letes who train every day generally need
sugars (5). In one study, after a 48-hour maltodextrin group reported less gastro- 500-600 grams of carbohydrate per day
recovery period following glycogen-de- intestinal discomfort. to maintain glycogen reserves (1). As
pleting exercise, starch resulted in greater Carbohydrate feeding during exer- mentioned, the body has the ability to
muscle glycogen synthesis than did glu- cise events lasting longer than 90 minutes store about 600 grams of carbohydrate,
cose. Other studies, however, have failed may increase endurance by providing and carbs consumed in excess of this will
to reproduce this observation. glucose to muscles after their glycogen probably not result in proportionately
It seems reasonable to expect that stores have been diminished (1). Parrillo greater glycogen storage (4). Of course,
complex carbs would do a better job Performance Pro-Carb™ is ideal for this, individual requirements vary, depending
of replenishing glycogen stores because since it provides glucose as maltodex- on lean body mass, basal metabolic rate
they are released into the bloodstream trin—a slow release glucose polymer. and activity level.
more slowly. This slow release maintains Maltodextrin beverages like Pro-Carb™ It is important to consume carbo-
elevation of insulin, and insulin in turn have been demonstrated to increase blood hydrate immediately after exercise in
stimulates glycogen synthase (4). glucose levels during exercise and to in- order to maximize glycogen storage (1,
Simple sugars are released more rap- crease exercise time to exhaustion (7, 9). When consuming carbohydrates after
idly, potentially overwhelming the gly- 8). Dehydration and glycogen depletion exercise, muscle glycogen stores are re-
cogen synthesis pathways. Furthermore, can both compromise athletic perfor- plenished first (4). Next, liver glycogen
the increased insulin release resulting mance, so Pro-Carb™ drinks are perfect is replaced. After muscle and liver gly-
from simple sugars causes some of the for endurance athletes and hard training cogen stores are full, additional carbohy-
sugar to be stored as fat. If you supply bodybuilders. drates will be stored as fat (4).
your body with a given amount of carbo- After the muscles deplete their gly- It has been shown that glycogen
hydrate as either complex carbs or simple cogen stores they begin to use more supercompensation increases endurance
sugars, both will help replenish glycogen blood glucose for energy. The liver has time of runners and cyclists (4). Athletes
stores, but more of the simple sugar will its own glycogen stores and can also finish best times when they begin with
be converted to fat. For this reason, our synthesize glucose from amino acids in full glycogen stores (4). Glycogen load-
program recommends that bodybuilders a process known as gluconeogenesis. ing does not improve speed at the begin-
use complex carbs to minimize any “spill While the glycogen stored in the liver ning of a race but rather allows the athlete
over” of carbs into fat stores. can be mobilized and released into the to maintain the same pace longer before
One study has been performed to in- bloodstream, glycogen stored in a slowing down (1, 4). In other words, it
vestigate the effectiveness of a maltodex- muscle is used only by that muscle and improves endurance but not speed.
trin beverage for glycogen supercompen- cannot provide glucose for the blood (2). As most athletes aren’t hungry right
sation (6). Muscle glycogen was mea- After liver glycogen is depleted, blood after training, this is the ideal time for
sured by biopsy and endurance was mea- glucose drops and central nervous system a Pro-Carb™ drink. The Pro-Carb™
sured by run time to exhaustion at 75% symptoms of hypoglycemia (dizziness, Formula is perfect for endurance athletes
VO2max. Subjects glycogen-depleted nausea, fatigue) develop, in addition to and bodybuilders who constantly push
by consuming a 20% carbohydrate diet local muscular failure (1). Carbohydrate themselves to the glycogen depletion
for three days while continuing to train. supplementation during exercise increas- limit during extended training. Drinking
During the next three days, the subjects es endurance by helping to maintain Pro-Carb™, containing maltodextrin, is
ran less and consumed a 90% carbohy- blood glucose, which provides fuel for a great way to get your body the carbo-
drate diet to replenish glycogen stores. the muscles and the central nervous sys- hydrates it needs to replenish its glyco-
During the glycogen loading phase, one tem (1). Experiments with cyclists have gen stores following extended periods of
group received carbs from rice and pasta demonstrated that carbohydrate feeding training. Pro-Carb™ can also be taken
and another group received a maltodex- during exercise can increase endurance during workouts to supply the added
trin beverage. The 90% rice-pasta diet by 30-60 minutes (1). carbohydrates needed to maintain a high
resulted in lower muscle glycogen levels Replenishing depleted glycogen energy level during intense workouts.
than did the 90% maltodextrin diet. Total stores is essential to prevent fatigue as-
endurance times for the two groups fol- sociated with repeated days of heavy REFERENCES
lowing the 90% carbohydrate diets were training (1, 4). Of course, adequate car-
essentially identical. The authors suggest bohydrate intake is required to maintain 1. Coleman, E. Carbohydrates: the
that the greater glycogen loading in the glycogen stores. In general, the amount master fuel. In: Sports Nutrition for the
group receiving the maltodextrin supple- of glycogen stored is proportional to 90s, eds. Berning, JR and Stenn, SN. As-
ment may be a result of better absorption carbohydrate consumption, at least up pen Publishers, 1991.
2. Bergstrom J, Hermansen L, Hult-

man E, Saltin B. Diet, muscle glycogen
and physical performance. Acta Physiol.
Scand. 71: 140-150, 1967.
3. Sherman WM, Coastal DJ, Fink

WJ, Miller JM. Effect of exercise-diet
manipulation on muscle glycogen super-
compensation and its subsequent utiliza-
tion during performance. Int. J. Sports
Med. 2: 114-118, 1981.
4. Sherman, W. Carbohydrates,
muscle glycogen, and muscle glycogen
supercompensation. In: Ergogenic Aids
in Sports, ed. Williams, M. Human Ki-
netics Publishers, 1983.
5, Costill DL, Sherman WM, Fink

WJ, Witten MW, Miller JM. The role of
dietary carbohydrates in muscle glycogen
resynthesis after strenuous running. Am.
J. Clin. Nutr. 34: 1831-1836, 1981.
6. Lamb DR, Snyder AC, and Baur

TS. Muscle glycogen loading with a
liquid carbohydrate supplement. Int. J.
Sport Nutr. 1: 52-60, 1991.
7. Buskirk, ER and Puhl, S. Nu-

tritional beverages: exercise and sport.
In: Nutrition in Exercise and Sport, eds.
Hickson, JF and Wolinsky, I. CRC Press,
1989.
8. Snyder AC, Lamb DR, Baur T,
Connors D, and Brodowics G. Malto-
dextrin feeding immediately before pro-
longed cycling at 62% VO2max increas-
es time to exhaustion. Med. Sci. Sports
Exerc. 15: 126, 1983.
9. Ivy JL, Datz AL, Cutler CL, Sher-

man WM, Coyle EF. Muscle glycogen
synthesis after exercise: effect of time of
carbohydrate ingestion. J. Appl. Physiol..
64: 1480-1485. 1985.
Carbohydrate: Ultimate Food Fuel, Part IV

by John Parrillo
being used exclusively for energy (4). chain amino acids (BCAAs) leucine, iso-
Intermediate values of RQ indi- leucine and valine can be oxidized as
cates that a mixture both fuels are being fuel directly in the muscles (5). One
used. Using this sort of measurement study showed that as much as much as
during cycling exercise, research found 57 grams of protein — equivalent to the
that carbohydrate, when available, is the recommended daily allowance — could
body’s preferred fuel. Radioisotope stud- be burned as fuel during a 10-12 mile run
ies and muscle biopsy assessments of (6). Lemon and Mullen showed that dur-
energy stores before and after exercise ing a cycling effort lasting over an hour
have confirmed this finding (4). at 61% VO2max, 10.4% of the energy
In general, as intensity of exer- was derived from protein if the subjects
cise increases, the relative contribution of were in a glycogen-depleted state (7). In
carbohydrate as the fuel source increases a glycogen-loaded state, only 4.4% of
(1,2). Furthermore, a low-carbohydrate energy derived was from protein. This is
diet reduces exercise time to exhaustion another important reason why bodybuild-
(1). At rest, muscles rely mostly on fat ers need to ensure adequate carbohydrate
as their energy source (5). intake: Carbs have a protein-sparing ef-
During low intensity exercise (40-50% fect, meaning that if adequate carbs are
In carbohydrate metabolism, the VO2max) such as walking, the primary available, they will be used instead of
rate of glycogen utilization is directly metabolic fuel is fat, while muscle gly- protein. Obviously, bodybuilders want
proportional to the intensity of the ex- cogen degradation is minimal (1). As the their amino acids to be used for building
ercise (1). In other words, the faster the exercise intensity increases, more muscle protein, not as fuel.
body needs to produce energy, the more it glycogen is used as fuel. Moderate inten- Pro-Carb is the ultimate carbo-
relies on carbohydrates. This is because sity exercise (50-60% VO2max) is fueled hydrate supplement. Carbohydrates are
fat cannot be metabolized fast enough to by roughly equal amounts of fats and car- a great energy source for fueling athletic
meet the energy demands of high exer- bohydrates (2, 4). At 90-95% VO2max, activities and supporting weight gain.
cise. Furthermore, carbohydrates can be carbohydrate provides as much as 95% of
metabolized to produce energy anaerobi- the energy and the RQ approaches 1.0 (1,
cally (in the absence of oxygen) while fat 2, 4). Many athletes train at intensities
During aerobic metabo-
metabolism requires oxygen. Also, during above 70% VO2max which precludes the lism, it takes less oxygen
aerobic metabolism, it takes less oxygen use of fat as fuel. to burn carbss than fat.
to burn carbs than to burn fat. For a give Although high-intensity exercise
amount of oxygen, the body can produce burns more calories per hour, more of
This makes carbohydrate
more ATP from carbs than from fat. This those calories come from carbs. Low- a better fuel source dur-
makes carbohydrate a better fuel source intensity exercise is fueled mostly by fat, ing intense exercise when
during intense exercise when oxygen is a but doesn’t burn very many calories per
limiting factor.
oxygen is a limiting factor.
hour. One of the best exercises for losing
The respiratory quotient (RQ) is fat is running. Although running is high
the ratio of carbon dioxide produced to intensity and is fueled partially by carbs,
oxygen consumed. One liter of oxygen is it has the additional benefit of lowering Pro-Carb is ideal for carb loading, for use
able to produce 5 calories from carbohy- your set point — the amount of fat your during training and athletic competition
drates but only 4.7 calories from fat (2,3). body is programmed to store. and as a source of extra calories. Not
Since carbohydrates and fat require dif- When glycogen stores are limit- only is it high in carbohydrates, but a
ferent amounts of oxygen to burn, you ing, the body also draws on amino acids Pro-Carb drink also supplies water which
can tell from the respiratory quotient as fuel (4, 5). The liver can convert most is needed for glycogen storage. Liquid
what kind of fuel is being used by the amino acids into glucose in a process carbohydrate meals can be consumed
body. An RQ of 1.0 indicates carbs are called “gluconeogenesis.” The branched closer to competition than solid foods
because of their shorter gastric empty- cial sweeteners. One scoop provides 22 Wolinsky, I. CRC Press, 1989.
ing time (2). Liquid meals also produce grams of complex carbs, 4 grams of high
a low stool residue and thus minimize quality protein, with less than a gram of 5. Miller, GD and Massaro, EJ. Carbo-
intestinal bulk. Liquid meals are a good fat. Mixed with out Hi-Protein powder, hydrate in ultra-endurance performance.
way to get calories in without filling up it makes a balanced liquid meal. In: Nutrition in Exercise and Sports, eds.
your intestines. Pro-Carb is also an ex- Hickson, JF and Wolinsky, I. CRC Press,
cellent supplement to add extra calories References 1989
during heavy training. Pro-Carb utilizes
maltodextrin as its carbohydrate source. 1. Sherman, W. Carbohydrates, muscle 6. Dohm, GL, Williams, RT, Kasparek,
Maltodextrin is a complex carbohydrate glycogen, and muscle glycogen super- GJ and Van Rij, AM. Increased excretion
derived from starch with a low glycemic compensation. In: Ergogenic aids in of urea and N-methylhistidine by rats
index (ranging from 22 to 29), meaning sport, ed. Williams, M. Human Kinetics and humans after a bout of exercise. J
that it is released into the bloodstream Publishers, 1983 Appl Physiol: Respirat Environ Excerise
more slowly than simple sugars (glu- Physiol 52: 27, 1982.
cose has a glycemic index of 100). That 2. Coleman, E. Carbohydrates: the mas-
way, you don’t get a large insulin surge ter fuel. In: Sports Nutrition for the 90s, 7. Lemon, PWR and Mullen, JP. Effect
with subsequent hypoglycemia. Using eds. Berning, JR and Stenn, SN. Aspen of initial muscle glycogen levels on pro-
Pro-Carb, you get a more even ener- Publishers, 1991. tein catabolism during exercise. J Appl
gy level because the carbs are released 3. Guyton, Textbook of Medical Physiol- Physiol 48: 624-629, 1980.
slowly, minimizing the chance that any ogy. Published by W.B. Saunders, chap-
will “spill over” into fat stores. Malto- ter 71, 1976.
dextrin is a glucose polymer, making it
ideal for replenishing glycogen stores. 4. Nagle FJ, Basset, DR Jr. Energy
Pro-Carb mixes instantly and tastes great, Metabolism in Exercise. In: Nutrition in
and contains no simple sugars or artifi- Exercise and Sports, eds. Hickson, JF and
Supplementation For Ultimate Endurance Performance

by John Parrillo
liver via a process known as “gluconeo- durance. We suggest the product be used
genesis” (4,5). The so-called “branched consistently everyday, not just on days of
chain amino acids” (leucine, isoleucine endurance events.
and valine) seem to be especially pre- Perhaps the most crucial supplement
ferred as fuel substrates. In addi- for endurance athletes is our “Liver-Ami-
tion to being converted to glu- no Formula.” I cannot overemphasize the
cose in the liver, the amino importance of this product. What is en-
acids are unique in that they durance activity all about, anyway? It’s
can also be used directly about producing energy over an extended
as fuel by the muscles (5). period of time. Liver-Amino helps in at
These are the amino acids least three ways — by providing heme
included in our product iron, protein and B vitamins.
“Muscle Amino.” Muscle Energy production in the human body
Amino contains the balance requires two things: a fuel substrate and
of branched chain amino ac- oxygen (3,5). Many people build up the
ids science has shown most importance of carbohydrates in endur-
beneficial. ance performance — and rightfully so.
Parrillo Perfor-
Have you ever noticed Carbs are your body’s best fuel source
mance provides the
an ammonia smell in your for endurance activity (3,6,7). However,
best quality supplements
clothes after a hard workout? for those carbs to be used as fuel your
in the world. Period. We don’t
This is because your body was muscles require a constant supply of
cut any corners when it comes to nutri-
using some amino acids as fuel but was oxygen. Contrary to popular belief, it
tional support for our athletes. We want
not able to clear the waste products ef- is usually the rate of oxygen delivery to
you to get the most from your training,
ficiently. When this happens the carbon cells which limits energy production, not
and we want you to reach your goals.
skeleton of amino acids is burned, leav- the availability of glucose.
We’re here to help you win. In addition
ing ammonia as a byproduct. Ammonia As you know, it is the responsibil-
to our famous success with bodybuilders,
is quite toxic and is converted to urea ity of red blood cells to deliver oxy-
we also work with world class endurance
in a metabolic pathway called “the urea gen to all the working tissues of your
athletes. In this article I will describe
cycle,” which prepares it to be excreted body (4). What you may not know is
some of our best supplements for endur-
in the urine (4,5). The urea cycle requires that endurance training actually can de-
ance athletes, why they work and how to
certain chemical compounds called “as- stroy red blood cells rather than building
use them. Even if you’re not an endur-
partates,” (4,5) which are included in our them up — if your nutrition’s not right.
ance athlete and are just looking for more
“Max Endurance Formula.” We have Bodybuilders have long recognized that
energy, our approach to diet and supple-
developed this product specifically for strength training actually breaks down
mentation is sure to help. Finally, it’s
use during endurance activities. It works muscles and that this damage provides
also worth mentioning that many of the
by providing nutrients which are used by the stimulus for subsequent growth dur-
best bodybuilders also rely on our endur-
the body to detoxify the waste products ing the recovery period. To build more
ance supplements when they want to train
of protein catabolism. Max Endurance muscle, you have to provide the nutrients
longer and harder, and, more importantly,
helps filter out toxic waste products your muscles are made of. The same is true
recover faster and more completely.
body generates during intense training. for endurance training, except it’s the
Ultra-endurance activities are associ-
Eliminating these waste products helps blood system that takes a beating. And
ated with loss of lean body mass (1,2).
you have more energy and recover faster. if you want to recover and be stronger
Endurance activity causes loss of lean tis-
Ammonia is very toxic and will stop as a result of your workout, you have to
sue because as fat and carbohydrate fuels
energy production in the cell. Using the feed your body with the nutrients it needs
are exhausted the body draws on its own
aspartates in Max Endurance to “neutral- to make red blood cells. Have you ever
muscle tissue to use as fuel (3). Amino
ize” the ammonia as soon as it forms noticed that many endurance athletes are
acids can be converted to glucose in the
enables you to have more energy and en- very thin and don’t have much muscle
Supplementation For Ultimate Endurance Performance
is the body needs to build up its energy

producing systems inside muscle cells 3. Nagle FJ and Bassett DR Jr. En-
to adapt to the training stimulus. These ergy metabolism in exercise. Nutrition
energy producing systems are made of in Exercise and Sport, Hickson JF and
protein. And the easiest place for your Wolinsky I, Eds. p. 87-106. CRC Press,
muscle cells to find protein is to steal it 1989.
from red blood cells and plasma protein.
Couple this increased protein need 4. Guyton AC. Textbook of Medical
with the fact that endurance activity Physiology. W.B. Saunders, 1991.
causes amino acids to be used as fuel
substrates instead of as proteins, and you 5. Zubay G. Biochemistry . Addi-
can see why endurance athletes are fre- son-Wesley Publishing Company, 1983.
quently borderline anemic and why they
commonly experience muscle wasting. 6. Miller GD and Massaro EJ. Car-
Liver-Amino contains heme iron bohydrate in ultra-endurance perfor-
— the most bioavailable iron source (8). mance. Nutrition in Exercise and Sport,
(Refer to our article about Liver-Amino Hickson JF and Wolinsky I, Eds. p. 51-
for more information.) The product con- 62. CRC Press, 1989.
tains desiccated liver (not cooked), as
cooking can destroy the heme group and 7. Pate TD and Brunn JC. Fun-
decrease its incorporation in red blood damentals of carbohydrate metabolism.
cells by 50% (8). Liver-Amino formula Nutrition in Exercise and Sport, Hickson
also provides 1.5 grams of complete pro- JF and Wolinsky I, Eds. pg. 37-50. CRC
tein per tablet. Heme iron and protein are Press, 1989.
mass? Why is that? To understand why precisely the nutrients your body needs
this happens, and what to do about it, you to produce red blood cells. This way you 8. Scrimshaw NS. Iron Deficiency.
need to know a little about physiology can build your energy producing systems Scientific American, pg. 46-52, October,
and how the body adapts to endurance inside muscle cells and your blood sys- 1991.
training. tem all at the same time, without having
Endurance activity causes a condi- to sacrifice one for the other. Plus it’s 9. Sherman AR and Kramer B. Iron
tion referred to as “sports anemia” (8- a rich source of B vitamins, which are nutrition and exercise. Nutrition in Exer-
11). This occurs rapidly with the onset used in energy production. Start taking cise and Sport, Hickson JF and Wolinsky
of training (9,11). Endurance training the Liver-Amino (five to eight with each I, Eds. p. 291-308. CRC Press, 1989.
causes an increase in mitochondrial con- meal) when you’re training hard and
tent of the muscle tissue (mitochondria definitely at least six weeks before your 10. Shiraki K, Yamada T and Yo-
are the furnaces inside the cell where event, since it takes that long to build up shimura H. Relation of protein nutri-
fuels are burned — the more energy red blood cells. tion to the reduction of red blood cells
you produce the more mitochondria you Next month we’ll examine several induced by physical training. Japanese J.
need), in myoglobin concentration (a pro- supplements that can be used in an endur- Physiol. 27: 413-421, 1977.
tein like hemoglobin, which is involved in ance program for ultimate performance.
transporting oxygen inside muscle cells), 11. Yoshimura H, Inoue T, Yamada
and in cytochrome enzymes (enzymes T and Shiraki K. Anemia during hard
of the electron transport chain, involved References physical training (sports anemia) and its
in aerobic energy production) (12). All causal mechanism with special reference
of these are protein structures which 1. Friedman JE and Lemon PWR. to protein nutrition. World Rev. Nutr.
are increased as an adaptive response to Effect of chronic endurance exercise on Diet. 35: 1-86, 1980.
endurance training. To achieve this in- retention of dietary protein. Int. J. Sports
crease, the body draws on its erythrocytes Med. 10: 118-123, 1989. 12. Haymes. Proteins, Vitamins,
(red blood cells), hemoglobin and plasma and Iron. Ergogenic Aids in Sport; ed.
proteins as a source of protein (10-12). 2. Hickson JF and Wolinsky I. Hu- Williams. Human Kinetics Publishers;
This is an example of the “plasticity’” of man protein intake and metabolism in 1983; p 27-55.
the body — the body remodeling its own exercise and sports. Nutrition in Exercise
structures to adapt to changing condi- and Sport, Hickson JF and Wolinsky I,
tions. In other words, what’s happening Eds. p. 5-36. CRC Press, 1989.
Supplementation For Ultimate Endurance Performance, Part II

by John Parrillo
Endurance athletes experience in- der, CapTri and the Parrillo Supplement
creased need for protein (1-4). Most Bar.
people are surprised to learn that studies Carbohydrate is the body’s preferred
actually show endurance athletes have energy source (6,7) and Pro-Carb is the
even higher protein requirements than world’s most sophisticated carbohydrate
most strength athletes (1,2). This is powder. The carbohydrate is supplied
due to the fact that the amino acids (the as maltodextrin, a complex carbohydrate
building blocks of protein) are used as from corn. Maltodextrin has been found
fuel during endurance training (1,5). I to be the ideal carbohydrate source for
suggest that you consume at least one replenishing glycogen reserves. It is
gram of complete protein per pound of digested and absorbed more rapidly than
bodyweight—1.5 grams would be even conventional carbs from food, but not
better—from chicken, fish, turkey or egg so fast that it causes an over-release of
whites each day with at least another .25 insulin and subsequent hypoglycemia.
or .5 gram of additional protein per pound Maltodextrin provides a much more uni-
of bodyweight coming from incomplete form energy level than do simple sugars.
vegetable sources. This leads directly Refer to our recent series about carbohy-
to our “Hi-Protein Powder.” Calorie for drates and athletic performance for more
calorie, this protein powder is the highest detailed information about Pro-Carb. ple don’t understand is that some of the
quality protein food available anywhere. CapTri is a special kind of fat known energy from CapTri is converted in the
It contains exactly the balance of amino as a medium chain triglyceride (8-10). liver to ketone bodies, which are used as
acids your body needs to build proteins, CapTri provides twice the energy density fuel by the muscles (9,11). The efficiency
including muscle, red blood cells and the of protein and carbohydrate (8.3 calories of utilization of ketones as fuel substrates
energy producing systems mentioned. per gram for CapTri versus 4 calories per by peripheral tissues improves as the
Now we can turn our attention to fuel gram for carbs and protein) and is ab- body adapts to CapTri. In other words,
for optimum endurance performance. sorbed into the bloodstream as rapidly as your body gets better at using CapTri as it
We have developed three high-energy glucose (8-10). CapTri is preferentially gets used to it. Thus, using it consistently
supplements to help meet the needs of se- used as fuel for energy, instead of be- will allow you to get more out of it when
rious endurance athletes: Pro-Carb Pow- ing stored as fat by the body (9). As an you really need it. Also, these same
added benefit, CapTri has a thermogenic ketone bodies produced by CapTri help
effect, which means that it is converted prevent the use of amino acids as fuel
to energy very rapidly (9). CapTri is an (11). that way, your aminos get used as
extremely concentrated source of calories protein instead of being burned as energy.
which are rapidly absorbed and metabo- CapTri also decreases catabolism of skel-
lized for energy by the human body. We etal muscle protein (9,11), This is why
think of CapTri as human jet fuel. Start CapTri is effective in reducing the loss of
with 1/2 tablespoon at every meal. After lean body mass commonly experienced
a few days, increase to one tablespoon by endurance athletes.
with each meal. During hard training, The Parrillo Supplement Bar is the
many athletes go as high as two or three endurance athlete’s dream. It is a combi-
tablespoons per meal—a level they have nation of everything — protein, carbs and
found to be beneficial. Continue to use CapTri — in just the right ratio for opti-
CapTri up to and during your endurance mum energy production. Energy-dense,
competition. You cannot store the energy ready to eat and great tasting. The Bar is
from CapTri, so you need to use it at each very popular with cyclists and hikers and
meal. bodybuilders eat them between meals for
Another key point which many peo- extra calories.
Supplementation For Ultimate Endurance Performance, Part II
your nutrient level reserves. This is espe- Press, 1989.

cially true for Liver-Amino, since it takes
about six weeks to build red blood cells. 8. Babayan VK. Medium chain tri-
We get better results if the nutrition and glycerides and structured lipids. Lipids
supplements regimen is followed daily, 22: 417-420, 1987.
not just around competition time. Con-
sistency and dedication make the differ- 9. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Me-
ence between champions and recreational dium chain triglycerides: an update. Am.
athletes, and that applies to nutrition and J. Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
supplementation as well as to training.
P.S. Don’t forget your Essential Vi- 10. Record, Kolpeck and Rapp.
tamin Formula and Mineral-Electrolyte Long chain versus medium chain triglyc-
Formula, both of which can be doubled erides — a review of the metabolism and
when in hard training. clinical use. Nutr. Clin. Prac. 1: 129-
136, 1986.
References
11. Haymond MW, Nissen SL and
1. Hickson JF and Wolinsky I. Hu- Miles JM. Effects of ketone bodies on
man protein intake and metabolism in leucine and analine metabolism in nor-
exercise and sports. Nutrition in Exercise mal man. Amino Acids — Metabolism
and Sport, Hickson JF and Wolinsky I, and Medical Applications, Blackburn
Eds. p. 5-36. CRC Press, 1989. GL, Grant JP and Young VR, Eds. pg
89-95. Published by John Wright PSG
2. Houck J an Slavin J. Protein nu- Inc., 1983.
To sum up, Parrillo Performance has trition for the athlete. Sports Nutrition for
developed a unique and powerful line of the 90s, Berning JR and Steen SN, Eds. p
nutritional supplements for endurance 1-14. Aspen Publishers, 1991.
athletes and anyone who wants more
energy, strength and stamina. I suggest 3. Lemon PWR. Influence of di-
you start with the Liver-Amino For- etary protein and total energy intake on
mula, since it provides protein and heme strength improvement. Sports Sci. Exch.
iron — the precise nutrients your body 2, 1989.
needs to build muscle, red blood cells
and energy producing systems. Where 4. Lemon PWR. Protein and Amino
to go from there is a highly individual Acid Needs of the Strength Athlete. J.
matter. If you’re not getting enough Sports Nutr. 1: 127-145, 1991.
protein from conventional sources, the
Hi-Protein Powder is probably the next 5. Friedman JE and Lemon PWR.
thing to add. If you need more calories, Effect of chronic endurance exercise on
go with Pro-Carb, CapTri or the Supple- retention of dietary protein. Int. J. Sports
ment Bar. The Supplement Bar is a nice Med. 10: 118-123, 1989.
choice because you get protein, carbs and
CapTri all in one. If you’re training on 6. Miller GD and Massaro EJ. Car-
the edge and want to explore the limits bohydrate in ultra-endurance perfor-
of your potential, add in Max Endurance mance. Nutrition in Exercise and Sport,
Formula and Muscle Amino. Feel free to Hickson JF and Wolinsky I, Eds. p. 51-
call or write and we’ll help you work out 62. CRC Press, 1989.
your individualized program.
In general, I suggest you begin us- 7. Pate TD and Brunn JC. Fun-
ing endurance supplements when training damentals of carbohydrate metabolism.
hard and definitely for at least three to Nutrition in Exercise and Sport, Hickson
six weeks before your event to build up JF and Wolinsky I, Eds. pg. 37-50. CRC
Muscularity & Mass: Optimize Your Hormonal Response

Through Diet
by John Parrillo
If you’ve been reading my articles from the all parts of the body (the periph- on the cells that produce them and are
consistently over the last couple of years, eral nervous system). The nervous sys- called “autocrine” hormones. Hormones
by now you have a better understand- tem works by transmitting information can also be classified according to their
ing of biochemistry and sports nutrition. in the form of electrical signals (nerve chemical structure. Examples include
I’ve covered the metabolism of proteins, impulses). the steroid hormones (which are made
carbohydrates, fat and medium chain The endocrine system consists of of fat molecules resembling cholesterol),
triglycerides in detail, explaining how to several organs in the body, including protein hormones, peptide hormones and
use each for maximum results. At Par- the pituitary gland, the thyroid gland, amino acid derivatives. Testosterone is a
rillo Performance, we never lose sight of the parathyroid glands, the pancreas, the steroid hormone while insulin and growth
the fact that results are the bottom line. adrenal glands, the testes or ovaries and hormone are protein hormones.
What sets us apart is not just the superior the kidneys. The endocrine system trans- The nervous system acts to con-
quality of our products but also that we mits information in the form of chemical trol actions that require a fast response
teach you how to get the best results. messages. (When parts of your body talk time: movement, perception of the world
People who follow the Parrillo Program to each other using the nervous system, around you, rapid adjustment of heart
invariably get better results than they it’s like making a phone call, and when rate and breathing rate in response to
ever thought possible. they use the endocrine system, it’s more exercise and behavior in general. The
In this series, we’re going to look like sending letters.) The chemical mes- endocrine system controls processes that
a little deeper into how all the nutrients sages sent by the endocrine system are occur over a longer period of time, such
that we’ve discussed come together in called “hormones.” Testosterone, growth as fuel metabolism and growth (Making
the body to produce results. You know hormone and insulin are examples of a phone call is faster than writing a let-
that getting ultimate results requires an hormones everyone knows about. These ter.) Notably, the nervous system and the
intense training program and consistently hormones have a profound effect on endocrine system do not function sepa-
perfect nutrition. But why does it work whether the food you eat ends up as rately. They are tied together by a part of
and how does it work? Obviously, all
the energy used by your body and all the Hormones have a profound effect on whether the food
matter that makes up your body ultimate-
ly comes from food. For our purposes, you eat ends up as muscle or fat. Your diet and ex-
it is convenient to consider the body ercise habits, in turn, have a profound effect on these
as being divided into fat compartment hormones.
and lean compartment. What determines
whether the food you eat goes to the fat
compartment, the lean compartment, or muscle or fat. Your diet and exercise the brain called the hypothalamus. This
simply gets burned for energy? How can habits, in turn, have a profound effect on is the main way the two systems commu-
you control this? This is the subject of these hormones. (Are you starting to get nicate to each other to ensure coordinated
this series of articles. interested in physiology now?) control of the body. The hypothalamus is
The branch of science that explains Hormones can be classified in sev- located on the bottom surface of the brain
how the body works and how it is con- eral ways (1,2). One way is by their roughly in the middle, and the pituitary
trolled is called “physiology.” This sci- mode of release. the classical hormones, gland is connected to it. Together, the
ence merges beautifully with biochemis- for example, are released into the blood- hypothalamus and the pituitary are con-
try to explain how you can control nutri- stream and are carried throughout the sidered to be the master endocrine gland
ent partitioning into the fat compartment body. These are called “endocrine” or of the body, controlling the function of all
or the lean compartment. So, let’s talk a “telecrine” hormones. Other hormones other endocrine glands.
little bit about physiology. are not released into the blood but rather The endocrine system is chiefly re-
The two master control systems of into the space between tissues (the in- sponsible for nutrient partitioning into the
the body are the nervous system and the terstitial space) and thus exert their ef- fat or lean compartments (1,2). This sys-
endocrine system (1,2). The nervous fect only on nearby tissues. These are tem deals with fuel metabolism, energy
system consists of the brain, the spinal called “paracrine” hormones. Finally, production, energy storage and growth.
cord (the central nervous system) and the some hormones exert their effect only And this means control of growth of both
nerves that transmit information to and
Muscularity & Mass: Optimize Your Hormonal Response
Through Diet
glucagon, testosterone, trying to gain weight, you want a little
growth hormone and in- more insulin so you eat a little more car-
sulin-like growth factor bohydrate. When you’re trying to lose
(IGF). And guess what? fat you want to decrease insulin levels
We can teach you how to and increase glucagon. To do this you
control all of them through adjust your ratio of carbs to protein down
diet and exercise. In ad- a little. You’ll see this is exactly how our
dition to explaining the Nutrition Program and Pre-Contest Diets
control of these hormones, are set up.
we will also talk about The Parrillo System was designed
prostaglandins, an impor- to help your body work naturally at peak
tant class of hormones efficiency to become a muscle-building,
involved in regulation of fat-burning machine. You want results?
blood pressure, blood clot- Follow the Program.
ting, inflammation, growth
hormone release and many References
other processes (3). You
can control your levels of 1. Guyton AC. Textbook of Medical
prostaglandins through Physiology. W.B. Saunders, 1991.
muscle stores and fat stores. Therefore,
diet, and this in turn can also have a big
the endocrine system will be the focus of 2. Johnson, LR. Essential Medical
effect on growth hormone release (4,5).
our attention for the next few bulletins. Physiology. Raven Press, New York,
We’re also going to talk about the ways
Remember, the endocrine system is 1992.
nutrients directly effect enzymes inside
the control system of metabolism and
cells to influence the rate of fat storage
growth, and it issues its orders in the 3. Linder MC. Nutritional Bio-
and fat loss.
form of hormones. These hormones chemistry and Metabolism with Clinical
The first thing to do is to take your
are released from the various endocrine Applications. Elsevier Science Publish-
Parrillo Performance Nutrition Program
glands and are carried to all the tissues of ing Company, New York, 1991.
off the shelf and take another look at it.
the body by the bloodstream. There they
That diet didn’t fall together by accident.
bind to special molecules on cells called 4. Hertelendy F, Todd H, Ehrhart K,
You will see that it was developed with
“hormone receptors” that interpret the and Blute R. Studies on growth hormone
all of this knowledge of biochemistry
signal being sent by the hormone and tell secretion IV. In vivo effects of prosta-
and physiology in mind. And it works.
the cell what to do. The transmissions glandin E1. Prostaglandins 2: 79-91,
Over many years of working with the top
sent by the hormones are messages like 1972.
bodybuilders we found that this approach
“build muscle protein,” “store fat,” “burn
simply works the best. As you will see
fat,” “store carbohydrates,” “burn carbo- 5. Hertelendy F and Keay l. Studies
in the next bulletin, one of the most im-
hydrates,” and so on. on growth hormone secretion VI. Effects
portant factors in determining nutrient
Once these signals are received by of dibutyrl cyclic AMP, prostaglandin
partitioning is your ratio of insulin to
the body, the biochemical work of obey- E1, and indomethacin on growth and
glucagon (6). The ratio of these two hor-
ing the command sent by the endocrine hormone secretion by pituitary tumor
mones produced by the pancreas largely
system is carried out by enzymes. En- cells in culture. Prostaglandins 6: 217-
determines whether you will gain fat or
zymes are special protein molecules that 225, 1974.
lose fat. This ratio also starts a cascade
control the rates of chemical reactions
of events which regulates the balance
going on inside cells. By these reactions, 6. de Castro JM, Paullin SK, and
of prostaglandins your body produces,
the enzymes can make or degrade proteins DeLugas GM. Insulin and glucagon as
which in turn has a big effect on growth
and fat. This is how your body composi- determinants of body weight set point
hormone release. And growth hormone
tion is regulated. While some hormones and microregulation in rats. J. Comp.
has a profound effect on muscle growth
work by controlling enzymes, other work Physiol. Psychol. 92: 571-579, 1978.
and fat loss. It all flows together.
by directly activating certain genes in the
Your body’s ratio or insulin to glu-
nucleus. Testosterone is an example of 7. Westphal SA, Gannon MC, and
cagon is determined solely by the ratio
such a hormone, which activates genes Nuttall FQ. Metabolic response to glu-
of protein to carbohydrate in your diet.
involved in protein synthesis. cose ingested with various amounts of
Generally, you want to consume about
The main hormones involved in protein. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 52: 267-272,
1.5 times as many calories from car-
muscle growth and fat loss are insulin, 1990.
bohydrate as protein (7). When you’re
The Insulin-Glucagon Axis and the Control of Nutrient Partitioning

by John Parrillo
In Part I of this series we began our seems to be as important as its caloric together represent the master endocrine
discussion of endocrine physiology. I content in determining whether or not it gland of the body, controlling all of your
explained that hormones play a central will make you fat (1). If your metabolic hormonal responses.) It works like a “fat
role in nutrient partitioning. But what is rate is around 2,000 calories a day, two thermostat” by controlling your hunger
nutrient partitioning? This is the process thousand calories from pizza will tend level and your body’s metabolic rate (its
of determining whether the food you to make you fat. But 2,000 calories from rate of energy expenditure). These effects
eat ends up as muscle or fat or just gets chicken, rice and broccoli will tend to are mediated by the nervous system and
burned for energy. The hormones chiefly make you lean. Why? Because differ- by hormones and enzymes involved in fat
responsible for this are insulin, gluca- ent foods have different effects on your metabolism. If you want to change your
gon, growth hormone, thyroid hormone, body’s hormones which control energy body weight, or your body composition,
cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline). In usage and fat storage. you have to change the set point. The
addition, testosterone, aldosterone and 4. Over 90% of people who lose ratio of insulin to glucagon is perhaps
prostaglandin E1 may also play a role. If weight by caloric restriction return to the most important determinant of the
this sounds more like a boring medical their original weight within two years set point (2) and we’ll teach you how to
lecture than an article about bodybuild- (1). This is because there is a weight control it in this article.
ing, consider the following: regulating center in your hypothalamus 5. We all know examples of over-
1. Muscle growth and fat loss are which tries to maintain a constant body weight people who starve themselves on
controlled almost entirely by these hor- weight. (Remember from last month that 1,000 calorie a day, only to remain fat.
mones. (Have I got your attention now?) the hypothalamus and pituitary gland We also know that some bodybuilders
You’re probably asking yourself, “But eat 6,000 to 8,000 calories a day and are
I thought this was determined by diet extremely lean and muscular. How can
and exercise?” Yes, diet and exercise this be? Obese people are very rarely
do determine muscle growth and fat overweight because they overeat, but
loss, but these effects are mediated by rather because the way they eat and their
hormones. Your diet and exercise habits lack of exercise raise the set point and act
set up a “hormonal environment” inside to channel calories to fat stores (1). The
your body which determines if nutrients bodybuilders have learned how to chan-
will be stored in the lean compartment or nel their calories to the lean compartment
the fat compartment. This is how nutri- and to minimize fat stores.
ent partitioning works. Does this mean This is what nutrient partitioning is
that if someone injects growth hormone all about. At Parrillo Performance we’ve
and insulin he can get lean and muscular been teaching people how to do it for
without having to exercise? No, it doesn’t years. (We were doing it before it was
work that way. Exercise is still required, in, as they say.) We’ve had great suc-
for reasons we’ll explain in Part III of cess helping amateur and professional
this series. bodybuilders climb the ranks, and non-
2. If two groups of rats are fed and bodybuilders all over the country have
exercised the same, they weigh the same, used the same approach to lose weight
just as you would expect. If one group is permanently.
injected with insulin, however, that group So how do you get control of your
becomes very fat (1,2). Furthermore, if The Pancreas is one of the most im- hormones and use this information to be
another group is injected with glucagon, portant organs in the body because a better bodybuilder? By careful control
those rats lose weight [fat] (2). These it is responsible for secreting the of your diet and exercise habits. The most
hormones, insulin and glucagon, are per- important hormones involved in muscle
haps the most important factors in deter-
hormones insulin and glucagon,
growth are growth hormone (whose ef-
mining body composition. the primary regulators of blood fect is largely mediated by the paracrine
3. The composition of your diet (the sugar levels in the body. hormone IGF1), insulin and testosterone
amount of protein, carbohydrate and fat) (3). The most important hormones in fat
loss are insulin (lack of insulin, that is), before (because of insulin over-release). blood sugar levels drop. Glucagon has
epinephrine, growth hormone, glucagon, This is why the rate of digestion of the effect of reducing glucose for energy
thyroid hormone and cortisol (3). Most your meals is important. On the Parrillo and stimulating breakdown of body fat
of these can be controlled by diet and ex- diet you stay away from foods containing and the use of fat for energy. Glucagon
ercise and will fall within optimal levels simple sugars (sweets, fruit, dairy prod- also stimulates the glycogen breakdown.
if you follow our nutrition and training ucts) and refined carbohydrates (bread The net result of glucagon is to raise the
guidelines. and pasta) because these are released glucose levels back to normal and to sig-
The best place to start in explain- into the bloodstream too fast, causing nal the body to begin using fat for energy
ing these hormones is with insulin and too much insulin to be released. This since it’s running low on carbs. This is
glucagon. As mentioned earlier, these channels calories to fat stores—the oppo- how the insulin-glucagon axis acts to
hormones are among the most potent site nutrient partitioning we want. These regulate blood sugar levels. Insulin de-
determiners of fat storage and fat loss. foods also have the effect of raising the creases blood sugar by moving glucose
Luckily for us, the levels of these hor- set point—the amount of fat your hypo- into the cells, stimulating glucose burn-
mones are entirely determined by diet, so thalamus programs your body to store ing for energy and increasing glycogen
we can control them by carefully regulat- (1). storage. Glucagon acts to increase blood
ing what we eat. Insulin and glucagon Combining protein and fibrous carbs glucose levels by stimulating glycogen
are both produced by the pancreas, but with your starches, and avoiding simple breakdown, stimulating glucose synthe-
have exactly opposite effects. Their chief and refined carbohydrates, slows the resis (by a process know as gluconeogen-
concern is the regulation of blood sugar lease of glucose into the bloodstream esis) and by shifting the metabolism from
(glucose) levels. Your brain requires a resulting in a lower, but longer, insulin carb-burning to fat-burning.
constant supply of glucose for fuel, so release. This gives you a uniform en- This is why you have to eat relatively
the blood glucose level is tightly regu- ergy level and channels calories toward more carbohydrates during the growth
lated to make sure the brain never runs muscle and away from fat. season and reduce carbs during the pre-
out of gas. In summary, the most important role contest diet. Insulin is an anabolic hor-
When you eat carbohydrates they of insulin is to regulate blood glucose mone, acting to stimulate growth. Glu-
are digested and absorbed by the small cagon acts to stimulate fat loss.
intestine and transported directly to the The insulin to glucagon ratio
liver via the portal vein. Essentially, all Combining protein and fibrous is determined entirely by the
of the carbohydrate you eat is converted carbs with your starches, and ratio of carbohydrate to protein
to glucose by the liver before being
released into the bloodstream. After a
avoiding simple and refined car- in your diet (3,4), so you can
control it exactly. The insulin:
meal your blood glucose level rises as bohydrates, slows the release glucagon ratio is believed to be
carbohydrates are released. This rise in of glucose into the bloodstream one of the most important fac-
blood sugar triggers a release of insulin
from the pancreas. Insulin is required to
resulting in a lower, but longer, tors (if not the most important
factor) in determining your set
help move glucose into cells by a process insulin release. This gives you a point (2). The precise levels
called “facilitate diffusion.” Once inside uniform energy level and chan- of protein and carbohydrate to
cells, the glucose is burned for energy or
stored as glycogen. Everything is fine so nels calories toward muscle and eat in order to optimize these
hormones to maximize muscle
far. The problem arises when carbohy- away from fat. growth or fat loss are described
drates are released into the bloodstream in detail in the Parrillo Perfor-
too fast. This causes too much insulin to mance Nutrition Manual. First,
be released. When insulin levels get too levels. It does this by moving glucose you want to meet your protein require-
high, some of the carbohydrate is con- into cells after a meal. It also increases ment by eating 1.0 to 1.5 grams of protein
verted to fat instead of being stored as the use of glucose for energy and increas- per body of body weight per day. Next,
glycogen. Also, if insulin levels get too es glycogen stores. Too much insulin has limit fat calories to 5% of your total daily
high this actually causes too much sugar the effect of promoting fat storage. caloric intake. Last, make up the remain-
to be moved into cells. This results in Glucagon is another hormone secret- der of your calories with a combination
“hypoglycemia,” which means low blood ed by the pancreas, but it has the opposite of carbs and CapTri. For weight loss,
sugar. If your blood sugar is too low you effect of insulin. An increase in blood you generally want to limit carb:protein
feel very tired. Simple sugars cause your sugar triggers a release of insulin but ratio to 1.0:1.5 and use more CapTri. For
blood sugar level to spike, then paradoxi- inhibits glucagon release. Glucagon is muscle gain you will want to increase the
cally to decrease to a lower level than released several hours after a meal when carb:protein ratio as well as increasing
total calories. [For those of you technically in- esis and glycogenolysis, respectively.]
Of course, there is considerable bio- clined, this means that insulin increases [Regarding fat metabolism, insulin
chemical variation among individuals. the activity of glucokinase and phospho- acts to stimulate aceytl-CoA carboxylase
Hi-Protein Powder™ and Pro-Carb Pow- fructokinase, which increases glycolysis and lipoprotein lipase, the most impor-
der™ are very useful tools for dialing in (the first stage in the conversion of glu- tant enzymes regulating fat synthesis and
your own body’s optimal insulin:gluca- cose to energy). Insulin also decreases storage, respectively. Glucagon inhibits
gon ratio. To gain lean body mass, meet gluconeogenesis—the synthesis of glu- these same two enzymes. In addition,
your body’s protein requirement then cose from from amino acids. Insulin glucagon activates adenylate cyclase
slowly add in more Pro-Carb™ until you increases the activity of glycogen syn- which initiates a cascade of events result-
find the optimal caloric level and insulin thase, the key enzyme regulating glyco- ing in mobilization of fatty acids from fat
level for your body to gain lean mass. To gen synthesis, and inhibits phosphorylase stores. The fats are then transported to the
lose fat you want to decrease carbs while A, the enzyme responsible for glycogen muscles and used for energy.]
increasing protein and CapTri®. Hi-Pro- breakdown.] In summary, insulin acts to increase
tein™ and Pro-Carb™ are a convenient Glucagon has the opposite effects. enzymes involved in the conversion of
way for you to experiment and find These two hormones act to stabilize blood glucose synthesis, and to inhibit the en-
how to optimize your body’s hormonal zymes glucose and glycogen break-
responses. We’ve all had the experience These two hormones act down. Glucagon has the opposite ef-
of going to the trouble of weighing our fects. These two hormones act to
food and filling out our Diet Trac Sheets to stabilize blood sugar lev- stabilize blood sugar levels—insulin
only to find out the numbers don’t work els—insulin by decreasing by decreasing blood sugar and gluca-
out right and we have to do it all over blood sugar and glucagon gon by increasing blood sugar. These
again. Hi-Protein™ and Pro-Carb™ are effects are brought about by exerting
perfect for adjusting your dietary intake by increasing blood sugar. control over the enzymes regulating
from food to make your numbers work These effects are brought carbohydrate metabolism.
out right on your Diet Trac Sheets. about by exerting control By now you know that insulin
One last thing about insulin. In addi- is a powerful growth-promoting hor-
tion to it enhancing transport of glucose over the enzymes regulating mone —some people consider it the
inside cells, it is also required for trans- carbohydrate metabolism. most powerful anabolic hormone.
port of certain amino acids into cells. Does this mean we want to overeat
These include the branched chain amino carbohydrates or eat simple sugars
acids (3), and this is why it is important sugar levels—insulin by decreasing blood to get our insulin levels really high? No,
to take your Muscle-Amino Formula™ sugar and glucagon by increasing blood obviously not. Although insulin is abso-
with meals and not on an empty stomach. sugar. These effects are brought about lutely required for muscular growth since
It has been found that neither insulin by exerting control over the enzymes it transports certain amino acids inside
nor growth hormone alone is sufficient regulating carbohydrate metabolism. Re- cells, it is not very selective in its actions.
to stimulate growth—you have to have garding fat metabolism, insulin acts to It promotes growth of fat cells as well as
both of them together at the same time activate the two most important enzymes muscle cells (3,5). When insulin levels
(3). This at least partly due to the fact regulating fat synthesis and storage. Glu- get too high some of the carbs “spill
that these two hormones act to transport cagon inhibits these same two enzymes. over” into fat stores.
different sets of amino acids inside cells, In addition, glucagon initiates a cascade When dieting, do we want to go
and you need all of the amino acids pres- of events resulting in mobilization of on a zero-carb diet to minimize insulin
ent at the same time in order for growth fatty acids from fat stores. The fats are and maximize glucagon? No way. Un-
to occur (3). then transported to the muscles and used der these conditions muscle growth is
How do insulin and glucagon exert for energy. This is why this information is impossible because some of the amino
their effects over carbohydrate and fat important for bodybuilders. acids cannot get inside cells (3). How-
metabolism? By activating or inhibiting [Again, for those of you attuned to ever, your body continues to undergo a
the key regulatory enzymes which carry strict biological terminology, glucagon process called “obligatory protein loss,”
out these processes (5). Insulin acts to decreases phosphofructokinase and gly- which is the process of disposing of worn
increase enzymes involved in the conver- cogen synthase, which decrease glycoly- out proteins. (Proteins are the machinery
sion of glucose to energy and enzymes sis and glycogen synthesis, respectively. of the cell, and they get worn out like
carrying out glycogen synthesis, and to Glucagon also increases the activities any other machine.) This amounts to the
inhibit the enzymes of glucose synthesis of fructose-1,6-biphosphatase and phos- obligatory loss of proteins from the body
and glycogen breakdown. phorylase, which increases gluconeogen- at about the rate of 30 grams per day,
during starvation (3). When consuming a References

normal diet, these worn out proteins are 1. Remington DW, Fisher AG and
simply replaced, but this can’t happen if Parent EA. How to Lower your Fat
the amino acids can’t get inside cells. So Thermostat. Vitality House International,
if you want a sure way to lose lean mass, Provo, 1983.
go on a zero-carb diet. During a zero-carb
diet the body is in a very catabolic state, 2. de Castro JM, Paullin SK and
and breaks down proteins to supply ami- DeLugas GM. Insulin and glucagon as
no acids which are converted to glucose, determinants of body weight set point
which the brain requires for fuel. This and microregulation in rats. J. Comp.
makes the problem even worse. Physiol. Psychol. 92: 571-579, 1978.
Of course you want to adjust your
carb:protein ratio, but moderation is the 3. Guyton AC. Textbook of Medical
key. Going to extremes is asking for Physiology. WB Saunders, 1991.
disaster. People have actually died from
zero-carb diets even while getting plenty 4. Westphal, SA, Gannon MC and
of protein, because they lost so much Nuttall FQ. Metabolic response to glu-
protein from their heart muscle. In gen- cose ingested with various amounts of
eral, stick to the formula in the Nutrition protein. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 52: 267-272,
Manual, as outlined above. That will put 1990.
you real close to optimal. Experiment
with Hi-Protein™ and Pro-Carb™ to 5. Mathews CK and van Holde KE.
find the perfect ratio for you. Learning to Biochemistry. Benjamin/Cummings
control the insulin-glucagon axis is one Publishing Company, Redwood, 1990.
of the most important aspects of nutrient
partitioning, and it will take you a long
way toward a top physique.
Maximizing Anabolic Drive

by John Parrillo
In the previous bulletins we’ve been lower and more uniform insulin level, This month we’ll begin our discussion
discussing nutrient partitioning and di- which helps minimize any fat storage. of three other hormones that complete
etary strategies to channel nutrients to This is also why you should stay away the puzzle: growth hormone, testosterone
the lean compartment and not to fat from any products high in simple carbo- and epinephrine. Once you learn how to
stores. We saw that muscle gain and fat hydrates. These products elicit a rapid, control these hormones and add them to
loss are controlled largely by hormones large insulin release. Any time you empty your arsenal you’re likely to see the best
— chemical signals sent out by the en- a lot of carbohydrate calories into your gains in your life, and get more ripped
docrine glands which direct the body’s bloodstream very rapidly and have a high than you though possible. Now we’re
metabolism. We discussed the insulin- insulin level you will store those calories pulling out the big guns!
glucagon axis in detail and saw that it has as fat. High sugar products would be Epinephrine, more commonly known
a major influence in determining the set better called “fat optimizers.” The body to the layman as adrenaline, is the body’s
point in the hypothalamus — the weight can only build muscle so fast, but it has most powerful stimulus for fat break-
regulating center of the body that decides an unlimited ability to store fat. Muscle down (3,4). It is produced by the adrenal
how much fat we will carry (1,2). Insulin building is a slow and difficult process, glands, two small glands located one just
is the body’s most powerful anabolic and it works better when you supply your above each kidney. Actually, epinephrine
hormone, acting to transport glucose and body with slow and steady supply of en- serves not only as a hormone by also
amino acids into cells. This supplies energy and nutrients. This also provides a acts as a neurotransmitter in the nervous
ergy and the building blocks for growth. more uniform energy level instead of the system. This underscores the relationship
Insulin is required for muscular growth, periods of hypoglycemia you experience of the nervous system and the endocrine
and indeed for life. Glucagon has the after eating simple sugars. system working together as a control
opposite actions of insulin. It moves glu- The bad news about glucagon is that, and communication network to provide
cose and amino acids out of cells and into although it stimulates fat breakdown (li- instructions to the body. Nerve impulses
the bloodstream when blood sugar gets are conducted to the center of the adrenal
too low. These two pancreatic hormones Epinephrine, is the gland, the adrenal medulla, by the sym-
work in balance to provide a relatively pathetic division of the nervous system.
uniform blood glucose level, to ensure body’s most powerful stim- This triggers epinephrine to be released
that the brain doesn’t run out of fuel. ulus for fat breakdown. It into the bloodstream.
The good news is that insulin and is produced by the adrenal Epinephrine has many effects. One
glucagon levels are determined solely by you’ve probably noticed is the “fight or
diet, so we can exert great control over glands, two small glands flight” response that occurs when you’re
these hormones by our eating habits. The located one just above really scared or suddenly startled. When
Parrillo Performance Nutrition Program each kidney. your skin and lips turn pale, you feel cold
was designed to take advantage of this and clammy, you start sweating and your
fact to keep insulin and glucagon at just heart pumps really hard and fast — that’s
the right levels to build muscle and burn polysis), its actions are mostly limited to epinephrine. It’s a reaction animals have
fat. Last month we talked about how to the liver (3,4). Like insulin, glucagon is when they’re confronted by an enemy
use Pro-Carb Formula™ and Hi-Protein released from the pancreas and transport- and have to either fight or run away. It’s
Powder™ to fine-tune these hormone ed directly to the liver by the portal vein. the feeling of being “scared to death” that
levels to optimize your body’s metabo- While enough insulin is released to effect most of us have experienced at one time
lism. the whole body, glucagon is released in or another. It’s the “adrenaline rush” you
The bad news, however, is that insu- smaller amounts and most of it stays in get from bungee jumping. This surge of
lin is a powerful stimulus for fat growth the liver. Therefore, glucagon is not a epinephrine is mediated by a large sym-
as well as muscle growth (3,4). It stores very potent stimulator of lipolysis in pe- pathetic discharge in the adrenal medulla.
fat inside fat cells as well as it stores ripheral tissues, such as body fat stores. This gland has a large blood supply for its
protein inside muscle cells. This is why But don’t get discouraged, the insu- size and the epinephrine is rapidly carried
on the Parrillo Program meals are struc- lin-glucagon axis is still one of the most throughout the body. It primes your mus-
tured so as to release carbs into the important controllers of nutrient particles for action and mobilizes fat from adi-
bloodstream slowly. This results in a tioning — it’s just not the whole story. pose stores to provide energy. It increases
Maximizing Anabolic Drive
your heart rate, blood pressure and the tosterone and estrogen produced during up to you to put this information to use
force of your heart’s contractions. puberty cause the skeleton to mature and in the gym and at the dinner table. Don’t
Under normal conditions, epineph- stop growing, but growth hormone still forget the basics of the Parrillo Philoso-
rine is delivered to fat cells mostly by promotes muscle growth and fat loss in phy: dedication, consistency and hard
direct innervation of the fat cells by the adults. Growth hormone is released from work. So train hard, eat right and do your
sympathetic nervous system, rather than the pituitary gland when it receives the aerobics. And have a great summer!
systematic release to the whole body appropriate signals. One of these signals
from the adrenal medulla. Its release is is “growth hormone releasing hormone” References
increased during exercise, and this is the (GHRH) which comes from the hypo-
primary mechanism whereby exercise thalamus. 1. de Castro JM, Paullin SK, and
serves as a stimulus for fat loss. Epi- There are several things you can do DeLugas GM. Insulin and glucagon as
nephrine binds to receptors on fat cells to naturally increase your GH levels. One determinants of body weight set point
and generates a metabolite called cyclic is to get a good night’s sleep. Growth hor- and microregulation in rats. J. Comp.
AMP, or cAMP. cAMP activates an en- mone is released maximally during sleep, Physiol. Psychol. 92: 571-579, 1978.
zyme called protein kinase, which in turn normally about three hours after you fall
activates another enzyme called hormone asleep. Trying to build muscle without 2. Remington DW, Fisher AG, and
sensitive lipase. Hormone sensitive lipase getting enough rest is nearly impossible. Parent EA. How to Lower your Fat
breaks down triglycerides (the molecular Second, GH release is increased during Thermostat. Vitality House International,
form in which body fat is stored) into and just after intense exercise (5,6). The Provo, 1983.
free fatty acids (FFAs) and glycerol. The most effective training style for increas-
FFAs then leave the fat cell and are car- ing GH release is high volume training 3. Guyton, AC. Textbook of Medical
ried by the blood to the muscles, where (5,6,7). We recommend a mixture of low Physiology. W.B. Saunders, 1991.
they are burned for energy (3,4). This is rep, medium rep and high rep work to
how exercise works to help you lose fat. maximally stimulate all the muscle fibers 4. Johnson LR. Essential Medical
While insulin and glucagon are con- as well as train the nervous system. This Physiology. Raven Press, New York,
trolled entirely by diet, the most effective results in optimal increases in size and 1992.
way to control growth hormone, testos- strength. The ultimate training program
terone and epinephrine is by exercise for bodybuilders is described in the Par- 5. Kraemer WJ. Influence of the
(5,6). This is why exercise is required rillo Performance Training Manual and endocrine system on resistance training
to gain muscle and lose fat. If you try High Performance Bodybuilding book. adaptations. Natl. Strength and Condi-
to lose weight by cutting calories, about Third, eat a high protein diet. This not tioning J. 14: 47-54, 1992.
half of the weight you will lose will be only stimulates GH release, but also
muscle. Conversely, if you gain weight provides the building blocks you need 6. Kraemer RR. Kilgore JL, Kraemer
simply by increasing calories (without to build new muscle tissue. Fourth, cer- GR, and Castracane VD. Growth hor-
exercising) you’ll just get fat. Exercise tain combinations of amino acids have mone, IGF-1, and testosterone responses
is required to set up the proper hormonal been shown to increase GH release and to resistive exercise. Med. Sci. Sports
milieu allowing selective fat loss and result in increased lean body mass (7). Exerc. 24: 1346-1352, 1992.
muscle gain. The favorable effects of Enhanced GH Formula™ contains the
exercise in increasing muscle mass while most effective combination ever devel- 7. Crist DM. Growth Hormone Syn-
decreasing fat stores are mediated largely oped. Take it on an empty stomach (this ergism. DMC Health Sciences, Albu-
through growth hormone, testosterone is important) just before training and querque, 1991.
and epinephrine. Therefore, to really fine before bed.
tune nutrient partitioning to sculpt the In the following bulletins we’ll con-
ultimate physique, we have to talk about tinue our discussion of muscle-building
effective training strategies to optimize and fat-burning hormones and talk more
these hormones. about growth hormone and testosterone.
Growth hormone (GH) is the most The most exciting part of the story is yet
important hormone responsible for nor- to come! Of course, merely having a de-
mal growth during childhood. Without tailed intellectual understanding of how
growth hormone, a person will never nutrition and exercise come together in
attain adult stature. Growth hormone has your body to build muscle and burn fat
profound effects on the growth of the does nothing to achieve those results. It’s
skeleton as well as the muscles. Tes-
Growth Hormone: The Ultimate Weapon

by John Parrillo
tion takes us back to the theme of this hormone is in promoting growth during
series: hormones. childhood. Without GH, normal adult
Hormones are ultimately responsible stature will not be achieved (5,6). Growth
for the process of tissue remodeling — hormone acts to promote growth of all
that is, the process of laying down new tissues of the body except the nervous
muscle tissue. Although you can exert system. GH levels reach maximal levels
great control over some hormones by diet in the late teens and gradually decline
alone (refer back to the previous bulletins with age. The high levels of GH and
in this series), exercise is required to gen- testosterone in young adult males explain
erate the complete hormonal spectrum why most bodybuilders make their best
which will result in muscle gain and fat gains during their late teens and twenties.
loss (1,2). Furthermore, the damage to This again underscores the central role of
muscle tissue which results from exer- hormones in bodybuilding.
cise training (especially the eccentric, or Although I’ve discussed this before,
lowering phase of muscle contraction) it is so important as to bear repeating: the
serves as a stimulus to the muscles more central reason behind all of your body-
responsive to the growth-promoting ef- building activity, including both diet and
fects of anabolic hormones (1). training, is to manipulate your hormone
Growth hormone (GH) is the most levels so as to promote muscle gain and
anabolic substance in the human body fat loss. Your body’s level of muscle
In this bulletin we’re pulling out the
(3,4). In a study of old men (whose mass and body fat are determined by
ultimate weapon — growth hormone.
growth hormone levels are diminished), hormones and by the set point of your hy-
This is the most important hormone for
it was found that GH administration pro- pothalamus. By following the guidelines
bodybuilders, acting as a powerful stimu-
moted an increase in muscle mass and a in this series and in the Parrillo Nutrition
lus for muscle growth and fat loss. Many
decrease in body fat even in the absence and Training Manuals you will adopt a
of the effects of exercise in increas-
of exercise training (3,4). Growth hor- lifestyle which optimizes anabolic drive
ing muscle mass and decreasing body
mone is anabolic, meaning that it acts to and sets up the proper hormonal environ-
fat are mediated by growth hormone.
promote incorporation of nutrients into ment for achieving a top physique.
The most effective training strategies are
new body tissues. This includes increas- During the next couple of bulletins
those which maximize growth hormone
ing protein synthesis in the muscle tissue I will explain in detail the physiology of
release. Parrillo Performance knows ex-
(5,6). Part of this effect is believed to be growth hormone, including its mecha-
actly how to eat and how to train to
due to GH promoting transport of certain nisms of release, its actions and what
maximize this most important controller
amino acids inside muscle cells (5). No- you can do to control your GH levels for
of nutrient partitioning. And like always,
tably, insulin also acts to transport a dif- maximum results. As you know by now,
we’re here to show you how. If you’re
ferent set of essential amino acids, so you hormones do not work alone in the body.
willing to train hard enough, we’ll help
need adequate amounts of GH in insulin It is the combined interaction of all the
you reach the stars.
present at the same time to stimulate hormones which generates the physi-
Every athlete who has struggled to
muscle growth (5). GH also has a lipolyt- ological adaptations to exercise. There-
build muscle is painfully aware of the
ic effect, which means it mobilizes body fore, I will discuss growth hormone in
fact that you have to lift weights to do it.
fat from adipose depots and increases the the context of the other hormones with
In fact, you have to lift weights very in-
use of fat for energy (5,6). This in turn which it synergizes to produce its effects.
tensely and consistently over a period of
spares carbohydrates so glycogen stores I have decided to organize this discussion
some time (months to years) to accumu-
are preserved (5,6). GH is probably the around some of the most basic and im-
late significant increases in muscle mass.
most important hormone for bodybuild- portant questions about growth hormone.
Since muscles are made from nutrients in
ing since it has powerful actions in build- If the discussion sounds a little medical
the food we eat, you may logically ask
ing muscle and burning fat. in places, bear with me. You will come
why can’t we build muscle just by eating
The most important role of growth away with a thorough understanding of
the right foods? The answer to this ques-
growth hormone and how to control it. sponsible for the adolescent growth spurt, growth in humans. No doubt this effect
Get ready to annihilate the competition. closure of the epiphyseal plate (see be- is mediated by the hypothalamus, since
1. Exactly what is growth, and what low) and attainment of final adult height. it connects the endocrine system to the
is the difference between linear growth, GH, T3, vitamin D and insulin are still mind. If you’re eating and training right,
mass increase and obesity? required for normal growth during this but are totally stressed out about work or
The common feature of growth is time. Glucocorticoids are also required some personal problem, you’re probably
an increase in mass (body weight). The in normal levels for normal growth but its not going to make very good gains. The
common definition of growth refers to action is mainly permissive (6). Permis- mind in very important to bodybuilding.
the organized addition of new tissue that sive actions of hormones describe effects You must maintain a positive and ag-
occurs normally in development from of hormones on enzyme systems so as gressive attitude and not be distracted by
infancy to adulthood (6). Bodybuilders to allow other hormones to exert their outside stresses.
are a bit unusual in that they continue to regulatory effects. The permissive hor- 5. What are catch-up growth and
grow after reaching adulthood. This is mones do not stimulate growth directly, compensatory growth?
largely due to the effects of intense exer- but rather allow other growth-promoting Catch-up growth is a period of
cise in increasing growth hormone. Nor- hormones to be active. growth at greater than the normal rate
mal growth involves both linear growth 3. What is the difference between to recover from a time when growth
(increase in body length or height) and growth-regulating hormones and local was retarded, as during illness. Notably,
mass increase (increase in body weight). growth factors? increased levels of hormones (including
Obesity specifically refers to growth of fat Hormones are released into the blood- GH) are NOT required during catch-up
stores out of proportion to the rest of the stream to exert their effects on target tis- growth. Compensatory growth is growth
body. Quantitatively, anything above 30% sues throughout the body, while growth of an organ to compensate for damage to
body fat is commonly considered obese. factors act mainly locally (as autocrines that organ or its pair. For example, if one
Growth is normal and healthy; obesity or paracrines) to stimulate growth. The kidney is removed, the remaining kidney
is not. Abnormal growth can be caused most important growth-regulating hor- will grow larger. Increased hormone lev-
by an excess or deficiency in growth mones are GH, T3, insulin and the sex els are probably not needed for compen-
hormone. GH causes par- sation by the liver and kidney, although
titioning of nutrients to the As you know by now, hormones do IGF1 may be increased. Compensatory
lean compartment and away not work alone in the body. It is the growth of the adrenal gland is accom-
from fat stores. Administra- panied by increased levels of ACTH
tion of GH will increase combined interaction of all the hor- (6). Many athletes who are over-trained
muscle mass and decrease mones which generates the physi- or under-nourished experience a growth
body fat, and a deficiency of ological adaptations to exercise. spurt when they correct the problem. In
GH will result in excess fat the case of over-training, the problem
accumulation. is likely due to elevated cortisol levels,
2. What are the main stages of nor- steroids. Most growth factors act as regu- which are catabolic.
mal growth and the hormones that stimulators of local processes such as wound 6. What are the roles of insulin,
late growth in each? healing, tissue repair, regeneration or glucocorticoids, sex steroids and thyroid
Prenatal: Hormonal control during ordinary replacement of aged cells, but hormone in normal growth? How do
prenatal development is largely unknown, some are found in the circulation and these relate to growth hormone?
but insulin is believed to be important may function as true hormones. IGF1 Insulin: Optimal concentrations of
(6). Human placental lactogen, hPL, is (somatomedin C) is especially important insulin are required for normal growth
probably also involved. in this regard in mediating many of the during postnatal life. Insulin stimulates
Infantile (0-1 years): Insulin is reactions of GH. See the below for more protein synthesis and inhibits protein
quired and possibly other unknown hor- information on IGF1. breakdown. Without insulin, normal re-
mones as well (6). Interestingly, GH and 4. What are the other requirements sponses to GH are not seen and protein
T3 (thyroid hormone) are not required for normal growth in addition to hor- breakdown is severe. Insulin promotes
during prenatal and infantile growth (6). mones and growth factors? growth primarily by shuttling nutrients
Juvenile (1-12 years): GH is the Proper nutrition (including energy, (glucose and some amino acids) inside
most important, but there is also a strict amino acids, vitamins, minerals and es- cells, providing energy and the building
requirement for T3 and insulin (5,6). Vi- sential fatty acids) rest, and a good psy- blocks for protein synthesis. Note that in-
tamin D is also required. chosocial environment are all require- sulin and GH must both be present at the
Adolescent (age 10-14 for females, ments for growth (6). Mental state (emo- same time for normal growth to occur.
12-16 for males): The sex steroids are re- tional state) can directly influence normal
Guyton (5) suggests that this is because the sum of the two hormones alone. interactions with GH, explain why males
insulin and GH each shuttle a DIFFER- This is an example of the synergistic on average contain 50% more muscle
ENT compliment of essential amino ac- action of certain hormones. Much of mass than females and why females have
ids inside cells, and of course all of the the growth-promoting action of androgen a higher body fat percentage.
essential amino acids must be present at appears to be mediated by increased GH At the same time that gonadal ste-
the same time for protein synthesis (and secretion (6). Androgens increase the roids stimulate linear growth, they also
thus growth) to occur. Neither insulin nor frequency and amplitude of GH secre- accelerate closure of the epiphyses (the
GH alone is sufficient to support normal tory pulses (6). In addition to promoting sites at the ends of the bones where bone
growth — it takes optimal levels of all linear growth, androgens also stimulate elongation occurs) and therefore limit the
the body’s hormones to produce optimal growth of muscle, and this can occur final height that can be attained. This is
health and optimal gains. As noted in a in the absence of GH or T3. Androgens why linear growth stops a few years after
previous bulletin, excess insulin cannot bind to nuclear receptors and the hor- puberty. GH and the sex steroids are still
create muscle mass, but it will promote mone-receptor complex in turn binds to present and active, but the ends of bones
fat storage. It’s not the calories in sugar chromosomes and activates transcription are permanently sealed and cannot grow
that make you fat — it’s the insulin re- of specific genes. anymore. Flat bones, such as the bone
sponse (7,8). in your forehead, can still in-
Glucocorticoids: Glucocorticoids Note that insulin and GH must crease in thickness, however.
(primarily cortisol) promote optimal People who abuse growth hor-
function of a wide variety of organ both be present at the same time for mone experience this condi-
systems, but do not have direct growth normal growth to occur. Guyton (5) tion, known as acromegaly.
promoting actions. Excess GC’s inhibit suggests that this is because insulin Thyroid Hormone: Thy-
growth by the catabolic effects of cor- roid hormone is present in two
tisol (increased protein breakdown). and GH each shuttle a DIFFERENT forms, known as T3 and T4.
Normal levels of GC’s seem to be compliment of essential amino acids Most of the circulating hor-
needed to permit optimal function of inside cells, and of course all of the mone is in the form of T4
the other hormones. The concept here which is converted to the more
is that glucocorticoids act to stimulate essential amino acids must be pres- active T3 form inside target
(or maintain) optimal levels (amounts) ent at the same time for protein syn- cells. Thyroidectomy (removal
of metabolic enzymes, whose activi- of the thyroid gland) has near-
thesis to occur.
ties in turn are regulated by the other ly as devastating an effect on
hormones. GC’s sort of set the stage growth as does hypophysecto-
and make sure all of the machinery is in Estrogens: In normal girls, the ado- my (removal of the pituitary gland — the
place. Cortisol functions to make sure lesent growth spurt usually occurs before body’s source of GH). Restoration of T3
the key regulatory enzymes are present estrogen secretion is sufficient to initi- and T4 promptly reinitiates growth. T3
in sufficient amounts to allow allosteric ate breast development and is probably and T4 have little if any growth promot-
regulation (enzyme regulation via small attributable to very low concentrations ing effect in the absence of GH however.
effector molecules such as metabolic in- of estrogens (6). Paradoxically, concen- T3 acts to promote the actions of GH at
termediates) and enzyme regulation by trations of estrogen sufficient to pro- three levels: GH synthesis, GH secretion
other hormones. Also, cortisol is impor- mote breast development actually inhibit and GH action. Plasma concentrations of
tant in maintenance of glucose levels growth (6). Stranger still is the fact the GH are very low in the absence of T3 or
and resistance to stress, which intui- concentrations of estrogens which inhibit T4. This action is independent of GHRH
tively would seem important for normal growth increase GH secretion. What is (growth hormone releasing hormone) and
growth. the basis for the complex interaction appears to be exerted directly at the
between estrogen and GH? High con- level of gene transcription. In addition to
Sex Steroids: centrations estrogens appear to inhibit its permissive effects on GH synthesis,
Androgens: Androgens (such as tes- growth by interfering with the actions of T3 maintains normal responsiveness of
tosterone) are potent stimulators of linear GH (6). Estrogens also antagonize the somatotropes (the cells that make GH)
growth in children whose epiphyses (the effects of GH on nitrogen retention. Of to GHRH. Failure of growth in thyroid
growing ends of bones) have not yet course, estrogen is also responsible for deficient individuals is largely due to GH
closed. Androgens can promote some the characteristic female fat distribution. deficiency. However, even large amounts
growth in the absence of GH, but com- The differential effects of estrogen and of GH cannot sustain normal growth
bined treatment with androgens and GH testosterone, as well as their different in thyroidectomized animals unless thy-
together promote more rapid growth than
roid hormone is also given. Thyroxin reduced. GH is stored in the anterior creasing nitrogen retention. GH-deficient
decreases the amount of GH needed to pituitary and is the most abundant of the individuals have a relatively high pro-
stimulate growth (increases sensitivity) anterior pituitary hormones. As much portion of body fat. Treatment with GH
and exaggerates the magnitude of the as half of the GH in plasma protein and causes a decrease in body fat accom-
response (increases efficacy). T3 and T4 a substantial fraction is in the form of panied by an increase in body protein,
seem to potentiate the effects of GH on dimers or oligomers which are inactive. mostly muscle.
long bones and to increase its effects on hGH used for therapy today is produced Carbohydrate Metabolism: Some-
protein synthesis in muscle and liver. in bacteria from the cloned gene. times, particularly after a period of glu-
In summary, GH interacts with insu- 8. Describe the major effects of GH cose deprivation, GH has an insulin-like
lin, the sex steroids and thyroid hormones on growth (linear and mass) and metabo- effect in increasing glucose uptake and
directly to stimulate growth. These ac- lism of carbohydrate, protein and fat. utilization. This anomalous effect disap-
tions are not only crucial to growth dur- Linear growth: Linear growth is a pears quickly and its physiological sig-
ing childhood but are also at the very consequence of elongation of the skel- nificance is a mystery. After about two
core of the adaptations which occur in eton, especially the spine and leg bones. hours, glucose metabolism is inhibited
response to exercise. Thyroid hormone Proliferation of chondrocytes (cartilage in muscle and adipose tissue. There is a
is required for optimal GH release and cells) at the epiphyseal border of the decrease in glucose uptake and muscle
function. Glucocorticoids (cortisol) are growth plate is balanced by cellular de- glycogen stores are preserved.
also required in normal levels to play a generation at the diaphyseal end, so in the Fat Metabolism: In adipose tissue
supporting role. Cortisol ensures that the normally growing individual the thick- GH promotes breakdown of stored tri-
metabolic enzymes are present in suf- ness of the growth plate remains constant glyceride (body fat) which increases
ficient amounts so that GH, insulin and as the as the epiphyses are pushed far- plasma free fatty acids (FFA). Since
testosterone can exert their effects. glucose uptake is suppressed by GH,
If cortisol is too low, optimal growth GH interacts with insulin, fat synthesis is also suppressed. These
cannot occur because enzyme levels effects, combined result is a net loss
are too low, and if cortisol is too high
the sex steroids and thyroid of body fat.
you will actually lose mass because hormones directly to stimulate Protein Metabolism: As already
high cortisol levels are catabolic and growth. These actions are not discussed, GH promotes nitrogen re-
promote protein breakdown. Epi- tention and increases protein synthe-
nephrine is released during exercise
only crucial to growth during sis, mainly as muscle. Part of this
and is the most potent stimulus for childhood but are also at the effect may be due to GH’s role in
fat breakdown. It is the interplay of very core of the adaptations transport of certain amino acids in-
these hormones in the proper bal- side cells (5). Immediately after GH
ance that makes a great bodybuilder. which occur in response to injection, plasma amino acid concen-
These hormones control muscle and exercise. trations decrease as a result of rapid
fat metabolism, and the strategy be- uptake and conversion of protein.
hind a bodybuilding diet and train- The thing to remember is GH
ing is to control them to produce a lean, ther apart by the elongating shaft of the decreases glucose uptake and utilization
muscular body. bone (6). In the absence of GH there is and spares glycogen, it increases use of
7. What exactly is the molecular severe atrophy of the epiphyseal plates, fat for energy by mobilizing fat stores
structure of human growth hormone? which become narrower as proliferation and it increases protein synthesis. The
GH is a protein. Ninety percent of of cartilage progenitor cells slows mark- net effect is to make the body leaner and
GH produced by somatotropes (cells of edly. Conversely, after GH is given to more muscular. Many of the effects of
the pituitary gland where growth hor- a hypopituitary subject, resumption of exercise in making the body leaner and
mone is made) is comprised of 191 cellular proliferation causes columns of more muscular are mediated by an exer-
amino acids and has a molecular weight chondrocytes to elongate and the epiphy- cise-induced increase in growth hormone
(MW) of about 22,000 daltons (6). The seal plates to widen. Bone growth is also (1,2).
other 10% has a MW of 20,000 and lacks accompanied by an increase in diameter, 9. How do bones grow and how does
15 amino acids corresponding to residues which involves bone remodeling. Treat- GH affect this process?
32 to 46 of the 22,000 MW form. Both ment with GH often induces a transient Growth of long bones occurs by a
forms are products of the same gene increase in urine calcium and phosphorus process of called endochondrial ossifica-
and arise from differential RNA splicing. excretion, reflecting stimulation bone re- tion, in which proliferating cartilage is
Both forms are secreted and have similar modeling. replaced by bone. Proliferation of chon-
growth-promoting activity, although the Mass: GH increases lean body mass drocytes (cartilage cells) occurs at the
metabolic effects of the 20K form are by stimulating protein synthesis and in- epiphyseal plate — the ends of the bones
where growth occurs. Frequent division by IGF-I. Apparently eccentric (lowering)
of small cells in the germinal zone at the The DUAL EFFECTOR HYPOTH- muscular contractions result in tearing
distal end of the growth plate provides ESIS explains the observation that in- of myofibrils (muscle fibers) and this in
for continual elongation of the columns jection of GH into epiphyseal cartilage some way causes local release of IGF-I
of chondrocytes. GH stimulates prolif- of one leg of a hypophysectomized rat which acts as a paracrine to stimulate
eration of chondrocytes, and thus bone produces growth in only that leg. This differentiation of satellite cells into new
elongation. GH also stimulates osteoblas- means that things are a little more com- myocytes (muscle cells). Exercise is re-
tic progenitor cells to proliferate causing plicated than explained by the original quired to induce a GH response (which
bone remodeling and an increase in bone somatomedin hypothesis. Studies with in turn induces hepatic IGF-I production)
diameter. Lack of GH greatly retards cultured fibroblasts which can differenti- and to produce the micro-trauma which
bone growth, and without GH normal ate into adipocytes in a manner which is serves as the stimulus for tissue remodel-
height cannot be achieved. absolutely which is absolutely dependent ing.
10. How are the effects of GH me- on GH may act directly on precursor 11. How is GH secretion regulated
diated at the cellular level? What is the cells to initiate differentiation. According in humans?
“somatomedin hypothesis” and the “dual to the dual effector hypothesis, cartilage GH secretion is stimulated by sleep,
effector hypothesis?” progenitor cells in the epiphyseal plates stress, low blood glucose, an increase
The SOMATOMEDIN HYPOTH- in certain amino acids (especially ar-
ESIS explains the observation that GH ginine, leucine, valine and ornithine)
alone is not sufficient to stimulate pro- and exercise. Normally GH is secreted
liferation of cartilage progenitor cells, in an episodic fashion with maximal
or protein synthesis by cartilage cells, secretion occurring during deep sleep.
in vitro. To study the cellular effects GH is synthesized and stored in the
of GH, cartilage cells are isolated and anterior pituitary, and its plasma level
grown in culture dishes. When normal is controlled via its rate of secretion. Its
blood plasma was added to the mixture, rate of secretion is controlled by two
or plasma from a hypophysectomized hormones in the hypothalamus: GHRH
rat which had been treated with GH, (growth hormone releasing hormone)
there was a sharp increase in protein and somatostatin (which inhibits GH
synthesis, DNA synthesis and bone ma- release). GH secretion is thus under
trix formation. These effects could not minute-by-minute control by the ner-
be stimulated by adding plasma from a vous system. GH secretion is also con-
hypophysectomized rat which was not trolled by negative feedback, mediated
treated with GH. These experiments by IGF-I. IGF-I appears to increase re-
demonstrate that GH requires a fac- lease of somatostatin by the hypothala-
tor from plasma to be active, and this mus and to reduce the responsiveness
factor itself is induced by GH. Thus, of the pituitary to GHRH. In addition
GH may not directly promote growth to direct regulation by the hypothala-
itself, but rather stimulates the liver to mus, GH release is indirectly regulated
produce and intermediate blood-borne by thyroid hormone. T3 stimulates GH
substance that stimulates chondrogene- release by maintaining sensitivity to
sis and perhaps other processes as well. somatotropes to GHRH. T3 enhances
This substance was originally called GH’s actions by decreasing the amount
somatomedin C (somatotropin mediator differentiate in response to GH and then of GH needed to stimulate growth (in-
C). Its insulin-like effects on glucose and undergo clonal expansion (cell division) creases sensitivity) and exaggerating the
its molecular resemblance to proinsulin in response to IGF-I, whose production is magnitude of the response (increases ef-
gave rise to the name insulin-like growth also triggered by GH. Chondrocytes and ficacy). T3 and T4 seem to potentiate
factor (IGF). Now, two IGFs are known: other cells can synthesize and secrete GH the effects of GH on long bones and to
IGF-I (somatomedin C) and IGF-II. IGF- when stimulated by GH. IGF-I may then increase its effects on protein synthesis in
I is a small peptide (MW 7500) produced act as an autocrine to stimulate cell divi- muscle and liver.
primarily by the liver. It is tightly bound sion. Thus we have two effectors, one to 12. How does the integrated GH con-
to specific carrier proteins in the plasma. stimulate differentiation (GH), and one to centration change with age?
IGF-I can cause hypophysectomized rats stimulate cell division (IGF-I). IGF-I may GH secretion is most active during
to grow in the absence of GH, indicating act locally in processes such as wound the adolescent growth spurt and persists
many of the actions of GH are mediated healing and compensatory growth. throughout life, long after the epiphyses
have closed. GH secretion gradually de- Maximal GH release occurs during deep the muscle elongates. If this sounds
creases in both men and women between sleep. Take a nap during the afternoon painful, it is. Most people stop a set
ages 20-40. if possible. Fourth, train smart. Heavy, just as this starts to happen because the
13. What are the effects of excess low-rep work is known to be effective in pain gets unbearable. The ones who
GH in humans before and after the end increasing strength. This is probably due fight through the pain and crank out a
of adolescent growth? to an increase in testosterone levels and few more reps are the ones who get big
Overproduction of GH in children a training effect on the nervous system. muscles. Sorry, but that’s the way it is.
produces giantism — and adult height of High-rep work with moderate weights is Another way to incorporate high
over eight feet may be achieved. Over- more effective in stimulating GH release rep work is to train in the four-to-eight
production of GH in adulthood resulting (1,2,9). It’s a huge mistake to leave out rep range one week and the 12-to-20
from a pituitary tumor, or abuse of GH, the high-rep part of your training. While rep range the next week. Finally, some
produces acromegaly. This condition is low-rep work is more effective in in- people do a “powerlifting cycle” in-
characterized by thickening of the crani- creasing muscle strength, high-rep work volving heavy, low-rep work for four-
um and mandible and enlargement of the is very effective in increasing muscle to-six weeks followed by a “bodybuild-
bones of the hands and feet. There is also size. The GH release resulting from high ing cycle” with moderate weights and
abnormal growth of the ribs, liver and volume training also serves as a potent higher reps for the next four-to-six
spleen and thickening of the skin. You stimulus for fat loss. weeks. Most advanced bodybuilders
never have to worry about acromegaly Of course, you need both high-rep have experimented with all three strat-
resulting from naturally increasing your and low-rep work to make continu- egies at some point. The key is to find
body’s own production of GH. You can ing progress. Don’t get the idea that what works best for you. If you’re
naturally increase GH enough to dramati- you don’t have to lift heavy weights at a plateau, it’s probably time for a
cally increase muscle mass and decrease anymore. If you want to get bigger change.
body fat, but not enough to experience muscles, you will always have to lift To break out of a plateau, increase
the side effects of acromegaly. Acromeg- heavy weights — but you also have to calories and try training less frequently
aly only results from pituitary disease or incorporate high-rep work for maxi- by with heavier weights. If you haven’t
abuse of exogenous GH. mum development. There are several been doing any high-rep work, doing
14. What are the effects of diet and strategies for doing this. You can in- some will probably stimulate a growth
exercise on GH? corporate both heavy and light work spurt. Of course, there are many rea-
What should I do to naturally in- into the same training session using sons for reaching a training plateau,
crease GH levels? There are several a pyramid technique. Start with one but they usually relate to over-training,
things you can do as a bodybuilder to or two warm up sets around 15 reps. under-training, under-nutrition or not
naturally increase your GH levels (9). Use a light weight when warming up enough rest. Constant fatigue, loss of
First, eat an adequate diet containing at and do not go to failure. Then pick a libido and failure to recover from work-
least one gram of protein per pound of weight you can handle in good form outs are signs of over-training and not
body weight. A high protein meal infor ten reps. Continue increasing the enough rest. If you neglect any part of
creases GH release. Also remember our weight and do sets of eight, six and the program — high-rep training, low-
previous bulletin about dialing in your four reps. Take all working sets to posi- rep training, aerobics, stretching rest,
protein to carbohydrate ratio to optimize tive failure. Then decrease the weight nutrition, or supplementation — your
insulin and glucagon levels. Second, sup- and do a set of 20 reps to failure. This results will definitely suffer. The Par-
plement your diet with Max GH Formula helps pump the blood into the muscle rillo Program is a balanced approach
containing the most effective combina- and stimulates GH release. Lower the covering every facet of bodybuilding.
tion of amino acids for GH release ever weight slowly, emphasizing the ec- You supply the hard work, consistency
produced (10). Use Max GH Formula be- centric part of the contraction. This is and dedication, and we’ll supply the
fore bed and before training. Always take especially important at the end of a set winning strategy.
it on an empty stomach. Glycine is also when ATP is the muscle is depleted.
a potent GH stimulator (3) and this may ATP is required for muscle relaxation References
explain the well-known anabolic effects as well as muscle contraction. When
of glycine. Parrillo Performance Hi-Pro- a muscle runs out of ATP it “locks 1. Kraemer WJ. Influence of the
tein Powder and Pro-Carb Formula are up” in the contracted state and cannot endocrine system on resistance training
fortified with significant amounts of gly- relax properly. This state is known as adaptations. Nat’l Strength and Condi-
cine. This combination of supplements, “ischemic rigor.” When the muscle is tioning J. 14: 47-54, 1992.
along with the right diet, has proven in rigor and your are lowering a weight
over the years to be incredibly anabolic. from the contracted position, the fibers 2. Kraemer RR, Kilgore JL, Kraemer
Third, make sure you get enough sleep. cannot relax and literally get torn as GR and Castracane VD. Growth hor-
mone, IGF-I and testosterone responses

to resistive exercise. Med. Sci. Sports
Exerc. 24: 1346-1352, 1992.
3. Colgan M. Optimum Sports Nu-

trition. Advanced Research Press, New
York, 1993.
4. Rudman D, et al. Effects of Hu-

man Growth Hormone in Men over sixty
years old. N Engl. J. Med. 323: 1, 1990.
5. Guyton AC. Textbook of Medical

Physiology. W.B. Saunders, 1991.
6. Johnson, LR. Essential Medical

Physiology. Raven Press, New York,
1992.
7. de Castro JM, Paullin SK, and

DeLugas GM. Insulin and glucagon as
determinants of body weight set point
and microregulation in rats. J. Comp.
Physiol. Psychol. 92: 571-579, 1978.
8. Remington DW, Fisher AG, and

Parent EA. How to Lower your Fat
Thermostat. Vitality House International,
Provo, 1983.
9. Crist DM. Growth Hormone Syn-

ergism. DMC Health Sciences, Albu-
querque, 1991.
10. Isidori A, Lo Monaco A, and

Cappa M. A study of growth hormone re-
lease in man after oral administration of
amino acids. Current Medical Research
and Opinion. 7: 475-481, 1981.
Energy Metabolism and Thermogenesis: The Ultimate Formula For Losing Body Fat
by John Parrillo
Everyone is concerned about their We will discuss the effects of low calorie Everybody has a dream. We can help
body fat level. Whether you’re a com- diets and explain why they fail in 95% of you make it come true. We’ll start with
petitive bodybuilder trying to get down to the cases. We will explain the proper way a discussion of obesity and low calorie
4% body fat or just someone trying to get to structure your diet to fuel your me- dieting, since this is a major medical
in better shape, everybody wants to know tabolism, so you can increase metabolic problem in the U.S.
the best way to lose fat and keep it off. rate while dieting instead of decreasing it.
It’s no exaggeration to say that we at Par- As a natural result of this program, your Obesity
rillo Performance are world class experts body will be leaner and have more energy Current estimates indicate that 35
at getting in shape. Here in Cincinnati than ever before. million people in the United States are
we work with competitive bodybuilders This series of articles represents the obese, defined as 20% above ideal body
pushing the human body to its weight (1). Obesity is a risk factor
limit. Our greatest satisfaction is for diabetes, hypertension, coro-
seeing our athletes improve and nary artery disease and some types
win contests. We convert begin- of cancer, as well as being an
ners into winners, amateurs into independent risk factor for prema-
professionals and professionals ture mortality (3,4). Furthermore,
into champions. weight loss reduces the risk for
Many people have had a these same diseases (4). These ob-
weight problem all their lives and servations suggest that obesity may
have tried all the diets without play a causal role in some cases
success. For every competitive of these diseases or that obesity
bodybuilder, there are probably a shares a common cause with these
thousand other people who have diseases. Among the obese, hyper-
been cutting calories in a desper- tension is three times more com-
ate attempt to get rid of a few (or a mon and hypertriglyceridemia and
lot) excess pounds. This approach diabetes are two times more com-
is doomed to fail. mon than in the nonobese (1). In
In this series of articles about addition, obesity is often associat-
energy metabolism and thermo- ed with low HDL cholesterol levels
genesis, we explore in great de- (1). While remarkable progress has
tail the biochemistry and physiology of scientific basis for the diet described in been made in recent decades in many are-
weight loss, and explain how to do it cor- the Parrillo Performance Nutrition Man- nas of medicine, the successful treatment
rectly. We can teach you how to lose fat ual. The manual contains the nuts and of obesity remains an enigma. Given the
and keep it off for the rest of your life. bolts of how to build your diet, describ- widespread prevalence of obesity and its
The strategy of how to lose fat while ing exactly which foods to eat, how much association with serious disease states,
maintaining lean body mass is the same to eat and how to structure your meals. a re-evaluation of current approaches to
regardless of whether you’re obese or It also comes with a food scale, which obesity management seems warranted.
already in great shape. There are a few you will need to weight your food. The It is generally assumed that obesity is
extra tricks you can use to get into com- Nutrition Manual is really the only piece the result of excess caloric consumption.
petitive shape, but the foundation of the of equipment you will need. Supplements However, most obese people do not have
program is the same. you may find helpful include CapTri, Hi- increased caloric intakes over those of
As you read, keep in mind that this Protein Powder, Pro-Carb Formula, and nonobese people (3,4). In fact, long-term
article is written for anyone wanting to Advanced Lipotropic Formula. The place studies of deliberate over-feeding and
lose fat and get lean. The same concepts to start, however, is with the proper diet. under-feeding in humans and rats dem-
apply to everyone. We will discuss the Without that as the foundation, you will onstrate that body weight is regulated to
process of fat loss and how to control never achieve your goal. return to some “programmed” value fol-
body composition by diet and exercise. Results. That’s what we’re about. lowing periods of altered food intake (4).
Furthermore, the observed increase or sumption” refers to the level of food compartment? Hypocaloric consumption
decrease in body weight following over- intake consumed by healthy, nonobese increases the activity of lipoprotein lipase
feeding or under-feeding is smaller than people, about 2,400 calories per day for (LPL), the key enzyme regulating fat
predicted by simple considerations of men and about 1,500 for women (4).] storage (3,4,8,9,10). When body weight
energy balance (5). These observations Specifically, 25-50% of weight lost by returns to its pre-dieting level (i.e., when
suggest that the body has some way of caloric restriction is muscle mass (3,4). fat stores are repleted), LPL activity also
regulating its weight in the face of altered This result is observed even when using returns to its normal level (5). This is one
energy intake. Many theories and ex- “protein-sparing” low calorie diets. Lean enzymatic mechanism underlying relapse
periments have been devised to elucidate body mass (LBM) is the single most of obesity, and presumably represents an
this “weight regulation mechanism.” The evolutionary strategy to survive bouts of
most important of these will be discussed famine.
below. A synthesis of the available lit-
Lean body mass is the In addition, caloric restriction de-
erature suggests that perhaps a successful single most important decreases the thermic effect of food (TEF),
approach to long-term weight control is terminant of basal meta- the amount of food energy wasted as
now within reach. heat (3,4,11). During over-feeding, a sig-
bolic rate, and BMR is nificant proportion of the excess calories
Low-Calorie Diets the largest component of is liberated as body heat. This effect is
The conventional treatment for obe- energy expenditure. Thus, largely mediated by stimulation of the
sity consists of a hypocaloric (low-calo- sympathetic nervous system by carbohy-
rie) diet (3,4). This approach derives when weight is lost by re- drate ingestion (3). During under-feed-
from the assumptions that obesity is ducing calories, the body’s ing, TEF is reduced and the efficiency of
caused by hypocaloric (high calorie) con- energy requirement is also conversion of food energy to body weight
sumption, and that weight reduction can (food efficiency) is increased. This also
be achieved by reducing calories. The reduced, so that a normal contributes to obesity relapse following
empirical reality is that 90-95% of people diet then results in posi- low calorie diets. Finally, hypocaloric di-
who lose weight by restricting calories tive energy balance and ets also decrease the level of thyroid hor-
experience relapse of obesity within five mones (specifically T3) and this further
years (2,3). This is not necessarily a con- weight gain occurs. decreases basal metabolic rate (3,12).
sequence of hyperphagia (overeating fol- In summary, hypocaloric diets are
lowing caloric restriction, but occurs even empirically observed to fail in the treat-
when reasonable form of caloric intake is ment of obesity in 90-95% of cases
resumed following weight loss. This is important determinant of basal metabolic (3,4) and would be expected to do so
explained intuitively by saying that the rate (BMR), and BMR is the largest com- on theoretical grounds. Historically, obe-
body interprets periods of caloric depri- ponent of energy expenditure (3,4,6,7). sity has been attributed to consumption
vation as starvation (i.e., adequate food Thus, when weight is lost by reducing of calories in excess of needs, but in
is not available), so that when eucaloric calories, the body’s energy requirement fact obese people do not consume more
consumption resumes, the body repletes is also reduced, so that a normal diet then calories than nonobese people nor do
its fat stores as a defense mechanism to results in positive energy balance and they have reduced energy requirements
withstand the next bout of famine. weight gain occurs (3). (3,4). This simplistic thermodynamic ap-
This makes perfect sense from an Unfortunately, the weight gain proach fails to take into account that the
evolutionary point of view. Individuals which ensues following a hypocaloric human body is not a bomb calorimeter
who have adapted to the stress of fam- regimen is not solely a replacement of but is rather a Homeostatically regulated
ine by maintaining fat stores in times muscle mass, but in fact is biased to- machine which strives to maintain the
of plenty have been selected through ward the fat compartment (4). Fat stores steady state. If caloric intake is reduced,
evolution. Fortunately, the biochemical are preferentially repleted to prepare the changes in hormones, enzymes, nervous
mechanisms by which this occurs are body for the next famine. The net result system activity, and body composition
now understood. is to return to the original body weight occur so as to compensate and try to
Chronic caloric restriction causes before dieting (or slightly above), albeit recover the original steady state. A more
changes in the body’s pattern of en- at a higher body fat percentage (4). This fruitful approach might be to consider
ergy metabolism and substrate utilization weight cycling phenomenon is common- that body weight and body composition
which favors weight gain (especially fat ly referred to as “yo-yo dieting.” are homeostatically regulated just like
gain) when normal caloric consumption How is weight gain following ca- every other parameter of body function.
is resumed (3,4,5). [“Normal caloric con- loric deprivation biased toward the fat The successful approach to obesity man-
agement involves changing the steady 9. Eckel RH. Lipoprotein lipase: a
state which the body strives to maintain, multifunctional enzyme relevant to com-
rather than reducing energy intake and mon metabolic diseases. New Engl. J.
setting into play the body’s compensatory Med. 320: 1060-1067, 1990.
mechanisms, which cannot be overcome.
In the next bulletin, we continue 10. Kern et al. the effects of weight
our series on fat loss with a look at how loss on the activity and expression of
energy metabolism affects your ability to adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase in very
get lean and musclular. obese humans. New Engl. J. Med. 322:
1053, 1990.
References
11. Golay A. Blunted glucose-in-
1. Kaplan NM. The deadly quartet: duced thermogenesis: a factor contribut-
upper body obesity, glucose intolerance, ing to relapse of obesity. Intl. J. Obesity
hypertriglcyeridemia, and hypertension. 17 (Suppl 1) s23 s27, 1993
Arch. Intern. Med. 149: 1514-1520,
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et al. Influence of diet composition on
2. U.S. Preventive Services Task serum triiodothyronine (T3) concentra-
Force. Guide to Clinical Preventive Ser- tion, hepatic mitochondrial metabolism
vices, Fisher M. (Ed.), chapters 1, 2, 3, 16 and shuttle system activity in rats. J.
and 18. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, Nutr. 111: 252-289, 1981.
1989.
3. Bjorntorp P, and Brodoff BN.

Obesity. J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadel-
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4. Remington DW, Fisher AG, and
Parent AG. How to lower your Fat Ther-
mostat. Vitality House International, Pro-
vo, 1983.
5. Nelson KM, Weinsier RL, James

LD, Darnell B, Hunter G, and Long CL.
Effect of weight reduction on energy ex-
penditure, substrate utilization, and ther-
mic effect of food in moderately obese
women. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 55: 924-933,
1992.
6. Levin BE, and Sullivan AC. Regu-

lation of thermogenesis in obesity. Novel
approaches and Drugs for Obesity, Sul-
livan AC, and Garrantini S, Eds. pg. 159-
180. John Libbey and Co. Ltd., 1985.
7. Van Zant RS. Influence of diet and

exercise on energy expenditure — a re-
view. Int. J. Sports Nutr. 2: 1-19, 1992.
8. Cryer A. Tissue lipoprotein lipase

activity and its action in lipoprotein me-
tabolism. Int. J. Biochem. 13: 525-541,
1981.
Energy Metabolism and Thermogenesis: The Ultimate Formula For Losing Body Fat, Part II
by John Parrillo
weight gain (3,5,6) and is thus a measure
transmission, electrochem- of how efficiently a particular food is
ical gradients across mem- converted to body weight. Ingested foods
brane cells, and the energy can experience three general fates: 1)
cost of protein turnover they can be oxidized to release energy,
required to maintain cells. 2) they can be retained as body weight
The basal metabolic rate (muscle, fat or glycogen), or 3) they can
accounts for 65-75% of be excreted. The relative balance between
daily energy requirements these possibilities determine a food’s effi-
(1). Metabolic rate is af- ciency. Foods with a high food efficiency
fected by many parameters are readily stored as body weight while
including energy intake, foods with a low food efficiency are more
dietary composition (the prone to be utilized as energy.
percent of calories from This concept is the basis for use of
protein, carbohydrate and CapTri® for weight reduction. CapTri® is
fat), activity (dependent on a highly fractionated medium chain tri-
type, intensity, and dura- glyceride formulated especially for body-
tion of activity), lean body builders and other athletes. CapTri® is
mass, age, sex, hormones profoundly thermogenic (4,5,7,8,9) and
The pre-eminent consideration in de- and drugs. Since greater has a very low food efficiency. This
termining body weight is energy balance, than 95% of the energy expended by the means that it is preferentially burned
defined as energy consumption minus body is derived from the oxidation of for energy and has very little tendency
energy expenditure. Conventional ap- foods, metabolic rate is proportional to to be stored as body weight. Calorie for
proaches to obesity management fail be- oxygen consumption (2). calorie, CapTri® contributes less to body
cause they do not consider that the body’s Perhaps one of the most significant weight gain (fat gain) than carbohydrates
energy expenditure changes in response discoveries in nutrition is that feeding or conventional dietary fat. Think of Cap-
to caloric intake as well as macronutri- different dietary items while maintaining Tri® as an immediate energy source that
ent composition of the diet. If energy caloric intake affects oxygen consump- will get burned before the body has time
intake is reduced, energy expenditure tion (3,4). That different foods, normal- to store it. If eating regular food is like
is reduced to compensate. This serves ized for energy content, increase the throwing a log on the fire, eating CapTri®
to enhance survival during famine by metabolic rate to different extents prob- is like pouring gasoline on the fire.
slowing the depletion of stored energy. ably reflects tendency of a particular How does this work? Medium chain
Since weight reduction strategies based food to be burned for energy versus be- triglycerides enter the mitochondria by
on caloric restriction are observed to fail, ing stored as body weight, as well as its passive diffusion independent of the car-
perhaps better success could be achieved extent of digestion and absorption. That nitine shuttle and thus are immediately
in manipulating the expenditure side of protein increases the metabolic rate more oxidized as fuel, bypassing regulation
the energy equation. than carbohydrate and fat suggests that (4,5,7,8,9). Mitochondria are the little
Metabolic rate is the body’s rate of certain amino acids may directly stimu- furnaces inside cells where foods are
energy expenditure commonly expressed late thermogenesis (3,2). The increase in burned to produce energy. Normal fats
in calories per hour. It consists of several energy expenditure caused by feeding is cannot get inside mitochondria by them-
components: basal metabolic rate (BMR), known as diet-induced thermogenesis or selves, but have to be carried inside by
the thermic effect of feeding (TEF), the the thermic effect of feeding, TEF (1). a transport system called the carnitine
thermic effect of activity (TEA) and Since different foods increase the meta- shuttle. This results in regular fats being
adaptive thermogenesis (1). The basal bolic rate to different extents, this means burned relatively slowly, giving them
metabolic rate is the body’s rate of energy that different foods, normalized for ener- more time to be stored as body fat. Also,
expenditure while at rest during the post- gy content, have characteristic tendencies this serves as a way of regulating fat
absorptive phase (several hours after eat- to be stored as body weight versus being metabolism. Regular fats are not used
ing when all the food has been digested burned as energy. This concept is known as fuel to a significant extent as long as
and absorbed). This represents the energy as “food efficiency.” Food efficiency is carbohydrates are available, since the
requirements of maintaining life, con- defined as the calories consumed of a carnitine shuttle is inhibited by malo-
sisting mostly of maintenance of body particular food divided by the resulting nyl-CoA, a byproduct of carbohydrate
temperature, heart rate, breathing, nerve metabolism. CapTri®, on the other hand,
is used as fuel even in the presence effect can be blocked by propanolol (a new fat molecules. What is the net result
of available carbohydrates, and spares beta-adrenergic antagonist). of starting with a fat molecule (MCT),
carbohydrate for glycogen storage. This Mechanisms which may be involved taking it apart and using the parts to
means more carbohydrates are available in facultative thermogenesis include build new fat molecules? Think of taking
for strength and more endurance. The stimulation of sympathetic activity, in- a house apart brick by brick, moving it
TEF and low food efficiency of CapTri® creased substrate cycling of three-carbon a hundred yards, then putting it all back
is due to its rapid oxidation (burning). As compounds such as lactate (from an- together just as it was before. The house
fats are converted to energy, the initial aerobic metabolism) and alanine (from hasn’t changed but a tremendous amount
breakdown product is acetyl-CoA, which branched chain amino acid metabolism), of energy was expended in the process.
then feeds into the pathways of the Krebs increased redox cycling and stimulation This is the biochemical basis for part of
cycle, electron transport and oxidative of protein and fat synthesis (3). The the thermogenic effect of MCTs. Does
phosphorylation. (The biochemistry of relative contribution of each of these this mean that MCTs will make me fat?
all this is explained in much greater detail probably varies according to the fuel sub- NO! REMEMBER, LESS BODY FAT IS
in our technical series.) As CapTri® is strate being oxidized. The most important MADE FROM EATING MCTs THAN
being burned, acetyl-CoA is produced so player in glucose-induced thermogen- FROM EATING AN EQUAL NUM-
fast that as to overwhelm the capacity of BER OF CARBOHYDRATES. Rather
the Krebs Cycle in the liver. This excess than contributing to fat stores, this ef-
acetyl-CoA is converted to ketone bod- fect reduces fat storage because a higher
ies (6,10,11). Ketone bodies produced percentage of dietary energy is converted
in the liver are then used as fuel by skel- to heat.
etal muscle. The strategy is to replace Alternatively, if electron transport is
conventional dietary fat with CapTri®, uncoupled from oxidative phosphoryla-
thereby reducing food efficiency of the tion, the energy spent to establish an elec-
diet. We have used this technique at trochemical potential gradient across the
Parrillo Performance to convert amateur mitochondrial membrane is dissipated as
bodybuilders into professionals (12). Our heat instead of being conserved as ATP
secret is CapTri® — the most powerful (14). For example, in brown adipose
MCT on the market. By replacing regular tissue, a pathway exists allowing proton
dietary fat with CapTri®, you can achieve leakage across the mitochondrial mem-
lower body fat levels. Before contests, brane (15).
bodybuilders also substitute CapTri® for Another method of dissipating en-
starchy carbohydrates. This increases the ergy as heat, believed to occur in liver
glucagon to insulin ratio generated by mitochondria, is redox cycling involving
the diet as well as further reducing food the glycerophosphate and malate shut-
efficiency. This all works together to esis (GIT) is probably activation of the tles (6,13,16). In the glycerophosphate
shift your metabolic pathways into a sympathetic nervous system, since this shuttle, energy is spent to pump reducing
fat-burning mode. Ask for our technical effect can be blocked by propanolol (3). equivalents outside the mitochondria to
series on CapTri® or consult our Nutrition The major contributor to MCT-induced drive the reduction of dihydroxyacetone
Program or CapTri® Manual if you want thermogenesis appears to be increased phosphate to glycerol-3-phosphate in the
the scientific details on how it works and de novo fatty acid synthesis. Hill and co- cytoplasm. The glycerol-3-phosphate
how to use it. workers (10,11) demonstrated that MCT then diffuses into the mitochondria and
The thermic effect of food (TEF) is overfeeding results in increased hepatic is oxidized to reform dihydroxyacetone
defined as the postprandial (after eating) de novo fatty acid synthesis is man. phosphate, which then diffuses out of the
increment in energy expenditure above This process is energetically costly and mitochondria to complete the cycle. The
the resting rate and is expressed as a could account for the lesser efficiency of net result is the shuttle of glycerol-3-phos-
fraction of the energy content of the food storage of MCT-derived energy. The ob- phate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate
consumed (3). A substantial part of the served increase in thermogenesis agrees across the mitochondrial membrane. Free
TEF (50-75%) is simply the energy used well with the energy cost associated with energy is consumed to drive the cycle,
to digest, transport and store food (3). de novo lipogenesis (10,11). This obser- but since no net work is performed, the
This is termed the obligatory component vation was corroborated by Crozier (13) energy ultimately appears as heat (16).
of TEF. Carbohydrate feeding is known to working with isolated rat hepatocytes The malate/aspartate shuttle works in the
stimulate the sympathetic nervous system (liver cells). This means that some of the same manner.
and the ensuing catecholamine-mediated excess acetyl-CoA produced during the Finally, increased activity of NA-
increase in metabolic rate is known as the rapid oxidation of MCTs is used to build K ATPase has also been suggested as
facultative component of TEF (3). This
a thermogenic mechanism for wasting oxidized by the body, while the food you burn more fat, since skeletal muscle
energy as heat (17). It is estimated that quotient (FQ) describes the ratio of CO2 is the main site of fat oxidation. So while
10-40% of the total energy expended by produced to O2 consumed during oxida- weight lifting is largely fueled by carbo-
the cell is used to maintain the concentration of a representative sample of the diet hydrates, the increase in lean body mass
tion of gradient of sodium and potassium (3). If energy intake equals energy ex- will increase BMR and result in greater
ions across the cell membrane (18). Since penditure, constant body weight will be fat metabolism.
these ions also can cross the membrane maintained only if RQ equals FQ. If RQ It is known from nitrogen balance
by passive diffusion, an increase in the is less than FQ, weight will be lost even studies that the adult body maintains a
activity of the enzyme could be a mecha- in energy balance because the fuel mix nearly constant protein content (as long
nism for spending ATP (5,7,18). being oxidized is inefficiently converted as the diet provides sufficient protein) re-
Notably, BMR is increased following to ATP. Thus, more dietary energy will be gardless of the proportions of fat and car-
excess feeding of a mixed diet, but not lost as heat and less will be available as bohydrate in the diet (4). It is also known
if only excess [conventional] fat is con- ATP to maintain body weight. By reduc- that the body’s glycogen reserve is on
sumed (3). Since different fuel substrates ing food efficiency and while maintain- the same order as on the daily turnover
follow different metabolic pathways, it is ing energy balance, one can bring about of carbohydrate (200-400 g) (4). Given
perhaps not surprising that carbohydrate, weight loss without activating the body’s the importance of maintaining blood glu-
fat and protein are converted to usable homeostatic mechanisms to maintain cose, proper control of the carbohydrate
energy (ATP) with differing efficiencies. constant body weight. This concept is at economy is of critical importance (4).
Energy from carbohydrate is converted the heart of successful weight reduction, The glucostatic theory of food intake
to ATP with an overall yield of 75% ef- but it’s not the whole story. regulation describes the priority given
ficiency, energy from dietary fat is con- In intuitive terms, if RQ is less than to maintenance of carbohydrate balance.
verted to ATP at 90% efficiency and en- FQ this means that more fat is being The adjustment of carbohydrate oxida-
ergy from protein is converted to ATP at burned by the body than is being sup- tion to carbohydrate intake is carefully
45% efficiency (detailed calculations can plied by the diet. This fat is coming from regulated to result in stable glycogen
be found in reference 3, chapter 8). It is adipose stores. Thus, one can draw upon reserves under widely varying dietary
evident from these considerations that the stored fat for energy even when energy intakes (4). RQ increases following feed-
energy expenditure required to replace 1 consumption equals energy intake. For ing, demonstrating an increase in the pro-
mol of ATP will vary depending on the example, consider someone who main- portion of carbohydrate being oxidized in
substrate mix being oxidized (3). This tains absolutely constant body weight the fuel mix. The change in RQ following
explains, in part, the increase in BMR ob- and whose energy intake exactly equals feeding is determined by the test meal’s
served when subjects are changed from energy output. Let’s say this person is carbohydrate and protein content, but
a mixed diet to a high carbohydrate diet eating 3,000 calories per day, provided not its fat content (4). Thus, while pro-
(3). We see the same thing at Parrillo as 40% fat, 40% carbohydrate and 20% tein and carbohydrate feeding promotes
Performance in our bodybuilders. When protein. Now imagine this person con- carbohydrate oxidation, fat feeding does
we switch them to a high protein, high tinues to consume 3,000 calories per not promote fat oxidation (4). On days
carbohydrate, low fat diet, the rapidly day and does not modify his activity when carbohydrate excess carbohydrate
lose body fat and gain muscle. We know level, but changes his diet to 10% fat, is consumed, carbohydrate oxidation is
that energy expenditure has increased 70% carbohydrate and 20% protein. This increased to limit excess glycogen depo-
because they are eating more calories person will lose weight because energy sition, but if excess fat is consumed it is
than ever and still losing fat. Of course, from carbohydrate is converted to ATP simply stored in adipose depots (4). Thus,
we train them harder than they’ve ever with less efficiency than energy from fat while protein and carbohydrate stores are
trained before too. is converted to ATP. More of his dietary closely regulated, fat stores are generally
Thus, we see that maintenance of con- energy will be lost as heat and less will not regulated, and increase in response
stant body weight requires not only that be available for ATP production. Not to over-consumption of fat. (If fat stores
long term energy balance be maintained, only will he lose weight while maintain- were regulated we wouldn’t have obese
but also that the average composition of ing energy balance, but this weight will people.)
the fuel mix oxidized be equivalent to come from fat stores since his activ- Of course, excess calories from protein
the nutrient distribution in the diet (3). In ity level dictates a certain RQ (within or carbohydrate can also be converted to
other words, the energy intake required the constraints of substrate availability). fat, but this is quantitatively insignificant
to maintain body weight varies according Aerobic activity is preferentially fueled for most people consuming an American
to dietary composition, since different by fat (a low RQ) while high intensity an- diet (4). Thirty percent of excess car-
fuels are converted to ATP with differ- aerobic activity (weight lifting) is fueled bohydrate calories are wasted as heat,
ent efficiencies. The respiratory quotient primarily by carbohydrate (a high RQ). and since glycogen stores are generally
(RQ) describes the substrate mix being Increasing lean body mass will also help far from full (especially in exercising
individuals), an excess carbohydrate load exercise on energy expenditure — a re- Metab. 38: 641-648, 1989.
of 500 g. can be accommodated without view. Int. J. Sports Nutr. 2: 1-19, 1992.
an increase in body fat. Notably, not 12. Parrillo Performance, Cincinnati,
all carbs are created equal. Complex 2. Guyton AC. Textbook of Medical Ohio, original research results by John
carbohydrates which are broken down Physiology. W.B. Saunders 1991. Parrillo and Arthur Roberson, PhD.
slowly are more effectively stored as
glycogen than are simple sugars, which 3. Bjorntorp P, and Brodoff BN. Obe- 13. Crozier. Medium chain triglycer-
are released into the bloodstream faster sity. J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, ide feeding over the long term: the meta-
than they can be converted to glycogen. 1992. bolic fate of the C-14 octanoate and C-14
This means some of the simple sugars oleate in isolated rat hepatocytes. J. Nutr.
will be converted into fat and will “spill 4. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim 118: 297-304, 1988.
over” into body fat stores. Also, fructose SA. Enhanced thermogenesis and dimin- 14. Baba, Bracco and Hashim. Role
is famous for its tendency to be converted ished depositions of fat in response to of brown adipose tissue in thermogenesis
to fat, and that’s why we limit fruit and overfeeding with diet containing medium induced by overfeeding a diet containing
juice on our diet — more on that in a chain triglycerides. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: medium chain triglyceride. Lipids 22:
future article. 678-682, 1982. 442-444, 1987.
In effect, oxidation is determined by
the difference between energy expendi- 5. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Medi- 15. Nicholls. Brown adipose tissue
ture and energy consumed in the form of um chain triglycerides: and update. Am. mitochondria. Biochem. Biophys. Acta
carbohydrate and protein (4). Since the J. Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982. 549: 1-28, 1979.
average RQ is influenced by the degree
of repletion of glycogen stores and by 6. Crozier G, Bois-Joyeux B, Chanez 16. Berry, Clark, Grivell, and Wallace.
the fat mass, weight maintenance occurs M, Girard J, and Peret J. Metabolic ef- The contribution of hepatic metabolism
only when a particular body composition fects of induced by long-term feeding to diet-induced thermogenesis. Metab.
has been reached (4). In other words, for of medium chain triglycerides in the rat. 34: 141-147, 1985.
a given dietary intake with some aver- Metab. 36: 807-814, 1987.
age FQ, body composition will change 17. Levin BE, and Sullivan AC. Regu-
until RQ equals FQ. The steady state is 7. Geliebter A, Torbay N, Bracco EF, lation of thermogenesis in obesity. Novel
achieved when energy intake equals en- Hashim SA, and Van Ittalic TB. Over- approaches and Drugs for Obesity, Sul-
ergy expenditure and when the substrate feeding with medium chain triglyceride livan AC, and Garrantini S, Eds. pg. 159-
mix being oxidized is the same as the diet results in diminished deposition of 180. John Libbey and Co. Ltd., 1985.
fuel mix being consumed. Simply put, fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 37: 1-4, 1983.
since protein and carbohydrate stores are 18. Vander, Sherman, and Luciano. Hu-
narrowly regulated, to lose fat one must 8. Lavau MM, and Hashim SA. Effect man Physiology — The Mechanisms of
consume less fat than one burns. This is of medium chain triglyceride on lipogen- Body Function, p. 236. Published by Mc-
achieved by consuming a low fat diet and esis and body fat in the rat. J. Nutr. 108: Graw-Hill Book Company, 1980.
by performing aerobic exercise. Weight 613-620, 1978.
training helps by increasing lean mass
and therefore the BMR. 9. Seaton EB, Welle SL, Warenko
These arguments show that a meal MK, and Campbell RG. Thermic effect
with a high carbohydrate:fat ratio (CHO: of medium chain and long chain triglyc-
FAT) is more thermogenic than a meal erides in man. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 44: 630-
with a low ratio. While carbohydrate and 634, 1986.
protein balance are closely regulated, fat
balance is related to the amount of fat in 10. Hill JO, Peters JC, Swift LL, Yang
the diet (3). During over-feeding, weight D, Sharp T, Abumrad N, and Greene HL.
gain is closely related to fat intake. The Changes in blood lipids during six days
body’s inability to regulate fat stores ex- of overfeeding with medium or long
plains why the incidence of obesity rises chain triglycerides. J. Lipid Res. 31: 407-
as the fat content of the diet increases 416, 1990.
(3).
11. Hill JO, Peters JC, Yang D, Sharp
References T, Kaler M, Abumrad N, and Greene HL.
Thermogenesis in humans during over-
1. Van Zant RS. Influence of diet and feeding with medium chain triglycerides.
Energy Metabolism & Thermogenesis: The Ultimate Formula For Losing Body Fat, Part III
by John Parrillo
In the previous bulletins, we have dis- and after body weight loss rang-
cussed how to effectively lose body fat ing from 9.6 to 33.5 kg achieved
and why traditional approaches to weight by hypocaloric diet for four to
loss are doomed to failure. To illustrate six months. Eight obese non-
that these theoretical concepts are correct diabetic patients were examined
and really work in humans, I have se- six years later after relapse of
lected one of the articles in the reference obesity had occurred.
list for detailed review. This will give you Results and Discus-
some idea of how these experiments are sions: Although energy expendi-
performed. We do the same sort of thing ture was increased in all groups
at Parrillo Performance except our sub- following administration of the
jects are competitive bodybuilders and glucose load, GIT was lower in
fitness athletes and our end points of obese patients than in nonobese
measurement are lean body mass, body controls. Furthermore, diabetic
fat percentage and competitive wins. obese patients had significantly
The study by Golay (1) was lower GIT than non-diabetic
selected for review because it examines obese patients. After weight loss This is likely to be due to loss of lean
energy metabolism in the obese state, by hypocaloric diet, GIT was dramatical- body mass (skeletal muscle) during ca-
after weight loss by hypocaloric diet, and ly reduced in non-diabetic obese patients. loric restriction, which was not replaced
after relapse of obesity following weight Weight loss induced non diminution of during obesity relapse, although this pos-
loss. Thus, many of the concepts previ- GIT in the diabetic group. After relapse sibility was not investigated.
ously discussed are empirically tested. of body weight gain, GIT returned to its This experiment demonstrates
The study was well controlled. measur- original value before weight loss. How- many of the principles discussed in the
ing energy metabolism in the same indi- ever, basal energy expenditure failed to introduction. Caloric restriction reduces
viduals before and after hypocaloric diet return to the same level as before weight the body’s rate of energy expenditure, so
(internal control) as well as compared to loss. that when normal caloric consumption is
lean controls (external controls). In addi- These results confirm other re- resumed, body weight (fat) is recovered.
tion, insulin resistance, which is associ- ports that postprandial thermogenesis This sort of compensation is exactly
ated with obesity and impaired glucose- following glucose ingestion is lower in what one would expect of a homeostatic
induced thermogenesis (GIT) was also obese than in lean subjects. Regression mechanism. This report confirms that a
examined. The goal of the investigation analysis showed that the main factor in hypocaloric diet fails to achieve body
was to examine the impact of weight explaining the decrease in GIT observed weight control and in fact activates an
reduction by hypocaloric diet on glucose- in obesity is an increase in plasma in- “anti-starvation” response which works
induced thermogenesis and its relation to sulin levels. This suggests that insulin by decreasing energy expenditure. That
relapse of obesity. resistance may play a role in suppressing BMR was not recovered after obesity
Methods: Energy expenditure GIT. This obviously could play a role in relapse suggests that repeated cycles of
was measured by indirect calorimetry the development of obesity since if less hypocaloric dieting just make it even
for three hours following administration energy is wasted as heat more is available harder to lose weight. This undesirable
of a 100g glucose load. The glucose-infor storage. Reduction of body weight by effect can be overcome with exercise.
duced thermogenesis was expressed as caloric restriction is associated not only An Integrated Approach To
the percent of energy contained in the with a decrease in BMR but also with Body Weight Control
glucose dose. Obese subjects were di- a blunted thermic response to feeding Throughout this report it has been em-
vided into three groups according to their (1,2,3). The further reduction in GIT in phasized that obesity is not a problem
degree of glucose tolerance: normal glu- obese following weight loss may thus be of excess caloric consumption because,
cose tolerance, impaired glucose toler- involved in relapse of obesity. Notably, in fact, obese people do not, on average,
ance, and diabetic (NIDDM). Thirty-two while GIT returned to its pre-diet level consume more calories than non-obese
obese individuals were studied before following obesity relapse, BMR did not. people (2,3). Therefore treatment of obe-
Energy Metabolism & Thermogenesis: The Ultimate Formula For Losing Body Fat, Part III
sity by caloric restriction does not make energy deficit of 500 calories. It is best stored as glycogen, excess calories from
sense on at least grounds: 1) It is unre- to achieve this deficit by performing 500 fructose are converted to fat.
lated to the cause of obesity; 2) The body calories worth of aerobic exercise per day In summary, obesity is not a
has compensatory mechanisms to adapt (which is about one hour of moderately problem of excess energy consumption,
to the low caloric diet and to recover intense activity). If a reduction in energy but rather is a direct consequence of the
fat stores when caloric consumption is intake is needed, limit it to 10% of the of American lifestyle. This is supported by
resumed; and most importantly, 3) It is the maintenance requirement. It is best to the observation of increased incidence
empirically observed to fail 90-95% of lose weight slowly, since this seems to of obesity in American immigrants from
the time (2,3). achieve more permanent results (2,3) and Asia and Japan. A person may consume
Five great discoveries in nu- minimizes loss of lean body mass and an appropriate number of calories, but if
trition now make it possible to devise consequent reduction of BMR. Monitor he is sedentary and derives 40% of his
a successful approach to body weight body composition (percent body fat) dur- calories from fat, his RQ will be greater
control. These are: 1) The body has a ing weight loss to ensure muscle is not than his FQ and he will necessarily ac-
weight regulation mechanism located in being lost. cumulate excess body fat. Caloric restric-
the hypothalamus; 2) Different foods 2) Increase the CHO:FAT ratio tion in such an individual would serve
are converted to ATP with different ef- in the diet. This increases thermogenesis no useful purpose. What is called for is a
ficiencies; 3) The insulin:glucagon ratio and FQ. (A diet with a low fat content has diet low in fat and high in complex carbo-
is determined by diet composition (CHO: a high FQ.) Remember that fat deposition hydrates combined with regular exercise.
PRO) and can exert powerful influence is related to fat consumption. The successful dieter will realize that
on body weight; 4) the sympathetic ner- 3) Perform regular low to mod- permanent weight loss requires a lifelong
vous system is activated by carbohydrate erate intensity aerobic exercise. This de- commitment to healthy diet and exercise
feeding and can direct partitioning of increases RQ. When RQ is less than FQ habits. The strategy presented here will
gested energy; and 5) While carbohydrate this means that the body is burning more work for anyone trying to get in better
and protein stores are tightly regulated, fat than it is consuming. This fat comes shape, from the man on the street to the
the size of adipose depots correlates most from adipose stores. Low to moderate Olympia competitor. You want results?
strongly with fat content of the diet. intensity aerobic exercise is fueled pri- Get with the program.
From these considerations a marily by fat, and if little fat is provided
simple prescription for long-term body by the diet, stores will be reduced. References
weight control follows: 4) Consume a CHO:PRO ratio
1) Caloric intake should not be which will result in an insulin:glucagon 1. Golay A. Blunted glucose-induced
drastically reduced below maintenance ratio compatible with fat loss. Remember thermogenesis: a factor contributing to
requirements. This simply reduces BMR, that insulin promotes fat storage while relapse of obesity. Intl. J. Obesity 17
TEF and increases lipoprotein lipase. glucagon increases use of fat for energy. (Suppl 1) s23 s27, 1993
One cannot make the body healthier by Empirically, a diet consisting of 30%
depriving it of food. It is infinitely prefer- protein, 65% carbohydrate and 5% fat 4. Bjorntorp P, and Brodoff BN. Obesity.
able to achieve negative energy balance (as energy) has proven very successful J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, 1992.
by increasing energy expenditure through for many people (4). The Parrillo Per-
exercise. This does not activate the star- formance Nutrition Manual has all the 5. Remington DW, Fisher AG, and Parent
vation response, and in fact increases details of how to fine tune the diet to fit AG. How to lower your Fat Thermo-
BMR as well as increasing energy expen- your particular needs. stat. Vitality House International, Provo,
diture in activity. For the average obese 5) Choose complex carbohy- 1983.
person consuming the typical American drates and limit refined carbohydrates,
diet (40% fat, no caloric restriction is especially simple sugars. Selecting car- 22. Parrillo Performance, Cincinnati,
needed. The simplest way to determine bohydrates with a low glycemic index Ohio, original research results by John
total daily energy expenditure is to weigh will reduce insulin levels and decrease Parrillo and Arthur Roberson, PhD.
your food and calculate how many calo- fat storage. Limit fructose consump-
ries you are consuming per day during tion, which is profoundly lipogenic even 24. Shafrir E. Fructose/sucrose metabo-
a time when you weight is not chang- though it has a low glycemic index (5). lism, its physiological and pathological
ing. This represents the energy intake Fructose enters the glycolytic pathway implications. Sugars and Sweeteners ,
required to maintain your present body beyond the phosphofructokinase step and Kretchmer N, and Hollenbeck CB, Eds.
weight. In general, this is proportional thus its metabolism is largely unregu- p. 63-98. CRC Press, 1991.
to lean body mass and activity level. Try lated. It is rapidly metabolized to acetyl-
to lose fat at the rate of one pound per CoA which serves as a substrate for de
week. Since one pound of body fat equals novo fatty acid synthesis. While excess
3500 calories, this represents a daily calories from carbohydrates are readily
Fruit and Your Diet

by John Parrillo
lack of nutrients, you must this point the skin is paper thin (in the hu-
realize that no amount of man most fat is stored just under the skin).
supplements can redeem a You can see the striations of muscle clearly
poor diet. through the skin. As you can imagine any
One of the most com- little change at this point really shows
mon questions about our up. This is why I like to use competitive
program is why we omit bodybuilders for the most demanding nu-
fruit from the diet. Although tritional experiments — they are a very
it will take a few pages of sensitive indicator of what works and what
biochemistry to explain it, doesn’t. With the athlete in contest shape,
I can tell you the answer we measure body weight and percentage of
in one sentence: FRUIT body fat every day. We weigh the food the
MAKES YOU FAT. This subject will eat and calculate how many
little-known fact has caused calories are being consumed and break
such a stir that sometimes I it down into calories from protein, car-
almost regret bringing it to bohydrate and fat. If the subject’s weight
light, but my job is to get doesn’t change, this means caloric intake
At Parrillo Performance we have the best results possible for exactly balances caloric expenditure, so
always said that proper nutrition is the the people who follow our programs. Can we have a direct empirical measurement
foundation of bodybuilding excellence. you eat some fruit and still have a good of the total daily energy expenditure for
And we continually emphasize that food is physique? Sure you can. But people who the subject. Everything is measured and
the cornerstone of nutrition. Our philoso- come to Parrillo Performance want the controlled, and nothing is left to chance.
phy is to lay the foundation by eating the BEST RESULTS POSSIBLE. Professional Okay, here’s what happens: Let’s
right foods. The details of exactly which bodybuilders don’t want good physiques say we remove 300 calories worth of
foods to eat, how much to eat, and how to — they want perfect physiques. If you’re complex carbohydrates from the subject’s
combine meals for maximum metabolic ef- not interested in biochemistry or physiol- diet in the form of rice, and replace it
ficiency are all spelled out step-by-step in ogy, you can skip the rest. All you need to with 300 calories worth from fruit. The
the Parrillo Performance Nutrition Manual. know is that fruit makes you fat, and juice subject’s total caloric intake remains the
We specifically address the questions of is even worse than whole fruit. same as does the percent of calories from
how to gain lean mass and lose fat. Of course, fruit is generally a protein, carbohydrate and fat. The training
One of the best things about healthy food — high in fiber, vitamins and program remains exactly the same. The
working with people who have given our minerals and low in fat. But try to think only change is in the form of carbohydrate
program a try is when they call to tell me of fruit as nature’s candy, because that’s supplying 300 of the calories: rice has been
how much they’ve been able to change exactly what it is. If your goal is to build replaced by bananas. You would expect the
their lives — how the Parrillo program has a lean and muscular physique, then you subject’s body weight and percent body fat
allowed them to achieve the body of their don’t want to eat candy. Sugar and fat are to remain the same, right? To everyone’s
dreams. Sometimes it’s an up-and-coming natural, but that doesn’t mean they’ll make surprise, the subject starts to gain fat. We
bodybuilder, but just as often it’s a middle- you lean and muscular. let this go on for a couple of weeks and the
aged man or woman who has been trying I originally learned that fruit subject continues to gain fat. Now, we pull
their entire life to get in shape. Helping makes you fat not by reviewing the bio- the bananas out of the diet and put the rice
people achieve their goals is my greatest chemical pathways of metabolism, but by back in — i.e., go back to the original diet.
reward. actually doing nutritional experiments with Guess what? The subject loses fat. Amaz-
Can supplements help? Try to find real bodybuilders. Rather than being some ing, but true.
a champion bodybuilder who doesn’t use theory out of a book, this is an experimen- We’ve done countless experiments
them. The key is to use the right ones and tal fact. For a long time I didn’t understand like this with just about every food imagin-
use them properly. Again, you must first it — I just knew from our work in the gym able. That’s how we came up with our diet
lay down the foundation by eating the right that certain foods made bodybuilders get — by finding what really works. The Par-
foods. On top of a diet of lean, nutritious in better shape and other foods made them rillo Performance Nutrition Manual tells
foods, the supplements can boost levels of get fat. The experiment goes like this: As you which foods work to build a lean, mus-
specific nutrients even higher. For those a bodybuilder gets closer to a contest, his cular physique and which foods don’t. The
people who eat a lot of junk food then body fat level gets very low — maybe 3- competitive bodybuilder is our laboratory.
expect supplements to make up for their 5% for a male and 8-9% for a female. At The same diet developed to hone champion
Fruit and Your Diet
bodybuilders works equally well for any- run optimally, including the human body, tain a lot of glucose. I know, I know, all of
one seeking to lose fat and gain muscle. it requires the right kind of fuel. you budding biochemists out there are go-
So far, those who have given our program During the last year in this col- ing to point out that fructose is very low on
a sincere effort have been thrilled with the umn, I’ve explored two major themes in the glycemic index. This means that it does
results. Granted, some specific parameters detail. The first was the central role of hor- not elicit a large and rapid insulin release,
have to be adjusted to optimize the pro- mones in determining your body composi- and so on that basis we would not expect
gram for your individual metabolism. We tion (amount of muscle and fat) and how it to promote fat storage. Right you are.
tell you how to do that too. The optimum to control these hormone levels through Although the reason fruit makes you fat
number of calories and the optimum ratio diet and exercise. The second theme was is because of the fructose it contains, the
of protein to carbohydrate varies among thermogenesis — the thermodynamics of effect is not mediated by insulin. The prob-
individuals. For example, some people, food metabolism in the human body. The lem with fructose is that it bypasses the
especially ones who have trouble losing bottom line you should have gotten out of enzyme phosphofructokinase-I (PFK-I),
fat, do better with more protein and less this was that different foods have different the rate-limiting step of glycolysis (3). In
carbohydrate. People who have suffered effects on the body, by virtue of the hor- other words, fructose bypasses the control
repeated bouts of yo-yo dieting have lost a monal responses they elicit and the route of point that decides if a dietary sugar is going
lot of muscle mass and consequently have energy metabolism that they follow. These to be stored as glycogen or fat. Complex
a slow metabolic rate. They may actually concepts are so important that we devoted carbohydrates, such as rice, oatmeal or po-
need to increase calories and put on some about 50 pages to them in the Performance tatoes, are preferentially stored as glycogen
muscle before they have any of the physi- Press during the last year. They form the until glycogen stores are full. Fructose, on
ological machinery to burn fat. theoretical underpinnings of our experi- the other hand, gets directly converted to
ments with the diets of bodybuilders that I fat in the liver, then gets whisked off in
Different foods have described earlier. Like all good scientists, the bloodstream to be stored in fat cells
different chemical com- we make progress by combining scientific (3). Next month I’ll walk you through the
theory with real life observations. metabolic pathway, step by step.
positions and therefore Some foods, such as simple sug-
have different effects ars, are undesirable because they cause a References
inside your body. All large and rapid insulin release, and insulin
is a potent stimulus for fat storage (1). 1. de Castro JM, Paullin SK and DeLugas
food is fuel, but what Other foods, such as conventional dietary GM. Insulin and glucagon as determinants
type of fuel it is matters fats (but not MCTs like CapTri®) are of body weight set point and microregula-
undesirable because they have a low TEF tion in rats. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 92:
alot. (Thermic Effect of Feeding) and lower the 571-579, 1978.
FQ (Food Quotient) of the diet (2). Please
Well, back to the story on fruit. Why does see the series on thermogenesis in the 2. Bjorntorp P, and Brodoff BN. Obesity.
it make any difference what kind of food December 1993, and January and Febru- J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, 1992.
you eat? For a given number of calories it ary 1994 issues in the Performance Press.
seems like it shouldn’t matter what foods Remember that the energy contained in 3. Shafrir E. Fructose/sucrose metabo-
they come from. This is one of the most all foods is converted to ATP (adenosine lism, its physiological and pathological
common mistakes people make when try- triphosphate) before it is used as fuel in the implications. Sugars and Sweeteners,
ing to lose fat. They think that if they re- body. ATP is the chemical form of energy Kretchmer N and Hollenbeck CB, Eds.
duce calories they will automatically lose directly used to power muscle contractions p. 63-98. CRC Press, 1991.
weight. This is true, but only for a little and other biological functions. Simply put,
while. And if you lose weight by drasti- if a food is efficiently converted into ATP,
cally cutting calories, about 50% of the then all of the energy contained in that food
weight lost will be muscle. What people is available to do work in the body. Any ex-
fail to realize is that the types of food you cess energy from such a food will be stored
eat is just as important as how many calo- as fat. If a food is inefficiently converted
ries you consume. If cutting calories was to ATP, then a substantial portion of the
the answer, then those low-calorie weight calories contained in the food will be lost
loss drinks would work. But they don’t. as heat, and therefore cannot be stored as
The key point is that different fat.
foods have different chemical composi- The problem with fruit is that vir-
tions and therefore have different effects tually all of the calories it supplies come in
inside your body. Of course, all food is the form of simple sugars. The most abun-
fuel, but what type of fuel it is matters a lot. dant sugar in fruit is fructose (commonly
Try putting kerosene in you car sometime known as fruit sugar), although some fruits
and see how it runs. For any machine to (oranges and grapes for example) also con-
Fruitless Dieting: More On Why Fruit Turns To Body Fat

by John Parrillo
In the last bulletin, we began our As you know, from previous So excess calories from any car-
discussion of fruit and fructose metabo- articles about carbohydrate metabolism bohydrate source can be converted to
lism. As you know, I do not recommend and thermogenesis, the dietary energy fat. The enzyme that regulates whether
fruit or fruit juice in any of my diets. (calories) supplied by carbs is used for dietary energy supplied by carbohydrate
This is a controversial issue that a lot of several purposes. Some of it is simply is stored as glycogen or fat is PFK-I. It
people don’t understand. Don’t get me lost as heat during its digestion and me- shuttles carbs into glycogen stores until
wrong: Fruit is generally a healthy, nutri- tabolism in a process we know as diet- full , then it switches the flow of carbohy-
tious food. Fruit is high in fiber, low in induce thermogenesis. You can loosely drates from glycogen synthesis to fat syn-
fat and calories and is a good source of think of this as “friction” in the metabolic thesis. Glycogen is the storage form of
vitamins and minerals. If you want some- pathway, and this energy loss contributes carbohydrate in animals, and the amount
thing sweet for dessert, fruit is a good to the generation of body heat. Most of of glycogen you can store is quite lim-
choice. However, there are two groups of the dietary energy is used to maintain ited. the upper limit is generally believed
people for whom fruit is not the best food the basal metabolic rate (BMR) — the to be between 250-400 grams, depending
choice: bodybuilders and and anyone on the amount of skeletal muscle mass
trying to maximize fat loss. you have. This amounts to only 1000-
I originally discovered this by 1600 calories — not even enough energy
conducting carefully controlled nutrition to fuel your body for one day.
experiments with bodybuilders. Simply The deal with fructose is that it
put, I found that when fruit was added totally skips the enzyme PFK-I, which
to their diets, they got fat. This was is the regulatory step responsible for
not due to an increase in calories, making sure glycogen stores are full
because in these experiments fruit before fat synthesis is switched on.
was substituted for another carbohy- Instead of being stored as glycogen,
drate source so that total calories were fructose gets directly converted to
kept constant. So I knew it had to be fat by the liver. Now I think you can
something special about fruit itself that see why I have a problem with rec-
caused fat accumulation. In this bulletin ommending fruit for bodybuilders. to
I will explain what it is. get a detailed understanding of fructose
The problem is that 80-90 per- metabolism, we should start at the begin-
cent of the calories in fruit are supplied ning. Fructose is absorbed from the small
by simple sugars, fructose and glucose.
Fruit is a very healthy, nutrious intestine and directly transported to the
Some fruits, such as grapes and oranges, food source. But if your goal is liver by the portal vein. The first enzyme
contain a lot of glucose, but most fruits to lose body fat and become as to act on fructose is fructokinase, which
supply the bulk of their calories as fruc- lean as possible, it should be adds a phosphate group to the sugar to
tose, which is also known as fruit sugar. excluded from your diet. form fructose-1-phosphate (F1P). Glu-
The bottom line is that fructose is rapidly cose is similarly phosphorylated at the
converted to fat by the liver. Whereas energy cost of keeping your body alive. six position of the hexokinase, forming
most other carbohydrate sources are pref- Some of the energy is used to perform G6P. All cells have hexokinase and thus
erentially stored as glycogen, fructose is work, like exercise and activities of daily have the ability to phosphorylate glucose.
preferentially converted to fat and stored life. After that, any energy left is stored This means that all cells can metabolize
in adipose tissue. This is a consequence as glycogen in muscles and in the liver. glucose for energy.
of the molecular structure of fructose, If you consume too many calories from On the other hand, fructokinase
which allows it to skip a key regulatory carbohydrate after glycogen stores are is virtually confined to the liver (1). So
point in carbohydrate metabolism. This full, the rest will be converted to fat (tri- while glucose is a general substrate for
regulatory point is a step in the glucolytic glycerides) in the liver, and transported all body tissues, fructose represents a
pathway catalyzed by the enzyme phos- by the blood to fat cells (adipose tissue) carbohydrate load targeted for the liver
phofructokinase-I (PFK-I). for storage. (1). The next thing that happens is F1P
is split by the enzyme aldolase to form
Fruitless Dieting: More On Why Fruit Turns To Body Fat
glyceraldehyde (GA) and dihydroxyac- want from a sports bar, but without the From your reading of our series on endo-
etone phosphate (DHAP). Refer to the fructose. Each Parrillo Supplement Bar crinology, you know that a slow, steady
figure, which is adapted from Shafrir also contains CapTri® (which is legend- insulin response is good. Since insulin is
(1). This means that products of fructose ary by now) and an ultra-high efficiency a potent stimulus for fat storage, we want
metabolism enter the glycolytic pathway protein source. to keep insulin levels fairly low, so be this
at the triose phosphate level (i.e., as three As we discussed in an earlier reasoning it seems like fructose would be
carbon sugars). Glucose, on the other bulletin about carbohydrate metabolism, good. The problem is that the REASON
hand, is phosphorylated to yield G6P, complex carbohydrates (such as starch fructose has a low glycemic index and
which may proceed directly to glycogen and maltodextrin) are more effecitve at results in a small insulin release is that it
synthesis (1). To be broken down for replenishing glycogen stores than sim- is converted to fat in the liver. It doesn’t
energy, glucose must first pass through ple sugars (3). This makes sense be- raise blood sugar very much because it is
the rate-limiting PFK-I step. Fructose cause complex carbs are released into released from the liver as fat instead of
metabolites enter below this step, and the bloodstream slowly whereas simple sugar.
thus bypass an important point of regula- sugars are released very rapidly, poten- Fructose has a MUCH greater
tion. Fructose therefore is more prone to tially overwhelming the glycogen syn- tendency to be converted to fat than
be converted to fat, while glucose is more thesis pathway and “spilling over” into other carbohydrate sources, so why use
prone to be converted to glycogen. fat stores. Furthermore, the increased in- it? Now you understand the biochemistry
The biochemistry is much more sulin release resulting from simple sugars behind my controversial stance on fruit.
complex than is appropriate for this ar- causes more of the sugar to be converted I’m not just making this stuff up, folks.
ticle, but I have pointed out the salient to fat. There’s a reason behind every part of my
features of the pathway to explain why This is why Parrillo Performance program.
glucose-based carbohydrate sources are Pro-Carb™ Formula is based on malto-
better than fructose, especially for people dextrin instead of sugar, like most other References
trying to minimize body fat stores. Sci- carbohydrate supplements. Maltodextrin
entific studies have proven that while is a medium-chain glucose polymer made 1. Shafrir E. Fructose/sucrose metabo-
fructose is effective at replenishing liver from corn. It has been found that malto- lism, its physiological and patholigical
glycogen stores, starch (glucose poly- dextrin is 15 percent more efficient at implications. Sugars and Sweeteners,
mers) is much more efficient at replenish- restoring muscle glycogen levels than Kretchmer N and Hollenbeck CB, Eds.
ing skeletal muscle glycogen stores (2). conventional carbohydrate foods like rice CRC Press, 1991, pp. 63-98.
When we were designing the and pasta (4).
Parrillo Supplement Bar, we surveyed This makes Pro-Carb™ ideal 2. Paige DM, Clinical Nutrition. C.V.
every available sports supplement bar we for glycogen supercompensation (carb Mosby Company, St. Louis, 1988, pp.
could find. We found that 25 out of the loading). Maltodextrin beverages like 703-704.
26 bars had fructose as either the first or Pro-Carb™ have also been demonstrated
second ingredient. (If you use somebody to increase blood glucose levels during 3. Costill DL, Sherman WM, Fink WJ,
else’s bar, go read the label.) exercise and to increase exercise time to Witten MW, Miller JM. The role of di-
etary carbohydrates in muscle glycogen
resynthesis after strenuous running. Am.
J. Clin. Nutr. 34: 1831-1836, 1981.
4. Lamb DR, Snyder AC, and Baur TS.

Muscle glycogen loading with a liquid
carbohydrate supplement. Int. J. Sport
Nutr. 1: 52-60, 1991.
5. Snyder AC, Lamb DR, Baur T, Con-

nors D and Brodowicz G. Maltodextrin
Why? Because corn syrup and fruit juice exhaustion (4,5). feeding immediately before prolonged
(good sources of fructose) are real cheap At this point, I think I can an- cycling at 62% VO2 Max increases time
and they’re also very sweet. We pio- ticipate a question from the biochemists to exhaustion. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc.
neered the use of a new carbohydrate in the crowd. You’ve probably heard that 15: 126, 1983.
source in our bar called rice dextrin. It’s fructose is low on glycemic index, which
a short-chain glucose polymer made from means it raises blood sugar very slowly
rice. This gives you the quick energy you and elicits only a small insulin release.
Activating Muscular Growth, Part I

by John Parrillo
Mention the words “Belt Squat” is a special machine
to anyone’s who’s trained at the Par- where the trainee
rillo Performance Gym in Cincinnati, and wears a harness
you’ll get a reaction that’s a mixture of which suspends the
fear and nausea. The mere thought of belt weight between
squats is enough to make most people his legs. This ar-
need to sit down. There’s really noth- rangement takes the
ing quite like it. Anyone’s who’s done stress off the lower
it will agree that it is the most mentally back, allowing you
and physically demanding exercise ever to maximally over-
developed. The belt squat will take you load the legs. It’s
to a new level of intensity. the same movement
At this time, the Parrillo Per- as the conventional
formance Gym is a private gym, not squats, except you
open to the public. It’s really more of a can use a lot more
research facility than a gym. We experi- weight for a lot more
ment with new equipment and new tech- reps.
niques, developing the next generation of Of course
bodybuilders. We work with a lot of top your legs will grow.
The Parrillo Belt Squat Machine doesn’t look very
competitive amateurs trying to make it to This will be the high-
the next level and break into the profes- est intensity exercise imposing. But strap on the harness and you’re asking
sional ranks. We also deal with a lot of your legs will ever for trouble. Your body will thank you in the long run,
professional competitors, all the way up experience. But the but forget about dancing that night.
to people training for the Olympia. amazing thing about No doubt you’ve heard that an-
I guess you could say that’s our the belt squat is the overall effect it has aerobic training and aerobic training elic-
specialty — taking people to the next lev- on your entire body. It allows you to take it different adaptive responses which, to
el. That’s really what brings me the most your whole body to failure, including all some extent, work against each other (2).
satisfaction and is my biggest reward of your energy producing systems. You In other words, strength training and en-
— helping people realize their dreams. will be breathing as hard as you can, durance training are not completely com-
And this applies to everyone from the your heart will be pumping as hard as it patible, and if you want to maximize your
over-weight 45-year-old mother of three can, and every cell in your body will be results in one form of training, you should
to the next Mr. Olympia. Everybody trying to produce energy as fast as it can. avoid the other form. Everybody’s favor-
wants to look good, feel good and have Adding belt squats to your routine will ite example is to compare the physiques
more energy. Everybody has a dream. strengthen your cardiovascular system of a marathon runner with a bodybuilder.
What keeps me going are the people who and improve oxygen delivery to your To be sure, endurance training improves
call in to tell me they’re in the best shape muscles. The belt squat is unique among your endurance and strengthens your re-
of their lives. I get just as excited whether resistance training exercises in that it spiratory and cardiovascular systems, but
it’s someone who’s used our program to truly combines extremes of intensity in marathon runners don’t have big muscles
lose those 30 extra pounds they’ve been both anaerobic and aerobic work. It is — not even in their legs. Marathon run-
struggling with for years, or someone well-documented that high-intensity aer- ners don’t want big muscles, because too
who’s just won his first contest. obic training increases capillary density much weight would actually slow them
Among conventional bodybuild- in muscles, as well as the number and down. For them, it’s the ratio of strength
ing exercises, most people would agree size of mitochondria (1). It also increases to weight that’s important. All they care
that a set of squats taken to complete the level of enzyme systems involved in about is how far and how fast they can
failure is the most demanding. I devel- energy production (1). These factors act run. So for what they want, their train-
oped the belt squat to take people to the to increase the anaerobic threshold — the ing style is appropriate. All bodybuilders
next level of intensity — it’s probably the maximum intensity of power production care about, on the other hand, is getting
ultimate plateau-buster. The belt squat you can achieve aerobically (1).
Activating Muscular Growth
big muscles. So they lift weights a lot and training. And at this point in the argument happen if we could somehow double the
don’t run much. Too much running can most people think they’ve reached the capillary supply to his muscle. Blood
actually cause your body to break down conclusion and stop thinking about it, and supply doubles, the flow of amino acids
muscle tissue to supply amino acids to therefor miss and important point. and glucose into his muscle doubles and
burn as fuel. This would be a disaster Consider the following: Let’s his ability to carry waste products away
for a bodybuilder. So you don’t find too talk about a bodybuilder who’s been from his muscle doubles. Is it possible
many endurance athletes who can squat training hard and eating right for a few that if we could increase the supply of
405, and you don’t find too many body- years and has put on 50 pounds of mus- nutrients and energy to his muscle that
builders who can run a marathon. This is cle. Although he’s very happy with this we could get it to grow again? Could it
all well and good — decide what your achievement, lately he’s seen his progress be that when a muscle gets very large,
goals are and train appropriately to attain slow down and he really hasn’t changed maybe the reason it stops growing is it
those goals. much in the last year. He believes he has becomes limited by its supply of nutri-
Here’s what’s going on: All probably reached his “genetic limit.” He ents and oxygen? Of course may factors
forms of exercise of sufficient intensity has basically gone as far as conventional are involved, but we believe this is one of
represent a stress on the body. The body training and dietary strategies can take them.
responds by adapting to that particular him. Feeling that it’s genetically impossi- So while strength training and
form of stress, so it can tolerate it better ble to increase size much more, he shifts aerobic training do represent different
the next time around. Strength train- adaptive responses and interfere with
ing (resistance training, weight training) each other in the short term, there comes
represents a severe stress on the muscle The Belt Squat is Unique a point in muscular development where
fibers that make up your muscles, and increasing blood supply to a muscle may
they respond by building bigger, stronger
Among Resistance Train- help overcome a growth plateau. Does
fibers (1,2,3). This, of course, results ing Exercises In That It this mean I recommend bodybuilders
in bigger, stronger muscles. Endurance Truly Combines Extremes begin running marathons? Of course not.
training (running, biking, etc.) represents I’m just saying that a certain amount
a stress on the aerobic energy producing
Of Intensity In Both Aero- of high-intensity aerobics may increase
capabilities of the body, and the body bic And Anaerobic Work. nutrient and oxygen supply to a muscle
responds by increasing its ability to pro- and help it grow better. You think you’ve
duce aerobic energy. To run a marathon, reached your genetic limit? I think not.
you don’t need extremely strong legs, but his emphasis on “refining” his physique A few weeks of belt squat training, and
you need to be able to produce a lot of en- and perfecting his symmetry. Many pro- you’ll be growing again.
ergy sustained over a long period of time. fessional bodybuilders are at exactly this
It’s not easy. Aerobic exercise training level and stay there for the rest of their References
therefore results in a stronger heart and careers. The smart ones come to Parrillo
more blood vessels to deliver more oxy- Performance at this point. If there is a 1. McArdle WD, Katch VL. Exercise
gen to muscles. It increases mitochondria genetic limit, we haven’t found it yet. Physiology - Energy, Nutrition and
number and size in muscles. Remember Now let’s take a microscopic Human Performance. Lea & Febiger,
that mitochondria are the furnaces inside look at his muscles. We see huge muscle Malvrn PA, 1991
cells where foods are burned (combined bellies with huge, hypertrophied muscle
with oxygen) to produce energy. Increas- fibers. Crammed wall to wall with con- 2. Hatfield FC. Hardcore Bodybuilding
ing capillary and mitochondrial density tractile proteins — actin and myosin. His - A Scientific Approach. Contempory
in muscle increases its ability to produce muscles have reached a “steady state” books, Inc., Chicago, 1991.
energy. — a term from thermodynamics which
So to a large extent, the dogma describes a system where flow of matter 3. Lieber RL. Skeletal Muscle Structure
you’ve heard about the “incompatibility” and energy into the system is balanced and Function. Williams and Wilkins,
of strength and endurance training is true. by flow of matter and energy out of the Baltimore, 1992
One form of training results in bigger system. Here, protein anabolism (build-
muscles, and the other form results in ing up) is balanced by protein catabolism
higher energy producing ability. If your (tearing down). Flow of amino acids into
body’s adaptive reserve is split trying the muscle equals flow of amino acids
to achieve both goals, your progress on out of the muscle, so his muscles stay the
either will be compromised compared to same size. Now think about what would
if you were performing only one type of
Activating Muscular Growth, Part II

by John Parrillo
Conventional wisdom has it that I think the key point about the and warms up the joints. Two sets of each
strength training and endurance training belt squat is that it pushes all three of are enough, for about 10-12 reps with a
are incompatible, since they elicit differ- your energy producing systems to their moderate weight. Be sure and hold the
ent adaptive responses that compete with limit. Let me explain. Your body has contraction at the top. Next, two or three
each other (1-3). This is true, at least in three main energy producing pathways sets of leg presses are used to further
the short term. Last month I introduced that are used during exercise. These are warm up the legs and to prepare you for
the concept that at some point in the the phosphagen system, the lactic acid the squats. Start out light for about 15-20
muscle’s growth it may become “perfu- system and the aerobic system. All work reps, then do a moderate set around ten
sion limited,” meaning that any further performed by the body, including mus- reps, and finish with a fairly heavy set
growth is limited by the muscle’s blood cular contractions, is directly fueled by a around six reps. Be sure to go all the way
supply. Increasing the vascular supply to molecule called ATP, adenosine triphos- down on the leg press. You may even
a muscle will allow for greater delivery of phate. ATP is a “meta-stable” chemical want to briefly pause at the bottom to get
nutrients and oxygen and greater removal compound which is made inside all cells a good stretch. You don’t want to wear
of wastes. Ideally, a bodybuilder would of the body and powers their every func- yourself out during the warm-up, but you
like the benefit of increased capillary do want to get things flowing and loos-
density in muscle which accrues from If your strength and mus- ened up. Next, stretch your quads and
high-intensity aerobic exercise without hamstrings, and walk around the gym for
cular development are at
the catabolic effect that comes from run- a few minutes to rest. Don’t get a drink of
ning a marathon. The belt squat is prob- a plateau, the Belt Squat water because you don’t want anything in
ably the best way to achieve this. is a great way to blast your stomach. This is a good time to pray
The amazing thing about the belt and make sure all your important papers
through it - no matter are in order. We intentionally place our
squat is not that it makes your legs grow
— everybody expects that. The amazing what musclegroup you’re belt squat by the back door of the gym.
thing is the overall effect it has on your having trouble with. If this is not the case in your gym, get a
whole body’s ability to produce energy trash can and put it by the belt squat.
and perform high intensity exercise. If The belt squat is strictly a part-
your strength and muscular development ner-assisted exercise. We like to have a
are at a plateau, the belt squat is a great tion. ATP has a “high energy phosphate group of four people on the belt squat
way to blast through it — no matter what bond,” which means that when ATP is days. This allows for three spotters, which
muscle group you’re having trouble with. broken down a lot of energy is released. you will need to take it to the absolute
The belt squat increases your cardiovas- This energy is then used to power mus- limit (at least one spotter is required). We
cular reserve and your anaerobic thresh- cular contractions, maintain ion gradients usually do four sets each, taking turns.
old. Cardiovascular reserve is the ability transmit nerve impulses, synthesize pro- You develop pretty good friendships with
of your cardiovascular system to deliver teins, and provide energy for everything your belt squat partners. I honestly think
“extra” oxygen above what you normally a cell needs to do to live and grow. I can remember every belt squat workout
need. In other words, it’s your ability to While fat and glycogen represent energy I’ve ever done.
increase oxygen delivery to muscles dur- storage molecules within the body, ATP The first thing you do is put on
ing times of intense exercise. Anaerobic represents and energy transfer molecule, the harness. Adjust the shoulder straps
threshold is the maximum intensity of acting as a molecular bridge between the to fit your body and make sure the belt
exercise (power output, which is work energy contained in food and the energy is tight. Load the weight onto the weight
per unit of time) your body can perform used by the cell. To summarize, the en- carriage and sit on it. Your partner will
aerobically, before the anaerobic path- ergy released when food burned is used attach the straps through the hole in the
ways kick in. Simply put, the partner-as- to make ATP, and the subsequent break- plates, so that the weight is suspended
sisted belt squat is the most intense exer- down of ATP is the direct energy source by the harness. Grab the handle and
cise you’ll ever do. Acquiring the ability for cells. stand up, and your partner will remove
to exercise that intensely will carry over A typical belt squat workout be- the weight carriage, so that the plates are
into your other exercises. gins with some leg curls for a warm-up. hanging between your legs. When using
This gets blood flowing into the muscles
Activating Muscular Growth, Part II
feel of the exercise. to grow. The next set is the hardest and
You will probably is the one that will really stimulates your
need no help from cardiovascular system. In this set we do
your partner on this 100 reps with 100 to 200 pounds. This
set. Rack the plate is especially hard since you just went to
back on the car- failure on your last set. We rotate spotters
riage, take off the on this set because they go to failure too.
harness, and give it Change spotters after every 20 reps.
to the next person. Next month, I’ll take you through a 100
Next, stretch your rep set of belt squats and explain the en-
legs, using one of ergy producing systems involved.
the fascial stretch-
ing exercises in References
the Parrillo Train-
ing Manual. You’re 1. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and Katch
beginning to get a VL. Exercise Physiology - Energy, Nu-
pump, and it feels trition and Human Performance. Lea &
good — so far. Feiberger, Malvern, PA, 1991.
The Belt Squat Machine looks innocent enough. After your training
But once you’re on the platform with the harness partners take their 2. Hatfield FC. Hardcore Bodybuilding
strapped on, you’ll wish you had scheduled that turns, it’s back to - A Scientific Approach. Contemporary
dentist appointment that you’ve been putting off you again. This Books, Inc., Chicago, 1991.
time we go up to
for the last two years.
200 pounds for 3. Lieber RL. Skeletal Muscle Structure
about 15 reps. This and Function. Williams and Wilkins, Bal-
a heavy weight, your partners will help is somewhat harder, but much easier than timore, 1992.
you stand up. Removing the weight car- squatting 200 for 15 reps on the conven-
riage exposes “the pit” — a large slot in tional squat because your lower back is
the platform where the plates will travel taken out of the movement. On your next
as you squat. Place your feet slightly set you can either go for your heavy set
wider than shoulder width with your or continue pyramiding by doing 300
toes angled out and your heels placed di- pounds for 10-12 reps. Have a spotter
rectly underneath your shoulders. Grasp stand directly behind you on the plat-
the handle securely and keep your arms form. He will have his arms around you
straight. You want to keep your arms and hold the belt in the center in the front.
locked out so you don’t lose balance. If The spotter goes up and down with squat-
you maintain this stance and keep your ter, performing the exercise in parallel.
arms straight, you won’t get injured. The The spotter provides just enough help to
worst thing that can happen is you lose get you through any sticking points. On
the weight, which just means you sit your heavy set, you will be able to go
down on it in the pit. The beauty of the at least 100 to 200 pounds heavier than
belt squat is that it’s so intense and yet your max when you didn’t have a spotter
so safe. The harness takes the strain off — or maybe more. Five hundred pounds
your lower back so you can maximally for a big guy is not uncommon. Take your
overload your legs without fear of injur- heavy set to complete positive failure.
ing your back. This is an extremely safe You will still be able to resist the weight
exercise. on the way down, but you will need your
We usually start with one plate, spotters to get you up out of the hole. One
which is 100 pounds (we have special spotter behind you and one on each side
high density plates made up for the works the best.
belt squat). Do this for about 20 reps. The heavy set done to positive failure at
This is another warm-up set, to get the around 8-12 reps will stimulate your legs
Activating Muscular Growth, Part III

by John Parrillo
In the last bulletin, I left you known as the gly-
ready to start your last set of the belt squat colytic pathway
workout — the dreaded 100 rep set. This (1). Anaerobic gly-
set pushes both aerobic and anaerobic en- colysis is the path-
ergy producing systems in their absolute way used to make
limits. It elicits an adaptive response in ATP from carbo-
your cardiovascular system to strengthen hydrates in the ab-
your heart and increase capillary density sence of oxygen.
in muscle. This increases cardiovascular This is the second
reserve and anaerobic threshold and im- energy producing
prove nutrient and oxygen delivery to the system called into
muscle. play and is used
A cell contains enough ATP to to meet short-term
supply energy to last for about two sec- energy demands.
onds (1). So you would use this up When the intensity
during your first rep. Obviously you of exercise is too
have to immediately and constantly re- great and the body
plenish you ATP supply. Within about can’t supply oxy-
1.2 seconds of maximum contraction, gen fast enough,
80% of the ATP is being derived from carbs can be par- By doing 100 reps on the Belt Squat Machine, you uti-
CP — creatine phosphate (1). CP is the tially broken down lize all three of the main energy - producing systems
other phosphagen compound, along with to yield energy in the body.
ATP, which supplies energy very rapidly. without oxygen.
The phosphagen system is always the The advantage is
first energy pathway called into action. this is a very rapid way to produce en- ATP to keep up with the demand. Lactic
Since the machinery of the cell needs ergy, but the disadvantage is that it’s not acid production is maximal during exer-
ATP for power, it begins by using ATP, as efficient as aerobic energy production. cise of intensity that can be maintained
and then other energy sources are used to After six seconds of maximal for 1-3 minutes. So one minute into the
replenish the ATP. CP acts like a buffer to contraction CP levels have fallen to set lactic acid levels are soaring and your
maintain relatively uniform levels of ATP around 65% of their resting level and muscles are burning like crazy.
within the cell. As ATP is broken down to power output begins to decline. Con- The third energy producing sys-
release his energy, one of its phosphate tinuing beyond six seconds of maximal tem — the aerobic pathway — begins to
groups is split off to form a molecule of contraction, ATP and CP levels begin to kick in after about 20 seconds into the
ADP (adenosine diphosphate) and a free fall and lactic acid begins to accumulate. set, and becomes the major energy pro-
phosphate group. CP is able to donate These factors severely hinder power out- ducer after about 90 seconds (see figure).
its phosphate group to the newly formed put (1). So we can see that after just a Notice that there is considerable overlap,
ADP to regenerate ATP. The phosphagen few reps we’re using both of our anaero- with all three energy systems being uti-
system is able to supply energy in rapid bic pathways: the phosphagen system lized at the same time. It’s not like you
bursts, immediately on demand, but it and the lactic acid system. use up one energy source, turn off that
doesn’t last very long (about six seconds Back to our belt squats: during system, then turn on the next system.
at maximal power output). This is why the second 20 reps you will need some They all blend in together, with different
a typical set with heavy weights doesn’t help. ATP levels may be depleted by as systems playing the major role depend-
last very long — you run low on ATP and much as 60% of initial values (1). CP ing on the intensity and duration of the
can’t make it fast enough to continue. levels are nearly exhausted after about exercise. If we were talking about low
Within 2.5 seconds of maximal 40 seconds of maximal intensity exercise intensity exercise like walking instead
contraction, 50% of ATP is being sup- (1). At this point glycolysis is going full of belt squats, the aerobic system could
plied by the lactic acid system, also speed, but is unable to generate enough produce energy fast enough to fuel the
Activating Muscular Growth, Part III
activity, and the lactic acid system would oxygen, you enter a severe level of ATP actually broken down and used as fuel.
never be called in. depletion. Exercise will only continue on This is one reason why endurance ath-
The aerobic pathway is able to a “pay as you go” basis wherein ATP is letes have small muscles and one reason
supply energy for long-term demands being continually replenished by aerobic why bodybuilders don’t run marathons.
— even for hours. Activities like weight metabolism (2). Power output decreases Amino acids may supply 15% of energy
lifting draw mainly from the phosphagen and your heart and lungs are working at used in endurance activities (2).
and lactic acid systems, while things like absolute maximum. You will be sweating In summary, we find that the
running and biking are fueled mostly by profusely. All energy systems are either belt squat boosts energy producing capa-
the aerobic system. The advantage of maxed out or have already failed. bilities of the entire body. Cardiovascular
the aerobic system is that it can supply By 60 reps you will beg to quit. reserve and anaerobic threshold are in-
energy for a very long period of time, but At this point you will be beyond positive creased. Training at this level of inten-
the disadvantage is that it cannot produce failure and it will be difficult even to sity carries over into your other exercises
energy very quickly. For weight lifting resist the weight on the way down. From and allows you to perform them more
you need to supply a tremendous amount here on out your life is in the spotter’s intensely also. Belt squats tax all three
of energy immediately, but for endurance hands. By 70 reps you get that adrenaline major energy producing systems at maxi-
activities you need a lower energy level rush that comes from the fear of eminent mal levels. While ultra-endurance activi-
for a longer period of time. death. By 80 reps you can’t feel your legs ties like marathon running are counter-
In the aerobic pathway, carbo- anymore and your mind enters a strange productive for bodybuilders, a certain
hydrates and fat are burned — combined trance-like state. You kind of lose touch amount of high intensity aerobic exer-
with oxygen — to release energy. The for a while. You probably won’t have cise seems to allow increased muscular
rate of energy production by this path- much energy left to groan or scream and growth. This may result from increased
way is limited by your vascular supply your body gets limp. By 90 reps you’re vascular supply to muscles which may
(which limits oxygen delivery) and by just along for the ride, with the spotters stimulate growth by providing increased
the size and number of mitochondria doing almost all the work. nutrient delivery (1-3).
inside cells. Mitochondria are organelles The universal reaction after this Everybody has a dream. Ev-
in cells where aerobic metabolism is car- experience is to lay down on the floor. erybody wants to get to that next level.
ried out. Notably, fat can only be used Some people have to throw up. Loss of That’s what Parrillo Performance is all
for energy via the aerobic pathway. Fat consciousness may occur as the result about.
cannot undergo anaerobic glycolysis, as of acute metabolic acidosis — the lactic
can carbs. Therefore, aerobic activity is acid builds up and acidifies the blood. References
the only way to burn fat. This is another This corrects itself in a few minutes after
reason to make aerobic exercise a part of you blow off some carbon dioxide. Most 1. Hatfield FC. Hardcore Bodybuilding
your program, in addition to strengthen- people lie down for five minutes or so be- — A Scientific Approach. Contemporary
ing your heart and blood vessels. fore pulling themselves over to a bench. Books, Inc., Chicago, 1991.
Now, back to our set: after 50 You’ll be breathing hard and sweating for
reps the phosphagen system is long gone, about 20 minutes after this. 2. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and Katch
and the glycolysis is pretty much shot One other energy system deserves men- VL. Exercise Physiology — Energy, Nu-
too. You have continued to expend en- tion, but probably doesn’t play much of a trition, and Human Performance. Lea &
ergy faster than your cells can replace role in belt squats. That’s the glucose-ala- Feiberger, Malvern PA, 1991.
it, and consequently build up an “oxy- nine cycle (2). During long term aerobic
gen debt.” This describes a situation we exercise after blood glucose and glycogen 3. Lieber RL. Skeletal Muscle Structure
are all familiar with. You know how are depleted, the body begins to break and Function. Williams and Wilkins, Bal-
you breathe real hard for a few minutes down muscle tissue into free amino acids. timore, 1992.
after a set? This extra oxygen is being The amino groups are removed from the
used to replenish the ATP, CP and gly- amino acids and added to pyruvate to
cogen you spend anaerobically during form alanine. Alanine is transported by
the exercise. The oxygen debt is the the bloodstream to the liver where it can
difference between the amount oxygen be converted to glucose. The glucose is
actually consumed and the amount that carried back to the muscle to be used as
would have been consumed if the exer- fuel (2). In addition, the branched chain
cise had been fueled entirely aerobically amino acids (BCAA’s) leucine, isoleucine
from the beginning (2). By the time the and valine can be used directly as fuel
oxygen debt builds up to 3-4 liters of by the muscles. So in ultra-endurance
activities, such as a marathon, muscle is
Diet and Supplementation to Maximize Energy and Growth

by John Parrillo
During the last few months we’ve calories per gram for carbs and protein)
been discussing the various energy produc- but has the disadvantage of being slowly
ing systems of the cell and how they are metabolized. The unique molecular struc-
called into play during intense exercise. To ture of CapTri® gets around this problem.
review briefly, ATP is the molecule that di- CapTri® harnesses the energy density of
rectly powers muscular contractions. ATP fat but is able to deliver that energy as rap-
is referred to as a “high energy” molecule, idly as glucose (4). CapTri® is not incor-
because when its phosphate bonds are bro- porated into chylomicrons and transported
ken a lot of energy is released. This energy in the lymphatic system as is conventional
is transferred to myosin, one of the pro- fat, nor does it require the carnitine shuttle
teins in muscle fibers, and this enables the for entry into mitochondria. Thus Cap-
fibers to slide past one another, resulting in Tri® skips these time consuming steps
muscle contraction. (Next month we’ll go that slow down digestion, transport, and
more into the molecular anatomy of muscle absorption of regular fats. CapTri® is
and explain exactly how this works.) absorbed directly into the bloodstream and
A muscle cell has only enough goes to the liver where it is converted into
ATP to last for a second or two, so the ketone bodies (4). Ketone bodies are an
supply of ATP must be continuously re- immediate energy source which can be
generated. The first energy system to be used at the same time as carbohydrates.
recruited is the phosphagen system, which This is in contrast to conventional fat and
uses energy stored in creatine phosphate stored body fat, which is not used as a
(CP) to regenerate ATP. This system can significant source of energy for exercise
fuel maximal exercise levels for around until carbohydrates are depleted. Carbohy-
six seconds (1). The second energy system exercise, and the reason you can carry on drate metabolism produces malonyl-CoA,
called into play is the glycolytic system. a heavy set for only 30 seconds or so is a metabolic intermediate which inhibits the
In the glycolytic system, glucose from that you run out of CP (3). carnitine shuttle and thus prevents the use
the blood stream or from stored glycogen Weight training then is fueled almost ex- of long chain fatty acids for energy.
is broken down to lactic acid. This can clusively by the phosphagen and glycolytic Since MCFAs (includes MCTs)
supply energy at a maximal rate for two systems. Running and cycling are fueled do not require the carnitine shuttle they
or three minutes (1,2). The third and final mainly by the aerobic system, and can be are burned immediately for energy, at the
energy system is the aerobic system, which carried on for hours. same time as glucose. This has a glucose-
can supply energy for hours on end. In this All of this is very exciting to sparing effect (4) and helps glycogen stores
system carbohydrates, fat, and protein are biochemists and muscle physiologists, but last longer. The longer glycogen stores
oxidized (burned) what does it mean to bodybuilders and en- last, the longer you can train before fatigue
to produce CO2, and the energy released is durance athletes? How can we use this in- sets in. The energy from CapTri® also
used to regenerate ATP (1,3). formation? To specifically design our diet spares protein (4). This simply means that
The advantage of the phosphagen and supplementation program to provide if CapTri® is being burned for energy, less
and glycolytic systems is that they are able the energy and nutrient profile we need protein needs to be burned for energy. This
to produce enormous quantities of energy for maximum performance and muscular effect reduces protein catabolism. Finally,
very quickly, but they only last for a few growth. Let me tell you how. CapTri® does all this without contributing
seconds. The aerobic system can gener- When you want to increase cel- to body fat stores (4). Since CapTri® is
ate energy for long periods of time, but at lular energy levels, the first thing to think burned immediately for energy, it is not
a lower level. The first two systems are about is CapTri®. CapTri® is almost a stored as fat. CapTri® has a very high
known as “anaerobic” which means they miracle when it comes to delivering energy thermogenic effect, which means that ex-
don’t require oxygen. Aerobic metabolism to cells. CapTri® is a specially engineered cess calories from CapTri® which are not
does require oxygen, and produces energy fat which contains medium chain fatty used to fuel exercise will be converted to
at a slower rate because it is limited by the acids (MCFAs). Regular fats and oils are body heat instead of being stored as fat.
rate of oxygen delivery to tissues. Weight made from long chain fatty acids. Fat is This is the secret of how Parrillo athletes
lifting is a prime example of anaerobic a great molecule for storing energy (nine consume so many calories without getting
calories per gram as compared to four fat. To learn more about the metabolism
Diet and Supplementation to Maximize Energy and Growth
and biochemistry of MCFAs call and ask can happen very easily if your nutrient in- protein catabolism.
for our technical bulletins on CapTri®. take is not adequate to match your training This supplementation program
For energy, nothing can touch CapTri®. level. One study found that during a 10 combined with the Parrillo diet will result
Next we need to talk about a good mile run as much as 57 grams of protein is maximal energy delivery to cells to
carbohydrate source. ProCarb™ was de- were burned for energy (6). That amounts fuel exercise performance and muscular
veloped specifically to fit the carbohydrate to about half a pound of muscle! The most growth. If you’re seeking a natural advan-
needs of athletes. It contains maltodextrin, important thing you can do to prevent tage, give it a try. You’ll be amazed what
a partially digested glucose polymer. Pro- muscle catabolism is to make sure you your body is capable of if you supercharge
Carb™ has a low glycemic index, around have plenty of other energy sources avail- it with the right nutrients. Before your
able. CapTri® and ProCarb™ both have next workout mix a scoop of ProCarb™
a protein-sparing effect and are preferen- and a tablespoon of CapTri® in a quart of
tially used as energy sources before pro- water. Drink half before the workout and
tein. These are first line defenses against half during the workout. Before your next
protein catabolism. You may also want to bike race take 10 Muscle Aminos™ and
consider Muscle Amino, Parrillo’s exclu- 10 Max Endurance™ along with the drink
sive branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) above, and pack along a Parrillo Bar™ for
formula. BCAAs are the most abundant during the race. Call us and let us know
amino acids in muscle fiber proteins, and what happens - maybe you’ll be featured
during catabolic states muscle fibers are in the next Parrillo Performance Press!
degraded and the BCAAs are used as fuel.
The big problem is that the BCAAs (leu- References
cine, isoleucine, and valine ) are essential
amino acids. This means they cannot be 1. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and Katch VL.
made by the body, so it is essential that Exercise Physiology - Energy, Nutrition,
they be obtained in adequate amounts from and Human Performance. Lea & Febiger,
the diet. Parrillo Muscle Amino™ contains Malvern, PA, 1991.
BCAAs in the proper ratio required to op-
timize muscular growth. Having an abun- 2. Hatfield FC. Hardcore Bodybuilding - A
dant pool of free BCAAs in muscle ensures Scientific Approach. Contemporary Books,
that the building blocks are in place when Inc., Chicago, 1991.
its time to build muscle. Muscle Amino™
22-29. This means it is slowly released also provides amino acids that can be used 3. Wilmore JH and Costill DL. Physiology
into the bloodstream for a uniform energy as fuel so that existing muscle tissue won’t of Sport and Exercise. Human Kinetics
level and a gradual insulin release. This be broken down during catabolic states. Publishers,
carbohydrate has proven optimal for re- Intense training produces a lot of Champaign, IL, 1994.
plenishing glycogen stores (5) and the in- metabolic waste products, most notably
sulin profile is perfect for building muscle ammonia, which are toxic to cells and need 4. Bach and Babayan, Medium chain tri-
without storing fat. As you know, if insulin to be eliminated. Parrillo Max Endurance glycerides: an update. Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
levels rise too high this acts as a trigger Formula™ was designed to do just that. It 36: 950-962 (1982).
for fat storage. ProCarb™ is an extremely provides aspartate, which is an intermedi-
clean burning energy source which is eas- ate consumed in the urea cycle, the meta- 5. Lamb DR, Snyder AC, and Baur TS.
ily digested and absorbed, without bloat- bolic pathway responsible for eliminating Muscle glycogen loading with a liquid car-
ing, gas, or bowel residue. This makes it ammonia. This is of special concern to bohydrate supplement. Int. J. Sport Nutr.
ideal for use during endurance activities, as endurance athletes, who generate a lot of 1: 52-60, 1991.
well as before weight training and for carb toxic waste products during long training
loading. sessions. 6. Dohm GL, Williams RT, Kasperek GJ,
No doubt you’re aware that long, The Parrillo Bar™ is one of the and Van Rij AM. Increased excretion of
hard training sessions can actually be cata- best energy sources available for athletes. urea and N-methylhistidine by rats and
bolic to muscle tissue protein stores. After It contains CapTri®, to provide immedi- humans after a bout of exercise. J Appl
carbohydrate stores are depleted and fat ate energy. It provides carbohydrates as Physiol: Respirat Environ Exercise Physiol
metabolism is at full pace, muscle tissue is glucose polymers to help maintain blood 52: 27, 1982.
broken down to release amino acids which glucose levels during prolonged exercise.
are burned for energy. This is the worst It includes a high efficiency protein source
thing that can happen to an athlete. Can with plenty of BCAAs. All of these ingre-
you imagine busting your butt in the gym dients are designed for rapid digestion and
for two hours a day and losing muscle? It cellular uptake, and help prevent muscle
Parrillo Performance Guide to Muscle, Part I

by John Parrillo
I am excited that muscle is now Bodybuilders, of course,
recognized as being important for ev- are primarily concerned with in-
eryone, not just bodybuilders and other creasing muscular size. Pow-
athletes. You’ve probably seen medical er lifters care about muscu-
reports on the news showing 80 and 90 lar strength. Cyclists and
year-olds lifting weights. Even in ad- runners train to improve
vanced age, resistance exercise makes muscular endurance.
muscles stronger and improves quality of Other athletes, such as
life. It allows people to be more active basketball and football
and self-sufficient, and it reduces injuries players, are concerned
(such as falls) as well. Muscle atrophy mainly with muscu-
(when muscles get smaller and weaker) lar power and speed.
is so common that it is considered a Each of these con-
normal part of aging. In actuality, disuse cerns describe a dif-
is probably the main culprit. Resistance ferent parameter
training can certainly slow down, and relating to muscu-
even reverse, many of the signs of physi- lar performance.
cal decline usually attributed to aging. The first practical
Strength training is also becom- training strategy
ing more popular among young people, we’ll mention is
including women. People have found a principle of
that they cannot achieve the lean, muscu- muscle physi-
lar, shapely body they desire by aerobic ology known
exercise alone. All of the Ms. Fitness as training
competitors I work with include weight specific-
training as part of their program. If your ity (1,2,3).
goal is to be lean and firm with good It simply
muscle tone, but not to get big muscles, means that a Resistance exercise increases lean body mass
remember that muscles are the place muscle will
where body fat is burned. So if you want specifically and thus metabolic rate, causing your body
to lose your fat, you’ve got to work your adapt to the to burn more fat 24 hours a day. It increases
muscles. Resistance exercise increases type of train- growth hormones, improves glucose tolerance,
lean body mass and thus metabolic rate, ing stimulus
causing your body to burn more fat 24 that is applied and lowers cholesterol levels. Simply put, it
hours a day. It increases growth hor- to it. The makes you look better, have more energy, and
mone, improves glucose tolerance, and second prac- live longer
lowers cholesterol levels. Simply put, it tical principle
makes you look better, feel better, have to learn is the muscle to grow) the exercise
more energy, and live longer. The foun- concept of intensity. In order to cause stimulus must be intense enough to rep-
tain of youth has been discovered, and a muscle to change, or adapt, it must be resent a challenge to the muscle. During
it’s in the gym. challenged by an exercise stimulus which the next few days after the training ses-
This series of articles will ex- exceeds some threshold of intensity. sion, if adequate nutrients are supplied,
plore the structure, function, physiology, The reason exercise causes mus- the muscle responds by getting stronger
biochemistry, and metabolism of muscle. cles to get bigger and stronger is that the so that next time it will be better able to
I will explain basic scientific concepts of exercise load places a physical and meta- meet that exercise challenge. The most
muscle as well as training strategies for bolic demand on the muscle. In order to effective exercise stimuli tax the muscle
increasing muscle size and performance. elicit an adaptive response (i.e., to get the by pushing it to the limit of its perfor-
mance abilities. After a very intense basis of this later. Muscle strength is your head. If you’re just trying to tone
training session it can take as long as defined as the maximum load (weight) and firm your muscles, you don’t have
two weeks for the muscle to completely that a muscle can lift one time (1,2,3). to take it that far. But if you’re going for
recover and adapt. Of course, optimum Thus, the one rep maximum (1RM) is a size and strength, that’s what it takes.
nutrition and supplementation can speed measure of muscle strength. Someone Muscle power is a little more
up the process over what can be achieved who can curl a maximum of 100 pounds complicated to define. From physics
with merely adequate nutrition, and that’s one time is twice as strong as someone we have three mathematical equations
where our Nutrition Program comes in. who can curl a maximum of 50 pounds for power. Strictly speaking, power is
The training specificity principle one time. Speed describes how fast a defined as work performed per unit time,
states that a muscle will adapt structurally muscle can contract, and how fast it can or power = (work/time). Since work
and functionally in a manner appropriate move a load. Endurance describes how is equal to (force X distance), power =
to the type of stimulus applied, provided long a muscle can perform a given task (force X distance)/time. And finally,
that the stimulus is intense enough to before failing. Someone who can curl 50 since speed is equal to (distance/time),
elicit an adaptive response at all (inten- pounds 20 times before failing has biceps power = (force X speed). Muscle power
sity threshold). To illustrate this concept, with twice the endurance of someone then is the product of the force of con-
compare the legs of a bodybuilder with who can curl 50 pounds 10 times before traction and the speed of contraction
the legs of a marathon runner. Both failing. In general, you want to train (1,2,3). A person who can squat 300
of them train their legs hard, pushing pounds is stronger than a person who
themselves to the limit. The bodybuilder In weight training, intensity can squat only 200 pounds. However,
trains his legs with squats, and over time if the person squatting 200 pounds can
develops huge muscles. The marathoner describes a level of effort do it twice as fast, he will generate
trains his legs by running long distances, where the set is carried to more power than the guy squatting 300
and over time improves his speed and en- the point of momentary mus- pounds. We also know from physics that
durance, but he never develops huge leg kinetic energy equals (1/2) X (mass) X
muscles. Can the runner squat as much cular failure. If you’re just (velocity squared), or KE = (m X v2)/2.
weight as the bodybuilder? Of course trying to tone and firm your Let’s say you’re a football player and
not. He hasn’t trained his legs to lift you want to tackle someone (hopefully
muscles, you don’t have to
heavy weights. Can the bodybuilder run another football player). What matters in
a marathon? Of course not. He hasn’t take it that far. But if you’re knocking that person over is how much
trained his legs to do that. To illustrate going for size and strength, kinetic energy you can transfer to his
the concept of the intensity threshold, body. This depends on the mass of your
consider someone who wants to build
that’s what it takes. body and how fast you’re moving when
massive biceps by curling one pound you hit him. Since kinetic energy is
dumbbells. Consider the sprinter who proportional to velocity squared, a small
trains by walking the 100 yard dash. I increase in velocity can result in a large
think you can see intuitively that these with heavy weights and low repetitions increase in energy. The same is true of
athletes will not significantly improve in (3-6) to increase in strength, and with hitting a baseball, a tennis ball, in box-
performance because the training stimu- lighter weight and more reps (say 15-30) ing, and many other sports. This is why
lus is not intense enough to challenge the to increase in endurance. This is a result power is the most important parameter
muscles to grow. of the training specificity principle. In of muscular performance in sports like
So the first thing to do when de- both cases, you want to train to muscular football, baseball, basketball, tennis, and
signing an exercise program is to decide failure on that set. Training for strength sprinting: because performance depends
what your goals are. Do you want to in the 5 rep range means picking a weight on both force and speed. It’s not just how
maximize muscle size, strength, power, which is so heavy that you can perform hard you hit the baseball (force) but also
speed, or endurance? These goals are not 5 repetitions, but no more. Performing how fast you hit the baseball (speed) that
the same, and different training programs a set of 5 reps with a weight which you will determine how much kinetic energy
are appropriate for each. We’ll describe could have lifted 20 times will do you no is transferred from the bat to the ball, and
how to train effectively for each of these good. The intensity is too low. In weight thus how far the ball will go.
parameters as we go along. For now, let’s training, intensity describes a level of ef- Training for size, strength, pow-
start off with some definitions. Increases fort where the set is carried to the point er, speed, and endurance are all different.
in muscle size come about by increases in of momentary muscular failure - keep Bodybuilders, power lifters and Olympic
muscle cross sectional diameter (1,2,3). doing reps until you couldn’t get another style weight lifters all train with weights.
We’ll get into the cellular and molecular even if somebody was holding a gun to They perform largely the same exercises
and train at maximum intensity. Howev- Next month we’ll pick up with
er, while the bodybuilders have bigger the microscopic anatomy of muscle, and
muscles, the power lifters can lift more explain the cellular and molecular basis of
weight. This paradox is explained by muscle contraction. After we understand
the fact that when you lift weights the structure of muscles and how they
you’re not only training your muscles, work, we will discuss how they adapt to
you’re also training your nervous sys- various training stimuli. This leads right
tem. In general, the bigger a muscle’s into how to design training protocols to
size (the larger its cross sectional diam- achieve your particular goals. Until then,
eter), the stronger it is. However, power keep pumping!
lifters have trained their nervous systems
to recruit more muscle fibers to fire at References
the same time. We’ll cover how to train
for size versus how to train for strength 1. Wilmore JH and Costill DL. Physiol-
in a future article. Training for power ogy of Sport and Exercise. Human Kinet-
includes some strength training, but also ics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
includes some work with lighter weights
that are accelerated very rapidly to train 2. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and Katch
the speed component. The branch of ex- VL. Exercise Physiology - Energy, Nu-
ercise physiology concerned specifically trition, and Human Performance. Lea &
with training for muscle power is called Febiger, Malvern, PA, 1991.
plyometrics (3,4), and we’ll get into that
toward the end of the series. Training for 3. Baechle TR. Essentials of Strength
size, strength, and power are similar, and Training and Conditioning. Human Ki-
all result in bigger, stronger muscles. netics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
Training for endurance is very
different, results in a totally different 4. Komi PV. Strength and Power in Sport.
adaptive response, and does not make Blackwell Scientific Publications, Ox-
muscles get bigger or stronger (1-4). ford, 1992.
This is a complex issue and is still an area
of active investigation. We’ll get into
the specifics later. For now, let’s just say
you can either have legs like Tom Platz,
or you can run a marathon, but probably
not both. I have no doubt that Tom Platz
could run a marathon, if he trained for it.
But by the time he trained long enough to
be able to run a marathon, his legs would
be half as big as they are now. A note to
bodybuilders: don’t stop doing your aero-
bics! You still need aerobics to burn fat
and promote cardiovascular health. But
remember, you’re doing aerobics to burn
fat, not to become an endurance athlete.
For bodybuilders, 30-45 minutes of aero-
bics a day should be enough. If it’s not,
you’re not following the diet. Our body-
builders do go up to one to two hours of
aerobics a day, but that’s only for a few
weeks before a contest. It’s far better just
not to get fat in the first place, then you
won’t have to do too much aerobics and
run the risk of losing muscle.
Parrillo Performance Guide to Muscle, Part II

by John Parrillo
This month we continue our discus- up movement of food through the diges- myofibers (1,2,3). Muscle cells are very
sion about muscle. In this installment tive tract, and the sympathetic division long, sometimes spanning the length of
we’ll cover some basic concepts about which slows down movement. Of inter- the entire muscle, and are about 50-100
muscle anatomy and physiology. This est, the intestines have their own nervous microns in diameter (about the size of a
will lead to an understanding of the system built right into the intestinal wall, human hair). Each muscle cell contains
adaptive response of muscle to exercise, between muscle layers. It’s called the many nuclei which are located around
so you can better design an effective pro- myenteric nerve plexus, and integrates the outside, just beneath the muscle cell
gram to achieve your training goals. information from the intestines with in- membrane, or sarcolemma. When you
First off, you should realize that there put from the autonomic nervous system look at a muscle fiber with a microscope,
are three basic types of muscle tissue in to precisely control digestion and food you can make out cross striations run-
the human body. Skeletal muscle, also movement. Most people don’t realize ning perpendicular to the length of the
called striated muscle, is attached via that there are nearly as many nerve cells fiber. Each muscle is contained in a bag
tendons to the skeleton. Usually the two in their intestines as in their brains. The of tough connective tissue for protection.
ends of a skeletal muscle are attached to complexity of this system has only be- This connective tissue is called epimy-
two different bones across a joint. The come understood in the last couple of sium, because it’s around the muscle.
only thing a muscle can do is contract, years. It’s what gives us the freedom This is the stuff you’re stretching when
and when it contracts (shortens) it brings to think about other things instead of you do your stretches and fascial plan-
the two bones closer together. This having to constantly be worried about ing. It’s really tough, kind of like those
causes movement of the skeleton at the consciously controlling the movement of nylon-reinforced mailing envelopes, ex-
particular joint spanned by the muscle. food through the gut. cept thinner. The idea is if you stretch
Thus the function of skeletal muscle is The third type of muscle tissue is the connective tissue covering the muscle
to move the skeleton. Other skeletal cardiac muscle, found exclusively in the you will make it easier for the underlying
muscles, such as those between verte- heart. It’s somewhere between striated muscle tissue to expand, but that’s a story
brae and between the ribs, play more of muscle and smooth muscle. It does for another day.
a structural role, helping the skeleton to have striations like skeletal muscle but Just under the epimysium the muscle
maintain its proper shape. Notably, skel- the fibers are arranged more like smooth cells are grouped into bundles called
etal muscle is under voluntary control, muscle, so it has elements of both. Car- fasiculi, which contain as many as 150
which means that you control when a diac muscle is not strictly under con- fibers (cells) each (1). Inside the muscle
skeletal muscle contracts. scious control (your heart beats without cell is the sarcoplasma, the name for the
Another type of muscle tissue is you thinking about it), but is influenced cytoplasm of a muscle cell (1). There
smooth muscle, called that because it by conscious thought. For example, be- we find the contractile proteins, stored
lacks striations. Probably the best ex- ing nervous or scared will speed up your glycogen and fat granules, and mitochon-
ample of smooth muscle is the stomach heart rate, while relaxing will slow down dria. The contractile proteins are grouped
and intestines. Your digestive tract is a your heart rate. This too is mediated by into bundles called myofibrils, which are
huge muscular tube which propels food the autonomic nervous system. Here, about 1 micron in diameter, or about
from your mouth to the other end. Your the sympathetic division speeds up heart 1/100 the width of a human hair (1). The
intestines are ringed by circular bands rate while the parasympathetic division myofibrils are made of the contractile
of muscular tissue which squeeze the slows it down. Heart muscle has some proteins themselves, which are called
food through the tube when they con- very special properties which allow it to myofilaments. The two main proteins in
tract. This is called a peristaltic contrac- do its job. For one thing, it has a built the myofilaments are actin and myosin.
tion, and is the same kind of contraction in pacemaker which causes the heart to So we have myofibers, myofibrils, and
that propels food down your esophagus spontaneously contract all by itself. You myofilaments. (Don’t blame me - I didn’t
when you swallow. Smooth muscle is can cut all the nerves going to the heart make this up.)
not under voluntary control, but instead and it will still beat just fine. (This is Actin and myosin, the two main pro-
is controlled by the autonomic nervous what makes heart transplants possible.) teins responsible for muscle contraction,
system. The autonomic nervous system The rest of this series is devoted to a are organized into structural and function-
receives input from the brain, but at study of skeletal muscle, especially how al subunits called sarcomeres. When you
the subconscious level. The autonomic it works and what to do to make it bigger build more muscle tissue, mostly what
nervous system has two divisions: the and stronger. Each muscle is made of you’re doing is increasing the amount of
parasympathetic division which speeds muscle cells, also called muscle fibers or actin and myosin proteins in your muscle
Parrillo Performance Guide to Muscle, Part II
cells, thereby making the muscle bigger when they contract. The sarcoplasma end plate. This in turn initiates another
and stronger. As you know, proteins are also contains a protein called myoglobin, electrical signal, or wave of depolariza-
made from building blocks called amino which functions to bind oxygen much tion, along the sarcolemma of the surface
acids. What happens is when you eat like hemoglobin binds oxygen in red of the muscle cell. The T tubule system
some protein your stomach and intestines blood cells. carries this information to the interior
digest it and break it down into the indi- Enclosures of the sarcolemma called of the muscle cell, where it triggers the
vidual amino acids. These then enter the transverse tubules, or T tubules, pass to release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic
bloodstream and are transported to all the the interior of the muscle cell. When a reticulum. Calcium binds to a protein
cells of the body. The cells absorb the nerve impulse, or action potential, arrives on the surface of the myofibrils which
amino acids from the bloodstream and at a muscle cell it releases a neurotrans- normally prevents ATP binding. After
then use them as building blocks to as- mitter called acetylcholine (ACh) from calcium binds, these proteins shift posi-
semble whatever proteins the cell needs. the nerve terminal at the motor end plate. tions which subsequently allows ATP to
Muscle cells absorb the amino acids and The ACh diffuses across a space called a bind to the myofibrils. ATP is then bro-
use them to build more actin and myosin. synapse and binds to receptors on the sar- ken down to release energy. This energy
Each protein has a unique sequence of colemma. This initiates an electrical po- causes the actin and myosin proteins in
amino acids linked together in a chain. tential, called a wave of depolarization, the myofibrils to slide past each other,
You need a different ratio of amino acids along the surface of the sarcolemma. thus making the muscle contract. This
to build different proteins, just like you The T tubules function to bring this elec- contractile force is transmitted to the
need different letters to spell different trical impulse inside the muscle cell to tendons and then to the bones, causing
words. The proteins in muscle contain the myofibrils. The sarcoplasmic reticu- movement of the skeleton and the body
a lot of the branched chain amino acids lum is a series of membranous channels as a whole (1,2,3). Simple eh?
(BCAAs), along with a specific ratio of which run parallel to the myofibrils. The Next month we’ll talk about exactly
the other amino acids as well. This is sarcoplasmic reticulum serves as a stor- how ATP binding to the myofilaments
the reasoning behind our Muscle Amino age site for calcium, which is essential causes the actin and myosin proteins
Formula™ and our Hi-Protein Powder.™ for muscular contraction (2). When the to move, resulting in muscle contrac-
These products are designed to supply electrical impulse is conducted inside the tion. That will conclude the anatomy and
your body with the perfect balance of cell by the T tubules, it reaches the sar- biochemistry part of our muscle super-
amino acid building blocks it needs to coplasmic reticulum where it triggers the feature. Then we’ll move into exercise
build more muscle protein. release of calcium. Calcium then binds physiology to discuss how exercise train-
Like all cells of the body, muscle to a regulatory protein called troponin C. ing affects muscle performance. Finally
cells are surrounded by a plasma mem- This initiates a series of molecular events we’ll tie everything together and explain
brane. The membrane of a muscle cell which allows ATP to bind to myosin. how exercise training elicits an adaptive
is called the sarcolemma. The sarco- Myosin breaks down the ATP to release response in muscle - cellular and molecu-
lemma receives electrical impulses from energy which is used to power muscle lar changes which make the muscle big-
motor nerves at specialized structures contraction. ger and stronger. Once you understand
called motor end plates. At the ends of This is starting to get technical. To how all of this works, you will be better
the muscle, the sarcolemma fuses with sum up so far: when you decide to con- able to design a training program specifi-
the tendon, which inserts into bone (2). tract a muscle an electrical impulse is cally to achieve your individual training
When the muscle contracts force is trans- generated by your brain. This travels goals.
mitted to the tendon, and in turn to the down the spinal cord and out a periph-
skeleton, which brings about movement. eral nerve called a motor neuron. This References
Inside the sarcolemma is the cytoplasm nerve carries the electrical signal to the
of the muscle cell - the sarcoplasma (2). muscle. The nerve releases ACh which 1. Baechle TR. Essentials of Strength
The sarcoplasma is a gel-like substance diffuses across the synapse at the motor Training and Conditioning. Human Ki-
that bathes the myofibrils - netics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
the contractile elements. The
sarcoplasma contains miner- 2. Wilmore JH and Costill DL.
als, ions, glycogen, fat, and Physiology of Sport and Exercise.
organelles called mitochon- Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL,
dria (2). Mitochondria are 1994.
powerhouses inside the cell
where carbohydrates and 3. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and
fat are converted into ATP, Katch VL. Exercise Physiology
which is the source of chemi- - Energy, Nutrition, and Human
cal energy directly used by the myofibrils Performance. Lea & Febiger, Malvern,
PA, 1991.
Parrillo Performance Guide to Muscle, Part III

by John Parrillo
In Part 3 of our series about muscle to the foot. anywhere from one to several hundred
we are going to take a microscopic look Before a message is sent out from the muscle cells. Some muscles, like those
at exactly what happens inside a muscle motor strip in the brain, other parts of the controlling the fingers and the eye, are
cell when you lift weights. First, let’s brain are also contacted to help perform under very fine control, so that each
review some basics about how muscles the computations necessary for good lower motor cell controls only one or a
are controlled by the central nervous muscular control. The motor strip con- few muscle cells. Other muscles, like
system. tacts the basal ganglia, which helps the those in the quadriceps or glutes, don’t
The first thing that happens is that muscle contract in a smooth, controlled require such fine control and each lower
you decide to lift a weight. This happens fashion. This part of the brain helps motor cell may control hundreds of these
in the frontal lobe of the brain, where get just the right balance of excitatory muscle cells. A lower motor neuron
conscious thought occurs. The frontal and inhibitory nerve impulses, so the and the muscle cells under its control is
lobe sends a signal to the prefrontal gy- weight moves smoothly and under con- called a MOTOR UNIT. This is a very
rus, or motor strip, of the brain. You see, trol. Without the basal ganglia, the mus- important concept, not just for muscle
each muscle cell is controlled by a chain cle would sometimes contract too hard physiologists but for bodybuilders too.
of two neurons, or nerve cells. The first and sometimes not hard enough, and the When a motor unit fires, it is an all or
one is in the brain, in the motor strip, and weight would jerk up and down. People nothing phenomenon. This means that
is called the upper motor neuron. The with Parkinson’s disease have a problem either all of the muscle cells controlled
second is in the spinal cord, and is called in the basal ganglia, and have tremors by that motor neuron fire, or none of
the lower motor neuron. The up- them do, depending on the bal-
per motor neuron is a very long
cell, and sends a cellular process
The motor strip contacts the basal ance of excitatory and inhibitory
impulses arriving at that nerve
(a long extension) called an axon ganglia, which helps the muscle con- cell. There’s no such thing as a
into the spinal cord. There it tract in a smooth, controlled fashion. muscle cell partly contracting, or
makes a contact called a synapse contracting at moderate intensity.
with the lower motor neuron. This part of the brain helps get just It either contracts completely, at
The upper motor neuron releases the right balance of excitatory and in- full power, or not at all.
a chemical called a neurotrans- hibitory nerve impulses, so the weight You will recall that a given
mitter into the synaptic space, muscle, like the biceps of the arm
which then binds to a recep- moves smoothly and under control. for example, is made of hundreds
tor on the lower motor neuron. of individual muscle fibers, or
Neurotransmitters can either be muscle cells. The strength of
inhibitory or excitatory. The balance of when they use their muscles. The frontal a muscle is defined by the maximum
inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmit- gyrus also contacts the cerebellum, which weight you can lift for one repetition, the
ters is what determines if the lower motor helps maintain balance and coordination. one rep maximum (1RM). The strength
neuron fires or not. If the lower motor Without the cerebellum, you would lose of your biceps is determined by a combi-
neuron receives the signal to fire from your balance and fall over if you picked nation of four general parameters: 1. The
the brain, it in turn sends a signal out to up a 50 pound dumbbell with one hand. number of muscle fibers in the muscle. 2.
the muscle cell. Lower motor neurons So after you decide to lift a weight in The size of each individual muscle fiber.
are also very long cells—sometimes over the frontal cortex, the motor strip has a 3. The number of muscle fibers you can
three feet long! The body of the lower teleconference with the basal ganglia and stimulate to fire (contract) at once. 4.
motor neuron is in the spinal cord, and the cerebellum to help do the calculations Leverage factors, such as the length of
its axon is called a peripheral nerve. so that the weight is lifted under control your bones and the points of insertion
Muscles in your feet are thus controlled in a smooth fashion and you don’t lose of the muscle tendons onto the bones.
by a chain of two nerve cells, one that has your balance. After all the computations You can’t do anything about the leverage
its body in the brain and sends its axon all are done, which happens almost instanta- factors, this is purely genetics. All other
the way to the lower spinal cord, and the neously, the motor strip sends its signal to things being equal, someone with better
second which has its body in the lower the lower motor neuron. leverage factors will be stronger. Genet-
spinal cord and sends its axon all the way One lower motor neuron can control ics is very important in athletics, includ-
ing powerlifting, for this reason. the ability to contract all of their muscle recover, which FORCES the muscle to
You can, however, address the other fibers to fire at once. The best estimates recruit the other fibers that haven’t fired
three factors by using specific training are that a typical person only has the yet. Drop sets are a very effective way
techniques. The strength of your biceps ability to fire about 50% of his muscle to increase both size and strength and
is determined not only by the size of the fibers at once, and that with training this should be a part of every bodybuilder’s
muscle itself, but by how many of the may increase to about 70%. This is kind and powerlifter’s program.
muscle fibers you can make contract at of a safety mechanism to make sure you You see, when you lift weights you’re
the same time. Remember, each muscle always have some strength left, even if not only training your muscles, you’re
fiber either contracts completely or not it’s only a little. (It also helps prevent also training your nervous system. With
at all. Let’s say for example that your you from ripping the tendons off of the practice you can learn to recruit more
single rep maximum in the dumbbell curl bones!) Everyone knows after going to muscle fibers to fire at once, thus increas-
is 50 pounds. Now you pick up ing strength. This is a key dif-
a 5 pound dumbbell and begin ference between bodybuilding
curling. Only about 10% of the and powerlifting. As we men-
muscle fibers in your biceps are tioned before, bodybuilders
contracting, and the other 90% generally have bigger muscles
are just along for the ride. If but powerlifters can usually lift
you keep curling long enough, more weight. Powerlifters are
the 10% of the fibers you started generally stronger because they
with will eventually fatigue and were born with better leverage
no longer be able to carry on. factors and because they have
Then a different set of muscle trained their nervous systems
fibers will take over the work to recruit more motor units to
while the first set rests. By the fire simultaneously. The way
time you go through all of the you do this is by practice. Lift-
muscle fibers, the first set is well ing very heavy weights, in the
rested and is ready to go again. 1-3 rep maximum range, forces
This is why you can maintain your body to fire more muscle
low intensity work for a very fibers at once. This makes
long time. Now let’s pick up a you stronger. And this is why
25 pound dumbbell and do a set low rep work forms the basis
of curls. Here, we have to fire for powerlifting-style training.
about 50% of the fibers to lift the Powerlifters train with explo-
weight. After a few reps these sive movements using very
fibers are tired, and the others heavy weights, and often don’t
take over. After about 15 or 20 reps all of failure on a heavy set it’s still possible to care about the negative portion of the
the fibers are tired and you can’t get any crank out a few more reps with a lighter exercise. (You might see a powerlifter
more reps. The first set of fibers to fire weight. This means that there must be a virtually throw the weight on the floor
didn’t get enough time to rest and aren’t few fibers left. This is the physiologic ba- after completing a heavy snatch, for ex-
ready to go again yet. This is why you sis for drop sets, or strip sets. Start with ample.) This is not the most effective
can’t get as many reps as you could with a heavy weight where you can get about training style for increasing muscular
the lighter weight. Now let’s consider 5 reps and go to failure. Then pick up a size however. To understand the basis
curling a 50 pound dumbbell, your single moderate weight that will allow you to for training to increase muscle size, you
rep maximum in this example. You re- get about 10 more reps and go to failure need to know a little more about muscle
cruit 100% of the fibers to fire, so they again. Finally pick up a very light weight physiology first.
all get “spent” after one rep. There are no and go to failure at about 15-20 reps. By You will recall from a previous ar-
other fibers left to recruit, which would the time you’ve finished a triple drop set ticle that each muscle fiber is made
allow the tired ones to rest, so the set is you will have recruited virtually 100% of up of hundreds to thousands of smaller
done after one rep. Read on, because the fibers in that muscle. There’s really units called myofibrils. These are the
here’s where it gets interesting. no other way to do it. Don’t rest at all contractile units of skeletal muscle (1).
You should realize that the above ex- between sets, because that would allow Myofibrils are long chains of still smaller
ample is not quite accurate. Here’s why: the fibers to recover. The point here is subunits called sarcomeres. Sarcomeres
very few people, if any, actually have to NOT allow the first set of fibers to have a striped, or striated, appearance
when visualized in a microscope, and Each sarcomere acts as a single unit so a myosin cross bridge attaches to an ac-
this is why skeletal muscle is sometimes when it contracts its fibers slide past each tin chain, it undergoes a conformational
called striated muscle. Sarcomeres are other to pull the Z disks closer together. change (a change in molecular shape)
made of alternating light regions, called I Each sarcomere is only microscopic in which causes the two filaments to slide
bands, and dark regions, called A bands. size, so when it contracts it only gets a past one another. This is referred to as
In the middle of each I band is a dark line little shorter. But since each myofibril the power stroke (1). Immediately after
called the Z disk (1). A sarcomere spans is made up of thousands of sarcomeres the myosin head tilts, it breaks away from
from Z disk to Z disk. A myofibril is thus joined end to end, when they contract the actin, rotates back to its original position,
a long chain of sarcomeres joined and attaches to a new active site on
end to end at the Z disks. As we actin. Repeated cycles of attachments
discussed in a previous article, the and power strokes cause the filaments
two main proteins in muscle are to slide past each other in ratchet-like
actin and myosin. Actin is a thin fashion, giving rise to the term “sliding
protein filament, while myosin is a filament theory” (1,2,3,4).
thick protein fiber. The light I band You know from pervious articles
is the region of the sarcomere that that the energy that drives this process
contains only thin actin filaments. comes from ATP. So, how does ATP tie
The A band, in the middle of the in here? Each myosin head group has
sarcomere, is a region containing an enzyme called an ATPase, which
both thin and thick filaments orga- can break down ATP to release its en-
nized in an overlapping arrange- ergy. The energy released from ATP
ment. When the muscle is fully is used to bind the myosin head to the
relaxed, a region in the middle actin filament (1,2,3,4). The muscle is
of the A band called the H zone thus “primed” and ready to contract.
becomes apparent, called that be- It’s just waiting for calcium to bind
cause it contains only heavy, thick troponin and push tropomyosin out of
filaments (1,2,3,4). the way. So the energy comes from
Each actin molecule has ATP, the immediate signal to contract
one end anchored in the Z disk, comes from calcium, and the calcium
and the other end extending to- release is triggered by neurotransmit-
ward the middle of the sarcomere ters released from the peripheral nerve.
where it interdigitates with the Simple, eh?
thick myosin molecules. Each
myosin molecule is composed of References
two protein strands twisted around each whole muscle gets shorter. How does
other (1,2,3,4). One end of the myo- this happen? 1. Wilmore JH and Costill DL. Phys-
sin molecule forms a globular structure When a nerve impulse arrives at a iology of Sport and Exercise. Human
called the myosin head, which is attached muscle, the electrical signal is spread Kinetics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
to the myosin chain by a cross bridge. across the muscle cell membrane and is
Each myosin molecule contains several conducted to the interior of the cell by 2. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and Katch
heads, which protrude from the surface of the T tubule system (discussed last time). VL. Exercise Physiology - Energy, Nutri-
the myosin fiber to interact with special The T tubule system carries the impulse tion, and Human Performance. Lea &
sites on the actin molecules. Each actin to the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and Febiger, Malvern, PA, 1991.
filament is actually composed of three causes the SR to release a bunch of cal-
proteins: actin, tropomyosin, and tropo- cium ions. In a muscle’s resting state, 3. Lieber RL. Skeletal Muscle Struc-
nin (1,2,3,4). tropomyosin molecules lie on top of the ture and Function. Williams and Wilkins,
The basic idea of what’s happening active sites of actin, blocking their inter- Baltimore, MD, 1992.
here is that muscle is mainly composed action with myosin (1). When calcium
of two types of protein strands, actin and is released, it binds to troponin, causing 4. Baechle TR. Essentials of Strength
myosin. These strands are lying parallel the protein molecule to change shape (1). Training and Conditioning. Human Ki-
to each other and are overlapping. When This in turn pushes tropomyosin off of netics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
a muscle contracts, the fibers slide past the active site of actin. Actin is now free
each other to make the muscle shorter. to bind to the myosin head groups. When
Parrillo Performance Guide to Muscle, Part IV

by John Parrillo
In this bulletin we continue our super- action potential of the heart muscle. op force and resist fatigue. Slow twitch
feature on muscle and will discuss some Each action potential results in a short fibers generally are fatigue resistant and
key concepts of muscle physiology. So period of activation of the muscle fiber, have a high capacity for aerobic energy
far we’ve covered muscle anatomy, ul- and is referred to as a twitch (1). The cal- production (refer back to our series on
trastructure and biochemistry, as well as cium released during a twitch is sufficient cellular energy metabolism). This makes
control of muscle tissue by the nervous to allow optimal activation of actin and them ideal for low energy activities that
system. In the final three parts of this se- myosin, and therefore maximal force de- you need to be able to sustain for a long
ries we’ll discuss metabolic adaptations velopment by the muscle fiber (1). How- time, like walking or standing or keeping
of muscle to exercise and how to design ever, as the contracting muscle fibers the spine erect while sitting. Fast twitch
effective training strategies to achieve begin to pull on the tendons and “take fibers, in contrast, are easily fatigued, are
your goals. Please refer back to your up the slack,” pumps begin pumping the relatively poor at aerobic energy produc-
back issues of the Parrillo Performance calcium back into the sarcoplasmic re- tion, but are able to generate tremendous
Press for our articles about hormones ticulum. Thus the muscle fibers begin to forces very rapidly. Fast twitch fibers
and cellular energy metabolism, as these relax before the muscle has time to gen- are further subdivided into two subtypes,
tie in directly to muscle metabolism and erate maximal force on the tendons. So 2a and 2b, according to differences in
physiology. while a twitch stimulates a muscle fiber ATPase activity (2).
In Part 2 I introduced the concept of to contract maximally, it begins to relax Perhaps the oldest classification
the motor unit: a lower motor neuron before maximal force is generated by the scheme is based on gross appearance. In
(nerve cell) in the spinal cord plus the muscle (1). If a second action potential the early 1800’s it was noticed that mus-
muscle fibers that it controls. I said that (nerve impulse) arrives at the muscle fi- cles range in color from deep red to pale
a motor unit fires according to the all-or- ber and causes another twitch before the white (2). This is most easily observed
nothing principle. That means it either fiber has completely relaxed, the force when looking at the muscles of birds,
fires at full power or not at all. There’s from the two twitches summates (adds where the differences are the greatest. It
no such thing as partially contracting a together) to generate a greater force than is now understood that some muscles are
muscle fiber, or it contracting at medium from a single twitch (1). As we increase red because they contain greater capillary
intensity. What determines the strength the frequency of action potentials we density and more myoglobin (an oxygen
of a muscular contraction is then how will decrease the rest period between storing molecule like the hemoglobin
many motor units are recruited to fire twitches, and the summation of force in- found in red blood cells) and mitochon-
(contract). This month we will extend creases (1). At a high enough frequency dria (the little furnaces inside cells where
this concept to the next level, and talk of stimulation the twitches fuse (that is, food molecules are burned to produce
about patterns of muscle fiber recruit- there’s no time for the fibers to relax), energy). These properties (more capillar-
ment. and force production reaches a plateau ies, myoglobin, and mitochondria) make
Nerve impulses traveling down the called tetany. This is the highest force red muscle fibers better at aerobic energy
axon of a motor neuron (nerve fiber) to that a motor unit can produce (1). production. White muscle fibers have
a muscle cell travel in discrete bundles A given muscle is composed of sev- less myoglobin and mitochondria but
called action potentials. An action poten- eral different fiber types. There are more stored glycogen, making them bet-
tial is an electrical signal that is carried many classification schemes for describ- ter at anaerobic energy production. The
along nerves that stimulates muscle fibers ing different muscle fiber types. The first difference is easily seen when compar-
to contract by triggering the release of approach is to classify muscle fibers ac- ing a chicken breast to a chicken thigh.
calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. cording to twitch time. You’ve probably A chicken breast is white meat (white
Rather than being like the continuous heard of slow-twitch versus fast-twitch muscle fibers) and a thigh is dark meat
flow of electricity that is delivered from fibers. A fast twitch fiber (also termed (red muscle fibers). These differences
a battery, an action potential is a short type 2) develops force rapidly and has make sense if you think about it. The
burst or pulse of electricity, like flipping a short twitch time (1). A slow twitch breast of a bird is involved in beating the
a switch on and then quickly off again. fiber (also termed type 1) develops force wings during flight, which requires a high
An example you may be familiar with is slowly and has a long twitch time (1). level of force production. The thighs,
an EKG tracing of the heart - this is the This results in different abilities to devel- however, are involved in weight support
Parrillo Performance Guide to Muscle, Part IV
and walking, requiring a lower level of intermediates) and build up lactic acid. intensity threshold that we talked about
force production. When the acid level builds up too high in the first article of our muscle series.
Another classification scheme is based in the cell, this shunts down the cellular Exercise must provide a high intensity
on metabolic and histochemical (micro- enzymes that produce energy, so contrac- stimulus in order to recruit all of the fi-
scopic staining) properties of muscle tion comes to a halt. FT fibers are thus bers. I like to refer to these as the “high
cells. This is basically an extension of best suited for brief, high intensity activi- threshold nerve pathways.” It is of great
the fast twitch/slow twitch scheme, but ties such as sprinting. During extremely importance to realize that the fast twitch
also takes into account fuel types pre- high intensity exercise, such as weight fibers are the ones with the greatest po-
ferred by different fiber types. According lifting, both ST and FT units are recruited tential for hypertrophy (growth). In order
to this scheme, fibers may be either slow to maximize force production. to stimulate these fibers to grow we must
oxidative (SO), fast glycolytic (FG), or Remember that force production with- recruit them to contract, and to do that
fast oxidative glycolytic (FOG) (2). This in a muscle is increased by increasing the we must apply a high intensity stimulus.
scheme is based on microscopic analysis frequency of action potentials arriving This is why you have to lift big weights
of fibers looking at various enzyme sub- at the muscle, and thus the frequency of to get big muscles. Curling 5 pound
types (such as subtypes of ATPases) and twitches, and by increasing the number of dumbbells all day will never give you
it gets real technical real fast. For those of motor units participating in the contrac- big biceps.
you interested in greater detail, the best tion. When only a little force is needed, So for maximal muscular growth a
discussion of muscle fibers types is found only a few motor units are recruited. bodybuilder has to perform at least four
in Lieber, Skeletal Muscle Structure and Recall also that FT motor units contain distinct types of training: 1. Drop sets to
Function, pages 70-89 (2). more fibers than ST units. Therefore, ensure that nearly 100% of muscle fibers
In summary: Within any given mus- when only a little force is needed, small are recruited. 2. Heavy sets around 1-3
cle different fiber types exist for perform- motor units, which are primarily the ST rep maximum to recruit the high thresh-
ing different functions. There are many type, are recruited (3). As exercise inten- old nerve pathways. 3. High intensity
ways to classify the different fiber types. sity increases, FT type 2a (corresponding aerobics (around 30 minutes 3 times a
These include twitch time, muscle color, roughly to FOG type fibers) are also re- week) to increase capillary supply of
fuel sources, enzyme subtypes, fatiga- cruited. At maximal intensity, FT type 2b muscles. 4. Standard “bodybuilding sets”
bility, and combinations of the above. (or FG) fibers are called in. carried to failure at 8-10 reps. I’ll explain
A comparison of different classification This gets us back to the concept of more about this in the future, but the
schemes is presented in the table. basic function of these is to induce local
In general, slow twitch (ST) fibers tissue trauma which serves as a stimulus
have a high level of aerobic endurance for inflammation and remodeling. In
(3). ST fibers are thus very efficient at the medium rep work (8-10 rep range),
producing ATP from the oxidation of special attention must be paid to going
carbohydrate and fat (3). As long as oxy- to failure and to resisting the weight dur-
gen and fuel are available, ST fibers can ing the eccentric (lowering) phase of the
continue to produce ATP and thus the en- contraction.
ergy to contract. ST fibers are therefore
preferentially recruited for low intensity References
activities like walking, jogging, or bik-
ing. Fast twitch (FT) fibers, on the other 1. Baechle TR. Essentials of Strength
hand, are better suited for anaerobic en- Training and Conditioning. Human Ki-
ergy production. This is largely through netics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
the conversion of stored muscle glycogen
to lactic acid via glycolysis. FT motor 2. Lieber RL. Skeletal Muscle Struc-
units can generate considerably more ture and Function. Williams and Wilkins,
force and power (work per unit time) than Baltimore, MD, 1992.
ST motor units because their rate of force
production is not limited by the rate of 3. Wilmore JH and Costill DL. Physiol-
oxygen delivery. Furthermore, FT motor ogy of Sport and Exercise. Human Ki-
units are generally larger (contain more netics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
muscle fibers) than ST units. FT motor
units fatigue easily however, because
they exhaust their fuel supply (and other
Parrillo Performance Guide to Muscle, Part V

by John Parrillo
In the previous bulletin I introduced tions, because contraction literally means It is important to realize that during
the “all or nothing” principle of muscle “to shorten.” isometric and eccentric muscle actions
contraction, which states that a given mo- Isometric muscle actions refer to the we still have nerve impulses (action po-
tor unit either contracts maximally or not situation where the force generated by tentials) arriving at the muscle, triggering
at all. I also explained the pattern of mus- the muscle is sufficient to exactly balance calcium release and activation of the ac-
cle fiber recruitment. For low intensity the resistance. An example is at the top tin-myosin cross-bridges, just like we do
activities, such as fine finger movements of a biceps curl at the moment of peak during concentric actions. The difference
or precise movement of the eyes, small contraction, or any time when you pause is that the force generated by the muscle
motor units are recruited. Small motor during the curl and the weight remains is no longer sufficient to overcome the
units allow precise muscular control and stationary. “Isometric” means “the same resistance. During isometric actions the
are primarily composed of slow twitch length,” and thus describes any time a sarcomeres remain the same length, and
fibers, which generate low forces and are during eccentric actions the sarcomeres
fatigue resistant. As progressively more Concentric muscle ac- actually get longer. During eccentric
force is required for an activity, more fast
twitch motor units are called into play.
tions occur when a mus- actions the actin-myosin cross-bridges
are still trying to pull the Z lines together
These have more muscle fibers connected cle is shortening. This to shorten the sarcomere, but they’re
to each nerve cell (that is, they are larger happens when force gen- just not strong enough. As you might
motor units) and are capable or generat- imagine, this causes quite a bit of dam-
ing high forces although they fatigue
erated within the muscle age to the cross-bridges and to the whole
more easily. is sufficient to overcome sarcomere. The sarcomere is working
In this bulletin I would like to talk the resistance to shorten- to contract, but is being overcome by
about different types of muscle contrac- external forces which are forcing it to
tion, and why these are important in
ing. An example is the lengthen while it is trying to contract.
bodybuilding. Concentric muscle actions lifting phase of a biceps This is the main source of microtrauma
occur when a muscle is shortening. This dumbbell curl. (microscopic damage) to the muscle that
happens when force generated within occurs when you work out. If you take
the muscle is sufficient to overcome the a muscle biopsy (a small tissue sample)
resistance to shortening (1). An example muscle is working but is not changing in from a muscle after a workout and look
is the lifting phase of a biceps dumbbell length. Eccentric muscle actions refer at it in the electron microscope, you
curl. During this phase of contraction, to situations when the muscle is generat- will see that the normal structure of the
action potentials are arriving at the neu- ing force but that force is less than the muscle has been disrupted. The amount
romuscular junction, causing a release of resistance on the muscle. An example of damage to the muscle is far greater
the neurotransmitter acetylcholine at the is the lowering phase of a biceps curl. following eccentric actions than for con-
synaptic cleft. This causes an influx of Here, the muscle is still working and centric or isometric actions, as you might
calcium into the muscle cell, as well as a generating force, but the muscle is actu- guess. In concentric actions under heavy
release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic ally getting longer. Gravity is the force resistance, the microscopic structures of
reticulum. (Review previous articles in pulling the dumbbell downward, and this the muscle fiber literally get ripped apart
this series in these concepts are fuzzy.) force is transmitted to the forearm and as the muscle fiber is forced to lengthen
The rising calcium concentration sets off then to the biceps tendon. If this force is while it is trying to contract.
a series of events resulting in activation greater than the internal force generated Following intense training sessions
of the actin-myosin cross-bridges. ATP by the biceps muscle, then the muscle we see a phenomenon called “Z band
is consumed as the sarcomeres shorten, will lengthen instead of contracting, even steaming,” which describes the Z band
bringing the Z lines at the ends of the though it is still working and generating structure being disrupted and myofila-
sarcomere closer together. Thus when a force. “Isokinetic” means “the same ve- ments streaming out from the normal
muscle fiber contracts, each of the indi- locity” and describes muscle actions that sarcomere structure. Under extreme con-
vidual sarcomeres contract, and ATP is occur at constant velocity. An isokinetic ditions you can even see rupture (break-
consumed. Concentric muscle actions contraction is simply a concentric muscle age) the sarcoplasmic membrane (the cell
are really the only true muscular contrac- action that occurs at constant velocity. membrane of muscle cells) and leakage
of cellular contents from the cell. Some the tissue is returned to its original state. able to do more and more reps with 30
of these can be measured in routine lab The body doesn’t like this inflammation pounds, but that will do little to increase
tests in a hospital. Creatine phospho- and repair process however, and over- muscle size. Any time you’re doing more
kinase (CPK) is an enzyme in muscle compensates a bit during the repair pro- than 12-15 reps with a weight you’re
cells which forms creatine phosphate, the cess. The body makes the muscles a little primarily training muscle endurance, not
short-term energy reserve in muscle cells bit bigger and stronger than they were muscle strength. Training for muscle en-
which is responsible for immediately re- before the workout, so that next time you durance is just fine, but does very little to
plenishing ATP (refer back to our series hit the weights hopefully the muscles can increase muscle size. To increase muscle
on cellular energy metabolism). When take it and not get damaged. The body’s size you have to increase strength, which
muscle cells are damaged and the cell ability to overcompensate is very limited means lifting a heavier weight. So you
membrane starts leaking, CPK is released however, and estimates are that with each go up to the 35 pound dumbbells and get
into the blood and can be measured in the good workout your muscles increase in maybe 6 reps before your biceps fails.
laboratory. In hospitals CPK levels are size only about 0.1%. This is why it This represents a new level of stress, a
used as an initial screen to tell if someone takes years of consistent training to get higher level of intensity, and the adapta-
has had a heart attack or not, since during really big muscles. tion process begins again. After a few
a heart attack some of the heart muscle There are two basic principles of body- weeks or months you will be able to curl
cells die and release CPK. Skeletal building training that are more important the 35 pound dumbbells for 12 reps and
muscle cells also release CPK when they than all the others put together. The first your biceps will be bigger and stronger
are damaged. Using tests like muscle is the principle of intensity. A workout than it was when you could only curl 30
biopsy and CPK, scientists have deter- must exceed some threshold of intensity pounds for 12 reps. This is the principle
mined that most muscle damage occurs in order to stimulate growth. The second of progressive resistance.
during eccentric muscle actions, when is the principle of progressive resistance. For maximal gains in strength, you
external forces rip the myofibers apart. This means that as you get stronger, you want to train with a heavy weight at low
This is also the main cause of muscle have to keep progressively increasing the reps, say 3-6 reps. For maximal gains
soreness 24-48 hours after a workout, resistance to overload the muscle. In oth- in muscle size, you want to train with a
and is called “delayed onset muscle sore- er words, as the muscle gets stronger the weight you can handle for 6-10 reps. As
ness,” or DOMS. Try a few sets of heavy intensity threshold required to stimulate the muscle adapts and gets stronger, you
forced negatives sometime to prove it to further growth increases. This is a direct will need to increase the weight in small
yourself. It is well known to bodybuild- consequence of the over-compensation increments (about 5-10% per jump) to
ers that negatives cause the most muscle process I described above. During the keep yourself in the proper rep range.
soreness, and now you know why. inflammation and repair process, tissue The most effective training strategies
Why is all of this important to body- remodeling occurs to help the muscle over the long haul involve some work
builders? Because it is at the very heart of adapt to the stresses imposed on it. Ini- in the 3-6 rep range and some work in
muscle growth. You see, the microscopic tially, a 30 pound dumbbell curl may be the 6-10 rep range. This helps train the
tissue damage that occurs after weight intense enough to cause muscle damage nervous system as well as the muscle and
training serves as the stimulus for inflam- and set into play the process of muscle helps ensure the high threshold pathways
mation. Inflammation is a process that growth. Muscle growth is really just an are recruited. For purposes of increasing
occurs in damaged or infected tissues that adaptive response that occurs so that the muscle size and strength, by the time you
signals the immune system to come into next time you curl a 30 pound dumbbell can perform 12 reps with a given weight
play. White blood cells, mainly lympho- it doesn’t cause so much damage to the this means it’s time to increase the load.
cytes, neutrophils, and macrophages, are muscle. After a while, you will be able Just how does this process of muscle
called in to clean up the mess of the dam- to curl the 30 pound dumbbell easily, growth and adaptation occur? There are
aged and leaking muscle cells. The white without much strain or damage to the two basic mechanisms that come into
blood cells release immune mediators muscle. At that point, the muscle and play: hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Mus-
such as histamine, bradykinin, cytokines, it’s associated connective structures have cle hypertrophy means that an individual
and interleukins, which help bring about adequately adapted to the stress imposed muscle cell gets bigger. This occurs as it
the repair process. Bradykinin is one of by a 30 pound dumbbell. You can keep builds more myofibrils by adding more
the immune mediators that is particularly working out with 30 pound dumbbells for actin and myosin (and other associated
famous for causing pain, and immune the rest of your life and little, if any, addi- structures). In other words, an individual
mediators like bradykinin and prosta- tional growth will occur. The muscle has muscle cell builds more contractile pro-
glandins are the reason muscles get sore grown and adapted to that level of stress. teins inside it, making it increase in diam-
after a workout. During the inflammation If you stick to the 30 pound dumbbells eter. This of course also makes it stronger
process, damaged cells are repaired and you will find that over time you will be and able to generate more force when it
contracts. Muscle hyperplasia describes cle tissue. During adult life, satellite cells the basics to help this process work at
the situation of adding more muscle cells. can be induced to turn into new muscle peak efficiency. I’m sorry, but there
Hypertrophy is an increase in muscle cells by factors released from damaged really are no tricks or secrets. It takes
cell size, and hyperplasia is an increase muscle cells (4). When satellite cells dedication, consistency, and hard work.
in muscle cell number. The overwhelm- were placed in culture dishes it was found What do you do? First, you have to
ing body of scientific evidence indicates that they could be induced to differentiate make every workout count. Every work-
that most muscle growth is the result of (turn into new muscle cells) by adding an out must be intense enough to stimulate
hypertrophy (2,3). If you take biopsy extract from minced or ground up muscle muscle growth, or you’re just wasting
samples of muscle before and after a tissue (4). An extract from undamaged your time in the gym. You have to attack
training program, you will see that after muscle or from some other tissue could each workout. Think of the weights as
training there are still about the same not do the trick. Thus it appears that enemies to be conquered - to be slaugh-
number of muscle fibers (muscle cells), muscle cells contain some substance that tered. Walk into the gym with a feeling
but that each muscle fiber is bigger in can leak out when the cell membrane is of overwhelming power. The weights
diameter. This indicates that hypertrophy damaged, and this substance acts as a simply are not strong enough to resist
is a more important adaptive response signal to cause the satellite cells to grow. you. You WILL lift heavy weights today.
to exercise training that is hyperplasia. The idea is that satellite cells represent a Get in there, kill the weights, and get out.
Several studies with bodybuilders do in- reserve source of precursor cells that can That’s your job.
dicate however that muscle hyperplasia be called upon following muscle damage, Second, supply your body with more
can occur. In these studies it was found to make new muscle cells and repair the than adequate amounts of every nutrient
that bodybuilders had more muscle fibers damaged muscle. it needs to build muscle. Protein, car-
(cells) per cross-sectional area than un- This all makes sense if you think bohydrate, vitamins, minerals, branched
trained controls (2,3). One experiment about it. We know that most muscle chain amino acids - and most impor-
with cats demonstrated a 9% increase cell hyperplasia comes about as a result tantly, a foundation of solid nutritious
in fiber number following 101 weeks of of high resistance training with heavy food. Start with a solid bodybuilding diet
resistance leg training (2,3). To recon- weight (2). We also now that high re- and add supplements to boost cellular
cile these observations with the body of sistance training, especially the eccentric nutrient levels even higher. Don’t com-
data suggesting that most muscle growth phase of the muscle action, results in the promise on nutrition. Can you imagine
occurs by fiber hypertrophy, it was sug- most muscle damage (1,2,3). Finally, we going to all that work of busting your butt
gested that in order for muscle cell hy- also know that high resistance training is in the gym and then not growing because
perplasia to occur the training stimulus the most effective stimulus for increas- of sub-optimal nutrition? The optimal
must be of high intensity, with heavy re- ing muscle size and strength (1,2,3). So bodybuilding diet is laid out in detail in
sistance and low repetitions (2,3). Most it all fits together. And this is why it’s the Parrillo Performance Nutrition Man-
studies in exercise physiology use un- vitally important for bodybuilders to pay ual. Which foods to eat ,which foods to
trained subjects, with moderate to low special attention to the lowering phase avoid, how much protein, carbs, and fat,
resistance and higher repetitions. While of each rep - it’s the most important how many calories, how many meals,
both growth mechanisms are probably at part of the rep for stimulating muscle and everything else you need to know. It
play in bodybuilders, most experts agree growth. You should always lower the even comes with a food scale and a food
that most muscle growth occurs by hy- weight slowly and resist the weight on composition guide, so you can precisely
pertrophy of existing muscle fibers. the way down. This type of training will structure each meal for optimal results.
When muscle cells do undergo hy- make you sore, but it’s the best stimulus After the foundation is laid with the right
perplasia, what is the source of the new for muscle growth. I don’t recommend foods, then add in supplements to boost
muscle cells and the stimulus for their negative-only training, however. You nutrient levels even higher. Start with the
growth? This question is of course of still need the positive (lifting) part of basics: Hi-Protein Powder™, Pro-Carb™, ,
great interest to bodybuilders, since it the rep to fully work the muscle and to Vitamins, and Minerals. Add in Muscle
is the door to almost unlimited muscle exhaust its ATP stores. Since the muscle Amino™, for extra branched chain amino
growth. New muscle cells are believed to requires ATP to relax as well as to con- acids — the primary structural amino
derive from differentiation and prolifera- tract, if you use up the ATP in the positive acids in muscle protein. If you’re a hard
tion of satellite cells. Satellite cells are phase of the movement, this will result in gainer or want faster results, add in Cap-
little tiny cells not much bigger than nu- greater microtrauma during the eccentric Tri®. CapTri® supplies calories which
clei, and are found along the periphery of phase. And this, presumably, will trig- are preferentially used for energy, sparing
muscle fibers. Satellite cells seem to be ger a greater adaptive response and more amino acids so they can be used to build
most active during the growth of the fe- muscle growth. protein instead of being burned as fuel.
tus, while it is rapidly forming new mus- The Parrillo program is founded on The special thing about CapTri® is that
excess calories from CapTri® are readily got. You have to keep slowly increasing References
burned as body heat instead of being con- the resistance and getting stronger. The
verted to body fat. This makes CapTri® Parrillo Performance Training Manual 1. Baechle TR. Essentials of Strength
THE BEST way to add calories to your describes all the best exercises for body- Training and Conditioning. Human Ki-
diet in a way that will minimize body fat. builders, with descriptions of proper ex- netics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
It’s a hard gainer’s dream come true. ercise performance and sample routines.
Third, get adequate rest to allow mus- There’s enough in there to take you from 2. Wilmore JH and Costill DL. Physi-
cles to recover between workouts. This the beginning level all the way through ology of Sport and Exercise. Human
is a must. Remember, muscles don’t the professional ranks. Kinetics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
grow in the gym - they get damaged in Start off with the Nutrition and Train-
the gym. The growth phase occurs during Manuals, which are where you get 3. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and Katch
ing the next couple of days following a the information you need to reach your VL. Exercise Physiology - Energy, Nu-
workout while the muscles are recover- bodybuilding goals. At any time, feel trition, and Human Performance. Lea &
ing. You have to get adequate rest for free to call or write with questions or for Febiger, Malvern, PA, 1991.
this recovery process to occur optimally. personal counseling. We support our pro-
There’s no simple answer to the questions gram all the way - we don’t just sell you 4. Lieber RL. Skeletal Muscle Structure
of how often should you train each mus- something and then turn you loose. What and Function. Williams and Wilkins,
cle, or how many days a week should you sets us apart is that Parrillo is a compre- Baltimore, MD, 1992.
train. Trainers and muscle physiologists hensive package, a total program of train-
have been studying this for years, and ing and nutrition, which is supported all
still don’t know the answer. The reason the way. We supply information, not just
is that the optimal training protocol is dif- supplements. We actually teach you what
ferent for different people. Hard gainers you need to know to become the best you
do better with less work and more time can be. Who else does that? Who else
for recovery - say, training three days a sends out a free magazine to customers
week on a one on — one off schedule. with scientific information about body-
People who are naturally muscular and building endocrinology, cellular energy
gain muscle easily often can train more, metabolism, and muscle physiology just
three on and one off, for example. Some to educate customers so they can get the
people even do well training every day, most out of the workouts? Nobody else.
training one muscle group each day. A lot of people sell supplements, but
Some professionals train twice a day. nobody else does what we do. We’re for
The optimal schedule for you depends or real. We’re here for the few people out
your own body’s recovery ability as well there who are really serious about reach-
as how many other stressors you have in ing their goals. We believe that people
your life. If you work 60 hours a week, who are dedicated and work hard in the
for example, this takes a big toll on your gym deserve results. When you buy sup-
recovery ability, and you probably won’t plements from somebody else, that’s all
be able to recover from daily workouts. you get. But when you buy supplements
Professional bodybuilders don’t have any or a manual from Parrillo, that’s just the
other job to worry about, so they are at beginning of a relationship. That’s our
an advantage in terms of recovery. You commitment to you. To supply not only
will have to experiment to find the best the products, but more importantly the
routine for your body. There are some support and information you need to get
basics however, that are true for every- results. That’s why the serious people
body. You have to train hard. You have end up with Parrillo.
to give each workout everything you’ve
Parrillo Performance Guide to Muscle, Part VI

by John Parrillo
Over the last five bulletins we’ve take can lift one time (1,2,3). Thus, the one probably do even better - maybe around
a detailed look at muscle. We’ve covered rep maximum (1RM) is a measure of 90%. It should be obvious that the more
basic scientific concepts of muscle struc- muscle strength. At first, you would think fibers you can get to fire at once, the
ture, function, and physiology all the way that the only important thing would be more force the muscle will generate. This
down to the cellular and even molecular how strong the muscle is, and since big- is why people see such great gains in
level. Now you know about the sliding ger muscles are stronger, the guy with the strength during the first six months or so
filament theory of muscle action and the biggest muscles would be the strongest. of training without seeing much increase
details of how muscle is controlled by the This is not quite true, however. The in muscle size. What they’re doing is
nervous system. In the last bulletin we important thing is how much force the learning how to more efficiently recruit
talked the cellular and molecular basis of the muscle fibers they have.
muscle growth, including muscle hyper- The important thing is how This is primarily a consequence of
trophy, hyperplasia, and the recruitment much force the muscle can gen- training the nervous system. With prac-
of satellite cells. In previous series we tice, your brain learns how to recruit
explored the aerobic and anaerobic en-
erate, which not only depends on more motor units to fire at the same
ergy metabolism of muscle as well as the how big and strong the muscle time, resulting in greater force produc-
hormonal regulation of muscle growth is but also on how efficiently the tion from the muscle. This takes us back
and the way to control hormones through muscle can be activated by the to one of the fundamental principles
diet and exercise. nervous system. (Obviously, le- of training - that of training specificity.
This month I want to talk about differ- verage factors like skeletal struc- For powerlifting you want to increase
ent training strategies for muscle and how strength, which means increasing your
ture and tendon attachments also
to tailor your training to achieve your 1RM. To do this, you want to train at low
particular goals. Bodybuilding, power- are very important, but there’s not reps with heavy weight. Since the com-
lifting, endurance running and biking, much you can do about that.) petition involves lifting at low reps, you
and sports like football and basketball all want to do most of your training at low
require muscle training, but obviously the reps. Scientific studies have consistently
performance goals of these sports are dif- muscle can generate, which not only de- shown that the greatest gains in strength
ferent and the best way to train for each pends on how big and strong the muscle come from training in the 3-6 rep range
of these is different. The place to start is is but also on how efficiently the muscle with heavy weight (1,2,3). This rep range
to decide what your goals are, and then can be activated by the nervous system. allows you to train with about 90% of
map out a plan for how to get there. (Obviously, leverage factors like skeletal your 1RM. You should also train some
Let’s start with powerlifting, since structure and tendon attachments also heavy singles, especially near the com-
this is one of the simplest forms of train- are very important, but there’s not much petition, but not at every workout since
ing to consider. Powerlifting is about one you can do about that.) You can easily these are very hard on your joints. You
thing: the guy who can lift the heaviest prove this to yourself simply by compar- should take plenty of time to rest between
weight in proper form wins. The win- ing the physiques of bodybuilders and sets, generally from 3-5 minutes. This
ner will thus be determined by two fac- powerlifters. Bodybuilders have bigger allows your nervous system and muscles
tors: his shear physical strength and his muscles, but powerlifters are stronger. to recover completely between sets so
mastery of technique. At top level lifting So muscle size must not be the only im- you can give maximal effort to each
events, technique gets to be very impor- portant thing. The higher the percentage set. The best gains in strength usually
tant. Elite lifters have great skill in using of muscle fibers you can recruit to fire come from relatively low volume train-
their strength to lift the heaviest weight (contract) at the same time, the stronger ing, around 3-5 sets per exercise. Keep
possible. The technique of competitive a given-sized muscle will be. Estimates the number of exercises and the total
Olympic-style lifting is a field in it’s own are that the average person has the ability number of sets fairly low. The concept
right, and is not the topic here. What I to recruit only about 50% of the fibers for strength training is to do a low vol-
want to discuss here is the strength as- of a muscle to fire at once, and that with ume of extremely high intensity lifting.
pect. Muscle strength is defined as the training this may increase to around 70%. Train mostly the basic compound joint
maximum load (weight) that a muscle I’m convinced that elite powerlifters can exercises, such as squat, deadlift, bench
press, military press, and barbell row. detailed information on the best exercises important. Kinetic energy is equal to one
These are probably the best exercises for for bodybuilders and for instruction on half the product of mass times veloc-
increasing overall body strength. proper exercise performance. ity squared, so the faster you’re moving
Bodybuilding is a close cousin of The best bodybuilders also incorpo- the more kinetic energy you have. To
powerlifting, and the training styles are rate powerlifting-style training into their sum up, powerlifting and bodybuilding
very similar. The goal of bodybuilding workouts. Many bodybuilders actually are just concerned with muscle size and
is to maximize muscle size, more than start off as powerlifters for a few years strength, but these other sports add in the
strength, and to minimize body fat. Of factor of speed.
course, muscle size and strength do go For maximal increases in As an example, if two athletes have a
together, and big bodybuilders are indeed muscle size, it is best to train 1RM of 200 pounds on the bench press
very strong. As we discussed last month, mostly in the 6-12 rep range they have the same strength on that ex-
the main adaptation responsible for in- ercise. But if one athlete can perform the
creases in muscle size is hypertrophy
with a moderate load. By movement in 2 seconds while the other
- an increase in diameter of muscle fibers “moderate” I mean the heavi- requires 4 seconds to lift the weight, the
(1,2,3). This is accomplished by addition est load you can lift for 6-12 former is generating twice the power of
of more myofibrils inside the muscle cell. reps in good form. This rep the later. While absolute strength is an
Packing in more actin and myosin fila- range allows you to use about important component of performance,
ments will make the muscle bigger and 70-80% of your 1RM weight. power is probably even more important
stronger. The training strategy for this is for most sports (1). Muscle power is the
similar as for powerlifting. For maximal product of strength and speed, both of
increases in muscle size, it is best to train to get a solid foundation of strength, and which are obviously central to football,
mostly in the 6-12 rep range with a mod- then use bodybuilding-style workouts to basketball, and like sports.
erate load (1,2,3). By “moderate” I mean refine their size and shape. There are Training the speed component adds
the heaviest load you can lift for 6-12 several ways to incorporate both training another factor to your training. As you
reps in good form. This rep range allows styles into your workouts. One way is to might guess, this involves trying to lift
you to use about 70-80% of your 1RM do some very heavy sets to failure at 3-5 the weight as quickly as possible. One
weight. It is important to train to failure reps, followed by some moderate sets to effective approach to weight training for
at each working set, which means keep failure at 6-10 reps in a single workout. speed calls for using about 30% of your
performing reps until you absolutely can- This approach trains for muscle size 1RM weight and performing the positive
not get another. When you can perform and strength at each workout. Another (lifting) phase of the movement in ex-
12 or more reps with a given weight, increasingly popular approach is called plosive fashion. This is usually done for
increase the weight by about 10%. This is “periodization,” Which involves a cycle about 10 reps per set. Another technique
the concept of progressive resistance. of relatively light break-in training, fol- to increase muscle power is plyometrics.
Bodybuilders generally get better re- lowed by a cycle of bodybuilding style Plyometrics is a way of overloading the
sults from a slightly higher volume of training, followed by a cycle of pow- muscle prior to an explosive contrac-
training as compared to powerlifting, say erlifting style training. Each cycle can tion with speed-strength as the goal (3).
4-6 sets per exercise, and more exercises last from about 4-12 weeks, depending An example of plyometric training for
per muscle group. Powerlifters might do on what works best for you. When you legs is to step or jump off of a box, land
8-12 total sets per workout while body- hit a plateau in your training, it gener- and squat, and then jump up as fast as
builders usually do 15-30. Rest intervals ally means it’s time to move to a new possible. This does two things. First, po-
between sets are usually 1-2 minutes for workout. tential energy is stored by stretching the
bodybuilding. It is crucially important Sports like sprinting, football, and connective tissues, such as the muscle
for optimal gains in muscle size for the basketball require maximal muscle sheath, the tendons, and the muscle itself.
bodybuilder to emphasize the eccentric power, which is different from strength. Second, the rapid eccentric movement of
phase of the muscle action. This means Power is work per unit time, which is landing and squatting evokes the stretch
lower the weight slowly and resist the also equal to force times speed. Power reflex, or the stretch-shortening cycle
weight on the way down. This results requires generating a lot of force, and (SSC) of the same muscle (3,4).
in greater micro-trauma to the muscle generating it quickly. Force is equal to The basis of the stretch reflex is the
fibers, and this damage serves as a stimu- mass times acceleration, so the faster you muscle spindle. Muscle spindles are sen-
lus to the adaptation process resulting accelerate a given weight, the more force sory nerves located in special muscle
in increases in muscle size. Refer to the you’re producing. In sports like football fibers called intrafusal fibers. These fi-
Parrillo Performance Training Manual and boxing, the transfer of kinetic en- bers run parallel to the extrafusal muscle
and High Performance Bodybuilding for ergy from one player to another is very fibers, which are the ones we normally
think of as being responsible for muscle fibers compared to type II fibers (3). it away by not eating right. Try to eat
contraction. When a muscle is stretched However, since type I fibers have less every three hours or so, and include the
this activates the nerves in the intrafusal capacity for hypertrophy than do type II right balance of carbohydrates and pro-
fibers, which sends a signal back to the fibers, endurance training does not result tein at each meal. Good protein sources
motor neurons in the spinal cord. These in as great an increase in muscle size as are chicken breast, turkey breast, fish,
send a signal out to the extrafusal fibers does resistance training. and egg whites. Good carbs include po-
to contract. The muscle spindle is a safety During endurance training there is a tatoes, rice, beans, oatmeal, peas, corn,
mechanism that causes a muscle to con- gradual conversion of type IIb fibers to and vegetables. Refer to the Nutrition
tract whenever it is stretched. This reflex type IIa fibers (3). Type IIa fibers, or fast Manual for detailed instruction. As far as
keeps the muscle from tearing from ex- oxidative glycolytic (FOG) fibers, have supplementation goes, the most impor-
cessive stretching. When you add in this a greater aerobic capacity than type IIb tant ones for increasing muscle size and
reflex arc, this results in a more powerful fibers, or fast glycolytic (FG) fibers (3). strength are Hi-Protein Powder, CapTri,
contraction from a stretched muscle than The result of this conversion is a greater and Muscle Amino. For endurance
can be consciously achieved
by contracting a muscle from
The basis of the stretch reflex is the performance, the most important
are Pro-Carb, The Bar, CapTri, and
it’s normal resting length. The muscle spindle. Muscle spindles are sensory Max Endurance. Never lose sight
elastic properties of the muscle nerves located in special muscle fibers called of your dream. Never give up. The
and tendons store energy dur- intrafusal fibers. These fibers run parallel to Parrillo Program has built a lot of
ing the eccentric (stretching) the extrafusal muscle fibers, which are the champions, and we’ll build a lot
phase, and this also contributes ones we normally think of as being respon- more. Be one. Parrillo Performance
to force production (3). An-
sible for muscle contraction. When a muscle - where dreams come true.
other form of plyometric leg
training is jump squats, where is stretched this activates the nerves in the References
a relatively light weight is used intrafusal fibers, which sends a signal back to
and you jump when coming the motor neurons in the spinal cord. 1. Wilmore JH and Costill DL.
out of the squat, with your feet Physiology of Sport and Exercise.
actually leaving the ground. Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
Baechle (reference 3) contains an exten- number of fibers which can contribute
sive list of plyometric training drills and to endurance performance (3). Endur- 2. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and Katch
techniques for those of you interested in ance training increases the number of VL. Exercise Physiology - Energy, Nu-
more information. mitochondria and the concentration of trition, and Human Performance. Lea &
The best form of training for competi- myoglobin in muscle cells (3). As you Febiger, Malvern, PA, 1991.
tive endurance activities is training that know, mitochondria are the organelles re-
activity itself. In other words, endur- sponsible for aerobic energy production. 3. Baechle TR. Essentials of Strength
ance cycling is the best way to train for Myoglobin is a protein which can bind Training and Conditioning. Human Ki-
endurance cycling. That’s not to say that and store oxygen, much like hemoglobin. netics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
weight training can’t help, but weight Thus while weight training mainly results
training is mainly about muscle size, in bigger, stronger muscles, endurance 4. Komi PV. Strength and Power in
strength, and power, not endurance. En- training results mainly in increased aero- Sport. Blackwell Scientific Publications,
durance training is an aerobic exercise bic energy producing ability. Oxford, 1992.
activity, while resistance training (weight Bodybuilders should remember how-
training) is anaerobic. Endurance training ever to include aerobic exercise as part
involves a very large number of submaxi- of their training, since this trains a very
mal muscular contractions (3). Compared important muscle called the heart. Aero-
to weight training, the intensity is very bic exercise also burns fat and helps to
low and the volume is very high (3). The increase capillary density in muscle. This
adaptations to aerobic training are very allows for increased blood supply, which
different than those to anaerobic training. means increased nutrient supply, which
Endurance training reduces the overall means bigger muscles.
concentration of glycolytic enzymes, the This concludes our series on muscle.
ones involved in anaerobic energy pro- Whatever your training goals, don’t for-
duction (3). In endurance training there get the central role of nutrition. Seri-
is increased recruitment of type I muscle ous training is hard work - don’t throw
Muscle Up - The Keys to Building Mass and Staying Lean, Part I

by John Parrillo
Sometimes as you read this column, who looked like bodybuilders before they be structured according to fairly narrow
you may get the impression that attain- ever went into a gym. But these people parameters. The nuts and bolts of how
ing a bodybuilding physique is pretty are rare. Most of us are all too familiar to do this is described in the Parrillo Per-
easy. I talk about how to control your with the scenarios described above. And formance Nutrition Manual, which is the
hormones, how to stimulate fat loss, how this is why attaining that bodybuilding cornerstone of the program. The second
to drive muscle growth, how to channel look is hard for most people. requirement for nutrient partitioning is
food energy to muscle stores, and so on, What’s the answer? How can the av- a training program. Training provides
and bodybuilding sounds not too hard. erage person attain a really spectacular the stimulus to build muscle as well as
The truth is, achieving a bodybuilder’s activating the body’s fat-burning path-
physique is very hard, and that’s why you The key concept is an ways. How does it work? What happens
don’t see too many bodybuilders walking idea called nutrient parti- is the nutrition program and the training
around. If it was easy, everybody would program come together to have certain
look great.
tioning, which means di- effects on the body’s hormones. And
The key reason why it’s so hard is recting ingested dietary these hormones control muscle metabo-
that you have to be in a calorie deficit to energy toward the lean lism and fat metabolism. If you follow
stimulate fat loss, yet in order to drive the program faithfully you can actually
muscle growth you have to supply all compartment and not to modify the hormonal environment inside
the nutrients and energy muscles need to fat stores. The idea is to your body in such a way as to signal your
grow. In a way it’s a paradox to do both at have your food energy muscles to grow and simultaneously sig-
the same time. But it is possible. nal fat loss. And by supplying nutrient
The easiest way to lose fat is just to go to build muscle while energy is a specific pattern you can direct
starve yourself. Starving people are not drawing on your fat stores this energy to the lean compartment while
fat. As you know, the problem with this at the same time burning body fat. If you
to fuel activity.
approach is that during severe caloric read my articles over the last two or three
restriction you lose about half muscle years you will have a virtual textbook on
and half fat. Your body tries to hang on physique? Hard work, consistency, and the science of how this works, down to
to the fat as long as it can so it won’t dedication. These are the core principles the cellular and even molecular level.
run out of energy. At the other end of the of the Parrillo philosophy. If you can So let’s say you want to do it. Where
spectrum, is pretty easy to gain weight if give me those, I can give you a great do you start? You start with the Nutri-
you just eat like a pig. There are very few physique. Without those, all the information Manual and a solid training program
people who can’t gain a lot of weight if tion and training and supplements in the which includes lifting weights and aero-
they just eat enough calories. This is what world just don’t matter. It’s really up to bics. It’s virtually impossible to achieve
the hoard of “weight gainer” powders out you. So how do you do it? the results of my program without the Nu-
there are for. If you add 1,000 calories a The key concept is an idea called trition Manual. Virtually every advanced
day to your diet, you will gain weight. nutrient partitioning, which means direct- level bodybuilder in the world is on this
The problem, of coarse, is that if you just ing ingested dietary energy toward the program, and that’s no exaggeration. You
indiscriminately add calories to your diet lean compartment and not to fat stores. have to start there. I’ve spent over twenty
most of them (probably about 75% by The idea is to have your food energy years researching this area and experi-
most estimates) will end up as fat. go to build muscle while drawing on menting with advanced level competitive
So we have to lose calories to lose your fat stores to fuel activity. Achieving bodybuilders. My approach has been to
fat, but if we cut calories half the weight this requires two things. First is a very assemble all of the scientific information
which is lost will be muscle. And we specific eating program which supplies on muscle and fat metabolism, and then
have to add calories to gain weight, but energy is a way which supplies nutri- try different strategies in real athletes to
about 75% of excess calories usually end ents to build muscle but not providing find out what really works. The Nutrition
up as fat. Genetically gifted bodybuilders calories which are stored as fat. There are and Training Manuals give you the ben-
may not have such a problem. I’ve met certain foods you should eat and specific efit of twenty years of research and work
several people who were quite strong and foods you should avoid. Each meal must right at your fingertips.
Are there any supplements that can
down) during exercise, basis, and more during intense exercise.

especially intense aerobic In one study protein breakdown and use
exercise (2). These two of amino acids for fuel were measured
reasons plus the fact the in men following a 10 mile run. It was
body cannot make its own found that 57 grams of protein were con-
BCAAs increase the need sumed as fuel during the run, accounting
for BCAAs by athletes, es- for 18% of the energy cost of the run
pecially athletes concerned (2). This means that as much as the en-
about achieving maximum tire USRDA for protein can be burned
muscle mass. BCAAs seem to be during a single intense aerobic exercise
preferentially taken up by muscle bout. There seems to be little doubt
tissue and stored there, providing an that intensely training athletes need more
anabolic effect as well as a nitrogen- protein than sedentary people, since the
sparing (anti-catabolic) effect (3). energy cost of exercise results in a sig-
Muscle Amino™ is really the exact nificant amount of amino acid oxidation.
thing we’re looking for in a supple- Bodybuilders virtually unanimously
ment. It’s selectively taken up by muscle, agree that they need extra protein. Most
so it will add to muscle mass and not of them have the misconception that they
fat mass. It provides essential building need extra protein to supply the building
blocks which are used to build muscle blocks for muscle growth. The truth is
protein, having a anabolic effect. And it that two or three extra bites of chicken
blocks break-down of existing muscle every day will supply enough protein
tissue during intense exercise. This for your muscles to grow as fast as they
is a perfect example of positive nu- can. The real reason bodybuilders and
trient partitioning. Muscle Amino endurance athletes need more protein is
provides nutrient energy which is that they burn more protein for fuel dur-
help? Yes, definitely. One in particu- specifically targeted to building up ing exercise. If you don’t supply enough
lar that fits into this program is called muscle stores while not contributing to protein in the diet to make up for this
Muscle Amino™. Muscle Amino™ is a fat stores. You can see why I call it increased demand then the body will
pharmaceutical grade, ultra-pure, crys- “Muscle Amino.” actually break down muscle tissue to sup-
talline, free-form amino acid mixture of Exercise induces changes in the ply the amino acids to use as fuel. This is
leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These are body’s pattern of energy metabolism, your worst nightmare. Since the biggest
the so-called “branched chain” amino and these changes are driven by energy demand for amino acid fuel is during aer-
acids, because their side chain contains a needs, substrate availability, and hor- obic exercise, it turns out that endurance
branched carbon structure. The branched monal regulation (2). This change in the athletes actually have even higher protein
chain amino acids (BCAAs) are among pattern of energy flow in the body is what requirements than bodybuilders (2). Very
the essential amino acids. Of the twenty brings about the change in body compo- few people realize this, including very
amino acids common in human proteins, sition we seek. Energy to fuel to body is few endurance athletes. This is why en-
twelve of them can be made by the body derived from oxidation (burning) of the durance athletes usually have a very thin
and are called “nonessential” amino ac- carbon chains in carbohydrates, fats, and (sometimes referred to as “stringy”) look
ids. The other eight cannot be made by proteins. The ratio of the fuel mixture - they burn more protein than they take
the body and are called “essential” amino which is oxidized depends on the nutri- in, so their muscles get catabolized as
acids because it is essential they be ob- ent ratio consumed as well as exercise fuel. If endurance athletes would simply
tained from the diet. Obviously, body- type and intensity (2). In other words, increase their protein intake they would
builders need to be attentive that their whether you burn fat or carbs or protein become more muscular and stronger, and
diet supplies all of the essential amino ac- for energy depends on what you eat and probably become better, faster athletes as
ids they need, because they are required how you exercise. well. Usually in a contest between two
for muscle maintenance and growth. During normal conditions, 80 - 100% equally skilled athletes, the stronger one
There are two special things about the of the body’s energy requirements are wins.
BCAAs: they are among the most abun- supplied by fats and carbohydrates (2). Muscle mass is determined by the
dant amino acids in muscle proteins (1) This means that amino acids can provide balance of protein synthesis and protein
and they are heavily catabolized (broken up to 20% of energy needs on a daily degradation (2). When synthesis exceeds
degradation, protein mass accumulates tein synthesis. Virtually every book and effects accumulate over time. It is best
and the body is said to be in positive article about supplementation for athletes to take Muscle Amino™ with meals to
protein balance (or positive nitrogen bal- suggest the BCAAs as one of the core increase absorption. There’s a lot more
ance). When degradation exceeds syn- supplements. Of all the supplements out to be said about amino acid metabolism
thesis, the body is in a negative protein there, Muscle Amino is certainly one of during exercise, and how to use exercise
balance and muscle mass is lost. The the most high-tech, because it specifically and nutrition to shift your metabolism
proteins in your muscles are not excep- targets the metabolic problem at hand. into a muscle-building, fat-burning mode.
tionally stable over time, but rather are in By supplying more BCAAs to the body I’ll pick up here next month and get into
a constant state of “turnover.” This means less muscle tissue is catabolized during some of the molecular details of what’s
that every day some of your body pro- exercise, helping to maintain positive happening with amino acid metabolism
teins are broken down and destroyed to protein balance and net gain of muscle during exercise and how to use this infor-
be replaced with new proteins. Proteins tissue. This is a prime example of a low mation to maximize muscle mass.
are the mechanical workhorse of the cell, calorie nutrient which specifically targets
being responsible for doing the physical metabolic pathways to have a positive References
work of life. For example, during muscle partitioning effect. Muscle Amino™ is
contraction what happens is protein fila- selectively taken up by muscle where it 1. Rombeau JL and Caldwell MD.
ments called actin and myosin slide past acts to promote protein synthesis and pre- Clinical Nutrition: Parenteral Nutrition,
each other in opposite directions, thus vent protein breakdown. Since it is taken Second Edition. W.B. Saunders Com-
making the muscle shorter. Like any me- up by muscle and not by fat, this is a way pany, Philadelphia, 1993.
chanical parts that move and rub against to supply nutrient energy which will be
each other, they get worn out. After a partitioned to the lean compartment. It 2. Wolinsky I and Hickson JF. Nutri-
while the old proteins are broken down should be emphasized that endurance tion in Exercise and Sport. CRC Press,
and replaced with new ones. athletes will benefit from this supplement Boca Raton, 1994.
When you eat a protein food, it gets at least as much as bodybuilders, if not
digested in the stomach and intestine into even more. 3. Bucci L. Nutrients as Ergogenic
individual amino acids and short chains To see a real noticeable effect from Aids for Sports and Exercise. CRC Press,
of amino acids that are small enough to Muscle Amino™ you need to take a fair Boca Raton, 1993.
be absorbed into the bloodstream. Even- amount of it. At least ten grams a day, and
tually all of the protein is broken down twenty would not be too much. I suggest
into individual “free” amino acids. These three capsules with each of six meals per
can experience two main metabolic fates. day. Smaller amounts will have a smaller
They can be used to build new proteins effect, but this is a supplement where the
or they can be burned as fuel to produce
energy. Not all of the amino acids are
treated equally however. The branched
chains are used as fuel more than the oth-
ers (2). Muscle contains special enzymes
called branched chain aminotransferase
and branched chain keto acid dehydro-
genase which permit the breakdown of
the BCAAs for energy (2). This allows
muscle to use BCAAs as fuel whereas
the other amino acids are oxidized in the
liver. So while exercise increases protein
requirements in general, it especially in-
creases BCAA requirements.
This coupled with the fact that the
BCAAs are among the most abundant
amino acids in muscle protein make it
obvious why athletes have increased need
for the branched chains. They use more
for energy, plus they need more for pro-
Muscle Up - The Keys to Building Mass and Staying Lean, Part II

by John Parrillo
For years bodybuilders have asserted A little background: What body-
that they need more protein than average builders seek to achieve is a state
people, and all the while nutritionists of positive protein balance. This
have kindly replied, “No, you don’t.” means that more protein is com-
Most of the scientific studies show that ing into the body than is leav-
athletic activity does not appreciably in- ing. Protein is on average
crease protein requirements. Could it be about 16% nitrogen by
that bodybuilders really don’t need any weight. Since nitrogen
“extra” protein? Think about this for a is easy to measure in the
minute: Muscle is about 75% water, so a lab, nitrogen balance is
pound of muscle only contains about 100 used as a way to mea-
grams of protein. Most people would sure protein balance.
consider gaining 10 pounds of muscle a Nitrogen is also a good
year to be good progress, and that would way to keep track of
amount to 1,000 grams of protein. Over the protein economy
a year’s time, that equals out to gaining in the body because
2.74 grams of protein per day, which carbohydrate and
is about one or two bites of a chicken fat do not contain
breast. So, they say, eat a couple extra nitrogen. You see,
bites of chicken breast and that’s enough when we eat ex-
protein to grow as big as Arnold. cess protein it
Bodybuilders, on the other hand, can be stored as
have said that if they want muscles twice muscle, but it
as big as everybody else they have to eat could also be
twice as much protein as everybody else. converted to
They need extra protein to supply the fat. If it is
building blocks to build extra muscle. So converted to years a number of important stud-
who’s right? fat, the nitrogen is removed (as ammonia) ies have been performed showing that
Well, neither party turned out to be and is excreted in the urine (after the am- hard-training athletes may actually need
exactly right. Bodybuilders do need monia is converted to urea). This leaves vastly more protein than average people.
more protein than average people, but the carbon skeleton of the amino acids, The new experiments also measure ni-
not for the reason they thought. In fact, which can be broken down and used to trogen lost in sweat, which the older
those two extra bites of chicken every make fat. By measuring nitrogen balance studies failed to do. Also, the new ex-
day would be enough to grow muscles as we see how much nitrogen is entering the periments are much more realistic, using
big as Arnold’s, if it all ended up being body and how much is leaving, and any experienced athletes in intense training
converted to muscle. The problem is, that remains in the body must represent programs. It turns out that a significant
it doesn’t. The original studies looking new protein tissue. amount of nitrogen can be lost in sweat,
at protein requirements of athletes were The old studies measuring nitrogen and if this is factored in then intensely
flawed in several ways. First, they used balance in athletes looked at how much training athletes may need as much as
untrained athletes and the exercise proto- nitrogen was consumed as protein in the two or three times as much protein as
cols were not very intense. The subjects diet versus how much nitrogen was ex- an average person to maintain nitrogen
simply did not exercise long enough or creted in urine and feces. They found that balance (1-18). (I have included a rather
hard enough to see an effect of exercise athletes could remain in nitrogen balance extensive reference list here, as this con-
on protein requirements. Second, in the without eating much, if any, extra pro- troversial topic has been the subject of
old studies nitrogen lost in sweat was tein. This is the basis for the long-stand- much research. If you’re only going to
not measured, and this turns out to be ing disagreement between bodybuilders read one reference, read #17 by Peter
significant. and nutritionists. During the last few Lemon. It’s an excellent review that puts
a lot of this in perspective.) by the liver (20). Thus a high protein

So what does all of this mean? Do meal only increases serum amino acid
athletes need more protein? Yes, defi- levels by about 20%.
nitely, they need significantly more pro- Well, so what, and what does all this
tein than sedentary people. The contro- have to do with bodybuilding? Remem-
versy is over on this argument, and now ber that the liver does not have the en-
even the old-school nutritionists agree. zymes to metabolize the BCAAs, and this
Do bodybuilders need more protein so means that the BCAAs increase mark-
they can have more substrate to build edly in the bloodstream after a meal. (In
new muscle tissue? No, they need more other words, they pass straight through
protein because they excrete more nitro- the liver without being broken down.) In
gen during exercise. In other words, very fact, the BCAAs can account for about
little extra protein is needed to build new 70% of the amino acids released from
muscle tissue, but a lot of extra protein the small intestine via the liver to the rest
is needed to make up for how much is of the body (20). Are you starting to get
burned as fuel during exercise. the idea that the branched chain aminos
The branched chain amino acids are important in muscle protein metabo-
(BCAAs) are of special importance to lism? Indeed, it has been shown that the
athletes because they are metabolized in sible for BCAA oxidation are activated. BCAAs account for 50-90% of the amino
muscle, rather than in the liver. Here’s Notably, however, during resting periods acids taken up by muscle tissue in the 3
what happens: After you eat the food is in the absorptive state (after a meal) when hours following a protein meal (20). The
digested and absorbed into the blood- other fuel sources are available such as branched chain aminos are also effective
stream through the small intestine. The glucose or ketones from CapTri®, these at stimulating insulin secretion, which in
blood from the small intestine drains alternate fuel sources “spare” the BCAAs turn stimulates protein synthesis.
into a special vein called the portal vein, from catabolism (degradation) leaving So what’s the bottom line here? First
which goes to the liver. So the liver gets them available for use in protein synthe- off, the branched chains account for 50-
first “dibs” on all the nutrients before they sis. Thus after a meal there is a small 90% of the amino acids taken up by
are transported to the rest of the body. burst in liver and muscle protein synthe- muscle after a protein meal. Once there,
(With the exception of long chain fats, sis, after which time any left over amino they are available to serve as substrate
which enter the lymphatics and bypass acids are burned for energy or converted for protein synthesis. They increase
the liver.) The primary site for degrada- to glucose and stored as glycogen (20). insulin, which further stimulates protein
tion of most amino acids also happens to It is estimated that about one third of synthesis. This is their anabolic effect.
be the liver (19). The liver thus has the the amino acids entering the liver from During periods of intense exercise, they
ability to break down most amino acids the portal vein are used for protein syn- can be burned for energy, helping prevent
for energy when it needs to, such as dur- thesis by the liver (serum proteins) or are breakdown of muscle tissue to use as
ing starvation or during intense exercise. converted to glucose or used for energy fuel. This is their anti-catabolic effect.
The first step is to remove the amino Parrillo Performance Muscle Amino™
group (-NH2) from the amino acid. This is a special formulation of BCAAs in the
is accomplished by enzymes called trans- proper balance to help promote muscle
aminases or aminotransferases. growth and prevent muscle breakdown.
However, the liver is very low in The best way to use it is to take it with
branched chain aminotransferase, which meals, and to eat six small meals per day.
means it can’t break down BCAAs to a The most important times to take it are
significant extent. This results in release the meal before your workout and the
of any BCAAs from the liver into the meal after your workout. I suggest taking
circulation (19). three to six Muscle Amino™ caps with
Skeletal muscle does contain a Pro-Carb™ drink after your workout.
branched chain aminotransferase and The carbohydrates will prevent oxidation
thus is able to break down the BCAAs of the BCAAs, leaving them available for
for energy. During periods of increased use in protein synthesis. The insulin re-
energy need such as starvation, trauma, lease from the Pro-Carb™ will help drive
or exercise, the enzyme pathways respon- the aminos inside the muscle cells, as
well as stimulating protein synthesis (20). 7. Tarnopolsky MA, MacDougall JD, trogen balance studies in humans: long
This is also the optimum time to replen- Altman SA, and Blimkie C. Dietary pro- term effect of high nitrogen intake on ac-
ish glycogen stores. Another suggestion tein requirements for bodybuilders versus cretion. J Nutr 109: 363-377, 1979.
which seems to be very effective is to use sedentary controls. Med Sci Sports Exer-
about one tablespoon of CapTri® with cise 18: S64, 1986 (abstract). 17. Lemon PWR. Protein and Ami-
each meal. The ketones spare oxidation no Acid Needs of the Strength Athlete.
of the BCAAs, leaving them available for 8. Hickson JF and Wolinsky I. Hu- International Journal of Sport Nutrition
use as protein. This enhances their ana- man protein intake and metabolism in ex- 1: 127-145, 1991.
bolic activity. Combine this supplement ercise and sport. In: Nutrition in Exercise
program with a healthy diet adequate in and Sport, eds. Hickson JF and Wolinsky 18. Consolazio I, Nelson RA, Ma-
calories and protein, and I think you’ve I, p. 5-36. CRC Press, 1989. toush LO, Harding RS, and Canham. Ni-
got the best muscle-building program trogen excretion in sweat and its relation
modern science has to offer. 9. Houck J and Slavin J. Protein to nitrogen balance experiments. J. Nutr.
nutrition for the athlete. In: Sports Nu- 79: 399-406, 1963.
References trition for the 90’s, eds. Berning JR and
Steen SN, p. 1-14. Aspen Publishers, 19. Wolinsky I and Hickson JF. Nu-
1. Friedman JE and Lemon PWR. 1991. trition in Exercise and Sport. CRC Press,
Effect of chronic endurance exercise on Boca Raton, 1994.
retention of dietary protein. Int J Sports 10. Dohm GL, Williams RT, Kas-
Med 10: 118-123, 1989. perek GJ, and Van Rij AM. Increased 20. Linder MC. Nutritional Bio-
excretion of urea and N-methylhistidine chemistry and Metabolism with Clinical
2. Tarnopolsky MA, MacDougall JD, by rats and humans after a bout of exer- Applications. Elsevier Science Publish-
and Atkinson SA. Influence of protein cise. J Appl Physiol: Respirat Environ ing Company, New York, 1991.
intake and training status on nitrogen bal- Exercise Physiol 52: 27, 1982.
ance and lean mass. J Appl Physiol 64:
187-193, 1988. 11. Lemon PWR and Nagel FJ. Ef-
fects of exercise on protein and amino
3. Lemon PWR. Influence of di- acid metabolism. Med Sci Sports Exer-
etary protein and total energy intake on cise 13: 141-149, 1981.
strength improvement. Sports Sci Exch
2, 1989. 12. Gontzea I, Sutzescu P, and Du-
mitrache S. The influence of muscular
4. Celejowa I and Homa M. Food in- activity on nitrogen balance and on the
take, nitrogen, and energy balance in Pol- need of man for proteins. Nutr Rep Intl
ish weight lifters during training camp. 10: 35-43, 1974.
Nutr Metab 12: 259-274, 1970.
13. Gontzea I, Sutzescu P, and Du-
5. Laritcheva KA, Yalovaya NI, Shu- mitrache S. The influence of adaption
bin VI, and Shirnov PV. Study of en- to physical effort on nitrogen balance in
ergy expenditure and protein needs of man. Nutr Rep Int 11: 231-234, 1975.
top weight lifters. In: Nutrition, Physical
Fitness and Health, eds. Pariznova J and 14. Lemon PWR. Protein and ex-
Rogozkin VA, p. 155-163. University ercise: update 1987. Med Sci Sports
Park Press, Baltimore, 1978. Exercise 19: S179-A190, 1987.
6. Dragen GI, Vasiliu A, Georgescu 15. Consolazio CF, Johnson HL,

E. Effect of increased supply of protein Nelson RA, Dramise JG, and Skala JH.
on elite weight lifters. In: Milk Proteins, Protein metabolism during intensive
eds. Gasesloot TE and Tinbergen BJ, p. physical training in the young adult. Am
99-103. The Netherlands: Wageningen, J Clin Nutr 28: 29-35, 1975.
1985.
16. Oddoye EB and Margem S. Ni-
MCT’s — Setting the Record Straight

by John Parrillo
There has been some confusion in not. If you eat too many calories you will with MCTs sought to determine if includ-
the recent bodybuilding literature about gain weight, and for most people, most ing MCTs in the diet can reduce fat accu-
metabolism of medium chain fatty acids, of the time, any extra weight they gain mulation during over-feeding, compared
or more precisely, medium chain triglyc- from over-eating will be fat mass. I’ve to other foods. References 2-6 describe
erides. The specific areas of uncertainty said this before many times, but I’ll say what are the best studies done to date on
revolve around whether MCTs are con- it again to make sure I’m understood: too this issue. These studies are well-con-
verted into ketones and if they are stored many calories from any source can be trolled trails in rats and humans that mea-
as body fat. converted to fat. What you have to real- sure the effect of replacing some part of
Since what has been written contains ize is that different foods are metabolized dietary energy as MCT. It was found that
come misinfomation, let’s start with the differently in the body, and don’t all have if conventional fats (LCTs) are replaced
general and move to the specific. First, the same tendency to store as fat. So all by MCTs this results in diminution of fat
when people disagree about technical foods have the potential to be converted stores. This is explained by the fact that
matters like this it’s always nice to check into body fat if consumed in excess, and MCTs are profoundly thermogenic, so a
their references. If somebody takes a what bodybuilders want to do is pick the significant fraction of the dietary energy
position and defends it by citing refer- food choices that have the least tendency supplied by MCT is released as body
ences to the scientific literature, he might to do so, while having the greatest ten- heat, making it not available for storage
be right or he might be wrong, but at dency to contribute to muscle tissue. as fat. References 2, 4, and 6 specially
least you have the option of checking the So what is this business about dif- demonstrate the thermogenic effects of
information out for yourself to see if he ferent foods having different tendencies MCTs, including studies in humans. Ref-
has interpreted it correctly. When people to be converted to fat? This is one of the erence 7 is an excellent review article on
comment on research results and don’t most exciting and important discoveries the subject.
cite any references, then they’re asking Let me clear up one minor area of
you to take their word for it without fur- All foods have the po- confusion on thermogenesis, while I’m
nishing any proof one way or the other. tential to be converted on the subject. Thermogenesis, or more
I try to stay out of discussions like this into body fat if consumed properly the thermic effect of feeding,
because without any objective data it just refers to increases in body heat produc-
in excess, and what body-
turns into an argument about opinions. tion following feeding. All foods re-
Don’t get me wrong: expert opinions are builders want to do is lease heat when they are burned. Indeed,
important and count for a lot, but you pick the food choices that maintenance of core temperature is one
can’t really have much of a discussion have the least tendency of the main functions of dietary energy.
of scientific research without citing the to do so, while having the Different foods release different amounts
literature. greatest tendency to con- of heat when they are burned. MCTs
The next general issue has to do tribute to muscle tissue. happen to be profoundly thermogenic,
with if MCTs are stored as body fat. This meaning that they release a lot of heat
seemingly simple question has a relative- (2,4,6,7). This is a consequence of the
ly complex answer. Literally speaking, in nutrition since vitamins. It comes from metabolic pathway they follow, which
the human animal stores fat in the form the realization that while protein, carbo- is in turn a consequence of their unique
of long chain triglycerides, LCTs. These hydrate, and fat can all be converted into molecular structure (7). It has nothing to
are triglycerides comprised of fatty acids usable energy in the form of ATP, they do with increasing thyroid hormone or
14 carbons long or longer. Most fatty follow different metabolic pathways and noradrenaline levels and re-setting the
acids in human fat are either 16 or 18 car- are thus converted into energy with dif- thermostat in the hypothalamus, but is
bons long, with a small percentage being ferent efficiencies. Chapter 8 in reference merely a result of rapid metabolism and
longer. So, literally speaking, MCTs are 1 contains detailed calculations showing conversion of dietary energy to heat with-
not stored as fat in the human (or in rats, that different dietary energy substrates in the liver. This does not mean however
where a lot of research was also done). are converted into ATP with different that they increase body temperature. It
Does this mean we can eat all the MCTs yields. has been well known for years that MCTs
we want and never get fat? Of course The experiments done specifically are thermogenic without increasing body
temperature (7). This just means that (reviewed in reference 7) have shown tribute to fat stores. How this happens with
as more heat is produced, it is liberated a sharp increase in ketone production MCTs is that they are broken down into
to the environment. If foods, including following MCT ingestion, even in the acetyl-CoA, which are two carbon frag-
MCTs, elevated body temperature then presence of glucose levels which inhibit ments of fatty acids (acetate) attached to
we would get a fever after we ate, and if ketone production from regular fats. co-enzyme A (Co-A). These acetyl-CoA
we ate too much we would die from hy- These ketones are taken up mostly units then can be re-assembled into long
perthermia. It doesn’t work that way. by muscle (the brain continues to run on chain fats, most commonly 16 carbons
Regarding the question of ketogen- glucose as long as it’s available) and rap- long, and subsequently stored as body fat
esis, I’m glad that was brought up be- idly burned for energy. In fact, they are (8). So while MCT is not stored directly
cause that’s one of the key things that converted into ATP preferentially over as fat, it can be converted into LCT which
makes MCTs so special. It is quite correct glucose, having what is called a “glu- is stored as fat, just like any other food.
that regular fats, including conventional cose-sparing” effect (7). The ketones are The point, which has been proven over
dietary fats as well as body fat, are not burned first, saving the glucose for later. and over in the literature (2-8), is that
converted into ketones to any appreciable If you don’t see ketones in your urine calories derived from MCT have much
extent as long as carbohydrate fuel is with Ketosticks while you’re using MCT, less tendency to be converted into body
available. This is because regular fats this means it is working like it is sup- fat than excess calories from other food
require the carnitine shuttle to transport posed to, and the ketones are being used sources. This is because excess calories
them across the mitochondria membrane from MCT are preferentially lost as heat
to the mitochondrial matrix, where they through the process of thermogenesis,
are metabolized to produce ATP or else making them not available for storage
converted into ketones. The carnitine (2,4,6,7). This makes MCT the ultimate
shuttle requires the activity of an en- energy source for bodybuilders, since it
zyme called carnitine acyl-transferase I, is a form of calories with less tendency to
or CAT-I, which sticks a fatty acid onto store as fat than conventional fats or even
carnitine, which then carries it across the carbohydrates.
mitochondrial membrane. CAT-I is inhib- Finally, it deserves mention that none
ited by malonyl-CoA, a byproduct of car- of the scientific studies in the medical
bohydrate metabolism. This means that literature were done with bodybuilders.
fat metabolism is effectively shut down That’s where our research here at Parrillo
(or at least significantly down regulated) Performance picks up. We learn as much
as long as carbohydrate fuel is available, as we can from the literature, and then
and this is the molecular switch that does work on how to best use that information
it. The special thing about MCTs is that to make better bodybuilders. We’ve per-
they can enter the mitochondria by pas- sonally done the research over the years
sive diffusion, without the help of the to determine the best way to incorporate
carnitine shuttle (7). This means they are MCTs into a diet to derive maximum
rapidly oxidized as fuel even in the pres- benefit from this unique energy source.
ence of glucose (7). The MCT is burned If you’re still confused and don’t know
so rapidly, in fact, that the capacity of what to believe, you have two options
the Krebs cycle to produce ATP (liter- left. One is check out the scientific lit-
ally reducing equivalents, which are later erature for yourself. By siting specific
converted to ATP) is overwhelmed (7). as fuel inside muscle cells. If you use references, I’ve given you that option.
This means that MCT is burned faster more and more MCT, eventually you will Second, try MCT for yourself and see if
than the mitochondria can produce ATP, indeed see ketones spilling over into your it works. Be sure to use it as instructed in
so the rest of the energy is converted into urine. At that point it means you’re using the Parrillo Performance Nutrition Man-
ketones. The ketones then leave the liver too much and your supplement dollars ual. The basic concept is to substitute
cell and are carried by the blood to mus- are just ending up in the toilet. MCT-derived calories for an equivalent
cle, where they are used for energy (7). Now I want to get back to a question amount of calories from convention fat or
One of the most amazing things about I touched on earlier, and that is the issue carbohydrates. This increases the thermo-
MCT is that it is converted into ketones of storage of MCTs as body fat. As I ex- genic effect of the meal, thus decreasing
even in the presence of glucose (7). This plained, MCT is not directly stored as fat, fat storage. Some people make the mis-
is a well established fact that has been but it is a concentrated source of calories. take of simply adding several hundred
in the literature for years. Many studies Too many calories in any form can con- calories a day of CapTri® to their normal
diet without making any other changes. Obesity. J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadel-
This, of course, just adds calories to the phia, 1992.
diet and may increase fat accumulation
and as mentioned earlier, excess calories 2. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim
from your diet can be converted to body SA. Enhanced thermogenesis and di-
fat. CapTri® is not some magic fat-burn- minished deposition of fat in response to
ing chemical. CapTri® is not a drug. It’s overfeeding with diet containing medium
just a very special nutrient that supplies chain triglyceride. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35:
energy in a way less likely to be stored as 678-682, 1982.
fat that regular foods.
As with any supplement, the key is 3. Geliebter A, Torbay N, Bracco EF,
to use it in the proper way in combina- Hashim SA, and Van Itallie TB. Over-
tion with the proper diet. There’s no feeding with medium chain triglyceride
substitute for a sound nutrition program, diet results in diminished deposition of
but by using supplements to complement fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 37: 1-4, 1983.
your nutrition program, you can take
your training and physique even further. 4. Hill JO, Peters JC, Yang D, Sharp
CapTri® is an extension of the Nutrition T, Kaler M, Abumrad N, and Greene HL.
Program. You use it for added calories in Thermogenesis in humans during over-
your diet. But you can’t just start taking feeding with medium chain triglycerides.
it, without first establishing a good nutri- Metab. 38: 641-648, 1989.
tion program.
So why use it? Here’s some of the 5. Lavau MM and Hashim SA. Ef-
ways bodybuilders and other athletes fect of medium chain triglyceride on li-
utilize this supplement in a positive way. pogenesis and body fat in the rat. J. Nutr.
First, CapTri® can help you gain muscle, 108: 613-620, 1978.
by providing extra energy for increased
intensity in workouts and by sparing ami- 6. Seaton TB, Welle SL, Warenko
no acids that could be oxidized during MK, and Campbell RG. Thermic effect
this training. Second, CapTri® is used by of medium-chain and long-chain triglyc-
bodybuilders as a replacement for carbo- erides in man. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 44: 630-
hydrates when dieting. The key here is 634, 1986.
to change the insulin:glucagon ratio so 7. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Me-
more fat is burned. By replacing carbs dium chain triglycerides: an update. Am.
with CapTri®, you increase your protein: J. Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
carbs ratio, thus decreasing the amount
of insulin in the blood. That sparks the 8. Hill JO, Peters JC, Swift LL, Yang
release of glucagon which promotes fat D, Sharp T, Abumrad N, and Greene HL.
metabolism for energy in the body. And Changes in blood lipids during six days
while a low-carb diet alone would tired of overfeeding with medium or long
and lifeless, the calories from CapTri® chain triglycerides. J. Lipid Res. 31: 407-
provide the energy to continue training 416, 1990.
hard and burning fat. Third, bodybuilder
and endurance athletes alike use CapTri®
to increase energy for tremendous work-
outs. It’s an additional energy source that
can be used in the presence of carbo-
hydrates to keep you going harder for a
longer period of time.
References
1. Bjorntorp P, and Brodoff BN.
Carbohydrates: Mega Fuel For Growth and Energy, Part I

by John Parrillo
Some debate has appeared in the is to provide energy, and this is where the an energy deficit is to increase your en-
bodybuilding magazines recently about two diets differ. One strategy is to supply ergy expenditure by doing more aerobic
what’s the best dietary fuel for body- most of this energy in the form of com- exercise.You burn fat while doing the
builders. Some people are advocating plex carbs, while the other approach is to aerobics and burn more fat afterwards
the high-fat diet, in which most of the supply the energy as fat. The truth is that because your metabolism has increased.
day’s calories are derived from fat while either approach can be made to work, and So to lose body fat while maintain-
keeping carbohydrate consumption to a the question is which one works best? ing muscle mass we need to consume a
minimum. The rationale for this approach To promote the use of stored body fat as diet adequate in protein and deficient in
is to avoid carbohydrates in order to keep energy the one crucial requirement which calories (that is, we need to burn more
insulin levels as low as possible, thus pro- must be met is the body must function calories than we consume). After meet-
moting use of stored body fat as energy. in a net energy deficit. This means that ing the protein requirement, the rest of
This is a topic near and dear to my heart, energy consumed (dietary calories) must the calories can come from carbohy-
so let’s take a close look at the facts. be less than the total amount of energy drates, fat, or some combination. Just
Let’s begin our analysis with the (calories) the body expends. Only when so we burn more calories than we eat,
most basic concepts and move to we will lose body fat. So both diets will
more specific considerations later. work, but that’s not to say they work
What the high-carb diet and the equally well. I believe that it is best to
high-fat diet have in common is that supply the bulk of dietary energy in
they both emphasize consuming the form of complex carbohydrates
adequate protein to maintain posi- and to keep conventional dietary fat
tive nitrogen balance. This is the to a minimum. Three general cat-
first consideration of any body- egories of reasons have lead me
building diet. Many studies have in this direction: personal experi-
documented that bodybuilders ence with real-life bodybuilders,
and endurance athletes need a general health considerations,
lot of protein to make up for and the scientific literature. The
the loss of amino acids which simple truth is that the vast
are oxidized as fuel during majority of bodybuilders stick
exercise and to repair muscle to the high-carb approach be-
tissue which is damaged during exercise. your body burns more calories than you cause they have found it works better
(See the July ‘95 issue of The Parrillo consume will it draw on stored fat for en- for them. Almost all of the professionals
Performance Press for an extensive refer- ergy. This is a fine line to walk, however, I’ve trained just seem to do better on the
ence list.) Most bodybuilders do well on because if the energy deficit is too great high-carb/low-fat diet. Believe me, what
one gram of protein per pound of body you will also draw on stored protein from matters at this level is results. If the high-
weight per day, while others may need skeletal muscle and internal organs for fat diet gave better results, that’s what I
as much as one-and-a-half or more. The energy. This is why it’s important to keep would use. But the fact is that in my ex-
primary function of protein in the diet protein intake high while losing body perience with elite athletes the high-carb
is to supply amino acids which are used fat, to minimize these losses. If you are diet works better. That’s not some fancy
to support protein synthesis in the body. familiar with my program you know that technical explanation, it’s just the bottom
This is required to repair muscles that I do not advocate cutting calories to lose line, plain and simple.
are damaged during exercise, to sup- weight, since this slows your metabolic The second reason I favor the low
port growth of new muscle tissue, and rate and sets into play an adaptive re- fat approach is for general reasons of
to allow for protein turnover, which is sponse that actually causes your body to good health. The number one killer of
the replacement of all sorts of cellular hoard fat at the expense of protein (1,2). people in this country is heart disease,
proteins that “wear out” from every day (The biochemistry and endocrinology of which accounts for as many deaths as
wear and tear. this were explained in detail in previous all other causes of death put together
The rest of your daily calorie intake issues.) A much better way to achieve (including cancer). Coronary artery dis-
ease occurs when cholesterol plaques to the muscle supplying it with nutrients possible if they had to wait for oxygen to
build up inside the arteries supplying and oxygen. The problem is the blood be delivered by the blood. The glycolytic
the heart muscle, cutting off some of can only flow so fast, so there’s a limit to pathway can supply energy for a minute
its blood supply (3). When the heart how fast it can supply fuel and oxygen. or two, until energy substrates within the
muscle can’t get enough oxygen an- Furthermore, it takes some time for these cell are depleted and waste products ac-
gina (chest pain) occurs. Sometimes chemicals to move from the bloodstream cumulate.
the cholesterol plaques rupture (break), into muscle cells. The point of all this is that fat can-
causing a blood clot to form in the When you go for a walk there’s no not be readily used as a fuel for lifting
coronary artery. This completely cuts off problem supplying oxygen and fuel fast weights because fat REQUIRES oxygen
blood supply to part of the heart result- enough to keep up with the demands of to be broken down (3,4). Carbohydrates
ing in myocardial infarction, or a heart your leg muscles. This is a low intensity are essentially the only fuel your body
attack. Doctors and nutritionists all sug- exercise and you can keep it up for hours can use to lift weights, because it’s the
gest following a low fat diet to help re- because the blood flow is adequate to preferred fuel the muscles can break
duce blood cholesterol level and prevent supply the muscles with fuel and oxygen down without using oxygen (4). So right
coronary artery disease. A diet high in as fast as it’s being used. Weight train- off the bat there’s a pretty good reason
conventional fat has also been associated ing, on the other hand, is very intense why bodybuilders should eat a high car-
with some cancers, including breast can- and the muscles are performing work bohydrate diet. How can people on the
cer and colon cancer (3). Furthermore, at the fastest rate they can. This means high fat diet still manage to lift weights?
doctors and nutritionists suggest eating a they are consuming energy as fast as Because they are breaking down protein
low-fat diet to help lose weight, because and the amino acids are converted to
gram for gram fat contains more than glucose in the liver in a process called
twice as many calories as protein or car- gluconeogenesis. To me it makes more
bohydrate, so cutting down on fat is the sense to let dietary protein be used as
easiest way to cut down on calories. So protein instead of being converted to glu-
from the point of view of general health cose (a simple carbohydrate) so it can be
concerns, such as heart disease, cancer, used as fuel. If your body requires carbs
and obesity, eating a low-fat diet seems to lift weights, then feed it carbs. Is that
to be the way to go. so complicated?
Finally, there is quite a body of re- So high intensity exercise such as
search literature supporting carbohydrates lifting weights is fueled almost exclu-
as the preferred energy source for athletes sively by carbohydrates, while low inten-
(see chapters 2,3, and 7 in reference 4). sity exercise like walking or riding the
In contrast, I don’t know of any scientific stationary bike can be fueled by carbs
studies which have found conventional or fat. This is why I recommend aerobic
fat to be a superior energy source for exercise for bodybuilders: fat oxidation
athletes. As you know, weight lifting is is by necessity an aerobic activity, so
an anaerobic activity. That means the en- this makes aerobics the best way to lose
ergy is produced without using oxygen. body fat. If you’re going to do some
Carbohydrate is the body’s preferred fuel aerobic exercise activity to burn fat, why
substrate which can be broken down to supply fat in the diet? Would you rather
yield energy without reacting with oxy- be burning fat that you just ate or stored
gen. Here’s what’s going on: Let’s say body fat? It makes more sense to me
you’re doing a set of bench presses to they can— faster than can be supplied to supply dietary energy in the form of
failure, and you can get 8 reps with 225 by the bloodstream. So during a set the carbohydrates, which can be used as fuel
pounds but you fail on the ninth rep and muscles rely on fuel already stored inside for weight training, and to burn body
your training partner has to help you rack the cell. The first few seconds are fueled fat to fuel my aerobic exercise. Why
the weight. Your pecs are working as by the phosphate energy system, ATP burn 300 calories worth of fat on the
hard as they can for about 30 seconds and and creatine phosphate. After that muscle stationary bike and then turn around and
then they give out and can’t do another glycogen is broken down to pyruvate and eat 300 calories worth of fat your next
rep. They fail because they run out of then to lactic acid without reaction with meal? That just puts the same amount
energy and because waste products accu- oxygen. This biochemical pathway is of fat right back into your system. Keep
mulate which inhibit further contraction. called glycolysis, and is a way for mus- in mind that fat cannot be converted
While this is happening blood is flowing cles to perform work faster than would be into carbohydrate. (Technically speak-
you fat. The silver lining to this black no sugar. Pro-Carb™ is an excellent way
cloud is that converting a carbohydrate to supply carbs to fuel your workouts,
molecule into a fat molecule takes some and works very well to replenish glyco-
energy. In fact, about 25% of the energy gen stores after training. Take one or two
in a carbohydrate molecule is spent in the scoops 30-60 minutes before you train
process of digestion, assimilation, trans- and again immediately when you finish
port, and conversion to fat. In contrast, your workout, and see your intensity and
only about 3% of the energy in dietary fat recovery ability skyrocket. Pro-Carb™
is used to get it from your mouth to your also is an excellent supplement to add
waist. Calories from dietary fat are thus quality calories to your meals when you
stored as body fat much more efficiently are trying to gain muscular weight.
than are calories from carbs. Again, carbs
sound like a better deal to me. References
What got this debate started was the
idea that by lowering carbs we could 1. Bjorntorp P, and Brodoff BN.
lower insulin. Since insulin promotes fat Obesity. J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadel-
storage and blocks fat breakdown, this phia, 1992.
seems like a good idea. What if I told
you how to keep insulin levels low but 2. Remington DW, Fisher AG, and
ing, fatty acids cannot be converted into still consume a high carbohydrate diet? Parent EA. How to Lower your Fat
carbohydrate, but the glycerol backbone Sounds like the best of both worlds. The Thermostat. Vitality House International,
can. This only represents a few percent first thing to do is to choose only complex Provo, 1983.
of the calories in a triglyceride molecule carbohydrate sources and to avoid simple
however.) So you cannot use fat to re- sugars. The trick is to combine the foods 3. Linder MC. Nutritional Biochem-
plenish glycogen stores. Neither can fat you eat at each meal so you get a slow istry and Metabolism with Clinical Ap-
be converted to protein. Dietary fat can release of carbohydrate into your system plications. Elsevier Science Publishing
do two things in your body: it can be so it won’t be turned into fat. Each meal Company, New York, 1991.
burned for energy or it can be stored should contain at least one serving of fi-
as body fat. So if you want to try the brous vegetables, which are digested and 4. Wolinsky I and Hickson JF. Nutri-
high fat diet just keep in mind that you released into the blood slowly. Also, by tion in Exercise and Sport. CRC Press,
have to burn off all those fat grams combining your carbs with protein and Boca Raton, 1994.
or else store them in adipose tissue. CapTri® you can further slow the release
They can’t end up anywhere else. of carbs. By proper meal combining, as
Besides providing energy sub- outlined in the Parrillo Nutrition Manual,
strate for weight training, there are you can eat a diet high in complex car-
several other advantages to supplying bohydrates and low in fat and still keep
the bulk of dietary energy as carbohydrate insulin at a steady, low level. Finally, our
instead of fat. First is that excess carb carbohydrate supplement “Pro-Carb™”
calories are used to replenish glycogen is specially formulated to be slow re-
stores before they are converted to fat. leasing, based on a complex carbohy-
Remember, you can convert carbs to fat, drate powder called maltodextrin. We’ve
but not fat to carbs. If you’re on the high blended 4 grams of protein along with 22
fat diet and consume too many calories, grams of carbs into each serving, which
the excess will appear as body fat. That’s further slows digestion. The product con-
the only metabolic fate available to it. On tains no sugar or artificial sweeteners.
the other hand, if you consume excess It is fortified with amino acids which
calories on the high carb diet the excess are required in increased amounts dur-
carbs will be converted to glycogen and ing periods of rapid growth. Pro-Carb™
stored in the muscles and liver. If the is the ideal supplement to supply high
glycogen stores are filled up and you still quality complex carbohydrates in a form
have more excess carb calories around, that digests slowly, thus minimizing the
then they will be converted to fat and tendency to store as fat. Unlike the other
stored as adipose tissue. Remember, too carb drinks on the market, ours contains
many calories from any source can make
Carbohydrates: Mega Fuel For Growth and Energy, Part II

by John Parrillo
day. Divide this equally among since it allows us to substitute fat calories
six meals spread throughout for carbs in order to decrease insulin lev-
the day. Next comes CapTri®. els, while avoiding the pitfalls of regular
Start out with ½ tablespoon fats. The second big difference is that on
per meal, mixed with food, the Parrillo diet you never go real low
until your system gets used to on carbs. The way the diet is structured,
it. Work your way up to one you don’t have to. The high fat diet calls
or two tablespoons per meal, for limiting carbs to 5-10% of calories
depending on your size and so that you can enter a fat-burning state
level of caloric intake (some called ketosis. With the Parrillo diet you
people eat as much as five can maintain insulin at low levels and
tablespoons per meal). A good shift your metabolism into a fat burning
rule of thumb here is to try to mode, all while still consuming 40-60%
derive 30% of your calories of your calories from carbohydrates. This
from CapTri® while limiting works because combining protein and fat
conventional fat to 5% of calo- (CapTri®) and fiber at each meal slows
ries. You should see and feel the release of carbs into the bloodstream,
Last month I explained why the lat- a dramatic effect at this level. resulting in a much lower insulin level.
est diet craze —the high fat diet—doesn’t Then make up the rest of your calories This approach is far superior to the
make any sense. It can contribute to heart from unrefined, complex carbohydrates. high fat diet because it supplies the carbs
disease and cancer. It deprives your mus- Avoid simple sugars, fruit, dairy prod- your body needs for top performance. If
cles of carbs which they require for high ucts, bread, pasta, and other refined car- you’ve ever tried going low on carbs, you
intensity exercise like weight lifting. And bohydrates. These carbohydrate sources
if you are eating extra calories to gain will make you fat. I classify carbs into
lean body mass, excess fat calories have three groups: simple sugars and refined
Fat cannot be con-
a very high tendency to be stored as body carbohydrates (one group), starchy carbs, verted to muscle and
fat. Remember, fat cannot be converted and fibrous carbs. Good starchy carbs it cannot be stored as
to muscle and it cannot be stored as gly- are potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, beans,
cogen. The only thing your body can do peas, corn, and oatmeal. Good fibrous
glycogen. The only
with excess calories from conventional carbs are vegetables like lettuce, spinach, thing your body can
fat is to store them as body fat. cabbage, green beans, and so on. The do with excess calo-
The theory behind the high fat diet Parrillo Performance Nutrition Manual
is to use dietary fat as fuel in place of contains an extensive list of good foods
ries from conventional
carbohydrates. This results in lower in- to eat along with their nutritional con- fat is to store them as
sulin levels. Since insulin stimulates fat tent. body fat.
storage and blocks fat breakdown, this How does this compare with the high
sounds like a good idea. If we could get fat diet? There are two big differences.
around the problems with the high fat First, the Parrillo diet uses CapTri® in- know what I mean. You just don’t have
diet, it would be great. And we can with stead of conventional fat. Whereas regu- the energy without carbs. As I explained
CapTri®! The Parrillo diet is very low in lar fat found in conventional food has a last month, weight lifting is a form of an-
conventional fat but instead relies on a very high tendency to store as body fat, aerobic (without oxygen) exercise. This
special fat called CapTri® which has been CapTri® does not. CapTri® is a fat with means that your muscles are working so
specifically formulated for bodybuilders a specially engineered molecular struc- hard and so fast that the energy require-
and anyone trying to minimize body fat ture that causes it to be metabolized dif- ment cannot be met by the aerobic (with
stores. The Parrillo diet is a more bal- ferently than regular fat (1-7). CapTri® oxygen) energy pathway. The preferred
anced approach, and I think you’ll agree has almost no tendency to store as body fuel for your muscles to use during anaer-
makes a lot more sense. The first consid- fat (1-7). Instead, excess calories from obic exercise is carbohydrate. So does it
eration is to meet your protein require- CapTri® are simply released as body make sense for bodybuilders to go really
ment. A good rule of thumb is one gram heat in a process called thermogenesis (1- low on carbohydrates? I don’t think so.
of protein per pound of body weight per 7). This is really a bodybuilder’s dream Let’s take a look at some of the
other benefits of carbohydrates. Everyone prandial increment in energy expenditure drate oxidation to carbohydrate intake
knows by now that diets based on severe above the resting rate and is expressed is carefully controlled to result in stable
caloric restriction fail (8,9). They fail be- as a fraction of the energy content of glycogen reserves under a wide range of
cause the body reduces its level of energy the food consumed (8). A substantial dietary carbohydrate intakes. This means
expenditure to compensate for the loss of part of the TEF (50-75%) is simply the that if you eat more carbs you burn more
incoming energy (calories). During very energy used to digest, transport, and carbs, and if you eat less carbs you burn
low calorie diets about half the weight store food (8). This is termed the obliga- less carbs. This is because it is so impor-
which is lost is muscle. And since muscle tory component of TEF. Carbohydrate tant to maintain blood glucose levels to
is the metabolic engine where a lot of feeding is known to stimulate the sym- allow proper brain function. On the other
calories are burned, if you lose muscle pathetic nervous system, and the ensu- hand, body fat stores are not regulated
you burn less calories. The number of ing catecholamine-mediated increase in in this way and your body has an almost
calories your body burns per hour while metabolic rate is known as the facultative limitless potential to store fat. You can
you are at rest is called your basal (base- component of TEF (8). This effect can be only store 400-600 grams of carbs no
line) metabolic rate (BMR). It has been blocked by propanolol (a beta-adrenergic matter how much carbs you eat, but you
shown that BMR increases following antagonist). can store 100 pounds of fat (or more)
excess feeding of a mixed diet (i.e., a nor- From this we can see that body if you eat enough. Thus, carbohydrate
mal diet that contains carbohydrates) but weight, and body composition, depend feeding promotes carbohydrate oxida-
not if only excess conventional fat (LCT) tion (burning) but fat feeding does not
is fed (8). This means that carbohydrates promote fat oxidation (8). On days when
increase your metabolic rate more than excess carbs are consumed carbohydrate
conventional fats do (but not more than oxidation is increased, but if excess fat is
CapTri®). How does this happen? It consumed it is simply stored in adipose
turns out that carbohydrate is converted depots (8). Since 25% of excess calories
to ATP (energy in the molecular form from carbohydrate are wasted as heat,
which is usable by cells) with an overall and since glycogen stores are generally
efficiency of 75% (8). The other 25% of far from full, an excess carbohydrate load
the calories in the carbs gets released as of 500g can be accommodated without
body heat in the process. Fat is converted an increase in body fat (8). This means
to ATP with an efficiency of 90% (8). if you over-eat on the high carb diet the
This means that if you feed your body excess carbs get stored as glycogen, but
carbohydrates instead of fat a higher if you over-eat on the high fat diet the
percentage of the calories you eat will be excess fat gets stored as body fat. Excess
converted to heat, which translates into a fat calories are not released as body heat,
higher metabolic rate. The more calories and they cannot be converted to glycogen
you eat which are lost as body heat, the or muscle. Bummer.
less left to store as fat. In simple terms, These arguments show that a meal
this is just saying that eating a high carb with a high carbohydrate to fat ratio is
diet instead of a high fat diet results in a more thermogenic than a meal with a low
higher metabolic rate, meaning that your ratio. While carbohydrate and protein
body burns more calories all the time, balance are closely regulated, fat balance
even when you’re at rest. These calories not only on energy balance (calories in is related by the amount of fat in the diet
which are being burned simply appear as versus calories out) but also on what (8). During over-feeding, weight gain
body heat. foods you eat. A person eating a high is closely related to fat intake (8). The
Now keep in mind that this does not carb diet will naturally burn more calo- body’s inability to regulate fat stores ex-
apply to CapTri®, which is a specially ries than someone eating a high fat diet, plains why the incidence of obesity rises
designed MCT. CapTri® is a fat, but fol- because he has a higher metabolic rate. as the fat content of the diet increases (8).
lows a different metabolic pathway from This will make it easier for the person Is this starting to make the high fat diet
regular fats. It’s a whole other animal. on the high carb diet to stay lean. I think sound a little less attractive?
CapTri® increases metabolic rate even it was explained very well in Bjorntorp Now don’t go crazy on this infor-
more than carbohydrate. It’s jet fuel for and Brodoff’s classic text “Obesity” (8) mation and get the idea you can indis-
muscles. when they pointed out that the human criminately eat all the carbs you want
For you biochemists out there who body very narrowly regulates carbohy- and never get fat. It just isn’t so. After
want to know how carbohydrate feeding drate stores but not fat stores. The body glycogen stores are full, any more excess
stimulates metabolic rate: The thermic ef- has a limited ability to store carbohydrate carbs get converted to fat and stored as
fect of food (TEF) is defined as the post- (glycogen). The adjustment of carbohy- fat. Your body is very good at converting
excess carbs into body fat. The point is calories from CapTri® are simply lost References
that body fat accumulation is less likely as body heat instead of being stored as
with the high carb diet than the high body fat (1-7). This is in stark contrast to 1. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim
fat diet, but it is possible with any diet conventional fat found in regular foods, SA. Enhanced thermogenesis and di-
if you consistently consume too many which has very little thermogenic poten- minished deposition of fat in response to
calories. I’ll reiterate the most important tial and has a high tendency to store as overfeeding with diet containing medium
guidelines are to avoid simple sugars and body fat. The other main difference is chain triglyceride. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35:
refined carbohydrates. These generate a that I never recommend going as low in 678-682, 1982.
greater insulin response and therefore are carbs as the hard-core high fat people do.
a more potent stimulus for fat storage. The high fat diet calls for restricting carbs 2. Geliebter A, Torbay N, Bracco EF,
Simple sugars are present in sweets and to 5-20% of daily calories, depending Hashim SA, and Van Itallie TB. Over-
desserts (obviously) and are also found on who you read. Once carbs get below feeding with medium chain triglyceride
in significant quantities in fruit and dairy about 100 grams a day, your body starts diet results in diminished deposition of
products. Pasta and bread are made from to break down muscle tissue and uses the fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 37: 1-4, 1983.
refined carbohydrates (sorry, but this in- amino acids to make glucose in the liver.
cludes bagels). Also, but sure to mix Intentionally constructing a diet that re- 3. Hill JO, Peters JC, Yang D, Sharp
your carbs with protein at each meal, and sults in muscle break-down to maintain T, Kaler M, Abumrad N, and Greene HL.
include a fibrous carb with each starch. blood glucose never made much sense Thermogenesis in humans during over-
These things slow the entry of glucose to me. Losing a pound of fat doesn’t re- feeding with medium chain triglycerides.
into the blood. ally get you anywhere as a bodybuilder Metab. 38: 641-648, 1989.
The down side of carbs, as propo- if you have to lose a pound of muscle at
nents of the high fat diet are quick to the same time. The other thing is your 4. Lavau MM and Hashim SA. Ef-
point out, is that they induce a big insulin muscles require carbs to fuel the an- fect of medium chain triglyceride on li-
response. This is why I’ve gone to such aerobic activity of lifting weights. If your pogenesis and body fat in the rat. J. Nutr.
pains to structure my diet the way I have, muscles need carbs, feed ‘em some carbs. 108: 613-620, 1978.
using only slow-release complex carbo- It’s not that complicated.
hydrates. If you eat as outlined in the My experience with top bodybuilders 5. Seaton TB, Welle SL, Warenko
Parrillo Nutrition Manual, you’ll be able over the last twenty years has taught me MK, and Campbell RG. Thermic effect
to eat a high carb diet while minimizing that the best diet is one which provides of medium-chain and long-chain triglyc-
insulin response. This is also why my one to one-and-a-half grams of protein erides in man. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 44: 630-
carbohydrate supplement, Pro-Carb™, per pound of body weight per day, about 634, 1986.
is formulated the way it is. It is based 30% of calories as CapTri®, and the rest
on maltodextrin, a slow release glucose as complex carbs. (And believe me, I’ve 6. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Me-
polymer with a glycemic index of 22-26. taken them from the basement to the dium chain triglycerides: an update. Am.
This is just about as low a glycemic index Olympia, literally.) This usually works J. Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
a carb can have. Plus I’ve added 4 grams out to be around 30% protein, 30% Cap-
of complete protein to every serving to Tri®, and 40% carbs, but the percentages 7. Hill JO, Peters JC, Swift LL, Yang
further slow glucose release. It is sweet- vary among individuals depending on D, Sharp T, Abumrad N, and Greene HL.
ened with glycine, a naturally sweet ami- their protein and calorie requirements. Changes in blood lipids during six days
no acid, instead of sugar or corn syrup. The ratios also change depending on of overfeeding with medium or long
For good glucose and insulin control, it’s whether you’re trying to gain muscular chain triglycerides. J. Lipid Res. 31: 407-
probably one of the best carbohydrates weight in the off season or lose fat before 416, 1990.
available. It was designed specifically a contest. The exact protocols are given
for bodybuilders and athletes, with these in the Nutrition Manual. 8. Bjorntorp P, and Brodoff BN.
considerations in mind. My opinion is you’re better off with Obesity. J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadel-
The truth is I can see the logic of a high carb diet, with or without Cap- phia, 1992.
the high fat diet and I’ve had great suc- Tri®, than with the high fat diet. I think it
cess with it in bodybuilders, the main works better and an overwhelming body 9. Remington DW, Fisher AG, and
difference being I use CapTri® instead of scientific literature backs me up. Plus, Parent EA. How to Lower your Fat
of conventional fat. The reasons for this it’s healthier, you feel better, and you Thermostat. Vitality House International,
have to do with how CapTri® is metabo- have more energy to train. Provo, 1983.
lized and that it has almost no tendency
to be stored as body fat (1-7). CapTri®
is profoundly thermogenic, meaning that
it increases metabolic rate and excess
Programmed For Success: Supplementation For Optimal Results, Part I
by John Parrillo
Parrillo Performance is proud to be market. But still, supplements are only with research in nutrition and metabo-
the only company offering bodybuilders part of the picture. lism. I sent him to medical school and
a comprehensive program of nutrition, Bodybuilding is hard work—in and in a few months we’ll be proud to have
supplementation, and training optimized out of the gym. Your work in the gym is an MD on staff. And it’s all done in the
to increase muscle mass and decrease only the beginning. What is bodybuild- interest of increasing the knowledge of
body fat. Our program is about results— ing about, after all? It’s about taking an maintaining a healthy human body.
that’s the bottom line. It’s unfortunate ordinary body, or even a less-than-aver- Bodybuilding is about mastery. Mas-
that so many people work out in the age body, and turning it into something tery of your body and your life. It’s about
gym and try to watch what they eat, but special— something beautiful. That isn’t discipline and self control. It’s using your
just never seem to get the results they’re easy. In my business, I’ve been privileged mind to control your body, to make it what
looking for. Usually it’s because they’ve to see many remarkable transformations, you want it to be. And before you can use
left out some part of the formula your brain to transform your
that’s required for success. How physique into that of a body-
many people in the gym where you builder, your brain has to know
workout have truly impressive phy- what it’s doing. That’s where I
siques? Probably not many. If you come in. I teach people what to
don’t have the body you want or if do to become bodybuilders. The
you’re not making good progress, sense of mastery, of controlling
that means you’re doing something your life and your destiny, is
wrong. Most people take the ap- to me what bodybuilding is re-
proach of trying this and trying ally about. (And you thought it
that, reading muscle magazines and was just about lifting weights!)
talking to their friends in the gym, People develop a sense of self-
hoping that sooner or later they’ll worth or self-esteem when they
find something that will work. The set a goal for themselves and
single most valuable service we follow through on it. Bodybuild-
offer is our information, and that’s ing is a journey. Your destination
probably what sets Parrillo Perfor- may be to become a top amateur
mance apart more than anything or professional bodybuilder. Or
else. Parrillo Performance makes a fitness star. Or a model. Or the
bodybuilders by teaching people how to in people of all ages. Seeing people make best looking guy on the beech. Or just
become bodybuilders. You can’t get that positive changes in their lives and achieve to finally lose that weight and get in the
anywhere else. their goals is my greatest reward. best shape of your life. Like any journey,
Pick up any bodybuilding magazine I do this because I love bodybuild- you take it a step at a time. You set a goal
and you’ll find ad after ad promising that ing and I love to see people get results. and then plan out a strategy, or road map,
a certain supplement will transform your We’reabout education and information to get you from where you are to where
physique. A lot of young bodybuilders because people need the information to you want to be. The Parrillo Performance
get trapped in the mentality of search- get results. That’s why I publish this Program is your road map to bodybuild-
ing for that magical supplement that will magazine I publish this magazine. As ing success.
pack pounds of muscle onto their bod- you might imagine, this is a tremendous The beauty of our program is that
ies. I’ll tell you up front it doesn’t work expense that eats a huge chunk out of it is a comprehensive approach, and no
that way. If developing a championship my profits, but I want to stay in touch doubt that’s why it works so reliably.
physique was as easy as taking supple- with my clients and continue to bring It includes exact instructions on nutri-
ments you’d see a lot more impressive them up-to-date scientific and practical tion, supplementation, weight training,
physiques in the gym. Sure, supplements information. That’s the way I want to do aerobic conditioning, and stretching. The
can help, and we offer, without doubt, business. I have a scientist on staff with Nutrition Program comes with a food
the most effective supplement line on the a Ph.D. in molecular biology to help us scale and instructions on how to pre-
cisely construct each meal to contain tive athletes and experimenting with nu- now it is well understood that intense ex-
the number of calories and grams of trients a long time before my supplement ercise training increases a person’s need
protein, carbohydrate, and fat you line came out. I’m a trainer first, and the for protein. During dieting I suggest you
need. It includes a food composition knowledge of what to do is much more increase protein intake to 1.5 grams per
guide listing the nutrient breakdown powerful than any supplement could ever pound of body weight. Here’s why: Some
of the foods you should be eating. It be. Parrillo Performance is here to teach of the protein you eat is burned for en-
contains instructions on how to modify serious athletes what to do to become ergy. During extreme conditions, such as
your diet throughout the year to gain their best. I’ve helped more than a few starvation or prolonged endurance exer-
muscle or lose fat. It tells you how to bodybuilders move up to the professional cise, the protein in your muscles can even
carb load and peak for your contest. We ranks. be broken down and used for energy. Any
provide a Body Stat Kit with skin-fold Over the last few years I’ve writ- form of calories provided by the diet is
calipers so you can monitor your body ten a lot of articles detailing the science said to “spare” protein, meaning that the
composition. This way you can make behind the program. We’ve talked about more calories you have coming into your
sure you’re gaining muscle and losing hormones and how to control them with body the less protein it needs to burn
fat. If things aren’t going the right way, diet, metabolism of fat, muscle physiol- (2). When you’re dieting to lose weight
the manual tells you what changes to ogy, exercise physiology, biochemistry of for a contest you will be consuming less
make. The Training Manual describes the nutrients, energy metabolism, and other calories than during the off season. This
proper execution of the most effective topics that represent why the program increases the chances your body will use
bodybuilding exercises, has suggested is the way it is. The practical “how-to” some protein as fuel. To make up for this
routines, and tells you how to stretch information is spelled out in detail in the you should increase protein intake when
each muscle group. All of this is backed Nutrition and Training Manuals. What you reduce calories.
up by our technical services line (513- I’d like to do now is give kind of an So start with one gram of protein per
874-3305) where you can call with any overview of the program that integrates pound body weight in the off season or
questions. We provide a comprehensive some of the technical information with 1.5 grams pre-contest. The next step is to
line of state of the art supplements to the practical information. limit fat to 5% of daily calories. The rest
help enrich your diet. Call us if you have The basic premise of the Parrillo of your calories come from complex car-
questions about which ones are most ap- Nutrition Program is that healthy foods bohydrates. That’s a pretty simple formu-
propriate for you. are the foundation of nutrition. This is la. It’s impossible to accurately break this
With this comprehensive approach in stark contrast to the other compa- down into percentages of calories from
to bodybuilding, we leave no stone un- nies, who want you to believe that their protein, carbohydrate, and fat because
turned. Every element of the program product is the magical key to success. the numbers work out to be different for
has been tested on top level bodybuild- Supplements can help, but remember that every one. As an example, a bodybuilder
ers many times over. During the last they’re supposed to be used to fortify or weighing 200 pounds and consuming
twenty years I’ve done just about every enhance your diet. Supplements cannot 3,000 calories would consume 200 grams
experiment with training, nutrition, and redeem a bad diet. In other words, a bad of protein, 17 grams of fat, and 510 grams
supplementation you could imagine. The diet plus supplements is still a bad diet. of carbs. This would be 27% protein,
program is polished and honed—and it Properly used, supplements can boost the 68% carbs, and 5% fat. (Remember that
works. All of the guesswork is removed. levels of specific nutrients beyond what protein and carbohydrate have 4 calories
It truly is a formula for success. can practically be obtained from whole per gram and fat has 9 calories per gram.)
My philosophy basically is that, if foods alone. So let’s start with the diet. I The ratios usually work out to be 25-30%
you work hard, you deserve to be re- advocate a diet low in fat, medium in pro- protein, 60-65% carbs, and 5-10% fat for
warded with results. To achieve a top tein, and high in complex carbohydrates. most people. The basic rationale is this:
level bodybuilding physique is not easy. The way to calculate your diet is simple. The role of protein in the body is to sup-
As with any worthwhile goal, it requires Research has shown that intensely train- port your lean body mass and to provide
dedication, consistency, and hard work. ing athletes need about one gram of pro- the raw materials you need to build more
If you make a commitment to those ide- tein per pound of body weight per day muscle. So protein requirements are de-
als and put forth the effort, I’ll make the to maintain nitrogen balance (1). That termined by body mass. As your muscle
commitment to teach you what to do to means they need that much protein to mass increases, your protein requirement
become your best. I’m a trainer of com- unsure they have enough to build muscle increases. The role of carbohydrate is as
petitive bodybuilders, and over the years mass. This amounts to about 2.5 times a fuel source, so carbohydrates are used
I developed my own line of supplements the RDA for protein, which is based on to supply the bulk of calories. The car-
because I saw in my athletes a need for non-exercising people. For years there bohydrate requirement is determined by
better products. I was training competi- was a lot of controversy on this issue, but daily energy (calorie) needs. Dietary fat
is kept to an absolute minimum. Study a good idea of how many calories you direct thermogenic effects of the nutrient
after study has shown that body fat is need to maintain your present lean body profile.
more closely determined by dietary fat mass. You can adjust this up or down by So we’ve talked about how many
content than by dietary energy content 300-500 calories per day depending on calories to consume and how to divide
(2-5). In other words, how fat you are is whether you want to gain weight or lose those up among protein, carbohydrate,
determined by how much fat is in your weight. Remember that muscle tissue is and fat. The next major concept is how
diet, and this is more important than how constantly burning calories to maintain to structure your meals. Simply put, you
many calories you eat. Dietary fat has a itself, even at rest. So as your muscle should divide your daily requirements for
strong tendency to be stored as body fat, mass increases you’ll need to slowly and calories, protein, carbs, and fat into six
whereas lean protein and complex continually adjust your calories upward. equal portions and eat six small meals
carbohydrates do not (2-5). Excess As your muscle mass increases your spaced about three hours apart through-
calories from protein and carbohy- metabolic rate increases, so your calo- out the day. An important part of the
drate tend to be lost as body heat rie requirements increase too. I call this diet is its effect on hormone levels, es-
instead of being stored as pecially insulin, glucagon, and
fat (2-5). Excess calories growth hormone. The diet is
from dietary fat are simply specifically designed to con-
retained as body fat (2-5). trol these hormone levels to
Consider this: metabolic maximize muscle mass and
studies have shown that minimize body fat. It won’t
your body is constant- work if you eat only protein
ly burning a mixture of at one meal and only carbs
carbohydrate and fat for at the next meal. Each meal
energy. At rest, most of must be properly balanced.
your energy is derived Also, it’s important not to
from fat. As activity level eat too many calories in
increases, more carbs are any one meal. Six small
thrown into the furnace. meals will make you
So your body burns a much leaner and more
certain amount of fat every day as fuel. “building your metabolism.” I introduced muscular than three large ones, even if
What would happen if your diet supplied this concept six or seven years ago and you consume the same total number of
less than this amount? You will burn it revolutionized the way people thought calories during the day. Too many calo-
body fat, that’s what. There are several about bodybuilding nutrition. Since then ries at one meal will elevate insulin levels
things about the low fat diet that make it it’s caught on in the popular diet literature too high and will promote fat storage.
perfect for bodybuilders. I’ll get back to too, and now you see info-mercials on Also, muscle can only grow so fast and
that in the future. TV about it. it does better with a more constant and
One of the toughest questions is, You need to feed your body and sup- uniform supply of nutrients instead of
“How many calories should I consume?” ply it with all the nutrients it needs to be three big doses. Another important factor
This is a very individual thing, and is de- healthy—even when you’re dieting to is the thermic effect of feeding, or TEF.
termined by your lean body mass, activ- lose weight. Caloric restriction sets off a Every time you eat, your metabolic rate
ity level, and genetics. There are several starvation response that shuts down your increases as a result of stimulation of the
mathematical formulas you can use to metabolism to save fuel. By increasing sympathetic nervous system by nutrients
estimate your maintenance requirements, muscle mass you can build your metabo- and by hormones released from the gut
but I’m not going to list them here be- lism so that you constantly burn more after feeding (2). Frequent, small feed-
cause they don’t work reliably. The indi- calories. And by restricting dietary fat ings increase TEF and decrease fat stor-
vidual variation is tremendous. The easi- you can force your body to burn its own age. The only time to change this is the
est and best way to handle this is simply fat for energy. There are also some highly last few weeks before a contest you may
to start weighing your food and use the technical aspects about how various fuels want to decrease carbs in your last meal
Food Composition Guide in the Nutrition are metabolized by your body that fac- of the day to promote fat burning at night,
Manual to calculate how many calories tor in here. I explained these concepts in but that’s a small technical point we don’t
you normally consume. Keep a food my series about thermogenesis a couple need to worry about now.
journal and write down every bite of food years ago. The bottom line is that the Finally we need to talk about which
you eat. After a week or so, average your Parrillo diet increases metabolic rate by foods to eat and which foods to avoid.
daily calorie intake and this will give you fostering muscle growth, as well as by The best lean protein sources are skinless
chicken breast, skinless turkey breast, need and the process will become second per day, and the typical one-a-day formu-
egg whites, and most fish (including nature. An experienced bodybuilder may las out there don’t come close to that. The
tuna packed in water). Carbohydrates even spend less time on food prepara- Parrillo Performance Essential Vitamin
are divided into two groups: starchy tion than the average person, and yet and Mineral Electrolyte Formulas were
and fibrous. Good starchy carbs include construct precisely engineered meals. It designed specifically for bodybuilders
potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, beans (all just takes a little practice. The results will following this diet. Four tablets of the
varieties are okay), lentils, corn, peas, make it worthwhile, believe me. You can mineral formula per day will meet your
oatmeal, grits, and cream of wheat. Fi- prepare meals in bulk and put them in calcium requirement.
brous carbs are basically any and all fresh Tupperware dishes in the freezer, so all So that’s a summary of how many
or frozen vegetables. Examples are salad you have to do in the morning is throw a calories to eat, how much protein, carbo-
greens, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cau- few bowls in the cooler. hydrate, and fat to eat, how to divide it up
liflower, asparagus, cabbage, eggplant, To attain the physique of your dreams, into individual meals, how many meals to
mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes, one of the sacrifices you have to make is eat, which foods to eat, how to combine
carrots, celery, and so on. Each meal to avoid certain foods. I wish I could foods at each meal, and which foods to
should contain one serving of protein, say all things are okay in moderation, avoid. Like I said, Parrillo Performance
one serving of starchy carbohydrate, and and there are no forbidden foods, but is about information. If you want a cham-
one fibrous vegetable, in the appropriate it just isn’t so. Foods you should avoid pion level physique, I can teach you what
ratios. Combining fiber and protein with are butter, margarine, mayonnaise, salad to do to get it. The Nutrition Manual is
the starch slows the rate of glucose release dressings, oils, shortening, nuts, seeds, available for those who want more infor-
so you get a slow, steady insulin release, peanut butter, jelly and jam, all sweets, mation and more detailed instructions.
which helps channel the calories to desserts, candy, cake, pie, cookies, muf- It comes with a food scale and a food
muscle and not fat. If you combine fins, ice cream, pizza, cheese, hamburger, composition guide, so you can construct
your foods in this way you really don’t hot dogs, processed meats and deli meats, meals precisely to meet your exact nutri-
have to worry about glycemic index. olives, avocados, crackers, pretzels, and ent needs. It also contains a lot of sample
White potatoes have a relatively high chips. You should avoid all fast food, diets, with all the calculations already
glycemic index when eaten alone, but junk food, convenience food, snack food, done for you. Until next month— happy
when combined in a meal like this the all fried food, and anything in a vending eating!
overall glycemic index of the meal is machine. In general you should not eat
very low. As far as dietary fat goes, in restaurants. It is possible to get a low References
you don’t have to add any fat source fat meal in a restaurant, but difficult. You
at all to the diet. Your 5-10% fat calo- should avoid refined carbohydrates such 1. Lemon PWR. Protein and Amino
ries will come along naturally with the as bread and pasta. You should also avoid Acid Needs of the Strength Athlete. Intl.
other foods. You may want to add one fruit and dairy products (including low J. Sport Nutr. 1: 127-145, 1991.
teaspoon to one tablespoon per day of fat dairy products) because they derive
flax oil to provide essential fatty acids most of their calories from simple sugars. 2. Bjorntorp P and Brodoff BN. Obe-
(EFAs), or take an EFA supplement such Bread, pasta, fruit, and dairy products are sity. J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia,
as evening primrose oil. Fish oil supple- perfectly healthy foods and they’re great 1992.
ments (for the omega-3 fatty acids) are for most people, but they just don’t work
fine too, but you won’t need these if you for bodybuilders. You’re better off with 3. Astrup A. Dietary composition,
eat fish several times a week. unrefined, unprocessed, natural, complex substrate balances and body fat in sub-
You’ll notice these are all whole, carbohydrates. jects with a predisposition to obesity. Int.
natural, unprocessed foods. You’ll get This sounds like a long list of J. Obesity 17: S32-S36, 1993.
much better results eating healthy foods “don’ts” but you’ll see what they have
like this that you prepare yourself. Part in common is they are all either high in 4. Swinburn B and Ravussin E. En-
of the commitment to this program is the fat, sugar, salt, or refined carbohydrates. ergy balance or fat balance? Am. J. Clin.
willingness to fix your own food and take These are things you want to avoid to be Nutr. 57: 766S-771S, 1993.
it with you in a cooler where ever you healthy anyway. Please notice that if you
go. At first this will be a major chore, omit fruit and dairy products from your 5. Horton TJ, Drougas H, Brachey
especially if you’re not used to weigh- diet you’ll have to take a vitamin and A, Reed GW, Peters JC, and Hill JO. Fat
ing your food and calculating its nutrient mineral supplement. These are the only and carbohydrate overfeeding in humans:
values. For the first month or so this will supplements which are truly required on different effects on energy storage. Am. J.
take more time than working out. Soon, the Parrillo diet. Pay special attention to Clin. Nutr. 62: 19-29, 1995.
however, you’ll learn what portions you get enough calcium. You need 1,000 mg
Programmed For Success: Supplementation For Optimal Results, Part II
by John Parrillo
In the last bulletin I presented a gen- natural foods increases the nutrient density hours after you take them, so levels drop
eral overview of the Parrillo Nutrition of your diet. It makes sense that increasing back down again. By taking vitamins with
Program, and this month I want to extend the amount of nutrients delivered to your each meal, this provides a more steady
that discussion by talking about strategies muscles will help them recover and grow and constant blood level. It also ensures
to maximize your results by adding nu- faster. you’ll have all the vitamins around you
tritional supplements to your diet. People When I started putting together my need to help incorporate dietary protein
often ask if nutritional supplements are formulas for supplements, I conducted my into new muscle tissue after each meal.
necessary. own experiments with bodybuilders and This makes more sense to me than taking
The answer here is based on an indi- other athletes. During this experimentation a huge dose of vitamins every morning
vidual’s diet, training intensity and goals. process we introduced certain nutrients and excreting most of them by noon. Each
If you are eating a well-balanced diet, sup- Mineral-Electrolyte™ tablet contains 250
plyling all the nutrients your body needs mg of calcium per tablet, so that by tak-
through food, and your level of training ac- ing four a day you can meet the RDA for
tivity is such that you never deplete certain calcium. I also fortified my vitamins with
nutrients, you may find that supplements large amounts of the anti-oxidants: vitamin
are not necessary. However, many people, C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. These
whether they are eating healthy or not, do seem to help aid recovery by neutraliz-
not receive all the nutrients necessary to ing free radicals (reactive oxygen species)
support intense training and growth. And generated during exercise. Free radicals
that extends all the way to the bodybuilder, are reactive molecules containing oxygen,
whose nutritional needs far exceed those of which can damage cells and protein mol-
the average, sedentary person. So supple- ecules. The anti-oxidant vitamins prevent
ments can be used to prevent deficiencies this damage by binding to and neutralizing
in the diet. But there is still another level of the free radicals. Each Parrillo Essential
supplementation. That is, are supplements Vitamin tablet has 500 mg vitamin C, 200
required to achieve optimal results? Are IU vitamin E, and 5,000 IU beta-carotene.
supplements needed to reach your ultimate into the athletes’ diet, then pulled them Each Mineral tablet contains 25 mcg chro-
potential? The answer to this question for back out, all the while noting the action mium picolinate to stabilize blood sugar
most hard-training athletes is yes! and reaction this had in their training and and optimize insulin function. Again, it
Few bodybuilders (if any) make it to physique. This is how I found out what makes more sense to take a small dose of
an advanced level without using nutritional worked and what didn’t in competitive chromium with each meal instead one big
supplements. They can’t afford not to. athletes. Nothing fancy, just simple trial dose once a day. Of course, our Formulas
Let’s face it, if two men eat the same diet and error. But by trying different combina- contain a complete and balanced array of
and train the same way, but one of them tions of nutrients, we were able to optimize all the other vitamins and minerals your
enriches the nutrient density of his diet by the formulas for maximum effect in lean body needs for optimum health and maxi-
adding high quality supplements, which muscle mass. mum gains.
one do you think will get better results? To incorporate supplements into your The core supplements on the Parrillo
When you’re training that hard and that diet, Essential Vitamin Formula™ and Min- Nutrition program are vitamins and miner-
much, you’re really pushing your body eral-Electrolyte Formula™ are the starting als, CapTri®, Hi-Protein Powder™, and
to it’s limit. The goal in training is to ap- point. My vitamin and mineral formula is Pro-Carb™. These are the most important
ply a maximum stress, so that your body the only one designed to be taken at each ones for gaining lean mass. Liver-Amino
is forced to adapt and grow. This kind of meal. One reason I did it this way is very Formula™ could probably fit into this
training pushes your recovery ability to its simple: Since you need the vitamins and group as well, but is not a major source of
limit, and your ability to recover is what minerals to assist and control the molecular calories. Let’s talk about how to incorpo-
determines how fast you can grow. Rest processes associated with metabolizing and rate these into your diet.
and nutrition are what your body needs to synthesizing food, it only makes sense that CapTri® is a remarkable supplement
recover from intense workouts. Supple- you provide those vitamins and minerals and should be at the center of any body-
ments allow you to increase the cellular with the food you are eating. Makes sense, builder’s supplement program, whether
levels of nutrients beyond what can be right? Another reason I did it that way you’re trying to gain lean mass or lose
obtained from whole foods alone. Supple- was because the water soluble vitamins body fat. Think of CapTri® as a source of
ments are simply ultra-concentrated nutri- (the B group and vitamin C) are excreted pure energy—calories. The special thing
ents, and adding them to a healthy diet of from your body in your urine within 3-4 about it is that it’s used immediately by
Programmed For Success: Supplementation For Optimal Results, Part II
the body as a preferred source of energy some of your carbohydrate calories with an The point is, the energy from CapTri® is
and has almost no tendency to be stored as equivalent amount of calories from Cap- more prone to be used as body heat (en-
body fat. It’s a way (and probably the only Tri®. CapTri® contributes less to body fat ergy) than are the calories from regular
way) you can greatly increase your caloric stores than does carbohydrate, because it’s food, which is why CapTri® is less prone
intake without risking getting fat. That is, immediately converted to energy without to be retained as body fat than regular food.
of course, if the rest of your diet is good. being stored by the body (1,2). Metaboli- Adding CapTri® to your diet increases
CapTri® is absorbed by the body and cally speaking, this is called the thermo- the thermogenic effect of feeding (TEF),
burned for energy almost instantly—faster, genic effect. Every time you eat, some and if you’re producing more energy, you
in fact, than glucose (1). Since it’s con- of the food energy is converted to heat. have a higher metabolic rate. And if you
verted into energy so rapidly it has virtu- The more energy that’s lost as heat, the increase your metabolic rate, your body
ally no tendency to contribute to body fat less there is remaining to be stored as fat. needs more energy, so it burns more body
stores. Here’s the deal: adding pounds of Conventional fats found in regular food fat. By incorporating CapTri® into your
muscle mass to your body takes calories. are not converted to heat much at all, and diet, you’re reducing what is called the
You could supply the extra calories from that’s why they contribute to body fat “food efficiency” of your diet, which is
regular foods, such as complex carbs and stores so much. About 3% of the calories the proportion of dietary energy available
lean proteins. And this will work, but the for retention as body weight. The CapTri®
problem is regular foods are more prone diet helps you lose fat because more of
to be stored as fat than CapTri® is. So by your dietary calories are lost as heat, caus-
increasing calories from regular food you ing your body to draw on fat stores as fuel.
can add muscle mass, but you’re more like- Cutting calories also causes your body to
ly to put on fat at the same time. CapTri® draw on it’s fat stores for fuel, but this
itself is not converted to muscle—that’s approach leads to muscle loss and slows
not what’s happening. How it works is down your metabolic rate, which slows
CapTri® supplies the energy your body down fat loss. CapTri® shifts your me-
needs to function and the energy cost re- tabolism into a fat-burning mode without
quired to build more muscle. The protein cutting calories and slowing your metabo-
foods that you eat supply the raw materials lism. Many bodybuilders go on CapTri® to
(amino acids) that are used to build new lose body fat and are surprised to find they
muscle. CapTri® spares the oxidation of actually gain muscle at the same time. The
amino acids, meaning that it blocks the use last important reason why CapTri® helps
of proteins as fuel (2). This helps dietary you lose fat is that by substituting CapTri®
protein be incorporated into muscle tis- for carbs you decrease insulin levels. Insu-
sue more efficiently, as well as having an lin is released in response to carbohydrate
anti-catabolic effect to block muscle break- feeding and blocks the breakdown of body
down. The net result of increasing calories in regular fat is lost as heat. About 15% of fat. With CapTri® you can decrease carbs
in this way is more muscle mass, without the energy from carbs is converted directly to lower insulin levels and promote the use
the increase in fat that comes from eating to heat, and about 20-30% of the energy of body fat as fuel without sacrificing your
an excess of regular food. What happens in dietary protein is lost as heat. CapTri® energy level and lowering your metabolic
if you eat too much CapTri®? The excess has the most profound thermogenic effect rate. You can learn more about regulating
energy gets converted to body heat instead of any food known, so it’s basically all the Glucagon-Insulin ratio by consulting
of being stored as fat. Also, excess calories burned for energy. You may be wondering, the Parrillo Sports Nutrition Guide.
from CapTri® can be lost as ketone bod- if this stuff is just converted into energy In the next bulletin, we’ll talk more
ies in the urine, something that doesn’t and lost as body heat, isn’t that a waste? about the benefits of supplements in your
happen with regular food. Start by adding Why not just eat less food? Two reasons. nutrition program.
one-half tablespoon of CapTri® directly to Eating less food will help you lose weight,
your food at each meal. Every three days, but a significant proportion of it will be References
increase your intake by another one-half muscle mass. Also, decreasing calories
tablespoon, until you’re gaining weight. slows down your metabolic rate, so you 1. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Me-
Increasing the amount of CapTri® gradu- burn less calories, which means burning dium chain triglycerides: an update. Am. J.
ally helps avoid an upset stomach, which less body fat. The thermogenic (heat-pro- Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
can occur because CapTri® is digested ducing) effect we just talked about actually
so rapidly. Usually between one and three works to increase your metabolic rate so 2. Babayan, Medium chain triglyc-
tablespoons per meal works well for most you’ll burn fat faster. Plus, as mentioned erides and structured lipids. Lipids 22:
athletes, although some use as much as above, it blocks protein breakdown so you 417-420 (1987).
five or six. won’t lose muscle while you’re losing fat.
How can a supplement so rich in Of course, not all of the energy in CapTri®
calories help you lose body fat? Simple. is lost as body heat—most of it is used to
To use CapTri® while dieting replace fuel activity and maintenance of the body.
Programmed For Success: Supplementation For Optimal Results, Part III
by John Parrillo
In the previous bulletin we dis- release, which helps muscle cells absorb
cussed the importance of nutritional the aminos. Pro-Carb is formulated with
supplements in an individual’s diet and maltodextrin, a slow release glucose
reviewed the benefits of Parrillo’s Es- polymer. Pro-Carb contains 22 grams of
sential Vitamin and Mineral-Electrolyte carbohydrate per scoop and four grams
Formulas as well as CapTri. In this bul- of protein. So how do you use Hi-Pro-
letin we will review the importance and tein Powder and Pro-Carb? These prod-
relevance of several other nutritional ucts are designed as an easy and con-
supplements. venient way to increase the protein and
We’ll start with the tandem of Hi- carbohydrate content of your diet. Many
Protein Powder and Pro-Carb. Hi-Protein of our athletes are eating 5,000 - 6,000
is formulated from a base of casein and calories a day (or more) to maintain
whey proteins, two of the best protein their muscle mass, and are looking for a
sources known. The highest efficiency way to eat more. Supplying nutrients in
protein of all is whole eggs, but obvi- liquid form is an easy way to increase
ously whole eggs wouldn’t make a very calories and nutrient levels to support
good supplement. So what we did was more growth. If you find yourself at a
start with casein and whey (which are plateau in your training and are having a
milk proteins) and add purified amino hard time gaining more muscle, the first wrong. Change something. If you can’t
acids to adjust the amino acid profile of thing to try is increasing your calories. get it figured out, give us a call. That’s
the formula to match that of whole eggs. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, what we’re here for.
This way we’ve generated the highest meaning that it burns a lot of calories, Obviously, as your muscle mass
efficiency protein in a way that supplies even at rest. It takes a lot of energy to increases your need for protein and
no fat or cholesterol. It mixes easily maintain muscle, which must constantly calories increases as well. Hi-Protein
with a spoon and tastes great. Hi-Protein be repaired after each workout. The and Pro-Carb were specifically designed
Powder is very rich in essential amino more muscle mass you have, the higher to meet this need for quality nutrients.
acids, branched chain amino acids, and your metabolic rate. This means your One scoop of each mixed together pro-
glutamine. These are the aminos your body needs more calories every day just vides 210 calories, 24 grams of protein,
body needs the most to build muscle. to maintain itself, let alone get bigger. 28 grams of complex carbs, and less
Each scoop provides 20 grams of ultra- So with every pound of muscle you add than a gram of fat. A great way to flood
high efficiency protein along with six to your body, your daily energy require- your muscles with nutrients is to take a
grams of carbohydrate. The carbs are in- ment increases. This is why you need to scoop of each mixed in water with each
cluded to provide a small, steady insulin slowly and constantly increase calories meal or between meals. If you do this
as you gain more and more muscle. A five times a day, this will supply 1,050
lot of people hit a plateau and don’t extra calories, 120 grams of protein and
gain any more muscle, simply because 134 grams of carbohydrate. By taking it
their existing muscle mass is using up between meals you maintain a constant
all of their dietary energy (calories), supply of energy and nutrients for your
leaving none left to support growth. muscles. It’s very easy to put a scoop in
If you’re at such a plateau there are a shaker bottle and drink it down when
three places to look: not enough rest, you don’t have time for a meal. Liquid
not enough calories, or a problem with nutrition is an easy way to supply more
your training program. The most com- calories without feeling full and bloated.
mon problem is not enough calories. If If you’re stuck at a plateau, adding Hi-
somebody is training hard, with heavy Protein and Pro-Carb to your diet may
weights to failure, and eating a solid be all you need to do.
diet, there’s no reason they shouldn’t The Parrillo Bar has proven to be
be gaining muscle. Bodybuilding is not one of our most popular supplements,
supposed to be about getting good gains probably because they taste so good.
for a year and then staying at a plateau They’re another great way to supply
for the rest of your life. If you’re not quality nutrition when you’re in a hurry.
gaining muscle, you’re doing something Each Bar contains 12 grams of high
heme iron, which is iron complexed to structure your diet are in the Parrillo
to the molecule heme. This complex Nutrition Manual.
is found in hemoglobin in red blood Finally, we have several other
cells and is responsible for transporting supplements designed specifically for
oxygen in the body. Heme iron is found advanced athletes. Muscle Amino For-
in red meat, but red meat unfortunately mula is a mixture of the branched chain
contains a lot of saturated fat and cho- amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and va-
lesterol so I don’t recommend it on my line, in the optimal ratio for assimilation
diet. Liver-Amino Formula has been into muscle tissue. The branched chain
specially prepared so all of the fat and amino acids (BCAAs) are among the
cholesterol is removed, leaving a good most abundant amino acids incorporated
source of quality protein and heme iron. in muscle protein (7). (Note that gluta-
It’s fortified with pre-digested amino mine is the most abundant amino acid
acids to further improve it’s amino acid in muscle, but most of it is free in the
profile, and also has added B-12. This cytoplasm rather than incorporated into
is a core supplement for many strength contractile protein.) The BCAAs thus
athletes. The iron helps build red blood supply a concentrated source of building
cells, and increased oxygen transport blocks your body needs to build mus-
improves energy and endurance. It cle. Why is this so important? Because
doesn’t contain many calories, so it’s your body cannot make the BCAAs,
not used for weight gain. It’s real benefit they must be obtained from the diet or
is in increased strength and endurance. supplements. The BCAAs have been
This should be a core supplement for shown to be anti-catabolic (8), resulting
all endurance athletes and hard-training in a net increase in muscle mass since
efficiency protein, like that used in
bodybuilders. If you’re looking for a nu- they also have the ability to be used for
our Hi-Protein Powder, 38 grams of
tritional product to give you increased energy in the muscles. Ultimate Amino
carbohydrate from rice dextrin, a slow-
performance, this is it. Formula is a blend of crystalline “free
release carbohydrate, and contains 240
Essential Vitamin Formula, Min- form” (single) amino acids profiled in
calories. Each Bar also contains 5.5
eral-Electrolyte Formula, CapTri, Hi- the ratio of the ultimate protein. It’s an
grams of CapTri, so it represents bal-
Protein Powder, Pro-Carb, Parrillo Bars, extremely efficient amino acid source,
anced nutrition for the bodybuilder. Put
and Liver-Amino Formula are the core requiring no digestion. It’s designed for
a few bars in your pocket or your gym
supplements. The vitamins, minerals, periods of intense training and strict di-
bag, and you’ll never have to miss a
and CapTri are really the entry level eting, to help prevent muscle loss while
meal. Endurance athletes love them too;
products. Beyond that your needs de- preparing for a contest. Since it’s very
they’re easy to eat while you’re on the
pend on your diet and level of training. low in calories, this is not what you
bike. A box of Parrillo Bars is a kind of
If you’re stuck at a plateau, try Hi-Pro- want to use to gain muscular weight. To
nutritional insurance, so you’ll never be
tein and Pro-Carb. That combination gain muscle mass, Hi-Protein Powder is
caught without food or be forced to eat
alone will usually add several pounds of a better choice. Ultimate Amino is for
something you’re not supposed to.
muscle in a month or two. If you need the guy who wants to compete at 240
Liver-Amino Formula is a blend of
more energy to train, try Liver-Amino.
de-fatted beef liver and casein, provid-
This should be considered an essential
ing high quality protein, B vitamins
supplement for serious endurance ath-
including B-12, and heme iron. Iron
letes. If you’re having trouble eating
deficiency is the most common nutri-
all of your scheduled meals or getting
tional deficiency in the world, and is
in your required amount of calories, the
surprisingly common even in America
Bar is a great answer. If you’re trying to
(3,4). Female athletes and endurance
lose fat and have hit a fat-loss plateau,
athletes are the greatest at risk, with
cut back on 100 grams of starchy car-
as many as 22% of American females
bohydrates a day (400 calories worth)
deficient in iron (3-6). Regular iron,
and use one-half to one tablespoon of
commonly supplied as ferrous sulfate,
CapTri at each meal. This will get your
is poorly absorbed by the body. Some
fat loss going again. To get in contest
green leafy vegetables like spinach con-
shape you may have to cut back on
tain a significant amount of iron, but
carbohydrates further, increase CapTri,
only 1.4% of it is absorbed (3). Iron
and increase aerobics to an hour a day.
from vegetable sources is said to have a
I have yet to meet a person who could
low bio-availability, meaning that only
not get exceptionally lean by following
a small fraction can be absorbed from
this protocol. The exact details of how
the food. The best iron source is called
pounds and 4.0% body fat, instead of I’ve tried to summarize how to in- dium chain triglycerides: an update.
239 pounds and 4.1% body fat. See what telligently incorporate supplements into Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
I mean? It’s used when you’re training your nutrition program for best results.
hard and getting lean. Remember that the proper diet is the 2. Babayan, Medium chain triglyc-
Advanced Lipotropic Formula is a foundation of everything. If you’re not erides and structured lipids. Lipids 22:
special blend of nutrients used by the making the progress you want, look at 417-420 (1987).
liver to metabolize fat, including L- your diet and training program first. A
carnitine (9,10). This product ensures healthy diet of wholesome food is the 3. Scrimshaw. Scientific American,
that your body has all of the required foundation of good nutrition, and you October, 1991, p. 46-52.
nutrients and co-factors it needs so that need to be eating right in order to derive
all the fat-burning metabolic pathways the maximum benefit from your supple- 4. Sherman and Kramer. Iron Nutri-
can operate at full efficiency. Again, I ments. tion and Exercise, in Nutrition in Exer-
have to get back to the basics, which is a I’ve also tried to describe a rational cise and Sport, Hickson and Wolinsky.
good low-fat diet and a regular exercise approach to designing your own indi- CRC Press, 1989, p. 291-308.
program. Some companies lead people vidual supplement program. Start with
5. Haymes. Proteins, Vitamins,
to believe that if they simply take a lipo- the basics: vitamins, minerals, CapTri,
and Iron, in Ergogenic Aids in Sport,
tropic compound, they’ll automatically and Hi-Protein. Strength athletes should
Williams. Human Kinetics Publishers,
lose weight. I want to be very clear in add Liver-Amino. Endurance athletes
1983, p.27-55.
stating that to lose fat you need to clean should add Liver-Amino, Pro-Carb, and
up your diet (see last month’s article the Bar. Advanced endurance athletes 6. Whitmire. Vitamins and Miner-
on nutrition) and exercise regularly. should add Max Endurance Formula. If als: A perspective in Physical Perfor-
Advanced Lipotropic Formula supplies you want to gain muscular weight use mance, in Sports Nutrition for the 90s,
nutrients used in fat metabolism, but it CapTri, Hi-Protein, Pro-Carb, and the Berning and Steen. Aspen Publishers,
won’t burn fat for you. You still have Bar. If you want to lose body fat use 1991, p. 129-151.
to do that yourself by exercising. So if CapTri and Advanced Lipotropic For-
your goal is to optimally burn body fat, mula. Competitive bodybuilders should 7. Rombeau JL and Caldwell MD.
make sure to pay close attention to your add Muscle Amino. Professional body- Clinical Nutrition: Parenteral Nutrition,
diet and exercise, and include Advance builders should add Muscle Amino and Second Edition. W.B. Saunders Com-
Lipotropic Formula to ensure your body Ultimate Amino. pany, Philadelphia, 1993.
has all the nutrients it needs to perform If you’re at a plateau in gaining
the metabolic fat-burning processes. muscle, add Hi-Protein Powder and Pro- 8. Bucci L. Nutrients as Ergogenic
Enhanced GH Formula is a mix- Carb to your program. If you hit a pla- Aids for Sports and Exercise. CRC
ture of arginine and lysine, two amino teau while losing fat, cut back on carbs Press, Boca Raton, 1993.
acids which have been shown to in- and substitute an equivalent amount
crease growth hormone release. Growth of calories from CapTri. If you want 9. Shils ME, Olson JA, and Shike
hormone acts in the body to increase to improve strength or endurance, add M. Modern Nutrition in Health and
muscle mass and decrease body fat. Liver-Amino. Disease. Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia,
This is another advanced product, and Call for a free supplement catalog 1994.
you should start with CapTri and Hi- (800-344-3404), which includes a list
Protein Powder before adding it to your of all the ingredients and the amounts 10. Linder MC. Nutritional Bio-
program. in each formula, as well as suggested chemistry and Metabolism with Clinical
Max Endurance Formula is de- usage guidelines. More information Applications. Elsevier Science Publish-
signed to increase energy and endur- about maximizing your results from ing Company, New York, 1991.
ance in endurance athletes. It contains supplements can be found in the Parrillo
magnesium and potassium aspartates, Performance Nutrition Manual and our
as well as inosine, phenylalanine, and Sports Nutrition Guide, which includes
ferulic acid. The aspartates help the technical and scientific information. Our
body detoxify ammonia, a break down technical services line (513-531-1311)
product of protein metabolism which is staffed to answer any questions you
occurs during endurance exercise. The may have in optimizing your program
urea cycle is a metabolic pathway in the and selecting the best supplements for
liver which converts ammonia to urea, you. We’re here to support you and you
which is then filtered out by the kidneys strive to achieve your training and nutri-
and excreted in the urine. The urea cycle tion goals.
requires aspartate for activity. Inosine is
a precursor (building block) of ATP, the References
energy source of the cell.
1. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Me-
Creatine: Why this Supplement has become a Must Among Bodybuilders
by John Parrillo
tion this energy is transferred to the actin because you can generate CP and ATP
and myosin filaments which make up the fast enough to keep up with the energy
muscle fiber. This results in a change in demands of the activity.
the three dimensional configuration (i.e., You’ll notice our creatine is in the
the shape) of the filaments, causing them form of creatine monohydrate. Why don’t
to slide past each other. When this hap- we just use creatine phosphate or ATP it-
pens the muscle contracts. When ATP self as a supplement instead? Simply put,
loses one of its phosphate groups it forms because it doesn’t work. Triphosphate
adenosine diphosphate, or ADP, plus a molecules such as CP and ATP are not
free phosphate group. Thus muscle con- absorbed through the intestine. To reach
traction is powered by the breakdown of the bloodstream nutrient molecules must
ATP to ADP. first cross the membranes of the cells
Food provides two basic purposes lining the gut and then the cells form-
for the body. It provides the building ing the capillaries. Cell membranes are
blocks that body tissues are made from, made of lipids, which are hydrophobic.
and it supplies energy to fuel the body. This means they repel molecules with a
The chemical energy contained in food strong electric charge like ATP and CP.
is used to form ATP. As you know, food If you feed someone ATP or CP it must
is oxidized, or burned, in the body to be broken down before it can be ab-
We are excited to announce a new release energy. This energy is used to sorbed. Creatine monohydrate is readily
product to our supplement line—Parrillo form ATP, which then goes on to power absorbed, however, and does in fact reach
Performance Creatine Monohydrate™. cellular activity. The body’s stores of ATP the muscle cell when administered orally
During the last year several reports have are very limited. In fact, each muscle cell (2). This is why it can be used as an effec-
appeared in the scientific literature docu- contains only enough ATP to power con- tive supplement. Once inside the muscle
menting the effectiveness of creatine in tractions for a few seconds. Therefore, cell it is converted to creatine phosphate.
increasing muscle mass, strength, and ATP must be continuously regenerated. What about the sublingual route? This
endurance (1-6). We’ve been doing our That’s where creatine fits in. Creatine is bogus, since the molecule still has to
own trials here as well and have seen itself binds a phosphate group, forming cross cell membranes to reach the circu-
impressive results. creatine phosphate, or CP. When ATP lation. What about liquid creatine? Dou-
What is creatine, and how does it is broken down to ADP, creatine phos- bly bogus, since creatine tends to break
work? You’ll recall last year I did a se- phate steps in and donates its phosphate down when stored as a solution.
ries of articles about cellular energy me- group to ADP, regenerating an ATP mol- Creatine occurs naturally in meat,
tabolism and explained the biochemistry ecule (1). This allows high energy muscle especially red meat. This is probably the
involved in some detail. Briefly, the im- contractions to continue. After about 45 main reason red meat has a reputation
mediate source of energy for all cellular seconds to 2 minutes (depending on the for increasing strength. No other foods
activity, including muscle contraction, is intensity of effort) the creatine phosphate are a good source of creatine, and this is
a molecule called ATP. This stands for is also used up, and power production by why vegetarians are often creatine defi-
adenosine triphosphate, which is the nu- the muscle rapidly declines. This is what cient. The problem is to get a significant
cleoside adenosine with three phosphate happens when you fail at the end of a set amount of creatine you would have to eat
groups attached. The phosphate groups - you’ve used up all your ATP and CP, a lot of red meat, which would bring with
contain negative electrical charges, and which means you’re out of fuel. This is it a ton of fat. Creatine supplementation
since negative charges repel each other also why high intensity weight lifting sets allows you to get much higher levels of
the molecule is inherently unstable. In usually last about a minute before you creatine in your muscle than you could
other words, the negative charges push fail. After the CP is used up, ATP cannot ever get from conventional food, and
against each other and try to tear the mol- be regenerated fast enough to maintain a without supplying any fat.
ecule apart. When one of the phosphate high level of intensity. Lower intensity Though much of the creatine used
groups breaks free, energy is released. exercise (aerobic exercise like bike rid- by our muscles is obtained through diet,
During the process of muscle contrac- ing) can be continued almost indefinitely it has also been found that the body can
create its own creatine in a two-reaction Typically in hard-training bodybuilders, that creatine will allow faster and greater
extramuscular sequence. Starting in the we observe an increase of 4-14 pounds gains in size and strength over the long-
kidney, arginine and glycine undergo of lean mass during the first month of term, firm numbers cannot be attached at
transamidination, creating guanidinoace- using creatine. This is remarkable. This the onset. A lot is dependant on whether
tic acid and ornithine. The guanidino- does not mean you have to consume 4-14 you are eating enough protein and calo-
acetic acid is then methylated by S-ad- pounds of creatine. Remember, most of ries to support gains. Remember, creatine
enosylmethionine in the liver, creating the weight gain and size increase comes itself has little impact on gaining muscle
creatine, which is then shipped off for from water. Creatine is stored in muscle when taken alone. The building blocks
usage in the muscle. So the creatine pool cells, where it attracts water. The more (amino acids) and extra calories must
in the muscle is really a composite of the muscle mass you have to start with, the also be present in the muscle for serious
amount synthesized by the body, which is gains to be made. Most people will see a
about one gram/day, and the rest received significant increase in size and strength
through dietary sources, most notably
It increases strength
when using creatine, but a lot of this de-
from meat (1,2,3). by increasing the in- pends on the amount of protein and qual-
So how does creatine increase muscle tracellular levels of ity calories you are eating. If you don’t
size and strength? It increases strength eat enough to support muscle gain, you
by increasing the intracellular levels of
creatine and creatine won’t see any, it’s that simple. But with
creatine and creatine phosphate, which phosphate, which al- a solid, high-calorie, high-protein diet
allows more rapid ATP production. This lows more rapid ATP and intense training, your muscle gains
means more energy is available to the can be incredible. Regarding endurance
cell, allowing it to work harder. This production. This means exercise, we’ve seen athletes experience
same mechanism explains why creatine more energy is avail- a 5-10% increase in speed and a 10-20%
increases endurance performance too. If able to the cell, allow- increase in time to fatigue.
you increase the creatine pool inside the What’s the down side? As explained,
muscle this increases the cell’s energy ing it to work harder. most of the immediate weight gain result-
reserve, allowing longer, as well as more ing from creatine supplementation hap-
powerful, contractions. Creatine is very more creatine you can assimilate and pens during the first month when you’re
popular among endurance athletes, and is the more weight you will gain from us- loading the muscle cells with creatine.
widely used in track and field. ing creatine. Small bodybuilders usually You will experience an immediate gain
Creatine increases muscle size be- gain 4-6 pounds and the really big guys in strength at the outset because of the
cause it attracts water. Creatine is ab- gain 10-14 pounds. We have verified that increased leverage advantage from the
sorbed into the muscle cell and pulls a lot this weight gain shows up as an increase increased water gain as well as the cre-
of water along with it, causing the muscle in lean body mass when you do body atine phosphate stores. At some point the
to swell. This results in larger, firmer composition testing. Remember that lean creatine pool becomes saturated and the
muscles and a better pump. Please real- mass is a measure of everything in your muscle can’t hold any more. So you can
ize that creatine itself does not directly body that’s not fat, including the skel- expect a very rapid and dramatic gain in
increase muscle protein. As with all sup- eton and muscle, including water. It’s lean mass (muscle + water) for the first
plements, it is vital that you use creatine hard to imagine anybody happier than a month, but after that creatine supplemen-
in conjunction with a solid bodybuilding bodybuilder who gains 10 pounds of lean tation is mainly maintenance. Remember,
diet. You need protein to build muscle tis- mass in one month. proper nutrition from food, increased
sue and carbohydrates to provide energy. Regarding performance, we’ve seen calories and nutrients from supplements
Creatine itself is not burned to produce athletes experience a 5-15% increase in and intense training are the keys to pack-
energy, rather it acts as an energy buf- strength on their maximum lifts, and an ing on more muscle month after month,
fer to transfer the energy derived from increase of about 2 reps per set with their year after year. By using creatine you
carbohydrate and fat oxidation to ATP. working weight. This increase in training can improve the intensity and duration of
Creatine is not incorporated into protein. intensity allows you to put a greater load your training for better overall workouts.
It will, however, indirectly increase the on the muscle, which will indeed increase And when you add to this proper nutri-
protein mass of muscles over time by your gains in muscle protein mass over tion, which includes plenty of high qual-
allowing you to perform higher intensity time. The amount of strength gain each ity protein and increased calories, you’ll
workouts. That is, of course, if you are individual can make may differ consider- be right on track to gain one pound of
eating enough lean protein and quality ably, because the strength of your ten- lean mass each week.
calories to support muscle gains. . dons also determines how much weight How do I use creatine? As with
What can you expect from creatine? the muscle can lift. While it seems clear nearly all supplements, actual usage will
vary from person to person and will (note the similar spelling) and excreted in should use it during training and compe-
likely change as your body and training the urine. If you take too much creatine tition. If you’re not a serious athlete but
changes. To start out we recommend you’ll just lose the excess in your urine. If simply someone trying to lose fat and
for the first one to two weeks you use you have any blood work done you might stay in shape, then you don’t necessarily
20-30 grams a day divided into even find that creatine elevates your creatinine need it. There’s no evidence that creatine,
servings taken with each meal, or with a level. Doctors use the creatinine level in by itself, aids fat loss. But as you gain ex-
Hi-Protein™/Pro-Carb™ drink. This is the blood as an index of kidney function. tra muscle and increase you metabolism,
the loading phase. One scoop or heaping If your doctor notices an increase in your you ultimately will burn more body fat.
teaspoon is five grams, so one of these creatinine level and expresses some con- So indirectly, it can help in body fat loss.
with each meal is about right. Use the cern about your kidneys, tell him or her The core supplements for bodybuild-
lower end of these ranges if you’re 150- that you’re using creatine. Creatine does ers and strength athletes are Essential
200 pounds, and the upper end if you’re not damage the kidneys in any way, but Vitamin Formula™, Mineral-Electrolyte
over 200 pounds. We recommend one to is contraindicated if you have pre-exist- Formula™, CapTri®, Creatine Monohy-
two weeks, but the loading phase may drate™, Liver-Amino™, and Hi-Pro-
take as many as four weeks. When you tein Powder™. Pro-Carb™ should
find that you’re really getting a good be added for those bodybuilders with
pump, the loading phase has filled the trouble gaining weight. GH For-
creatine stores in your muscle. After mula™, Muscle Amino Formula™,
that, 5-10 grams a day is enough to and Ultimate Amino™ are appro-
maintain your creatine stores. Cycling priate for competitive bodybuilders.
creatine is of no advantage. If you stop Liver-Amino Formula™ should be
taking creatine you simply deplete increased for strength athletes, es-
your existing store, which takes 4-8 pecially in the months leading to a
weeks. The best way to take creatine contest. The core supplements for en-
is to mix it with a scoop of Hi-Protein durance athletes are the Vitamin and
Powder™ or Pro-Carb™ and drink it Mineral Formulas™, Liver-Amino
immediately. It’s also fine to mix it in Formula™, CapTri®, and Creatine
plain water. Don’t be concerned that Monohydrate™. The combination of
creatine doesn’t dissolve fully; just Liver-Amino Formula™ and Cre-
drink the suspension. Even though it atine Monohydrate™ is key for en-
doesn’t dissolve completely, it gets ab- durance, and I would go as far as to
sorbed very well. Don’t mix creatine say they are essential for an endur-
in water too far in advance of when ance athlete to reach his ultimate po-
you take it, since it begins to break tential. Hi-Protein Powder™ should
down. A great way to pack creatine be strongly considered for any endur-
is to take a shaker bottle with a scoop ance athlete who’s losing weight or
of Hi-Protein™ or Pro-Carb™ plus training at the edge. Extreme training
a scoop of creatine and put it in your can elevate the protein requirements
gym bag or cooler. Then just add water, ing severe kidney disease (for example, of endurance athletes above those of
shake, and drink. Another convenient renal dialysis or kidney transplant pa- even bodybuilders. Endurance athletes
way to use creatine is to mix it into oat- tients). People with severe kidney disease experiencing over-training or a decrease
meal. Creatine has no flavor, but it is a have trouble eliminating creatinine, and in performance likely need more protein.
little grainy. creatine supplementation would increase Collegiate level and professional endur-
Are there any medical concerns with creatinine levels further. ance athletes should add Max-Endurance
taking creatine? Creatine is nontoxic How does creatine fit into your sup- Formula™. The core supplements for
even when taken in huge doses. The only plement program? Creatine should abso- people on the fat loss program are the Vi-
known side effect is stomach upset if lutely be a core supplement for any serious tamin and Mineral Formulas™, CapTri®,
you take too much at once. Five to ten bodybuilder, powerlifter, or endurance and Advanced Lipotropic Formula™. Of
grams shouldn’t bother you. If you take athlete. Bodybuilders and powerlifters course, the diet is fundamental to every-
30 grams at once you might feel stomach should use it year round, and definitely one. The Parrillo Bar works well on any
cramps or nausea, but usually not. Ex- before a contest. I guarantee your compe- of these programs as a meal replacement
cess creatine is converted into creatinine tition will be using it. Endurance athletes or as a source of extra calories for athletes
trying to gain weight or who need more has been shown to reduce the rate of ATP you gain on creatine will be in the lean
energy. Endurance cyclists also find the depletion during maximal exercise while compartment. We’ve seen many athletes
Parrillo Bar very useful. Finally, creatine simultaneously increasing work output experience dramatic gains in muscle size
should be considered a core supplement (2). and strength during their first month of
for all vegetarian athletes. Although the Sure, creatine is a terrific supplement creatine use. And when you look for a
human body makes about one gram of for increasing lean mass and strength. good creatine supplement, make sure it
creatine a day by itself (creatine is en- But creatine is not some magic potion for is 100% pure, like our Parrillo Perfor-
dogenously synthesized in the kidney and muscle gains. Not too long ago I began mance Creatine Monohydrate™ supple-
liver) vegetarians have a reduced creatine working with a bodybuilder who was ment. Make sure to look at the nutrient
pool because their diet does not provide spending a large portion of his limited content on the label and not just the price
any additional creatine (1,2,3). Vegetar- budget on creatine. Sure, his workouts when you’re considering which creatine
ians stand to benefit greatly from creatine were great, but his gains were insig- supplement to take. Parrillo Performance
supplementation (1,2,3). nificant compared to the effort he was Creatine Monohydrate™—one more nu-
With this background on what cre- putting into his training. Why? Because tritional tool to help you push your phy-
atine is, how it works, and how to use his caloric base was too low. Every- sique and performance envelope.
it, let’s take a brief look at some of the thing he was eating was being used for
studies of creatine use in athletes. One energy to fuel his workouts, with little References
test looked at the effect of creatine ver- to nothing left for lean mass gains. So
sus placebo on performance of 5 bouts what did we do? First, we got his diet in 1. Maughan RJ. Creatine supple-
of 30 maximal voluntary contractions order, increasing his protein and calorie mentation and exercise performance. In-
on an isokinetic dynamometer (4). The intake with good food. Next, we took ternational Journal of Sport Nutrition 5:
group receiving 24 grams of creatine a the money he was spending on creatine 94-101, 1995.
day for 5 days experienced greater torque and put that into CapTri®, Hi-Protein™
production, which means greater power and Pro-Carb™. These supplements in- 2. Greenhaff PL. Creatine and its
production. In another study 30 grams creased his caloric base even more than application as an ergogenic aid. Interna-
of creatine a day for 6 days was given to the food alone, providing his body with tional Journal of Sport Nutrition 5: S100-
a group of endurance athletes (5). Dur- the necessary energy and amino acids for S110, 1995.
ing a series of four 1,000 meter runs the growth. So much so, he was able to gain
total time was improved by 13 seconds 30 pounds of lean mass in three months 3. Crim MC, Munro HN. Proteins
in the creatine group, with an improve- time. and Amino Acids. Modern Nutrition in
ment of 5.5 seconds during the last run. The reason I tell this story is not Health and Disease 8: 9-10, 1994.
Another placebo-controlled trial showed to discourage you from using creatine.
an increase in anaerobic capacity on a But rather, to put it into perspective as 4. Greenhaff PL, Casey A, Short AH,
cycle ergometer after 4 days of creatine far as your nutrition and training are Harris AC, Soderlund K, and Hultman E.
at 20 grams per day (6). These studies concerned. If you’re not eating enough Influence of oral creatine supplementa-
demonstrate a measurable increase in and providing the necessary nutrients tion on muscle torque during repeated
peak power production and endurance for growth, your body will not be able bouts of maximal voluntary exercise in
performance during intense exercise fol- to maximize the potential effectiveness man. Clin. Sci. 84: 565-571, 1993.
lowing as little as 4-6 days of creatine of this supplement. But if your nutrition
supplementation. The effects of creatine is good, if you’re providing your body 5. Harris RC, Viru M, Greenhaff PL,
seem to be most pronounced during very with the calories and protein it needs for and Haltman E. The effect of oral creatine
intense exercise. Not much of an effect energy and growth, and if you’re train- supplementation on running performance
has been noted in prolonged, low inten- ing hard, creatine can be of great benefit during maximal short term exercise in
sity exercise. This is just what you would in terms of increasing size, strength and man. J. Physiol. 467: 74P, 1993.
expect given the role of creatine in cel- performance.
lular energy production. During low in- In summary, creatine has been shown 6. Ernest CP, Snell PG, Mitchell TL,
tensity exercise, energy production from in placebo-controlled clinical trials to Rodriguez R, and Almada AL. Effect of
carbohydrate and fat oxidation can keep improve exercise performance, both in creatine monohydrate on peak anaerobic
up with the rate of energy expenditure. terms of power output and endurance power, capacity, and fatigue index. Med.
Creatine increases exercise performance (1-6). We know from our work here Sci. Sports. Exerc. 26: S39, 1994.
by sustaining energy production, and thus that it increases lean body mass as well.
work production, during high intensity Creatine is stored in the muscle and does
exercise (2). Creatine supplementation not contribute to fat stores. Any weight
Evening Primrose Oil and the Importance of Essential Fatty Acids

by John Parrillo
in controlling many metabolic processes deficiency? You bet. Did their symptoms
such as blood pressure, inflammation, fat resolve after fatty acid supplementation?
metabolism, and blood clotting, to name Yes - rapidly and dramatically. I remem-
a few. Eicosanoids are made by all cells ber one female bodybuilder in particular
of the body and their central function is who had a problem with her skin getting
to communicate messages to nearby cells dry and breaking out, and it got worse at
to help coordinate and regulate the body’s contest time. After one week of Evening
metabolic activity. EFAs are also impor- Primrose Oil (EPO) supplementation her
tant structural components of cell mem- skin was completely clear. It was very
branes and thus are important for healthy dramatic, and you can imagine how happy
skin. But before we get too deep into the she was.
details, let’s talk about the basics. So what are the symptoms of EFA
Since everybody makes such a big deficiency? In adults the first symptom is
deal about making sure to get enough dermatitis - red, dry, scaly skin, especially
vitamins and minerals, why don’t we on the face (1-3). This condition will not
hear more about EFAs? Aren’t they just be relieved by lotions or moisturizers
as important? Essential fatty acids are - you’ll simply have red, scaly skin with
very important but they don’t get much lotion on it. The EFAs are required for
Parrillo Performance is proud to in- attention because EFA deficiencies are the formation of some components of
troduce another new supplement for body- relatively rare in America. Why? Because normal, healthy skin, so moisturizers re-
builders - a concentrated source of essen- the average American gets about 40% of ally won’t help. Other problems include
tial fatty acids. I have recommended fatty his calories from fat, which is more than increased loss of water (from the skin),
acid supplementation for bodybuilders for enough to supply adequate amounts of infertility, kidney disease, liver disease
years, long before it became so popular. EFAs. About the only people you hear of (including decreased ATP production),
The details of fatty acid metabolism are suffering from EFA deficiency are burn decreased capillary resistance, increased
quite complicated - far more complex than or trauma patients, patients who have had fragility of red blood cells (which can
protein or carbohydrate metabolism - but some sort of intestinal bypass surgery or result in anemia), increased susceptibility
the basic concept is simple. Everybody intestinal resection, people with a fat mal- to infections, and decreased contractile
knows that vitamins and minerals Are nu- absorption syndrome (that is, they can’t strength of the heart (1,2). In infants EFA
trients required by the body in small quan- absorb dietary fat very well), malnourished deficiency is even more serious and can
tities. (thus the name “Micronutrients”) children, patients receiving prolonged fat- include decreased growth, dermatitis, and
which provide for vital metabolic func- free intravenous feeding, and during high- degenerative changes in the kidney, liver,
tions. Certain fats are similarly required protein, low-fat dietary supplementation and lung (1,2). Recent evidence suggests
by the body in relatively small quantities. to treat kwashiorkor (protein deficiency) that EFAs are also required for normal
Since the body cannot manufacture these (1,2). Wait a second - what was that about development of the nervous system. Usu-
fats by itself, it is essential that they be high-protein, low-fat supplementation? ally the problem doesn’t get that far. If you
obtained from the diet, and are therefore Does that sound like your diet? have any skin problems or a poor com-
called essential fatty acids (EFAs). The Normally people don’t have to worry plexion you may want to consider trying
main function of EFAs in the body is about EFA deficiency in this country be- EFA supplementation.
to provide building blocks for a class of cause the typical diet contains so much fat. Lately there has been some specula-
hormones called eicosanoids. The broad Furthermore, EFAs can be stored in body tion that EFA supplementation may im-
category of eicosanoids is further subdi- fat so a dietary deficiency won’t show up prove muscle and strength gains during
vided into prostaglandins, prostacyclins, for a long time. Extremely lean athletes, weight training, or decrease muscle loss
leukotrienes, and thromboxanes. The eico- however, who follow a low-fat diet for a during catabolic conditions. In my opinion
sanoids are a complex group of hormones prolonged time are definitely at increased the jury is still out on this issue; there’s
(over 100 different prostaglandins have risk for fatty acid deficiency. Have I ever just not enough information to know for
been identified so far) which are involved actually seen any bodybuilders with the sure yet. However, it would not surprise
clinical symptoms of essential fatty acid me at all if it turns out to be true. I person-
ally haven’t seen any dramatic changes in doesn’t cause atherosclerosis, it will still information (from Linder, reference 3).
muscle mass or strength following EFA make you just as fat as eating animal fat. the best source of omega 6 is safflower oil,
supplementation. I think the main nutri- There are two essential fatty acids, which is 74% linoleic acid. The others are
tional issues here are calories and protein and both are polyunsaturated. This means around 50% or less. the second problem
intake. they contain multiple double bonds. One is that EFAs are not the final biologically
So what are the EFAs and what are is called linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty active compound (such as eicosanoids)
some good food sources for EFAs? Most acid) and the other is linolenic acid (an but are merely the building blocks the
dietary fat, as well as most fat stored in the omega-3 fatty acid). The terms omega-6 body uses to make these hormones. To
body, is in the form of triglycerides, also and omega-3 describe the location of the form eicosanoids from linoleic acid, the
known as triacylglycerols. These large first double bond from the methyl end of first thing that happens is the linoleic
molecules are comprised of three fatty the molecule. Many vegetable oils contain acid is converted to gamma-linolenic acid
acids linked to a glycerol backbone. Fatty linoleic acid (omega-6), including saf- (GLA). This conversion is carried out by
acids themselves are long hydrocarbon flower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, and flax an enzyme called delta-6-desaturase. No
chains (the fatty part of the molecule) with (linseed) oil, among others. The omega-3 problem, except for the fact that your body
a carboxylic acid group attached at one end fatty acids are abundant in fish oils; flax makes less and less of delta-6-desaturase
(the acid part). Fatty acids are classified is the only vegetable source containing a as you age. The activity of this enzyme
according to their length and their degree significant amount of omega-3. You can declines markedly, making this conver-
of saturation. Short chain fatty acids are find these oils (except fish oil) in the gro- sion inefficient. This is why I recommend
2-4 carbon atoms in length, medium chain cery store, but if you’re going to take them Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) as a better
fatty acids (like CapTri) are 6-12 carbon as a source of essential fatty acids you source of EFAs. The evening primrose
atoms in length, and long chain fats are should be sure to use “cold pressed” oils. is a small flowering plant that grows in
14-24 carbons long. The degree of satura- This means the oil was extracted without England. Evening Primrose Oil contains
tion describes how many double bonds the the application of heat, which can damage GLA and therefore bypasses the delta-6-
molecule has. If the fatty acid molecule (oxidize, to be specific) the oil. The oils desaturase step. This turns out to be a way
contains no double bonds, it is said to be you see at the grocery store are extracted to provide EFAs in a minimal amount of
“saturated.” This term describes the idea by pressing with heat which increases the fat calories, so it doesn’t upset your per-
that the carbon atoms are saturated with extraction efficiency, but damages the contest diet strategy. So EPO is a more
hydrogen atoms; if a fatty acid molecule EFAs. Also, if you’re using one of these potent source of EFAs than even safflower
contains carbon-carbon double bonds it oils as a source of EFAs don’t cook with oil for two reasons: it’s more concentrated
must give up some of the hydrogens, and it - this also can oxidize the oil and destroy in total omega-6, which means there’s less
is no longer “saturated.” Anyway, fats can its biological activity. Just use the oil “garbage” fat, plus it bypasses the limit-
be either saturated, monounsaturated, or straight, or you can make salad dressing ing delta-6-desaturase step by supplying
polyunsaturated. Saturated fats are found out of it. You can find cold pressed oils at GLA directly. Each 500 mg EPO capsule
in animal fat and some vegetable sources, good health food stores. Most bodybuild- provides 45 mg GLA and 365 mg linoleic
and are the kind most prone to be convert- ers eat fish regularly, and fish are a great acid, so it’s almost pure EFAs.
ed to cholesterol and clog up your arteries. source of omega-3’s. If you don’t like fish, How do I take EPO? Take from two
There is no requirement for saturated fats omega-3 capsules are available at health to six capsules a day with meals. What do I
in the diet and it’s best to limit these as food stores. When you buy EFA supple- look for? You may notice an improvement
much as possible. As you can tell from the ments don’t shop for bargains, shop for in the appearance of your skin, especially
name, monounsaturated fats contain one the best. EFAs are delicate molecules and if you were deficient in linoleic acid or if
double bond. These fats are not essential are easily damaged during preparation. your level of delta-6-desaturase is low. It’s
in the diet, but do not contribute to heart There is a difference in quality and purity kind of like taking vitamins. A vitamin de-
disease. The best source of monounsatu- between brands. ficiency produces a characteristic disease
rated fat is olive oil. Have you ever won- There’s nothing wrong with using the state which is reversed when the deficien-
dered why the Mediterranean diet does not cold-pressed oils mentioned above as a cy is corrected. However, if you already
cause heart disease even though it contains source of EFAs, but it’s not the ultimate have adequate vitamin levels then taking
as much fat as the American diet? The fat way to go. I’ll explain why. First, these extra doesn’t really make any difference.
in the Mediterranean diet is supplied as vegetable oils are not pure EFAs, but (The exception may be the anti-oxidants,
olive oil, which does not promote heart merely contain EFAs along with a bunch vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin E,
disease. The American diet is much higher of other fat (and calories) you don’t neces- where there is some evidence that taking
in saturated fat (from meat, butter, and sarily want. a table of fatty acid composi- more than the minimum amount required
eggs). Keep in mind that while olive oil tion of various oils is included for your to prevent a deficiency state may actually
confer additional benefits.) If you are bor- Prostaglandins are a family of hor- bonds and are derived from C20:3 (an
derline deficient in EFAs and have some mones whose levels are determined by diet omega-6 fatty acid). Class 2 prostaglan-
minor skin problems, then taking EPO (3). Prostaglandins have potent functions dins (PG2) contain four double bonds and
will probably help. If you consistently in regulating blood pressure, inflamma- arise from C20:4 (also an omega-6 fatty
follow a low fat diet (10% of calories tion, and platelet aggregation (blood clot- acid). Class 3 prostaglandins (PG3) are
from fat or less), if you are very lean, or ting). The levels of various prostaglandins made from C20:5 (an omega-3 fatty acid)
if you have minor skin problems EPO is are deterAined by the balance of essential and contain five double bonds.
definitely worth a try. At the very least it fatty acids in the diet and by the balance There are many different prostaglan-
will ensure you don’t develop an omega- of insulin to glucagon (which is in turn dins which exert a variety of effects. The
6 deficiency while following a very low determined by the ratio of carbohydrate most predominant and best characterized
fat diet. The people who claim that EFAs to protein in the diet). The sensitivity of of the class 1 prostaglandins is PGE1. It is
may be the “missing link” you’re looking prostaglandin levels to essential fatty acid a very potent vasodialator and it increases
for to pack on more muscle are probably consumption is a result of substrate level cAMP levels. Thus it has the effect of
exaggerating in most cases. My philoso- regulation, while the enzymes involved in lowering blood pressure and increasing
phy is that the role of supplements is to prostaglandin production may be activated free fatty acids (EFA). This means it pro-
increase cellular nutrient levels beyond or repressed insulin and glucagon. motes release of fatty acids from body fat
what can be obtained from a healthy diet Prostaglandins, prostacyclines, throm- stores, thus increasing use of stored body
of regular foods. Food will always be the boxanes, and leukotrienes form a class fat as energy. It also possesses anti-inflam-
cornerstone of sound nutrition - don’t lose of hormones collectively known as eico- matory properties. Class 2 prostaglandins
sight of the importance of your diet. The sanoids, derived from unsaturated C20 are derived from arachidonic acid (C20:4)
only supplements I know of that can re- fatty acids (C20 describes a fatty acid mol- and are the most abundant class of prosta-
ally affect your body composition beyond ecule 20 carbon atoms in length). Prosta- glandins. Some PG2’s act as vasodialators
what can be obtained from regular foods glandins are made in all tissues of the body while some are vasoconstrictors. A vaso-
are CapTri and Creatine. and experience very high turnover, which dialator increases the size of blood vessels
Are there any toxic effects from tak- means they are rapidly made and subse- thus reducing blood pressure, while a va-
ing too much EPO? No, EPO is com- quently destroyed. Prostaglandins have soconstrictor makes blood vessels smaller
pletely nontoxic. There are some potential potent effects in regulating blood pressure, and increases blood pressure. Many class
side effects, which include headaches and inflammation, smooth muscle contraction, 2 prostaglandins promote inflammation.
(paradoxically) your skin breaking out and erythrocyte (red blood cell) deform- Class 3 prostaglandins generally have less
(pimples). These are a result of the effects ability. Prostaglandins are cyclopentanoic potent effects than classes 1 and 2, so will
of the class 2 prostaglandins which are acids which differ from one another in the not be emphasized in this discussion.
made from arachidonic acid, a metabolite structure of the substituted cyclopentane Arachidonic acid (AA) serves as
of GLA. These effects are completely ring (1,3). Prostaglandins fall into three the precursor for class 2 prostaglandins.
blocked by aspirin, which stops the con- general categories based on the number of While necessary for life, this family of
version of arachidonic acid into prosta- double bonds they contain, which in turn prostaglandins produces undesirable ef-
glandins. If you should notice these prob- is a consequence of the degree of desatu- fects when overproduced. These include
lems, simply take two aspirin and decrease ration of their parent fatty acids. Class 1 an increase in blood pressure and inflam-
the number of capsules you take. prostaglandins (PG1) contain three double mation. Once arachidonic acid is formed,
That’s about all the practical “how it is difficult (if not impossible) to control
to” information you need to incorporate
EFAs into your diet. The Parrillo EPO
supplement was developed specifically
Prostaglandins have potent functions in
to provide a concentrated source of EFAs regulating blood pressure, inflammation, and
so you don’t have to eat a tablespoon of platelet aggregation (blood clotting). The lev-
oil every day. By supplying GLA directly
we also bypass the rate limiting step in
els of various prostaglandins are deterAined
the metabolism of omega-6 fatty acids, by the balance of essential fatty acids in the
meaning you need to take even less to get diet and by the balance of insulin to glucagon
the same effect. The rest of this month’s
article will center around a discussion of
(which is in turn determined by the ratio of
prostaglandins and other hormones pro- carbohydrate to protein in the diet).
duced from EFAs.
the balance of vasodialators and vasocon- As mentioned, PGE1 is a potent vaso- diet may be at risk for developing essential
strictors which will be produced from it. dialator and thus reduces blood pressure. fatty acid deficiencies.
PGE1, on the other hand, has the effect PGE1 also activates adenylate cyclase Parrillo EPO is a high-tech EFA sup-
of lowering blood pressure and has no and thus acts to mobilize fat stores. Ad- plement designed to provide EFAs with-
undesirable side effects. The strategy of enylate cyclase makes the intermdediate out excess non-essential fats. It provides a
the Parrillo diet is to provide the fatty acid cyclic AMP, or cAMP, which stimulates way for bodybuilders and other athletes to
precursors which will allow some arachi- use of fat for energy. This is the same optimize their EFA metabolism while still
donic acid (and thus PG2’s) to be formed, way the hormone adrenaline (epinephrine) maintaining a low fat diet. Parrillo EPO
but to tip the balance in favor of PGE1. As and drugs like ephedrine, caffeine, and - another tool to help you optimize your
with all matters of homeostasis, balance is clenbuterol mediate their fat-burning ef- nutrition.
the key. By favoring production of PGE1 fect. PGE1 decreases blood viscosity by
desirable results can be achieved in terms increasing erythrocytes (red blood cells) References
of lowering blood pressure and reducing deformability. PGE1 reduces platelet ag-
inflammation. gregation (blood clotting). These all con- 1. Paige DM. Clinical Nutrition. C.V.
The ultimate precursor for both class fer a protective effect against coronary ar- Mosby Company, St. Louis, 1988.
1 and 2 prostaglandins is the omega-6 tery disease. In addition, PGE1 stimulates
fatty acid linoleic acid. This is converted growth hormone release, which in turn 2. Shils ME, Olson JA, and Shike M.
to gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) by delta- promotes use of fat for energy and parti- Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease.
6-desaturase. Since many individuals lack tions nutrients into the lean compartment Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia, 1994.
optimum levels of this enzyme (delta-6- (4-7). Among the class 2 prostaglandins,
desaturase activity decreases with age), some are vasodialators and some are vaso- 3. Linder MC. Nutritional Biochem-
it may be prudent to supplement the diet constrictors. Many promote inflammation istry and Metabolism with Clinical Ap-
with GLA directly (from Evening Prim- and have an immunosuppressive effect. plications. Elsevier Science Publishing
rose Oil). Optimal doses probably range Since it is impractical to direct the synthe- Company, New York, 1991.
from 30-120 mg GLA/day. GLA is then sis of “good” class 2 prostaglandins and
converted to dihomo-gamma-linolenic repress the “bad” ones, the strategy of the 4. Hertelendy F, Todd H, Ehrhart K,
acid (DGLA) by an enzyme called elon- Parrillo diet (high protein, moderate carbs) and Blute R. Studies on growth hormone
gase. DGLA serves as the direct precursor involves simply limiting arachidonic acid secretion IV. In vivo effects of prostaglan-
of PGE1. Alternatively, DGLA may un- synthesis. By increasing the balance of din E1. Prostaglandins 2: 79-91, 1972.
dergo conversion to arachidonic Acid by class 1 to class 2 prostaglandins, beneficial
delta-5-desaturase. Conversion of DGLA effects can be achieved while avoiding 5. Hertelendy F and Keay L. Studies
to PGE1 and arachidonic acid to PG2 is the undesirable effects of excess class 2 on growth hormone secretion VI. Effects
catalyzed by the enzyme cyclooxygenase, prostaglandins. of dibutyrl cyclic AMP, prostaglandin E1,
the target of aspirin and other nonsteroi- Glucagon promotes use of fat for and indomethacin on growth and hormone
dal anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs energy and generation of PGE1, while secretion by rat pituitary tumor cells in
work by acetylating (and inactivating) cy- inhibiting synthesis of series 2 prostaglan- culture. Prostaglandins 6: 217-225, 1974.
clooxygenase, limiting the production of dins. The balance of essential fatty acids in 6. McKeown BA, John TM, and
class 2 prostaglandins. This is how aspirin the diet (ratio omega-3 to omega-6) influ- George, JC. The effect of prostaglandin
and Motrin work to relieve headaches and ences the balance of prostaglandins pro- E1 on plasma growth hormone, free fatty
muscle soreness. duced. Omega-3 fatty acids provide EPA acids and glucose levels in the pigeon.
The delta-5-desaturase activity is which also inhibits delta-5-desaturase. By Prostaglandins 8: 303-314, 1974.
stimulated by insulin and repressed by glu- consuming a high protein, moderate car-
cagon and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, an bohydrate diet you can control the ratio 7. Dray F, Kouznetzova B, Harris B,
omega-3 fatty acid in fish oil). The proper of insulin to glucagon so as to favor the and Brazeau P. Role of prostaglandins on
balance of insulin to glucagon (controlled production of PGE1 while limiting excess growth hormone secretion. Adv. Prosta-
in response to the ratio of carbs to pro- formation of class 2 prostaglandins. glandin and Thromboxane Res. 8: 1321,
tein in the diet) will thus serve to inhibit I warned you, the metabolism of 1980.
arachidonic acid synthesis. Furthermore, EFAs is very complicated. I’ve just cov-
consumption of EPA also limits AA pro- ered some of the basics. All you need to
duction. The effects of omega-3 fatty remember is that EFAs are required for
acids (fish oil) in reducing blood pressure, your body to make some very important
increasing erythrocyte deformability, and hormones which are involved in con-
reducing platelet aggregation are probably trolling blood pressure, blood clotting,
mediated by their suppressive effect on inflammation, and fat metabolism, among
arachidonic acid synthesis. other things. People following a low fat
Gain Muscle & Lose Fat: Breakthrough News For CapTri® Users
by John Parrillo
If there were a nutritional supplement that retention, meaning that more of the protein lets you have the muscle-building action of
could dramatically—and naturally—ele- you eat is turned into metabolically ac- GH and insulin, without suffering the fat-
vate your levels of growth, would you want tive muscle tissue instead of being broken building activity that usually accompanies
to take it? down and excreted as waste products in the insulin.
You bet you would! So hold onto your hat, urine. In effect, GH switches on the cellu- The practice of using food and nutritional
we’ve got some exciting news that may lar machinery that makes muscle proteins. supplements like CapTri to manipulate
change the way you think about your diet At the same time, it shuts down the use of body hormones, called “dietary endocrinol-
and the kinds of supplements you use. glucose for energy, helping to spare muscle ogy,” was developed by Dr. Barry Sears.
Researchers in Spain have released a study glycogen stores. GH literally shifts the Dietary endocrinology asserts that food,
proving that dietary manipulation with body from a carbohydrate-burning mode when properly used, can be as powerful as
special lipids, like CapTri, can cause more into the fat-burning mode. By sparing mus- drugs in controlling the body. In fact, Dr.
than a 900 percent increase in growth hor- cle glycogen, GH helps yield more energy Sears is conducting research using foods
mone levels—a peak that is reached two for muscle-building workouts. as replacement for drugs in treatment of
hours after ingestion and is maintained for What’s more, GH promotes fat burning. life-threatening illnesses such as diabetes
over three hours (1). This powerful hormone stimulates “lipoly- and cardiovascular disease (2).
Just think: If you’re eating every two or Along parallel lines, Parrillo Performance
three hours like you should be on the Par- is researching the use of foods to substitute
rillo Nutrition Program and supplementing for drugs in bodybuilding and other sports.
with CapTri®, you can keep your growth The results on both fronts have been im-
hormone levels naturally elevated each pressive, particularly the results achieved
day. when CapTri is added to one’s diet. Frank-
So that’s why CapTri®, a powerful me- ly, I believe that during the next century,
dium chain triglyceride oil formulated by the science of dietary endocrinology with
Parrillo Performance, works so well when revolutionize the fields of medicine and
used in conjunction with proper nutrition. athletics.
But you’re probably saying, “Hold on, isn’t In truth, though, this is happening today.
CapTri a supplement for adding calories to I see it with the people following the our
your diet or replacing a portion of carbohy- program. How then can you fast-forward
drates when dieting?” yourself into the next century of nutrition,
Yes, you’re right, but there’s even a bigger today?
picture to look at when using CapTri as First, understand that the flow of dietary
part of your nutrition program. energy to either fat stores or muscle is
There is evidence that by combining the controlled by hormones. So is the rate of
right foods and supplements you can actu- fat burning. Thanks to research, we already
ally manipulate the body’s hormones. This know that the hormones of greatest im-
is called “Dietary Endocrinology” and it’s portance to bodybuilders and athletes can
an area we’ve been working in for years. be largely controlled by diet or exercise.
But now there’s research to prove that this Proper diet and exercise can alter the lev-
method of regulating the hormones does sis,” which is the breakdown of body fat els of key hormones in your bloodstream,
work and is being used in he field of medi- stores. Fat is released from storage tissues and these hormones act as the triggers for
cine as well. into the bloodstream and is then taken up muscle growth and fat loss.
So let’s find out more about how CapTri® by the cells and burned for energy. The three most important hormones con-
can help increase your body’s ability to Also, the researchers found that the special trolled muscle growth and fat loss are in-
regulate it’s own hormones. So let’s start lipids did not increase blood glucose lev- sulin, glucagon and GH. All are responsive
with growth hormone. els, so there’s no danger of a hypoglycemic to diet, and of particular importance is GH
In case you’re not familiar with the physi- reaction. Translated to real-world nutrition, because of its unique ability to stimulate
ological benefits of increasing GH levels, here’s what that means to you: By combin- muscle growth and fat loss at the same
let’s review them. Growth hormone acts to ing CapTri with slow-release, high-fiber time.
channel the protein portion of your meals carbohydrates as recommended in the Par- You’ve just seen how GH works its magic.
to muscle tissue for growth and repair of rillo Nutrition Program, you should be able But what about insulin and glucagon?
tissues. It does this by increasing nitrogen to an increase in insulin with very little Where do they fit into the picture?
increase in blood glucose. In theory, this At the cellular level, insulin binds to the
Gain Muscle & Lose Fat: Breakthrough News For CapTri® Users
glucose transporter present on cell mem- numbers we use in our Nutrition Manual, be stored as body fat, in marked contrast to
branes so that glucose can be ferried into which contains detailed instructions on other fats and oils (6).
cells to be burned as fuel or stored as gly- how to adjust this ratio to meet your indi- Add those beneficial actions to the ability
cogen. Insulin also does two other things: vidual needs. of CapTri to elevate GH levels, and you’ve
It drives amino acids into cells and stimu- An important difference, however, is that got a very potent supplement. CapTri and
lates protein synthesis—both powerful and we have found a tremendous increase in fat the Parrillo Performance Nutrition Program
anabolic actions (3). loss when CapTri® is used in place of reg- are like a metabolic switch, that, when
Insulin, however, is a double-edged sword ular oils and fats. CapTri simply works dif- flipped on, lets you turn on muscle growth
because it acts to increase fat synthesis and ferently than conventional fats. It is burned and fat-burning at the same time. Let’s face
fat storage (3). Fortunately, this fat-stor- very rapidly, more like a carbohydrate than it, if foods and nutritional supplements like
ing activity of insulin is kept in check by a fat. Conventional fats go through a com- CapTri can exert such a powerful effect
glucagon. The primary action of glucagon plicated metabolic pathway, requiring in- on the body, then who needs drugs? Di-
is to trigger the breakdown of fat and corporation into protein substances called etary endocrinology is the future of sports
glycogen for energy. The key is to keep chylomicrons which transport through the nutrition, and the future is here at Parrillo
insulin and glucagon in proper balance to lymphatic system. Furthermore, before Performance.
get the muscle-building effect of
insulin and the fat-burning effect of References
glucagon.
As it turns out, the ratio of insulin to 1. Valls E, Herrera F, Diaz M, Barreiro
glucagon is a consequence of the ra- P, and Valls A. Modification in plasmat-
tio of carbohydrate to protein in the ic insulin and growth hormone induced
diet (2,4). Furthermore, additional by medium chain triglycerides. Span.
research has shown that the insulin Ana. Ped. 11: 675-682, 1978.
to glucagon ratio is a major deter-
minant of the set point—the amount 2. Sears, B. Essential fatty acids and
of fat your body is programmed dietary endocrinology: A hypothesis
to carry (5). Too much insulin will for cardiovascular treatment. Journal of
make you fat, while more glucagon Advancement in Medicine. 6: 211-224,
will make you lean, all on the same 1993.
number of calories (5). In simple
terms, this means that not only the 3. Guyton AC. Textbook of Medical
number of calories, but the type of Physiology. W.B. Saunders, 1991.
calories, will determine whether you
get fat or lean. 4. Westphal SA, Gannon MC, Nuttall
Precise dietary control of insulin and glu- conventional fat can be burned as fuel, it FQ. Metabolic response to glucose ingest-
cagon through manipulation of the carbo- must be carried into the mitochondria (cel- ed with various amounts of protein. Am. J.
hydrate and protein ratios, plus the use of lular furnaces) by a special transport sys- of Clin. Nutr. 52: 267-272, 1990.
CapTri, is no doubt why people have such tem called the carnitine shuttle. This is the
great success on the Parrillo Performance reason why conventional fat is so readily 5. de Castro JM, Paulin SK and DeLugas
Nutrition Program. Often I see people eat- stored as body fat: the carnitine shuttle is GM. Insulin and glucagon as determinants
ing more calories on our diet than they diet not activated as long as carbohydrates are of body weight set point and microregula-
before, yet they’re still losing fat at a rapid available for use as energy. You basically tion in rats. J. Comp. Physiol. Physcol. 92:
rate. Our program is structured to cause have to use up all your blood sugar before 571-579, 1978.
a hormonal response in your body that fat-burning will proceed at a significant
turns on the muscle-building and fat-burn- rate. 6. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Medium
ing metabolic pathways. Dietary energy is CapTri, on the other hand, has a specially chain triglycerides: an update. Am. J. Clin
thus channeled toward muscle-building, designed molecular structure that lets it by- Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
while causing the body to use stored fat pass these steps that limit the burning rate
for energy. of regular fats. CapTri is absorbed directly
Besides protein and carbohydrate, your into the bloodstream as rapidly as glucose,
other major source of calories is fat. Dr. without going through the lymphatic sys-
Sears, in his work in dietary endocrinology tem (6). Even more impressive, CapTri
recommends a ratio of 30 percent protein, directly enters the mitochondria and is
40 percent carbohydrate and 30 percent immediately burned as fuel, not needing
fat (as energy) for optimal muscle growth to ride through on the carnitine shuttle (6).
and fat loss. These are essentially the same Finally, CapTri has virtually no tendency to
Fructose: The Ideal Carbohydrate Source For Gaining Fat

by John Parrillo
I still get a lot of questions about fructose, ways of metabolism, but by actually doing program remains exactly the same. The
the sugar that occurs naturally in fruit. Re- nutritional experiments with real body- only change is the type of carbohydrate
cently I saw an article advertising a supple- builders. Rather than being some theory supplying 300 of the calories: rice has
ment bar based on fructose, explaining out of a book, this is an experimental fact. been replaced with bananas. You expect
why this low glycemic index carb is great For a long time I didn’t understand it - I his body weight and percent body fat to
for bodybuilders. I decided it was time to just knew from our work in the gym that remain the same, right? To every one’s
revisit this issue and try to set certain foods made bodybuilders surprise, the bodybuilder starts to gain fat.
the record straight. I hate get in better shape while other We let this go on for a couple of weeks and
to see people be mis- foods made them get the athlete continues to gain fat. Now we
led and work hard fat. The experiment pull the bananas out of the diet and put the
in the gym just goes like this: As a rice back in - i.e., go back to the original
to have their re- bodybuilder gets diet. Guess what? He loses the fat. Amaz-
sults ruined by close to a contest, ing, but true.
eating the wrong his body fat level
thing. gets very low - We’ve done countless experiments like
maybe 4-5% for a this with just about every food imaginable.
The problem is male and 8-9% for That’s how we came up with our diet - by
simple: fructose a female. At this finding what really works. The Parrillo
is converted to fat point his skin is Performance Nutrition Manual tells you
in the liver. That’s paper thin (in the hu- which foods work to build a lean, muscu-
really all there is man most fat is stored lar physique, and which foods don’t. The
to it. Some people just under the skin). You competitive bodybuilder is our laboratory.
point to the fact the fruc- can see the striations of The same diet developed to hone champion
tose has a low glycemic index (which it his muscles clearly through his skin. As bodybuilders works equally well for any-
does) and that it generates a small insulin you can imagine, any little change at this one seeking to lose fat and gain muscle. So
response, suggesting that this makes it point really shows up. This is why I like far, no one who has given our program a
a good carbohydrate source for athletes. to use competitive bodybuilders for the sincere effort has said that it did not work
The reason fructose has a low glycemic most demanding nutritional experiments for them. Granted, some specific parame-
index is because a large proportion of it - they are a very sensitive indicator of ters have to be adjusted to optimize the pro-
is released from the liver as fat instead of what works and what doesn’t. With the gram for your individual metabolism. We
carbohydrate. athlete in contest shape, we measure his tell you how to do that too. The optimum
body weight and percent body fat every number of calories and the optimum ratio
Can you eat some fruit now and then and couple of days. We weigh his food and of protein to carbohydrate varies among
still have a good physique? Sure you can. calculate how many calories he is consum- individuals. For example, some people,
But the athetes I work with want THE ing, and break it down into calories from especially ones who have trouble losing
BEST RESULTS POSSIBLE. Professional protein, carbohydrate, and fat. If his weight fat, do better with more protein and less
bodybuilders don’t want good physiques doesn’t change, this means caloric intake carbohydrate. People who have suffered
- they want perfect physiques. Of course, exactly balances caloric expenditure, so repeated bouts of yo-yo dieting have lost a
fruit is generally a healthy food - high in we have a direct measurement of his total lot of muscle mass and consequently have
fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and low in daily energy expenditure. Everything is a slow metabolic rate. They may actually
fat. But try to think of fruit as nature’s measured and controlled, and nothing is need to increase calories and put on some
candy, because that’s exactly what it is. left to chance. muscle before they have built enough
If your goal is to build a lean and muscu- metabolic machinery to burn fat.
lar physique, then you don’t want to eat Okay, here’s the deal: Let’s say we remove
candy. Sugar and fat are natural, but that 300 calories worth of complex carbohy- Well, back to the fruit story. Why does it
doesn’t mean they’ll make you lean and drates from his diet in form of brown rice, make any difference what kind of food
muscular. and replace it with 300 calories worth of you eat? For a given number of calories it
fruit. His total caloric intake remains the seems like it shouldn’t matter what foods
I originally learned that fruit makes you same, as does his percent of calories from they come from. This is one of the most
fat not by reviewing the biochemical path- protein, carbohydrate, and fat. His training common mistakes people make when
Frutose: The Ideal Carbohydrate Source For Gaining Fat
trying to lose fat. They think that if they way, and this energy loss contributes to ning. Fructose is absorbed from the small
reduce calories they will automatically the generation of body heat. Most of the intestine and transported to the liver by
lose weight. This is true, but only for a dietary energy is used to maintain the the portal vein. You have to realize that
little while. And if you lose weight by basal metabolic rate (BMR) - the energy fructose itself is not released from the liver
drastically reducing calories, about 50% cost of keeping your body alive. Some of into the bloodstream to reach the rest of
of the weight lost will be muscle. What the energy is used to perform work, like the body. Any carbohydrate source you
people fail to realize is that the types of exercise and just tending to the activities ingest is first converted to glucose by the
foods you eat is just as important as how of daily life. After that, any energy left is liver, and glucose (“blood sugar”) is the
many calories you consume. If cutting stored as glycogen in muscles and in the carbohydrate source used by muscles and
calories was the answer, then those low liver. If you consume too many calories the form of carbohydrate which is con-
calorie weight loss drinks would work, from carbohydrate, after glycogen stores verted into glycogen. The first enzyme to
but they don’t. are full the rest will be converted to fat act on fructose is fructokinase, which adds
(triglycerides) in the liver, and transported a phosphate group to the sugar to form
The key point is that different foods have by the blood to fat cells (adipose tissue) fructose-1-phosphate (F1P). Glucose is
different chemical compositions and for storage.
therefore have different effects inside your
body. Of course, all food is fuel, but what So after glycogen stores are
type of fuel it is matters a lot. Try putting full, excess calories from any
kerosene in your car sometime and see how type of carbohydrate can be
it runs. For any machine to run optimally, converted to fat. The enzyme
including the human body, it requires the that regulates whether dietary
right kind of fuel. energy supplied by carbohy-
drate is stored as glycogen or
The problem with fruit is that virtually all fat is PFK-I. It shuttles carbs
of the calories it supplies come in the form into glycogen stores until
of simple sugars. The most abundant sugar they’re full, then it switches
in fruit is fructose (commonly known as the flow of carbohydrates
fruit sugar), although some fruits (oranges from glycogen synthesis to
and grapes for example) also contain a lot fat synthesis. Glycogen is the
of glucose. The problem with fructose is storage form of carbohydrate
that it bypasses the enzyme phosphofruc- in animals, and the amount
tokinase-I (PFK-I), the rate limiting step of glycogen you can store is
of glycolysis, the pathway responsible for quite limited. The upper limit
the conversion of carbohydrate into en- is generally believed to be
ergy (1). In other words fructose bypasses 250-400 grams, depending
the control point that decides if a dietary on the amount of skeletal
sugar is going to be stored as glycogen or muscle mass you have. (Very
fat. Complex carbohydrates such as rice, massive bodybuilders may
oatmeal, and potatoes, are preferentially be able to store as much as
stored as glycogen until glycogen stores 600 grams.) This amounts to
are full. Fructose, on the other hand, gets only 1000-1600 calories - not even enough similarly phosphorylated at the 6 position
directly converted to fat in the liver, then energy to fuel your body for one day. The by the enzyme hexokinase, forming G6P.
gets whisked off in the bloodstream to be deal with fructose is that it totally skips All cells have hexokinase, and thus have
stored in fat cells (1). the enzyme PFK-I, which is the regulatory the ability to phosphorylate glucose. This
step responsible for making sure glyco- means that all cells can metabolize glucose
As you know from our previous articles gen stores are full before fat synthesis is for energy. On the other hand, fructoki-
about carbohydrate metabolism and ther- switched on. Instead of being stored as nase is virtually confined to the liver (1).
mogenesis, the dietary energy (calories) glycogen, fructose gets directly converted So while glucose is a general substrate
supplied by carbs is used for several to fat by the liver. Now I think you can see for all body tissues, fructose represents
purposes. Some of it is simply lost as why I have a problem with recommending a carbohydrate load targeted for the liver
heat during its digestion and metabolism fruit for bodybuilders. (1). The next thing that happens is F1P is
in a process we know as diet-induced split by the enzyme aldolase to form glyc-
thermogenesis. You can loosely think of To get a detailed understanding of fructose eraldehyde (GA) and dihydroxyacetone
this as “friction” in the metabolic path- metabolism we should start at the begin- phosphate (DHAP). This means that the
products of fructose metabolism enter the are released into the bloodstream slowly for fat storage, we want to keep insulin
glycolytic pathway at the triose phosphate whereas simple sugars are released very levels fairly low, so by this reasoning it
level (i.e., as three carbon sugars). Glu- rapidly, potentially overwhelming the seems like fructose would be good. The
cose, on the other hand, is phosphorylated glycogen synthesis pathways and “spill- problem is that the REASON fructose has
to yield G6P, which may proceed directly ing over” into fat stores. Furthermore, the a low glycemic index and results in a small
to glycogen synthesis (1). To be broken increased insulin release resulting from insulin release is that it is converted to fat
down for energy glucose must first pass simple sugars causes more of the sugar to in the liver. It doesn’t raise blood sugar
through the rate-limiting PFK-I step. Fruc- be converted to fat. very much because it is released from the
tose metabolites enter below this step, and liver as fat instead of sugar. Fructose has
thus bypass an important point of regula- This is why Parrillo Performance Pro- a MUCH greater tendency to be converted
tion. Fructose therefore is more prone to Carb™ is based on Low DE maltodextrin to fat than other carbohydrate sources,
be converted to fat, while glucose is more instead of sugar, like most other carbohy- so why use it? Now you understand the
prone to be converted to glycogen. drate supplements. Maltodextrin is a me- biochemistry behind my controversial
dium-chain glucose polymer. It has been stance on fruit.
The biochemistry is much more complex found that maltodextrin is 15% more ef-
than is appropriate for this article, but I ficient at restoring muscle glycogen levels Now I’d like to go into a little more detail
have pointed out the salient features of the than conventional carbohydrate foods like about carbohydrate metabolism and gly-
pathway to explain why glucose-based car- rice and pasta (4). This makes ProCarb™ cogen storage. After exercise is completed
bohydrate sources are better than fructose, ideal for glycogen supercompensation dietary carbohydrate is directed toward
especially for people trying to minimize (carb loading). Maltodextrin beverages restoring muscle and liver glycogen and
body fat stores. Scientific studies have like Pro-Carb™ have also been demon- returning blood glucose to normal levels.
proven that starch (glucose polymer) is Dietary starches and sugars are digested
much more efficient at replenishing skel- to simple sugars (glucose and fructose)
etal muscle glycogen stores than fructose which are then available for glycogen
(2). Now you understand why — muscle formation (2). Until recently it was be-
cells don’t have the enzyme needed to lieved that glycogen was made just from
phosphorylate fructose, so its metabolism glucose extracted from the blood by the
is essentially limited to the liver. liver and muscle, but the actual dynamics
of glycogen restitution turn out to be much
When we were designing the Parrillo more complicated. In fact, glucose serves
Performance Bar, we surveyed every primarily to replenish muscle glycogen
available sports supplement bar we could stores, while the liver is more versatile in
find. We found that 25 out of the 26 bars its choice of substrates (building blocks)
had fructose in either the first or second for glycogen synthesis. The liver is able
ingredient. (If you use somebody else’s to make glycogen from fructose, lactate,
bar, go read the label.) Why? Because glycerol, alanine, and other three-carbon
corn syrup and fruit juice (good sources metabolites (2). Amazingly, most glucose
of fructose) are real cheap, and they’re absorbed from the gut actually travels
also very sweet. We pioneered the use of through the liver without being absorbed
a new carbohydrate source in the Parrillo and preferentially is used to replenish
Bar called rice dextrin. It’s a short-chain muscle glycogen stores (2). This is cut-
glucose polymer made from rice. This strated to increase blood glucose levels ting edge stuff, folks, that you probably
gives you the quick energy you want from during exercise and to increase exercise won’t hear anywhere else. I don’t know
a sports bar, but without the fructose. time to exhaustion (4,5). of anyone besides Parrillo Performance
Each Bar also contains CapTri® (which who researches nutritional biochemistry
is legendary by now) and an ultra-high At this point, I think I can anticipate a ques- and metabolism at this level of molecular
efficiency protein source. tion from the biochemists in the crowd. detail to instruct bodybuilders on exact
You’ve probably heard that fructose is techniques to control the flow of energy
As we discussed in an earlier article low on the glycemic index, which means and nutrients through the metabolic path-
about carbohydrate metabolism, complex it raises blood sugar very slowly and elicits ways. Who else teaches you how to control
carbohydrates (such as starch and malto- only a small insulin response. From your the metabolic pathways to optimize body-
dextrin) are more effective in replenishing reading of our series on endocrinology, you building results?
glycogen stores than simple sugars (3). know that a slow, steady insulin response
This makes sense because complex carbs is good. Since insulin is a potent stimulus Anyway, what happens is this: After
exercise liver and muscle glycogen as a switch to decide if a sugar gets stored fat without ever filling muscle glycogen
(carbohydrate) stores are depleted. The as glycogen or converted to fat. Fructose stores. This scenario is a carbohydrate
liver is a very versatile metabolic engine completely bypasses this enzyme and is nightmare. Fructose is the worst carb
and is able to recover its glycogen stores readily converted to fat by the liver. This source for bodybuilders you can imagine.
from many different sources, including is why ordinary table sugar increases If you wanted to design a supplement to
lactate, fructose, glucose, and amino acid blood triglyceride levels and makes you ruin a bodybuilder’s physique, it would be
metabolites. Muscle tissue, on the other fat. Table sugar is a disaccharide known as a fructose-based energy bar. Unfortunately,
hand, has a specialized function (contrac- sucrose, and is made from one molecule the vast majority of the bars out there rely
tion) and doesn’t have all of the various of glucose connected to one molecule of on fructose as their major carb source,
enzymes the liver does which allow the fructose. Recent thought on carbohydrate because it’s cheap and tastes sweet.
liver to inter-convert so many different metabolism suggests that it is the fructose
metabolic intermediates. Muscle tissue portion of sucrose that is responsible for In summary, fructose does three things: a
relies on glucose to recover its glycogen making sweets so fattening. large portion of it is converted directly to
store, so the liver is kind enough to let the fat by the liver, it preferentially fills liver
glucose pass on through so it can be deliv- So a large portion of the fructose simply glycogen stores so that even good carbs
ered to muscle. The liver makes due with gets converted directly to fat and released are more prone to spill over into fat, and
other carbon compounds which muscle is into the bloodstream. Bam. You get a dose it cannot be used by muscle to recover
unable to use. What does this mean for us of fat. But the damage doesn’t stop there. glycogen. Calorie for calorie, the only
bodybuilders? Think about it - the answer The rest of the fructose gets converted nutrient that will make you fatter than
is right in front of you. into liver glycogen. That sounds okay, fructose is fat itself. Besides that, I don’t
until you stop to think about it. You see, have a problem with it.
What this means is if you feed your body once liver glycogen stores are full the
glucose - the form of carbohydrate in liver says, “We’ve got all the glycogen Glucose then has some special metabolic
starch, Pro-Carb™ , and the Parrillo Bar™ we can hold, so any more carbs coming properties that you can use to your ad-
- the carbohydrate will be directed to your in here we’ll just convert to fat.” Fructose vantage. Exercise induces muscle to be
muscles and stored there as glycogen. Di- preferentially repletes liver glycogen more sensitive to the effects of insulin, so
etary carbohydrate in the form of glucose instead of muscle glycogen (2) and shifts blood glucose is shuttled preferentially to
will be directed to your muscles until mus- the liver into fat-storing mode. This is ex- glycogen-depleted muscle (2). Interest-
cle glycogen stores are full. This will make actly what we don’t want. We need some ingly, and fortunately for the bodybuilder,
your muscle full, hard, and pumped. Also, liver glycogen, to be sure, because this is high blood glucose and insulin levels do
this will give you more energy and strength what keeps blood sugar levels steady. But relatively little to stimulate hepatic (liver)
during your workouts, since muscles rely when liver glycogen stores are full, this glycogenesis (glycogen production). In-
on their internal glycogen stores as fuel for is when dietary carbs start to “spill over” stead, most glucose passes on through the
anaerobic exercise. After muscle glycogen into fat stores. liver and is extracted by skeletal muscle.
stores are full additional glucose will be This means that if you supply your body
used to restore liver glycogen. Only after The third problem is that fructose cannot be with carbohydrate in the form of glucose
both muscle and liver glycogen stores are used to replenish muscle glycogen, so on post-exercise that the calories will be pref-
fully repleted will further excess glucose a high fructose diet liver glycogen stores erentially stored as muscle glycogen. An
be converted to fat. (Studies have shown are filled and we start converting carbs into excellent recovery trick is to eat a Parrillo
that overfeeding as much as a 500 gram
carbohydrate load leads to practically no
fat synthesis, because the carbs are stored In the liver, two things can happen with fructose. First,
as glycogen.) The story with fructose is fructose can be absorbed by the liver cells, converted
very different, indeed. Muscle does not
have the enzymatic machinery needed to
to glucose, and then stored as glycogen. Second, the
convert fructose into glycogen, so fructose fructose can be converted to fat. You remember what
represents a dietary carbohydrate load I said earlier about the enzyme PFK-I. This is the “rate
targeted for the liver (1,2). In the liver,
two things can happen with fructose. First, limiting” enzyme that operates as a switch to decide
fructose can be absorbed by the liver cells, if a sugar gets stored as glycogen or converted to fat.
converted to glucose, and then stored as Fructose completely bypasses this enzyme and is read-
glycogen. Second, the fructose can be
converted to fat. You remember what I ily converted to fat by the liver.
said earlier about the enzyme PFK-I. This
is the “rate limiting” enzyme that operates
Bar™ or a scoop of Pro-Carb™ right as the primary fuel source. You also know between winning and losing. Now you
after your workout. These are essentially that muscles fully loaded with glycogen know how to control the traffic of carbo-
“free” calories which you know will end are bigger, harder, and stronger. What hydrates through the metabolic pathways
up in muscle and not be converted to fat. can you do to target dietary carbohydrate of your body and direct carbs to muscle
If you eat a fructose-based supplement to muscle? Use complex carbohydrates while minimizing their conversion to fat.
bar, however, the calories just stay in your made from glucose polymers as your carb You also know when somebody starts tell-
liver and get converted either to liver gly- source. This is the type of carbohydrate ing you how wonderful their fructose bar
cogen or fat. It won’t help recover muscle found in starchy foods (potatoes, rice, is, you’d better put on your hip waders and
glycogen. beans, oatmeal, etc.) and in the Parrillo remember that all those starchy and fibrous
Bar™ and in Pro-Carb™ . Eat a high glucose based carbs you’re supposed to eat
In closing I’d like to talk about the kinet- carbohydrate diet; as many as 60-70% are as high or higher in vitamins, minerals
ics (time course) of glycogen storage. of your calories can come from complex and fiber than fruit.
Glycogen recovery following exercise carbs. Eat a high carbohydrate meal im-
is highly dependent on the carbohydrate mediately after training, when muscles are References
content of the diet, up until 500-600 grams glycogen depleted and are primed to store 1. Shafrir E. Fructose/sucrose metabolism,
of carbohydrate are provided. Above this carbohydrate. A convenient way to do this its physiological and pathological implica-
intake, glycogen synthesizing pathways is to put a Parrillo Bar in your gym bag or tions. Sugars and Sweeteners, Kretchmer
appear to be saturated (2). Interestingly, else a shaker bottle with a serving or two N and Hollenbeck CB, Eds. CRC Press,
not only is the absolute carbohydrate of Pro-Carb™ in it. This is also an ideal 1991, pp. 63-98.
content of the diet important, but the time to consume some protein to provide
type of dietary carbohydrate consumed amino acids to rebuild your muscles. 2. Paige DM. Clinical Nutrition. C.V.
is key also. A study by Costill (reviewed If you’re trying to pack on a few more Mosby Company, St. Louis, 1988, pp.
in reference 2) compared the relative pounds of muscle it may be as simple as 703-704.
efficacies of simple sugars versus com- eating a scoop of Pro-Carb™ plus a scoop
plex carbohydrates in restoring muscle of Hi-Protein Powder™ or 50/50 Plus™ 3. Costill DL, Sherman WM, Fink WJ,
glycogen following exercise. Both were Witten MW, and Miller JM. The role of
drink right after your workout. Do this
equally effective during the first 24 hours dietary carbohydrates in muscle glycogen
for a month and I can virtually guarantee
resynthesis after strenuous running. Am. J.
of glycogen synthesis, but by 48 hours you’ll see a difference. After a workout,
Clin. Nutr. 34: 1831-1836, 1981.
post-exercise the complex carbs resulted these calories will go straight to muscle
in significantly better recover of muscle with virtually no risk of being converted 4. Lamb DR, Snyder AC, and Baur TS.
glycogen stores. Another study looked at to fat. Finally, avoid fructose. Most of the Muscle glycogen loading with a liquid
the effects of different carbohydrate types supplement bars out there (probably 90% carbohydrate supplement. Int. J. Sport
on liver glycogen, and demonstrated that of them at least) use fructose, high fructose Nutr. 1: 52-60, 1991.
fructose is more efficient than glucose at corn syrup, or fruit juice as one of their
replenishing liver glycogen. The question main ingredients. Beware. These products 5. Snyder AC, Lamb DR, Baur T, Connors
is, do you want your carbs to be stored in are not effective in recovery of muscle D, and Brodowicz G. Maltodextrin feeding
muscle or in your liver? glycogen and instead are targeted to the immediately before prolonged cycling at
liver. If you’re looking for a good way to 62% VO2max increases time to exhaustion.
Basically, this means if you rely on simple replenish your fat stores after exercise, Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 15: 126, 1983.
sugars or fructose, within 24 hours your fructose would be an excellent choice.
muscles will have stored as much glycogen 6. Buskirk, ER and Puhl, S. Nutritional
as they can, and any further carbohydrate Parrillo supplements are made the way beverages: exercise and sport. Nutrition in
you consume will be converted to fat. On they are for a reason. We use rice dextrin Exercise and Sport, Hickson JF and Wolin-
the other hand if you use starches (com- in the Parrillo Bar™ and low DE malto- sky I, Eds. CRC Press, 1989.
plex carbs made from glucose polymers) dextrin in Pro-Carb™ . Both are glucose
not only can you achieve higher levels of polymers. Sure, high fructose corn syrup
muscle glycogen storage, but also less of or fruit juice concentrate would be cheaper,
the carbs will be converted to fat. In other but we’ve designed our supplements to
words, if you store more of your dietary be the best, not the cheapest. Our supple-
carbs as muscle glycogen, less will be ments are designed for the professional
available for conversion to fat. Pretty bodybuilder whose career depends on his
neat, huh? (or her) physique. You might be surprised
that a seemingly small difference like us-
You know that weight lifting is an anaero- ing glucose instead of fructose would be
bic exercise that relies on muscle glycogen important, but it can make the difference
Nutrition and Training 101

by John Parrillo
I get more questions about fat loss than the body’s starvation response, which need at each meal. Divide your total daily
any other single topic because every- actually promotes fat retention. Later I’ll requirements roughly evenly over six
one wants a lean, athletic looking body. explain more about how to eat and train small meals.
Whether your goal in bodybuilding is to build your metabolism. Concept #6. How to use sup-
to compete or just to look and feel your Concept #3. What plements to build your
best, control of body fat is a central issue. to eat and what not to eat.
Build your me- metabolism and lose fat.
Over the years the Parrillo Performance Good protein sources are By far the most effective
Nutrition Program has earned a reputa- skinless chicken breast, tabolism. This supplement in the world
tion for being the best way to gain muscle skinless turkey breast, egg key Parrillo con- for fat loss is CapTri. Of
and lose fat, simply because it works. whites, and most fish. Use
The concepts of our nutrition program protein powder as needed
cept means that course, to get the results
you want you have to
are used by the vast majority of com- to meet your daily protein through proper use it correctly. CapTri
petitive bodybuilders around the world. requirement, but don’t fall training and has a special molecular
This month I want to explain some basic into the trap of using “meal
concepts about how to structure your diet replacement powders” in
nutrition you structure and follows a
unique metabolic path-
and training program to achieve your place of real food. Good can steadily in- way in the body. CapTri
physique goals. carbohydrate sources are crease muscle is preferentially burned
Concept #1. Food is the founda- oatmeal, rice, beans, pota-
tion of nutrition. A healthy diet of natural, toes, sweet potatoes, corn,
mass, thereby for energy (burned in
preference over regu-
low-fat foods is the best approach to body peas, salad greens, and increasing your lar food) and has virtu-
fat control. You’ll get better results from vegetables. Stay away from metabolic rate ally no tendency to be
eating the right foods than you could ever salt, sugar, and fat. Avoid stored as body fat. To
get from some “meal replacement pow- fruit, dairy products, bread, and fat burning use CapTri to help you
der.” Several supplement makers suggest and pasta. These contain capacity. Meta- lose fat, use it in place
that you should use their product to form simple sugars and refined bolic rate is proof an equivalent number
the core of your nutrition program, and carbohydrates that are easi- of calories from starch.
then add regular food as needed to supply ly converted to fat. Prepare portional to lean For example, at each
the rest of the calories. They’ve reversed your food yourself and take body mass, so meal eat 30 grams less
the roles of foods and supplements. Food it with you in a cooler. the more mus- of starchy carbohydrate
is always more important. The number Concept #4. How such as oatmeal, rice, or
one rule for getting lean is to eat a clean much protein, carbs, and cle you’re car- potato (about 120 calo-
diet of healthy food. fat. One gram of protein per rying the more ries) and add one table-
Concept #2. Build your metabo- pound of body weight per food you have spoon of CapTri instead
lism. This key Parrillo concept means day is a good general rule. (114 calories). CapTri
that through proper training and nutri- Limit dietary fat to 10% of to eat. has a higher thermogen-
tion you can steadily increase muscle calories. The remainder of ic effect than carbs (it
mass, thereby increasing your metabolic calories are derived from increases metabolic rate
rate and fat burning capacity. Metabolic complex carbohydrates. more than carbs) and is
rate is proportional to lean body mass Concept #5. How less prone to be con-
(1,2), so the more muscle you’re carry- to construct your meals. Each meal must verted to fat than carbs (3). This change
ing the more food you have to eat. The be balanced with one protein source, one also lowers the insulin response of the
conventional strategy to lose weight is to or two sources of starchy carbohydrate, meal, which encourages use of body fat
restrict calories. Current medical litera- and one or two fibrous vegetables. For for energy. Advanced Lipotropic For-
ture reports that this approach fails about example, for dinner you could have a mula supplies metabolic cofactors used
90% of the time (1,2). This is because grilled chicken breast, a baked potato, by the liver and muscle to metabolize fat.
during energy restriction as much as half and some steamed broccoli. Adjust the This ensures that all of the biochemical
of the weight lost is muscle. This lowers serving sizes appropriately to generate pathways involved in fat metabolism are
your metabolic rate and sets into play the grams of protein, carbs, and fat you operating at peak efficiency.
Putting it all together: The first fat to 5-10% of calories. An overwhelm- some muscle mass and get your metabo-
order of business is to faithfully follow a ing amount of scientific evidence shows lism going again. You may want to try
clean diet. Set a specific goal, map out a that conventional dietary fat contributes this if you hit a plateau in your fat loss.
plan, and stick to it. Dedication, consis- much more to body fat stores than do What about training for fat loss? That’s
tency, and hard work are the ingredients carbohydrates or protein (1,4,5,6). Some a big topic in itself, but it’s worth briefly
of a champion bodybuilder’s physique. researchers even think that dietary fat mentioning a few key points. You’ll hear
Put more effort into eating the right foods content is just as important as calorie some people say to train heavy to gain
and less thought into worrying about content (if not more important) in caus- muscle but do a lot of reps to lose fat.
supplements. A lot of bodybuilders call ing obesity (7,8). Excess carbohydrate is Basically, that’s wrong. You need to keep
me for advice on high tech supplements stored as glycogen whereas fat consumed training heavy while losing fat. Muscles
and it often turns out they’re not even eat- in excess of energy need is simply stored are very plastic, which means they adapt
ing right. They wonder why they’re not as adipose. Limit any reduction in energy to whatever level of stress is placed on
getting the results they should. Not infre- intake to a maximum of 500 calories them. Muscles hypertrophy (grow) in
quently a young bodybuilder will call me, per day less than your maintenance re- response to a heavy training stimulus.
depressed because he can’t afford a lot of quirement. In other words, don’t ever To get your muscles to grow you have
supplements. If you’re a bodybuilder on cut calories by more than 500 below to constantly push them a little beyond
a budget, don’t worry. You can get tre- what you need to maintain constant body their previous limits. When you take a
mendous results from good old fashioned weight. Any more energy restriction than heavy set to failure, you actually do some
hard training and a solid bodybuilding this tends to result in decreased metabolic damage to the muscle at the cellular and
diet. In fact, I believe a one time invest- rate and muscle loss. If you hit a weight molecular level. This serves as a stimulus
ment in a Parrillo Nutrition Manual will loss plateau, increase calories by about for the inflammation response, which sets
get you better results than all the supple- 300 per day for a week or two. This about to repair the damage. Each time
ments in the world. will stimulate your metabolism and get this happens the muscle builds itself up
If you’re not making good progress in you going again. I have worked with a a little bigger and stronger than it was
attaining your bodybuilding goals, either lot of people who have used repeated before, so the next time it is subjected to
you’re not training right or you’re not bouts of starvation to lose weight. After that stress it won’t get damaged. If you
eating right. It’s that simple. Don’t talk prolonged periods of energy restriction keep using the same weight, pretty soon
to me about genetic limits unless you their metabolic rates are so low they just the muscle will get as big and strong as
already look like Dorian Yates. Don’t be can’t lose any fat. In this case it actually it needs to be to withstand that level of
afraid to make changes in your program works better to increase calories. This stress, and muscle growth will cease.
or to call us with questions. That’s why works by increasing lean body mass and Then it is time to increase the weight,
we’re here. To fine tune your nutrition metabolic rate, and shifts the body from a to force the muscle to grow even big-
program for fat loss, consider increas- fat-hoarding mode to a fat-burning mode. ger. If you eliminate your heavy sets and
ing your protein intake and decreasing It sounds paradoxical, but sometimes the start doing a lot of reps to burn fat, your
your carbohydrate intake. This increases trick to stimulating fat loss is to increase muscles will shrink. You should strive to
thermogenesis and affects the insulin- calories (of course, from a very clean keep training as heavy as possible even as
glucagon axis so as to favor use of stored diet). A couple of good rules are never to you diet down for a contest to provide the
body fat for energy. Using CapTri in reduce calories by more than 500 below stimulus needed for muscle hypertrophy.
place of an equivalent amount of starch maintenance and not to lose weight for Furthermore, weight training for high
will have a dramatic effect. You may more than ten consecutive weeks. After reps just isn’t a very effective way to
want to eliminate starch entirely from the ten weeks or so of dieting it is often help- burn fat. Weight lifting is fueled mainly
last meal of the day. Limit conventional ful to increase calories for a week to add by burning carbohydrate from muscle
glycogen. Aerobic exercise is much more
effective for fat loss because it burns
A couple of good rules are never to reduce calories many more calories than you ever could
by lifting weights and a higher proportion
by more than 500 below maintenance and not to lose of those calories are derived from body
weight for more than ten consecutive weeks. After ten fat. So while losing fat keep training
weeks or so of dieting it is often helpful to increase heavy but do more aerobics.
Here are some very rough guidelines
calories for a week to add some muscle mass and get for suggested programs. Note these may
your metabolism going again. require modification for each individual,
but are presented just to give you an idea
of how to make changes to your program might be around 40% protein, 50% carbs, muscle you’ve probably reduced calories
as your goals change. and 10% fat (as energy). This is a great too much. The first thing to try is usually
1. Program to gain lean mass: Train time to use CapTri in place of starch. An to increase carbs. A lot of people get con-
heavy and get plenty of rest. Recovery extreme cutting diet would be 40% pro- fused about how to balance the amount
is key. Most people do best with three to tein, 30% CapTri, 20% carbs, and 10% of aerobics to do with how many calories
five weight training sessions per week, fat. This diet isn’t very fun, but you’ll be to consume. A good starting place is to
although some people can do more. After shredded. Drink a lot of water to prevent work up to 60 minutes of aerobics a day,
warm ups, take each set to failure. Do ketosis. Pay attention to absolute carbo- and then adjust calories as needed to lose
some work in the 8-10 rep range, and hydrate intake. At no time should carbo- about one pound per week. The optimal
some work in the 3-6 rep range. Continu- hydrate intake drop below 100 grams per amount of aerobics is highly individual-
ally try to increase the load as you’re able. day, because this leads to rapid muscle ized, and you’ll have to experiment to
Consume one gram of protein per pound find what works best for you.
body weight per day. A representative 3. Program to gain muscle and lose fat
breakdown might be around 30% protein, at the same time: Most novice and inter-
60% carbs, 10% fat (as energy). If your mediate bodybuilders need to both gain
goal is to gain body weight, you’re going muscle and lose fat. Done properly, this
to have to increase calories. Generally, approach can result in a rapid and dra-
these extra calories should come from matic change in body composition and
starchy carbohydrates. If you put on fat appearance. This is where most people
easily, use CapTri to supply the extra should start out. If you’re already ex-
calories you need to gain weight. This tremely lean, then follow the program
will reduce fat accumulation as you gain for gaining lean mass. If you already
weight (3). Limit aerobics to 30 minutes have enough lean mass and want to
three days a week, preferably on non- prepare for a contest, follow the fat loss
weight training days. This will help you program. On this program your goal is
avoid over-training. Increase calories by to keep overall body weight relatively
around 300 per day until you’re gaining constant while increasing muscle mass
weight. Try to gain between one pound and decreasing body fat. Since overall
per week to one pound per month. Use body weight is to remain constant, your
the Body Stat Kit to follow your percent caloric intake should be approximately
body fat. If you’re gaining a significant equal to your maintenance energy re-
amount of fat, cut back on calories and quirement. You will be building muscle
gain more slowly or else use more Cap- tissue at the expense of body fat. In other
Tri and less carbs. (You could do more words, the energy cost of building new
aerobics, but your body will adapt to this loss. A lower limit of 150 grams per day muscle tissue will be derived from fat
as well. It’s probably best to save your is probably safer, and you’ll have more stores. Simply adjust calories so that your
maximum effort at aerobics until your fat energy to train. Increase aerobic exercise body weight remains the same. By keep-
loss program.) Try not to let body fat ex- to 30 minutes seven days a week. As your ing a daily record of your diet, it’s easy
ceed 10% for men and 15% for women. contest approaches increase it further to determine your maintenance energy
2. Program for fat loss: Continue to train to 45-60 minutes a day. Adjust caloric requirement. Consume one gram of pro-
heavy. Consider increasing training vol- intake as needed to lose about one pound tein per pound of body weight each day.
ume until you’re just at the edge of over- per week. Limit weight loss to a maxi- Limit dietary fat to 10% of calories. The
training. You really have to push it to the mum of one-and-a-half pounds a week, rest of your calories come from complex
limit to get into contest shape. Decrease and one pound per week is better. If you carbohydrates. Follow your body com-
calories by about 300 from what you were lose weight more quickly, you’re likely position with the Body Stat Kit to make
using to gain weight. This will put you to lose muscle. This means you have to sure you’re making progress. If a month
somewhere close to your maintenance plan ahead to know when you need to goes by without any improvement, make
requirement. This is the time to add Ad- start your diet. Use the Body Stat Kit to a change. Train heavy and get plenty of
vanced Lipotropic Formula to your sup- follow your body composition as you rest. Avoid over-training. Perform aero-
plement program. Increase protein intake lose weight. If you’re losing a significant bics for 30 minutes three to five days per
and decrease carbs. Some people go as amount of muscle, make a change. If you week. As your lean body mass increases
high as two grams of protein per pound of don’t know what to do, call me. This can you will have to gradually increase calo-
body weight. A representative breakdown be a complicated period. If you’re losing ries. An increase in lean body mass will
increase your metabolic rate and your on fat. This means they’re not being strict
maintenance energy requirement. This on their diets. So then they cut calories References
is where many, many bodybuilders fail. and just diet back to the same place they
They make good progress for the first six started from. 1. Bjorntorp P, and Brodoff BN. Obesity.
months or a year, and then hit a plateau These examples illustrate my concept of J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, 1992.
and seem to stay stuck there forever. The building your metabolism. I hope I have
most common problem is that they fail to given you some insight into how the 2. Obesity: Pathophysiology, Psychol-
increase their caloric intake as they gain program works and what to do to achieve ogy, and Treatment. Blackburn GL and
lean muscle tissue. If you never increase your particular goals. You CAN have the Kanders BS. Chapman & Hall, New
calories, your muscles will grow as big physique of a bodybuilder - you just have York, 1994.
as they can on that level of energy intake to want it bad enough to do what it takes.
and then stop. If your body burns 2400 It’s not really that complicated. Train 3. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Medium
calories per day to maintain itself and heavy, eat right, and do your aerobics. If chain triglycerides: an update. Am. J.
fuel your exercise, and you eat 2400 calo- you’re not making progress you have a Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
ries per day, that doesn’t leave anything problem in one of these areas. The most
left over to build and maintain new tis- common problems are getting sloppy on 4. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate bal-
sue. This approach works well as long as your diet or getting lazy in the gym. If ance, and weight maintenance: effects of
you have enough body fat left to supply you’re ready to take your physique to the exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 296-306,
energy to fuel growth, but as you lose fat next level, I can show you how. Get out 1987.
your progress will grind to a halt unless your Parrillo Nutrition Manual and re-
you increase calories. examine your diet. Are you really eating 5. Horton TJ, Drougas H, Brachey A,
Here’s the idea: Start off by consuming the way you need to to look like a body- Reed GW, Peters JC, and Hill JO. Fat
your daily maintenance energy require- builder? Have you let some foods creep and carbohydrate overfeeding in humans:
ment. If you’re eating and training right back into your diet that you shouldn’t be different effects on energy storage. Am. J.
you’ll automatically gain muscle and lose eating? Are you attacking the weights in Clin. Nutr. 62: 19-29, 1995.
fat. Follow your body composition. Stay the gym? You should be increasing your
on this program until you reach about weights in each lift at least every month, 6. Flatt JP. Use and storage of carbohy-
8-10% body fat for men, and 12-15% if not more frequently. Have you fallen drate and fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61: 952s-
for women. This may take two months, into a rut and just lift the same poundages 959s, 1995.
or it may take a year depending on how every workout? You HAVE to lift more
fat you are when you start out. When you weight. You can’t wait for your muscles 7. Swinburn B and Ravussin E. Energy
reach your target body fat percentage, it’s to grow and then lift heavier weight. You balance or fat balance? Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
time to increase calories by about 300 per have to lift more weight now or else your 57: 766S-771S, 1993.
day. You will gain weight. Most of it will muscles won’t get any stronger. I don’t
be muscle if you’re following the diet want any people on the Parrillo Pro- 8. Bray GA. Obesity - a disease of nutri-
faithfully. (Most of it will be fat if you’re gram to be stuck on a plateau. Next time ent or energy balance? Nutrition Reviews
not.) At this new level of energy intake, you walk into the gym, add some more 45: 33-43, 1987.
your body will reach a new steady state weight to the bar. Every month your goal
(constant level) body weight. You will should be to get a new personal best in at
gain muscle for awhile, until your meta- least one of the basic lifts. You’ll never
bolic rate rises to equal your new level of do it if you don’t try.
energy intake. Then it’s time to increase I’ve recently developed a new tool to
calories again. If you think about it, basi- help you structure your diet: The Parrillo
cally what you’re doing here is staying Nutrition Computer Program. It includes
on the maintenance energy program until a variety of menu-driven features to help
your body composition drops to your tar- you plan and keep track of your diet. It
get body fat percentage, and then you’re helps you figure out your calories, and
switching to the program to gain lean grams of protein, fat, and carbs. You tell
mass. Many bodybuilders hit a terminal it what foods you like to eat and then
plateau because they fail to recognize it’s it plans out your meals for you, and
time to increase calories. Many body- even generates a shopping list. No more
builders fail to reach their goals because tedious calculations. Basically, it does
when they do increase calories, they put everything except cook your food.
Exploring the High Fat Diet, Part I

by John Parrillo
Over the last two or three years sev- have all worked with bodybuilders and Races are won or lost by a fraction of a
eral “new” dietary strategies have been have generated champions, and so have I. second; bodybuilding shows can be won or
advanced which are specifically designed So who’s right? lost by a bowl of rice.
to help bodybuilders get extremely lean Nutrition is a fascinating field. It’s one The point of this is not to get into argu-
for contests. These diets have in common a of the few areas of science where highly ments with other experts on bodybuilding
fairly high protein intake, around 25-30% trained experts with vast clinical experi- nutrition. The point is not to call people
of calories. Another common feature is ence can completely disagree about even names or exchange insults. The point of
that they advocate reducing carbohydrate fundamental concepts. This disagreement this is to figure out what is the best diet
content in favor of increasing dietary fat about fundamentals suggests that nutri- for bodybuilders (and anyone else, for that
consumption. Some of these plans call tion science is still in its infancy. Why is matter) to gain muscle and lose fat and be
for limiting carbs to 30-50 grams per day, nutrition still in its infancy? Because nutri- healthy. I’m always reading and studying
or even less, and providing around 70% tion (at least optimum nutrition) is very to learn new things, and I am receptive to
of calories from fat. This low carb regi- complex. Let me explain. On one hand, new ideas and new approaches. If the high
men is carried out over a five day (or so) nutrition seems ridiculously simple. If you fat, low carb approach worked better, then
course to deliberately induce ketosis and just eat a fairly balanced diet, you will live I’d switch horses. So back to the basic
a fat-burning metabolism, to promote the and probably do okay. You don’t even need question: Who’s right?
use of stored body fat as energy. This is to know what a carbohydrate is. If you The fact that some people have had suc-
followed by two or three days of carbing just get some food to eat, you probably cess with the high fat diet and that others
up to provide an anabolic growth phase. won’t have any problems. At another level, (actually the majority of bodybuilders)
Another program is more moderate, sug- however, nutrition can get very complex. have had success with the higher carb diet
gesting a diet of 30% protein, 40% carbs, At this level, we’re not concerned merely proves that both approaches can work.
and 30% fat, without cycling. There is a lot with sustaining life, but with promoting a So the answer to the question is that both
of science and theory behind these diets, state of optimal health, increased energy, camps are right, at least partially. How can
although the high fat recommendation is enhanced muscularity, and extreme lean- two opposite approaches to nutrition both
quite controversial. Without getting too ness. At this level, nutrition becomes one give good results? Does one approach give
bogged down in the biochemical details, of the most complex sciences there is better results? Is one approach healthier?
the fundamental idea behind these ap- because it incorporates every biochemical Here’s where the discussion starts to get
proaches is to reduce carbohydrate intake and metabolic pathway in the body. We complicated.
in order to reduce insulin levels. Insulin is have to know exactly how every nutrient Back in the early days, before there was
a potent inhibitor of lipolysis, or fat break- is metabolized and how this affects cel- a Parrillo Performance, I tried all sorts of
down. By reducing insulin levels (and, lular physiology. We have to understand diets – everything you can imagine. High
less importantly, by increasing glucagon) how food affects hormones which in turn carbs, high fat, even a liquid protein fast
we can take the brakes off fat metabolism control fat and muscle metabolism. At this without carbs or fat (that didn’t work).
and encourage the use of stored body fat level food is not merely fuel thrown into I varied macronutrient ratios (percent of
for energy. the furnace, but rather the raw materials we calories from protein, carbs, and fat), food
If you’re familiar with my work at all, you use to sculpt our bodies. To attain a truly choices, meal frequency, meal structure,
will know that I advocate, in general, a top physique, such as that of a champion protein only meals, carbs only meals, ami-
diet high in protein, high in complex car- bodybuilder, you will find that nutrition no acid combinations, you name it. All the
bohydrates and very low in fat. I agree that is the most critical variable. It is the area while I was charting people’s body weight,
hard-training athletes need more protein where the most mistakes are made, be- body composition, and strength levels. I
than sedentary people, at least one gram cause it is the most complicated aspect of tried all sorts of various food combinations
to 1½ grams per pound of body weight bodybuilding. At this level, everyone is to see what would work to help bodybuild-
per day. You might expect me to flame training hard and heavy and using proper ers lose the last ounces of fat. During this
the authors of these programs (to borrow technique. You won’t even get close to a time I read every medical book I could
a little Internet jargon), but I’m not going bodybuilding stage if you don’t train hard. find about nutrition, protein metabolism,
to. These people all are very knowledge- All competitive bodybuilders know how and fat loss. Through many years of ex-
able about nutrition and have put a lot of to train. Whether you do an extra set of perimentation and plain old trial and error,
thought and research into their programs, incline flyes or not won’t make the differ- I arrived at the Parrillo diet, now published
and so have I. They all can point to numer- ence in if you win or lose the contest, but as the Parrillo Nutrition Manual, as being
ous examples of great success they’ve had whether or not you eat an extra bowl of rice the diet which simply gave the best results
with their programs, and so can I. They the day before the show very well could. for most bodybuilders.
So how can two very different approaches in an energy surplus (excess calories) and So I have found that reducing carbs does
to bodybuilding nutrition (high fat versus the bulk of these excess calories should indeed help to promote fat loss, especially
low fat) both give good results? One thing come from carbohydrates, because this in people who have a hard time getting
I found during my years of experimenta- results in less body fat accumulation than lean. I don’t have a problem with that.
tion was that different body types respond if the excess dietary energy is supplied as The thing I don’t like about the high fat
somewhat differently to different nutri- fat (1-13). However, during weight loss I diets is that dietary fat is VERY prone
tional structures. There are three very gen- found that these people do better if they to be stored as body fat. I have liter-
eral body types, classified by general ap- reduce their carbohydrate intake. While ec- ally dozens of research articles from the
pearance. Ectomorphs are naturally skinny tomorphs need to maintain a high carb diet medical literature demonstrating this and
people, mesomorphs are naturally lean and even while losing weight to help prevent explaining the biochemical reasons why.
muscular, and endomorphs are naturally muscle loss, endomorphs just can’t seem Several studies have even demonstrated
fat. (You know which you are.) Obviously, to lose all their fat without reducing carbs. that body fat percentage is more highly
mesomorphs have the easiest time becom- They seem to be very sensitive to insulin, determined by dietary fat intake than by
ing bodybuilders. These are the people and high insulin levels block the burning calorie intake (1,2,3,4,6,8,9,10). This is a
we all envy. They were lean and muscular of stored body fat for energy. (To be more concept I’ve been talking about for years.
before they ever started training. They gain precise, they usually have mild insulin re- So my disagreement is not about reducing
muscle easily. They can eat like crap and sistance, which results in increased insulin carbs – that works. My problem is with
still look good. All they have to do is cut levels and a hard time burning fat.) Just as supplying so many calories as dietary fat.
the junk out of their diet a month before an example, some representative numbers Not only does dietary fat contribute more
the show and they’re in contest shape. If for an endomorph might look like this: to fat stores than protein or carbohydrate
you’re an ectomorph or an endomorph you For weight gain, 30-40% protein, 50-60% (1-13), but dietary fat (especially saturated
can still become a good bodybuilder, but carbs, 5-10% fat. For weight loss, fat) increases your cholesterol level and
it will be harder because you’re working 50-60% protein, 30-40% carbs, 5-10% fat. increases your risk for heart disease.
against your natural genetic tendency to be Again, it’s not the actual percentages that So how do we do the low carb diet at Par-
either skinny or fat. are important, I’m just trying to illustrate rillo? I’ve developed a very special energy
Ectomorphs get lean easily but have a hard the idea that you can shift around the supplement called CapTri® which allows
time putting on muscle. They can eat a lot structure of your diet to achieve different you to utilize the power of the low carb diet
and don’t gain much weight. I found that metabolic effects. Changing the ratio of without resorting to using regular fat as a
these individuals do better on a high carb protein to carbs to fat in your diet can have food source. CapTri® is a specially engi-
diet with moderate to high protein, maybe a big effect on the insulin-glucagon axis neered fat with a unique molecular struc-
somewhere around 25-30% protein, 65% and nutrient partitioning. ture which causes it to follow a different
carbs, and 5-10% fat. (The actual percent- On the Parrillo Nutrition Program you start metabolic route than regular fats (14,15).
ages aren’t important, but they usually by calculating your daily protein require- It behaves more like a carbohydrate in
work out close to those above. These are ment. One to 1.5 grams of complete pro- the body, except that it doesn’t increase
given just as an example.) Basically, they tein per pound of body weight each day is insulin levels. This means you can use
need to get one to 1.5 grams of protein a good general guideline for hard training CapTri® in place of carbs to decrease in-
per pound of body weight per day, and athletes, especially during weight gain. As sulin levels and shift your metabolism into
then keep increasing carbs until they gain you decrease calories to lose fat, it helps to a fat-burning mode. This is very similar
weight. The problem with using conven- increase this to as much as 1.5-2 grams per to the strategy of the high fat diets except
tional fats for weight gain is that when pound per day. The higher dietary protein without relying on conventional fat as an
your body is in a calorie surplus (gaining intake helps prevent catabolism of muscle energy source. CapTri® has virtually no
weight) virtually all excess fat calories you protein during energy restricted diets. Next tendency to be stored as body fat, which is
consume from food will simply be stored you allot 5-10% of daily calories to come in marked contrast to regular fats (14,15).
as body fat (1-13). Ectomorphs will find from fat. The remainder of your calo- Regular fat is metabolized very slowly and
that adding some fat to their diets will help ries come from complex carbohydrates, is very easily stored as body fat. CapTri®
them gain weight, but they’ll gain more which I divide into starches (potatoes, rice, is burned (converted to usable metabolic
fat along with the muscle than if they had beans, etc.) and fibrous carbs (vegetables energy) very rapidly – in fact, as rapidly
followed a low fat diet. It is extensively and salad greens). You adjust carbohydrate as glucose. This energy is used to fuel the
documented in the medical literature that intake appropriately so that you’re either body, which spares protein and glycogen.
excess feeding of carbohydrates results in gaining muscular weight or losing body Since CapTri® is rapidly and completely
less body fat gain than excess feeding of fat, as desired. So when you structure your used as fuel, this means it won’t be stored
dietary fat (1-13). diet this way the percentages take care of as body fat. (Of course, CapTri® does not
Endomorphs gain muscle more easily, but themselves. The times when I cite various defy the laws of thermodynamics, and if
are naturally fat and have a hard time get- nutrient percentages as examples are mere- you eat too many calories too fast you will
ting lean. They seem to be very sensitive ly to illustrate how the balance of your diet gain fat, even if you’re using CapTri®. The
to the carbohydrate content of the diet. can change as you’re working to achieve point is that CapTri® results in much less
Again, for weight gain the body must be different goals. fat gain than conventional foods, because
relatively more of the calories in CapTri® Increasing aerobic exercise activity on the energy deficit for more than 10 weeks be-
are immediately converted to energy and other hand has the benefit of burning fat cause your body adjusts to this new level of
lost as body heat.) Furthermore, fats like without slowing metabolic rate. In fact, caloric intake and your metabolism slows
CapTri® have been shown to increase aerobic exercise causes metabolic adapta- down. This reduced level of intake will
growth hormone levels, which will also tions that make the body more efficient at eventually become your new maintenance
stimulate fat loss and muscle gain (16). burning fat. In general, it is advised that if you stay on it too long.
So we use a high fat diet also, except we weight loss be limited to about one pound All right, so now we’ve decided to lose
use CapTri® instead of conventional fats per week. If you lose weight faster than some fat and that we’re going to do more
because the heat generated by CapTri® this you will be more likely to lose some aerobics and very modestly reduce calo-
has a much greater effect of increasing muscle along with the fat. Since one pound ries. Now you have some choices to make,
metabolic rate and much less tendency to of body fat contains 3,500 calories, to lose and things can get complicated. We could
be stored as body fat (14,15). It’s the low one pound of fat per week you need to simply reduce calories across the board
carb diet taken to the next level. achieve a calorie deficit of 500 calories per – a 10% reduction in protein, carbs, and
Another key concept of the Parrillo diet day (3,500 per week). You could do this fat will obviously equal a 10% reduction
is meal structuring. By combining protein by cutting 500 calories worth of food from in total calories. Or alternatively we could
and fibrous vegetables and CapTri® with your diet, or by doing 500 calories worth alter the ratios of protein, carbs, and fat in
your starch at each meal you can greatly of aerobics a day, or by some combina- the diet. As you reduce caloric intake, you
slow the rate of release of glucose into tion of both. I’ve found the combination should supply relatively more of your calo-
the bloodstream. This in turn decreases approach works best for most people. Try ries as protein to prevent or reduce skeletal
insulin levels, taking the brakes off fat not to cut your caloric intake by more than muscle catabolism. So your reduction in
metabolism. You will find that by proper 10% below maintenance. (Your mainte- energy intake should come from carbs or
food combining you can stimulate a pow- nance intake is the number of calories you fat, but not protein. As we’re dieting to
erful fat burning effect without eliminating consume everyday to maintain constant lose fat we still need at least one gram of
carbs from your diet. body weight.) A good rule of thumb is to protein per pound of body weight each day,
Let’s talk for a minute about the theory reduce energy intake by 10% below main- and 1.5 grams may be better. Once you’ve
behind the high fat diet and try to clear up tenance and then do enough aerobics to decided on your protein intake the ques-
some of the confusing issues. You’re prob- meet your 500 calorie deficit for the day. tion then becomes should you supply the
ably wondering how can the high fat diet For example, if you normally eat 2,500 remainder of your dietary energy require-
and the low fat diet both work to get body- calories a day, cut that down by 250 per ment as carbohydrate, fat, or some com-
builders lean? Because any and all energy day (10%) and do 250 calories worth of bination of both. Any of these approaches
deficient diets will result in weight loss. It’s aerobics a day (that’s about 30 minutes will result in weight loss, provided you
a direct consequence of thermodynamics. on a stationary bike). That equals a deficit maintain your calorie deficit. Which ap-
If you consume less calories than you burn, of 500 calories a day, enough to lose one proach will work best?
you’ll lose weight. Period. So a high fat pound of fat per week. This strategy is not The VAST majority of medical research
diet and a high carb diet will both produce an absolute rule carved in stone, but is a indicates that a low fat diet achieves better
weight loss so long as an energy (calorie) good general guideline that works well for fat loss results than a high fat diet (1-13).
deficit is maintained. So to lose body fat most people. Other people do better sim- Several studies even show that reduction
we need to achieve an energy deficit. There ply by increasing aerobic exercise without of dietary fat content is as important, if
are many ways to do this. The best way is reducing calories. With a little experience not more important, than reducing caloric
through a combination of aerobic exercise you’ll find what works best for you. intake. Notably, and in fairness to the high
and a modest reduction of caloric intake. It If your weight loss plateaus it is better in fat diet, I have not seen any formal medical
is now well known that severe caloric re- general to do more aerobics rather than studies using diets comprised of approxi-
striction results in decreased metabolic rate, further reducing calories, because that will mately 70% fat and essentially no carbs.
muscle loss, and induction (turning on) of likely slow your metabolic rate and thus I imagine doctors are reluctant to carry
fat-storing metabolic pathways. This is the your rate of fat loss. From body composi- out clinical trials using a diet so high in
“starvation response” the body generates tion studies (use the Parrillo BodyStat Kit) fat out of concern for it’s attendant health
during periods of famine to guard against calculate how many pounds of fat you risks. Most of the medical clinical trials
starvation. By decreasing energy expendi- have to lose, and that’s roughly how many comparing diets still include a significant
ture (metabolic rate) the body’s fat supply weeks your diet will last. If you need to carbohydrate load even in their “high fat”
will last longer. And by revving up the lose more than 10 pounds of fat (the diet protocol, so they’re not really comparable
fat-storing pathways, once food becomes will last for more than 10 weeks) plan on to the extremely high fat – low carb diets
available again fat depots are preferentially taking a couple of weeks off your fat loss which are currently being advanced for
repleted to defend against the next bout of diet after every 10 weeks and gain a pound bodybuilders.
famine. Therefore bodybuilders know they per week. This will help you put on some So what’s going on here? By reducing
should avoid drastic reductions in calories, muscle and boost your metabolism and get carbs to near zero levels (5-10% of calories
since this causes muscle loss and slows fat fat loss going again. In general, it doesn’t per day) insulin production decreases dra-
burning. work too well to maintain a continuous matically. This eliminates its inhibitory ef-
fect on lipolysis. Human body fat is stored minor player since virtually all of the glu- 7. Thomas CD, Peters JC, Reed GW, Ab-
in the form of triglycerides in fat cells cagon released by the pancreas is retained umrad NN, Sun M, and Hill JO. Nutrient
(adipocytes). Release of fatty acids from by the liver, and essentially none escapes balance and energy expenditure during ad
fat cells is controlled by enzymes called into the general circulation to reach pe- libitum feeding of high-fat and high-carbo-
lipases, which break down the triglyceride ripheral fat depots. (The small amount of hydrate diets in humans. Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
into free fatty acids and glycerol. Once glucagon which reaches adipose cells is 55: 934-942, 1992.
released from fat cells, the fatty acids are too low in concentration to have an effect.) 8. Astrup A, Buemann B, Western, Toubro
bound to a serum protein called albumin So glucagon is primarily concerned with S, Raben A, and Christensen NJ. Obesity
and transported in the blood to the liver and glycogen and fat metabolism in the liver. as an adaptation to a high-fat diet: evidence
muscles where they are used for energy. These same lipases that govern fat loss from a cross-sectional study. Am. J. Clin.
The lipases are activated by the catechol- are inhibited by insulin, which means if Nutr. 59: 350-355, 1994.
amines epinephrine and norepinephrine insulin levels are high you won’t be able
(adrenaline and noradrenaline) which are to use body fat for energy. The high fat 9. Schutz Y, Flatt JP, and Jequier E. Failure
released by the adrenal glands and the diets take this strategy to the extreme by of dietary fat intake to promote fat oxida-
sympathetic nervous system. The most virtually eliminating carbohydrates from tion: a factor favoring the development of
important activator of lipolysis is release of the diet in order to minimize insulin levels. obesity. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 50: 307-314,
norepinephrine by the sympathetic nervous The body can only store enough glucose 1989.
system. Lipolysis turns out to be the rate (as glycogen) to last about one day, so by
limiting step in fat catabolism. (The rate eliminating carbs from the diet you force 10. Miller WC, Niederpruem MG, Wallace
limiting step in a metabolic pathway is the the body into a fat burning mode. JP, and Lindeman AK. Dietary fat, sugar,
slowest step, which acts to limit the rate of Our discussion is far from over. Next and fiber predict percent body fat content.
the overall pathway. It also is frequently month I’ll dig deeper into these diets and J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 94: 612-615, 1994.
the key point of metabolic control for turn- show you why I believe bodybuilders who
ing the pathway on or off.) The catechol- want the best results possible should be 11. Tucker LA and Kano MJ. Dietary fat
amines, in turn, are released when blood eating a low-fat, moderate- to high-carb and body fat: a multivariate study of 205
sugar gets too low and during exercise. diet. adult females. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 56: 616-
Another lipase is activated by glucagon, 622, 1992.
which also promotes fat burning. Glucagon References
is a hormone produced by the pancreas 12. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier E.
which has essentially the opposite actions 1. Horton TJ, Drougas H, Brachey A, Reed Glycogen synthesis versus lipogenesis af-
of insulin. Insulin promotes glucose trans- GW, Peters JC, and Hill JO. Fat and carbo- ter a 500 gram carbohydrate meal in man.
port into cells, promotes the use of glu- hydrate overfeeding in humans: different Metabolism 31: 1234-1240, 1982.
cose as energy, promotes storage of excess effects on energy storage. Am. J. Clin.
glucose as glycogen, promotes transport Nutr. 62: 19-29, 1995. 13. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate
of some amino acids into cells, promotes balance, and weight maintenance: ef-
protein synthesis, promotes fat synthesis 2. Flatt JP. Importance of nutrient balance fects of exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45:
and storage, and prevents fat breakdown. in body weight regulation. Diabetes/Me- 296-306, 1987.
Insulin is released from the pancreas when tabolism Reviews 4: 571-581, 1988.
blood glucose levels are high, such as after 14. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim
a meal, and acts as a storage hormone pro- 3. Flatt JP. Use and storage of carbohydrate SA. Enhanced thermogenesis and di-
moting storage of nutrients as glycogen, and fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61: 952s-959s, minished deposition of fat in response
protein, and fat. Glucagon is released when 1995. to overfeeding with diet containing me-
blood sugar levels are low, with the pri- dium chain triglyceride. Am. J. Clin.
mary purpose of increasing blood glucose 4. Hill JO, Peters JC, Reed GW, Schlundt Nutr. 35: 678-682, 1982.
levels to provide fuel for the brain. Gluca- DG, Sharp T, and Greene HL. Nutrient
gon stimulates breakdown of glycogen and balance in humans: effects of diet composi- 15. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Medi-
release of glucose into the bloodstream, fat tion. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 54: 10-17, 1991. um chain triglycerides: an update. Am.
breakdown (lipolysis) and release of fatty J. Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
acids into the blood (this use of fat as en- 5. Hill JO, Drougas H, and Peters JC. Obe-
ergy helps spare glucose for the brain), and sity treatment: can diet composition play 16. Valls E, Herrera F, Diaz M, Bar-
protein breakdown with release of amino a role? Ann. Intern. Med. 119: 694-697, reiro P, and Valls A. Modifications in
acids into the bloodstream which can be 1993. plasmatic insulin and growth hormone
converted into glucose by the liver. induced by medium chain triglycerides.
So lipolysis and the use of stored body fat 6. Bray GA. Obesity - a disease of nutrient Span. Anal. Ped. 11: 675-682, 1978.
for energy is controlled by lipases which or energy balance? Nutrition Reviews 45:
are in turn stimulated by catecholamines 33-43, 1987.
and glucagon. Glucagon turns out to be a
Exploring the High Fat Diet, Part II

As I mentioned in Part I of this expend (simple thermodynamics) and if composition is everything. As explained
series last month, any energy deficient those excess calories are supplied in the above, if you consume excess energy in
diet will result in fat loss. So the high fat form of dietary fat, then it seems inescap- the form of (conventional) dietary fat, it
diet will work for weight loss, providing able that they must be stored as fat. is extremely prone to be stored as body
you eat fewer calories than you burn (it So where have we come so far? fat (1-13). Although I’ve had good suc-
has to). The biggest problem comes dur- The high fat-low carb approach has a cess with low carb diets to lose fat, I’ve
ing weight gain. There are several big good theoretical basis for working to never had good results from low carb
theoretical problems with using the high maximize fat loss while on an energy de- diets in terms of gaining muscle. I think
fat approach for weight gain. First is the ficient diet, but would be expected to re- you need insulin, which seems to have a
fact that insulin is the most important sult in fat gain during an energy surplus. synergistic interaction with growth hor-
anabolic hormone in the body, and on This leads to a general mone and testosterone,
these cyclic diets we only get the benefit principle in bodybuild- Dietary fat really has to get a good anabolic
of insulin around two days every week. ing nutrition: Diet com- only two quantitatively effect.
Second is that during energy excess (that position is more critical Now back to the is-
is, during weight gain) excess dietary fat during weight gain than
significant metabolic sue of diet composi-
is preferentially stored as body fat. There weight loss. During fates: to be used as tion during weight loss.
is no biochemical pathway in the human weight loss, you will energy or be stored Like I said above, after
body for converting fat into carbohydrate, be in an energy deficit. meeting your protein
so excess dietary fat cannot be stored as Over a 24 hour period as body fat. Since requirement the next
glycogen. Fatty acids cannot be incor- essentially all of the dietary fat cannot be most important thing is
porated into protein either. Possibly the fat and carbs you eat converted to protein how many calories you
carbons derived from fatty acid metabo- will be burned as fuel. consume. You will lose
lism could be used to build the carbon The protein that you eat or glycogen, excess weight regardless of
skeleton of nonessential amino acids, but will be used to maintain dietary fat can only how those calories are
since fatty acids do not contain nitrogen, protein tissues and to be stored as fat supplied so long as you
a nitrogen from the pre-existing amino replenish worn out en- maintain an energy defi-
acid pool would have to be donated to zymes and other protein cit. But not all weight
form a new amino acid molecule. There- cellular components loss is created equal.
fore, net protein synthesis cannot occur (that is, for protein turn- Really we’re not interested in weight loss
from fat. Thus, dietary fat really has only over). Any extra dietary protein left over per se but in fat loss, and we want to pre-
two quantitatively significant metabolic will also be used as fuel. Finally, body fat serve as much muscle during the diet as
fates: to be used as energy or be stored will also be used as fuel to supply what- possible. Serious bodybuilders carefully
as body fat. (Of course, dietary fats are ever amount of expended energy was not follow their body composition (using a
also used to form structural components supplied by the diet. So when you’re in tool such as The Parrillo BodyStat Kit)
of cell membranes, steroid hormones, an energy (calorie) deficit, it does matter during their diets to make sure they’re
eicosanoids, and many other extremely that you get enough protein, but after that losing fat and not muscle. Adjustments
important biologically active molecules, the preeminent consideration is just how are made along the way to keep things
but this accounts for only a tiny frac- much energy you consume. As a first moving in the right direction. While diet
tion of ingested fat, especially during a approximation, it appears as if it doesn’t composition has only a minor effect on
high fat diet.) Since dietary fat cannot be matter that much if you supply the rest of overall weight loss, it has a more sub-
converted to protein or glycogen, excess the energy as carbs or fat or some mixture stantial effect on determining how much
dietary fat can only be stored as fat. By of the two, because it’s all going to be of that weight is fat versus muscle. What
definition, during weight gain we must be burned anyway. (Actually, it does matter, we’re trying to do here is prevent muscle
in a calorie surplus. This means that not but I’ll get to that later.) So during weight loss. In my experience with bodybuild-
all of the ingested fat can be burned as loss all of the food you eat will be burned ers, carbs work better than fat to spare
fuel, since we are by definition consum- for fuel, and none of it will be retained protein (the technical term for preventing
ing an excess of fuel. To gain weight you by the body (except some protein). Dur- the use of protein as fuel) during energy
must consume more calories than you ing weight gain, on the other hand, diet restricted diets. In other words, both ap-
proaches (the high fat diet and the higher day cycle when you’re breaking down is slow and your thyroid hormone level
carb diet) work in terms of losing fat, muscle. is low, when you do this your body is
but the higher carb diet results in less Another problem with the very primed for fat storage and you’ll likely
muscle loss during the diet. Overall, low carb approach is that energy levels put on a few pounds of fat. Also, there’s
you end up leaner (lower percent body fall dramatically. Recall that anaerobic the issue of thermogenesis. After you eat
fat) because you have more lean body exercise, such as weight lifting, is fueled a meal some portion of the dietary energy
mass remaining after you’ve lost the fat. almost exclusively by carbs. Fat cannot is released as body heat. This process is
Why is this? The biochemistry is fairly be used as an anaerobic energy source, it called diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT)
straight-forward. The brain’s preferred can only be oxidized aerobically. There- and the amount of heat energy released
fuel is glucose, and your body will go to fore strength and energy levels fall dra- is called the thermic effect of feeding
extraordinary measures to provide glu- matically without carbs. This results in (TEF). Protein and carbohydrate both
cose for the brain. (After several days of more muscle catabolism, as the muscles have a significant thermogenic effect, but
glucose deprivation, the brain can adapt turn to branched chain amino acids as (conventional) dietary fat has virtually no
and switch over to use ketones as fuel, fuel. thermogenic effect. Carbohydrate feed-
but this is not it’s preferred choice.) Fol- ing stimulates the sympathetic nervous
lowing a very low carb diet, liver glyco- system which increases metabolic rate.
gen stores are depleted in about a day or Recall that anaerobic exer- What this means is that for a given level
two. (Note: muscle glycogen can only be cise, such as weight lifting, of energy intake (caloric consumption)
used as fuel by the muscle, and cannot more of the food energy will be given
be released back into the bloodstream
is fueled almost exclusively
off as heat if you eat a high carb diet as
for use by the brain. Muscle cells lack by carbs. Fat cannot be compared to a high fat diet. With the high
the glucose phosphatase enzyme needed used as an anaerobic en- fat diet less of the food energy is lost as
to release glucose stored as glycogen heat, leaving more available for use as
back into the blood. Therefore, only liver
ergy source, it can only
fuel (or even worse, for storage as body
glycogen is available to help maintain be oxidized aerobically. fat). If more dietary energy is available
blood glucose levels.) Therefore, after a Therefore strength and en- for use as fuel, then you’ll burn less body
day or so of severe carb depletion blood fat as fuel. Energetic and metabolic con-
glucose levels begin to fall. Unfortu-
ergy levels fall dramatically
siderations explain why most people get
nately, fatty acids cannot be converted without carbs. This results better results using a higher carb diet.
to glucose by humans (although bears in more muscle catabo- So are there any useful lessons
can, and this is why they can hibernate). we can learn from this? You bet there
The body has another way of maintain-
lism, as the muscles turn are, some very important ones that can
ing blood glucose levels, however, and to branched chain amino propel you to the next level of physique
this is to break down skeletal muscle acids as fuel. development. First off, notice that it’s not
protein (and visceral, or organ, proteins the carbohydrates themselves that make
too, for that matter). The muscle proteins fat loss more difficult, but rather the in-
are broken down into their constituent There are also several technical sulin release they induce. Insulin inhibits
amino acids, the amino group is then aspects of energy metabolism that sug- lipolysis, not carbs per se. Therefore, by
removed forming an alpha-keto-acid, and gest severe carb restriction might not proper food selection and meal structur-
these “carbon skeletons” of amino acids be the best way to go. Low carbohy- ing we can do a lot to reduce insulin
are transported to the liver which can use drate diets have been found to reduce levels and still be able to eat some carbs.
them to make glucose. To sum up, if you thyroid hormone level, which is one of First off, avoid all simple sugars, includ-
use a low fat-moderate carb diet to lose the chief controllers of metabolic rate. ing not only refined sugar and sweets
weight your body doesn’t have to break After a period of carbohydrate restriction but also foods that contain natural sugars
down muscle to convert amino acids into (probably on the order of several weeks such as fruit, juice, dairy products, honey,
glucose, because you’re getting enough to a couple of months) you will likely and syrup. Limit your carbohydrate se-
glucose in the diet. If, however, you find your weight loss plateaus. This is lections to natural, unrefined, complex
use an extremely low carb diet you will probably due to decreased thyroid level carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice, and
necessarily break down some muscle. and decreased metabolic rate. The only vegetables. Avoid refined carbohydrates
This catabolic process is reduced during real cure for this (besides taking thyroid such as bread and pasta. Always con-
ketosis, but it takes about two days or so medication) is to increase calories and sume your carbs with protein, and make
of carb restriction to get into ketosis. So add some carbs back to your diet. Un- sure to eat plenty fibrous carbohydrates,
there will be two days during every seven fortunately, since your metabolic rate such as brocolli, cauliflower, asparagus,
green beans and other salad vegetables, ketones even when there are ample carbs effect of CapTri® provides a “built in”
along with your starches. These measures already in the system. In short, CapTri® energy deficit (more of the dietary energy
dramatically slow the rate of release of allows us to reap the benefits of the high contained in CapTri® is lost as body heat
glucose into your bloodstream, which fat approach without the problems that go than for regular foods). This approach
helps keep insulin levels low. Eat many along with conventional dietary fat. allows you to reduce carbs without hav-
small frequent meals instead of a few To use CapTri® during fat loss, keep ing to use regular dietary fat as an energy
big ones, for the same reason. Also, as your protein intake high at about one source. I have a problem going as low
you get leaner gradually consume less to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight in carbs as the other diets recommend. I
starches and more vegetables. Start by per day, then reduce carbohydrate intake think you should eat some carbs so you
eliminating starch from your last meal of and provide an equivalent number of can continue to perform intense training
the day. During the last week or two you while you diet. Plus, if you’ve ever tried
may virtually eliminate starches, but you the near-zero-carb diet you know that
can still eat vegetables. it makes you feel like death. By reduc-
So does the high fat-low carb ing carbs and always combining your
approach have anything going for it? You starches with protein, vegetables, and
bet it does. The strategy of reducing carbs CapTri® at each meal, you will dramati-
to lower insulin and stimulate fat burn- cally reduce insulin levels and maximize
ing really works. I’ve used this approach fat loss. Unlike conventional fats, Cap-
myself and it works very well, especially Tri® also works well during weight gain
with endomorphic type people who have because it doesn’t contribute to fat stores
a hard time losing fat. Like I said in the (14,15). The Parrillo Performance Nutri-
beginning, my point is not to insult the tion Manual contains much more detailed
authors of the high fat diets. But there information about how to design your
are theoretical reasons having to do with diet for maximum muscle gain and fat
energy metabolism, thermogenesis, en- loss. If you want more information on
docrinology, and protein catabolism (see CapTri® call and request our CapTri®
above) which explain why reducing carbs Technical Reports.
too much is not a good idea. The ideal I expect over the next few years
approach would be if we could combine drugs will become relatively less impor-
the best aspects of both diets to generate tant in bodybuilding and precision nutri-
something even better. Technology has tion and supplementation will become
made this possible, with the development more important. The next generation of
of CapTri®. CapTri® is a specially engi- CapTri® will undoubtedly help propel
neered fat, and by incorporating it in the tomorrow’s competitors to the next lev-
diet in place of starchy carbohydrates we calories from CapTri®. For example, el.
can lower insulin levels and achieve the if you normally consume 300 grams
fat burning effect of the high fat diets. It’s of carbs per day (1200 calories worth), References
unique molecular structure overcomes reduce that to 150 grams per day and
the problems of conventional dietary fats, add 5 tablespoons of CapTri® per day 1. Horton TJ, Drougas H, Brachey A,
making it the ideal energy source for (providing 570 calories). A good way Reed GW, Peters JC, and Hill JO. Fat
bodybuilders. For example, CapTri® has to gauge how far to reduce carbs is to and carbohydrate overfeeding in humans:
virtually no tendency to be stored as body gradually decrease them until you find different effects on energy storage. Am. J.
fat (14,15). It is metabolized in the liver that you lose your pump about one-half Clin. Nutr. 62: 19-29, 1995.
where it is converted to ketones which to two-thirds of the way through your
then are used as fuel by muscles (14,15). workout. This means that glycogen stores 2. Flatt JP. Importance of nutrient balance
It has a very high thermogenic effect are depleted, and this is where you want in body weight regulation. Diabetes/Me-
and is converted into energy much more to be for maximum fat loss. The CapTri® tabolism Reviews 4: 571-581, 1988.
readily than regular fat. Since it is rapidly diet allows you to reduce carbs without
used for energy it has very little tendency cutting calories, which would slow your 3. Flatt JP. Use and storage of carbohy-
to be stored as body fat. CapTri® is con- metabolism and cause muscle loss. Many drate and fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61: 952s-
verted into ketones, which block protein people find they don’t need to reduce 959s, 1995.
catabolism. In fact, CapTri, unlike other caloric intake below maintenance while
fats, can be digested and converted into using this regimen since the thermogenic 4. Hill JO, Peters JC, Reed GW, Schlundt
DG, Sharp T, and Greene HL. Nutrient

balance in humans: effects of diet com- 14. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim SA.
position. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 54: 10-17, Enhanced thermogenesis and diminished
1991. deposition of fat in response to overfeed-
ing with diet containing medium chain
5. Hill JO, Drougas H, and Peters JC. triglyceride. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: 678-
Obesity treatment: can diet composition 682, 1982.
play a role? Ann. Intern. Med. 119: 694-
697, 1993. 15. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Medium
6. Bray GA. Obesity - a disease of nutri- Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
ent or energy balance? Nutrition Reviews
45: 33-43, 1987. 16. Valls E, Herrera F, Diaz M, Barreiro
P, and Valls A. Modifications in plasmatic
7. Thomas CD, Peters JC, Reed GW, Ab- insulin and growth hormone induced by
umrad NN, Sun M, and Hill JO. Nutrient medium chain triglycerides. Span. Anal.
balance and energy expenditure during ad Ped. 11: 675-682, 1978.
libitum feeding of high-fat and high-car-
bohydrate diets in humans. Am. J. Clin.
Nutr. 55: 934-942, 1992.
8. Astrup A, Buemann B, Western, Toubro

S, Raben A, and Christensen NJ. Obesity
as an adaptation to a high-fat diet: evi-
dence from a cross-sectional study. Am.
J. Clin. Nutr. 59: 350-355, 1994.
9. Schutz Y, Flatt JP, and Jequier E. Fail-

ure of dietary fat intake to promote fat
oxidation: a factor favoring the develop-
ment of obesity. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 50:
307-314, 1989.
10. Miller WC, Niederpruem MG, Wal-

lace JP, and Lindeman AK. Dietary fat,
sugar, and fiber predict percent body fat
content. J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 94: 612-615,
1994.
11. Tucker LA and Kano MJ. Dietary fat

and body fat: a multivariate study of 205
adult females. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 56: 616-
622, 1992.
12. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier E.

Glycogen synthesis versus lipogenesis
after a 500 gram carbohydrate meal in
man. Metabolism 31: 1234-1240, 1982.
13. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate bal-

ance, and weight maintenance: effects of
exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 296-306,
1987.
Energy Channeling For Ultimate Sports Performance

by John Parrillo
You already know that using the waist and hips, not inside muscles (too fat cells and is the most potent stimulus
CapTri is a great way to lose fat and get bad). This means that fatty acid utilization for fatty acid release.
in shape. What you may not know is how is also limited by delivery of fatty acids Obviously, fatty acid utilization
to use CapTri to improve sports perfor- to muscles. The slowest step in transport- is a complicated process and is relatively
mance. In the most basic sense, sports ing fatty acids from your waist to your slow. Fatty acids can supply energy fast
performance is about muscle power out- muscles is the initial release of fatty acids enough to keep up with the demands of
put. The ability of a muscle to produce from fat cells in adipose stores. This is a walking or a slow bike ride, but any exer-
power is limited by it’s available fuel cise more intense relies mainly on carbs
supply. Specifically, muscle power pro- as the primary fuel source. Your muscles
duction is closely related to carbohydrate
Weight lifting is an anaerobic can also use their own amino acids as
availability. There is a close correlation exercise which relies almost fuel (God forbid) but this is a real last re-
between muscle glycogen depletion and exclusively on carbohydrate sort. After glycogen stores are essentially
muscle exhaustion. The problem is, your depleted and fatty acid metabolism is in
body can only store so much glycogen.
as an energy source. (This is high gear, amino acid metabolism kicks
When it’s used up, you “hit the wall,” one reason the high fat - low in to supply a little extra energy. Dur-
as endurance athletes understand all too carb diet doesn’t make much ing a long run, amino acid oxidation can
well. account for up to 5-10% of energy sub-
For all but the most relaxed sense to me.) Simply put, strate, which equates to about 50 grams
of exercises (such as walking), carbo- fatty acid metabolism is just of protein. This is undesirable (to make
hydrate is the muscle’s preferred fuel too slow to meet the energy the understatement of the year).
substrate (energy source). Muscles can Weight lifting is an anaerobic
in fact use carbohydrate, fat, and amino demands of resistance train- exercise which relies almost exclusively
acids as fuel, but these different fuel ing. Similarly, intense endur- on carbohydrate as an energy source.
sources are not equally effective. Car- (This is one reason the high fat - low carb
bohydrate can be stored as glycogen
ance exercise is also limited diet doesn’t make much sense to me.)
right inside the muscle and is immedi- by carbohydrate availability. Simply put, fatty acid metabolism is just
ately available for use as fuel. For brief Time to exhaustion in en- too slow to meet the energy demands of
periods of time (one or two minutes) resistance training. Similarly, intense en-
carbohydrates can be utilized to provide
durance exercise is closely durance exercise is also limited by carbo-
energy without the benefit of oxygen. related to muscle glycogen hydrate availability. Time to exhaustion
This is known as “anaerobic metabo- depletion. When an endur- in endurance exercise is closely related
lism,” and can provide short bursts of to muscle glycogen depletion. When an
energy for very intense exercise activ- ance athlete runs out of gly- endurance athlete runs out of glycogen
ity, such as weight lifting. Fats play cogen he doesn’t have to he doesn’t have to stop, but he will slow
an important role in energy production stop, but he will slow down down dramatically. The primary role of
during prolonged exercise. However, fat as an exercise fuel is to allow athletes
there are two problems with fat as an dramatically. to complete prolonged workouts. It does
exercise fuel. First, fat requires oxygen this by reducing the rate of glycogen
to be converted into energy - there is no relatively slow process and only occurs utilization by muscle and thereby delay-
anaerobic metabolism of fat. This means at a significant rate when carbohydrate ing the onset of exhaustion (1). In other
that the rate of energy production from energy stores are already depleted. Before words, an increased supply and oxidation
fat is limited by the rate of oxygen de- much fat is released from adipose tissue, of fatty acids will slow the rate of glyco-
livery to muscles. Second, your muscles blood sugar levels must drop, causing gen depletion and improve endurance.
can store relatively little fat inside them, a decrease in insulin and an increase in The question is, how do we de-
so before fatty acids can be burned by glucagon and catecholamines. The cat- liver greater amounts of fatty acids to
muscles they have to be imported from echolamine norepinephrine (a cousin of muscle during exercise? Fatty acids stored
somewhere else. You may have noticed epinephrine, or adrenaline) is released in body fat tissue don’t work very well for
that most fat in humans is stored around from sympathetic nerve endings around this purpose. As explained above, these
fats are not released from body stores to phatic system delivers the chylomicrons sent partially broken down fatty acids.
a significant degree until carbohydrate to the bloodstream via the thoracic duct, The ketone bodies are released from the
reserves are substantially depleted. Obvi- which is located on the right side of your liver into the bloodstream and are carried
ously, this won’t help since what we’re neck not far from your spine. The long to muscles where they are immediately
trying to do is slow the depletion of body chain fats are then circulated throughout used for energy. This additional energy
carbohydrate stores in the first place. An- your body by the bloodstream. Most of substrate (MCFA-derived ketone bodies)
other approach is to consume a high fat these fat molecules are absorbed by fat actually spares glucose oxidation. This
diet. Believe it or not, this has been tried cells and stored there. A few are delivered delays glycogen depletion and the onset
and is called “fat loading” (2). As you to muscle for use as fuel. This is a long of muscular fatigue.
might imagine, it doesn’t work very well, complicated metabolic process that takes The process of MCT digestion,
unless your idea of fat loading is just to a long time. Importantly, please notice absorption, conversion into ketones, and
get fat. Apparently conventional dietary that the metabolic pathway followed by transport to muscle takes place very rap-
fat is digested and absorbed too slowly to LCTs ends up by delivering them to fat idly. In fact, energy from MCFAs is
really be of much help. The answer is to cells for storage. Thus the old saying “fat available as fast as from glucose itself
supplement the diet with medium chain makes you fat.” (1,3). This makes MCFAs the ideal en-
fatty acids. These special fats are digested Medium chain fatty acids (MC- ergy source for athletes trying to push the
and absorbed much faster than regular fat, envelop of endurance. Notice two other
in fact as fast as glucose (1,3). The rapid things that make CapTri the ideal fuel
absorption and metabolism of MCFAs for athletes. First, CapTri is not delivered
(includes MCTs) provides an energy sub- to fat cells for storage. As amazing as it
strate that can effectively spare glycogen sounds, medium chain triglycerides are
and delay the onset of fatigue during pro- not stored as fat. Instead they are prefer-
longed intense exercise. entially burned as fuel. Does this mean
Glycerol is a small three carbon you have “carte blanche” to eat as much
compound which can bind fatty acids, one as you want, and you won’t get fat as long
fatty acid to each of it’s carbon atoms. as you poor some CapTri on top of your
When long fatty acids (16-18 carbon at- food? Of course not. Too many calories
oms in length) are bound, this is called a will make you gain fat. The point is that
long chain triglyceride (LCT). Everyday conventional fats are preferentially stored
vegetable oils are long chain triglycerides. as fat (that’s the natural result of the
If medium chain fatty acids (8 to 10 carbon metabolic pathway they follow) whereas
atoms in length) are bound, this is called CapTri is preferentially burned as energy.
a medium chain triglyceride (MCT). Con- This means that if you eat a clean diet
ventional fats (LCTs) are very insoluble which includes CapTri you will find it
in water. This makes them hard to digest very difficult to gain fat. It’s harder for
and transport. Inside the intestine, long your body to store CapTri as fat than it is
chain triglycerides are cleaved from their to convert carbohydrate into fat. Between
glycerol backbone by an enzyme called conventional fat, CapTri, and carbohy-
pancreatic lipase. The long chain fatty drate, CapTri has the least tendency to be
acids (LCFAs) are then bound by bile FAs) skip this whole process. Since they stored as body fat. For any given level of
salts (produced by the liver and stored are smaller fat molecules they are more caloric intake, you will have less body fat
in the gallbladder) for transport through water soluble and are therefore easier for the more CapTri you are using.
the intestine. When you eat long chain the body to process. MCTs are released The other fact that makes CapTri
fats they are not released directly into the directly into the bloodstream by intestinal the ideal energy supplement for athletes is
bloodstream. Once absorbed inside an cells, without the need to be incorpo- that MCFAs don’t
intestinal cell, the LCFAs are re-bound to rated into chylomicrons and carried in require the carnitine shuttle for transport
glycerol to re-form LCTs, which are then the lymphatic system. Nutrient-rich blood inside mitochondria. Mitochondria are
bound by proteins to make tiny particles leaving the intestine is carried directly to the power plants inside cells where food
called chylomicrons. The proteins act the liver by the portal vein for process- molecules are burned to produce cellular
like detergent to make the fat more water ing. The liver absorbs almost all of the energy. Regular fat molecules have to be
soluble. The chylomicrons are released MCTs from the portal blood and rapidly carried inside the mitochondria by the
into the lymphatic system, another system metabolizes them into ketone bodies. Ke- carnitine shuttle. The problem is, the car-
of vessels in the body separate from the tone bodies are very small (two to four nitine shuttle is not very active until car-
circulatory system. From there the lym- carbon atoms) molecules which repre- bohydrate stores are significantly deplet-
ed. Carbohydrate metabolism generates ergometer at 70-90% max on three sepa- endurance events (or at the end of long
a metabolite called malonyl-CoA which rate occasions. Subjects drank an exercise workouts for bodybuilders). This makes
inhibits the activity of the carnitine shut- drink consisting of glucose alone, glucose good sense, because at the beginning of
tle. Therefore, utilization of conventional + MCFA, or MCFA alone. The authors the race depletion of glycogen reserves is
fats is severely limited at two places: the found that the carbohydrate + MCFA not a threat anyway.
release of fatty acids from fat cells and the drink significantly improved cycling per- What are some specific recom-
entry of fatty acids into mitochondria are formance compared to either glucose or mendations for how to use CapTri to
both inhibited by carbohydrate. This is MCFA alone. As expected, MCFA inges- improve athletic performance? First off,
why regular fats don’t work very well to tion reduced glucose oxidation during don’t wait until the day of an athletic
spare glycogen and improve endurance. the 2 hour pre-ride at 60% VO2 max, competition and then chug a bottle of
Regular fats can’t be used as a significant suggesting that the improvement in per- CapTri right before your event. Big mis-
energy source until the carbs are already formance resulted from sparing of muscle take. You’ll puke and have diarrhea. At
used up, and then it’s too late. CapTri by- glycogen by MCFA. Again, just what we the same time. Not good. You need to
passes both of these limitations. start using CapTri several weeks out
While a great deal is known at a minimum, and a few months out
about MCFA metabolism, most of These studies demonstrate would be better. Introduce CapTri
our thinking on MCFAs and exercise three things about MCFAs and into your system slowly, say one-
performance has been theoretical with half tablespoon per meal. Mix it with
little experimental data in humans to
sports performance. First, MC- your food and don’t take it by itself
back it up. Until now. A study was FAs apparently work to improve on an empty stomach. After a few
performed using six normal subjects performance by “sparing” mus- days, increase your usage by one-
who exercised at 40% VO2 max for half tablespoon per meal. Continue
60 minutes or 80% VO2 max for 30 cle glycogen, thereby delaying this until you build up to two to three
minutes on two different occasions the onset of fatigue. Second, tablespoons with each meal. Take a
(1,4). (VO2 max describes exercise in- the effect of MCFAs appears to few days off from training before a
tensity in terms of percent of maximal competitive event and eat some ex-
oxygen consumption.) Either a LCFA be greatest during high intensity tra carbohydrates (about 100 grams
or a MCFA was infused during the exercise. During low intensity extra per meal). This will saturate
study. Using radioactive tracer tech- exercise conventional fats ap- your glycogen stores. The day of your
niques, the authors were able to cal- event eat a complex carb for break-
culate the percent of LCFA or MCFA pear to function adequately as fast (oatmeal is probably ideal) along
oxidized (burned) during the exercise. an energy source. Third, the ef- with one to two scoops of Hi-Protein
Total free fatty acid concentration was
kept the same between the two tri-
fects of MCFAs are likely to be Powder and three to four tablespoons
of CapTri. This is probably the per-
als. When the exercise intensity was more pronounced near the end fect pre-event meal. If you don’t like
increased from 40% to 80%, the oxi- of long endurance events (or competing with a full stomach, an-
dation of LCFA remained unchanged, other approach which works quite
while MCFA utilization increased sig-
at the end of long workouts for well is to combine Pro-Carb Formula
nificantly. It was concluded that entry bodybuilders). and CapTri to make a drink. Use one
of LCFAs into the mitochondria is scoop Pro-Carb to one tablespoon
limited (presumably by the carnitine CapTri. I’m not kidding, this com-
shuttle) so that oxidation of LCFAs can- expected. bination is really quite remarkable. This
not keep up with the increased energy de- These studies demonstrate three makes a fantastic pre-workout drink for
mands of high intensity exercise. On the things about MCFAs and sports perfor- bodybuilders as well as a pre-event drink
other hand, MCFAs are readily oxidized mance. First, MCFAs apparently work for endurance athletes. Finally, perhaps
more rapidly as energy demand increases. to improve performance by “sparing” the most popular approach is the Parrillo
This is exactly what I have been saying muscle glycogen, thereby delaying the BAR. It combines CapTri with a medium
for years. onset of fatigue. Second, the effect of chain glucose polymer along with a high-
Another study looked at the ef- MCFAs appears to be greatest during efficiency protein source.
fects of MCFAs on carbohydrate metabo- high intensity exercise. During low inten- If you’re serious about sports
lism and cycling performance (1,5). Six sity exercise conventional fats appear to performance, you owe it to yourself to
endurance trained cyclists rode at 60% function adequately as an energy source. experiment with these nutritional tech-
peak VO2 for 2 hours and then performed Third, the effects of MCFAs are likely to niques. This is cutting edge stuff, which
a 40 km time trial on a laboratory cycling be more pronounced near the end of long is just beginning to appear in the scientific
literature. We’ve been developing these

techniques over the last few years, and
I think you’re going to hear a lot about
it in the future. Endurance performance
is limited largely by glycogen substrate
availability. MCFAs allow us to channel
an energy substrate directly to working
muscle to spare glycogen and delay fa-
tigue. This means improved performance
- Parrillo Performance.
References
1. Berning JR. The role of medium chain

triglycerides in exercise. International
Journal of Sport Nutrition 6: 121-133,
1996.
2. Sherman WM and Leenders N. Fat

loading: the next magic bullet? Interna-
tional Journal of Sport Nutrition 5: s1-
s12, 1995.
3. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Medium

Clin. Nutr. 336: 950-962, 1982.
4. Sidossis LS, Gastaldelli A, and Wolfe

RR. Fatty acid uptake by the mitochon-
dria limits fat oxidation in strenuous ex-
ercise. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 27 (5,
suppl): s102, 1995.
5. VanZyl C, Lambert EV, Noakes TD,

and Dennis SC. Effects of medium chain
triglyceride ingestion on carbohydrate
metabolism and cycling performance.
Biochem. Exerc. 1994.
Attention to Detail
by John Parrillo
Iron is required to build hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells responsible for
transporting oxygen to working muscles. Iron deficiency is the most common nutri-
tional deficiency in the world, and is even more prevalent in athletes. Many children
and adults have inadequate iron intakes. Only about 10% of dietary iron is absorbed.
The form of iron found in red meat and liver is called heme iron and is more efficiently
absorbed. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, a condition where the body does not
make enough hemoglobin. This results in decreased oxygen carrying capacity of the
blood and impairs exercise performance. Athletes have a higher incidence of iron de-
ficiency and anemia than the general population. Iron supplementation, especially in
the form of heme iron, can correct iron deficiency and improve exercise performance.
Introduction ress to anemia. Without enough iron, the meet the oxygen consumption demands
body cannot manufacture enough hemo- of exercising muscle, the heart has to
It’s been several years since I’ve globin. If you look at anemic blood in a pump harder and faster to supply the tis-
talked about iron supplementation. Vita- microscope, the red blood cells are small sues with a larger volume of oxygen-poor
mins and minerals aren’t very glamorous, (microcytic) and pale (hypochromic) be- blood. (Since anemic blood contains less
and nobody really gets too excited about cause they don’t contain enough hemo- oxygen, the heart tries to compensate by
them. They are however very important globin. This condition reduces the oxygen pumping a larger volume of blood per
and should form the core of any supple- carrying capacity of the blood. In order to minute.) During maximal exercise capac-
ment program. Iron deserves special at- ity the heart is already producing maxi-
tention because athletes are at increased mum cardiac output, so oxygen delivery
risk for iron deficiency, and this can com- There is no question is ultimately compromised (the heart can
promise exercise performance. What you that iron deficiency only compensate so much). This in turn
need to know is not too complicated: take anemia has a signifi- puts an upper limit on exercise capacity.
an iron supplement, preferably one made How would you feel about train-
with heme iron. Alternatively, you can eat cant negative effect on ing like a demon for six months, or lon-
a lot of red meat, if you don’t mind the oxygen uptake and ex- ger, and being absolutely strict on your
fat, or you could eat a lot of liver, if you diet, only to have the top shaved off of
ercise capacity (1). Dur-
don’t mind barfing. your performance by less than optimal
ing maximal exercise, oxygen delivery? You thought you were
Iron Requirements and cardiac output cannot doing everything right. Attention to detail
Iron Deficiency is what separates first and second place.
increase to compen-
You think this is a rare problem and that
Daily iron losses by the adult sate for reduced oxy- you don’t have to worry about it? Hardly.
male average about 1.0 mg per day. gen transport (1). That At least 11 studies have looked at iron de-
Losses through menses increases the iron ficiency in athletes (these are summarized
requirements of women to about 1.4 mg
is, the heart is already in reference 1). I took the results of these
per day. The amount of iron absorbed at maximum output studies and averaged them. According to
from food averages about 10%, so that and cannot compen- these studies, 35% of female athletes and
means men need to consume 10 mg and 10% of male athletes are iron deficient.
women 14 mg per day. sate any further.
When a person absorbs less iron Iron deficiency and Performance
than is lost, iron deficiency will result. If
left uncorrected, this will eventually prog-
Attention to Detail
There is no question that iron than subjects with normal hemoglobin such as beans, corn, and spinach contain a
deficiency anemia has a significant nega- concentrations (1). Lactate is a prod- significant amount of iron. Unfortunately,
tive effect on oxygen uptake and exercise uct of anaerobic metabolism, indicating iron from vegetable sources is poorly
capacity (1). During maximal exercise, that these individuals were not delivering absorbed (1). For example, while spinach
cardiac output cannot increase to com- enough oxygen to working muscles, or is relatively rich in iron, only 1.4% of
pensate for reduced oxygen transport (1). were not able to optimally produce energy iron from spinach is absorbed. Red meat
That is, the heart is already at maximum from oxygen. So it appears that even mild provides much higher amounts of iron per
output and cannot compensate any fur- iron deficiency which has not progressed serving than vegetable sources (2). And
ther. No one questions the reality of this to the point of anemia can also impair liver is an even better source of iron than
effect. In fact, some endurance athletes exercise performance. red meat. Furthermore, the iron from red
use “blood doping” to improve exer- meat and liver - heme iron - is much eas-
cise performance. This practice involves Dietary Iron ier for your body to absorb (1-4). About
transfusion of blood one or two days 15-35% of iron from red meat and liver
prior to an event to increase hemoglobin Dietary iron sources are usu- is absorbed (1,2). The higher iron content
concentration to above normal levels. of these foods, plus the greater bioavail-
A more sophisticated approach is to use ability of heme iron, makes red meat and
erythropoetin. Erythropoetin is a hor- especially liver much better dietary iron
mone manufactured by the kidneys which sources.
stimulates the bone marrow to produce About 2-8% of nonheme iron is
more red blood cells. Recently the gene absorbed, depending on the composition
for erythropoetin has been cloned and the of the meal (1). Heme iron is chelated
hormone can now be produced in vitro (in (ionically bound) to a special carrier mol-
a lab) and is available for use as an inject- ecule called a porphyrin, which is in turn
able drug. bound to the protein hemoglobin. This
What about mild iron deficiency complex improves iron absorption by the
which has not yet progressed to the ex- gut to around 15-35% (1). This makes it
treme of frank anemia? Iron is required around 4 times more efficient (on aver-
not only in hemoglobin, but also in myo- age) as an iron supplement. Obviously,
globin (an oxygen transport protein in heme iron is the way to go.
muscle cells) and in several enzymes
(including the cytochromes and others) Effects of Iron Supplementation
which are involved in energy production.
In one study, rats were made anemic by It has been extensively proven in many
feeding them an iron deficient diet and studies that iron supplementation will
then the anemia was corrected by blood improve exercise performance in iron
transfusion. These rats still had decreased deficient anemic athletes (1). Studies of
exercise capacity even though their ane- iron supplementation in iron deficient
mia had been reversed, demonstrating ally divided into two general categories: but not anemic individuals have yielded
that iron deficiency can negatively affect heme iron and nonheme iron (1). “Heme mixed results, some showing improve-
exercise performance in the absence of iron” is iron which is already bound to ment and some showing no effect. The
anemia (1). These iron deficient rats were heme - the red pigment in hemoglobin. studies showing no effect were likely
found to have reduced enzyme activities in Good sources of heme iron are red meat performed using subjects whose iron defi-
the energy producing pathway compared and liver. White meat chicken and turkey ciency had not yet progressed to the point
to normal rats. Studies in iron deficient breast also contain heme iron, but in low- of impaired performance. “Iron status
humans have demonstrated that as little er amounts (2). The form of iron found in is a common cause of decreased exer-
as 2 days of iron supplementation therapy plants and conventional iron supplements cise performance in humans, especially
can reduce heart rate during exercise, pre- (ferrous sulfate) is not incorporated into in women...It is strongly recommended
sumably by increasing oxygen carrying heme and is therefore called “nonheme for serious athletes, those whose perfor-
capacity of the blood and thus reducing iron.” Iron from red meat and liver, in mance has reached a plateau, and female
the work required by the heart to supply the form of heme iron, is much easier for endurance athletes to seek medical con-
oxygen to the body (1). Furthermore, iron your body to absorb (1-4). sultation for determination of iron status.
deficient adults also have higher blood Iron deficiency is associated with If deficient in any way, iron repletion by
lactate levels following maximal exercise vegetarian diets (1). Some vegetables dietary manipulation and/or iron supple-
Attention to Detail
mentation is wise.” In summary, sports anemia is a form of ercise,” by Emily Haymes and chapter 14
This is a direct quote from ref- anemia seen in hard training athletes who “Nutritional Ergogenic Aids,” by Luke
erence 1. (I couldn’t have said it better are often not iron deficient. Even though Bucci.)
myself.) The lab tests you’ll need include they are getting enough iron, they become
a CBC (complete blood count), an iron anemic do to chronic protein deficiency 2. Haymes. “Proteins, Vitamins, and
level, ferritin level, and iron binding ca- (2,3). You can’t build blood cells without Iron.” Ergogenic Aids in Sport, Williams,
pacity. These tests are necessary to diag- protein. editor. Human Kinetics Publishers, 1983.
nose anemia and to prove whether or not
the anemia is due to iron deficiency. The What Should I Do? 3. Whitmire. “Vitamins and Minerals:
doctor’s office visit will cost about $40.00 A perspective in Physical Performance.”
and the lab tests will cost about another The best iron supplement is one Sports Nutrition for the 90s, Berning and
$200.00 (give or take). While this is the made from heme iron, because this is Steen, editors. Aspen Publishers, 1991.
scientific way to go, it turns out to be much more efficiently absorbed (1-4).
cheaper just to buy the iron supplement The only type of supplement made using 4. Wapnir. Protein Nutrition and Mineral
and give it a try. Unless you suspect some heme iron is desiccated liver. Parrillo Per- Absorption. CRC Press, 1990.
medical problem, this is what I generally formance Liver Amino is made using a
recommend. You’ll need to give it a trial special extraction process which removes
of about three months to see if it works all of the fat and cholesterol which is
for you. found in liver. This is really the only way
to get heme iron in a significant amount
What is “Sports Anemia?” without getting a boatload of fat along
with it. We’ve added a special protein to
Sports anemia is induced by exercise improve it’s amino acid profile, making
training - endurance athletes are espe- Liver Amino a source of high efficiency
cially at risk (2,3). Many times, sports protein as well as heme iron. There is no
anemia is not associated with a true other product like it on the market. It is
iron deficiency. Skeletal muscle fibers are also fortified with dibencozide, a superior
damaged during intense exercise training form of B-12 which is better absorbed. It
and this damage must be repaired during also contains other cofactors involved in
the recovery period following exercise. If blood production. To complete the pic-
dietary protein intake is inadequate, the ture you should also be taking Essential
body will draw on red blood cells, hemo- Vitamin Formula and Mineral-Electrolyte
globin, and plasma proteins as a source Formula. In addition to iron, you also
of protein to repair the muscles (2,3). If need vitamin B-12 and folate to manu-
protein intake is limited, repair of muscle facture blood cells. Finally, an adequate
tissue may soak up all of the incoming protein intake is essential. If you’re in
protein and not leave enough left to re- a negative nitrogen balance, the other
build new red blood cells at the normal things probably won’t be able to help.
rate. Increased protein intake may be ef- In summary you need heme iron, B-12,
fective in treating sports-induced anemia folate, and protein. Liver Amino should
(2,3). Often times, an athlete experiences be considered a first line “essential” sup-
a decrease in red blood cell count and plement for serious endurance athletes,
serum iron levels during the early phase especially women. Also, any women who
of training. This could be due to the fact are extremely lean, following a strict diet,
that aerobic training causes an increase in or who are having menstrual irregulari-
myoglobin (an oxygen carrying protein) ties should strongly consider this supple-
and cytochrome content of muscle tis- ment.
sue and the protein and iron required for References
their formation could be obtained from
destruction of red blood cells. In other 1. Wolinsky I and Hickson JF. Nutrition
words, myoglobin (in muscle) may be in Exercise and Sport, second edition.
increased at the expense of hemoglobin CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, 1994.
(in blood) if protein intake is inadequate. (See chapter 11 “Trace Minerals and Ex-
Endurance Performance, Part I

by John Parrillo
The specificity principle states that adaptations to exercise training are specific to the
training stimulus applied. This means that athletes predominantly interested in muscle
size and strength should focus most of their efforts on resistance training, and athletes
interested in endurance performance should perform mostly endurance training. How-
ever, certain metabolic adaptations occur as a result of endurance training which are of
great interest to bodybuilders as well as endurance athletes. These include increased
oxidative capacity, increased work output, increased vascular supply to muscles, and
increased fat oxidation.
Endurance training sessions General Principles the two (1). Specific exercise elicits spe-
should be performed a minimum of three cific adaptations creating specific training
days per week for 30-60 minutes at mod- Two general concepts underpin effects (1).
erate to high intensity to achieve this any successful exercise training program.
training benefit. Some authors recom- The Overload Principle describes the idea Metabolic Adaptations
mend low intensity aerobic exercise for that an exercise stimulus must be of some
fat loss, because at low intensity a greater threshold intensity to bring about a train- Aerobic conditioning results in
percentage of utilized energy is derived ing adaptation (1,2). Exercise represents a metabolic adaptations that improve en-
from fat. While this is true, low intensity form of stress, and the body adapts to that ergy production (1). Mitochondria from
aerobic exercise is not effective in elicit- stress by getting stronger. To force the skeletal muscle acquire a greatly increased
ing the metabolic adaptations which bring body to continue to adapt, the stimulus capacity to generate ATP by oxidative
about a shift in energy substrate utiliza- must continually become more intense. phosphorylation. Mitochondria are the
tion patterns. Furthermore, low intensity This is known as Progressive Overload. small furnaces inside cells where food is
aerobic exercise does relatively little to We can increase the training intensity by burned (oxidized) to produce energy. Oxi-
improve cardiovascular and respiratory increasing the load (the resistance), the dative phosphorylation is the biochemical
fitness. While bodybuilders appropriately workout frequency, the workout duration, pathway mitochondria use to combine
should focus their training on resistance or the power output (work performed per fuel substrate molecules from food with
exercise, they will achieve a higher de- unit time). The most effective way to pro- oxygen, resulting in a release of energy
gree of muscularity and leanness if they duce increases in muscle size and strength which is used to form ATP. Aerobic train-
also include a component of vigorous is to increase the load. The most effective ing makes mitochondria more efficient at
aerobic exercise. way to improve endurance performance this process, which means they can make
is to increase workout duration. The best more ATP to power muscle fiber contrac-
Introduction way to improve speed is to increase power tions. This is a benefit of aerobic exercise
output during the workout. The Overload that you don’t get from weight lifting.
Optimal endurance training is Principle (sometimes called The Intensity Associated with the increased capacity
of great interest not only to endurance Principle) applies to endurance training as for mitochondrial oxygen uptake is an
athletes but to bodybuilders as well. This well as to resistance exercise. increase in the size and number of mito-
series of articles will focus on how to use The Specificity Principle states chondria and a potential two-fold increase
endurance training to help you achieve that the metabolic adaptations that oc- in the level of aerobic energy producing
your physique goals. Aerobic exercise is cur in response to a training stimulus are enzyme systems (1). These adaptations
the most effective way to lose body fat, specific to the type of overload applied are required to sustain a high percent-
and I’ll explain how to train optimally to (1,2). Resistance training causes increases age of aerobic capacity during prolonged
burn fat without sacrificing muscle. We’ll in muscle size and strength (if it’s intense exercise sessions. Animal studies have
also talk about ways to maximize your enough) and aerobic exercise causes im- shown that skeletal muscle myoglobin
endurance performance. provements in cardiovascular endurance, can increase by as much as 80%. Myoglo-
with surprisingly little carry over between bin is a protein very similar to hemoglo-
bin, except myoglobin is found in muscle heart increase with long-term aerobic both breathing frequency and tidal vol-
cells while hemoglobin is found in red training (1). This is characterized by an ume (the volume of air per breath). In
blood cells. Like hemoglobin, the func- increase in the size of the left ventricu- submaximal exercise the trained athlete
tion of myoglobin is to bind oxygen, and lar chamber and by a thickening of its ventilates less than before training (mara-
an increase in myoglobin can facilitate walls. The left ventricle is the chamber of thon runners don’t get out of breath from
oxygen delivery to mitochondria. the heart which pumps blood out to the climbing a flight of stairs).
Aerobic training causes an in- body, and intense exercise makes it get One of the most important adaptations to
crease in the muscle’s ability to mobi- bigger and stronger, just like any other endurance exercise is an increase in the
lize and oxidize fat. This occurs by an muscle. This means it can pump harder number of capillaries surrounding each
increase in blood flow within the muscle and deliver a larger volume of blood muscle fiber (2). Endurance training can
and in the activity of fat-mobilizing per minute to working muscles. This in increase capillary density of muscles by
and fat-metabolizing enzymes (1). At turn means more oxygen delivery, more 15% (and probably more, I suspect). This
any submaximal work rate, a trained energy production, and more muscular allows greater exchange of gases, heat,
individual uses more free fatty acids for power output. The heart’s stroke volume wastes, and nutrients between the blood
energy than an untrained person (1,2). increases significantly at rest and during and working muscle fibers (2). This fa-
This is a key point and deserves some exercise. Stroke volume is the volume of cilitates not only energy production, but
emphasis. Aerobic exercise training en- blood the left ventricle can eject in one also fat metabolism and muscular growth.
hances the muscle’s ability to use fat as beat. Since the left ventricle is larger and These increases occur within the first few
a fuel source and causes a shift in energy stronger, it can pump out more blood in a weeks to months of aerobic training. If
substrate (fuel) selection such that the single beat than before training. Resting you want to grow big muscles, you need
trained muscle learns to rely more on fat and submaximal heart rate are decreased to deliver nutrients to them. The nutrients
as an energy source and less on carbo- during aerobic training. Since the heart are delivered by capillaries. Do your
hydrate. This is important to endurance can pump more blood with each beat, it aerobics.
athletes because increased use of fat as doesn’t need to beat as often and heart
an exercise fuel has a carbohydrate spar- rate is decreased compared to before VO2 Max
ing effect - the more fat we can burn the training. Plasma volume and total hemo-
longer the carbs will last. Since carbo- globin content of the blood increase with Endurance is a term that actu-
hydrate (glycogen) depletion is a major endurance training. This also improves ally describes two separate components:
factor limiting endurance, this means oxygen delivery. muscular endurance and cardiorespira-
improved performance. This is also very One of the most significant
important to bodybuilders because it changes in cardiovascular function is an
offers a way to shift your metabolism increase in maximal cardiac output (1,2).
into a fat-burning mode. Aerobic train- Cardiac output is the volume of blood the
ing teaches your muscles to burn more heart can pump in one minute. The in-
fat and less carbs. This happens at rest creased cardiac output is mediated largely
as well as during submaximal exercise. by the increase in stroke volume. Training
(During maximal exercise, carbs are still also produces a significant increase in the
the main fuel.) Notice what happens if amount of oxygen extracted from circu-
you combine this approach with a very lating blood (1,2). This is determined by
low fat diet. The aerobic training shifts measuring the oxygen concentration in
your muscle’s fuel selection into fat- arterial blood supplying a muscle and in
burning mode, and your body becomes venous blood leaving the muscle. The dif-
a fat burning machine. But there’s no fat ference is referred to as the arteriovenous
in your diet. So where does the fat come oxygen gradient, and it is increased by en-
from to fuel your muscles? From stored durance training because the muscles be-
body fat. By combining proper training come more efficient at extracting oxygen
and nutrition techniques you can teach from the blood. This is probably due to
your body to draw on its own stored fat the increased capillary supply of muscle
as a primary energy source. fibers, as well as their increased myoglo-
Cardiovascular and bin and mitochondrial content. Regular
Respiratory Adaptations aerobic training reduces blood pressure.
Endurance exercise increases the ventila-
The weight and volume of the tory capacity of the lungs by increasing
tory endurance. Muscular endurance is whole (2). It describes your body’s over- ditioning results in an average increase of
the ability of a muscle or muscle group to all ability to sustain prolonged rhythmic 20% VO2 Max following six months of
sustain high intensity repetitive exercise exercise. Rather than being limited by the conditioning. This is brought about by a
(2). Muscular endurance is highly related endurance of a particular muscle, your combination of two factors. An increase
to muscular strength and anaerobic condi- cardiorespiratory endurance is limited by in cardiac output results in more blood,
tioning. An example is how many repeti- your body’s energy producing ability, and thus more oxygen, being delivered to
tions you can do with a given weight on which is in turn limited by your ability to tissues. Second, an increase in the arterio-
the bench press. Technically speaking, deliver oxygen to working muscle tissue, venous oxygen gradient means that more
strength is defined as your one rep maxi- which is in turn limited by your cardiovas- of this oxygen is being extracted from
mum (1RM). Let’s say your one rep max cular and respiratory systems. Most exer- the blood by the muscle. This means that
at bench is 225 pounds. That means you cise physiologists regard VO2 Max as the more oxygen is being used by the muscle
can probably do 185 pounds for 8 reps best indicator of cardiorespiratory endur- to produce energy, and more energy pro-
or so. If you train bench for duction means more muscle
several weeks at 185 pounds, power and endurance.
pretty soon you’ll be able to
Whereas muscular endurance refers to
do 9 reps at 185. This is an individual muscles, cardiorespiratory en- Lactate Threshold
increase in muscular endur- durance refers to the body as a whole.
ance at 185 pounds. From When glucose is metab-
a strictly technical point of It describes your body’s overall ability olized anaerobically (without
view, this is not an increase to sustain prolonged rhythmic exercise. oxygen) it is converted to py-
in strength. To demonstrate Rather than being limited by the endur- ruvate and subsequently into
an increase in strength, you lactate (lactic acid). Lactic acid
need to increase your 1RM. ance of a particular muscle, your cardio- buildup inside muscle cells is
Going from 8 reps at 185 respiratory endurance is limited by your one of the factors that makes
pounds to 9 reps at 185 your muscles burn when you
pounds probably won’t in-
body’s energy producing ability, which train a set of biceps curls to
crease your 1RM by much, is in turn limited by your ability to deliver failure. At lower intensity ex-
if any. However, if you keep oxygen to working muscle tissue, which ercise, you really don’t recruit
training soon you’ll be able the anaerobic energy system
to do 12 reps at 185, then the
is in turn limited by your cardiovascular because you don’t need it.
next time you test your 1RM and respiratory systems. (Refer back to our series on
you’ll find you can push up cellular energy production.)
230 with no problem. So During endurance exercise,
while muscular strength and your body can supply oxygen
endurance are separate con- fast enough to the muscles so
cepts, they are closely related. Another ance capacity (2). While strength, defined that you can produce all the energy you
example of muscular endurance is a static as the one rep maximum, is the best way need from the oxidation of glucose and
muscular contraction, such as a wrestler to measure performance improvements fat, without producing lactic acid. As ex-
trying to pin his opponent to the mat (2). in resistance training, VO2 Max is the ercise intensity increases, you eventually
Another example would be holding a leg best way to measure aerobic power (2). reach a level where the aerobic energy
extension in the fully extended position. VO2 Max is defined as the highest rate producing pathway is maxed out, and an-
Let’s say you can hold a leg extension at of oxygen consumption attainable during aerobic energy production begins. At that
150 pounds fully extended for 10 seconds maximal exhaustive exercise (2). You point, lactate is produced inside muscle
before you start to fail and lower the certainly can exercise at intensities higher tissue and begins to appear in the blood
weight. After several weeks of training than your VO2 Max, but this recruits the as a waste product. The lactate threshold
you may be able to hold it for 15 seconds. anaerobic energy producing pathways. is the point where blood lactate begins to
This is an increase in muscular endur- After a minute or two at this intensity appear. Like VO2 Max, this is a measure
ance. (This technique, along with forced fatigue will set in and muscular failure of cardiorespiratory fitness. Endurance
negatives, is in my bag of tricks for break- will occur. Your VO2 Max represents the training increases the lactate threshold,
ing through plateaus.) highest level of exercise intensity that you which means a higher level of energy pro-
Whereas muscular endurance re- can sustain for a prolonged period of time. duction can occur by the aerobic pathway
fers to individual muscles, cardiorespira- The VO2 Max dictates the rate of work or before the anaerobic pathway is called
tory endurance refers to the body as a the pace you can sustain (2). Aerobic con- into play. Trained endurance athletes can
perform exercise at a higher VO2 Max

before blood lactate appears. This means
that they can exercise at a higher intensity
(they can produce more power aerobical-
ly) before anaerobic metabolism begins.
At first it might sound like VO2
Max and lactate threshold are really two
ways of measuring the same thing, but
they’re not. While they both reflect endur-
ance performance, they are looking at dif-
ferent aspects. VO2 Max is a description
of the maximal aerobic energy producing
ability of an athlete. Lactate threshold
describes the percentage of VO2 Max at
which the athlete can train before anaero-
bic metabolism begins. The increase in
lactate threshold, at a given percentage
of VO2 Max, is probably due to a greater
ability to clear lactate produced by the
muscle (due to increased capillary den-
sity of the muscle tissue bed), an increase
in skeletal muscle enzymes involved in
aerobic energy production, and a shift in
metabolic substrate to a fuel mix involv-
ing a higher proportion of energy derived
from fat.
These concepts lay the basic
ground work you need for a thorough
understanding of endurance exercise
physiology. Next month we’ll talk about
training intensity, respiratory quotient,
fat metabolism, and specific strategies
on how to incorporate endurance training
into your program to maximize fat loss
without losing muscle.
References
1. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and Katch VL.

Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition,
and Human Performance. Lea & Febiger,
Philadelphia, 1991.
2. Wilmore JH and Costill DL. Physiol-
ogy of Exercise and Sport. Human Kinet-
ics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
Endurance Performance, Part II

by John Parrillo
To maximize fat burning during aerobic exercise you should do it first thing in the morn-
ing before breakfast or else right after weight training. During these times liver and
muscle glycogen are relatively depleted and insulin levels are low. These conditions
promote the use of body fat as a fuel source. Aerobic exercise should be performed at
moderate intensity for 30 to 60 minutes per session, generally. A good way to gage in-
tensity is that you should be breathing hard and sweating. For maximum fat loss, don’t
eat carbohydrates immediately before or during cardiovascular exercise. Even if your
only goal is fat loss, it is important to include weight training as part of your exercise
program. Also, don’t restrict calories too much and be sure to get plenty of protein in
your diet to help prevent muscle loss while burning fat. Consume a low fat diet to ensure
that the fat you burn during your aerobic exercise is body fat and not dietary fat.
Scientific Background exercise. At the beginning of his training VO2 max is pretty obvious: it means
Last month I explained the con- program if he tried to peddle against high you can exercise harder. An increase in
cepts of VO2 max and the lactate thresh- resistance, after a few minutes his thighs anaerobic threshold means that you can
old. These are simply scientific ways of would begin to burn and ache from lactic exercise at a higher percentage of your
measuring cardiovascular fitness. Briefly, acid accumulation. After six months of maximal ability before anaerobic me-
VO2 max is the body’s maximum rate of training he can peddle for 20 minutes tabolism begins to contribute to energy
oxygen consumption (1,2). This deter- against high resistance with no thigh pain. production. So not only can a trained ath-
mines the maximal intensity of aerobic He has just increased his lactate thresh- lete exercise harder, he can exercise more
exercise which you can sustain. The lac- old. efficiently. He can exercise at a higher
tate threshold is the percentage of VO2 An aerobic exercise training percentage of his maximal ability before
max at which lactic acid first appears program will increase both VO2 max the lactic acid burn begins to set in. That
as a waste product in the blood (1,2). and anaerobic threshold. What does this implies he can maintain a higher percent-
Lactic acid is a byproduct of anaerobic mean? The meaning of an increase in age of his maximal output for a longer
metabolism when glucose is broken down
without oxygen. Thus the terms “lactate The meaning of an increase in VO2 max is..............
threshold” or “anaerobic threshold” are you can exercise harder. An increase in anaerobic
often used interchangeably. This repre-
sents the rate of energy production which threshold means that you can exercise at a higher
can be sustained aerobically before the percentage of your maximal ability before anaero-
anaerobic pathways kick in.
bic metabolism begins to contribute to energy pro-
These concepts may sound com-
plicated but a simple example will make duction. So not only can a trained athlete exercise
them clear. Let’s take a sedentary person harder, he can exercise more efficiently. He can
who hasn’t exercised in years and put him
on a training program. Initially he can
exercise at a higher percentage of his maximal
only ride the stationary bike for 20 min- ability before the lactic acid burn begins to set in.
utes at low intensity because he’s so out That implies he can maintain a higher percent-
of shape. After six months of consistent
training he can ride for 20 minutes at high age of his maximal output for a longer time before
intensity. He has just increased his VO2 reaching fatigue.
max, his maximal level of sustainable
time before reaching fatigue. So now substrate which is being used. At rest oxidation of fat makes the perfect energy
you can see that VO2 max and and during sleep mostly fat is used as the source for lower intensity exercise such
body’s fuel source. During low intensity as walking.
anaerobic threshold describe
exercise, such as walking or low intensity Many people use this rationale
somewhat different aspects of biking, still mostly fat is used. At the other to advocate low intensity exercise (such
endurance performance. extreme, during very high intensity exer- as walking) as the ultimate exercise for
Another fundamental concept we need fat loss. At first thought, this makes
to understand is the respiratory quo- good sense. It is true that during low
tient (RQ). This is defined as the ratio intensity exercise a higher percentage
of carbon dioxide produced to oxygen of the energy expended is derived
consumed during energy production from fat. The problem is that during
(1,2). What does this have to do with low intensity exercise you burn very
anything? It has everything to do with few calories, so even if almost all of
fat loss and body composition. Respi- the calories are derived from fat, that’s
ratory quotient is measured by analyz- still not much fat loss. During moder-
ing the amount of oxygen a person ate intensity aerobic exercise, such as
extracts from the air and the amount jogging or a brisk bike ride against
of carbon dioxide he exhales into the moderate resistance, a higher percent-
atmosphere as he breathes. We can age of the calories you burn come
learn some very interesting things us- from carbs, but you burn so many
ing this technique. It turns out that if more total calories that the overall re-
a person is burning pure carbohydrate sult is still greater fat loss. So it’s not
as his energy source the respiratory just the percentage of energy derived
quotient is 1.0. If he is burning fat as from fat that’s important, but also how
his fuel source the respiratory quotient is cise such as weight lifting the predomi- many total fat calories you burn. If you do
0.7. This difference comes from the fact nant fuel source is carbohydrate. And at your aerobics at moderate to high inten-
that the carbon atoms in carbohydrate moderate exercise intensity a mixture sity you will burn more carbs along with
molecules are already partially oxidized of fat and carbs is used for fuel. If you the fat, but you’ll end up burning a greater
(the carbon atoms are bound to oxygen think about the biochemical pathways amount of fat in the long run because you
in the sugar molecule). In fatty acids the of energy production this makes perfect expend more calories.
carbon atoms are bound to hydrogen, and sense. High intensity exercise like weight To put this in perspective, don’t
are said to be “reduced” (the chemical lifting is primarily fueled by the anaero- let me leave you with the wrong message.
opposite of oxidized). It makes sense then bic pathway. This is because the muscle’s Walking is a great exercise for fat loss,
that fat should contain more calories per demand for energy is so high that oxygen it’s just that you’ll have to walk for hours
gram than sugar, because in sugar the car- cannot be supplied to the muscle fast everyday to see really noticeable results.
bon atoms are already partially oxidized enough to keep up with the demand, so I’m not against walking, I just don’t think
before you eat it. In a fatty acid molecule the muscle has to turn to anaerobic me- it’s the best choice for serious fat loss.
the carbon atoms are not oxidized at all, tabolism. Anaerobic metabolism can sup- Just as there are plateaus you encounter
so when they are burned inside cells more ply rapid bursts of energy very quickly, while gaining muscle, you will also hit
energy is released per carbon atom than but cannot be sustained for a very long plateaus during fat loss. Probably the best
for glucose. Also, since the carbohydrate time. This is why you can ride the bike for way to stimulate accelerated fat loss is to
molecule already contains some oxygen hours but can only do squats for about a increase the intensity of your aerobics. In
atoms built into it, it takes fewer mole- minute before you fatigue. The body can your own experience, who’s leaner - the
cules of oxygen to complete its oxidation use carbohydrate as a fuel for anaerobic guy who walks three miles a day or the
than for a fat molecule. This is the reason energy production (glucose is converted guy who runs three miles a day? The run-
burning fat as your fuel source results in to pyruvate in the glycolytic pathway and ners I know are leaner than the walkers.
a different respiratory quotient than burn- pyruvate is subsequently converted to I’ve worked with a lot of bodybuilders
ing carbs. A typical mixed diet containing lactate). However, there is no such thing who could never really get into contest
protein, carbs, and some fat results in a as anaerobic fat metabolism. Fat requires shape until they started running.
RQ around 0.8. oxygen to be converted to usable energy. Last month I talked about some
Whew! So what does this have Simply put, you can’t burn fat fast enough of the metabolic adaptations that occur as
to do with bodybuilding and fat loss? By to keep up with the rigorous energy de- a result of endurance training. One is an
measuring the RQ of people while they mands of intense weight lifting, so you increase in the vascular supply to mus-
are exercising we can determine the fuel have to use carbs. On the other hand, the cles. The harder the muscles are forced to
work, the more blood they need. Another Do your aerobic exercise for at
important adaptation is an increase in least 30 minutes per session. It takes a
the fat-burning capacity of muscle cells. while to liberate fatty acids from adipose
Endurance training causes an increase in tissue and really start burning much fat.
the cellular content of mitochondria and You probably don’t burn much fat until
enzymes responsible for burning fat. I about 15 minutes or so into the exercise
don’t think you get much of a metabolic session. Do your aerobics on an empty
adaptation to low intensity exercise. Sure, stomach. First thing in the morning before
you can burn fat if you walk long enough, breakfast is a great time. Then your gly-
but you really won’t increase your capil- cogen levels are somewhat depleted from
lary density or beef up your fat-burning your overnight fast and insulin levels are
enzyme pathways significantly unless you low. Since insulin blocks fat metabolism,
train hard. The concept of intensity ap- aerobic exercise right after eating carbs
plies to endurance training just like it is a bad idea. No carb drinks before or
does to resistance training. If you want to during your aerobics. Another good time
see a big change in your body you have to to do your aerobics is right after weight
force it to adapt by providing an intense training. The weight training depletes
training stimulus. your glycogen levels so your body will be
If you still don’t believe me, forced to burn fat instead of carbs. Also, lose muscle, and thereby decrease your
just try it. It won’t cost you anything and weight training increases catecholamine metabolic rate and your ability to burn
you have nothing to lose. Try doing low levels (epinephrine and norepinephrine) fat. Remember, muscle is the engine that
intensity aerobics for a month (walking) which stimulate fat metabolism. So you’ll burns fat. Maintaining muscle mass is a
and measure your body composition be- start burning fat right from the start of priority. Second, eat a low fat diet. The
fore and after. Then do moderate to high your aerobic exercise session that way. aerobics program as described here is
intensity aerobics for a month (jogging or The particular type of exercise designed to maximize fat burning. If you
fairly strenuous biking) and again mea- you do doesn’t matter. Running, rowing, don’t eat any fat in your diet, then the
sure your body composition. You’ll see. biking, stair climbing, skiing, in-line skat- fat you burn during your aerobics has to
I’ve done this kind of thing with competi- ing, and aerobics classes are all okay. Pick come from stored body fat. If you have
tive bodybuilders about a zillion times, so something you like and can stick with. much fat in your diet then when you ex-
I know what will happen. I suggest mixing it up for variety. Just ercise you’ll simply burn the fat you just
Practical Applications make sure you are breathing hard and try ate. You’ll be spinning your wheels and
How do we put this all together to work up a sweat. One technique to help won’t get leaner. If you burn fat during
to get the best results? Do moderate keep the intensity up is circuit aerobics. exercise, but don’t eat fat, then you’ll
to high intensity aerobics for 30 to 60 Five minutes on the stair climber, five have to lose body fat. It’s that simple.
continuous minutes a minimum of three minutes on the treadmill, five minutes on Third, get plenty of protein. This is key
days a week, and seven days a week the bike, and five minutes on the rowing to preserving muscle mass while losing
is better. You should be breathing hard machine, then repeat the circuit. fat. During aerobic exercise, especially
and sweating. Remember, fat metabolism So we’ve covered the type of exercise, the at high intensity, some of the fuel is de-
requires oxygen. If you’re not breathing training intensity, the training duration, rived from amino acids. This can result
hard you’re not consuming much oxygen the training frequency, and the timing of in muscle loss if you’re not careful. I’ve
and so you can’t be burning much fat. It’s the training session. I can’t close without had very good results using a scoop of
not that complicated. What about heart talking a little about nutrition. There are Hi-Protein powder before aerobics. This
rate? If you want to measure heart rate, four key points I’d like to make. First, supplies very little carbohydrate and does
that’s fine. Probably between 70-85% of don’t cut calories too much. If you are not raise insulin levels significantly. The
your theoretical maximum heart rate is faithful to the diet as outlined in the Nu- Hi-Protein increases the blood levels of
a good goal to both burn fat and accrue trition Manual, you probably won’t have amino acids, so that any aminos which are
the metabolic adaptations of endurance to cut calories at all. If you eat according oxidized during the exercise session are
training (increased capillary density and to the diet, do your weight training, and derived from the protein powder instead
increased fat-burning machinery). Your do your aerobics, you will automatically of being extracted from muscle tissue.
theoretical maximum heart rate is 220 mi- get lean without having to cut calories. Here’s the strategy: if you exercise in the
nus your age. This is a pretty crude way If you do need to reduce calories, do so morning, get up and have a cup of coffee
to do it however because how your heart very modestly. Ten percent below your and a scoop of Hi-Protein powder, then do
rate responds to exercise depends on your maintenance requirement is plenty. If you your aerobics. If you do your cardio work
level of training. reduce calories too drastically you will after weight training, then have a scoop
of Hi-Protein between the weight training
and the aerobics. This will prevent any
loss of muscle tissue and will not inhibit
fat metabolism. Fourth, follow your body
composition. All serious bodybuilders
follow their percent body fat and lean
body mass. You have to in order to know
what’s going on with your body composi-
tion. Scale weight is just not enough. The
Body-Stat Kit is an invaluable tool in this
regard. It includes a detailed manual that
explains how to modify your diet and ex-
ercise to keep things moving in the right
direction, and discusses specific problems
commonly encountered while dieting for
contests.
Parrillo Performance. We’re here to show
you how.
References
1. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and Katch

VL. Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutri-
tion, and Human Performance. Lea &
Febiger, Philadelphia, 1991.
2. Wilmore JH and Costill DL. Physiol-

ogy of Exercise and Sport. Human Kinet-
The Parrillo Performance Program

by John Parrillo
American diet didn’t turn them supplements and buy a Parrillo Nutrition
into competitors. Manual instead. Read it. Follow it with-
If you learn one thing from me, out exception, every meal, every day, for
remember that food is the foun- a month. See what happens. What have
dation of nutrition. Over the last you lost? Nothing really, since the supple-
few years a number of very ex- ments weren’t producing good results
pensive supplements have entered anyway. Plus, at the end of the month you
the market and sometimes people still have the Nutrition Manual. Many
get discouraged because they can’t of these people are absolutely amazed at
afford to use them. Don’t worry what they can accomplish in one month.
about this. You can achieve great Most people drop a couple of pounds of
results with just a strict diet and fat and gain a couple pounds of muscle
hard training. Many of the top just by switching onto the diet - and that’s
bodybuilders use only a few sup- without supplements! Many people see
plements. Generally, if you spend more progress in this one month than they
more effort at eating right and have in the last year. And the key is, you
I think the basic strength of the trying to perfect your diet instead can keep doing it month after month. If
Parrillo program, and why it has proven of worrying about supplements you’ll be you buy $100 worth of supplements and
so successful with competitive bodybuild- better off. Many supplement programs take them, then that’s all you get. After
ers over the years, is that it is based on these days cost $200-$300 per month to you get on the right diet, you will find that
solid fundamental principles. The core of follow. A one-time investment in a Parril- you need fewer supplements and that you
the program is our approach to nutrition lo Nutrition Manual will do more for you get much more benefit from the supple-
and training. Think about it. Nutrition than a year’s worth of supplements and ments you do use.
and training is really what bodybuilding Be sure, when you go on the
is all about. The Parrillo nutrition pro- Thousands of athletes Parrillo diet you will be making some
gram works so well because it’s based on changes. It’s a major lifestyle modifica-
have realized great re- tion for most people. It’s a strict program.
solid nutrition from healthy bodybuilding
foods, not the latest supplement fad. Not sults utilizing the ideas It’s definitely not for everybody. It’s for
only is a proper diet and intense training and procedures that people who are willing to work, to make
the best way to attain bodybuilding suc- sacrifices, and to do what it takes to
make up this program. look like a bodybuilder. It’s tough, but it
cess, it’s the only way. It just doesn’t mat-
ter how many high-tech supplements you works.
take, if you’re not eating right you won’t costs practically nothing in comparison. Here’s what you do. Start by
get very good results. In terms of results per dollar, the Parrillo consuming one gram of complete protein
Getting your diet in order in Nutrition Manual is the most powerful per pound of body weight each day. Next,
the first item of business. This is the bodybuilding tool on the planet. limit fat to 5-10% of calories consumed.
foundation on which everything else is I’ve talked with countless people, Finally, the remainder of your calories
based. I’ve seen many bodybuilders atin the hundreds if not the thousands, who are derived from complex carbohydrates.
tain excellent size and conditioning using have jumped around from supplement How many calories should you eat? Start
only a minimal supplement program, but to supplement trying to find the magic recording your daily weight and write
they were eating a lot of muscle building formula that would work for them. Many down everything you eat in a nutrition
foods. Every week I get calls from young of these bodybuilders have struggled in journal. Measure your food portions so
bodybuilders disappointed because the the gym for years with only minimal you can calculate how many calories
latest miracle supplement they tried just results. When one of these guys calls for you eat in a day. Initially don’t make any
didn’t seem to live up to their hopes. advice, and it happens every day, I sug- special effort to gain or lose weight, just
Usually it turns out they weren’t eating gest the following experiment. For one concentrate on following the diet strictly.
a bodybuilding diet. They wonder why month don’t buy any supplements. Take After a week or two of keeping records
adding some supplement to the typical the money you would normally spend on you’ll see how many calories you eat
each day on average. If your body weight toes, sweet potatoes, rice, beans, oatmeal, tion Program shifts your metabolism into
doesn’t change during this period this is corn, and peas. Vibrous vegetables are fat burning mode. Your body uses a cer-
your “maintenance energy requirement,” salad greens, broccoli, green beans, car- tain amount of fat as fuel every day. Fat is
the number of calories required to main- rots, and so on. You should include both used as a prime fuel source while at rest
tain your present body weight. To gain starchy and fibrous carbs at each meal. and is also used during cardiovascular
weight, add 300-500 calories a day. To Each meal should be constructed exercise. If you consume less fat in your
lose weight, eat 300-500 calories a day according to the formula described above. diet than you burn every day, that extra
less or do an extra 30 minutes of cardio- Don’t eat just protein at one meal and fat must be obtained from body fat stores.
vascular exercise. just carbs at another. Combining protein This simple sounding concept has caused
You’ll notice that most of the and carbs and fiber together in the same quite a stir in the metabolism literature
adjustment in diet composition has to do meal slows the release of glucose into the recently. Over the last few years it has
with carbohydrate intake. Your protein bloodstream, helping keep insulin levels become clear that what we really care
requirement is determined primarily by from getting too high. This helps channel about is not energy balance (calories in
your body weight. If you add extra calo- nutrients to muscle instead of fat. When versus calories out) but rather fat balance
ries to gain weight, these are supplied by insulin levels are too high, this stimulates (3,4,5). We want to burn more fat than
more complex carbs. Extra carbs seem to fat storage. Be sure to divide your daily we eat every day to achieve loss of body
work best for gaining lean mass. If you allotment of calories roughly evenly into fat. Energy balance is not as important
reduce calories to lose fat, you’re still six small meals. This also provides for as fat balance. Last month I explained
consuming the same amount of protein. the concept of respiratory quotient (RQ).
The calories are reduced by reducing You will find the Parrillo This is a way to determine to composi-
carbs. The way the diet is structured au- Nutrition Program shifts tion of the fuel mix the body is burning
tomatically changes the ratio of protein at a given time. Generally speaking, the
to carbohydrate in the diet. This has been your metabolism into fat body’s energy needs are met by oxidizing
shown to change the ratio of insulin to burning mode. Your body a mixture of fat and carbohydrate. In the
glucagon in the blood (1) which in turn same way we can define the fuel quotient
has an impact on nutrient partitioning and
uses a certain amount
(FQ). It has been determined that in order
body weight set point (2). The Parrillo of fat as fuel every day. for loss of body fat to occur the RQ must
diet was designed with a lot of thought as Fat is used as a prime be less than FQ. What does this mean?
to using food to manipulate hormones in Simply that if you eat less fat than you
the body to channel nutrients into certain
fuel source while at rest
burn then you’ll lose body fat (3,4,5).
metabolic pathways. The diet is engi- and is also used during It’s that simple. This works because it
neered to channel nutrients toward the cardiovascular exercise. turns out that under normal conditions
lean body compartment while partitioning your body converts very little (in fact,
energy away from fat stores. You don’t If you consume less fat practically none) protein or carbohydrate
have to be a biochemist to get the results, in your diet than you burn into body fat (6). That’s right - almost all
you just have the follow the diet strictly. every day, that extra fat body fat is derived directly from dietary
To the letter. fat. Excess dietary carbohydrate has very
Let’s talk about a few specifics. must be obtained from little tendency to be converted into fat
What is a “complete” protein? This is a body fat stores. and stored as body fat (6). Over-feeding
protein source which supplies all of the as much as 500 grams of carbohydrate
amino acids, including the ones which results in only a couple of grams of fat
cannot be manufactured by the body. better insulin control and also continually storage (6). On the other hand, if excess
These are the so-called “essential” amino bathes the muscle in a nutrient rich envi- calories in the diet are supplied as fat,
acids. Complete proteins supply all of ronment so growth can proceed continu- they have a very strong tendency to be
the amino acids you need to build new ously. stored as body fat. In summary, quite a
muscle tissue, making them the best pro- Again, concentrate your effort on bit of recent research in metabolism has
tein choices for bodybuilders. Examples following the diet. Spend as much time indicated that the fat content of the diet is
of good low-fat protein sources are egg thinking about groceries as you used to at least as important, if not more impor-
whites, chicken and turkey breast, and spend trying to decide which supplements tant, than how many calories you eat. As
many fishes. These should form the basis to try. Remember, groceries work better an example, you could eat only a modest
of your protein choices. than supplements. Your body was made number of calories, but if those calories
Complex carbohydrates fall into to eat food. That’s what it needs and that’s are supplied in a form prone to be stored
two general categories: starchy and fi- what works best. as fat, then you’ll get fat. Alternatively,
brous. Starchy carbs are things like pota- You will find the Parrillo Nutri- if you eat foods which are very difficult
for the body to convert into fat, then you is calories. Keep the fat grams very low to of my long-time clients calls in with a
can eat a lot of calories without getting avoid gaining body fat. problem, it turns out they’ve strayed away
fat. Sounds like science fiction, but it’s For fat loss the best product is from the diet or else are having a hard
not. I’ve been saying this for years, and CapTri. Be sure to watch your calories. time eating enough calories to support
the science has now finally been done to CapTri is a very high calorie product, further growth. This is a perfect time to
prove it. add in a supplement. We’re always here
The Parrillo diet is specifically designed to provide advise on your nutrition or
to channel nutrients to muscle and to The Parrillo diet is de- supplementation program. Just give us a
draw on stored body fat as a fuel source. signed to channel nu- call.
This amounts to using nutrition to direct trients to muscle and
the flow of dietary energy along certain References
biochemical pathways to achieve the ef- to draw on stored body
fect of partitioning dietary energy into the fat as a fuel source. 1. Westphal SA, Gannon MC, and Nut-
lean compartment while simultaneously tall FQ. Metabolic response to glucose
This amounts to using ingested with various amounts of protein.
drawing on fat stores for energy. I think
you can see that setting up this sort of nutrition to direct the Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 52: 267-272, 1990.
hormonal and metabolic environment in flow of dietary energy
the body is inherently more powerful than 2. de Castro JM, Paullin SK, and DeLu-
supplements could be when thrown in on
along certain biochemi- gas GM. Insulin and glucagon as deter-
top of a regular diet. Most people don’t cal pathways to achieve minants of body weight set point and
know how to use supplements and that’s the effect of partitioning microregulation in rats. J. Comp. Physiol.
why they don’t get good results. You Psychol. 92: 571-579, 1978.
have to have the diet in place to form the
dietary energy into the
foundation. This converts the metabolism lean compartment while 3. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate bal-
into muscle-building, fat-burning mode. simultaneously drawing ance, and weight maintenance: effects of
Changing the metabolism is the first, most exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 296-306,
important, step. Then the supplements on fat stores for ener- 1987.
can do their job.
A question I get constantly is and if you just start pouring it on your 4. Flatt JP. Use and storage of carbohy-
what are the most important supplements regular food it will not make you lose drate and fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61: 952s-
and which ones should I be using. Some weight. What you have to do is subtract a 959s, 1995.
people think they need to use them all to given number of calories of starchy carbs
get results. Not true. For building muscle from your diet and replace those calories 5. Swinburn B and Ravussin E. Energy
and gaining strength, the most important with CapTri. This lowers the energetic balance or fat balance? Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
ones are Creatine and Hi-Protein Powder. efficiency of your fuel mix, meaning that 57: 766S-771S, 1993.
This is a powerful combination. Just these more dietary energy is converted to body
two products alone can boost your growth heat. This loss of dietary energy as body 6. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier E.
into the stratosphere. Parrillo Hi-Protein heat means that those calories are not Glycogen synthesis versus lipogenesis af-
Powder is a special formulation including available to fuel activity, so your body is ter a 500 gram carbohydrate meal in man.
a mixture of casein and whey protein with forced to draw more heavily on stored fat Metabolism 31: 1234-1240, 1982.
free form amino acids added to adjust the as a fuel source. This low-carb approach
final amino acid profile to be optimal for also reduces insulin levels which further
muscular growth. promotes fat loss.
If you’re an ectomorph (natu- Endurance athletes should try
rally skinny person) and want to gain Liver-Amino and Hi-Protein Powder. You
pounds of body weight, use the combina- might have thought Pro-Carb would be a
tion of Pro-Carb and Hi-Protein. These better choice, but endurance athletes usu-
supplements can add quality calories to ally get plenty of carbs from their diet.
your diet to help you pack on muscle. The surprising truth is that many endur-
I’ve seen guys gain 20 to 30 pounds in ance athletes are protein deficient.
six months on this combination. It doesn’t These should give you some
take a complicated program to get results. ideas to get you started. Whether you
It takes the right diet and the right supple- want to use supplements or not, be sure
ment. For gaining weight what you need to stick to the diet. Often times when one
No Limits: How To Break Through Plateaus, Part I

by John Parrillo
A very common problem among cally measure your body composition and Kit was made just for this reason, and in-
bodybuilders, especially advanced body- keep records. To monitor your gains in cludes a manual with detailed instructions
builders, is hitting a plateau. What to do strength, you need to keep a training jour- on how to modify your program to keep
when you hit a plateau is one of the most nal and record your performance on basic making progress.
frequently asked questions I receive. The lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, Bodybuilding is not really all
answers are highly individualized de- shoulder presses, and rows. Set some that complicated. If you’re not making
pending on the specific problem, but I can specific goals, such as to gain a pound of good progress you need to make some
give you some general guidelines to help muscle per week for the next 12 weeks, or kind of a change, and the two places to
you troubleshoot the difficulty. The main to reach an all-time personal low body fat makes these changes are in your train-
point is that if you’re not making progress percentage, or to get a new personal best ing or your nutrition. Don’t be afraid
in your bodybuilding goals, then you’re in the bench press. If you don’t have spe- to change one or both of these. Let’s
not doing what it takes to make you consider the muscle gaining plateau first.
better. As obvious as that sounds, many The most common problem here is with
You cannot achieve great- nutrition - people just don’t eat enough
people fail to realize this. A lot of people
stick with the same program month after ness in any field by guess- calories to sustain further muscle growth.
month, sometimes even for years, without work, including bodybuild- Consider this: your body’s daily energy
seeing any real change in their physiques. expenditure - the number of calories you
They keep waiting for it to start working
ing. You need to have burn in a day - is determined by your
- for something to happen. A good rule some specific, objective muscle mass, among other factors (1,2).
of thumb is that you should see some goals and keep records to Muscle is metabolically active tissue - a
improvement on at least a monthly ba- pound of muscle requires 25-30 calories
sis. Take inventory of your progress at
determine if you’re marking a day to maintain and up to 100 calories
regular intervals, say at the beginning of progress toward achieving to build. This means that as your muscle
every month. If you like what you see and them. mass increases your daily calorie require-
you’re making good progress, keep doing ment increases at the same time. As an
what you’re doing. On the other hand, if example, let’s consider a hypothetical 180
a month goes by and you haven’t made cific goals, and if you don’t monitor your pound bodybuilder whose maintenance
some noticeable improvement, it’s time progress toward reaching those goals, energy requirement is 2500 calories a
for a change. The biggest mistake you can then it’s hard to know if you’re really day. This means that during an average
make is to faithfully stick to a program making any progress or not. Most people day, his body burns 2500 calories total. If
that’s not giving you good results. in the gym don’t ever bother to formu- he consistently consumes less than 2500
These suggestions to “take in- late specific goals, don’t keep a training calories a day he’ll lose weight, and if he
ventory” and “look for improvement” journal, and don’t measure their body consistently consumes more than 2500
lead directly to the second major concept, composition. They’re the ones who lift calories a day he’ll gain weight. If he
which is that you need to be scientific the same weight month after month and consumes 2500 calories a day, his pres-
about analyzing your progress. You can- whose bodies never change. One of the ent body weight will be maintained, and
not achieve greatness in any field by best ways to set a goal is to pick a date six that’s why we call this his “maintenance
guesswork, including bodybuilding. You to twelve weeks in the future and to plan energy requirement.” Now let’s say he
need to have some specific, objective for a certain body weight and fat percent- wants to pack on some mass, so he starts
goals and keep records to determine if age at that time. For example, “By next I eating 2800 calories a day. For several
you’re making progress toward achieving want to weigh 220 pounds at 6% body fat. weeks he will gain at about a pound a
them. The basic goals for bodybuilders This means that by May I need to gain 10 week, but then the gains stop. Why?
are to increase muscle mass, to decrease pounds of muscle and lose 8 pounds of Well, if each pound of new muscle burns
body fat, to increase strength in the basic fat.” This gives you some specific goals 30 calories a day just for maintenance
lifts, and to improve overall size, shape to shoot for, and a timetable to monitor purposes, and he gained 10 pounds, that’s
and symmetry. To know if you are making your progress. Of course, you can’t do it 300 more calories he burns every day just
progress toward increasing muscle mass without measuring your body composi- to maintain his body. That means his new
or losing body fat, you need to periodi- tion. The Parrillo Performance Body Stat maintenance energy requirement is now
2800 calories a day, not 2500 like it used from carbohydrates. By increasing your several thousand. If you do that all at
to be. So for awhile he was making good carbohydrate intake, this will increase once, you’ll gain a lot of fat along with
gains on 2800 calories, but the added your ratio of insulin to glucagon and the muscle. You can only build muscle
muscle has increased his metabolic rate increase the anabolic drive to build more so fast, and if you push your calories up
so that now he needs 2800 calories a day muscle (3). Increasing your carbohydrate too fast you’ll get fat. On the Parrillo
just to maintain his new weight. So the intake actually provides a more potent Performance Program, we recommend
gains stop. To add the next 10 pounds of growth stimulus than increasing protein. gaining at a rate of about a pound a week.
muscle he would have to increase calories Remember this as a general rule: as your That way, you know you’re adding solid
again. body weight increases, increase your pro- muscle mass, instead of possibly packing
This is pretty basic stuff, but tein. As your energy requirement increas- on fat. It’s best to increase your calories in
you’d be surprised how often it’s over- es, increase your carbs. A growth plateau increments of 300-500 a day. Although it
generally means you need more calories, takes around 30 calories a day to maintain
not more protein (as long as you’re meet- a pound of muscle, it takes much more
ing your one to one-and-a-half grams or to actually build that muscle. That’s why
more per pound per day requirement). you can’t just add 30 extra calories a day
And those calories are best supplied as and expect to gain a pound of muscle in
carbohydrates. Be sure to use complex a week. Just doesn’t happen that way.
carbs and stay away from sugar or refined And as your maintenance level changes,
carbs, which are easily converted to fat. so will the number of calories you need.
A brief word on supplements Your body just doesn’t gain ten pounds
here: provided your protein requirement on 300 to 500 extra calories then stop,
is being satisfied, the most potent supple- waiting for that next 300-500 calorie in-
ments for gaining weight are probably crease. Your growth and caloric needs are
Pro-Carb Powder™ and CapTri®. A cou- constantly changing.
ple scoops of Pro-Carb® taken with or As you eat more you provide
between meals will in itself be enough to your body with the nutrients to gain
help most people pack on several pounds more muscle, and as you gain more mus-
of lean muscle. If you find that you’re cle, you’ll need to increase your calories
putting on fat, consider using CapTri® to maintain the muscle you’ve already
instead. It supplies calories in a way gained plus the extra calories your body
which is almost impossible for your body needs to make new muscle. That’s why it’s
to convert to fat (4,5). And if you don’t so important to record what you’re eating
tolerate carbs too well, CapTri® can give on Diet Trac Sheets and check your body
you the added calories and help maintain composition regularly using the BodyStat
looked. For many people, gaining more a more favorable glucagon/insulin ratio. Kit. A lot of people think this tool is used
muscle is as simple as eating more calo- As you continue to gain lean only during the pre-contest period. But in
ries. Many bodybuilders are afraid to try mass, your metabolic rate will increase, actuality, the BodyStat Kit can tell you
it because they’re afraid they’ll gain fat. so you’ll have to gradually increase a lot about your lean mass and body fat
The key is to eat clean, lean bodybuild- your caloric intake to support fur- and how these percentages
ing foods. The Parrillo Nutrition Manual ther weight gain. It’s not
describes how to increase your calories uncommon for
from foods which are more prone to help big bodybuild-
you build muscle and which are difficult ers to eat 6,000
for your body to store as fat. What’s the calories a day
best way to increase calories to gain more or more. Don’t
muscle? make the mistake
Generally speaking, an increase in com- of increasing calo-
plex carbohydrates is the best way to go. ries too fast, how-
You also need to increase your protein ever. You might be
intake as you gain weight, so that you’re tempted to say that
getting at least one to one-and-a-half you want to gain 40
grams or more of complete protein per pounds, and try to do
pound of body weight each day, but the it all at once by up-
bulk of your calories should be derived ping your calories by
change according to your diet and train- range and keep the volume fairly low. To Your muscles seem to adapt to a given
ing. train for muscle size it’s better to do 8-12 training regimen after about a month.
The other possible problem if you repetitions and to do a higher volume of Regarding the questions of specific train-
hit a plateau could be in the area of train- exercise. It’s important to train to positive ing routines, training volume, and train-
ing. Within this category, you could be un- muscle failure, so that you can’t perform ing frequency, I would have to write an
der-training, over-training, or not training another repetition. When training for size, entire book to cover these issues. (Actu-
intensely enough. Just as your nutritional it’s also very important to emphasize the ally, I wrote three books about that - The
needs change as you gain more muscle eccentric phase of the muscle contraction. Parrillo Performance Training Manual,
mass, you will find that periodic varia- That means you need to resist the weight John Parrillo’s Fifty Workout Secrets,
tion in your training will help you break as you lower it while the muscle is length- and High Performance Bodybuilding.)
through plateaus. Although it’s hard ening. When you can perform 12 repeti- What I can tell you here are just some
tions in good form, it’s time to increase basic concepts. Everyone seems to be
to make generalizations about
the load. This is where many people fail searching for the “ultimate” workout rou-
this, probably the most common tine, as if it were some sort of holy grail.
mistake here is not training in- When you can perform 12 The truth is, there is no single ultimate
tensely enough. Intensity is the repetitions in good form, it’s routine, although some are better than
key to productive weight training others. The key concepts are to empha-
exercise. Increasing or decreas-
time to increase the load. size the basic exercises, train hard, train
ing the volume of exercise you This is where many people to failure, continually lift heavier weight,
and periodically alter your workout to get
do won’t make much difference fail in the gym. They do
some variety. Many bodybuilders rotate
if the exercise you’re doing is the same 3 sets of 10 reps their body parts five or six days a week,
not intense enough to stimulate with the same weight every training only one muscle group at each
muscle growth in the first place. week and never increase workout. Others do better on a three or
The key principle here is pro- four day rotation and training two or
gressive resistance—you have
the load. They never get three muscle groups at each workout. Ex-
any stronger and their mus- periment with a six day split, training six
to lift heavier weight if you want days a week, one body part per workout,
to get bigger and stronger. This cles don’t grow. versus a three day split, training two body
is why keeping a training journal parts per workout. See what works best
is so important. On a monthly basis you in the gym. They do the same 3 sets of for you. The only mistake you can make
should be getting stronger on the basic 10 reps with the same weight every week is to stick with a program that’s not work-
lifts. Certainly now you should be bench- and never increase the load. They never ing. Check out my training books if you
ing, squatting, and pressing more weight get any stronger and their muscles don’t want more details on designing routines
than you were this time last year. If you’re grow. You have to continually push your- and on exercise performance.
not, you need to make a change. Every self. You have to continually challenge
workout you should try to lift a heavier yourself with heavier weights. References
weight than you did the last time, or Regarding the issue of whether
else do more reps with the same weight. you should train in the 3-6 rep range or 1. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and Katch VL.
It may not be realistic for an advanced the 8-12 rep range, I think you should do Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition,
bodybuilder to increase the weight at ev- both. In last month’s article I suggested and Human Performance. Lea & Febiger,
ery workout, but if a month or two goes a program where you do “powerlifting- Philadelphia, 1991.
by with no improvement, that’s a sign it’s style” training (3-6 rep range) for one
time for a change. month, then “bodybuilding-style” train- 2. Wilmore JH and Costill DL. Physiol-
What do you change? The vari- ing (8-12 rep range) the next month. Al- ogy of Exercise and Sport. Human Kinet-
ables to play with here are endless, but the ternatively you can do low reps one week ics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
bottom line is that you want to increase and moderate reps the next week, or even
your strength on the basic lifts. This means incorporate both into each workout. Any 3. Westphal SA, Gannon MC, and Nut-
lifting more weight on squats, bench of these approaches will work, just so you tall FQ. Metabolic response to glucose
press, shoulder press, rows, and deadlifts. remember to try and increase the load or ingested with various amounts of protein.
Training for strength and training for size the number of reps as often as possible. I Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 52: 267-272, 1990.
are not the same, but they do go together. suggest making some alterations in your
The best way to train for strength is to training program every 4-6 weeks to pres- 4. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim SA.
lift very heavy weights in the 3-6 rep ent your muscles with a fresh stimulus.
Enhanced thermogenesis and diminished
deposition of fat in response to overfeed-
ing with diet containing medium chain
triglyceride. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: 678-
682, 1982.

Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
6. Maughan RJ. Creatine supplementation

and exercise performance. International
Journal of Sport Nutrition 5: 94-101,
1995.
7. Greenhaff PL. Creatine and its appli-

cation as an ergogenic aid. International
Journal of Sport Nutrition 5: S100-S110,
1995.
No Limits: How To Break Through Plateaus, Part II

by John Parrillo
In the first part of this series I recovery on the other. If the level of stress it comes to over-training, I find that the
discussed breaking plateaus in your mus- is so high that you’re not recovering, the volume of high intensity exercise is rarely
cular development. Most of the article answer most people give is to train less. the problem. The problem usually turns
dealt with nutritional considerations and Rather than this imbalance being a prob- out to be a large volume of low intensity
how to manipulate and regulate your nu- lem of too much exercise, I view it as a exercise. This is not an effective stimulus
trients to spur muscle growth. At the very problem of not enough recovery. People for growth but will contribute to fatigue.
end I began to delve into adjustments in are not over-trained, they’re under-re- Another area often overlooked is aerobics.
your training to spark lean mass gains covered. Before you cut down on your When discussing this issue, many people
should you reach a plateau. There are sev- training, beef up your nutrition and get will say if you spend your energy on aero-
eral more aspects concerning training and more rest. Approach your nutrition with bics then that leaves you with less energy
muscle gain that need to as much intensity as to grow. This is a rather short-sighted
addressed before I move When it comes to your workouts. Also, solution to the problem. Your muscles
on to the second part of make sleep a priority. need nutrients to grow. They need blood
the discussion, breaking over-training, I find Eat right, eat a lot, get flow. Moderate to high intensity aerobic
through fat-loss plateaus. that the volume of enough sleep, and you exercise will increase capillary density
So if you’re ready, let’s high intensity ex- probably won’t feel and blood flow to muscles, providing for
get started. over-trained any more. greater nutrient delivery (1,2). This will
I get people who ercise is rarely the What’s the alternative? allow for more growth over the long term.
call all the time, look- problem. The prob- Train less and eat less. I am convinced that if you include aerobic
ing for my “blessing” to lem usually turns out Does that sound like exercise in your training program this will
take a couple of days off. the way to get your allow for greater overall muscular devel-
“What about over-train- to be a large volume body to grow? opment over the long term. You should
ing?” they ask. “Should of low intensity exer- Now I would obviously do more aerobics when prepar-
I cut down on training?” like to respond to the ing for a contest and less while you’re
“Should I take a lay off?”
cise. This is not an question of over-train- trying to gain weight, but I believe you
Everybody these days effective stimulus for ing at a second level. should do aerobics year round. Twenty to
is worried about over- growth but will con- This has to do with thirty minutes a day on the bike will burn
training. I would like to the volume of exercise 250-300 calories, so if you’re trying to
respond to this on two
tribute to fatigue. versus the intensity of gain weight just eat a few more calories
levels. First, if you think exercise. You cannot to make up for it. Think of it this way: in
you will stimulate your muscles to grow make up for low intensity exercise by in- the off season eat a Parrillo Bar and ride
bigger by not training them, you’re fool- creasing the volume. If you’re lifting half- the bike for at least 30 minutes. You’ll
ing yourself. It’s the workout that stimu- heartedly without giving it your full ef- strengthen your cardiovascular system,
lates your muscles to grow. Less workout fort, then adding a few extra sets onto the have a richer blood supply, and end up
means less stimulus. Rather than cutting end of your workout won’t help. While with bigger muscles. The other benefit of
back on your training, consider increas- these low intensity sets will not stimulate aerobics is that it helps you burn fat, so
ing your nutritional support instead. This muscle growth, they will however use while you’re gaining muscle you’ll stay
is where supplements can really help up your recovery ability. If you find your lean. Some bodybuilders are afraid to do
- when you’re training so hard that you weight training sessions are dragging on aerobics in the off season because they
can barely recover. Of course it is pos- for two or three hours and you’re still not think it will make them lose muscle. This
sible that you may fail to recover from growing, I suspect your exercise volume won’t happen if you simply eat enough
your workouts, and in that sense you may is too high and your intensity is too low. calories to compensate for those used dur-
be “over-trained.” That doesn’t mean that When you enter the gym, you must be ing the aerobic activity. If you eat enough
you’re exercising too much however, it very serious and all business. You’re not high quality calories, this will support
means that you’re not recovering enough. in there to socialize and have fun. Hit the muscle growth while the aerobics helps
This state of “over-training” really de- weights hard at full intensity. Generally, you lose fat.
scribes the state of your body’s balance you should be done with your workout What about supplementation?
between stress (exercise) on one hand and in 60 minutes, and 90 at the most. When Can this help me gain more muscle? Yes,
but I want you to sort out the problems ally no tendency to be stored as fat (4,5).
with your diet and training program first At the high end of the supplement lad-
rather than hope that supplements will der are the amino acids. Muscle Amino
somehow fix everything else. Remember, Formula™ supplies pure branched chain
the foundation of bodybuilding success is amino acids, the most common amino
hard work, consistency, and dedication to acids incorporated into muscle protein.
a solid diet and training program. Supple- This supplement is usually reserved for
ments are the icing on the cake, not the competitive bodybuilders and endurance
foundation. If you’re eating sloppy and athletes. It has the effect of making the
training half-heartedly, supplements will muscle harder and fuller and is especially
not give you the results you’re after. On useful to minimize muscle loss while di-
the other hand, if you’re eating right and eting for a contest. If you’re training hard
training as hard as you can, supplements and long enough to lose your pump by the
can improve your gains over what you end of your workout, this is a tremendous
could achieve without them. supplement for you. Liver-Amino Formu-
The single best supplement for la™ is also a great supplement because it
gaining muscle is Creatine. This is a contains 1½ grams of protein per tablet as
molecule stored inside muscle cells and is well as heme iron. Take five to eight with
involved in energy production (1,2,6,7). each of your six meals, you’re looking at
It increases muscle size and strength an additional 45 to 72 grams of protein.
dramatically within the first month of us- For additional calories, the Parrillo Bar is
ing it. Muscle gains of 4-14 pounds and a tremendous addition to your diet. It con-
they can’t soak up anymore, and after
strength increases of 10-15% are typical tains 250 calories per bar, which includes
that it’s a matter of maintenance of cre-
during the first month of creatine supple- 11 grams of quality protein, 37 grams of
atine stores. For the first 1-3 weeks you
mentation. That’s quite amazing when complex carbohydrates and five grams of
should use 20 grams of creatine a day to
you think about it. Most of the muscular
fully load the muscle, then after that 5-10
weight gain is do to storage of water
grams a day is enough to maintain muscle
inside muscle cells. As creatine is stored
stores. It stands to reason that muscle
in the muscle, it attracts water, causing
protein gain will ultimately be enhanced
By losing muscle mass
the muscle cell to swell. The strength your body can decrease
as well, leading to faster muscle growth,
increases are due to increased energy
producing ability of the muscle (1,2,6,7).
because you’re able to train heavier while its metabolic rate, or the
using creatine. This, of course, if provid-
While muscle gains during the first month
ing you increase your protein and calories
number of calories it re-
of creatine supplementation are miracu-
lous, things slow down after that. After
to support this growth. quires to survive each day.
The next most important supple- This means the fat stores
the muscles are saturated with creatine
ments are ones which provide these calo-
ries and extra protein, since inadequate will last longer, since with
caloric and protein intake is the most less muscle the body re-
common reason for failing to gain more quires fewer calories to
muscle. The best choices are Hi-Pro-
tein Powder™, Pro-Carb™, and CapTri® maintain itself each day.
which are specially formulated to mini- So during severe caloric
mize fat accumulation while increasing
restriction you lose mus-
calories. A scoop of Pro-Carb™ and Hi-
Protein™ mixed together in water has cle and your metabolic
the perfect nutrient profile to support rate decreases. And with
muscle growth. I’m working on a new
combination product which will contain
a slower metabolism, the
essentially this same nutrient breakdown. rate of fat burning slows
If you’re prone to gaining fat whenever down.
you increase calories, I suggest you use
CapTri®. CapTri® is unique in that it is a
way to provide more calories with virtu-
CapTri®. key is to continue to feed your body the available to people who just would like to
You should now have a pretty nutrients and calories it needs to maintain know what their TEE is. You have an
good idea of the areas you should con- its muscle mass, and to draw on stored easy way of figuring this out for yourself,
centrate your focus on if your goal is to body fat as a source of energy. Resist the however, and it doesn’t cost anything.
pack on lean mass. Now I want to share temptation to cut calories or skip meals. Simply weigh all your food and record
some tips on what to do when your prog- That’s the worst thing you can do. But everything you eat for a week sometime
ress stalls when you’re dieting to lose before we deal with the specifics, we need while your weight remains constant. Pick
fat. Of course, gaining and losing are to lay some groundwork. Some of the ba- a week when you’re doing your normal
contradictory by nature. What you’ll find, sic issues are: How many calories should workout and your normal amount of aero-
however, is that the goals in bodybuilding I eat? Don’t I need to cut calories? How bic activity. Calculate the average number
and fitness dictate that you do both at the fast can I lose fat? What can I do to make of calories you consume a day during
same time. It’s a crazy thought, but it’s sure I’m not losing muscle? this period and this is your maintenance
possible. Want to know how. Read on. Many times in previous articles energy requirement (MER). Most body-
When you talk to most people I’ve referred to a concept called your builders on the Parrillo Nutrition Program
about fat loss, the most obvious way “maintenance energy requirement.” This weigh their food and record their calories
they’ll say to lose weight is to restrict anyway, so it doesn’t take any extra work.
calories. And in fact, the fastest way to In order to lose weight you Just look over your Diet Trac Sheets from
lose weight is to stop eating altogether. a week when you didn’t gain or lose any
Unfortunately, when you lose weight by have to burn more calories weight and calculate the daily average. If
severe caloric restriction about half of the than you eat. This is called you haven’t done this yet, you need to.
weight you lose is muscle. This is known a negative energy (calo- It provides a scientific basis for making
as “the starvation response.” When you many decisions about your diet. I can’t
severely restrict food intake your body rie) balance. You can do tell you how many calories to consume
thinks it’s starving (which it is) so it this by either eating fewer until you know this number. The concept
makes certain metabolic adaptations to of the MER also provides a useful way
calories or by burning more
allow it to survive longer without food. to teach you how to construct and adjust
Your body fat represents stored energy calories. your diet.
for just such an emergency, so your body After you determine your MER,
tries to make it last as long as possible. we can talk about calories. If you want to
During starvation your metabolism shifts is the number of calories you need to maintain your present body weight, you
and you end up losing as much muscle consume per day to support your present need to consume the number of calories
as fat. Recall pictures you have seen of body weight and activity level. Metaboli- equal to your MER - this is simply the
prisoner of war survivors or famine sur- cally speaking, this is known as your total definition of MER. If you want to gain
vivors. True, they have no body fat, but energy expenditure, or TEE. It is the sum weight, you need to consume about 300
they have no muscle mass either. By los- of your basal metabolic rate (the amount to 500 calories per day more than your
ing muscle mass your body can decrease of energy your body expends while at MER. This will result is a positive en-
its metabolic rate, or the number of calo- rest, such as during sleep) plus the energy ergy balance, which means that you are
ries it requires to survive each day. This you expend during activity, including ex- consuming more energy (calories) per
means the fat stores will last longer, since ercise, plus the thermic effect of feeding day than you are expending. These extra
with less muscle the body requires fewer plus another factor called adaptive ther- calories can be stored as body weight.
calories to maintain itself each day. So mogenesis. There are several ways that If you’re eating right and training hard,
during severe caloric restriction you lose research scientists who study metabolism most of it will be muscle. If you want to
muscle and your metabolic rate decreases. have of figuring this out. One way is to lose weight, you need to achieve a nega-
And with a slower metabolism, the rate have a person live in a special chamber tive energy balance. This means that you
of fat burning slows down. All of this called a calorimeter and measure the heat need to expend more calories per day than
makes great sense from the point of view given off by the body. This technique is you consume.
of surviving a famine, but it’s exactly the referred to as “direct calorimetry.” An- There are two ways we could
opposite of what bodybuilders want to other way is called “indirect calorimetry” go about this. First, we could consume
achieve. and involves measuring the amount of less calories than our MER, meaning
Bodybuilders don’t want to lose oxygen consumed by the body and the that we’re eating fewer calories than our
any muscle while they lose fat. Further- amount of carbon dioxide produced and body needs to maintain itself. This will
more, we don’t want to slow down our using this data to calculate the amount of result in weight loss, but as we discussed
metabolic rate because that would mean calories expended. These are obviously previously, anytime we reduce calories
slower fat loss. So how do we do it? The expensive research procedures and are not
we run a risk of losing some muscle. Al- allows you to make some rational adjust- constant energy intake in identical twins.
ternatively, another way of bringing about ments instead of just guessing. Also keep Obes Res 2: 400-411, 1994.
a negative energy balance is to increase in mind that as you increase muscle mass
our energy expenditure. By doing more your MER will increase as well. Muscle 8. Hill JO, Melby C, Johnson SL, and
aerobic exercise you can increase your is metabolically active tissue and requires Peters JC. Physical activity and energy
TEE and achieve a negative energy bal- energy and nutrients to support. For every requirements. Am J Clin Nutr 62 (S):
ance while still consuming your MER. 10 pounds of muscle you gain you will 1059S-1066S, 1995.
This means enough calories and nutrients have to eat about 300 more calories a day
will be provided to maintain your present (roughly) just to maintain your new body 9. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate bal-
muscle mass as you lose fat. Whereas the weight. So don’t forget to keep checking ance, and weight maintenance: effects of
weight lost by caloric restriction can be your MER periodically and make adjust- exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 296-306,
as much as 50% muscle, the weight lost ments. If you keep a nutrition log and 1987.
by increasing aerobic exercise activity Diet Trac Sheets like you’re supposed to,
while maintaining constant calorie intake it will be easy. So when I say not to cut 10. Flatt JP. Use and storage of carbohy-
is almost entirely fat (7,8). calories to lose weight, what this literally drate and fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61: 952s-
To summarize, in order to lose weight you means is don’t reduce calories below your 959s, 1995.
have to burn more calories than you eat. MER, the level you need to maintain your
This is called a negative energy (calorie) present muscle mass. If you’ve just been 11. Swinburn B and Ravussin E. Energy
balance. You can do this by either eat- in a calorie-excess mode, then reducing balance or fat balance? Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
ing fewer calories or by burning more calories to your MER is reasonable. 57: 766S-771S, 1993.
calories. The approach I recommend is
to eat the number of calories equal to References 12. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier E.
your MER and to increase the amount of Glycogen synthesis versus lipogenesis af-
calories you burn by doing more aero- 1. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and Katch VL. ter a 500 gram carbohydrate meal in man.
bics. This will result in more efficient Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition, Metabolism 31: 1234-1240, 1982.
fat loss and less muscle tissue loss than and Human Performance. Lea & Febiger,
the approach of cutting calories. You still Philadelphia, 1991.
provide ample calories and nutrients to
maintain your muscle but draw on stored 2. Wilmore JH and Costill DL. Physiol-
body fat to fuel your aerobic exercise. ogy of Exercise and Sport. Human Kinet-
Furthermore, aerobic exercise builds the ics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
metabolic pathways that burn fat (1,2). It 3. Maughan RJ. Creatine supplementation
increases the mitochondria and enzyme and exercise performance. International
pathways that metabolize fat. And by Journal of Sport Nutrition 5: 94-101,
NOT cutting calories, your body will 1995.
not decrease its metabolic rate and enter
into the starvation mode. Not only is this 4. Greenhaff PL. Creatine and its appli-
strategy logical, but it is backed up by the cation as an ergogenic aid. International
scientific literature. More importantly, it Journal of Sport Nutrition 5: S100-S110,
is backed up by the real life experience 1995.
of thousands of bodybuilders. It’s just the
way that works best. 5. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim SA.
Now keep in mind we’re talking Enhanced thermogenesis and diminished
about your MER here. If you just finished deposition of fat in response to overfeed-
a weight gaining cycle you probably were ing with diet containing medium chain
consuming 300-500 calories in excess of triglyceride. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: 678-
your MER in order to pack on some mass. 682, 1982.
So you may in fact want to decrease calo-
ries from what you had been consuming 6. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Medium
to gain weight, but don’t decrease them chain triglycerides: an update. Am. J.
below your MER. This is why it’s impor- Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
tant to have some idea what your MER
is. This is a useful baseline number that 7. Bouchard C, Tremblay A, Despres
J-P, et al. The response to exercise with
No Limits: How To Break Through Plateaus, Part III

by John Parrillo
So far this series has addressed than your heart rate. A very successful approach I
ways to help you break through plateaus How do I know that I’m losing wrote about a couple of months ago in-
in your muscular development as well as fat and not muscle? By using the Body volves alternating one month on a weight
how to spark fat-burning when you’ve Stat Kit once a week. You can determine gain cycle with one month on a fat loss
seem to have reached a plateau. This your pounds of lean mass and pounds of cycle. This way your metabolism never
month I’d like to finish up on how to con- fat every week and make adjustments adapts and you avoid the problem of
tinue fat loss. in your training and diet accordingly to plateaus altogether. Let’s say one month
So far we’ve covered the most make sure you stay on track. The Body you gain a pound a week (four pounds)
basic concepts of fat loss: eat right and Stat Kit Manual contains detailed instruc- and it’s 75% muscle. That’s three pounds
stay strict on your diet (I’m not even go- tions on exactly how to change your of muscle and one pound of fat. The next
ing to elaborate on that in this article— training and diet to make sure your body month you lose a pound a week and it’s
we’ve been through it several times late- 75% fat. So that month you lose three
ly), don’t cut calories below your MER I have found most people pounds of fat and one pound of muscle.
(maintenance energy requirement), and can lose one pound of fat At the end of the two month cycle the net
use extra aerobics to burn body fat. A cou- result is that you’ve gained two pounds
per week without losing of muscle and lost two pounds of fat.
ple more items of groundwork need to be
addressed. How fast should you lose fat? much muscle. So plan After one year you would gain 12 pounds
A pound a week is a good general rule. It ahead. If you want to lose of muscle and lose 12 pounds of fat. I
is possible to lose fat faster than that, but believe these goals are quite realistic and
you increase your risk of losing muscle if
20 pounds of fat plan on very easily attainable for anyone, and
you do. I have found most people can lose 10 weeks of dieting, a particularly easy for bodybuilders who
one pound of fat per week without losing two-week break to build are giving 100% effort to the training and
much muscle. So plan ahead. If you want nutrition program. The beauty of this idea
to lose 20 pounds of fat plan on 10 weeks
your metabolism, and 10 is that you’re constantly making progress,
of dieting, a two-week break to build your more weeks or dieting, you’re always either gaining muscle or
metabolism, and 10 more weeks or diet- losing fat, and the constant change pre-
for a total of 22 weeks. vents your metabolism from adapting so
ing, for a total of 22 weeks. If you want
to enter a contest, plan on being ready two you can make continual progress without
weeks out, so you have time to fine tune composition keeps moving in the right wasting time being stuck on a plateau and
things and fill out a little at the end. Keep direction. I think one of the reasons the trying to figure out what to do. In principle
in mind that when I say “diet” you still get Parrillo Program has been so successful you could keep this up for year after year.
to consume a lot of calories—your MER. for so many people is that everything is If you’re 20% body fat or more, you may
This is not a painful starvation diet. scientifically controlled. How many calo- want to devote a few months to getting in
A pound of fat contains approxi- ries, how much protein, carbs, and fat, shape first, or if you’re really skinny you
mately 3,500 calories, so to lose a pound how many meals, which foods, how to may want to spend a few months just put-
a week that means you need to achieve a combine the foods, macronutrient ratios, ting on size. But if you’re somewhere in
negative energy balance of 500 calories a Diet Trac Sheets, the Training Log, Body the middle, maybe around 10% body fat,
day (multiply that by seven days a week Stat Sheets—it’s all in the manuals. Every you might consider giving this program a
and you get 3,500 calories). Do this by parameter of your bodybuilding program try. To gain a pound a week increase your
consuming your MER and doing 500 is covered and nothing is left to chance. calories to 300-500 above your MER, do
calories worth of extra aerobics a day If you weigh your food and keep track 20-30 minutes of aerobics a day, and train
beyond what you normally do. This could of your diet and body composition like like a powerlifter with heavy sets in the
be anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes of you’re supposed to, and something’s not 3-6 rep range. To lose a pound a week
extra aerobics a day, depending on how working right, we can pinpoint exactly decrease calories to your MER, do 60
intense your aerobic activity is. When what the problem is and make detailed minutes of aerobics a day, and train like
you do your aerobic exercise you should adjustments to fix it. Otherwise, if you’re a bodybuilder with increased volume and
be breathing hard and sweating. This is a just going on what “feels right” or seems moderate weight in the 8-12 rep range.
more reliable sign that you’re burning fat to make sense, and you don’t make good I think this approach may well work
progress, you’re not sure what to change. better for today’s leaner, cleaner natural
bodybuilder than the old style of weight bodybuilding maga-

cycling, which often involved gaining zines is due to the
50 pounds in the off season, then losing failure to distinguish
40 pounds during the pre-contest diet to the various experi-
come into the show 10 pounds heavier mental designs and
than last year. (Although this method also improperly applying
had its pluses, like stretching the fascia.) this information to
Now let’s move on to some spe- bodybuilding.
cifics. So we don’t want to cut calories, Without
because that can easily lead to muscle restricting calo-
loss. Are there any other dietary manipu- ries, there are some
lations that can help? Yes. Continue to things we can do to
eat five, six or more meals spaced evenly help shift the metab-
throughout the day. This has several ben- olism into fat-burn-
eficial effects. Every time you eat your ing mode. First is to
metabolic rate increases a little due to eliminate fat from
the thermic effect of feeding (also known your diet. Whenev-
as diet-induced thermogenesis). Eating er you do aerobics
frequently keeps the furnace stoked and some of the fuel is
keeps your metabolism speeding along. If derived from carbo-
you go too long without eating your me- hydrates and some
tabolism begins to slow down. Make ev- from fat. If you’re
ery effort to eliminate fat from your diet. I not eating any fat or
won’t go into the details here, but dietary simple sugars which
protein and complex carbohydrates have are easily turned into ries equivalent to the MER) then you will
negligible tendency to be converted to fat, then the fat you burn during aerobic achieve negative fat balance. This means
fat, whereas dietary fat is very prone to exercise must come from stored body fat. that on a daily basis your body burns
be stored as body fat (1,2,3,4). This is a If dietary carbs and protein are not con- more fat than you eat, so you lose body
hot topic in the scientific literature these verted to fat (and they’re not under condi- fat. Metabolically speaking, this means
days and is a matter of debate in the body- tions of a diet supplying a number of calo- your respiratory quotient is less than your
building magazines. (It is less a matter of fuel quotient. Within the last few years it
debate in the scientific journals, where has been discovered that this condition
actual research is reported.) Very little of Within the last few (RQ less than FQ) must be satisfied for
your body fat comes from complex carbo- years it has been dis- fat loss to occur. What this means is that
hydrates or protein being converted into covered that this condi- to lose fat you have to achieve a negative
fat; almost all of it comes from fat you eat. fat balance, not a negative energy balance
How much fat your body stores seems to tion (RQ less than FQ) as is commonly thought. In simple terms:
be more closely related to how much fat must be satisfied for dietary fat matters more than calories. To
you eat rather than how many calories lose fat, don’t eat any fat and do aerobics
you eat. Admittedly, this is less important
fat loss to occur. What
to burn stored body fat. It’s that simple.
during calorie restricted diets. During low this means is that to We’ve been doing it that way at Parrillo
calorie diets you are not eating enough lose fat you have to for years, but the exact details of how
calories to maintain your body weight, so it works are just now coming out in the
all of the calories you eat will be burned,
achieve a negative fat
scientific journal articles.
even if some do come from fat. However, balance, not a nega- Second, decrease your carbohy-
in diets which provide enough calories tive energy balance as drate intake. This lowers insulin levels
to maintain body weight or even enough and promotes fat burning. How do you
to support growth (including the Parrillo is commonly thought.
cut down on carbs without decreasing
Diet) then the fat content becomes very, In simple terms: dietary calories? Well, you have to eat more of
very important. If you eat a weight main- fat matters more than something else. Fat is not an option, so
tenance diet or an energy surplus diet to your only other choices are protein or
support growth, then the calories supplied calories. CapTri®. Either one will work, but a
as dietary fat will be stored as body fat, combination of both probably works best.
not muscle. Part of the confusion in the Let’s be brutally honest about this. If
you’re used to getting most of your calo- vent muscle loss, then do your aerobics.
ries from carbs, cutting back significantly Another good time is right after weight 1. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate bal-
on carbs makes you feel bad, at least for a training, because then you’re relatively ance, and weight maintenance: effects of
while. People who cut their carbs dramat- glycogen depleted too. You should do exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 296-306,
ically have low energy levels, are irritable moderate to fairly high intensity aerobics, 1987.
and grouchy, and get headaches. Low so that you’re breathing hard and sweat-
carbs sucks, basically. You’ll get used to ing. While it’s true you burn a higher 2. Flatt JP. Use and storage of carbo-
it after a while, but the first few weeks of percentage of calories from fat during hydrate and fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61:
a low carb diet are not fun. CapTri® is low intensity aerobics, you will burn 952s-959s, 1995.
more effective at relieving some of these more grams of body fat if you perform
symptoms than protein because it’s more high intensity aerobics, because you’ll 3. Swinburn B and Ravussin E. Energy
readily used as an energy source. Protein burn so many more total calories. Also, balance or fat balance? Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
is not a very efficient energy source. It’s if you do reasonably intense aerobics you 57: 766S-771S, 1993.
role is to serve as building blocks for will get the added benefits of increased 4. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier E.
repair and maintenance of tissues, not to vascular density and enhanced fat burning Glycogen synthesis versus lipogenesis
provide metabolizable fuel. Using protein capacity. Increase the volume of aerobics after a 500 gram carbohydrate meal in
for energy is kind of like trying to burn a progressively as you get leaner. If your man. Metabolism 31: 1234-1240, 1982.
wet log. Carbs, on the other hand, are a fat loss plateaus the first thing to try is
great energy source. So if you want to re- to do more aerobics. If that doesn’t work 5. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim SA.
duce carbs in your diet to manipulate hor- you should probably back off for a couple Enhanced thermogenesis and diminished
mone levels and promote fat metabolism weeks, increase your calories, put on deposition of fat in response to overfeed-
it makes sense to replace those calories some muscle, and get your metabolism ing with diet containing medium chain
with another fuel source, namely Cap- going again. triglyceride. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: 678-
Tri®. CapTri® is a good choice because If you want more details than I 682, 1982.
it is readily burned as fuel and won’t be have been able to squeeze into this article,
stored as body fat, (5, 6). I suggest you check out the Parrillo Performance Nutri- 6. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Medium
ease into this slowly. Start by eliminat- tion Manual and the Body Stat Kit. I go chain triglycerides: an update. Am. J.
ing starchy carbs from your last meals into great detail about which foods to eat, Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
of the day. Replace those lost calories which foods to avoid, and how to struc-
from carbs with an equivalent number of ture your meals. The Nutrition Manual
calories from CapTri®. CapTri® actu- contains a three step protocol for reduc-
ally has a higher thermogenic effect than ing body fat levels to contest condition,
carbohydrate, meaning that more of this as well as describing how to manipulate
dietary energy will be lost as body heat carbs and water at the end. The Body
with less energy available for storage. Stat Kit contains instructions on exactly
This further promotes additional fat loss. how to modify your training and nutrition
Continue in this way until you reduce program based on your weekly changes in
your daily carbohydrate grams to about body composition. The Nutrition Manual
half of what you normally consume. At comes with its own food scale and Diet
this point you’ll be eating mostly protein, Trac Sheets to record your calories and
vegetables and CapTri®. grams of protein, carbs, and fat. It even
Recently I did a feature on how includes a food composition guide that
to optimize your training to maximize fat lists the nutrient breakdown of all the
loss. One of the most important points is bodybuilding foods. The Body Stat Kit
to do your aerobics when you are rela- includes high quality calipers and every-
tively carb-depleted. This will cause you thing you need to chart your body com-
to burn more fat during your workout position. Remove the guesswork from
(because less carbs are available). The your bodybuilding program. Don’t leave
best time is first thing in the morning anything to chance. We’ve got all the de-
before breakfast. Your glycogen stores tails covered. You want results? Get them
are the lowest they’ll be all day, so you’ll with Parrillo.
rely more heavily on stored fat. Take two
scoops of Hi-Protein Powder™ to pre- References
Carbohydrates—The Optimal Fuel For Success, Part I

by John Parrillo
Recently we talked about the This discussion will apply equally well to contraction for about two to four seconds
benefits of a high carbohydrate diet as bodybuilders and endurance athletes. (4). So the ATP has to be continually
compared to the high fat diet in terms of Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the mol- replenished as it is used. There are three
getting lean. Not all calories are created ecule that directly provides energy for energy systems in place for making new
equal. Dietary fat is preferentially ATP so you can continue to exercise
stored as body fat, whereas carbohy- beyond four seconds. These are the
drates do not significantly contribute Not all calories are created phosphagen system, the lactic acid
to fat stores (1,2,3). Most of your equal. Dietary fat is preferen- system, and the aerobic system. The
body fat is derived from the fat you phosphagen system is comprised of
eat and very little comes from conver-
tially stored as body fat, where-
the “high energy phosphate com-
sion of protein or carbohydrate into as carbohydrates do not signif- pounds,” which include ATP and
fat (1,2,3). So it makes sense that if icantly contribute to fat stores creatine phosphate (CP). This is by
you want to reduce body fat the first far the fastest energy system and
place to start is to eat less fat. Pro-
(1,2,3). Most of your body fat can provide for rapid bursts of high
ponents of the high fat diet say that is derived from the fat you intensity exercise such as weight
carbohydrates cause insulin release eat and very little comes from lifting, sprinting, football, and some
which in turn stimulates fat storage. track and field events. Muscle cells
On the Parrillo diet we teach you how conversion of protein or car- contain from three to five times more
to select carbohydrate sources and bohydrate into fat (1,2,3). So it CP than ATP, and the phosphagen
structure your meals so that carbo- makes sense that if you want to system can sustain maximal exercise
hydrates are released into the blood- for about six to eight seconds. After
stream very slowly, so this isn’t a reduce body fat the first place that, the CP is also used up and we
problem. To look at the big picture, if to start is to eat less fat. have to activate another energy sys-
you consume too many calories from tem. You can see why creatine is
any source for a prolonged period of such an effective and popular sports
time some of these calories will end supplement. It helps to provide more
up as body fat. Conversely, if you operate your muscles. Before any foods can be immediate energy allowing for higher
in a calorie deficit for a prolonged period used to fuel exercise, the energy they con- intensity exercise. This is why creatine
of time you will lose some fat. However, tain must be converted into ATP. When increases strength in weight lifters. As
the results you will get in either of these ATP is broken down it forms adenosine a nice “side effect” it also attracts water
situations are different depending on if diphosphate (ADP) and free phosphate. into the cell, making the muscles fuller
you supply the bulk of those calories in To do this a phosphate bond is broken. and harder.
the form of fat or carbohydrate. We have When this happens energy is released The next energy system is the lactic acid
found that if you eat a diet higher in carbs and it is this energy which powers mus- pathway. This can provide maximal ener-
and low in fat you will end up being cular contractions. You know that when gy for periods lasting up to one-and-a-half
leaner and more muscular whether you you burn wood in your fireplace heat or two minutes. This pathway consists of
are using the diet to gain weight or lose is released. Heat is a form of energy. the anaerobic conversion of glucose into
weight. When food is burned inside your body lactic acid (anaerobic means “without ox-
This month I want to talk about the energy which is released is used to ygen”). This is actually a relatively long
the other half of the story, that carbo- manufacture ATP. The ATP is then bro- and complicated process involving sever-
hydrates are a superior fuel for exercise ken down releasing that energy which it al steps, and the overall pathway is called
performance compared to fat. Not only captured from the food, and this energy “glycolysis.” The end result is that one
will carbs make you leaner, they’ll also is the fuel your body uses at the cellular glucose molecule is broken down to form
give you more energy, strength, and en- level to do its work, including muscular two lactic acid molecules, releasing en-
durance. We’ll start with a review of contractions. ergy in the process. This energy is used to
energy substrate utilization during exer- The amount of ATP stored inside form ATP. Where does this glucose come
cise, and then talk about dietary strategies your cells is very small. Muscle cells from? By far the most important source of
to maximize your exercise performance. contain enough ATP to power a maximal glucose for this process is stored muscle
glycogen (4,5). Let’s think about that for “cutting” diets this greatly improves the fat, and this is backed up by biochemistry,
a minute. How long do most of your sets ability to continue lifting. And we know by the scientific literature, and by our own
last in the gym? I’m not talking about the that CapTri works by being converted testing here at Parrillo Performance.
rest period, but the amount of time you’re into ketones by the liver. So I suspect the The third energy pathway is the
actually lifting weight with the muscle same process is going on with the high fat aerobic system. This system can provide
under tension. Probably anywhere from diets, except that it doesn’t work nearly energy continuously for hours, but at a
30-60 seconds, generally. This is defi- as well with conventional fats as it does lower level of intensity compared to the
nitely longer than the phosphagen system with CapTri because CapTri is converted other pathways. This pathway can use
can hold out without being replenished into ketones much more rapidly and com- both carbohydrate and fat, and in fact is
from some other energy source. Without pletely than are conventional fats. On the only energy system that can use fat as
calling in reinforcements, the phospha- the Parrillo Program even when we use a fuel substrate. As explained above, very
gen system by itself could only get you CapTri in this way, the bodybuilder is still brief and intense exercise such as weight
through the first rep or two. So what this eating some carbs, just not as much as lifting and sprinting is fueled by the lactic
means is that for very intense (maximal usual. So he still has a significant store of acid system (an anaerobic energy-produc-
or near maximal) exercise lasting about muscle glycogen. The problem with the ing pathway) and very long, low intensity
a minute or so, such as weight lifting, the high fat diet is not only that you have vir- exercise such as walking is fueled by the
lactic acid system is the primary energy- tually no muscle glycogen, but also that aerobic system. Moderate intensity exer-
producing pathway at work (4,5,6). And the ketones which are available are not cise such as jogging or biking is fueled by
the primary fuel substrate for the lactic stored to any appreciable extent in muscle a combination of both pathways. When
acid system is stored muscle glycogen cells. So on low carb diets you have no the energy requirement demanded by the
(4,5,6). When you do a set in the gym exercise does not exceed the ability of the
most of the energy comes from stored aerobic system to supply ATP, then this
muscle glycogen. So muscle glycogen is is the primary energy system. A leisure
the most important fuel source for weight walk is powered by the aerobic pathway,
lifters, sprinters, football players, and and you can sustain this level of activity
other athletes performing short bursts of for hours. If you pick up the pace and start
maximal exercise. A high carbohydrate jogging at a comfortable pace you can
diet is best for athletes because it helps maintain for some time, this is still fueled
maintain a high level of stored glycogen by the aerobic pathway. If now you begin
in muscle. running fast, the aerobic energy system
The problem with fat as an en- can no longer supply enough ATP to meet
ergy source for resistance exercise is that the energy requirement of your muscles
fat cannot be converted into glucose or and the lactic acid system kicks in. You
glycogen, at least in humans. So a high fat can keep up this pace for several minutes
diet cannot maintain muscle glycogen and - longer than the 2 minutes the lactic
therefore cannot support as high a level of acid system could last by itself because
exercise performance. You might wonder it is being supplemented by the aerobic
how people on extremely low carb diets system. Now if we move up one more
can manage to lift weights at all. While notch of intensity, such as weight lifting
fat cannot be converted into glucose, ami- or an all-out sprint, the lactic acid system
no acids from protein breakdown can. So is operating at full bore and when muscle
even if you don’t eat any carbs at all you glycogen becomes depleted (among other
can still get a little muscle glycogen from factors) the exercise will stop. The aero-
breakdown of protein and conversion of muscle glycogen, meaning that you’ve bic system simply cannot supply energy
amino acids into glucose. Also, the high knocked out the primary energy pathway fast enough to keep up with the demands
fat diet results in the production of ke- used in weight lifting-type exercise. You of the muscle.
tones which can be used by muscles as do have ketones, but these can’t be stored Now let’s discuss how your body
fuel for weight lifting. I suspect that most inside the muscle. You have less strength, selects energy substrates during exercise.
people who follow the high fat diets have less endurance, and since glycogen stores After we understand the patterns of en-
extremely low muscle glycogen levels and are depleted your muscles are flat and ergy substrate utilization we can design
in fact are able to perform some degree of you have no pump. Not a very good way effective dietary strategies to maximize
resistance training using ketones as fuel. to go. There can be no doubt that carbo- our results. Glucose stored as glycogen in
We have seen that when CapTri is used hydrates are a much better fuel source for muscle and liver, and fatty acids stored as
as an energy supplement during low carb bodybuilders and endurance athletes than triacylglycerols (fat molecules) in adipose
need to use any protein. The next ent amounts of oxygen are consumed
thing you can do is to use a scoop per amount of carbon dioxide produced.
of Hi-Protein Powder right before So if we measure the amount of oxygen
your aerobics so that if any amino consumed and carbon dioxide produced
acids are going to be used as fuel by an athlete while he’s exercising, we
they will be derived from the can “back calculate” if he’s burning fat or
protein powder instead of your carbs as fuel. (I hope that wasn’t too pain-
muscles. The Hi-Protein is prob- ful.) An RQ of 1.0 indicates that essential-
ably superior to regular food for ly pure carbs are being used as fuel, and
this purpose since it is digested an RQ of 0.7 indicates that fat is the fuel
rapidly and the aminos are resource. Intermediate values of RQ dem-
leased into the bloodstream faster onstrate that a mixture of carbohydrate
than from whole, solid protein and fat is serving as the fuel supply.
foods. I recommend doing your What experiments like this have
aerobics first thing in the morning proven is that during very low intensity
before breakfast, because it’s at exercise (like walking) fat is the predomi-
that time that blood sugar lev- nant fuel source (4,5,6). During sleep or
els are low and muscle glycogen rest almost exclusively fat is used. So
is at the lowest level it will be if you believe these guys who advocate
throughout the day. This results in low intensity aerobics because it uses a
greater use of stored body fat as a higher percentage of calories from fat,
fuel source during your aerobics then just sitting around and watching TV
since less carbohydrate energy is should get you ripped. As the intensity
available. This does however put of exercise increases, we see that more
you at some risk for breaking carbohydrate is used as fuel (4,5,6). This
down muscle, so that’s why it’s progression continues until exercise in-
depots, are both important fuel sources a good idea to have a serving of tensity reaches V02max, at which time
for exercise. Factors which determine the Hi-Protein Powder before your morning carbohydrate becomes the sole energy
balance between carbohydrate versus fat aerobics. Keep in mind however that this substrate (4). You will recall that V02max
which is used as fuel include the intensity condition of relative glycogen depletion (vee-oh-two-max) represents the maximal
of exercise, the duration of exercise, the I’m talking about is a far cry from the rate of oxygen consumption by an ath-
athlete’s level of conditioning, and initial near-zero levels resulting from low carb lete. This means that the aerobic energy
glycogen levels (4). Amino acids can also diets. Even first thing out of bed before system is completely maximized, and any
be oxidized (burned) to provide fuel, but breakfast, Parrillo bodybuilders have a lot further increase in energy needs must be
normally contribute less than 10% of the of glycogen on board. This just turns out met by the anaerobic (lactic acid) system.
energy cost of exercise. On the Parrillo to be the time which it will be lowest dur- Since fat cannot be used by the lactic acid
Program we do everything possible to ing the day, so it’s the best time to burn system, the energy at this point can only
prevent the use of amino acids as fuel, fat. be supplied by carbs. This all makes good
because we want to maximize muscle So, if we control things such that we use sense. We know that we can maintain low
mass. So for people on our program the very little or no protein as fuel, the energy intensity exercise for prolonged periods
contribution of amino acids to the fuel cost of our exercise is supplied by a mix- of time (you could walk all day if you
mix is even less than 10%. ture of carbohydrate and fat. The relative wanted to). That’s because this activity is
By far the most important thing contribution of carbohydrate and fat to powered by the aerobic energy pathway,
you can do to prevent use of protein as the substrate mix being oxidized can be which can use fat as a fuel source. Your
fuel is to make sure your muscle glyco- determined by measuring the respiratory body has many more calories stored as fat
gen stores are always “topped off.” That’s quotient (RQ). This gets a little technical than it can store as glycogen, because fat
another serious draw-back of the very low here, so I’ll be brief. Carbohydrate mol- is a much more compact way to store en-
carb diets. Glycogen levels are so low the ecules such as glucose contain oxygen, ergy and because you have limited space
muscle protein is very vulnerable to be so the carbon atoms in the carbohydrate to store glycogen. You can carry on this
broken down so that the amino acids can molecule are already partially oxidized. low level of activity indefinitely because
be converted to glucose and used as fuel. However, the carbon atoms in a fatty you won’t run out of fat. But we can only
Adequate glycogen availability “spares” acid molecule are not partially oxidized. sustain maximal exercise for a relatively
amino acids, meaning that if your body Therefore, when fat and carbohydrate short time, because this relies on the
has carbs available to use as fuel it won’t are burned (oxidized) separately differ- lactic acid system which can only use
glucose as fuel (other factors contributing rely less and less on carbohydrates. This 1987.
to muscle fatigue are also at play here). happens because cardiovascular training
After the glucose (stored as glycogen) is increases the number of mitochondria in 2. Flatt JP. Use and storage of carbohy-
used up the fat can’t burn fast enough to muscle cells and the level of fat-metabo- drate and fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61: 952s-
meet the demands of the exercise. At very lizing enzymes (4,7). In other words, the 959s, 1995.
high exercise intensity oxygen cannot be cellular fat-burning machinery is built
delivered to the muscle fast enough to al- up and your muscle learns to use less 3. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier E.
low the aerobic energy system to operate, carbs and more fat. This is a great benefit Glycogen synthesis versus lipogenesis af-
so the muscle must rely on the anaerobic of regular aerobic exercise. However, it ter a 500 gram carbohydrate meal in man.
(lactic acid) system, which can only use won’t happen if all you do is walk. In our Metabolism 31: 1234-1240, 1982.
carbohydrate. The bottom line: fat cannot experience here at Parrillo we have seen
serve as the fuel source for very high ex- that there is an intensity threshold re- 4. Liebman M and Wilkinson JG. Carbo-
ercise intensity, because it cannot undergo quired to elicit this metabolic adaptation. hydrate metabolism and exercise. Chapter
anaerobic metabolism. Carbs are the only You can’t get your muscles to grow un- 2 from Nutrition in Exercise and Sport,
fuel that can support maximal exercise less you lift intensely, and you can’t train edited by Wolinsky I and Hickson JF,
intensity. your muscles to rely more heavily on fat CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1994.
As you would expect, moder- unless you do your aerobics intensely.
ate intensity exercise uses a mixture of Intense aerobics will have a much more 5. Miller GD. Carbohydrates in ultra-
carbs and fat. As the duration of exercise marked effect in helping you get lean than endurance exercise and athletic perfor-
proceeds, muscle glycogen gradually be- mall walking. Trust me on this one. mance. Chapter 3 from Nutrition in Ex-
comes depleted so oxidation of fat be- An added benefit here is that as ercise and Sport, edited by Wolinsky I
gins to make a greater contribution. We you train your muscles to use a higher and Hickson JF, CRC Press, Boca Raton,
also see greater uptake of glucose from proportion of fat in the substrate mix, this 1994.
the bloodstream. This is attributable to spares muscle glycogen. If you can burn
greater muscle blood flow during exercise more fat you don’t need to burn as much 6. Hargreaves M. Skeletal muscle car-
as well as more efficient extraction of glu- glycogen. So you’ll have more endurance bohydrate metabolism during exercise.
cose from the blood by the muscle. After plus greater strength as your workout pro- Chapter 2 fromExercise Metabolism, ed-
20 minutes of exercise muscle glycogen ceeds. Depletion of muscle glycogen is ited by Hargreaves M, Human Kinetics
stores become partially depleted and the associated with exercise fatigue (4). The Publishers, Champaign, IL, 1995.
use of muscle glycogen slows (4). This is glycogen-sparing effect resulting from
accompanied by increased use of blood increased lipid oxidation appears to be 7. Coggan AR and Williams BD. Meta-
glucose. The liver acts to help maintain an important mechanism explaining why bolic adaptations to endurance training:
blood glucose levels by breaking down aerobic exercise causes an increase in en- substrate metabolism during exercise.
its glycogen stores and releasing glu- durance capacity (4). Furthermore, aero- Chapter 6 fromExercise Metabolism, ed-
cose units into the bloodstream. After bically trained individuals seem to store ited by Hargreaves M, Human Kinetics
both muscle and liver glycogen stores more fat inside their muscle cells, as well Publishers, Champaign, IL, 1995.
are depleted, which takes about two or as increasing their ability for intramuscu-
three hours of moderate intensity exer- lar glycogen accumulation (4). You want
cise (marathon running or long distance to get lean? You want to get pumped?
cycling for example), is when we really You want to maximize your strength and
get in trouble. At this point one of three endurance? Do your aerobics and eat a
things must happen: the exercise must be high carb - low fat diet. You’ll be amazed
stopped or significantly reduced in inten- at the results. Next month we’ll continue
sity, blood glucose must be maintained by our discussion of carbohydrates and ex-
carbohydrate ingestion during exercise, ercise and talk about dietary manipula-
or muscle tissue will be destroyed to sup- tion of fuel stores and energy substrates.
ply amino acids as fuel. What kind of carbs are best? When? How
It is well known that aerobic much? Stay tuned.
training allows one to perform “more
aerobically” at the same absolute level of References
exercise intensity (4,7). This means that
as your level of cardiovascular condition- 1. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate bal-
ing improves you can derive more and ance, and weight maintenance: effects of
more of the required energy from fat and exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 296-306,
Carbohydrates—The Optimal Fuel For Success, Part II

by John Parrillo
In the last article we began our nutrient dense and result in lower blood grams of protein per scoop. That means a
discussion of carbohydrates as the pre- glucose and insulin levels. This makes it 180 pound athlete would need about four
ferred fuel for athletic performance. It more likely that the carbohydrate will be scoops taken 30-60 minutes before com-
is well known that the ability to sus- stored as glycogen rather than being con- peting.
tain moderate to heavy exercise for pro- verted to fat. It is recommended that the Consuming carbohydrates during
longed periods of time is related to initial last meal consumed before an endurance exercise can also improve performance.
muscle glycogen concentration (1). The event be relatively light and contain a This works by helping to maintain blood
more glycogen you have stored in your mixture of easily digested complex carbo- glucose levels and preventing hypoglyce-
muscles, the longer you can exercise at a hydrate and protein (1). This meal should mia, rather than by sparing muscle glyco-
given work load. One experiment showed be eaten about two to three hours prior to gen (1). Keep in mind I’m talking about
that when muscle glycogen levels were exercise to allow time for the stomach to maximizing exercise performance here,
0.63 grams of glycogen per 100 grams of empty. Improvements in exercise perfor- not fat burning. If you’re doing aerobics
muscle, a standard exercise load could be mance from pre-exercise carbohydrate simply to burn fat then you don’t want to
maintained for 57 minutes before fatigue. ingestion is probably due to a delay in the eat anything during exercise because this
When glycogen levels were increased to normal decline of blood glucose during will decrease the utilization of body fat
1.75 grams per 100 grams of muscle, the exercise (1). Most likely, this works by as fuel. Competitive endurance athletes
same exercise could be performed for 114 supplementing hepatic (liver) glycogen may however improve performance by
minutes. And if the initial glycogen level reserves. A recent study has shown that consuming a carbohydrate drink during
was 3.31 grams per 100 grams of muscle ingestion of one to two grams of car- exercise. This will help replace fluids as
the exercise could be continued for 167 bohydrate per kilogram of body weight well as maintain blood glucose. The rate
minutes (1,2). The close correlation of gastric (stomach) emptying is key
between muscle glycogen levels and Consuming carbohydrates dur- here, as this ultimately controls the
time to exhaustion is a good reason ing exercise can also improve availability of the ingested carbohy-
to follow a high carbohydrate diet. drate. The stomach empties faster the
It has been suggested that glucose
performance. This works by fuller it is, so it is advised to keep the
and fatty acids cannot cross the cell helping to maintain blood glu- stomach volume relatively high by tak-
membrane (that is, enter the cell) cose levels and preventing ing frequent small drinks. Maltodextrin
fast enough to provide adequate fuel theoretically should exit the stomach
for intense exercise (1). This is why hypoglycemia, rather than by faster than glucose solutions due to its
muscle glycogen (glycogen already sparing muscle glycogen. Keep lower osmolality (the concentration of
stored inside muscle cells) is the most in mind I’m talking about maxi- particles in a solution). A rate of about
important fuel for exercise. 45 grams of supplemental carbohydrate
Now let’s talk about some mizing exercise performance per hour seems adequate to maintain
specific dietary strategies to maxi- here, not fat burning. blood glucose levels during moderate
mize endurance performance. It is exercise (1). This would be one scoop
very important to fill glycogen stores of Pro-Carb Powder™ every 30 min-
completely before participating in an ex- one hour before exercise can improve utes.
haustive endurance event. Endurance performance (1). In this experiment the Whatever you do, stay away from
athletes who train on successive days are carbohydrate was given in liquid form, fructose as an exercise fuel. Fructose is
likely to require 65-75% of their calories which is what we would generally recom- the sugar found naturally in fruit and,
from carbohydrates to optimize perfor- mend if you’re going to eat something ironically, in most sports bars (the Parrillo
mance (1). It may be that feelings of tired- within an hour of exercise. This allows Bar uses rice dextrin, not fructose). Some
ness which are attributed to overtraining for more rapid digestion and absorption people recommend fructose for athletes
are in fact due to low glycogen stores than is possible with solid food. Pro-Carb because it has a low glycemic index and
(1). Some cases of “overtraining” may Powder™ (original Vanilla or the new results in a low insulin response. This line
really just be under-nutrition. Foods rich Chocolate flavor) is ideal for this, sup- of reasoning however fails to consider the
in complex carbohydrates are preferable plying 22 grams of medium-chain car- big picture of fructose metabolism. Fruc-
to refined sugars because they are more bohydrate (maltodextrin) along with four tose is a bad choice for athletes for two
reasons. First, a significant proportion of also affects the degree of glycogen reple- drates, and this may be the reason that
it is converted to fat by the liver. This is tion. This effect is most likely due to the higher glycogen levels are seen after 48
probably the reason it has a low glycemic glycemic and insulinemic responses of hours with complex carbs. The com-
index and a low insulin response. Second, various carbohydrates. Fructose causes a plex carbs are more prone to be stored
it does not work well for restoring muscle much lower blood sugar level and insulin as glycogen while simple sugars more
glycogen. Fructose is metabolized by the level than glucose-based carbohydrates. It readily spill over into fat stores. The best
liver, not by muscle. Trials with fructose is well known that fructose is not nearly carb choices for glycogen repletion are
supplementation during exercise have as effective as glucose at restoring muscle complex starches such as rice, potatoes,
failed to demonstrate an improvement in glycogen (1,2). This is probably because sweet potatoes, beans, oatmeal, and so on.
performance (1) and using fructose as a fructose metabolism is essentially con- Contrary to what some proponents of the
carbohydrate source to replenish muscle fined to the liver. Several studies have high fat diet say, current research proves
glycogen stores following exercise does compared simple sugars versus complex that complex carbohydrates have very
not work as well as glucose or glucose carbohydrates, with various results. Some little tendency to be converted to body fat
polymers (1,2). studies have found no difference, and (3,4,5).
Restoration of muscle and liver some have suggested that simple sugars Several studies have directly
glycogen reserves after exercise is criti- result in better glycogen recovery dur- compared the effects of carbs versus fat
cal for recovery and subsequent exercise on endurance. One compared a high carb
performance (1). I feel it is also very - low fat diet (83% carbs, 3% fat) to a
important in order to derive the maximal high fat - low carb diet (94% fat - 4%
training effect from exercise, so that you carbs). They found that the group con-
can go out and have improved perfor- suming high carbs burned more carbohy-
mance next time. Now we will discuss drate during exercise and had an endur-
the type, timing, and amount of carbo- ance time of 210 minutes compared to
hydrate needed to maximize recovery of 88 minutes for the high fat group (2). A
glycogen stores after exercise. high carbohydrate diet results in greater
Research shows that glycogen muscle and liver glycogen stores plus
levels can be restored within 24 hours helps maintain blood glucose levels lon-
following exhaustive exercise if 600 ger, resulting in greater endurance. Hard
grams of carbohydrate are consumed training athletes need extra carbohydrate
(1). This makes good theoretical sense, to support their exercise activity. When
because most people can store around a group of athletes was fed a diet con-
400 grams of carbohydrate as glyco- taining 40% carbohydrate, their muscle
gen (and maybe twice that much using glycogen levels steadily declined over
carb loading techniques). So 600 grams a few days of training. When they were
provides enough to replenish glycogen switched to another diet containing the
stores plus a little left over to use as fuel same number of calories but 70% carbs,
during your recovery day. (It is assumed their glycogen stores were maintained
that you will not be exercising during this ing the first 24 hours. One study found (2). This is very important. It means that
24 hour period.) The rate of glycogen that complex carbohydrates resulted in not only do athletes need extra calories
synthesis is most rapid immediately fol- higher rates of glycogen synthesis af- to fuel their exercise activity, but it also
lowing exercise. This is due to several ter 48 hours (1,2). Apparently complex matters where the calories come from.
factors, including increased activity of carbs work better over the long term and A high fat diet cannot maintain glycogen
the enzyme that manufactures glycogen, higher levels of glycogen can ultimately stores even if it is adequate in calories.
increased permeability of the muscle cell be achieved using complex carbs. My rec- This is because fat cannot be converted to
membrane to glucose, and increased sen- ommendation is to avoid sugar but to use glycogen. Also keep in mind that athletes
sitivity of muscle to insulin following ex- a relatively short chain glucose polymer need more protein than sedentary people.
ercise (1). You should try to consume one such as found in Pro-Carb Powder™ or This has been proven in many studies us-
to one-and-a-half grams of carbohydrate the Parrillo Bar for the first six hours after ing nitrogen balance techniques.
per kilogram of body weight every two exercise and then rely on complex carbs We recommend a diet providing
hours for the first six hours after exhaus- for the remainder of glycogen repletion. one to one-and-a-half grams of protein
tive exercise and a total of 600 grams This should result in optimal glycogen per pound of body weight each day with
during the first 24 hours. recovery. Simple sugars are more easily the rest of the calories provided by com-
The type of carbohydrate used converted to fat than complex carbohy- plex carbohydrates. Try to limit fat to
5-10% of calories. Use high quality, low delicious flavors — Vanilla, Chocolate, hydrate metabolism and exercise. Chapter
fat proteins such as chicken breast, turkey Orange Cream, and Milk — and can be 2 from Nutrition in Exercise and Sport,
breast, egg whites, and fish. Good starchy mixed with water or stirred into your food edited by Wolinsky I and Hickson JF,
carbs are things like potatoes, rice, beans, to boost your nutrient levels. CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1994.
and oatmeal. At each meal you should Endurance athletes should also consider
also include a fibrous carb, such as broc- Liver-Amino Formula™. This supple- 2. Miller GD. Carbohydrates in ultra-
coli, asparagus, salad greens, or other ment is the ultimate source of heme endurance exercise and athletic perfor-
vegetable. Each meal should be balanced, iron, which is a superior iron source for mance. Chapter 3 from Nutrition in Ex-
containing one complete protein source, building blood cells. Creatine is another ercise and Sport, edited by Wolinsky I
a starch, and a fibrous vegetable. Try supplement that can help extend your en- and Hickson JF, CRC Press, Boca Raton,
to divide your daily grams of protein ergy base. And all serious athletes should 1994.
and your total calories evenly among six be using Essential Vitamin Formula™
small meals. The Parrillo Performance and Mineral-Electrolyte Formula™. 3. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate bal-
Nutrition Manual contains exact instruc- Even if you’re a bodybuilder ance, and weight maintenance: effects of
tions on which foods to eat, which foods and not an endurance athlete, vigorous exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 296-306,
to avoid, and how to structure your diet. 1987.
It also contains a detailed food composi-
tion guide and comes with a food scale, so 4. Flatt JP. Use and storage of carbohy-
you can determine how many calories and drate and fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61: 952s-
how many grams of protein, carbs, and 959s, 1995.
fat you’re consuming. It contains precise
directions on how to modify your diet 5. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier E.
to optimize gaining lean mass or losing Glycogen synthesis versus lipogenesis af-
body fat. ter a 500 gram carbohydrate meal in man.
Regarding supplementation, Par- Metabolism 31: 1234-1240, 1982.
rillo Performance Hi-Protein Powder™ is
a high efficiency protein mixture provid- 6. Hargreaves M. Skeletal muscle car-
ing a high level of glutamine, branched bohydrate metabolism during exercise.
chain aminos, and essential aminos. This Chapter 2 from Exercise Metabolism,
is an excellent way to get your protein edited by Hargreaves M, Human Kinetics
intake up where it needs to be. It’s now Publishers, Champaign, IL, 1995.
available in chocolate, which is delicious.
Endurance athletes and bodybuilders try- 7. Coggan AR and Williams BD. Meta-
ing to gain weight will do well with Pro- bolic adaptations to endurance training:
Carb Powder™, a maltodextrin-based substrate metabolism during exercise.
carbohydrate supplement. This is an ideal Chapter 6 from Exercise Metabolism,
supplement for glycogen repletion and edited by Hargreaves M, Human Kinetics
carb loading. We have had great success aerobic exercise will help you get bigger Publishers, Champaign, IL, 1995.
using it alone or in combination with and leaner. Aerobics helps build capil-
CapTri® before and during endurance lary density in muscle tissue, allowing
events. for better nutrient delivery and more
Another product that we’ve just growth. Aerobic conditioning also trains
introduced called 50/50 Plus™ fits this your muscles to rely more on fat as a fuel
need for additional carbs and protein source but increasing mitochondria and
nicely. With 20 grams of protein and 17 the level of fat burning enzymes (6,7).
grams of complex carbohydrate in each This helps you get leaner plus spares
two scoop serving, 50/50 Plus™ provides muscle glycogen for a better pump. Until
your body with the protein necessary to next time, good training.
stave off muscle catabolism for energy
as well the extra carbs to supply energy References
when you need it and help replenish gly-
cogen stores when you’re finished with 1. Liebman M and Wilkinson JG. Carbo-
your activity. 50/50 Plus™ comes in four
The Ultimate Growth Combo

by John Parrillo
Carbohydrate and Protein — We already know how important

these nutrients are individually. Now check out what happens when
we put them together!
There are several criteria we and protein (CHO-PRO) to see how the to a great degree whether the calories you
must consider when evaluating a nutri- various supplements affected the levels eat will be stored as fat or turned into
tional supplement for bodybuilders. First, of anabolic hormones in healthy drug- muscle.
is there some plausible mechanism by free weight lifters. In addition to merely At Parrillo Performance, we do
which the supplement might work? This providing the raw materials for building a lot of “end point” testing of our supple-
just means is there some logical reason muscle tissue and storing glycogen, foods ments before a formulation is released
why the supplement should be expected and supplements can affect the hormonal on the market. By this I mean we try
to produce results. For example, we might environment of the body. In this magazine various formulations of supplements on
expect protein supplements to be helpful I have written extensively about how to elite, competitive bodybuilders to find
because they provide the building blocks use food to control various hormone and out what actually works. The competitive
the body needs to build more muscle enzyme levels to create an anabolic envi- bodybuilder is the ultimate research lab
tissue. Second, is the supplement ac- for studying bodybuilding supple-
tually absorbed by the body and de- It has been well established ments, because any little change in
livered to the site where it’s supposed his or her physique is readily appar-
to act? If your supplement is not that weight lifting causes an in- ent. We follow the athlete’s weight,
absorbed into the bloodstream and crease in growth hormone and, lean body mass, percent body fat,
carried to muscle cells, it probably to a lesser extent, testoster- strength on the core lifts, overall
won’t do much. Third, does it produce “look” and hardness, plus subjective
its effects at the recommended usage one. This is no doubt part of information such as energy level,
level, or is the amount used too small the way in which resistance training intensity, and how he or she
to really be effective. And fourth, feels. By making small changes in
the most important criteria is, does
exercise brings about muscle formulations we can see how these
the supplement actually produce the growth. The question is, can affect size, strength, conditioning,
desired effect better than a placebo we use any nutritional “tricks” to endurance, and energy level. This is
or control. The first few criteria are really results-driven testing, because
really asking, “CAN the supplement
help this process along. the reason people come to Parrillo
work?” And the last question is ask- Performance is for results. Some-
ing, “Does the supplement REALLY times (often times, actually) we fig-
work and do what it’s supposed to do?” ronment in the body where nutrients are ure out what works “out in the field” with
Unfortunately, few scientifically shuttled to the lean compartment (muscle) real bodybuilders before the scientists
controlled studies have been performed to while drawing on stored body fat as an back in the labs have figured out why or
specifically evaluate how well nutritional energy source. This concept of “nutrient how it works. It’s always gratifying when
supplements work to help bodybuilders. partitioning” amounts to eating in such the biochemical research explains some
Many of the supplements out on the mar- a way that the food you eat is used to of the results we’ve seen in the gym, and
ket have never been tested to see if they build muscle tissue while your body fat that’s the case with this paper.
really work. Some of them have been, is burned as a fuel source. To me, this It has been well established
however. A recent article in the Journal is the essence of bodybuilding nutrition. that weight lifting causes an increase in
of Applied Physiology (1) tested the ef- This works because many of the body’s growth hormone and, to a lesser extent,
fects of either a carbohydrate supple- anabolic and catabolic hormones are sig- testosterone (2,3,4). This is no doubt part
ment alone (CHO), a protein supplement nificantly influenced by diet, and it is the of the way in which resistance exercise
(PRO), or else a mixture of carbohydrate levels of these hormones that determines brings about muscle growth. The question
is, can we use any nutritional “tricks” to studies which use novice trainers and low loads to the CHO supplement, so we can
help this process along, above and be- intensity programs. The subjects were directly compare the effects of the differ-
yond simply providing the raw materials given four different supplements to test: ent formulas.
needed to make more muscle protein? In carbohydrate (CHO) which was a mix- The subjects performed high in-
fact, we can use supplements to improve ture of dextrose and maltodextrin, protein tensity training sessions going to failure
the anabolic milieu to further enhance (PRO) which was a mixture of milk between 8-10 reps on 8 core exercises.
muscle growth. The most obvious way to protein isolate and whey protein, carbo- Then immediately after exercise and
improve the situation is to increase insu- again 2 hours after the exercise session
lin levels, which acts as a potent stimulus the athletes were given one of the supple-
to increase muscle amino acid uptake and Carbohydrate alone ment formulas. Before exercise and for
activate the protein synthetic machinery. or in combination the next eight hours after exercise the ath-
Exercise tends to lower insulin levels, letes’ blood was monitored for glucose,
which is great because this promotes fat
with protein (but not testosterone, growth hormone, IGF-1, and
burning during exercise, but then after protein alone) serves insulin levels. Thirty minutes after the ex-
exercise during the recovery period we as a potent stimulus ercise and the supplement ingestion, plas-
want to activate insulin to take advantage ma glucose levels in the CHO and CHO-
of its anabolic properties. This is one time
for insulin release. PRO groups were significantly elevated
when we don’t have to worry so much Furthermore, we compared to the PRO and control groups.
about insulin causing fat accumulation, know that protein Another supplement dose was given two
for two reasons. First, right after training hours after exercise, but this did not seem
the muscle cells are hungry for nutrients feeding stimulates to further affect blood glucose levels. Go-
and they will gobble up all the calories growth hormone and ing along with this, plasma insulin was
before the fat cells can get them. Sec- IGF-1. The tension significantly increased in the CHO and
ond, after exercise glycogen stores are CHO-PRO groups, and to a lesser extent
depleted so any carbohydrates you eat at placed on muscle in the PRO supplement. The combination
that time will be stored as glycogen rather during weight train- CHO-PRO supplement actually increased
than being converted to fat. ing somehow acti- insulin levels to a greater degree than
Carbohydrate alone or in combi- CHO alone. We might not have expected
nation with protein (but not protein alone) vates protein syn- this, since the CHO supplement alone in-
serves as a potent stimulus for insulin thesis and induces creased blood glucose levels greater than
release (5,6). Furthermore, we know that the combination supplement, but keep in
protein feeding stimulates growth hor-
muscular hypertro- mind that protein also serves as an insulin
mone and IGF-1. The tension placed on phy. stimulus. So even though carbohydrate
muscle during weight training somehow alone increases blood sugars levels more,
activates protein synthesis and induces adding some protein to it results in a
muscular hypertrophy (by some mech- higher insulin level. So far we can already
anism not yet completely understood) hydrate plus protein (PRO-CHO) which draw some very important conclusions.
— the question is can we use supplements was 70% carbohydrate and 30% protein, First, when you take a supple-
to enhance this process? If so, do the sup- or else plain water, which was used as the ment after training you definitely want
plements work by favorably modulating control. This is also good news because to include some carbohydrate in it, rather
hormone levels to create a more anabolic the protein and carbohydrate supplements than just using a pure protein powder.
environment? used are virtually identical to the most This results in a much higher insulin level
To investigate this issue a group popular protein and carb supplements than protein alone, and this will help drive
of researchers at The Exercise Physiol- used by bodybuilders. The CHO supple- the amino acids into the muscle. Second,
ogy and Metabolism Laboratory at the ment was given at a dose of 1.5 grams mixing protein along with the carbohy-
University of Texas used a group of nine CHO per kg of body weight, which works drate further boosts insulin levels beyond
healthy drug-free weight lifters. Their av- out to be about 120 grams of carbs, or 480 carbs alone, which is exactly the effect
erage age was 25, average weight around calories on average per supplement dose. we want here. We’re not too worried
180 pounds at 11.8% body fat, and all Again, this is good news because this is about carbs spilling over into fat stores
had at least 2 years of weight training a realistic amount of supplement and we because right after a workout glycogen
experience. This is important because it should expect to see an effect, if there is levels are depleted, so the carbs will be
means we can apply their results to real one. The other supplements (PRO and used to replenish glycogen and will not be
bodybuilders, which is a problem in many CHO-PRO) were given at equal caloric converted into fat. Third, taking a second
supplement dose 2 hours after training months of training. After a few months synthesis by muscle. Furthermore, insulin
has minimal effect on hormone levels. of initial training, you likely remember seems to increase growth hormone levels
The big benefit seems to come from tak- hitting a plateau, where further increases by inducing hypoglycemia (7). This is
ing a respectable dose (120 grams in this in strength came more slowly. At this probably what was happening when we
study) of the supplement as soon as pos- point further increases in strength are saw GH levels increased by the CHO and
sible after training, and certainly within more closely related to increased muscle CHO-PRO supplements six hours after
30 minutes after you finish your workout. mass and muscle cross-sectional area (1). exercise. The supplements caused an ini-
I suggest taking a shaker bottle to the gym Several factors influence the rate of in- tial increase in insulin levels, which after
with you and drinking your supplement at crease of new muscle mass. These include a few hours resulted in hypoglycemia
the gym as soon as you finish training. the volume and intensity of training, the (low blood sugar) which in turn stimu-
Growth hormone levels rose availability of adequate nutritional sub- lated GH release.
sharply immediately after the exercise strates and calories to support growth, and Probably the biggest surprise
bout but declined back to baseline within the hormonal environment of the muscle. was observed with testosterone — all
2 hours after exercise. The supplements If the only purpose of nutrition was to the supplements seemed to decrease tes-
seemed to have no immediate effect on supply the building blocks for growth, tosterone levels compared to plain water.
GH levels, but at 6 hours after exercise then it wouldn’t matter that much what What’s up with this? Either testosterone
the GH levels were higher in the CHO and you ate. If, however, you want to control secretion by the testes was decreased,
CHO-PRO groups. It seems that the exer- the hormones directing the anabolic drive, or else possibly the supplements caused
cise itself has a bigger short-term impact more testosterone to be cleared from the
on GH release than the supplements, but blood (maybe by moving it inside cells)
by six hours after exercise the effect of Several factors influence thereby resulting in a lower blood level.
the supplements becomes apparent. It the rate of increase of new To investigate this the authors looked at
is also worth mentioning that the GH LH (lutinizing hormone) levels. LH is the
increase brought about by the exercise muscle mass. These in- stimulus for testosterone to be released
session itself was greater than the GH clude the volume and in- from the testes, so if the supplements
increase seen at six hours post-exercise, caused decreased testosterone secretion
which was attributed to the supplements.
tensity of training, the avail-
then LH levels should be depressed as
This really comes as no surprise, since ability of adequate nutri- well. They found that LH levels were
we know that weight training is really tional substrates and calo- unaffected by the CHO supplement (the
the prime stimulus for muscle growth, only one they tested for this) suggesting
not supplements. Plasma testosterone
ries to support growth, and that the testosterone level was decreased
levels were seen to rise sharply imme- the hormonal environment as the result of increased removal of tes-
diately after exercise, but then within of the muscle. If the only tosterone from the blood rather than de-
one hour declined to below pre-exercise creased secretion. While it remains to be
levels. All of the supplements resulted in purpose of nutrition was to proven, the authors suggest that plasma
testosterone levels declining below the supply the building blocks testosterone may have been decreased
value seen with water alone. Within 6 for growth, then it wouldn’t by the supplements as a consequence of
hours after exercise the CHO and CHO- increased movement of testosterone into
PRO groups had returned essentially to matter that much what you muscle cells, where it acts to promote
pre-exercise levels, but the PRO alone ate. If, however, you want protein synthesis.
was still depressed. More on this later. to control the hormones di- A number of important conclu-
What does this all mean? We sions can be drawn from this study. You
know that the early rapid gains seen by recting the anabolic drive, should supplement with a combination
beginning weight trainers are primarily this takes a more sophisti- of protein and carbohydrate after training
due to increased motor learning (1). This because this results in a more favorable
means training the nervous system to
cated approach.
anabolic hormonal environment than ei-
recruit more muscle fibers to fire simul- ther protein or carbohydrate alone. You
taneously. The more efficiently the ner- this takes a more sophisticated approach. should take the supplement soon after
vous system can activate the muscle, the The hormones most directly related to training, within 15-30 minutes. A sec-
stronger the contraction. So early on we muscular growth are insulin, growth hor- ond dose of supplement two hours after
are mainly training the nervous system. mone, testosterone, and IGF-1. Insulin exercise seems to confer little additional
It’s not unusual for a novice trainer to ba- may potentiate muscular hypertrophy by benefit in terms of altering hormone lev-
sically double his strength in the first six stimulating amino acid uptake and protein els compared to a single dose. The dose
used here was about 120 grams of protein up an anabolic hormonal environment, JG, and Ivy JL. Dietary supplements af-
and/or carbohydrate. We agree that this or any time as needed with or between fect the anabolic hormones after weight
is an appropriate dose size for stimulat- meals. The beauty of this product is that training exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 76(2):
ing growth and optimizing recovery after it is “programmed” to generate a hormon- 839-845, 1994.
training. Also, the anabolic hormone most al environment which results in muscle
responsive to dietary control is insulin, growth. Not only does it provide the raw 2. Kraemer RR, Kilgore JL, Kraemer GR,
and to a lesser degree growth hormone materials your muscles need to grow, but and Castracane VD. Growth hormone,
(whose secretion is stimulated mainly it also programs your hormone levels to IGF-1, and testosterone responses to re-
by protein). This comes as no surprise. channel the nutrients into muscle and not sistive exercise. Med. Sci. Sports Exer-
Growth hormone and testosterone are fat. It comes in four delicious flavors: cise 24: 1346-1352, 1992.
best stimulated by intense training. This is chocolate, vanilla, milk (which is great in
why we need a combination of hard train- oatmeal), and orange-cream. I suggest a 3. Kraemer WJ, Gordon SE, Fleck SJ,
ing plus a carefully crafted diet to gener- serving size of 4 scoops if you are using Marchitelli LJ, Mello R, Dzaidos JE,
ate optimal hormone levels to maximize Freidl K, and Harmon E. Endogenous
muscle growth and fat loss. anabolic hormonal and growth factor re-
Since this study came out a cou- sponses to heavy resistance exercise in
ple of years ago we have used this as a males and females. Intl. J. Sports Med.
starting point and done some of our own 12: 228-235, 1991.
trials here at Parrillo Performance. We
have tried various formulations on some 4. Kraemer WJ, Marchitelli L, Gordon
top level competitive bodybuilders and SE, Harmon E, Dziados JE, Mello R,
fitness athletes and have taken the idea Frykman P, McCurry D, and Fleck SJ.
described in this paper a few steps further. Hormonal and growth factor responses
First, we found that with our athletes, to heavy resistance exercise protocols. J.
who train harder and longer than the ones Appl. Physiol. 69: 1442-1450, 1990.
in this study, a ratio closer to 50% protein
- 50% carbs works better. Top level body- 5. Rabinowitz D, Merimee TJ, Maffezzoli
builders just seem to need a little more R, and Burgess JA. Patterns of hormonal
protein to get that degree of muscle hard- release after glucose, protein, and glucose
ness we’re going for. Also, we get better plus protein. Lancet 2: 454-457, 1966.
results if we use maltodextrin without
the dextrose as the carbohydrate source. 6. Zawadzki KM, Yaspelkis BB, and
Dextrose is another name for glucose, a it as a post-workout recovery and growth Ivy JL. Carbohydrate-protein complex
simple sugar. We find that our athletes can supplement, 4 scoops in place of a meal, increases the rate of muscle glycogen
pack on more muscle without gaining fat or 2 scoops if used as a calorie boost with storage after exercise. J. Appl. Physiol.
if we leave the sugar out of the formula. or between meals. I think this product is 72: 1854-1859, 1992.
Third, we have added glycine (an amino very solid and deserves to be considered
acid) to the formula to further improve a “first line” supplement for bodybuild- 7. Roth J, Glick S, and Valow RS. Hypo-
its anabolic effect. 50/50 Plus™ contains ers. An excellent entry level supplement glycaemia: a potent stimulus of growth
no sugar and no fat. We have settled on program would be 50/50 Plus™, Cre- hormone. Science Wash. DC 140: 987-
a combination of whey protein and other atine Monohydrate, and the Essential Vi- 988, 1963.
milk protein isolates to generate what we tamin and Mineral- Electrolyte Formulas.
feel is an optimal amino acid profile. I think you’ll find this supplement might
This new product line is called easily push your growth to the next level.
“50/50 Plus™” to reflect its composition The work of hormonal control and nutri-
of about 50% protein and 50% carbs. It ent partitioning has been done for you
also provides a good source of calcium - all you have to do is train hard and take
and includes vitamins important for mus- the supplement and you’re guaranteed to
cle repair and growth. We’re very proud provide your muscles with the ultimate
of this new supplement development. It’s hormonal milieu for growth.
designed specifically to promote nitrogen
retention and muscle growth. The ideal References
times to use it are immediately after train-
ing, as your first meal of the day to set 1. Chandler RM, Byrne HK, Patterson
The Energetics of Nutrient Metabolism, Part I

by John Parrillo
One of the fundamental problems out that what kind of food we choose to way of thinking was that calories were all
in bodybuilding is how to gain muscle supply those excess calories can have that mattered, and what kind of food you
without getting fat. In order to pack on a big effect on whether the weight we ate wasn’t considered that important. To
more muscle we have to be eating enough gain will be muscle or fat. Furthermore, understand how diet composition has the
to supply all of the nutrients and energy scientific data demonstrates that it is pos- potential to affect body composition we
we need to grow, but if you’re not very sible to lose fat without cutting calories. need to review the thermodynamics of
careful about how you do this you’ll end The issue we want to explore is if diet nutrient metabolism. All food we eat can
up gaining as much fat as muscle. This composition can affect body composition. be used as fuel. If you throw food into a
month I want to talk about the correct way Body composition is simply your percent fire it will burn and release heat. Chemi-
to structure your diet to gain muscle and body fat, determined by your pounds of cally, this process is called “oxidation”
not fat. To do this we first need to review fat and pounds of lean mass. You should because when something burns in a fire
some basic science about nutrient and monitor your body composition about its molecules are combined with oxygen
energy metabolism. once a month with the BodyStat Kit to from the atmosphere. (This is why fires
Over the last ten years or so quite make sure you’re gaining muscle and can’t burn without oxygen.) Inside our
a bit has been learned about how diet af- not fat. By “diet composition” we mean bodies food molecules are oxidized in
fects body composition. The old way of the percentage of calories coming from a similar process except it occurs more
thinking was that all that really mattered protein, carbs, and fat. While overall body slowly. As the food molecules are oxi-
was calories — if you eat more calories weight seems to be determined mostly by dized energy is released, just like heat en-
you’ll gain weight and if you eat fewer ergy is released by a fire. This ener-
calories you’ll lose weight. This gy is used to build a special
concept is referred to as “en- molecule called adenosine
ergy balance.” The number of triphosphate, better known
calories contained in a food is as ATP. ATP is called a “high
a measure of the energy con- energy” molecule because it
tent of the food — calories are contains a lot of energy (duh).
a unit of energy. Energy balance It contains three phosphate
is the number of calories you groups which all have strong
eat minus the number of calories negative charges! As you re-
you expend (burn) as energy. If member from high school, like
you consume more calories than charges repel — negative re-
you burn this results in a “posi- pels negative and positive re-
tive energy balance” and the excess pels positive. So the phosphate
calories you consume are retained groups are repelling each other and
as body weight (either muscle, fat, energy balance (and this makes the molecule want to break
or glycogen). If you consume fewer thus the total number of calories you apart. When the phosphate groups do
calories than you burn this is a “negative eat) my theory is that body composition break apart this releases the energy which
energy balance” and you lose weight. If is determined more by diet composition. was contained in the ATP molecule. This
you consume the same number of calories So what I’m really going to talk about energy released by ATP breakdown is
that you burn this is called “zero energy here is how to use nutrition to help you the immediate source of energy used to
balance” (or more often simply “energy gain muscle and lower your percent body power muscular contractions and all of
balance”) and your weight will remain fat. Interested now? First I will review the other work done by the body. After
constant. some basics about energy metabolism, the ATP splits apart some more energy
No one doubts the importance then discuss some nutrient balance stud- released by food oxidation is used to put
of energy balance in determining body ies done in humans, and finally wrap up it back together again.
weight. It’s just that we understand now with some recommendations on how to So the energy used to fuel our
that there’s a lot more to it. Let’s say use this information to lower your percent bodies comes from food, but before we
we’re trying to gain weight, so we’re in- body fat. can use this energy it has to be converted
tentionally eating excess calories. It turns Like I mentioned earlier, the old into ATP. The thing is that protein, carbs,
and fat all follow different metabolic So what does this mean for you simple. Unfortunately, the body cannot
pathways and the energy released from as a bodybuilder? Look at it this way: convert dietary fat into carbohydrate or
their oxidation is captured as ATP with the diet higher in fat provided 70 more protein, so if you consume excess calories
different efficiencies. Some of the energy calories which can be used as energy or in the form of fat they will be retained as
generated by oxidation of food molecules retained as body weight. These 70 “ex- adipose. I’d like to say excess calories
is lost as body heat and is not captured by tra” calories are in the form of fat. Fat supplied as protein will be retained as
ATP formation. This is referred to as the cannot be converted to carbohydrate or protein in muscle, but it doesn’t work that
“thermic effect of feeding” (or TEF) and protein, therefore these 70 calories could way. Gaining muscle is not as simple as
describes the percentage of energy lost not be stored as glycogen or muscle. They consuming excess protein energy. Extra
as heat when a particular food substrate could only be stored as fat. Therefore the calories you eat as protein can be retained
is metabolized. The TEF for dietary fat high fat diet has the potential to result as protein or else converted into glycogen
is about 5%, which means that 5% of in 70 calories worth of body fat storage (via gluconeogenesis) or fat. When we get
the energy supplied by the fat is lost as more than the low fat diet. This is far to the discussion of the nutrient balance
body heat instead of being converted from the whole story however. These studies later in this article, I’ll explain
into ATP. The TEF for considerations are just some factors that determine whether ex-
carbohydrate is around meant to demonstrate cess calories are retained as glycogen, fat,
8-10% and for protein Unfortunately, the that two different diets or muscle.
is about 20-30% (1). body cannot convert which provide the same Let’s talk about how we can use
After we account for dietary fat into car- number of calories can these concepts. Let’s say we want to lose
all of the energy costs result in a different ef- fat and lower our percent body fat. We all
of the various meta- bohydrate or protein, fective energy balance. know that the fastest way to lose weight is
bolic pathways we find so if you consume This concept is known to cut calories. There are several problems
that 90% of the energy excess calories in the as “food efficiency” and with this approach however. First, some-
supplied by fat is avail- has been around in the where between 25-50% of the weight lost
able for ATP produc- form of fat they will be livestock industry for during energy restricted diets is muscle,
tion, 75% of the energy retained as adipose. years. It has long been depending on the severity of the energy
from carbs is used to recognized that feeding deficit. This is unacceptable for body-
make ATP, and 45% of different diets to grow- builders. Second, energy deprivation will
the energy from protein oxidation is re- ing animals (say young pigs or cattle eventually slow down your metabolic
tained as ATP (1). being raised for meat production) will rate so you will be burning fewer calo-
Therefore it seems obvious that result in different growth rates. A diet ries. Weight loss will eventually plateau,
the relative proportions of protein, carbs, with a higher food efficiency will result in until you cut calories even further. Third,
and fat in the diet can have a big impact more retention of energy as body weight energy restricted diets cause an increase
on the amount of dietary energy which (i.e., more growth) for a given number of in the enzymes that make and store fat, so
is available to perform work or to be re- calories. In practice, however, diets with that when you remove the energy restric-
tained as body weight. For example let’s a high food efficiency result in more body tion (start eating normally again) the first
consider a diet that provides 2000 calories weight gain because the animal retains thing that happens is you gain back the
and is made of 20% protein, 30% carbs, more fat. fat you lost. These adaptations are known
and 50% fat. If you do the calculations If all the food energy we eat is as the “starvation response” and represent
you’ll see that the thermic effect (TEF) of converted into ATP then how do we gain your body’s attempt to defend it’s fat
this meal is around 200 calories (or 10% body weight? Well, in the situation of pos- stores in the face of energy deprivation.
of energy content overall) which means itive energy balance we are eating more Your body perceives the energy deficit
that of that of the 2000 calories you ate, calories than we burn. In that case not created by the low calorie diet as a famine
200 of them are lost as heat. Now let’s all of the food is burned and instead the and tries to hang onto it’s fat stores as long
compare that with a 2000 calorie diet portion that is not used as fuel is retained as possible so it can survive. These are the
composed of 30% protein, 60% carbs, as body weight — either muscle or fat or reasons low calorie diets ultimately result
and 10% fat. The overall thermic effect glycogen. If the “excess” calories are sup- in failure about 90% of the time. But what
of this diet works out to be 270 calories plied as carbohydrate they will be stored if instead of cutting calories we shift to a
(or 14% of energy content). Notice that as glycogen until the glycogen stores are lower efficiency diet. We still consume
although both diets contain 2000 calories, completely full. After that any more carbs the same number of calories as usual, but
the low fat diet provides 70 fewer calories can be converted to fat, but as we will now a higher percentage of the calories
which are available to be stored, because see later this almost never actually hap- are lost as body heat during metabolism.
they were lost as body heat during me- pens. If the excess calories are supplied This will result in weight loss (an effec-
tabolism. as fat they will be stored as fat, plain and tive negative energy balance) without
reducing calorie intake and setting into which is the amount of carbs consumed diet, since the diet establishes the input
play the starvation response. Metabolic versus the amount used as fuel. A positive side of the balance equation. The studies
rate will remain high and we won’t lose carbohydrate balance means we’re stor- I want to discuss have looked at how the
muscle. So these considerations about the ing glycogen and a negative carb balance fat, carbohydrate, and protein balances
energetic efficiency of nutrient metabo- means we’re losing glycogen. Got it? are regulated, how this relates to overall
lism allow us to design a diet which will Since the forms of energy con- energy balance, and how all of this is
result in fat loss without cutting calories, sumed and stored by the body are car- affected by changes in diet. Afterwards
slowing metabolic rate, or losing muscle. bohydrate, protein, and fat then it makes it will become clear how you can make
Pretty slick, huh? sense that overall energy balance is de- changes in diet composition to influence
Next, I want to discuss some termined by the sum of protein balance, changes in your body composition.
experiments done with humans to moni- carbohydrate balance, and fat balance. The first paper I want to review
tor what happens And although examined what happens if we feed people
to the nutrients we .........if our goal is to lose the protein, an excess of calories supplied as car-
eat under differ- carb, and fat bohydrates (2). For this experiment six
ent dietary condi- fat we must achieve a neg- balances can healthy young men were fed a test meal
tions (2-5). In the ative fat balance, and this affect each containing 480 grams of carbohydrate,
last few years it other, they which is about twice as much carbohy-
is not necessarily the same
has become clear are regulated drate as an average person would eat in
that overall energy thing as a negative energy s e p a r a t e l y. a whole day. Overall the meal consisted
balance really has balance. To lose fat what As simple as of 93% of energy (calories) as carbs, 5%
three separate com- it sounds this protein, and 2% fat. To monitor nutrient
ponents. The nutri-
we have to do is to burn has only been metabolism the respiratory quotient (RQ)
ent energy supplied more fat than we eat — in understood for was monitored by indirect calorimetry
to the body comes this situation we will be in about the last over the next 10 hours. What does that
in the form of pro- 10 years, and mean? Each of the different macronutri-
tein, carbohydrate,
negative fat balance and is still some- ents (protein, carbs, and fat) require dif-
and fat. These are the fat which is burned in what contro- ferent amounts of oxygen to burn. When
called “macronu- excess over what we con- versial. This a food molecule is completely burned it
trients” because we has dramatic is converted into carbon dioxide (CO2)
consume them in sume must be derived from implications and water (H2O). A fat molecule contains
large amounts, in adipose depots. for bodybuild- very few oxygen atoms, so when you burn
contrast to the “mi- ers and, for a fat molecule it can combine with a lot of
cronutrients” like that matter, oxygen molecules. So if you are burning
vitamins and minerals which we consume anybody wanting to lower their percent fat for fuel you will consume a lot of oxy-
in small amounts. Protein, carbs, and fat body fat. As you can see, if our goal is gen. A sugar molecule (a carbohydrate)
follow different metabolic pathways. It to lose fat we must achieve a negative fat contains some oxygen atoms already built
turns out that the protein compartment of balance, and this is not necessarily the into the molecule, so when it is burned it
the body, the carbohydrate compartment, same thing as a negative energy balance. consumes less oxygen. In other words,
and the fat compartment are all regulated To lose fat what we have to do is to burn from a chemical point of view the carbon
separately, although what happens in one more fat than we eat — in this situation atoms in a carbohydrate molecule are al-
compartment will obviously affect the we will be in negative fat balance and the ready partially oxidized, so you can only
others. So we have a protein balance (usu- fat which is burned in excess over what add so much more oxygen when you burn
ally called “nitrogen balance” since most we consume must be derived from adi- it. The carbon atoms in a fat molecule
of the body’s nitrogen is contained in pose depots. To lose fat it doesn’t really are fully reduced (which is the opposite
amino acids) which describes the balance matter what your overall energy balance of oxidized) so when you burn fat more
between protein intake and protein utili- is, just so you have a negative fat balance. oxygen is consumed than when you burn
zation. A positive nitrogen balance means If you think about it, it’s really the pro- carbohydrate. Protein works out to be in
we’re gaining protein mass, which effec- tein balance that determines how much between.
tively means we’re gaining muscle mass. muscle mass we have and the fat bal- So what you do is place the per-
Similarly there is a fat balance which de- ance that determines how much body fat son in a room or a special chamber where
scribes the amount of fat intake versus the we’re carrying. So these nutrient balances you can monitor how much oxygen he
amount of fat burned for energy. A nega- (and not energy balance per se) are what consumes and how much carbon diox-
tive fat balance means we’re losing body determine our body composition. And ide he produces, and from this you can
fat. And last is the carbohydrate balance, nutrient balance is largely determined by
calculate if he’s burning carbs or fat for over a few days eventually glycogen
energy, and how much of each. To moni- stores would become saturated and then I
tor protein metabolism urine samples are expect we would see net fat storage begin
collected and the amount of protein uti- to occur. The conclusions from this paper
lized can be determined from the amount are that acute (short-term) carbohydrate
of urea nitrogen excreted in the urine. overfeeding increases carbohydrate oxi-
Indirect calorimetry is a special technique dation, so that if you eat excess calories in
where we monitor oxygen consumption the form of carbs some of the excess will
and carbon dioxide production and from simply be burned and lost as heat. The
that determine how much protein, carbs, remainder will be stored as glycogen, but
and fat are being burned as fuel. The will not be converted to fat. Next month
respiratory quotient (RQ) is the ratio of I’ll pick up the discussion with an experi-
carbon dioxide produced divided by the ment to test what happens if we consume
amount of oxygen consumed, and this excess calories in the form of fat. And it
(along with urinary nitrogen excretion) ain’t pretty.
is what tells us what mixture of protein,
carbs, and fat is being used as the fuel References
source (the substrate mix, or fuel mix).
Some amazing things were dis- 1. Flatt JP. The biochemistry of energy
covered with this experiment. Most peo- expenditure. In Obesity, Bjorntorp and
ple would think that if you overfeed that Brodoff, eds., pp. 100-116. J.B. Lippin-
many carbohydrate calories at one sitting cott Company, Philadelphia (1992).
you would store the excess energy as fat.
But that’s not what happened. During the 2. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier E.
ten hours following administration of the Glycogen synthesis versus lipogenesis af-
test meal, 133 g of carbohydrate, 17 g ter a 500 gram carbohydrate meal in man.
of fat, and 29 g of protein were oxidized Metabolism 31: 1234-1240 (1982).
(burned). Disposal of the 480 gram carbo-
hydrate load was accounted for by oxida- 3. Schutz Y, Flatt JP, and Jequier E. Fail-
tion of 133 grams, storage of 346 grams ure of dietary fat intake to promote fat
as glycogen, and conversion of less than oxidation: a factor favoring the develop-
3 grams into fat. Probably most exciting ment of obesity. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 50:
was that during this same time 17 grams 307-314 (1989).
of fat were burned. The diet only provid-
ed 8 grams of fat, so the subjects actually 4. Hill JO, Peters JC, Reed GW, Schlundt
lost fat as a result of the test meal, even DG, Sharp T, and Greene HL. Nutrient
though it contained excess calories. balance in humans: effects of diet com-
This study demonstrates that position. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 54: 10-17
feeding excess calories in the form of (1991).
carbohydrate results in glycogen stor-
age, but not fat storage. Feeding excess 5. Jebb SA, Prentice AM, Goldberg GR,
energy as carbohydrate increases the rate Murgatroyd PR, Black AE, and Coward
of carbohydrate oxidation, so if you eat WA. Changes in macronutrient balance
more carbs you burn more carbs. This during over- and underfeeding assessed
effect minimizes any conversion of carbs by 12 day continuous whole-body calo-
into fat. If you consume excess calories in rimetry. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 64: 259-266
the form of carbohydrate they will mostly (1996).
be burned as energy or else stored as
glycogen. Subjects in this study actually
had a negative fat balance (i.e., lost fat)
even after carbohydrate overfeeding. But
don’t get too carried away with this. This
experiment was just overfeeding carbohy-
drates for one meal. If this was continued
The Energetics of Nutrient Metabolism, Part II

by John Parrillo
In the previous bulletin we start- difference between how much of a nutri- to be stored as fat they first have to be
ed our discussion about nutrient balance ent (fat for example) is consumed versus converted into fat, and this conversion
and what this means in terms of control- metabolized gives us the nutrient balance. process uses up some of the calories. So
ling body composition. The simplistic If we consume more fat in our diet than while it is possible to gain body fat by eat-
way of thinking about body weight is that we burn, then the difference is stored as ing too much protein and carbohydrate,
it is merely the consequence of energy body fat. these nutrients are much less prone to be
balance. A positive energy balance means Unfortunately, dietary fat cannot stored as fat than is dietary fat.
that we’re consuming more calories than be converted into protein or carbohydrate, In summary, there are four ma-
we burn, so we gain weight. A negative so a positive fat balance will result in ex- jor factors why carbohydrate contributes
energy balance implies that calories expansion of the adipose less to body fat stores
pended exceed caloric intake, so we lose depot. Last month ...........for protein or car- than does dietary fat.
weight. This much is true, but is far from we reviewed a study bohydrate to be stored First, increased carbo-
the whole story. which demonstrated hydrate intake results
Athletes, and especially body- that excess dietary as fat they first have to in increased carbohy-
builders, are not just concerned about carbohydrate is stored be converted into fat, drate oxidation (1-5).
body weight but even more with body as glycogen with very and this conversion pro- This means if you eat
composition. Calories are a measure of little (essentially none) more carbs, you burn
the energy supplied by the food you eat. being converted into cess uses up some of more carbs, so they
This energy can be supplied in the form fat (5). the calories. So while it don’t get converted to
of protein, carbohydrate, or fat. Once Now keep in fat. Second, the ex-
mind that this study
is possible to gain body cess carbs that don’t
inside your body, this energy can be used
as fuel or else retained as body weight. involved acute (short fat by eating too much get burned are stored
The portion which is retained can be term) carbohydrate protein and carbohy- as glycogen instead of
overfeeding. Your
stored as either protein, carbohydrate,
or fat. Therefore overall energy balance body has a limit to
drate, these nutrients being converted to fat
(5). Third, carbs in-
(or calorie balance) is really the sum of how much glycogen are much less prone to crease your metabolic
protein balance plus carbohydrate balance it can store, so pro- be stored as fat than is rate more than fat, so
plus fat balance (1-4). Sounds simple longed carbohydrate you burn more calo-
enough right? Believe it or not, this way overfeeding will even- dietary fat. ries leaving fewer to
of looking at energy balance has only tually result in fat ac- be stored as fat (6).
been considered for the last ten years or cumulation. The point is nonetheless Fourth, some of the energy supplied by
so. Before that, is was just calories in very important that carbohydrate feeding the carbohydrate is consumed in the met-
versus calories out, and what kind of food increases carbohydrate oxidation and that abolic process of converting it into fat, so
was used to supply those calories wasn’t excess calories in the form of carbo- it is relatively less efficient at fat produc-
felt to be very important. hydrate are stored as glycogen, at least tion (6).
During the last decade sophis- until glycogen stores are saturated. Also, Now I want to describe a study
ticated metabolic techniques have been protein and carbohydrate have a much which examined what happens when ex-
used to look at the individual components higher thermogenic effect (TEF) than cess calories are supplied as fat (7). Seven
of energy balance. By analyzing the ratio fat does (6). This means that protein and healthy young men were studied in a
of carbon dioxide produced to oxygen carbs increase your metabolism and help special metabolic lab. For the first day
consumed (the respiratory quotient, or you burn more calories. The result is that they were fed their usual diets at a level
RQ) and by analyzing the urine for ni- over-consumption of protein or carbohy- of energy intake equal to energy expendi-
trogen excretion, scientists can figure out drate is less likely to result in fat accumu- ture. This diet on average was comprised
just how much protein, carbs, and fat a lation (as compared to over-consumption of 15% protein (105 grams), 50% carbs
person is burning for fuel. The intake of fat) because a significant amount of (335 grams), and 35% fat (109 grams).
of these nutrients can be determined by the energy is lost as body heat, and there- After obtaining baseline readings, the
weighing food portions and looking up fore is unavailable for retention as fat. subjects were fed the same amount of
the nutrient composition in tables. The Furthermore, for protein or carbohydrate protein and carbs but twice as much fat
on the second day. This represented about carb diet. This confuses a lot of people. low in carbs muscle glycogen stores will
110 grams of excess fat, providing around How can this be explained? Because be depleted and training intensity will
1000 excess calories, as compared to the to do this they were in negative energy suffer. Fourth, diets too low in carbs sup-
baseline diet. balance (losing weight), not a positive press thyroid hormone levels, which will
During the first 24 hour period energy balance. In a positive energy bal- slow metabolic rate and the rate of fat
the measurements confirmed that the sub- ance, the excess calories will be retained loss.
jects were in energy balance, indicating as body weight: either protein (muscle), So if you’re dieting to lose body
a good match between energy intake glycogen, or fat. If the excess calories fat you will be eating fewer calories and
and expenditure. During the second day are supplied as fat, they will be stored as will lose fat faster and retain more muscle
the excess fat load did not alter energy fat. Period. However, during weight loss mass if you eat a low fat diet as outlined
expenditure or RQ. This means that the energy balance is negative. There are no in the Parrillo Performance Nutrition Pro-
fat supplement did not alter either the excess calories. In this situation all of the gram.
amount of substrate oxidized or the pro- calories we eat will be burned as fuel, Regarding the second question,
file of the fuel mix. In other words, the so none will be retained as body weight. several studies suggest that a diet lower
excess fat did not increase metabolic If you’re operating in a negative energy in fat will result in lower body fat levels
rate or energy expenditure, nor did fat balance you can get away with eating fat, during periods of energy balance and
overfeeding increase fat oxidation (use because all of the calories you eat will be weight stability (8,9,10). This is a com-
of fat as fuel). This is in marked contrast burned even if they come from fat. So the plicated and controversial area. Basically,
to the result observed with carbohydrate state of energy balance is critical in deter- to maintain energy balance and constant
overfeeding (refer to last month’s article), mining the metabolic fate of dietary fat. body weight this (generally) requires bal-
which did increase metabolic rate and This leaves two unanswered ance of the protein, carbohydrate, and fat
which did stimulate use of carbohydrate questions: First, does this mean that what stores. Let’s consider the fat compartment
as fuel (6). The authors also reported that I eat is unimportant if I’m dieting to lose for a moment. To achieve fat balance we
protein and carbohydrate balances were weight? In other words, during weight need fat oxidation (burning fat as fuel) to
not affected by the excess fat load, but loss can I eat a high fat diet and get equal- match fat intake. The problem with fat is
the fat balance was +108 grams, almost ly good results? Second, what happens that increased fat intake does not cause
exactly the amount of excess fat load. during weight maintenance, when we’re increased fat oxidation. So how do we
The addition of extra fat did not in energy balance for prolonged periods achieve fat balance while on a high fat
decrease the amounts of protein or carbo- of time? diet? In other words, if fat intake is high
hydrate that were burned as fuel, nor did With regard to the first question, what can we do to increase fat oxidation
it increase the amount of fat which was diet composition (that is, a high fat versus so eventually we can achieve fat balance?
burned. Apparently the addition of extra a low fat diet) is relatively less important Some evidence suggests that fat oxida-
fat to a typical diet does nothing to spare during energy restricted diets, but it’s still tion increases as body fat mass increases
protein or carbohydrate from oxidation. important. You can certainly get away (8,9,10). What seems to be happening is
Nitrogen balance (and thus protein bal- with eating more fat while you’re losing that fat oxidation is determined by free
ance) was not improved by the addition weight and suffer less adverse results. If fatty acid concentration in the blood,
of fat. Furthermore, the excess fat did you eat fat while you’re gaining weight, which is in turn determined by body fat
nothing to increase energy expenditure you’re going to get fat. There’s no way mass.
or fat oxidation. And since fat cannot be around it. However, if you eat fat during So when we switch to a high fat
converted into protein or carbohydrate, an weight loss it’s all going to be burned as diet the first thing that happens is we store
excess fat load must be stored as body fat. fuel anyway. Nonetheless, we find that more body fat - because increased fat in-
It is somewhat amazing that of the 110 our athletes end up with better results take does not increase fat oxidation, so we
grams of extra fat supplied, 108 could be (in terms of body composition) if they have a state of positive fat balance. After
accounted for by storage as body fat. limit dietary fat even during weight loss. a while body fat mass increases, which in
What does this mean for body- I think there are several reasons for this. turn increases free fatty acid levels in the
builders? The clear message is that if First is that carbohydrates have a protein blood. This finally results in increased fat
you’re in a positive energy balance, gain- sparing effect. This means that you will oxidation, so that fat balance is achieved
ing weight, you should limit fat intake as lose less muscle during the diet if you on the high fat diet, albeit at a high level
much as possible. If you are operating supply the bulk of your non-protein calo- of body fat mass. The same sort of argu-
in a caloric excess in an attempt to gain ries as carbs instead of fat. Second, carbo- ments can be advanced for the adapta-
weight, then any calories you supply as hydrates have a higher thermogenic effect tions which would be expected to result
fat will be stored as fat. Now we all know than fat, so you will burn body fat faster, from switching to a diet lower in fat. As I
people who have gotten in good shape have a higher metabolic rate and higher said, this is still somewhat controversial,
while following a relatively high fat, low energy expenditure. Third, if you go too but some people believe that obesity is
really the body’s way of adapting to a cott Company, Philadelphia (1992).

high fat diet, so that fat and energy bal-
ance can be achieved (8,9,10). Based on 7. Schutz Y, Flatt JP, and Jequier E. Fail-
our experience at Parrillo Performance, I ure of dietary fat intake to promote fat
would have to say that people generally oxidation: a factor favoring the develop-
maintain leaner body composition while ment of obesity. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 50:
following a low fat diet. Probably one of 307-314 (1989).
the reasons people get such good results 8. Schutz Y, Tremblay A, Weinsier RL,
with CapTri® is that CapTri® is oxidized and Nelson KM. Role of fat oxidation in
immediately as fuel, in contrast to con- the long-term stabilization of body weight
ventional fat, and has very little tendency in obese women. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 55:
to be stored as body fat. Recently some 670-674, 1992.
metabolic studies have been performed
with special lipids like CapTri®. The re- 9. Astrup A, Buemann B, Western, Toubro
sults are very exciting and explain some S, Raben A, and Christensen NJ. Obesity
of the things we’ve been observing here as an adaptation to a high-fat diet: evi-
for years. dence from a cross-sectional study. Am.
J. Clin. Nutr. 59: 350-355, 1994.
References
10. Astrup A. Dietary composition, sub-
1. Thomas CD, Peters JC, Reed GW, Ab- strate balances and body fat in subjects
umrad NN, Sun M, and Hill JO. Nutrient with a predisposition to obesity. Int. J.
balance and energy expenditure during ad Obesity 17: S32-S36, 1993.
libitum feeding of high-fat and high-car-
bohydrate diets in humans. Am. J. Clin.
Nutr. 55: 934-942 (1992).
2. Hill JO, Peters JC, Reed GW, Schlundt

DG, Sharp T, and Greene HL. Nutrient
balance in humans: effects of diet com-
position. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 54: 10-17
(1991).
3. Horton TJ, Drougas H, Brachey A,

Reed GW, Peters JC, and Hill JO. Fat
and carbohydrate overfeeding in humans:
different effects on energy storage. Am. J.
Clin. Nutr. 62: 19-29 (1995).
4. Jebb SA, Prentice AM, Goldberg GR,

Murgatroyd PR, Black AE, and Coward
WA. Changes in macronutrient balance
during over- and underfeeding assessed
by 12 day continuous whole-body calo-
rimetry. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 64: 259-266
(1996).
5. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier E.

Glycogen synthesis versus lipogenesis af-
ter a 500 gram carbohydrate meal in man.
Metabolism 31: 1234-1240 (1982).
6. Flatt JP. The biochemistry of energy
expenditure. In Obesity, Bjorntorp and
Brodoff, eds., pp. 100-116. J.B. Lippin-
Ultimate Endurance Performance

by John Parrillo
It is well known that endurance largely metabolized into ketone bodies. fatty acids are thus oxidized as rapidly as
exercise performance is highly dependent CapTri® is absorbed and metabolized as glucose itself (2) which is truly remark-
on carbohydrate fuel availability. Inges- rapidly as glucose and serves as a source able. What this all means is that we have
tion of a high carbohydrate (CHO) diet of immediate energy. The liver converts an alternative fuel source which can be
prior to exercise, and supplementation of CapTri® into ketone bodies, which are burned just as fast as glucose and which
carbohydrate during exercise, have both fat breakdown products, which are then can be burned at the same time as glu-
repeatedly proven to improve endurance transported to the muscles and burned cose. Since there is a limit to how fast we
performance. Furthermore, the onset of as fuel. Importantly, the availability of can digest and absorb energy from car-
fatigue during prolonged exercise corre- carbohydrate does not seem to suppress bohydrate (about one gram per minute)
lates highly with muscle glycogen deple- the use of CapTri® as a fuel source (2,3). this represents an excellent way to further
tion. However, the rate of oxidation of This means that if we add CapTri® to enhance supplemental energy intake dur-
orally supplemented CHO seems to have the fuel mix it will be burned at the same ing exercise. CapTri® has a very high
a maximum limit around 1.0 to 1.1 grams thermogenic effect, which means it is
per minute (1). Even when ingestion of preferentially burned as a fuel source, and
oral carbohydrate during exercise is in- also has very little tendency to be stored
creased to a rate of 2 grams per minute, as body fat (4,5,6,7). MCFAs (includes
the rate of oxidation of this carbohydrate MCTs) have been shown to produce as
supplement did not exceed 1 gram per much energy as glucose when isocaloric
minute. Thus there seems to be an upper quantities of MCFA or glucose was in-
limit to how fast the body can digest, ab- gested prior to exercise (8).
sorb, transport, and oxidize carbohydrate. A recent study was undertaken to examine
In simple terms, your body cannot digest the effects of MCFA supplementation on
and absorb carbs fast enough to keep up endurance exercise performance (8). Six
with the rate of carbohydrate oxidation male cyclists all with three years or more
during prolonged exercise performed at of serious training experience at 300-500
moderately high intensity. km/week were studied. Each subject com-
What this means is that you can’t pleted three successive trials consisting
keep up with the energy demand simply of two hours riding at 60% of peak VO2
by supplying extra carbs while you exer- (60% of maximal intensity) followed im-
cise—your body can’t absorb them fast mediately by a 40 km time trial. Each of
enough. If you try, you’ll just get a full these trials were separated by ten days
stomach and a belly ache. So this means time we’re burning carbohydrate, and this during which time the subjects ate and
that muscle glycogen will be consumed extra source of added energy should help trained as usual. Before the experimental
and eventually when it is depleted you relieve the demands on the carbohydrate trials the cyclists consumed either a 10%
will “hit the wall.” So another strategy to depot. In theory, this should improve en- solution of short chain glucose polymer,
improve endurance performance would durance performance. an isocaloric 4.3% MCT solution, or else
be to supply another fuel source that CapTri® has a number of oth- a solution providing a mixture of 10%
could be used at the same time as carbo- er interesting metabolic properties that glucose polymer plus 4.3% MCT. These
hydrates, possibly sparing muscle gly- makes it well suited as an energy sub- test formulas were called CHO, MCT,
cogen and delaying the onset of fatigue. strate for exercise. It is very rapidly di- or CHO+MCT, respectively. During the
There are several theoretical reasons why gested and absorbed, and does not require exercise sessions the subjects’ blood and
medium chain triglycerides, such as Cap- transport via the lymphatic system, as respiratory gases were measured to moni-
Tri®, might help in this regard. CapTri® do conventional fats (2,4,5,6,7). Further- tor fuel metabolism.
is a special kind of engineered fat that is more, medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) When comparing the three for-
processed by the body differently from do not require the carnitine transport mulas in terms of average speed to com-
conventional fats (2). CapTri® is absorbed system for entry into mitochondria, which plete the 40 km time trial, it was found
directly into the bloodstream from the gut further enhances their availability as an that the fastest average speed was for
and is transported to the liver where it is immediate energy source. Medium chain the CHO+MCT formula, in the middle
was the CHO alone, and the cyclists per- cle Amino Formula™, Hi-Protein Pow- special properties that make them so well
formed the slowest when supplementing der™, 50/50 Plus™ or Optimized Whey suited as an energy source for athletes.
with MCT alone (8). This makes perfect Protein™) can help prevent muscle loss Of note, the rate of carbohy-
sense if you think about it. We know that during training. drate oxidation was lower in the MCT
the preferred fuel for intense exercise per- In contrast, the addition of CHO and CHO+MCT trials than in the CHO
formance is carbohydrate, and that endur- to the MCT-containing formula did not trial after 90 minutes of exercise. Overall
ance performance correlates with carbo- reduce the rise in plasma-free medium the rate of carbohydrate oxidation was
hydrate availability. So we would expect chain fatty acids. So while carbohydrate highest for the CHO formula, moderate
that cyclists supplementing with carbo- for the CHO+MCT, and lowest for the
hydrate alone would perform better than MCFA can be used as MCT alone. This also is exactly what
those supplementing with MCT alone, we might have expected. The addition
and this is exactly what was observed.
fuel at the same time as of MCT to the CHO formula represents
Furthermore, we would expect that taking glucose, thus increas- an alternative fuel source which can be
both CHO and MCT together at the same ing the overall pool of used at the same time as glucose. So you
time would result in better endurance would expect this to help the glucose
performance than either one separately,
available energy sub- last longer, which it did. And the rate of
and this also is what was found. This is strate beyond what glucose oxidation is lowest for the pure
because MCFA can be used as fuel at the can be obtained from MCT supplement because no supplemen-
same time as glucose, thus increasing the tal glucose is provided in this formula.
overall pool of available energy substrate carbohydrate alone. Equally as important, the decrease in
beyond what can be obtained from car- Conventional fats just carbohydrate oxidation which occurred as
bohydrate alone. Conventional fats just a result of MCT supplementation seems
don’t seem to be very to have been due to decreased oxidation
don’t seem to be very effective at this,
apparently because they are metabolized effective at this, ap- of muscle glycogen, rather than just a
too slowly. parently because they decrease in oxidation of plasma glucose.
When some of the specific me- There are two very important
are metabolized too findings from this study which will help
tabolites were looked at, it was found that
both of the supplemental formulas which slowly. endurance athletes. First is that the addi-
provided carbohydrate suppressed the rise tion of MCT to a CHO beverage supple-
in endogenous free fatty acids normally ment ingested during exercise signifi-
seen during prolonged exercise. What availability seems to reduce the oxidation cantly increased cycling speeds during a
am I talking about? This is simply saying of long chain fatty acids (which includes 40 km time trial done after a two hour
that if you use a carbohydrate-containing both body fat and conventional dietary “pre-exhaustion” ride at 60% intensity.
supplement before or during exercise this fats) it does not suppress the use of This means that the MCFAs significantly
will decrease your use of body fat as a MCFAs (includes MCTs) (2,8,9). This is improved performance at the end of a
fuel source during the exercise session. another reason why conventional fats just long (approximately three hours total)
Logical, right? If you eat a bunch of carbs don’t work well as energy supplements endurance event. Second, the MCTs also
right before you train, you’ll burn less during endurance exercise. If you want seemed to spare muscle glycogen at the
body fat than if you train on an empty the biochemical explanation: carbohy- end of this simulated race. This may in
stomach. This is why it’s so important drate metabolism generates an intermedi- fact be the mechanism by which perfor-
to define your training goals and know ate called malonyl-CoA which inhibits mance was improved. At Parrillo Perfor-
what you’re trying to accomplish. If you the activity of the carnitine shuttle. This mance we have noticed for some time
what to maximize endurance performance is the transport system which is required that our athletes seem to be stronger and
you should supplement with carbohydrate to carry long chain fatty acids inside the perform better for a longer period when
(and even better, with carbohydrate plus mitochondria where they are burned. This supplementing with CapTri®. We always
CapTri®) before and during training, but means that as long as carbohydrate fuel believed the reason for this to be two-
if you want to maximize body fat loss is available for exercise you won’t burn fold. One part of the explanation is that
during the training session you should do much fat. It’s only as the carbohydrate CapTri® provides an additional energy
it on an empty stomach. Or if you’re wor- stores become depleted that fat burning source which can be burned at the same
ried about maximizing lean body mass, picks up. On the other hand, MCFAs time as glucose, thereby providing greater
refer back to the “Next Level” articles in such as CapTri® do not need the car- overall energy delivery to muscles. Also,
the September and October issues of The nitine shuttle to enter mitochondria, so this additional energy substrate seems to
Press, where we explain how branched for this reason they can be burned at the spare muscle glycogen, thereby delaying
chain amino acid supplementation (Mus- same time as glucose. This is one of their the onset of fatigue. So you not only can
perform faster, you can perform faster Tri® improve endurance performance. 4. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim SA.
longer. This is the first formal laboratory This seems to be the result of both the Enhanced thermogenesis and diminished
experiment which has been performed availability of a secondary energy source deposition of fat in response to overfeed-
to scientifically prove that these theories which can be rapidly oxidized along with ing with diet containing medium chain
of ours actually do work in experienced glucose, thus increasing energy deliv- triglyceride. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: 678-
athletes. ery to cells, and also by sparing muscle 682 (1982).
I should mention that other ex- glycogen oxidation and delaying fatigue.
periments have been done in the past Don’t forget — you heard it here first. For 5. Geliebter A, Torbay N, Bracco EF,
which failed to demonstrate any decrease a refresher course on MCFA biochemistry Hashim SA, and Van Itallie TB. Over-
in carbohydrate oxidation as a result of and metabolism, get a copy of our Sports feeding with medium chain triglyceride
MCT supplementation. These trials used Nutrition Guide which is filled with great diet results in diminished deposition of
doses of MCT around the 30 gram level information on CapTri® and energy utili- fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 37: 1-4 (1983).
(about 2 tablespoons), which doesn’t seem zation during exercise.
to be enough to demonstrate a statistically 6. Seaton TB, Welle SL, Warenko MK,
significant decrement in CHO oxidation. References and Campbell RG. Thermic effect of me-
The protocol reviewed here (8) employed dium-chain and long-chain triglycerides
an MCT dose around 86 grams, which is 1. Jeukendrup AE, Saris WHM, Brouns in man. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 44: 630-634
equal to 6 tablespoons, administered in F, Halliday D, and Wagenmakers AJM. (1986).
a beverage consumed gradually during Effects of carbohydrate (CHO) and fat
exercise over 3 hours. So to get this effect supplementation on CHO metabolism 7. Hill JO, Peters JC, Yang D, Sharp T,
you would need to consume about 2 table- Kaler M, Abumrad N, and Greene HL.
spoons of CapTri®per hour. This should Thermogenesis in humans during over-
be mixed with Pro-Carb™, a slow-release feeding with medium chain triglycerides.
complex carbohydrate, to generate a fairly Metab. 38: 641-648 (1989).
dilute solution. We suggest two scoops of
Pro-Carb™ mixed with two tablespoons 8. Van Zyl CG, Lambert EV, Hawley
of CapTri® in one-half to one liter of JA, Noakes TD, and Dennis SC. Effects
water to be consumed gradually during of medium chain triglyceride ingestion
each hour of intense endurance exercise. on fuel metabolism and cycling perfor-
During a three hour endurance event this mance. J. Appl. Physiol. 80: 2217-2225
would amount to a total of six scoops of (1996).
Pro-Carb™ and six tablespoons of Cap-
Tri® in a total of 1.5 to 3 liters of fluid. 9. Jeukendrup AE, Saris WHM, Van Dis-
Adjust the amount of fluid to suit your sen R, et al. Effect of endogenous carbo-
particular needs. This will vary somewhat hydrate availability on oral medium chain
depending on ambient temperature and triglyceride oxidation during prolonged
humidity. Remember that water replace- exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 80: 949-954
ment is just as important, if not more (1996).
so, than carbohydrate supplementation.
This formula will provide a total of 1,320
calories split roughly equally between during prolonged exercise. Metabolism
carbohydrate and MCFA. Also, be sure 45: 915-921 (1996).
to experiment extensively with this for-
mula before an actual competitive event. 2. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Medium
Some people experience mild nausea or chain triglycerides: an update. Am. J.
stomach cramps the first time they use Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962 (1982).
MCT, particularly in fluid form. So break
yourself into it before a real competitive 3. Jeukendrup AE, Saris WHM, Schrau-
event. wen P, Brouns F, and Wagenmakers AJM.
In summary, this study confirms Metabolic availability of oral medium
some of our theories and observations that chain triglycerides co-ingested with car-
we’ve been talking about for the last eight bohydrates during prolonged exercise. J.
years or so. That is, MCFAs like Cap- Appl. Physiol. 79: 756-762 (1995).
Losing Body Fat With CapTri®

by John Parrillo
It is well understood that medium not utilized immediately as a fuel source structures inside cells where fats and
chain triglycerides (MCT) have a higher but instead is preferentially stored in other substrate molecules are converted
thermogenic effect than long chain tri- fat cells. Fat is the biochemical form in into ATP, the form of energy which di-
glycerides (LCT) and this fact has stimu- which the body stores excess energy. Fat rectly powers cellular work. The carnitine
lated considerable interest in the possible is, in essence, a storage molecule. So it shuttle transports long chain fats from the
use of MCT for body fat control. Me- makes sense that dietary fat would be cytoplasm to the interior of the mitochon-
dium chain triglycerides are prepared by preferentially stored. dria, where they are burned as fuel. The
the esterification (addition) of medium In contrast, MCT is not incorporated activity of the carnitine shuttle is inhib-
chain fatty acids (MCFA) to a glycerol ited by a metabolic intermediate called
backbone. Medium chain fatty acids are malonyl-CoA, which is generated as a
themselves naturally occurring in certain byproduct of carbohydrate metabolism.
tropical oils and are commercially ob- This means that metabolism of long chain
tained from fractionation of coconut oil. fats occurs only slowly as long as carbo-
Medium chain fatty acids, by definition, hydrate is available as a fuel source. Once
contain from six to 10-12 carbon atoms carbohydrate levels are depleted, there is
in their hydrocarbon chain, whereas long less malonyl-CoA around and the activity
chain fatty acids are 14 or more carbon of the carnitine shuttle increases and long
atoms in length. Animal fats and most chain fats are more readily used as fuel.
vegetable oils (“typical dietary fats”) are MCFAs, on the other hand, do not require
comprised of long chain triglycerides. the carnitine shuttle for transport, so they
CapTri® is comprised of mostly pure are rapidly metabolized as fuel even in
C8 fatty acids with with some C10s and the presence of carbohydrate.
absolutely no C12s since these can uplink These properties result in MCT behaving
to long chain fats. very differently from conventional fats in
The difference in physical structure of the body. Instead of being preferentially
MCT as compared to LCT (that is, the stored as body fat (as are LCT), MCT is
shorter fatty acid chains) confer different preferentially used as fuel with very little
chemical properties to these fat molecules, MCT being stored as body fat (1-3). Since
which results in MCT following a differ- MCT can be oxidized at the same time
ent metabolic pathway in the body. Con- as glucose, this alternative fuel source
ventional fats (LCT) are released from the has the potential to spare carbohydrate
intestines in complex with carrier proteins into chylomicrons and instead is absorbed oxidation. This could delay depletion of
in special particles called chylomicrons. directly into the bloodstream. It is carried muscle glycogen and the onset of fatigue
Rather than being released directly into to the liver by the portal vein where it is during prolonged endurance exercise. We
the bloodstream, the chylomicrons are rapidly metabolized. Several things can talked about a study demonstrating this
released into the lymphatic system and happen to MCT in the liver, but the pri- last month.
then enter the blood via the thoracic duct. mary metabolic fate is the conversion of Your total energy expenditure (TEE) is
This circulatory route results in the LCT MCFAs into ketone bodies. Ketone bod- the total number of calories you burn in a
bypassing the liver and instead being cir- ies are partially metabolized fatty acids day. (See reference 4 for a nice discussion
culated throughout the body. Capillaries which are then released from the liver of the components of energy expenditure,
can bind the chylomicrons where they are into the general circulation. The ketones especially as relates to food intake and ex-
acted on by an enzyme called lipoprotein are then used as an immediate fuel source ercise activity.) The biggest component of
lipase, which releases the long chain fatty by peripheral tissues such as muscle. TEE is the basal metabolic rate, or BMR.
acids from the chylomicron particle. The Another important difference between This is the number of calories you burn
long chain fats are then stored in fat cells MCFAs and conventional fats is that at rest just to maintain life. Things like
where they remain (generally) until they long chain fats require a transport sys- maintenance of body temperature, blood
are needed as a fuel source. The basic tem called the carnitine shuttle to enter pressure, heart rate, breathing, nerve
concept is that conventional dietary fat is mitochondria. Mitochondria are special transmission, ionic gradients across cell
membranes, and things like that account Several studies in laboratory animals 15 percent protein, 40 percent fat, and 45
for about 70 percent of the total number have shown that diets high in MCT result percent carbohydrate. Each subject spent
of calories the average person burns in a in increased thermogenesis and less depo- 24 hours in the respiratory chamber on
day. Another significant factor of TEE is sition of body fat than diets high in LCT four separate occasions, once for each
the thermic effect of activity (TEA) which (1,2,3,6). Studies in humans have simi- of the fat supplements. During the stay
basically is energy spent in activity, in- larly demonstrated an increase in thermo- in the chamber each man was fed his
cluding exercise. The next component of genesis after feeding MCT as compared to baseline diet plus 30 grams of one of the
your daily energy expenditure is the ther- an equivalent amount of LCT (7-10). This fat supplements at a total calorie intake
mic effect of feeding, or TEF. This is es- month we want to discuss a recent paper designed to match maintenance energy
sentially energy lost as body heat during comparing the effects of MCT and LCT requirements. In other words the subjects
fuel (food) metabolism. When your car were fed at a calorie level intended to re-
engine burns gasoline some of the energy Some people think that sult in weight maintenance and were not
is converted into useful work—making intentionally overfed or underfed. The 30
the car move. Some of the energy from
when it comes to dieting gram fat supplement was fed in three 10
burning the gasoline is simply lost as heat and body weight control gram doses with each of three meals of
to the environment. You know how hot a that a calorie is a calorie the baseline diet. This amounts to about
car engine gets? A lot of the energy from two teaspoons or 2/3 tablespoon of added
burning the gasoline is simply lost as and it doesn’t matter much oil per meal.
heat. All of that energy which heats up the what you eat. However, It was found that 24 hour total energy
engine and the radiator and the exhaust since different foods have expenditure differed substantially in diets
system is not being used to make the car containing 15 and 30 grams of MCT, with
go— it’s just lost to the environment. differing energetic efficien- average increases of 38 and 113 calories
What happens inside the human body cies it would seem that per day respectively as compared to the
during fuel metabolism is significantly all calories are not created diet providing only LCT. The diet provid-
more complicated, but a general analogy ing five grams of MCT supplement dur-
exists. When your body burns food as fuel equal. ing the 24 hour period (about a teaspoon)
some of the energy which is produced is did not show an effect. Thus there seems
captured as ATP and can be used to power to be a dose-dependent increase in energy
the body, but some of it is simply lost as on energy expenditure in humans (11). expenditure—diets providing more MCT
body heat and dissipated into the environ- Eight healthy young men were each fed result in higher metabolic rate. No differ-
ment. The proportion of the food energy four different diets on separate occasions ence was seen in respiratory quotient or
which is lost as heat during metabolism and their metabolic responses were mea- in nitrogen excretion, indicating that the
is the TEF, and it’s different for different sured in a respiratory chamber. A respira- overall balance between carbohydrate,
foods. (See “The Biochemistry of Energy tory chamber is a special room where the fat, and protein metabolism was not af-
Expenditure” by J.P. Flatt in reference 5 atmosphere of the room can be monitored fected—just the total energy expenditure.
for a detailed discussion.) Conventional for the amounts of oxygen consumed and When fed the 30 gram MCT supplement,
fats have a TEF around five percent, carbon dioxide produced by the person the subjects’ metabolic rates increased
which means five percent of the calo- inside. From this information we can from between 64 to 180 calories per day,
ries supplied by the fat are lost as heat. calculate total energy expenditure as well with an average increase of 113 calories
Carbohydrate has a TEF of eight to 10 as the metabolism of carbohydrate and fat per day. This was statistically significant
percent and protein around 20-25 percent. as fuel. Urinary nitrogen excretion is used (p < 0.001). This amounts to roughly a
Different fuel substrates (protein, fat, and to monitor protein metabolism. The men five percent increase in metabolic rate by
carbohydrate) follow different metabolic were fed four different diets all providing switching from the LCT diet to the MCT-
pathways and are converted into ATP with the same number of calories. Each diet containing diet. We find this remarkable
different efficiencies. So it seems logical contained a total of 30 grams (about two especially considering the small amount
that some foods might generate more tablespoons) of a fat supplement. The of MCT used in this study. They used a
body heat during metabolism than others. diets differed in the ratio of MCT to LCT total of 30 grams divided among three
Some people think that when it comes in the fat supplement. The ratios of MCT meals, which is about 2/3 of a tablespoon
to dieting and body weight control that to LCT (grams to grams) in the four diets per meal. It should be noted that within
a calorie is a calorie and it doesn’t mat- were as follows: zero to 30 (no MCT), five the range studied, an increase in the
ter much what you eat. However, since to 25, 15 to 15 (half MCT, half LCT), and amount of MCT resulted in an increase
different foods have differing energetic 30 to zero (all MCT). During the study in metabolic rate. It seems reasonable
efficiencies it would seem that all calories period the men were fed their baseline that an even larger effect might be seen
are not created equal. diets, which consisted of approximately if larger amounts of MCT are employed.
(Actually, this has been observed in other baseline diet. This will add extra calories en number of calories from conventional
studies. One of the main purposes of this to your diet and promote weight gain. fat with an equivalent number of calories
paper was to examine if diets containing The beauty of CapTri® is that it has very from CapTri®. For example, to achieve
small amounts of MCT would be effective little tendency to be stored as body fat, so the results seen in this paper you would
in increasing metabolic rate.) We usually you can increase calories and gain weight remove 30 grams of conventional fat from
recommend people use between one and while minimizing fat accumulation. Keep your diet and replace these with 30 grams
three tablespoons of MCT per meal to in mind if you are in a calorie surplus and of CapTri®. CapTri® has a much higher
see a real effect, and most of our athletes gaining weight that any conventional fat thermogenic effect than regular fat and is
eat more than three meals per day. This (LCT) you consume will be very prone to much less prone to be stored as body fat,
paper is important in demonstrating that be stored as body fat. Any time you are so by substituting CapTri® for regular fat
a significant increase in metabolic rate gaining weight this means you are in a net this should increase energy expenditure
can be achieved by incorporating as little and possibly over time reduce body fat
as two tablespoons of MCT per day into levels. If you have already minimized
the diet. The beauty of CapTri® is your intake of conventional fat as much
So how does a diet containing MCT that it has very little ten- as possible, you could next try substitut-
increase energy expenditure and meta- ing CapTri® for an equivalent amount of
bolic rate? There are probably a couple dency to be stored as body carbohydrate calories. This, theoretically,
of mechanisms at work. As we discussed fat, so you can increase should further increase energy expendi-
earlier, conventional fats are preferen- calories and gain weight ture. This strategy would allow you to
tially routed for storage in adipose depots, try the low carb approach without relying
a process which does not consume much while minimizing fat accu- on conventional fat as the alternative fuel
energy. MCTs on the other hand are rap- mulation. Keep in mind if source. Many of our bodybuilders have
idly metabolized and some of their energy you are in a calorie sur- used this approach with great results.
is lost as heat during nutrient processing. CapTri® is very concentrated in calories,
Another factor which may be responsible plus and gaining weight so you really need to weigh your food,
for the increase in metabolic rate seen that any conventional fat count calories, and watch what you’re do-
with MCT feeding could be activation of ing. But if you use it properly, you should
the sympathetic nervous system (SNS).
(LCT) you consume will be achieve very good results.
In the present study they observed an in- very prone to be stored as You might ask if you’re going to re-
crease in 24 hour urinary norepinephrine body fat. move 30 grams of conventional fat from
excretion with increasing MCT to LCT your diet, why bother to replace it with
ratio in the diet, suggesting possible acti- 30 grams of CapTri®? Why not just cut
vation of the sympathetic nervous system positive energy balance—a calorie sur- out the calories? Won’t that work even
by MCT (11). Interestingly, in rats fed plus. If any of those calories are supplied better? Such an approach would result in
MCT the increase in metabolic rate could as long chain fats, then they will simply faster overall weight loss, at least initially.
by blocked by propanolol, a drug which be stored as body fat. So to properly use However we have found that if people
blocks the SNS. The SNS is definitely CapTri® to promote weight gain, simply cut calories too much they end up losing
involved in controlling metabolic rate add it to your food to supply extra calo- muscle mass. This ultimately results in de-
and fat metabolism, and may in part be ries, but be sure to minimize your intake creased metabolic rate and energy expen-
responsible for the increase in metabolic of regular fat first and do your aerobics to diture. On low calorie diets your metabo-
rate seen with MCT. Exactly how this burn off any excess fat. lism slows down and eventually weight
effect is mediated is not clear, but it is To use CapTri® to promote loss of body loss grinds to a halt. By keeping energy
known that SNS activity is stimulated fat, it’s not as simple as just pouring some intake up, this helps keep the metabolic
by 3-hydroxybutyrate, one of the ketone CapTri® onto your food. Some people rate from declining. The key is to provide
bodies produced by MCT metabolism. have this misconception. There’s nothing the calories in a form which minimizes
At this point it is important to discuss magical about CapTri® that makes you body fat accumulation. Of course, a small
the right way and the wrong way to use burn more calories than you eat or any- decrease in calorie intake is reasonable
MCT. (Our concern here is with potential thing like that. It’s that a higher propor- and can be very effective in promoting
uses of MCT to affect changes in body tion of the calories from CapTri® are lost use of stored body fat as energy. The point
composition. Last month we talked about as body heat as compared to other foods is that you have to rely on something as
how to use MCT to enhance endurance and therefore fewer calories are available your energy source, and we have found
performance, which is a totally different to be retained as body weight. This results that many people can get a good result by
topic.) If your goal is to gain weight, then in greater reliance on stored body fat as a minimizing conventional fats, consuming
it is as simple as adding CapTri® to your fuel source. So the idea is to replace a giv- one to one-and-a-half grams of protein
per pound of body weight per day, and 9. Flatt JP, Ravussin E, Acheson KJ,
then by meeting the remainder of their and Jaquier E. Effects of dietary fat on
energy requirement by some combination postprandial substrate oxidation and on
of complex carbohydrates and CapTri®. carbohydrate and fat balances. J. Clin.
The Parrillo Nutrition Manual goes into Invest. 76: 1019-1024, 1985.
great detail in exactly how to do this and
provides detailed information on how to 10. Scalfi L, Coltorti A, and Contaldo F.
adjust your diet to maximize muscle mass Postprandial thermogenesis in lean and
while minimizing body fat. You should obese subjects after meals supplemented
also consult the BodyStat kit for impor- with medium chain and long chain tri-
tant advice on how to change your diet to glycerides. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 53: 1130-
achieve your body composition goals. 1133, 1991.
References
11. Dulloo AG, Fathi M, Mensi N, and
1. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim SA. Girardier L. Twenty-four hour energy
Enhanced thermogenesis and diminished expenditure and urinary catecholamines
deposition of fat in response to overfeed- of humans consuming low to moderate
ing with diet containing medium chain amounts of medium chain triglycerides:
triglyceride. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: 678- a dose response study in a human respira-
682, 1982. tory chamber. European Journal of Clini-
cal Nutrition 50: 152-158, 1996.
Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
3. Geliebter A, Torbay N, Bracco EF,

Hashim SA, and Van Itallie TB. Over-
feeding with medium chain triglyceride
diet results in diminished deposition of
fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 37: 1-4, 1983.
4. Van Zant RS. Influence of diet and ex-

ercise on energy expenditure - a review.
Int. J. Sports Nutr. 2: 1-19, 1992.
5. Bjorntorp P, and Brodoff BN. Obesity.

J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, 1992.
6. Lavau MM and Hashim SA. Effect of

medium chain triglyceride on lipogenesis
and body fat in the rat. J. Nutr. 108: 613-
620, 1978.
7. Seaton TB, Welle SL, Warenko MK,
and Campbell RG. Thermic effect of me-
dium-chain and long-chain triglycerides
in man. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 44: 630-634,
1986.
8. Hill JO, Peters JC, Yang D, Sharp T,

Kaler M, Abumrad N, and Greene HL.
Thermogenesis in humans during over-
feeding with medium chain triglycerides.
Metab. 38: 641-648, 1989.
Unlocking the Mystery of Fat Loss and Muscle Gain, Part I

by John Parrillo
Whether you’re a competitive body- goals are more likely to get results than be 176/(1 - 0.07) = 176/0.93 = 189. This
builder or just someone trying to get in people who just have a general idea of what means that if your present lean mass stays
shape, Parrillo Performance is here to show they want to achieve. It’s not enough to say the same, at a goal body weight of 189 you
you how to achieve your best condition that you want to get in shape this year, or would be seven percent fat. Next calculate
ever. We’re the only ones whose program you want to gain some muscle, or that you how many pounds you need to lose. Here
is based on a foundation of solid nutrition want to get stronger. You need to be more that would be 205 - 189 = 16 pounds.
from healthy foods and a commitment to specific. A good place to start is to take a I recommend that you lose fat at the rate of
consistent training, rather than on some “personal inventory” using the BodyStat one pound per week for optimal results, and
miracle supplement or powder. We show Kit™. Record your weight, percent fat, never greater than two pounds per week.
you how to keep producing results month pounds lean mass, and pounds of fat. Pick If you lose weight faster than this you will
after month, year after year. a goal body weight and body composition lose a lot of muscle along with the fat. This
The truth is, the biggest key to your suc- and a target means you would need to allow
cess is you. Only you can do what 16 weeks to lose 16 pounds,
it takes to achieve your dream in this example. Further-
physique. We can tell you what to more I suggest after
do, but we can’t do it for you. The about ten weeks
first step is to pick specific goals of dieting you
and to get motivated to do whatever take a two week
it takes to achieve them. The keys to break and gain a
bodybuilding success and physique couple pounds. If you
transformation are motivation, dedica- remain in an energy
tion, consistency, and hard work. Notice deficit for too long this
that these are all personal qualities that will decrease your meta-
only you can provide-and also notice bolic rate and your rate of fat
that supplements and training routines loss. I have found that people
were not mentioned. There are no magic start to lose muscle after awhile if
tricks. There are no shortcuts. There is no date they diet for too long. So for every
easy way. If this was easy, everyone would for when you plan to 10 weeks of dieting I think you should
look great. achieve this result. If you put on some take two weeks off and gain two pounds.
I’ve found that people who pick specific fat over the holidays and want to get in During this two week period continue to eat
shape, exactly how many pounds of fat do clean, and increase calories mainly by eat-
you need to lose, and when do you want ing more complex carbohydrates. Most of
People who pick spe- to arrive at your goal? For example let’s the weight you gain should be muscle, and
cific goals are more say right now you weigh 205 pounds at 14 this should also give a boost to your thyroid
likely to get results than percent bodyfat. That means you’re carry- hormone levels. Prolonged low calorie di-
ing about 29 pounds of fat (205 X 0.14). eting, particularly low carbohydrate diets,
people who just have a And your goal is to be in shape for your will decrease thyroid hormone levels and
general idea of what vacation in June. Last summer you got metabolic rate. Finally, give yourself two
down to nine percent bodyfat, and this year weeks at the end to fine tune things. After
they want to achieve. you want to show up at the beach ripped losing the fat you’ll actually look better if
It’s not enough to say at seven percent fat. This will be the best you increase calories for a week or two and
that you want to get shape you’ve ever been in. To calculate fill out your glycogen stores. So to lose 16
your goal weight first determine your pres- pounds of fat you should plan on a total of
in shape this year, or ent lean body mass, which here would be 20 weeks. If you lose two pounds a week
you want to gain some 205 - 29 = 176 (lean mass equals total body the whole thing could be done in 10 weeks,
muscle, or that you weight minus pounds of fat). Next divide but be careful not to lose lean mass. If you
your lean body mass by the quantity (1 want to lose two pounds a week I would
want to get stronger. - percent fat), so if your goal is 7% body suggest using Muscle Amino Formula™
fat (7% = 0.07) your target weight would (our branched chain amino acid formula)
to help minimize catabolism of muscle and nutrition programs is key to making as the amount of fat you lose. If you want
protein. longterm progress. If you keep track of to increase overall bodyweight or if you
After deciding that you want to lose a your body composition, pounds of lean don’t have much fat to lose, you could gain
pound a week for 10 weeks, you can then mass and pounds of fat, this will help you a pound a week for six weeks and then lose
take the next step in planning what to do. figure out which training and diet changes a pound a week for three weeks. You get the
Since a pound of fat contains 3,500 calories, work best for you. idea. The point is that whenever you gain
to lose a pound a week you need to achieve Another approach that works very well weight even if you do everything right most
a net energy (calorie) deficit of 500 calories for many people is what we call controlled people gain some fat along with the muscle.
per day. Probably the most effective way to weight cycling. It works like this: The first (Actually, if you gain weight simply by
do this is by combining a modest decrease month you gain a pound a week. If you’re overeating and you don’t exercise about
in calorie intake with an increase in aerobic training hard and eating right you should 75 percent of the excess weight will be fat
exercise activity. For example you may be able to gain three pounds of muscle and and 25 percent will be muscle, but you can
want to decrease energy intake by 250 calo- around one pound of fat. The next month reverse this ratio by a strict diet and intense
ries a day while performing 250 calories of you lose a pound a week and try to lose exercise). Then, by going on a weight loss
additional exercise activity. The combined three pounds of fat and only one pound of cycle you can take off any fat you gained.
result is an overall energy deficit of 500 muscle. (Of course, when we gain weight Furthermore, any time you lose weight
calories per day, which will bring about we would prefer for it all to be muscle, you will lose some muscle along with the
loss of one pound of fat per week. It is best and when we lose weight we want it all fat (generally). This, along with a decrease
to do your aerobics first thing in the morn- to be fat. However, in reality the two usu- in thyroid hormone levels, will decrease
ing before breakfast on an empty stomach. ally go together). The net result after two metabolic rate. So by following every
This is the time of day when your glycogen months is that you’ve gained two pounds weight loss cycle with a weight gain cycle
levels are lowest, causing your body to rely of muscle and lost two pounds of fat. Over we can maintain muscle mass and meta-
more heavily on fat stores as fuel. a year’s time this adds up to 12 pounds of bolic rate. So this two-pronged approach
You can create a similar plan for whatever muscle and 12 pounds of fat, which is quite really does make a lot of metabolic sense.
your goal is – losing fat, gaining muscle, a physique transforma- The length of each
achieving a desired body weight or body fat tion. The beauty of this
percentage – the point is just to be specific. approach is that you
You can create a plan cycle depends on
your specific goals.
Know how many pounds of fat you want to can do it over and over for whatever your goal is If your goal is fat
lose, or how many pounds of muscle you and keep pilling up the – losing fat, gaining mus- loss you could lose
have to gain, and what time with which gains. We’ve all heard a pound a week for
frame you have to work. I picked fat loss the inspiring stories of cle, achieving a desired 10 weeks and then
as an example here because that’s a popular people who have lost body weight or body fat gain a pound a week
goal this time of year. Calculate how many 30 pounds of fat and percentage – the point is for two weeks, then
pounds of fat you need to lose, and this gained 12 pounds of repeat (if you have a
will tell you how many weeks to plan on to muscle in three months, just to be specific. Know lot of fat to lose). If
achieve your goal. If you have to be ready and although these may how many pounds of fat your goal is weight
for an event on a certain date, such as a con- be true, the problem is
you want to lose, or how gain you could gain
test or a photo shoot or a trip to the beech, that sort of miraculous a pound a week for
this will allow you to determine when you progress is usually only many pounds of muscle 10 weeks, then lose
need to start your program. Of course you attainable by people you have to gain, and a pound a week for
need to know your body composition to who start off really out two weeks, and so
do this. Probably the most convenient way of shape, and gener-
what time with which on.
to do this is with the BodyStat Kit™. This ally you can only pull frame you have to work Well, all of this
device consists of a set of precision skinfold off something like that with. sounds good, but
calipers and an instruction manual telling once. After that it gets as with most things
you how to determine bodyfat percentage. harder to continue to it’s easier said than
The manual also includes instructions on make progress. Con- done. Let’s talk a bit
how to modify your training and nutrition trolled weight cycling offers a way for about the specifics of how to do this. We
program to keep making progress in the experienced athletes to continue to grow will discuss both the fat loss phase and the
right direction. Knowing your body compo- regardless of their level of development. muscle building phase. For each phase we
sition is one of the most fundamental facts Obviously there are countless variations need to talk about nutrition, training, and
in bodybuilding, and following how this on this idea. As outlined above, your over- supplementation. Of course, in an article
changes in response to different training all body weight would remain constant, and this size I can only hit on the basics. For
you would gain the same amount of muscle more details you should consult the Par-
rillo Performance Nutrition Manual and composition to confirm things are going as hard time losing weight. Their bodies seem
the BodyStat Manual. Proper diet is key planned. By evaluating things frequently to have adapted to low calorie diets and
to both losing fat and gaining muscle. we can make adjustments to keep things continue to hoard fat in the face of rela-
Remember that food is the foundation of moving in the right direction. tively low energy intake. Sometimes these
nutrition and the role of supplements is to The second key piece of information people get better results by paradoxically
increase the cellular levels of specific nu- is your current caloric intake, because increasing calories while simultaneously
trients beyond what can be achieved from all of our dietary calculations are based increasing exercise activity. This seems to
whole foods alone. If someone tries to tell upon that. To determine this, simply start help them gain muscle tissue, which in turn
you that their supplement is the key to your weighing your food and calculate how raises metabolic rate and helps them burn
bodybuilding success, they’re trying to many calories you consume in an average more fat. Presumably this also reverses
sell you something. The fundamentals for day. The Parrillo Nutrition Manual comes the hormonal and enzymatic adaptations
bodybuilding success are proper training complete with a food scale, a nutrient to prolonged caloric restriction.
and proper nutrition from food. During the times when the goal is to
So where do we start? There are a few gain muscle tissue we need to increase
key pieces of information you should calories above the MER. The exact
have right from the start. First is your number of calories it takes to build
present bodyweight and body composi- a pound of muscle is not precisely
tion, and then your goal bodyweight and known, but is probably around 2,500.
body composition. Set realistic goals (Note that this is much more than the
and a realistic time frame. It’s perfectly mere energy content of the muscle
OK to set some long range goals of tissue.) Although the exact numbers
where you want to be two years from are not known, it seems to work well
now, but really that’s too far away to be to strive for an energy surplus of
useful for the short term. You will get about 300 calories a day when you’re
better results if you break up your long- trying to gain a pound of muscle per
term goals into a series of smaller steps week. You may find that you need to
that are more immediately achievable go higher than this, but this is a good
and easier to obtain and verify. I don’t starting place. Some people gain too
want to get ahead of myself, but usually much fat if they have an energy excess
people get stale on a particular workout of 500 calories a day, and other people
routine and the gains start to diminish after composition guide, and Diet Trac Sheets, can tolerate it. We suggest you continue to
four to six weeks. Therefore it works best plus directions on how to determine the perform aerobic exercise while you gain
for most people to make some change in number of calories and the grams of weight, although not as much as during
their workout routines every three to six protein, carbohydrate and fat in all your weight loss. By continuing to do your
weeks. This could be a change in exercise foods. You will soon determine the num- aerobics you will minimize fat accumula-
selection, the amount of weight used, ber of calories needed to maintain your tion during weight gain as well as maintain
rep ranges, training frequency, workout present body weight, which we call your your cardiovascular fitness. A good starting
structure, tempo, etc. The point is, plan on maintenance energy requirement, or MER. place would be to plan for doing 60 min-
changing something every month or so to As mentioned above, a pound of bodyfat utes of aerobics a day when you’re losing
keep presenting your body with a new chal- contains around 3,500 calories, so to lose weight and 30 minutes a day while you’re
lenge and a new stimulus. So if you plan a pound a week we need to create a net gaining weight. Then simply adjust calorie
on switching around your workout every energy deficit of 3,500 calories a week, or intake so that you gain a pound a week,
month, then it seems logical to have some 500 calories per day. We have found that without gaining an unacceptable amount
goals for that month. A month is a long the best results are usually (but not always) of fat. For most people this works out to
enough period of time that you can actually achieved by a combination of reducing be between 300-500 calories a day above
see some changes, but not so long that you caloric intake plus increasing exercise MER. During weight gain or weight loss
get stale. So break up your longterm goals activity. You might eat 250 calories less we generally accept the 75:25 ratio as being
into monthlong blocks, and maybe even than your MER plus perform 250 calories good results. In other words if 75 percent
weeklong blocks. As an example let’s pick more of aerobic exercise to generate this of the weight you gain is muscle and 25
a simple goal: to lose 10 pounds of fat. At a energy deficit. The notable exceptions are percent is fat, that’s good. Conversely,
pound a week, this will take 10 weeks. This people we think of as “chronic dieters” who if 75 percent of the weight you lose if
gives us some kind of benchmark we can have been trying to starve their bodies into fat and only 25 percent is muscle, that’s
go by to monitor our progress. Every week submission for a long time. These individu- also acceptable. Sometimes people can
we need to check bodyweight and body als often have tried lots of diets and have a achieve better results than this, but these
are usually beginners who start off pretty CapTri®, if you’re using that). Be sure to
far out of shape. It is possible, in fact, to have both a source of fiber and starch at
gain muscle and lose fat at the same time, each meal. For breakfast oatmeal is a good
especially for people just starting to lift carbohydrate choice since it is high in fiber,
weights. However, you can see that with although considered a starchy carbohy-
more experience your bodyfat percentage drate. Divide your total daily calories and
will eventually get very low and advanced protein grams roughly into five or six small
athletes inevitably resort to some form of meals and try to eat every three hours. With
weight cycling. The traditional way of this as a background, next bulletin I’ll talk
doing this was to gain 50 pounds during more about how to modify your program
the “off season” and then lose 40 pounds to optimize muscle gain and fat loss and
during the pre-contest diet, and hope to also discuss changes in exercise routine
come in ten pounds heavier than last year and supplementation strategies.
and still in good shape. Generally, I think
it works better to use shorter cycles.
The kinds of food to eat are really not
much different for weight gain and weight
loss. What changes are the overall number
of calories and the ratio of protein to carbo-
hydrate. Good protein sources include skin-
less chicken breast, skinless turkey breast,
egg whites, and fish. Carbohydrates are
best divided into two general categories:
starchy carbs and fibrous vegetables. Good
starches are potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice,
beans, peas, corn and oatmeal. Good fi-
brous vegetables are salad greens, broccoli,
green beans, asparagus, spinach, squash,
and so on. The Parrillo Performance Nutri-
tion Manual contains an extensive list of
foods that are appropriate for bodybuilders
as well as their nutrient breakdown.
To design your diet the first step is to
determine the number of calories you
need. This depends on if your goal is to
gain muscle or lose fat. Next, limit fat to
10 percent of total calories, and fewer if
possible. (Refer to recent issues of this
magazine for a detailed discussion about
nutrient balance and why dietary fat is
more prone to be stored as bodyfat than is
protein or carbohydrate.) For weight gain
you should consume about one gram of
protein per pound of bodyweight each day.
This should come from complete protein
sources such as those listed above or from
a high efficiency protein formula such as
Parrillo Optimized Whey Protein™. Dur-
ing weight loss I would increase protein to
one-and-a-half grams per pound of body
weight a day. This extra protein helps pre-
vent loss of muscle tissue while dieting.
Then the remainder of your calories are
derived from complex carbohydrates (and
Unlocking the Mystery of Fat Loss and Muscle Gain, Part II

by John Parrillo
Last bulletin we began our review of the minimizing fat accumulation. Advanced 75% of the weight you lose will be fat. This
fundamental principles behind successful bodybuilders and fitness athletes usually yields a net result of two pounds of muscle
bodybuilding and fitness. The basic ingredi- find it becomes necessary to cycle weight gained and two pounds of fat lost in two
ents for success are motivation, dedication, gain and weight loss to make any significant months. This may not sound like much at
consistency, and hard work. After that, you changes in lean body mass. This is because first, but if you’ve been at this game for
just need a little know-how, which is where even under ideal circumstances around 75- long you will soon come to appreciate that
we fit in. The foundation for building a 80 % of the weight you gain will be muscle, most bodybuilders would be very happy
fantastic physique is intense and intelligent and the rest is fat. So after awhile you will with that rate of progress. Look around the
training combined with proper nutrition. At need to take off the fat. We have found a gym where you train. Most likely many of
Parrillo we believe your nutrition pro- the people have made no discernible
gram should be based on a healthy diet progress in the last year. We find
from whole foods. Supplements can be that on our program even “average”
effective in increasing specific nutrient people can easily attain results like
levels, but cannot take the place of a this, and genetically gifted athletes
proper diet of wholesome foods. do much better. Furthermore, this
We discussed that you need a few approach keeps your metabolism
pieces of information at the onset to from getting stuck in a rut and your
help design the most effective body- progress stalling.
building or fitness program for you. So now let’s talk about some spe-
First you need some specific goals. cifics of how to do this. We’ll deal
This means pounds of fat to lose, the weight gain phase first. To gain
pounds of muscle to gain, and the time a pound a week you will need to
frame to accomplish these changes. increase calories from 300-500 per
Second you need to know your body day above your maintenance energy
weight and body composition. This requirement (MER), the amount you
allows you to establish specific goals would normally eat to maintain
and design a realistic plan. Third you constant body weight. First, limit
need some idea of your daily calorie fat to 5-10% of total daily calories.
consumption, since many important A few months ago I explained some
dietary calculations depend on this. If studies on energy metabolism which
you don’t know this now, don’t worry. demonstrated that dietary fat is more
You’ll figure it out quickly as we go prone to be stored as body fat than are
along. You will need a food scale protein and carbohydrate (1-7). This
and a nutrition composition guide, is especially true during overfeeding
which are supplied in the Parrillo Nutrition very effective approach which works well (calorie surplus). Next, consume about 1
Manual. And it really helps to have a way for many people is to alternately gain a to 11/2 grams or more of complete, lean,
to monitor body composition, such as the pound a week for several weeks then lose high quality protein per pound of body
BodyStat Kit. a pound a week for several weeks. You can weight each day. This should come from
While it is possible to lose fat and gain alter the proportion of time spent gaining sources such as skinless chicken or turkey
muscle at the same time, this becomes more versus losing depending on what your short breast, egg whites, or fish. You can also use
difficult as you become more advanced. If term goal is. This strategy was discussed a high quality protein powder such as our
you have a fair amount of fat on your body in some detail last month. If you’re around Hi-Protein Powder or new Optimized Whey
(say greater than 15% for men or 25% for 10-15 % body fat a very good plan would Protein as needed. Then supply the rest of
women) your initial priority should be to be to gain a pound a week for four weeks your calories from complex carbohydrates.
lose fat. If you train hard, you may be able then lose a pound a week for four weeks. You should include at least one starchy
to gain some muscle at the same time. On If you follow our nutrition and training carbohydrate (such as rice, potatoes, corn,
the other hard, if you’re already pretty lean program faithfully probably about 75% beans, etc.) and one or more fibrous veg-
your goal will be to gain muscle while of the weight you gain will be muscle and etables (salad, broccoli, green beans,
and so on) at each meal. who tends to gain a lot of fat easily, espe- Nutrition Guide or give us a call.
It is important to structure each meal cially when trying to pack on muscle, then Training is obviously key to gaining
properly. Your daily requirement for protein you probably would do best using CapTri. muscle mass. If you’re not pushing yourself
and carbohydrate should be roughly evenly The correct way to use CapTri is to substi- to the limit in the gym your gains will not be
divided among five or six meals, and more tute it for an equivalent amount of calories maximized. When it comes to bodybuild-
if necessary. You should eat every two to from complex carbohydrate. Although total ing, the results versus effort curve drops off
three hours. This seems to improve insulin caloric intake will not change, CapTri is really fast. By this I mean if you give 100%
profiles and nutrient absorption and assimi- more thermogenic than carbohydrate leav- effort, you’ll get 100% results. If you give
lation of amino acids into protein tissue. ing less energy for retention as body fat 80% effort, you’ll get about 50% of the
This way of eating also helps to reduce fat (9-13). (Refer to some of our recent articles results. And if you give 50% effort you’ll
accumulation during weight gain. Be sure in the Performance Press or in the Sports probably get very little results. It requires a
to have a protein source, a starchy carb, Nutrition Guide which can both be ac- pretty severe stimulus to drive the body to
and a fibrous carb at each meal. Don’t eat cessed through the internet at www.parrillo. produce more muscle tissue than it already
all protein at one meal and all carbs at the com.) If on the other hand you find it very has. During the muscle gaining phase you
next. That is not the most effective way to need to be lifting the heaviest weights pos-
channel ingested nutrients for storage in sible for low to medium reps. Most of your
muscle. work should be around 6-8 reps, with some
Regarding supplementation, this varies in the 3 rep range or even less. You should
somewhat from person to person. Every- strive to increase strength, the amount of
body should be using the Essential Vita- weight you can lift for a given number of
min Formula and the Mineral-Electrolyte reps, rather than the number of reps you
Formula. Our nutrition program does not can perform with a certain load. In other
include dairy products or fruit. Although words increase the weight, not the number
these are perfectly healthy, good, nutritious of reps. After four weeks on your gaining
foods for an average person, they interfere cycle you should be lifting heavier weights
with getting the best results in for those in all the basic lifts. During this time you
interested in getting as lean as possible be- should emphasize the basic compound
cause they supply a relatively high propor- movements, such as squats, deadlift, bench
tion of their calories as simple sugar, which press, and shoulder press. Use the principle
we need to stay away from to minimize fat of periodization to try to get a new personal
accumulation (8). Since we don’t recom- best in each of these lifts by the end of the
mend fruit or dairy for bodybuilders, this difficult to gain weight and have trouble cycle. Usually people do best here training
means you will need some supplementation eating enough food to achieve weight gain five days a week or so. Experiment with
to ensure you get enough vitamins and min- then Pro-Carb may work very well for different splits and routines to add variety,
erals. Also, most people will likely benefit you. CapTri is also a great supplement for but always include the core mass building
from our Evening Primrose Oil Formula, adding “good calories” to your diet. “Hard exercises. Generally you will be training
which supplies essential fatty acids. These gainers” typically seem to have a metabolic with heavier weights, for fewer reps, and
are the basics, to ensure your metabolic setup that does well on higher carbohydrate more rest time between sets. I would still
machinery has all of the raw materials it levels and higher insulin levels. A person advise doing aerobics 30 minutes a day.
need to function at peak efficiency. For who gains easily and tends to put on fat This will minimize fat accumulation as you
muscle building another core supplement generally does better with relatively less gain muscle. If you’re naturally lean and
which essentially everyone would benefit carbs and more protein whereas a naturally find it difficult to gain, you may cut this
from is creatine. This not only makes your skinny person usually gains easier with down to three days a week.
muscles bigger and harder, it also increases relatively more carbs. If you’re involved in Turning our attention to fat loss, basically
strength and endurance allowing for more a lot of endurance exercise you may want we eat the same foods but in somewhat dif-
intense workouts. Beyond that, the most to try Liver-Amino Formula which sup- ferent proportions. Our first consideration
effective supplement choices vary among plies a high concentration of heme iron as is caloric intake. As mentioned last month,
individuals. well as Muscle Amino, CapTri and either a pound of fat contains 3,500 calories, so to
If you find it difficult to eat all of the proof the protein powders. So the optimal lose a pound a week means a daily energy
tein called for, the best supplement for you supplement program for you depends on deficit of 500 calories. Usually most people
will be one of our protein powders. Both your body type and genetic background as do best by a combination of reduced calo-
the Hi-Protein Powder and the Optimized well as your nutritional needs. If you have rie intake and increased aerobic exercise.
Whey Protein provide absolutely fantastic further questions about this consult the Par- You might try reducing energy intake to
quality protein sources. If you’re a person rillo Nutrition Manual or the Parrillo Sports 250 calories below your MER and then
performing an extra 250 calories worth means you would lose 80 grams of stored would continue that as well. The possibility
(say 20-30 minutes) of aerobic exercise. body fat. Admittedly this is a somewhat of cycling creatine to enhance results is cur-
After determining your calorie intake, then simplistic way of looking at things, but it rently under investigation. The Advanced
consume one-and-a-half grams of protein seems to be pretty close to the way things Lipotropic Formula supplies vitamins and
per pound of body weight each day. Some work. Unfortunately, increasing dietary cofactors such as carnitine used by the
people do even better with two grams or fat intake does not stimulate fat oxidation liver during fat metabolism. (Some people
more per pound each day. Does the human (1-7), so a diet higher in fat just means you have the misconception that this is some
body require that much protein? No, protein burn less body fat. magic potion that burns fat - it is not. It
requirements have really very little to do Finally, the remainder of your calories simply provides the nutrients that your
with this recommendation. What we are are provided by complex carbohydrates, body requires to metabolize fat so that fat
doing here is changing the ratio of protein from a combination of starches and fiber burning can proceed at peak efficiency dur-
to carbohydrate in the diet. This has several as discussed above. In summary this phase ing your exercise. But it’s the exercise, not
important effects. One is that it reduces involves a slight reduction in caloric intake the supplement, that burns the fat.) Some
insulin levels (14,15). Insulin is a potent and a change in the ratio of protein to car- people get good results by substituting
inhibitor of fat burning, so when dieting to bohydrate, while still maintaining a low fat CapTri for starchy carbohydrates during
lose fat we want to minimize insulin levels. intake. You should still divide your protein, this phase, as this reduces insulin levels as
Second this changes the energetic efficiency well as increasing the thermogenic effect
of the diet. Protein has a higher thermogenic of the diet. Another useful supplement
effect than carbohydrate (about 25% as during the cutting phase is the Muscle
compared to 8%). In the older literature Amino Formula, our branched chain amino
this was referred to as the “specific dy- acids. These seem to help reduce muscle
namic action” of protein. This describes protein breakdown during strenuous diet-
the proportion of calories that are lost as ing. I want to reiterate something I said at
body heat during metabolism. The more the beginning, and that is the diet is key.
calories that are lost to the environment as I am discussing useful supplementation
heat, the fewer there are remaining which strategies here because these are some of
could be stored as fat. Furthermore, the the most frequent questions I get, but the
more food calories you lose as body heat the foundation is still the diet. Many people get
fewer there are left to fuel your body during unbelievable results and make remarkable
exercise, which means your body will be physique transformations simply by com-
forced to rely more heavily on its fat stores ing onto our diet and exercise program and
as an energy source. Third, a higher level
of protein intake will help prevent muscle
loss during energy restriction (16).
During fat loss we have found our athletes
get better results if they continue to limit fat carbs, and calories roughly equally between
intake to 5-10%. I think the reason for this five or six meals spaced every three hours
is as follows: A given person who performs or so. For those of you considering com-
a certain amount of exercise per day will petition, there are several more advanced
burn some certain number of grams of fat techniques to fine tune things and push it to
as fuel during exercise and during the other more of an extreme. These are discussed in
activities of living. That is, your body will detail in the Nutrition Manual and are really
burn a certain amount of fat grams per day, beyond the scope of this article. Basically
depending on your lifestyle and exercise in the Nutrition Manual I walk you through
habits. If fewer of those fat grams are sup- a three-phase competition diet where we
plied by the diet, then more will be derived reduce carbs, especially in the evenings,
from adipose stores. For example, let’s say while increasing aerobic exercise. Also
you burn 100 grams of fat per day during I describe a plan for glycogen depletion
your aerobic exercise (that would be a lot and carb loading which you may want to
of exercise, but is reasonable for illustration experiment with.
purposes). If you then eat 100 grams of fat Regarding supplementation, you should
per day, then you wouldn’t lose much body continue with the Essential Vitamin and
fat. However if you burn 100 grams of fat Mineral-Electrolyte Formulas and the
per day and eat only 20 grams of fat, that Evening Primrose Oil. If you use creatine I
the letter, every day. as an adaptation to a high-fat diet: evidence J. Clin. Nutr. 37: 1-4, 1983.
Regarding exercise, here you still need from a cross-sectional study. Am. J. Clin.
to train intensely, but we will increase the Nutr. 59: 350-355, 1994. 12. Seaton TB, Welle SL, Warenko MK, and
rep range to 8-12 and emphasize strict Campbell RG. Thermic effect of medium-
form and maximal contraction of the target 2. Horton TJ, Drougas H, Brachey A, Reed chain and long-chain triglycerides in man.
muscles. For fat loss we will increase the GW, Peters JC, and Hill JO. Fat and carbo- Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 44: 630-634, 1986.
rep range and the total volume of exercise, hydrate overfeeding in humans: different
while somewhat reducing the rest period. effects on energy storage. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 13. Hill JO, Peters JC, Yang D, Sharp T,
You still want to train to failure, but now 62: 19-29, 1995. Kaler M, Abumrad N, and Greene HL.
emphasize control and feeling the muscle Thermogenesis in humans during over-
more than sheer weight. This is not a li- 3. Hill JO, Peters JC, Reed GW, Schlundt feeding with medium chain triglycerides.
cense to ease up on your training - if that’s DG, Sharp T, and Greene HL. Nutrient bal- Metab. 38: 641-648, 1989.
your impression you’re thinking about it ance in humans: effects of diet composition.
the wrong way. The intensity is still high. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 54: 10-17, 1991. 14. de Castro JM, Paullin SK, and DeLugas
Your effort is still 100% of what you can GM. Insulin and glucagon as determinants
do. It’s just the style is a bit different. In 4. Flatt JP. Importance of nutrient balance in of body weight set point and microregula-
fact, most bodybuilders will say this style body weight regulation. Diabetes/Metabo- tion in rats. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 92:
of training is more difficult and more pain- lism Reviews 4: 571-581, 1988. 571-579, 1978.
ful. Emphasize slow eccentric contractions
(resist the weight as you lower it). You will 5. Flatt JP. Use and storage of carbohydrate 15. Westphal SA, Gannon MC, and Nuttall
be lifting somewhat lighter weights, but and fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61: 952s-959s, FQ. Metabolic response to glucose ingested
overall will be lifting more total weight 1995. with various amounts of protein. Am. J.
per workout because you’ll be doing more Clin. Nutr. 52: 267-272, 1990.
volume. Plus you have less rest. This type 6. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier E.
of training is by no means easy, and most Glycogen synthesis versus lipogenesis af- 16. Piatti PM, Monti LD, Magni F, Fermo
people are glad when it’s time to go back ter a 500 gram carbohydrate meal in man. I, Baruffaldi L, Nasser R, Santambrogio
to the heavier weights with less reps. For Metabolism 31: 1234-1240, 1982. G, Librenti MC, Galli-Kienle M, Pontiroli,
cardiovascular training, increase this to and Pozza G. Hypocaloric high-protein
40-60 minutes per day, or more if needed. 7. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate bal- diet improves glucose oxidation and spares
One good way to approach this is to reduce ance, and weight maintenance: effects of lean body mass: comparison to hypocaloric
your caloric intake by a maximum of 250 exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 296-306, high-carbohydrate diet. Metab. 43: 1481-
calories per day below your MER, and no 1987. 1487, 1994.
more. (A maximal reduction of 10% of
calories is another reasonable guideline.) 8. Shafrir E. Fructose/sucrose metabolism,
Then do however much aerobic exercise its physiological and pathological implica-
you need to lose weight at your goal rate. tions. Sugars and Sweeteners, Kretchmer N
If 40 minutes a day is enough, fine. If it and Hollenbeck CB, Eds. p. 63-98. CRC
takes two hours a day, then do two hours. Press, 1991.
The amount of aerobics needed to get in
shape varies among individuals, depending 9. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim SA.
largely on genetics and how much fat they Enhanced thermogenesis and diminished
need to lose. We feel however that everyone deposition of fat in response to overfeed-
will ultimately get better long-term results ing with diet containing medium chain
if they include aerobic exercise as part of triglyceride. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: 678-
their fitness program. Not only does this 682, 1982.
help control body fat, but intense aerobic
exercise also helps build capillary density in 10. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Medium
muscle tissue, allowing for greater nutrient chain triglycerides: an update. Am. J. Clin.
delivery and muscular development. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
References 11. Geliebter A, Torbay N, Bracco EF,

Hashim SA, and Van Itallie TB. Overfeed-
1. Astrup A, Buemann B, Western, Toubro ing with medium chain triglyceride diet
S, Raben A, and Christensen NJ. Obesity results in diminished deposition of fat. Am.
Optimizing Anabolic Drive

by John Parrillo
Over the last few years we’ve seen some molecule is osmotically active, which which usually consists of 5 grams per day,
real advances in the field of bodybuilding means when it is stored inside cells it at- although some of our larger bodybuilders
nutrition. In particular, there are now sev- tracts water along with it. This fills out use 10 grams per day. Creatine uptake by
eral new products which can dramatically the muscle making it bigger and harder. muscles seems to be stimulated by insulin,
improve the results you get from weight This effect is rather dramatic and is no- so it makes sense to mix creatine with a car-
training. We’re constantly experimenting ticeable within a week or two of creatine bohydrate. Probably your best bet is to mix
here with ways to produce even better re- use. Our athletes usually report a 4 to 14 it with some Pro-Carb or Optimized Whey
sults and to extend those results to a wider pound weight gain after their first month Protein (which also is a good stimulus for
range of athletes. The quality of the natural of creatine use (depending mainly on their insulin release) and take it after your work-
(drug-free) bodybuilder has exploded in initial skeletal muscle mass and level of out. Some people advocate taking creatine
the last few years, due at least in part to creatine stores before supplementation), before a workout, but this doesn’t make
some very effective supplements. If you which is confirmed to be lean body mass much sense physiologically since exercise
showed pictures of today’s top natural by body composition analysis. Second, suppresses insulin. There seems to be no
bodybuilders around a gym 10 years ago, advantage to cycling creatine. When you
no one would have believed that such re- stop taking creatine you simply begin to
sults could be achieved without steroids. deplete your existing stores, which takes 4-
It is quite possible these days to attain an 8 weeks. In summary, creatine is one of the
amazing physique with simple nutrition, few supplements which has been proven in
hard training and a few core supplements. placebo controlled clinical trials to improve
In this bulletin I want to talk about the sci- strength and exercise performance (1-5). It
ence behind some of these supplements and also increases lean body mass. Creatine is
how to use them for best results. not converted to fat or stored in fat depots,
One of the most amazing and effective so any weight gain you experience from
bodybuilding supplements ever has to be creatine will be lean mass.
creatine monohydrate (1-5). Creatine is We have found the combination of Op-
actually an energy supplement first and timized Whey Protein and creatine to be
foremost, providing high energy phos- a very powerful supplement tool. This is
phate groups to replenish the ATP which probably a more effective supplement com-
is consumed during muscular contractions. bination than anything that was available
(See our Technical Nutrition Summary even just a few years ago. To understand
on creatine at our website, www.parrillo. why, it is important to know a few things
com, for a review on creatine and energy about whey protein and amino acid me-
metabolism.) Creatine is nontoxic even tabolism. It turns out that the amino acid
in large amounts, is well-absorbed orally, creatine is effective at increasing strength profile of whey protein is very well suited
and is readily taken up by muscles. There and endurance during weight training (1- to the needs of growing muscles. Gluta-
it is converted into creatine phosphate, 5). It is not unusual for an experienced mine occupies a central position in amino
which then serves as a donor of phosphate lifter to improve his or her maximum lift acid metabolism, since it is able to donate
groups to ADP to re-generate ATP. ATP, as by 5-15% or to notice an increase of 2 or an amino group to a variety of keto-acids
you know, is the immediate energy source 3 more reps with a 10 rep-maximum load to form other amino acids. As you know,
used by muscles. So if we increase creatine after creatine supplementation. This places proteins are long chain-like molecules and
levels inside muscles this will increase a more severe stress on the muscle which the links of the chains are the amino acids.
energy production, which translates into ultimately stimulates greater hypertrophy. There are 20 different amino acids found
longer and harder workouts (1-5). Athletes The standard protocol for using creatine is in human proteins. Twelve of these your
using creatine report a significant increase to “load” the muscles for 5-7 days with 20 body can make itself, and these are called
in strength. This has been confirmed by grams per day, taken as four servings of 5 “nonessential” amino acids. The other eight
objective trials (1-5). grams each. This saturates the muscles with are not able to be made by the body and are
Creatine seems to work in two ways to as much creatine as they can hold. This called “essential” amino acids because it is
increase muscle size. First, the creatine is followed by the “maintenance” phase, essential they be obtained from the
diet. As a protein molecule is being built diet to prevent a catabolic state. Experi- Why all this talk about glutamine?
the amino acids are linked end-to-end one ments in animal models have demonstrated Because glutamine is probably the single
at a time to form a growing chain. The that glutamine supplementation can result most important amino acid in supporting
subcellular organelles upon which proteins in better nitrogen balance and conservation muscular growth. It not only helps block
are assembled are called ribosomes. If the of skeletal muscle (6). During times of catabolism of muscle tissue during stress
cellular supply of one of the amino acids is severe stress, including intense exercise, but also provides an important anabolic
depleted, then the ribosome won’t be able glutamine reserves, particularly in skeletal stimulus for muscle growth. But there’s
to find the next “link” to add to the chain muscle, are depleted (7). It is thought that more to the story. We’re not home yet.
and protein synthesis will stop. If the miss- intense exercise may be considered a form The scientific understanding of muscle
ing amino acid is an essential amino acid, of stress similar to other catabolic stressors metabolism and exercise performance
there’s nothing to be done. Protein synthe- such as illness, infection, and surgery. Dur- is probably the richest when it comes to
sis will halt until the depleted amino acid ing both acute (short term) high intensity the BCAAs - the branched chain amino
is replenished by the diet. If however the exercise and prolonged exercise plasma acids. These are the essential amino acids
next amino acid to be added to the chain is glutamine levels transiently increase (as leucine, isoleucine, and valine. While
one which the body can manufacture itself, glutamine is released from skeletal muscle) glutamine is the most abundant amino
then protein synthesis can proceed. One then decrease during the post-workout re- acid in the bloodstream and free inside
of the important things about glutamine is covery period. If recovery between exercise muscle cells, the BCAAs are the most
that it serves as the donor of amino groups bouts is inadequate then the effects may be abundant amino acids incorporated into
during the synthesis of many non-essential cumulative, and over-training has been muscle proteins. Just when you thought
amino acids. Therefore it helps make sure associated with prolonged low glutamine it was all becoming simple, it gets more
that adequate levels of the non-essential levels which recover slowly (7). In athletes complicated. The branched chains have
amino acids are available for protein syn- suffering from the over-training syndrome been a favorite supplement of hard core
thesis. This may explain one reason why plasma glutamine levels are depressed for bodybuilders for years. And finally science
glutamine is the most abundant free amino months or even years (7). In fact, exercise is ready to agree. For decades, and still
acid in the circulation (6). physiology scientists have been looking even today, many people think of muscle
Glutamine also plays a pivotal role in for a blood test to help them define some as a structural - functional type of tissue
energy metabolism, believe it or not. Gluta- objective measure of the over-trained state. with really no role in energy production.
mine serves as the preferred fuel source for So far the only reliable measure which has Well, I have news for you. During times
several cell types including immune cells been found is the plasma glutamine level, of stress, including severe exercise, muscle
and cells lining the intestines. During in- which is depressed during over-training tissue can be broken down to serve as a
jury, burns, illness or other severe stresses (8). In addition to glutamine’s central fuel substrate, just like any other tissue of
(such as surgery), sometimes the body role in protein synthesis is the interesting the body. Hopefully you will burn mostly
has to rob muscle tissue of its glutamine prospect that it may also help promote fat as fuel, but you must also rely on gly-
to serve as fuel for the intestine and the glycogen storage in muscle (9). It would cogen, the storage form of carbohydrate.
immune system. This depletes the body’s seem that glutamine helps preserve muscle Eventually your body will also turn to
glutamine reserve which can ultimately mass during times of stress by several protein, particularly the BCAAs, as a fuel
compromise immune function. This is one mechanisms. source (the good, the bad, and the ugly).
of the reasons why these conditions are If this isn’t enough to stimulate your The muscle proteins are a rich source of
highly catabolic and are associated with interest in glutamine, it has also been branched chain amino acids. The problem
rapid loss of lean body mass. The fasci- proven that glutamine administered orally is that muscles can actually use the BCAAs
nating thing is that this parallels in many can increase growth hormone release (10). directly as fuel, so in a pinch they will can-
respects what we see in the over-training Most interesting was that the effective dose nibalize themselves and oxidize their own
syndrome. was only two grams (10). Actually, if you proteins as a fuel source.
Since your body can make glutamine think about it, we don’t care about growth Supplemental BCAAs are not only incor-
from other amino acids it has traditionally hormone release per se. And it’s at this level porated into muscle proteins but can also
been classified as a non-essential amino of skepticism and questioning that you get reduce catabolism of pre-existent muscle
acid. However, during the last few years to be a real thinker about bodybuilding tissue. Supplemental BCAAs are highly
glutamine has been reclassified as a “con- nutrition. What we care about is muscle incorporated into muscle. The liver does
ditionally essential” amino acid. This is mass. The real bottom line is that glutamine not have significant amounts of the enzyme
because during times of severe stress your increases skeletal muscle protein synthesis. “branched chain amino transferase,” so is
ability to make glutamine is unable to keep Glutamine increases skeletal muscle pro- unable to significantly degrade the BCAAs.
up with the demand. In these situations you tein synthesis, and it’s effects are greater Muscle cells do however possess branched
need to supply additional glutamine in the in the presence of insulin (11). chain aminotransferase and are
able to utilize these amino acids as fuel. and incorporated into muscle proteins. So how do you sort out exactly the right
(Please refer to our Technical Supplement Thus they are both a powerful anabolic as supplement profile for you? Recently we
Bulletins on our website for details and well as an anti-catabolic stimulus. (Keep in unveiled 50-50 Plus, arguably the most
references.) I have extensively reviewed mind this in not meant to be a comprehen- effective post-workout supplement ever.
branched chain amino acid metabolism sive review of BCAA metabolism. This is Now we have Optimized Whey Protein.
in the past, and encourage you to review just an update from our previous reports. Which is right for you? Here are some
our past articles for previous information. Please refer to the website for more detailed simple guidelines.
Now I just want to add some new findings. information.) If you have a hard time gaining weight
High altitude climbing is a well known Well, why all this talk about glutamine you probably need more carbohydrates.
catabolic paradigm, and recent evidence and branched chain amino acids? Because Carbs stimulate insulin release and nutrient
demonstrates that BCAA supplementa- whey protein is comprised of around 30% storage. I have yet to meet a “hard gainer”
tion can improve protein balance under BCAAs and is also high in glutamine. But, I couldn’t cure with more calories. Carbs
this catabolic stress (12). Although both are the most effective nutrient for gaining
groups of climbers, those supplemented lean mass, when combined with adequate
with BCAAs and those without, showed protein of course. If it is difficult for you
loss of overall body weight, the BCAA to consume enough calories to support
group showed a surprising increase in weight gain, you should first add 50-50
lean body mass while simultaneously Plus and creatine. If you’re still having
losing fat. The group without BCAAs trouble add CapTri. CapTri is a very
lost both muscle and fat. Also of note, concentrated source of calories which
the BCAA group showed an increase has virtually no tendency to be stored
in arm girth during the climb while the as fat. Work up to two tablespoons with
group without experienced a decrease in each meal. If you don’t like CapTri, or
arm size. It was concluded that BCAA if you find your body type gets better
supplementation helped prevent muscle results from carbs, then use Pro-Carb.
catabolism (12). Endurance athletes who are having a hard
Another new trial demonstrated a time gaining muscle or improving per-
benefit from BCAA supplementation. formance usually do best with Pro-Carb.
In this study men were studied with and They need the extra carbs because they
without BCAA supplementation dur- burn so much during training.
ing leg extension exercises (13). It was If you gain easily, and find you’re
found that supplemental BCAA helped struggling to keep fat off, then you
reduce breakdown of endogenous pro- should try Optimized Whey Protein and
teins, at least in part by being used as creatine. We find that the whey protein
fuel themselves. So the branched chains has very little tendency to contribute to
reduce catabolism of muscle protein dur- fat stores, even when consumed in large
ing exercise (12). Another recent study amounts. As I have discussed at length in
demonstrated that BCAA supplementation as usual, we’ve taken it a step further at Par- the past, certain food types are more eas-
increased growth hormone and testosterone rillo. In our formulation of Optimized Whey ily converted to body fat than others. The
levels in long distance runners (14). Protein we’ve added additional branched whey protein seems to be preferentially
It is well know that the branched chains chain aminos plus more glutamine. Plus retained as muscle with little spillage into
stimulate insulin secretion. Some of the more glycine- another anabolic amino acid fat stores. So during weight gain, rely on
newer studies also indicate an increase which can sometimes be limiting during whey protein and creatine. During a fat loss
in growth hormone and testosterone fol- growth. So with Optimized Whey Protein cycle stick to the whey and creatine, but
lowing BCAA administration. Also, they you get an excellent base providing an substitute CapTri for starchy carbs. Sounds
suppress the use of muscle proteins as fuel. exquisite amino acid profile, already rich simple, but it works.
In part this seems to be because they “sac- in the branched chains and glutamine. Plus Two simple supplement programs that
rifice” themselves for use as fuel, thereby fortified with extra BCAAs and glutamine, will put muscle on anybody who trains
sparing the breakdown of endogenous plus glycine. It’s probably the most ana- hard. In closing I have to emphasize the
protein. The insulin effect probably also bolic amino acid mixture available on the importance of intense training. It just
has something to do with this. Importantly, planet - that was our intention when we doesn’t work without that. We’ll supply the
the BCAAs which are not oxidized as fuel designed it. Add creatine and you’ve got a nutrition, you supply the work.
are very prone to be retained by muscle simple recipe for amazing results.
References
10. Welbourne TC. Increased plasma bi-
1. Maughan RJ. Creatine supplementa- carbonate and growth hormone after an
tion and exercise performance. Interna- oral glutamine load. Am J Clin Nutr 61:
tional Journal of Sport Nutrition 5: 94-101, 1058-1061, 1995.
1995.
11. Rennie MJ, Tadros L, Khogali S,
2. Greenhaff PL. Creatine and its appli- Ahmed A, and Taylor PM. Glutamine
cation as an ergogenic aid. International transport and its anabolic effects. Journal
Journal of Sport Nutrition 5: S100-S110, of Nutrition 124: 1503S-1508S, 1994.
1995.
12. Schena F, Guerrini F, Tregnaghi P,
3. Greenhaff PL, Casey A, Short AH, and Kayser B. Branched chain amino acid
Harris AC, Soderlund K, and Hultman E. supplementation during trekking at high
Influence of oral creatine supplementation altidude. The effects on loss of body mass,
on muscle torque during repeated bouts of body composition, and muscle power.
maximal voluntary exercise in man. Clin. European Journal of Applied Physiology
Sci. 84: 565-571, 1993. and Occupational Physiology 65: 394-
398, 1992.
4. Harris RC, Viru M, Greenhaff PL, and
Haltman E. The effect of oral creatine 13. MacLean DA, Graham TE, and Saltin
supplementation on running performance B. Branched chain amino acids augment
during maximal short term exercise in man. ammonia metabolism while attenuating
J. Physiol. 467: 74P, 1993. protein breakdown during exercise. Am J
Physiol 267: E1010-1022, 1994.
5. Ernest CP, Snell PG, Mitchell TL,
Rodriguez R, and Almada AL. Effect of 14. Carli G, Bonifazi M, Lodi L, Lupo
creatine monohydrate on peak anaerobic C, Martelli G, and Viti A. Changes in the
power, capacity, and fatigue index. Med. exercise-induced hormone response to
Sci. Sports. Exerc. 26: S39, 1994. branched chain amino acid administration.
European Journal of Applied Physiology
6. Hall JC, Heel K, and McCauley R. Gluta- and Occupational Physiology 64: 272-
mine. [Review] British Journal of Surgery 277, 1992.
83: 305-312, 1996.
7. Rowbottom DG, Keast D, and Morton

AR. The emerging role of glutamine as an
indicator of exercise stress and overtrain-
ing. [Review] Sports Medicine 21: 80-97,
1996.
8. Rowbottom DG, Keast D, Goodman

C, and Morton AR. The haematological,
biochemical, and immunological profile
of athletes suffering from the overtraining
syndrome. European Journal of Applied
Physiology & Occupational Physiology.
70: 502-509, 1995.
9. Varnier M, Leese GP, Thompson J, and

Rennie MJ. Stimulatory effect of glutamine
on glycogen accumulation in human skel-
etal muscle. American Journal of Physiol-
ogy 269: E309-315, 1995.
Rock Solid Evidence Supports Taking Minerals

by John Parrillo
Minerals may not be the most glamorous can’t make enough hemoglobin and then (1). Most men lose about one mg of iron a
sports nutrition supplement, but they are this reduces the blood’s oxygen carrying day, an menstruating women lose about 1.4
very important and frequently ignored. For capacity. In this condition, known as iron mg. This is variable, however, and can be
example, the RDA for calcium is 1,200 mg deficiency anemia, exercise performance as high as 2.2 mg a day (1). Unfortunately,
per day-an amount that is almost impossible is severely limited. In addition to being your intestines are not very efficient at
to obtain from whole foods unless you eat found in red blood cells, iron is also found absorbing iron. On average only about 10
a lot of dairy products. What is the typical in muscle cells incorporated into a protein percent of the iron you ingest is actually
bodybuilding diet? Egg whites, oatmeal, called myoglobin. This is an oxygen bind- absorbed. For this reason the RDA for iron
chicken breast, rice, vegetables (sound ing protein that helps shuttle oxygen from is 10 mg a day for adult males and 15 mg a
familiar?) I knew one bodybuilder who the blood to the respiratory center of the day for adult non-pregnant females. During
ate nothing but tuna and brown rice (even cell-the mitochondria. Iron is also present pregnancy, an extra 30 to 60 mg each day
for breakfast). I pleaded with him to take a inside the mitochondria as part of the cyto- is recommended.
mineral supplement, but he didn’t think it Dietary iron comes in two general forms,
was important. Mineral supplements cost called heme iron and nonheme iron. Heme
a few cents a day and can provide valuable iron is an iron atom which is bound into
insurance against some major problems a heme complex, a chemical constituent
you really don’t want, like osteoporosis of the hemoglobin molecule found in red
and anemia. blood cells. As you might imagine, the
This month I want to talk about the trace best sources of heme iron are red meat and
elements. These are the minerals which are liver. Heme iron is relatively well absorbed-
required by the body in very small amounts. about 23 percent. Only about three to eight
The body generally stores less than five percent of nonheme iron is absorbed. Thus,
grams of the trace minerals. If you eat a bal- on average, iron absorption works out to
anced diet, you probably don’t need a vita- be around 10 percent since most people
min or mineral supplement. However, many get some mix of heme and nonheme iron
people who do eat all of the food groups still in their diets. For some reason that is not
have mineral deficiencies anyway. And to clear, meat and vitamin C seem to improve
make matters worse, bodybuilders do not the absorption of nonheme iron. It stands
always eat a balanced diet. Most body- to reason that the people most likely to be
builders agree with our recommendation iron deficient are vegetarians, since their
to avoid and dairy products because of the diet is lower in total iron, plus lacks heme
simple sugars found in these foods. So for iron altogether. Female vegetarians would
most people following a strict bodybuilding be especially at risk.
diet, vitamin and mineral supplements are If you eat less iron than your body loses
recommended. on a daily basis, over time this will deplete
The following trace elements are con- the iron reserves in your bone marrow and
sidered to be essential in human nutrition: chrome enzyme system, which is the mo- you will develop iron deficiency. Your
iron, zinc, copper, iodine, magnesium, lecular machinery responsible for energy body can cope fairly well with this until
chromium, selenium, silicon, cobalt, fluo- production. In essence, iron plays a vital the iron stores are severely depleted, and
ride, nickel, molybdenum, vanadium and role at every step of the energy producing then the bone marrow can’t make enough
arsenic (1). Iron is probably the most well pathway because of its ability to reversibly hemoglobin anymore. Iron deficiency
studied of these, and also perhaps the one bind oxygen. anemia results. In the United States about
which is most commonly deficient. As you Iron which is not being “put to work” in 10 percent of women are iron deficient and
know, most of the body’s iron is found in red blood cells, muscle cells or other cells about six percent are so low on iron that
the red blood cells, where it is bound by is stored in the bone marrow. The average they develop iron deficiency anemia. Less
hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein man will have about 1,000 mg of stored than one percent of adult American men are
which transports oxygen from the lungs to iron., while women store only about 300 mg iron deficient. The higher frequency of iron
working tissues. Without enough iron, you deficiency in women usually attributed
to menstrual blood loss, and no doubt that (1). Zinc is bound to many enzymes and mass. The RDA for chromium has been set
does explain their greater (average) daily is required for the optimum function of at 50 to 200 micrograms (mcg) a day. Most
iron loss. However, it is interesting to note many diverse metabolic pathways. Zinc people consume between five and 150 mcg
that about 50 percent of women consume deficiency results in reduced growth rate, a day. Chromium deficiency is common,
less than 10 mg of iron each day. So women anorexia (appetite loss) and impaired would probably because it is depleted in refined
seem to have more of a problem with healing (1). Several studies have shown that foods (1). The best food sources for chro-
iron deficiency for a combination of two athletes are more prone to zinc deficiency mium are meats, whole grains, yeast, nuts,
reasons: greater iron loss and lower iron than sedentary people (6-8). Among the cheese and molasses (1). Urinary excretion
consumption. various studies, about 23 percent of female of chromium is increased by exercise, so
It is clear that iron deficiency anemia runners were found to be zinc deficient. athletes probably have a higher chromium
reduces exercise performance (2-4). When This seems to be a result of both increased requirement (9). Several studies have
hemoglobin concentrations are too low the zinc excretion in urine and sweat as well examined the role of chromium in weight
oxygen carrying capacity of the blood is training athletes (10,11). One group of
reduced. This will obviously compromise beginning weight trainers were given 200
energy production. When iron deficiency mcg of chromium per day for 40 days. The
anemia is corrected exercise performance group increased lean body mass signifi-
improves. Some evidence suggests that cantly more than the group given a placebo.
milder iron deficiency, without anemia, Similar results were observed with football
may also compromise exercise perfor- players. In another study, women receiving
mance. For example, when athletes who chromium achieved greater increases in
have borderline anemia (hemoglobin levels lean body mass during a 12-week weight
near the lower limit of the normal range) lifting program, but no difference was seen
are given supplemental iron their heart rate in men. Some studies have also indicated
during exercise decreases (5). What does that chromium might help fat metabolism
that mean? Well, if your blood cannot carry as well.
as much oxygen as it normally should, you Other trials have not been able to demon-
can compensate at least partially by pump- strate any significant effect of chromium on
ing a larger volume of blood per minute. muscle or fat metabolism. Why do different
This is why anemic people have a faster scientific reports sometimes contradict each
heart rate. Their hearts are pumping faster other? The most likely explanation is that
to try to keep up with the oxygen demands chromium probably does have some effect,
of the tissues. Also, blood lactate levels are and if you are chromium deficient energy
higher in iron deficient athletes following metabolism may not proceed with optimal
exercise, and the lactate is reduced follow- efficiency. However, if you already have
ing correction of the iron deficiency (1). adequate chromium stores, taking extra
This indicates that the body is forced to rely may not make any further difference. This
more on anaerobic energy producing sys- seems to be the case with a lot of issues
tems to fuel exercise if it is iron deficient. relating to vitamins and minerals. If you are
It seems logical that this would be the case deficient in a vitamin or mineral big prob-
if oxygen delivery was compromised. as decreased zinc intake. Although zinc is lems will develop. But if you have normal
The Parrillo Performance Mineral Elec- not normally thought to be a key mineral levels then taking extra doesn’t confer any
trolyte Formula™ provides five mg of for exercise performance, it is required for additional benefit. I suspect this is the case
iron per tablet in a special chelate form to the activity of lactate dehydrogenase. This with chromium. We can see an effect of
enhance absorption. For the ultimate iron is the enzyme that converts pyruvate to chromium supplementation if the subjects
supplement, try Liver Amino Formula™, an lactate and is required for anaerobic energy in the study started off with chromium de-
ultra-purified liver preparation that supplies production, the energy pathways that power ficiencies. But if the study participants be-
heme iron. Endurance athletes, women and weight lifting. So while adding extra zinc gan the trial with replete chromium stores,
vegetarians are at greatest risk for iron defi- probably won’t improve your lifting, a zinc then chromium supplementation might not
ciency and should consider this supplement. deficiency could definitely hurt it. do anything. Since several studies have
It has been specially prepared and fat and Chromium is of special interest to athletes demonstrated a significant effect on lean
cholesterol removed, and it provides high because it helps insulin act more effectively, body mass from chromium supplementa-
quality protein in addition to heme iron. and thus improves carbohydrate utilization. tion, it is not unreasonable to suggest that
Zinc is another important trace element. Some studies suggest it also has effects on serious athletes consider trying chromium
It is found in meat, seafood and poultry lipid metabolism and perhaps lean body for a month or two to see if it works for
them. As is the case with many nutritional You should consume 1,200 mg of calcium 5. Ohira Y, Edgerton VR, Gardner GW, Gu-
supplements, you could go to the doctor to per day. This is difficult to do even if you do nawardena KA, Senewiratne B and Ikawa
get your chromium level checked but it’s use dairy products, and it is very hard if you S. Work capacity after iron treatment as a
cheaper just to try the supplement than to don’t. We all know that most bodybuilders function of hemoglobin and iron deficiency.
get the blood test. You may be one of the use relatively little dairy. So it becomes very J. Nutr. Sci. Vitam. 27:87 (1981).
people for whom it works. important to supplement calcium to make
One exception to this idea that enough sure you get enough. Sometimes it’s hard 6. Dressendorfer RH and Sockolov R. Hy-
is good but more may not be better is the to talk athletes into doing this because cal- pozincemia in runners. Phys. Sportsmed.
anioxidants. The body’s requirements for cium supplements don’t have any effect on 8(4):97 (1980).
vitamins C and E to prevent deficiency exercise performance or on your physique.
status are quite low. However, for C and But, if you don’t use dairy products please 7. Haralambie G. Serum zinc in athltes in
E to function effectively as antioxidants be conscientious about taking a calcium training. Int. J. Sports Med. 2:135 (1981).
you have to take quite a bit more than the supplement. Our Mineral Electrolyte™
minimum amount required to prevent an provides 250 mg of calcium in each tablet. 8. Singh A, Deuster PA and Moser PB. Zinc
overt vitamin deficiency. Similar effects Four tablets a day is probably enough when and copper status of women by physical
seem to be seen with vanadyl in promoting combined with the calcium from your diet. activity and menstrual status. J. Sports Med.
glycogen storage, but I haven’t hound this Five tablets each day would guarantee that Phys. Fitness 30:29 (1990).
to be true for chromium. you meet your requirement. Plus Parrillo 9. Anderson RA, Plansky MM and Bryden
The Parrillo Meneral-Electrolyte For- Hi-Protein Powder™ contains 280 mg of NA. Strenuous running: acute effects on
mula™ provides 25 mcg of chromium as calcium per serving; Parrillo Optimized chromium, copper, zinc and selected clini-
chromium picolinate per tablet. Our vitamin Whey Protein™contains 130 mg of calcium cal variables in urine and serum of male
and mineral supplements are designed to be per serving; and the Parrillo 50/50 Plus™ runners. Biol. Trace Elem. Res. 6:327
taken one tablet with each meal. That will contains 250 mg per serving for the vanilla, (1984).
work out to be five or six tablets a day for chocolate and orange cream flavors and 300
most bodybuilders. This will supply 25 to mg per serving for the milk flavor, which 10. Evans GW. The effect of chromium
30 mg of iron each day, in addition to all of tastes just like whole milk minus the sugar picolinate on insulin controlled parameters
the other minerals included. This is enough and fat. in humans. Int. J. Biosocial Med. Res.
to ensure adequate iron and chromium 11:163 (1989).
stores even in intensely training atheltes, References
who lose more minerals daily and thus have 11. Hasten DL, Rome EP, Franks BD and
higher requirements. 1. Haymes EM. Trace minerals and exer- Hegsted M. Anabolic effects of chromium
In closing, I would like to say a few more cise. Chapter 11 in Nutrition in Exercise picolinate on beginning weight training stu-
words about calcium. Although it is not a and Sport, Wolinsky and Hickson, editors. dents. Int. J. Sports Nutr. 2: 343 (1993).
trace mineral. One of the most worrisome CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1994.
nutritional practices I see in bodybuilding
is the avoidance of dairy products without 2. Celsing F, Blomstrand E, Werner B,
adequate regard to eating enough green Pihlstedt P and Edblom B. Effects of
leafy vegetables or calcium supplementa- iron deficiency on endurance and muscle
tion. Most women increase bone density enzyme activity in man. Med. Sci. Sports
until age 30 or so, and then by age 35 bone Exerc. 18:156 (1986).
mineral density begins to decline. The rapid
decline which occurs after menopause can 3. Edgerton VR, Ohira Y, Hettiarachchi J,
result in osteoporosis. One of the most Senewiratne B, Garner GW and Barnard
important things you can do to prevent RJ. Elevation of hemoglobin and work
osteoporosis when you’re old is to build tolerance in iron deficient subjects. J. Nutr.
strong bones while you’re young. If you Sci. Vitam. 27:77 (1981).
come out of middle age with relatively poor
calcium status, that makes it all the more 4. Gardner GW, Edgerton VR, Senewiratne
likely you’ll have problems when you’re B, Barnard RJ and Ohira Y. Physical work
older. Women especially (but men as well) capacity and metabolic stress in subjects
should make sure that they get enough cal- with iron deficiency anemia. Am. J. Clin.
cium from some source while they’re still Nutr. 30:910 (1977).
young and increasing bone mineral density.
Lose Twenty Pounds of Fat and Gain Five Pounds of Muscle in Ten
by John Parrillo
If you’re not quite ready for the pool expended as fuel than are consumed from calories per day, which will promote loss of
yet, don’t worry. Many people find their food and supplements. This is a thermo- two pounds of fat per week. As you know,
level of physical conditioning perhaps dynamic requirement for net loss of body I am not an advocate of low calorie diets,
somewhat less than they were hoping for, weight. Each pound of body fat contains especially over the long term. But this
especially at this time of the year. We have roughly 3,500 calories. Therefore, to lose program is designed to last for only 10 to
a program that will get you there in a hurry. two pounds of fat each week, we need a 12 weeks, and a modest energy reduction
It is possible to achieve a significant, if not weekly energy deficit of 7,000 calories, for this short time won’t hurt you. Also,
remarkable, change in body composition or 1,000 calories each day. Generally I the increase in exercise activity will offset
and appearance in a relatively short time. would encourage you to limit fat loss to the decrease in metabolic rate that usu-
It will take a serious commitment and hard two pounds per week. More rapid weight ally accompanies energy restriction (1,2).
work, but if you have the motivation and loss than that usually, but not always, is ac- Although weight training is an important
the determination, we can show you how companied by loss of some muscle tissue. part of this program, we don’t consider the
to do it. We have had at least one individual on this calories you burn during weight training.
This program is about how to gain muscle program lose three pounds of fat per week Weight lifting doesn’t burn many calories
and lose bodyfat at the same time. It’s de- for one thing, and secondly most of the
signed for people who need to lose about calories which are burned during weight
10 to 20 pounds of fat, and want to get in lifting are derived from carbohydrates. It is
shape as fast as possible. It is completely important that you perform 500 calories per
realistic to plan to lose 20 pounds of fat and day of additional aerobic exercise, which is
gain five pounds of muscle in 10 weeks. about an hour’s worth of relatively intense
You will be amazed at what a difference 20 cardiovascular work.
fewer pounds of fat and five more pounds What sort of diet works best? While I nor-
of muscle will make in your appearance mally recommend a diet high in carbohy-
and in the way you feel. drates to achieve rapid results, we are going
Fundamentally, this is a fat loss program. to cut down on the carbs. Essentially this
A by-product is often a gain of a few diet is high in protein, moderate in carbs,
pounds of lean muscle, although this is not and low in fat (3). You want to take in one
a mass building program. We have seen a to two grams of protein per pound of body
lot of people get extremely good results in weight each day. Obtain the rest of your
a short time from making a few changes calories from carbohydrates (or CapTri®)
in their diet and training routines. Overall, while minimizing fat intake. This usually
this program involves a diet moderate in works out to around 40 to 50 percent pro-
calories, low in fat, high in protein and tein, 40 to 50 percent carbs, and five to 10
moderate in carbohydrates. The exercise and still gain muscle at the same time. In percent fat. Reducing carbohydrates seems
component involves a serious commitment four weeks he lost 12 pounds of fat and to help promote fat loss by reducing insulin
to both weight training and aerobics. You gained three pounds of muscle. Not bad levels and reducing caloric intake. I feel it
will work very hard, but you can expect for one month! prudent to limit fat intake even while on a
rapid and dramatic results. I will walk you In my opinion the best way to achieve reduced calorie diet. You probably recall
through the design of this program step-by- an energy deficit of 1,000 calories per day the detailed discussion we had about fat
step. This will allow you to understand the is through a combination of reduced en- metabolism and nutrient balance a few
rational behind it and also will help you ergy (calorie) intake and increased energy months ago (4-11). When you are operating
learn how to design routines for yourself expenditure. I would suggest reducing in an energy deficit essentially all of the
as your goals and level of development calories by about 500 per day compared to food you eat will be used as fuel — except
changes. how much you usually eat. Then, perform for some amino acids used to maintain or
First, let’s talk about nutrition. If our pri- 500 calories of extra aerobic exercise per build lean tissue. It would seem you could
mary goal is fat loss and getting in shape, day over what you usually do. This will get away with eating more fat since it’s just
then we will need to sustain a net energy result in a combined energy deficit of 1,000 going to be burned anyway.
deficit. This means that more calories are
Lose Twenty Pounds of Fat and Gain Five Pounds of Muscle in Ten Weeks
And that’s correct — if you eat a high fat broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, spinach, meal #3: tuna and salad
diet which is deficient in calories you will green beans, and so on. Refer to the Par- meal #4: chicken breast, small baked potato
still lose weight. (By eating a high fat diet rillo Performance Nutrition Manual for a and salad
containing surplus calories those extra more extensive list, as well as the nutrient meal #5: ten egg whites and vegetables
calories supplied by fat will be retained as breakdown. Starches are things like pota- This diet is low in calories and fat, and
adipose.) Carbohydrates have a “protein- toes, oatmeal, corn, peas, beans and rice. high in protein (3). It may not be the most
sparing” effect: this means that if you have Treat yourself to a cup of oatmeal in the exciting thing in the world, but it will
carbs in your diet you’ll lose less muscle morning and maybe one other starch during strip fat off you in a hurry. And hey, it’s
while consuming an energy not forever. The salads can be
deficient diet. Carbohydrates enjoyable. Use green leaf lettuce
also have a higher thermo- with fresh peppers and onions,
genic effect, which means tomatoes and some fresh cilan-
your body will be forced to tro. Balsamic vinegar or lemon
reply more on body fat for juice make tangy dressings with
energy since less energy from practically no calories. Grill
food will be available to use your chicken outside to keep
as fuel (1). So while two things flavorful. Or have some
diets may supply the same fresh grilled salmon or swordfish
number of calories and result instead or tuna. Add some fresh
in the same amount of overall mushrooms and chopped pep-
weight loss, I believe that the pers to the egg whites. It doesn’t
diet lower in fat will result in take too much effort to make this
a leaner body composition. diet enjoyable. You will enjoy
Surprisingly, this diet can it even more once you see how
be quite satisfying, fulfill- fast the results come. You should
ing and enjoyable. Another avoid fruit and dairy products,
advantage of relying on car- which contain simple sugars,
bohydrate as your energy and bread, pasta and other re-
source instead of fat is that fined carbohydrates (12).
carbs are much more filling What about supplements?
and enjoyable to eat. We will There are four supplements that
use mostly fibrous vegetables really help on this program.First
and salads, while limiting are the Essential Vitamin™ and
starches. Starches are higher Mineral-Electrolyte™ formulas.
in calories than fibrous car- Since we are avoiding fruit and
bohydrates and occupy less milk, you will need a vitamin
space in your stomach. While and mineral supplement. It is
starches usually form a major especially difficult, if not im-
portion of our diet, for this 10 possible, to supply your body’s
week program we will limit requirement for calcium without
them to one or two servings using a lot of dairy products, un-
a day. less you use a supplement. Next
Divide your protein and is creatine, which is in a class by
calories evenly over five or itself in terms of supplements.
six meals. Most people get better results if the day. By supplying most of your carbs as You cannot be your most muscular and lean
they keep food selections relatively simple vegetables and salad instead of starch, you without using creatine. No matter how good
for this program. We get good results us- will find it easier to limit calories. The bulk you look, you’ll be better if you add cre-
ing egg whites, skinless chicken breast will help fill you up, the volume of food atine. Last is Optimized Whey Protein™.
and low-fat tuna for protein sources. Have will be more satisfying and the vegetables We started with the finest quality whey
generous portions of vegetables and salad will produce a smaller insulin response. protein and then fine tuned the amino acid
at each meal. You can have essentially all Some typical meals might go like this: profile by adding extra glycine, glutamine
the vegetables and salad you want. It’s meal #1: ten egg whites and one cup oat- and branched chain amino acids. I would
very difficult to eat too many calories from meal consider this a “must have” supplement
vegetables. I’m talking about things like meal #2: chicken breast and vegetables while dieting strictly. The high levels
Lose Twenty Pounds of Fat and Gain Five Pounds of Muscle in Ten Weeks
of glutamine and BCAAs act to protect the best; Stairclimbers are also good. If ance, and weight maintenance: effects of
muscle tissue during energy restricted di- your equipment doesn’t display calories exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 296-306,
ets. You can also use CapTri® if you need burned, plan on one hour of fairly intense 1987.
to increase your calories because you are aerobics per day. Our athlete who lost 5. Horton TJ, Drougas H, Brachey A, Reed
losing weight at more than two pounds 12 pounds of fat and gained three pounds GW, Peters JC, and Hill JO. Fat and carbo-
per week and don’t want to increase your of muscle in one month used exactly the hydrate overfeeding in humans: different
carbs. program described above, except he did effects on energy storage. Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
Now, about exercise. This intense shape even more aerobics, sometimes almost two 62: 19-29, 1995.
up program demands a serious commitment hours a day. 6. Astrup A. Dietary composition, substrate
to exercise. To get optimal results you will This program works best if you are able balances and body fat in subjects with a
need to lift weights 45 to 60 minutes a day to monitor your change in body composi- predisposition to obesity. Int. J. Obesity
four or five days a week. Plus, you will tion. Following overall body weight just 17: S32-S36, 1993.
need to do 60 minutes or more of aerobics isn’t enough. If you don’t already have a 7. Schutz Y, Flatt JP, and Jequier E. Failure
everyday. I didn’t say this was easy. I just way to measure body composition, you of dietary fat intake to promote fat oxida-
said you could get very fast results. On this might consider the Parrillo BodyStat Kit. tion: a factor favoring the development of
program I would recommend a three day I think the payoff will make it worthwhile obesity. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 50: 307-314,
split, which means you train all muscle after just the first month. If you find you 1989.
groups in three workouts. After this, you are losing muscle, you should increase 8. Thomas CD, Peters JC, Reed GW, Ab-
take one day off from lifting, then start carbohydrates slightly or add CapTri® and umrad NN, Sun M, and Hill JO. Nutrient
over. This way, each muscle group is slow down your overall rate of weight loss. balance and energy expenditure during ad
trained every four days and you’re lifting If you’re not losing fat on this program at libitum feeding of high-fat and high-carbo-
five days a week usually. the rate of two pounds a week it means you hydrate diets in humans. Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
Feel free to design whatever sort of rou- overestimated your maintenance energy 55: 934-942, 1992.
tine you want. It doesn’t matter so much requirement at the beginning. Decrease 9.Hill JO, Peters JC, Reed GW, Schlundt
how you divide up the workouts as much as calorie intake by reducing starches by DG, Sharp T, and Greene HL. Nutrient
that you train very hard whenever you lift. another 300 calories per day. If things are balance in humans: effects of diet composi-
After warming up, train to failure in the six going extremely well and you are gaining tion. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 54: 10-17, 1991.
to 12 rep range.Do some work with heavy muscle while losing fat, keep doing what 10. Flatt JP. Importance of nutrient balance
weights at low reps (six, say) and some you’re doing. Generally speaking, if you in body weight regulation. Diabetes/Me-
work with lighter weight (around 10 reps). want to speed up your progress you are tabolism Reviews 4: 571-581, 1988.
It is important to work hard and train to usually better off by doing more exercise 11. Flatt JP. Use and storage of carbohy-
failure.This means performing the exercise rather than further reducing calories. The drate and fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61: 952s-
in proper form for the prescribed number lower you go in calories the more important 959s, 1995.
of repetitions until you can’t perform any it becomes that those calories are extremely 12. Miller WC, Niederpruem MG, Wallace
more repetitions. I would aim for about 25 nutrient dense, and that the protein source JP, and Lindeman AK. Dietary fat, sugar,
total sets per 60 minute workout. That’s a is very high quality. and fiber predict percent body fat content.
fairly brisk pace. Spend most of your time J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 94: 612-615, 1994.
on free weights, although a few machine References
exercises are OK. Stick to the basics like 1. Van Zant RS. Influence of diet and exer-
squats, bench press and shoulder press. cise on energy expenditure - a review. Int.
The aerobic component of this program J. Sports Nutr. 2: 1-19, 1992.
is very important. Although there are a 2. Leibel RL, Rosenbaum M, and Hirsch
few people who can get in good shape J. Changes in energy expenditure resulting
without aerobics, most of us need it. You from altered body weight. N. Eng. J. Med.
will need to do at least 500 calories per day 332: 621-628, 1995.
of aerobics, and more is fine. Many of the 3. Piatti PM, Monti LD, Magni F, Fermo I,
exercise machines these days will tell you Baruffaldi L, Nasser R, Santambrogio G,
how many calories you’re burning, which Librenti MC, Galli-Kienle M, Pontiroli,
makes it easy to keep track. You must ex- and Pozza G. Hypocaloric high-protein
ercise at an intensity level where you are diet improves glucose oxidation and spares
breathing hard and sweating. Moderate to lean body mass: comparison to hypocaloric
high intensity aerobics will promote fat high-carbohydrate diet. Metab. 43: 1481-
loss much faster than low intensity activi- 1487, 1994.
ties. Running on the treadmill is probably 4. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate bal-
The Impact of Dietary Energy of Body Composition, Part I

by John Parrillo
I recently read an article that downplayed required not only for transporting oxygen recovery. Interestingly, if you haven’t been
the value of liver supplements for athletes, to the tissues but also for its use inside eating enough protein, your body will draw
bodybuilders and exercisers. I could say cells. Because of its critical role in oxygen on red blood cells, hemoglobin and plasma
some unsavory words regarding my reac- utilization, iron has earned its reputation proteins as a source of protein to repair your
tion to the article’s misinformation, but I’ll for occupying a central position in energy muscles (3). This reparation process may
spare you! metabolism. soak up all of the incoming protein and not
Liver supplements-specifically desiccated Iron deficiencies sap strength, yet, iron leave enough left to rebuild new red blood
liver-are an absolute must in your nutrition deficiency remains a major health problem. cells at the normal rate. Thus, increased
program, whether you’re a competitive In fact, it is widely recognized as the most protein intake may be effective in treating
bodybuilder, endurance athlete or exerciser sports-induced anemia (1). If you have low
who desires supreme fitness. The reason hemoglobin levels, you won’t perform as
is, liver provides heme iron, high quality well at endurance events. Interestingly,
protein and B vitamins, thereby meeting endurance athletes have the highest inci-
several of the increased nutritional needs dence of sports anemia and also have the
of athletes. To understand the importance highest protein requirements. There seems
of desiccated liver supplementation, let’s to be an iron cost associated with exercise
review how iron works in the body-and (3). Female athletes and endurance athletes
why it is so vital to your performance. are especially at risk of iron deficiency
Heme iron is intimately involved in key (1,2,3,6). Iron deficiency anemia reduces
energy-producing reactions in your body. maximal oxygen uptake, reduces work
Energy comes from the breakdown of food output and increases the time required to
and its consequent transport to body cells. recover between workouts (1).
Inside the cells, the foods are burned in The good news is that iron supplements
a chemical reaction called “oxidation,” have been shown to be effective in several
which simply means reaction with oxygen. critical areas (1,2,3). Iron supplements: •
For foods to be converted to energy, the Reverse the effects of iron deficiency; • Re-
cells have to get plenty of oxygen. This store hemoglobin levels; • Improve athletic
constant need for energy is so critical that performance in those who are deficient; and
if tissues are deprived of oxygen for more • May prevent an iron deficiency caused
than a few minutes, they will perish. by training.
Oxygen is carried to cells by red blood Iron supplementation alone will not cor-
cells. They perform this shuttle service by common nutritional deficiency in the world rect true sports anemia, which is reason-
binding to hemoglobin, the red pigment in (1,2,3). In the U.S. alone, 22 percent of able considering it is a protein deficiency.
the blood. Hemoglobin is a protein that in- American women are iron deficient, (1,2). However, since liver provides both high
cludes a special chemical structure known The daily iron requirement for women is quality protein and heme iron it should
as heme-a complex of porphyrin and iron. 18 mg a day, while on average they obtain be beneficial to athletes suffering sports
It’s the iron that binds oxygen in the lungs only 10 to 12 mg a day (1). Among athletes, anemia.
and subsequently releases it in the muscles about 10 percent of males are iron deficient, Iron is also available in foods, as the
and other peripheral tissues. compared to 22 to 25 percent of females chart shows. However, heme iron can be
Muscles contain myoglobin, an oxygen- (1). Many times a feeling of fatigue or low damaged by cooking. Heat reduces the
carrying protein that works inside cells. energy is the result of an unrecognized iron ability of iron to be absorbed in half (5).
Like hemoglobin, myoglobin also requires deficiency (2,3). A condition called sports Additionally, many iron-rich foods are
iron to bind oxygen. Without the iron, the anemia often afflicts athletes, particularly high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Thus,
whole oxygen transport system won’t endurance athletes (1,3,6). Sports anemia, desiccated liver supplements represent a
work. Not only that, iron is also required however, is not always associated with highly bioavailable iron source. Our Par-
by the enzymes in the electron transport a true iron deficiency. During hard train- rillo Liver-Amino(tm) Formula is made
chain-the series of reactions in which oxy- ing, you actually damage skeletal muscle from defatted liver, which means you don’t
gen is consumed in the cells. Iron, then, is fibers-damage that must be repaired during get all the fat and cholesterol that comes
The Impact of Dietary Energy of Body Composition
along with liver and red meat. Plus, we add gen. After a meal, insulin is released and should remain lower. Also, if carbohydrates
predigested casein to further increase the acts to help store nutrients and use glucose are not available the body shifts into a fat
protein content to 1.5 grams per tablet. This as fuel. Insulin promotes fat storage and burning metabolism during the day. Other
is why our Liver Amino is one of the best converts excess carbohydrate into fat. Al- studies (in rats) have demonstrated that
supplements available for bodybuilders and though, under normal conditions, not much the protein-to-carbohydrate ratio in the
endurance athletes: it provides heme iron, carbohydrate is converted into fat - insulin diet determines to a large extent the ratio
quality protein and B vitamins all in one. does promote this. Insulin also prevents the of insulin-to-glycogen in the blood (11-
Now, what does all this mean to you? release of fatty acids from adipose tissue 13). These hormones seem to be almost
Actually, our Liver-Amino Formula is one and decreases the use of fat as fuel. Insulin entirely controlled by diet. Furthermore,
of our “universal’ supplements; in other behaves like a switch that turns off fat burn- studies suggest that the insulin-glycogen
words, it is vitally useful for every ac- ing and turns on carbohydrate burning. ratio influences bodyfat levels (11-13). For
tive person. What follows are the specific Glucagon is a counter-regulatory hor- the same number of calories, more will be
categories of people who should take this mone. It has the opposite actions of insulin. stored as fat if insulin levels are higher,
supplement daily: • Endurance athletes Several hours after a meal, when most of simply because insulin promotes fat storage
(whose iron needs are often elevated); • All the ingested nutrients have been burned and prevents fat utilization.
female athletes and exercisers (deficiencies or stored, glucagon levels increase. This On a different diet, providing the same
are common in this group); • Beginning promotes fat utilization and decreases number of calories, we would expect
bodybuilders who desire mass (the Liver- carbohydrate oxidation. Immediately after bodyfat levels to be lower if insulin levels
Amino Formula is one of the supplements a meal, insulin acts to promote fat storage, are lower. This is logical. For these rea-
in our Growth Program for Beginners); but after several hours of fasting, glucagon sons we have seen the emergence of diets
• Bodybuilders dieting and training for acts to promote fat oxidation. After the higher in fat and lower in carbohydrate. The
definition or competition (the supplement calories from your last meal have been used disadvantages are problems inherent to fat
provides additional protein needed metabolism, discussed
during dieting to guard against above. One desirable
dieting-induced muscle loss); and alternative would be
• Experienced bodybuilders and ex- to use another energy
ercisers striving to gain additional source besides carbo-
lean mass. hydrate - which had
Our suggested usage is five to favorable effects on
eight tablets with each meal. If you the insulin profile -
have information on how to use our but which avoided
Liver-Amino Formula(tm) success- the other problems
fully, please call our Info-Line at faced by conventional
513-531-1311 or access our web fats. Medium chain
site at www.parrillo.com. triglycerides, such as
What is the effect of diet compo- CapTri(r), offer such
sition on the hormones that act to control you begin to switch over to a fat burning an alternative. Conventional fats are
body composition? This topic is quite mode. Of course, by this time most people comprised of long chain fatty acids, usu-
involved and we will deal with some basic get hungry and eat again, so they spend ally 16 to 20 carbon atoms long. Medium
concepts. The major players in this drama relatively few hours a day burning any chain triglycerides (MCT) are a specially
are insulin, glucagon, cortisol, growth significant amount of fat. The complete engineered, semi-synthetic fat that is built
hormone, thyroid, and to some extent tes- picture is much more complicated. The pri- from fatty acid molecules that are only
tosterone. The most important relationship mary site of glucagon action is in the liver, eight to 12 carbon atoms long. This small
is the insulin-glucagon axis. These two with relatively little impact on peripheral difference in chemical structure results in
hormones are made by the pancreas and fat stores. The main stimulus for release of very different biological effects. MCT has
act to control nutrient storage and nutrient fat from adipose tissue is the sympathetic a much higher thermogenic effect than
utilization. Insulin is essentially a storage nervous system. The nerve endings release conventional fat - probably higher than car-
hormone and is released in response to eat- norepinephrine at the adipose cell, which bohydrate (14-19). MCT does not require
ing. The most potent stimulus for insulin in turn stimulates breakdown of stored tri- the carnitine shuttle for transport inside the
release is carbohydrate ingestion, followed glyceride and fatty acid release. The major mitochondria and its oxidation is essen-
by protein ingestion. Insulin shuttles carbo- reason for considering the use of fat in a tially unregulated. MCTs are oxidized very
hydrate molecules (glucose) inside cells for bodybuilding diet is that fat causes very rapidly, more rapidly than glucose (14-19).
storage. It promotes the use of carbohydrate little insulin release. By eating a low car- The liver converts the excess energy to
as fuel and stores carbohydrate as glyco- bohydrate diet higher in fat, insulin levels ketones, or beta-hydroxy butyr
The Impact of Dietary Energy of Body Composition
ate and acetoacetic acid. These ketones The fructose molecules are automatically American, October 1991, p. 46-52.
are used as an immediate fuel source by shunted toward oxidation. During carbo- 3. Sherman and Kramer, Iron Nutrition
the muscles. While conventional fats are hydrate oxidation the carbon skeleton is and Exercise, in: Nutrition in Exercise and
preferentially stored, MCT are immediately converted to acetyl-CoA in the process of Sport, eds. Hickson and Wolinsky, CRC
oxidized as fuel. This results in almost no ATP generation. Fructose is rapidly con- Press, 1989, p. 291-308.
storage of MCT as adipose (14-19). MCT verted into acetyl-CoA, which overwhelms
thus represents a dietary energy source, the pathway that converts it into ATP. The 4. Steen, Nutrition Considerations for the
which has the advantages of fat but does acetyl-CoA piles up in the liver. Acetyl- Low Body Weight Athlete, in Sports Nu-
not elicit much insulin response. MCT does CoA, it turns out, is the building block for trition for the 90s, eds Berning and Steen,
not contribute to adipose depots. fatty acid synthesis. Most of the fructose- Aspen Publishers, 1991, p. 153-174.
Another problem with the convention In derived energy is converted into fat by the
our experience the 30 percent protein, 40 liver and is subsequently released into the 5. Wapnir, Protein Nutrition and Mineral
percent carbohydrate, 30 percent conven- blood to be stored in fat cells (20). This Absorption, CRC Press, 1990, p. 99-129.
tional fat diet works adequately - but not is bad news! The argument used by fruit
optimally - as long as an energy deficient lovers is that eating it has almost no effect 6. Whitmire, Vitamins and Minerals: A
diet is consumed. If fewer calories are on increasing insulin release. True, but this Perspective in Physical Performance, in
consumed than expended, weight loss will has not been totally thought through. The Sports Nutrition for the 90s, eds. Bern-
result no matter what the diet composition. reason fruit doesn’t increase insulin levels ing and Steen, Aspen Publishers, 1991, p.
This diet (or practically any diet) will is that it is released from the liver as fat 129-151.
promote weight loss as long as an energy instead of carbohydrate, and fat doesn’t
deficit is maintained. The high-fat diet can stimulate insulin release.
actually promote fairly rapid weight loss If you want to try the high-fat diet ap-
because of its favorable effects on insulin. proach we would suggest you use MCT in
However, you will run into problems on place of conventional fat and avoid simple
this diet when you approach maintenance sugars, particularly fructose. This is very
level, calorically. Disaster occurs during similar to some of the competition diets we
calorie-excess when using the high-fat diet. have been devising for bodybuilders over
Fat intake does not promote fat oxidation. the years. In the Parrillo version, start by
If you consume excess calories supplied eating one gram of protein per pound of
in the form of fat, they will be stored as bodyweight per day. Limit conventional fat
fat. Period. You cannot use this diet to as much as possible and provide 30 percent
gain weight, unless you want to gain fat. of total calories from CapTri(r). Derive the
By using MCT as the fat source - instead remainder of your calories from complex
of long chain triglyceride - you can avoid carbohydrate. Avoid simple sugars, includ-
the inherent problems. This results in a ing those found in milk and fruit. Avoid
favorable insulin profile and eliminates refined carbohydrates such as bread and
the metabolic complications of consum- pasta as well. Divide your daily total num-
ing conventional fat. And since MCT is ber of calories into five or six small meals,
not retained as adipose, this makes it an with roughly equal amounts of protein and
ideal energy substitute during a weight carbohydrate at each meal. If your goal is to
gain phase. MCT use seems to minimize gain muscle mass, increase overall calories
fat deposition during weight gain. by increasing carbohydrates. If your goal
al 30:40:30 high-fat diet is the inclusion is to lose bodyfat, decrease calories by de-
of sugars, particularly in the form of fruit. creasing carbohydrates. For exact instruc-
Fruit can blow a diet. Fruit provides most tions on how to construct meals, consult
of its calories in the form of simple sug- the Parrillo Nutrition Manual.
ars: glucose and fructose. Fructose is an
especially bad choice for bodybuilders be- References
cause it bypasses the phosphofructokinase
enzyme step during glycolysis (20). This 1. Haymes, Proteins, Vitamins and Iron; in
enzyme acts as a switch and determines Ergogenic Aids in Sport: ed. Williams; Hu-
whether sugars are stored as glycogen or man Kinetics Publishers: 1983: p. 27-55.
burned as fuel. Fructose enters the glyco-
lytic pathway and bypasses this enzyme. 2. Scrimshaw, Iron Deficiency, Scientific
The Impact of Dietary Energy of Body Composition, Part II

by John Parrillo
What is the effect of diet composition with relatively little impact on peripheral burning metabolism during the day. Other
on the hormones that act to control body fat stores. The main stimulus for release of studies (in rats) have demonstrated that
composition? This topic is quite involved fat from adipose tissue is the sympathetic the protein-to-carbohydrate ratio in the
and we will deal with some basic concepts. nervous system. The nerve endings release diet determines to a large extent the ratio
The major players in this drama are insu- norepinephrine at the adipose cell, which of insulin-to-glycogen in the blood (11-
lin, glucagon, cortisol, growth hormone, in turn stimulates breakdown of stored tri- 13). These hormones seem to be almost
thyroid, and to some extent testosterone. glyceride and fatty acid release. The major entirely controlled by diet. Furthermore,
The most important relationship is the in- reason for considering the use of fat in a studies suggest that the insulin-glycogen
sulin-glucagon axis. These two hormones bodybuilding diet is that fat causes very ratio influences bodyfat levels (11-13). For
are made by the pancreas and act to control little insulin release. By eating a low car- the same number of calories, more will be
nutrient storage and nutrient utilization. bohydrate diet higher in fat, insulin levels stored as fat if insulin levels are higher,
Insulin is essentially a storage hormone and should remain lower. Also, if carbohydrates simply because insulin promotes fat storage
is released in response to eating. The most are not available the body shifts into a fat and prevents fat utilization.
potent stimulus for insulin release is car- On a different diet, providing the same
bohydrate ingestion, followed by protein number of calories, we would expect
ingestion. Insulin shuttles carbohydrate bodyfat levels to be lower if insulin levels
molecules (glucose) inside cells for stor- are lower. This is logical. For these rea-
age. It promotes the use of carbohydrate as sons we have seen the emergence of diets
fuel and stores carbohydrate as glycogen. higher in fat and lower in carbohydrate.
After a meal, insulin is released and acts to The disadvantages are problems inher-
help store nutrients and use glucose as fuel. ent to fat metabolism, discussed above.
Insulin promotes fat storage and converts One desirable alternative would be to use
excess carbohydrate into fat. Although another energy source besides carbohy-
under normal conditions, not much car- drate - which had favorable effects on
bohydrate is converted into fat — insulin the insulin profile — but which avoided
does promote this. Insulin also prevents the the other problems faced by conventional
release of fatty acids from adipose tissue fats. Medium chain triglycerides, such as
and decreases the use of fat as fuel. Insulin CapTri®, offer such an alternative. Con-
behaves like a switch that turns off fat burn- ventional fats are comprised of long chain
ing and turns on carbohydrate burning. fatty acids, usually 16 to 20 carbon atoms
Glucagon is a counter-regulatory hor- long. Medium chain triglycerides (MCT)
mone. It has the opposite actions of insulin. are a specially engineered, semi-synthetic
Several hours after a meal, when most of fat that is built from fatty acid molecules
the ingested nutrients have been burned that are only eight to 12 carbon atoms long.
or stored, glucagon levels increase. This This small difference in chemical structure
promotes fat utilization and decreases results in very different biological effects.
carbohydrate oxidation. Immediately after CapTri® “represents a di- MCT has a much higher thermogenic ef-
a meal, insulin acts to promote fat storage, fect than conventional fat - probably higher
but after several hours of fasting, glucagon etary energy source which than carbohydrate (14-19). MCT does not
acts to promote fat oxidation. After the has the advantages of fat require the carnitine shuttle for transport
calories from your last meal have been used but does not elicit much in- inside the mitochondria and its oxidation is
you begin to switch over to a fat burning essentially unregulated. MCTs are oxidized
mode. Of course, by this time most people sulin response. MCT does very rapidly, more rapidly than glucose
get hungry and eat again, so they spend not contribute to adipose (14-19). The liver converts the excess en-
relatively few hours a day burning any ergy to ketones, or beta-hydroxy butyrate
significant amount of fat. The complete
depots (fat stores).”
and acetoacetic acid. These ketones are
picture is much more complicated. The pri- used as an immediate fuel source by the
mary site of glucagon action is in the liver, muscles. While conventional fats
The Impact of Dietary Energy of Body Composition, Part II
are preferentially stored, MCT are im- converted to acetyl-CoA in the process of
mediately oxidized as fuel. This results in ATP generation. Fructose is rapidly con-
almost no storage of MCT as adipose (14- verted into acetyl-CoA, which overwhelms
19). MCT thus represents a dietary energy the pathway that converts it into ATP. The
source, which has the advantages of fat but acetyl-CoA piles up in the liver. Acetyl-
does not elicit much insulin response. MCT CoA, it turns out, is the building block for
does not contribute to adipose depots. fatty acid synthesis. Most of the fructose-
In our experience the 30 percent protein, derived energy is converted into fat by the
40 percent carbohydrate, 30 percent con- liver and is subsequently released into the
ventional fat diet works adequately - but blood to be stored in fat cells (20). This
not optimally — as long as an energy de- is bad news! The argument used by fruit
ficient diet is consumed. If fewer calories lovers is that eating it has almost no effect
are consumed than expended, weight loss on increasing insulin release. True, but this
will result no matter what the diet composi- has not been totally thought through. The
tion. This diet (or practically any diet) will reason fruit doesn’t increase insulin levels
promote weight loss as long as an energy is that it is released from the liver as fat
deficit is maintained. The high-fat diet can instead of carbohydrate, and fat doesn’t
actually promote fairly rapid weight loss stimulate insulin release.
because of its favorable effects on insulin. If you want to try the high-fat diet ap-
However, you will run into problems on proach we would suggest you use MCT in
this diet when you approach maintenance place of conventional fat and avoid simple
level, calorically. Disaster occurs during sugars, particularly fructose. This is very
calorie-excess when using the high-fat diet. similar to some of the competition diets we
Fat intake does not promote fat oxidation. have been devising for bodybuilders over
If you consume excess calories supplied in the years. In the Parrillo version, start by
the form of fat, they will be stored as fat. eating one gram of protein per pound of
Period. You cannot use this diet to gain bodyweight per day. Limit conventional fat
weight, unless you want to gain fat. By as much as possible and provide 30 percent
using MCT as the fat source — instead of of total calories from CapTri®. Derive the
long chain triglyceride — you can avoid remainder of your calories from complex
the inherent problems. This results in a carbohydrate. Avoid simple sugars, includ-
favorable insulin profile and eliminates ing those found in milk and fruit. Avoid
the metabolic complications of consum- refined carbohydrates such as bread and
ing conventional fat. And since MCT is pasta as well. Divide your daily total num-
not retained as adipose, this makes it an ber of calories into five or six small meals,
ideal energy substitute during a weight with roughly equal amounts of protein and
gain phase. MCT use seems to minimize carbohydrate at each meal. If your goal is to
fat deposition during weight gain. gain muscle mass, increase overall calories
Another problem with the conventional by increasing carbohydrates. If your goal
30:40:30 high-fat diet is the inclusion of is to lose bodyfat, decrease calories by de-
sugars, particularly in the form of fruit. creasing carbohydrates. For exact instruc-
Fruit can blow a diet. Fruit provides most tions on how to construct meals, consult
of its calories in the form of simple sug- the Parrillo Nutrition Manual.
ars: glucose and fructose. Fructose is an
especially bad choice for bodybuilders be-
cause it bypasses the phosphofructokinase
enzyme step during glycolysis (20). This
enzyme acts as a switch and determines
whether sugars are stored as glycogen or
burned as fuel. Fructose enters the glyco-
lytic pathway and bypasses this enzyme.
The fructose molecules are automatically
shunted toward oxidation. During carbo-
hydrate oxidation the carbon skeleton is
Growth Hormone Physiology

by John Parrillo
Growth hormone is one of the hottest organs as well. Acromegaly is a disease amino acid concentration. Ribosomes are
topics in bodybuilding (and the lay press). caused by overproduction of growth hor- the machines inside cells that link amino
This month I want to explain exactly what mone by a functional pituitary tumor. acids together to form proteins. Third,
growth hormone is, how it works and how Individuals with acromegaly have charac- GH promotes gene expression, increas-
to increase your growth hormone level teristic deformities of the face, hands, feet ing the amount of RNA inside cells.
through diet, exercise and supplementa- and other body structures. While we want RNA is a nucleic acid molecule that
tion. to optimize GH levels, more is not better. contains the information specifying the
Growth hormone (GH) is a protein In addition to promoting growth, GH sequence of amino acids strung together
hormone made by the pituitary gland, a has a variety of metabolic effects (1,3), to form a protein. In other words, the
small secretory gland at the base of the including increased protein synthesis and RNA contains the protein blueprint and
brain. Hormones, chemical messengers nitrogen retention, increased utilization of tells the ribosome what to do. This chain
secreted by endocrine glands into the fat as energy and decreased carbohydrate of events will result in increased protein
bloodstream, are delivered to target tis- usage. In elderly individuals deficient in synthesis if the cell contains adequate
sues, where they exert their effects. Un- GH, restoration of more youthful GH lev- amino acids, energy, vitamins and other
like other pituitary hormones, GH has no nutrients necessary for growth. This is an
specific target gland. It exerts its effects important point to consider: In order for
on nearly all body tissues (1). GH re- GH to be effective the cell must contain
lease is controlled by two other hormones adequate nutrients and energy, otherwise
produced by the hypothalamus, a higher growth cannot occur. Nutrition is abso-
brain structure. Growth hormone releas- lutely critical. Finally, GH also seems to
ing hormone (GHRH) stimulates GH re- promote positive protein balance by de-
lease, while growth hormone inhibitory creasing protein breakdown (catabolism).
hormone (GHIH) inhibits GH secretion. One way it might do this is by increasing
GHIH is also called somatostatin. The the use of fat as an energy source, thereby
balance between these stimulatory and sparing body protein.
inhibiting influences determines GH re- Growth hormone increases the release
lease. What, then, determines the balance of fatty acids from adipose tissue and
between GHRH and GHIH? Age and increases serum-free fatty acid concentra-
body composition are the most important tion (1). Furthermore, it seems to increase
factors. Aging and adiposity negatively the oxidation of fatty acids as fuel inside
influence GH release (2); however, GH cells. It causes cells to preferentially use
release can be enhanced through diet, fat as fuel over carbohydrate and protein
exercise and supplementation. (1). Not only does this reduce protein
Although growth hormone is important catabolism, but it also spares glycogen.
to bodybuilders, its primary function is to els promotes increased muscle mass and Some people have suggested that the
promote growth during childhood. People decreased bodyfat. The natural decline in increased availability of fat as fuel and
born with a growth hormone deficiency GH levels accompanying aging may be the accompanying decrease in amino acid
will become dwarfs unless it is replaced. partially responsible for the changes in oxidation is the primary mechanism by
Actively growing children have the high- body composition that occur as we grow which GH enhances nitrogen balance.
est levels of growth hormone. Gradu- older. This is controversial and poses quite
ally, GH release decreases with age. The GH seems to enhance protein synthesis an interesting hypothesis. We know, for
decline in GH levels may in fact be the in several ways (1,3). First, it promotes example, that the medium chain triglyc-
cause of some of the processes of aging. transport of amino acids across cell mem- erides in CapTri® are preferentially used
Growth hormone promotes growth branes into the cells in which protein as an energy source and spare amino acid
of nearly all the tissues of the body (1), synthesis occurs (1). The increased con- oxidation. Perhaps this is why CapTri®
including bones and internal organs. It centration of amino acids inside cells seems to enhance lean body mass. It may
stimulates cell division, causing tissues means that more are available to be in- work by a similar mechanism.
to grow. Bodybuilders who inject syn- corporated into proteins. Second, it seems Growth hormone also affects carbohy-
thetic GH should understand that its effect to stimulate the ribosomes to make more drate metabolism. It decreases the use of
is not limited to muscles; it effects other protein by a mechanism independent of glucose as energy, thereby sparing glyco-
gen. The exact details of this are not un- of the actions of GH are brought about not. During protein malnutrition the body
derstood, but again it may be related to the by IGF-1 and other somatomedins, one loses muscle mass, so more GH is re-
increased utilization of fat. This has the might say that the function of GH is to leased in an attempt to counteract this; the
effect of increasing glycogen deposition. stimulate somatomedin production. The body fights to preserve muscle and does
When GH is administered to an animal, half-life of IGF-1 is about 20 hours. So so by promoting the utilization of fat as
it initially causes an increase in glucose the IGF-1 “smooths out” the effective- energy instead of amino acids. Although
uptake by the cells. After about an hour ness of a single burst of GH release. The starvation will increase GH levels, it
glucose uptake by cells decreases, prob- emerging picture? Most of the anabolic won’t help you gain muscle.
ably because the cells are so full of glu- actions of GH are mediated by IGF-1 and Exercise is a relatively potent stimulus
cose by this time. This results in increased GH has a direct catabolic effect on lipid for GH release. Many studies seem to
serum glucose, which in turn stimulates be in agreement that intense exercise,
insulin release. Furthermore, GH directly particularly anaerobic exercise resulting
stimulates the pancreas, commanding it to in glycolysis and lactic acid formation,
release more insulin. In cases of GH ex- are the most effective forms of exercise
cess, these factors combined can promote for increasing GH (2,4,5,6). This is prob-
diabetes. It also causes insulin resistance, ably why intense exercise, such as weight
so that larger than usual amounts of insu- lifting, results in greater changes in body
lin are required to be active. You may be composition than low intensity exercise,
aware that some bodybuilders who use such as walking. If you look at people
anabolic steroids and growth hormone who only perform low intensity exercise,
also use insulin. This is the reason why. you can see that they’re able to lose
It was discovered that when GH is sup- weight and get smaller, but not lean and
plied to cells grown in a culture outside muscular. Compare marathon runners to
the body, it often fails to produce many sprinters. Both utilize the same exercise
of its effects. This led to the suggestion (running), but sprinting has much higher
that perhaps some other compound might intensity. The marathon runners are thin
mediate some of the actions of GH. Sub- and sleek while the sprinters are much
sequently it has been determined that the more muscular. Is there a connection?
liver, and to a lesser extent most other Most likely.
cells, make proteins called somatomedins This also explains why you should al-
in response to GH exposure. It turns out ways include some sets with higher reps.
that most, but not all, of the actions of It is certainly possible to pick a heavy
GH are actually brought about by these weight and train to failure after five reps,
secondary messengers. Many of the ac- metabolism (3). but this does not result in lactic acid ac-
tions of the somatomedins are similar to The primary factor in determining cumulation. This style of training is an
insulin, so they also have the name “insu- overall GH secretion is undoubtedly age. excellent way to increase strength but by
lin-like growth factors,” or IGF. At least Growth hormone levels are highest during itself does not result in optimal size in-
four IGFs have been characterized. The childhood. Gradually GH levels decrease creases. Train to failure with higher reps,
most important of these seems to be IGF- to about 25 percent of the initial level in as many as 20-25 reps, to really feel an
1. Some dwarfs actually have adequate the elderly. The second major GH factor is intense burn. And just because you’re us-
GH levels, but have a genetic defect that body composition (2). Excessive bodyfat ing a lighter weight for more reps doesn’t
does not allow them to make IGF-1. This seems to decrease GH levels. GH is nor- mean it’s a wimpy set. You can and
highlights the importance of these mol- mally released in a pulsatile (pulsation) should push the set to absolute failure.
ecules in mediating GH actions. fashion: the biggest spike occurs about Training with moderate (and even light)
It is interesting to note that the life span two hours after deep sleep. So this means weights can be very intense if you do it
of growth hormone in the blood is very sleep is a stimulus for GH release. Other right. We do 100 rep sets with the belt
short. Its half-life (the time required for factors which increase GH release include squat, and believe me, it’s brutal. For op-
its concentration to drop by one-half) exercise, excitement, stress, malnutrition timal muscular development you need to
is about 20 minutes. We might think at and some specific nutrients. Malnutrition do some training with very heavy weights
first that GH would have very short-lived is an interesting one to consider. Protein in the 3-5 rep range, some training in
effects, based on its short half-life, or malnutrition turns out to be a powerful the 8-10 rep range, and some training in
perhaps that we would have to secrete stimulus for GH release. Does this mean the 20 rep range, until you really feel a
it continuously in order to get much of we want to deprive ourselves of protein burn. It is these higher rep sets, carried
an effect. Neither is true. Since most in order to increase GH levels? Certainly to failure, that stimulate GH release most
effectively. (6). Why? Probably the larger volume of and let me know what kind of results you
You’ve heard you should do low reps work, done with enough reps to result in get. Transform your metabolism into a
for mass and high reps for definition. An some lactic acid production, combined muscle-building, fat-burning mode by us-
oversimplification to be sure, but with an with short rest intervals, is the best way ing these GH-stimulating techniques. You
element of truth. Most people explain it to trigger GH release. It may prove ben- might see a remarkable transformation
this way: The high rep work burns more eficial to include some high intensity in a relatively short time. Using Parrillo
calories so helps you get more cut. This aerobics as part of your cardiovascular Performance principles, real people get
isn’t what’s really happening. In reality, training. There seems to be theoretical real results real fast!
you don’t burn many calories (relatively) justification to include sprinting for better
lifting weights — even with high rep sets. results. References
The main factor is that the high rep sets You can also optimize GH release
trigger GH release. If done consistently, through nutrition and supplementation. A 1. Guyton AC and Hall JE. Textbook of
over time, this use of high rep sets will diet higher in protein seems to promote Medical Physiology. W.B. Saunders Com-
change body composition. How do you GH release. Another piece of advice is to pany, Philadelphia, 1996.
take advantage of this knowledge and not eat for two hours before a workout.
spur GH release? It depends. A rough Exercise seems to result in more GH re- 2. Vance ML. Nutrition, body composition,
guideline might be 25 percent of your sets lease if performed on an empty stomach. physical activity and growth hormone se-
in the 3-5 rep range, 50 percent in the 8- What you should do just depends on your cretion. Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology
10 rep range, and 25 percent in the 20-25 goals. If your goal is to be as strong as & Metabolism 9 suppl 3: 299-301, 1996.
rep range. Try this for six weeks and see possible in the gym, lifting the heaviest
what happens. Many bodybuilders have weight you can, some ProCarb™ and 3. Shils ME, Olson JA, and Shike M. Mod-
this idea that if they do more than 12 reps CapTri® an hour beforehand will give ern Nutrition in Health and Disease. Lea &
they’re wasting their time, and should just you more energy and help you be stron- Febiger, Malvern, PA, 1994.
increase the weight. Not so. Doing work ger. But if your goal is to train for maxi-
with higher reps is very beneficial. Just mal GH release, you should probably wait 4. Roemmich JN and Rogol AD. Exercise
and growth hormone: does one affect the
remember you have to take it to failure for two hours before you train.
other? Journal of Pediatrics: 131, S75-80,
even if you’re doing high reps. Plus, if Certain nutrients have also been shown
1997.
you have never trained above 12 reps, the to increase GH levels (2,7,8,9). Certain
change will undoubtedly stimulate your combinations of specific amino acids,
5. Kraemer WJ, Fleck SJ, et al. Changes
progress. such as found in Enhanced GH Formu-
in hormonal concentrations after differ-
Another exercise parameter which seems la™, are shown to enhance GH release
ent heavy resistance exercise protocols in
to enhance GH release is to use shorter (8). Probably the best way to use these women. Journal of Applied Physiology 75:
rest intervals. To do this, of course, you is on an empty stomach, first thing in 594-604, 1993.
have to use lighter weights (and more the morning, right before a workout, and
reps). A difficult protocol which works before bed. We were impressed to learn 6. Hakkinen K and Pakarinen A. Acute
well to increase GH levels is to train to that MCTs, like CapTri®, can be a potent hormonal responses to two different fa-
failure at 10 reps (use 10 rep maximum stimulus for GH release (9). As far as we tiguing heavy resistance protocols in male
weight) combined with one minute rest know, this has only been examined in athletes. Journal of Applied Physiology 74:
intervals (5). If you’re used to resting 3-5 one study, but this study demonstrated a 882-887, 1993.
minutes between sets, shortening up the 900 percent increase in plasma GH levels
rest interval to one minute or less; it will two hours after MCT ingestion that was 7. Vance ML, Hartman ML, and Thorner
work wonders. Sometimes bodybuilders maintained for three hours. If you eat MO. Growth hormone and nutrition. Hor-
get into a rut; they plateau and can’t every three hours, that would keep GH mone Research 38: suppl. 1: 85-88, 1992.
figure out the problem. It might be that levels up all day. We wonder if this is part
they’re training like powerlifters: very of the way CapTri® works, in addition 8. Isidori A, Lo Monaco A, Cappa M. A
heavy weights, very low reps with long to it’s unique metabolic properties. We study of growth hormone release in man
rest intervals. If you haven’t made good know that a high protein diet, medium after oral administration of amino acids.
gains in awhile try to incorporate some of in carbohydrates and containing one to Current Medical Research and Opinion. 7:
these GH-releasing ideas. two tablespoons of CapTri® each meal, 475-481, 1981.
In 1993 a scientific study compared consumed every two an a half to three
the GH-release of 20 sets of one rep each hours, helps most people get lean and 9. Valls E, Herrera F, Diaz M, Barreiro
(done maximally) to 10 sets of 10 reps muscular. I wonder how much of this ef- P, and Valls A. Modification in plasmatic
(also maximum) and found the 10 sets fect is mediated by GH. Try these modifi- insulin and growth hormone induced by
of 10 reps resulted in greater GH release cations in your diet and exercise program medium chain triglycerides. Span. Ana.
Ped. 11: 675-682, 1978.
Controlling Insulin for Optimal Results, Part I

by John Parrillo
While insulin is one of the most im- protein metabolism. for medium chain fatty acids like Cap-
portant hormones in determining body Insulin’s most profound effect is prob- Tri®) are packaged into special transport
composition, it is also one of the most ably on carbohydrate metabolism. After a particles called chylomicrons, which do
misunderstood by bodybuilders. A clear meal the food is broken down by stomach not enter the portal vein but instead are
concept of what insulin does, and how acid and by enzymes in the stomach and carried by the lymphatic system. CapTri®
to control it, is key to achieving your small intestine. After the nutrients are acts more like a carbohydrate (and in fact
physique goals. You can think of insulin digested into molecular-sized fragments, has been referred to as a “carbolipid”
essentially as a storage hormone, which they are absorbed across the lining of the in the literature) because it is absorbed
is released by the pancreas after eating small intestine into the bloodstream. Car- by the portal vein and taken to the liver
and stimulates cells to absorb and store bohydrates are broken down into mono- where it is immediately processed for
nutrients from the bloodstream. Insulin or disaccharides, meaning one sugar energy production.
is both anabolic and anti-catabolic. The molecule or two sugar molecules linked After the carbohydrates reach the liver,
major dilemma is that insulin promotes together. Proteins are broken down to the they are converted to glucose, the form
fat storage as well as muscle growth. level of individual amino acids or short of sugar which is released into the blood-
You need to have some insulin around in polypeptides, which are short chains of stream. One exception is fructose, a form
order to grow (and to live for of sugar present in fruit (and
that matter) but too much will many sports bars, ironically).
lead to excess bodyfat. Control Due to the molecular structure
is the key. of fructose, a significant frac-
Diabetes is a disease in tion of it is converted into fat
which insulin is either not pres- by the liver and is released into
ent or else ineffective. Type I the bloodstream as a fat instead
diabetes, which usually affects of a carbohydrate. (We have
children, is an autoimmune dis- discussed the biochemistry of
ease resulting in destruction of this in detail previously in #1
the cells in the pancreas that in the Sports Nutrition Guide).
produce insulin. These patients This is why we encourage our
lose weight even in the face athletes to avoid fruit and fruit
of eating more, because their juice, and to carefully read
cells do not effectively absorb the label before deciding on a
the nutrients. This underscores sports bar. Parrillo Bars provide
insulin’s important role as an carbohydrate in a form, that is
Small frequent meals combining slowly converted to glucose, not
anabolic hormone. Type II dia-
betes usually affects adults, and starches with fibrous vegetables and fructose.
in this case insulin is present protein slows the release of glucose So after a meal the amount
but is not effective because the of glucose in the bloodstream
insulin receptor is not effective-
into the bloodstreem. rises. This causes a rapid secre-
ly activated by insulin. These tion of insulin. This insulin in
patients are said to be “insulin a few amino turn acts as a signal for cells to absorb
resistant.” acids. These protein and carbohydrate and store glucose. The tissues that are
Let’s discuss insulin’s actions, espe- breakdown products are absorbed into most affected are muscle, fat and liver.
cially as related to bodybuilding, and the bloodstream and transported directly Muscle tissue relies on carbohydrate (in
then discuss how insulin secretion is con- to the liver by a special vein called the the form of glucose) and fatty acids as
trolled. This will lead to an understanding portal vein. So the liver gets “first dibs” at its most common energy sources. At rest
of dietary strategies to optimize insulin these nutrients and is the processing plant and during low intensity exercise muscle
control and body composition. We will that controls their metabolism. Fats fol- tissue relies most heavily on fat. Muscle
see that insulin occupies a central posi- low a different pathway, which we have cells normally are not very permeable
tion in the control of carbohydrate, fat and discussed in other articles. Fats (except to glucose, meaning that glucose cannot
easily get inside the cell. During the fast- mals (starch is the analogous molecule in blocking glycogen breakdown (by inhib-
ing state blood glucose concentrations are plants). When the cell needs glucose for iting phosphorylase). These actions work
low, and therefore insulin concentrations fuel, the glycogen is broken down into together to promote storage of glucose as
are low too, so the muscle cell relies more glucose units, which are then converted glycogen. About 100 grams of glycogen
heavily on fat since the glucose can’t get to energy. This is especially useful during can be stored in the liver. A hour or two
in. Shortly after a meal blood glucose high intensity anaerobic exercise such as after a meal, blood glucose levels start
levels rise, causing an increase in insulin weight lifting or sprinting. Glucose can be to fall. This reduces insulin secretion
levels. The insulin binds to receptors on converted to lactic acid (a process which by the pancreas and reverses the steps
the cell membrane stimulating the uptake releases energy) even without oxygen. above. Also, glucagon is secreted by the
of glucose by muscle cells. Therefore for Aerobic metabolism requires the pres- pancreas, which has the opposite actions
the first hour or so after a meal muscle ence of oxygen, so the rate of aerobic of insulin. This results in the activation of
cells use more glucose as fuel. Exercise energy production is limited by the rate the enzyme phosphorylase, which breaks
also somehow causes muscle to rely more of oxygen delivery. Once this level of down glycogen into glucose phosphate.
heavily on glucose as its energy source. exercise intensity is exceeded, anaerobic The enzyme glucose phosphatase then
This is regardless of the fact that insulin metabolism can provide an additional removes the phosphate group from the
levels are low during exercise. Somehow energy boost for a few minutes. Only glucose molecule, allowing it to leave
the contractile process makes the muscle glucose (and not fat) can be converted the liver cell and enter the bloodstream.
cell more permeable to glucose. So mus- to energy anaerobically. So while fat is The phosphate group has a strong electric
cles use glucose as fuel during the fasting an important fuel source for aerobic ex- charge, which makes it thermodynami-
state (several hours after a meal) and ercise, carbohydrate is the primary fuel cally unfavorable for glucose phosphate
during exercise. During the fasting state used to power weight lifting. to cross the lipid membrane and leave the
insulin levels are too low to stimulate sig- Insulin exerts a profound effect on car- cell. Muscle cells lack glucose phospha-
nificant glucose uptake by muscle. bohydrate metabolism in the liver. One of tase, and that’s why the glucose taken up
If I may digress for a moment, a related the most important jobs of the liver is to by muscles is trapped there. The presence
question that often confuses people is maintain blood glucose concentrations. of this enzyme in liver cells allows them
what is the optimal aerobic exercise inten- Under normal conditions the brain relies to release their glucose into the blood-
sity to burn fat? At first you might think exclusively on glucose as its fuel source, stream. Usually about 60 percent of the
that low intensity exercise, like walking, so it is critical that blood glucose levels carbohydrate in a meal is temporarily
would be best. It is true that during low be maintained. If blood glucose levels stored by the liver, to be released later
intensity exercise, a higher percentage of drop too low (for example by the use of between meals.
the calories burned are derived from fat. too much injectable insulin, or in the very We reach a very important point here.
However, it is also true that fewer total rare case of insulin producing pancre- The liver can only store so much gly-
calories are burned. So higher intensity atic tumors) confusion results which can cogen, and then it gets full. If too much
aerobics will burn more fat grams per progress to coma and even death. So the carbohydrate is consumed in a single
hour, even though it works out to be a liver soaks up a lot of glucose after a meal meal, and liver glycogen stores are satu-
lower percentage of calories. And what and stores it, and then slowly releases it rated, insulin will promote the liver to
we care about during our aerobics is the as blood sugar levels drop several hours convert the excess glucose into fat. This
amount of fat we burn, not the percent- later. This acts to maintain a relatively fat then enters the bloodstream and is
age. Furthermore, high intensity aerobics constant blood glucose level even hours stored in fat cells. Regular readers on this
also induces changes in mitochondria, after a meal. This guarantees a constant column will know that it takes a huge
which make them more efficient at burn- fuel source for the brain and other body amount of carbohydrate in a single meal
ing fat. If you don’t believe this reasoning tissues. Muscle cells are unable to re- to result in conversion of carbohydrate
just look around and ask yourself who’s lease the glucose they store back into the to fat. However, if you overconsume
leaner, the people walking in the mall or bloodstream. Once glucose gets inside a carbohydrates repeatedly, liver glycogen
the people running outside? Hands down, muscle cell, it’s trapped there. This makes stores will eventually become saturated
the runners are leaner than the walkers. the liver’s job even more critical, and ex- and the excess carbohydrate can be con-
Although during high intensity aerobics plains why it gets first dibs at the nutrients verted to fat. The keys are not to eat too
muscles use relatively more glucose, they as they leave the small intestine. many calories in any one meal or over
also use more fat. Insulin exerts its control on liver the day. If you are trying to gain weight,
Insulin stimulates muscle cells to absorb carbohydrate metabolism at several key we have found a daily calorie excess of
glucose and to convert it into glycogen. points. Primarily it acts to stimulate the 300-500 calories per day works well for
Glycogen is a polymer (chain) of glu- conversion of glucose into glycogen (by most people. If you try to gain weight too
cose molecules linked together, and is increasing the activities of phosphofruc- quickly, by eating too large an excess of
the storage form of carbohydrate in ani- tokinase and glycogen synthetase) and by calories, then you will gain more fat along
with the muscle. To stay lean while gain- the glycemic index of individual foods Now we will consider the influence of
ing weight, gain slowly. Usually a pound becomes essentially useless. To site some insulin on protein metabolism. Insulin
a week is a good goal. If you put on fat examples, ice cream has a very low gly- acts to promote the storage not only of
easily, try to limit your caloric surplus to cemic index, around 30-32. (Pure sugar carbohydrate, but also of protein (and
250-300 calories a day. And even natu- or white bread are used as the standards, fat, don’t forget). In the absence of in-
rally lean people will begin to put on fat if and are defined to have a GI of 100.) This sulin, protein synthesis drops to zero.
their energy surplus exceeds 500 calories is because the fat and protein in the ice There are several ways insulin promotes
a day. The second point is meal pattern- cream slows down the entry of the sugar protein storage. For one, it stimulates
ing. By this I mean small, frequent meals. into the bloodstream. If you went by gly- the transport of some amino acids inside
By dividing your daily caloric allotment cemic index, you might think ice cream muscle cells. Most notably the branched
into many smaller meals, this will spread would be a good bodybuilding food. It chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine,
out and slow down the release of glucose results in a low insulin response, so it and valine. These also happen to be
into the bloodstream, thereby reducing should not make you fat. Unfortunately, the most abundant amino acids incor-
insulin levels. If insulin levels become porated into muscle proteins. So if you
too high, this increases the proportion of use a BCAA supplement, such as Par-
calories which are stored as fat. Third, rillo Muscle Amino, you should take it
meal structure is important. By combin- with meals. This will promote maximum
ing starches with fibrous vegetables and absorption into muscle cells. Last month
protein this slows the release of glucose I discussed that growth hormone also
into the blood, also acting to help moder- stimulates amino acid uptake by cells and
ate the insulin response. These techniques protein synthesis. So both hormones have
are incorporated into the Parrillo Perfor- an anabolic effect on protein synthesis.
mance Nutrition Program. Insulin stimulates the transcription of cer-
Probably a word about glycemic index tain genes, to increase the amount of RNA
(GI) is warranted here. Glycemic index inside cells. It also stimulates the activity
is a way of monitoring how fast a par- of ribosomes, the machines that connect
ticular food is digested and appears as amino acids together to make proteins.
glucose in the bloodstream. This then These three actions have a synergistic ef-
is a rough index of the insulin response fect to increase protein synthesis. Insulin
elicited by the food. It is measured by is also anti-catabolic acting to inhibit
feeding an individual food (ice cream protein breakdown. It probably does this
or potatoes, for example) in a standard- by reducing the activity of lysosomes,
ized amount (usually 100 grams) and digestive factories inside cells that de-
then drawing blood samples at frequent grade old proteins. Insulin also decreases
intervals after the meal and measuring the rate of gluconeogenesis. This is the
blood glucose. This sounds like a great production of glucose (think “glucose
idea at first, but the problem is it doesn’t genesis”) from amino acids by the liver.
Frutose elicits no insulin response,
work when applied to real life situations. When blood glucose levels get too low,
People don’t eat meals consisting of just yet is quickly transported into the and the liver runs out of glycogen, muscle
one single food (at least bodybuilders bloodstreem and easly converted cells break down their own proteins and
don’t). Bodybuilders know that they get into bodyfat. release amino acids into the bloodstream.
the best results when they combine car- The liver has the ability to convert these
bohydrates and protein together at each into glucose. This process is kind of a last
meal. By consuming protein at each meal, it doesn’t work that way. Ice cream is a resort that the body is forced to rely on
this continually supplies the muscle cells terrible bodybuilding food, because it can in order to maintain glucose availability
with the amino acids they need to build make you very fat. Potatoes and carrots for the brain. Unfortunately, fat cannot
protein. And by consuming carbohydrate on the other hand have a high glycemic be converted into glucose, so you have to
at each meal, this provides a stimulus for index, around 100. So you might think break down muscle protein in this situ-
insulin release, which promotes amino they would make you fat. It turns out that ation. This is obviously a bodybuilder’s
acid uptake and protein synthesis. So potatoes and carrots are great bodybuild- worst nightmare. This will happen in
protein and carbohydrate should always ing foods. When they are combined with cases when either overall caloric intake
be consumed together. This completely protein and fibrous vegetables their rate or else carbohydrate intake is too low.
changes the rate of entry of glucose into of digestion is greatly slowed, so that the Another instance is in prolonged inten-
the bloodstream for the mixed meal, thus GI of the mixed meal is much lower. sive aerobic exercise, such as marathon
running. This is why marathon runners, to get the job done. What about using
while being quite lean, also have small insulin as a stand alone drug, without
legs. To avoid this from happening, don’t anabolic steroids and GH? This won’t
restrict calories too severely and don’t work, it will just make you fat. Studies in
go too low on carbs. We find that fat loss rats have demonstrated that injecting su-
of one to two pounds a week is optimal. pra-physiologic (excess) insulin promotes
Usually if you try to lose faster than that excess fat storage. The only reason to use
most of the additional weight lost will injectable insulin is if you’re a diabetic
be muscle. Also, the very low carb diets who needs it, and even then using more
set you up for this problem. Generally I than you need will just make you fat. One
would not recommend going lower than of the goals of the bodybuilding diet is to
one gram of carbohydrate per pound of reduce insulin levels, so what sense does
body weight per day, and certainly never it make to inject it? If you want to ex-
less than 100 grams per day. When insu- periment in a natural way with increased
lin levels get too low, protein synthesis insulin levels, just eat a diet high in sugar.
virtually stops, muscle breakdown is ac- See what I mean?
celerated and muscle cells release large Next month we will continue our dis-
amounts of amino acids in the blood. The cussion of insulin and look at how insulin
liver picks these up and converts them affects fat metabolism. Also, we’ll go into
into glucose. This is why people with more detail about dietary strategies to op-
(untreated) diabetes experience muscle timize insulin response.
wasting and weakness.
There seems to be a synergistic effect References
between insulin and growth hormone. Ex-
periments have been performed in young 1. For more information about the physi-
rats in which their pancreas and pituitary ologic effects of insulin, refer to Guyton
glands were removed. This renders them AC and Hall JE. Textbook of Medical
deficient in both insulin and growth hor- Physiology. W.B. Saunders Company,
mone. In this situation growth stops. Philadelphia, 1996.
When either hormone is injected into
the animals alone, a little growth results 2. For detailed information about how
but not much. When both hormones are to construct your diet for optimal insulin
injected together dramatic growth results. control, refer to the Parrillo Performance
So while both hormones are anabolic Nutrition Manual.
and anti-catabolic, neither one can do the
job by itself. The reasons for this are not
entirely clear, but may have to do with
the fact the each hormone stimulates the
uptake of a different set of amino acids.
What about the use of injectable insulin
as a drug by some bodybuilders? First I
will say that this is dangerous. While all
drugs have potential side effects, insulin
has the ability to kill you right now, if you
inject too much of it. The rationale for
bodybuilders using insulin has two parts.
First, we have discussed the synergistic
effect of insulin and growth hormone
above. So bodybuilders who use growth
hormone think they will get better results
from their GH if they combine it with
insulin. Second, growth hormone and
anabolic steroids cause some degree of
insulin resistance, so it takes more insulin
Controlling Insulin for Optimal Results, Part II

by John Parrillo
Last month we began our discussion called lipoprotein lipase. This enzyme is sympathetic nervous system, and is also
about insulin and discussed its role in car- activated by insulin. Then the free fatty activated by stress and exercise. Epi-
bohydrate and protein metabolism. Now acids enter the fat cell and are combined nephrine and norepinephrine both work
I will discuss how insulin affects fat me- with glycerol to reform the triglycerides. by activating an enzyme called hormone
tabolism and fuel selection, and dietary So, we see that insulin stimulates the rate- sensitive lipase. This enzyme splits the
strategies for optimal insulin control. limiting steps of both fat synthesis and fat triglycerides into free fatty acids so they
As mentioned last month, insulin storage. can be released from the fat cells. Insulin
causes cells to absorb glucose and use Not only does insulin act to promote inhibits this enzyme, thereby preventing
glucose as an energy source. This auto- storage of fat, it also inhibits the release the breakdown of triglycerides and re-
matically decreases fatty acid oxidation, of fatty acids from fat cells. The most po- lease of fatty acids from fat cells.
since more glucose is being used. Insu- Finally, insulin also stimulates glucose
lin thus switches your metabolism to a uptake by fat cells. Once inside, the
carbohydrate-burning mode. Insulin also glucose is metabolized and forms alpha-
promotes fatty acid synthesis by the liver. glycerol phosphate. This is converted to
These fats are then transported through glycerol, which is combined with fatty
the blood for storage in fat cells. Not only acids to form triglycerides. This is an-
does insulin stimulate the liver to synthe- other way in which insulin promotes fat
size fat, but it also promotes fat uptake storage.
and storage by fat cells. As you might expect, when insulin lev-
Insulin stimulates glucose uptake by liv- els are low these effects are reversed. Low
er cells. After the glucose concentration insulin levels, as occur between meals,
builds up and glycogen stores become during fasting and during exercise, take
saturated, the remainder of the glucose the brakes off fat metabolism. This al-
is available for conversion to fat. This is lows hormone sensitive lipase to become
one key reason why we recommend you active, which releases large quantities of
divide your daily allotment of calories fatty acids and glycerol into the blood.
into several small meals instead of fewer Then it is transported to muscles for use
large meals. This will present your liver as fuel. Thus, in the absence of insulin,
with less carbohydrate load at a time, your body switches from burning mainly
thus minimizing conversion to fat. Fur- carbs to burning mostly fat. There are a
thermore, some intermediates of glucose couple of obvious implications here. One
metabolism generated by the citric acid is that you don’t want to eat right before
cycle (the metabolic pathway responsible exercise if your goal is fat loss. This is
for the conversion of glucose to energy) CapTri in place of carbs especially relevant regarding your aerobic
activate the enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxyl- lowers insulin levels and exercise. If you don’t eat for two hours
ase. This enzyme catalyzes the rate-limit- encourages fat burning for before your aerobics, then insulin and
blood glucose levels will be low so you’ll
ing step in fatty acid biosynthesis. Simply
put, if glucose concentrations build up too energy. rely more heavily on fat as a fuel source.
high in liver cells, this activates the enzy- This is also why we recommend doing
matic pathway that converts glucose into tent stimuli for release of fatty acids from your aerobics first thing in the morning
fat. The newly synthesized fatty acids are adipocytes (fat cells) are epinephrine and on an empty stomach. Also, it does make
coupled to glycerol to form triglycerides, norepinephrine. Epinephrine, also known some sense to reduce carbohydrate intake
the usual form in which fat is transported as adrenaline, is a hormone released from when you’re trying to lose fat. This “low-
and stored. The triglycerides are then the adrenal gland in response to exercise, carb” approach helps lower insulin levels,
carried through the blood to fat cells in stress or fear. Norepinephrine is closely thereby promoting use of fat as fuel. You
adipose depots. However, before they can related, but is more commonly consid- don’t want to cut calories too severely,
be taken up by fat cells the fatty acids are ered a neurotransmitter than a hormone. however, or this will reduce metabolic
cleaved from the glycerol by an enzyme It is released from nerve endings of the rate and promote muscle catabolism. So
it would be nice if we had some other insulin level quickly reduces the glucose tokinin. The intestinal tract releases these
energy source to use in place of carbs. level by stimulating cells to absorb glu- hormones after you eat a meal. Further-
That’s where CapTri® fits in. It supplies cose. Then the insulin level decreases more, the autonomic nervous system can
a source of energy, which you can use in again just as rapidly as it increased. This also stimulate the pancreas to release
place of carbohydrates, to lower insulin constitutes an important feedback mecha- insulin.
and encourage the use of body fat for nism to maintain glucose control. So we see that while insulin is neces-
energy. CapTri® has a high thermogenic Protein also stimulates insulin release, sary for growth, since it is responsible
(heat producing) effect, which increases but not as strongly as carbohydrate. In- for transporting glucose and amino acids
metabolic rate. Also, it is preferentially sulin acts to help transport some amino inside cells, too much insulin is not a
metabolized for energy and is not stored acids inside cells, especially the BCAAs good thing. Too much will result in fat
as body fat, in stark contrast to conven- (branched chain amino acids). It also accumulation. We have found that what
tional fats. stimulates the incorporation of amino works best is a relatively uniform blood
In summary, insulin promotes fat syn- acids into protein, as we discussed last glucose and insulin level, and fairly fre-
thesis and storage and inhibits fat utili- month. quent feedings, including protein. This re-
zation. Therefore, we want to optimize Although I generally recommend that sults in the muscle cells being constantly
insulin levels to maximize use of fat as you consume carbohydrate and protein bathed in the nutrients they need to grow
fuel and minimize stored bodyfat. We’ll together, there is one exception. If you’re and having enough insulin to stimulate
talk more about how to do that later. dieting to lose fat sometimes it works amino acid uptake and protein synthesis,
Insulin acts to promote utilization of car- very well to have a protein drink before but not so much as to promote fat storage.
bohydrate as fuel and inhibits the use of bed. This takes the edge off your appetite To achieve this you should eat every two
fat. Low insulin levels switches the fuel and helps you resist cheating. Also, this and a half to three hours or so, which will
source oxidized from carbohydrate to protein helps prevent muscle breakdown work out to five or six meals a day. For
fat. And since the blood glucose level de- overnight and helps you burn fat while most people, it works quite well to have,
termines the insulin level, we can see that you’re sleeping. Right after a workout for the last meal of the day, Optimized
the composition of the fuel mix oxidized I would combine protein and carbs in Whey Protein™ right before bed, two to
(carbs versus fat) is determined primarily about a 50:50 ratio. This will help replete four scoops depending on your size. Seri-
by the blood glucose concentration. If glycogen stores and supply amino acids ous bodybuilders will want to use 50/50
blood glucose is high, you’ll burn mostly for growth. So the best supplement after Plus™ within 15 minutes after a workout,
carbs and not much fat. If blood glucose workouts is 50/50 Plus™ which will sup- again two to four scoops. Whether or not
is low, you’ll burn mostly fat. So you gen- ply nutrients optimal to support growth you count this as a meal just depends on
erally want to keep blood glucose low to and recovery. The best supplement before how many calories you need.
minimize bodyfat. That doesn’t mean you bed is two scoops of Optimized Whey Other meals should contain a protein
have to eat a low-carb diet, but you need Protein™ to suppress muscle breakdown source, a starch and a fibrous vegetable.
to select your carbs carefully and always without inhibiting fat metabolism over- The protein and the fiber slow the release
combine them with protein. Eating small, night. If you wake up starving in the of glucose from the starch, which serves
frequent meals helps. middle of the night and have bad crav- as your primary glucose source. Pick
The most potent stimulus for insulin ings, have another scoop of Optimized your starch carefully. The best ones for
secretion is carbohydrate ingestion, espe- Whey Protein™. The best supplement bodybuilders are beans, rice, potatoes,
cially simple sugars. The rapid increase to support your metabolism during low sweet potatoes, corn, peas, lentils, whole
in blood glucose concentration causes carb diets is CapTri®. Even during low- grains, oatmeal, and so on. Refer to the
a rapid insulin response. Normal blood carb diets, a good rule of thumb is not to Parrillo Performance Nutrition Manual
glucose levels are around 90 mg/dl and go below one gram per pound of body for a detailed list of choices, including
basal (background) insulin secretion is weight carbohydrate. Going too low in their nutrient profile.
minimal. After a meal when the blood carbs promotes muscle breakdown and “Meal patterning” refers to eating small,
glucose level rises above 100 insulin reduces thyroid hormone level, decreas- frequent meals, every three hours or so.
secretion is stimulated within three to ing metabolic rate and fat metabolism. Most people do best to limit each meal
five minutes. If blood glucose reaches The exception might be if you’re carb to 500-600 calories. If you eat too many
about twice its normal value, insulin may loading for a contest, you might go lower calories at a single meal this will elevate
increase to 10 times its normal level. This than this for one or two days during the blood glucose, and thus more insulin than
is accomplished through a combination depletion phase. is desirable. It will overwhelm the liver’s
of dumping insulin from the pancreas Some hormones released from the gas- storage capacity for glycogen and result
plus synthesis and release of insulin by trointestinal tract also stimulate insulin in “spilling over,” which refers to the
the beta cells, which are the cells of the secretion. These are gastric inhibitory conversion of carbohydrate into fat by
pancreas that make insulin. The increased peptide, gastrin, secretin, and cholecys- the liver. “Meal structuring” refers to the
design of each individual meal. As dis- Tri® to help you lose weight is to use it in
cussed above, each meal should contain place of starch. The way to use it to help
a protein source, a starch and a fibrous you gain weight is simply to add it to your
vegetable. Exactly how to combine these regular meals to increase calories. The
optimally varies from person to person. advantage of using CapTri® in this way is
A good starting place is to consume one that it has very little tendency to convert
gram of protein per pound of body weight to bodyfat. If your goal is to lose fat and
each day, and divide this evenly over six gain muscle at the same time, you will
meals. Limit conventional fat to five-10 need to train very intensely, and fairly fre-
percent of total calories. The remainder quently, and do your aerobics. The most
of your calories are derived from carbo- effective supplement combination for this
hydrate. Try to maintain this structure at would be 50/50 Plus™ after workouts,
each meal, except the last one right before Optimized Whey Protein™ before bed,
bed, in which a protein drink works well. CapTri® in place of some of your starch
Some people find they do better on even (maybe one tablespoon with each food
more protein, as much as two grams per meal, in place of 115 calories of starch),
pound of body weight per day. These are and creatine once a day (best taken with
people who are training very, very hard, the 50/50 Plus™ after your workout).
people who are dieting severely and in- The Parrillo Performance Nutrition
dividuals who genetically store fat easily Manual has a lot more information about
and find it hard to get lean. If you have the details of meal patterning, meal struc-
a genetic predisposition toward carry- turing and food selection than I can fit
ing too much fat, you will find that you in this article, but these are some of the
get leaner if you eat more protein and key concepts in achieving your physique
less carbohydrate. Conversely, if you’re goals.
naturally thin and find it hard to put on References
muscle, you’ll do better with more carbs.
The macronutrient ratio for each meal 1. For more information about the physi-
might vary from 30 percent protein, 60 ologic effects of insulin, refer to Guyton
percent carbohydrates and 10 percent fat AC and Hall JE. Textbook of Medical
to a 45 percent protein, 45 percent carbs Physiology. W.B. Saunders Company,
and 10 percent fat. A 2:1 ratio of carbs Philadelphia, 1996.
to protein works better in naturally thin
people because this results in a higher 2. For detailed information about how
insulin level, promoting weight gain. The to construct your diet for optimal insulin
1:1 carb to protein ratio works better for control, refer to the Parrillo Performance
individuals who store fat easily, since it Nutrition Manual.
results in a lower insulin level.
So far we have discussed food selection
(refer to the Parrillo Nutrition Manual
for a lot more details about this), meal
patterning and meal structuring. We have
mentioned a useful technique to maxi-
mize fat burning: do your aerobics before
breakfast and wait for two hours after a
meal before working out. Another trick is
to eliminate carbs from your last meal of
the day (an Optimized Whey Protein™
shake before bed). Finally, another very
effective way to reduce insulin levels is
to substitute CapTri® for some of your
starch. This will reduce the carbohydrate
load and decrease insulin release, helping
promote fat burning. The way to use Cap-
Controlling Bodyfat Metabolism, Part I

by John Parrillo
One topic virtually everyone (with the need to make a permanent change. You even a small amount of food can make
possible exception of Sumo wrestlers) need to pick a diet program with which you fat.
is concerned about is fat metabolism. you can live. An all fruit diet or a zero We deal with a lot of clients (mostly
Depending on how we define ‘fat’, about carb diet might make you lose weight, but women) who try to starve themselves
one-half of all Americans are considered is clearly a bad choice because you can’t thin, yet they cannot lose weight no mat-
overweight. One-third can be categorized live that way forever. ter how little they eat. I will say, almost
as obese. These numbers are shocking My second general concept is simple: to without exception, that these people are
and underscore the fact that most Ameri- achieve a lean, healthy, beautiful physique eating too little and not exercising enough.
cans just don’t eat properly or exercise requires exercise as well as a proper diet. Exercise increases your muscle mass,
enough. A century ago the big problem in This is a big problem for many Americans which in turn increases your metabolic
nutrition was nutritional deficiency. Now who don’t have time, energy or motiva- rate and helps you burn fat. Eating more
our problem is excess body weight. It has tion to exercise. Let’s face it, Americans and exercising helps people build muscle.
been said that America is the only country are lazy. We work hard and long hours Muscle is the engine that burns fat. When
where even the poor people are fat. Over but for most of us it is not work of a hard, we encounter someone who has been on
the eons people spent much of their day, a low calorie diet for a long time and just
and a lot of energy, gathering and prepar- can’t lose weight (and we see this situa-
ing food. Now you can order a pizza over tion practically everyday) we will have
the phone and have it delivered to your them increase calories and exercise. We
door. Food is readily available here, and actually ask them to gain a pound a week
it’s cheap, convenient and fast. You get a for the first four weeks following our diet
hamburger and fries without getting out of parameters. Chronic caloric deprivation
your car and there are vending machines lowers the metabolic rate as your body
at work loaded with candy bars and chips. adapts to the reduced energy intake by re-
Is it any wonder that Americans are fat? ducing energy expenditure. After just one
Many people want to eat right and try to month on this program, these individuals
lose weight, but they don’t know what to find the fat melts off.
do. There are low-fat diets, high-fat diets, Dieting alone won’t work optimally,
low-carb diets, rotation diets, fruit diets even if it is a proper diet. If you lose
and every other type of diet imaginable. weight by caloric restriction alone, with-
To make matters more confusing, they all out exercise, up to half of the weight you
work and they all don’t work. I’ll explain lose will be muscle. This approach will
this seeming contradiction later. There is also slow your metabolic rate, prevent-
a lot of confusion about the best way to go ing further fat loss even on a low calorie
and this is understandable given that even diet. Exercise builds muscle and protects
scientists and doctors cannot agree. Be- against the loss of lean mass while you
fore I get into the biochemistry and physi- shed fat. This approach maintains a high
ology and show how that helps us decide physical nature. After work we are tired rate of metabolism, allowing continued
on the optimal diet, let’s just talk about and don’t feel like exercising. We work fat loss. What about the person who re-
some very simple general principles with hard in the stressful sense, but as a society fuses to exercise? You can get leaner and
which I think most people will agree. we are physically lazy. That’s a big reason healthier through diet alone, but you’ll go
My first general concept is that to lose why, as a nation, we are fat. Most of the much further and get there much faster of
fat and keep it off requires a permanent hard physical work these days is done by you include exercise in your lifestyle.
lifestyle change. Many people use a calo- machinery. If you exercise enough, that My third general concept gets back to
rie-restricted diet for a period of time, can make up for a lot of dietary indiscre- this idea that all diets work, and all diets
reach their goal weight, then go off their tions. Marathon runners, for example, don’t work. Allow me to explain: any en-
diet and resume their previous way of can eat as much as they want and still be ergy (calorie) deficient diet will result in
eating, change that produces temporary skinny. On the other hand, if you don’t weight loss. All diets, no matter how crazy
results. If you want permanent results you exercise your metabolism is so slow that or unsound, will work to produce weight
loss if they don’t supply enough calories bohydrates (we’ll discuss low carb diets and used as fuel. What can we do to accel-
to meet the body’s needs. This physiolog- later) and this stimulates insulin release. erate this process? A couple of things are
ical fact-of-life contributes to the state of Insulin in turn stimulates cells to absorb obvious: One is to control insulin levels.
mass confusion. (Bad pun, sorry!) Diets the glucose and use it for energy. Insulin At first you might think the best way to do
fail because they produce results only as exerts its greatest effects on muscle, fat, that would be to eat a low carbohydrate
long as you remain on the diet. Once you and the liver. Glucose is absorbed and diet. Although there are times when that
go off the diet and eat ‘normally’, you used as fuel and the excess is stored as is not a bad idea, usually it is not the best
gain the weight back. One leading obesity glycogen. (I’m glossing over this because way to go. I’ll get back to that in a min-
researcher put it like this: all diets work, we discussed it in detail in the last two ute. The second major thing we can do
it is the maintenance programs that fail. months’ articles about insulin.) After the is control overall caloric intake and this
In other words, most people can starve meal has been digested and absorbed is much more important than insulin by
themselves temporarily and lose weight, and glucose has been taken-up by cells, itself. Things like diet composition and
but are unable to maintain their reduced eventually the blood sugar level starts to insulin levels are important and they seem
weight. There are two reasons for this. drop. This will result in decreased insu- to exert most of their effect at determining
The whole concept of going on a severely lin levels and increased glucagon. This steady state body composition.
restricted diet to lose weight is physi- hormonal shift causes the liver to slowly Overall body weight is determined pri-
ologically unsound and simply activates break down the glycogen it stored from marily by energy balance. If you eat ex-
the body’s defense mechanisms against the last meal and release the glucose into cess calories, you will not be able to lose
weight loss. Secondly, most people have the bloodstream. One of the main jobs of fat regardless of how well you control
no idea what a maintenance program is, the liver is to maintain a relatively uni- insulin. So you have to eat the appropriate
or what to do. How about this as a con- form blood-glucose level between meals. number of calories. We’ll talk more about
cept: what if we just go on a maintenance This provides a steady supply of blood that too. Third, we have to exercise. Ex-
plan at the beginning and just skip the low sugar for the brain. Another important ercise is the most powerful stimulus for
calorie diet? property of insulin is that it blocks fat NE release at the fat cells—at least the
A maintenance diet is the long-term breakdown and the release of fat from fat most potent stimulus over which we have
diet that we intend to use for the rest of cells. Now with insulin levels decreased, voluntary control. We need to exercise to
our lives to maintain our reduced bodyfat the brakes are taken off of fat metabolism. stimulate fat breakdown and the release
state. If this diet works to maintain the An hour or two after a meal when blood of fat from adipose depots. Exercise in-
reduced state, it will work to produce glucose and insulin levels decrease, the creases our rate of energy expenditure and
that state. The reasons for this have to do body begins to use fat as well as glucose the utilization of fat as fuel by muscles.
with the thermodynamics of steady state as a fuel source. In this state (called the We are primarily talking about aerobic
energy and nutrient balance: which I have post-absorptive state), after the nutrients (cardiovascular) exercise here. The best
discussed in detail before. I devoted two from the last meal have been digested and thing you can do to increase fat loss is to
or three articles to this topic about a year absorbed, the body relies significantly on eat the proper number of calories—dis-
ago and it’s too much to repeat it all here. fat as a fuel source. This helps save the tributed among the appropriate foods -
Check out our web site at www.parrillo. glucose for the brain, which cannot use and to exercise. Generally speaking, the
com for past articles in the Sports Nutri- fatty acids. Muscles love to use fat as fuel more intense the exercise is the more
tion Guide. Suffice it to say temporary and will do so readily whenever insulin effective it is. This applies to aerobics as
low calorie diets backfire because they levels are low. well as weight training.
slow down your metabolic rate. You’re The absence of insulin allows fatty How many calories should we eat and
better off picking a program from the acids to be released from fat cells but this how do we construct the proper diet? A
outset that you can tolerate for the rest of doesn’t happen automatically. Fat break- pound of bodyfat contains 3,500 calo-
your life. You need to get enough to eat down has to be stimulated by something. ries. This means you must achieve a net
and not feel deprived. That is what the The most powerful stimulus for this is energy deficit of 3,500 calories to lose
Parrillo Nutrition Program is all about. norepinephrine, a cousin to adrenaline. one pound of fat. A good goal, one that
With that as an introduction, we can Norepinephrine (NE) is released from I generally recommend, is to lose one
now proceed to discuss some details of nerve endings of the sympathetic nervous pound of fat per week. This would be an
how fat metabolism is controlled. Once system, which impinge upon the fat cells. energy deficit of 3,500 calories per week,
we understand my three general concepts, This molecule acts as a neurotransmitter which equals 500 calories per day. Rather
how to design a proper diet will be made and provides the direct stimulus for fat than reduce your caloric intake by 500 per
clear. As usual, we will start with the ba- cells to release fatty acids into the blood- day, a much more effective approach is to
sics and work into the details as we go. stream. The fatty acids are delivered to reduce your caloric intake by 250 per day
After a meal the body has abundant car- the muscle cells where they are absorbed (compared to what you normally eat) and
then do 250 calories worth of additional stream and greatly moderate the insulin
aerobic exercise, over and above what response. Each meal should contain a
you would normally do. Together, these protein source, a starch and a fibrous
actions will generate a net energy deficit vegetable. If you want to reduce the car-
of 500 calories per day, promoting loss of bohydrate content of the diet, reduce the
one pound of fat per week. starch, especially late in the day. If you
Now you might say, well, I’m too lazy need to keep the calories up, use CapTri®
to go to the gym, so how about if I just or increase the protein but stay away from
decrease my caloric intake by 500 per day conventional fat.
and don’t do any exercise? This will obvi- Next month we’ll get into some of the
ously produce the desired energy deficit, biochemical details of why this works.
but the results will be terrible using this
approach. (Although it is the most com- References
mon approach to weight loss.) There are
many complicated reasons for this, too 1. For more information about the physi-
much to go into the details here. Briefly, ology of fat metabolism, refer to Guyton
the first problem is that up to half the AC and Hall JE. Textbook of Medical
weight lost by simple energy restriction Physiology. W.B. Saunders Company,
(without exercise) is muscle. So although Philadelphia, 1996.
you lose weight, body composition
doesn’t change much, and neither does 2. For details about the biochemistry of
appearance. You just look like a smaller fat metabolism, consult Devlin TM. Text-
version of the same shape. We want to book of Biochemistry with Clinical Cor-
change our shape and appearance, not our relations. Wiley-Liss, New York, 1992.
weight per se. The second problem has
to do with complex changes in hormones 2. For detailed information about how to
and enzymes and metabolism. Energy construct your diet for optimal body com-
restriction will decrease your metabolic position, refer to the Parrillo Performance
rate as your body adapts to decreased Nutrition Manual.
energy availability. To avoid this, do not
restrict calories too severely (250 per day
less than usual is enough) and exercise.
Exercise offsets the decrease in metabolic
rate that accompanies dieting.
I discussed diet composition last month.
To review briefly, carbohydrates are a
better choice than conventional dietary
fat even though they are a more potent
stimulus for insulin release. This has to do
with the thermic effect of feeding (TEF)
and the fact that carbohydrates tend to be
stored in the body as glycogen, whereas
dietary fat is stored as bodyfat. (Go back
to the series on nutrient balance for a re-
view.) We can still supply the bulk of our
dietary energy as carbohydrate without
overdoing the insulin response by using
some common sense. The most obvious
thing is to avoid simple sugars. Supply
your carbs as complex carbohydrates.
Second, combine starches with fibrous
vegetables and protein. These decrease
the rate of glucose entry into the blood-
Controlling Bodyfat Metabolism, Part II

by John Parrillo
Last month we began our discussion bit complicated. In general, anyone who you have determined the caloric value of
about fat metabolism. We noted that the is working out and lifting weights (and your protein requirement, allot another
reason most people fail in their weight wants to be lean and muscular) should 5-10% of daily calories to fat. After you
loss efforts is that they think dieting is consume at least one gram of protein per have determined the number of calories
a temporary change and eventually re- pound of body weight each day. Some contributed by protein and fat, derive the
sume their old eating habits. They then people do better with two grams per rest from carbohydrates. We will explain
gain back the lost bodyweight when they pound per day, but one gram should be later how to incorporate CapTri® into
resume old diet patterns. In addition, the minimum for a high intensity weight your diet. The Parrillo Nutrition Manual
many people will try to lose bodyweight trainer. When you are gaining weight you contains detailed instructions on how to
by caloric restriction without exercising. will have a surplus of calories. These ex- do these calculations and comes with a
This doesn’t work very well for a variety tra calories help “spare” protein, meaning food scale so you can control everything
of reasons. In Part I of Control of Fat excessive calories prevent protein from precisely.
Metabolism, we discussed some simple being burned as fuel. When you are losing Good protein sources include egg
concepts related to the construction and whites, fish, chicken breasts and turkey
design of effective diets that maximize breasts with the skin removed. You will
muscle mass while minimizing fat stores. derive tremendous benefit from using
Let’s summarize some of the key fea- our Optimized Whey™ protein powder.
tures: It has an ‘optimal’ amino acid profile,
The first step in designing an effective one that supports muscular growth and
diet is to determine your current caloric speeds recovery. We divide carbohydrates
intake. The easiest and best way to do into two categories: starches and fibrous
this is to weigh all the food you consume vegetables. Good starches include corn,
for a week. Pick a week when your body peas, beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes,
weight is stable and calculate how many rice, oatmeal, and the like. Avoid refined
calories you consume in an average day or processed carbohydrates such as bread
by weighing everything you eat. This dai- and pasta. And stay away from simple
ly sum, derived from methodically weigh- sugars. Good vegetables include salad
ing your food, is called the maintenance greens, green beans, broccoli, spinach,
energy requirement and is the number of carrots, and so on. Essentially, any veg-
calories required to maintain current body etable is OK, except avocados and nuts,
weight and activity level. To gain qual- which are high in fat. The Parrillo Nutri-
ity bodyweight, increase this amount by tion Manual contains a food composition
around 250-300 calories per day. To lose guide that lists the best foods for our pur-
weight without losing muscle, decrease weight you are calorie deficient and don’t poses: foods optimal for gaining muscle
your caloric intake by 250 calories (per have extra nutrients lying around. You are and losing fat. Respective nutrient values
day) below your maintenance require- prone to lose muscle and utilize protein as are included.
ment and then perform 250 calories worth a fuel source when you are losing weight. Our final issue concerns meal structure
of additional aerobics. Since a pound of When this occurs, you lose muscle as well and pattern. We recommend each meal
fat contains 3500 calories, we generate a as fat. Therefore you need more protein contain a balance of nutrients: a portion of
net energy (calorie) deficit of 500 calories when dieting than when gaining weight. protein, some starchy carbohydrates and a
a day, or 3500 per week. This will result It sounds paradoxical at first but there is fibrous vegetable of some sort. The pro-
in the loss of one pound of fat per week. great logic to it. A good rule of thumb tein and fiber will slow down the release
We at Parrillo find this approach works would be to take in one to 1½ grams of of glucose into the blood, thereby helping
very well. protein per pound of body weight each to control insulin levels. We ask that you
Now that you have determined how day during weight gain or weight main- divide your daily allotment of calories
many calories to eat, the next question tenance. For fat loss (not muscle loss) as evenly as possible into six (or more)
is what is the best way to supply these ingest one-and-a-half to two grams of meals, spaced evenly throughout the day.
calories to the body? This issue gets a protein per pound of bodyweight. After Try to eat a small, balanced meal every
two to three hours. We find that six small of a diet we reduce insulin levels, further proteins, which act like a detergent and
meals will result in a leaner physique then promoting fat loss. The 40-30-30 diet help the fat become soluble – dissolve
the traditional three square meals. Three (protein/carb/fat) is very popular right - in the blood. These particles of triglyc-
meals present twice as large a digestive now. This approach reduces insulin levels eride and protein are called chylomicrons
task as six smaller meals despite equal and promotes fat loss and is actually not a and are then released into the lymphatic
nutritional makeup and caloric intake. Be bad idea - although deriving 30% of your system. The lymphatic system is a net-
sure and divide your protein requirements calories from conventional fat is in itself work of vessels much like the blood ves-
into near equal portions at each meal. You problematic. We at Parrillo Performance sels - except instead of carrying blood it
are free to choose different food items for find that much better results are achieved transports fluids between tissues and ulti-
each meal, but meals need to have ap- if CapTri® is used as a fat source. This mately dumps it into the blood stream via
proximately the same number of calories allows us to reduce carbohydrates (and the thoracic duct. The thoracic duct is the
and protein. One exception to this rule therefore insulin levels) without restrict- body’s largest lymph channel and empties
of caloric balance is during pre-contest ing calories too severely. The Parrillo into the subclavian vein on the right side
dieting when you may find it helpful to Nutrition Manual contains detailed in- of the neck. Once chylomicrons enter the
eliminate starch from your last meal of structions on this issue and is the single blood stream they are transported to adi-
the day. most useful muscle building and weight pose tissue and stored as body fat. After a
CapTri® is a very interesting compound. loss tool available. You will get far better meal, carbohydrates are the preferred en-
CapTri®, a special fat, has a different results from your supplements if they are ergy source and fat is stored as body fat.
chemical structure than conventional fat. used in conjunction with a proper diet. When carbohydrate stores are depleted,
This unique structure causes CapTri® to Diet is the foundation to proper nutrition. the body will burn bodyfat. This is a ma-
follow a different metabolic pathway than Last month I promised some discussion jor reason why we encourage a low fat
fat and as a result, CapTri® is digested on the biochemistry of fat metabolism. diet. Once fat arrives at an adipose (fat)
differently by the body. CapTri® is a con- Rather than making this a purely techni- cell, an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase
centrated source of calories: 8.3 calories cal exercise, I decided to emphasize the (LPL) cleaves off the fatty acids, which is
per gram. But in contrast to regular fat, practical aspects and how we can use then absorbed by the fat cell. Once inside,
CapTri® has virtually no tendency to be this information to attain our physique they are re-combined with glycerol and
stored as body fat. Instead, it is rapidly goals. Let’s start with a discussion of how the triglyceride is stored for later use.
converted to ketones in the liver. These dietary fat is metabolized – then some ex- It is interesting to note that while fats
ketones are used immediately as fuel. planation on how body fat is metabolized are transported by the lymphatic system
This source of immediate energy thereby and finally some discussion on how fatty to the bloodstream and then to fat cells,
spares protein and carbohydrate and helps acids are used by muscle for fuel. Oil and protein and carbohydrate follow a differ-
improve protein and glycogen retention. water don’t mix. Your blood, and indeed ent route. They are transported directly to
CapTri® can be used in two ways: to gain your whole body, is mostly water. Fats the liver by a special vein that runs from
weight, simply add a tablespoon or two to and oils cannot simply float through your the small intestine to the liver called the
your regular food. This will increase the blood stream - because they don’t dis- portal vein. The liver gets “first dibs” on
caloric content of your diet, promoting solve in water. Fats are carried by special protein and carbohydrate. Why? Because
weight gain. Since CapTri® has less of protein particles made in the intestines it has an important job to do: make pro-
a tendency to be stored as body fat, these and the liver. Most of the fat we eat is teins needed for the blood. The liver
extra calories will not show up as fat. in the form of triglycerides. A triglycer- wants these amino acids first, to make
To promote fat loss we advise that you ide is a glycerol molecule (three-carbon sure it can do its work. The proteins that
remove some starch from your diet and alcohol) with three fatty acid molecules the liver makes have priorities: they are
replace it with calorically equal amounts attached: one to each carbon atom of the required for life and are more important
of CapTri®. CapTri® generates a higher glycerol backbone. In the small intestine (to survival) than muscle. This is why
thermogenic effect than carbohydrates. the fatty acids are cleaved from the glyc- amino acids go straight to the liver in-
This means that some of the calories from erol by an enzyme called lipase which stead of to muscle cells. Also, the liver
CapTri® get converted to body heat, the is made in the pancreas. The fatty acids wants the carbohydrate because it needs
more heat your body produces the higher are then absorbed by the intestinal cells to store glycogen, which helps maintain
the metabolic rate and energy expendi- and re-combined with glycerol to re-form blood glucose levels for the operation
ture. If more of the calories you eat are triglycerides. of the brain. Between meals, after blood
expended as energy, fewer are available It sounds crazy, but I think the problem sugar levels start to drop, the liver slowly
to be retained as body fat, so you’ll lose is that native triglycerides are too big to releases glucose to keep the level rela-
more fat. make their way inside the cell. Next, tively constant. Without this procedure,
By decreasing the carbohydrate content triglycerides are combined with carrier you would pass out, go into a coma and
eventually die if you went for more than a the blood to the muscles and then burned wanting to maximize muscle or minimize
few hours without a meal. Not good. The for fuel. bodyfat
fats bypass the liver and end up getting When a fatty acid arrives at a muscle
delivered to the fat cells for storage. It is cell, it is absorbed and has to wait inside References
as if the liver is saying: “I don’t need that the belly of the cell. Fatty acids are con-
fat, it’s just for storage.” So you can un- verted to energy in a sub-cellular organ- 1. For more information about the physi-
derstand why we at Parrillo Performance elle called the mitochondria. These mi- ology of fat metabolism, refer to Guyton
are not fond of dietary fat. Less is better. tochondria are like little furnaces inside AC and Hall JE. Textbook of Medical
Another interesting thing about Cap- the cells. In the mitochondria is where Physiology. W.B. Saunders Company,
food molecules are burned Philadelphia, 1996.
to release energy. They
contain enzymes that break 2. For details about the biochemistry
down food molecules and of fat metabolism, consult Devlin TM.
combine them with oxygen Textbook of Biochemistry with Clini-
to produce energy, which cal Correlations. Wiley-Liss, New York,
is then used to make ATP. 1992.
(We have discussed ATP
in detail before. Refer to 3. For detailed information about how
your old issues of the press). to construct your diet for optimal body
Fatty acids are unable to composition, refer to the Parrillo Perfor-
enter the mitochondria by mance Nutrition Manual.
themselves. They have to be
transported across the mem-
brane by a special carrier
system called the carnitine
shuttle. The problem with
Tri® is that is it transported to the liver the carnitine shuttle is it is inhibited by
just like carbohydrate. Because of its one of the by-products of carbohydrate
unique molecular structure it does not metabolism. The shuttle is not very ac-
require incorporation into chylomicrons tive if carbohydrates are available. This is
for transport. Instead it is taken directly another reason why fat metabolism pro-
to the liver where it is broken down into ceeds at a low level until carbohydrates
small fragments called ketones which are are extensively depleted.
then released into the bloodstream. These You should think of body fat as en-
ketones are then used as fuel by muscle, ergy insurance. Your body prefers to use
helping to spare carbohydrates and amino carbohydrate as energy (Hey! – so why
acids. Once a fatty acid is stored by a fat not feed it carbohydrates!) and will do
cell, it just sits there. It doesn’t do any- so as long as carbs are available. Once
thing. It waits until your carbs run low the available carbohydrates are depleted,
and you need some energy. Insulin blocks energy substrate utilization switches over
the release of fatty acids from fat cells. to fat. Your stored body fat keeps things
Once blood sugar levels fall and insulin going when you run out of carbs. Lesson
declines, this inhibition is removed. You two: dietary fat is automatically stored as
begin to use fat as energy to a significant body fat - by and large. So feed your body
degree. The most potent stimulus for small frequent meals, give it quality carbs
release of fatty acids is norepinephrine and protein and limit dietary fat. It makes
(NE). This is a neurotransmitter released sense and it works. CapTri® is a differ-
from the sympathetic nervous system that ent animal from regular fat and behaves
stimulates fat cells to release fatty acids. completely differently. CapTri® acts like
NE activates an enzyme called hormone a carbohydrate and does not induce much
sensitive lipase, which then breaks down insulin release. These properties, plus
the triglyceride and releases the fatty the thermogenic considerations, make
acids. The fatty acids are delivered by CapTri® a very useful tool for anyone
Cortisol Suppression: Muscle Myth or Nutritional Reality?

by John Parrillo
Most everyone knows that testosterone Disease to retain water and become puffy. turns out that exercise increases cortisol
is one of the principle hormones respon- These unfortunate people develop a char- levels – and this has important implica-
sible for muscle growth and most have acteristic body shape called the “Cushin- tions that need to be taken into account
also heard of cortisol. They might have goid habitus,” characterized by very thin by anyone who practices high intensity
some vague idea that cortisol is bad in so arms and legs (from the muscle wasting), weight training. Exercise stimulates mus-
far as muscle growth; but few could tell coupled with a large, obese abdomen and cle growth and paradoxically also triggers
you exactly what cortisol is - much less a round, puffy face. This disease can be the release of cortisol. When cortisol is
how to control it. This month I thought I mimicked by giving someone prednisone, suddenly dumped into the bloodstream it
would explain what cortisol is and what a synthetic form of cortisol. This drug is is a potentially catabolic situation. So we
we can do to favorably manipulate it. used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, need to understand how cortisol works
Cortisol is a steroid hormone manufac- asthma and a variety of other inflamma- and how it is regulated so we can design a
tured by the adrenal glands. It is not ana- tory diseases. Patients who require large training and nutrition strategy which will
bolic like testosterone; to the contrary, doses of prednisone for a prolonged time allow for optimal growth - while mini-
cortisol is primarily catabolic. Before you mizing cortisol’s catabolic effects.
rush off to the doctor to have your adre- So let’s begin with a brief summary of
nal glands removed, realize that cortisol how cortisol secretion is regulated (1).
(despite the negativity attached to catabo- The adrenal glands receive a signal to
lism) is essential for human existence. produce cortisol from an endocrine gland
One of the simplest ways to understand in the brain called the pituitary gland.
the diverse effects of cortisol is to look at This chemical signal is called ATCH and
a couple of diseases related to cortisol pro- travels from the pituitary to the adrenals
duction. When someone is afflicted with via the bloodstream. ATCH activates the
Addison’s Disease, the body is unable to adrenals to produce cortisol. The pituitary
produce cortisol (1). This promptly re- is in turn regulated by CRH originating
sults in hypotension (low blood pressure), in the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus
shock, and eventual death. There are a va- and pituitary glands are part of the brain
riety of substances the body produces to and serve to control the endocrine system.
control blood pressure and some of them These glands coordinate the activity of
work by binding to receptors on the blood the endocrine system with the nervous
vessel walls. Without cortisol these recep- system. The hypothalamus releases CRH,
tors become insensitive to the substances which stimulates the pituitary to release
that normally bind and hypotension and ATCH. This stimulates the adrenal glands
death can develop. By injecting the suf- to release cortisol. As blood cortisol levels
ferer with a shot of cortisol (or a synthetic develop syndromes virtually identical to increase, some of it circulates back to the
version) this potentially deadly situation Cushing’s Disease. The bottom line on hypothalamus. The hypothalamus senses
can be quickly brought under control. cortisol is simple: too much and you will the cortisol concentration and determines
Without any cortisol in your system you risk muscle wasting and obesity. Not when to shut down CRH release, which
would die within a day or two. enough cortisol can also give you massive brings the cycle to a halt. When cortisol
At the other extreme is Cushing’s Dis- medical problems. levels drop too low, or when the body
ease, a condition caused by excess corti- We need to strike a happy medium. For- faces a new stress, this again activates the
sol (1). Cushing’s sufferers become obese tunately, as long as your adrenal glands hypothalamus to produce CRH and the
and develop diabetes (cortisol causes in- are functioning properly, you’ll never cycle begins again. This is how cortisol is
sulin resistance) and osteoporosis. They have to worry about cortisol deprivation produced and regulated.
also experience severe muscle wasting or excess. Your adrenal glands, in concert Various stimuli can cause this pathway
and may become so weak they are barely with other glands (and nature), automati- to become up-regulated thereby increas-
able to walk. Sufferers develop very ten- cally regulate cortisol and keep it in the ing cortisol levels. These stimuli can
der skin and bruise easily and profusely. appropriate range. So why am I bothering include any form of stress on the body
Edematous causes those with Cushing’s to write about this obscure subject? It - such as injury, burns, illness, infection,
fever, starvation and exercise (1). Cortisol tive and the body attacks itself. Cortisol is much harder if you don’t get enough
is a hormone whose overall function is to helps control metabolism and cortisol rest. And don’t neglect the connection
help the body deal with stress. Cortisol also works to modulate the activity of between cortisol and stress. Anger and
has a wide variety of actions, all of which the immune system. Cortisol also helps stress are often interrelated: are you a
help to regulate overall metabolism. This control fluid and water balance (1). The “type A” personality? If so, attempt to
is why any extreme cortisol deficiency general effect is to cause more water to remain as relaxed and calm as possible.
will result in metabolic and physiologic accumulate in the interstitial space. This Easier said than done. Remember this: ev-
collapse and eventual death. What is cor- is the space outside of the individual ery time you have an emotional outburst,
tisol’s defining actions? Cortisol has a di- cells: the space between cells. When wa- lose your temper or fly into a rage, you
rect effect in regulating carbohydrate, fat, ter accumulates between cells it is called are most likely dumping huge amounts
and protein metabolism (1). Cortisol mo- edema: an extreme form of the puffiness of muscle-eating cortisol into your blood-
bilizes the body’s energy reserves during and water retention – exactly what a stream. Hopefully, that thought will give
times of stress. Cortisol acts to increase competitive bodybuilder strives to avoid you pause if you are serious about body-
blood glucose concentration in two ways: before competition. building but emotional by nature.
first, through a decrease in insulin sensi- Now that we have some background Another cortisol-related factor is train-
tivity (thus reducing storage of glucose on what cortisol is, where it comes from, ing. Over-training, literally doing too
inside cells) and second, by stimulating how it is regulated, and what it does - we much training, while being under nour-
gluconeogenesis. can talk about what we can do to mini- ished and not getting enough rest re-
Gluconeogenesis is the production of mize it’s undesirable effects. For body- sults in decreased testosterone produc-
new glucose from amino acids. Unfortu- building purposes we want to minimize tion and increased cortisol levels. This
nately, these particular amino acids are cortisol because it promotes muscle loss, tips the balance rapidly from anabolism
derived from the breakdown (catabolism) fat accumulation and water retention. to catabolism. People who are chroni-
of body proteins - including muscle tis- Cortisol is secreted in response to stress cally over-trained are continually tired,
sue. Cortisol stimulates muscle catabo- fatigued, weak and often depressed. They
lism to free up the amino acids so they are lose muscle, strength plummets and per-
available to be converted into glucose to formance declines. If you look around
use for energy. This is why excess cortisol the gym, the people who are not mak-
causes muscle wasting. Cortisol’s effect ing progress are usually under-training
on body fat varies somewhat according to - not over-training. Furthermore, if you
the specific body region. Fat depots exist compare the stagnant trainers to the one
in different parts of the body and these making the gains, you will observe the
different regions have different hormone ones making gains are invariably training
receptors. Cortisol tends to cause deple- harder and longer. Before you conclude
tion of peripheral fat in the arms and legs, that you are over-training and reduce your
but increased accumulation of fat in the exercise level, try getting some additional
abdomen, back and face. Patients with rest, eat more clean calories and add in
excessive cortisol levels (or those on high some basic supplements to increase your
dosages of prednisone) develop thin arms nutrient levels. Generally these changes
and legs due to both muscle and fat loss will promote growth without having to
(through catabolism). Typically, they also reduce exercise activity. In many cases,
develop obese abdomens. failure to grow is simply the result of
Cortisol has a powerful effect on inadequate caloric and nutrient intake in
modulating the immune system (1). It relation to the exercise level of the body-
does this by suppressing cytokine forma- builder. Over-training is a result of doing
tion. Cytokines are messages exchanged of almost any kind. It should then come as too much exercise (volume) while being
between immune cells as they commu- no surprise that the first thing we should under nourished. Do not confuse volume
nicate to activate the immune response do to control cortisol is minimize body with intensity. Successful bodybuilding
to injury, illness, or infection. Cortisol stress and maximize recovery time. For is about intensity, not volume. Endurance
blocks the formation of these messages, starters, get plenty of rest. Sleep depriva- exercise is about volume, not intensity.
greatly attenuating the immune response. tion has been shown to increase cortisol You should train intensely and workout
This is why prednisone is so widely used levels and the reintroduction of proper for 60 to 90 minutes.
to control autoimmune diseases such as sleep habits reduces cortisol levels back There are certain nutrition and supple-
rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. In these to normal. Everyone knows either by in- mentation strategies you can use to mini-
diseases the immune system is over-ac- tuition or experience that muscle growth mize the catabolic effects of cortisol. The
single most important and effective of with Pro-Carb™. This novel approach effects of cortisol. Just remember to stay
the cortisol-suppressing nutritional tech- allows you to customize and adjust your cool calm and collected the next time
niques is a low-tech solution. Probably ratio of protein-to-carbohydrates to suit the boss or your kids do something that
the most effective thing you can do to your personal goals. makes you angry. By subduing stress,
minimize cortisol release is to simply Frequent caloric intake (particularly getting plenty of rest, adequate nutrients
eat something every two to three hours. carbohydrates) seems to be the most im- and exercising hard and intensely, corti-
Caloric deprivation has been shown to portant nutritional intervention tactic we sol-related muscle wasting can be a non-
cause a significant increase in cortisol can use to reduce cortisol levels. In event in your bodybuilding career.
levels (3). A small meal every two to addition, vitamin supplementation may
three hours (or so) is a great way to keep be helpful. In particular, the antioxidant References
cortisol excretions to a minimum. The vitamins E and C seem to reduce the oxi-
ideal cortisol suppressing meal would dative stress of exercise and therefore re- 1. Fauci et al. Harrison’s Principles of
contain a complex carbohydrate and some duce catabolism. Most bodybuilders who Internal Medicine. McGraw Hill, New
protein. Carbohydrate ingestion in par- follow our nutritional guidelines don’t eat York, 1998.
ticular seems to reduce cortisol levels. fruit (since fruit sugar is preferentially
It is also important to eat some protein converted into fat) and therefore vitamin 2. Kelley DS et al. Energy restriction
at each meal as protein slows the release supplementation becomes an even better and immunocompetence in overweight
of carbohydrates and provides a constant idea. Glutamine and the branched chain women. Nutrition Research 18: 159-169,
supply of amino acids to facilitate muscle amino acids - leucine, isoleucine, and 1998.
growth. Most people find it difficult to eat valine - may not affect cortisol levels
six complete meals a day and rely on nu- directly, but are very effective at shifting 3. Varnier M et al. Stimulatory effect of
tritional supplements for two or three of the anabolism-catabolism balance more glutamine on glycogen accumulation in
these many meals. If you are looking for towards the anabolic side. These amino human skeletal muscle. Am. J. Physiol.
a supplemental meal replacement try our acids seem to have a powerful effect in 269: E309-E315, 1995.
stimulating protein synthesis. Glutamine
has been shown to increase glycogen 4. Welbourne TC. Increased plasma bi-
storage as well as increase growth hor- carbonate and growth hormone after an
mone levels (3,4). Our protein products oral glutamine load. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61:
(Optimized Whey™, Hi-Protein™, 50-50 1058-1061, 1995.
Plus™) all have high amounts of amino
acids mixed into a well-balanced protein 5. Monteleone P, Maj M, Beinat L, Natale
base. M, and Kemali D. Blunting by chronic
Recent research suggests that a special phosphatidylserine administration of the
lipid called phosphatidylserine (PS) may stress-induced activation of the hypo-
decrease the exercise-induced cortisol thalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in healthy
significantly (5,6). We’ll keep you posted men. European Journal of Clinical Phar-
on this development. In summary: to help macology. 42: 385-388, 1992.
minimize the catabolic effects of cortisol
you should get plenty of rest, minimize 6. Monteleone P, Beinat L, Tanzillo C,
stress in your life and avoid over-train- Maj M, and Kemali D. Effects of phos-
ing. You should eat small, frequent meals, phatidylserine on the neuroendocrine re-
containing both carbohydrates and pro- sponse to physical stress in humans. Neu-
tein. Your protein choices should contain roendocrinology 52: 243-248, 1990.
50-50 Plus™. This fantastic product sup- high levels of glutamine and the BCAAs.
plies 17 grams of quality carbohydrates Try to eat every three hours if possible.
and 20 grams of high BV protein. Another Three conventional meals per day, com-
excellent meal alternative is the Parrillo bined with three servings of 50-50 Plus™
Bar, Parrillo Protein Bar or the New Par- or your own Pro Carb™/Hi-Protein™
rillo Energy Bar. These tasty bars are ex- or Optimized Whey ™ concoction will
tremely convenient and will provide you assure that you are obtaining adequate
with a balanced meal that you can carry protein intake and obtaining high levels
in your pocket and eat in minutes. Some of glutamine. By applying and following
of our athletes like to combine Optimized a few common sense diet and exercise
Whey Protein™ or Hi-Protein Powder™ guidelines, we can minimize the catabolic
Post Workout Nutrition, Part I

by John Parrillo
Workout recovery is a very important drate and fat is used. As the exercise pro- muscle healing and growth in the post-
issue for the serious athlete. There is ceeds, muscle and liver glycogen stores workout state.
some confusion about what is the best become progressively depleted. It would Should this post-workout feeding also
nutritional strategy to optimize recovery make sense to replace the depleted fuel contain protein? And exactly how much
and growth after exercise. As is the case in order to keep our work output high. carbohydrate and protein is optimal?
with many issues in nutrition, there is no Furthermore, if our goal is to gain muscle What type? Are simple sugars or refined
single best answer. The best approach de- then we need to supply the raw materials carbohydrates better in the post-workout
pends on what kind of athlete you are and to support growth. We can do both simul- environment?
what your goals are. There are some com- taneously. I never recommend eating simple sugars
mon questions we at Parrillo Performance Insulin levels decrease markedly dur- or referred carbohydrates – post workout
receive relate to the role of carbohydrates ing exercise and this allows the release or any other time - for several reasons:
in the post-exercise environment. We of fat from adipose cells. The goal of our simple sugars and refined carbohydrates
are often asked: should my post-exercise post-exercise recovery meal is to replen- are far more likely to be converted to fat
meal include protein or carbohydrate? Or ish energy stores depleted during the just- than complex carbohydrates. It’s all a
both? And just how much is enough? Is completed session. Insulin plays a central matter of chemistry. If the sugar enters
timing important? When is the best time role in nutrient storage, acting to trans- your bloodstream faster than it can be
to take Creatine? Optimal nutrition for port carbohydrates and some amino acids stored as glycogen, the excess will be
a bodybuilder is different from that for from the bloodstream to the individual converted to fat by the liver. No doubt
an endurance athlete. Optimal nutrition cells. Insulin also stimulates the storage about it! Some endurance athletes replen-
varies individual to individual and cir- of carbohydrate as glycogen. Significant- ish glycogen with simple sugars or re-
cumstance to circumstance. Are you try- ly, carbohydrate is a potent stimulus for fined carbohydrate but this strategy is bad
ing to optimize your physique, news for bodybuilders. A serious
strength or endurance perfor- bodybuilder wants to minimize
mance? Different goals require fat accumulation and therefore
different methods. So when you simple sugars and refined car-
hear conflicting opinions about bohydrates have no place in the
the best diet or supplement, re- diet of a top bodybuilder - even
member there is no single cor- after a workout.
rect answer. We have to tailor Every meal should supply
the answer for each individual. a mixture of protein and car-
I will share with you the prin- bohydrate, including the post-
ciples that will allow you to exercise meal. In addition to
customize your very own diet replenishing glycogen stores,
The Parrillo Energy Bars are a conven- the post-exercise meal serves
and nutritional supplementation
program. tional way to get quality calories in after to re-supply amino acids used
For some background let’s re- a workout. to repair muscle tissue. Several
hash some biochemistry. During medical studies have examined
exercise your muscles use mainly how the composition of the
carbohydrate and fat as fuel. Sometimes, insulin release while protein’s effect on recovery meal affects hormone levels
during prolonged activity (like distance insulin is far more subdued. Athletes have critical for muscle growth (1-3). I have
running) you will burn protein stores. long practiced eating a high carbohydrate reviewed some of these studies in detail
Protein oxidation in exercise occurs after meal after exercise and this makes a lot in the August, 1997 edition of the Parrillo
glycogen stores are significantly depleted. of sense. A high carb post-workout feed- Performance Press: you can access this
For high intensity activity such as weight ing serves to increase insulin levels and data through our online web-site at www.
lifting (as opposed to long duration ex- replenish glycogen stores. And this is a parrillo.com/press/970804.htm. A post-
ercise like aerobics), carbohydrate is the good thing: by replenishing drained nutri- workout feeding of carbohydrate and pro-
primary fuel. For endurance activities like ents and dousing exhausted muscles with tein is demonstrably more effective at
jogging or cycling, a mixture of carbohy- nourishing carbohydrates, we promote increasing insulin and growth hormone
Post Workout Nutrition, Part I
levels than ingesting carbohydrate alone. important: the sooner you eat after a high
This translates into a far more potent intensity training session the better off References
anabolic stimulus, resulting in greater you will be.
muscle accrual. Also, this combination is There exists a “window of nutritional 1. Chandler RM, Byrne HK, Patterson
more effective at replenishing glycogen opportunity” that opens immediately after JG, and Ivy JL. Dietary supplements af-
stores than carbohydrate alone (3). Since exercise during which glycogen re-syn- fect the anabolic hormones after weight
the goal is to heal and build muscle, the thesis rates are maximal. This window training exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 76(2):
optimal recovery meal should contain a 839-845, 1994.
mixture of protein and carbohydrate.
How much carb and protein per post- 2. Rabinowitz D, Merimee TJ, Maffezzoli
workout feeding is optimal? The answer R, and Burgess JA. Patterns of hormonal
is not precise - and may never be. It varies release after glucose, protein, and glucose
depending on your goals and bodyweight. plus protein. Lancet 2: 454-457, 1966.
It you want to gain size the post-workout
meal should contain more calories than if 3. Zawadzki KM, Yaspelkis BB, and
you are desirous of losing bodyfat. In pre- Ivy JL. Carbohydrate-protein complex
vious articles I have explained at length increases the rate of muscle glycogen
how to determine the proper number storage after exercise. J. Appl. Physiol.
of calories to consume to effect muscle 72: 1854-1859, 1992.
gains or fat loss. After you determine
your caloric breakeven point, divide your 4. Nicholas CW, Green PA, Hawkins RD,
daily allotment of calories into five or six and Williams C. Carbohydrate intake and
meals, each containing approximately the recovery of intermittent running capacity.
same number of calories. One of these Int. J. Sports Nutr. 7: 251-260, 1997.
meals should be your post-workout meal.
Theoretically, your post-workout meal 5. Pizza FX, Flynn MG, Duscha BD,
should actually be your biggest meal of Holden J, and Kubitz ER. A carbohydrate
the day. Why? The body is more efficient loading regimen improves high intensity,
at oxidizing food in the post-workout
50/50 Plus Power™ provides short duration exercise performance. Int.
state. If you are seeking to add quality your body with the protein & J. Sports Nutr. 5: 110-116, 1995.
muscle size, I suggest calculating how carbohydrates it needs to re-
many calories each meal should contain 6. Liebman M and Wilkinson JG. Carbo-
on average and make the recovery meal cover from your workouts. hydrate metabolism and exercise. Chapter
one-and-a-half times the average meal 2 in Nutrition in Sport and Exercise, Wo-
calorie total. Conversely, if you are try- stays open for roughly two hours after the linsky and Hickson, editors. CRC Press,
ing to lose weight, then the post-workout cessation of exercise (6). Considering that Boca Raton, 1994.
meal should contain the same caloric it takes some time for the nutrients to be
content as the other meals. digested and absorbed, I would suggest
Through scientific research and years of you eat your recovery meal as soon as
working with the world’s top bodybuild- you can after exercise, to take advantage
ers, I have found that a mixture of about of the open window before it snaps shut.
50% protein and 50% carbohydrates is This is another reason why supplements
ideal for a post-workout feeding. This are ideal as post-exercise meals. They are
is the rationale and basis for our 50-50 easy to prepare and quickly absorbed. A
Plus Powder™, which is the ideal post- shaker bottle with four to six scoops of
workout recovery drink. Many people 50-50 Plus Powder™, placed in your
rely on supplements after working out gym bag makes an ideal post workout
because few are hungry for solid food recovery drink. In edition to the 50/50
immediately after exercise. Our nutrition Plus Powder™ it is imperative you get a
Bars are another easy way to get quality meal within 2 hours of completion of your
calories in after a workout - and conve- workout. Next month we can talk in more
nient also. They are available in several detail about carbohydrate metabolism dur-
different protein-carbohydrate ratios to ing exercise and go into carbohydrate and
suit your individual needs. Timing is fluid repletion during exercise.
Post Workout Nutrition, Part II

by John Parrillo
negative side effects. When you refill de- stored as glycogen and is preferentially
pleted glycogen there is a limit as to how converted into fat by the liver. It exits
Last month we talked about some gen-
fast you can replenish and store glycogen. the liver - not as carbohydrate but as tri-
eral concepts relating to carbohydrates
If you use sugar to replenish, you risk glyceride (fat) - and is stored in fat cells.
and how they can influence exercise per-
‘spillover’: the sugar enters your system Bottom line: fructose is mostly converted
formance and recovery. First, a few words
faster than it can be utilized and the ex- to fat and then stored as fat. So that is why
about what not to do: stay away from
cess is converted into body fat. Fructose we suggest you avoid fruit and especially
sugars found in fruit and table sugar. Spe-
has certain properties that are undesirable fruit juice. They contain sugar and sugar
cifically fructose and sucrose. Fructose is
for athletes and athletics. Most sport nu- consumption will make you fat.
a monosaccharide, a simple sugar, and is
trition bars contain fructose or high fruc- Fat and glycogen, the storage form
found in fruit and fruit juice. Sucrose is
tose corn syrup as the first listed (main) of carbohydrate in the body, are the pri-
table sugar, a disaccharide: a molecule
mary fuels for exercise. The relative con-
formed when two sugar molecules are
tribution that each makes, depends on:
linked together, glucose and fructose.
substrate availability, exercise intensity,
Sucrose is half fructose and you should
exercise duration and the level of athletic
keep that in mind. I received a ques-
conditioning. In extremely light and mild
tion (prompting me to write these last
exercise, walking for example, fat serves
two articles) about the popular notion of
as a primary energy source. This allows
consuming a high sugar meal or feeding
for prolonged exercise since calories are
immediately after exercise to purpose-
readily available as stored body fat. As
fully stimulate an insulin release. Which
exercise intensity increases more of the
would, theoretically, replenish depleted
energy demand is supplied by carbohy-
glycogen stores quickly and speed-up the
drate sources. Keep in mind that in an
recovery process. This idea has become
intense aerobic exercise, such as running
increasingly popular over the last year
or stair climbing, fat continues to serve as
or two among serious weight trainers.
an important fuel source. Even though a
The thinking goes, since insulin also
higher percentage of the calories burned
increases Creatine absorption, why not
during walking come from fat, you will
use sugar in combination with Creatine
burn more grams of body fat per hour
Monohydrate after the exercise session to
doing intense exercise. If you want to
help boost intramuscular creatine levels?
get lean in a quick, efficient fashion, ap-
We at Parrillo Performance feel this is a
ingredient. Fructose is favored because it proach your aerobic exercise seriously
bad idea with potential problems galore.
makes bland ingredients tasty. And good and intensely. Mall walking does not
Besides, we have a better ‘vehicle’ to
taste sells while bad taste generates few if make you lean - although it’s better than
help you upload your Creatine as fast or
any sales and zero repeat business. Fruc- no aerobic activity at all. Intensity is the
faster than the ever-popular grape juice/
tose is great for making a bar taste sweet key to productive exercise, whether in
Creatine cocktail so popular among top
but bad for your bodyfat percentage. So weight lifting or aerobics. A further ben-
bodybuilders.
beware and read labels carefully. efit of intense aerobics is that it stimulates
Why is eating fruit and drinking fruit
Fructose has a molecular structure that mitochondrial proliferation within a mus-
juice a bad nutritional idea? First and
allows it to bypass one of the key regula- cle. The more of these miniature cellular
foremost: both are loaded with sugar and
tory enzymes in glycolysis, the breakdown blast furnaces you possess, the quicker
sugar is easily converted to fat. Complex
pathway of sugar metabolism. This en- and more efficiently you will oxidize fat,
carbohydrates, on the other hand, are an
zyme, phosphofructokinase (PFK) directs even at lower exercise intensities. When
excellent source of energy (if you can
sugars either to be stored as glycogen or we exercise intensely over a protracted
master the timing) and are near impos-
degraded and converted to energy. The period of time, mitochondria will multi-
sible to convert into body fat if taken
problems begin when sugar is degraded ply. The more mitochondria per square
moderately. Certain types of complex
too fast and exceeds the energy needs of inch of muscle tissue you have the more
carbs will do the job of sugar without the
the cell. Sugar that bypasses PFK is not efficiently you can burn fat for energy.
Post Workout Nutrition, Part II
Fat utilization requires oxygen. There 5-60 minutes prior to exercise. to the nutritional needs of some of the
is no such thing as anaerobic fat metabo- One study fed participants a liquid top athletes in the world. People who
lism. As exercise intensity increases, the formula supplying 45 grams of carbo- need to recover from their body-shocking
rate of oxygen delivery to the muscle will hydrates five minutes before exercise. workouts quickly and completely – so
become a limiting factor. At some point, The test participants demonstrated a 10% they can subject themselves to another
no matter how well conditioned, you improvement in performance. Another muscle-building, fat-stripping workout
will reach a point where fat can not be study supplied athletes between 1.1 to session. String a few dozen high intensity
metabolized rapidly enough to meet the 2.2 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram workouts together and suddenly a person
immediate energy demands of the cell. of body weight, in a liquid formula. is making real physical progress. So
Then carbohydrates become the second They were fed this carb mixture a full much hinges on whether the bodybuilder
fuel source. At lower exercise intensi- sixty minutes before the exercise period has the energy for the workout and the
ties, say 65% of VO2 maximum; fatigue and on average experienced a 12.5% in- nutrients necessary to stimulate recovery
is usually determined by depletion of crease in performance. This increase in after the workout.
glycogen stores. At higher exercise inten- performance can be attributed to greater Now, by taking a few scoops of 50-
sity, say 90% of VO2 maximum, muscle carbohydrate availability during exercise. 50 Plus both before and after a grueling
fatigue occurs before glycogen deple- Bodybuilders do aerobic exercise for very exercise session, you can stimulate your
tion occurs. Fatigue is then determined different reasons than endurance athletes progress by ensuring that you have all
by the accumulation of anaerobic waste who perform this type of training. Endur- those important nutritional bases cov-
products (such as lactic acid) and by the ance athletes are interested in maximiz- ered. Instead of grape juice, upload your
depletion of the high-energy phosphate ing cardio capacity and improving speed Creatine with 50-50 Plus. We engineer
pool. Intense exercise (such as weight and performance. Bodybuilders perform supplemental carbohydrates for optimal
lifting) is almost exclusively fueled by aerobic training to burn fat not to improve performance, so take advantage of these
carbohydrates simply because fats can- their endurance. To maximize endurance, fabulous products that magnify the ben-
not be oxidized fast enough to supply you want to maximize glycogen stores efit you derive from your hard, intense
the required level of energy production. in order to maintain glucose availability. workouts. Oh, and don’t forget to eat a
Carbohydrates can be metabolized an- However, in order to maximize fat burn- well-rounded ‘Parrillo Meal’ (high pro-
aerobically. This allows for very quick ing we need to perform aerobic exercise tein, low fat, a fiber carb, a starchy carb)
bursts of high energy that are short-lived under conditions of glycogen depletion. upon completion, but no longer than two
but maximally intense. A weight lifting This forces the body to rely on fat as a to three hours after a killer workout. I
set lasts a few seconds, maybe a minute, prime fuel source. Sure, this will compro- preach that there is no such thing as over
rarely longer. You deplete ATP and cre- mise our aerobic performance a bit, but training only under eating. Just make sure
atine phosphate stores when you lift and the goal is fat burning, not improving our your eating is clean and nutritious. Follow
you deplete them quickly. At that point 5k time. This is why I suggest doing your these few tips and watch your progress
the anaerobic carbohydrate metabolism aerobics first thing in the morning before gather ever-increasing momentum. Let’s
kicks in. It too, is limited: within one or breakfast, when glycogen stores are rela- get serious and start supplementing with
two minutes it also fails. tively depleted. 50-50 Plus after every single workout!
To maximize carbohydrate energy dur- I invented 50-50 Plus to fill a need: For additional reference see Liebman
ing a workout, it is advisable to have a athletes demanded an easy way to in- and Wilkinson’s, Carbohydrate metabo-
pre-workout feeding. Take into account gest performance enhancing pre-workout lism and exercise. Chapter 2 in Nutri-
that liver glycogen stores are depleted and post-workout supplements. 50-50 tion in Sport and Exercise, Wolinsky and
during sleep and this can limit glucose Plus covers all the nutritional bases: it Hickson, editors. CRC Press, Boca Raton,
availability during exercise. This can neg- provides a perfect blending of slow-re- 1994. This is an excellent resource text.
atively affect exercise performance done lease carbohydrates to top off glycogen
first thing in the morning. It is advised tanks and provides the same quick energy
to eat something before exercise. How blast that fruit juices provide without the
much, what, and when are important fatty side effects. In addition, 50-50 Plus
questions and we have some excellent provides anti-catabolic, high biological
nutritional solutions. Studies have dem- value protein which speeds up the recov-
onstrated an improvement in exercise per- ery process and provides muscle-building
formance by ingesting a glucose polymer protein for post-workout trauma. Is there
solution (contained in our Pro-Carb or a better post-workout food or supple-
50-50 Plus Formula) or a sport nutrition ment on the face of the planet? If there
bar with glucose polymer (as in the Par- is, someone please contact us immedi-
rillo Sport Nutrition Bar) anywhere from ately. We at Parrillo Performance cater
Counting Calories
by John Parrillo
tivity level you’ll have very little left over fail to distinguish between the caloric re-
to build new tissue. And that is the great quirements of men and women, who differ
dilemma of leaning out. drastically due to differences in lean body
On the other side of the coin, if your mass. A 250-pound bodybuilder will have
goal is to lose body fat you need to burn a greater caloric requirement than a 250-
more calories than you consume in order pound obese individual, even though they
to achieve a net energy (calorie) deficit. weigh the same. A pound of muscle burns a
How can you strike the delicate balance lot more calories than a pound of fat.
and lose fat while retaining hard-earned A more precise and sophisticated method
muscle? Consistently, day in and day out, is known as the Harris-Benedict equation,
you must pay attention to how many calo- the exact details of which are not necessary
ries you consume. Calories matter. There to discuss because I’m about to teach you
are three general principles behind the Par- a better way. The HB equation takes into
rillo Program: consistency, dedication and account gender differences and takes into
hard work. That is what we ask you to sup- consideration body fat percentage, though
ply. We provide the rest. We provide the crudely in my opinion. Harris-Benedict is
program, the formula and the road map for routinely used to estimate energy needs
your success. If you follow our program of hospital patients. There is another hi-
you will see fantastic results. How can I tech technique that can actually measure a
say that with such unflinching confidence? person’s rate of energy expenditure: calo-
Our program is not based on guesswork or rimetry. This is a fairly accurate method
What role does counting calories have random chance or happy, wishful thinking, for determining a person’s resting energy
in the Parrillo Nutrition Program? Is it but rather on refined scientific principles expenditure. However, it fails to take into
necessary? Do I need bother counting and careful control. Our approach is a rig- account differences in activity level and
calories if I get enough quality protein and orous, structured, controlled approach and caloric expenditure during exercise and
carbohydrates and keep my fat intake low? has been proven to work, over and over therefore calorimetry is not especially use-
The answer is unequivocal and absolute: again. You might wonder how one pro- ful for our purposes.
yes, you need to count calories. Calorie gram could work successfully for every-
counting, in its own way, is as important one. There are huge differences between
as knowing how much weight you have on people’s physiques and varying degrees of
a barbell during a set. Is it really necessary fitness, and common sense would indicate
to pay attention to sets, reps and inten- that everyone needs a different game plan.
sity? Of course it is, and counting calories This is true. We teach you how to modify
is a definitive nutritional benchmark and and adjust the basic elements of the Par-
an important guide for the serious body- rillo Performance Program to suit your
builder. Caloric miscalculation is prob- individual goals and body type.
ably the single most common nutritional Exactly how many calories you should
mistake that people make. I talk every day ingest depends upon your basal (baseline)
with aspiring bodybuilders who train hard metabolic rate and the amount of calories
and correctly yet struggle to put on a few you expend in daily activities. Muscular
pounds of muscle. After a few questions people have a high metabolic rate in terms
regarding their diet habits, typically I dis- of their rate of energy expenditure. Why?
cover that they are underfed. Food has an Muscle is an active tissue that requires a lot
anabolic effect and underfed bodybuilders of energy (calories) to fuel and sustain its
often make great gains when they wise up activity. Active people require a lot more
and eat a little more. Weight training is the calories than their inactive contemporaries
stimulus that causes muscle growth and do. I bet you didn’t need Colombo to
the raw material to build new tissue comes figure that one out! Serious athletes need
from food. If you’re eating barely enough a lot more calories than the average couch
to sustain your present bodyweight and ac- potato. A shortcoming of many current
caloric calculation methods is that they
Counting Calories
The best approach for our purposes is a ing, hoping to gain or lose, but having no pound of body fat contains 3,500 calories.
homespun method that depends on some scientific basis to control the outcome. To lose a pound a week we need to cre-
trial and error. To determine your rate of to- Calorie counting takes considerable ef- ate a net calorie deficit of 3,500 calories a
tal daily energy expenditure you will need fort, especially at the beginning. After a week or 500 (7 x 500 = 3,500) calories a
a food scale and a nutrition composition few weeks it will become second nature day. Time and again, I have seen that the
guide, both of which are included in the and you will find that you have memo- most effective stimulus for fat loss is a
Parrillo Performance Nutrition Program™. rized the nutritional composition of your combination of a modest energy reduction
Here’s how it works: Stay on your usual favorite foods. Soon you will be able to (food intake) combined with an increased
diet and continue your usual activity level prepare precisely constructed meals with level of high intensity aerobic exercise. I
and exercise pattern for one week. Count carefully controlled nutrient composition. would suggest you reduce caloric intake by
every calorie you eat everyday for a full You will find building muscle and stripping 250 calories per day (below your baseline
week while maintaining your normal life- fat works far better when you use natural, requirement) and perform aerobic exercise
style. Check your bodyweight first thing whole, unrefined foods. These foods are that burns 250 calories.
in the morning. If you gain weight from healthier and easier to control. When you I find this approach is twice as effec-
one day to the next, you are in a caloric eat out, ask that your food be prepared tive as classical caloric restriction. You
surplus. If you lose weight you are in a without oil, grease or butter. could achieve the target net energy deficit
calorie deficit. Liquid intake needs to re- Once you have determined your base- by simply reducing your caloric intake by
main stable during our experimental period line caloric requirement it becomes much 500 calories a day below your maintenance
as fluid excess or deprivation can radically easier to control what happens to your requirement - but this has drawbacks. De-
influence bodyweight from one day to the physique. The fast track way to determine spite its mathematical equivalency, de-
your calories needed pleting 500 calories a day will eventually
to gain or lose at your lower your baseline metabolic rate and de-
desired rate is to pick crease your rate of energy expenditure.
a number (an educated You will lose fat much more slowly. Better
guess) as to how many to reduce by only 250 and increase your
calories you think you exercise activity to expend the additional
need per day and just calories. Experience has proven over and
adjust your calories over that this approach stimulates rapid
until your desired fat loss while retaining gym muscle. Ca-
goals (either gaining loric consumption is extremely important
a pound per week or and a key determinant in weight gain or
loosing a pound per weight loss. To ignore the calorie factor is
week) are met. To gain to throw away one of your most important
quality bodyweight control elements. Conversely, by using this
increase your caloric information intelligently you can control
intake by 300-500 with great exactitude the whole process of
calories a day above muscle gain and fat loss. This is the same
your baseline require- methodology used by top professional
ment. This should add bodybuilders to dial in their physiques.
to a weight gain of For additional reading and more detailed
one pound per week, information on the specifics of diet con-
next. Women should not try our seven-day if not adjust your calories accordingly. struction refer to the Parrillo Performance
experiment when menstruating. If your This will provide the extra nutrients and Nutrition Program™ and purchase the Par-
weight remains constant the number of energy that your body needs to build new rillo BodyStat Kit™. The book describes
calories you are consuming equals the muscle tissue. If you eat according to the in detail which foods to eat, which foods
number of calories you are burning. This Parrillo Nutrition Program and train hard to avoid, how to construct a diet, how to
allows you to determine baseline energy and do aerobics, little of the weight you structure a meal and how to adjust things
requirements – calories needed to maintain gain will be fat. Your body can only build to keep your body composition moving in
your current body weight. muscle so fast and if you increase calories the right direction. The BodyStat Kit is
This is an incredibly useful number to too quickly the excess will be stored as fat. the report card tool, able to tell you your
know. Calories occupy a central planing To lose weight (fat) we want to aim for a percentage of fat-to-muscle. Good luck and
position in our nutrition program. If you loss of around one pound of fat per week. don’t forget to count those calories!
don’t know how many calories you con- It is certainly possibly to lose fat faster but
sume you won’t know what to do. If you the faster you lose the greater the risk of
don’t know how many calories you’re losing muscle at the same time. The fastest
eating you’re working in the dark, guess- I would advise is two pounds per week. A
Rut Blasters: The How and Why of Target Amino Acid Supplementation
by John Parrillo
Amino acid supplementation can push food. We have a multi-dimensional ap- acids offer that little something extra that
your physique up to the next level of de- proach based upon science and empirical often makes the difference between 1st
velopment assuming you have a quality knowledge gained preparing the world’s place and 8th place. We offer four distinct
product and a proper understanding of us- top pro bodybuilders. We have in the
age, timing and dosage. Different amino past devoted article after article on food
combinations produce differing results selection and will continue to do so in
and are highly effective if used correctly. the future.
Most Parrillo supplements are what might On a related note: In my estima-
be termed ‘core’ products, because they tion, the single most valuable nutritional
are used daily by serious bodybuilders; product we offer is not a supplement
possess a high name recognition and their but rather the Parrillo Nutrition Manual.
use and purpose is widely known. Cre- Why? Knowledge is power and never
atine, protein, carb powder, sports nutri- was this statement truer than as it applies
tion bars, vitamins and minerals make up to bodybuilding. The nutrition manual
our core group of well-known products. has turned average bodybuilders into phy-
There is a second group of Parrillo sup- sique champions and as a system has
plements, a little less known yet just as many famous proponents. Come look
effective. We currently offer four amino at the incredible number of signed en-
acid supplements: Ultimate Amino, Liver dorsements from the great champions of
Amino, Advanced GH and Muscle Amino. past and present hanging in our Hall of
Each is designed with specific formula- Champions at Parrillo HQ. Do you have a
tion for a specific purpose (or series of copy of the Manual? Why not dial up our
purposes) using specific amino groupings 800-number right now and obtain a copy?
to stimulate results. Used correctly, target Maybe it will change your life as it has
amino supplementation can blast you out innumerable others – But I digress.
of whatever rut you find yourself cur- Eat 5-8 times a day using clean foods amino acid products each with a different
rently in. But the Devil, as they say, is in (low fat and sugar) in proper balance and purpose and formulation. Taken cor-
the details. combination. When is the optimal time rectly, these products will give you the
First and foremost: obtain the bulk of to supplement? After your basic diet is in physical and competitive edge.
your nutritional needs from plain, whole- place and operational. Layer on top of a
some food. They are called nutritional good eating program one or more of the MUSCLE AMINO
supplements are not nutritional replace- core Parrillo nutritional supplements: Op- FORMULA
ments and our products should be used timized Whey, Hi-Protein Powder, Energy This amino grouping provides you with
in addition to regular food, not instead Sport Nutrition Bars, High Protein Bars, Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine, the three
of it. Your most important nutritional 50-50 Plus, Pro-Carb, CapTri. Creatine branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs).
purchases happen at the grocery store, not is another ‘must’ supplement as are Es- The time to use this product is imme-
the local Health Food Store. It has long sential Vitamin Formula and our Min- diately before and after training. Hard
been my contention that food is the cor- eral-Electrolyte tabs. Both are required dieting is a great time to supplement with
nerstone of proper nutrition. Whole foods to round out the ‘basic game plan.’ Step branch-chain amino acids. During times
are the foundation of bodybuilding nutri- two involves integrating the core products of energy insufficiency (dieting) your
tion and if you’re not dieting right your with the base diet. There is yet another body will actually break down its own
supplements won’t make up for bad eat- level to the Parrillo nutritional supple- muscle to use as fuel if no other is avail-
ing habits. Initially, concentrate on food mentation program and it is subtle and able. Catabolism is a dreadful metabolic
content and meal timing and then add on precise. Sports supplements are designed state that occurs when glycogen stores
lots of heavy lifting and high intensity to enhance performance, add muscle and have been depleted and fat oxidation
aerobics to complete the solid nutritional improve body fat composition. In body- has maximized. Metabolically, your body
and training foundation. I’m not going to building competition winning or losing is requires a certain level of glucose (blood
go into deep detail on our philosophy of determined by small differences. Amino sugar) to be maintained in order for the
brain to function. While body fat provides those that the body cannot manufacture positive nitrogen balance. Concentrated
a long-lasting energy supply, fat cannot itself (3,4). Some amino acids are con- protein is stuffed into a potent tablet and
be converted into carbohydrate by the hu- vertible into other aminos and therefore if each Liver Amino Formula supplies 1.5
man body. But protein (amino acids) can. you have a deficiency in one amino your grams of pure beef liver. Among the
Under adverse conditions, carbohydrates body can correct the balance, if all the various cuts of meat, organ meat contains
are exhausted and your body breaks down corrective elements are present. There are the highest concentration of protein, far
protein stores (muscle tissue) to con- some amino acids that your body cannot exceeding the amino density of other beef
vert into carbohydrate to supply energy. make on its own and these have to be sup- cuts. But how many people can stomach
Branched Chain Amino Acids are ef- plied by the diet (1-5). Ultimate Amino a steady diet of liver and onions or sweet-
fective because they form a substrate Formula™ insures that all the essential breads (brains)? Parrillo Performance
for growth and are metabolized as fuel amino acids are supplied in the proper has engineered a liver formulation that
directly within muscle cells. A handful of ratio and there will be no missing links in is a tremendously concentrated source
Muscle Amino Formula™ capsules will the amino profile chain. This is our best of amino acids. Our unique product pro-
vides high quality amino acids plus heme
iron from purified, de-fatted liver extract.
Anemia, a low red blood cell count,
is surprisingly common among athletes,
particularly women who suffer from iron
deficiency anemia. Serious athletes often
suffer from “sports anemia” which is pri-
marily the result of the cortisol secretions
and the catabolic demands of extensive
and intense exercise (6-9). To make he-
moglobin you need iron and to make red
blood cells you need protein. If you are
deficient in either, anemia can result.
Most iron supplements provide metal-
lic iron in the form of ferrous sulfate.
This sulfate is absorbed poorly by the
body, perhaps 10% at best. When iron
is obtained from a biological source it is
already incorporated into heme, a build-
ing block of hemoglobin. Heme iron is
absorbed through the intestine far more
efficiently then ferrous sulfate. Liver Ami-
help prevent the onset of catabolism (1-4) no Formulation contains expensive heme
and has both anabolic and anti-catabol- all-around amino acid product, complete iron and is combined with amino acids
ic properties. Hi-Protein and Optimized unto itself. If you have money enough for - plus a complete array of B vitamins.
Whey are fortified with extra BCAAs for only one amino product, this might be the Competitive endurance athletes are in
just this reason. We suggest two or more one for you. We suggest two or more cap- need of hemoglobin to deliver oxygen
with every meal. Remember that BCAAs sules be taken with each meal and make to muscles and should gobble these po-
require insulin for absorption into muscle sure to take Ultimate Amino Formula™ tent tablets eagerly. For many endurance
cells so take them with food (carbs) rather with a starchy or fiberous carbohydrate athletes, especially women, Liver Amino
than on an empty stomach! as specified in the Parrillo Performance Formula™ is a ‘must’ supplement. We
ULTIMATE AMINO FORMULA Nutritional Manual. recommend 5-8 tablets with each meal
Think of an amino acid as the filet cut depending on your bodyweight. Take a
of the protein molecule, the essential es- LIVER AMINO FORMULA handful at bedtime to forestall the cata-
sence. Ultimate Amino is a scientifically An oldie but a goody. Bodybuild- bolic effects of the fast period we call
balanced profile of 17 free-form amino ers since the heyday of Steve Reeves sleep. This is our most economical amino
acids and is specifically designed to sup- and Clancy Ross back in the 1950’s formulation. Arnold used to eat up to 100
ply the base building blocks necessary have known all about the muscle-build- liver tablets a day in his competitive days
for muscle growth. Ultimate Amino For- ing properties of beef liver condensed and he was a man never known to make a
mula™ includes a complete profile of all into tablet form. A steady stream of foolish move.
twelve “essential” amino acids, which are Liver Aminos will help keep the body in
crine system on weight resistance training

References adaptations. Nat. Strength and Condition-
ing J. 14: 47-54, 1992.
1. Friedman JE and Lemon PWR. Effect
of chronic endurance exercise on reten- 14. Kraemer RR, Kilgore JL, Kraemer
tion of dietary protein. Int. J. Sports Med. GR, and Castracane VD. Growth hor-
10: 1188-12, 1989. mone, IGF-1, and testosterone responses
to resistive exercise. Med. Sci. Sports.
2. Hickson JF and Wolinsky I. Human Exerc. 24: 1346-1352, 1992.
protein intake and metabolism in exer-
cise. Nutrition in Exercise and Sport,
CRC Press, 1989.
3. Guyton AC. Textbook of Medical

Physiology. WB Saubders, 1991.
4. Zubay G. Biochemistry. Addison-Wes-

ley, 1983.
5. Lemon PWR. Protein and amino acid

needs of the strength athlete. Int. J. Sports
Nutr. 1: 127-145, 1991.
ENHANCED GH FORMULA
Is there a natural way to stimulate the
6. Scrimshaw NS. Iron deficiency. Scien-
release of growth hormone in the body?
tific American, October 1991.
Several prominent studies indicate that
this is a distinct possibility. Amino acids,
7. Sherman AR and Kramer B. Iron nutri-
two in particular, have shown great prom-
tion and exercise. Nutrition in Exercise
ise. Arginine pyroglutamate and lysine
and Sport, CRC Press, 1989.
monohydrochloride have been shown to
increase the natural release of growth
8. Haymes. Proteins, vitamins, and iron.
hormone in scientific studies (10-14). The
Ergogenic Aids in Sport. Kinetic Publish-
idea is to douse the body with Arginine
ers, 1983.
and lysine (particularly before sleep) and
allow this specific combination to work
9. Whitmire. Vitamins and minerals: a
its magic. Growth hormone increases
perspective in physical performance.
lean muscle mass by increasing protein
Sports Nutrition for the Nineties. Aspen
synthesis and by stimulating nitrogen
Publishers, 1991.
retention. GH increases the utilization of
fat for energy and has fabulous muscle-
10. Colgan M. Optimum Sports Nutrition.
sparing characteristics. Growth hormone
Advanced research Press, 1993.
is generally considered the most anabolic
of all hormones and has been shown to
11. Rudman D et al. Effects of human
alter body composition by increasing lean
growth hormone in men over sixty years
mass while simultaneously decreasing
old. N. Eng. J. Med. 323: 1, 1990.
body fat. I suggest taking 2-3 capsules on
an empty stomach first thing out of bed
12. Isidori A, Lo Monaco A, and Cappa
in the morning and again the last thing at
M. A study of growth hormone release
night before sleep. If possible, Enhanced
in man after oral administration of ami-
GH should be taken when the stomach is
no acids. Current Medical Research and
empty.
Opinion 7: 475-481, 1981.
13. Kraemer WJ. Influence of the endo-
Eating For Muscle

by John Parrillo
Have you noticed how people in the like a madman and consume more calo- per pound of body weight daily. A 200-
gym where you train don’t make much ries than you expend. The issue is what pound bodybuilder would intake 300-
progress? The reasons are not all that should we eat to supply those calories grams each day to achieve a 1:1 protein to
complicated, either they are not train- and does it make a difference? Fat should pounds ratio. Good food sources for lean
ing right or they are not eating right. It be limited to 5-10% of our diet and when protein include skinless chicken breast,
doesn’t take magic or a miracle to build you do this will knock a lot of calories out skinless turkey breast, egg whites, and
muscle but it does take correct training of your diet. Fat is used to supply energy fish. Most bodybuilders find it impossible
and eating. We could argue for years but cannot be converted to muscle or to eat as much protein as they need and
about how many sets and reps or how use a protein supplement. Our Hi-Protein
much weight to use or if you should do Powder™ and Optimized Whey Protein™
your inclines at 30 degrees or 40 degrees, are excellent protein product with two
but the bottom line on training is to train scoops of Optimized Whey™ providing 33
hard every time. While there is a science grams of the finest quality protein on the
to it, the basics are simple, train real hard, market and a superb profile of essential
use a variety of exercises, sets and reps. amino acids, with only four carb grams
Most Parrillo Press readers are people and zero fat.
who understand this idea and do a fair job To get started, eat three meals daily
of it. Don’t worry so much about over- and drink a protein shake one to three
training as more often than not people un- times a day, in between meals. Is there
der-train, they do not work hard enough a better way to intake muscle-building
or long enough to stimulate growth. Con- protein? Your carbohydrate foods should
cern yourself with training harder, not include both starchy and fibrous carbo-
training less. And concern yourself with hydrates. High quality starches include
improving your recovery rather than cut- potatoes, rice, corn, and beans. Fibrous
ting back on amount of exercise. The vegetables include salad greens, broccoli,
problems associated with muscle growth green beans, and so on. Fiber and protein
often relate to improper eating, the kind are the constants of the Parrillo approach
that is insufficient to support recovery and to performance eating. Starch is modu-
growth. Folks tend to not eat right and not lated up or down to trigger muscle gain
eat enough. At Parrillo Performance we (bulking) or fat loss (cutting). The Parrillo
have dedicated the last two decades to de- glycogen so any excess calories provided Performance Nutrition Manual goes into
veloping and refining the art and science by fat can only be stored as body fat. For exhaustive detail explaining which foods
of performance eating. those looking to add some size I would to eat and how to combine them appropri-
I typically work with people who recommend you increase your calories by ately at meals. Meal frequency is a hugely
need to eat more and when they do they 300-500 per day. Weight train intensely, important component of our performance
suddenly make great gains. They dis- perform aerobics on a regular basis, eat eating philosophy. It works best to eat
cover they are not the ‘hard gainers’ they right and the bodyweight you gain will frequently so your muscles will always
thought they were after all. You can’t gain be muscle. Don’t under-eat and don’t have a ready supply of nutrients to sup-
muscle without eating enough calories to overeat! port growth. Try eating five or six meals a
support growth. Start by cleaning up your You might notice that as you add muscle day. Each solid food meal should include
diet. People typically take in more calo- your metabolic rate increases. Muscle a protein source, a starch and a fiber.
ries than they expend and because they is very active tissue and uses a lot of If you’re wondering how to include
are relatively sedentary they store excess calories every day, even at rest. The more a good fiber source with breakfast, try
calories as bodyfat. Weed out saturated muscle you have the higher your meta- oatmeal. While primarily a starch, it also
fat first and foremost then crank back on bolic rate. For a muscular person to fuel supplies a lot of fiber and is perfectly ac-
the refined carbs and sugar but replace growth you have to eat more. After crank- ceptable for the serious performance eat-
these lost calories with ‘clean’ calories. ing back on dietary fat let’s then intake er. Bodybuilders, in my experience, eat
To gain quality muscle you need to train at least one and a half grams of protein more oatmeal than any other identifiable
Eating For Muscle
mone. The problem with insulin is that it gain of between 3-10 pounds within the
can easily promote fat if used in excess. first month or two of using it. Strength
Pro-Carb Formula™ is a medium to short- gains of 10-15% are common. We have
chain starch that provides a very favorable the best Creatine available so call our
insulin profile. If you need a carbohydrate 800-number and experience the magic of
supplement, this is an excellent choice. Creatine Monohydrate for yourself.
50-50 Plus™ is 20 grams of protein and Good luck until next month!
17 grams of carbohydrate per serving.
This combination of nutrients has been
shown to be very effective at supporting
muscular growth, especially when used
immediately after training. If you have
money for only one supplement consider
one of our protein powders. If you need
to gain quality size then consider 50-50
Plus™. There is no single right answer to
the dilemma of dieting and diet details
should be customized in each individual
circumstance. Consult your Parrillo Nutri-
tion Manual for the basic commandments
Parrillo Creatine Mono- of performance eating as the Manual goes
into great detail about how to construct a
hydrate™ increases diet to meet your specific needs. And if
strength as well as en- you still have questions, give us a call.
durance. We’re here to help.
The Parrillo Sports Nutrition Bars™, En-
ergy Bars™ and Protein Bars™ are all ex-
group. Supplements are a very effective cellent formulations; each with a slightly
way to support growth. We offer a wide different profile and each provide an ex-
variety of products and choosing among cellent combination of protein, carbohy-
them is sometimes perplexing. The most drates and CapTri®. They are convenient:
widely used are Optimized Whey Pro- you don’t need to make a meal or mix a
tein™, Hi-Protein Powder™, Pro-Carb™, drink to get clean nutrients in a hurry. Just
50-50 Plus™, CapTri®, and the Parrillo put one in your gym bag, attaché case,
Bars™. CapTri® is an interesting supple- purse, pocket, desk or glove compart-
ment that can be used to bulk up or rip ment and you have a precisely formu-
up. CapTri® is a special type of dietary lated muscle snack whenever you need it.
fat that follows a different metabolic Bars are another way to continually flood
pathway than conventional fat. While the muscles with nutrients, provide the
conventional fat is preferentially stored calories needed to support muscle growth
as body fat, especially during times of ca- and keep you in positive nitrogen bal-
loric surplus, CapTri® has very little tenance and away from catabolism. Don’t
dency to be stored as body fat. CapTri® is forget Creatine Monohydrate. Creatine
rapidly converted to ketones that are used makes your muscles bigger and stronger
as fuel to supply energy for your training. in a many different ways. It does not
It also spares protein and carbohydrates supply calories instead it enters muscle
thereby allowing spared nutrients to be cells and acts as an energy donor to sup-
used to fuel muscular growth and hasten ply ATP, the fuel used to power muscle
recovery. contractions. Creatine has been shown to
If you are naturally thin and want to increase strength as well as high intensity
gain size, clean carbohydrates would be exercise endurance. Also, it attracts water
the best choice to supply extra calories. into the muscle cells and this makes them
Carbohydrates cause your body to pro- noticeably bigger. 70% of first time Cre-
duce insulin, a powerful anabolic hor- atine users experience a muscular weight
Rest to Grow
by John Parrillo
Rest and recuperation are critical ele- phate serves as an energy donor and ter by training each muscle two or three
ments if your desire is to be successful helps to maintain the supply of ATP, the times weekly. After all, a man who bench
in bodybuilding. Everyone needs rest but molecule used by muscles to power con- presses 500 for reps and does forced reps
athletes, bodybuilders and people who tractions. ATP is rapidly depleted and and negatives will need a lot longer to
have occupations that involve hard physi- strength fades as a heavy set proceeds, recover than a rookie handling 100x5 in
cal work need more rest than sedentary muscular contractions soon stop alto- the same exercise. Like most everything
people. There are different categories of gether. During the rest interval between about training, variation is the name of
rest. One quantifiable type is the rest sets ATP and creatine phosphate stores are the game. You could develop a two-day
interval between sets. How much time repleted. Supplementation with Creatine a week routine, a three-day routine, or a
do you allow before commencing the Monohydrate can help the entire deple- six-day routine. Variety is the spice of life
next set? A second type of rest is the rest tion-regeneration process as it increases and the way we keep progressing. Same-
interval between training sessions? How ness equates to stagnation.
long before you train the same muscle The question is often asked of me,
again? Then there is sleep: how long do when should I take a day off? What is
you sleep each night and are you getting the strategy behind rest and recuperation?
enough quality sleep? What is the relationship between exercise,
Use different rest intervals between sets nutrition, rest and muscle growth? Gener-
to elicit different muscular effects. The alizations are dangerous since everyone
length you choose will trigger a different is different and circumstances are never
physiological effect. If you want to get the same. In addition to weight training,
cut-up and lean you would naturally and a Parrillo-trained bodybuilder needs to
correctly gravitate towards a focused and do aerobics on a regular and systematic
fast-type of workout style. If your goal basis. Pre-contest bodybuilders will do
is to increase your muscle mass you will aerobics twice a day in addition to regular
need to increase your strength. Increased weight training. This is a lot of work, par-
strength occurs when additional pound- ticularly since we insist the athlete train
age is handled or more reps are per- intensely whatever the discipline. Our
formed. In order to handle heavier weight rule of thumb is that you should take off
or perform more reps per set you need to the least amount of days you need in or-
be totally recovered from the previous der to recuperate. If you are eating prop-
set. Allow plenty of time between sets erly and plentifully and getting plenty of
when you are tackling the big weights. sleep at night you can train harder, longer,
Heavy, compound exercise movements, intracellular Creatine pools(5-6). Supple- heavier and more often.
those which involve the movement of ment with our Creatine Monohydrate You hear a lot of talk on how to avoid
two or more joints to push the weight to Formula™ and you will get a better train- over-training but often this is an excuse
completion: i.e. squats, bench presses, ing effect. for laziness. Over training can be avoided
rows, cleans, overhead presses, deadlifts, What is the amount of time to rest be- if you take in lots of quality calories
etc., will require more recovery time tween training sessions? Some people do and get plenty of deep, restful sleep. In
between sets than isolation exercises like best by training each muscle group once fact, at Parrillo, if an athlete thinks they
curls or deltoid raises. Again, this is com- a week, but training it very hard. Others are overtraining we advise that they up
mon sense stuff but basic concepts need get better results by training a particular their calories rather than cut back on the
to be repeated periodically. muscle two or in some instances even weight training or aerobic activity. It is
Weight training is incredibly intense three times a week. One key factor is your tough to make progress by exercising
exercise and within seconds of the com- strength level. As you get stronger and lift less. If you are not making good gains and
mencement of a heavy set, energy re- heavier weights it takes longer to recover. feel zapped and tired, try increasing your
serves are depleted and waste products Many experienced bodybuilders like to calories and adding another hour of sleep
begin to accumulate(1-4). Creatine phos- train each muscle group once a week to your nightly allotment. Make sure you
for this reason. Beginners do much bet- are training intensely enough to stimulate
Rest to Grow
growth. What is intense enough? Push- ments are protein powder and Creatine 1. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and Katch VL.
ing the envelope and upping poundage Monohydrate. Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition,
or weights every session. Push hard and Carbohydrates are needed to maintain and Human Performance. Lea & Febiger,
make gains, then refuel and rest. muscle glycogen stores. When muscle Philadelphia, 1991.
Another key recovery factor is the glycogen is depleted, strength and endur-
characteristic of the muscle itself. Large ance drop off markedly(1-4). If you are 2. Wilmore JH and Costill DL. Physiol-
muscles need more time to recover be- no longer getting a good pump after a set, ogy of Exercise and Sport. Human Kinet-
tween workouts. Because big muscles are this is a sign that you are running low on ics, Champaign, IL, 1994.
stronger you can lift more poundage and glycogen. In this case, increase your carbs 3. Essentials of Strength Training and
are subjected to greater stress you need by using two to four scoops of Parrillo Conditioning, Thomas R. Baechle, editor,
longer to recover. You might find that your Pro-Carb™ after your workout. This is National Strength and Conditioning As-
arms recover faster than your legs, for ex- the perfect time to supplement with carbs sociation, Human Kinetics, Champaign,
ample. Or your triceps recover quicker as they will be stored as glycogen. Don’t IL, 1994.
than your lower back. Be aware of these
muscular phenomena when scheduling 4. Guyton AC. Textbook of Medical
your sessions. Always try to get enough Physiology, W.B. Saunders Company,
sleep. If you are unable to sleep optimally Philadelphia, 1991.
your recovery will suffer and you won’t
be able to train each muscle group as fre- 5. Maughan RJ. Creatine supplementation
quently. Stress can be a definite detriment and exercise performance. International
to recovery. Emotional stress is a very Journal of Sport Nutrition 5: 94-101,
real factor as is illness. During stress your 1995.
body produces cortisol, which helps you
through the stress but has the unfortunate 6. Greenhaff PL. Creatine and its appli-
side effect of breaking down muscle. Cor- cation as an ergogenic aid. International
tisol is a catabolic hormone that breaks Journal of Sport Nutrition 5: S100-S110,
down muscle tissue so that the protein 1995.
can be used as fuel. Illness reduces your
ability to recover as your body devotes 7. Tarnopolsky MA, MacDougall JD, and
its energy to fighting the sickness rather Atkinson SA. Influence of protein intake
than repairing muscle tissue. If you have a and training status on nitrogen balance
cold and don’t feel too bad, then go ahead and lean mass. J Appl Physiol 64: 187-
and train. But if you have a fever or are 193, 1988.
too sick to work take a few days off from forget to take your vitamins and minerals.
the gym. I suggest six meals a day, spaced at regu- 8. Lemon PWR. Influence of dietary pro-
Nutrition plays an absolutely central lar intervals. Each meal should include a tein and total energy intake on strength
role in the recovery process. The foods protein source (such as lean chicken or improvement. Sports Sci Exch 2, 1989.
you eat supply you with the building turkey), a starch, and a fibrous vegeta-
blocks the body needs to repair itself. ble. Good starches include potatoes, rice, 9. Celejowa I and Homa M. Food intake,
If you are training intensely and getting beans, and corn. Stay away from simple nitrogen, and energy balance in Polish
enough sleep but not eating right, then sugars and refined carbohydrates such as weight lifters during training camp. Nutr
your growth potential will be severely pasta or bread. Metabolically, refined car- Metab 12: 259-274, 1970.
limited. You should be getting one to bohydrates behave much like simple sug-
two grams of protein per pound of body ars. Also avoid milk and fruit, which are 10. Laritcheva KA, Yalovaya NI, Shubin
weight every day for optimal growth and rich in sugars. Consult the Parrillo Per- VI, and Shirnov PV. Study of energy ex-
recovery(7-10). Most bodybuilders use formance Nutrition Manual for detailed penditure and protein needs of top weight
a protein supplement as the foundation instructions. Adequate nutrition and sleep lifters. In: Nutrition, Physical Fitness and
for their nutritional program. We think are two critical ingredients in achieving Health, eds. Pariznova J and Rogozkin
the best protein on the market is our optimal recovery. Don’t be afraid to vary VA, p. 155-163. University Park Press,
Hi-Protein Powder™ or Optimized Whey and experiment with your rest intervals Baltimore, 1978.
Protein™. Our whey protein is fortified and training frequency. Good luck!
with extra glutamine and branched chain
amino acids. In terms of recovery and References
growth the two most important supple-
Vitamins and Minerals, Part I

by John Parrillo
Vitamins and minerals are not the most who exercise vigorously need extra pro- enthusiastic adherents are everywhere. It
exciting supplements, but to the body- tein. This is common sense backed up by would be nearly impossible to consume
builder, fitness enthusiast or serious weight decades of empirical data from the gym enough Creatine Monohydrate from whole
trainer they are among the most important. and scientific data from the lab. Tremen- foods to consume the quantity necessary to
Many governmental, medical and nutri- dous gains in size and strength occur when trigger growth. Besides, with our modern
tional authorities suggest that vitamin and high intensity weight training is combined high technology processing methods we
mineral supplementation is not necessary, with heavy protein supplementation. Two can offer you a Creatine Monohydrate
and that you can get all the nutrients you scoops of my Optimized Whey protein product so powerful that two small scoops
need from eating a balanced diet, and while contain 33 grams of high biological-value contain the nutritional punch of several
this might be true in the strict sense it is protein, zero grams of fat, 3 grams of car- 6-ounce steaks without the saturated fat
senseless in the practical sense. If you eat bohydrates and zero sugar – plus it tastes or the hassle of cooking. You can derive
perfectly and do not engage in any strenu- incredibly good. I usually recommend that all the Creatine you need with a couple
ous exercise, then adequate vitamins and the serious bodybuilder start by consuming of scoops taken daily. The cost is pen-
minerals may be derived from the foods we nies a day and the results are sensational.
eat but think how much easier it to obtain Creatine Monohydrate has had the fastest
all we need by taking a few inexpensive growth curve of any natural supplement in
tablets each day? And what about those of the nation over the last few years, largely
us who diet? How does the strict dieter on word-of-mouth advertising by the users.
make up for vitamin deficiencies? The an- The word is out: Creatine Monohydrate
swer is to supplement. Vitamin and mineral works!
deficiencies are relatively common. Most Many athletes have vitamin and min-
people don’t eat a “balanced” diet and this eral deficiencies and aren’t even aware
is true even for Parrillo-style bodybuilders of it. Restricted diets, though effective at
who typically avoid fruits and dairy prod- stripping fat, are often woefully short on
ucts because of the high content of natural- vitamins and minerals. Your system needs
ly occurring sugars. Eliminating fruits and vitamins and minerals to operate at peak
dairy from your diet is one of the smartest efficiency and the solution to this problem
things you can do to strip off bodyfat and is convenient, cheap and easy: use vitamin
maintain mass, but eliminating these two and mineral supplementation. I recom-
food groups removes some of the richest mend one tablet of each of my products,
sources of natural vitamins and minerals. Mineral Electrolyte Formula™ and Essen-
People who eat a balanced diet, as defined tial Vitamin Formula™ to be taken with
by the FDA, are still at risk for deficiencies each meal. This way, the body is being
because so many of our foods are refined, continually refueled with the trace miner-
bleached and processed. als and potent vitamins it needs for growth
In my opinion virtually every serious 1 to 1½ gram of protein for every pound of and recovery from hard, mineral-leeching
strength athlete or bodybuilder should be bodyweight, spread as evenly as possible workouts. And at about $.10 a tablet, these
on a “core supplement” program that in- over 5-6 meals each day. When you pla- products are one of the most economical
cludes vitamins and minerals, a high qual- teau in training (poundage or muscle size) supplements available on the market.
ity protein supplement and Creatine Mono- jump up to 2 or more grams per pound of Vitamins are divided into two general
hydrate. I strongly believe (and continu- bodyweight. This plateau-busting method categories based on their solubility prop-
ally remind athletes) that wholesome food has worked for over a thousand individuals erties (1-4). The water-soluble vitamins
should serve as the bedrock foundation I have worked with personally in my 25 include vitamin C and the B vitamins
of any serious nutritional program. Body- years of contest prepping top bodybuild- (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine,
builders will obtain astounding results in ers. So serious protein supplementation and cobalamin), folic acid, pantothenic
very short order if they use wholesome is a requirement if you are serious about acid, and biotin. The fat-soluble vitamins
foods in combination with a core supple- progressing. are A, E, D, and K. Generally speaking,
mentation program. Supplemental protein Creatine Monohydrate is another nu- the water-soluble vitamins function as co-
for the serious weight trainer is a no- tritional supplement that is clearly valu- enzymes that bind to enzymes and make
brainer. The scientific evidence is strong, able to virtually everyone who trains with them active. Mostly they are involved in
persuasive and plentiful that those athletes weights. The science is plentiful and the biochemical pathways that produce energy.
Vitamins and Minerals, Part I
The fat-soluble vitamins function (primar- the vitamin per day still had decreased is needed for the breakdown of branch
ily) without binding to enzymes. blood levels after hard training. By up- chain amino acids. The Krebs cycle is
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a critical ping intake to 300 mg per day normal the primary energy-producing pathway in
vitamin for the serious weight trainer. Per- blood levels returned (1). Several studies cells and its smooth function is required
formance deficiencies for those who lack have reported decreased urinary excre- to produce energy from carbohydrates,
ascorbic acid have been documented for tion of vitamin C in athletes, suggesting protein, and fat. The branched chain amino
centuries. Sailors up until the 1800’s would a relative deficiency. Several studies have acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) are
routinely contract scurvy, a horrible wast- shown an increase in exercise performance unique in that they can also be converted
ing disease, as a result of diets lacking in after vitamin C supplementation. One in- to energy within the muscle cell. Without
vitamin C. They discovered that packing volved comparing supplemented and pla- thiamin, energy production comes to a
dried fruit on long voyages cured the prob- cebo groups on a cycle ergometer. The standstill. The present guidelines suggest
lem but until that fateful discovery many group given 1000 mg of vitamin C per day 0.5 mg per 1000 calories. This works out
sailors died from vitamin C-depletion. (1). had increased mechanical efficiency and to be between 1.1 to 1.5 mg per day for
Vitamin C deficiency can cause shortness wasted less energy than the placebo group. most people. Food sources high in thiamin
of breath and reduce endurance. Vitamin Other studies have shown vitamin C to include pork, whole grains, beans, peas,
C has multiple functions in the body and reduce oxygen consumption, oxygen debt, and orange juice (1). Most other foods
many of these relate to physical activity. VO2 max, and total energy expenditure. contain only small amounts of thiamin
Vitamin C is required for collagen synthe- Vitamin C seems to play a major role in unless the food has been fortified with
sis. Collagen is a structural protein within added vitamins.
the body, the primary component of carti- The Parrillo Performance Essential Vi-
lage, tendons, and ligaments. Weakness in tamin and Mineral-Electrolyte Formulas
these structures will reduce performance are specifically designed for athletes and
as well as predispose the individual to provide high levels of the B vitamins
injury. A little known fact is that vitamin C needed for cellular energy production.
is required for the production of carnitine, These supplements also contain high lev-
a molecule that is required for fatty acid els of the antioxidant vitamins C and
oxidation. Vitamin C deficiency can lead
E. The Parrillo formulations are a rich
to impaired fatty acid utilization (1). Neu-
source of calcium, especially important
rotransmitters require vitamin C for their
for women. The scientific logic for vitamin
formation and a deficiency can result in
and mineral supplementation is irrefutable,
reduced nervous system function. Vitamin
the cost negligible and the benefits are in-
C is an antioxidant that protects cells from
credible. So what are you waiting for?
damage by oxygen radicals that are gener-
ated in greater number during exercise.
References
The current “recommended” daily allow-
ance of vitamin C is 60 mg per day. This
1. Sports Nutrition: Vitamins and Trace
is sufficient to prevent the symptoms of
Elements. Ira Wolinsky and Judy
overt vitamin C deficiency but is somewhat
Driskell. CRC Press, 1997.
lacking for the hard working bodybuilder.
Stress increases the requirement for vi-
2. Sports Nutrition: Minerals and Elec-
tamin C (1) and infection, smoking, and exercise endurance and prevention of fa-
trolytes. Constance Kies and Judy
extremes of temperature or altitude (1) will tigue. If your vitamin C level is low or mar-
Driskell. CRC Press, 1995.
deplete vitamin C within the body. It is ginal, correct it and you will derive benefit.
suspected that exercise would also increase Supplemental vitamin C is a must!
3. Nutrients as Ergogenic Aids in Sports
vitamin C requirements, although official There is convincing data to show defi-
and Exercise. Luke Bucci. CRC Press,
recommendations for athletes do not ex- ciencies in vitamins - thiamin, riboflavin,
1993
ist. Furthermore, C seems to be the best pyridoxine (B6), C, E, and iron are also
antioxidant protection. Food sources for detrimental to exercise performance (1).
4. Nutrition In Exercise and Sport. I. Wo-
vitamin C include specific fruits and veg- Thiamin, also called vitamin B1, is re-
linsky and J.F. Hickson. CRC Press,
etables. Strawberries and oranges are fruits quired for energy production. Significant
1994.
loaded with C and the best vegetables for numbers of athletes and young people are
C are green: bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, thought to be low or marginal in thiamin
collared greens, spinach, and broccoli. (1). Exercise increases thiamin require-
One interesting scientific study tried to ments and thiamin is required for energy
determine C requirements for athletes and production. The Krebs citric acid cycle
found that athletes consuming 100 mg of needs thiamin and this critical vitamin
Vitamins and Minerals, Part II

by John Parrillo
Last month we discussed vitamins and from vegetable sources very efficiently. effect, causing calcium uptake into bone.
minerals and took a long look at vitamin Vegetables contain oxalic acids, which A daily intake of 1,200 mg per day of
C and thiamin, two vitamins both very bind to calcium and reduces its bio- calcium is recommended - unless a person
important for athletes. This month I want availability. Bodybuilders generally avoid has a diagnosis of osteoporosis, in which
to talk about calcium. Calcium is essential dairy products and vegetable calcium has case 1,500 mg per day is usually recom-
for strong bones and teeth and also plays absorption problems, so supplementation mended (2). It is virtually impossible to
a central role in the activation of mus- becomes very important. obtain this amount of calcium without
cular contractions. Many people don’t Calcium carbonate and calcium citrate the use of dairy products or supplements.
get enough calcium, especially women. are both good supplemental forms of No problem, we at Parrillo Performance
Women are at risk for a very common dis- calcium but avoid oyster shell calcium recognized the importance of calcium
ease, osteoporosis: a condition in which since it does not absorb well. Anyone for athletes long ago and our Mineral-
the bones slowly lose calcium and weak- with a history of kidney stones should Electrolyte Formula™ provides 250 mg of
en as a result. A simple fall can result in probably choose calcium citrate since it elemental calcium per tablet. Two tablets
a fractured hip and something as minor as of Mineral-Electrolyte Formula™ taken
stepping off a curb can crush vertebrae. with five meals (or shakes) per day will
Human bone lacking in calcium becomes yield 1250 mg of calcium per day. At
brittle. Osteoporosis is most common in less then a 8¢ per tablet, can you afford
post-menopausal women. The problem is not to calcium supplement? Statistically,
the reduction in estrogen production. Es- most women consume only about half the
trogen helps keep bones strong. It is im- recommended daily amount of calcium,
portant to have plenty of calcium in your making it one of the most common nu-
bones when you enter menopause because tritional deficiencies among the female
if you start into menopause with low min- population. Osteoporosis is an insidious
eral density (“thin bones”) then problems disease that presents few clinical signs
can occur quickly. To help in preventing or symptoms until a fracture finally oc-
osteoporosis, or reduce its impact, take curs and then it is too late to do anything
in plenty of calcium to make sure your about it. It is very important for women
bones are strong. Though osteoporosis is to maintain a regulated, adequate calcium
more common in women, men can get it intake during their youth and middle age
too. Build a strong skeleton when you’re in order to avoid osteoporosis in later
young so you’ll have a strong skeleton years.
when you’re old (1). is less prone to form kidney stones. The Vitamin D has several actions that in-
Dairy products are high in calcium. adult human body contains 1,000 – 1,200 crease plasma calcium levels. Vitamin D
Milk, yogurt, and cheese are all rich cal- grams of calcium, 99% of which is in the increases the efficiency of intestinal cal-
cium sources. This is a problem in that skeleton. If calcium intake is inadequate cium absorption, acts to decrease urinary
milk and cheese are forbidden for serious the skeleton serves as a pool from which calcium excretion, and promotes the re-
bodybuilders. We like the calcium and calcium will be withdrawn for other pur- lease of calcium from bone. Since vitamin
protein content of dairy products but the poses. Bones are in a state of continual D increases calcium absorption, vitamin
fat and sugar create disadvantages that turnover and are constantly being re- D deficiency will lead to low calcium. Vi-
far outweigh the advantages. Milk has placed and remodeled. Existing bone is tamin D is an interesting compound that
an ample amount of protein but contains reabsorbed and new bone built. Three in some ways acts more like a hormone
lactose, a simple sugar that promotes fat hormones are directly involved in cal- than a vitamin. It was originally classified
storage. These naturally rich sources of cium metabolism: parathyroid hormone as a vitamin because it is associated with
calcium are out of bounds. Still, we need (PTH), calcitonin (CT), and vitamin D specific deficiencies: rickets and osteo-
calcium. Some vegetables contain a fair (vitamin D functions like a hormone) (1- malacia (3). Unlike other vitamins, your
amount of calcium, especially the green 3). Parathyroid hormone acts to release body is able to make its own vitamin
leafy vegetables like spinach (1-5), but calcium from bone to increase the plasma D. It is a derivative of cholesterol called
the intestines do not absorb the calcium calcium level. Calcitonin has the opposite 7-dehydrocholesterol and is converted to
Vitamins and Minerals, Part II
pre-vitamin D3 in the skin during expo- represents the main dietary source (1-6)
sure to ultraviolet light. As an interesting for most Americans. Serious bodybuild-
side note, in northern climates where it is ers and fitness enthusiasts usually won’t
cold in the winter and people don’t spend drink milk or eat dairy. In order to pre-
much time in the sun, inhabitants some- vent calcium or vitamin D shortfall they
times develop low vitamin D levels which should supplement. The RDA for vitamin
lead to low calcium levels. 25-hydroxyvi- D is 200 IU for adults beyond 24 years of
tamin D3 is further metabolized in the age, and 400 IU for people between six
liver and then the kidneys to produce its months and 24 years of age (2). The solu-
active form, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. tion is an easy one: take our Essential Vi-
The dietary form of vitamin D is also a tamin Formula™ and Mineral-Electrolyte
pre-vitamin and must be converted into Formula™ as proscribed and get on about
the active form by sequential reactions in the rest of your muscle building business.
the liver and kidney (1,2). The calcium/vitamin D base is covered.
The main function of vitamin D is to We’ll talk again next month!
help regulate calcium and phosphorus me-
tabolism. Both calcium and phosphorous References
are required for bone formation, nerve
and energy function, and other cellular 1. Macroelements, Water, and Elec-
processes. When calcium or phosphorous trolytes in Sports Nutrition. Judy Driskell
levels are low it causes the kidneys to and Ira Wolinsky, CRC Press, 1999.
make more of the active form of vitamin
D, which in turn goes to the intestines 2. Recommended Dietary Allow-
and stimulates the synthesis of binding ances, 10th edition. National Research
proteins for calcium and phosphorous. Council. National Academy Press, 1989.
These binding proteins increase the ab-
sorption of the minerals by the intestine 3. Sports Nutrition: Vitamins and
(3). Vitamin D also acts on the kidneys to Trace Elements. Ira Wolinsky and Judy
reduce urinary excretion of calcium and Driskell. CRC Press, 1997.
phosphorous. It stimulates the release of
calcium and phosphorous from bone (a 4. Sports Nutrition: Minerals and
good thing) and acts to maintain normal Electrolytes. Constance Kies and Judy
calcium and phosphorous concentrations. Driskell. CRC Press, 1995.
Vitamin D seems to have no direct value
as an ergogenic aid. There seems to be no 5. Nutrients as Ergogenic Aids in
performance boost from “extra” amounts Sports and Exercise. Luke Bucci. CRC
of D but a vitamin D deficiency will Press, 1993.
certainly decrease performance. Actually,
megadoses of D could be toxic if calcium 5. Nutrition in Exercise and Sport.
levels exceed the normal range. Vitamin I. Wolinsky and J.F. Hickson. CRC Press,
D deficiency in children causes rickets; a 1994.
wasting disease in which in bones weaken
and go soft, legs become bowed and
growth is stunted. Vitamin D deficiency
in adults is called osteomalacia and pro-
duces skeletal weakness and pain (3).
Your body can make enough vitamin
D to meet your needs if you receive ad-
equate sunlight exposure. Many people,
workaholics, the aged and sick, do not
get a lot of sun. Supplementation is highly
recommended for these groups. In this
country, milk and other dairy products
are fortified with vitamin D and this
Vitamins and Minerals, Part III

by John Parrillo
So far in our series about vitamins and delivery to tissues thus limiting aerobic known anemia, and anyone who doesn’t
minerals we have discussed vitamin C, metabolism and work performance. eat red meat. If you seem low on energy
thiamin, calcium, and vitamin D. This Good dietary sources of iron include it might be worth a try. Iron deficiency is
month I am going to talk about iron, red meat and liver (2). Vegetables gener- surprisingly common in athletes.
one of the most important minerals for ally are not very good sources of iron. Iron has several other important func-
athletes. Endurance athletes and women Although spinach contains a fair amount tions besides its role in hemoglobin. No-
are particularly at risk for low iron status of iron it is not very bioavailable (not tably it is also found in myoglobin, a
or iron deficiency anemia (1-6). Anemia very well absorbed by the body). It is protein similar to hemoglobin that is
is a condition where your body doesn’t useful to consider dietary iron in two found in muscle. It’s function is to help
have enough red blood cells. This com- ways. It can be classified as “heme iron” transport oxygen inside muscle cells. In
promises the ability to provide oxygen to addition to decreased work performance,
the tissues thereby reducing sports perfor- iron deficiency is also associated with
mance. It is well documented that anemia impairments in cognitive performance,
reduces athletic performance and that cor- thermoregulation (maintaining body tem-
recting the anemia improves performance. perature), thyroid hormone regulation,
Anemia can be caused by a wide variety glucose metabolism, nervous system
of things, including deficiency of iron, function, immune function, and growth
folate, or B12. Another cause of anemia (4).
in athletes is hemolysis (4). This is the Iron deficiency seems to inhibit normal
destruction of red blood cells by physical growth in children. One study demon-
stress. “Sports anemia” refers to anemia strated that 56% of iron deficient children
in athletes undergoing severe training. were below the tenth percentile of weight
It occurs in endurance athletes such as for their age (4). It seems iron status plays
marathon runners. It seems to be caused some role in modulating growth rates in
by a combination of iron deficiency and children. While it is clear iron deficiency
hemolysis. negatively impacts sports performance,
Iron deficiency is the most common it is not known if iron deficiency hinders
nutritional deficiency in the world. It is muscle growth in adults, but it seems pos-
estimated that about 500 million people sible. A group of iron deficient children
worldwide are iron deficient (4). The were treated with either just vitamin C or
main biological function of iron is to vitamin C plus iron. The group receiving
bind oxygen. Most of the body’s iron iron had more of an increase in height and
stores (70%) are contained in hemoglo- weight than the group receiving only vi-
bin. Hemoglobin is an iron-containing tamin C. Interestingly, this effect seemed
protein in red blood cells. When the blood or “nonheme iron.” Heme iron is iron that not mediated through increased food in-
circulates through the lungs it binds oxy- is already incorporated into hemoglobin. take, suggesting some direct effect of iron
gen, then the hemoglobin lets go of the This improves its absorption dramatically. in regulating growth (4).
oxygen when it circulates through the Obviously heme iron will only be found In addition to its central role in oxygen
tissues. If iron intake is inadequate the in meats or liver. The fact that red meat is transport iron is also important to many
first thing that happens is iron is released a good source of iron is no doubt one of basic processes of energy metabolism.
from ferritin, a protein that stores iron. If the reasons for its reputation for making Iron deficient animals are characterized
iron intake remains inadequate eventually you stronger. Non-heme iron is found in by increased metabolic rate and increased
body iron stores become depleted. Then plants and most iron supplements. Our glucose oxidation (4). They rely more
the new red blood cells which are matur- Liver-Amino Formula™ contains liver heavily on glucose as fuel, meaning they
ing in the bone marrow can’t make as extract and is an outstanding source of burn less fat. Overall, iron deficiency re-
much hemoglobin as they need, resulting heme iron. It should be considered a sults in reduced growth, increased meta-
in microcytic (small cells), hypochromic core supplement for endurance athletes bolic rate, lower feed efficiency, and
(pale cells) anemia. This impairs oxygen (particularly women), for anyone with a increased reliance on glucose as fuel (4).
Vitamins and Minerals, Part III
Iron status also affects thyroid hormone. negative impact on iron status (4,5). per day. Vegetarians may need a higher
Iron deficient human beings are func- Most iron supplements you see at intake because of the decreased avail-
tionally hypothyroid. When cold stressed the store are ferrous sulfate – a form of ability of iron from those sources. Also,
these individuals fail to adequately ther- nonheme iron. Parrillo Performance Liv- adequate vitamin C intake is important.
moregulate and core temperature drops. er-Amino Formula™ contains heme iron
Studies in iron deficient rats show they which is much more efficiently absorbed. References
have half as much active thyroid hormone I usually recommend 10 to 15 tablets a
as control rats. Normal thyroid hormone day or up to 40 tablets for serious athletes. 1. Macroelements, Water, and Electro-
It doesn’t matter if you take them all at lytes in Sports Nutrition. Judy Driskell
once or in divided portions. This should and Ira Wolinsky, CRC Press, 1999.
be a core supplement for any endurance
runner. Other people who might benefit 2. Recommended Dietary Allowances,
from it include any menstruating female 10th edition. National Research Coun-
and anyone who has anemia. Symptoms cil. National Academy Press, 1989.
of anemia include fatigue and weakness
and a decrease in performance. Also, if 3. Sports Nutrition: Vitamins and Trace
you have anemia, I would suggest eating Elements. Ira Wolinsky and Judy
red meat or liver once or twice a week. Driskell. CRC Press, 1997.
If you have true anemia you should also 4. Sports Nutrition: Minerals and Elec-
take a multiple vitamin supplement. Be- trolytes. Constance Kies and Judy
sides iron, you also need folate and B12 Driskell. CRC Press, 1995.
and protein to make red blood cells. So
I would suggest two servings a day of 5. Nutrients as Ergogenic Aids in Sports
Hi-Protein Powder™ or Optimized Whey and Exercise. Luke Bucci. CRC Press,
Powder™. Of course, if you’re treating 1993.
anemia the most important product is
the Liver-Amino Fromula.™ That in itself 6. Nutrition In Exercise and Sport. I.
is a good source of heme iron, protein, Wolinsky and J.F. Hickson. CRC Press,
and B vitamins. Take your Vitamin C at 1994.
the same time you take your iron, since
function is required for growth hormone Vitamin C improves iron absorption (2).
function. This might be one reason low If after a month or two you still are fa-
iron status negatively affects growth. You tigued you might want to see your doctor
may be wondering why iron deficiency to establish if there is another reason for
results in increased metabolic rate. This the problem.
is mediated by an increase in sympathetic The recommended daily allowance of
nervous system activity and is thought to iron is 15 mg per day (2). Only about
represent a compensatory step in response 10% of nonheme iron is absorbed, so this
to impaired thermoregulation secondary would provide about 1.5 mg of non-heme
to low thyroid status. iron. (In comparison about 20% of heme
Not only does iron status affect exer- iron is absorbed.) This is thought to be
cise performance, but exercise affects enough for most of the population ex-
iron status too. There is quite a lot of cept for women with exceptionally high
evidence showing that intense exercise menstrual blood losses. Also, female en-
causes iron loss and decreased hemoglo- durance athletes are likely to need more.
bin. This seems to affect mainly distance Daily iron losses average about one mg
runners. The mechanism behind it is not per day in men and 1.4 mg per day in
fully understood. Some people have sug- women. Pregnant women are generally
gested increased iron loss through sweat- encouraged to take extra iron, about twice
ing, increased gastrointestinal blood loss, the normal daily amount. The RDA for
or red blood cell rupture from footstrike children is 10 mg. These guidelines are
(trauma). For whatever reason, it would developed for people who normally eat
appear intense, prolonged exercise has a 30 to 90 grams of meat, poultry, or fish
Carbohydrates: The Bodybuilders Best Friend or Worst Enemy?
by John Parrillo
Your body needs fuel to power a reduction in carbohydrates works bet- These factors, taken together,
its activities. During low level activity, ter. Carbohydrates are almost exclusively result in certain carbohydrates being di-
like casual walking, fat serves as a pri- derived from plant sources. Meat is a very gested, entering the bloodstream very rap-
mary fuel source. As exercise intensity poor source of carbohydrates. We divide idly and triggering a powerful release of
increases your body comes to rely more carbohydrates into several categories. insulin. Refined carbohydrates behave in
heavily on carbohydrates for its source The first two are simple sugars and the body much like simple sugars and we
of energy. During prolonged endurance refined carbohydrates. Simple sugars include recommend that athletes trying to get in
activities such as aerobics (and especially sugar and honey as well as fruit and fruit shape avoid all simple sugars and refined
after glycogen reserves become depleted), juice. Fruit is sweet because it contains the carbohydrates, including sugar, fruit, fruit
amino acids can contribute significantly sugars glucose and fructose. It is advisable juice, bread and pasta. Milk is not a good
to the fuel mix, accounting for as much to avoid simple sugars and refined carbo- bodybuilding food since it is rich in the
as ten percent of oxidized substrate. Since hydrates because they readily promote fat simple sugar lactose. A glass of milk ac-
most of us exercise intensely, we are de- storage. To some extent they are converted tually contains more sugar than protein,
pendent on carbohydrates for optimal something a lot of people don’t real-
performance. This is true for both body- ize. Starches and fibrous vegetables are
builders and endurance athletes. Of all “good” carbohydrate sources and we en-
the ergogenic (performance enhancing) courage our athletes to eat these. Starch
substances available, evidence suggests is a long chain of glucose. Glucose is
that carbohydrates and water work best sugar released into the bloodstream and a
for powering through a workout. Without primary fuel for muscles. Glucose is the
these critical nutrients the body cannot storage form of carbohydrates in plants.
generate power and perform work at the Glycogen is very similar to starch and
optimal level. When endurance athletes is the storage form of carbohydrates in
“bonk” or “hit the wall” glycogen stores animals. The difference between starch
are depleted and blood sugar levels start and glycogen has to do with the branch-
to drop. This causes a dramatic reduction ing pattern and starch is a good energy
in muscular power output and causes fa- source that is digested slowly compared
tigue of the central nervous system. to refined carbohydrates. This results
The human body can store in a more favorable insulin profile for
roughly 400 grams of glycogen, which starch. Starch is the best food source of
is the storage form of carbohydrates. This into fat, but more importantly they cause a carbohydrate for athletes. Good examples
amounts to about 1,600 calories and is not big insulin release from the pancreas and this of starchy carbs include oatmeal, corn,
enough energy to last most of us even one blocks the use of fat as fuel. If you don’t burn peas, rice, beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes,
day. Since we can’t store very much, it is any fat as fuel then it slowly accumulates. lentils, legumes, and whole grains.
critical to maintain an adequate supply of Fructose is found primarily in fruit but also Fibrous vegetables don’t supply
carbohydrates. The optimal carbohydrate in artificial sweeteners like high fructose many calories but are the prime sources
intake varies from person to person, de- corn syrup – which is especially bad since it of fiber, a critical nutrient for bodybuild-
pending on athletic goals, body size and is preferentially converted to fat in the liver. ers. Fiber slows the rate of release of
training pattern. Endurance athletes burn Examples of refined carbohydrates include glucose into the bloodstream thus helping
the most fuel and thus have the highest bread, pasta and anything made with flour. to moderate insulin levels. Good fibrous
carbohydrate requirements. Bodybuilders That would include muffins and cookies, vegetables are lettuce, spinach, aspara-
who follow our Parrillo prescription of cake, crackers, pretzels and so on. Chips, gus, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts,
high intensity aerobics and weight training even the low fat kind, will fall into this cat- beans (not canned), lentils, peas, turnip
should consume a diet fairly high in carbo- egory since their carbohydrates are refined. greens, squash, zucchini, okra, oatmeal, oat
hydrates. During the growth season, while During refining the grain which supplies the bran, All-Bran cereal or Fiber-One cereal
the emphasis is on gaining lean muscle, carbohydrate is pulverized and the fiber is (check to make sure these have no sugar),
a diet relatively higher in carbohydrates removed. The carbohydrates are ground into cabbage, celery, peppers, sweet potatoes,
will help support weight gain. During pre- a fine powder and this increases its surface eggplant, cucumbers, onions and whole
contest dieting, when the goal is fat loss, area-to-mass ratio. grain brown rice. Generally any other veg-
Carbohydrates: The Bodybuilders Best Friend or Worst Enemy?
etable is acceptable. I would stay away slow-release carbohydrates and ideal for
from avocados, olives and nuts, as they both improving exercise performance and
are high in fat. It is important to combine providing post-workout glycogen replace-
foods properly when you prepare a meal. ment. In terms of convenience it’s impos-
We call this “meal structuring.” Each meal sible to beat Parrillo Bars. Keep some in
should contain a protein source, a starchy your gym bag and have one when you
carbohydrate and a fibrous vegetable. By finish your workout to start replenishing
combining protein and fiber with your glycogen right away. Try and get a handle
starch, and by avoiding simple sugars and on the different types of carbohydrates.
refined carbohydrate, the rate of release Eliminate the refined carbs and those that
of glucose into the bloodstream is greatly contain sugar. Manipulate your starch and
reduced. This helps keep insulin levels fiber intake to achieve your desired results.
low which permits the continued use of Keep tabs on your carbs and how much
fat as fuel. This style of eating encourages you ingest. You will be well on your way
ingested nutrients to be stored as muscle or to achieving the physical goals to which
glycogen rather than compartmentalized in you aspire.
fat storage.
How many carbohydrates should References
you eat in a day? This varies from person
carb intake. Establish your daily intake of
to person, so I can’t give you some magic 1. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate bal-
calories from fat and protein and derive the
number, but I can teach you how to figure ance, and weight maintenance: effects of exer-
rest from quality carbohydrates. Include
it out for yourself. The first thing to con- cise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 296-306, 1987.
starchy and fibrous carbs at each meal,
sider is your daily caloric requirement.
avoiding the other carb sources. 2. Flatt JP. Use and storage of carbohydrate and
If you don’t already know what that is,
Did you ever wonder how carbo- fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61: 952s-959s, 1995.
start weighing your food and use a calorie
hydrates are metabolized in the body? The
chart to calculate how many calories you
starch is broken down into glucose units 3. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier E. Gly-
are consuming each day. The Parrillo Per- cogen synthesis versus lipogenesis after a 500
inside the small intestine and absorbed into
formance Nutrition Manual comes with a gram carbohydrate meal in man. Metabolism
the bloodstream. From there it is carried to
food scale and diet trac sheets along with 31: 1234-1240, 1982.
the liver by the portal vein. Much of it is
detailed instructions. Next, construct your
retained in the liver where it is converted
diet so that fat is limited to 5-10% of calo- 4. Liebman M and Wilkinson JG. Carbohydrate
into glycogen. Once liver glycogen stores metabolism and exercise. Chapter 2 from Nutri-
ries consumed and eat one to two grams of
are filled to capacity the remainder of tion in Exercise and Sport, edited by Wolinsky I
clean (low fat) protein per pound of body
the glucose load is released into the gen- and Hickson JF, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1994.
weight each day. If you’re lean and are try-
eral circulation where it is taken up by the
ing to gain weight add more carbohydrates.
muscles, brain, or other organs and used as 5. Miller GD. Carbohydrates in ultra-endurance
If you are trying to strip off fat try eating exercise and athletic performance. Chapter 3
fuel. As long as blood glucose levels are
two grams of protein per pound of body from Nutrition in Exercise and Sport, edited by
normal, glucose is (generally) used pref-
weight each day and cut back on your Wolinsky I and Hickson JF, CRC Press, Boca
erentially as fuel over fat or amino acids.
Raton, 1994.
Muscle has the ability to store glycogen,
so whatever glucose is taken up by muscle 6. Hargreaves M. Skeletal muscle carbohydrate
- but is not needed immediately for fuel metabolism during exercise. Chapter 2 fro-
- is retained as glycogen. Under normal mExercise Metabolism, edited by Hargreaves
conditions not much glucose is converted M, Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign,
into fat, although this can happen during IL, 1995.
prolonged periods of over-eating. Glucose
can be used as fuel or stored as glycogen 7. Coggan AR and Williams BD. Metabolic
by liver and muscle. Several hours after adaptations to endurance training: substrate
the meal, when blood glucose levels start metabolism during exercise. Chapter 6
to drop, liver glycogen is broken down from Exercise Metabolism, edited by Har-
and the stored glucose is released into the greaves M, Human Kinetics Publishers,
bloodstream. You can maintain fairly uni- Champaign, IL, 1995.
form blood glucose levels without having
to eat constantly.
Parrillo’s Pro-Carb Powder™ and
50-50 Plus™ are both excellent sources of
Build Muscle While Simultaneously Stripping Off Body Fat–Part 1

by John Parrillo
With summertime fast approaching, benefit from your supplements and training and a gram of carbohydrates generate the
shedding any excess fat you might have put only if they are combined with a proper same caloric amount, 4 calories per gram,
on over the winter is a hot topic. How would and plentiful diet of wholesome foods. The the net result is no change in the total amount
you like to get into super shape by summer? foundation of our diet is based on the idea of calories you consume. Our research and
Now is the time to start. There are specific that in order to maximize fat loss you need knowledge gleaned in preparing some of
strategies of diet, exercise, and supplementa- adequate amounts of protein. Protein helps the best bodybuilders in the world indicate
tion that maximize fat loss while retaining prevent muscle loss while you are losing that you benefit tremendously by tilting
hard-earned muscle. When I use the word fat and protein generates a hormonal and the ratio of calories contributed by protein
“diet” I’m NOT referring to classical “low thermodynamic milieu that is optimal for and away from carbohydrate. Detailed
calorie” diets. Restricting calories will work fat loss. Normally I recommend protein information about how to precisely adjust
over the short term but always fails in the consumption of around 1.5 grams per pound this ratio is provided in the Parrillo Nutri-
long run. The body has specific defense of body weight per day. During a serious fat tion Manual. Upping protein has several
mechanisms in place to defend against loss program I would suggest you increase metabolic effects. Increased protein reduces
body weight loss (specifi- insulin levels. Insulin is not
cally fat stores) and these a bad thing and is required
biologic mechanisms are for many vital functions but
triggered when a drastic the problem is that too much
reduction of calories oc- insulin blocks the use of fat as
curs. During severe caloric an energy source. And that is
restriction you lose as much a bad thing.
muscle as fat - and this Carbohydrates stimu-
bodybuilding nightmare late insulin release and by
reduces the metabolic rate reducing the amount we take
like slamming into a wall. the brakes off the fat-burn-
It aslo brings fat loss to a ing process. This is why low
screeching halt. Reduced carb/high protein diets are so
caloric intake primes your popular these days. Another
enzymes and hormones to consequence of increasing the
preferentially replenish fat protein-carbohydrate ratio has
depots after normal caloric to do with thermodynamics.
intake is resumed. Rather Every time you eat a meal a
than restricting calories certain percentage of the calo-
and call into play the body’s ries are lost as body heat during
starvation response, we the process of digestion and
need to work with our bod- that: take in up to two grams or more of metabolism. This is called the
ies, giving them the nutrients and energy protein per pound of body weight, per day. thermic effect of feeding, or TEF. Whatever
they require - but in a clever way that pro- To avoid increasing your caloric intake calories are lost as body heat are no longer
motes fat loss while retaining hard-earned while increasing your protein consumption available for storage as fat. These calories
gym muscle. There is no magic here and it’s reduce your starchy carbohydrate intake by are no longer available for use as fuel by
really not too complicated once you know an equivalent amount of calories. Exchange the body to perform its work and the body
what to do. starch calories for protein calories and you is forced to rely on stored fat for fuel. This
The single best move you can make will jump-start the fat loss process. procedure automatically promotes fat loss
- if you want to lose fat and gain muscle For example, if you weigh 200 pounds without reducing calories or lowering the
- is to purchase the Parrillo Performance and normally consume 200 grams of protein metabolic rate.
Nutrition Manual. This amazing book dis- per day, to facilitate fat loss while minimiz- The TEF for dietary fat is 2-3%. This
cusses my philosophy and introduces you ing muscle loss, you would increase your means 2-3% of the fat calories you eat will
to the method by which you can make it protein intake to 400 grams per day and be lost as body heat during the process of
all happen. Food is the foundation of good decrease your starch intake by 200 grams per digestion and metabolism. Under conditions
nutrition and you will derive the maximum day to compensate. Since a gram of protein of normal caloric consumption the rest of
these calories are retained as body fat. The the Nutrition Manual for a comprehensive this might be true but it is irrelevant. Weight
TEF for carbohydrate is 8%, while the TEF list of preferred foods as well as their indi- lifting doesn’t burn many calories no matter
for protein is 25%. This means that 25% of vidual nutritional profiles. how you do it and by training for high reps
the calories you consume as protein “go up A common misconception is that you may burn a few more calories but not
in smoke” before they can be used as fuel when you want to lose fat you should shift enough to notice. Weight lifting is an an-
to perform work - or be stored aerobic exercise fueled almost
as fat. That’s a good thing. exclusively by carbohydrates.
Protein’s high TEF makes it Fat cannot be used as an anaero-
roughly 23% better than fat bic fuel. It can only be oxidized
insofar as TEF efficiency. An- in an “aerobic” metabolism.
other benefit of increased pro- Whatever few extra calories you
tein intake during weight loss might burn by training with high
is that protein reduces the loss reps will be supplied by carbs
of muscle tissue. Usually (but anyway. The main issue is how
not always) when you lose fat do we maintain muscle mass
you lose some muscle as well. while shedding fat? Intense
By increasing protein intake training with heavy weights
we minimize this undesirable provides the stimulus necessary
result. Why? Protein, in addi- to increase muscle mass - and is
tion to having a high TEF also also the best stimulus to main-
provides essential amino acids tain muscle mass while you’re
that muscle needs to maintain losing fat. Your body will adapt
itself. The higher the protein to heavy training by increasing
intake the more likely the hard muscle mass. If you back off on
dieting athlete has of retaining the intensity of your training,
muscle mass throughout the or the amount of weight you
process. By increasing protein, lift, your body will realize it
reducing fat intake and lower- no longer needs hypertrophied
ing starchy carbohydrates, we your weight training from training heavy to muscles and you will experi-
minimize muscle loss and end up leaner and training with lighter weights for high reps. ence varying degrees of muscle wasting.
more muscular as a result. We “trick” the This is a big mistake and has no basis in To promote fat loss, add or increase
body into burning fat as fuel and keep our physiology. The reasoning commonly pre- your aerobic (cardiovascular) exercise.
metabolic rate elevated. sented is that you’ll burn more calories if Aerobic exercise is fueled in large part by
Good protein sources include skinless you train lighter, longer and for higher reps: fat, especially while on a reduced carbohy-
chicken or turkey breast, egg whites and drate diet. If you couple aerobics with a low
most fish. Our Nutrition Manual includes a fat diet whatever fat you use to fuel your
food scale and a nutrition composition table aerobic exercise must be derived from stored
listing the nutrient breakdown of all the body fat. A good rule of thumb is to keep
foods you should be eating. Many people weight training hard and heavy as usual, but
have trouble eating enough protein in food double your aerobic exercise. Thirty minutes
form so we manufacture two excellent of aerobics in the morning before breakfast
protein powders, Optimized Whey™ and and another 30 minutes before bed works
Hi-Protein™. Each supplies 31-33 grams of very well for most people. The advantage
pure protein per serving. This is the way of doing aerobics before breakfast is at that
top bodybuilders, strength and professional time of day glycogen stores are at the lowest
athletes ingest high amounts of “clean” level and more energy will be derived from
protein without having to eat and cook all stored body fat.
that food. Parrillo Performance Hi-Protein™ Use the protein powder as needed
Powder and Optimized Whey™ Protein are to obtain your required number of protein
both ideal for this application. Good starchy grams. Use CapTri® if you are going low in
carbohydrate sources include oatmeal, corn, carbs and feel a loss of energy or strength.
peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, le- The proper way to use CapTri® in our shape-
gumes, and brown rice. Examples of fibrous up scenario is as a replacement for calories
vegetables include lettuce, spinach, squash, derived from conventional fat or starch.
zucchini, spinach, greens, green beans, broc- Replace the equivalent number of calories
coli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. See from CapTri®, which has a very high TEF
and has almost no capacity to be retained as 5. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Me- Clin. Nutr. 62: 19-29, 1995.
body fat. It is used-up, almost immediately dium chain triglycerides: an update. Am. J.
as an energy source (as rapidly as glucose) Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982. 15. Swinburn B and Ravussin E.
while having little effect in terms of increas-
Energy balance or fat balance? Am. J. Clin.
ing insulin levels. Unlike conventional fats, 6. de Castro JM, Paullin SK, and Nutr. 57: 766S-771S, 1993.
CapTri® is not stored as body fat and unlike DeLugas GM. Insulin and glucagon as
carbohydrates CapTri® does not block the determinants of body weight set point and 16. Astrup A. Dietary composition,
use of body fat as energy. It is an ideal energy microregulation in rats. J. Comp. Physiol. substrate balances and body fat in subjects
source to use while losing fat. Psychol. 92: 571-579, 1978. with a predisposition to obesity. Int. J. Obe-
You may also want to consider our
sity 17: S32-S36, 1993.
Muscle Amino Formula™ and Advanced 7. Mabrouk GM, Helmy IM, Thampy
Lipotropic Formula™. Muscle Amino KG, and Wakil SJ. Acute hormonal control 17. Miller WC, Lindeman AK, Wal-
Formula™ provides the ideal balance of of acetyl-CoA carboxylase: the roles of lace J, and Niederpruem M. Diet composi-
branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), leu- insulin, glucagon, and epinephrine. J. Biol. tion, energy intake, and exercise in relation
cine, isoleucine, and valine. These amino Chem. 265: 6330-6338, 1990. to body fat in men and women. Am. J. Clin.
acids are used as fuel by muscle cells and
Nutr. 52: 426-430, 1990.
supplementing the BCAAs has been shown 8. Westphal SA, Gannon MC, and
to decrease muscle catabolism. This is a Nuttall FQ. Metabolic response to glucose 18. Hill JO, Peters JC, Reed GW,
high-tech product that can help you maintain ingested with various amounts of protein. Schlundt DG, Sharp T, and Greene HL.
muscle mass while losing fat, resulting in a Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 52: 267-272, 1990. Nutrient balance in humans: effects of diet
leaner, more muscular physique. Advanced
composition. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 54: 10-17,
Lipotropic Formula provides l-carnitine 9. Hill JO, Peters JC, Yang D, Sharp 1991.
along with several other nutrients required T, Kaler M, Abumrad N, and Greene HL.
for fat metabolism. L-carnitine works as Thermogenesis in humans during overfeed-
a transporter molecule to shuttle fat into ing with medium chain triglycerides. Metab.
mitochondria, the tiny furnaces inside cells 38: 641-648, 1989.
where fat is burned. I hope this article spurs
you into action. Hopefully, by the time the 10. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate
summer arrives you will have a total physi- balance, and weight maintenance: effects
cal makeover. Best of luck! of exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 296-306,
1987.
References
1. Nelson KM, Weinsier RL, James 11. Leibel RL, Rosenbaum M, and
LD, Darnell B, Hunter G, and Long CL. Hirsch J. Changes in energy expenditure
Effect of weight reduction on energy expen- resulting from altered body weight. N. Eng.
diture, substrate utilization, and the thermic J. Med. 332: 621-628, 1995.
effect of food in moderately obese women.
AM. J. Clin. Nutr. 55: 924-933, 1992. 12. Piatti PM, Monti LD, Magni F,
Fermo I, Baruffaldi L, Nasser R, Santam-
2. Levin BE and Sullivan AC. Regu- brogio G, Librenti MC, Galli-Kienle M,
lation of thermogenesis in obesity. Novel Pontiroli, and Pozza G. Hypocaloric high-
Approaches and Drugs for Obesity, Sullivan protein diet improves glucose oxidation
AC and Garattini S, Eds. p. 159-180. John and spares lean body mass: comparison to
Libbey and Co. Ltd., 1985. hypocaloric high-carbohydrate diet. Metab.
43: 1481-1487, 1994.
3. Kern et al. The effects of weight loss
on the activity and expression of adipose tis- 13. Astrup A, Buemann B, Western,
sue lipoprotein lipase in very obese humans. Toubro S, Raben A, and Christensen NJ.
New Engl. J. Med. 322: 1053, 1990. Obesity as an adaptation to a high-fat diet:
evidence from a cross-sectional study. Am.
4. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim J. Clin. Nutr. 59: 350-355, 1994.
SA. Enhanced thermogenesis and di-
minished deposition of fat in response to 14. Horton TJ, Drougas H, Brachey
overfeeding with diet containing medium A, Reed GW, Peters JC, and Hill JO. Fat
chain triglyceride. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: and carbohydrate overfeeding in humans:
678-682, 1982. different effects on energy storage. Am. J.

by John Parrillo
Bulletin #86 discussed some of the There are roughly 100 grams of protein in is - how many calories should I consume?
basic concepts of nutrition and training used a pound of muscle tissue. At four calories The answer is whatever number of calories
to lose fat and gain muscle. Losing fat and per gram, that accounts for 400 calories. Toyou would normally consume to maintain
gaining muscle are separate and distinct build a pound of muscle tissue we suggest your current constant body weight. Although
physiologic processes and were initially dis- you intake 300-500 or an average of 400 this is not a precise methodology, it is a good
cussed separately for just that reason. When additional calories a day. It takes a lot ofstarting place. Supplying enough calories
you are gaining muscle and losing fat at the energy to build a house and it takes a lot ofto maintain your current body weight is re-
same time your body weight doesn’t change energy to assemble the protein and cells thatferred to meeting your maintenance energy
much, which is a bit deceptive. When your make up a pound of muscle tissue. requirement. You ingest enough calories
caloric intake roughly matches your energy A pound of stored body fat yields to maintain a constant body weight, yet not
expenditure, nothing hap- too many, as the excess will be
pens to your body weight directed into weight gain.
yet you are undergoing an Although gaining muscle
incredible transformation. and losing fat at the same time
Ideally, the energy cost of is certainly possible (we see it
building new muscle tissue happen all the time) it is not
will be met at the expense easy. There’s not much room for
of stored body fat. While error. You have to do everything
body fat does not provide right and I strongly suggest you
the protein needed to build read The Parrillo Performance
new muscle, fat can supply Nutrition Manual if you haven’t
the energy needed to fuel already. There is simply too
the anabolic process. The much information for me to
net result is fat is burnt off summarize it all in a short ar-
while new muscle tissue ticle like this. More important
is built. than how many calories you eat
The energetic cost is, what kind of food do you
of building a pound of eat? The Nutrition Manual has
muscle tissue is not pre- a detailed list of the foods you
cisely known, but has been should be eating to build muscle
estimated to be about 2,800 and lose fat. The Manual also
calories. This agrees with comes with a food composi-
our experience in prepar- tion guide and a food scale
ing bodybuilders for com- so you can precisely control
petition. We at Parrillo your nutrient intake. To build
Performance have discov- muscle while stripping off fat
ered that in order to gain a you need to keep your protein
pound of muscle in a week without adding 3,500 calories upon oxidation. This is intake high, carbohydrate intake moderate
to fats stores, the process should be slow enough energy to supply the metabolic cost and fat intake low. You should increase
and steady. Most bodybuilders, regardless of building a pound of muscle and to power protein intake and decrease carbohydrate
of age or gender, need to consume an ad- daily activities. When a person adds muscle intake, compared to the way you normally
ditional 300 to 500 extra calories per day and looses fat at equal rates, the energy eat. A good rule of thumb would be to in-
- these are calories above and beyond your intake will roughly match the energy expen- gest one to two grams of protein per pound
current energy expenditure level. Split the diture. The net result is confusing; despite of bodyweight each day. Fat intake should
difference and 400 additional calories daily, no change in your body weight, you have be limited to 5-10% of calories. Unrefined,
multiplied for each of the seven days in a undergone an astounding transformation. complex carbohydrates should be used to
week, equates to a weekly caloric increase So how do we do it? The first question out meet the remainder of your caloric require-
of 2,800 calories. Muscle is mostly water of everyone’s mouth when they ask me how ment. I recommend that you keep your
(which contains no calories) and protein. to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time protein intake level and adjust your caloric
intake by modulating the carbohydrates in retention. ing, worry about under-training. If anything
your diet. Try and keep your body weight In training you really have to go all you want to err on the side of over-training
constant throughout the process. out. You have to train hard and heavy to here. Occasional, brief periods of over-train-
The Parrillo Performance Body Stat stimulate muscle growth. This means basic, ing can actually help break plateaus and
Kit™ is an invaluable tool here. Following heavy exercises giving 110%. When doing stimulate new growth. Most people will need
scale weight doesn’t tell you how much low rep work, concentrate on explosive to do an hour of aerobics each day. If you
muscle you’ve gained or how much fat contractions that generate a lot of power. In have some stubborn fat that’s slow to come
you’ve lost. Gaining ten pounds of muscle the higher rep ranges concentrate more on off, don’t be afraid to do more. Push yourself
and losing ten pounds of fat will change moving the weight slowly, especially dur- on your aerobics. You need to work hard
your appearance and body composition ing the concentric (lowering) phase of the enough to break a sweat and breathe hard.
dramatically, but your body weight will contraction. “Time under tension” refers to Any type of aerobic activity is acceptable
remain unchanged. The Body Stat Kit™ al- the amount of time a muscle is under tension however, just so you do it hard.
lows you to monitor body composition and during a set. In a low rep set, the muscle gets Generally I wouldn’t recommend a
program like this for more than eight or ten
weeks at a time. It’s very intense and you’ll
probably need a break after that long. With
all training programs, you’ll eventually
reach a plateau. After ten weeks on this
program I’d suggest taking a break. Shift
into a mode designed to gain muscle, as I
discussed last month. Stay strict on your
diet but eat a few more calories each day,
say 300 more, than you have been. Reduce
the aerobics down to 30 minutes a day. This
will help you gain a pound or two of muscle.
Train hard and good luck!
this allows you to follow muscle gain and worked very hard, but doesn’t spend much
fat loss. The instruction manual that comes time under tension. Low rep sets are more
with it tells you exactly what to do to keep intense and this is a very potent stimulus
progress moving in the right direction. By for growth. Time under tension is another
increasing the protein-carbohydrate ratio in important growth stimulator and you’ll need
your diet, you’re supplying calories that are to do more reps at a slower pace, which will
more prone to be stored as muscle than as fat. require the use of lighter weight. High rep
Also, by decreasing carbohydrate intake you sets should be carried to failure. I suspect
induce hormonal and metabolic changes that you’ll find they’re more painful than the low
encourages the use of stored body fat as fuel. rep sets. The combination of both training
Rely on lean protein sources such as skin- styles is very effective at stimulating muscle
less chicken or turkey breast, white fish and growth.
egg whites. Most people find it impossible Losing fat and gaining muscle at the
to consume two grams of protein per pound same time can bring about rapid and dra-
of body weight each day from conventional matic changes in your appearance and body
foods. It’s simply too much food. This is composition. It’s hard work. You have to
where a high quality protein supplement is be very strict on your diet and train harder
very useful. Our Optimized Whey Protein™ than you normally do. As a rough guideline
is an excellent choice here. It contains high I would recommend weight training an hour
levels of glutamine and the branched chain a day, and possibly more, five or six days a
amino acids that help to maximize protein week. Instead of worrying about over-train-
Creatine Update
by John Parrillo
Few sports supplements have been days. After five days, they took two grams recent studies to look into this involved 14
more intensely researched in recent years of creatine a day, while the other group men who were tested on stationary bicycles
than creatine monohydrate. Already at varying levels of exercise intensity
this year, significant findings on this after having supplemented with 20
amazing supplement have been pub- grams of creatine daily for five days.
lished in leading scientific journals Half the group took a placebo. Some
- findings that can help you achieve interesting effects were observed in
that ultimate physique. Before I share the creatine-supplement takers. First,
those findings with you, here’s some creatine appeared to decrease ammonia
background information on how build-up in the body. This is significant.
creatine works. Inside muscle cells, Ammonia is a waste product generated
creatine helps produce and circulate during intense exercise. It is very toxic
adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the and will stop energy production in the
main energy-producing molecule of cell. When your body can eliminate it
all living cells. By taking supplemen- efficiently, you have more energy to
tal creatine, you can build the volume train. Creatine may help the body clear
of creatine in your muscle cells. Inside ammonia from the system. Second,
cells, creatine increases levels of a creatine enhanced “oxygen uptake.”
high-energy compound called creatine This represents your body’s maximum
phosphate, which serves as a tiny fuel capability to deliver oxygen to the
reserve, enough for several seconds working muscles. With greater oxygen
of action. Creatine phosphate also delivery, you can increase your aerobic
allows more rapid production of ATP. The continued to take the placebo. All the men performance. Third, the creatine-supplement
more ATP that is available to muscle cells, trained their arms twice a week, starting takers had more endurance and could train
the longer, harder, and more powerfully you with six-rep maximums and progressing longer before becoming tired.3
can work out. Thus, creatine can indirectly to two-rep maximums. The experimental
help you lose body fat, since longer, more period lasted six weeks. At the end of six More get-up and Go
intense workouts help demolish fat and build weeks, the creatine-takers experienced ex- It’s a fact of life: Some people just
lean muscle. The more muscle you have, the traordinary gains. Combined with weight naturally slow down physically with age and
more efficient your body is at using energy training, creatine supplementation produced can’t last as long in the gym as their younger
and burning body fat. Additionally, in many greater arm strength, boosted muscle mass, counterparts. Creatine to the rescue. In a re-
studies, creatine has been found to affect and increased upper arm girth. Those in the cent study, twenty men (aged 60 to 82) took
protein synthesis - which ultimately leads to placebo group had no such gains whatsoever, either a placebo or 20 grams of creatine daily
muscle growth.1 Now, here’s a look at some even though they were exercising.2 for 10 days, followed by either four grams
creatine news you can use: of creatine or a placebo daily for 20 days.
Creatine can indirectly help you Researchers measured the subjects’ exercise
Build Bigger Arms performance on leg and arm exercises and
If you’re familiar with the Parrillo Train- lose body fat, since longer, more
found that creatine supplementation reduced
ing Program, you know that I recommend intense workouts help demolish muscle fatigue.4
some very specific techniques for building fat and build lean muscle. The
arm mass. Exercises such as drag curls more muscle you have, the more How to Supplement With Creatine
for the biceps, preacher curls with elbows Probably no other sports supplement
efficient your body is at using en-
pressed toward the center of the pad, vari- (to date) has been as thoroughly researched
ous triceps exercises, and, of course, fascial ergy and burning body fat.
as creatine. In addition to its performance
stretching between arms sets. In addition to advantages, creatine has virtually no side
these training techniques, make sure you’re effects according to research.
supplementing with creatine. A recent study Aerobic Power
The ability to train longer without feel- Building the levels of creatine and cre-
found that supplementation with creatine atine phosphate in your muscles gives you
monohydrate produced remarkable ef- ing pooped is certainly a plus when you’re
trying to build quality muscle. Time and another fuel source in addition to glycogen
fects on arm mass. In this study, 23 male from carbohydrates. The question is, how
weight-trainers took either a placebo, or five again, creatine has proven its merit in de-
laying the onset of fatigue. One of the most much creatine do you need?
grams of creatine, four times a day, for five
Creatine Update
To use creatine in your supplement Program™, which supplies ample calories

program, I recommend taking four 5-gram from the proper categories of lean proteins
doses a day for five days. This is known as and natural, high-fiber carbohydrates.
the “loading phase.” From there, five to
ten grams a day will keep your muscles References
saturated with enough extra creatine. This 1. Kreider, R.B. 1999. Dietary supplements
and the promotion of muscle growth with
resistance exercise. Sports Medicine 27:
97-110.
2. Becque, M.D., et al. 2000. Effects of
oral creatine supplementation on muscular
strength and body composition. Medicine
and Science in Sports and Exercise 32:
654-658.
3. Rico-Sanz, J., et al. 2000. Creatine en-
hances oxygen uptake and performance
during alternating intensity exercise. Medi-
cine and Science in Sports and Exercise 32:
379-385.
4. Rawson, E.S., et al. 1999. Effects of 30
days of creatine ingestion in older men.
80: 139-144.
5. Editor. 1994. The promise of creatine
supplements. Penn State Sports Medicine
Newsletter, January, 1-3.
period is called the “maintenance phase.”

One of the best times to supplement
with creatine is with your meals. That way,
you can load it into your muscles at just the
right time to start replenishing muscular
reserves and restocking ATP. Taking it after
your workout is a good idea too. Creatine
enhances the movement of amino acids in
cells for tissue growth and repair following
exercise. Creatine has no flavor, and you
can mix it with plain water or a sports drink.
Coffee is not a good choice. Research shows
caffeine counteracts creatine and blocks its
strength-producing benefits. I recommend
that you take the Parrillo Creatine Mono-
hydrate™ with our ProCarb Formula™.
Scientific research shows that taking cre-
atine with a liquid carbohydrate supplement
boosts the amount of creatine accumulated in
muscles by as much as 60 percent.5 This is
not to say, however, that taking Creatine with
an exorbanent amount of sugars would be
beneficial. It would not. Diet is critical too.
To support muscle growth, creatine works
best if you follow the Parrillo Nutrition
Doing Carbs Right: Controlling Insulin Release

by John Parrillo
These days you can’t pick up a While reducing carbohydrate intake make you fat-it’s the insulin release fol-
magazine or look at the best seller list in the works well to assist fat loss, it’s not the best lowing carbohydrate ingestion that is the
bookstore without seeing something about diet for all situations. Athletes, particularly culprit. This biochemical sequence prevents
low carbohydrate diets. Low carbohydrate endurance athletes and team sports players, you from losing the stored body fat you
ketogenic diets have their primary applica- need the quick energy that carbohydrates already have. At Parrillo Performance we
tion in facilitating fat loss. Such diets work provide. Bodybuilders are equally as inter- have developed a dietary plan that allows
to help you lose weight in part by reducing ested in gaining muscle as they are in losing you to eat carbohydrates while minimizing
insulin levels. Insulin is a storage the insulin response. This gives you
hormone and promotes the storage of the best of both worlds: the benefits
carbohydrate as glycogen as well as of carbohydrate in providing energy
promoting the use of carbohydrate as for growth and athletic performance-
fuel. What many people don’t realize plus the benefit of reducing insulin
is that insulin also inhibits lipolysis, levels.
the release of stored fat from fat cells. Understanding how the Par-
Insulin shifts the body’s metabolism rillo diet works is really not too
into a carbohydrate mode and shuts complicated once you understand
off fat burning. This all makes perfect some basics about metabolism. Both
sense if you think about it. The role of protein and carbohydrate stimulate
body fat is primarily to store energy insulin release from the pancreas,
for times when food is not available. but carbs are a significantly more
When you eat, insulin is released in potent stimulus than protein is.
response to the carbohydrate content And not all carbs are created equal.
of the meal and acts to promote the Gram for gram, some carbs elicit a
utilization of that carbohydrate for much stronger insulin response than
energy. If carbohydrate is available as others. We divide carbs into four cat-
a fuel source your body will prefer to egories. First are simple sugars and
use it instead of fat, since it wants to refined carbohydrates, then there are
save body fat as an insurance policy starches and fiber. You want to avoid
against starvation. simple sugars and refined carbs since
If your only goal is fat loss, these are the most potent insulin se-
reduced carbohydrate diets do make cretors. Simple sugars are found in
some sense. We’ve used this strategy desserts and sweets and are major in-
with our bodybuilders for years, hav- gredients in soft drinks. Last month
ing them progressively reduce starch I stated that the average American
intake before a contest to help get them fat, and carbs provide energy for muscular consumes a staggering 153 pounds of refined
ripped. During this time we have them growth. Bodybuilders also enjoy having full, sugar per year. Most of this is concealed in
increase their intake of CapTri® to make hard muscles, and that comes, in part, from processed foods, convenience foods, soft
sure energy levels don’t suffer. CapTri® glycogen stored in the muscle cells. Athletes, drinks, and sweets. Many cereals also are
is a proprietary medium chain triglyceride whether they are aware of it or not, want to very high in sugar. When you’re reading the
(MCT) formula that is used immediately for store glycogen in their muscles in order to labels to check for sugar content remember
energy-more rapidly than glucose in fact. look and perform their best, and glycogen that high-fructose corn syrup is a sweetener
CapTri® has minimal effects on insulin so it storage requires eating carbohydrates. Is loaded with the sugar fructose, which is even
is an ideal energy source during reduced carb there some way we can derive the benefit of more potent in promoting fat storage than
dieting. Using CapTri® in place of some carbohydrates and still get leaner? table sugar.
portion of your normal starchy carbohydrate Yes, there is. You can include a sig- You might be surprised to learn that
intake will reduce insulin levels and shift nificant amount of carbo-hydrate in your fruit, fruit juice and milk are high in sugar.
your metabolism into a fat-burning mode. diet and still lose fat-if you do it right. The Almost all of the calories in fruit and juice
CapTri® itself is used immediately for en- strategy behind a reduced carbohydrate diet derive from natural fruit sugars. Although
ergy and is not stored as body fat. CapTri® is not to avoid carbohydrates per se-but milk is an outstanding protein source, it
is a dieter’s dreams come true. rather to reduce insulin levels. Carbs don’t contains more calories from sugar than from
Doing Carbs Right: Controlling Insulin Release
protein. Fruit and dairy products have many select foods that are digested more slowly. meals you never get that big insulin release.
healthy attributes but are relatively high in Two important concepts are meal structur- Also, you have a more uniform energy level.
sugars and the fact that these sugars occur ing and meal patterning. Meal structuring I recommend eating six small meals per day
naturally doesn’t make it any better for you. is simply the proper construction of each spaced out evenly every two-and-a-half to
So for people seeking to achieve ultimate individual meal. Each meal should contain three hours. Try to get at least a minimum of
leanness, I strongly suggest they avoid a protein source, an unrefined complex car- five meals. If you have trouble eating regular
fruit, juice, and dairy products. Refined bohydrate to provide starch, and a fibrous food meals that frequently, make two meals a
carbohydrates are made from grains milled vegetable. (The exception to this is the pre- day supplement meals. Our 50-50 Plus drink
to produce flour. The problem is that in the contest diet in which starch is eliminated mix and the Parrillo Nutrition Bars are ideal
manufacturing process the fiber is removed from some meals, particularly those late for this purpose. Implementing these dietary
from the grain, leaving only starch. Then in the day.) The presence of protein in the concepts will allow you to eat carbohydrates
the grain is pulverized to produce a fine stomach slows the rate of digestion and ab- while also moderating insulin levels. You
powder. This greatly increases the surface sorption of carbohydrate, as does fiber. The will feel better, have more energy and get
area of the starch, thus increasing it’s rate of exact ratio of protein to carbohydrates varies leaner and stronger. Eliminating sweets and
digestion and absorption. Refined carbs are among individuals depending on what are refined carbs makes most people feel more
absorbed as quickly as sugar, and thus have the specific training and dietary goals. energetic, not less.
essentially the same effect on insulin levels For more detailed information re-
as eating sugar does. Anything made from If you want to do carbs right the fer to the Parrillo Performance Nutrition
flour is a refined carbohydrate. This includes Manual™.
bread and pasta and baked goods like cakes first step is to avoid the carbo-
and muffins. Most snack foods (including hydrate sources which elicit a
pretzels, commonly misconstrued as being big insulin release and instead
a healthy snack) are made from refined car- select foods that are digested
bohydrates. Most cereals are made from a more slowly.
mixture of refined carbohydrate and sugar.
If you want to reduce insulin levels As a good rule of thumb, during a
and still be able to eat carbohydrates, start by weight gain period eat one to two grams of
eliminating the carbs that are the most potent protein per pound of body weight each day
insulin releasers. This includes simple sug- and supply the rest of your calories from
ars, sweets, refined carbs, fruit, milk, bread, unrefined, complex starchy carbs and fibrous
pasta, and most cereals. Eliminating these vegetables. Minimize fat intake. For weight
foods from your diet will make you notice- loss, most people get good results by increas-
ably leaner. The best carbohydrate choices ing their protein intake and simultaneously
are unrefined, complex carbohydrates and decreasing carbohydrate intake. The ratio of
fibrous vegetables. Good starchy carbs are protein to carbs will change depending on
oatmeal, whole grain rice, potatoes, sweet whether your goal is weight gain or fat loss.
potatoes, corn, peas, lentils, beans, legumes, This will vary from individual to individual.
and any whole grain. While primarily starch, People who store fat easily do better with
these foods are natural and unrefined and are less carbs and more protein. People who are
high in fiber. The presence of fiber in the naturally thin and want to get bigger achieve
stomach reduces the rate of digestion and better results by consuming more carbohy-
absorption of the carbohydrate, thus reduc- drates. Some people are more sensitive in
ing its insulin response. Good examples their metabolic response to carbohydrates
of fibrous carbohydrates include salads than others. Thin people generally tolerate
and other greens, broccoli, cauliflower, more carbs without getting fat. The Parrillo
Brussels sprouts, green beans, onions and Performance Nutrition Manual goes into
peppers. The Parrillo Performance Nutri- extensive detail in teaching about food com-
tion Manual™ contains a food composition bining and meal structuring and does a more
table giving an extensive list of this type of complete job than I have room for here.
category, and the best food choices, along Meal patterning refers to how many
with the nutritional breakdown of the indi- times you eat per day. Eating small, frequent
vidual food. meals gives better results than eating a few
If you want to do carbs right the first larger ones. That’s because a large meal
step is to avoid the carbohydrate sources supplies more calories and generates a larger
which elicit a big insulin release and instead insulin response. By eating small, frequent
Zap the Fat Permanently

by John Parrillo
Perhaps you’ve leaned out as a result time with even more body fat than before. One of the factors that has a signifi-
of competing in a contest recently or you’ve Restricting calories affects this relapse cant effect on nutrient partitioning is your
been maintaining a ripped physique over in other ways too. Less food energy is given endocrine system. It’s involved in such
the summer. off as body heat and turned into weight in- processes as metabolism, energy production,
Now, ask yourself this question: How stead. Low-calorie diets also suppress the and growth. The endocrine system consists
can I maintain most of that leanness, so that activity of certain thyroid hormones, further of several organs in the body, including the
next time, I don’t have to diet so hard to zap slowing down the metabolism. pituitary gland, the thyroid gland, the para-
the body fat? thyroid gland, the pancreas,
While losing body the testes or ovaries, and the
fat is a challenge, keeping kidneys. This specialized
it off can be more difficult. system is like a chemi-
One point to remember cal “messenger service”
is: Don’t restrict or cut in the body; it transmits
calories to manage your messages in the form of
body fat levels. It simply hormones, carried by the
won’t work. If you fall blood to specific targets
off that wagon, you’ll (organs, tissues, or cells)
regain your weight, plus in the body. The messages
a lot of extra weight. In sent are things like “build
fact, nearly 95 percent muscle proteins,” “store
of those who go on low- fat,” “burn fat,” or “store
calorie diets regain their carbohydrates.”
lost weight, plus some, Once these messages
within five years. Not a are received by the targets,
resounding endorsement the commands are carried
for low-calorie dieting. out by enzymes, special
Why do people put proteins that control chemi-
weight back on so easily cal reactions inside cells.
following a low-calorie Through these reactions,
diet? There are several enzymes can make or break
possible answers. First, down proteins or fat.
25 to 50 percent of body Two of the most im-
weight lost by cutting portant hormones involved
calories is muscle. Be- in muscle growth and fat
cause muscle is the body’s loss are insulin and glu-
most metabolically active cagon, both produced in
tissue, losing so much of it slows the me- One of the major keys to achieving the pancreas. They regulate carbohydrate
tabolism down. permanent fat loss is “nutrient partitioning” metabolism and fat metabolism by exerting
Also, cutting calories tricks your body - the assignment of food to either fat stores control over the enzymes that carry out these
into thinking it’s starving. This perceived or muscle stores. processes.
famine speeds up the activity of a special To understand how nutrient partition- When blood sugar (glucose) levels
enzyme that primes your body to store fat. ing works, it’s helpful to think of the body rise - usually after carbohydrates are eaten -
Once you go off your diet and start eating as being divided into a fat compartment insulin is released. It transports glucose into
again, the food is converted more easily to and a lean compartment. Food goes to cells where it is burned for energy or stored
fat. In fact, fat stores stand first in line to be either of these compartments or is burned as glycogen. If carbohydrates are released
replaced after a period of dieting. You return for energy. into the bloodstream too fast, an overpro-
to your original body weight or above, this
Zap the Fat Permanently
duction of insulin occurs. Consequently, to plan protein-rich meals.
some of the carbohydrates are deposited as fat
- instead of being stored as glycogen. Simple 2. To lose body fat and keep it
sugars and refined carbohydrates are rapid-
off, decrease insulin and increase
release foods that trigger too much insulin.
This channels calories to the fat compartment glucagon by eating slightly less
of the body - not the avenue of nutrient par- carbohydrate and more protein.
titioning you want.
Interestingly, insulin is involved in A good rule of thumb is to adjust your
muscular growth because it transports certain carbohydrate-to-protein ratio to between 1
amino acids into muscle cells. To make this to 1 or 1.5 to 1. One problem with reduc-
happen, you need carbohydrates. The key, ing carbohydrate intake is the potential
however, is eating the right kinds of carbs, decline in energy levels. To compensate,
in the right amounts. try supplementing your diet with CapTri®,
Glucagon opposes the effect of insulin. our medium-chain triglyceride supplement.
When blood sugar is low, glucagon is re- This is a special type of lipid that provides
leased, and this typically occurs several hours quality calories and, unlike conventional
after a meal is eaten. Glucagon then activates dietary fats, it has very little tendency to be
the conversion of glycogen to glucose in the stored as body fat.
liver in response to low blood sugar levels. It
also signals the body to start burning fat for 3. Don’t take nutrient partitioning
energy, because the body is running low on to extremes by going on a “zero-
carbohydrates, its preferred fuel source.
carb” diet in an attempt to burn
The ratio of insulin to glycogen in your
body largely determines whether you will more body fat.
gain fat or lose it. You can control this ratio
naturally by adjusting the protein and carbo- Under extremely low-carb conditions,
hydrate proportions in your diet and combin- muscular growth is impossible. There’s not
ing foods in the proper manner. Here’s how enough insulin available to transport amino
you can partition your food more effectively, acids into muscle cells. Furthermore, the
so it can be used to burn fat (and keep it off), body begins to break down its own proteins
plus build fat-burning muscle tissue: into amino acids for conversion into glucose,
needed by the brain for fuel.
1. When trying to gain lean muscu-
4. Rate of digestion is important.
lar weight, you want a higher ratio
of insulin, so you would increase Your meals (five, six, or more a day)
your carbohydrate intake, perhaps should include the proper combination of
as high as 400 to 500 grams or lean proteins, starchy carbohydrates, and
more a day. fibrous carbohydrates. This combination
of foods slows your digestion to keep car-
A carbohydrate supplement such as bohydrates from being released into the
ProCarb™ or 50/50 Plus™ that is formulated bloodstream too fast, thus preventing an
with the complex carbohydrate maltodextrin overproduction of insulin.
is a good way to increase carbohydrate con-
sumption. At the same time, be sure to meet
your lean protein requirement by eating 1.25
to 1.5 or more grams of protein per pound
of body weight each day. At least 1 gram
should come from chicken, fish, turkey, or
egg whites, with at least another .25 or .5
gram of additional protein per pound of body
weight from vegetable sources, which contain
some protein as well. Consult the Parrillo
Nutrition Manual™ for instructions on how
Boost Endurance Naturally–and Safely

by John Parrillo

The spotlight at the 2000 Olympics ished in 79th place - his strongest Ironman high-carbohydrate diet (82 percent of calo-
in Sydney, Australia, was not only on the showing ever ries) supported 170 minutes of high intensity
games’ amazing athletes, but also on what If that’s the kind of endurance and exercise. Clearly, a high-carbohydrate diet
has turned out to be one of the most abused stamina you’re looking for, no matter what is beneficial for endurance.2
performance-enhancing drugs ever - eryth- your sport, here’s what to do to get it. The best source of carbohydrate to
ropoietin (EPO). meet the energy demands of the body are
EPO is a synthetic version of a natural Eat a Natural starchy carbs and fibrous carbs. I recom-
hormone in our bodies that is produced in Carb-Laden Diet. mend that you eat at least one to two servings
the kidneys and stimulates the formation of Carbohydrate is the body’s preferred of starchy carbs and one to two servings of
red blood cells. Synthetic EPO is used medi- fuel source during exercise. It is stored in the fibrous carbs at each meal, along with a lean
cally to treat certain types of anemia and liver and muscles as glycogen. More than 99 protein source. For guidelines on how to do
other diseases. But as a black market sports percent of the carbohydrates you eat are used this, see The Parrillo Nutrition Manual™.
drug, EPO is used by athletes to increase the by the body to make adenosine triphosphate
body’s production of red blood cells, which (ATP). This is a molecular fuel used by the Fuel Your Body with
transport oxygen to muscles. The net effect Carbohydrate Supplements
is to boost endurance - a job EPO does well, The longer and harder you train,
by 5 to 15 percent. the more depleted your glycogen reserves
Synthetic EPO, however, has trouble- become, and the sooner you fatigue. One
some side effects when not taken under way to prevent the onset of fatigue and help
medical supervision. It thickens the blood, extend energy is to use a powdered carbo-
increasing the risk of heart failure and stroke, hydrate supplement in your diet.
particularly during intense exercise. The Select a formulation that contains low
drug is believed to be responsible for the DE dextrines, either maltodextrin or rice
deaths of 26 athletes.1 dextrin. These are slow-releasing carbo-
But this bulletin is not about EPO. It hydrates derived from grains that provide
is about how to increase endurance through sustained energy levels. This type of formu-
nutrition and supplementation, without relation is found in Parrillo ProCarb™ and
sorting to dangerous drugs. Parrillo 50-50 Plus™.
I’ve seen amazing results from ath- For even greater energy and endur-
letes who are willing to take the natural ance, sip that carbohydrate beverage during
route. Case in point: I once worked with a your workouts. This provides a source of
pro triathlete who regularly consumed 6,000 muscles to carbohydrate other than muscle glycogen.
calories a day from lean proteins and natural power contractions. The more carbohy- With glycogen spared, fatigue is delayed.
carbohydrates. In a qualifier race for his third drates you include in your diet, the better
Ironman, the toughest, most grueling triath- your muscles run. Mix in CapTri®
lon in the world, he was able to maintain a In 1967, a now-classic study was per- CapTri® is a me-
sub-six minute pace and turned in the third formed to look at the effects of carbohydrate dium-chain triglycer-
fastest race of the day. intake on glycogen levels and endurance. ide (MCT) supplement.
Once in the Ironman, he was fueled by Endurance was measured by exercise time MCT oil is preferen-
a breakfast of egg whites and oatmeal with to exhaustion, with the subjects training at 75 tially used as fuel for
CapTri®. During the first half of the bike percent of their maximal aerobic capacity. energy, instead of be-
race, he consumed 32 ounces of a special The researchers found a direct relation- ing stored by the body.
carbohydrate drink (Pro-Carb™), mixed ship between carbohydrate content of the Medium chain fatty
with a medium-chain triglyceride supple- diet and endurance time. A low-carbohydrate acid fragments can dif-
ment (CapTri®). He dismounted his bicycle diet (5 percent of calories) provided enough fuse into the cell very
in 240th place (out of 1,450 professional muscle glycogen stores to sustain one hour quickly, where they are
competitors). At the 19th mile marker, he of exercise. A moderate carbohydrate diet burned immediately
had moved up to 110th place. With seven (50 percent of calories) resulted in glycogen for energy - at the same
miles to go, he picked up his pace and fin- levels to sustain 115 minutes of exercise. The time as glucose. The
Boost Endurance Naturally–and Safely
ability of MCTs to enter the cells in this extra stamina and extending endurance.5 you’re willing to go the extra mile nutrition-
manner has a glucose-sparing effect, mean- ally, and not take short cuts.
ing that glucose and its stored counterpart, Supplement with
muscle glycogen, last longer without being Liver Tablets.
depleted. The longer glycogen reserves last, Among the most crucial supplement References
the more energy you have. 1. Dunn, A. 2000. “Olympics again
To boost your endurance during put oft-abused Amgen drug under scrutiny.”
exercise, take CapTri with a carbohydrate Los Angeles Times, September 18.
sports drink. At the University of Capetown 2. Bergstrom J., et al. 1967. Diet,
Medical School in South Africa, research- muscle glycogen and physical performance.
ers mixed 86 grams of MCT oil (nearly 6 Acta Physiology Scandinavian, 71: 140-
tablespoons) with two liters of a10 percent 150.
glucose drink to see what effect it would 3. Van Zyl, C. 1996. Effects of me-
have on the performance of six endurance- dium chain triglyceride ingestion on fuel me-
trained cyclists. The cyclists were fed a drink tabolism and cycling performance. Journal
consisting of glucose alone, glucose plus of Applied Psychology 80: 2217-2225.
MCT oil, or MCT oil alone. In the labora- 4. Murray, M.T. 1996. Encyclopedia
tory, they pedaled at moderate intensity of Nutritional Supplements. Rocklin, Cali-
for about two hours and then completed a fornia: Prima Health.
higher-intensity time trial. They performed 5. Wesson, M., et al. 1988. Effects of
this cycling bout on three separate occasions oral administration of aspartic acid salts on
so that each cyclist used each type of drink the endurance capacity of trained athletes.
once. The cyclists sipped the drink every Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
ten minutes. Performance improved the 59: 234-239.
most when the cyclists supplemented with
the MCT/glucose mixture. The researchers
did some further biochemical tests on the
cyclists and confirmed that the combination for anyone who wants to increase endur-
spared glycogen while making fat more ac- ance is desiccated and defatted liver, the
cessible for fuel.3 basis for our Liver-Amino™ Formula. I
can’t overemphasize the importance of this
Supplement with supplement, because defatted liver is an
Endurance-Enhancing Nutrients. excellent source of heme iron.
These include the following inosine, Iron is essential for the manufacture
L-phenylalanine, D-phenylalanine, ferulic of two important proteins in the body: he-
acid (FRAC), and magnesium and potassium moglobin, a constituent of red blood cells
aspartates, which is the formulation in our that gives them their color; and myoglobin,
Max EnduranceT Formula. an oxygen-carrying protein in muscle cells.
Inosine improves oxygen utilization Hemoglobin picks up oxygen from the
for better stamina, possibly by forcing ad- lungs and transports it to the body’s cells
ditional production of ATP. L-phenylalanine where it is used to produce energy from the
is an essential amino acid that acts as a potent foods you eat. Myoglobin allows oxygen to
mental stimulant for improved concentra- be consumed inside muscle cells. Without
tion during workouts. The mirror image adequate iron, the oxygen delivery system
of L-phenylalanine is D-phenylalanine, an won’t work well, nor will oxygen be burned
amino acid that inhibits the breakdown of properly inside the cells. Clearly, iron has a
endorphins (a protein-like substance with central position in produing energy.
analgesic properties) for a higher pain For best results, I recommend that you
threshold. Ferulic acid (FRAC). stimulates take several Liver Amino™ Formula tablets
the endocrine system to aid recovery and with each meal. Along with ample calories
boost workout capacity.4 from high-density foods, desiccated liver
Hard training produces certain waste supplements should help you reach peak
products, including ammonia. By turning levels of performance.
ammonia into uric acid, aspartates help filter There you have it - ways to boost
waste products from the system, giving you endurance, naturally and safely - as long as
The Effect of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) on Cellular Energy

by John Parrillo
Understanding something about cel- creatine is absorbed into the bloodstream and producing pathway there.
lular energy production will allow you to taken up by muscles. Creatine phosphate it- The phosphagen pathway by itself
make intelligent decisions about how best self is NOT well absorbed. Some supplement can supply energy only for a few seconds of
to supply fuel for your body, depending on manufacturers sell creatine in the form of cre- maximal effort. Cells store enough ATP to
your goal. Is it weight gain, weight loss, or atine phosphate, but that’s a bad idea. It’s not last for two or three seconds, and the creatine
maximum performance in terms of strength absorbed nearly as well as regular creatine. phosphate reserve can last for maybe eight
or endurance? By increasing the intracellular concentration seconds or so. It is clear we need an energy
The immediate source of chemical of creatine, you provide the phosphagen pathway that can sustain longer durations of
energy which cells use is a chemical called exercise. The primary energy produc-
“ATP,” which stands for adenosine ing pathways in cells are the anaerobic
triphosphate. The “triphosphate” and aerobic pathways. Ultimately, it is
part of the molecule is made of the aerobic pathway which meets the
three phosphate groups, as the name body’s energy needs, but the anaerobic
implies. Each phosphate group is pathway helps to sustain very intense
strongly negatively charged, causing activity for between one and two
them to repel one another. ATP is minutes. First, let’s define what these
thus an inherently unstable molecule. terms mean.
When ATP breaks down it releases “Aerobic” means “with oxy-
one of its phosphate groups, forming gen,” and “anaerobic” means “without
free phosphate plus ADP (adenosine oxygen.” Food molecules are “burned”
diphosphate). This chemical process inside cells to produce energy. When
releases energy which is used to a log burns on the fire, carbohydrate
power cellular work, such as muscle molecules in the wood combine with
contraction. So the energy contained oxygen and become “oxidized.” This
in food must first be converted into change in chemical state is the heat en-
ATP before cells can use it. ergy you feel emitted from the flames.
Your cells are constantly us- Inside the cells of your body, food
ing ATP, so it must continually be molecules are combined with oxygen
replaced. There are three basic energy to release energy. The difference is,
pathways which maintain ATP levels. when food is oxidized inside a living
These are the phosphagen system, the cell, instead of all the energy being lost
anaerobic pathway, and the aerobic as heat, some of it is used to form ATP.
pathway. The phosphagen system Before cells can use the energy that is
relies on a molecule called creatine released from the oxidation of food,
phosphate to supply energy to the it first must be converted into ATP. In
system. It is no wonder that creatine the end, all the energy your body uses
has become one of the most popular is derived from the oxidation of food.
sports supplements on the market This is aerobic metabolism. And that’s
today. Once creatine gets inside cells, it is system with a larger energy reserve. This why if you’re deprived of oxygn for more
combined with phosphate to form creatine means that you can perform maximal bouts than a few minuets, you die - your cells run
phosphate. Creatine phosphate then is able of exercise longer than before. Creatine helps out of energy.
to donate its phosphate group to ADP, for very intense exercises of relatively short The only problem is, aerobic me-
thereby re-forming ATP. So as ATP is used, duration. It helps in weight training and in tabolism can only supply energy so fast,
the phosphagen system acts to immediately other sports where quick bursts of energy and sometimes you want to supply energy
restore it. are required, like football, wrestling, and quicker. That’s where anaerobic metabolism
Your body makes about a gram of cre- sprinting. It improves peak power output, comes into play. During times of intense
atine a day on its own, plus most people get duration of peak power output, and recovery exertion, when the energy demands of the
about another gram from diet each day. Us- between bursts of near maximal activity. It is body exceed the ability of the aerobic sys-
ing a creatine supplement can significantly less helpful in endurance activities, since the tem to supply energy, food molecules are
increase creatine intake. Orally administered phosphagen system is not the major energy partially broken down but not oxidized. This
The Effect of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) on Cellular Energy
initial metabolism can yield a relatively small est purity creatine supplement available.
amount of energy, but can do so very quickly. Creatine can help improve strength, duration
Let’s look at some examples. You can sustain of maximal exercise output, and recovery
low intensity exercise, like walking, all day between maximal exercise bouts. You should
long. That’s because the aerobic energy path- realize that carbohydrate can be metabolized
way can supply enough energy to sustain that anaerobically, but fat cannot. Therefore,
activity, and the aerobic pathway can yield carbohydrate is a better energy source for
vast amounts of very intense exer-
energy. At the cise than fat is. Fat
other end of the can only be me-
spectrum, con- tabolized aerobi-
sider intense cally. That makes
weight lifting. it a fine fuel for low
You can lift a intensity exercise
heavy weight for like walking, but
maybe eight to not good for weight
ten reps, which lifting or most team
takes about 30- sports. Most com-
40 seconds to petitive athletes
do, and then will do well to rely
you reach fail- on carbohydrate as
ure. There are their primary fuel
many reasons source rather than
for muscles to fat. Two scoops of
reach fatigue at Pro-Carb™ before
the end of a set, your workout can
but the primary markedly improve
one is depletion your work output
o f AT P. T h e and duration. Since
phosphagen fat can only be me-
system works tabolized aerobi-
well for the first few reps, and the anaerobic cally, it is important that you include some
pathway can supply energy for about a min- aerobic exercise in your workout protocol.
ute, and then you just cannot replenish ATP You will burn essentially no fat during a
fast enough to keep up with the demands of weight lifting session. If being lean is part
the exercise. of your goal, you will get the best results
During any form of activity, the aero- if you do some cardiovascular exercise in
bic and anaerobic systems are both at work. addition to your weight training.
During long duration, endurance exercise it’s In summary, keep protein intake be-
mainly the aerobic system which supplies tween one and two grams per pound of body
the energy. During short duration, intense weight each day, minimize fat intake, and
exercise, like weight lifting, it’s mainly the supply the remainder of your caloric needs
anaerobic system. During your rest intervals with unrefined, complex carbohydrates.
between sets your body is completing the This will provide the optimum fuel mix to
oxidation of the food molecules that were power intense exercise. And don’t forget to
anaerobically metabolized during the set. do some aerobic exercise activity, as this is
That’s why you breathe hard for a minute or required to burn fat.
so after a set - you’re using a lot of oxygen
to replenish your ATP stores.
If you’re involved in short duration,
intense exercise, such as weight lifting or
sprinting, you will derive some benefit from
creatine supplementation. Parrillo Perfor-
mance Creatine Monohydrate™ is the high-
Nutritional Supplementation: An Overview, Part 1

by John Parrillo
Many of the calls we get on our infor- detailed instructions on which foods to eat, ers, eat very little fruit. That is because
mation line are questions regarding supple- how much to eat, how many meals to eat, nearly all the calories provided by fruit
ment selection. There are so many choices and how to combine foods to construct a come from sugar. Even worse, much of that
available that sometimes it can be confusing meal. It is an invaluable resource for anyone sugar is in the form of fructose, a sugar with
trying to decide which ones are the best for wanting to be healthy and fit. a very high tendency to be converted to fat.
you. In this bulletin I want to highlight a Essential Vitamin™ Formula and Min- Bodybuilders have learned from experience
few of our supplements, describing what eral-Electrolyte™ Formula. to avoid fruit because it makes them fat. As
they are, how they can help, and how to use I will discuss these two supplements you know, fruit is a good source of many vi-
them. This knowledge will help you make first because I believe virtually everyone tamins and minerals, some of which are not
intelligent choices about which supplements should use a vitamin and mineral supple- very abundant in other types of food. Also,
are best for your particular needs. ment. While it is generally accepted that bodybuilders generally do not use many
Before I get started, two general dairy products for much the same reason.
comments: First, what are the best supple- A cup of milk contains eight grams of high
ment choices for you depend on your quality protein, and 12 grams of carbohy-
immediate goals, and will change as drate. The form of carbohydrate in milk is
your goals change. For example, the best also sugar (mainly glucose and galactose).
supplement program to support muscular So while milk and other dairy products
weight gain will not be identical to the best are a good source of protein, and the best
supplementation program to facilitate fat whole food source of calcium, bodybuild-
loss, although there will be some common ers generally avoid them because of the
features. Also, strength athletes, such sugar content. So, by limiting fruit and
as bodybuilders and power lifters, have dairy consumption, as most bodybuilders
somewhat different nutritional needs than do, they are missing some of the best food
endurance athletes. Finally, dietary intake sources of many vitamins and minerals.
varies from person to person according to Even most non-athletic people don’t get
food preferences, so different people will enough vitamins and minerals. In reality
require supplementation in different areas. most people do not eat enough fruits,
Vegetarians, for example, will likely ben- vegetables, and dairy products to meet
efit very much from protein supplementa- their body’s requirements for vitamins
tion, since vegetarian diets are relatively and minerals.
low in high quality proteins. Second, I want you can avoid an overt vitamin or mineral Parrillo Performance Essential Vi-
to emphasize that wholesome, natural foods deficiency disease state by eating a balanced tamin Formula™ and Mineral-Electrolyte
form the basis of any healthy nutritional diet, it is also widely known that athletes do Formula™ provide a complete array of
program. Parrillo Performance is perhaps not, in general, eat a balanced diet. Numerous vitamins and minerals. The suggested use
the only supplement company that puts studies have shown that many, if not most, is one tablet of each with each meal, for a
the emphasis on food before supplements. athletes are deficient in one or more vitamins total of at least four tablets of each per day.
Contrary to popular misconception, no or minerals. This is not only because athletes Rather than overwhelming your body with a
amount of supplements can correct a bad usually don’t eat a balanced diet, but also huge dose of vitamins once a day, we feel it
diet. The first step is to eat right, selecting because intense training depletes the body makes more sense to distribute your intake
wholesome, nutritious foods. Then, supple- of various vitamins and minerals. On top of vitamins and minerals evenly throughout
ments can add to the amount of nutrients at of this is the concern that while consuming the day. This will enhance absorption and
the cellular level beyond what you are able the RDA for vitamins and minerals may be assimilation as well as reduce GI upset (that
to derive from food alone. In other words, enough to prevent a deficiency disease, in no can occur from taking too many vitamins at
you will get the best benefit from whatever way is that an assurance that you are getting once). Furthermore, this method of delivery
supplements you use if they are used in enough to allow peak athletic performance. provides your muscles and other organs with
conjunction with a healthy diet from natural Furthermore, non-athletic people as well a constant supply of the nutrients they need
foods. This is why we strongly encourage often do not consume a balanced diet. And, to grow and function optimally. Each Par-
anyone who wants to use our supplements to virtually no one eats enough dairy products rillo Performance Mineral-Electrolyte For-
buy the Parrillo Nutrition Program™ first. to satisfy the body’s calcium requirement. mula™ tablet contains 250 mg of calcium.
The Parrillo Nutrition Manual™ provides Many athletes, especially bodybuild- That means if you take four per day you will
get 1000 mg of calcium, the RDA. (Note the
recommended calcium intake for treating second because nearly every athlete will digestion of the protein and causes a slower,
established osteoporosis is 1500 mg per derive benefit from a high quality protein more gradual release of amino acids.
day.) Most people are surprised how much supplement. As recently as ten years ago Theoretically that may facilitate as-
calcium they need per day. It takes four extra it was still debated whether or not athletes similation into muscle, although that has
strength antacid tablets to supply 1200 mg of really do need more protein than sedentary never been studied scientifically. Pure whey
calcium. If you can imagine combining this people. This argument is settled now that protein is digested more rapidly, which some
into one pill, you can see how big it would more sensitive analytical methods of pro- people may consider an advantage. Also, the
be. And that’s just the calcium - it doesn’t tein metabolism have become available. Optimized Whey Protein™ is somewhat
even include any other vitamins or minerals. Also, several studies have looked directly higher in branched chain amino acids, which
So most multi-vitamin-mineral supplements at the effect of increased protein intake on are preferentially oxidized as fuel during en-
they sell at the grocery store are really short- muscle growth and strength development durance exercise. This may make Optimized
changing people on calcium intake. Read the during strength training. These studies show Whey Protein™ a better choice for endur-
label next time you’re in the store. conclusively that increasing protein intake to ance athletes. For bodybuilders, either one
Many athletes, especially bodybuild- 2-3 times the RDA will facilitate increases is a perfect choice, and selection depends
ers, eat very little fruit. That is because in muscle mass and strength resulting from mainly on personal preference regarding
nearly all the calories provided by fruit weight training. Something else that has taste and gastric emptying characteristics.
come from sugar. Even worse, much of that come out of these studies is the realization In addition to improving gains in
sugar is in the form of fructose, a sugar with that endurance athletes also need extra muscle and strength during weight training,
a very high tendency to be converted to fat. protein. many people are finding that a diet higher
Bodybuilders have learned from experience Why has this issue been so controver- in protein helps them stay lean. That’s be-
to avoid fruit because it makes them fat. sial? Because nutritionists (of old) argued cause of all the major nutrients (protein,
Vitamins and minerals support many that the RDA supplied plenty of protein to carbohydrate, and fat), protein is the least
essential bodily functions. Most vitamins act facilitate muscle growth. What they failed to likely to be stored as body fat. Many people,
as co-enzymes, meaning that they bind to consider was that athletic training increases and especially athletes, find it practically
enzymes and help them work better. Many protein catabolism (protein breakdown). impossible to get as much protein as they
enzymes are almost devoid of activity un- Intense weight training and endurance train- want from food alone. As a closing note, if
less supplied with the proper co-enzyme. ing cause a lot of damage to muscle that you’re one of the millions of people who
Why should you care? Because enzymes sedentary (inactive) people don’t experience. use nutritional supplements in place of a
are crucial for cellular energy production, So while it may not take many extra grams regular food meal once or twice a day, make
including muscle contraction. Enzymes are of protein intake per day to build muscle at sure you’re using a supplement that’s high
also required for fat burning. Vitamins and a reasonable rate, you also have to consider in protein. Many of the supposed weight
minerals are required for a multitude of body that exercise training is quite catabolic. Most loss supplements or meal replacements are
functions, and athletic training increases of the “extra” protein athletes require is nothing more than chocolate milk with some
many of these needs. Our vitamin formula needed to compensate for the wear and tear vitamins and sugar added.
contains high amounts of B vitamins, vital that happens to muscles during exercise. References
for energy production and required in extra Furthermore, a certain amount of protein 1. Shafrir E. Fructose/sucrose me-
amounts by athletes. Our mineral formula is used as fuel during endurance exercise. tabolism, its physiological and pathologi-
also contains chromium, which is required Around 10% of the energy requirements of cal implications. Sugars and Sweeteners,
for the proper functioning of insulin. Many a 10k run are met by amino acid oxidation. Kretchmer N and Hollenbeck CB, Eds. p.
Americans, including athletes, are chro- So while muscle growth is not the primary 63-98. CRC Press, 1991.
mium deficient. In addition to their function goal of endurance athletes, they also need 2. Lemon PWR. Protein and Amino
as co-enzymes, some vitamins function as extra protein just to prevent muscle wasting Acid Needs of the Strength Athlete. Intl. J.
anti-oxidants. Vitamins C and E are potent caused by the catabolic effects of intense Sport Nutr. 1: 127-145, 1991.
anti-oxidants, but considerably more than endurance exercise. 3. Piatti PM, Monti LD, Magni F,
the RDA is required to attain any signifi- Parrillo Performance Hi-Protein Pow- Fermo I, Baruffaldi L, Nasser R, Santam-
cant anti-oxidant activity. The RDA was der™ and Optimized Whey Protein™ are brogio G, Librenti MC, Galli-Kienle M,
established as the amount needed to prevent two of the very best protein supplements Pontiroli, and Pozza G. Hypocaloric high-
deficiency diseases, not the amount required available. Both are derived from milk pro- protein diet improves glucose oxidation
to derive anti-oxidant benefits. Parrillo Es- teins, but don’t contain the sugar or fat found and spares lean body mass: comparison to
sential VitaminT Formula contains high in milk. Hi-Protein Powder™ is a mixture of hypocaloric high-carbohydrate diet. Metab.
levels of the anti-oxidants, well above the casein and whey proteins, while Optimized 43: 1481-1487, 1994.
RDA. Whey Protein™ is a pure whey isolate. Each
Hi-Protein Powder™ and has its own unique advantages for both the
Optimized Whey Protein™ endurance athlete and the bodybuilder. The
These supplements will be discussed casein in Hi-Protein Powder™ slows the

by John Parrillo
In Bulletin #93 I discussed some of marathon runners, or “bonking” by cyclists. Pro-Carb™ is an ideal carbohydrate
the most basic and important supplements This is because fat cannot be metabolized supplement for both bodybuilders and en-
for athletes: vitamins, minerals, and protein. rapidly enough to sustain maximum exercise durance athletes. To maximize daily training
This month I want to continue with some performance. Stored body fat contains many performance use two scoops of Pro-Carb™
other core supplements: Pro-Carb™ and thousands of calories, but those calories about 20-30 minutes prior to training. If you
CapTri®. These two supplements are excel- are relatively slowly metabolized. Body fat engage in particularly long workouts, you
lent energy sources for bodybuilders and can sustain activities like walking nearly might derive more benefit from increasing
endurance athletes alike. They also provide indefinitely, but does not supply energy fast this to two scoops two or three times a day.
a good source of clean calories for anyone enough to fuel running or intense cycling. Pro-Carb™ also works very well during carb
trying to gain weight. Furthermore, fat is not an effective energy loading. Here you generally would use one
Pro-Carb™ source for weight lifting. Weight lifting is to two scoops three times a day, depending
Pro-Carb™ is primarily a carbohy- probably the most intense exercise, requir- on your size and your carbohydrate intake
drate supplement, with a small amount ing short bursts of maximal effort. Muscles from conventional food.
of protein added to slow digestion. Each must have carbohydrate to generate peak Pro-Carb™ works very well for so
contractile force. Once muscle glycogen called “hard gainers,” as a source of calories
(carbohydrate) stores are depleted, weight to support weight gain. Most people who
lifting performance declines dramatically. have a hard time gaining weight simply
Muscle glycogen is also important in don’t eat enough calories. Usually they feel
obtaining a pump, and in having that round, full, and can’t eat enough food to put on any
full look you want your muscles to have. weight. These people are naturally thin, and
Before competition bodybuilders usually often do well on a carbohydrate supplement.
undergo a protocol called “carb loading,” Of course, they also need to pay strict at-
to maximize muscle glycogen stores. This tention to protein intake, to ensure they are
helps their muscles look bigger and fuller. getting enough protein to support an increase
Endurance athletes also do this before a in muscle mass.
competition, not so much to make their mus- CapTri®
cles bigger, as to store as much “on board” CapTri® is another energy supple-
energy as possible. Carb loading has been ment, but is entirely different from Pro-
shown to improve endurance performance Carb™. CapTri® is a medium-chain triglyc-
serving of Pro-Carb™ provides 33 grams as well as increase muscle size and density.
of carbohydrate and 6 grams of protein. To perform carb loading, the athlete begins
The carbohydrate supplied by Pro-Carb™ about six days or so before the competition
is low DE maltodextrin, a medium-chain by decreasing carbohydrate intake while
carbohydrate. Maltodextrin is a much more continuing to train. This depletes stored
desirable carbohydrate source than sugar muscle glycogen. After three days of gly-
because it elicits a much lower insulin re- cogen depletion, the athlete increases carbo-
sponse. Therefore it will sustain a more hydrate intake beyond normal levels, while
uniform energy level than the highs and lows decreasing training activity. This causes
associated with simple sugars. the muscles to super-compensate, and store
Pro-Carb™ is an ideal energy source more glycogen than they normally would.
for endurance athletes, or for bodybuilders After three days of loading, the muscles have
who want to maintain a high energy level reached their maximum storage capacity for
throughout long workouts. Carbohydrate glycogen. This gives bodybuilders big, hard
is the preferred energy source of intensely muscles, and endurance athletes a topped off
exercising muscles. Carbohydrate is stored gas tank. Refer to the Parrillo Performance eride (MCT) supplement - the most pure and
in muscles and liver in the form of glyco- Nutrition Manual™ for detailed carb loading highly refined on the market. MCT’s are a
gen. When glycogen stores are depleted, protocols, including directions on how much special kind of fat, which are metabolized
exercise performance is severely curtailed. carbohydrate to consume when depleting very differently than conventional fats.
This is referred to as “hitting the wall” by and the loading. Conventional fats are combined with carrier
proteins in the intestine to form particles it has a “carbohydrate-sparing” effect, help- very effective pre-workout drink. You may
called chylomicrons. The proteins help make ing muscle glycogen stores last longer before experience the highest workout energy
the fatty acids more soluble, like the way being exhausted. CapTri® is metabolized as levels ever. Increase your intake of Cap-
detergent makes oil more soluble in water. a fuel source as rapidly as glucose (blood Tri® slowly, allowing your stomach to get
The chylomicrons are then released into sugar), and at the same time as glucose, used to it. Start with one-half tablespoon
the lymphatic system, and enter the blood- which is very different from conventional mixed with food, and gradually increase by
stream via the thoracic duct. This results in fats. This makes it an ideal energy source for one-half tablespoon increments until you
conventional fats entering the bloodstream bodybuilders and endurance athletes alike. achieve the desired intake.
without first passing through the liver. Most CapTri® is a very efficient source
of the fatty acids are then taken up by fat of calories to help support weight gain, References
cells (adipocytes) for storage. When fat particularly lean mass. Adding CapTri® to 1. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim
is consumed along with carbohydrate, the your diet provides extra calories, supplying SA. Enhanced thermogenesis and di-
carbohydrate causes the pancreas to release energy to support weight gain. However, minished deposition of fat in response to
insulin, which in turn stimulates fat cells since CapTri® is metabolized in the liver overfeeding with diet containing medium
to absorb fatty acids from the bloodstream to produce energy, it does not contribute to chain triglyceride. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35:
and store them. Furthermore, carbohydrate body fat stores. CapTri® is not converted 678-682, 1982.
metabolism generates an intermediate called into muscle tissue, but it does spare the 2. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Me-
malonyl-CoA which blocks the use of fat as oxidation of amino acids and glucose, al- dium chain triglycerides: an update. Am. J.
energy. Conventional fats, but not CapTri®, lowing these nutrients to be retained as Clin. Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
require the action of the carnitine shuttle muscle mass and glycogen, respectively. 3. Crozier G, Bois-Joyeux B, Chanez
to transport them inside mitochondria, the CapTri® is rather unique among caloric M, Girard J, and Peret J. Metabolic effects
structures inside cells where food molecules supplements in that it provides calories in induced by long-term feeding of medium
are burned to produce energy. Malonyl-CoA a way that cannot be stored as body fat. To chain triglycerides in the rat. Metab. 36:
shuts down the carnitine shuttle, so as long use CapTri® to support weight gain, add 807-814, 1987.
as adequate carbohydrate energy is avail- one-half to one tablespoon to each meal. 4. de Castro JM, Paullin SK, and
able, little fat will be burned. CapTri® is an oil, and works well in salad DeLugas GM. Insulin and glucagon as
CapTri® acts very differently in the dressings or on vegetables. Each tablespoon determinants of body weight set point and
body. It is not incorporated into chylo- supplies 114 calories. microregulation in rats. J. Comp. Physiol.
microns and released into the lymphatic Unlike carbohydrate, CapTri® also Psychol. 92: 571-579, 1978.
system. Instead, it enters the bloodstream works well as a supplement to help with fat 5. Westphal SA, Gannon MC, and
directly from the intestines and is trans- loss. To use CapTri® to facilitate fat loss, use Nuttall FQ. Metabolic response to glucose
ported to the liver by the portal vein, like it in place of carbohydrate. For example, at ingested with various amounts of protein.
carbohydrate is. There, it is metabolized each meal decrease carbohydrate content by Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 52: 267-272, 1990.
immediately to produce energy. The medium 100 calories and replace this with 100 calo- 6. Geliebter A, Torbay N, Bracco EF,
chain fatty acids are broken down to form ries of CapTri®. This will decrease insulin Hashim SA, and Van Itallie TB. Overfeed-
ketone bodies, which are then released into levels, promoting the use of stored body fat ing with medium chain triglyceride diet
the bloodstream and transported to muscles. as energy. Many people trying to lose weight results in diminished deposition of fat. Am.
There they are used immediately for energy. simply cut calories. This works for a while, J. Clin. Nutr. 37: 1-4, 1983.
To summarize some of the most important but backfires in the end, because your body 7. Seaton TB, Welle SL, Warenko
differences between CapTri® and conven- will slow down its metabolic rate to match MK, and Campbell RG. Thermic effect of
tional fat: 1. Conventional fat bypasses the the new, decreased, level of caloric intake. medium-chain and long-chain triglycerides
liver and goes directly to fat cells for storage. Using CapTri® will allow you to maintain in man. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 44: 630-634,
2. CapTri® is broken down immediately in energy levels and metabolic rate, but by pro- 1986.
the liver and transported to muscles cells viding a nutrient array less prone to be stored 8. Hill JO, Peters JC, Yang D, Sharp
where it is used for energy. 3. CapTri® is not as fat, and more prone to promote oxidation T, Kaler M, Abumrad N, and Greene HL.
taken up and stored in fat cells, because it is of stored body fat. Detailed instructions on Thermogenesis in humans during over-
metabolized in the liver. Therefore, CapTri® the ways to use CapTri® are provided in feeding with medium chain triglycerides.
does not contribute to stored body fat, as the CapTri® User’s Manual, supplied with Metab. 38: 641-648, 1989.
does conventional fat. 4. CapTri® does not each bottle of CapTri®. Also, the Parrillo 9. Crozier. Medium chain triglyc-
require the carnitine shuttle to be oxidized, Performance Nutrition Manual explains this eride feeding over the long term: the
therefore it is used as fuel at the same time in more detail. metabolic fate of C-14 octanoate and C-14
as carbohydrate. Don’t take CapTri® by itself on an oleate in isolated rat hepatocytes. J. Nutr.
That CapTri® can be used as fuel by empty stomach, because it can cause cramps. 118: 297-304, 1988.
muscle at the same time as carbohydrate It is best mixed with food or a drink. A
has important implications for endurance combination of two scoops of Pro-Carb™
athletes as well as bodybuilders. This means and one-half tablespoon CapTri® makes a
The Protein Packed Diet

John Parrillo
Any bodybuilder or athlete knows the enough of them. These amino acids include ing. For most bodybuilders, strength train-
importance of eating a sufficient amount of arginine, cysteine, glutamine, histidine, ers, and other athletes, the recommended
protein each day. Protein has a number of proline, taurine, and tyrosine. The remaining protein intake is 1.25 to 1.5 grams of protein
functions in the body: It is involved in the seven amino acids are termed “nonessential per pound of body weight per day. At least
growth, maintenance, and repair of tissue; it amino acids,” which the body makes on its one gram of protein per pound of your body
helps create hemoglobin, which carries oxy- own. These amino acids include alanine, weight should come from complete protein
gen to cells; it is required for the formation of asparagine, aspartic acid, citruline, glutamic sources such as lean white meat poultry, fish,
antibodies to ward off disease and infection; acid, glycine, and serine. egg whites, and protein supplements. The
and it helps produce enzymes and hormones remaining should come from starchy and
for the regulation of body processes. Protein and Your fibrous carbohydrates, which also contain
Metabolism protein. These guidelines are explained in
Three Classifications Of all foods, protein has the highest the Parrillo Nutrition Manual™.
of Amino Acids “dynamic action” on the metabolism. This Each meal should be structured to
Protein is made up of organic com- describes the ability of a food to stimulate include a lean protein, one or two starchy
pounds called amino acids, which are the body’s metabolic rate. All foods do this carbohydrates, and one or two fibrous carbo-
required by every metabolic process. Your to some extent. Studies, however, have hydrates. This combination of foods has two
body needs 22 amino acids in a certain shown that a high-protein meal raises the important benefits: First, the protein and fi-
At least one gram of protein per pound of your body weight should come from complete protein
sources such as lean white meat, poultry, fish, egg whites, and protein supplements.
balance to synthesize protein for muscular metabolic rate more than 30 percent in a 10 ber slow the digestion of carbohydrates - and
growth. All but eight of the amino acids can to 12-hour period, whereas carbohydrates consequently the release of glucose - to pro-
be manufactured by the body. Those eight are and fats increase the metabolic rate ap- vide consistent energy levels and sustained
called “essential amino acids,” and they are proximately four percent over the same time endurance throughout the day. Second, this
supplied by animal proteins such as chicken period. This is significant, since increasing combination provides a constant supply of
and fish. Essential amino acids include ly- metabolism aids in fat-burning. Without nutrients so that your body can maintain its
sine; methionine; phenylalanine; threonine; enough protein in your diet, the body can- energy, growth, and repair status.
tryptophan; and the branched-chain aminos, not properly drive the metabolic processes Lean proteins should be baked, broiled,
isoleucine, leucine, and valine. Foods that or support growth and repair. microwaved, or grilled - without fats; and
contain the eight essential amino acids are vegetables should be microwaved, lightly
called “complete proteins.” How Much Protein steamed, or cooked in a minimal amount of
Of the 22 amino acids, seven are Do You Need? water to preserve nutrient content.
considered “conditionally essential,” which Bodybuilders have higher-than-nor-
means that under certain conditions such as mal requirements for protein because the Best Sources of
extreme stress the body cannot manufacture muscles use more amino acids during train- Supplemental Protein
The Protein Packed Diet
While bodybuilders and athletes ob- stimulates the release of two hormones
tain their protein mostly from food, many (insulin and growth hormone), creating an
will supplement their diets with protein environment favorable to muscle growth
in the form of protein powders or sports and recovery.5
bars. These supplements are typically for- Protein supplements play a key role in
mulated with several high-quality proteins metabolism and nutrition. Used in conjunc-
from animal and plant sources. Egg protein tion with the proper foods, they can assist
(ovalbumin), for example, is a very high in decreasing body fat, supporting muscular
grade form of supplemental protein. Its use growth, extending endurance, and promoting
in protein supplements has decreased some- better recovery and repair after training.
what, however, because it is expensive and
high in sodium.1 References
Extracted from milk, caseine is an- 1. Kreider, R.B. 1999. Protein: Is
other high-quality protein that is widely it all the same? Muscular Development,
used in supplements. You find this protein in December.
Hi-Protein Powder™, Pro-Carb Powder™, 2. Kreider, R.B. 1999. Protein: Is
50-50 Plus Powder™, and Parrillo Sports it all the same? Muscular Development,
Nutrition Bars™, Parrillo Protein Bars™, December.
and Parrillo Energy Bars™. 3. Barth, C.A., and U. Behnke. 1997.
One of the highest quality protein Nutritional physiology of whey and whey
found in protein supplements is whey pro- components. Nahrung 41: 2-12.
tein, which is a component of milk that is 4. Zawadzki, K.M., Yaspelkis, BB.,
separated from milk to make cheese and and J.L. Ivy. 1992. Carbohydrate-protein
other dairy products. Whey is among the complex increases the rate of muscle gly-
most rapidly digested of all supplemental cogen storage after exercise. Journal of
proteins. What this means to you is that the Applied Physiology 72: 1854-1859.
amino acids in whey are rapidly absorbed so 5. Chandler, R.M., Byrne, H.K., Pat-
that the processes of repair and growth can terson, J.G., and J.L. Ivy. 1994. Dietary
be accelerated.2 In addition, whey is loaded supplements affect the anabolic hormones
with various health-building nutrients, after weight-training exercise. Journal of
including B-complex vitamins, selenium, Applied Physiology 76: 839-845.
calcium, and iodine.3
Whey protein is found in the follow-
ing Parrillo products: Optimized Whey
Protein™, Hi-Protein Powder™, 50/50 Plus
Powder™, Parrillo Sports Nutrition Bars™,
Parrillo Protein Bars™, and Parrillo Energy
Bars™.
Soy protein is also found in numerous
products on the market. However, it lacks
the amino acid methionin so it doesn’t have
as high a protein efficiency ratio as milk
proteins.
How to Use Protein Supplements

A good time to consume any of our
supplements containing these proteins
- particularly those supplements that con-
tain some carbohydrate too is immediately
following your workout. Scientific experi-
ments indicate that protein/carb supplements
initiates the rapid uptake of carbs by your
muscles - faster than carbs alone.4
In addition, a carbohydrate/protein
supplement taken following a workout

by John Parrillo
Creatine is one of the most powerful which then turns a turbine to make electric- re-from the ATP.
sports nutrition supplements available. It is ity. The electricity then runs your fan. It’s a Here’s how
remarkable in that creatine causes noticeable process of transforming chemical energy (in Once creatine gets inside muscle cells,
increases in muscle size and strength within the coal) into heat energy (in the steam) into a phosphate group is added to form creatine
as little as one week of use. To understand electrical energy (the electricity), and finally phosphate. Creatine phosphate is then in a
position to donate its phosphate group to
ADP, thereby re-generating ATP. So, the
more creatine you have inside your muscle
cells, the more ATP you can make, and the
more energy you have to power muscle
contractions.
Bottom line
More creatine allows you to con-
stantly keep your ATP levels topped off, so
you have more energy for muscular contrac-
tions. And that means more strength, and
more reps.
Creatine supplementation results in an
increase in strength between 5-15%, depend-
50-50 Plus is a drink mix made ing on what your creatine levels were before-
from about 50% protein and hand. And it also increases your endurance,
50% carbohydrate. The protein for another two or three reps per set. So you
portion is very much like our lift more weight, for more reps, which obvi-
ously is going to help your muscles grow
Hi-Protein Formula, and the
faster. Regarding performance, creatine
carbohydrate part is derived helps the most in situations of very intense
Creatine supplementation re- from Pro-Carb. exercise, when ATP is rapidly depleted. The
sults in an increase in strength best examples are weight lifting and sprint-
between 5-15%, depending on into mechanical energy, the air moving from ing, where busts of maximal or near maximal
what your creatine levels were the fan. The energy (calories) in the food effort are required. It is not so important in
beforehand. And it also increas- you eat is transformed into a chemical form really long endurance exercise, where the
of energy called ATP, which then is used to intensity of effort is lower but for a longer
es your endurance, for another
power muscle contractions. time. The best uses are in applications such
two or three reps per set. So you as weight lifting, sprinting, and in sports
Here’s where creatine comes into play:
lift more weight, for more reps, ATP is called a “phosphagen,” a high-energy where bursts of very high intensity effort are
which obviously is going to help phosphate compound. Adenosine triphos- required, like football, baseball, and basket-
your muscles grow faster. phate contains three phosphate groups, thus ball. In high intensity exercise, creatine has
the name “triphosphate.” Phosphate groups proven to definitely improve performance.
are strongly negatively charged. These nega- Competitive athletes in sports such as these
tively charged portions of the molecule repel would be fools to be without it.
how creatine works, you have to know a
each other, making the molecule want to Muscle size
little about muscle physiology.
break apart. When it does break apart, split- Regarding muscle size, creatine helps
The immediate source of chemical
ting a chemical bond, energy is released. It is in two ways. A more long-term effect is
energy which is used to power muscular
that energy which is used to make muscles that creatine supplementation allows you
contractions is a molecule called ATP, or
contract. When ATP breaks apart, one of to lift more weight for more reps, so you
adenosine triphosphate. When the food
the phosphate groups comes off, forming get more muscle fiber hypertrophy. A more
you eat is oxidized, or burned, to produce
a free phosphate and ADP, or adenosine immediate effect is that as muscle cells take
energy, that energy is used to generate ATP.
diphosphate (“diphosphate” means two up creatine, it takes water along with it. So
Then the ATP is used to power muscle
phosphate groups remain). As you continue it makes the muscle fibers swell, getting
contractions. A good analogy is a coal-fired
to perform reps the ATP gets used up, leav- bigger and harder. After a month of creatine
generator. Coal is burned to produce heat,
ing ADP as a by-product. Creatine helps supplementation, you might ingest only 250
which then heats water to make steam,
grams of creatine, but gain six to fourteen profile of the protein is ideal for supporting mass-building supplement, like creatine and
pounds of muscle mass. That weight is muscular growth, and the carbohydrate 50-50 Plus™ are. It’s more of a performance
mostly water, being drawn inside muscles replenishes glycogen, further enhancing supplement. It enhances energy production
cells by the extra creatine. It’s kind of like energy levels and strength. The best time by helping to build red blood cell mass
having a constant pump. to use this combination is after training. At and thereby increasing oxygen delivery to
Your body makes some creatine that time your muscles are depleted and are working muscles. This improves exercise
naturally. The kidneys make about one gram begging for nutrients. The protein acts to performance as well as enhancing recovery
per day. Creatine is also contained in meat, repair muscle damage from training as well and boosting energy levels.
and the average diet of meat eaters supplies as to supply the building blocks to gener-
about another gram per day. So, without ate new muscle tissue. The carbohydrate
creatine supplementation, you get about replenishes glycogen, as well as increasing
two grams per day, unless you’re a vegetar- uptake of the amino acids and creatine by
ian, in which case you get about one gram muscle cells. If you’re on a budget and want
per day. Creatine supplementation allows to keep things simple, try 50-50 Plus™ along
you to propel this to a much higher level. with creatine. After just one month, used in
This increases the amount of creatine inside combination with proper diet, you will see
muscle cells, making them bigger and harder and feel a difference.
and stronger. Another very effective supplement,
The way to use creatine is to start with which is often overlooked, is Parrillo Liver-
a loading phase, which usually is 20 grams Amino Formula™. Some people have the
a day for five to seven days. To do this, take misconception that this is just a fancy protein
five grams (one teaspoon) four times a day, supplement in the form of a pill, but nothing
for five to seven days. This is followed by could be further from the truth. It is much
the maintenance phase, which is five to ten more that that, and is a first-line supplement
grams a day. After only one month, you will for many athletes. In addition to providing
see a noticeable increase in size and strength. a very high quality protein source, this
Parrillo Creatine Monohydrate™ is the high- supplement also includes heme iron and B
est purity creatine supplement available. vitamins, including a rich source of B-12.
And a word of caution: don’t be fooled into Most iron supplements are very poorly
buying creatine phosphate supplements. It absorbed. “Heme iron” is iron combined
sounds like a good idea, until you realize with a chemical group called “heme,” for
creatine phosphate is not absorbed from the which hemoglobin is named. Hemoglobin is
intestine. You need to use creatine monohy- the protein molecule inside red blood cells Heme iron, such as that found in
drate, which is absorbed from the intestines. that binds oxygen, transporting it to tissues.
Once transported inside muscle cells, it is
Parrillo Liver-Amino Formula™, is
Heme iron is absorbed much more efficiently
converted into creatine phosphate. Also than non-heme iron, and works much better absorbed much more efficiently
beware of liquid creatine supplements, as to build red blood cells. This enhances oxy- than non-heme iron, and works
creatine will break down after a few weeks gen transport, greatly facilitating endurance, much better to build red blood
of being dissolved in water. growth, and recovery. cells. This enhances oxygen
Supplements to use Many athletes are actually iron de-
with creatine
transport, greatly facilitating en-
ficient, especially female athletes. Studies
To boost your gains through the roof, have shown that 25% of female athletes suf- durance, growth, and recovery.
there’s an excellent supplement to use in fer from iron deficiency, without even know-
combination with creatine: 50-50 Plus™. ing about it. Correction of iron deficiency
50-50 Plus™ is a drink mix made from anemia results in a dramatic improvement
about 50% protein and 50% carbohydrate. in exercise performance. Without adequate
The protein portion is very much like our oxygen delivery, your muscles simply can-
Hi-Protein Powder™, and the carbohydrate not work like they’re supposed to. If oxygen
part is derived from Pro-Carb™. Studies delivery is compromised, then energy pro-
have shown that a combination of protein duction is compromised, and strength and
and carbohydrate like this works better at endurance suffer. Many people who take
promoting muscular growth than either our Liver-Amino Formula™ are amazed at
one alone. Combining creatine with 50-50 the increase in energy level they have. And
Plus™ is, quite frankly, the most potent increased energy leads to longer, harder,
nutritional supplement available for sup- more intense, and more productive work-
porting muscle growth. The amino acid outs. Liver-Amino Formula isn’t really a
Immuno-Nutrition
by John Parrillo
No serious bodybuilder, athlete, or • You’ve practiced improper hy- ing products Optimized Whey Protein™,
exerciser wants to be sidelined by the cold, giene. Hi-Protein Powder™, 50/50 Plus Pow-
The good news is that der™, Parrillo Sports Nutrition Bars™,
you can protect yourself from Parrillo Protein Bars™, and Parrillo Energy
infections with improved nu- Bars™.
trition and lifestyle practices.
Here’s a look at how: 3. Beware of the
“overtraining myth.”
1. Supplement with “Overtraining” refers to poor perfor-
extra carbs mance in training and competition, and its
Supplementation with symptoms include fatigue, frequent illness,
carbohydrate beverages - be- disturbed sleep, and moodiness.
5
fore, during, and after exercise Overtraining, however, is simply “un-

- has been shown to strength- derrecovery” or “undereating” - not taking
en immune responses. For in enough nutrients to fully recover from
example, it reduces levels of your workouts. If ample nutrients are not
the hormone cortisol in blood. provided, intense workouts won’t do much
That’s good, since cortisol good. But once you get in the habit of mak-
suppresses immune response. ing your nutrition as intense as your training,
Carbo- your workouts will be much more produc-
hydrate tive, and you’ll see results much quicker.
flu, or oth- supple- Make sure you remain in a calorie
er pesky infection. But it happens - and for mentation also appears surplus - that is, eating ample calories and
various reasons. One has to do with the po- to protect various types taking in supplemental nutrients to support
tentially “dark side” of exercise: In certain of immune cells from your energy needs throughout the day. Fol-
circumstances, exercise can suppress your weakening.3 If you’re low a high-calorie nutrition program, and
immune system, which is your defense on the Parrillo Nutri- you should have enough energy stamina to
against infections and illness, by altering tion Program™ a good blast through any workout, regardless of
hormonal and biochemical functions in the supplement choice is how long or intense it is. You’ll also have
body. Not to worry, though: In most situa- our ProCarb™ For- enough recuperative power to sustain you
tions, exercise does the opposite. It enhances mula, which can be used before, during, and from workout to workout, without any com-
your immune system. after a workout. promise of energy or immune function.
But what of those cases where exer-
cise impairs immune defenses? 2. Consume whey 4. Take antioxidants
According to scientific research, protein supple- Antioxidants are nutrients found in
these can occur under the following cir- ments foods and supplements that protect the
cumstances1: Research body from the onslaught of disease-causing
• You’re under mental stress. shows that whey free radicals. Free radical damage has been
• You’re undernourished. (Re- protein diets in- implicated in diseases such as cancer and
search indicates athletes consume about crease the amount heart disease.
25 percent fewer calories than they need, of glutathione in Fortunately, free radicals aren’t al-
leading to deficiencies of many essential body tissues. Gluta- lowed to do their bad deeds without being
nutrients.) 2 thione is a peptide policed. They’re apprehended by the antioxi-
• You exercise in a carbohydrate- (an amino acid de- dant nutrients, which include vitamins A, C,
depleted state (this increases the circula- rivative) that is involved in E, beta-carotene, and certain minerals and
tion of stress hormones in your body, plus strengthening immunity. The elevation of enzymes. These nutrients simply donate an
harms immune-protective substances in glutathione has been shown to inhibit the electron to a free radical but without chang-
the body). development of several types of tumors, ac- ing into a radical itself. This action “neutral-
• You’ve attempted quick weight cording to numerous studies.4 izes,” or stops the dangerous multiplication
loss through caloric deprivation. Whey protein is found in the follow- of still more free radicals.
Immuno-Nutrition
Supplementing with antioxidant nutri- peroxide dismutase (SOD), an antioxidant 3.Nieman, D.C. 1999. Nutrition, exer-
ents has been found in research to help pro- enzyme that inactivates certain free radicals. cise, and immune system function. Clinics
tect the body against age-related diseases. Zinc, however, can be depleted by pro- in Sports Medicine 18: 537-548.
You get vitamins A and E by eating a diet longed, high-intensity exercise if you’re 4.Bounous, G., et al. Whey proteins
rich in vegetables and whole grains. Vitamin poorly nourished. Because zinc is required in cancer prevention. Cancer Letter 57:
A, in particular, is found in yellow and or- for the activity of several enzymes involved 91-94.
ange foods, such as yams - a bodybuilding in energy metabolism, reductions in zinc 5.MacKinnon, L.T. 2000. Special fea-
staple. Nutritionists feel that our diets don’t concentrations in muscle may lead to muscle ture for the Olympics: effects of exercise on
supply all the vitamin E needed for good fatigue.8 The best sources of zinc are lean the immune system: overtraining effects on
health. Thus, supplementation of vitamin E proteins, whole grains, and mineral supple- immunity and performance in athletes. Im-
is recommended. ments. Zinc is one of the minerals found in munology and Cell Biology 78: 502-509.
By following the Parrillo Nutrition our Mineral-Electrolyte Formula™. 6.Barbul, A., et al. 1990. Arginine
Program™ and supplementing with the enhances wound healing and lymphocyte
Parrillo Essential Vitamin Formula™ and 7. Manage athletic stress immune responses in humans. Surgery 108:
the Parrillo Mineral-Electrolyte Formula™ Hard-training bodybuilders and ath- 331-336.
you supply your body with the antioxidant letes can succumb to the immune-weaken- 7.Evoy, D. 1998. Immunonutrition:
vitamins and minerals it needs for good ing effects of stress just like anyone else. the role of arginine. Nutrition 14: 611-617.
health. Here are some 8.Cordova, A. 1995. Behaviour of zinc
ways to pre- in physical exercise: a special references to
5. Try arginine vent this9: immunity and fatigue. Neuroscience and
Arginine is considered • Vary Biobehavorial Reviews 19: 439-445
a non-essential amino acid, your train- 9.Gleeson, M. 2000. The scientific
meaning the body can syn- ing routine basis of practical strategies to maintain the
thesize it from proteins and to avoid mo- immunocompetence in elite athletes. Exer-
other nutrients. Despite the notony. cise Immunology Review 6: 75-101
fact that arginine is labeled • Space
non-essential, it has a number your compe-
of important functions in the titions appro-
body, including the fortifica- priately so as
tion of the immune system. to not place
In studies with animals and undue bur-
humans, arginine has been den on your
found to improve wound recovery and
healing and bolster immune immune re-
responses, plus reduce the sponses.
incidence of infection following surgery.6,7 • Practice stress reduction strategies
Arginine has other duties, as well. It is such as relaxation if you’re continually
required to manufacture creatine, an impor- stressed out over competition.
tant chemical in the muscles that provides • Get adequate rest and recovery.
the energy for contractions. In addition, • Reduce environmental stress by
Arginine apparently helps prevent the body limiting the time you train in heat, cold,
from breaking down protein in muscles humidity, or polluted air.
and organs to repair itself when injured. • Practice good hygiene to limit the
Meat, poultry, and fish are good sources transmission of contagious illnesses.
of arginine, as are numerous supplements, • Get regular medical check-ups if
including our Enhanced GH Formula™ and you have recurrent infections.
our Ultimate Amino Formula™.
6. Get in the zinc sync References
Zinc has far-reaching roles in the 1.Nieman, D.C. 1997. Exercise immu-
body. For example, it helps absorb vitamins; nology: practical applications. International
break down carbohydrates; and regulate the Journal of Sports Medicine 18: S91-S100.
growth and development of reproductive 2.Venkatraman, J.T., et al. 2000.
organs. Zinc is also an important immune- Dietary fats and immune status in athletes:
boosting mineral, involved in making su- clinical implications. Medicine and Science
in Sports and Exercise 32: S389-S395.
A Pumped Up Supplement Strategy

by John Parrillo
Despite the abundance of information has a thermogenic effect, which means that levels of a high-energy compound called
on nutritional supplements, confusion still it is converted to energy very rapidly. It is creatine phosphate, which also allows
reigns over what supplements to take and an extremely concentrated source of calories more rapid production of ATP. The more
how to design a program that fits your needs. which are rapidly absorbed and metabolized ATP that is available to muscle cells, the
After you have established nutritious eating for energy by the human body. longer, harder, and more powerfully you
patterns with a nutrient dense diet of lean Start with 1/2 tablespoon at every meal. can work out.
proteins, starchy carbohydrates, and fibrous After a few days, increase to one tablespoon To use Creatine Monohydrate™ in your
vegetables, it’s definitely time to add in with each meal. During hard training, many supplement program we recommend taking
supplements. athletes go as high as two to three table- four 5-gram doses a day for five days. This is
First question: Which supplements?To spoons per meal - a level they have found known as the “loading phase.” From there,
develop the best possible physique and to be beneficial. two to 5 grams once a day — about a tea-
enhance your performance, you need four spoon — will keep your muscles saturated
groups of supplements: (1) energy supple- with enough extra creatine. This period is
ments; (2) anabolic enhancers; (3) cellular called the “maintenance phase.”
protectors; and (4) recovery supplements. To put your energy into the fast lane,
These are briefly described below. By choos- supplement with Parrillo Max Endurance
ing supplements from each grouping, it will Formula™. It contains inosine, a natural
be easy for you to map out a supplement chemical that improves oxygen utilization
strategy. for better stamina; dl-phenylalanine, an es-
sential amino acid that can act as a potent
Energy Supplements mental stimulant for improved concentration
These include carbohydrate supplements, during workouts; and ferulic acid, a lipid ex-
Creatine Monohydrate™, CapTri®, and tract with a number of healthful properties.
a trio of special energy enhancers, which In combination with the Parrillo Nutrition
are explained below. Here’s a brief look at and Training Programs™, it is recommended
how each of these supplements can enhance that Max Endurance™ be taken 20 to 30
energy. minutes before training.
Carbohydrates are the preferred energy
source for athletes, particularly strength Anabolic Enhancers
athletes. Weight lifting is an anaerobic ac- There are several natural ways to encour-
tivity. That means the energy is produced age muscle growth. One is supplementation
without using oxygen. Carbohydrate is the with branched chain amino acids (BCAAs).
only fuel substrate which can be broken These include l-leucine, l-isoleucine, and
down to yield energy without reacting with l-valine, and they make up about one-third
oxygen. So to start with, you should eat a of your muscle protein. All three of these
high carbohydrate diet. To increase your nutrients are involved directly in the build-
intake of carbs, supplement your diet with a ing of muscle, and deficiencies can lead to
beverage such as ProCarb™, or our energy muscle loss.
bars. That way, you’ll be well energized for On the Parrillo Nutrition Program™, we
more intense workouts. advise taking two or more capsules of our
Also, include a special kind of fat known Muscle Amino Formula™ with each meal.
as a “medium chain triglyceride (MCT oil)” In addition, supplement your diet with
such as CapTri® in your nutrition program. GH releasers — those containing arginine
This type of supplement provides over twice pyroglutamate and lysine monohydrochlo-
the energy density of protein and carbohy- ride. These stimulate the release of growth
drate (8.3 calories per gram for MCTs versus hormone, the most anabolic substance in the
4 calories per gram for carbs and protein) and human body. 1 Use the Parrillo Enhanced GH
is absorbed into the bloodstream as rapidly Supplementing with Creatine Monohy- Formula™ before bed and before training.
as glucose. MCT oil is preferentially used drate™ provides energy-giving benefits
as fuel for energy, instead of being stored too. Among other effects, creatine increases Cellular Protectors
by the body. As an added benefit, MCT oil No one wants to get sidelined from ill-
A Pumped Up Supplement Strategy
ness, so it’s important to get your fill of both supply the antioxidants your body
antioxidants from a vitamin supplement such needs for recovery.
as Parrillo Essential Vitamin Formula™, and
minerals from Parrillo Mineral Electrolyte References
Formula™. Supplementing with antioxidant 1. Isidori A., et al. 1981. A study of growth
nutrients, which include vitamins A, C, E, hormone release in man after oral admin-
and minerals such as selenium, has been istration of amino acids. Current Medical
found in research to help protect the body Research and Opinion 7: 475-481.
against diseases. 2 2. Nieman, D.C. 1997. Exercise immunol-
Another good move: Consume whey ogy: practical applications. International
protein. Research shows that whey protein Journal of Sports Medicine 18: S91-S100.
diets increase the amount of immune-boost- 3. Bounous, G., et al. 1991. Whey pro-
ing glutathione in body tissues. Glutathione teins in cancer prevention. Cancer Letter
is an amino acid derivative.3 57: 91-94.
Whey protein is found in the following 4. Zawadzki, K.M., et al. 1992. Carbo-
products Optimized Whey Protein™, Hi- hydrate-protein complex increases the rate
Protein Powder™, 50/50 Plus Powder™, of muscle glycogen storage after exercise.
Parrillo Supplement Bars™, Parrillo Protein Journal of Applied Physiology 72: 1854-
Bars™, and Parrillo Energy Bars™. 1859.
5. Chandler, R.M. 1994. Dietary supple-
Recovery Supplements ments affect the anabolic hormones after
Following a workout, your body needs weight training exercise. Journal of Applied
certain nutrients for growth and repair. These Physiology 76: 839-845.
include carbohydrates, which restock muscle 6. Alessio HM, et al. 1997. Exercise-
glycogen; protein, which jump-starts the induced oxidative stress before and after
muscle-making process; and antioxidants, vitamin C supplementation. International
which are depleted with vigorous work- Journal of Sport Nutrition. 7:1-9; Also:
outs. Jakeman, P., and S. Maxwell. Effect of
One of the easiest ways to initiate re- antioxidant vitamin supplementation on
covery following a workout is to consume muscle function after eccentric exercise.
a mixed carbohydrate/protein supplement European Journal of Applied Physiology
such as our 50/50 Plus Formula™. Scientific 67: 426-430.
experiments demonstrate that this type of
supplement (with the added protein) initiates
the rapid uptake of carbs by your muscles
– faster than carbs alone.4
In addition, a carbohydrate/protein supple-
ment taken following a workout stimulates
the release of two hormones (insulin and
growth hormone), creating an environment
favorable to muscle growth and recovery.5
What’s more, supplementing with antioxi-
dant vitamins – namely vitamins E, C and
selenium – has been found in studies to help
muscles recover and regenerate more rapidly
following exercise.6 As noted above, the
Parrillo Essential Vitamin Formula™ and
the Parrillo Mineral-Electrolyte Formula™
Jump-Start the Fat Burning Process

by John Parrillo
Here’s something that happens to a lot day. CapTri® is so rapidly absorbed that
of people about now: Summer’s here, and it tends to cause stomach cramping if too
you’re dissatisfied that you haven’t suf- much is taken at one time or on an empty
ficiently trimmed down for the season. Is stomach.
there any way to accelerate your fat loss Advanced Lipotropic Formula™
make up for lost time? This supplement contains fat-mobiliz-
Absolutely. First of all, I recommend ing nutrients your body needs to ef-
that in addition to weight training three ficiently metabolize fat. One of these is
or more times a week that you perform at choline. Present in all living cells, choline
least 30 to 60 minutes of aerobics – prefer- has some very important roles in the
ably before breakfast to force your body to body. Choline is synthesized from two
burn fatty acids sooner. amino acids, methionine and serine, with
Once you’re doing all this, there are four help from vitamin B12 (which is why we
supplements I recommend when your goal include 200 mcg of vitamin B12 in this
is to lose body fat. Here’s a rundown: supplement). Choline helps prevent fat
from building up in the liver and works
CapTri® to shuttle fat into cells to be burned for
CapTri® provides your body with a energy.
high-density energy source burned rap- Another lipotropic is inositol. Work-
idly by the body for fuel. Case in point: ing together with choline, inositol helps
In a single-blind, randomized, cross-over prevent build-ups of fat in the arteries
study, 20 healthy men ingested a single and keeps the liver, heart, and kidneys
dose of either 71 grams of MCT oil or healthy. Each capsule in our formulation
canola oil. Blood samples were taken prior contains 200 mg of inositol.
to the dosing, then at one-hour intervals Also included in our lipotropic for-
over five hours following supplementa- mula is biotin. This B-complex vitamin
tion. Triglycerides, or blood fats, actually is required to activate specific enzymes
decreased 15 percent as a result of taking involved in metabolism. Without it, your
MCT oil, whereas fats increased 47 per- body can’t properly burn fats. Biotin also
cent with canola oil. These findings are influences the body’s ability to properly
quite remarkable: MCT oil burns up and metabolize blood sugar (to avoid low-en-
reduces fatty substances in the body. The ergy periods).
ramifications of this finding are important We formulate this supplement with an-
for anyone who wants to achieve and into fat are less active if lipids like Cap- other B-vitamin - vitamin B6. This nutri-
maintain a lean physique. (1) Tri® are included in the diet. ent helps keep the body’s water balance
Instead of being stored as fat, excess If limiting carbs to accelerate fat-burn- in check, plus helps regulate blood sugar
calories from CapTri® are converted to ing, replace some of those carbs with so you don’t get swings in blood sugar
body heat, and this means you burn more CapTri®. Because CapTri® is metabo- and the cravings they cause. Each capsule
calories per hour. This explains why calo- lized in the body like a carbohydrate, you contains 20 mg of vitamin B6.
ries from CapTri® contribute less to fat shouldn’t feel the loss of energy usually Methionine, an amino acid in the for-
stores than an equivalent number of calo- experienced with low-carb dieting. (To mulation, has been linked to weight con-
ries from conventional fats or carbohy- learn more about how to use CapTri® trol. In combination with another amino
drates (2, 3, 4). in this manner, see the Parrillo Nutrition acid – phenylalanine - methionine ap-
What’s more, the replacement of con- Manual.) parently assists in the breakdown of fat.2
ventional dietary fats with MCT oil such If you have never taken CapTri® be- Our Max Endurance Formula™ contains
as CapTri® results in much less body fat fore, gradually introduce it into your diet 200 mg of DL-phenylalanine, and each
(5, 6). There’s more: The enzymes that at the rate of a few teaspoons a day until capsule of our Advanced Lipotropic For-
make new body fat and convert glucose you are eating two to three tablespoons a mula™ contains 200 mg of methionine.
Jump-Start the Fat Burning Process
An important lipotropic in this supple- capsules daily, depending on how many study of the effect of a single oral feed-
ment is carnitine, a nutrient that shovels meals you consume. That way, your body ing of medium chain triglyceride oil vs.
fat into the cells’ mitochondria (cellular receives a continuing supply of important canola oil on post-ingestion plasma tri-
furnaces) to be burned for energy. It also fat-mobilizing nutrients throughout the glyceride levels in healthy men. Alterna-
cleanses the mitochondria by removing day. tive Medicine Review 4: 23 – 26.
cellular waste products. Thus, carnitine is 2. Bach and Babayan. 1982. Medium
absolutely vital to metabolism. Liver-Amino Formula™ chain triglycerides: an update. American
When combined with chromium pico- The third supplement I recommend for Journal of Clinical Nutrition 36:950 -
linate, carnitine appears to fat loss is Liver-Amino Formula™. This 962.
boost fat loss — potentially up to two supplement is a concentrated source of 3. Geliebter, et. al. 1983. Overfeeding
or more pounds a week, according to re- liver that has been processed to remove with medium chain triglyceride diet re-
search. That being so, we’ve formulated all the fat. It is rich in protein, B-complex sults in diminished deposition of fat.
this supplement with chromium picolinate vitamins, minerals, lipotropic agents, and American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
too. heme iron (a type of iron derived from 37: 1 - 4.
Chromium picolinate helps turn carbo- animal proteins that is well absorbed by 4. Baba, et al. 1982. Enhanced ther-
hydrates into blood sugar, the fuel burned the body). Iron is important in the body’s mogenesis and diminished deposition of
by cells for energy. It also helps regulate energy system because it helps manufac- fat in response to overfeeding with diet
and produce the hormone insulin. Manu- ture hemoglobin, which transports oxygen containing medium chain triglyceride.
factured by the pancreas, insulin helps from the lungs throughout the body. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
control hunger, regulates fat storage and This supplement also contains B-com- 35: 678 - 682.
muscle-building, and assists the body in plex vitamins – a vitamin group that is 5. Lavau and Hashim. 1978. Effect of
utilizing cholesterol properly. active in converting carbohydrates into medium chain triglyceride on lipogenesis
While chromium has a good reputation glucose, which the body burns to produce and body fat in the rat. Journal of Nutri-
as a fat burner, it also may stimulate the energy. The B-complex vitamins in this tion 108: 613 - 620.
growth of lean muscle if you lift weights. supplement include choline, inositol, and 6. Crozier, et al. 1987. Metabolic effects
In one study, 10 college men attending a biotin, which are lipotropics. induced by long-term feeding of medium
strength-training class twice a week took Together, all the nutrients in this supple- chain triglycerides in the rat. Metabolism
either chromium supplements (200 mcg ment are necessary for energy production 36: 807 - 814.
a day), or a placebo. After 40 days, the when carbohydrates are limited for the Trent, L.K., and D. Thielding-Cancel.
chromium supplementers gained an aver- purpose of accelerating the fat-burning 1995. Effects of chromium picolinate
age of 4.84 pounds of muscle, without process. on body composition. Journal of Sports
gaining any fat. The placebo group did not For best results, I recommend that you Medicine and Physical Fitness 35: 273-
fare as well. They gained barely a pound take several liver tablets with each meal. 280.
of muscle, on average, and their body fat Along with ample calories from high-
increased by 1.1 percent.(7) Per capsule, density foods, this supplement should
Advanced Lipotropic Formula™ contains help you achieve your fat-loss goals.
50 mcg of chromium picolinate.
Essential Vitamin Formula™ and
Finally, Advanced Lipotropic Formula™ Mineral-Electrolyte Formula™
contains two important enzymes: pancre- Consuming a balanced intake of vi-
atin and betaine HCL. Enzymes such as tamins and minerals is vital during a
these help ensure that our bodies properly fat-loss program. If you’re reducing your
break down the foods we consume so that carbohydrate intake to shed fat, you may
they can be properly utilized by the body be losing some basic nutrients your body
for growth and repair. Pancreatin, for needs. Use of these two products ensures
example, helps the body digest fats, and that your body gets the essential nutrients
is also believed to have strong fat-dissolv- it needs to run as an efficient fat-burning
ing properties Betaine HCL helps activate machine. I recommend that you take one
the protein digesting enzyme, pepsin. For tablet of each of these supplements with
these reasons, enzymes are often recom- each meal.
mended as digestive aids.
I recommend that you take one capsule References
with each meal – which means four to six 1. Calabrese, et al. 1999. A cross-over
Pumping Dietary Iron

by John Parrillo
An accumulating body of recent re- metabolic rate (the energy it takes to ex- nonheme iron as well as it does heme
search points to the fact that many ath- ist), plus non-exercise activities like di- iron. Less than two percent of the iron in
letes, particularly those who include en- gestion, stress responses, reactions to heat spinach is absorbed, for example.
durance training in their training pro- and cold, and sitting. (3) Quite possibly, a In addition to providing heme iron,
grams, are deficient in iron. Specifically, short supply of iron may alter your body’s the Parrillo Liver-Amino Formula also
about 10 percent of male athletes are iron- ability to burn fat. supplies extra protein. This is impor-
deficient, compared to 22 to 25 percent of If you want to make continued prog- tant. Here’s the deal: Aerobic training
females.(1) ress in your training and be stronger as a in a protein-deficient state can lead to
Deficiencies can occur with aerobics result, you have to feed your body with a condition called “sports anemia,” in
and endurance training. Both activities the iron it needs. Dietary sources of iron which red blood cells and iron levels
can actually destroy red blood cells rather are classified into either “heme” iron or are reduced. One explanation for this is
than build them up — if nutrition is that aerobic training appears to increase
faulty. Many female athletes are at risk myoglobin, an oxygen-carrying protein in
of iron deficiency due to blood losses of the muscles. The formation of myoglobin
iron during menstruation. The daily iron requires protein and heme iron. If protein
requirement for women is 18 mg per day, is in short supply, red blood cells are
while on average they obtain only 10-12 destroyed to obtain the necessary protein
mg per day. Because men have lower daily and iron to make myoglobin.
iron requirements, they are somewhat less In addition, muscle fibers are damaged
vulnerable to deficiencies. Many times a during training and must be repaired fol-
feeling of fatigue or low energy is the re- lowing the exercise period. If your protein
sult of an unrecognized iron deficiency. intake is low, the body draws on red blood
An iron deficiency, technically known cells and blood proteins as a source of
as anemia, should be of concern to anyone protein for muscular repair. When this
who is active – for a variety of reasons. happens, little protein is left to rebuild red
First, iron is essential for the manufacture blood cells at the normal rate, and sports
of two important proteins in the body: anemia can be the result.
hemoglobin, a constituent of red blood “nonheme” iron. Heme iron is chemically Clearly, you need ample protein, along
cells that gives them their color; and bound to “heme” — the component of he- with iron. Individual protein needs vary
myoglobin, an oxygen-carrying protein moglobin that is responsible for its ability and depend on a number of factors, in-
in muscle cells. Hemoglobin picks up to carry oxygen in red blood cells. Heme cluding a bodybuilder’s training intensity
oxygen from the lungs and transports it to also gives these cells their color. and level of conditioning. I’ve seen many
the body’s cells where it is used to produce Good sources of heme iron are red meat bodybuilders improve their physiques by
energy from the foods you eat. Myoglo- and liver. White meat chicken and turkey increasing their protein intake up to 2.5
bin allows oxygen to be consumed inside breast also contain heme iron but in lower grams per pound of body weight a day
muscle cells. Without adequate iron, the amounts. The advantage of heme iron is — nearly seven times the RDA.
oxygen delivery system won’t work, nor that it’s very well-absorbed by the body. Based on my experience, hard train-
will oxygen be burned properly inside the About 15 to 20 percent of the iron in red ing bodybuilders can achieve excellent
cells. Clearly, iron has a central position in meat and liver is taken up. The problem results — including muscular hardness
producing energy. (2) with these foods, however, is their high — by consuming 1.25 to 1.5 grams of
Another reason that iron is important fat and cholesterol content. Desiccated protein per pound of body weight a day.
is because it plays an important role in liver tablets, such as the Parrillo Liver One gram per pound of body weight
metabolism, particularly in the metabo- Amino Formula, are defatted and contain should come from lean protein sources
lism of thyroid hormone, involved in in- almost no cholesterol, and are excellent such as white meat poultry, fish, and egg
creasing your metabolic rate, the speed at sources of readily absorbed heme iron. whites; the other .25 to .5 gram per pound
which your body burns calories. Thus, an Plants have a different form of iron, one of body weight, from all your other foods,
iron deficiency may compromise resting that is not bound to heme, and it’s called particularly high-protein vegetables like
metabolic rate, which includes the basal “nonheme” iron. The body doesn’t absorb beans, corn, and legumes.
Pumping Dietary Iron
The Parrillo Liver-Amino Formula also

contains B-complex vitamins. This vita-
min group is active in converting carbohy-
drates into glucose, which the body burns
to produce energy. B-complex vitamins
are also involved in the metabolism of fats
and proteins.
Increasingly, sports nutritionists are
recommending that hard-training athletes
supplement with iron. For best results,
I recommend that you take several liver
tablets with each meal. Along with ample
protein and ample calories from high-den-
sity foods, desiccated liver supplements
should help you reach peak levels of per-
formance, growth, and recovery.
References
1. Haymes. 1983. Proteins, vitamins,
and iron; in Ergogenic Aids in Sport; ed.
Williams; Human Kinetics Publishers.
2. Haymes. 1983. Proteins, vitamins,
and iron; in Ergogenic Aids in Sport; ed.
Williams; Human Kinetics Publishers; 27-
55.
3. Harris Rosenzweig, P. 2000. Effect
of iron supplementation on thyroid hor-
mone levels and resting metabolic rate in
two college female athletes: a case study.
International Journal of Sports Nutrition,
Exercise, and Metabolism 10: 434-443
Recharge with Glutamine

by John Parrillo
Have you been training super-hard, with broken down. either that glutamine itself can be converted
all-out aerobic exercise, in addition to push- This is a problem since glutamine is into muscle glycogen or that it may inhibit
to-the-max weight training? If so, a crucial required for healing internal tissues and the breakdown of glycogen.6
amino acid called glutamine could be de- manufacturing muscle protein. Patients
pleted from your body. hospitalized for surgery, trauma, or infec- Glutamine may enhance
The most abundant amino acid in your tion often receive supplemental glutamine muscle growth.
body, glutamine is stored mostly in your in their feeding solutions. Also, supplemental glutamine has been
muscles, although rather significant amounts Researchers have also discovered that shown to elevate growth hormone (GH) lev-
are found in your brain, lungs, blood, and many athletes are deficient in glutamine - a els, theoretically influencing muscle growth.
liver. This important amino acid serves as shortage that makes them more vulnerable to Physiologically, GH is the most important
a building block for proteins, nucleotides infections. One group of investigators mea- hormone in the body for exercisers and
(structural units of RNA and DNA), and other sured plasma levels of glutamine in runners bodybuilders because it acts as a powerful
amino acids and is the principle fuel source following their participation in a marathon. stimulus for muscle growth and fat loss.
for cells that make up your immune system. For about an hour after the event, glutamine Growth hormone is a substance that makes
Glutamine is also one of the amino acids levels declined, but slowly returned to nor- cells multiply faster. Among other func-
found in our Ultimate Amino Formula™. mal within about 16 hours of the race. But tions, growth hormone helps mobilize fat
Under certain conditions – including injury during this period, the runners’ lymphocyte from storage and makes more fat available
and intense exercise – the body’s tissues (white blood cell) count declined. Interest- for energy. It also promotes the transport of
demand more glutamine than the normal ingly, lymphocytes rely on glutamine for certain essential amino acids inside muscle
amount supplied by diet (which is five to 10 growth.3 cells to stimulate muscle growth. Many of
grams a day) and more than can be synthe- In a separate study by the same group of the effects of exercise in increasing muscle
sized normally by your body. 1 researchers, athletes supplemented with 5 mass and decreasing body fat are mediated
During intense exercise, for instance, your grams of glutamine right after exercise and by growth hormone.
muscles release glutamine into the blood- again two hours later. Only 19 percent of the In a study at Louisiana State University
stream. This can deplete muscle glutamine glutamine-supplemented athletes reported College of Medicine in Shreveport, research-
reserves by as much as 34 percent. Such a infections during the next week, while 51 ers found that oral supplementation with
shortfall can be problematic, since a defi- percent of those who took a placebo got a glutamine dramatically elevated growth
ciency of glutamine promotes the breakdown cold or other infection.4 hormone levels. Nine healthy volunteers
and wasting of muscle tissue. But if ample Studies like this one have led researchers (ages 32 to 64) were given 2 grams of glu-
glutamine is available, muscle loss can be to believe that the increased incidence of tamine over a 20-minute period, 45 minutes
prevented.2 colds, infections and other illnesses among following breakfast. Blood samples taken
Glutamine is the amino of the moment; athletes after intense exercise sessions may every half hour over 90 minutes revealed
that is, it has been in the nutritional spotlight have something to do with the glutamine/ a 430 percent hike in growth hormone
because of its amazing versatility. There was lymphocyte connection. Thus, supplement- levels. Theoretically, supplementing with
a time when glutamine was thought to be a ing with glutamine may fend off infections glutamine may help you build and maintain
non-essential amino acid, but now it has been that can sideline your training.5 muscle tissue, particularly if you exercise
re-christened “conditionally essential.” regularly. The research into the glutamine/
If you are highly active, glutamine should Glutamine stimulates the synthesis of growth hormone connection is preliminary,
be a part of your supplement program, for muscle glycogen. but promising nonetheless.7
reasons described below. Glutamine is technically described as a
“glucogenic,” meaning that it assists your Glutamine may aid in fat loss.
Glutamine is an immunonutrient. body in manufacturing glycogen, the chief Some research hints that supplementing
Glutamine is the favored fuel of your im- muscle fuel. In a study involving subjects with glutamine can curb the desire for sug-
mune cells. This means you need it when who cycled for 90 minutes, intravenous ary foods — an excess of which leads to fat
you’re ill, stressed, or recovering from glutamine, administered during a two-hour gain. For these reasons, glutamine may turn
surgery. During such times, the demand for period following exercise, doubled the out to be an important amino acids dieters
glutamine exceeds its production and the concentration of glycogen in the muscles. and exercisers who need to curb their desire
body’s nitrogen stores become rapidly de- It’s not clear exactly how glutamine works for fat-forming sweets. Between 200 mg and
pleted — a sign that muscle protein is being in this regard, though. Scientists speculate one gram of glutamine can be taken with
Recharge with Glutamine
water 30 minutes before meals to lessen the benefits times three. Let’s Live, September,
desire for sugary foods.8 71-73.
5. Castell, LM. 1996. Does glutamine have
Supplementing with glutamine. a role in reducing infections in athletes?”
Clearly, glutamine has numerous benefits European Journal of Applied Physiology
for any athlete who wants to maximize 73: 488-490.
performance, muscle repair, and immunity. 6. Varnier, M, et al. 1995. Stimulatory ef-
Generally, a protein-rich training diet such as fect of glutamine on glycogen accumulation
that recommended by the Parrillo Nutrition in human skeletal muscle. American Journal
Program™ should prevent your glutamine of Physiology 269: E309-E315.
levels from dipping too low. However, 7. Welbourne, T. 1995. Increased plasma
supplemental glutamine provides extra insur- bicarbonate and growth hormone after an oral
ance, plus a windfall of other benefits. What’s glutamine load. American Journal of Clinical
more, if you’re the victim of frequent colds Nutrition 61: 1058-1061.
or infections, consider supplementing with 8. Greenwood-Robinson, M. 1998. Natural
this amino acid. Weight Loss Miracles. New York: Perigee
Each capsule in our Ultimate Amino Books.
Formula™ contains 103 milligrams of glu- 9. Editor. 1994. Glutamine: the essential
tamine. We recommend that you take two or non-essential amino acid. Executive Health’s
more capsules of this supplement with each Good Health Report, July, 1-2.
meal. That should supply a gram or more
daily – which is appropriate for athletes
and active individuals. We also add extra
glutamine to our Hi-Protein™ powder and
Optimized Whey™ protein powders. Both
heat and acid destroy glutamine, so you
should not take it with hot or acidic foods,
such as vinegar.
Glutamine supplementation is well toler-
ated. Glutamine safety studies have been
conducted using healthy volunteers who
took doses of 0.75 gram per 2.2 (1 kilogram)
of body weight. No side effects occurred at
those doses.
People with liver or kidney disease
should not supplement with glutamine,
however, because it can aggravate
these conditions and interfere with
their treatment.
References
1.Miller, A.L. 1999. Therapeutic con-
siderations of l-glutamine: a review of the
literature. Alternative Medicine Review 4:
239-248; Antonio, J, et al.1999. Glutamine:
a potentially useful supplement for athletes.
Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology 24:
1-14.
2. Walsh, NP, et al. 1998. Glutamine, ex-
ercise and immune function. Sports Medicine
26: 177-191.
3. Tuttle, D. 1997. Glutamine: athletic
benefits times three. Let’s Live, September,
71-73.
4. Tuttle, D. 1997. Glutamine: athletic
Supplementation Timing
by John Parrillo
The “when” of taking supplements is This supplement also contains mag- The cyclists sipped the drink every ten
just as important as the “why.” By tim- nesium and potassium aspartates, which minutes. Performance improved the most
ing your supplements to coincide with help filter waste products from the sys- when the cyclists supplemented with the
your workout schedule, you’ll maximize tem, giving you extra stamina and extend- MCT/sports drink mixture. The research-
your performance, energy levels, muscu- ing endurance. ers did some further biochemical tests on
lar growth, and more. Here’s a closer look Immediately Prior to Training the cyclists and confirmed that the combi-
at when to take certain supplements. Supplement with Parrillo Creatine nation spared glycogen while making fat
Monohydrate right before your workout. more accessible for fuel. (1)
Upon Rising That way, you can load it into your mus- Post-Exercise
Take two to three Parrillo GH Formula cles at just the right time to maximizing Immediately following your workout,
supplements (GH releasers) on an empty muscular reserves and restocking ATP. consume a mixed carbohydrate/protein
stomach. The morning is one of the peri- supplement such as our 50/50 Plus For-
ods during the day at which natural levels During Endurance Training and/or mula. Scientific experiments demonstrate
of growth hormone are thought to be the Competition that this type of supplement (with the
highest. Energy expenditures increase by two added protein) initiates the rapid uptake
GH releasers are thought to burn fat, to three times if you’re an endurance ath- of carbs by your muscles – faster than
build muscle, and have a stimulatory ef- lete undergoing strenuous activity, such carbs alone. (2)
fect on the production of growth hormone as training or competition. That’s why In addition, a carbohydrate/protein
in the body. it’s vital to consume carbohydrate dur- supplement taken following a workout
ing such prolonged exercise. Increasing stimulates the release of two hormones
Four Hours Prior to Training the availability of carbohydrate improves (insulin and growth hormone), creating an
A carbohydrate-rich meal eaten ap- performance, spares muscle glycogen, environment favorable to muscle growth
proximately four hours prior to exercise and thus sustains energy. Carbohydrate and recovery. (3)
significantly pumps up muscle and liver feeding during weight training is help- Taking creatine monohydrate after your
glycogen content for better intensity for ful, as well, particularly for maximizing workout is a good idea too. Creatine en-
workouts, according to research. You can energy levels. Your best bets are Parrillo hances the movement of amino acids in
increase the carbohydrate content of your ProCarb Formula or our Parrillo Energy cells for tissue growth and repair follow-
meal by including Parrillo ProCarb For- Bar. ing exercise.
mula, Parrillo Energy Bar, or one of our Many endurance athletes with whom Also, I recommend that you take cre-
new Parrillo puddings as part of your we have worked like to mix ProCarb with atine with our ProCarb Formula. Scientific
meal. CapTri®, our medium-chain fatty acid research shows that taking creatine with a
supplement, for super-charged endurance liquid carbohydrate supplement boosts
30 Minutes Prior to Training levels during training or competition. This the amount of creatine accumulated in
Also, I recommend that you take Par- practice is supported by clinical research. muscles by as much as 60 percent. (4)
rillo Max Endurance Formula on an empty Case in point: At the University of Ca-
stomach 30 minutes to an hour before petown Medical School in South Africa, Throughout the Day, With Meals
training. This supplement contains the researchers mixed 86 grams of MCT oil Because your metabolism is constantly
following endurance-enhancing nutrients: (nearly 3 tablespoons) with two liters of at work, continue to take supplements
inosine; a nutrient that improves oxygen a sports drink to see what effect it would throughout the day — and always with
utilization for better stamina, possibly by have on the performance of six endur- meals. Their value is increased when
forcing additional production of energy- ance-trained cyclists. The cyclists were you spread them out into equal portions
producing ATP; l-phenylalanine, an essen- fed a drink consisting of the sports drink throughout the day. If you take your
tial amino acid that acts as a potent mental alone, sports drink plus MCT oil, or MCT supplements only in the morning and
stimulant for improved concentration dur- oil alone. In the laboratory, they pedaled work out in the afternoon, then very few
ing workouts; d-phenylalanine, an amino at moderate intensity for about two hours supplemental nutrients remain for use by
acid that promotes a higher pain threshold; and then completed a higher-intensity the body during training. As your body
and ferulic acid (FRAC), a nutrient stimu- time trial. They performed this cycling digests nutrients from food and supple-
lates the endocrine system to aid recovery bout on three separate occasions so that ments through the day, messages from the
and boost workout capacity. each cyclist used each type of drink once. digestive process are relayed throughout
Supplementation Timing
the body, signaling your cells to use these

nutrients for growth and repair.
The supplements you should take with
your meals include Parrillo Essential Vi-
tamin Formula (one per meal), Parrillo
Mineral- Electrolyte Formula (one to two
per meal), Parrillo Liver-Amino Formula
(five or more per meal), Parrillo Ultimate
Amino Formula (two or more per meal),
and Parrillo Advanced Lipotropics.
Before Bedtime
Take two Parrillo GH Formula supple-
ments again (on an empty stomach) to
naturally elevate your body’s level of
growth hormone.
References
1. Van Zyl, C. 1996. Effects of medium
chain triglyceride ingestion on fuel me-
tabolism and cycling performance. Journal
of Applied Psychology 80: 2217-2225.
2. Costill DL, et. al. 1981. The role of
dietary carbohydrates in muscle glyco-
gen resynthesis after strenuous running.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
34: 1831-1836.
3. Zawadzki, K.M., et al. 1992. Carbo-
hydrate-protein complex increases the rate
of muscle glycogen storage after exercise.
Journal of Applied Physiology 72: 1854-
1859.
4. Chandler, R.M., et al. 1994. Dietary
supplements affect the anabolic hormones
after weight-training exercise. Journal of
Applied Physiology 76: 839-845.
5. Editor. 1994. The promise of creatine
supplements. Penn State Sports Medicine
Newsletter, January, 1-3.
Nutrition for Older Athletes

by John Parrillo
If you want to get better as time marches stimulates the release of two hormones ligrams if you’re 51 or older. Many physi-
on, you may need to rethink and tweak (insulin and growth hormone), creating an cians recommend 1500 milligrams daily.
your nutrition and training practices to environment favorable to muscle growth Similarly, men need a daily calcium
postpone, or slow down, the effects of ag- and recovery. (2) intake of 1200 milligrams a day over age
ing. In this month’s column, I’ll provide 51. A good source of supplement calcium
advice and guidelines for the 50+ crowd Increase your protein intake. is Parrillo Mineral Electrolyte Formula.
so that you can ensure your health well Unless you’re exercising regularly, you In addition, be sure to continue your
into your gold years. Here goes: could be losing lean muscle mass, another regular weight-training program too.
consequence of aging. On the Parrillo Weight-bearing and strength-developing
Watch your fat intake. Nutrition Program, we recommend that exercise stimulates the formation of bone.
Curtailing fat not only keeps body fat you eat 1.25 to 1.5 grams of protein It also improves strength and balance,
low, it also helps you reduce the risk of per pound of body weight. At least one thus reducing the risk of falls and frac-
heart disease and cancer. The Parrillo gram of protein per pound of your body tures.
Nutrition Program keeps dietary fats as weight should come from complete pro-
low as possible. You must, however, have tein sources such as lean white meat poul- Shun simple sugars and refined
some essential fatty acids in your diet. try, fish, egg whites, or from one of your foods.
Each day, take one teaspoon to one table- protein powders. The remaining should As you get older, your body doesn’t
spoon of an EFA source such as safflower, come from starchy and fibrous carbohy- process glucose as well, and higher lev-
sunflower, linseed, or flaxseed oils, or sup- drates, which also contain protein. els of sugar tend to hang around in your
plement with Parrillo Evening Primrose blood. This is tough on the body and can
Oil (which will help with joint movement Increase dietary fiber. lead to diabetes, a blood sugar metabo-
and pain too). In addition, use CapTri, a As an older athlete, your chances of de- lism disorder. If you follow the Parrillo
special medium chain fatty acid that is less veloping diverticulosis — small pouches Nutrition Program, you’ll automatically
likely to convert to body fat. that project outward from the wall of avoid refined, sugar-loaded foods in favor
the colon — are on the rise. Should of complex carbohydrates, which actually
Use recovery nutrients. these pouches get irritated, the problem help regulate blood sugar.
When you were younger, your body turns into diverticulitis. Its signs include
could bounce back from intense workouts cramps, fever, and nausea. Prevent age-related
in as little as six hours. But by the time You can prevent both situations by con- nutrient deficiencies.
you reach 50, it can take 48 hours to re- suming high-fiber diet, including legumes, Older adults are at great risk of vitamin
cover. That’s because aging makes your vegetables, and whole grains. These foods and mineral deficiencies because their
connective tissue — tendons, ligaments, are emphasized on the Parrillo Nutrition bodies are less efficient at absorption.
and joints — stiffer and not as forgiving Program Further, studies show that as many as
to the wear and tear of exercise. three in 10 people over the age of 65 may
Following the Parrillo Nutrition Pro- Ensure an adequate intake of cal- deficient in B vitamins, which are heart
gram will help accelerate the recovery cium. protective, as well as antioxidants, which
process because it provides the energy, an- Older athletes are at an increased risk preserve immunity and protect you from
tioxidants, and other nutrients your body of bone fractures due to osteoporosis, a various disease.
needs for growth and repair. It’s also a bone-thinning disease in which vital min- Supplementing with antioxidant vita-
good idea to drink ProCarb, Hi-Protein erals like calcium leach from your bones mins – namely vitamins E and C – has
Powder, or one of our other beverages im- as you age. Used to be, osteoporosis was been found in studies to boost immunity,
mediately following workouts. thought of as a woman’s disease. But in plus help muscles recover and regenerate
Scientific experiments demonstrate that the past few years, its incidence among more rapidly following exercise. Both
this type of supplement (with the added men has been climbing. Among the 25 vitamin C and Vitamin E seem to prevent
protein) initiates the rapid uptake of carbs million sufferers in the United States, two exercise-generated free radicals from de-
by your muscles – faster than carbs alone. million men have osteoporosis, and three stroying muscle cell membranes. (3)
(1) million more are at risk. Most research points to a dosage of
In addition, a carbohydrate/protein To maximize and preserve bone loss if between 400 IU and 1,000 IUs of vitamin
supplement taken following a workout you’re a woman, take in at least 1200 mil- E daily and between 500 mg and 1000
Nutrition for Older Athletes
mg daily of vitamin C to get the protec-
tive effect.
The Parrillo Essential Vitamin Formula
and the Parrillo Mineral-Electrolyte For-
mula both supply the antioxidants your
body needs for recovery.
In addition to eating properly and sup-
plementing with antioxidants, there are
other measures you can take to bolster im-
munity so that you’re less like to get sick.
One of these is using a whey-based sup-
plement in your nutrition program. It also
enhances recovery. We have two products
containing whey: Optimized Whey For-
mula (100% whey protein isolate) and our
50-50+ Formula (formulated with whey
protein isolate, calcium casein, milk pro-
tein isolates, and maltodextrin).
References
1. Zawadzki, K.M., Yaspelkis, BB., and
J.L. Ivy. 1992. Carbohydrate-protein com-
plex increases the rate of muscle glycogen
storage after exercise. Journal of Applied
Physiology 72: 1854-1859.
2. Chandler, R.M., Byrne, H.K., Pat-
terson, J.G., and J.L. Ivy. 1994. Dietary
supplements affect the anabolic hormones
after weight-training exercise. Journal of
Applied Physiology 76: 839-845.
3. Alessio HM, et al. 1997. Exercise-
induced oxidative stress before and after
vitamin C supplementation. International
Journal of Sport Nutrition. 7:1-9; Also:
Jakeman, P., and S. Maxwell. Effect of
antioxidant vitamin supplementation on
muscle function after eccentric exercise.
67: 426-430.
The Latest Word on Amino Acid Supplements

by John Parrillo
In just the past few years, research into acid supplements as a part of an overall We suggest that you take two or more
the amino acid requirements of athletes dietary strategy for building and main- capsules with each meal.
has accelerated rapidly. Generally, the taining lean muscle. Amino acid supple-
findings prove that amino acid intake mentation is used to provide an additional
stimulates protein synthesis after exercise source of protein — beyond food — that AMINO ACIDS
by increasing the availability of protein to can be used by the muscles for growth MAJOR FUNCTIONS
muscle tissue. The net effect, for course, is and repair. For optimum results, I suggest _______________________________
to build and maintain muscle. Other recent a three-prong approach that involves the ______________________________
findings show that amino acid supple- use of BCAAs, free-form amino acids,
mentation enhances energy (particularly and GH releasers. L-alanine
when aminos are combined with carbo- Energy production and regulation of
hydrate) and stimulates the release of BCAAs blood sugar.
growth hormone. (1) Further, scientists are When you’re training hard to build
recognizing that elderly strength trainers muscle and burn fat, you can easily slip L-aspartic acid
can benefit from amino acid supplements into a “catabolic” state, meaning your Energy production.
because supplementation has been shown body starts feeding on its own muscle for
to improve muscle quantity and quality at fuel. (7,8) BCAAs can stop this detrimen- L-cysteine
a time in life when muscle tends to atro- tal process in its tracks. (9,10) They work Protein metabolism.
phy. (2) together with insulin (required to build
With regard to other research into amino muscle), caused by the digestion of car- L-arginine
acids, there is more good news. Some bohydrates, to transport other amino acids Growth hormone release (with l-ly-
examples: into the muscles to be used in growth and sine).
• Glutamine, the most abundant amino repair. Thus, when you supplement with
acid in the body, stimulates the synthesis BCAAs, do so with a carbohydrate. We L-glutamine
of muscle glycogen, resulting in improved suggest taking our BCAA supplement Energy production (with B-complex
recovery. (3) with one of our carbohydrate drinks, such vitamins B-6, B-3, and magnesium).
• The BCAAs (l-leucine, l-isoleucine, as ProCarb™ or 50/50 Plus™.
and l-valine), which make up about one- On the Parrillo Nutrition Program, we L-histidine
third of your muscle protein, reduce mus- advise taking two more more capsules Protein synthesis.
cle damage associated with endurance ex- of our Muscle Amino Formula with each
ercise. This is good news for bodybuilders meal. L-lysine
who often fear that aerobic activity may Growth hormone release (with
compromise muscular development. (4) Free-Form Amino Acids l-arginine).
• BCAA supplementation induces the During any period of intensified train-
loss of body fat. (5) ing, in which you’re striving to build L-methionine
• Supplementation with essential amino muscle, you must give your body in- Choline synthesis.
acids – these include the BCAAs, as well creased amounts of protein to feed your
as methionine, lysine, arginine, threonine, muscles – and that’s where Parrillo Ulti- L-phenylalanine
histidine, and phenylalanine – increases mate Amino comes in. Collagen formation; alertness.
muscular endurance, the ability to contract This supplement contains a profile of
your muscles repeatedly, without fatigu- 17 “free form” amino acids, a form that’s L-proline
ing. That’s incredibly powerful informa- easily assimilated by your body so that Collagen formation.
tion, particularly if you’re shooting for the aminos are rapidly taken up by your
greater workout intensities. (6) muscles for growth and repair. This for- L-serine
mulation also contains the BCAAs, dis- Production of cellular energy.
An Amino Acid Supplementation cussed above. In addition to the BCAAs,
Program the other aminos in this supplement and L-threonine
Clearly, athletes, bodybuilders, and oth- their functions are listed in the chart Energy production.
er active people need to incorporate amino below
The Latest Word on Amino Acid Supplements
L-tyrosine 489-495.
A precursor of adrenaline and thyroid 3. Hargreaves, M.H., et al. 2001. Amino
hormones. acids and endurance exercise. Internation-
al Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise
Metabolism 11: 133-145.
GH Releasers 4. Coombes, J.S., et al. Effects of
Finally, consider supplementing your branched-chain amino acid supplementa-
diet with certain amino acids. The most tion on serum creatine kinase and lactate
effective oral combination for GH re- dehydrogenase after prolonged exercise.
lease is arginine pyroglutamate and ly- Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical
sine monohydrochloride, the combination Fitness 40: 240-246.
found in our Enhanced GH Formula. This 5. Mero, A. 1999. Leucine supplemen-
is typically taken at bedtime and in the tation and intensive training. Sports Med-
morning, always on an empty stomach. icine 27: 347-358.
Arginine, in particular, has numerous 6. Antonio, J., et al. 2000. Effects of
other benefits to athletes and bodybuild- exercise training and amino acid supple-
ers. Arginine: mentation on body composition and phys-
• Boosts immunity by stimulating the ac- ical performance in untrained women.
tivity of the thymus gland, which shrinks Nutrition 16: 1043-1046.
as we age, and by acting as a cell-protect- 7. Friedman, J.E., and P.W.R. Lemon.
ing antioxidant. (11) 1989. Effect of chronic endurance exer-
• Helps prevent the body from breaking cise on retention of dietary protein. Inter-
down protein in muscles and organs to national Journal of Sports Medicine 10:
repair itself when injured. (12) 1188, ff.
• Initiates recovery – the period of 8. Hickson, J.F., and I. Wolinsky. (eds.)
muscle repair and growth that takes place 1989. Human protein intake and metabo-
following a workout – particularly when lism in exercise. Nutrition in Exercise and
taken with carbohydrates. (13) Sport. CRC Press, pp. 5-36.
9. Guyton, A.C. 1991. Textbook of
A Note on Diet Medical Physiology. W.B. Saunders.
Amino acid supplements should not be 10.Zubay, G. 1983. Biochemistry. Ad-
your made source of protein. Make sure dison-Wesley.
you’re getting amino acids from food as 11.Novaes, M.R., et al. 1999. Effects of
well. Each day, you should eat 1.25 to dietetic supplementation with L-arginine
1.5 grams of protein per pound of body in cancer patients. A review of the litera-
weight. At least one gram of protein per ture. Archives of Latin American Nutri-
pound of your body weight should come tion 49: 301-308; and Giugliano, D. 2000.
from complete protein sources such as Dietary antioxidants for cardiovascular
lean white meat poultry, fish, egg whites, protection. Nutrition, Metabolism, and
or protein powder. The remaining should Cardiovascular Diseases10: 38-44.
come from starchy and fibrous carbohy- 12.Fisher, H. 1987. On the mend with
drates, which also contain protein. arginine. Prevention, October, pp. 98-
106.
References 13.Yaspelkis, B.B., et al. 1999. The ef-
1. Wolfe, R. 2000. Protein supplements fect of carbohydrate-arginine supplement
and exercise. American Journal of Clinical on postexercise carbohydrate metabolism.
Nutrition 72: 551S-557S. International Journal of Sports Nutrition
2. Parise, G., et al. 2000. The utility of 9: 241-250.
resistance exercise training and amino
acid supplementation for reversing age-
associated decrements in muscle protein
mass and function. Current Opinion in
Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 3:
The Case Against Fruit

by John Parrillo
I’m frequently asked to explain why of fat absorbed from the fructose and the simple sugars are likely to spill over
fruits and fruit juices are not included in glucose-sweetened shakes was 38 to 60 into fat stores, with just a fraction con-
my nutrition program. The answer has to percent higher than that absorbed from verted to glycogen. By contrast, eating
do with a little-understood simple sugar the artificially sweetened or unsweetened ample amounts of starchy carbohydrates
found in fruit: fructose. shakes. These findings are further evi- will extend your endurance and effective-
Fructose came into favor years ago dence that fructose has a fat-forming ef- ly re-supply your muscles with glycogen
because of its stabilizing effect on blood fect on the body. (1) for better recovery. You’ll stay leaner
sugar. Unlike other simple sugars, it trig- too, since starchy carbs are fully utilized
gers neither a surge of insulin nor a corre- Fructose does not efficiently restock for energy production and glycogen syn-
sponding drop in blood sugar an hour or so muscle glycogen. thesis.
after eating it. That’s the good news. But After you work out, your body moves Second, you’ll notice less of a “pump”
there’s more to the fructose story. from an energy-using mode (catabolism) while working out, also due to low gly-
Anyone trying to maximize muscle gain to an energy storage and rebuilding mode cogen stores in the muscle. The “pump”
and maximize fat loss should avoid fruit (anabolism). During the transition, di- describes an exercised muscle heavily
and foods to which fructose has been etary carbohydrate is broken down into engorged with blood. If you can’t get a
added. Here’s why: glucose and fructose to be used for “gly- good pump, it’s difficult to get the full
cogenesis,” the manufacture of glycogen benefits of “fascial stretching.” This is
Fructose is readily converted to body to restock the muscles and liver. my system of stretching between exercise
fat. Fructose is used primarily to restore sets. It stretches the fascia tissue sur-
Because of fructose’s molecular struc- liver glycogen; it’s really not a good re- rounding the muscle so that it has more
ture, the liver readily converts it into a supplier of muscle glycogen. Glucose, room to grow. The best time to stretch is
long-chain triglyceride (a fat). Put another on the other hand, bypasses the liver and when the muscle is fully pumped, because
way, fructose is metabolized as a fat in is carried by the bloodstream straight the pump helps stretches the fascia too.
your body. Therefore, a majority of the to the muscles you just worked, where With low glycogen levels in the muscle,
fruit you eat can ultimately end up as body the glycogen-making process begins. Any you can’t stretch to the maximum. This
fat on your physique. You’ll notice an muscle emptied of glycogen due to exer- limits your growth potential.
incredible difference when you eliminate cise is first on the list to get its quota of
fruits and juices from your diet. glucose. Fructose can lead to insulin resis-
Incidentally, fructose may turn out to be Clearly, one of the keys to effectively tance.
one of the reasons we’re becoming a na- restoring glycogen is the type of carbo- Studies have demonstrated that diets
tion of fatties. This simple sugar is found hydrate you eat. Natural, starchy carbo- high in simple sugars (particularly su-
not only in fruit, but also in processed hydrates such as potatoes, yams, whole crose) lead to a condition known as insu-
foods in the form of high-fructose corn grains, corn, and legumes do a better job lin resistance. Sucrose and other simple
syrup, the chief sweetener in sodas. Get at this than simple sugars do. Research sugars trigger a rapid spike in glucose,
this: Consumption of soda has been linked has shown that a diet high in starchy car- and the pancreas responds by pumping
to the rise in obesity rates in our country. bohydrates can restock more glycogen in out more insulin into the bloodstream to
And, paralleling the rise in obesity is a the muscles 48 hours after exercise than handle the sugar. Over time, insulin lev-
ten-fold increase in the consumption of simple sugars can.(2) els in your blood remain higher than they
fructose. If you eat simple sugars like fructose, should be. Eventually, cells ignore – or
you’re not going to be able to store as become resistant to – insulin. Because of
Fructose can cause your body to ab- much glycogen had you consumed natu- insulin resistance, insulin can’t open the
sorb extra fat from meals. ral, starchy carbohydrates. What implica- cell. Glucose is locked out, and it clutters
If you wash a cheeseburger and French tions does this have for you as an athlete up the bloodstream. These adverse meta-
fries down with a soda, or drink orange or bodybuilder? bolic events can lead to type 2 diabetes.
juice with your breakfast, your body could First, you won’t be able to train as hard Insulin resistance is also associated with
be sopping up excess fat. In a recent study, or as long during your next workout, excess blood levels of triglycerides, and
volunteers drank milkshakes flavored with because you haven’t stored as much gly- low levels of heart-protective HDL cho-
either fructose, glucose, aspartame, or no cogen. Nor will you be able to recover lesterol, conditions that set the stage for
sweetener at all with meals. The amount from your workouts as efficiently. Plus, heart disease. (3)
The Case Against Fruit
Fructose is “hidden” in many body-

building foods.
Many sports and bodybuilding supple-
ments are sweetened with fructose – a dis-
covery I made when surveying the ingre-
dients of nutrition bars several years ago.
I found that 25 out of 26 bars had fructose
as a first or second ingredient.
High-fructose corn syrup and fruit juice
are frequently used as ingredients in sup-
plements because they are inexpensive
sweeteners. But buyer beware: They can
hamper your bodybuilding efforts, so read
the labels.
Look instead for supplements sweet-
ened with rice dextrin, which is found in
our bars. Rice dextrin is a short chain glu-
cose polymer made from rice. It gives you
the quick energy you want from a sports
bar, but without fat-forming fructose.
The Final Word on Fruit and Fruc-

tose
I’m not knocking fruit. True, it’s high
in vitamins, minerals, and fiber — but
so are natural, complex carbohydrates. If
you want to get leaner and more muscular
— and build your recuperative powers
by re-stocking glycogen more efficiently
— avoid fruit. Choose starchy and fibrous
carbohydrates instead.
References
1. Wollard, K. 1999. Did you know?
Newsday, May 4, p. C05.
2. Costill DL, et. al. 1981. The role of
dietary carbohydrates in muscle glyco-
gen resynthesis after strenuous running.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
34: 1831-1836.
3. Storlien, L.H., et al. 2000. Diet com-
position and insulin action in animal mod-
els. British Journal of Nutrition 83: S85-
S90.
Make the B-Grade for Ultimate Performance

by John Parrillo
Hard training affects the status of a cer- drug) to help lower cholesterol levels in the Atlantic mackerel, white meat chicken,
tain group of vitamins, collectively known body. Food sources of niacin include le- halibut, tuna, broccoli, lentils, and brown
as the B-complex family. These vitamins gumes, whole grains, milk, eggs, and fish. rice. The recommended intake for men is
are important for the proper metabolism If you’re deficient in this nutrient, you’re 1.7 milligrams a day; for women, 1.5 mil-
of protein, carbohydrates, and fats; as well apt to suffer fatigue and muscular weak- ligrams.
as for energy production. Research shows ness. The recommended intake for niacin is
that if you’re deficient in B-vitamins, your at least 15 to 20 milligrams a day. B-12
physical performance will suffer. (1) So for Like other members of its family, this
optimum training and performance, you Pyroxidine (Vitamin B-6) nutrient regulates many functions in the
need a good supply of these nutrients, both Vitamin B6 influences nearly every sys- body. Among the most vital is the produc-
from food and supplements. What follows tem in the body. For example, it assists in: tion of red blood cells. Vitamin B-12 di-
is a look at specific B-vitamins and how metabolizing fats, creating amino acids rects this process, making sure that enough
they relate to training status. (the building blocks of protein), turning cells are manufactured. Without vitamin B-
carbohydrates into glucose, producing neu- 12, red blood cell production falls off, and
Thiamin (Vitamin B-1) rotransmitters (brain chemicals that relay the result is misshapen cells and anemia,
Found abundantly in brown rice and messages), and manufacturing antibodies which can sap energy. Vitamin B-12 can be
soybeans, thiamin is specifically involved to ward off infection. obtained only from animal foods, including
in carbohydrate metabolism and nerve cell You’ll find this nutrient in a number of poultry, fish, eggs, and milk. The recom-
function. Men need 1.2 milligrams daily; natural weight-loss supplements — for a mended daily intake is 2.4 milligrams.
women, 1.1. couple of reasons. First, vitamin B6 helps
Higher doses (100 milligrams a day), maintain the balance of sodium and potas- Biotin
however, may accelerate recovery from sium in cells — a balance necessary to This B-complex vitamin is re-
exercise-induced fatigue, according to re- properly regulate fluids. Thus, vitamin B6 quired to activate specific enzymes in-
searchers at the University of Tsukuba in indirectly helps prevent water retention, volved in metabolism. Without it, the body
Japan. They administered high-dose thiamin a condition that can make you look and can’t properly burn fats — which is why
to a group of exercisers, and discovered that feel fat. Taking 100 mg of vitamin B6 one you so often find biotin as an ingredient in
supplementation made the exercisers feel to three times a on a temporary basis is natural weight-loss products. Biotin also
more energetic after completing a workout often recommended to reduce fluid build- affects the body’s ability to properly me-
on the bicycle ergometer. (2) up. Also, vitamin B6 helps regulate blood tabolize blood sugar. In addition, biotin
sugar. Swings in blood sugar can lead to helps the body utilize protein.
Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2) food cravings and low energy. Finally, Although required in tiny amounts (30
This vitamin is found in whole grains, restrictive diets can deplete the body’s mcg daily), biotin can be in short supply
soybeans, and green leafy vegetables. It is supply of vitamin B6, and supplementa- — for two reasons. First, the best sources
involved in enzyme-controlled reactions tion is extra insurance against a deficiency. of biotin in food are egg yolks and liver
that produce energy for the body. Ribofla- Clearly, this nutrient is a behind-the-scenes — two foods we tend to cut out because of
vin also protects the body from disease- player in many issues related to weight their high concentration of cholesterol.
causing free radical damage in the body. management. Second, research verifies that active
Men require 1.3 milligrams daily; women, As someone who is active, you’ll be people often have lower levels of biotin
1.1. interested in knowing that extra vitamin than those who are sedentary. One theory
Bodybuilders, exercisers, and athletes B6 can help boost endurance. Research has is related to exercise. Exercising causes
must be sure to get ample amounts, how- demonstrated that supplemental B6 may the waste product lactic acid to accumulate
ever, because this nutrient is easily lost improve VO2 max, a measurement of the in working muscles. Biotin helps break
from the body, particularly in sweat. Exer- body’s ability to use oxygen. (4) down lactic acid. The more lactic acid
cise increases the body’s requirement for Hard exercise can rob the body of this that builds up in muscles, the more biotin
riboflavin. (3) nutrient. German researchers discovered that’s needed to break it down. If you’re
that a marathon race can cause a loss of a regular exerciser, supplementing with
Niacin (Vitamin B-3) 1 milligram of vitamin b6 from the body biotin — either through a multi-vitamin
Besides its involvement in energy pro- – nearly a full day’s requirement. (5) formula or lipotropic supplement such as
duction, niacin plays a role in cholesterol Eating a balance diet, however, guards our Advanced Lipotropic Formula — of-
and fat metabolism, which is why this nutri- against such deficiencies. The best food fers an extra measure of protection against
ent is used therapeutically (as a prescription sources of vitamin B6 include salmon, a possible shortfall. (6)
Make the B-Grade for Ultimate Performance
Choline Getting Enough B’s Journal of Clinical Nutrition 48: 1451-

Present in all living cells, choline helps In addition to the B-complex-rich 1462.
prevent the build-up of fat in the liver and foods mentioned above, supplementation 2. Suzuki, M. 1996. Effects of thiamine
helps move fat into cells to be burned for is important for preventing possible short- supplementation on exercise-induced fa-
energy. Additionally, choline is involved falls, particularly in bodybuilders and other tigue. Metabolic Brain Disease 11: 95-
in the metabolism of nutrients needed for athletes. Various Parrillo Performance sup- 106.
building muscle tissue. plements are fortified with these nutrients, 3. Dam, B.V. 1978. Vitamins and sports.
Choline is found naturally in eggs, fish, and these are listed in the chart below. British Journal of Sports Medicine 12: 74-
soybeans, liver, brewer’s yeast, and wheat For information on how to order these 79.
germ. A few years ago, choline was recog- products, call our order line at 1-800-344- 4. Vaughn, L. 1984. B6: a spectrum of
nized as an essential nutrient. The recom- 3404. healing. Prevention, June, 30.
mended intake is 550 milligrams daily for 5. Rokitzki, L., et al. 1994. Acute changes
men and 425 milligrams daily for women. in vitamin B6 status in endurance athletes
References before and after a marathon. International
Inositol 1. Van der Beek, E.J., et al. 1988. Thia- Journal of Sports Nutrition 4: 154-165.
Inositol is involved primarily in making min, riboflavin, and vitamins B-6 and C: 6. Mazer, E. 1981. Biotin — the little
lecithin so that fat metabolism can proceed impact of combined restricted intake on known lifesaver. Prevention, July, 97-102.
normally. Working together with choline, functional performance in man. American
inositol helps prevent dangerous build-ups
of fat in the arteries and keeps the liver,
B-Vitamin Supplement Source Amount
heart, and kidneys healthy.
Your body can make inositol from glu-
Thiamin Liver-Amino Formula 5.75 mg
cose (blood sugar), and the nutrient is
plentiful in whole grains. In fact, there is Essential Vitamin Formula 25 mg
more inositol in the body than any other vi-
tamin, with the exception of the B-vitamin Riboflavin Liver-Amino Formula 155 mcg
niacin. Too much coffee can deplete your Essential Vitamin Formula 25 mg
body’s reservoir of inositol. This nutrient is
available from whole grains, citrus fruits,
Pyroxidine Liver-Amino Formula 19 mcg
brewer’s yeast, and liver. You get about a
gram of inositol daily from food. Essential Vitamin Formula 25 mg
Advanced Lipotropic 20 mg
Pantothenic Acid
First recognized as a substance that stim- B-12 Liver-Amino Formula 38 mcg
ulates growth, pantothenic acid is quite Essential Vitamin Formula 100 mcg
active in metabolism. It is a building block
Advanced Lipotropic 200 mcg
of CoA, a key enzyme that releases energy
from foods. Pantothenic acid stimulates the
adrenal glands and boosts production of Biotin Liver-Amino Formula 1.2 mcg
hormones responsible for healthy skin and Essential Vitamin Formula 100 mcg
nerves. Advanced Lipotropic 200 mcg
Foods rich in pantothenic acid include
brewer’s yeast and whole grains. Cooking
Pantothenic Acid Liver-Amino Formula 15 mg
and food processing destroy up to 50 per-
cent (sometimes more) of the vitamin. Essential Vitamin Formula 25 mg
Pantothenic acid is so widespread in
foods, however, that deficiencies are usu- Choline Liver-Amino Formula 75 mg
ally not a problem. In addition, the vitamin Essential Vitamin Formula 25 mg
can be made in the body by intestinal Advanced Lipotropic 200 mcg
bacteria. Many multi-vitamin supplements
also contain pantothenic acid. The recom-
mended daily intake for adults is 5 to 7 mg Inositol Liver-Amino Formula 4 mg
daily. Essential Vitamin Formula 25 mg
Advanced Lipotropic 200 mcg
Evening Primrose Oil - When Fat is Your Best Friend

by John Parrillo
Fat is not a four-letter word! Research shows that the supplement

You need certain fats called essential works best if you are more than 10
fatty acids (EFAs), which must be sup- percent above your ideal weight. And,
plied by your diet. EFAs regulate many in some people, evening primrose oil
biological functions, including the manu- promotes weight loss without reducing
facture of connective tissue, cellular walls, caloric intake. It is also believed to help
and hormones. rev up the metabolism, so that you burn
After meeting your daily protein and more calories. More information on these
carbohydrate requirements, be sure to in- effects are needed, however. (3)
clude a certain amount of fat in your diet. Evening primrose oil may help re-
Good sources are safflower oil, sunflower duce fluid retention, medically known as
oil, linseed oil, flaxseed oil – and evening “edema.” (4) When you retain water, you
primrose oil in supplemental form. These bloat out, giving the appearance of being
dietary fats provide essential fatty acids overweight. Ridding the body of excess
and help the body absorb fat-soluble vi- water can make you look leaner. One
tamins such as vitamin A, vitamin D, and way to do this is by supplementing with
vitamin E. evening primrose oil, which can help your
Evening primrose oil, in particular has body regulate water more normally and
specific benefits for athletes, bodybuilders prevent fluid retention.
– really, anyone who is interested in im-
proving personal health and fitness. Immune Booster
Evening primrose oil comes from a Among oilseeds, evening primrose oil
A growing number of medical experts
plant that grows wild along roadsides. It has demonstrated some of the most pow-
and scientists now believe that taking
is so named because its yellow flowers erful antioxidant activity. In one study,
GLA-rich oils such as evening primrose
resemble in color real primroses, and these evening primrose oil was able to destroy
oil can effectively fight the inflammation -
flowers open only in the evening. the hydroxyl radical, a form of hydrogen
the major cause of swollen, painful joints.
From this oil, your body can directly peroxide. Once generated, this nasty free
As explained above, GLA is a building
obtain GLA, which stands for gamma-lin- radical attacks whatever is next to it, set-
block of a beneficial type of prostaglan-
olenic acid. GLA is ultimately converted ting off a dangerous chain reaction that
din, which exerts an anti-inflammatory ef-
into the prostaglandin E1 series, a group generates many more free radicals. The
fect on the body.(1) Thus, supplementing
of beneficial chemicals that helps reduce result is cellular damage. In the same
with GLA increases production of these
inflammation, regulates blood clotting, de- study, evening primrose reduced the for-
prostaglandins and may help control the
creases cholesterol levels, and lowers high mation of “superoxide” free radicals — a
pain and inflammation associated with
blood pressure, among other functions. type of free radical that is particularly
joint problems and arthritis.
Thus, evening primrose oil is indicated harmful to heart cells. (5)
for various diseases or conditions in which
Obesity
prostaglandins are associated, and these Heart Health
Evening primrose oil may be fat fighter
include premenstrual syndrome (PMS); Taking evening primrose oil may be
too. GLA, one of its beneficial constitu-
heart disease; diabetic neuropathy, a type one more defense against high choles-
ents, has been researched for its effect on
of nerve damage that is a complication of terol. In a small study of 10 patients with
weight loss in both animals and humans.
diabetes; and arthritis. high cholesterol, supplementation with
In studies with rats, GLA reduced body
Here’s a more detailed rundown of what 3.6 grams a day of evening primrose
fat content.
evening primrose oil can do for you: oil significantly reduced artery-clogging
As for humans, some scientists believe
LDL cholesterol – by 9 percent. In addi-
that people with GLA deficiencies tend to
Joint Flexibility tion, animal experiments show that eve-
produce more fat in their bodies. Supple-
If your joints are creaky and achy, don’t ning primrose oil reduces plaque, fatty
menting with evening primrose oil has
despair. Evening primrose oil to the res- deposits that build up in arteries, clog
helped them lose weight. (2)
cue. their passageways, and constrict blood
Evening Primrose Oil - When Fat is Your Best Friend
flow. (6) 5. Darlington, L.G., et al. 2001. Antioxi-

dants and fatty acids in the amelioration of
Using Parrillo Evening Primrose Oil rheumatoid arthritis and related disorders.
1000™ British Journal of Nutrition 85: 251-269.
Our supplement contains 1000 mg of Greenwood-Robinson, M. Good Fat
evening primrose oil. This includes 100 vs. Bad Fat. New York: Berkley Books,
mg of GLA, 760 mg of linoleic acid 2002.
(which has numerous health benefits of
its own), and 30 IU of vitamin E, an im-
portant antioxidant vitamin. The amount
of GLA in this supplement is superior to
many formulations on the market.
We recommend that you take one to
three capsules daily, for general well-be-
ing. If you’re treating breast pain, you may
want to up the dosage to 6 grams daily.
There are virtually no side effects from
supplementing with this friendly fat.

Other Conditions Treatable by Eve-
ning Primrose Oil
• Menstrual symptoms (premenstrual
syn
drome, fluid retention, headaches and
backaches, skin problems, food cravings,
depression, tension, irritability, fatigue,
weeping, tantrums, and lack of concentra-
tion.
• Breast pain (mastalgia)
• Diabetic nerve disease
• Eczema and dry skin conditions
• Migraine headaches
References
1. Murray, M.T. 1996. Encyclopedia of
nutritional supplements. Rocklin, Califor-
nia: Prima Publishing; Craig, W.J. 1999.
Health-promoting properties of common
herbs. American Journal of Clinical Nutri-
tion 70: 491S-499S.
2. Greenwood-Robinson, M. Good Fat
vs. Bad Fat. New York: Berkley Books,
2002.
3. Greenwood-Robinson, M. Good Fat
vs. Bad Fat. New York: Berkley Books,
2002.
4. Hardy, M.L. 2000. Herbs of special
interest to women. Journal of the Ameri-
can Pharmaceutical Association 40: 234-
242.
Four Powerful Secrets to Physique Perfection

by John Parrillo
Over the years, many top professional When trying to gain muscular weight, amino acids for growth and repair, is the
and amateur bodybuilders have consulted you want a higher bodily level of the key to muscular hardness. Which brings
with me - most of them in peak muscular hormone insulin, which regulates carbo- up a key question: How much protein do
shape. Still, they come to Cincinnati, hydrate metabolism by helping to usher you actually need?
Ohio, to learn techniques that will further glucose into cells for energy. Interest- The National Research Council sets the
refine their physiques. Most people, upon ingly, insulin is also involved in muscu- recommended daily allowance (RDA) at
seeing a top-level bodybuilder, would feel lar growth because it transports certain 0.8 grams per kilograms of body weight
that such athletes are flawless. Why amino acids into muscle cells. To make a day — the equivalent of 0.36 grams per
would they even need help — at this pin- this happen, you need carbohydrates. The pound of body weight a day. Based on the
nacle in their development? Plus, what key, however, is eating the right kinds RDA, a 200-pound bodybuilder would
kind of help could possibly transform their of carbs, in the right amounts. The right require a mere 72 grams of protein a day
already near-perfect bodies? carbs are the natural ones, such as brown — the equivalent of three tiny chicken
Regardless of your level of training and rice, yams, sweet potatoes, whole grain breasts. Unfortunately, the RDA was es-
development, you can still improve your cereals, potatoes, and the like. By con- tablished with average, sedentary people
physique, and that applies to anyone. Let’s trast, simple sugars and refined carbohy- in mind — not athletes.
face it, we’re all “works-in-progress.” drates are rapid-release foods that trigger Other methods, based on nitrogen bal-
People who observe my one-on-one too much insulin release. This process ance studies, are now being used to de-
work with champions are amazed that I results in the accumulation of body fat. termine the protein requirements for ath-
can find flaws in the most highly trained Accordingly, you should increase your letes. Nitrogen balance means that the
physique. Having worked with bodybuild- carbohydrate intake, perhaps as high as body is rebuilding at the same rate of
ers and judging bodybuilding contests for 400 to 500 grams or more a day. One way breakdown. If tissue breakdown is faster
three decades have sharpened my ability to do this is by taking a carbohydrate sup- than tissue build-up, you’re losing more
to scrutinize physiques. There are some plement such as Parrillo ProCarb, which nitrogen than you get from food. This
things I can see with my eyes; others, I is formulated with the complex carbohy- state is called negative nitrogen balance,
have to test. Admittedly, I’m looking for drate maltodextrin. and it’s often induced by restrictive diet-
flaws, and I’m critical. But bodybuilders ing. If less nitrogen is eliminated than
don’t come to me for praise; they get that Secret #2: Burn body fat by ma- is taken in, you’re in a positive nitrogen
from the fans. They come to me because nipulating protein and carbohydrate balance, indicating the growth of new
they know I’ll give them an honest evalu- intake. muscle tissue. Nitrogen balance studies
ation of their physiques, and more impor- To lose body fat, decrease insulin but indicate that the protein requirement for
tantly, that I’ll teach them how to become increase another hormone - glucagon – athletes may be 23 to 178 percent greater
even better. Through it all, they learn that which helps unlock fat stores. You can do than the average population.
even a minor change in one variable — be this by eating slightly less carbohydrate Recent research indicates that weight-
it nutrition, supplementation, or training and more protein. A good rule of thumb training athletes need greater amounts of
— can make a major change in the way is to adjust your carbohydrate-to-protein protein. In one study, for example, 10
they look and perform. ratio to between 1 to 1 or 1.5 to 1. One weight lifters trained intensely and con-
To a degree, bodybuilding is an activity problem with reducing carbohydrate in- sumed 0.9 grams of protein per pound of
of trial and error. You try umpteen diets, take is the potential decline in energy body weight a day. Four of these athletes
exercises, routines, always searching for levels. To compensate, try supplementing were found to be in negative nitrogen
that one formula that will magically trans- your diet with CapTri, our medium-chain balance.(1 )
form your physique. But if you follow triglyceride oil (better known as MCT In another study, weight lifters who
the principles that we espouse at Parrillo oil). This is a special type of lipid that increased their protein intake from 1.0
Performance, your search will be over. provides quality calories and, unlike con- to 1.6 grams per pound of body weight
You can achieve your best shape ever. To ventional dietary fats, is not likely to be a day were able to increase both strength
understand how, here are 4 “secrets” get stored as body fat. and lean mass. Two other studies, both
you started: involving bodybuilders, found that eat-
Secret #3: Achieve muscular harding 1.2 grams of protein per pound of
Secret #1: Gain muscle by manipu- ness with ample protein. body weight produced greater nitrogen
lating carbohydrate intake. Protein, because of its role in supplying retention than consuming 0.45 grams per
Four Powerful Secrets to Physique Perfection
pound of a body weight a day.(2) increased testosterone level, you can per- camp. Nutrition Metabolism, 12: 259-
Clearly, bodybuilders and other athletes form highly intense training sessions us- 274.
must include ample protein in their diets to ing heavy, low-rep work for a duration of
promote muscular fitness. Individual pro- 30 to 60 minutes. 2.Lemon PWR, MacDougall JD,
tein needs vary and depend on a number of Growth hormone (GH) is the most Tarnopolsky MA, and Atkinson SA.
factors, including your training intensity powerful growth-producing substance in 1990. Effect of dietary protein and body
and level of conditioning. I’ve seen many the human body. Part of the reason is that building exercise on muscle mass and
bodybuilders improve their physiques by GH helps ferry certain essential amino strength gains. ” Canadian Journal of
increasing their protein intake up to 2.5 acids into muscle cells. GH also has a “li- Sports Science, 15: 14. Also: Tarnop-
grams per pound of body weight a day polytic” effect, which means it mobilizes olsky MA, Lemon PWR, MacDougall
— nearly seven times the RDA. body fat from storage sites and increases JD, and Atkinson SA. Effect of body
Without an adequate intake of protein, its use for energy. GH is probably the building exercise on protein require-
you won’t be able build or repair muscle. most important hormone for bodybuild- ments.” Canadian Journal of Sports
But if you consume too much, the ex- ing because of its dual involvement in Science, 15: 22.
cess could be stored as fat. Based on building muscle and burning fat.
my experience, hard training bodybuilders There are several things you can do to 3. Crist DM. 1991. Growth hormone
can achieve excellent results — including naturally increase your GH levels. First, synergism. DMC Health Sciences, Al-
muscular hardness — by consuming 1.25 follow a diet that contains adequate pro- buquerque.
to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body tein (1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound
weight a day. One gram per pound of of body weight). A high-protein meal
body weight should come from lean pro- increases GH release.(3) Second, consider
tein sources such as white meat poultry, supplementing your diet with certain ami-
fish, and egg whites; the other .25 to .5 no acids. The most effective oral combi-
gram per pound of body weight, from all nation for GH release is arginine pyro-
your other foods, particularly high-protein glutamate and lysine monohydrochloride,
vegetables like beans, corn, and legumes. which is found in our GH Releasers. This
is typically taken at bedtime and in the
Secret #4: Regulate development by morning, always on an empty stomach.
controlling hormonal reactions natu- Finally, train “smart.” High-repeti-
rally. tion work with moderate poundages has
Along with nutrition, exercise is one of been shown in research to stimulate GH
the best ways to control the fat-burning release. Given that heavy low-rep work
and muscle-building actions of certain maximizes testosterone release and high-
hormones produced by the body, namely rep work triggers GH release, you can
adrenaline, testosterone, and growth hor- design a routine that takes advantage of
mone (GH). these hormonal processes.
To illustrate how these hormones help For example, incorporate heavy pyra-
you lose body fat, let’s start with adrena- mid sets and exhaustion sets into the same
line. When you work out, adrenaline is training session. Start with one or two
released, and it heads directly to fat cells. warm-up sets with about 15 reps each.
There, it sparks a chemical reaction, acti- Then select a poundage you can handle
vating a special enzyme that breaks down with proper form for 10 reps. Continue
stored fat into fatty acids. The fatty acids increasing the weight and do sets of eight,
leave the fat cell, enter the bloodstream, six, and four reps. Next, decrease the
and are carried to muscle cells to be used weight and perform an exhaustion set of
for energy. 20 reps to failure. Exhaustion sets help
Testosterone is a male hormone that pump blood into the muscle and stimulate
seems to speed up the rate at which protein GH release.
is used for muscle growth. Intense weight
training triggers the production of testos- References
terone. Concentrations in the blood start 1. Celejowa I. and Homa M. 1970.
to climb, reaching peak levels 30 minutes Food intake, nitrogen, and energy balance
into training. To take advantage of this in Polish weight lifters during training
Pre-Exercise Supplementation
by John Parrillo
If your training, whether it is aerobic, Pre-Exercise Supplementation Strategy
strength, or both, is destined for super-
intensity, then you’ve got to pay attention
to your pre-exercise nutrition, particularly 3-4 Hours Prior to 30 minutes Prior Immediately Prior
supplements. In case you don’t know it, Training to Training to Training
there is an exact science to pre-exercise
supplementation, and I’m going to cover it 250 to 300 grams of Parrillo Max En- Parrillo Creatine
for you here and specify what you need to durance Formula, Monohydrate, 1
carbohydrate in the
take and when you need to take. If you are
going to get serious about your training, form of food, and 5 or more capsules dose ProCarb, one
you must get serious about pre-exercise ProCarb or Parrillo serving, blended
supplementation. supplement bars. with 2-3 table-
spoons CapTri®
Three to Four Hours Prior to Train-
ing
A carbohydrate-rich meal eaten ap- phenylalanine, an essential amino acid one of these doses prior to your workout,
proximately four hours prior to exercise that acts as a potent mental stimulant for as noted above.) This is known as the
significantly pumps up muscle and liver improved concentration during workouts; “loading phase.” From there, two to 5
glycogen content for better intensity for d-phenylalanine, an amino acid that programs once a day — about half a teaspoon
workouts, according to research. You can motes a higher pain threshold; and ferulic — will keep your muscles saturated with
increase the carbohydrate content of your acid (FRAC), a nutrient stimulates the en- enough extra creatine. This period is
meal by including Parrillo ProCarb For- docrine system to aid recovery and boost called the “maintenance phase.”
mula, Parrillo Energy Bar, or one of our workout capacity. Another strategy is to combine Cap-
new Parrillo puddings as part of that This supplement also contains mag- Tri®, our medium chain triglyceride oil
meal. nesium and potassium aspartates, which (MCT oil), with a carbohydrate supple-
Incidentally, any interval greater than help filter waste products from the sys- ment such as ProCarb. For background,
four hours just won’t cut it. In a University tem, giving you extra stamina and extend- CapTri® provides twice the energy of
of North Carolina study, women who ate ing endurance. protein and carbohydrate (8.3 calories
a moderately high carbohydrate, low fat per gram versus 4 calories per gram for
meal three hours prior to aerobic exercise Immediately Prior to Training carbohydrates and protein) and is ab-
performed with more energy and less fa- Supplementing with a dose of creatine sorbed into the bloodstream as rapidly as
tigue than a group who ate their meal six monohydrate right before your work- glucose or blood sugar, the cellular fuel
hours prior to exercise.(1) out provides energy-giving benefits too. made available from the breakdown of
Exactly how much carbohydrate should Among other effects, creatine increases carbohydrates.
you consume in this critical pre-exercise levels of a high-energy compound called Second, CapTri®, is preferentially used
period? An Ohio State University study creatine phosphate, which also allows as fuel for energy, instead of being stored
determined that eating 200 to 350 grams more rapid production of ATP. The more by the body. Medium chain fatty acid
of carbohydrate improves performance ATP that is available to muscle cells, the fragments can diffuse into the cell very
substantially.(2) longer, harder, and more powerfully you quickly, where they are burned immedi-
can work out. ately for energy — at the same time as
30 Minutes Prior to Training By supplementing with Parrillo Creatine glucose. The ability of MCTs to enter the
Also, I recommend that you take Par- Monohydrate right before your workout, cells in this manner has a glucose-spar-
rillo Max Endurance Formula 30 minutes you can load it into your muscles at just ing effect, meaning that glucose and its
to an hour before training. This supple- the right time to maximizing muscular stored counterpart, muscle glycogen, last
ment contains the following endurance- reserves and restocking ATP. longer without being depleted. The longer
enhancing nutrients: inosine; a nutrient To use creatine in your supplement glycogen reserves last, the more energy
that improves oxygen utilization for better program, there is a specific dosage pro- you have for activities and fat-burning
stamina, possibly by forcing additional gram to follow. I recommend taking four exercise.
production of energy-producing ATP; l- 5-gram doses a day for five days. (Take So to boost your endurance during ex-
Pre-Exercise Supplementation
ercise, take CapTri® with a carbohydrate-
based beverage (again, ProCarb is a good
choice). A similar combo has been tested
scientifically. At the University of Cape
Town Medical School in South Africa,
researchers mixed 86 grams of MCT oil
(nearly 3 tablespoons) with two liters of10
percent glucose drink to see what effect
it would have on the performance of six
endurance-trained cyclists. The cyclists
were fed a drink consisting of glucose
alone, glucose plus MCT oil, or MCT oil
alone. In the laboratory, they pedaled at
moderate intensity for about two hours
and then completed a higher-intensity time
trial. They performed this cycling bout on
three separate occasions so that each cy-
clist used each type of drink once. The cy-
clists sipped the drink every ten minutes.
Performance improved the most when the
cyclists supplemented with the MCT/glu-
cose mixture. The researchers did some
further biochemical tests on the cyclists
and confirmed that the combination spared
glycogen while making fat more acces-
sible for fuel.
When you supplement with CapTri® by
itself, start with 1/2 tablespoon at every
meal. After a few days, increase to one
tablespoon with each meal. During hard
training, many athletes go as high as two
to three tablespoons per meal - a level they
have found to be beneficial.
References
1. Maffuci, D.M., et al. 2000. Towards
optimizing the timing of the pre-exercise
meal. International Journal of Sport Nutri-
tion, and Exercise Metabolism 10: 103-
113.
2. Coggan, A.R., et al. 1992. Nutritional
Manipulations before and during endur-
ance exercise: effects on performance.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exer-
cise 24: S331-335.
3. Lambert, E.V., et al. Nutritional strat-
egies for promoting fat utilization and
delaying the onset of fatigue during pro-
longed exercise. Journal of Sports Science
15: 315-324.
MEP’s or MRP’s
by John Parrillo
They’re called meal-replacement prod- to lose body fat and gain muscle. Depend- supplement in your nutrition program.
ucts (MRPs) – shakes, bars, powders, and ing on your sex, size, activity level, and It also enhances recovery. We have two
so forth – because, as the name suggests, present metabolic state, you eat between products containing whey: Optimized
you are supposed to eat or drink them in 2,000 calories a day and 10,000 a day, Whey Formula (100% whey protein iso-
place of breakfast, lunch, or dinner. There- sometimes more. Add one of my MEP late) and our 50-50 Plus Formula (formu-
in lies the problem: If you do that, if you supplements to your meal, and bingo, lated with whey protein isolate, calcium
use them as true MRPs, you’re cheating you’ve easily upped your caloric intake casein, milk protein isolates, and malto-
yourself nutritionally – big time. for greater mass-building. MEPs can be dextrin).
For one thing, you won’t be the benefi- used as snacks too – another way to push Whey is a component of milk that is
ciary of all the natural vitamins, minerals, your calories up the nutrition ladder. separated from milk to make cheese and
antioxidants, phytochemicals, fiber, and other dairy products. Research shows that
other synergistic foods factors found in Boost Workout Energy whey protein diets increase the amount of
real food. For even greater energy and endur- glutathione in body tissues. Glutathione is
For another, you’ll skimp on calories ance, sip a carbohydrate beverage such as involved in strengthening immunity. (3)
– by eating shakes or bars only at various ProCarb during your workouts. This pro- In addition, whey exerts a powerful
meals - and thus cause your metabolism vides a source of carbohydrate other than mass-building effect too. This may be
to downshift. Restrictive dieting practices muscle glycogen. With glycogen spared, partially due to whey’s ability to stimulate
such as replacing meals lower your meta- fatigue is delayed, and you can work out protein synthesis and enhance recovery.
bolic rate, making it easier for your body longer and harder. ProCarb contains the In one study, whey boosted post-meal
to store fat. Instead of losing body fat, slow-release carb maltodextrin or rice protein synthesis by 68 percent, whereas
you lose a lot of hard-earned muscle in dextrin and is free of simple sugars such another milk protein stimulated synthesis
the process. And when denied food, your as fructose and glucose. by 31 percent. (4)
body will begin to feed on the protein in So you see: There is a lot more to these
your muscles. Because muscle is your Maximize Recovery amazing supplements that is normally
body’s most metabolically active tissue, Your muscles are most receptive to syn- promoted. Their least-best use is as meal
depleting it interferes with your ability to thesizing new glycogen within the first replacements. Their very best uses en-
burn calories. few hours after exercise. To initiate re- tail so much more – as calorie boosters,
I’m certainly not knocking MRPs – hey, covery and restore glycogen, an effective energy aids, recovery agents, and protec-
we sell our own line of beverages, bars, supplement to take is 50/50 Plus at this tor supplements. Use them strategically,
and puddings here at Parrillo Performance time. Scientific experiments demonstrate you’ll be amazed at the muscle-building,
– I’m questioning the whole meal replace- that this type of supplement (with the energy-boosting results you’ll achieve.
ment issue. What I’d rather see you do is added protein) initiates the rapid uptake
use these products as meal enhancements of carbs by your muscles – faster than References
(MEPs), or between-meal snacks, rather carbs alone. (1) 1. Zawadzki, K.M., Yaspelkis, BB., and
than as meal replacements. Here’s a close In addition, a carbohydrate/protein J.L. Ivy. 1992. Carbohydrate-protein com-
look at what I’m talking about. You will supplement taken following a workout plex increases the rate of muscle glycogen
see that there are so many more uses for stimulates the release of two hormones storage after exercise. Journal of Applied
MEPs than you may be previously con- (insulin and growth hormone), creating an Physiology 72: 1854-1859.
sidered. environment favorable to muscle growth 2. Chandler, R.M., Byrne, H.K., Pat-
and recovery. (2) terson, J.G., and J.L. Ivy. 1994. Dietary
Increase Your Calories supplements affect the anabolic hormones
Supplements such as ProCarb, 50/50 Stay Well after weight-training exercise. Journal of
Plus, Optimized Whey Protein, Hi-Protein No one likes to be sidelined from work- Applied Physiology 76: 839-845.
Powder, and any of our bars or pudding ing out due to a cold, flu, or other infec- 3. Bucci, L. 1993. Nutrients as ergo-
(great for dessert) are the perfect completion. In addition to eating properly and genic aids for sports and exercise. Boca
ment to meals in that they can help you in- supplementing with antioxidants, there Raton: CRC Press, 1993.
crease your calories. This is a critical tenet are other measures you can take to bolster Bounous, G., Batist, G., and P. Gold.
of my Nutrition Program. On my nutrition immunity so that you’re less like to get 1991. Whey proteins in cancer preven-
program, you gradually increase calories sick. One of these is using a whey-based tion. Cancer Letter 57: 91-94.
Mighty Minerals
by John Parrillo
To any bodybuilder who trains all-out, Magnesium is required for the me- synthesis of protein. Potassium works
high-intensity workouts mean paying tabolism of protein and carbohydrates. together with sodium to regulate fluid
closer attention to vital nutrients called This mineral depends on the presence of balance. Even though sodium has a bad
minerals and electrolytes. Hard, intense calcium for its action. So when selecting reputation because of its link to high
training can deplete these needed nutrients a mineral-electrolyte supplement, make blood pressure and heart disease, some
from the body through perspiration and sure that the magnesium is equal to or sodium is needed by the body for good
normal metabolic processes. at least 70 percent of the calcium. When health. There’s no recommended daily
Found in fish, poultry, and vegetables, taken in combination with the mineral intake of potassium, although health ex-
electrolytes are minerals that are respon- zinc (30 milligrams) and vitamin B6 (10.5 perts suggest 3500 milligrams for active
sible for maintaining the body’s fluid milligrams), magnesium (450 milligrams) adults.
balance, both inside and outside cells. has been shown in research with college Right before competition, bodybuilders
Fluids protect internal organs, supply nu- should be concerned about their sodium/
trients and oxygen to cells and tissues for potassium intake. Many competitors mis-
growth and repair, and transport carbon takenly believe that they must completely
dioxide and other waste products away eliminate sodium from their diet. Actu-
from cells. ally, you need some sodium — between
The main electrolytes in extra-cellular 500 milligrams and one gram a day — to
fluid are sodium, calcium, and chloride, look hard and full. This amount should
while in the intracelluar fluid, they are be naturally present in the foods you eat
potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. during pre-contest dieting.
These nutrients provide a life-sustaining The trick is to keep your sodium/potas-
environment for all body cells and must sium ratio in balance. By eating natural
be kept in proper balance for optimum carbohydrates, you take in high amounts
health. of potassium. If there is too little sodium
In addition to their electrolytic func- in your system, your body accelerates its
tions, these minerals play other vital roles production of aldosterone, a hormone that
in the body. Calcium, for example, is regulates the vital sodium/potassium bal-
required for the formation of body struc- ance. Inadequate concentrations of sodi-
tures, particularly bones and teeth. It is um can actually make you look smooth.
the most abundant mineral in the body, Drinking unfamiliar water can upset
with about 99 percent of this mineral de- this ratio. That’s why you should be care-
posited in bones. It’s important to mention football players to boost strength levels. ful about the type of water you drink prior
that dietary calcium is not well absorbed. The normal daily recommendation for to your contest. Some city water supplies
In fact, only about 20 to 30 percent of the magnesium is 320 milligrams for women are high in sodium and calcium, which
calcium you get from foods is taken up and 420 milligrams for men; for zinc, 8 can both result in puffiness when taken
by your body, making mineral-electrolyte milligrams for women and 11 milligrams in excess. For this reason, do not drink or
supplementation a good idea. Calcium for men. cook with the water in the city where you
requirements vary by age, but women and Another essential mineral is chloride. are competing. Instead, take your own
men generally need between 1000 and As an electrolyte, chloride helps maintain water with you to the contest — provided
1200 milligrams daily. the pressure that causes fluids to pass in this water has not made you retain water
The next most abundant mineral in and out of cells until an equilibrium is in the past. If the water you drink does
the body is phosphorus. This mineral is reached on both sides of the cell mem- cause water retention problems, switch to
essential for the formation of body struc- brane. There’s no daily recommendation distilled water for drinking and cooking.
tures, muscular contractions, nerve trans- for chloride, but it is advisable to obtain When drinking distilled water, however,
mission, and kidney function. Phosphorus 500 milligrams daily. be sure to take mineral-electrolyte supple-
also plays a key role in energy production. Potassium is required for nerve trans- ments — because distilled water contains
Both women and men need about 700 mil- mission, muscular contraction, and gly- no minerals.
ligrams daily for good health. cogen storage. It is also involved in the Other minerals of vital importance to
Mighty Minerals
athletes and bodybuilders include sele-

nium, which bolsters the immune system,
plus protects cardiovascular and muscular
health; iron, which is involved in the
production of energy; and copper, which
helps protect ligaments and tendons. As
for recommended intakes of these min-
erals: The recommended daily intake of
selenium is 55 micrograms for men and
women. Although hard-working athletes
may require more iron, the daily require-
ment is 18 milligrams for women and 8
milligrams for men. You don’t need more
than 3 milligrams of copper daily.
Chromium, of course, is an important
fat burner, shown in research to shift body
composition toward a leaner, more muscu-
lar profile. Chromium’s primary function
in the body is to help turn carbohydrates
into glucose (blood sugar), the fuel burned
by cells for energy. It also helps regulate
and produce the hormone insulin. Manu-
factured by the pancreas, insulin helps
control hunger, regulates fat storage and
muscle-building, and assists the body in
utilizing cholesterol properly. Chromium
makes insulin work more efficiently in
the body. Without chromium, insulin sim-
ply would not function. For fat loss and
muscle-growth support, the recommended
intake of chromium is around 200 to 400
micrograms.
As you can tell, there are many is-
sues surrounding the intake of mineral-
electrolytes, particularly for hard-training
bodybuilders. You can obtain an excellent
supply of these vital nutrients by supple-
menting with Parrillo Mineral-Electro-
lyte Formula. It supplies a balance of
extracellular electrolytes and intracellular
electrolytes. Other nutrients, such as zinc,
magnesium, copper, selenium, and chro-
mium, are present in readily assimilable
forms. I suggest that you take one with
each meal to ensure that you are getting
ample amounts of these vital nutrients to
help support essential body functions.
Food over Genetics

by John Parrillo
Where your physique is concerned, it’s the case of alcohol, can interfere with the
estimated that 20 to 25 percent of your body’s ability to metabolize fat.
shape and body fat distribution are at- Foods containing simple sugars are
tributable to genetic factors. You might be excluded from my nutrition program be-
born with the tendency toward abdominal cause they also convert easily to body fat.
or lower body fat, or less muscle, but These foods include fruit and fruit juices,
that doesn’t mean you’re destined to live which contain the simple sugar fructose,
with these realities. You can change fat and dairy products, which contain the
distribution patterns and build appreciable simple sugar lactose.
muscle even if you are a “hard gainer,” You can increase the nutrient density
and there’s no better way to do that than of your nutrition by adding in supple-
with proper nutrition, complemented by ments — but only after you’re eating
specialized, intense training. properly. By taking supplements, you
Genetic limitations can also be exceed- force your digestive system to process
ed by increasing nutrient levels in the diet more nutrients. This allows the nutri-
through food and supplementation. When ent levels in your body to be increased
properly nourished, the body starts grow- at the cellular level — beyond what can
ing and responding at rates never thought achieved by food alone. This, along with
possible. Here is a look at how. a gradual increase of calories, helps your
A good supplemental source body grow. Supplements are quality nu-
The Power Of Food of EFA’s is Parrillo Evening trients that work in conjunction with food
The most vital substance you need for Primrose Oil to help your body build its metabolism
growth is food. Yes, food! To get the and recovery mechanisms.
results you want from nutrition, food will
always work the most effectively, much many biological functions, including the The Ultimate Bodybuilding Diet
better than “miracle” supplements. I call manufacture of connective tissue, cellular To a degree, you have a great deal of
food the “perfect supplement” because walls, and hormones. A good supplemen- control over whether the food you eat is
it supplies the raw materials your body tal source of EFAs is Parrillo Evening turned into body fat or muscle. The as-
needs for growth and for the stimulation Primrose Oil. signment of food to either fat stores or
of chemical processes involved in the All the foods I recommend on the muscle stores is called “nutrient partition-
breakdown, absorption, and assimilation Parrillo Nutrition Program have a “high- ing,” and it’s the secret behind getting
of nutrients. nutrient density.” This describes the ratio lean and staying muscular.
In my work with the best bodybuilders of nutrients in a food to the energy it sup- To understand how nutrient partitioning
and athletes in the world, I’ve identified plies. Natural starchy foods like potatoes, works, it’s helpful to think of the body as
which foods yield the best results in terms yams, brown rice, and whole grains are being divided into a fat compartment and
of physique and performance. Lean pro- packed with carbohydrates, protein, vita- a lean compartment. Food goes to either
tein, for example, supplies nutrients called mins, and minerals. Fibrous vegetables of these compartments or is burned for
amino acids which are required for every are rich in vitamins, minerals, water, fiber, energy.
metabolic process. Athletes have higher and carbohydrate. And, lean proteins are One of the factors that has a signifi-
requirements for protein than the aver- high in protein, vitamin, and minerals. In cant effect on nutrient partitioning is
age person. Without enough protein, you short, high-density nutrient foods pack a your endocrine system. It’s involved in
cannot build muscle, repair its breakdown lot of nutritional wallop, and that’s why such processes as metabolism, energy
after training, or drive your metabolism. you should eat them. production, and growth. The endocrine
Starchy and fibrous carbohydrates supply Try to stay away from low-nutrient system consists of several organs in the
energy and are stored as glycogen in the density foods. These are typically “junk body, including the pituitary gland, the
muscles and liver. foods” such as processed foods, sweets, thyroid gland, the parathyroid gland, the
You need certain fats called Es- soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, and high pancreas, the testes or ovaries, and the
sential Fatty Acids (EFAs), which must fat foods. Low-nutrient density foods kidneys. This specialized system is like
be supplied by the diet. EFAs regulate are easily converted to body fat or, as in a chemical “messenger service” in the
Food over Genetics
body; it transmits messages in the form of tio naturally by adjusting the protein and 4. Rate of digestion is important. Your
hormones, carried by the blood to specific carbohydrate proportions in your diet and meals (five, six, or more a day) should
targets (organs, tissues, or cells) in the combining foods in the proper manner. include the proper combination of lean
body. The messages sent are things like Here’s how you can partition your food proteins, starchy carbohydrates, and fi-
“build muscle proteins,” “store fat,” “burn more effectively, so it can be used to burnbrous carbohydrates. This combination
fat,” or “store carbohydrates.” fat and build muscle: of foods slows your digestion to keep
Once these messages are received by carbohydrates from being released into the
the targets, the commands are carried out 1. When trying to gain muscular weight, bloodstream too fast, thus preventing an
by enzymes, special proteins that control you want a higher ratio of insulin, so you overproduction of insulin.
chemical reactions inside cells. Through would increase your carbohydrate intake,
these reactions, enzymes can make or perhaps as high as 400 to 500 grams or Food is the cornerstone of nutrition. If
break down proteins or fat. more a day. A carbohydrate supplement you don’t eat the proper foods — lean pro-
Two of the most important hormones such as Parrillo ProCarb Formula, which teins, starchy carbohydrates, and fibrous
involved in muscle growth and fat loss are is formulated with the complex carbo- carbohydrates — nothing else matters.
insulin and glucagon, both produced in hydrate maltodextrin, is a good way to We were built to process food — proteins,
the pancreas. They regulate carbohydrate increase carbohydrate consumption. So carbohydrates, and fats. So if you want to
metabolism and fat metabolism by exert- are any of the Parrillo Energy Bars. At make the best possible progress with your
ing control over the enzymes that carry out the same time, be sure to meet your lean physique and buck your genetics, I suggest
these processes. protein requirement by eating between that you start with the basics. And that
When blood sugar (glucose) levels rise 1.25 and 1.5 grams of protein per pound means food.
— usually after carbohydrates are eaten of body weight. At least 1 gram should
— insulin is released. It transports glu- come from chicken, fish, turkey, or egg
cose into cells where it is burned for ener- whites, with at least another .25 or .5
gy or stored as glycogen. If carbohydrates gram of additional protein per pound
are released into the bloodstream too fast, of body weight from vegetable sources,
an overproduction of insulin occurs. Con- which contain some protein as well.
sequently, some of the carbohydrates are
deposited as fat — instead of being stored 2. To lose body fat, decrease insulin
as glycogen. Simple sugars and refined and increase glucagon by eating slightly
carbohydrates are rapid-release foods that less carbohydrate and more protein. A
trigger too much insulin. This channels good rule of thumb is to adjust your car-
calories to the fat compartment of the bohydrate-to-protein ratio to between 1 to
body — not the avenue of nutrient parti- 1 or 1.5 to 1. One problem with reducing
tioning you want. carbohydrate intake is the potential de-
Interestingly, insulin is involved in mus- cline in energy levels. To compensate, try
cular growth because it transports certain supplementing your diet with CapTri®,
amino acids into muscle cells. To make our medium-chain triglyceride oil. This
this happen, you need carbohydrates. The is a special type of lipid that provides
key, however, is eating the right kinds of quality calories and, unlike conventional
carbs, in the right amounts. dietary fats, is not likely to be stored as
Glucagon opposes the effect of insulin. body fat.
When blood sugar is low, glucagon is
released, and this typically occurs several 3. Don’t take nutrient partitioning to
hours after a meal is eaten. Glucagon extremes by going on a “zero-carb” diet in
then activates the conversion of glycogen an attempt to burn more body fat. Under
to glucose in the liver in response to low extremely low-carb conditions, muscular
blood sugar levels. It also signals the body growth is impossible. There’s not enough
to start burning fat for energy, because the insulin available to transport amino acids
body is running low on carbohydrates, its into muscle cells. Furthermore, the body
preferred fuel source. begins to break down its own proteins
The ratio of insulin to glycogen in your into amino acids for conversion into glu-
body largely determines whether you will cose, needed by the brain for fuel.
gain fat or lose it. You can control this ra-
The Parrillo Guide to Amino Acid Supplementation (Part 1)

by John Parrillo
Muscle growth is one of your chief should be taken with each meal. It has
goals if you’re a bodybuilder, athlete, or been specially formulated to meet the
exerciser, but you can’t achieve that goal needs of dedicated, hard-training athletes
without adequate protein. One of the best and exercisers. Most of the athletes we
ways to power up is through supplemen- work with use it year round to help stay
tation with amino acids. In this two-part in peak condition.
series, you’ll get the inside scoop on Using the Ultimate Amino Formula™
everything you need to know about these as a base, you should build from there,
amazing nutrients. adding in other amino acids in order to
customize your program and meet your
What Are Amino Acids? other training goals. What follows is a
Amino acids are the building blocks of look at other formulations that should be
protein. Without amino acids, your body included in your own program.
cannot manufacture protein, and protein
is needed to make muscle. Amino acid Branched-Chain Amino Acids
supplementation is used to provide an ad- The so-called “branched chain amino
ditional source of protein — beyond food acids” (leucine, isoleucine, and valine)
— that can be used by the muscles for are unique in that they can also be used
growth and repair. directly as fuel by the muscles. That’s
acid supplements used in sports nutrition.
For good metabolic control, your body critical, particularly if you work out aero-
required 22 amino acids in a certain bal- bically, in addition to your regular weight-
All-Purpose Amino Acid
ance to synthesize protein for muscular training regimen. Unless you properly
Supplementation
growth. All but eight of the amino acids fuel yourself with quality calories, high-
Your starting point with amino acid
can be manufactured by your body. Those intensity aerobics can result in the loss of
supplementation should start with a base
eight are called “essential amino acids,” lean body mass. Endurance activities, for
formula that supplies a profile of all free
and they are supplied by animal pro- example, cause loss of lean tissue because
form aminos that are available supple-
teins such as chicken and fish. Essential as fat and carbohydrate fuels are exhaust-
mentally. The designation “free form”
amino acids include lysine; methionine; ed, the body draws on its own muscle
is important; it means that the amino
phenylalanine; threonine; tryptophan; and tissue to use as fuel. Supplementing with
acids are more easily assimilated by your
the branched-chain aminos, isoleucine, BCAAs prevents this from happening.
body and thus bypass the long digestive
leucine, and valine. Foods that contain These aminos are utilized by your body
process that food goes through. In other
the eight essential amino acids are called in the following way: After a high-pro-
words, these protein nutrients get into
“complete proteins.” tein meal, BCAAs are rapidly absorbed,
your system more rapidly so that they can
Of the 22 amino acids, seven are con- processed by the liver, and released into
do their regenerative work of repair and
sidered “conditionally essential,” which the bloodstream. From there, they are
building.
means that under certain conditions such taken up by the muscles to be metabolized
The benefits of a base formula are as
as extreme stress the body cannot manu- — unlike other amino acids, which are
follows:
facture them. These amino acids include metabolized in the liver.
• Assurance that your body is receiv-
arginine, cysteine, glutamine, histidine, BCAAs work together with insulin
ing the protein it requires to support your
proline, taurine, and tyrosine. The re- to transport other amino acids into the
training efforts.
maining seven amino acids are termed muscles to be used in growth and re-
• Muscular protection in the wake of
“nonessential amino acids,” which the pair. BCAAs, therefore, should always be
intensified training.
body makes on its own. These amino taken with meals and never on an empty
• Support during stricter competition
acids include alanine, asparagine, aspartic stomach.
dieting in order to preserve lean muscle.
acid, citruline, glutamic acid, glycine, and Leucine, in particular, affords numer-
The supplement we recommend is
serine. ous benefits. (1) This amino acid has
our Ultimate Amino Formula™, which
Now let’s take a look at specific amino a higher “oxidation rate” than that of
isoleucine or valine. This point deserves it is important to keep your system well-
some elaboration. During high-intensity stocked with this amino acid, particularly
aerobic exercise lasting 60 to 90 minutes during periods of hard training. In one
or longer, leucine is rapidly used up and study, during five weeks of speed and
depleted. The by-products of its break- strength training, leucine supplementa-
down are used to manufacture another tion of 50 milligrams per kilogram of
amino acid called alanine, which the liver bodyweight a day, along with a high daily
converts to glucose. Eventually, that glu- protein intake, prevented a decrease in
cose finds its way to the working muscles leucine in power-trained athletes.
where it is used for energy. On the Parrillo Nutrition Program, we
The harder you work out, the more advise taking two more more capsules
leucine your body will use up. Following of our Muscle Amino Formula with each
aerobic exercise, plasma leucine levels meal. If you eat five meals a day and take
drop 11 to 33 percent; following strength two capsules, you would consume 4000
training exercise, 30 percent. In skeletal milligrams, or 4 grams, of leucine daily.
muscle, leucine levels can decrease by Let’s suppose you weigh 200 pounds, or
as much as 20 percent with very intense 91 kilograms, and follow the research-
aerobic exercise. prescribed dosage indicated above. Four
Leucine also induces the loss of body grams is roughly what you would need
fat. Supplementation with BCAAs in daily – exactly the amount you would get
which 76 percent of the formulation is by taking our suggested usage. In all of
leucine has been shown in research to our supplements, our suggested usages
trigger significant and preferential losses are based on scientific research.
of visceral body fat. Located in the deeper Research also specifies that leucine
layers of the body under the subcutaneous supplementation should be in conjunction
fat, visceral fat is often the hardest fat to with a high-protein eating plan. The leu-
lose and doesn’t respond well to dieting, cine content of protein foods is thought to
particularly in women. This finding is vary between five and ten percent.
significant because it indicates that leucine Each day, you should eat 1.25 to 1.5
may be an effective natural supplement for grams of protein per pound of body
fat loss as long as you select the correct weight. At least one gram of protein per
formulation. The Parrillo Muscle Amino pound of your body weight should come
Formula™ is contains 400 milligrams of from complete protein sources such as
l-leucine, 160 milligrams of l-isoleucine, lean white meat poultry, fish, egg whites,
and 160 milligrams of l-valine – the opti- or protein powder. The remaining should
mum balance for fat-loss needs. come from starchy and fibrous carbohy-
What’s more, leucine works together drates, which also contain protein.
with the other branched chain amino acids When you supplement with leucine, do
to rebuild vital muscle tissue. The more so with a carbohydrate. We suggest taking
muscle you have, the more efficiently our BCAA supplement with one of our
your body burns fat. Further, research in- carbohydrate drinks, such as ProCarb™
dicates that consuming BCAAs before or or 50/50 Plus™.
during endurance training may decrease, Next month, I will continue this two-
even prevent, the rate of protein degrada- part series with a detailed look into a
tion in the muscle; improve both mental number of amino acids that offer very
and physical performance; and may spare unique health and muscle-building prop-
muscle glycogen stores so that you can erties.
train longer and harder, aerobically.
References
How to Supplement with Leucine 1. Mero, A. 1999. Leucine supplemen-
and BCAAs tation and intensive training. Sports Med-
As noted above, leucine itself can be de- icine 27: 347-358.
pleted by intense aerobic exercise. Thus,

by John Parrillo
In continuing this two-part series on administered during a two-hour period fol- menting with this amino acid.
amino acids, I will focus on some specific lowing exercise, doubled the concentra- Each capsule in our Ultimate Amino
nutrients that have recently won acclaim in tion of glycogen in the muscles. It’s not Formula™ contains 103 milligrams of glu-
the sports nutrition field for their ability to clear exactly how glutamine works in this tamine. We recommend that you take two
impact athletic progress in some monumen- regard, though. Scientists speculate either or more capsules of this supplement with
tal ways. Read on. that glutamine itself can be converted into each meal. That should supply a gram
muscle glycogen or that it may inhibit the or more daily – which is appropriate for
Glutamine breakdown of glycogen. (3) athletes and active individuals. Both heat
The most abundant amino acid in your Also, supplemental glutamine has been and acid destroy glutamine, so you should
body, glutamine is stored mostly in your shown to elevate growth hormone (GH) not take it with hot or acidic foods, such
muscles, although rather significant amounts levels, theoretically influencing muscle as vinegar.
are found in your brain, lungs, blood, and growth. Physiologically, GH is the most
liver. This important amino acid serves as important hormone in the body for exercis- Phenylalanine
a building block for proteins, nucleotides ers and bodybuilders because it acts as a Phenylalanine, an essential amino acid,
(structural units of RNA and DNA), and powerful stimulus for muscle growth and is a building block for certain brain neu-
other amino acids and is the principle fuel fat loss. Growth hormone is a substance rotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are
source for cells that make up your immune that makes cells multiply faster. Among chemical messengers that relay information
system. Glutamine is also one of the amino other functions, growth hormone helps between the brain and the rest of the ner-
acids found in our Ultimate Amino For- mobilize fat from storage and makes more vous system. The L-form of phenylalanine
mula™, which I discussed in Part 1 of this fat available for energy. It also promotes can act as a potent mental stimulant for
series. the transport of certain essential amino ac- improved concentration during workouts
Under certain conditions – including in- ids inside muscle cells to stimulate muscle This amino acid has sometimes been
jury and intense exercise – the body’s growth. Many of the effects of exercise used to treat depression because it provides
tissues demand more glutamine than the in increasing muscle mass and decreasing an amphetamine-like boost in mood. Since
normal amount supplied by diet (which is body fat are mediated by growth hormone. many people overeat when depressed, phe-
five to 10 grams a day) and more than can One of the most exciting findings about nylalanine’s anti-depression properties are
be synthesized normally by your body. (1) glutamine is that it may help you fight fat. beneficial for maintaining a positive men-
During intense exercise, for instance, Some research hints that supplementing tal attitude while dieting. The amino acid
your muscles release glutamine into the with glutamine can curb the desire for sug- is also believed to favorably affect memory
bloodstream. This can deplete muscle glu- ary foods — an excess of which leads to and alertness. It also aids in the natural pro-
tamine reserves by as much as 34 percent. fat gain. For these reasons, glutamine may duction of norepinephrine and dopamine,
Such a shortfall can be problematic, since turn out to be an important amino acids di- two neurotransmitters that promote and
a deficiency of glutamine promotes the eters and exercisers who need to curb their elevate mood.
breakdown and wasting of muscle tissue. desire for fat-forming sweets. Between Phenylalanine is another amino acid that
But if ample glutamine is available, muscle 200 mg and one gram of glutamine can be may also play a role in fat loss, particularly
loss can be prevented.(2) taken with water 30 minutes before meals when combined with other nutrients. A
Glutamine is also the favored fuel of your to lessen the desire for sugary foods. (4) recent study found that a patented com-
immune cells. This means you need it when bination of chromium picolinate, inulin
you’re ill, stressed, or recovering from How to Supplement With Glutamine (an nondigestible plant fiber reported to
surgery. During such times, the demand Clearly, glutamine has numerous ben- quell sugar cravings), capsicum (cayenne
for glutamine exceeds its production and efits for any athlete who wants to maximize pepper), and L-phenylalanine boosted fat
the body’s nitrogen stores become rapidly performance, muscle repair, and immunity. loss and helped maintain muscle over a
depleted — a sign that muscle protein is Generally, a protein-rich training diet such four-week period when subjects followed
being broken down. as that recommended by the Parrillo Nu- a liberal 1500-calorie diet and engaged in
It is important to understand that gluta- triiton Program should prevent your gluta- a brisk walking program 45 minutes, five
mine is technically described as a “gluco- mine levels from dipping too low. Howev- times a week. (5)
genic,” meaning that it assists your body in er, supplemental glutamine provides extra Natural sources of phenylalanine include
manufacturing glycogen, the chief muscle insurance, plus a windfall of other benefits. almonds, avocado, bananas, cheese, cot-
fuel. In a study involving subjects who cy- What’s more, if you’re the victim of fre- tage cheese, non-fat dried milk, chocolate,
cled for 90 minutes, intravenous glutamine, quent colds or infections, consider supple- pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds. But
phenylalanine is another amino acid found hormone in the body. The combination of or any other amino acid, after you’ve been
in the Parrillo Ultimate Amino Formula. two amino acids — arginine pyroglutamate injured unless you have your doctor’s per-
It is also included in our Max En- and lysine monohydrochloride — has been mission. (8) Though it has been around for
durance Formula, as both L- phenylalanine shown in research to be the only oral pair a long time, arginine is re-emerging as an
and D- phenylalanine. This formula con- of amino acids to effectively elevate the important health supplement.
tains other nutrients, known to enhance the body’s levels of growth hormone. This For more information on how you
body’s energy-producing systems. Specifi- combination is available in supplement can get in on all the benefits afforded by
cally, D-phenylalanine (the mirror image of form in our Enhanced GH Formula™. The amino acid supplementation, call our Or-
L-phenylalanine) inhibits the breakdown suggested usage is two or three capsules derline at 1-800-344-3404.
of endorphins (a protein-like substance upon rising, before training and going to
with analgesic properties) for a higher pain bed. References
threshold. The arginine component of this 1. Miller, A.L. 1999. Therapeutic con-
There are 200 milligrams of DL- supplement is worth further discussion, siderations of l-glutamine: a review of the
phenylalanine in Max Endurance Formu- since it has its own unique set of benefits. literature. Alternative Medicine Review
la™. This supplement should be taken 30 4: 239-248; Antonio, J, et al.1999. Glu-
minutes prior to training. Arginine tamine: a potentially useful supplement
Arginine is believed to be an immune for athletes. Canadian Journal of Applied
Supplemental Growth Hormone (GH) booster, since it stimulates the activity of Physiology 24: 1-14.
Releasers the thymus gland, which shrinks as we age.
“GH releasers” are another popular ami- Located in the chest just behind the breast- 2. Walsh, NP, et al. 1998. Glutamine, ex-
no acid formulation among bodybuilders, bone, this gland immune system cells that ercise and immune function. Sports Medi-
particularly because they are thought to help fight off disease. Because of arginine’s cine 26: 177-191.
burn fat and build muscle. There are many immune-boosting power, doctors are be-
types of GH releasers, include the amino ginning to use it supplementally in patients 3. Varnier, M, et al. 1995. Stimulatory
acids arginine, lysine, ornithine, tyrosine, suffering from immune suppression. (6) effect of glutamine on glycogen accumula-
and glycine. These nutrients appear to have Research indicates that arginine – when tion in human skeletal muscle. American
a stimulatory effect on the production of taken with carbs - may help initiate re- Journal of Physiology 269: E309-E315.
growth hormone in the body. covery – the period of muscle repair and
Stored in the pituitary gland, growth growth that takes place following a work- 4. Greenwood-Robinson, M. 1998. Natu-
hormone is involved in the growth of body out. In one study, exercisers took either ral Weight Loss Miracles. New York: Peri-
tissues and has several important effects on a carbohydrate supplement or a carbo- gee Books.
the metabolism of protein, carbohydrates, hydrate-arginine supplement at one, two,
and fats. In protein metabolism, for ex- and three hours following exercise. The 5. Hoeger, W.W., et al. 1999. Four-week
ample, it helps transport amino acids across supplements contained either one gram of supplementation with a natural dietary
cellular membranes, increasing the concen- carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight compound produces favorable changes in
tration inside cells so that protein synthesis or one gram of carbohydrate, plus 0.08 body composition. Advances in Therapy
can proceed. Additionally, growth hormone grams of arginine per kilogram of body 15: 305-314.
prevents the breakdown of protein and its weight. During the four-hour recovery pe-
utilization for energy. Most likely, this oc- riod, the increase in muscle glycogen was 6. Efron, D., et al. 2000. Role of arginine
curs because growth hormone can mobilize more rapid in those who had consumed the in immunonutrition. Journal of Gastroen-
fat for energy, thus sparing protein. carbohydrate/arginine formula. terology 35 Supplement 12: 20-23.
Growth hormone has a carbohydrate- The researchers chalked this response up
sparing effect as well because it decreases to arginine’s ability to increase the avail- 7. Yaspelkis, B.B., et al. 1999. The ef-
cellular utilization of glucose. In the tissues, ability of glucose for muscle glycogen fect of carbohydrate-arginine supplement
growth hormone also converts fatty acids storage during recovery. (7) on postexercise carbohydrate metabolism.
to acetyl-Co-A, a molecule used in the pro- There’s more. Arginine apparently helps International Journal of Sports Nutrition 9:
duction of energy. prevent the body from breaking down pro- 241-250.
Growth hormone is secreted throughout a tein in muscles and organs to repair itself
person’s lifetime. The rate of secretion can when injured. In one study, surgical pa- 8. Fisher, H. 1987. On the mend with
be affected by a number of factors, includ- tients who were given 15 grams of arginine arginine. Prevention, October, pp. 98-106.
ing nutritional status, exercise (working out daily following their operations had a 60
does increase the secretion rate somewhat), percent reduction in protein loss compared
time of day, and stress. to non-supplemented patients. Of course,
When given intravenously, certain amino more studies are needed in this area, and
acids seem to trigger the release of growth you shouldn’t self-medicate with arginine,
Mold More Muscularity

by John Parrillo
Muscularity describes the relative devel- After a few days, increase to one table- It is as follows: one warm-up set, three
opment of each muscle — its size, shape, spoon with each meal. During hard train- to five heavy pyramid sets (increasing
separation, and the degree of body fat pres- ing, many athletes go as high as two to the poundage each time and lowering the
ent. With most physiques, the lack of mus- three tablespoons per meal - a level they number of reps), and one to two high-rep
cular is immediately obvious, with flaws have found to be beneficial. sets (exhaustion sets). Put another way, you
ranging from poor quadriceps separation to start off training a muscle slow and heavy
poor lower lat development. In many cases, Step Two: Increase your dietary pro- like a powerlifter trains. You then finish
muscularity is there, but it is obscured by tein. training the muscle fast and intense like a
body fat. But let’s not focus on the nega- Protein is now recognized as a nutrient bodybuilder does. This is the right training
tives; let’s focus on the positives: how to that helps stimulate the metabolism, and sequence for muscularity.
hone your physique so that there are no by that token, it is essential to consume
flaws in muscularity. ample protein in order to promote fat loss Step Five: Increase the duration, in-
Although muscularity is a highly desired while maintaining muscle. You can meet tensity, and frequency of your aerobics.
attribute among exercisers, bodybuilders, your higher-protein requirement by eating Doing more aerobic work improves the
and other athletes, few really know how to between 1.25 and 1.5 grams of protein per muscle fibers’ ability to oxidize fats for
attain it. Basically, it requires a multi-prong pound of body weight. At least 1 gram energy, and you get leaner, with more mus-
approach, something I call my six-step for- should come from chicken, fish, turkey, cularity, as a result. Let me explain the
mula, mapped out for you in this column. If or egg whites, with at least another .25 or optimal way to train aerobically so that you
one of your physique goals is muscularity, .5 gram of additional protein per pound can achieve the best results.
I’d advise the following: of body weight from vegetable sources, For a long time now, exercisers have
which contain some protein as well. been urged to achieve their “target heart
Step One: Eat fewer starchy rate” during aerobic activity. This is the
carbohydrates. Step Three: Gradually increase your elevation of the pulse to approximately 60
Reducing your intake of starchy carbohy- caloric intake. to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate
drates – potatoes, yams, whole grains, and To lose body fat, thereby unveiling mus- (220 minus your age). Reaching target
brown rice, for example – is an amazing cularity, most people are under the mis- heart rate and keeping it there for at least
way to start stripping away fat. Metaboli- taken impression that they must severely 20 minutes is supposed to boost general
cally, this dietary reduction helps shift your restrict their caloric intake. But when de- cardiovascular conditioning. Also, it’s al-
body into a fat-burning mode. Your body nied food, the body begins to feed on the ways been assumed that if you exercise
simply starts burning fat for energy, since protein in the muscles. Because muscle at your target heart rate long enough, you
there is a deficit of carbs in your body. How is the body’s most metabolically active burn fat.
much of a reduction will work? A good rule tissue, depleting it interferes with your Optimal cardiovascular conditioning is
of thumb is to adjust your carbohydrate-to- ability to burn calories. Plus, restrictive not achieved by just raising your target
protein ratio to between 1 to 1 or 1.5 to 1. diets lower your metabolic rate, making it heart rate, however. It’s achieved by
Be aware that one problem with reducing easier for your body to store fat. With this increasing your “oxygen uptake” or VO-
carbohydrate intake is a potential decline step, you should gradually increase your 2max
. This represents your body’s maximum
in your energy levels. To compensate, try calories 200 to 400 calories for a few days capability to deliver oxygen to the work-
supplementing your diet with CapTri®, our to re-charge your metabolism for fat-burning muscles. So how do you boost your
medium-chain triglyceride oil (MCT oil). ing. This will stimulate your metabolism VO2max? By exercising so intensely that
This is a special type of lipid that provides for increased muscularity. you’re breathing hard. The harder you
quality calories and, unlike conventional di- breathe, the more energy you expend, and
etary fats, is not likely to be stored as body Step Four: Place greater emphasis on the more fat you burn because you’re doing
fat. Calorie for calorie, CapTri contributes heavy weight training. more work.
less to body weight gain (fat gain) than The development of muscularity is not Train consistently like this, and some
carbohydrates or conventional dietary fat. all nutrition. Certain training techniques important metabolic changes take place in-
Think of CapTri as an immediate energy are required as well, but they do work side the body. First, the mitochondria (cel-
source that will get burned before the body best in concert with the nutritional guide- lular furnaces where fat and other nutrients
has time to store it. It is an excellent meta- lines I just covered. If you want to obtain are burned) increase in size and total num-
bolic-support supplement. muscularity fairly rapid, there is a special ber inside muscle fibers. Second, muscle
Start with 1/2 tablespoon at every meal. set sequence that I recommend following. fibers build up more aerobic enzymes —
Mold More Muscularity
special chemicals involved in fat-burning. strength. The reason for this response is
Third, aerobic exercise appears to increase simple: When you stretch the fascia, you
levels of myoglobin, a muscle compound give the muscle underneath more room to
that accelerates the transfer of oxygen from grow. The result is larger muscles and bet-
the bloodstream into the muscle fibers. ter separation between muscle groups. I’ve
Larger mitochondria and more of them, seen this happen in working with athletes
greater levels of aerobic enzymes, and who use fascial stretching. What’s more,
increased blood flow — these factors all I’ve observed that their strength levels can
boost the fat-burning capability of muscle increase by as much as 20 percent.
fibers. The more aerobically fit you be- I have just really scratched the surface of
come, the more your body learns to burn muscularity with this column. If you’d like
fat for energy. So you can see why aerobic to know more, call Parrillo Performance
exercise is so important for leaning out. for information on the Parrillo Nutrition
Endurance athletes have known these Program and the Parrillo Training Manual
things all along. That’s why bodybuilders – and how you can make both of these
can learn a lot from the training regimens books part of your training library.
of endurance athletes. They train regularly
and at long durations at near VO2max, and
as a result, their muscles are conditioned
to rely more heavily on fat for energy and
less on stored carbohydrate (glycogen). To
approach the training level of an endurance
athlete, perform aerobics several times a
week, for 45 to 60 minutes each time. But
don’t “coast.” Work out hard, so that you’re
breathing hard. The harder you breathe, the
more fat you burn.
Step Six: Stretch for mass andmuscu-

larity.
A special training technique I developed
called “fascial stretching” can be incorpo-
rated into your training program to develop
muscularity. This technique strengthens
and stretches the “fascia,” a thick, fibrous
sheet of tissue that envelops individual
muscles and groups of muscles and, like a
divider, separates their layers and group-
ings. The fascia encloses other structures
too, including tendons, joints, blood ves-
sels, nerves, and organs. The fascia func-
tions like a “shock absorber” for the tissues
it surrounds, protecting them from blows
of athletics or the stresses of training and
competition. On the molecular level, fascia
tissue is stronger than structural steel.
To perform fascial stretching, you stretch
between sets of weight training exercises
when the muscle is fully pumped (the pump
has an additional stretch effect on the mus-
cle). Special stretching exercises are used,
and these are explained in detail in the Par-
rillo Training Manual. Done consistently
during workouts, fascial stretching stimu-
lates muscular development and improves
The Parrillo 4-Step Prescription for Plateaus

by John Parrillo
You’re stuck. The scales won’t move. four weeks and lose a pound a week for
The body fat won’t budge. You’ve “pla- four weeks, you’ll gain more mass and be Step 3: Use metabolic- support
teaued.” much leaner than if you tried to lose first supplements.
The problem with a plateau is the mental and gain later. So try to put on weight Supplements don’t burn fat per se, but
frustration that goes along with it. So the for several weeks. You will be amazed they can support your body’s metabolism.
faster you can push through the plateau the by how much bigger and leaner you will That being so, make sure you are us-
better. I will outline how to do that in this get. Depending on your sex, size, activity ing our Advanced Lipotropic Formula™.
column. But for some perspective first: A level, and present metabolic state, you It contains fat-mobilizing nutrients your
major reason why most people plateau is should eat enough calories a day to gain body needs to efficiently metabolize fat.
that they’ve been living and eating in a at the desired rate. For some people, this For example.
caloric-deficient state for too long. If this will be around 3000 calories a day; for Choline. Present in all living cells,
describes you, it means that your body has others, as many as 8000 to 10,000 calories choline helps prevent fat from building
adjusted to that caloric level and it stops daily. up in the liver and works to shuttle fat
burning fat. When denied food, your body into cells to be burned for energy. What’s
begins to feed on the protein in your mus- Step 2: Select plateau-busting foods. more, choline levels can drop during hard
cles. Because muscle is the body’s most Yes, there are such foods, and they exercise. This affects brain chemicals
metabolically active tissue, depleting it are the same foods you use to burn fat involved in the production of muscular
interferes with your ability to burn needed and construct new muscle. These foods energy. Theoretically, by supplementing
calories and start losing again. Plus, stay- include those from all the Parrillo Food with extra choline, you could work out
ing in a caloric-deficient state lowers your Groups: lean proteins (fish, white meat harder and burn more fat as a result.(1 )
metabolic rate, making it harder for your poultry, and egg whites), starchy carbo- Inositol. Working together with choline,
body to burn fat. hydrates (potatoes, yams, rice, legumes, inositol helps prevent build-ups of fat in
To break your plateau, follow this four- and whole grain cereals), and fibrous the arteries and keeps the liver, heart, and
step process. carbohydrates (salad vegetables, broccoli, kidneys healthy.
cauliflower, green beans, etc.). Biotin. This B-complex vitamin is re-
Step 1: Move into a caloric-surplus After meeting your daily lean protein quired to activate specific enzymes in-
state. and carbohydrate requirements, be sure volved in metabolism. Without it, your
This eat-more-calories advice defies to include a certain amount of fat in your body can’t properly burn fats. Biotin also
conventional wisdom, but it works. In- diet. Good sources are safflower oil, sun- influences the body’s ability to properly
creasing your calories will help recharge flower oil, linseed oil, and flaxseed oil. metabolize blood sugar (to avoid low-en-
your metabolism. For a period of two to These dietary fats provide essential fatty ergy periods).
four weeks, gradually increase your calo- acids and help the body absorb fat-soluble Vitamin B6. This nutrient helps keep
ries – even to the point of gaining weight! vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin D, the body’s water balance in check, plus
Yes, you read that correctly: Gain some and vitamin E. I recommend that you eat helps regulate blood sugar so you don’t
weight to ultimately lose more weight. Try up to one tablespoon a day of these fats. get swings in blood sugar and the crav-
to gain weight at the rate of one pound per You must increase your calories from ings they cause. Restrictive diets can
week for every 100 pounds you weigh. these foods because they are the choices deplete the body’s supply of vitamin B6,
But let me qualify this: I’m not talking that will help create the desired benefit and supplementation is extra insurance
about any type of body weight; I’m talk- of a leaner body. The reason is, the same against a deficiency.
ing muscle. This is the time to tweak your number of calories from different foods Methionine. This amino acid has been
weight training routine to concentrate on has different effects on the body. This linked to weight control. In combination
heavy pyramid sets for greater muscle is very easy to prove. Just try replacing with another amino acid – phenylalanine
weight. Increasing your muscle in this 1000 calories of potatoes and brown rice - methionine apparently assists in the
fashion will boost your metabolism so that with 1000 calories of candy and ice cream breakdown of fat. (2) (Our Max Endur-
you can burn fat at an accelerated pace. in your diet, and see what happens to your ance Formula™ contains 200 mg of DL-
If you’re still not convinced, look at it body fat levels. (Clue: You’ll get so big phenylalanine.)
this way: if you gain a pound a week for you’ll have to sit down in shifts.) Carnitine. This nutrient shovels fat into
The Parrillo 4-Step Prescription for Plaeaus
the cells’ mitochondria (cellular furnaces) walking, swimming, jumping rope, to
to be burned for energy. It also cleanses name just a few. Exercise so that you’re
the mitochondria by removing cellular breathing hard but can still carry on a
waste products. Thus, carnitine is abso- labored conversation. Always strive to
lutely vital to metabolism.When combined increase the duration, intensity, and fre-
with chromium picolinate, carnitine ap- quency of your aerobics. Doing more
pears to boost fat loss — potentially up to aerobic work improves the muscle fibers’
two or more pounds a week. ability to oxidize fats for energy, and you
Chromium Picolinate. Chromium may get leaner as a result. The harder you
stimulate the growth of lean muscle if you work out aerobically, the better.
lift weights. In one study, 10 college men
attending a strength-training class twice a References
week took either chromium supplements 1. Kanter, M.M. 1994. Antioxidants
(200 mcg a day), or a placebo. After 40 and other popular ergogenic aids. From
days, the chromium supplementers gained the proceedings of Nutritional Ergogenic
an average of 4.84 pounds of muscle, with- Aids, November 11-12, Chicago, Illinois.
out gaining any fat. The placebo group did
not fare as well. They gained barely a 2. Taylor, D.S. 1989. Amino acids aid
pound of muscle, on average, and their in weight control. Better Nutrition, May,
body fat increased by 1.1 percent. (5) 10-12.
Enzymes. Advanced Lipotropic For-
mula™ contains two important enzymes: 3. Trent, L.K., and D. Thielding-Can-
pancreatin and betaine HCL. Enzymes cel. 1995. Effects of chromium picolinate
such as these help ensure that our bodies on body composition. Journal of Sports
properly break down the foods we con- Medicine and Physical Fitness 35: 273-
sume so that they can be properly utilized 280.
by the body for growth and repair.
I recommended that you take one cap-
sule with each meal – which means four
to six capsules daily, depending on how
many meals you consume. That way, your
body receives a continuing supply of im-
portant fat-mobilizing nutrients through-
out the day.
Step 4: Perform pre-breakfast aero-

bics.
Do your aerobics every morning for
45 to 60 minutes — before breakfast. At
that time, your glycogen stores are low
because you’ve gone all night without
eating. With glycogen in short supply,
you begin burning fatty acids for energy.
You become leaner as a result, while bust-
ing past that plateau. Later, the nutrients
you eat, including natural, starchy car-
bohydrates, are efficiently re-supplied to
muscles, without being turned into body
fat. Plus, your metabolism is activated for
the entire day.
There are many types of aerobic ac-
tivities from which to choose: jogging,
running, cycling, rowing, stair climbing,
Your Guide to Supplement Bars

by John Parrillo
If you’re training for your next big mara- muscle-building activity. It also promotes they’re easy to eat as you’re riding.
thon, bodybuilding competition, or just fat burning. (1,2)
getting ready for bathing suit season, sup-
plement bars are an effective complement For mass-building, have a bar with your If You’re Getting in Shape with Aero-
to your nutrition. But as with all supple- meals to boost calories. It takes an ad- bics and Weight Training
ments, not just any bar will do; you should ditional 2500 calories a week to manufac- You need more calories to fuel your mul-
customize your choice of supplement bar ture a pound of muscle. Increasing your tiple modes of exercise, and the Sports
to your fitness goals. That’s easy to do with calories by about 240 a day with one or Nutrition Bartm can certainly fill the bill.
the Parrillo Supplement Bars, which come two of these bars is an effective way to With 240 calories, 11 grams of quality
in three different formulations: Sports Nu- achieve that caloric surplus.Finally, if protein, 37 grams of slow-release carbo-
trition Barstm) Energy Barstm and Protein hydrates, and five grams of CapTri, this
Barstm, each designed for specific athletic bar is a tremendous source of fuel that
requirements. Here’s what you need to won’t turn to body fat. It has no sucrose
know about these supplements - and how or fructose, and almost no sugar, so it can
to use them in your personal sports nutri- assist in fat loss. A few important footnote
tion program. here regarding fructose (found in many
bars on the market): Research shows that
If You’re a Bodybuilder or fructose actually impairs athletic perfor-
Strength-Trainer: mance. Besides its tendency to convert
Use the Protein Bars mainly to aid in easily to body fat, fructose isn’t even
post-exercise recovery. With 20 grams of converted to muscle glycogen fast enough
pure protein and 30 grams of slow-release for use by working muscles. (3)
carbs, the Protein Bar provides a 60-40 ra- As recommended for bodybuilders,
tio of carbohydrates to protein, considered strength trainers, and endurance athletes,
optimal for post-workout nutrient replen- it’s best to eat your Sports Nutrition Bar
ishment by nutrition experts. with meals as a source of additional
you’re a competitive bodybuilder, this bar calories; before exercise for extra energy;
To aid recovery, consume one of these great to use on the day of your contest to or after exercise for recovery. And the
bars right after your workout - the period avoid looking or feeling too full. benefits of using the product this way are
in which your muscles are most receptive worth it: greater energy levels each time
to producing new glycogen. That’s when If You’re An Endurance Athlete you exercise and better muscular devel-
blood flow to muscles is much greater, a Use Energy Bars with meals or as a pre- opment.
condition that makes muscle cells thirsty exercise snack to boost calories for extra
for nutrients. Taken right after a workout energy. With 35 grams of slow-release Using Supplement Bars Wisely
and again one hour later, this amount (in carbohydrates,14 grams of high-quality These products should be used only as a
the form of a carbohydrate/protein bar), protein, and 5.5 grams of energy-produc- supplement to your diet, not as a substitute
will help reduce the breakdown of muscle ing CapTri, the Energy Bar is a perfect for meals. Use them primarily for increas-
protein if you train withweights.Consum- pre-workout or pre-run energizer. You can ing your caloric intake and feeding your
ing protein and carbs after a workout actu- also use this bar for carbohydrate-loading, muscles. The best way to fuel your body
ally speeds up the body’s glycogen-mak- in addition to other carb sources, to keep is always by eating a nutrient-dense diet
ing process, better than just carbs alone. your glycogen reserves well-stocked for of a variety of lean proteins, starchy car-
Another benefit of this post-training snack competition. bohydrates, and fibrous carbohydrates.
is that it helps trigger the elevation of key The Energy Bar is an excellent supple-
hormones (insulin and growth hormone) ment if you’re an ultraendurance athlete References
involved in muscle growth, especially in who competes in events lasting several (1) Chandler, R.M., Byrne, H.K., Patter-
the period right after exercise. Insulin is hours or more because of the extra car- son, J.G., Ivy, J.L. 1994. Dietary supple-
a powerful factor in building muscle, and bohydrates it provides. What’s more, this ments affect the anabolic hormones after
growth hormone increases the rate of pro- bar offers advantages in certain sports, weight-training exercise. Journal of Ap-
tein production by the body, spurring on such as long-distance cycling because plied Physiology 76: 839-845.
(2) Zawadzki, K.M., Yaselkis, B.B., Ivy,
J.L.. 1992. Carbohydrate-protein com-
plex increases the rate of muscle glycogen
storage after exercise. Journal of Applied
Physiology 72:1854-1859.
(3) Pacelli, L.C. 1990. Carbohydrate
drinks: are they ergogenic? The Physician
and Sportsmedicine 18: 50.
The Latest Word on Fructose

by John Parrillo
More than twenty years ago, I came out ers, including high-fructose corn syrup. tion has caused the gene to increasingly
against fructose in the diet, and people That amount of added sugar in your diet express itself in people who have an in-
thought I had gone nuts. After all, fructose will produce a weight gain of nearly nine herited disposition to fructose intolerance.
is a naturally occurring sugar in fruit, pounds a year. (3) (4) Thus, the prevalence of this sweetener
which is generally a healthy food — high I will talk more about fructose and in the food supply is quite problematic,
in fiber, vitamins and minerals and low weight gain in a moment, but I want to triggering this genetic susceptibility at
in fat. alert you to something about fructose that increasingly alarming rates.
Only recently, however, have nutritional is just now gaining attention. There is Now back to fructose and weight gain.
scientists begun to recognize fructose for a medically recognized condition called I originally learned that fruit makes you
what it is: a sweetening agent that makes “fructose intolerance” — a sensitivity to fat not by reviewing the biochemical
you fat. The reason for their nutritional the fructose in fruit juices, sports drinks, pathways of metabolism, but by actually
“eureka” has to with the fact that our or products containing high-fructose corn doing nutritional experiments with real
national consumption of fructose (as well bodybuilders. Rather than being some
as other simple sugars) over the decades theory out of a book, this is an experi-
parallels America’s rise in obesity. (1) mental fact. For a long time I didn’t un-
The form of fructose that is most preva- derstand it — I just knew from our work
lent in our diets now is a particularly in the gym that certain foods made body-
troublesome sweetener known as high- builders get in better shape and other
fructose corn syrup. This sweetener is foods made them get fat.
used mostly in soft drinks and refined In my experiments, I would remove
foods, but you will also find it in the 300 calories worth of complex car-
most unlikely of places: health foods bohydrates from the subject’s diet in
such as the energy bars, sports drinks, the form of rice, and replace it with
and carbohydrate supplements you 300 calories worth from fruit. The
probably take every day. Further, many subject’s total caloric intake remained
of the foods in your pantry are sweet- the same, as did the percent of calories
ened with this additive, and it might just from protein, carbohydrate and fat. The
be the baddest of the bad when it comes to training program remained exactly the
simple sugars. same. The only change was in the form of
Made from cornstarch, high-fructose carbohydrate supplying 300 of the calo-
corn syrup is a liquid that is predomi- ries: Rice was replaced by bananas.
nantly fructose but has some glucose in syrup, and sometimes to the natural fruc- You would expect the subject’s body
it. (Even the powdered fructose sold in tose in fruit. Symptoms include stomach weight and percent body fat to remain
stores is made from cornstarch and not upset, diarrhea, and bloating. In rare cases the same, right? But that is not what hap-
from refining the sugar in fruit, as you in which someone lacks the enzyme need- pened. The subject would begin to gain
might assume.) Food manufacturers love ed to digest fructose, the symptoms will fat. I would let this go on for a couple of
using high-fructose corn syrup because be more severe: vomiting, hypoglycemia weeks and the subject continues to gain
it tastes much sweeter than sugar; this (low blood sugar), jaundice, or enlarged fat. Then I’d pull the bananas out of the
means they can use less of it and save on liver. You can be tested for fructose intol- diet and put the rice back in — i.e., go
their manufacturing costs. Consumption erance with a breath test or a blood test. back to the original diet. Guess what? The
of high-fructose corn syrup has risen more If diagnosed with this condition, you’ll subject would begin losing body fat.
than 21 percent since 1970, when it was have to avoid foods containing fructose, From a metabolic standpoint, the prob-
introduced into the food supply. (2) especially high-fructose corn syrup. lem with the fructose in fruit is that it
According to a U.S. Department of First reported in 1956, fructose intoler- bypasses the control point that decides
Agriculture analysis, from 1985 to 2000, ance is on the rise due to interactions be- if a dietary sugar is going to be stored as
Americans added roughly 330 calories to tween genes and environment. Globally, glycogen or fat. Complex carbohydrates,
their daily intake, and twenty-five percent people are consuming so much high-fruc- such as rice, oatmeal or potatoes, are
(about 83 calories) came from sweeten- tose corn syrup that this overconsump- preferentially stored as glycogen until
The Latest Word on Fructose
glycogen stores are full. Fructose, on the Clearly, fructose is the worst carb 4. Cox., T.M. 2002. The genetic conse-
other hand, gets directly converted to fat source for exercisers and bodybuilders quences of our sweet tooth. Nature Re-
in the liver, then gets whisked off in the you can imagine. If you wanted to design views/Genetics 3: 7-13.
bloodstream to be stored in fat cells (5). a supplement to ruin your physique, it 5. Shafrir E. 1991. Fructose/sucrose me-
So a large portion of the fructose simply would be a fructose-based energy bar. tabolism, its physiological and pathologi-
gets turned directly into fat and released Unfortunately, the vast majority of the cal implications. In Sugars and Sweeten-
into the bloodstream. Bam. You get a dose bars out there rely on fructose as their ers, CRC Press, pp. 63-98.
of fat. But the damage doesn’t stop there. major carb source, because it’s cheap. 6. Costill DL, et. al. 1981. The role of
The rest of the fructose gets converted into When we were designing the Parril- dietary carbohydrates in muscle glyco-
liver glycogen. That sounds okay, until lo supplement bars, we surveyed every gen resynthesis after strenuous running.
you stop to think about it. You see, once available sports supplement bar we could American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
liver glycogen stores are full, the liver find. We found that 25 out of the 26 bars 34: 1831-1836.
says, “I’ve got all the glycogen we can had fructose in either the first or
hold, so any more carbs coming in here second ingredient. (If you use some-
I’ll just convert to fat.” body else’s bar, go read the label.)
Fructose thus preferentially repletes Why? Because high-fructose corn syr-
liver glycogen instead of muscle glycogen up and fruit juice (good sources of fruc-
and shifts the liver into fat-storing mode. tose) are real cheap, and they’re also very
This is exactly what you don’t want. You sweet, as I noted above. We pioneered
need some liver glycogen, to be sure, be- the use of a new carbohydrate source in
cause this is what keeps blood sugar levels the Parrillo Bar called rice dextrin. It’s a
steady. But when liver glycogen stores shortchain glucose polymer made from
are full, this is when dietary carbs start rice. This gives you the quick energy you
to “spill over” into fat stores – and not to want from a sports bar, but without the
muscle cells as muscle glycogen. fructose.
Clearly, one of the keys to effectively In summary, a large portion of fructose
restoring glycogen is the type of carbo- is converted directly to fat by the liver,
hydrate you eat. Natural, starchy carbo- fructose preferentially fills liver glycogen
hydrates such as potatoes, yams, whole stores so that even good carbs are more
grains, corn, and legumes do a better job prone to spill over into fat, and it cannot
at this than simple sugars like fructose do. be used by muscle to recover glycogen.
Research has shown that a diet high in Calorie for calorie, the only nutrient that
starchy carbohydrates can restock more will make you fatter than fructose is fat
glycogen in the muscles 48 hours after itself.
exercise than simple sugars can.(6) Try to think of fruit as nature’s candy,
So if you eat simple sugars like fruc- because that’s exactly what it is. If your
tose, you’re not going to be able to store as goal is to build a lean and muscular phy-
much glycogen had you consumed natu- sique, then you don’t want to eat candy.
ral, starchy carbohydrates. What implica- Sugar and fat are natural, but that doesn’t
tions does this have for you as an exerciser mean they’ll make you lean and muscu-
and bodybuilder? lar.
For one thing, you won’t be able to
train as hard or as long during your next References
workout, because you haven’t stored as 1. Elliott, S.S., et al. 2002. Fructose,
much glycogen. Nor will you be able to weight gain, and insulin resistance syn-
recover from your workouts as efficiently. drome. American Journal of Clinical Nu-
By contrast, eating ample amounts of trition 76: 911-922.
starchy carbohydrates will extend your 2. Jequier, E. 1994. Carbohydrates as
endurance and effectively re-supply your a source of energy. American Journal of
muscles with glycogen for better recovery. Clinical Nutrition 59: 682S-685S.
You’ll stay leaner too, since starchy carbs 3. Morris, K.L., et al. 1999. Glycemic
are fully utilized for energy production index, cardiovascular disease, and obe-
and glycogen synthesis. sity. Nutrition Review 57: 273-276.
Boosting GH Naturally With Nutrition

by John Parrillo
Forget steroids. Forget androstenedione. hormone acts to promote growth of all tis- Growth hormone (GH) has some ma-
Forget DHEA. Forget whatever “flavor of sues of the body except the nervous sys- jor effects on mass and on the metabolism
the month” mass-building drug comes on tem. GH levels reach maximal levels in of carbohydrate, protein, and fat. First
the scene. late teens and gradually decline with age. of all, GH increases lean body mass by
I’m a big believer in getting back to The high levels of GH and testosterone stimulating protein synthesis and increas-
basics, especially for building muscles. in young adult males explain why most ing nitrogen retention. Part of this effect
And one of the basics is a natural supple- bodybuilders make their best gains during is believed to be due to GH promoting
ment you can use to accomplish a lot of their late teens and twenties. This again transport certain essential amino acids
what you want, along with proper nutri- underscores the central role of hormones inside muscle cells. GH-deficient indi-
tion and training. And that supplement is a in bodybuilding. viduals have a relatively high proportion
good growth hormone (GH) releaser. of body fat. Treatment with GH causes a
For background: Physiologically, decrease in body fat, accompanied by an
growth hormone (GH) is the most impor- increase in body protein, mostly muscle.
tant hormone in the body for bodybuilders Sometimes, particularly after a pe-
and athletes because it acts as a powerful riod of glucose deprivation, GH has an
stimulus for muscle growth and fat loss. insulin-like effect in increasing glucose
Many of the effects of exercise in increas- uptake and utilization. This effect disap-
ing muscle mass and decreasing body fat pears quickly, and its physiological sig-
are mediated by growth hormone. (1,2) nificance is a mystery. After about two
Growth hormone (GH) is the most an- hours, glucose metabolism is inhibited
abolic substance in the human body (3,4). in muscle and adipose tissue. There is
In a study of older men (whose growth a decrease in glucose uptake and muscle
hormone levels are diminished), it was glycogen stores are preserved.
found that GH administration promoted In adipose tissue, GH promotes the
an increase in muscle mass and a decrease breakdown of stored triglyceride (body
in body fat — even in the absence of fat), increasing plasma levels of free fatty
exercise training (3,4). Growth hormone acids (FFA). Since glucose uptake is sup-
is anabolic, meaning that it promotes the pressed by GH, fat synthesis is also sup-
incorporation of nutrients into new body pressed. These effects combined result in
tissues, including the protein synthesis a net loss of body fat.
required to make muscle. The thing to remember is that GH
Part of this effect is believed to oc- Proper nutrition (including carbohy- decreases glucose uptake and utilization
cur because GH promotes the transport drates, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and spares glycogen, it increases use of
of certain essential amino acids inside and essential fatty acids), rest, and a good fat for energy by mobilizing fat stores,
muscle cells. Notably, insulin also acts to psychosocial environment are all require- and it increases protein synthesis. The
transport a different set of essential amino ments for growth (5). Mental state (emo- net effect is to make the body leaner and
acids, so you need adequate amounts of tional state) can directly influence normal more muscular. Many of the effects of
GH and insulin present at the same time growth in humans. No doubt this effect exercise in making the body leaner and
to stimulate muscle growth. GH also has is mediated by the hypothalamus, since more muscular are mediated by an exer-
a “lipolytic” effect, which means it mo- it connects the endocrine system to the cise-induced increase in growth hormone
bilizes body fat from adipose depots and mind. If you’re eating and training right, (1,2).
increases the use of fat for energy. This but are totally stressed out about work or GH secretion is stimulated by sleep,
in turn spares carbohydrates so glycogen some personal problem, you’re probably stress, low blood glucose, an increase
stores are preserved. not going to make very good gains. The in certain amino acids (especially argi-
The most important role of growth mind is very important to bodybuilding. nine, leucine, valine, and ornithine), and
hormone is in promoting growth during You must maintain a positive and ag- exercise. Normally, GH is secreted in
childhood. Without GH, normal adult gressive attitude and not be distracted by an episodic fashion with maximal secre-
stature will not be achieved. Growth outside stresses. tion occurring during deep sleep. GH is
Boosting GH Naturally With Nutrition
synthesized and stored in the anterior pi- sleep!

tuitary, and its plasma level is controlled
via its rate of secretion. Its rate of se- References
cretion is controlled by two hormones 1. Kraemer, W.J. 1992. Influence of the
from the hypothalamus: GHRH (growth endocrine system on resistance training
hormone releasing hormone) and soma- adaptations. National Strength and Con-
tostatin (which inhibits GH release). GH ditioning Journal 14: 47-54.
secretion is thus under minute-by-minute 2. Kraemer, R.R., et al. 1992. Growth
control by the nervous system. hormone, IGF-1, and testosterone re-
There are several things you can do as sponses to resistive exercise. Medicine
a bodybuilder to naturally increase your and Science in Sports and Exercise. 24:
GH levels (3). First, eat an adequate diet 1346-1352.
containing at least one gram of protein 3. Crist, D.M. 1991. Growth Hor-
per pound of body weight. A high-pro- mone Synergism. Albuquerque: DMC
tein meal increases GH release. Second, Health Sciences.
supplement your diet with GH releasers 4. Isidori, A., et al. 1981. A study of
— those containing arginine pyrogluta- growth hormone release in man after oral
mate and lysine monohydrochloride, the administration of amino acids. Current
most effective oral combination of amino Medical Research and Opinion 7:475-
acids for GH release ever developed (4). 481.
Third, make sure you get enough sleep. 5. Johnson, L.R. 1992. Essential
Maximal GH release occurs during deep Medical Physiology. New York: Raven
sleep. Press, New York.
Finally, train smart. Heavy, low-rep
work is effective in increasing strength.
This is probably due to an increase in
testosterone levels and a training effect
on the nervous system. High-rep work
with moderate weights is more effective
in stimulating GH release (1,2,3), so it’s
a huge mistake to leave out the high-rep
part of your training. The GH release
resulting from high-volume training also
serves as a potent stimulus for fat loss. Of
course, you need both high-rep and low-
rep work to make continuing progress.
So get back to basics. Get back to
GH. At Parrillo Performance, our version
of the GH releaser supplement is called
our Enhanced GH Formula™. It contains
the combo I mentioned above – arginine
pyroglutamate and lysine monohydro-
chloride, shown to release growth hor-
mone is test patients. With this particular
amino acid grouping, I suggest that you
take it on an empty stomach immedi-
ately upon waking, before training, and
just before bedtime. Taken before bed is
great, because the capsules dissolve while
you’re in dreamland, providing your body
with GH-triggering amino acids at a time
when GH release is the highest anyway.
Theoretically, you can grow while you
Body Type Dieting

by John Parrillo
One thing I have found during my documented in the medical literature that can eat like crap and still look good. All
years of experimentation with nutrition excess feeding of carbohydrates results in they have to do is cut the junk out of their
and dieting was that different body types less body fat gain than excess feeding of diet a month before the show and they’re
respond somewhat differently to differ- dietary fat (1-7). in contest shape. But if you’re a meso-
ent nutritional structures. For background, Dieting If You’re An Endomorph morph who wants to be really successful,
there are three very general body types, Endomorphs gain muscle more easily, but stick to the general nutrition advice that
classified by general shape and appear- tend to be naturally fat and have a hard follows.
ance: ectomorphs, mesomorphs, and time getting and staying lean. They seem
endomorphs. Ectomorphs are naturally to be very sensitive to the carbohydrate General Nutrition Guidelines
skinny people, mesomorphs are naturally content of the diet. Again, for weight gain On the Parrillo Nutrition Program, you
lean and muscular, and endomorphs are the body must be in an energy surplus (ex- start by calculating your daily protein
naturally fat. (You know which you are.) cess calories) and the bulk of these excess requirement. One to 1.5 grams or more
If you’re an ectomorph or an endomorph calories should come from carbohydrates, of complete protein per pound of body
you can still develop and build a great because this results in less body fat accu- weight each day is a good general guide-
physique, but it will be harder because mulation than if the excess dietary energy line for hard training athletes, especially
you’re working against your natural ge- is supplied as fat (1-7). However, during during weight gain. As you decrease calo-
netic tendency to be either skinny or fat. weight loss I found that these people do ries to lose fat, it helps to increase this
better if they reduce their carbohydrate to as much as 1.5-2 grams or more per
Dieting If You’re An Ectomorph intake. While ectomorphs need to main- pound per day. The higher dietary protein
Ectomorphs get lean easily but have tain a high carb diet even while losing intake helps prevent catabolism of muscle
a hard time putting on muscle. They can weight to help prevent muscle loss, en- protein during energy restricted diets.
eat a lot and don’t gain much weight. domorphs just can’t seem to lose all their Next you allot 5-10 percent of daily
I found that these individuals do bet- fat without reducing carbs. They seem calories to come from fat. The remainder
ter on a high-carb diet with moderate to to be very sensitive to insulin, and high of your calories come from complex car-
high protein, maybe somewhere around insulin levels block the burning of stored bohydrates, which I divide into starches
25 to 30 percent protein, 65 percent carbs, body fat for energy. (To be more precise, (potatoes, rice, beans, etc.) and fibrous
and 5 to10 percent fat. (The actual per- they usually have mild insulin resistance, carbs (vegetables and salad greens). You
centages aren’t important, but they usu- which results in increased insulin levels adjust carbohydrate intake appropriately
ally work out close to those above. These and a hard time burning fat.) so that you’re either gaining muscular
are given just as an example.) Basical- Just as an example, some representa- weight or losing body fat, as desired. So
ly, they need to get one to 1.5 grams tive numbers for an endomorph might when you structure your diet this way the
or more of protein per pound of body look like this: For weight gain, 30-40 percentages take care of themselves. The
weight per day, and then keep increasing percent protein, 50-60 percent carbs, 5- times when I cite various nutrient percent-
carbs until they gain weight. 10% fat. For weight loss, 50-60 percent ages as examples are merely to illustrate
Some nutritionists advise that ecto- protein, 30-40 percent carbs, 5-10 percent how the balance of your diet can change
morphs eat a higher fat diet to gain body fat. Again, it’s not the actual percentages as you’re working to achieve different
fat. The problem with using conventional that are important, I’m just trying to illus- goals.
fats (like many diets are now advocating) trate the idea that you can shift around the
for weight gain is that when your body structure of your diet to achieve different If You Need To Lose Body Fat
is in a calorie surplus (gaining weight), metabolic effects. I do believe in the low-carb strategy for
virtually all excess fat calories you con- burning fat, whether you are an endo-
sume from food will simply be stored as Dieting If You’re A Mesomorph morph or a mesomorph, or somewhere
body fat (1-13). Ectomorphs will find that Obviously, mesomorphs have the easiest in between. The problem with low-carb
adding some fat to their diets will help time becoming bodybuilders. These are dieting, however, is that it saps your
them gain weight, but they’ll gain more the people we all envy. They were lean energy and skimps on a lot of important
fat along with the muscle than if they had and muscular before they ever started nutrients.
followed a low fat diet. It is extensively training. They gain muscle easily. They So how do you do the low-carb diet
Body Type Dieting
Help for Ectomorphs Too! American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

If you need to increase your calories 35: 678-682.
to build more muscle mass, you can use 9.Bach, A.C., et al. 1982. Medium chain
CapTri® for this purpose too. Further- triglycerides: an update. American Jour-
more, fats like CapTri® have been shown nal of Clinical Nutrition 36: 950-962.
to increase growth hormone levels, which 10.Valls, E., et al.1978. Modifications in
will also stimulate fat loss and muscle plasmatic insulin and growth hormone
gain (10). induced by medium chain triglycerides.
Nutrition works best if you tailor it to Span. Anal. Ped. 11: 675-682.
your own needs and goals. Stick to basic
natural foods such as lean proteins (white
meat poultry, fish, egg whites, and protein
supplements); starchy carbohydrates; and
lean carbohydrates. When you have your
nutrition “right,” supplement as appropri-
ate to match your energy and training
needs. Consider your body type, make the
right nutritional adjustments, and you’ll
at Parrillo? I’ve developed a very special experience a higher level of performance
energy supplement called CapTri® which and peak achievement.
allows you to utilize the power of the low
carb diet without resorting to using regular References
fat as a food source. CapTri® is a special- 1.Horton, T.J et al. 1995. Fat and carbo-
ly engineered fat with a unique molecular hydrate overfeeding in humans: different
structure which causes it to follow a dif- effects on energy storage. American Jour-
ferent metabolic route than regular fats nal of Clinical Nutrition 62: 19-29.
(8,9). It behaves more like a carbohydrate 2.Flatt, J.P. 1988. Importance of nutrient
in the body, except that it doesn’t increase balance in body weight regulation. Diabe-
insulin levels. tes/Metabolism Reviews 4: 571-581.
This means you can use CapTri® in place 3.Flatt, J.P.. 1995. Use and storage of car-
of carbs to decrease insulin levels and shift bohydrate and fat. American Journal of
your metabolism into a fat-burning mode. Clinical Nutrition 61: 952s-959s.
CapTri® has virtually no tendency to be 4.Hill, J.O., et al. 1991. Nutrient balance
stored as body fat, which is in marked in humans: effects of diet composition.
contrast to regular fats (8,9). Regular fat is American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
metabolized very slowly and is very eas- 54: 10-17.
ily stored as body fat. CapTri® is burned 5.Hill, J.O., et al. 1993. Obesity treatment:
(converted to usable metabolic energy) can diet composition play a role? Annals
very rapidly in fact, as rapidly as glucose. of Internal Medicine 119: 694-697.
This energy is used to fuel the body, which 6.Schutz, Yet al. 1989. Failure of dietary
spares protein and glycogen. Since Cap- fat intake to promote fat oxidation: a fac-
Tri® is rapidly and completely used as tor favoring the development of obesity.
fuel, this means it won’t be stored as body American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
fat. (Of course, CapTri® does not defy the 50: 307-314.
laws of thermodynamics, and if you eat 7.Miller, W.C., et al. 1994. Dietary fat,
too many calories too fast you will gain sugar, and fiber predict percent body fat
fat, even if you’re using CapTri®. The content. American Journal of Clinical
point is that CapTri® results in much less Nutrition. 94: 612-615.
fat gain than conventional foods, because 8.Baba, N., et al. 1982. Enhanced ther-
relatively more of the calories in CapTri® mogenesis and diminished deposition of
are immediately converted to energy and fat in response to overfeeding with diet
lost as body heat.) containing medium chain triglyceride.
High Fat Dieting Taken to the Next Level

by John Parrillo
There’s a weird “urban nutrition myth” how you can take your fat-loss program creases your risk of life-shortening and
circulating on the Internet: Coconut oil to the next level by doing high-fat dieting debilitating illnesses.
(a super-saturated fat) is loaded with me- the right way and high-tech way. Over time, too much saturated fat
dium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and that Do High-Fat Diets Work? – including coconut oil - in your diet can
by eating this tropical oil, you get the It’s true that all the rage right now is the harm the health of your cardiovascular
same benefit you’d get from supplement- high-fat diet. This approach to dieting has system. Essentially, excess saturated fat
ing with medium-chain triglyceride oil. a fairly high protein intake, around 25 to disrupts your liver’s ability to break down
Further, the web promotions state that co- 30 percent of calories. Another common excess cholesterol, a fat that is a building
conut oil is a great choice if you’re dieting feature is that it advocates reducing car- block for cells and hormones. Further,
in the high-fat, low-carb mode. bohydrate content in favor of increasing saturated fat causes your liver to churn
NOT TRUE! But before I blast this dietary fat consumption. Some of these out cholesterol to form an artery-clogging
myth out of the water, let me say that plans call for limiting carbs to 30 to 50 type of cholesterol known as low-density
most myths are grounded in a little – and grams per day, or even less, and providing lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, dubbed
I mean a very little – reality. That reality around 70 percent of calories from fat. the “bad” cholesterol. All of this sets the
is that MCT oil is refined from coconut oil The fundamental idea behind these stage for heart disease. (1)
through a special extraction process, but approaches is to reduce carbohydrate in- Diets overloaded with saturated fats
to say that these oils are the same, or can take in order to reduce insulin levels. In- have also been implicated in the develop-
be used in the same manner, is an outright sulin prevents lipolysis, or fat breakdown. ment of prostate cancer and colon cancer.
falsehood. Unfortunately, this falsehood By reducing insulin levels, you accelerate With regard to prostate cancer, saturated
has taken on a life of its own in cyber- fat metabolism and encourage the use of fat is thought to alter levels of sex hor-
space. But allow me to list the myths and stored body fat for energy. This works; mones, thereby promoting cancer. (2)
facts in black and white for you: there’s no question about that. Where colon cancer is concerned,
Although I’m known for advocating, saturated fats increase the production of
• MYTH: Coconut oil is high in MCTs. in general, a diet high in protein, high bile acids, which in excess are toxic to the
• FACT: Coconut oil has only 6 percent in complex carbohydrates, and very low lining of the colon. Chronic toxicity can
MCTs in it! in fat, I also advocate individualizing a result in changes in colon cells, eventu-
diet that’s right for each person. In many ally leading to cancer. (1)
• MYTH: Coconut oil is great choice cases, people do need a high-fat, low-carb Saturated fats also promote the pro-
if you’re following a high-fat, low-carb diet to lose fat because they’re “carbohy- duction of arachidonic acid, the fatty acid
diet. drate sensitive,” meaning that carbs just that gives rise to inflammatory agents
• FACT: Coconut oil is one of the worst seem to naturally be metabolized into in the body, namely bad prostaglandins
choices on any diet! body fat. and pro-inflammatory substances called
So I’m all for low-carb dieting, as leukotrienes. These agents can harm your
• MYTH: Coconut oil can help you lose long as it’s done correctly and in the joints, leading to arthritis. Not only that,
weight. healthiest manner possible. There is a they can trigger abnormal blood clotting
• FACT: Coconut oil is a bad fat for weight way to do that, and I’ll get to it in a sec- and thus promote clogged arteries. (1)
loss. As a long-chain fat, coconut is VERY ond. There’s not much good I can say
prone to be stored as body fat. By contrast, about saturated fats.
MCT oil (our product is CapTri®) has a Potential Side Effects of High-Fat Di-
shorter molecular structure that causes it eting Parrillo-izing the Atkins Diet?
to be metabolized in an entirely different My particular beef with the high-fat The very best way to do the high-fat
manner than conventional fats are metabo- diet is not about reducing carbs - that diet, but without the possible side effects
lized. CapTri® is more rapidly oxidized, works. My problem is with supplying is to incorporate CapTri® into your plan.
and as a result, it has very little tendency so many calories as dietary fat. Not only This supplement lets you to utilize the
to be stored as body fat. does dietary fat contribute more to fat power of the low-carb diet without resort-
Bottom line: Coconut oil is a bad fat. stores than protein or carbohydrate, but ing to using regular fat as a food source.
MCT oil is a good fat. Now let’s talk about dietary fat (especially saturated fat) in- CapTri® behaves more like a carbo-
High Fat Dieting Taken to the Next Level
hydrate in the body, except that it doesn’t be gradually introduced into the diet as And, individuals with diabetes, acidosis,
spike insulin levels (insulin is also in- tolerated and should always be taken with or ketosis should consult their physician
volved in fat formation in the body). This meals. Improper introduction into the diet before using any type of medium-chain
means you can use CapTri® in place of can cause diarrhea and stomach cramping fatty acid oil.
carbs to decrease insulin levels and shift as a result of the supplement’s rapid up- By combining CapTri® with the
your metabolism into a fat-burning mode. take by the body. proper diet and exercise program, you’ll
This is very similar to the strategy of the Begin by taking one-half tablespoon maximize your results. This amazing lip-
high-fat diets, except that you don’t have with each meal for three days. Then in- id, which the medical world has known
to rely on long chain saturated fats as the crease that amount to one tablespoon for about for years, is just what you need for
energy source. three more days. Subsequent increases energy, endurance, and a leaner, more
should be made in one-half tablespoon muscular body.
CapTri® has virtually no tendency to
be stored as body fat, which is in marked References
contrast to regular fats. Regular fat is
metabolized very slowly and is very eas- 1. Lichtenstein, A.H., et al. Dietary fat
ily stored as body fat. CapTri® is burned consumption and health. Nutrition Re-
(converted to usable metabolic energy) views 56: S3-S28.
very rapidly - in fact, as rapidly as glu- 2. De La Taille, A., et al. 2001. Cancer
cose. This energy is used to fuel the body, of the prostate: influence of nutritional
which spares protein and glycogen. Since factors. General nutritional factors. Pres-
CapTri® is rapidly and completely used se Medicale 30: 554-556.
as fuel, this means it won’t be stored as 3. St-Onge, M.P., et al. 2002. Physi-
body fat. (Of course, CapTri® does not ological effects of medium-chain triglyc-
defy the laws of thermodynamics, and erides: potential agents in the prevention
if you eat too many calories too fast you of obesity. Journal of Nutrition 132: 329-
will gain fat, even if you’re using Cap- 332.
Tri®. (3) 4. Valls, E., et al. 1978. Modifications
The point is that CapTri® results of insulin and growth hormone after me-
in much less fat gain than conventional dium chain triglycerides ingestion. Ana-
foods, because relatively more of the les Espanoles de Pediatria 11: 675-682,
calories in CapTri® are immediately con- 1978.
verted to energy and lost as body heat.) 5. Baba, et al. 1982. Enhanced thermo-
Furthermore, fats like CapTri® have been genesis and diminished deposition of fat
shown to increase growth hormone levels, in response to overfeeding with diet con-
which will also stimulate fat loss and taining medium chain triglyceride. Ameri-
muscle gain (4). can Journal of Clinical Nutrition 35: 678
So follow a high-fat diet also, but - 682.
use CapTri® instead of conventional fats 6. Papamandjaris, A.A., et al. 1998. Me-
because the heat generated by CapTri® dium chain fatty acid metabolism and
has a much greater effect of increasing energy expenditure: obesity treatment im-
metabolic rate and much less tendency to increments per meal for three days. High- plications. Life Sciences 62: 1203- 1215.
be stored as body fat (5,6). It’s the lower usage levels depend on your caloric
carb diet taken to the next level intake and tolerance for CapTri®. At
Additionally, despite being a coconut 114 calories per tablespoon, CapTri® is
oil derivative, CapTri® does not have providing 570 calories to your diet. If you
any of the adverse qualities associated experience cramping or diarrhea, simply
with highly saturated tropical oils. decrease your dosage temporarily until
your tolerance improves.
How to Take CapTri® Because CapTri® contains no es-
As important as understanding how this sential fatty acids, be sure to take an
supplement works is knowing how to EFA source such as Evening Primrose
take it correctly. Even though the supple- Oil 1000™. Captri® can also be mixed
ment is a natural product, CapTri® must with any “good fat” such as olive oil.
Calories: Why I Insist You Need Lots Of Them

by John Parrillo
Easily the most controversial topic natural carbohydrates and protein, are far interrelated. Hard exercise, disciplined eat-
I’ve ever presented was my assertion that a more likely to end up partitioned into the ing and expert nutritional supplementation
serious bodybuilder can and should eat lots production of muscle than say stored body all must done consistently, precisely and
and lots of calories. In order to be all that fat. Food selection and intense training are all must be balanced and skillfully interwo-
you can be, you need to consume a ton of critically important when using my high ven.
calories: a very specific type of calorie. The calorie approach. By confining food selec-
big eating I recommend is always accompa- tions to those foods deemed appropriate Select only metabolism-building foods:
nied by a high volume of high-intensity ex- for bodybuilding and eschewing any and Food selection is critical; certain foods
ercise. Every critic under the sun has asked, all foods that are easily partitioned to fat promote the elevation of the metabolism
‘how can a person ingest the thousands storage, we are able to consume far more and other foods slow the process. Lean
upon thousands of calories you recommend calories. Intense cardiovascular training, Protein produces a ‘dynamic action’ effect.
and not end up fatter than a hog that’s been done on a regular basis, not only burns The metabolism actually increases in order
force-fed just prior to slaughter?’ I cannot calories but boosts the metabolism. Hours to break protein down once consumed.
begin to tell you the sheer volume of nega- after an intense aerobic session is over the Studies have shown that after consuming
tive reactions I’ve received over the years body continues to oxidize calories at an protein the metabolic rate increases by as
from armchair critics who want to pick accelerated rate. Hard cardio builds the much as 30%. The trick is to derive protein
apart my high calorie approach. Any body- bodies ability to process and assimilate from sources devoid of saturated fat. While
builder who uses my procedures correctly nutrients derived from food. ‘clean’ protein is the least likely nutrient
– all of the procedures – can eat 6,000 to to be partitioned as body fat, saturated fat
10,000 calories per day, add tons of muscle Metabolism Building; How and Why: is the nutrient most likely to end up com-
and not become fat in the process. This is Muscle, unlike body fat, is a meta- partmentalized as body fat. Carbohydrates
not some off the wall supposition but a fact bolically active tissue and requires calories are a mixed bag: some carbs are appropri-
proven by legions of bodybuilders who’ve to exist. Adding 10-pounds of lean mass ate and desired while other carbohydrate
successfully used this procedure! From the will require 300 to 350-additional calories sources are bad news and to be avoided. I
firestorm I created, you’d have thought I per day to build the new muscle. More divide useful carbohydrates into two broad
was insisting the earth was flat or the moon muscle means you can eat more without categories: starchy carbs and fibrous carbs.
was made of green cheese. Despite the getting fat. The cornerstone of my nutri- Starchy carbs supply a slow and steady
protestations of the nay Sayers, this revolu- tional philosophy revolves around increas- supply of glucose. Simple sugars produce
tionary approach works and though it flies ing the basal metabolic rate. Think of the an undesirably sharp rise in blood sugar.
in the face of conventional bodybuilding metabolism as the body’s thermostat; if the Recommended starchy carbs include oat-
orthodoxy, the procedures produce irrefut- thermostat is set low the caloric expendi- meal, oat bran, unrefined cereal, brown
able results. The proof is apparent: just look ture at rest is minimal. If the thermostat is rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, corn,
at the hundreds of bodybuilders who’ve set high, even when the body is inactive beans and legumes. Recommended fibrous
totally revamped their physiques as a direct calories are consumed at a much higher carbohydrates include salads, broccoli,
result of this unique methodology. rate. Ever wonder why really obese people spinach, green beans, carrots and cauli-
Critics purposefully confuse my can eat next to nothing and still not lose flower. Dietary fat intake should be kept as
methods and criticize without looking at weight? Their metabolic thermostat is set low as possible; no more than 5% of daily
the whole picture. My high calorie too low. On the other hand, I have discov- calories should be derived from saturated
nutritional program starts from a basic ered that by implementing specific eating fat.
premise that to build lean mass you first and exercise procedures you can elevate
need to provide the body with the building the metabolism. This is called ‘building Eat five to six meals a day:
blocks necessary to construct muscle tis- the metabolism.’ By setting the body’s To maximize nutrient uptake, minimize
sue. The same number of calories derived metabolic thermostat higher, much higher, the digestive burden and improve food as-
from different foods will have different a bodybuilder can eat tons of calories similation, the best strategy is to spread the
effects. 1,000 calories derived from pie – thereby providing the requisite fuel for daily caloric allotment out by consuming
and ice cream will have a different effect muscle growth and recovery. By build- multiple meals of roughly equal amounts.
than 1,000 calories derived from grilled ing the metabolism you teach the body Try spreading calories out over five or six
chicken breasts and steamed broccoli. This to utilize massive amounts of calories ef- daily feedings. Each meal should include a
phenomena is called ‘nutrient partition- ficiently. The procedures used to turn up portion of lean protein, one or two starchy
ing’ and simply put, certain foods such as the metabolic thermostat are specific and carbs and one or two fibrous carbs. Protein
Calories: Why I Insist You Need Lots Of Them
and fiber slow down starchy carbohydrate supplements are designed to supplement a sity cardio and eat lots and lots of clean
digestion and retard the release of glucose. solid eating program – not replace whole- calories. Gradually increase caloric intake
This particular combination of foods pro- some foods. Many bodybuilders make the until you are adding body weight at the rate
vides continual energy throughout the day mistake of depending too much on nu- of 1-pound per hundred pounds of body
and supplies muscles the nutrients needed tritional supplements and this is counter- weight per week. I recommend 1.5 or more
to grow on a continual basis. Multiple productive. Optimally a bodybuilder eats grams of protein per pound of body weight
meals naturally elevate insulin, a hormone whole food meals every 2-3 hours and then per day. Fibrous carbohydrates are to be
with powerful anabolic properties. Insulin uses nutritional supplements to ‘fills in the consumed at every meal to slow insulin
release is triggered when carbohydrate is cracks and crevices.’ Supplements used release. The nutritional wild card is the
converted into glucose by the liver. When in conjunction with proper foods eaten at amount of starchy carbohydrates that are
glucose is introduced into the bloodstream the proper times melt off body fat, support eaten; eat enough starch to nudge the scale
the pancreas releases insulin in response. muscle growth, extend endurance, promote upward each week. Limit saturated fat to
For muscle growth to occur, insulin must recovery from brutally hard workouts and 5% of daily caloric intake. I recommend
be present. Multiple meals using the foods repair muscle tissue. bodybuilders use CapTri®, my revolution-
I recommend trigger a physiological phe- ary MCT-oil that supplies 114-calories per
nomenon known as ‘thermogenesis.’ The *Hi-Protein™ and Optimized Whey™ pro- tablespoon. CapTri® can be drizzled over
thermostat is cranked up and additional tein helps meet daily protein requirements foods and used as a cooking agent. Stud-
calories are oxidized as a direct result of ies have shown that regular daily usage of
eating proper foods in proper proportion. *Pro Carb™ provides slow release energy MCT oil actually contributes to thermo-
and glycogen replacement genesis. By adding several tablespoons at
Avoid Fat-Producing Foods: each meal you can boost daily caloric totals
Certain foods are easily converted *CapTri® provides clean calories without by a thousand or more per day.
into body fat and are to be avoided. Simple the detrimental effects of saturated fat Now you have the facts: if you are
sugars stimulate fat-producing enzymes serious about adding a significant amount
and cause an overproduction of insulin. *Essential Vitamin™ and Mineral Elec- of muscle and not getting fat in the process,
Some insulin is a good thing while too trolyte Formula™ supplies trace elements why not consider the Parrillo high-calorie
much promotes body fat. I advise avoiding destroyed by hard training approach? Don’t pick and choose the ele-
fruit and fruit juice for precisely this rea- ments you like and discard those you don’t
son. Composed largely of a simple sugar, *Parrillo Creatine Monohydrate™ accel- like: train hard, heavy and long; perform
the fructose in fruit has a unique molecular erates muscle growth and speeds muscle frequent cardio with all-out intensity and
structure that converts into a long-chain tri- recovery eat large amounts of clean food often. Add
glyceride once in the liver. Fruit consump- it all up and you have a surefire formula
tion produces fructose and ultimately can *Muscle Amino™ and Liver Amino™ for- for mass building success. Trust me, this
end up as body fat. Dairy products are to mulas supply the body with muscle tissue approach works!
be avoided. Milk contains lactose, another building blocks
simple sugar that readily converts into body
fat. Saturated fat is bad news and is always *Protein bars provide portable nutrition
to be avoided. Be careful when selecting
protein sources, particularly beef. Pick cuts *Energy bars provide a jolt of protein and
of meat low in saturated fat. Are you aware carbs for energy.
that a prime rib or a hamburger derives as
much as 50% or more of total calories from *Parrillo Hi-Protein Low Carb Pudding™
saturated fat? Pork is extremely high in fat allows you to indulge a sweet tooth with-
and really doesn’t have a place in a serious out compromising health
bodybuilding diet. Refined carbohydrates,
manmade products such as pasta, pastry, *Joint Formula™ helps keep the bones
candies, cakes, pies and the like, are to be and connective tissue healthy
avoided. Alcohol will stop progress in its
tracks and should be dropped altogether. *50-50 Plus™ is the perfect post-workout
supplement
Nutritional Supplementation:
I’ve devised an entire line of nutri- Putting it all together:
tional supplements designed to compli- To succeed you need to train hard
ment a sound basic eating program. In my and heavy each and every week: combine
seminars I always take a minute to note that hardcore weight training with high-inten-
Supplement Secrets You Won’t Find in a Health Food Store

by John Parrillo
Secret #1: There actually is one plied by the diet. EFAs regulate many you don’t eat the proper foods — lean pro-
perfect supplement. biological functions, including the manu- teins, starchy carbohydrates, and fibrous
facture of connective tissue, cellular walls, carbohydrates — nothing else matters. No
Beware of the latest nutrition fad hyping and hormones. You can get EFAs from supplement can ever provide all the ben-
a “miracle” supplement — any product safflower oil, flaxseed oil, linseed oil, sun- efits that food supplies. We were built to
promising to magically transform your flower seed oil and Parrillo Evening Prim- process food — proteins, carbohydrates,
body so that it’s leaner and more muscu- rose Oil 1000™, among others. and fats.
lar. There’s no such thing. But there is a All the foods I recommend have a If you want to make the best possible
substance you need for growth and repair “high-nutrient density.” This describes the progress with your physique, I suggest that
— food. To get the results you want from ratio of nutrients in a food to the energy it you start with the basics. And that means
nutrition, food will always work the most supplies. Natural starchy foods like pota- food.
effectively, much better than “miracle” toes, yams, brown rice, and whole grains
supplements or meal replacement diets. I are packed with carbohydrates, protein, vi- Secret #2: You can lose body fat by in-
call food the “perfect supplement.” tamins, and minerals. Fibrous vegetables creasing your calories.
Food provides something that supple- are rich in vitamins, minerals, water, fiber, On my nutrition program, women can
ments or meal replacement diets do not: and carbohydrate. And, lean proteins are eat between 2,000 and 6,000 calories a
the raw materials your body needs for high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. day; and men, between 4,000 and 10,000
growth and for the stimulation of chemical In short, high-density nutrient foods pack calories a day or more – and still lose
processes involved in the breakdown, ab- a lot of nutritional wallop, and that’s why body fat! To begin such a program, you
sorption, and assimilation of nutrients. The you should eat them. need a caloric base from which you can
digestive process, for example, requires Try to stay away from low-nutrient build, adding more calories. This base
“real” food — complete with its balance density foods. These are typically “junk varies from person to person and depends
of nutrients and fiber — to do the job for foods” such as processed foods, sweets, on how many calories you now average
which it was designed. The presence of soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, and high and somewhat on what you weigh. Some
food, acids, and digestive enzymes in the fat foods. Low-nutrient density foods are women, for example, may be eating only
duodenum (the first section of the small easily converted to body fat or, as in the 1,500 or 1,800 calories a day, and so begin-
intestine) and the jejunum (the second case of alcohol, can interfere with the ning the program at 3000 calories would be
section of the small intestine) stimulates body’s ability to metabolize fat. difficult. A starting point of 2000 calories
the production of hormones required for Foods containing simple sugars are would be more sensible. In other words,
the absorption of nutrients. Without food, excluded from my nutrition program be- you should not jump in at the upper caloric
these processes are interrupted, and the cause they also convert easily to body fat. levels because you could have a difficult
proper assimilation of nutrients is impaired. These foods include fruit and fruit juices, time consuming such a large quantity of
Your body’s cells don’t get everything they which contain the simple sugar fructose, food.
need. and dairy products, which contain the Here are step-by-step guidelines on
In my work with the best bodybuilders simple sugar lactose. how to plan your daily menus to allow for
and athletes in the world, I’ve identified You can increase the nutrient density a caloric increase and a body fat decrease:
which foods yield the best results in terms of your nutrition by adding in supplements
of physique and performance. Lean pro- — but only after you’re eating properly. 1. Decide on how many calories you
tein, for example, supplies nutrients called By taking supplements, you force your require per meal. Select your caloric base,
amino acids which are required for every digestive system to process more nutrients. and divide that number by the number
metabolic process. Athletes have higher This allows the nutrient levels in your of daily meals you’ll eat, either five, six,
requirements for protein than the average body to be increased at the cellular level or more. This gives you the approximate
person. Without enough protein, you can- — beyond what can be achieved by food number of calories to eat at each meal.
not build muscle, repair its breakdown alone. This, along with a gradual increase For example, if your caloric base is
after training, or drive your metabolism. of calories, helps your body repair and 4,000 calories and you plan to eat six meals
Starchy and fibrous carbohydrates supply grow. Supplements are quality nutrients a day, each meal should provide approxi-
energy and are stored as glycogen in the that work in conjunction with food to help mately 667 calories.
muscles and liver. your body build its metabolism and recov- 2. Choose protein sources. Next, de-
You need certain fats called Essential ery mechanisms. termine how much protein you need to
Fatty Acids (EFAs), which must be sup- Food is the cornerstone of nutrition. If meet your daily protein requirements. Each
Supplement Secrets You Won’t Find in a Health Food Store
day, you should eat 1.25 to 1.5 grams or the manufacture of glycogen to restock the levels in the muscle, you can’t stretch to
more of protein per pound of body weight. muscles and liver. the maximum. This limits your growth
At least one gram of protein per pound of potential. (For more information on fascial
your body weight should come from com- Fructose is used primarily to restore liver stretching, consult the Parrillo Training
plete protein sources such as lean white glycogen; it’s really not a good re-supplier Manual.)
meat poultry, fish, egg whites, or protein of muscle glycogen. Glucose, on the other Third – and this is the biggie - fructose
powder. The remaining should come from hand, bypasses the liver and is carried by is easily converted to body fat. Because
starchy and fibrous carbohydrates, which the bloodstream straight to the muscles of fructose’s molecular structure, the liver
also contain protein. To determine the ex- you just worked, where the glycogen-mak- readily converts it into a long-chain triglyc-
act amount of protein to consume, use the ing process begins. Any muscle emptied eride (a fat). Therefore, a majority of the
following equation: of glycogen due to exercise is first on the fruit you eat can ultimately end up as body
Your body weight X 1.5 (or 1.25) = list to get its quota of glucose. fat on your physique. You’ll notice an
Required grams of protein per day. (Some- Clearly, one of the keys to effectively incredible difference when you eliminate
one who weighs 175 pounds, for example, restoring glycogen is the type of carbo- fruits and juices from your diet.
would need 262.5 grams of protein a day.) hydrate you eat. Natural, starchy carbo- These three basic understandings are
Divide your daily protein intake by hydrates such as potatoes, yams, whole the cornerstone to successfully achieving
the number of daily meals to calculate how grains, corn, and legumes do a better job you nutriotional goals. Even though they
many grams of protein you need at each of at this than simple sugars do. Research are the most important, they are often
those meals. has shown that a diet high in starchy car- the least known among many in the fit-
3. Choose Carbohydrates. Decide bohydrates can restock more glycogen in ness community. If you remember these
which fibrous carbohydrates you’ll eat and the muscles 48 hours after exercise than three “secrets” they can seriosly help you
how many grams of each. Figure in one simple sugars can. achieve your goals.
or two per meal. At this point, sub-total If you eat simple sugars like fructose,
your calories to see how much you have you’re not going to be able to store as
left to “spend” on starchy carbohydrates. much glycogen had you consumed natural,
Figure in one or two starchy carbohydrates starchy carbohydrates. What implications
a meal. does this have for you as an athlete or
4. Add in calories from supplements. bodybuilder?
To increase your daily caloric intake, use First, you won’t be able to train as
supplements. The supplements I recom- hard or as long during your next workout,
mend are a carbohydrate supplement such because you haven’t stored as much gly-
as ProCarb™, a protein powder, such as cogen. Nor will you be able to recover
Hi-Protein Formula ™, or a Parrillo Pro- from your workouts as efficiently. Plus,
tein Bar™, and CapTri®, also known as the simple sugars are likely to spill over
MCT oil. into fat stores, with just a fraction con-
verted to glycogen. By contrast, eating
Secret #3. A lot of food supplements ample amounts of starchy carbohydrates
contain fat-forming fructose. will extend your endurance and effectively
Read the labels of nutrition beverages re-supply your muscles with glycogen for
and bars you buy. You might be surprised better recovery. You’ll stay leaner too,
to see fructose, or high fructose corn syrup, since starchy carbs are fully utilized for
as one of the first few ingredients. energy production and glycogen synthesis.
Fructose came into favor years ago Second, you’ll notice less of a “pump”
because of its effect on blood sugar. Un- while working out, also due to low gly-
like other simple sugars, it triggers neither cogen stores in the muscle. The “pump”
a surge of insulin nor a corresponding drop describes an exercised muscle heavily en-
in blood sugar an hour or so after eating it. gorged with blood. If you can’t get a good
That’s the good news. But there’s more to pump, it’s difficult to get the full benefits
the fructose story. of “fascial stretching.” This is my system
After you work out, your body moves of stretching between exercise sets. It
from an energy-using mode (catabolism) stretches the fascia tissue surrounding the
to an energy storage and rebuilding mode muscle so that it has more room to grow.
(anabolism). During the transition, dietary The best time to stretch is when the muscle
carbohydrate is broken down into glucose is fully pumped, because the pump helps
and fructose to be used for “glycogenesis,” stretch the fascia too. With low glycogen
The Whey and Creatine Blast!

by John Parrillo
Two “heavy hitter” supplements prov- with our Nutrition Program. energy supplies much more efficiently so
en scientifically to enhance lean muscle Whey protein is significantly high in that you can continue to work out more
when combined with an intense weight the branch chain amino acid, leucine, and intensely – which leads to greater gains.
training program are whey protein and this is significant. Leucine plays an im- So the bottom line is that whey protein,
creatine monohydrate. You may be tak- portant role in protein metabolism and has with its certain constituent parts, naturally
ing one or the other, or you may be using a signaling function in the body – which enhances anabolic processes in the body.
both. If you are using both, then you are basically means that it stimulates protein
harnessing the supplement synergy of this synthesis in skeletal muscle, although this
combination – and that means a potentially function is not yet well understood. Leu- How Creatine Monohydrate Works
greater increase in muscle mass, according cine has been shown in research to trigger Named after the Greek word for flesh
to recent research published in the Inter- significant and preferential losses of vis- (kreas), creatine was first discovered in
national Journal of Sports Nutrition and ceral body fat. Located in the deeper layers meat in 1832. Creatine is produced natural-
Exercise Metabolism. of the body under the subcutaneous fat, ly in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas — at
In this six-week study of 36 weight- visceral fat is often the hardest fat to lose a rate of about 2 grams a day — from the
training men, those who took whey protein and doesn’t respond well to dieting, par- amino acids arginine, glycine, and methio-
and creatine daily (in the amount of 1 gram nine. Most of your body’s creatine is deliv-
of each per 2.2 pounds of body weight) ered to the muscles, heart, and other body
increased their muscle mass significant- cells. Inside muscle cells, creatine helps
ly, plus increased their bench pressing produce and circulate adenosine triphos-
strength. Control groups who took whey phate (ATP), the molecular fuel that pow-
alone had some increase in mass but not ers muscular contractions. Supplementing
as much as when creatine was added to the with creatine provides numerous benefits.
mix. Those who took a pure carbohydrate (5,6,7)
placebo showed very little gain. This study Creatine increases levels of a high-en-
suggests that part of your supplement pro- ergy compound called creatine phosphate,
gram for gaining leaning mass and build- which also allows more rapid production
ing strength should involve taking whey of ATP. The more ATP that is available to
and creatine. Both have individual benefits, muscle cells, the longer, harder, and more
but appear to be synergistic when taken in powerfully you can work out. Thus, cre-
combo. (1) atine can indirectly help you lose body fat,
since longer, more intense workouts help
How Whey Works ticularly in women. This high leucine com- incinerate fat and build lean muscle. The
For background, whey is a compo- ponent may possibly be responsible for the more muscle you have, the more efficient
nent of milk that is separated from milk potential fat-burning effect observed with your body is at using energy and burning
to make cheese and other dairy products. whey protein. (2) fat.
It is a chief ingredient of some protein Creatine helps your body manufacture
powders and drinks formulated specifically Our whey protein supplements are also contractile proteins within muscle fibers.
for athletes and exercisers. At Parrillo Per- high in the mineral calcium. Known best When you build muscle through exercise,
formance, we have an entire line of prod- for its job as a bone-builder, calcium also diet, and assistance from creatine, you’re
ucts formulated with whey, including our controls fat-burning mechanisms in the essentially increasing the amount of con-
Optimized Whey™ Formula (100% whey body by turning on switches that activate tractile proteins in your muscle fibers. This
protein isolate), our Hi Protein™ Powder fat metabolism. (3) makes the muscle fibers expand in diam-
which is whey protein isolate and calcium Whey protein is also a proven re- eter, get stronger, and generate more force
caseinate and our 50-50 Plus™ Formula covery nutrient. In one study of athletes, when they contract.
(formulated with whey protein isolate, cal- supplementing with a whey protein drink Creatine promotes muscular gains in
cium caseinate, milk protein isolates, and immediately after exercise and then one body mass, averaging up to 6 pounds or
maltodextrin), to be used in conjunction and two hours later accelerated the rate more, usually within several weeks of use.
of glycogen resynthesis. (4) This means, Some of the weight gain experienced by
essentially, that you rebuild your muscle creatine users is due partly to water. Cre-
The Whey and Creatine Blast!
atine attracts water into the muscle cell, Those taking the creatine were able to Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 14:
and this action inflates muscles so that they perform significantly more work than those 251-258.
look fuller. Body composition testing of taking the placebo. The results of this study (4) Van Hall, G., et al. 2000. The ef-
creatine users, however, has verified that indicate that creatine can help you sustain fect of free glutamine and peptide ingestion
much of the weight gain is lean muscle. more powerful contractions when working on the rate of muscle glycogen resynthesis
Creatine postpones exercise fatigue. out. (8) in man. International Journal of Sports
Creatine depletion in muscle cells is a ma- In another recent study, women ex- Medicine 21: 25-30.
jor cause of fatigue. In one study, research- ercisers took 20 grams a day of creatine (5) Clarkson, P.M. 1996. Nutrition
ers looked at creatine levels in sprinters for four days, then followed a mainte- for improved sports performance. Sports
and found that their muscle supply fell nance dose of 5 grams a day for a total of Medicine 6: 393-401.
markedly according to the length of the 10 weeks. Another group took a placebo. (6) Andersen-Parrado, P. 1997. High-
sprints. After 100 meters, creatine levels Those women taking the creatine were able intensity activity + creatine supplementa-
dropped by 50 percent; after 200 me- to complete more repetitions with signifi- tion = muscle power. Better Nutrition,
ters, 59 percent; and after 400 meters, 90 cantly higher poundages than those taking November, 16-17.
percent. When creatine stores were fully the placebo. (9) (7) Volek, J.S., Kraemer, W.J., Bush,
drained, complete fatigue set in. J.A., et al. 1997. Creatine supplementa-
The Whey Creatine Blast tion enhances muscular performance dur-
Here’s how to take these two supple- ing high-intensity exercise. Journal of the
ments. To use creatine in your supplement American Dietetic Association 97: 765-
program I recommend taking four 5-gram 770. (8) McNaughton, L.R., et al.
doses a day for five to 10 days. This is 1998. The effects of creatine supplemen-
known as the “loading phase.” From there, tation on high-intensity exercise perfor-
two to 5 gram doses once a day — about mance in elite athletes. European Journal
half a teaspoon — will keep your muscles of Applied Physiology 78: 236-240.
saturated with enough extra creatine. This (9) Vandenberghe, K., et al. 1997.
period is called the “maintenance phase.” Long-term creatine intake is beneficial
Then I recommend that you take cre- to muscle performance during resistance
atine with one of our whey protein pow- training. Journal of Applied Physiology 83:
ders. Try this for several weeks, but be sure 2055-1063.
to monitor and record your gains using our
BodyStat measuring system.
Diet is critical too. To support muscle
growth, creatine works best if you fol-
low the Parrillo Nutrition Program, which
supplies ample calories from the proper
categories of proteins and carbohydrates.
References
(1) Burke, D.G. 2001. The effect of
whey protein supplement with and with-
out creatine monohydrate combined with
Creatine improves the force and power resistance training on lean tissue mass and
with which you train. This has been proven muscle strength. International Journal of
repeatedly in studies of athletes who per- Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism
form short-burst movements in their sports. 11: 349-364.
At the Kingston University in the United (2) Ha, E., et al. 2003. Functional
Kingdom, researchers tested the effects properties of whey, whey components, and
of creatine on exercise performance in essential amino acids: mechanisms un-
elite athletes. Athletes took 20 grams of derlying health benefits for active people.
creatine a day in divided doses for five Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 14:
days; another group took a placebo. The 251-258.
athletes engaged in three maximal kayak (3) Ha, E., et al. 2003. Functional
ergometer tests. (The tests simulated the properties of whey, whey components, and
sport of kayaking, which is very demand- essential amino acids: mechanisms un-
ing, particularly on upper body strength.) derlying health benefits for active people.
Parrillo Bars: Catabolism’s Worst Enemy!

by John Parrillo
New converts to Parrillo methods al- tion and food consumption your chances amazing meal you can have by consuming
most invariably have a common complaint, of success are slim to none. For those rare an Energy Bar and an Optimized Whey™
“I don’t have the time to eat all the regu- instances when it is impossible to eat a real shake...
larly scheduled meals that you insist are food meal at an appointed time, don’t fret; It would be pretty darned hard to top
critical for bodybuilding success.” In this you can still have a great bodybuilding the nutritional profile of these two products
day and age, that’s no excuse. First off, the meal using Parrillo supplements. A single individually and combined they provide a
serious Parrillo-style trainee cooks the food Parrillo Energy Bar contains 240 calories 400-calories mini-meal that is virtually un-
they require for the coming week the previ- with 14 grams of high BV whey protein, beatable. This one-two Parrillo supplement
ous weekend. It’s a fairly easy thing to take 35 grams of slow release carbohydrate and punch rivals the classical chicken/broc-
some time and bake or grill chicken breast, 6 grams of CapTri®, my patented medium coli/rice bodybuilding meal in terms of
fish, shellfish or lean beef. Do it ahead of chain tryglyceride fat. My Protein Bar has nutritional wallop: the all-supplement meal
time. It’s also a fairly easy thing to bake a slightly different nutritional profile: 20 contains a 47% - 40% - 13% ratio of pro-
potatoes, steam rice and prepare veggies grams of protein combined with 30 grams tein/carbohydrate/fat. The fat contained in
in quantities sufficient for the entire com- of carbs. The great thing about my sport my products is not the standard long-chain
ing week. Salad fixings are available at the nutrition bars are their portability: you can saturated variety but a special MCT that is
grocery store in pre-made packages. Pack stash them in your gym bag or the glove processed by the body like a carbohydrate.
the cooked food away in the refrigerator compartment of your auto, you can leave This technical distinction is huge and can-
and each day before work or school (or a few in the office desk drawer, satchel, not be overemphasized; the problem with
the night before) construct those highly purse, locker or file cabinet and this way fat is not the caloric content but the fact
structured bodybuilding meals using proper you are never, ever without a delicious, that saturated fat is easily compartmental-
amounts of pre-made food. I recommend a muscle-building snack – how long does it ized as body fat. MCT oil accounts for all
portion of protein, a portion of starchy car- take to consume a bar? Three minutes? the fat calories in my nutritional products
bohydrate and a portion of fibrous carbs at There really is no excuse to miss a and while boosting the calories (a good
each meal. Once the meals are assembled, meal or deny your self the quality calories thing) is virtually impossible to end up as
place the portions into individual sized needed to ward off catabolism. I would body fat. Substituting the Energy bar for
Tupperware containers for transportation strongly suggest that you consider keep- the Protein bar makes the split between
to the workplace, office or school. When ing a container of Parrillo Hi-Protein or protein and carbohydrate roughly equal at
it’s time to eat a meal bring them to life by Optimized Whey protein powder stashed 44/44/12. Best of all, this 400-calorie meal
zapping them in the microwave or eat them at work. The simplicity of protein shake doesn’t have to be cooked and can be eaten
at room temperature in a pinch. preparation is mind-boggling; keep a small anywhere. Is it any wonder that elite body-
Finding time for meal consumption Tupperware shaker handy and at the appro- builders will consume a “Parrillo Meal”
is a consideration. Even if your boss is priate time place two scoops of dry protein after an intense workout?
Ebenezer Scrooge how long does it take powder into the shaker, walk to the water Science has shown repeatedly that nu-
to consume a mid-morning or mid-after- fountain, add six ounces of cold water trients are absorbed at a far faster and more
noon meal? Five minutes? You can eat a and give the concoction a vigorous shake efficient rate immediately after a high inten-
meal in less time than it takes to smoke a or two. Presto! 150 calories, 33 grams of sity weight workout. There exists a window
cigarette or use the bathroom; the point be- high BV whey protein, no fat or sugar of opportunity that opens after a workout
ing that even with the constraints of work and 4 grams of carbohydrate. Look at the ends and snaps shut roughly one hour later.
and school you can make the bodybuilding During this period if quality nutrients are
meal plan work if you want to. On the other ingested in a timely fashion and in the right
hand if you’re looking for a convenient ex- amount, all kinds of miraculous results oc-
cuse not to cook ahead of time and looking cur: catabolism is thwarted, anabolism is
to find a way not to eat a mid-morning and established and (assuming the nutrients are
mid-afternoon meal, than perhaps you’d of sufficient quality and quantity) muscle
be better suited for golf, bowling or tennis tissue is healed, repaired and growth oc-
instead of bodybuilding because frankly, if curs. Conversely about the worse thing you
you don’t come to grips with food prepara- can do to a muscle after beating the hell out
of it in a fierce workout is to starve the mus-
Parrillo Bars: Catabolism’s Worst Enemy!
cle. Is it any wonder that elite bodybuilders drink a protein shake. Inside two minutes
are often seen sitting on an exercise bench you’ll have consumed a delicious, nutrition-
after an exhausting workout drinking a Par- ally balanced meal. Persuaded? You should
rillo protein shake while they munch on a be – pick up the phone right now and call
Parrillo bar? You should do the same. I am our toll-free number and order a canister of
a great believer that supplements should Parrillo Optimized Whey™ and a box of
be used to supplement not replace regular our bars. When situations and circumstance
food. Often bodybuilders take a good thing contrive to keep you from consuming that
to extremes and virtually live on nutritional perfectly constructed bodybuilding meal,
supplements. Their logic is understandable you’ll be ready. After that high intensity,
but flawed; if supplements are good, more Parrillo-style weight workout there is no
supplements are better. The problem with smarter, faster or more efficient way to re-
consuming supplements most of the time is vive, repair and restore muscle tissue than
that repeated use doesn’t take advantage of eating a bar and drinking a protein shake.
the effect real food has on digestion. Don’t forget our patented 50-50 Plus™
A perfectly balanced ‘real food’ meal, supplement which blends near equal parts
one that contains a fat-free protein portion, of Optimized Whey™ and Pro-Carb™. I
a starchy carb and a fiber carb portion, designed this powerful supplement to pro-
provides sustained nutrition over a provide the hard working bodybuilder an easy
tracted period of time. It takes the human to use anti-catabolic drink.
body time to digest food and break food
down into usable subcomponents. This is a
good thing as the digestion process ensures
a sustained release of quality nutrients.
Bodybuilders who use nutritional supple-
ments on a near exclusive basis don’t get
the same results as those who receive the
bulk of their calories from real food meals.
The optimal method is to consume most
of your daily calories in the form of whole
foods and supplement sound eating with
high quality nutritional supplements. Ev-
ery single meal does not have to be a food
meal; as long as the majority of your daily
calories are derived from ‘real’ food, a
daily feeding (or two) derived strictly from
quality supplements is okay. Then you
have the best of both worlds. The ease and
quickness of a post-workout ‘smart bomb’
is genius-on-a-stick. The quick digestive
properties of a Parrillo Bar and a Parrillo
protein shake can work to our post-workout
advantage. We don’t have to wait for the
body’s enzymes to break down whole food
in order to get nutrients to blasted muscles
before the post-workout window of op-
portunity snaps shut. Post-workout, smart-
bombing using nutritional supplements are
totally appropriate.
Sometimes circumstance prevent us
from eating that perfectly balanced body-
building meal at its appointed time. Rather
than miss a critical feeding and go catabolic
– or instead of stuffing your face with junk
food – retrieve that Parrillo bar (or two) and
Nutrient Partitioning: How To Control the Insulin/Glucagon Axis!

by John Parrillo
At Parrillo Performance we use sci- the cells. With the help of insulin, glucose acids essential for rebuilding and regener-
ence and experience to our advantage. One is transported to the individual cells and ating muscle tissue torn down by intense
particular area of scientific interest for all either burned for energy or stored as gly- progressive resistance training. Every time
serious bodybuilders should be hormones cogen. If too many of the wrong kind of you consume a meal, be sure to include a
and how to regulate them. Combine serious carbohydrates are consumed too quickly protein portion. Protein keeps muscle tissue
training with regulation and manipulation and released into the bloodstream too rap- supplied with building blocks needed to
of hormones and take your bodybuilding up idly, insulin spikes. If too much insulin is fuel growth.
to the next level. Were you aware that hor- dumped into the bloodstream too quickly Fibrous carbohydrates have a dampen-
mones control the amount of body fat we (all a direct result of consuming too many ing effect on insulin and therefore, along
carry? When calories are consumed three of the wrong kind of carbs) carbohydrates with protein, are considered the backbone
things can happen: the calories can be used are eventually converted into body fat. Op- of the Parrillo nutritional approach. Every
immediately to power movement and run timally we want to burn carbs for energy. time you consume a meal, include a fibrous
bodily functions, the calories can be placed As a next resort we want excess carbs to carb to help dampen insulin spikes.
in storage as glycogen for use in the near go into carb limbo and end up stored as Starchy carbohydrates are a mixed
future or the newly-consumed calories can glycogen for use in the near future. The bag; I include them in my nutritional pro-
be stored as body fat. Hormones instruct very last thing we want is for excessive car- gram but always combine their consump-
the body how to compartmentalize calories bohydrates to become converted into body tion with a fibrous carb and a protein por-
and my nutritional approach teaches you fat. The classical Parrillo bodybuilding diet tion. During mass building phases starchy
how to manipulate hormones to do the right insists you stay away from certain foods, carbs are eaten in ample amounts. During
thing at the right time. By combining preci- foods that inevitably end up compartmen- lean-out phases, starchy carbohydrate con-
sion eating with intense physical exercise talized as body fat. Simple or refined sugars sumption is systematically reduced.
two key hormones, insulin and glucagon top the avoid list: sweets, dairy products Insulin and glucagon are two sides of
can be regulated to our benefit. Insulin can containing lactose, refined carbs like pasta the same coin and work together to keep
have a powerful anabolic effect, particular- and bread are foods that need be avoided blood sugar levels on an even keel. By
ly if secreted right after a heavy workout. altogether. Calories derived from simple avoiding certain foods and making sure to
Precise use of insulin causes nutrients to be sugars are usually channeled directly to take other foods in combination with one
rushed to battered muscles at just the right body fat storage compartments pointing out another we favorably manipulate powerful
time. Manipulation of glucagon causes the why food selection is critical. hormones that aid in our quest to build ad-
body to burn stored body fat. Glucagon is Are you aware that a gland, the hy- ditional muscle and strip off excess body
released into the system when blood sugar pothalamus, determines how much body fat. The optimal insulin-to-glucagon ratio
is low. Glucagon causes body fat to be fat a person should carry? It is possible to is determined by the ratio of carbohydrates-
summoned from fat storage sites. Insulin reset the hypothalamus ‘set point’ by mak- to-proteins in your diet. In a nutshell, my
and glucagon are both produced by the ing intelligent food choices. Resetting the recommendation to people interested in
pancreas but each has an exactly opposite set-point is accomplished by combining trying a Parrillo-style bodybuilding diet
effect. By controlling blood-sugar levels intense exercise with specific foods taken is to start by consuming 1 to 1.5 grams or
you determine how the body uses incom- at specific times in specific amounts. I have more of protein per pound of body weight
ing calories. I call this nutrient partitioning arrived at a very effective method for struc- per day. A 200-pound man would consume
and the concept is easy to understand but turing meals that combines certain foods in 200-250 grams of protein per day. That
requires precision eating to realize the im- order to make optimal use of insulin and sounds like a lot of protein but if you are
mense benefits. glucagon. If done correctly we can actually hitting the weights and the cardio as hard
Carbohydrates are converted to blood reset the hypothalamus in the process. Op- and often and as intensely as you’re sup-
glucose after they are consumed. Nutrients timally a bodybuilder eats multiple meals posed to, you will need this much protein
are transported to the liver via the portal spaced at equidistant intervals throughout to heal and repair muscle tissue and still
vein and digested and absorbed by the the day. Elite bodybuilders using a Parrillo have enough amino acids left to fuel new
small intestine. Carbs are converted to nutrition plan will eat 5 to 8 meals per day growth. At Parrillo, long chain saturated fat
glucose and released into the bloodstream and each meal will contain a portion of is allotted no more than 5% of daily calo-
and a rapid rise in blood sugar triggers three key food groups: ries. A man eating 3000 calories per day
the release of insulin in order to facilitate Protein is critical for anyone who trains would be allowed to consume only 150-
glucose diffusion and move glucose into intensely. Protein is composed of amino calories worth of saturated fat per day; a
Nutrient Partitioning: How To Control the Insulin/Glucagon Axis!
mere 17-grams of long chain saturated fat. firm ground of real World experience. We
Starchy carbohydrates are the wild know what works and what doesn’t. Ex-
card in the Parrillo nutritional philosophy. perience gained over the past 30-years in
As I mentioned earlier, during a concen- preparing National and International level
trated muscle-mass building phase, starchy bodybuilders for competition has proven
consumption is purposefully increased. what works and what doesn’t. The good
During a mass-building phase I recom- news is we can control hormones by regu-
mend adding 1-pound of body weight per lating what we eat, when we eat and how
100-pounds of bodyweight per week. Our much we eat. The human body can only
hypothetical 200-pound athlete would seek build muscle mass so fast but it has a virtu-
to add 2-pounds of bodyweight per week ally unlimited ability and capacity to store
for the length of the mass-building phase. body fat. The Parrillo method has four
Since protein and fibrous carb consumption components: weight training, cardio train-
is kept high regardless if the bodybuilder ing, food and nutritional supplementation.
is seeking to build size or get ripped, and Through the controlled use of Parrillo-style
since long chain saturated fat is always eating, training and supplementation we
held to 5% or less, adding starchy carbs have developed a method to manage the
during a mass building phase is the ideal insulin/glucagon ratio. Clean up your diet,
way to obtain additional calories needed eat only recommended foods and avoid
to push the body weight ever upward. On other foods altogether, engage in hard and
the other hand, if the athlete has sufficient heavy weight training and practice intense
muscle mass and seeks to strip off body cardio on a regular basis. Finally, use nutri-
fat, I recommend reducing body weight by tional supplementation to fill in any gaps.
– you guessed it – 1-pound per 100-pounds Seeking to add some serious muscle
of body weight. By being methodical and mass? Tip the insulin/glucagon ratio in
precise during the weight loss phase and favor of insulin by adding more calories
by not dropping body weight too quickly, derived from starch. Make sure you have
the bodybuilder retains hard-earned muscle plenty of Parrillo Pro Carb™, Hi-Protein
mass while systematically stripping away powder™, creatine monohydrate and boxes
body fat. The idea is to tip the insulin/glu- of Parrillo Energy Bars™ on hand. Look-
cagon ratio one way or the other, depending ing to get shredded for summer or compete
on the goal. Insulin and glucagon activate in an upcoming bodybuilding competi-
or inhibit regulatory enzymes. The intro- tion? Start now! Tip the I/G ratio in favor
duction of insulin into the system increases of glucagon; hit early morning cardio, cut
the number of enzymes involved in the down on starchy carbs while maintaining a
conversion of glucose into energy. Simul- good intake of insulin-dampening protein
taneously these enzymes inhibit glycogen and fibrous carbs. Add back lost calories
synthesis and breakdown, and decrease by using CapTri®, the world famous Par-
gluconeogenesis, the synthesis of glucose rillo product used by legions of competi-
from amino acids. Glucagon inhibits two tive bodybuilders. CapTri® is a calorically
key enzymes that promote fat storage. Glu- dense lipid that is used as a cooking agent
cagon mobilizes fatty acids from fat stores or a food accent and adds back calories
and transports them to muscle mitochon- critical for maintaining muscle mass with-
dria. Want to build muscle mass? Precision out spiking insulin. Strip off body fat by us-
use of insulin is the ticket – want to get ing Optimized Whey protein™, Advanced
shredded and ripped? Avoid insulin spikes Lipotropic Formula™ and 50-50 Plus™
and through strict eating stimulate the re- powder for post-workout regeneration.
lease of body fat-mobilizing glucagon. Whichever way you decide to jump you
To be successful at building an out- need an eating plan that tips the insulin/glu-
standing body you have to combine com- cagon ratio purposefully one direction or
monsense with science and factor in ex- the other. Call us today at 1-800-344-3404
perience. At Parrillo Performance we have and ask to speak to one of our nutritional
taken bodybuilding nutrition to a whole experts about what specific supplements
new level. While our head may be in the you’ll need to aid you in your quest to be
clouds searching out new and better modes the best.
and methods our feet are planted on the
Clearing Up The Confusion Over Carbs

by John Parrillo
The “low-carb revolution” we’re living Starchy Carbs and Fibrous Carbs from the aerobic metabolism of carbohy-
in would have you believe that all carbs are drates, fatty acids, and amino acids (aerobic
bad. Not so – especially for bodybuilders, The Parrillo Nutrition Program fur- means “with oxygen”). Carbohydrate is
athletes, and anyone who exercises regu- ther subdivides complex carbs into two unique in that it can also be metabolized
larly, with even a fair degree of intensity. I classes: starchy carbs and fibrous carbs. anaerobically (without oxygen). The anaer-
think we’ve lost sight of the importance of Good sources of starchy carbohydrates are obic production of ATP from carbohydrate
carbs for building muscle and maintaining potatoes, rice, beans, oatmeal, and whole is called glycolysis. Glycolysis makes a
high energy for high-performance train- grains, and good sources of fibrous carbs big contribution to the energy expended
ing. That’s why I’d like to set the record include broccoli, lettuce, spinach, green during very intense exercise of short dura-
straight on carbs – and which ones are best beans, asparagus, and other fresh vegeta- tion, such as weight lifting. Lifting weights
for bodybuilding and strength training in bles. On my nutrition plan, you eat at least requires so much energy so fast that aerobic
general. one to two servings of starchy carbs and metabolism can’t keep up with the demand.
one to two servings of fibrous carbs at each By the time oxygen can get from the lungs
A Carb Primer meal, along with a lean protein source. to the muscles and inside the cells, your set
High fiber foods such as fibrous carbs is already over. Although glycolysis is rela-
For perspective, carbohydrates are contain cellulose, a plant carbohydrate that tively inefficient, it offers the advantage of
grouped into two general classes: complex humans cannot digest. Cellulose, provides generating energy instantly upon demand.
carbohydrates and simple sugars. Found bulk, which helps with elimination and One disadvantage of anaerobic me-
in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, is good for your intestines. Also, fiber tabolism is that it produces lactic acid as a
complex carbohydrates are nothing more and protein slow the digestion of starchy waste product. Lactic acid accumulates in
than simple sugars linked together into carbs, resulting in a more gradual release the muscles and the blood and is respon-
long chains. Your body digests the complex of glucose into the bloodstream and more sible for the burning sensation at the end
carbs into simple sugars and releases them sustained energy levels. This way, insulin of the set. The accumulation of lactic acid
into the bloodstream as glucose. In the end, release is more moderate, rather than the shuts down energy production and forces
then, all carbohydrates are converted into sharp spike of insulin released in response you to stop and rest. Most of the lactic acid
glucose before they are used. Based on this, to simple sugars. makes its way from the muscles into the
you might think it would not make any dif- Be sure to avoid simple sugars. These bloodstream. The liver is able to convert
ference whether you get your carbs from include not only processed sugar but also the lactic acid back into glucose so it can be
starch or simple sugars—but it does. foods like honey, milk, and fruit. Milk used as fuel again. The conversion of lactic
Available from candy, soft drinks, and contains lactose, or milk sugar. Fruit con- acid back into glucose requires oxygen, and
other processed sugary foods, simple sug- tains a simple sugar known as fructose, this is why you continue to breathe hard
ars are released into the bloodstream im- which is easily converted to fat in the liver. for a few minutes while you’re recovering
mediately, causing a rapid increase in blood Although fresh fruit and low fat dairy prod- after a set. This pay-back from anaerobic
sugar level and an insulin surge. Because ucts are healthy, nutritious foods, they con- metabolism is called “oxygen dept.”
simple sugars are released faster than the tain a lot of natural sugars which are easily
body can burn them for energy or store converted into body fat. So if you’re striv- How Your Body Stores and Uses Carbs
them as glycogen, insulin causes the excess ing for ultimate leanness and a high energy
to be converted to fat. Complex carbs, on level, avoid the consumption of sugary Your body can store only about 600
the other hand, must be digested, a process foods, including fruit and dairy products. grams of glycogen (the body’s storage form
that slows down their rate of release into of carbohydrate), although this probably
the bloodstream, resulting in a more mod- The Body’s Optimum Energy Source varies according to your training state, diet,
erate insulin release and a more uniform and amount of muscle mass. Glycogen is
energy level. Also, since they don’t cause Many experiments indicate that car- stored mostly in the muscles where it will
as big an insulin release, complex carbs bohydrate is the body’s preferred fuel dur- be used, and also to a small extent in the
are not as prone to be converted to fat. One ing exercise. More than 99 percent of the liver. Muscle glycogen is not released into
hundred grams of sugar will have a differ- carbohydrate is used in the body to form the bloodstream and is only used by the
ent effect on your body than one hundred adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, the fuel muscle in which it’s stored. After muscle
grams of starch, even though both supply source used directly by the muscles to glycogen stores become depleted, liver
100 grams of carbohydrate. power contractions. ATP is not stored by glycogen is broken into glucose units and
the body so it must be constantly produced released into the bloodstream for use by
Clearing Up The Confusion Over Carbs
working muscles throughout the body and and is not conducive to optimal exercise
by the central nervous system. performance.
Your muscle glycogen reserves be- Carbohydrate drinks such as Parrillo
come progressively lower during exercise. ProCarb™ are very useful in this situ-
During long bouts of exercise, glycogen ation, as well as for athletes trying to
reserves may drop to critically low levels further increase caloric intake. ProCarb™
- to the point of glycogen depletion. You is also useful during training and athletic
then feel exhausted and must stop exercis- competitions to help maintain energy. This
ing or dramatically reduce the intensity. supplement contains slow-release starches
The point of muscular fatigue coincides (dextrins), rather than simple sugars such
with glycogen depletion. This is separate as glucose, sucrose, or fructose.
from momentary muscular failure at the Generally speaking, the more carbs you
end of a set which is due to lactic acid ac- eat, the more carbs your body will burn for
cumulation. Glycogen reserves can also be energy, and the more fat you eat, the more
depleted gradually over a period of days fat you’ll store. This is why athletes—and
if carbohydrate intake does not match that especially bodybuilders—should eat a diet
utilized during exercise. This feeling of high in complex carbohydrates and low in
fatigue from failure to adequately replenish fat, In fact, anyone interested in having a
glycogen reserves is often interpreted as lean, high-energy body should consume a
overtraining. In some cases, overtraining high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet.
may be alleviated by increased carbohy-
drate consumption. Not getting a good Reference
pump in the gym is a clue that you’re prob- Costill DL, Bowers R, Branam G, Sparks
ably glycogen deficient. K. 1977. Muscle glycogen utilization dur-
ing prolonged exercise on successive days.
Carbs and Training Intensity Journal of Applied Physiology 31: 834-
838.
The amount of carbohydrates you take
in affects your training intensity. In one
study, a group of athletes consuming 300
to 350 grams of carbohydrate per day
was seen to become progressively more
glycogen depleted during successive days
of training (1). After several days, these
athletes were unable to continue with heavy
training. In contrast, a diet providing 500 to
600 grams carbohydrate per day was found
to elicit a complete repletion of glycogen
reserves, and athletes on this diet were able
to maintain a heavy training schedule.
Of course, these numbers are not pre-
scriptive. An individual athlete’s carbohy-
drate requirement depends on his energy
needs, which in turn depend on the type, in-
tensity, duration, and frequency of exercise.
Endurance athletes require the most energy
and the most carbohydrates. The longer and
harder you train, the more carbohydrate
calories you need.
Some athletes train so heavily that they
have trouble consuming enough high car-
bohydrate foods to fuel their activities and
replenish glycogen stores. Also, consuming
a huge volume of food can cause gastro-
intestinal distress, bloating, or discomfort,
Hormone Help
by John Parrillo
into the bloodstream too fast. This causes your carb:protein ratio to 1.0:1.5 and use
Through diet and exercise, you can
CapTri® to make up for the carb energy
control all of the major hormones in- too much insulin to be released. When
insulin levels get too high, some of the you’ve reduced (CapTri® is a specially
volved in muscle growth and fat loss,
carbohydrate is converted to fat instead of engineered fat that is burned like a carb in
namely insulin, glucagon, and growth
being stored as glycogen. Also, if insulin the body). For muscle gain, you will want
hormone. Your diet and exercise habits
levels get too high this actually causes too to increase the carb:protein ratio as well
set up a “hormonal environment” inside
much sugar to be moved into cells. This as increasing total calories. Generally, you
your body which determines if nutrients
results in “hypoglycemia,” which means want to consume about 1.5 times as many
will be stored in the lean compartment or
low blood sugar. If your blood sugar is calories from carbohydrate as protein.
the fat compartment. A few fairly simple
too low, you feel very tired. Simple sug- When you’re trying to gain weight, you
manipulations in your food intake and in
ars cause your blood sugar level to spike, want a little more insulin so you eat a little
your workouts will make all the difference
then paradoxically to decrease to a lower more carbohydrate.
in the world. Let’s take a look at how this
level than before (because of insulin over- One last thing about insulin. In addi-
all works.
release). tion to it enhancing transport of glucose
This is why the rate of digestion of inside cells, it is also required for trans-
Dietary Manipulation of Hormones
your meals is important. Stay away from port of certain amino acids into cells.
foods containing simple sugars (sweets, These include the branched chain amino
The best place to start in explaining
fruit, dairy products) and refined carbo- acids, and this is why it is important to
these hormones is with insulin and gluca-
hydrates (bread and pasta) because these take your Muscle-Amino Formula™ with
gon. These hormones are among the most
are released into the bloodstream too fast, meals and not on an empty stomach. It
potent determiners of fat storage and fat
causing too much insulin to be released. has been found that neither insulin nor
loss. Luckily, the levels of these hormones
This channels calories to fat stores. growth hormone alone is sufficient to
are entirely determined by diet, so you can
Combining protein and fibrous stimulate growth; you have to have both
have control over them by carefully regu-
carbs with your starches, and avoiding of them together at the same time. This is
lating what you eat. Insulin and glucagon
simple and refined carbohydrates, slows at least partly due to the fact that these two
are both produced by the pancreas, but
the release of glucose into the blood- hormones act to transport different sets
have exactly opposite effects. Their chief
stream resulting in a lower, but longer, of amino acids inside cells, and you need
concern is the regulation of blood sugar
insulin release. This gives you a uni- all of the amino acids present at the same
(glucose) levels. Your brain requires a
form energy level and channels calo- time in order for growth to occur (1).
constant supply of glucose for fuel, so the
blood glucose level is tightly regulated ries toward muscle and away from fat.
Glucagon has the opposite effect of insu- Exercise Manipulation of Hormones
to make sure the brain never runs out of
lin. An increase in blood sugar triggers a
gas.
release of insulin but inhibits glucagon re- While insulin and glucagon are con-
When you eat carbohydrates, they
lease. Glucagon is released several hours trolled entirely by diet, the most effective
are digested and absorbed by the small
after a meal when blood sugar levels drop. way to control growth hormone (GH) is
intestine and transported directly to the
Glucagon reduces glucose for energy and by exercise (2,3). This is why exercise is
liver via the portal vein. Essentially, all of
stimulates breakdown of body fat and the required to gain muscle and lose fat. If
the carbohydrate you eat is converted to
use of fat for energy. Glucagon also stimu- you try to lose weight by cutting calories,
glucose by the liver before being released
lates glycogen breakdown. The net result about half of the weight you lose will be
into the bloodstream. After a meal your
of glucagon is to raise the glucose levels muscle. Conversely, if you gain weight
blood glucose level rises as carbohydrates
back to normal and to signal the body to simply by increasing calories (without
are released. This rise in blood sugar trig-
begin using fat for energy since it ís run- exercising) you’ll just get fat. Exercise is
gers a release of insulin from the pancreas.
ning low on carbs. required to set up the proper hormonal mi-
Insulin is required to help move glucose
Your body’s ratio or insulin to gluca- lieu allowing selective fat loss and muscle
into cells. Once inside cells, the glucose is
gon is determined solely by the ratio of gain. The favorable effects of exercise in
burned for energy or stored as glycogen.
protein to carbohydrate in your diet. For increasing muscle mass while decreasing
Everything is fine so far. The problem
weight loss, you generally want to limit fat stores are mediated largely through
arises when carbohydrates are released
growth hormone, testosterone and epi-
nephrine. Therefore, to sculpt the ultimate References
physique, we have to talk about effective
training strategies to optimize growth hor- 1. de Castro JM, Paullin SK and DeLugas
mone. Growth hormone is the GM. Insulin and glucagon as determinants
most important hormone responsible for of body weight set point and microregula-
normal growth during childhood. Without tion in rats. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 92:
growth hormone, a person will never at- 571-579, 1978.
tain adult stature. Growth hormone has
profound effects on the growth of the 2. Remington DW, Fisher AG, and Parent
skeleton as well as the muscles. Tes- EA. How to Lower your Fat Thermo-
tosterone and estrogen produced during stat. Vitality House International, Provo,
puberty cause the skeleton to mature and 1983.
stop growing, but growth hormone still
promotes muscle growth and fat loss in 3. Guyton, AC. Textbook of Medical
adults. Physiology. W.B. Saunders, 1991.
There are several things you can do
to naturally increase your GH levels. One 4. Johnson LR. Essential Medical Physi-
is to get a good night’s sleep. Growth hor- ology. Raven Press, New York, 1992.
mone is released maximally during sleep,
normally about three hours after you fall
asleep. Trying to build muscle without
getting enough rest is nearly impossible.
Second, GH release is increased during
and just after intense exercise (2,3). The
most effective training style for increas-
ing GH release is high volume training
(2,3,4). I recommend a mixture of low
rep, medium rep and high rep work to
maximally stimulate all the muscle fibers
as well as train the nervous system. This
results in optimal increases in size and
strength.
Third, eat a high-protein diet con-
sisting of egg whites, white meat poul-
try, fish, and protein supplements such
as Parrillo Hi-Protein™ Powder. Protein
not only stimulates GH release, but also
provides the building blocks you need to
build new muscle tissue. Fourth, certain
combinations of amino acids have been
shown to increase GH release and result in
increased lean body mass (4). Enhanced
GH Formula™ contains the most effec-
tive combination ever developed. Take it
on an empty stomach just before training
and before bed.
Of course, merely having a detailed
intellectual understanding of how nutri-
tion and exercise come together in your
body to build muscle and burn fat does
nothing to achieve those results. It’s up to
you to put this information to use in the
gym and at the dinner table.
Creatine
by John Parrillo
Creatine does it all: increases muscle mass, CP and ATP are not absorbed through the are eating enough lean protein and quality
builds strength, and enhances endurance, intestine. calories to support muscle gains.
according to a growing body of scientific Creatine monohydrate, on the other What can you expect from creatine?
research. (1-6). We’ve been doing our own hand, is readily absorbed and does in fact Typically in hard-training bodybuilders,
trials here as well and have seen impressive reach the muscle cell when administered we observe an increase of 4-14 pounds of
results. orally (2). This is why it can be used as lean mass during the first month of using
What is creatine, and how does it an effective supplement. Once inside the creatine. This is remarkable. This does not
work? For background, the immediate muscle cell it is converted to creatine phos- mean you have to consume 4-14 pounds
source of energy for all cellular activity, phate. What about the sublingual route? of creatine. Remember, most of the weight
including muscle contraction, is a mol- This is bogus, since the molecule still has gain and size increase comes from water.
ecule called ATP. This stands for adenos- to cross cell membranes to reach the circu- Creatine is stored in muscle cells, where
ine triphosphate. ATP is formed from the lation. What about liquid creatine? Doubly it attracts water. The more muscle mass
chemical energy contained in food. Food bogus, since creatine tends to break down you have to start with, the more creatine
is oxidized, or burned, in the body to re- when stored as a solution. you can assimilate and the more weight
lease energy. This energy is used to form So how exactly does creatine increase you will gain from using creatine. Small
ATP, which then goes on to power cellular muscle size and strength? It increases bodybuilders usually gain 4-6 pounds and
activity. The body’s stores of ATP are very strength by increasing the intracellular lev- the really big guys gain 10-14 pounds. We
limited. In fact, each muscle cell contains els of creatine and creatine phosphate, have verified that this weight gain shows up
only enough ATP to power contractions which allows more rapid ATP production. as an increase in lean body mass when you
for a few seconds. Therefore, ATP must be This means more energy is available to the do body composition testing. Remember
continuously regenerated. cell, allowing it to work harder. This same that lean mass is a measure of everything
That’s where creatine fits in. When mechanism explains why creatine increases in your body that’s not fat, including the
ATP is broken down to as part of the en- endurance performance too. If you increase skeleton and muscle, including water. It’s
ergy-producing process, creatine (in the the creatine pool inside the muscle this hard to imagine anybody happier than a
form of creatine phosphate, or CP) steps in increases the cell’s energy reserve, allow- bodybuilder who gains 10 pounds of lean
and chemically regenerates ATP (1). This ing longer, as well as more powerful, con- mass in one month.
allows high energy muscle contractions to tractions. Creatine is very popular among Regarding performance, we’ve seen ath-
continue. After about 45 seconds to 2 min- endurance athletes, and is widely used in letes experience a 5-15% increase in
utes (depending on the intensity of effort) track and field. strength on their maximum lifts, and an
the creatine phosphate is also used up, and Creatine increases muscle size because it increase of about 2 reps per set with their
power production by the muscle rapidly attracts water. Creatine is absorbed into working weight. This increase in training
declines. This is what happens when you the muscle cell and pulls a lot of water intensity allows you to put a greater load
fail at the end of a set – you’ve used up along with it, causing the muscle to swell. on the muscle, which will indeed increase
all your ATP and CP, which means you’re This results in larger, firmer muscles and your gains in muscle protein mass over
out of fuel. This is also why high intensity a better pump. Please realize that creatine time. The amount of strength gain each in-
weight lifting sets usually last about a min- itself does not directly increase muscle dividual can make may differ considerably,
ute before you fail. After the CP is used up, protein. As with all supplements, it is vital because the strength of your tendons also
ATP cannot be regenerated fast enough to that you use creatine in conjunction with a determines how much weight the muscle
maintain a high level of intensity. Lower solid bodybuilding diet. You need protein can lift. While it seems clear that creatine
intensity exercise (aerobic exercise like to build muscle tissue and carbohydrates will allow faster and greater gains in size
bike riding) can be continued almost in- to provide energy. Creatine itself is not and strength over the long-term, firm num-
definitely because you can generate CP and burned to produce energy, rather it acts bers cannot be attached at the onset. A lot
ATP fast enough to keep up with the energy as an energy buffer to transfer the energy depends on whether you are eating enough
demands of the activity. derived from carbohydrate and fat oxida- protein and calories to support gains. If you
You’ll notice supplemental creatine tion to ATP. Creatine is not incorporated don’t eat enough to support muscle gain,
comes in the form of creatine monohydrate. into protein. It will, however, indirectly you won’t see any, it’s that simple. But with
Why isn’t creatine phosphate or ATP itself increase the protein mass of muscles over a solid, high-calorie, high-protein diet and
used as a supplement instead? Simply put, time by allowing you to perform higher in- intense training, your muscle gains can be
because it doesn’t work. Molecules such as tensity workouts. That is, of course, if you incredible. Regarding endurance exercise,
Creatine
we’ve seen athletes experience a 5-10% and creatine supplementation would in-
increase in speed and a 10-20% increase in crease creatinine levels further.
time to fatigue.
As with nearly all supplements, actual References
usage will vary from person to person and
will likely change as your body and train- 1. Maughan RJ. Creatine supplementa-
ing changes. To start out, I recommend for tion and exercise performance. Interna-
the first one to two weeks you use 20-30 tional Journal of Sport Nutrition 5: 94-101,
grams a day divided into even servings 1995.
taken with each meal, or with a Hi-Pro-
tein/Pro-Carb drink. This is the loading 2. Greenhaff PL. Creatine and its ap-
phase. One scoop or heaping teaspoon is plication as an ergogenic aid. International
five grams, so one of these with each meal Journal of Sport Nutrition 5: S100-S110,
is about right. Use the lower end of these 1995.
ranges if you’re 150-200 pounds, and the
upper end if you’re over 200 pounds. We 3. Crim MC, Munro HN. Proteins and
recommend one to two weeks, but the load- Amino Acids. Modern Nutrition in Health
ing phase may take as many as four weeks. and Disease 8: 9-10, 1994.
When you find that you’re really getting a
good pump, the loading phase has filled the 4. Greenhaff PL, Casey A, Short AH,
creatine stores in your muscle. After that, Harris AC, Soderlund K, and Hultman E.
5-10 grams a day is enough to maintain Influence of oral creatine supplementation
your creatine stores. Cycling creatine is of on muscle torque during repeated bouts of
no advantage. If you stop taking creatine, maximal voluntary exercise in man. Clin.
you simply deplete your existing store, Sci. 84: 565-571, 1993.
which takes 4-8 weeks.
Creatine can be mixed in plain wa- 5. Harris RC, Viru M, Greenhaff PL,
ter too. Don’t be concerned that creatine and Haltman E. The effect of oral creatine
doesn’t dissolve fully; just drink the sus- supplementation on running performance
pension. It gets absorbed very well. Don’t’ during maximal short term exercise in man.
mix creatine in water too far in advance of J. Physiol. 467: 74P, 1993.
when you take it, however, since it begins
to break down. A great way to pack creatine 6. Ernest CP, Snell PG, Mitchell TL,
is to take a shaker bottle with a scoop of Rodriguez R, and Almada AL. Effect of
Hi-Protein or Pro-Carb, plus a scoop of cre- creatine monohydrate on peak anaerobic
atine and put it in your gym bag or cooler. power, capacity, and fatigue index. Med.
Then just add water, shake, and drink. An- Sci. Sports. Exerc. 26: S39, 1994.
other convenient way to use creatine is to
mix it into oatmeal. Creatine has no flavor,
but it is a little grainy.
Are there any medical concerns with
taking creatine? If you have any blood
work done you might find that creatine
elevates your creatinine level. Doctors use
the creatinine level in the blood as an index
of kidney function. If your doctor notices
an increase in your creatinine level and ex-
presses some concern about your kidneys,
tell him or her that you’re using creatine.
Creatine does not damage the kidneys in
any way, but is contraindicated if you have
pre-existing severe kidney disease (for ex-
ample, renal dialysis or kidney transplant
patients). People with severe kidney dis-
ease have trouble eliminating creatinine,
BCAA’s: Activating Muscular Growth

by John Parrillo
One of the greatest peaking ironies as well as activating the body’s fat-burn- not be made by the body and are called “es-
– and challenges – is that you must be in ing pathways. How does it work? What sential” amino acids because it is essential
a calorie deficit to stimulate fat loss, yet happens is the nutrition program and the they be obtained from the diet. Obviously,
in order to drive muscle growth you must training program merge to have certain ef- bodybuilders need to be attentive that their
supply all the nutrients and energy muscles fects on your body’s hormones. And these diet supplies all of the essential amino acids
require for growth. Can you do both at the hormones control muscle metabolism and they need, because they are required for
same time? Absolutely. fat metabolism. If you follow the program muscle maintenance and growth.
Of course, the easiest way to lose fat is faithfully, you can actually modify the There are two special things about the
to just starve yourself. Starving people are hormonal environment inside your body BCAAs: they are among the most abundant
not fat. But the problem with this approach in such a way as to signal your muscles to amino acids in muscle proteins (1) and
is that during severe caloric restriction, you grow and simultaneously signal fat loss. they are heavily catabolized (broken down)
lose about half muscle and half fat. Your And by supplying nutrient energy in a during exercise, especially intense aerobic
body tries to hang on to the fat as long specific pattern you can direct this energy exercise (2). These two reasons plus the
as it can so it won’t run out of energy. At to the lean compartment while at the same fact the body cannot make its own BCAAs
the other end of the spectrum, it is pretty time burning body fat. increase the need for BCAAs by athletes,
easy to gain weight if you just eat like a Now, where do you start? You start especially athletes concerned about achiev-
pig. There are very few people who can’t with the Nutrition Manual and a solid training maximum muscle mass. BCAAs seem
gain a lot of weight if they just eat enough ing program which includes lifting weights to be preferentially taken up by muscle tis-
calories. This is what the hoard of “weight and aerobics. It ís virtually impossible to sue and stored there, providing an anabolic
gainer” powders out there are for. If you achieve the results of my program with- effect as well as a nitrogen-sparing (anti-
add 1,000 calories a day to your diet, you out the Nutrition Manual. Many advanced catabolic) effect (3).
will gain weight. The problem, of coarse, level bodybuilders in the world are on this Muscle Amino is selectively taken up
is that if you just indiscriminately add calo- program, and that’s no exaggeration. You by muscle, so it will add to muscle mass and
ries to your diet most of them (probably have to start there. I’ve spent over thirty not fat mass. It provides essential building
about 75% by most estimates) will end up years researching this area and experi- blocks which are used to build muscle pro-
as fat. menting with advanced level competitive tein, having a anabolic effect. And it blocks
What’s the answer? How can you at- bodybuilders. My approach has been to the breakdown of existing muscle tissue
tain a really spectacular physique? How do assemble all of the scientific information during intense exercise. This is a perfect
you do it? on muscle and fat metabolism, and then try example of positive nutrient partitioning.
The answer is nutrient partitioning, a different strategies in real athletes to find Muscle Amino provides nutrient energy
method of directing food toward your lean out what really works. The Nutrition and that is specifically targeted to building up
compartment and not to fat stores. The idea Training Manuals give you the benefit of muscle stores while not contributing to fat
is to have your food energy go to build twenty years of research and work right at stores.
muscle while drawing on your fat stores your fingertips. Exercise induces changes in the body’s
to fuel activity. Achieving this requires Are there any supplements that can pattern of energy metabolism, and these
two things. First is a very specific eating help? Yes, definitely. One in particular changes are driven by energy needs, sub-
program which supplies energy in a way that fits into this program is called Muscle strate availability, and hormonal regulation
that supplies nutrients to build muscle but Amino. Muscle Amino is a pharmaceuti- (2). This change in the pattern of energy
does not supply calories that are stored as cal grade, ultra-pure, crystalline, free-form flow in the body is what brings about the
fat. There are certain foods you should eat amino acid mixture of leucine, isoleu- change in body composition we seek. En-
and specific foods you should avoid. Each cine, and valine. These are the so-called ergy to fuel to body is derived from oxida-
meal must be structured according to fairly “branched chain” amino acids, because tion (burning) of the carbon chains in car-
narrow parameters. The nuts and bolts of their side chain contains a branched carbon bohydrates, fats, and proteins. The ratio of
how to do this is described in the Parrillo structure. The branched chain amino acids the fuel mixture that is oxidized depends on
Performance Nutrition Manual, which is (BCAAs) are among the essential amino the nutrient ratio consumed as well as exer-
the cornerstone of the program. acids. Of the twenty amino acids common cise type and intensity (2). In other words,
The second requirement for nutrient in human proteins, twelve of them can be whether you burn fat or carbs or protein for
partitioning is a training program. Train- made by the body and are called “nones- energy depends on what you eat and how
ing provides the stimulus to build muscle sential” amino acids. The other eight can- you exercise.
During normal conditions, 80 - 100%
BCAA’s: Activating Muscular Growth
of the body’s energy requirements are sup- ing the muscle shorter. Like any mechani- Raton, 1994.
plied by fats and carbohydrates (2). This cal parts that move and rub against each
means that amino acids can provide up to other, they get worn out. After a while the 3.Bucci L. Nutrients as Ergogenic Aids
20% of energy needs on a daily basis, and old proteins are broken down and replaced for Sports and Exercise. CRC Press, Boca
more during intense exercise. In one study, with new ones. Raton, 1993.
protein breakdown and use of amino acids This coupled with the fact that the
for fuel were measured in men following a BCAAs are among the most abundant
10 mile run. It was found that 57 grams of amino acids in muscle protein make it
protein were consumed as fuel during the obvious why athletes have increased need
run, accounting for 18% of the energy cost for the branched chains. They use more
of the run (2). This means that as much for energy, plus they need more for protein
as the entire USRDA for protein can be synthesis. Virtually every book and article
burned during a single intense aerobic ex- about supplementation for athletes suggest
ercise bout. the BCAAs as one of the core supplements.
If you want to build a firm, hard body, Of all the supplements out there, Muscle
you require ample protein. One reason is Amino is certainly one of the most high-
that if you’re very active with an intense tech, because it specifically targets the
weight training program and an equally metabolic problem at hand. By supplying
intense endurance/aerobics program, you more BCAAs to the body less muscle tis-
are actually burning protein for fuel. If you sue is catabolized during exercise, helping
don’t supply enough protein in your diet to maintain positive protein balance and
to make up for this increased demand then net gain of muscle tissue. This is a prime
the body will actually break down muscle example of a low calorie nutrient which
tissue to supply the amino acids to use as specifically targets metabolic pathways to
fuel. This is your worst nightmare. Since have a positive partitioning effect. Muscle
the biggest demand for amino acid fuel is Amino is selectively taken up by muscle
during aerobic exercise, it turns out that en- where it acts to promote protein synthesis
durance athletes actually have even higher and prevent protein breakdown. Since it is
protein requirements than bodybuilders (2). taken up by muscle and not by fat, this is
Very few people realize this, including a way to supply nutrient energy which will
very few endurance athletes. This is why be partitioned to the lean compartment. It
endurance athletes usually have a very thin should be emphasized that endurance ath-
(sometimes referred to as “stringy”) look letes will benefit from this supplement at
- they burn more protein than they take in, least as much as bodybuilders, if not even
so their muscles get catabolized as fuel. more.
Muscle mass is determined by the bal- To see a real noticeable effect from
ance of protein synthesis and protein deg- Muscle Amino you need to take a fair
radation (2). When synthesis exceeds deg- amount of it. At least ten grams a day, and
radation, protein mass accumulates and the twenty would not be too much. I suggest
body is said to be in positive protein bal- two to three capsules with each of six
ance (or positive nitrogen balance). When meals per day. Smaller amounts will have
degradation exceeds synthesis, the body is a smaller effect, but this is a supplement
in a negative protein balance and muscle where the effects accumulate over time. It
mass is lost. The proteins in your muscles is best to take Muscle Amino with meals to
are not exceptionally stable over time, but increase absorption.
rather are in a constant state of “turnover.”
This means that every day some of your References
body proteins are broken down and de-
stroyed to be replaced with new proteins. 1.Rombeau JL and Caldwell MD. Clini-
Proteins are the mechanical workhorse of cal Nutrition: Parenteral Nutrition, Second
the cell, being responsible for doing the Edition. W.B. Saunders Company, Phila-
physical work of life. For example, during delphia, 1993.
muscle contraction what happens is protein
filaments called actin and myosin slide past 2.Wolinsky I and Hickson JF. Nutrition
each other in opposite directions, thus mak- in Exercise and Sport. CRC Press, Boca
Erythritol: Top Next Generation Sweetener

by John Parrillo
Of the many sweeteners now available, for people who have been avoiding sugar has resulted in a better taste and metabolic
Parrillo Performance has made the move to alcohols that produce gas and have laxative profile for our customers.
use erythritol in one of its products. Eryth- effects.
ritol is technically a “sugar alcohol,” made
from the fermentation of corn. A sugar al- •Gives foods a “melt in the mouth”
cohol is neither a sugar nor an alcohol, but quality
is labeled such because of the fermentation
process used to produce it. Sugar alcohols Sugar alcohols like sorbitol have long
are “polyols,” a carbohydrate that has very been used in sugar-free hard candies be-
little effect on blood glucose levels. cause they produce a candy that doesn’t
Sugar alcohols, in general, are low in crystallize and stays hard and dry. Eryth-
carbohydrates and contain roughly half the ritol has different properties; it provides
carbs found in an equal amount of sugar. smooth bulk, ideal for our supplement bars,
Their advantage as additives in food is to give them a creamy, melt in your mouth
that they affect blood sugar and insulin quality.
levels less dramatically than regular sugar Like other sugar alcohols, erythritol
or other simple sugars – which means that does not cause tooth decay. It is resistant
they are appropriate for weight control and to oral bacteria that breaks down sugar and
for the management of diabetes. starches to produce acids that may corrode
There are a number of sugar alcohols tooth enamel. The American Dental As-
used in food products. Among them: man- sociation recognizes the value of sugar al-
nitol, sorbitol, xylitol, isomalt, and maltitol. cohols, including erythritol, as alternatives
But erythritol outperforms them all in a to sugar and as part of a comprehensive
number of ways. Erythritol: program to fight tooth decay.
Human studies have found erythritol
• Is very low in calories to be well tolerated and safe, and animal
studies show it to be harmless. Further, it
Per teaspoon, erythritol has 0 calories, has been used in foods around the world
and therefore is an excellent choice for since 1990, and so it already has a long
reducing fat-forming sugar in your diet. history of safe use. Commercially, you’ll
Erythritol also looks, cooks, and tastes like find it in sugar substitutes, hard and soft
sugar. It is about 70 percent as sweet as candies, reduced and low-calorie bever-
aspartame and sugar and has no aftertaste. ages, in dietetic cookies and wafers, and in
chewing gum – in addition to our new High
• Has a high digestive tolerance Protein Low Net Carb Bar. It has the ability
to mask the off-flavor bitterness often asso-
Most sugar alcohols can cause diges- ciated with other sugar substitutes.
tive disturbances such as diarrhea, gas, and Erythritol is naturally present in foods
upset stomach. Erythritol, however, does such as pears, melons, grapes, mushrooms,
not generate these unpleasant side effects and corn. It is a near-perfect sweetener if
– a quality that distinguishes it from other you’re trying to control your weight, re-
sugar alcohols. The reason is that erythritol duce your carbohydrate intake for greater
is rapidly absorbed in the small intestine fat-burning, or need to regulate your blood
due to its small molecular size and struc- sugar.
ture. Several clinical studies have proved We strive for the best supplement for-
its high digestive tolerance. This unique mulations at Parrillo Performance, and we
metabolic profile is a real plus, especially believe that our decision to use erythritol
Captri®: Exploring The High Fat Diet

by John Parrillo
Over the last two or three years sev- pecially long chain saturated fat) increases such a powerful tool for fat loss, I’ve devel-
eral “new” dietary strategies have been your cholesterol level and your risk for oped an approach to low-carb dieting that
advanced that are specifically designed heart disease. allows you to utilize the power of the low
to help bodybuilders get extremely lean Back to carbs for a moment: A prob- carb diet without resorting to using regular
for contests. These diets have in common lem with the very low carb approach is that fat as a food source. Instead of regular fat,
a fairly high protein intake, around 25 to energy levels fall dramatically. Anaerobic you use CapTri®, a specially engineered
30 percent of calories. Another common exercise, such as weight lifting, is fueled fat with a unique molecular structure which
feature is that they advocate reducing car- almost exclusively by carbs. Fat cannot be causes it to follow a different metabolic
bohydrate content in favor of increasing used as an anaerobic energy source; it can route than regular fats (14,15). It behaves
dietary fat consumption. Some of these only be oxidized aerobically. Therefore, more like a carbohydrate in the body, ex-
plans call for limiting carbs to 30 to 50 strength and energy levels fall dramatically cept that it doesn’t increase insulin levels.
grams per day, or even less, and providing without carbs. This results in more muscle This means you can use CapTri® in place
around 70 percent of calories from fat. This catabolism (breakdown and loss), as the of carbs to decrease insulin levels and shift
regimen is carried out over a five day (or muscles turn to branched chain amino acids your metabolism into a fat-burning mode.
so) course to deliberately induce ketosis as fuel. In addition, low carbohydrate diets This is very similar to the strategy of the
and a fat-burning metabolism, to promote have been found to reduce thyroid hormone high fat diets except without relying on
the use of stored body fat as energy. This is level, which is one of the chief controllers conventional fat as an energy source. In
followed by two or three days of carbing up of metabolic rate. short, CapTri® lets you reap the benefits of
to provide an anabolic growth spurt. If you’re familiar with my work at all, the high fat approach without the problems
Another program is more moderate, you know that I advocate, in general, a diet that go along with conventional dietary
suggesting a diet of 30 percent protein, high in protein, high in complex carbo- fat.
40 percent carbs, and 30 percent fat, with- hydrates, and very low in fat. I agree that To use CapTri® for fat loss, continue
out cycling. There is a lot of science and hard-training athletes need more protein to keep your protein intake high at about
theory behind these diets, although the than sedentary people, at least one gram 1.5 to 2 grams or more per pound of body
high-fat recommendation is quite contro- to 1.5 grams or more per pound of body weight per day, then reduce starchy carbo-
versial. Without getting too bogged down weight per day. This is a good general hydrate intake and provide an equivalent
in the biochemical details, the fundamental guideline, especially during weight gain. number of calories from CapTri® while
idea behind these approaches is to reduce As you decrease calories to lose fat, it helps making sure you still eat plenty of fibrous
carbohydrate intake in order to reduce to increase this amount to as much as 1.5 to carbs.For example, if you normally con-
insulin levels. Insulin is a potent inhibitor 2 grams or more per pound of bodyweight sume 300 grams of carbs per day (1200
of lipolysis, or fat breakdown. By reducing per day. The higher dietary protein intake calories worth), reduce that to 150 grams
insulin levels, you can take the brakes off helps prevent catabolism of muscle protein per day and add 5 tablespoons of CapTri®
fat metabolism and encourage the use of during energy-restricted diets. per day (providing 570 calories). By re-
stored body fat for energy. Next, you should allot 5 to 10 percent ducing carbs and always combining your
In my work with bodybuilders, I have of your daily calories to come from fat. starches with protein, vegetables, and Cap-
found that reducing carbs does indeed help The remainder of your calories come from Tri® at each meal, you will dramatically
to promote fat loss, especially in people complex carbohydrates, which I divide into reduce insulin levels and maximize fat loss.
who have a hard time getting lean. I don’t starches (potatoes, rice, beans, and so forth) One more point: Unlike conventional fats,
have a problem with carb reduction – as and fibrous carbs (vegetables and salad CapTri® also works well during weight
long as it’s done right (I’ll get to that in a greens). By combining protein and fibrous gain because it doesn’t contribute to fat
moment). But what I have a problem with vegetables with your starch at each meal stores (14,15).
is that with high fat diets, the dietary fat is you can greatly slow the rate of release of
VERY prone to be stored as body fat. Sev- glucose into the bloodstream. This in turn References
eral studies have demonstrated that body decreases insulin levels, taking the brakes
fat percentage is more highly determined off fat metabolism. You will find that by 1. Horton TJ, Drougas H, Brachey A,
by dietary fat intake than by calorie intake proper food combining you can stimulate a Reed GW, Peters JC, and Hill JO. 1995.
(1,2,3,4,6,8,9,10). Not only does dietary fat powerful fat burning effect without elimi- Fat and carbohydrate overfeeding. Ameri-
contribute more to fat stores than protein nating too many carbs from your diet. can Journal of Clinical Nutrition 62: 19-
or carbohydrate (1-13), but dietary fat (es- But because carbohydrate reduction is 29.
Captri®: Exploring The High Fat Diet
Journal of Clinical Nutrition 56: 616-622.

2. Flatt JP. 1988. Importance of nutri-
ent humans: different effects on energy 12. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier
storage. balance in body weight regula- E. 1982. Glycogen synthesis versus li-
tion. Diabetes/Metabolism Reviews 4: pogenesis after a 500 gram carbohydrate
571-581. meal in man. Metabolism 31: 1234-1240.
3. Flatt JP. 1995. Use and storage of 13. Flatt JP. 1987. Dietary fat, carbo-
carbohydrate and fat. American Journal of hydrate balance, and weight maintenance:
Clinical Nutrition 61: 952s-959s. effects of exercise. American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition 45: 296-306.
4. Hill JO, Peters JC, Reed GW,
Schlundt DG, Sharp T, and Greene HL. 14. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim
1991. Nutrient balance in humans: effects SA. 1982. Enhanced thermogenesis and
of diet composition. American Journal of diminished deposition of fat in response to
Clinical Nutrition 54: 10-17. overfeeding with diet containing medium
chain triglyceride. American Journal of
5. Hill JO, Drougas H, and Peters JC. Clinical Nutrition 35: 678-682.
1993. Obesity treatment: can diet com-
position play a role? Annals of Internal 15. Bach AC and Babayan VK. 1982.
Medicine 119: 694-697. Medium chain triglycerides: an update.
6. Bray GA. 1987. Obesity - a disease American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 36:
of nutrient or energy balance? Nutrition 950-962.
Reviews 45: 33-43.
7. Thomas CD, Peters JC, Reed GW,

Abumrad NN, Sun M, and Hill JO. 1992.
Nutrient balance and energy expenditure
during ad libitum feeding of high-fat and
high-carbohydrate diets in humans. Ameri-
can Journal of Clinical Nutrition 55: 934-
942.
8. Astrup A, Buemann B, Western,

Toubro S, Raben A, and Christensen NJ.
1994. Obesity as an adaptation to a high-
fat diet: evidence from a cross-sectional
study. American Journal of Clinical Nutri-
tion 59: 350-355.
9. Schutz Y, Flatt JP, and Jequier E.

1989. Failure of dietary fat intake to pro-
mote fat oxidation: a factor favoring the
development of obesity. American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition 50: 307-314.
10. Miller WC, Niederpruem MG,

Wallace JP, and Lindeman AK. 1994. Di-
etary fat, sugar, and fiber predict percent
body fat content. Journal of the American
Dietetic Association 94: 612-615.
11. Tucker LA and Kano MJ. 1992.

Dietary fat and body fat: a multivariate
study of 205 adult females. American
The Winning Fat Loss Formula

by John Parrillo
A successful approach to losing body stant state of acceleration. This has several of tissues, not to provide metabolizable
fat involves alternating one month on a beneficial effects. Every time you eat your fuel. Using protein for energy is kind of
weight gain cycle and one month on a fat metabolic rate increases a little due to the like trying to burn a wet log. Carbs, on the
loss cycle. The first month you would gain thermic effect of feeding (also known as other hand, are a great energy source. So
a pound each week (four pounds) and 75% diet-induced thermogenesis). Eating fre- if you want to reduce carbs in your diet to
of it is muscle. In the second month you quently keeps the furnace stoked and keeps manipulate hormone levels and promote fat
lose a pound a week (four pounds total) and your metabolism speeding along. If you go metabolism it makes sense to replace those
75% of that loss in fat. At the end of the too long without eating your metabolism calories with another fuel source, namely
two-month cycle you will have gained two begins to slow down. CapTri®. CapTri® is a good choice be-
pounds of muscle and lost two pounds of Eliminate as much fat as possible from cause it is readily burned as fuel and won?t
fat. Extend that to a year and you’re look- your diet, since fat has a slowing effect on be stored as body fat, (5, 6).
ing at 12 pounds of muscle gained and 12 metabolism. Dietary protein and complex I suggest you ease into this slowly.
pounds of fat lost. You’re constantly mak- carbohydrates have negligible tendency to Start by eliminating starchy carbs from
ing progress and your metabolism never be converted to fat, whereas dietary fat your last meals of the day. Replace those
gets the chance to slow down. is very prone to be stored as body fat lost calories from carbs with an equivalent
I believe these goals are quite realis- (1,2,3,4). This is a hot topic in the scien- number of calories from CapTri®. Cap-
tic and very easily attainable for anyone, tific literature these days and is a matter of Tri® actually has a higher thermogenic ef-
and particularly easy for bodybuilders who debate in the bodybuilding magazines. (It fect than carbohydrates, meaning that more
are giving 100% effort to the training and is less a matter of debate in the scientific of this dietary energy will be lost as body
nutrition program. The beauty of this idea journals, where actual research is reported.) heat with less energy available for storage.
is that you’re constantly making progress; Very little of your body fat comes from This further promotes additional fat loss.
you’re always either gaining muscle or los- complex carbohydrates or protein being Continue in this way until you reduce your
ing fat; and the constant change prevents converted into fat; almost all of it comes daily carbohydrate grams to about half of
your metabolism from adapting so you can from fat and sugars you eat. How much fat what you normally consume. At this point
make continual progress without wasting your body stores seems to be more closely you?ll be eating mostly protein, vegetables,
time being stuck on a plateau and trying to related to how much fat you eat rather and CapTri®.
figure out what to do. than how many calories you eat. Decrease Do your aerobics when you are rela-
In principle, you could keep this up your carbohydrate intake, thereby lowering tively carb-depleted. This will cause your
for year after year. If you’re 20% body fat insulin levels and activating fat-burning body to burn more fat for energy during
or more, you may want to devote a few mechanisms in the body. your workout because fewer carbs are
months to getting in shape first, or if you’re Decrease your carbs. How do you cut available. The best time is first thing in
really skinny, you may want to spend a few down on carbs without decreasing calories? the morning before breakfast. Your gly-
months just putting on size. But if you’re Well, you have to eat more of something cogen stores are low, so you’ll rely more
somewhere in the middle, maybe around else. Fat is not an option, so your only heavily on stored fat. Take two scoops of
10% to 15% body fat, you might consider other choices are protein or CapTri®. Ei- Hi-Protein Powder™ to prevent muscle
giving this program a try. To gain a pound ther one will work, but a combination of loss, then do your aerobics. Another good
a week increase your calories to 300-500 both probably works best. Let’s be brutally time is right after weight training, because
above your MER, do 20-30 minutes of honest about this. If you’re used to getting then you’re relatively glycogen depleted
aerobics a day, and train like a powerlifter most of your calories from carbs, cutting too. You should do moderate to fairly high
with heavy sets in the 5-8 rep range. To lose back significantly on carbs makes you feel intensity aerobics, so that you’re breath-
a pound a week, decrease calories to your bad, at least for a while. People who cut ing hard and sweating. While it’s true
MER, do 60 minutes of aerobics a day, their carbs dramatically have low energy you burn a higher percentage of calories
and train like a bodybuilder with increased levels, are irritable and grouchy, and get from fat during low intensity aerobics, you
volume and moderate weight in the 8-20 headaches. CapTri® is more effective at will burn more grams of body fat if you
rep range. relieving some of these symptoms than perform high intensity aerobics, because
There are other ways you can maxi- protein because it’s more readily used as you’ll burn so many more total calories.
mize this fat-burning mode. For example: an energy source. Protein is not a very ef- Also, if you do reasonably intense aerobics
Continue to eat five, six or more meals ficient energy source. It’s role is to serve as you will get the added benefits of increased
a day to keep your metabolism in a con- building blocks for repair and maintenance vascular density and enhanced fat burning
The Winning Fat Loss Formula
capacity. Increase the volume of aerobics your calories and grams of protein, carbs,
progressively as you get leaner. If your and fat. It even includes a food composi-
fat loss plateaus the first thing to try is to tion guide that lists the nutrient breakdown
increase the intensity of your aerobics and of all the bodybuilding foods. The Body
also increase your calories. If that doesn’t Stat Kit includes high quality calipers and
work you should probably back off for a everything you need to chart your body
couple weeks, increase your calories, put composition. Remove the guesswork from
on some muscle, and get your metabolism your bodybuilding program. Don’t leave
going again. anything to chance.
How do you know if you’re losing
fat and not muscle? By using the Body References
Stat Kit once a week. You can determine
your pounds of lean mass and pounds of 1. Flatt JP. Dietary fat, carbohydrate
fat every week and make adjustments in balance, and weight maintenance: effects
your training and diet accordingly to make of exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 296-306,
sure you stay on track. The Body Stat Kit 1987.
Manual contains detailed instructions on
exactly how to change your training and 2. Flatt JP. Use and storage of car-
diet to make sure your body composition bohydrate and fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61:
keeps moving in the right direction. I think 952s-959s, 1995.
one of the reasons the Parrillo Program has
been so successful for so many people is 3. Swinburn B and Ravussin E. Energy
that everything is scientifically controlled. balance or fat balance? Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
How many calories, how much protein, 57: 766S-771S, 1993.
carbs, and fat, how many meals, which
foods, how to combine the foods, macronu- 4. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Jequier
trient ratios, Diet Trac Sheets, the Training E. Glycogen synthesis versus lipogenesis
Log, Body Stat Sheets-it’s all in the manu- after a 500 gram carbohydrate meal in man.
als. Every parameter of your bodybuilding Metabolism 31: 1234-1240, 1982.
program is covered and nothing is left to
chance. If you weigh your food and keep 5. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim SA.
track of your diet and body composition Enhanced thermogenesis and diminished
like you’re supposed to, and something’s deposition of fat in response to overfeed-
not working right, we can pinpoint exactly ing with diet containing medium chain
what the problem is and make detailed triglyceride. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: 678-
adjustments to fix it. Otherwise, if you’re 682, 1982.
just going on what “feels right” or seems
to make sense, and you don’t make good 6. Bach AC and Babayan VK. Medium
progress, you’re not sure what to change. chain triglycerides: an update. Am. J. Clin.
If you want more details than I have Nutr. 36: 950-962, 1982.
been able to squeeze into this article, check
out the Parrillo Performance Nutrition
Manual and the Body Stat Kit. I go into
great detail about which foods to eat, which
foods to avoid, and how to structure your
meals. The Nutrition Manual contains a
three step protocol for reducing body fat
levels to contest condition, as well as de-
scribing how to manipulate carbs and wa-
ter at the end. The Body Stat Kit contains
instructions on exactly how to modify your
training and nutrition program based on
your weekly changes in body composition.
The Nutrition Manual comes with its own
food scale and Diet Trac Sheets to record
The Anabolic Effect Of Food

by John Parrillo
Regular food can create a powerful squared away, turn your attention to food lete maintains ‘positive nitrogen balance,’
anabolic environment for the conscientious selection: discipline yourself to eat only the ultimate metabolic state for building
bodybuilder. Regular food is food pur- foods that are beneficial, not detrimental. muscle tissue.
chased at the supermarket and when com- After you have squared away the eating Eat only recommended foods: Once
bined with a proper weight training and schedule and regimented yourself to eat a multiple meal eating schedule is estab-
cardiovascular regimen, amazing physical only foods that help, not hinder. The final lished, turn your attention to food selection.
results occur rapidly. For thirty years I step is to utilize a broad array of nutritional As mentioned earlier, protein devoid of
have refined a system that combines pre- supplements. At Parrillo Performance we saturated fat and fibrous carbohydrates are
cision eating with high intensity exercise have developed a line of potent supple- the foundational foods in the Parrillo nutri-
and when properly balanced and used con- ments that are designed to do just that: tional program. Starchy carbohydrates are
sistently, this approach triggers dramatic supplement a sound eating program struc- the ‘wild card.’ Every Parrillo-style meal
gains in muscle mass and equally dramatic tured around the intelligent use of regular should include a protein portion, a fibrous
reductions in body fat. Many young body- foods. Bodybuilding foods are available at carb portion and a starchy carbohydrate
builders are on an eternal search for a the local supermarket and when combined portion. Protein and fiber are eaten in large
‘miracle’ nutritional supplement that will with our supplements (designed to supple- amounts and starch is eaten in a precise
allow them to eat in an undisciplined way ment not supplant or replace regular food) fashion: if the athlete is building mass lots
and train in a haphazard fashion - no such the supplements act as a force multiplier. of starch is consumed. If the bodybuild-
product exists or has ever existed. I’ve To reap maximum benefits from your nutri- ing is in a pre-competition ‘ripped and
said this before and I’ll say it again, proper tion, train hard and ingest plenty of quality shredded’ phase, starch is eaten in smaller
amounts of regular food eaten at the proper calories to heal muscle tissue shock-blasted amounts.
time will get you 80% of the way there, as- from intense training. Eating too few
suming you train hard, heavy and often. It calories is as bad as eating too many of the Eliminate foods that are detrimental:
takes lots of high intensity weight training wrong calories; in order to make progress, Powerlifters build huge amounts of muscle
and aerobic exercise to trigger gains and hard training must be supported by big by eating lots of calories and training hard
it takes a lot of calories to support serious eating. The trick is to derive calories from and heavy using basic exercises with bar-
training. Supplements can add 20% to your foods devoid of saturated fat, sugar and bending poundage. Because they are not
efforts – and that’s huge! Unscrupulous refined carbohydrates. The human body has choosey about caloric sources their impres-
supplement manufactures make outrageous an easy time converting fat and sugar into sive muscle mass is usually accompanied
claims about phony products in an effort body fat and for that reason we avoid them. with equally massive amounts of body fat.
to get you to buy their goods. They want On the other hand it is virtually impossible The Parrillo-style bodybuilder rips a page or
you to believe that by using their miracle for the body to convert pure protein and two from the powerlifter by ingesting lots of
product you can effortlessly build your fibrous carbohydrates into body fat and for calories and by training hard and heavy –
physique without hard training or disci- that reason we build our nutritional founda- but in order to minimize body fat the body-
plined eating. People desperately want to tion upon these foods. builder is super selective in food choices
believe this myth and there are plenty of and performs aerobic exercise. By confin-
supplement makers that will tell you with Multiple meals are critical: The logic ing foods to those difficult for the body
a straight face that they have designed just is irrefutable; better to consume the daily to compartmentalize as body fat and by
such a product. As a result there is always caloric allotment in smaller chunks. If you performing high intensity aerobics, muscle
a market for crazy new nutritional supple- are con-suming 2,000 calories per day, bet- mass is acquired and body fat acquisition
ments that make unbelievable claims. ter to consume five 400-calorie mini-meals is minimal.
Reality is a lot different from make- than in one or two high calorie maxi-meals.
believe. In the real world results start with Small meals lessen the digestive burden Exercise often and exercise intense-
the expert use of regular food; this is the and multiple meals ‘teach’ the body how ly: At Parrillo Performance we have de-
foundation on which every sound and sane to digest and assimilate food in a more ef- veloped a integrated system of weight
nutritional program is constructed. What ficient fashion. Multiple meals ‘build the training, aerobics and nutrition that results
is the best way to construct a nutritional metabolism,’ and this is the cornerstone of in a radical alteration of the physique in
program that delivers real results? Start the Parrillo nutritional philosophy. Opti- short order – assuming all the elements
by establishing a multiple-meal daily eat- mally a meal or ‘feeding’ need occur every are in place and practiced with due dili-
ing schedule. Once the eating schedule is two to three hours. This ensures the ath- gence. Training is done with great intensity
The Anabolic Effect Of Food
whether it is weight training or cardio- meal schedule based on the consumption

vascular training. For maximum results of regular recommended foods and supple-
weight training sessions are done often. I ment with potent Parrillo supplements.
recommend a wide variety of exercises for Train hard, eat correctly, supplement pre-
every body part: use low reps to build size cisely and the results will shock and amaze
and power and high reps to build muscle you: muscle mass increases, body fat melts
density and separation. Aerobic sessions and inside of sixty days you will undergo a
should be performed often and done with total physical makeover.
great intensity. Hard cardio actually in-
creases mitochondria density and the more
of these tiny muscle blast furnaces exist
within a muscle the more efficient the body
becomes at oxidizing calories.
Supplements are critical: Nutritional

supplementation can make or break a body-
builder. Assuming you are training with
the requisite frequency and intensity, un-
less you are ingesting sufficient calories –
clean calories devoid of fat and sugar – no
progress is possible. A common mistake
for hard working bodybuilders to ‘under
eat’ in the mistaken belief that restricting
calories is proper and appropriate. Noth-
ing could be further from the truth: train-
ing hard and not eating enough result in
muscle catabolism and the human body
will actually eat its own muscle tissue to
cover calorie shortfall. More often than
not the bodybuilder cannot eat every single
required calorie from regular food sources
and this is where supplements come to the
rescue. A serious bodybuilder will require
1.5 grams or more of protein per pound of
body weight per day and by supplementing
with protein powder the athlete is easier
able to hit the protein target – and without
having to cook every single bite. Par-
rillo carbohydrate powder, sport nutrition
bars, CapTri, amino acid supplements and
various vitamin and mineral supplements
round out the eating regimen effortlessly.
Regular food forms the bedrock

foundation: As I mentioned earlier, the
expert use of regular food, the kind avail-
able at the grocery store, allows you to
construct a nutritional game plan that will
get you 80% of the way towards the goal:
maximizing your ultimate genetic poten-
tial. The precise use of nutritional supple-
ments will provide the remaining 20%.
Assuming you are training frequently and
intensely, physical transformation is not a
matter of ‘if’ but ‘when.’ Use a multiple
Natural Regulation Of Cortisol To Maximize Lean Mass

by John Parrillo
One hormone that has been in the fitness cess. Your adrenal glands, in concert with Another cortisol-related factor is training.
spotlight lately is cortisol, a steroid hor- other glands (and nature), automatically Over-training, literally doing too much
mone manufactured by the adrenal glands. regulate cortisol and keep it in the appro- training, while being under nourished and
Although its overall function is to help the priate range. not getting enough rest results in decreased
body deal with stress, cortisol has a wide testosterone production and increased cor-
variety of actions, all of which help to So why am I bothering to write about this tisol levels. This tips the balance rapidly
regulate overall metabolism. For example: subject? It turns out that exercise increases from anabolism to catabolism. People who
cortisol levels – and this has important are chronically over-trained are continu-
Cortisol has a direct effect in regulating implications that needs to be taken into ally tired, fatigued, weak and often de-
carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism account by anyone who practices high in- pressed. They lose muscle, strength plum-
(1). Cortisol mobilizes the body’s energy tensity weight training. Exercise stimulates mets and performance declines. If you
reserves during times of stress. Cortisol muscle growth and paradoxically also trig- look around the gym, the people who are
acts to increase blood glucose concentra- gers the release of cortisol. When cortisol not making progress are usually under-
tion in two ways: first, through a decrease is suddenly dumped into the bloodstream, training - not over-training. Furthermore,
in insulin sensitivity (thus reducing storage it creates a potentially catabolic situation. if you compare the stagnant trainers to the
of glucose inside cells) and second, by So we need to understand how cortisol one making the gains, you will observe the
stimulating gluconeogenesis. works and how it is regulated so we can ones making gains are invariably training
design a training and nutrition strategy harder and longer. Before you conclude
Gluconeogenesis is the production of new which will allow for optimal growth - while that you are over-training and reduce your
glucose from amino acids. Unfortunately, minimizing cortisol’s catabolic effects. exercise level, try getting some additional
these particular amino acids are derived rest, eat more clean calories and add in
from the breakdown (catabolism) of body For bodybuilding purposes we want to some basic supplements such as our Vi-
proteins - including muscle tissue. Cortisol minimize cortisol because it promotes tamin Formula™ and Mineral Electrolyte
stimulates muscle catabolism to free up muscle loss, fat accumulation and water Formula™ to increase your nutrient lev-
the amino acids so they are available to be retention. Cortisol is secreted in response els. Generally these changes will promote
converted into glucose to use for energy. to stress of almost any kind. It should then growth without having to reduce exercise
This is why excess cortisol causes muscle come as no surprise that the first thing activity. In many cases, failure to grow is
wasting. Cortisol’s effect on body fat varies we should do to control cortisol is mini- simply the result of inadequate caloric and
somewhat according to the specific body mize body stress and maximize recovery nutrient intake in relation to the exercise
region. Fat depots exist in different parts time. For starters, get plenty of rest. Sleep level of the bodybuilder. Over-training is
of the body and these different regions deprivation has been shown to increase a result of doing too much exercise (vol-
have different hormone receptors. Cortisol cortisol levels and the reintroduction of ume) while being under nourished. Do not
tends to cause depletion of peripheral fat proper sleep habits reduces cortisol levels confuse volume with intensity. Successful
in the arms and legs, but increased accu- back to normal. Everyone knows either by bodybuilding is about intensity, not vol-
mulation of fat in the abdomen, back and intuition or experience that muscle growth ume. Endurance exercise is about volume,
face. Patients with excessive cortisol levels is much harder if you don’t get enough not intensity. You should train intensely and
(or those on high dosages of prednisone) rest. And don’t neglect the connection be- workout for 60 to 90 minutes. Remember,
develop thin arms and legs due to both tween cortisol and stress. Anger and stress the longer and harder you train the higher
muscle and fat loss (through catabolism). are often interrelated: are you a “type A” your calorie and nutrient levels must be.
Typically, they also develop obese abdo- personality? If so, attempt to remain as
mens. relaxed and calm as possible. Easier said
than done. Remember this: every time you There are certain nutrition and supplemen-
Cortisol is not anabolic like testosterone; to have an emotional outburst, lose your tem- tation strategies you can use to minimize
the contrary, cortisol is primarily catabolic. per or fly into a rage, you are most likely the catabolic effects of cortisol. The single
Too much of it and you will risk obesity, dumping huge amounts of muscle-eating most important and effective of the corti-
and not enough can lead to medical prob- cortisol into your bloodstream. Hopefully, sol-suppressing nutritional techniques is
lems. that thought will give you pause if you are a low-tech solution. Probably the most
serious about bodybuilding but emotional effective thing you can do to minimize
Fortunately, as long as your adrenal glands
by nature. cortisol release is to simply eat something
are functioning properly, you’ll never have every two to three hours, as the Parrillo
to worry about cortisol deprivation or ex-
Nutrition Program recommends. Caloric In summary: to help minimize the catabolic cal Pharmacology. 42: 385-388,
deprivation has been shown to cause a sig- effects of cortisol you should get plenty 1992.
nificant increase in cortisol levels (3). A of rest, minimize stress in your life and
small meal every two to three hours (or so) make sure your caloric and nutrient lev- 6. Monteleone P, Beinat L, Tanzillo
is a great way to keep cortisol excretions to els match your training load. You should C, Maj M, and Kemali D. Effects
a minimum. The ideal cortisol suppressing eat small, frequent meals, containing both of phosphatidylserine on the neu-
meal would contain a complex carbohydrate carbohydrates and protein. Your protein roendocrine response to physical
and some protein. Carbohydrate ingestion in choices should contain high levels of glu- stress in humans. Neuroendocri-
particular seems to reduce cortisol levels. It tamine and the BCAAs. Try to eat every nology 52: 243-248, 1990.
is also important to eat some protein at each three hours if possible. Three conventional
meal as protein slows the release of carbo- meals per day, combined with three serv-
hydrates and provides a constant supply of ings of 50-50 Plus™ or your own Pro
amino acids to facilitate muscle growth. Carb™/Hi-Protein™ or Optimized Whey
Most people find it difficult to eat six com- ™ concoction will assure that you are ob-
plete meals a day and rely on nutritional taining adequate protein intake and obtain-
supplements for two or three of these many ing high levels of glutamine and BCAAs.
meals. If you are looking for a supplemental By applying and following a few common
meal replacement try our 50-50 Plus™. This sense diet and exercise guidelines, we can
product supplies 17 grams of quality carbo- minimize the catabolic effects of cortisol.
hydrates and 20 grams of high BV protein. Just remember to stay cool calm and col-
Another excellent meal alternative is the lected the next time the boss or your kids
Parrillo Bar™, Parrillo Protein Bar™ or the do something that makes you angry. By
Parrillo Energy Bar™. These tasty bars are subduing stress, getting plenty of rest, ad-
extremely convenient and will provide you equate nutrients and exercising hard and in-
with a balanced meal that you can carry tensely, cortisol-related muscle wasting can
in your pocket and eat in minutes. Some be a non-event in your bodybuilding career.
of our athletes like to combine Optimized
Whey Protein™ or Hi-Protein Powder™ References
with Pro-Carb™. This novel approach al-
lows you to customize and adjust your ratio 1. Fauci et al. Harrison’s Principles
of protein-to-carbohydrates to suit your per- of Internal Medicine. McGraw
sonal goals. Hill, New York, 1998.
In addition, vitamin supplementation may 2. Kelley DS et al. Energy restriction

be helpful. In particular, the antioxidant and immunocompetence in over-
vitamins E and C seem to reduce the oxida- weight women. Nutrition Research
tive stress of exercise and therefore reduce 18: 159-169, 1998.
catabolism. Most bodybuilders who follow
our nutritional guidelines don’t eat fruit 3. Varnier M et al. Stimulatory effect
(since fruit sugar is preferentially converted of glutamine on glycogen accumu-
into fat) and therefore vitamin supplementa- lation in human skeletal muscle.
tion becomes an even better idea. Glutamine Am. J. Physiol. 269: E309-E315,
and the branched chain amino acids - leu- 1995.
cine, isoleucine, and valine - may not affect
4. Welbourne TC. Increased plasma
cortisol levels directly, but are very effective
bicarbonate and growth hormone
at shifting the anabolism-catabolism bal-
after an oral glutamine load. Am. J.
ance more towards the anabolic side. These
Clin. Nutr. 61: 1058-1061, 1995.
amino acids seem to have a powerful effect
in stimulating protein synthesis. Glutamine 5. Monteleone P, Maj M, Beinat L,
has been shown to increase glycogen stor- Natale M, and Kemali D. Blunting
age as well as increase growth hormone lev- by chronic phosphatidylserine ad-
els (3,4). Our protein products (Optimized ministration of the stress-induced
Whey™, Hi-Protein™, 50-50 Plus™) all activation of the hypothalamo-
have high amounts of amino acids mixed pituitary-adrenal axis in healthy
into a well-balanced protein base. men. European Journal of Clini-
Herbs, Food, and Performance

by John Parrillo
I am often asked about whether is further subdivided into prostaglandins, while still maintaining a low fat diet.
herbal supplements can help improve per- prostacyclins, leukotrienes, and thrombox- Parrillo EPO™ is simply another tool
formance, particularly since there are so anes. The eicosanoids are a complex group to help you optimize your nutrition.
many of these supplements on the market. of hormones (over 100 different prosta-
The bottom line is that healthy nutrition, glandins have been identified so far) which That’s about all the practical
proper training, and genetic endowment are are involved in controlling many metabolic “how to” information you need to in-
the major factors that contribute to physique processes such as blood pressure, inflam- corporate EFAs into your diet. The Par-
and athletic success. Increasing your nutrient mation, fat metabolism, and blood clotting, rillo EPO™ supplement was developed
density with supplements to amplify success to name a few. Eicosanoids are made by all specifically to provide a concentrated
is also important, as long as you eat properly cells of the body and their central function source of EFAs so you don’t have to eat
and train consistently and intensely. is to communicate messages to nearby cells a tablespoon of oil every day.
to help coordinate and regulate the body’s
Herbal supplements, in my opinion, metabolic activity. EFAs are also important More important than supple-
are iffy, however. Yes, athletes and exercis- structural components of cell membranes ments (which have their rightful place),
ers often use herbal substances to try to gain and thus are important for healthy skin. sticking to a multiple-meals nutrition
a competitive edge. But by and large, most As for how to take EPO, I advise from program is essential. That means eat-
herbs have proved to be of doubtful value in two to six capsules a day with meals. ing five, six, or more meals a day.
enhancing performance. And many may be This pattern of eating is metabolically
downright harmful. beneficial in three ways. To begin with,
Another important point multiple meals that include starchy car-
Case in point: Sixty-five cases of is to always eat breakfast bohydrates help keep insulin constantly
herbal supplement-related seizures reported present in the body. This powerful,
to MedWatch from 1993 to 1999 were ob-
- this gets your metabolism
growth-producing hormone helps make
tained through the Freedom of Information going first thing. This is amino acids available to muscle tissue
Act and independently evaluated by three why breakfast is probably for growth and recovery. Insulin’s re-
reviewers. They concluded that of these lease is triggered by the conversion of
cases, 20 were probably related to herbs. Of your most important meal. carbohydrate into glucose by the liver.
these, 19 involved ephedra, and 14 involved Frequent meals also increase “thermo-
herbal caffeine. Thirteen of the 65 cases genesis,” the production of body heat
were possibly associated with herbal supple- Are there any toxic effects from from the burning of food for energy.
ments. Of these, ephedra was also associated taking too much EPO? No, EPO is com- Following a meal, your metabolic rate
with 7 cases, and caffeine was contained in pletely nontoxic. There are some poten- is elevated as a result of thermogenesis.
5 of these supplement products. Other herbs tial side effects, which include headaches So the more meals you eat, the higher
implicated in possibly related seizure events and (paradoxically) your skin breaking your metabolism stays throughout the
were St. John’s wort and gingko biloba. out (pimples). These are a result of the ef- day for fat burning and muscle build-
These findings underscore that significant fects of the class 2 prostaglandins which ing. Finally, with a constant nutrient
health risks are associated with use of cer- are made from arachidonic acid, a me- supply, you are never forced into a
tain herbal products. (1) tabolite. These effects are completely starvation mode. With meals coming at
blocked by aspirin, which stops the con- regular intervals, your body learns to
Of the supplements in the Parrillo version of arachidonic acid into prosta- process food more efficiently, and your
Performance line, Evening Primrose Oil™ glandins. If you should notice these prob- metabolism is accelerated as a result.
is about as close as we get to a herbal formu- lems, simply take two aspirin and de-
lation. The evening primrose is a small flow- crease the number of capsules you take. Another important point is to
ering plant that grows in England. Evening always eat breakfast - this gets your
Primrose Oil™ (EPO) is an excellent source Parrillo EPO™ is a high-tech metabolism going first thing. This is
of essential fatty acids. The main function EFA supplement designed to provide EFAs why breakfast is probably your most
of EFAs in the body is to provide building without excess non-essential fats. It pro- important meal. You have the whole
blocks for a class of hormones called eico- vides a way for bodybuilders and other day to burn off any excess calories
sanoids. The broad category of eicosanoids athletes to optimize their EFA metabolism you consume at breakfast - any excess
calories you consume right before bed
are likely to be stored as fat.
Additionally, don’t forget to

combine your foods properly, so as
to slow the release of glucose into
the bloodstream. Carbohydrates are
digested down into glucose, which
is the form of sugar released into the
blood. If too many carbs are con-
sumed, or if they are released into the
blood too rapidly, the insulin response
causes the excess to be taken up by
fat cells and converted into fat in a
process known as lipogenesis. By eat-
ing unrefined, complex carbohydrates
- and not simple sugars - you slow the
release of glucose into the blood. This
is also the reason you should com-
bine fibrous carbs and protein together
with your starches at each meal - it
slows the rate of digestion and release
of glucose.
So basically, my philosophy
is that the role of supplements is to in-
crease cellular nutrient levels beyond
what can be obtained from a healthy
diet of regular foods. Food will always
be the cornerstone of sound nutrition
– don’t lose sight of the importance of
your diet. I do not know of any herbal
supplements that can really affect your
body composition beyond what can be
obtained from regular foods and cer-
tain non-herbal supplements (such as
creatine, CapTri®, amino acids, and
protein supplements).
References
1. Haller, C.A., et al. 2005. Seizures

reported in association with use of
dietary supplements. Clinical Toxicol-
ogy 43: 23-30.
Creatine for Maximum Results

by John Parrillo
If you are interested in maximizing mus- transported inside muscle cells, it is con-
cle size, creatine helps in two ways. A verted into creatine phosphate.
more long-term effect is that creatine
supplementation allows you to lift more Also beware of liquid creatine
weight for more reps, so you get more supplements, as creatine will break down
muscle fiber hypertrophy. A more imme- after a few weeks of being dissolved in
diate effect is that as muscle cells take up water. To boost your gains through the
creatine, it takes water along with it. So roof, there’s an excellent supplement to
it makes the muscle fibers swell, getting use in combination with creatine: 50-
bigger and harder. After a month of cre- 50 Plus™. 50-50 Plus™ is a drink mix
atine supplementation, you might ingest made from about 50% protein and 50%
only 250 grams of creatine, but gain six carbohydrate. The protein portion is very
to fourteen pounds of muscle mass. That much like Parrillo Hi-Protein Powder™,
weight is mostly water, being drawn in- and the carbohydrate part is derived from
side muscles cells by the extra creatine. Pro-Carb™. Studies have shown that
It’s kind of like having a constant pump. a combination of protein and carbohy-
drate like this works better at promoting
Your body makes some creatine muscular growth than either one alone.
naturally. Your kidneys make about one Combining creatine with 50-50 Plus™
gram per day. Creatine is also contained in is, quite frankly, the most potent nutri-
meat, and the average diet of meat eaters tional supplement available for support-
supplies about another gram per day. So, ing muscle growth. The amino acid pro-
without creatine supplementation, you get file of the protein is ideal for supporting
about two grams per day, unless you’re a muscular growth, and the carbohydrate
vegetarian, in which case you get about replenishes glycogen, further enhancing
one gram per day. Creatine supplementa- energy levels and strength. The best time
tion allows you to propel this to a much to use this combination is after training.
higher level. This increases the amount At that time your muscles are depleted
of creatine inside muscle cells, making and are begging for nutrients. The pro-
them bigger and harder and stronger. tein acts to repair muscle damage from
training as well as to supply the building
The way to use creatine is to blocks to generate new muscle tissue.
start with a loading phase, which usually The carbohydrate replenishes glycogen,
is 20 grams a day for five to seven days. as well as increasing uptake of the amino
To do this, take five grams (one teaspoon) acids and creatine by muscle cells. If
four times a day, for five to seven days. you’re on a budget and want to keep
This is followed by the maintenance things simple, try 50-50 Plus™ along
phase, which is five to ten grams a day. with creatine. After just one month, used
After only one month, you will see a in combination with proper diet, you will
noticeable increase in size and strength. I see and feel a difference.
feel that Parrillo Creatine Monohydrate™
is the highest purity creatine supple-
ment available. And a word of caution:
don’t be fooled into buying creatine phos-
phate supplements. It sounds like a good
idea, until you realize creatine phosphate
is not absorbed from the intestine. You
need to use creatine monohydrate, which
is absorbed from the intestines. Once
Recovery Nutrition
by John Parrillo

No “get up and go” in the gym? Pla- carbs to create a hormonal environment 3. Mero A “Leucine supplementation
teaued muscular development? Frequent that promotes the greatest increase in and intensive training” Sports Medicine
colds and infections? If so, you could be muscle growth. Parrillo 50/50™ is (1999) 27: 347-358.
suffering from poor recovery. “Recov- a great way to get this benefit. (2)
ery” is the process of regeneration that 4. Ji LL “Exercise, oxidative stress and
takes place after you exercise. It involves Supplement with BCAAs. These nu- antioxidants” The American Journal of
replenishing glycogen stores, repairing trients help to optimize muscle re- Sports Medicine (1996) 24: S20-S24.
muscle, restoring energy-produc- pair in the wake of exercise. Take a
ing compounds in cells, and build- BCAA capsule that supplies approxi-
ing up your antioxidant reserves, mately 4 gm of leucine daily, as does
as well as fluid and electrolytes. Parrillo Muscle Amino Formula™.
In order to move into your muscles,
To boost your recovery, follow these BCAAs need insulin, which is trig-
steps: gered by the digestion of carbohy-
drates. Therefore, take your BCAAs
Refuel with good carbs (starchy carbs, with meals or with a carbohydrate/
fibrous carbs, or a supplement such as protein supplement after training. (3)
Parrillo ProCarb™, as recommended
on the Parrillo Nutrition Program™). Supplement with antioxidants. A sig-
Of all the nutrients necessary for op- nificant amount of research has found
timal recovery, dietary carbohydrate that antioxidants, such as vitamins C
takes precedence for two reasons. First, and E and the mineral selenium, can
carbohydrate restocks your body with shore up your body’s defenses. Most
muscle and liver glycogen, which can studies have demonstrated a protec-
be depleted during exercise. Replen- tive effect with a daily intake of 400
ishing these stores allows you to train IUs of vitamin E, 200 to 1,000 mg
harder on successive workouts for of vitamin C and approximately 150
greater gains. Carbohydrate also trig- mcg of selenium. Taking Parrillo Es-
gers the release of the hormone insulin, sential Vitamin Formula™ can help
which promotes muscle growth as well. you get the antioxidants you need. (4)

Time your carbs. Your muscles are most Exercising diligently is essential. Fol-
receptive to producing new glycogen low these guidelines, and you’ll keep
within the first few hours after your poor recovery from interfering with
workout. That’s when blood flow to your progress.
the muscles is much greater, which in-
creases glucose transport to the muscle References
cells. They are also more sensitive to
the effects of insulin during this time, 1. Ivy JL “Glycogen resynthesis af-
promoting glycogen synthesis. (1) ter exercise: Effect of carbohy-
drate intake” International Jour-
Consume protein with your carbs. Vari- nal of Sports Medicine (1998)
ous research studies have proved that a 19: S142-S145.
carbohydrate/protein supplement trig-
gers the greatest elevations in insulin 2. Burke LM “Nutrition for post-ex-
and growth-hormone levels in exer- ercise recovery” Australian Journal of
cising study subjects. Clearly, protein Science and Medicine in Sport (1997)
works hand in hand with post-exercise 1: 3-10.
The Scoop on How to Recupe

by John Parrillo
With the weather changing, colds and nutrition and life-style practices. Here’s a you get in the habit of making your
flu bugs are in the air. It’s hard to be- look at how: nutrition as intense as your training, your
lieve but exercisers and athletes, despite workouts will be much more produc-
their healthy regimens, can be very 1. Supplement with extra carbs tive, and you’ll see results much quicker.
susceptible to infections, since train- Supplementation with carbohydrate bev-
ing can deplete the body’s antioxidant erages - before, during, and after exercise Make sure you remain in a calorie surplus
defenses. So in this month’s column, - has been shown to strengthen immune - that is, eating ample calories and taking
I want to amplify what Dr. Sheats has responses. For example, it reduces levels in supplemental nutrients to support your
to say in his column on recovery nutri- of the hormone cortisol in blood. That’s energy needs throughout the day. Follow
tion, particularly on the supplements good, since cortisol suppresses immune a high-calorie nutrition program, and you
we recommend to shore up immunity. response. Carbohydrate supplementation should have enough energy stamina to
also appears to protect various types blast through any workout, regardless of
of immune cells from weakening. (3) how long or intense it is. You’ll also have
In certain circumstances, exercise
If you’re on the Parrillo Nutrition Pro- enough recuperative power to sustain
can suppress your immune system,
gram™ a good supplement choice is you from workout to workout, without
which is your defense against infec-
our ProCarb™ Formula, which can be any compromise of energy or immune
tions and illness, by altering hormon-
used before, during, and after a workout. function.
al and biochemical functions in the
body. Not to worry, though: In most
situations, exercise does the oppo- 2. Consume whey protein supplements 4. Take Antioxidants
site. It enhances your immune system.
Research shows that whey protein diets Antioxidants are nutrients found in

increase the amount of glutathione in foods and supplements that protect
But what of those cases where ex-
body tissues. Glutathione is a peptide (an the body from the onslaught of dis-
ercise impairs immune defenses?
amino acid derivative) that is involved in ease-causing free radicals. Free radical

strengthening immunity. The elevation damage has been implicated in diseas-
According to scientific research, these
of glutathione has been shown to inhibit es such as cancer and heart disease.
can occur under the following circum-
the development of several types of tu-
stances (1):
mors, according to numerous studies. (4) Fortunately, free radicals aren’t al-
1. You’re under mental stress. lowed to do their bad deeds
Whey protein is found in the following without being policed. They’re appre-
2 . Y o u ’ r e u n d e r n o u r i s h e d . products: Optimized Whey Protein™, Hi- hended by the antioxidant nutrients,
(Research indicates athletes con- Protein Powder™, 50/50 Plus Powder™, which include vitamins A, C, E, beta-
sume about 25 percent fewer calories All-Protein™ Powder, Parrillo Sports carotene, and certain minerals and en-
than they need, leading to deficien- Nutrition Bars™, Parrillo Protein Bars™, zymes. These nutrients simply donate
cies of many essential nutrients.) (2) and Parrillo Energy Bars™. an electron to a free radical but without
changing into a radical itself. This ac-
3. You exercise in a carbohydrate- tion “neutralizes,” or stops the dangerous
depleted state (this increases the cir- 3. Beware of the “overtraining myth” multiplication of still more free radicals.
culation of stress hormones in your “Overtraining” refers to poor perfor-
body, plus harms immune-pro- mance in training and competition, and Supplementing with antioxidant nutrients
tective substances in the body). its symptoms include fatigue, frequent ill- has been found in research to help protect
ness, disturbed sleep, and moodiness. (5) the body against age-related diseases. You
4. You’ve attempted quick weight get vitamins A and E by eating a diet rich
loss through caloric deprivation. Overtraining, however, is simply “un- in vegetables and whole grains. Vitamin
derrecovery” or “undereating” - not A, in particular, is found in yellow and
5. You’ve practiced improper hygiene. taking in enough nutrients to fully re- orange foods, such as yams - a bodybuild-
cover from your workouts. If ample nu- ing staple. Nutritionists feel that our diets
The good news is that you can protect trients are not provided, intense work- don’t supply all the vitamin E needed
yourself from infections with improved outs won’t do much good. But once for good health. Thus, supplementation
of Parrillo Natural E™ is recommended. in our Mineral-Electrolyte Formula™. 5. MacKinnon, L.T. 2000. Spe-
cial feature for the Olympics: effects
By following the Parrillo Nutrition Pro- 7. Manage athletic stress of exercise on the immune system:
gram™ and supplementing with the Parrillo Hard-training bodybuilders and athletes overtraining effects on immunity and
Essential Vitamin Formula™ and the Par- can succumb to the immune-weakening performance in athletes. Immunol-
rillo Mineral-Electrolyte Formula™ you effects of stress just like anyone else. ogy and Cell Biology 78: 502-509.
supply your body with the antioxidant vita- Here are some ways to prevent this (9):
mins and minerals it needs for good health. 6. Barbul, A., et al. 1990. Ar-
ginine enhances wound healing and
• Vary your training routine to avoid lymphocyte immune responses in
5. Try arginine monotony. humans. Surgery 108: 331-336.
Arginine is considered a non-essential ami-
no acid, meaning the body can synthesize it • Space your comp- 7. Evoy, D. 1998. Im-
from proteins and other nutrients. Despite etitions appropriately so as to not place munonutrition: the role of ar-
the fact that arginine is labeled non-essen- undue burden on your recovery and im- ginine. Nutrition 14: 611-617.
tial, it has a number of important functions mune responses.
in the body, including the fortification of 8. Cordova, A. 1995. Behav-
the immune system. In studies with ani- iour of zinc in physical exercise: a
mals and humans, arginine has been found • Practice stress reduction strategies special references to immunity and
to improve wound healing and bolster such as relaxation if you’re contin- fatigue. Neuroscience and Biobe-
immune responses, plus reduce the inci- ually stressed out over competition. havorial Reviews 19: 439-445.
dence of infection following surgery. (6,7)
• Get adequate rest and recovery. 9. Gleeson, M. 2000. The scien-
Arginine has other duties, as well. It is re- tific basis of practical strategies to main-
quired to manufacture creatine, an impor- • Reduce environmental stress by tain the immunocompetence in elite
tant chemical in the muscles that provides limiting the time you train in heat, athletes. Exercise Immunology Review
the energy for contractions. In addition, cold, humidity, or polluted air. 6: 75-101.
Arginine apparently helps prevent the body
from breaking down protein in muscles • Practice good hygiene to limit the
and organs to repair itself when injured. transmission of contagious illnesses.
Meat, poultry, and fish are good sources
of arginine, as are numerous supplements, • Get regular medical check-ups if you
including our Enhanced GH Formula™ have recurrent infections.
and our Ultimate Amino Formula™.
References
6. Get in the zinc sync 1. Nieman, D.C. 1997. Ex-
Zinc has far-reaching roles in the body. ercise immunology: practical ap-
For example, it helps absorb vitamins; plications. International Journal
break down carbohydrates; and regulate of Sports Medicine 18: S91-S100.
the growth and development of repro-
ductive organs. Zinc is also an impor- 2. Venkatraman, J.T., et al.
tant immune-boosting mineral, involved 2000. Dietary fats and immune sta-
in making superoxide dismutase (SOD), tus in athletes: clinical implica-
an antioxidant enzyme that inactivates tions. Medicine and Science in
certain free radicals. Zinc, however, can Sports and Exercise 32: S389-S395.
be depleted by prolonged, high-intensity
exercise if you’re poorly nourished. Be- 3. Nieman, D.C. 1999. Nutrition,
cause zinc is required for the activity of exercise, and immune system function.
several enzymes involved in energy me- Clinics in Sports Medicine 18: 537-
tabolism, reductions in zinc concentrations 548.
in muscle may lead to muscle fatigue.(8) 4. Bounous, G., et al.
The best sources of zinc are lean pro- Whey proteins in cancer preven-
teins, whole grains, and mineral supple- tion. Cancer Letter 57: 91-94.
ments. Zinc is one of the minerals found
Stay Fit & Lean This Holiday Season

by John Parrillo
With the holiday season, can you still delicious ways to cook with turkey,
eat, drink, be merry and still stay fit? sweet potatoes, and more.
Answer: Absolutely—and here Plan ahead. It’s easier to stick
are some easy-to-follow guidelines to to a healthy course of action if you de-
help you. If you stick to these, you’ll cide to do so ahead of time, before the
start 2007 in super shape – with no need situation presents itself. Decide ahead
to make New Year’s resolutions… of time what you will eat, and how
much. Planning ahead of time works
Avoid or limit alcohol con-
much better than merely throwing cau-
sumption. When there’s alcohol in your
tion to the wind.
system, the liver has to work overtime
to process it, so it doesn’t have adequate Try “pre-dieting.” It works
time to process fat. Sip on seltzers, club like this: Start trimming off a few
soda or sparkling mineral water on the pounds of fat before the holidays get
rocks with a citrus twist. in full swing by following the Par-
rillo Nutrition Program. Pre-dieting
Stay active. Sticking to your
has been shown in clinical trials to
regular weight-training and aerobic ex-
offset holiday weight gain. Obesity
ercise routines is one of the best ways
researchers in Sweden studied the ef-
to fight fat gain during the holidays. So
fect of eating during the Christmas
regardless of what comes between you
holidays on 46 obese patients in a
and your workout, try not to eliminate it
weight-maintenance program. Those
all together. If you’re like most people,
dieters who had lost more than 6.6 lb
you’ll need to let off some steam during
by pre-dieting during the six months
the often-stressful holiday season, and
prior to Christmas gained less weight
exercise is the perfect stress reliever.
(from 0.4 lb to 4.8 lb) between Christ-
Plus, it helps to burn off the extra calo-
mas and Epiphany (a religious festival
ries that you’ve eaten at those parties
celebrated on January 6) than those
and holiday get-togethers.
who didn’t pre-diet. By contrast, the
Push it aerobically. If you patients who gained more than 6.6
have the luxury of vacation time during lb of body fat during the six months
the holidays, why not engage in a little prior to Christmas put on an additional
additional aerobics to burn off those 5 lbs. on average during the holi-
extra calories? Do a bit more of your days. The message is clear: Pre-dieting
usual aerobic activity or try some new clearly keeps the holiday pounds from
types just for fun. If you are not that piling on.
adventurous, try to slightly increase the
duration and/or frequency of your usual
aerobic exercise routine.
Check out the Parrillo Cap-

Tri® Cookbook. Most people don’t
realize it, but the traditional holiday
dinner with appetizers can weigh in
with thousands of fat and sugar-filled
calories. Look at John’s cookbook for
some recipes that make great holiday
fare! There are new, healthier, and

by John Parrillo
Parrillo Performance provides the best nia smell in your clothes after a hard build up the importance of carbohydrates
quality supplements in the world. Pe- workout? This is because your body in endurance performance — and right-
riod. We don’t cut any corners when was using some amino acids as fuel but fully so. Carbs are your body’s best fuel
it comes to nutritional support for our was not able to clear the waste products source for endurance activity (3,6,7).
athletes. We want you to get the most efficiently. When this happens the car- However, for those carbs to be used as
from your training, and we want you bon skeleton of amino acids is burned, fuel your muscles require a constant
to reach your goals. We’re here to leaving ammonia as a byproduct. Am- supply of oxygen. Contrary to popular
help you win. In addition to our fa- monia is quite toxic and is converted belief, it is usually the rate of oxygen
mous success with bodybuilders, we to urea in a metabolic pathway called delivery to cells which limits energy pro-
also work with world class endurance “the urea cycle,” which prepares it to duction, not the availability of glucose.
athletes. In this article I will describe be excreted in the urine (4,5). The urea
some of our best supplements for en- cycle requires certain chemical com- As you know, it is the responsibil-
durance athletes, why they work and pounds called “aspartates,” (4,5) which ity of red blood cells to deliver oxy-
how to use them. Even if you’re not an are included in our Max Endurance gen to all the working tissues of your
endurance athlete and are just looking Formula™. We have developed this body (4). What you may not know is
for more energy, our approach to diet product specifically for use during en- that endurance training actually can de-
and supplementation is sure to help. durance activities. It works by provid- stroy red blood cells rather than building
Finally, it’s also worth mentioning that ing nutrients which are used by the body them up — if your nutrition’s not right.
many of the best bodybuilders also rely to detoxify the waste products of protein Bodybuilders have long recognized that
on our endurance supplements when catabolism. Max Endurance™ helps strength training actually breaks down
they want to train longer and harder, filter out toxic waste products your muscles and that this damage provides
and, more importantly, recover faster body generates during intense training. the stimulus for subsequent growth dur-
and more completely. Eliminating these waste products helps ing the recovery period. To build more
you have more energy and recover fast- muscle, you have to provide the nutrients
Ultra-endurance activities are as- er. Ammonia is very toxic and will stop muscles are made of. The same is true
sociated with loss of lean body mass energy production in the cell. Using for endurance training, except it’s the
(1,2). Endurance activity causes loss the aspartates in Max Endurance™ to blood system that takes a beating. And if
of lean tissue because as fat and car- “neutralize” the ammonia as soon as it you want to recover and be stronger as a
bohydrate fuels are exhausted the body forms enables you to have more energy result of your workout, you have to feed
draws on its own muscle tissue to and endurance. We suggest the product your body with the nutrients it needs to
use as fuel (3). Amino acids can be be used consistently everyday, not just make red blood cells. Have you ever
converted to glucose in the liver via a on days of endurance events. noticed that many endurance athletes are
process known as “gluconeogenesis” very thin and don’t have much muscle
(4,5). The so-called “branched chain Perhaps the most crucial supple- mass? Why is that? To understand why
amino acids” (leucine, isoleucine and ment for endurance athletes is our Liver this happens, and what to do about it,
valine) seem to be especially preferred Amino Formula™. I cannot overem- you need to know a little about physiol-
as fuel substrates. In addition to being phasize the importance of this product. ogy and how the body adapts to endur-
converted to glucose in the liver, the What is endurance activity all about, ance training.
amino acids are unique in that they anyway? It’s about producing energy
can also be used directly as fuel by the over an extended period of time. Liver Endurance activity causes a condi-
muscles (5). These are the amino acids Amino™ helps in at least three ways tion referred to as “sports anemia” (8-
included in our product Muscle Ami- — by providing heme iron, protein and 11). This occurs rapidly with the onset
no™. Muscle Amino™ contains the B vitamins. of training (9,11). Endurance training
balance of branched chain amino acids causes an increase in mitochondrial con-
science has shown most beneficial. Energy production in the human tent of the muscle tissue (mitochondria
body requires two things: a fuel sub- are the furnaces inside the cell where
Have you ever noticed an ammo- strate and oxygen (3,5). Many people fuels are burned — the more energy
you produce the more mitochondria you References and Shiraki K. Anemia during hard
need), in myoglobin concentration (a pro- physical training (sports anemia) and
tein like hemoglobin, which is involved in 1. Friedman JE and Lemon PWR. Ef- its causal mechanism with special
transporting oxygen inside muscle cells), fect of chronic endurance exercise on reference to protein nutrition. World
and in cytochrome enzymes (enzymes retention of dietary protein. Int. J. Rev. Nutr. Diet. 35: 1-86, 1980.
of the electron transport chain, involved Sports Med. 10: 118-123, 1989.
in aerobic energy production) (12). All 12. Haymes. Proteins, Vitamins, and
of these are protein structures which 2. Hickson JF and Wolinsky I. Human Iron. Ergogenic Aids in Sport; ed.
are increased as an adaptive response to protein intake and metabolism in exer- Williams. Human Kinetics Publish-
endurance training. To achieve this in- cise and sports. Nutrition in Exercise ers; 1983; p 27-55.
crease, the body draws on its erythrocytes and Sport, Hickson JF and Wolinsky I,
(red blood cells), hemoglobin and plasma Eds. p. 5-36. CRC Press, 1989.
proteins as a source of protein (10-12).
This is an example of the “plasticity’” of 3. Nagle FJ and Bassett DR Jr. Energy
the body — the body remodeling its own metabolism in exercise. Nutrition in
structures to adapt to changing condi- Exercise and Sport, Hickson JF and
tions. In other words, what’s happening Wolinsky I, Eds. p. 87-106. CRC Press,
is the body needs to build up its energy 1989.
producing systems inside muscle cells
to adapt to the training stimulus. These 4. Guyton AC. Textbook of Medical
energy producing systems are made of Physiology. W.B. Saunders, 1991.
protein. And the easiest place for your
muscle cells to find protein is to steal it 5. Zubay G. Biochemistry . Addison-
from red blood cells and plasma protein. Wesley Publishing Company, 1983.

Couple this increased protein need 6. Miller GD and Massaro EJ. Car-
with the fact that endurance activity bohydrate in ultra-endurance perfor-
causes amino acids to be used as fuel mance. Nutrition in Exercise and Sport,
substrates instead of as proteins, and you Hickson JF and Wolinsky I, Eds. p.
can see why endurance athletes are fre- 51-62. CRC Press, 1989.
quently borderline anemic and why they
commonly experience muscle wasting. 7. Pate TD and Brunn JC. Fundamen-
tals of carbohydrate metabolism. Nutri-
Liver Amino™ contains heme iron tion in Exercise and Sport, Hickson JF
— the most bioavailable iron source (8). and Wolinsky I, Eds. pg. 37-50. CRC
The product contains desiccated liver Press, 1989.
(not cooked), as cooking can destroy
the heme group and decrease its incor- 8. Scrimshaw NS. Iron Deficiency.
poration in red blood cells by 50% (8). Scientific American, pg. 46-52, Octo-
Liver Amino™ formula also provides ber, 1991.
1.5 grams of complete protein per tablet.
Heme iron and protein are precisely the 9. Sherman AR and Kramer B. Iron
nutrients your body needs to produce red nutrition and exercise. Nutrition in
blood cells. This way you can build your Exercise and Sport, Hickson JF and
energy producing systems inside muscle Wolinsky I, Eds. p. 291-308. CRC
cells and your blood system all at the Press, 1989.
same time, without having to sacrifice
one for the other. Plus it’s a rich source 10. Shiraki K, Yamada T and Yoshimura
of B vitamins, which are used in energy H. Relation of protein nutrition to the
production. Start taking the Liver-Amino reduction of red blood cells induced by
(five to eight with each meal) when physical training. Japanese J. Physiol.
you’re training hard and definitely at 27: 413-421, 1977.
least six weeks before your event, since it
takes that long to build up red blood cells. 11. Yoshimura H, Inoue T, Yamada T

Supplementation & Rest Go Together

by John Parrillo
Getting enough rest and taking the joints to push the weight to com- better results by training a particu-
right supplements are important ad- pletion: i.e. squats, bench presses, lar muscle two or in some instances
juncts to your fitness and health. rows, cleans, overhead presses, even three times a week. One key
There are different categories of rest. deadlifts, etc., will require more factor is your strength level. As you
One quantifiable type is the rest recovery time between sets than get stronger and lift heavier weights
interval between sets. How much isolation exercises like curls or del- it takes longer to recover. Many ex-
time do you allow before commenc- toid raises. Again, this is com- perienced bodybuilders like to train
ing the next set? A second type mon sense stuff but basic concepts each muscle group once a week
of rest is the rest interval between need to be repeated periodically. for this reason. Beginners do much
training sessions. How long before better by training each muscle two
you train the same muscle again? Here is where supplementation or three times weekly. After all, a
Then there is sleep: how long do comes in: Weight training is in- man who bench presses 500 for reps
you sleep each night and are you credibly intense exercise and with- and does forced reps and negatives
getting enough quality sleep? Fi- in seconds of the commencement will need a lot longer to recover
nally, where in the “rest process” can of a heavy set, energy reserves are than a rookie handling 100x5 in
you introduce supplements to opti- depleted and waste products begin the same exercise. Like most ev-
mize your progress? I’ll answer these to accumulate (1-4). Creatine phos- erything about training, variation
questions for you in this column. phate serves as an energy donor is the name of the game. You could
and helps to maintain the supply of develop a two-day a week routine,
Rest Intervals Between Sets ATP, the molecule used by muscles a three-day routine, or a six-day
to power contractions. ATP is rap- routine. Variety is the spice of life
Use different rest intervals between idly depleted and strength fades and the way we keep progress-
sets to elicit different muscular efas a heavy set proceeds, muscular ing. Sameness equals stagnation.
fects. The length you choose will contractions soon stop altogether.
trigger a different physiological ef- During the rest interval between Overtraining Is Really Under-
fect. If you want to get cut-up and sets ATP and creatine phosphate nutrition
lean, you would naturally and cor- stores are repleted. Supplementa-
rectly gravitate towards a focused tion with Creatine Monohydrate™ Other questions are often asked of
and fast-type of workout style. If can help the entire depletion-re- me, such as: When should I take a
your goal is to increase your muscle generation process as it increas- day off? What is the strategy behind
mass, you will need to increase your es intracellular Creatine pools(5- rest and recuperation? What is the
strength. Increased strength occurs 6). Supplement with our Creatine relationship between exercise, nutri-
when additional poundage is han- Monohydrate Formula™ and you tion, rest and muscle growth? Gen-
dled or more reps are performed. will get a better training effect. eralizations are dangerous since ev-
In order to handle heavier weight eryone is different and circumstanc-
or perform more reps per set you Rest between Training Sessions es are never the same. In addition to
need to be totally recovered from the weight training, a Parrillo-trained
previous set. Allow plenty of time What is the amount of time to rest bodybuilder needs to do aerobics
between sets when you are tackling between training sessions? Some on a regular and systematic basis.
the big weights. Heavy, compound people do best by training each Pre-contest bodybuilders will do
exercise movements, those which in- muscle group once a week, but aerobics twice a day in addition to
volve the movement of two or more training it very hard. Others get regular weight training. This is a lot
of work, particularly since we insist Sleep and Stress Issues All-Protein™. Our whey protein is
the athlete train intensely whatever fortified with extra glutamine and
the discipline. Our rule of thumb Always try to get enough sleep. If branched chain amino acids. In
is that you should take off the least you are unable to sleep optimally, terms of recovery and growth the
amount of days you need in order to your recovery will suffer and you two most important supplements
recuperate. If you are eating properly won’t be able to train each muscle are protein powder and Creatine
and plentifully and getting plenty of group as frequently. Stress can be Monohydrate™.
sleep at night, you can train hard- a definite detriment to recovery.
er, longer, heavier and more often. Emotional stress is a very real Carbohydrates are required to
factor as is illness. During stress maintain your muscle glycogen
You hear a lot of talk on how to your body produces cortisol, which stores. When muscle glycogen is
avoid over-training but often this is helps you through the stress but depleted, strength and endurance
an excuse for laziness. Over training has the unfortunate side effect of drop off markedly (1-4). If you
can be avoided if you take in lots breaking down muscle. Cortisol are no longer getting a good pump
of quality calories and get plenty of is a catabolic hormone that breaks after a set, this is a sign that you
deep, restful sleep. In fact, at Par- down muscle tissue so that the are running low on glycogen. In
rillo, if athletes think they are over- protein can be used as fuel. Illness this case, increase your carbs by
training, I advise that they up their reduces your ability to recover as using two to four scoops of Par-
calories rather than cut back on the your body devotes its energy to rillo Pro-Carb™ after your work-
weight training or aerobic activity. It fighting the sickness rather than re- out. This is the perfect time to
is tough to make progress by exercis- pairing muscle tissue. If you have supplement with carbs as they
ing less. If you are not making good a cold and don’t feel too bad, will be stored as glycogen. Don’t
gains and feel zapped and tired, try then go ahead and train. But if forget to take your vitamins and
increasing your calories and adding you have a fever or are too sick to minerals. I suggest six meals a
another hour of sleep to your nightly work take a few days off from the day, spaced at regular intervals.
allotment. Make sure you are training gym or do mild aerobics until you Each meal should include a pro-
intensely enough to stimulate growth. feel strong enough to weight train. tein source (such as lean chicken
What is intense enough? Pushing the or turkey), a starch, and a fibrous
envelope and upping poundage or Recovery Nutrition vegetable. Good starches include
weights every session. Push hard potatoes, rice, beans, and corn.
Nutrition plays an absolutely cen- Stay away from simple sugars and
and make gains, then refuel and rest. tral role in the recovery process. refined carbohydrates such as pas-
The foods you eat supply you with ta or bread. Metabolically, refined
Muscle Characteristics & Recovery the building blocks the body needs carbohydrates behave much like
to repair itself. If you are training simple sugars. Also avoid milk
Another key recovery factor is the intensely and getting enough sleep
characteristic of the muscle itself. and fruit, which are rich in sugars.
but not eating right, then your Consult the Parrillo Performance
Large muscles need more time to growth potential will be severely
recover between workouts. Because Nutrition Manual for detailed in-
limited. You should be getting one structions. Adequate nutrition and
big muscles are stronger, you can lift to two grams of protein per pound
more poundage and are subjected sleep are two critical ingredients
of body weight every day for op- in achieving optimal recovery.
to greater stress, you need longer to timal growth and recovery (7-10).
recover. You might find that your Don’t be afraid to vary and ex-
Most bodybuilders use a protein periment with your rest intervals
arms recover faster than your legs, supplement as the foundation for
for example. Or your triceps recover and training frequency.
their nutritional program. We think
quicker than your lower back. Be the best protein on the market is
aware of these muscular phenom- References
our Hi-Protein Powder™ or Opti-
ena when scheduling your sessions. mized Whey Protein™ or our new 1. McArdle WD, KatchFI,
and Katch VL. Exercise Physi- 9. Celejowa I and Homa M.
ology: Energy, Nutrition, and Food intake, nitrogen, and en-
Human Performance. Lea & ergy balance in Polish weight
Febiger, Philadelphia, 1991. lifters during training camp.
Nutr Metab 12: 259-274, 1970.
2. Wilmore JH and Cos-
till DL. Physiology of Exer- 10. Laritcheva KA, Yalovaya
cise and Sport. Human Ki- NI, Shubin VI, and Shirnov PV.
netics, Champaign, IL, 1994. Study of energy expenditure and
protein needs of top weight lift-
3. Essentials of Strength ers. In: Nutrition, Physical Fit-
Training and Conditioning, ness and Health, eds. Pariznova
Thomas R. Baechle, editor, Na- J and Rogozkin VA, p. 155-163.
tional Strength and Condition- University Park Press, Baltimore,
ing Association, Human Kinet- 1978.
4. Guyton AC. Text-

book of Medical Physiol-
ogy, W.B. Saunders Com-
pany, Philadelphia, 1991.
5. Maughan RJ. Cre-

atine supplementation and
exercise performance. In-
ternational Journal of Sport
Nutrition 5: 94-101, 1995.
6. Greenhaff PL. Cre-

atine and its application as
an ergogenic aid. Interna-
tional Journal of Sport Nu-
trition 5: S100-S110, 1995.
7. Tarnopolsky MA, Mac-

Dougall JD, and Atkinson SA.
Influence of protein intake and
training status on nitrogen bal-
ance and lean mass. J Appl
Physiol 64: 187-193, 1988.
8. Lemon PWR. Influence

of dietary protein and total ener-
gy intake on strength improve-
ment. Sports Sci Exch 2, 1989.
Fat Loss Accelerators

by John Parrillo
In the new year, our thoughts turn Your maximum heart rate is 180 comes from fat (112 fat calo-
to getting in shape or getting in (220 - 40). You should work out ries versus 108 calories).1
better shape. Good news: there are at an intensity such that your
some relatively easy ways to speed heart reaches between 126 and Increase Your Strength
up your fat loss and encourage 153 beats a minute (70 to 85 Training Intensity
your body to tap into its fat stores percent of 180 beats per minute Intensity in strength training re-
more rapidly. What follows is an = .70 x 180 = 126, or .80 x 180 fers primarily to the demand
explanation of certain techniques = 153). you place on your muscles — in
that can help you accelerate your other words, how much weight
fat loss as the new year begins. If you’re a newcomer to aerobic you lift or how many repetitions
exercise, start out in the lower of an exercise you do. For great-
Increase the “Intensity” of Your end of your range. Gradually er intensity, you must challenge
Exercise increase your intensity so that your muscles to lift more weight
Intensity refers to the level of effort you reach the higher end of your or do more repetitions each time
you exert during exercise. High- range as your body becomes more you work out. Working your
er-intensity exercise helps you get aerobically fit. muscles hard ultimately leads
leaner much faster. to more lean tissue and less
Higher-intensity aerobic exer- body fat.
How do you know if you’re ex- cise burns more fat. To illus-
ercising intensely enough? There trate what I mean, let’s look Shift Your Body into a Fat-
are a couple of ways to tell. With at two examples. First, suppose Burning Mode By Perform-
aerobic exercise, you should be you walk for about 45 minutes ing Aerobics after Strength
breathing hard but still be able to at about three miles per hour, el- Training
carry on a labored conversation. evating your heart rate to about You can shift your body into a
This indicates that your body is 65 percent of its maximum — a fat-burning mode faster if you
processing a significant amount moderate level of intensity. At perform your aerobic exercise
of oxygen. When more oxygen this intensity, you’re burning a after strength training. Lifting
is “extracted” by your muscles, total of 216 calories — 108 calo- weights causes your body to
more stored fat and carbohydrate ries from carbohydrates and 108 draw on muscle glycogen for
can be used to supply energy. calories from fat. fuel. During a 30 to 45-minute
Another way to determine aerobic training session, you can use up
intensity is by monitoring your In the second example, you pick a lot of glycogen. Afterwards,
heart rate. For best results, you up your pace by walking 4 miles your body is glycogen-needy
should exercise at a level suffi- per hour and elevating your heart — the perfect time to start your
cient enough to raise your heart rate to 75 percent of its maxi- aerobics. Theoretically, your
rate to 70 to 85 percent or high- mum. In the same 45-minute body then starts drawing on fat-
er of your maximum heart rate period, you’ll burn a total of 288 ty acids for energy during the
(MHR). MHR is expressed as 220 calories — 176 calories from aerobics. You’ll burn more fat,
minus your age. For example, sup- carbohydrates and 112 calories and get leaner as a result.
pose you’re 40 years old, and you from fat. So at the higher inten-
start an aerobic exercise program. sity level, more of your energy
Lose More Fat by Increasing
The Duration of Your Aerobic
Workout
For various reasons, some people
just can’t push for higher intensi-
ties. If you’re one of them, don’t
despair! Simply increase the dura-
tion of your aerobic workout. The
longer you work out aerobically
— 45 minutes or longer — the more
fat you’ll burn.
Lose More Fat by Increasing the

Frequency of Your Workouts
You can burn more fat by increas-
ing the number of times you work
out each week. If you’ve been ex-
ercising aerobically three times a
week, gradually work up to four or
five times a week. You’ll burn more
calories. Many of those calories will
be fat calories, especially if you’re
working out at higher intensities.
Take Gradual Steps

It can be tempting to work out
harder and longer or add more ex-
ercise sessions — and do it right
away. But proceed with caution or
else you could hurt yourself. Make
small upward increments in inten-
sity, duration, and frequency, and
you’ll be gratified by what you can
accomplish.
Reference
1. Chester J. Zelasko, “Exercise for

Fat Loss: What Are the Facts?”
Journal of the American Dietetic
Association 95 (December 1995):
1414-1417.
Vitamin C’s Performance Punch

by John Parrillo
When you read about vitamin C, it’s You may be able to ward off oxi- sideline you pretty fast. Vitamin C
usually in reference to its cold-fight- dative stress, however, by supple- to the rescue. When ultramarathon
ing power. But did you also know menting with vitamin C. In a recent runners supplemented with 600
that vitamin C – the most commonly experiment, investigators discov- milligrams of vitamin C a day for
supplemented nutrient in the United ered that oxidative stress was high- 21 days prior to a marathon, they
States 1 – can perform some impor- est when subjects did not supple- experienced fewer upper respira-
tant performance-enhancing feats as ment with vitamin C.5 tory tract infections. This benefit
well? Taking vitamin C, along with vi- may be due to vitamin C’s anti-
tamin E, has been found to help oxidant effect, or to its overall
That’s right. Vitamin C, also known muscles recover and regenerate immune-boosting capability.9
as ascorbic acid, contributes to ath- more quickly following exercise
letic performance in at least three – which means you can get back Do you ever develop shortness of
possible ways - as an antioxidant, a in the game faster. In one study, breath and wheezing after strenu-
promoter of respiratory health, and a researchers gave endurance athletes ous exercise? If so, you may have
factor in endurance. 1000 mg of vitamin C and 1000 IU “exercise-induced asthma” (EIA).
of vitamin E a day, or placebos, in EIA affects an estimated 10 per-
Antioxidant Action divided doses at lunch and dinner. cent of all exercisers, and nearly
With exercise, there’s a dramatic in- The supplemented athletes showed all asthma sufferers. EIA symp-
crease in the amount of oxygen used about a 25 percent reduction in tis- toms typically occur after about
by your body. A fraction of this oxy- sue damage.6 Further, vitamin C has six to eight minutes of exercise
gen is converted into “free radicals.” been found to reduce the delayed and can last 20 to 30 minutes. 10
Free radicals are unstable oxygen muscle onset soreness (DOMS) felt During an attack, tiny muscles
molecules that attack bodily tissues.2 in the 24 to 48-hour period follow- wrapped around the outside of
ing exercise.7 the bronchi (the two large tubes
Fortunately, the body is equipped with that branch out from the windpipe
a mighty defense team of substances Vitamin C also confers a heart- to the lungs), constrict in what
known as antioxidants, which neu- protective benefit, particularly if is known as a “bronchospasm.”
tralize free radicals and prevent them you’re a serious exerciser or endur It’s difficult to breathe, your chest
from doing harm. Vitamin C is one ance athlete. Free radical production hurts, and you may wheeze.
of these antioxidants. It keeps free during very-intense exercise tends
radicals from destroying the outer- to oxidize low-density lipoproteins, There are numerous preventa-
most layers of cells and has the pow- otherwise known as LDL choles- tive treatments for EIA, and one
er to regenerate vitamin E, another terol (dubbed “the bad kind”), lead- of these is supplementation with
antioxidant.3 ing to plaque build-up in the arter- vitamin C. Patients with asthma
ies. A study conducted with highly who supplemented with 500 mil-
Normally, free radicals don’t cause trained runners demonstrated that ligrams of vitamin C daily expe-
much of a problem. But during stren- supplementing with 1 gram daily of rienced fewer spasms in response
uous activity, free radicals can start vitamin C decreased the tendency to exercise.11 A two-gram dosage
outnumbering antioxidants - a con- of LDL cholesterol to oxidize.8 taken one hour prior to exercise
dition called “oxidative stress.” It has demonstrated a protective
leads to muscle tissue damage and in- Respiratory Health effect too.12
flammation, increases the body’s con- If you work out regularly or train for
sumption of antioxidants, and leaves athletic competition, you know that Endurance Factors
you vulnerable to disease.4 a cold or respiratory infection can If you take vitamin C, will you
be able to bike farther, work out 1996;24:S20-S24. asthma. Archives of Pediat-
longer, or get across the finish line rics and Adolescent Medicine.
3. Kanter MM. Free radicals, exer-
faster? Possibly. 1997;151:367-370.
cise, and antioxidant supplementa-
13. Gerster H. The role of vitamin C
tion. International Journal of Sport
Scientists have discovered that in Athletic Performance. Jour-
Nutrition. 1994;4:205-220.
hard-training athletes, specifical- nal of the American College of
ly endurance and ultraendurance 4. Ji LL. Exercise, oxidative stress, Nutrition. 1989;8:636-643.
athletes, often have low levels of and antioxidants. The Ameri-
14. Witt EH, et al. Exercise, oxi-
vitamin C circulating in their bod- can Journal of Sports Medicine.
dative damage and effects of
ies.13 If you’re deficient in vita- 1996;24:S20-S24.
antioxidant manipulation. Jour-
min C, your endurance will suffer
5. Alessio HM, et al. Exercise-in- nal of Nutrition. 1992;122:766-
– a side effect confirmed by re-
duced oxidative stress before and 773. Also: Johnston CS, et al.
search.14 Deficiencies can be eas-
after vitamin C supplementation. Substrate utilization and work
ily prevented by supplementing
International Journal of Sport Nu- efficiency during submaximal
with vitamin C and eating vitamin
trition. 1997;7:1-9. exercise in vitamin C depleted-
C-rich foods.
repleted adults. International
6. Kanter, MM. Antioxidants and oth- Journal for Vitamin and Nutri-
The best sources of vitamin C in the er popular ergogenic aids. From tion Research. 1999;69:41-44.
diet are citrus fruits. Other foods, the proceedings of Nutritional Er-
such as green and red peppers, gogenic Aids, November 11-12,
collard greens, broccoli, Brussels 1994, Chicago, Illinois.
sprouts, cabbage, spinach, potatoes,
cantaloupe, and strawberries are 7. Kaminski M, et al. An effect of
also excellent sources. ascorbic acid on delayed-onset mus-
cle soreness. Pain. 1992;50:317-
Supplemental Vitamin C 321.
To ensure that you get the vitamin
8. Sanchez-Quesada JL, et al. Ascor-
C your body demands, supplemen-
bic acid inhibits the increase in
tation is an excellent idea. Our
low-density lipoprotein. Coronary
Bio-C™ formula contains 1000 mg
Artery Disease. 1998;9:249-55.
of vitamin per tablet, and is formu-
lated with health-building Citrus 9. Peters EM, et al. Vitamin C supple-
Bioflavonoids (concentrate from mentation reduces the incidence of
lemons, oranges, grapefruit, limes, post race symptoms of upper-re-
tangerines). Take one or more tablet spiratory-tract infection in ultrama-
daily, preferably with meals rathon events. American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition. 1993;57:170-
References 174.
1. Johnston C, et al. Comparison 10. Mellion MB, et al. Exercise-in-

of the absorption and excretion duced asthma. American Family
of three commercially available Physician. 1992;45:2671-2677.
sources of vitamin C. Journal of 11. Schachter EN, et al. The attenua-
the American Dietetic Associa- tion of exercise-induced broncho-
tion. 1994;94:779-781. spasm by ascorbic acid. Annals of
2. Ji LL. Exercise, oxidative stress, Allergy. 1982;49:146-151.
and antioxidants. The American 12. Cohen HA, et al. Blocking effect
Journal of Sports Medicine. of vitamin C in exercise-induced
Joint Health
by John Parrillo
If your joints are creaky and achy, taking GLA-rich oils can effec- support. When you supplement
don’t despair. You can help your tively fight the inflammation - the with glucosamine, it gathers in
joints with some natural approach- major cause of swollen, painful the liver, kidneys and articular
es, and hopefully not have to resort joints. GLA is a building block of cartilage. Once it reaches the
to over-the-counter or prescription a beneficial type of prostaglandin, chondrocytes, the cells that pro-
pain-killers (unless your physician which exerts an anti-inflammatory duce cartilage, the glucosamine
recommends them). Here are some effect on the body. Thus, supple- is incorporated into those cells.
options available: menting with GLA increases pro- Eventually, it forms a viscous
duction of these prostaglandins fluid that helps protect and lu-
Evening Primrose Oil and may help control the pain and bricate your joints and cartilage.
Evening primrose oil, in particu- inflammation associated with joint
lar has specific benefits for ath- problems and arthritis. Chrondroiton
letes, bodybuilders – really, any- Like glucosamine, this is another
one who is interested in improv- Parrillo Performance recognized one of the molecules that make up
ing personal health and fitness. It the need for a product that counter- cartilage. One of its functions is
comes from a plant that grows wild acts joint and inflammation prob- to attract fluid into the tissue, and
along roadsides. It is so named be- lems. The Parrillo Performance this gives cartilage resistance and
cause its yellow flowers resemble solution is Evening Primrose Oil™ elasticity. Also like glucosamine,
in color real primroses, and these a concentrated source of essential chondroitin appears to stimulate
flowers open only in the evening. fatty acids, including GLA. EFA’s cartilage cells to create new car-
keep joints lubricated, hair and tilage and it may also slow the
From this oil, your body can di- skin healthy, and brain neurons breakdown of cartilage.
rectly obtain GLA, which stands firing correctly. Each 1000 mg gel
for gamma-linolenic acid. GLA is cap contains 30 IU’s of vitamin Shark Cartilage
ultimately converted into the pros- E, 100 mg of Gamma Linolenic This supplement can provide re-
taglandin E1 series, a group of ben- Acid and 760 mg of Linoleic Acid. lief to painful, swollen, and stiff
eficial chemicals that helps reduce Take one to three capsules daily. joints. The secret to shark carti-
inflammation, regulates blood clot- lage’s success in treating arthritis
ting, decreases cholesterol levels, primarily lies in the complex
and lowers high blood pressure, Other Joint-Friendly Nutrients carbohydrates it contains: muco
among other functions. Thus, eve- Our ongoing research recently led polysaccharides, which relieve
ning primrose oil is indicated for us to develop the Parrillo Joint For- the chronic and painful inflam-
various diseases or conditions in mula to assist in the rebuilding of mation that is so injurious to
which prostaglandins are associ- damaged joints, tendons, cartilage, joints. Other benefits of shark
ated, and these include premenstru- and soft tissue. The nutrients con- cartilage are to regulate the im-
al syndrome (PMS); heart disease; tained in this supplement include: mune system and prevent new
diabetic neuropathy, a type of nerve blood vessel growth into the car-
damage that is a complication of Glucosamine tilage of the joints. European re-
diabetes; and arthritis. Chemically, glucosamine is a searchers have reported dramatic
combination of glucose and ami- reductions in pain and inflam-
A growing number of medical ex- no acids, and it has been exten- mation in arthritis patients sup-
perts and scientists now believe that sively studied for joint health and plementing with shark cartilage.
Green Sea Mussel
This nutrient supports the restoration
and maintenance processes of synovial
fluid and connective tissues, including
joints, ligaments, tendons, cartilage
and intervertebral discs.
Keep in mind that all these products

should be used in conjunction with
The Parrillo Performance Nutrition
Program for best results. Joint For-
mula™ should not be taken if you are
allergic to seafood.
Reference
Greenberg, R. 1994. Clinical implica-

tions and therapeutic administrations
of shark cartilage. Chiropractic Prod-
ucts November, pp. 140-142.
Vitamin E for Health & Exercise

by John Parrillo
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, glucose. In the diabetic patients, these Natural Vitamin E Plus™, made from
meaning that it can be stored with fat in benefits were even more pronounced, natural vegetable sources and therefore
the liver and other tissues. Vitamin E is suggesting that vitamin E is a useful well assimilated by the body, is a good
also a component of cells, sandwiched nutrient for blood sugar control. source of vitamin E. We recommend
between the fatty layers that make up 1 capsule a day, taken with meals.
cell membranes. When disease-causing Helps Fight Heart and Blood
free radicals come along, they hitch up Vessel Disease References
to vitamin E, damaging it instead of the Heart disease is the major cause of
rest of the cell membrane. In the process, death in men and women. Vitamin E, Jain, S.K., et al. 1996. The effect of
vitamin E soaks up the free radicals, and however, may prove beneficial against modest vitamin E supplementation on
the cell is protected from harm. Vitamin it. In a 14-week study of 21 patients, lipid peroxidation products and other
C and other antioxidants can regenerate researchers at the University of Texas cardiovascular risk factors in diabetic
vitamin E. But with a shortage of vita- Southwestern Medical Center found patients. Lipids 31: S87-S90.
min E, there is an increase in free radi- that taking 1,200 IU of vitamin E dai-
cals, cellular injuries, and subsequent ly reduced LDL cholesterol oxidation Kleiner, S.M., and M. Greenwood-
disorders to bodily tissues. — a process that, if not stopped, can Robinson. 2006. Power eating.
lead to clogged arteries, a precursor of Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinet-
Vitamin E is thus an important an- heart attack and stroke. ics
tioxidant that saves cells from
damage. Specifically, vitamin E prevents Vitamin E and Exercise Paolisso, G., et al. 1993. Pharma-
a free radical-initiated process known as Many studies on antioxidants and cologic doses of vitamin E improve
“lipid peroxidation.” In a domino-like exercise have focused on vitamin E, insulin action in healthy subjects and
series of chemical reactions, free radicals with intriguing results. For example: non-insulin-dependent diabetic sub-
hook up with fatty acids in the body to jects. American Journal of Clinical
form substances called “peroxides.” Per- ● An 800-milligram vitamin E Nutrition 57: 650-656.
oxides attack cell membranes, setting off supplement taken daily helped
a chain reaction that creates many more guard against muscle damage and
free radicals. free radical production, in subjects
age 55 and older who exercised
In addition, vitamin E protects beta by walking or running downhill.
carotene from destruction in the body
and is an important guardian of blood ● Supplementation may prevent the
vessel health. Vitamin E also interrupts destruction of oxygen-carrying red
the plaque-forming process that can clog blood cells. That means your muscles
your arteries. Other important benefits benefit from higher or sustained
include: oxygen delivery while you exercise.

Helps Regulate Blood Sugar ● Supplementation may improve your
In a study that looked at vitamin E’s ef- exercise performance if you work out
fect on glucose metabolism and insulin at high altitudes; however, it is not
action, 10 control (healthy) subjects and known yet whether there is a similar
15 people with type 2 diabetes under- benefit when you exercise at sea level.
went an oral glucose tolerance test be-
fore and after taking 900 milligrams of Because of vitamin E’s positive effect
vitamin E for four months. In the control on the immune system and other
group, vitamin E improved the action factors, we believe supplementation
of insulin and the body’s handling of with this vitamin is important. Our
From Here to Serenity: How to Nutritionally

Tame the Tension in Your Life
by John Parrillo
Blowing a sales call, missing dead- • Your muscles tense up. other common skin disorders are
lines, failing a test, getting laid off, caused or aggravated by chronic
working too hard, losing a loved • Your pupils dilate, and your stress.
one – these are just a few of the hearing becomes more acute.
things in life that trigger stress, Distress produces tension head-
and with it, emotions of frustration, aches
anxiety, or depression. This nega- What is eustress from one person The most common of all head
tive form of stress is referred to as may be distress for another. For aches, tension headaches occur
“distress.” example, ask someone to give when the muscles surrounding
a speech to 1000 people. If that your skull go into painful spasms.
But stress also comes in a positive person is comfortable in front of Though not life-threatening, ten-
form known as “eustress,” coined an audience, he or she will see sion headaches are often a clear
by stress researcher Hans Selye this as an exciting, positive ex- sign that you are depressed or
from the Greek word eu meaning perience (eustress). On the other under pressure.
good. Eustress arises from pleasant hand, if someone who is shy is
activities, such as planning a wed- asked to speak before a group, Distress assaults your immune
ding or preparing to go on vacation. he or she would view this as a system
Rather than provoke negative emo- source of distress. Whether you When you’re persistently stressed
tions, eustress generally produces experience eustress or distress out, your body can’t metabolize
welcome anticipation, imparts high in any given situation depends stress hormones properly and they
hopes, and gives you butterflies in largely on your attitude. To some, stick around it, damaging your
your stomach. a situation is an opportunity (eu- immune system. Research shows
stress); to others, a predicament that distress interferes with the
Both types stem from your natural (distress). function of “natural killer cells,”
“fight or flight” response to events which help the body combat for-
in which the body automatically One point is certain, however: eign invaders that cause disease.
prepares you to run from or con- When eustress tips over into dis- It also reduces the body’s produc-
tend with an unusual, or potentially tress and goes unresolved, or if tion of interferon, a type of protein
threatening, situation. This sets off distress becomes chronic, there’s that fights viruses and boosts the
a cascade of biochemical events. trouble. In fact, medical experts immunity — your body’s armor
estimate that distress accounts for against illness.
For example: more than 90 percent of all ill-
nesses and trips to the doctor. Distress is a heart breaker
• Your body starts churning out Here’s a glimpse into what hap- Everyday mental stresses such as
increased levels of two chief stress pens physiologically when dis- tension, frustration, and sadness
hormones, adrenaline and cortisol. tress goes unresolved. may trigger myocardial ischemia
– lack of oxygen to the heart
• Your heart races and your pulse Distress gets under your skin muscle. This condition increases
increases. Hives, acne, itching, eczema, and the chance of heart attack.
Clearly, distress is hazardous to your bloodstream, and restore energy.
health. It wrecks practically every Rest also allows your immune
body system. How well you cope system to re-charge so that you’re
with distress makes all the difference better protected from disease.
in your health and well being. Here
are some healthy lifestyle practices
that will help minimize its potentially
damaging health effects.
Fortify yourself nutritionally

Chronic distress robs your body of
nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin
B complex, and protein. So what’s a
stressed-out body to do? First, make
sure to eat plenty of vegetables daily,
and with every meal, some protein
(fish, poultry, lean meats, legumes, or
low-fat dairy products). Include sev-
eral servings of whole grains daily
too. As important, take daily vitamin
and mineral supplements such as
Parrillo Essential Vitamin Formula™
and Parrillo Mineral-Electrolyte For-
mula™ as nutritional insurance.
Sweat it out
Exercise, particularly the aerobic
type, is one of the most effective
ways to dissipate physical and emo-
tional distress. It speeds up the pro-
duction of natural feel-good chemi-
cals called endorphins. Exercise also
relieves muscular tension brought
on by distress and anxiety. In fact,
numerous studies have shown that
aerobic exercise can be an effective
part of treatment for anxiety.
Get enough rest

If you’re an emotional basket case
right now, take it easy by getting
more rest. During rest (including
sleep), the body can heal injuries and
infections, eliminate toxins and waste
products, dissipate distress, replenish
fuel stores in your muscle fibers and
Nutrition 101: Get Lean By Getting Back to Basics

by John Parrillo
We’re a nation of dieters. In fact, has been found in numerous stud- and you’re sure to melt away the
about 50 million of us will go on a diet ies to effectively promote fat loss. pounds. Stick to it, and you’ll actu-
this year. Yet we’re also a nation of ally keep the fat off.
fatties. More than 97 million Ameri- Eat multiple meals
cans are now considered obese or On this plan, you’ll forgo your usual
overweight, according to a report from three squares a day and eat six or more
the University of Maryland School meals a day. Research shows that eat-
of Medicine. What gives? Why is ing multiple meals stimulates fat
it that we diet, only to get fatter in burning and preserves lean muscle.
the process? In two words: fad diets.
Take supplements to enhance
Weight-loss experts agree that diets health & fat loss
promising quick weight loss, from the Supplementing with certain dietary
Grapefruit Diet to the Lose-Weight- products has been shown to facili-
While-You-Sleep Diet, won’t work tate fat loss and assist the body in
for long. You’ll only regain your building lean muscle. This increases
lost weight and then some. In fact, your nutrient density and ensures
very few people — only around 5% that you’re getting exactly what you
— can keep weight off for good. need to develop the best physique
possible. Parrillo Performance has a
The most effective way to knock off the great line of supplements and func-
pounds and keep them off is with a plan tional foods for your needs.
that emphasizes a variety of foods, re-
duces calories and includes regular ex- Include a combination exercise
ercise. The Parrillo Nutrition Program program
is that diet. It’s healthy and energizing, Incorporate both aerobic exercise
plus simple and easy to follow. Stick and weight training into your week-
with it, and before long, you’ll experi- ly fitness program. Submaximal ex-
ence a fitness that you can see and feel. ercise, such as aerobics, uses fat as
a fuel source, helping to burn off
The Parrillo Nutrition Program in- your fat stores. It also builds your
cludes a five-part fat attack strategy: aerobic power, so you can train
longer and burn even more fat.
Eat lean, high-fiber foods in fat-
burning proportions Weight training burns fat as well, but
The emphasis in this plan is on low- in a different way — by creating met-
fat, high-fiber foods, which have been abolically active muscle tissue. This
shown in research studies to help maximizes your metabolism. So with
peel off pounds and banish them for a combination exercise program,
good. Proportionately, this plan is you’re burning fat several ways.
high in protein, moderate in carbohy-
drate, and low in fat. This approach The BIG payoff
suits the needs of active people and Follow these simple strategies
10 Reasons to Love Fats

by John Parrillo
Fats are the bad guys of nutrition, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). mation in response to injury and
the most demonized of all nutrients. These fatty acids, along with alpha many other vital functions. There
But are fats really that bad? Do they linolenic acid, are referred to as are not-so-friendly prostaglandins
deserve all that bad press? omega-3 fatty acids, a term that in the body too, synthesized mostly
describes their molecular struc- from saturated fats. Fortunately, you
Sure, a few fats do pose health risks, ture. You can also obtain EPA and can keep these prostaglandins at
including saturated fats found in DHA directly from cold-water fish, bay by cutting back on your in-
animal foods, and trans fats, which flaxseed and omega-3 enriched take of long chain saturated fats.
are synthetic fats found mostly in eggs (eggs from chickens fed fish
margarine, vegetable shortening meal or flax meal). 3. Fat Acts as a Carrier for Cer-
and processed foods. These fats tain Vitamins
have been associated with an in- Monounsaturated fats are plenti Fat helps your body transport, ab-
creased risk of heart disease. In ful in olive, canola and pea- sorb and store vitamins A, D, E
addition, saturated fat has been nut oils; they are also found in and K, collectively known as the
implicated in prostate cancer, shellfish and cold-water fish fat-soluble vitamins. You need
and trans fats in breast cancer. such as salmon, mackerel, hali- vitamin A for a strong immune
but, black cod and rainbow trout. system, vitamin D to absorb cal-
Fortunately, though, there are cium, vitamin E to protect cells,
more good fats than bad ones. With this background in mind, and vitamin K for normal blood
To understand the health im- let’s take a closer look at 10 rea- clotting. Without adequate fat in
portance of good fats, let’s start sons to love fat. your diet, you won’t get the maxi-
with a quick nutrition lesson. mum benefits from these vitamins.
1. Fat Provides Energy
The Fats of Life Dietary fat is a highly concen- 4. Fat Enhances the Flavor of
Good fats fall under a general clas- trated source of energy. In fact, Foods
sification called unsaturated fats. 1 gm of fat provides twice as Although fairly tasteless itself, fat
There are two types of unsaturated much energy (calories) as 1 gm of imparts enticing flavor and aroma
fats: polyunsaturated and monoun- carbohydrate or protein. Although to foods, thus stimulating your ap-
saturated fats. Oils such as safflow- your body prefers to run on glyco- petite. You experience this every
er, sunflower, corn, soybean and gen (carbohydrate) for energy, fat time you smell bacon frying or
fish oils, evening primrose oil found serves as a good backup source. cookies baking.
in Parrillo Evening Primrose Oil
1000™ are polyunsaturated fats. 2. Fat Is Required for the Pro- 5. Fat Can Protect Your Heart
They are “essential fatty acids,” duction of Prostaglandins Although excess fat in the diet—
or EFAs for short. Required for The essential fatty acids avail- mainly saturated fat—has been
normal body function, EFAs must able from good fats are converted linked to heart disease, certain fats
be supplied by your diet since the into “prostaglandins” in the body. are heart protective. One is fish oil,
body cannot make them on its own. Prostaglandins are hormone-like which is composed of EPA and DHA.
chemicals that regulate numer-
From EFAs, your body synthesiz- ous processes, including blood Fish oil reduces blood pressure,
es two other important fatty ac- pressure, normal blood clot forma- lowers triglyceride levels, prevents
ids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) tion, blood lipids, immunity, inflam- abnormal blood clotting and helps
prevent heart arrhythmias. As few anti-inflammatory drugs and pain mal brain development, as well
as two to three meals including fish medications. The effective dose as for mental well-being. In fact,
a week have been shown to slash for arthritis relief appears to be your brain cells take up DHA in
death from heart attack by as much 3 to 6 gm of fish oil per day. preference to other fatty acids.
as 50%. The Parrillo Nutrition Pro-
gram recommends fish as an excel- Another supplement fat that may For these reasons, researchers sus-
lent source of lean protein. be of help is evening primrose oil, pect that DHA may help prevent de-
which is found in Parrillo Evening generative brain diseases such as de-
Another heart-friendly fat is olive Primrose Oil 1000™. mentia, memory loss and Alzheim-
oil, a mainstay of diets in Greece, er’s. A study conducted at Tufts
Italy and other Mediterranean coun- 8. Fat Helps Fight Cancer University, Boston, discovered that
tries. You can enjoy olive oil on the Whereas saturated fats seem to a low level of DHA is a significant
Parrillo Nutrition Program. Stud- promote cancer, omega-3 fatty ac- risk factor for these brain diseases.
ies show that it increases the good ids appear to thwart it, mainly by
HDL cholesterol and lowers the bad slowing the growth and spread of References
LDL cholesterol. Not coincidental- tumors. Mounting evidence shows
ly, Greek men enjoy the longest life that omega-3 fatty acids protect Giovannucci, E, Rimm, EB, Cold-
expectancies of any group of peo- against cancers of the breast and itz, GA et al. “A prospective study
ple in the world, and the traditional colon. In countries where fish con- of dietary fat and risk of prostate
Greek diet is thought to be one of sumption is high, rates of these cancer” Journal of the National
the healthiest diets in the world. cancers are low. Cancer Institute (1993) 85: 1538-
1540.
6. Fat Defeats Depression 9. Fat Fights Obesity
One way to help chase away the Yes, you read that right—fat fights Kohlmeier, L, Simonsen, N,
blues is by supplementing with fat! When on a diet, you’re usu- Van’E Veer, P. et al “Adipose tis-
omega-3 fatty acids. By studying ally told to slash dietary fat. But sue trans fatty acids and breast
the differences between people who there is a fat that will actually help cancer in the European commu-
get depressed and those who don’t you burn body fat: medium-chain nity multicenter study on antioxi-
(a type of research known as psy- triglyceride oil, found in Parrillo dants, myocardial infarction and
chiatric epidemiology), scientists CapTri®. We recommend using it breast cancer” Cancer Epidemi-
discovered a link between omega- as part of our own low-carb strat- ology, Biomarkers & Prevention
3 fats and mood. A Finnish study egy for fat-burning. Because of its (1997) 6: 705-710.
found that people with the highest molecular structure, it digests in
fish consumption had the lowest the body more like a carbohydrate. Murray, MT. Encyclopedia of
rates of depression. In fact, it is burned more quickly Nutritional Supplements (Prima
than carbohydrates and has almost Publishing, 1996) 247-248.
7. Fat Helps Treat Arthritis no tendency to be stored as body
One of the most promising uses of fat. CapTri® is used to sustain en- Kremer, J.M. “n-3 fatty acid sup-
good fats, particularly those found ergy levels when lowering carbs plements in rheumatoid arthritis”
in fish oil (and to a lesser extent, or adding quality calories to your American Journal of Clinical Nu-
fish) has been in the treatment of diet when trying to gain lean mass. trition (2000) 71: 349S-351S.
rheumatoid arthritis, a joint dis-
ease in which the body’s immune 10. Fat Rejuvenates Your Brain Tanskanen, A, Hibbeln, JR, Tu-
system attacks its own tissues. Fat makes up about 60% of your omilehto, J et al. “Fish consump-
gray matter, and about one- tion and depressive symptoms in
Generally, fish oil provides mod- third of that fat is DHA. Con- the general population in Finland”
erate relief from symptoms and sidered a building block of the Psychiatric Services (2001) 52:
makes patients less reliant on brain, DHA is required for nor- 529-531.
Youdim, KA, Martin, A and Joseph,
JA. “Essential fatty acids and the
brain: Possible health implications”
International Journal of Develop-
mental Neuroscience (2000) 18: 383-
399.
Prediabetes and Your Diet

by John Parrillo
A health condition tearing up the healthier efforts into something so What’s more, your body works
headlines is “prediabetes.” This is a simple and automatic. You’ll be best when nutrients are replen-
precursor, or forerunner, to type 2 di- able keep your blood sugar under ished every couple hours.
abetes, which has reached epidemic better control, without constantly
proportions worldwide. Prediabetes working at it or making yourself Here’s an added benefit, particu-
is characterized by blood sugar levels crazy. The reason is that high-fi- larly if you need to lose weight:
that may be either normal or higher ber foods break down into glucose Eating multiple meals can help
than normal, but not high enough to more gradually and are absorbed you with weight control. Every
be considered diabetes. The major more slowly into the bloodstream. time you eat a meal your meta-
problem with prediabetes is that the They stabilize your blood sugar, bolic rate goes up. The reason
body does not use insulin normally. and do not cause post-meal surges. is that your body starts working
Insulin is a hormone that, when not Shoot for a goal of 25 to 35 grams very hard to turn that meal into
produced in sufficient amounts by of fiber daily. fuel. As part of digestion and
the pancreas or used properly by the absorption, heat is given off in
body, triggers diabetes. Nearly half of Another important move is meal a process called thermogenesis,
prediabetics develop the full-blown combining. By combining protein, and this elevates your metabolic
disease within five to ten years. And complex carbohydrates, and fat in rate. So by eating frequent meals
that’s the bad news. The good news is the same meal, for example, you throughout the day, your metabo-
that prediabetes can be reversed with automatically slow-release glucose lism is constantly charged up, and
diet, weight loss and exercise. because your digestive system takes your body burns calories more
longer to break down this combina- efficiently.
But what kind of diet – and what tion of foods. This manner of food
kind of exercise? combining helps prevent spikes in Dietwise, what I’ve described for
blood sugar after you eat a meal. preventing diabetes are the prin-
Major studies show that if you re- ciples of the Parrillo Nutrition
duce your fat intake to 30 percent of Additionally, one of the best ways Plan! Our program not only helps
total calories; cut your saturated fat to keep your blood sugar level as you build lean muscle, it also con-
intake to less than 10 percent of total close to normal as possible is to eat tains the ingredients of a health-
calories; and eat more fiber (more multiple meals throughout the day, building diet.
veggies, and whole grains), you will preferably at the same time each
reduce your risk of diabetes and re- day. Generally, this involves eating As for exercise, all forms can
verse prediabetes. So if you want to breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus a lower your risk of getting dia-
do either, it’s preferable to emphasize mid-morning meal and a mid-after- betes. For prevention, however,
complex carbohydrates and down- noon meal. strength training is extremely im-
play simple sugars. Simple sugars are portant. Strength training helps
a major source of calories, but offer At every meal, have a protein and normalize the flow of glucose
no nutrients to go along with the a carbohydrate (preferably a natu- from the blood into the muscle
calories. Because of this, it’s best to ral, high-fiber carbohydrate). This tissue where it can be proper-
limit simple sugars in your diet. combination of foods produces a ly used for energy. This effect
slow release of glucose to keep your may help regulate the body’s use
Complex carbs also contain fiber, blood sugar stabilized and your en- of glucose, thereby controlling
which helps transform your eat- ergy level high throughout the day. or preventing diabetes and its
complications. Strength training
also encourages insulin use by acti-
vating a key protein in muscle cells
that helps insulin push glucose into
these cells. Muscle cells need lots of
glucose for energy.
If you’re concerned about diabetes,

rethink your diet and exercise pro-
gram. And consider showing the
Parrillo programs to your physician.
They may just help you overcome,
and deal with, this epidemic in your
own life.
Inflammation and Your Diet

by John Parrillo
Research suggests that the typical On the other hand, the Parrillo Nu-
Western diet, high in processed trition Program™ is big on one anti-
foods, sugar, and saturated fat may inflammatory food: fish. It contains
trigger the body to release inflam- beneficial anti-inflammatory fats,
matory chemicals that stay in the which have been used in the treat-
body. This chronic low level of ment of rheumatoid arthritis, a joint
inflammation may be the platform disease in which the body’s immune
on which several chronic diseases system attacks its own tissues. Gen-
spring, including heart disease, dia- erally, fish oil provides moderate
betes, Alzheimer’s disease, some relief from symptoms and makes
cancers, and aging. Most of the patients less reliant on anti-inflam-
time, however, inflammation is a matory drugs and pain medications.
lifesaver that helps our bodies to The effective dose for arthritis relief
fight off various disease-causing or- appears to be 3 to 6 gm of fish oil
ganisms. The instant bacteria, vi- per day. Another supplement fat
ruses, or other microbes enter the that may be of help in reducing in-
body, inflammation mobilizes a de- flammation is evening primrose oil,
fensive attack that lays waste to both which is found in Parrillo Evening
invader and any tissue it may have Primrose Oil 1000™.
infected. Then just as quickly, the
process subsides and healing begins. The table on the following page
provides a partial list of foods on
But sometimes, the process doesn’t the Parrillo Nutrition Program™
shut down and is kept going by that help fight inflammation, fol-
a poor diet, smoking, high blood lowed by a list of foods you’ll want
pressure, or another factor. Inflam- to limit.
mation then becomes chronic rather
than temporary. When that occurs,
the body turns on itself, and this can
result in disease. Changing some
of the foods you regularly eat will
boost your body’s levels of anti-in-
flammatory compounds and afford
you protection against diabetes. You
may not realize it, but the Parrillo
Nutrition Program™ avoids or lim-
its certain foods that are thought to
trigger inflammation such as dairy,
red meat, caffeine, alcohol, and pea-
nuts. Further, it eliminates trans
fats—another inflammation trigger.
Proteins Carbohydrates Vegetables Good Fats
Fish (all varieties, par- Beans and legumes Alfalfa sprouts, raw Flaxseed oil
ticularly wild salmon, (black beans, chick- Artichokes
trout, sardines, and peas, lima beans, Asparagus, cooked Olive oil
tuna) kidney beans, pinto Bean sprouts, raw
beans, etc.) Broccoli Canola oil
Shellfish Brussels sprouts
Starchy vegetables Cabbage High-oleic safflower
Lean poultry (chicken, (peas, potato, pump- Carrots or sunflower oil
turkey, Cornish hen) kin, sweet potato, Cauliflower
winter squash, and so Celery, raw Evening
Eggs and forth) Chard, cooked primrose oil
egg substitutes Cucumbers
Whole grains (ama- Eggplant, cooked
ranth, buckwheat, Greens (beet, collard,
bulgur oats, oat bran, kale, turnip, etc.),
barley, brown rice, cooked
millet, quinoa, whole Leeks, cooked
grain bread products, Lettuce, all varieties
and so forth) Mushrooms
Okra, cooked
Fo od s
Pro-Inflammatory Onions
Limit these foods: Parsley, raw
Protein
Parsnips, cooked
Peppers, all varieties,
Red meat
raw
Carbohydrates
Radish
Spinach
Refined white flour
Sugar Squash, summer,
cooked
Fats Tomato
Peanuts Tomatoes, canned
e
Trans fats like stick margarin s
Tomato juice
eg a-6 fat
Oils exceedingly high in om Vegetable juice
e, su nfl ow er an d
(safflower, margarin Vegetables, mixed,
corn oil) cooked
Zucchini, cooked
Other
Caffeine
Alcohol
Fast foods
Supplement Sense
by John Parrillo
How do you know which nutritional Evening snack: six ounces of the recommended dosage of
supplements to take? vanilla ice cream (16% fat). Parrillo Essential Vitamin For-
mula™ and Parrillo Mineral-
Before I answer that, let me re-state Although it supplies adequate calo- Electrolyte Formula™. These
the case for taking supplements. To ries (2264), this menu is deficient contain antioxidants, which are
begin with, our foods today are not in several vital nutrients: calcium, vitamins and minerals such as
as nutritious as they once were — a a bone-building mineral; magne- vitamin A, beta-carotene, vita-
result of poor environmental stew- sium, important to heart health; se- min C, vitamin E, and selenium
ardship. Modern farming methods, lenium, widely recognized as a can- that help protect you against dis-
for example, have depleted the soil cer preventative; vitamin A, vital ease.
in many areas of the country, ul- for disease-fighting; and vitamin E,
timately reducing the nutrients in a nutrient that confers a wide range A Personalized
food. Also, weight-loss diets, exer- of health-protective benefits. This Supplement Program
cise, and stress increase our need for menu is critically low in fiber too No two people are alike in their
nutrients. Cooking can destroy cer- (only about 10 grams), supplying need for various nutrients. Our
tain vitamins too. less than half of what we normally own individual nutrient re-
need each day. Plus, 40 percent of quirements vary, depending on
Further, many people do not eat the calories come from fat. Fat in- our sex, age, activity level, and
nutritiously enough to even satisfy take should be no more than 30 per- physical health. Thus, based on
the recommended daily intake for cent of your daily calories; people your personal situation, you may
vitamins and minerals, according with heart disease should further want to consider additional sup-
to several studies. Consider, for ex- reduce their fat consumption. plements – in addition to a daily
ample, a typical American diet: antioxidant product. Here’s a
Thus, a very strong case for tak- closer look:
Breakfast: one glazed doughnut, ing nutritional supplements can be
one cup of orange juice, and one built. That being so, how should Sex: If you are a woman, you
cup of coffee with a tablespoon of you decide which supplements to require adequate calcium (about
half-and-half. take? Here’s a step-by-step guide: 1200 mg daily) to help prevent
osteoporosis, a crippling bone
Lunch: ham and cheese sandwich, A Basic Formula disease. To get that much cal-
small bag of potato chips, one A good motto to adopt is: Food first. cium from food, you’d have to
medium apple, and a can of cola Before you even consider taking eat the following each day: a
soda. supplements, make sure you’re fol- cup of calcium-fortified orange
lowing a nutritious diet. Each day, juice; a cup of skim milk; a cup
Mid-afternoon snack: one granola try to eat five to six times a day, as of low-fat yogurt; and a cup of
bar and a can of cola soda. recommended on the Parrillo Nutri- cooked turnip greens. If you fall
tion Program™. These meals should short on your calcium intake,
Fast-Food Dinner: Quarter consist of fibrous carbs, starchy you can make up the difference
Pounder cheeseburger and side carbs, and lean proteins. with a calcium supplement such
salad with an ounce of as Parrillo Mineral-Electrolyte
red French dressing. But as nutritional insurance, take Formula™.
Men can be nutrient-needy in other glucosamine sulfate for treating osteo-
areas. For instance, supplemental vit arthritis, a degenerative joint disease.
amin E and selenium have recently Glucosamine is a type of sugar mol-
been shown to reduce the incidence ecule manufactured naturally by car-
of prostate cancer. Thus, if you’re a tilage cells. Where there is joint dam-
man, you may benefit from an extra age, cartilage cells self-destruct and
dose of these nutrients. Up to 50 mi- stop making glucosamine. Joint health
crograms of selenium and between then continues to deteriorate. An over-
400 IUs and 800 IUs of vitamin E whelming number of medical stud-
daily are considered health-protec- ies show supplemental glucosamine
tive. Good sources are Parrillo Min- reverses this destructive process and
eral-Electrolyte™ and Natural Vita- stimulates the cartilage cells to rebuild
min E Plus™. cartilage. I recommend Parrillo Joint
Formula™ for joint health.
Age: As we get older, our need for
certain nutrients changes. People Other examples of disease-specific
older than 60, for example, have trou- supplements include folic acid, vitamin
ble absorbing enough folic acid (a B E, and carnitine (protein-like nutrient)
vitamin), vitamin B12, and calcium. to fight heart disease. A good source
Age also increases our need for iron. of supplemental vitamin E is Parrillo
Supplementation is an excellent way Natural Vitamin E-Plus™.
to guard against health-damaging de-
ficiencies. Try the following: Parrillo The amount of information currently
Essential Vitamin Formula™, Min- available on nutritional supplements is
eral Electrolyte Formula™, and Liver certainly mind numbing. But if you’re
Amino Formula™. interested in attaining optimum health,
take the time to bone up on nutrition
Activity Level: Exercise depletes and supplementation. Knowledge is
nutrients. Thus, if you’re physically empowering – and certainly health-
active, you may benefit from ad- protective.
ditional nutrients. Taking antioxi-
dants – namely vitamins E and C
– has been found in studies to help
muscles recover and regenerate more
quickly following exercise. As well,
specialty supplements such as the
Parrillo powders may give you extra
energy for exercise.
Physical Health: Depending on the

condition of your physical health, you
may want to explore “disease-spe-
cific” supplements – those that have
been shown in scientific research
to prevent, treat, and even reverse,
certain diseases. A good example is
Parrillo Nutrition Supplies What Your Body Demands

by John Parrillo
Weight-loss diets frequently get criti- ognized as a cancer preventative; vi- cording to the latest research into
cized because they supposedly do not tamin A, vital for disease-fighting; dietary protein and fat loss.
furnish a healthy supply of nutrients, and vitamin E, a nutrient that con-
and this is certainly true of many di- fers a wide range of health-protec- Proteins found in the Parrillo
ets. But in far too many cases – and tive benefits. This menu is critically Nutrition Program™ include fish,
research bears this out – everyday low in fiber too (barely 10 grams), white meat poultry, egg whites,
eating habits tend to be more unbal- supplying less than half of what we and our line of protein powders
anced, with an insufficient supply of normally need each day. Plus, more and bars.
critical nutrients, than most diets are. than 40 percent of its calories come
Further, the average person simply from fat. Fat intake should be no • Carbohydrates
does not eat nutritiously enough to more than 30 percent of your daily Carbohydrates are energy foods.
satisfy even the basic daily require- calories. During digestion, they are changed
ments, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, into glucose (blood sugar), which
according to several studies. Consid- The Parrillo Nutrition Program™ is circulates in your blood and is
er, for example, a typical American devised to provide a healthy combi- used as energy for the red blood
diet: nation of basic nutrients – protein, cells and your central nervous sys-
carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and tem. Glucose not used right away
Breakfast: One glazed doughnut, minerals. For example: is stored in the liver and muscles
one cup of orange juice, and one cup as glycogen, which provides an ad-
of coffee with a tablespoon of half- • Protein ditional reservoir for energy.
and-half. Protein is to your body what a wood
frame is to your house, or steel is to Carbohydrates also supply an
Lunch: Ham and cheese sandwich, a bridge. Nutritionally, it is the basic, amazing fat-fighting nutrient – fi-
small bag of potato chips, one medi- most important building material in ber, the non-digestible remnant
um apple, and a can of cola soda. your body, essential to high-level of plant foods. A growing body
health because of its role in growth of research shows that high-fiber
Mid-Afternoon snack: Cookies and maintenance. Your body breaks eating helps peel off pounds and
and a can of cola. down protein from food into nutri- banish them for good.
ent fragments called amino acids
Fast-Food Dinner: Supersized and reshuffles them into new protein How exactly does fiber work this
cheeseburger and French fries. to build and rebuild tissue, including weight-loss magic?
body-firming muscle. Protein also
Evening Snack: A bowl of vanilla keeps your immune system function- When eaten with other nutrients
ice cream. ing up to par, helps carry nutrients like protein, fiber slows the rate
throughout the body, has a hand in of digestion too, stabilizing your
Although it supplies plenty of energy forming hormones, and is involved blood sugar between meals so that
(2,264 calories) – and Parrillo Perfor- in important enzyme reactions such it is not converted to fat stores.
mance is all about increasing calories as digestion. The Parrillo Nutrition
– this menu is deficient in several vi- Program™ is purposely high in pro- The carbohydrates found in the
tal nutrients: calcium, a bone-build- tein because it stimulates the reduc- Parrillo Nutrition Program™ in-
ing mineral; magnesium, important tion of body fat, particularly in the clude certain types whole grains,
to heart health; selenium, widely rec- abdominal region of the body, ac- brown rice, potatoes, sweet po-
tatoes, yams, some pastas, legumes follows: tion Program™ is higher in protein,
(beans and lentils), and non starchy moderate to high in carbohydrates,
vegetables, from broccoli to cauli- Vitamin A: Green leafy vegeta- and low to moderate in fat. This
flower to salad vegetables (what we bles, carrots, sweet potatoes, and approach has been found in numer-
call “fibrous carbs”). A significant yams. ous studies to effectively promote
feature of this program is that these Vitamin B-complex: Protein fat loss, plus it suits the needs of an
allowable carbohydrates do not pro- foods, whole grains, legumes, and active lifestyle. For detailed infor-
mote fat storage. vegetables. mation about this program and its
Vitamin C: Vegetables. multiple meals, increase-calories
• Fat Vitamin D: Fish. approach to eating, call us to order
Dietary fat is an essential nutrient, re- Vitamin E: Whole grains, and the Parrillo Nutrition Manual™. It
quired to help form the structures of green leafy vegetables. has everything you need to know
cell membranes, regulate metabolism, about healthy, lose-fat, gain-muscle
and provide a source of energy for ex- • Minerals nutrition.
ercise and activity. Along with carbo- Like vitamins, minerals play a role
hydrates, fat is a vital fuel source for in metabolism. But a major differ-
your body. ence between the two nutrients is
that minerals are constituents of
Allowable fats on the Parrillo Nutri- bodily structures, such as bone,
tion Program™ include canola, oil, cartilage, and teeth, providing
flaxseed oil, olive oil, evening prim- their hardness and strength. While
rose oil, and our specially engineered vitamins help manufacture these
fat, CapTri®. This fat has a unique structures, they do not become
molecular structure which causes it part of the structures themselves.
to follow a different metabolic route
than regular fats. It behaves more like The minerals you need daily are
a carbohydrate in the body, except that found in the Parrillo Nutrition
it doesn’t increase insulin levels. This Program™ as follows:
means you can use CapTri® in place
of carbs to decrease insulin levels and Iron: Poultry and green leafy
shift your metabolism into a fat-burn- vegetables.
ing mode. This is very similar to the Calcium: Salmon, green leafy
strategy of the high fat diets except vegetables, and broccoli.
without relying on conventional fat Copper: Poultry and shellfish.
as an energy source. In short, Cap- Magnesium: Various lean pro-
Tri® lets you reap the benefits of the teins.
high fat approach without the prob- Phosphorus: Various lean pro-
lems that go along with conventional teins.
dietary fat. Potassium: Vegetables.
Selenium: Whole grains, fish.
• Vitamins Zinc: Shellfish, whole grains, and
Required by your body in tiny vegetables.
amounts, vitamins play impor-
tant roles in the metabolism of • Nutrient Composition of
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The the Parrillo Nutrition
vitamins you need daily are found in Program™
the Parrillo Nutrition Program™ as Proportionately, the Parrillo Nutri-
Carotenoids Count!
by John Parrillo
Don’t risk your health by short- breast cancer. Beta-carotene reduc- As extra insurance for all the an-
changing yourself on orange, red, es the risk of cancers of the colon, tioxidant nutrients you need, be
and yellow fruits and vegetables. rectum, breast, uterus, prostate, sure you’re supplementing daily
They’re brimming with carotenoids, and lung. with Parrillo Essential Vitamin
a kind of super-antioxidant making Formula™ and Parrillo Mineral-
news. Beta-cryptoxanthin looks promis- Electrolyte Formula™.
ing against breast cancer and lung
Carotenoids are responsible for the cancer. Lycopene appears to be What You Can Do Now: There’s
colorful hues of plants and even some protective against cancer of the no recommended daily require-
animal foods, including salmon and colon, bladder, and pancreas, but ment for beta-carotene and oth-
shrimp. But they do more than serve is particularly noteworthy for its er carotenoids. However, many
as natural pigments. Carotenoids role in preventing prostate cancer. health experts recommend 6 mil-
have “provitamin A activity,” mean- In a diet study sponsored by the ligrams a day of beta-carotene.
ing that your body produces vitamin National Cancer Institute, research- When you eat beta-carotene-rich
A from them, especially beta-caro- ers identified lycopene as being par- foods, you’re automatically get-
tene (the most well known of the ticularly powerful against prostate ting other carotenes.
carotenoids). cancer. Tomato sauce, tomatoes,
tomato juice, and pizza are prima- Here are some tips for super-
As antioxidants, these protective ry sources of lycopene, and those charging your diet with carot-
nutrients neutralize free radicals individuals who consumed greater enoids:
at the cellular level, thus protect- than 10 servings of these combined
ing cell membranes, DNA, and foods per week had a significant- • Use the counter to identify the
other cellular components against ly decreased risk of developing best sources of carotenoids. In-
damage. prostate cancer when compared clude these foods in your daily
to those who ate less than 1 1/2 diet.
The first carotenoid to be isolated servings per week.
was beta-carotene. Today, scien- • Color your plate with as many
tists have discovered more than 600 Lutein, better known for prevent- colorful vegetables you can. The
carotenoids and are reporting that ing eye diseases, may guard against more colorful your food selec-
many may be a hundred times more cancer of the colon, lung and breast. tions, the more carotenoids you’ll
powerful than beta-carotene and Its less-well-known companion ca- eat.
other antioxidants alone. Among rotenoid, zeaxanthin, is linked to a
the main carotenoids now under the lower risk of breast, cervical, and • Eat canned soups with a tomato
most investigation are alpha-caro- colon cancers. Both carotenoids are base.
tene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, ly- being investigated for their role in
copene, and zeaxanthin. preventing skin cancer. • Drink vegetable juices rather
than sodas.
Alpha-carotene, which makes up The table on the following page
about one-third of the carotenoids provides an overview of the key • Eat a hefty serving of tomatoes
in carrots, shows promise in stalling carotenoids, their health benefits, or tomato-based foods at least
the growth of certain malignant tu- and food sources in which they’re twice a week or more.
mors and may be protective against found.
• Add extra tomato sauce or paste to bles to get the most carotenoids.
soups or stews. One exception, though, is carrots,
which actually release more carot-
• Eat sandwiches and salads with to- enoids when cooked.
matoes.
• Enjoy exotic fruits such as guavas
• Make sure fruits and vegeta- or mangoes for a change of pace.
bles are as fresh as possible. Once
they’re plucked from the vine • Blend cooked carrots or pump-
or harvested from the ground, kin into a smoothie.
their antioxidant power starts to
dwindle.
• Snack on raw fruits and vegeta-
CAROTENOIDS
Carotenoid Health Benefits Food Sources
Carrots, pumpkin, other yellow
Alpha carotene Detoxifies cancer-causing agents.
and orange vegetables
Carrots, pumpkin, other yellow
Beta-carotene Prevents free radical damage.
and orange vegetables
Prevents damage to cell membranes and
Beta-cryptoxanthin Red bell peppers, yellow corn
to DNA.
Essential to protect eyes from cataracts

and other serious eye problems; shows Collards, squash, kale,
Lutein
promise against breast, colon, and and turnips
lung cancers.
Potentially lowers risk of developing

Lycopene prostate, lung, pancreatic, bladder, and Tomatoes, tomato products
colon cancers.
May play a role in preventing breast,

Zeaxanthin cervical, and colon cancers. Works Egg yolks, peppers
together with lutein.
The Many Wonders of Minerals

by John Parrillo
With so many supplements on the calcium helps control and prevent potassium or calcium deficiency,
market, sometimes the basic ones get high blood pressure – a silent killer and chronic use of certain drugs.
forgotten – like minerals, the work- you want to avoid.
horse of just about every reaction in Potassium: Potassium serves the
your body. Every supplement proto- Magnesium: Magnesium is the body in many ways. It assists the
col we have in our program includes maestro of more than 400 meta- nerves in sending messages, helps
two important supplements: our Par- bolic reactions in your body. Some digestive enzymes do their work,
rillo Essential Vitamin Formula™ examples: It helps orchestrate the ensures proper muscle function-
and our Parrillo Mineral Electrolyte protein-making machinery inside ing (including that of the heart),
Formula™. Here’s a look at some of the cells of soft tissues; helps direct regulates water balance, and re-
the key minerals in the latter – and the metabolism of potassium, cal- leases energy from protein, car-
how they can benefit your body and cium, and vitamin D; is necessary bohydrates, and fats. A potassium
health. for the release of energy; helps your deficiency can lead to irregular
muscles relax after contracting; and heart beats, high blood pressure,
Calcium: Of all minerals in your plays a central role in the secretion muscular weakness, fatigue, kid-
body, calcium is the most abundant. and action of insulin. Bodily stores ney and lung problems, and insu-
It accounts for 40 percent of your of magnesium are valuable in help- lin resistance.
skeleton, and about 99 percent of ing the body handle glucose and
the calcium in your body is depos- maintain proper blood levels for Zinc: Zinc is at the heart of many
ited in bones and teeth. These struc- even energy levels throughout the activities in your body. For ex-
tures are hardened and strengthened day. ample, it helps: absorb vitamins;
by calcium, working in combina- break down carbohydrates; syn-
tion with the mineral phosphorus. A magnesium deficiency can makes thesize nucleic acid, which di-
The remaining one percent of the the body’s cells less sensitive to in- rects the manufacture of protein
body’s calcium is concentrated in sulin, and a severe magnesium de- in cells; and regulate the growth
the soft tissues where it plays an ficiency can cause abnormalities in and development of reproductive
essential role in muscle contrac- the function of the heart and is pos- organs. Zinc is also a component
tion, nerve transmission, blood sibly related to cardiovascular dis- of insulin, and it prevents defi-
coagulation, and the activity of ease, heart attack, and high blood ciencies that can lead to problems
the heart. pressure. in your body’s use of insulin.
Zinc-poor diets are also associ-
Although calcium is vital for bone How do you know if you’re mag- ated with cardiovascular disease,
health, it is being studied for other nesium-needy? In some cases, your high blood pressure, elevated tri-
health benefits. For example, emerg- doctor may order a test in which glycerides, and impaired glucose
ing research hints that it may pro- magnesium is administered intra- tolerance.
mote normal insulin action. That’s venously and urine is collected
important, since if insulin is out of over a 24-hour period. The test is Selenium: You can get powerful
whack, it can promote weight gain. usually reserved for people at a anticancer protection by stocking
Calcium has also been implicated in known risk of magnesium deficien- up on foods rich in selenium, an
research showing a weight loss ef- cy, and these cases include patients important antioxidant mineral.
fect. And for more than 20 years, with congestive heart failure, heart Such foods include fish, nuts, and
scientists have known that ample attack, ketoacidosis, alcohol abuse,
whole grains. A huge body of evi- nutritious sea vegetable rich in io-
dence proves that diets low in sele- dine. Iodine is a trace mineral that
nium are a significant risk factor for helps the thyroid gland produce thy-
cancers. In studying world popula- roxin, the principal thyroid hormone
tions, scientists have discovered that involved in metabolism.
people with low-selenium diets are
more prone to have cancers of the Supplementing With Minerals
breast, colon, liver, skin, and lung. Yes, you can get protective levels of
Over the years, several studies have these minerals from natural foods –
suggested that selenium also helps including lean proteins, whole grains,
reduce risk of prostate cancer, the and vegetables, but it’s a good idea to
second deadliest form of cancer in hedge your bets and take a mineral
American men. supplement. Per pill, Parrillo Min-
eral-Electrolyte™ contains 250 mg
Selenium works by protecting cells of calcium; 5 mg of iron; 250 mg of
from damage. It may also block the phosphorus; 75 mcg of iodine in the
action of carcinogens by interfering form of kelp; 250 mg of magnesium;
with their metabolism. 11 mg of zinc; 50 mcg of selenium;
500 mcg of copper; 10 mg of man-
Chromium Picolinate: Chromium ganese; 25 mcg of chromium pico-
is a trace mineral that helps turn linate; 45 mg of potassium; 500 mcg
carbohydrates into glucose (blood of boron; along with other nutrients.
sugar), the fuel burned by cells I recommend that you take one tab-
for energy. Chromium also helps let with each meal during the day for
regulate and produce the hormone improved metabolism and well-be-
insulin. Plenty of research over ing.
the years has found that chromium
picolinate may improve body com-
position and promote weight loss in
healthy adults. It also may stimu-
late the burning of carbohydrates so
that they are converted into energy
given off as heat, rather than being
turned into body fat. Chromium is
also believed to help stimulate the
metabolism. Further, it appears to
aid in protein synthesis. Assisted by
chromium, insulin helps amino ac-
ids gain access to cells, where they
reassemble themselves to construct
new muscle tissue. Thus, chromium
may have an indirect effect on mus-
cle growth.
Iodine: This mineral in our supple-

ment comes in the form of kelp, a
Dessicated Liver: A Nutrient Treasure Trove for Exercisers

by John Parrillo
One of the best all-around supple- When the body is properly forti-
ments for active people is desic- fied with iron from food and from
cated liver, available in the Par- a supplement such as Parrillo Liver
rillo Liver Amino Formula™. This Amino™, with its combination of
is a concentrated form of beef iron and other nutrients, there are
liver that has been processed to many benefits. Weight training, for
remove the cholesterol but to pre- example can deplete iron stores.
serve the nutrient content of the Eating foods rich in iron, such as
liver. lean meats, dark leafy vegetables,
and dessicated liver helps replen-
Desiccated liver is an important ish that iron. Supplementing with
source of iron, a critical mineral for iron may also help prevent some-
exercisers, bodybuilders, and ath- thing known as “sports anemia,”
letes. The major job of iron in the a temporary condition character-
body is to combine with protein and ized by a drop in hemoglobin in
copper to manufacture hemoglobin, response to exercise.
a component of red blood cells that
carries oxygen in the blood from the Getting the iron you need from prop-
lungs to the tissues. Without enough er nutrition and supplementation is
hemoglobin, tissues are deprived of clearly important to your exercise
oxygen, often resulting in fatigue, program and overall health. With
breathlessness, and a rapid heart your iron stores full, you can poten-
beat. tially increase your aerobic capacity
(combined with aerobic training),
Desiccated liver is also naturally extend your energy, and improve
rich in B-complex vitamins; vita- your body’s recuperative pow-
mins A, B, C, and D; calcium and ers. This all adds up to maximum
phosphorus, with four times the nu- performance and better health.
tritional value in the same amount
of cooked whole liver. B vitamins in
particular, are responsible for pro-
viding energy to the body, mainly
by converting carbohydrates into
glucose, an important fuel for cells.
B vitamins are also important for
the metabolism of protein and fat,
healthy functioning of the nervous
system, maintenance of muscle tone
in the gastrointestinal tract, and the
health of the skin, hair, eyes, mouth,
and liver.
Eating Out on the Parrillo Nutrition Program

by John Parrillo
It’s normal to want to get out of the Restaurants for Breakfast CapTri® instead of butter.
kitchen occasionally and let some- • Order scrambled egg whites, or
one else do the cooking for you. But scrambled egg substitutes (such as • When ordering a dinner salad,
what about sticking to the Parrillo EggBeaters). Request that the eggs request dressing on the side.
Nutrition Program? Will dining out be cooked without added oil.
strike a fatal blow to your resolve? • Opt for steamed vegetables as
Not necessarily. These days, most • For carbohydrates, your best bets your side dish over pasta. Make
restaurants cater to health-conscious are oatmeal or oat bran. sure the vegetables are steamed.
diners, so it’s not that difficult to find
healthy cuisine while dining out. Asian Restaurants Mexican Restaurants
• Select entrees made with lean • Grilled chicken, shrimp, or lean
According to the National Restau- proteins (such as chicken and fish) meat entrees are good choices.
rant Association, Americans eat out and vegetables. Some good sugges-
4.1 times a week. And many of those tions for ordering are Moo Goo Gai • Request pico de gallo (a mixture
meals are eaten at fast food restau- Pan, Szechwan Shrimp or Chicken, of chopped tomatoes, green pep-
rants, where food is typically high in and sushi. pers, and onions) instead of salsa.
fat and sodium.
• Request that the sauce be served • Mexican rice or black bean
But does dining out have to spell di- on the side, or forgo it altogether. soup are nice accompaniments to
eting disaster? Not necessarily. One a Mexican meal. So are the re-
of the many advantages of the Par- • Asian restaurants serve generous fried beans, but check first to see
rillo Nutrition Program is its adapt- helpings. Consider ordering one en- whether they are prepared in lard,
ability to any eating-out situation. tree and splitting it with a friend, or baked or boiled, and seasoned.
These days, healthy foods are served unless you want to take the left- If they aren’t refried in lard, enjoy
practically everywhere. overs home. them.

You don’t have to be a recluse while Italian Restaurants • A dinner salad with non-fat salad
on the Parrillo Nutrition Program. • For an appetizer, try vegetable dressing is a healthy meal-starter.
You’re free to go out to restau- antipasto (if available), with dress-
rants, even fast-food places, to enjoy ing on the side. Steakhouse
breakfast, lunch, or dinner with your • Order grilled lean meat, chick-
friends, family, or business associ- • Look for entrees such as grilled en, salmon, or other fish (prepared
ates. Nor should you pass up invita- chicken and fish, as well as Ital- without oil).
tions to parties or other social events ian dishes that are marked as low
just because you’re on a healthy eating in fat. • For a side dish, select a steamed
program. vegetable such as broccoli.
• Avoid entrees prepared in cream
What follows are some practi- sauce or Alfredo sauce. • At the salad bar, stick to fresh
cal guidelines for making healthy vegetables and non-fat or low-fat
choices at any type of restaurant, • Ask the waiter to leave the rolls salad dressing. Many salad bars
as well as for enjoying parties and and breadsticks in the kitchen or if serve fresh fruit too, which makes
other events. you must indulge, use butter flavored for a great dessert.
Homestyle or Cafeteria Restau- • Offer to bring a couple of your
rant own dishes (low-fat, of course) to
• Request grilled or lemon chicken, the gathering.
turkey breast without the gravy, or
white fish prepared without sauce or • Instead of a cocktail, drink a
oil. diet soda or carbonated water with
a twist of lemon or lime.
• Select steamed vegetables (no
sauce or butter), salad with non-fat On the surface, it may not seem
dressing, or carrot/vegetable med- like fun to limit yourself to cer-
ley prepared without butter or mar- tain foods when eating out. But
garine. rest assured: The ability to make
healthy choices at restaurants is
•Blindfold yourself when passing just one more positive step toward
by the dessert line. getting in great shape. You’ll feel
better, and your body will love
Fast-Food Restaurants you for it.
• Most fast-food establishments have
salads on their menus; grilled chicken
salads are your best bets. Order re-
duced-fat salad dressing with your
salad.
• If there’s a salad bar, stick to

fresh vegetables and fat-free salad
dressing.
• At fast-food restaurants that serve

fish, order baked fish, steamed veg-
etables, and a salad.
Parties
• Eat a meal before you go to the
party to fend off hunger pangs and
cravings.
• Snack on fresh vegetables and

fruit (but pass up the dip).
• If you’re going to dinner with a

group of friends and are concerned
that you’ll overeat, eat some natural
high-fiber foods (like raw vegeta-
bles or fruit) before you go. You’ll
be less likely to pig out later.
Fat-Burning Food Chemistry

by John Parrillo
If you have had trouble losing weight in doesn’t – then you require a carefully weight – 16 pounds, but the compo-
the past, the reason may reside in two designed balance of certain types of sition of that weight differed greatly.
nutritional factors: your food balance protein, carbohydrates, and fat in your The high-protein group shed 12.3
and your food choices. “Balance” in- diet – with enough calories to keep pounds of pure pudge and only
volves the relative proportion of carbo- your metabolism running in high gear. 1.7 pounds of lean muscle, while
hydrates, protein, and fat in your diet; Remember on the Parrillo Nutrition the Food Pyramid dieters lost 10.4
and “choice” involves the type of food Program, we do not advocate cutting pounds of fat and 3 pounds of mus-
you eat. Scientists have only recently calories. Doing so only slows down cle. Translation: High protein means
begun to unlock the highly complex pro- your metabolism. But back to nutrient better, more fat loss. With a higher-
cesses by which our bodies burn fat, and balance, let’s start with protein. protein diet, you don’t have to sacri-
one of the recently “solved mysteries” fice muscle. Also important in this
has to do with these two vital issues of Protein As A Fat-Burner study: The researchers detected an
nutrition. When provided in your diet at higher increase in the thyroid function of
levels, protein can clearly be nick- the high-protein dieters, and this was
Over the past several years, many popu- named a “fat burner” – for two impor- the concrete evidence for protein’s
lar diets have suggested that increasing tant reasons. metabolism-boosting effect.
or decreasing a single nutrient in your
diet can dramatically affect your weight First, your body requires ample pro- Do you realize the significance in all
loss. Some diets have focused on carbo- tein to develop and maintain muscle. of this? With more protein in your
hydrates, others on protein, still others If you don’t get enough protein, your diet, in the right balance, you can
on fat. Unfortunately though, highlight- body can start breaking down muscle almost double your weight-loss and
ing one nutrient to the exclusion of oth- tissue for the provision of energy. Con- fat-burning efforts!
ers misses the boat. Weight loss through sequently, you’ll lose metabolically
nutrition depends upon on a carefully active muscle, and this will sabotage Carbohydrate Differentiation:
designed balance of all of these nutri- your fat-loss efforts. Carbohydrates also play a role in
ents and on the specific types of food in Second, protein boosts your metabo- fat-burning, as long as you choose
which those nutrients are found – which lism, and it does this by stepping up the right types of carbohydrates.
is exactly how the Parrillo Nutrition the action of your thyroid gland. (One This is where food choice becomes
Program is put together. of the main duties of the thyroid is to all-important to your weight-loss
regulate metabolism.) This benefit of success.
Why is this true? Both factors positively a higher-protein diet was observed
influence the action of your hormones in a study of dieters conducted by For a very long time, carbohydrates
– chemical messengers that regulate a the University of Illinois at Urbana- have been classified as either simple
world of functions in your body. They Champaign, released in 2001. In this or complex. Simple sugars are found
also influence your metabolism, your study, 24 mid-life women went on a in candies, syrups, many fruits and
body’s food-to-fuel processes. Thus, liberal 1,700 calorie-a-day diet for 10 fruit juices, and processed foods, and
the interplay of food balance and food weeks. Half followed a diet based on complex carbohydrates are found in
choices can greatly accentuate your the USDA Food Guide Pyramid – 55 whole grains, beans, and vegetables.
ability to burn fat. It is this approach to percent carbohydrates, 15 percent pro- This classification is based on the
weight loss that has the backing of med- tein, and 30 percent fat. The other molecular structure of the carbo-
ical science. A simplified explanation of half followed a high-protein diet of hydrate, with simple carbohydrates
these issues is provided below. 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent constructed of either single or dou-
protein, and 30 percent fat. ble molecules of sugar, and complex
The Role of Food Balance and Food
carbohydrates made of multiple
Choice in Fat-Burning Both groups lost the same amount of numbers of sugar molecules. Simple
If you desire to burn fat – and who
sugars send your blood sugar soaring, percent of our population is now
and this sets off a hormonal reaction considered overweight or obese.
that can lead to weight gain. Cutting the fat from our diets was
clearly not the “magic answer” to
Here is a closer look at exactly what weight loss.
happens: After you eat carbohydrate
foods, your body breaks them down Scientists studying this alarming
into glucose. Simple sugars are dis- trend probed the reasons. What
mantled more quickly than others, and could explain this confusing phe-
this causes a huge spike in your blood nomenon? After much research,
glucose. Complex carbohydrates take they discovered that people had been
longer to break down, and conse- replacing the fat in their diets with
quently, blood glucose stays relatively too many simple sugars. This was
even during the digestion process. the impetus – the main common de-
nominator – behind the expanding
When glucose shoots upward in re- waistlines of the American public,
sponse to simple sugars, so does the along with the fact that Americans
hormone insulin. The problem with are becoming increasingly inactive.
an overload of insulin in your system So from a nutritional standpoint,
is that it activates fat cell enzymes. simple sugars are among the prime
These enzymes move fat from the culprits in weight gain, and dietary
bloodstream into fat cells for storage fat shoulders far less of the blame.
and trigger your body to create more
fat cells. Simple sugars thus create Taking all of this important infor-
conditions in your body that are con- mation into account, the Parrillo
ducive to gaining fat. Nutrition Program supplies roughly
10-20% percent of your daily calo-
What all of this tells us is very simple: ries from fat, with special emphasis
Simple sugars promote fat storage; on the essential fatty acids we rec-
complex carbs like those recommend- ommend you have each day.
ed on the Parrillo Nutrition Program
do not. Choosing complex carbo- A Final Point: The foods allowed
hydrates makes it possible to lose on the Parrillo Nutrition Program
weight more easily. If you base your provide what has been scientifically
carbohydrate selections on this nutri- proven to be an effective combina-
tional element, you will lose weight tion of specific types of protein,
more quickly. The Parrillo Nutrition carbohydrate, and fat. This combi-
Program is based on the selection of nation of easily available and deli-
complex carbohydrates. These include cious foods, in the right proportions,
certain whole grain cereals, brown stimulates increased body fat me-
rice, beans, legumes, potatoes, yams, tabolism, while supplying nutrients
and vegetables. required to support your health. The
food you will eat will be more sat-
The Fat Factor: For decades, we isfying and nutritionally rewarding,
were taught that in order to lose plus will provide the metabolic and
weight, we had to slash the amount hormonal catalyst you need to shed
of dietary fat in our diets. Since the surplus fat.
1980s, Americans did reduce their
fat consumption, but at the same
time, they got fatter. More than 60
Parrillo Nutrition Program Boosters

by John Parrillo
Whether starting a nutrition plan like 8. Avoid cured and smoked foods. beverages with a twist of lemon or
the Parrillo Nutrition Program, or re- They’re high in fat, salt, and nitrates lime when you’re out.
newing a commitment to get fit, ev- (which are carcinogens).
eryone needs some “booster shots” 18. Other than water, you may
from time to time to shore up motiva- 9. Choose liberally from fibrous veg- drink the following beverages:
tion.Toward that end, here are 46 of etables, especially for the preparation regular or decaffeinated tea, green
the smartest tips ever for sticking to of salads. tea, herbal teas, regular or decaf-
the Parrillo Nutrition Program so that feinated coffee, carbonated water,
you burn body fat and look great in 10. Serve up salads prior to your mineral water, sugar-free diet so-
2008: meals to help you feel full and more das, and sugar-free drink mixes.
satisfied faster.
1. Eat all required foods on the Par- 19. Write down what you will eat
rillo Nutrition Program: lean proteins, 11. Prepare your salads within your each day – for better control over
starchy carbs, fibrous carbs, and es- daily fat allotment, with fat-free sal- your food intake.
sential fats. Never skip a thing! ad dressings, or vinegar.
20. Drink eight to ten glasses of
2. Use spices and seasonings to flavor 12. Spice your foods with red pepper water a day. Water aids in weight
your foods. (capsicum). This popular seasoning loss by dulling your appetite and
is believed to rev up your metabo- enhancing fat-burning processes
3. Do not eat fruits, or drink fruit juices lism by creating heat. You’ve prob- in your body.
or juice-based products. They contain ably noticed this yourself. After you
fructose, which is easily converted to eat hot spicy foods, your body will 21. Drink green tea liberally; it can
body fat. heat up in a process known as “diet- be helpful in burning fat.
induced thermogenesis.” When body
4. Shoot for 25 to 35 grams of fiber heat rises, so does metabolism, and 22. Add in Parrillo supplements
daily. (The Parrillo Nutrition Program more calories are burned. according to your goals. See the
builds this requirement in automati- Parrillo Nutrition Manual for an
cally – no need to count grams.) 13. Blend chickpeas into a hummus explanation.
for vegetable dips.
5. If you feel hungry, eat extra protein 23. Don’t skip meals. Skipping
to tide you over. 14. Try Parrillo’s Hi-Protein Cake meals only makes you hungry lat-
and Cupcake Mix™ for a sweet er.
6. Eat at least two servings of fish a treat.
week to obtain a type of healthy fat 24. Slow down your eating and
called omega-3 fatty acids. These ben- 15. Try using lemon juice or various chew your food thoroughly. Both
eficial fats help your body in numer- herbs on your vegetables, rather than actions help you feel full faster and
ous ways, including reducing triglyc- eat them with too much added fat. are a proven weight-control mea-
erides (fats in your blood), boosting sure.
your aerobic power, and normalizing 16. Do not substitute or add to the
your mood. Parrillo Nutrition Program. 25. Do you overeat or over-snack
with fattening foods in front of the
7. Remove skin and fat from poultry 17. Do not drink any alcoholic bev- television? If so, make it a rule in
before cooking. erages. Have sparkling no-calorie your house to always eat in the din-
ing room while seated at the table. you’re on the Parrillo Nutrition safe rate of fat loss for everyone.
Program and that you need their
26. Never let yourself get bored, support. 42. Incorporate both aerobic exercise
stressed out, or depressed, if at all and weight training into your weekly
possible. These emotions can trigger 37. Grocery-shop only from the list fitness program. Submaximal exer-
cravings for sugary or high-fat foods. of foods allowed on the Parrillo cise, such as aerobics, uses fat as a
Nutrition Program. fuel source, helping to burn off your
27. If you don’t have time to cut up fat stores. It also builds your aerobic
vegetables, buy pre-cut veggies from 38. Never go grocery shopping power, so you can train longer and
the grocery store, or take advantage when you’re hungry, but always burn even more fat. Weight training
of the store’s salad bar, which usually on a full stomach. That way, you burns fat as well, but in a different
has plenty of freshly cut items. won’t be tempted to buy something way — by creating metabolically ac-
that would sabotage your program. tive muscle tissue. Weight training
28. Outwait your cravings for sugary Eat a Parrillo bar before going gro- also helps to preserve lean muscle.
or high-fat foods. Cravings generally cery shopping.
last no longer than 10 minutes. If you 43. Incorporate supplements such as
feel the urge to splurge, find some- 39. When you lose some pounds, Parrillo Hi-Protein Powder™, Par-
thing else to do for 10 minutes, or un- or achieve other important mile- rillo 50/50™, or Parrillo Optimized
til the craving passes. stones while following the Par- Whey Protein™ into your diet. These
rillo Nutrition Program, reward supplements are great for a post-
29. Be assertive when people offer you yourself with a non-food treat or workout meal. By providing nutrients
food that’s not on the program. Train gift, something that makes you feel when your body needs them most,
yourself to say “No, thank you.” good about yourself and your ap- proteins and carbs increase the pro-
pearance. Some ideas: a massage, duction of two hormones (insulin and
30. Visualize what you will look like new pair of exercise shoes, new growth hormone) that are conducive
in a bathing suit, then believe it will sports gear or equipment, new ex- to muscle growth and recovery.
happen. What you believe you can ercise video, a weekend get-away,
achieve. a shopping spree, a new outfit, 44. Add Parrillo Creatine Monohy-
makeover at a day spa, pedicure or drate™ to your program. This is an
31. Hang your bathing suit on a door manicure, salon haircut, tickets to a effective sports supplement that en-
handle, or somewhere visible – as re- concert, jewelry, new CD or DVD, hances strength, promotes muscle
minder of what you will accomplish. limousine ride to a concert or other growth and reduces body fat. The rec-
event, new addition to something ommended dose is 5 gm a day.
32. Clear your kitchen cabinets of you collect, or an accessory or ac-
binge food. cent piece for your home. 45. Get enough rest. Lack of sleep has
been associated with fat gain. Sleep
33. Use non-stick saucepans for cook- 40. If, after all of your planning and deprivation increases the stress hor-
ing foods so that you don’t have to commitment, you do overindulge, mone cortisol. At chronically elevated
add extra fat. try not to feel guilty. Guilt only levels, this hormone drives fat to the
weakens your resolve to maintain abdominal area. So get 7 to 8 hours of
34. Keep plenty of cut-up crunchy healthy habits. shut-eye each night.
raw vegetables around to snack on.
41. Don’t ever resort to crash di- 46. Lose body fat for yourself, not be-
35. Never eat foods out of their origi- eting. This can result in a loss of cause your husband, mate, or parent
nal jars or containers; always eat them muscle, decreased strength and wants you to.
on a plate while you are sitting down power, low energy, moodiness or
at the dining table. irritability, and compromised im-
munity. Lose no more than a pound
36. Tell your friends and family that or two of pure fat a week. That’s a
Using Creatine As a Weight-Loss Tool

by John Parrillo
Attention: if you’re ready to add a muscle cells, the longer, harder, and changes due to supplementation. What
new tool to your fat-burning tool- more powerfully you can work out. happened was quite remarkable. In
box, try creatine. It’s a non-drug Thus, creatine monohydrate can just a week, the creatine takers gained
alternative that really works. It is indirectly help you lose body fat, an average of 3 pounds of muscle. As
one of the most important natural since longer, more intense workouts for their strength, it went through the
supplements available for exercis- help incinerate fat and build lean roof. The creatine takers upped their
ers because of its ability to extend muscle. The more muscle you have, reps significantly on the bench press
endurance and coax the body into the more efficient your body is at and could perform more jump squats.
producing hard, firm muscle. using energy and burning fat. Those in the placebo group didn’t fare
as well in either performance or mus-
Creatine is produced naturally in Many creatine supplementation cle gain.
the liver, kidneys, and pancreas studies have shown gains in lean
– at the rate of about 1 to 2 grams body mass, averaging 2 to 6 pounds, Creatine increases muscle size be-
a day – from the amino acids ar- usually within several weeks of use. cause it attracts water. Creatine is ab-
ginine, glycine, and methionine. It can work fast too – in as little as sorbed into the muscle cell and pulls a
Most of your body’s creatine is de- one week. A study conducted at lot of water along with it, causing the
livered to the muscles, heart, and the Pennsylvania State University muscle to swell. This results in larg-
other body cells. Inside muscle Center for Sports Medicine demon- er, firmer muscles and a better pump.
cells, creatine helps produce and strated the immediacy of creatine’s Please realize that creatine itself does
circulate adenosine triphosphate power. The researchers recruited not directly increase muscle protein.
(ATP), the molecular fuel that 14 weight-trained men and divided As with all supplements, it is vital that
powers muscular contractions. them into a creatine group and a pla- you use creatine in conjunction with a
Creatine is also found naturally cebo group. Both groups performed solid bodybuilding diet. You need pro-
in red meat. About 2 ½ pounds bench presses and a jump-squat ex- tein to build muscle tissue and carbo-
of raw steak yields roughly the ercise in three different sessions, hydrates to provide energy. Creatine
equivalent of a single 5-gram dose each separated by 6 days. Prior to itself is not burned to produce energy,
of creatine. the first session, neither group re- rather it acts as an energy buffer to
ceived any supplements. During transfer the energy derived from car-
Creatine is available from Parrillo the period leading up to the second bohydrate and fat oxidation to ATP.
Performance as Parrillo Creatine session, both groups took placebos. Creatine is not incorporated into pro-
Monohydrate™. Through supple- Then, prior to the third session, the tein. It will, however, indirectly in-
mentation, you can build the vol- creatine group took 25 grams of crease the protein mass of muscles
ume of creatine in your muscle creatine monohydrate a day, and over time by allowing you to perform
cells. There, creatine increases the placebo group took a 25-gram higher intensity workouts. That is, of
levels of a high-energy compound placebo. All the participants were course, if you are eating enough lean
called creatine phosphate, which asked to follow their normal diets protein and quality calories to support
serves as a tiny fuel supply, enough and keep food records during the muscle gains.
for several seconds of action. study.
What can you expect from creatine?
Creatine phosphate also allows With this well-designed experimen- Typically, hard-training bodybuilders
more rapid production of ATP. tal situation, the researchers could can expect an increase of 4-14 pounds
The more ATP that is available to easily observe and measure any of lean mass during the first month of
use. The more muscle mass you have, ent in the muscle for serious gains nontoxic even when taken in huge
the more creatine you can assimilate to be made. Most people will see doses. The only known side effect is
leading to greater weight gains. We’ve a significant increase in size and stomach upset if you take too much
seen athletes experience a 5-15% in- strength when using creatine, but a at once. Five to ten grams shouldn’t
crease in strength on their maximum lot of this depends on the amount bother you. If you take 30 grams
lifts and an increase of about 2 reps of protein and quality calories you at once you might feel stomach
per set with their working weight dur- are eating. If you don’t eat enough cramps or nausea, but usually not.
ing the first month. This increase in in- to support muscle gain, you won’t Excess creatine is converted into
tensity allows you to put a greater load see any, it’s that simple. creatinine (note the similar spell-
on the muscle, which will indeed in- ing) and excreted in the urine. If
crease your gains in muscle mass over Weight gain resulting from cre- you take too much creatine you’ll
time. Endurance athletes can experi- atine just lose the excess in your urine. If
ence a 5-10% increase in speed and a supplementation may happen dur- you have any blood work done you
10-20% increase in time to fatigue. ing the first month when you’re might find that creatine elevates
loading the muscle cells with cre- your creatinine level. Doctors use
Increasing the levels of creatine and atine. You will experience an im- the creatinine level in the blood as
creatine phosphate in your muscles mediate gain in strength at the an index of kidney function. If your
gives them another fuel source be- outset because of the increased doctor notices an increase in your
sides glycogen from carbohydrates. leverage advantage from the in- creatinine level and expresses some
The question is: how much creatine do creased water gain as well as the concern about your kidneys, tell him
you need? To start, we recommend for creatine phosphate stores. At some or her that you’re using creatine. Cre-
the first one to two weeks you use 20- point the creatine pool becomes atine does not damage the kidneys
30 grams each day, divided into even saturated and the muscle can’t in any way, but is contraindicated if
servings of 5 grams each taken with hold any more. So you can expect you have pre-existing severe kidney
each meal or with a Hi-Protein™/Pro- a very rapid and dramatic gain in disease (for example, renal dialysis
Carb™ or 50/50 Plus™ drink. This is lean mass (muscle + water) for the or kidney transplant patients). Peo-
the loading phase. Use the lower end first month, but after that creatine ple with severe kidney disease have
of these recommendations if you’re supplementation is mainly mainte- trouble eliminating creatinine, and
in the 150-200 pound range and the nance. creatine supplementation would in-
upper end if you’re over 200 pounds. crease creatinine levels further. In
We recommend one to two weeks, but Remember, proper nutrition from summary, creatine has been shown
the loading phase can last up to four food, increased calories and nutri- in placebo controlled clinical trials
weeks in some individuals. After this, ents from supplements and intense to improve exercise performance,
5-10 grams a day should be sufficient training are the keys to packing both in terms of power output and
to maintain elevated muscle stores of on more lean muscle month after endurance (1-6). We know from
creatine. It takes approximately 4-8 month, year after year. By using our work here that it increases lean
weeks to deplete creatine stores after creatine you can improve the in- body mass as well.
you stop taking it. tensity and duration of your train-
ing for better overall workouts. Creatine is stored in the muscle and
To support muscle growth, Parrillo And when you add to this proper does not contribute to fat stores. Any
Creatine Monohydrate™ works best nutrition, which includes plenty of weight you gain on creatine will be
with a nutritious diet that supplies high quality protein and increased in the lean compartment. We’ve seen
ample calories, as outlined in the calories, you’ll be right on track to many athletes experience dramatic
Parrillo Nutrition Program. Remem- gain one pound of lean mass each gains in muscle size and strength
ber, creatine itself has little impact week. during their first month of creatine
on gaining muscle when taken alone. use. And when you look for a good
The building blocks (amino acids) Are there any medical concerns creatine supplement, make sure it is
and extra calories must also be pres- with taking creatine? Creatine is 100% pure, like our Parrillo Cre-
atine Monohydrate™ supplement.
Make sure to look at the nutrient
content on the label and not just the
price when you’re considering which
creatine supplement to take. Parrillo
Creatine Monohydrate™ is one more
nutritional tool to help you push your
physique and performance envelope.
References
1. Maughan RJ. Creatine supplemen-

tation and exercise performance.
International Journal of Sport Nutri-
tion 5: 94-101, 1995.
2. Greenhaff PL. Creatine and its ap-

plication as an ergogenic aid. Inter-
national Journal of Sport Nutrition 5:
S100-S110, 1995.
3. Crim MC, Munro HN. Proteins

and Amino Acids. Modern Nutrition
in Health and Disease 8: 9-10, 1994.
4. Greenhaff PL, Casey A, Short

AH, Harris AC, Soderlund K, and
Hultman E. Influence of oral creatine
supplementation on muscle torque
during repeated bouts of maximal
voluntary exercise in man. Clin. Sci.
84: 565-571, 1993.
5. Harris RC, Viru M, Greenhaff

PL, and Haltman E. The effect of oral
creatine supplementation on running
performance during maximal short
term exercise in man. J. Physiol. 467:
74P, 1993.
6. Ernest CP, Snell PG, Mitchell TL,

Rodriguez R, and Almada AL. Effect
of creatine monohydrate on peak an-
aerobic power, capacity, and fatigue
index. Med. Sci. Sports. Exerc. 26:
S39, 1994.
The Alternating Diet

by John Parrillo
A successful approach to losing body putting on size. But if you’re some- tific literature these days and is a
fat while keeping your metabolism where in the middle, maybe around matter of debate in bodybuilding
revved up involves alternating one 10% to 15% body fat, you might con- circles. (It is less a matter of debate
month on a weight gain cycle and sider giving this program a try. To in the scientific journals, where
one month on a fat loss cycle. The gain a pound a week increase your actual research is reported.) Very
first month you would gain a pound calories to 300-500 more a day, do little of your body fat comes from
each week (four pounds) and 75% of 20-30 minutes of aerobics a day, and complex carbohydrates or protein
it is muscle. In the second month you train your top sets with heavy weights being converted into fat; almost all
lose a pound a week (four pounds to- in the 3-6 rep range. To lose a pound of it comes from fat you eat. How
tal) and 75% of that loss is fat. At the a week, decrease carbs slightly if you much fat your body stores seems
end of the two month cycle you will have to, do 45-60 minutes of aerobics to be more closely related to how
have gained two pounds of muscle a day, and train with increased vol- much fat you eat rather than how
and lost two pounds of fat. Extend ume and moderate weight in the 8-12 many calories you eat.
that to a year and you’re looking at rep range for your top sets.
12 pounds of muscle gained and 12 • Decrease your carbohydrate in-
pounds of fat lost. You’re constantly There are other ways you can maxi- take, thereby lowering insulin
making progress, and your metabo- mize this fat-burning mode. For ex- levels and activating fat-burning
lism never gets the chance to slow ample: mechanisms in the body. But: How
down. do you cut down on carbs without
• Continue to eat five, six or more decreasing calories? You consume
I believe these goals are quite real- meals a day to keep your metabolism more of something else. Fat is not
istic and very easily attainable for in a constant state of acceleration. an option,so your only other choic-
anyone, and particularly if you’re This has several beneficial effects. es are protein or CapTri®. Either
giving 100% effort to the training Every time you eat, your metabolic one will work, but a combination
and nutrition program. The beauty rate increases a little due to the ther- of both probably works best.
of this idea is that you’re constantly mic effect of feeding (also known as
making progress; you’re always ei- diet-induced thermogenesis). Eating Let’s be brutally honest about this.
ther gaining muscle or losing fat; frequently keeps your internal fur- If you’re used to getting most of
and the constant change prevents nace stoked and keeps your metabo- your calories from carbs, cutting
your metabolism from adapting so lism speeding along. If you go too back significantly on carbs makes
you can make continual progress long without eating, your metabolism you feel bad, at least for a while.
without wasting time being stuck begins to slow down. People who cut their carbs dra-
on a plateau and trying to figure out matically have low energy levels,
what to do. • Eliminate as much fat as possible are irritable and grouchy, and get
from your diet, since fat has a slow- headaches. CapTri® is more ef-
In principle, you could keep this up ing effect on metabolism. Dietary fective at relieving some of these
year after year. If you’re 20% body protein and complex carbohydrates symptoms than protein because
fat or more, you may want to devote have negligible tendency to be con- it’s more readily used as an energy
a few months to getting in shape verted to fat, whereas dietary fat is source. Protein is not a very effi-
first, or if you’re really skinny, you very prone to be stored as body fat cient energy source. Its role is to
may want to spend a few months just (1,2,3,4). This is a hot topic in scien- serve as a building block for repair
and maintenance of tissues, not to pro- atively glycogen depleted too. You References
vide metabolizable fuel. Using protein should do moderate to fairly high
for energy is kind of like trying to burn intensity aerobics, so that you’re 1. Flatt JP. 1987. Dietary fat, carbo-
a wet log. Carbs, on the other hand, are breathing hard and sweating. hydrate balance, and weight main-
a great energy source. So if you want While it’s true you burn a higher tenance: effects of exercise. Amer-
to reduce carbs in your diet to manip- percentage of calories from fat dur- ican Journal of Clinical Nutrition
ulate hormone levels and promote fat ing low intensity aerobics, you will 45: 296-306.
metabolism it makes sense to replace burn more grams of body fat if you
those calories with another fuel source, perform high intensity aerobics, 2. Flatt JP. 1995. Use and storage
namely MCT oil. This supplement is a because you’ll burn so many more of carbohydrate and fat. American
good choice because it is readily burned total calories. Also, if you do rea- Journal of Clinical Nutrition 61:
as fuel and won’t be stored as body fat, sonably intense aerobics you will 952s-959s.
(5, 6). get the added benefits of increased
vascular density and enhanced fat 3. Swinburn B and Ravussin E.
I suggest you ease into this slowly. Start burning capacity. Increase the vol- 1993. Energy balance or fat bal-
by eliminating starchy carbs (potatoes, ume of aerobics progressively as ance? American Journal of Clini-
sweet potatoes, rice, and so forth) from you get leaner. cal Nutrition 57:766S-771S.
your last meals of the day. Replace those
lost calories from carbs with an equiva- If your fat loss plateaus, the first 4. Acheson KJ, Flatt JP, and Je-
lent number of calories from CapTri®. thing to try is to do more aerobics. quier E. 1982. Glycogen synthesis
It actually has a higher thermogenic If that doesn’t work you should versus lipogenesis after a 500 gram
effect than carbohydrate, meaning that probably back off for a couple carbohydrate meal in man. Metab-
more of this dietary energy will be lost weeks, increase your calories, olism 31: 1234-1240.
as body heat with less energy available put on some muscle, and get your
for storage. This further promotes addi- metabolism going again. How do 5. Baba N, Bracco EF, and Hashim
tional fat loss. Continue in this way un- you know if you’re losing fat and SA. 1982. Enhanced thermogenesis
til you reduce your daily carbohydrate not muscle? By having your body and diminished deposition of fat in
grams to about half of what you nor- measured once a week with an ac- response to overfeeding with diet
mally consume. At this point you’ll be curate assessment method such as containing medium chain triglyc-
eating mostly protein, vegetables, and our BodyStat System. With the in- eride. American Journal of Clini-
CapTri®. formation you attain, you can de- cal Nutrition 35: 678-682.
termine your pounds of lean mass
• Do your aerobics when you are rela- and pounds of fat every week and 6. Bach AC and Babayan VK. 1982.
tively carb-depleted. This will cause make adjustments in your training Medium chain triglycerides: an up-
your body to burn more fat for energy and diet accordingly to make sure date. American Journal of Clinical
during your workout because fewer you stay on track. Nutrition 35: 678-682.
carbs are available. The best time is
first thing in the morning before break- With proper assessment, you can 6. Bach AC and Babayan VK. 1982.
fast. Your glycogen stores are the low- pinpoint exactly what the problem Medium chain triglycerides: an up-
est they’ll be all day, so you’ll rely more is and make detailed adjustments to date. American Journal of Clinical
heavily on stored fat. To prevent muscle fix it. Otherwise, if you’re just go- Nutrition 36: 950-962.
loss, consume two scoops of a quality ing on what “feels right” or seems
protein powder prior to performing your to make sense, and you don’t make
aerobics. good progress, you’re not sure what
to change. Remove the guesswork
For maximizing fat loss, another good from your bodybuilding program.
time to perform aerobics is right after Don’t leave anything to chance.
weight training, because then you’re rel-
Protein Power - More Proof

by John Parrillo
The optimal amount of protein for 2) Protein intakes of 1.4 - 2.0 g/kg/ for example, we have developed
athletes and exercisers has been de- day for physically active individuals Hi-Protein Powder™. Each serving
bated ad nauseam, as have other is- is not only safe, but may improve the provides 31 grams of ultra quality
sues related to protein. Finally, last training adaptations to exercise train- protein. Other high-protein supple-
year, the International Society of ing. On The Parrillo Performance ments include our Protein Bars™,
Sports Nutrition took a positive re- Nutrition Program, we recommend 50/50 Plus™ powders, Optimized
search-based position on protein, that bodybuilders consume 1.5 grams Whey Protein™ supplements, and
saying, really, what we have be- or more of protein a day per pound All-Protein™.
lieved in at Parrillo Performance of body weight. At least one gram
for decades. Let me give you a run- per pound of body weight should 5) Different types and quality of
down of what this information tells come from lean proteins, with the re- protein can affect amino acid bio-
us – and my take on it as it relates to maining .5 gram per pound of body availability following protein sup-
your nutrition and training. weight coming from starchy and fi- plementation. The superiority of
brous carbs. We’ve seen bodybuild- one protein type over another in
The Society has put together seven ers greatly improve their physiques terms of optimizing recovery and/
points related to the intake of protein by following these guidelines. or training adaptations remains to
for healthy, exercising individuals: be convincingly demonstrated.
3) When part of a balanced, nutrient-
1) Vast research supports the con- dense diet, protein intakes at this lev- Our protein supplements give you a
tention that individuals engaged in el are not detrimental to kidney func- variety of protein types, from whey
regular exercise training require tion or bone metabolism in healthy, to casein, and all have benefits. For
more dietary protein than seden- active persons. True, there is no evi- example, research shows that whey
tary individuals. Absolutely! What dence suggesting that strength ath- protein diets increase the amount
stirred the debate early on was that letes consuming a high protein diet of glutathione in body tissues. Glu-
the National Research Council put have an increased incidence of kid- tathione is a peptide (an amino
the recommended daily allowance ney disease. The data suggesting that acid derivative) that is involved in
(RDA) for protein intake at 0.8 a high protein diet contributes to the strengthening immunity. The eleva-
grams protein per kg body weight progressive nature of kidney disease tion of glutathione has been shown
per day (g/kg/day). This works out come from people with pre-existing to inhibit the development of sev-
to be 0.36 grams per pound body kidney problems. eral types of tumors, according to
weight each day (g/pound/day), numerous studies. Whey protein is
which is 56 grams per day for a 4) While it is possible for physical- found in the following products: Op-
typical male and about 72 grams per ly active individuals to obtain their timized Whey Protein™, Hi-Protein
day for a 200 pound bodybuilder. daily protein requirements through Powder™, 50/50 Plus Powder™,
This value was determined to be the a varied, regular diet, supplemental Parrillo Sports Nutrition Bars™,
amount required by most of the av- protein in various forms are a prac- Parrillo Protein Bars™, Parrillo En-
erage population - not for athletes or tical way of ensuring adequate and ergy Bars™, Protein Chew Bars™,
other very active people. The RDA quality protein intake for athletes. Pancake & Muffin Mix™ and Cake
protein recommendation may be Amen – which is why Parrillo Per- & Cupcake Mix™.
enough for sedentary people but en- formance has a full range of protein
durance athletes and very muscular supplements available to you. To We also offer our All-Protein Pow-
athletes need more. help you meet your protein needs, der™, which covers just about every
protein base there is. Plus it’s fortified 50/50 Plus™, Hi-Protein™, Opti- just this reason. We suggest two or
with amino acids: glycine, l-glutamine, mized Whey Protein™ and All- more with every meal. Remember
l-leucine, l-isoleucine, and l-valine. Our Protein™. that BCAAs require insulin for ab-
suggested usage is one or more serv- 7) Under certain circumstances, sorption into muscle cells so take
ings (2 scoops mixed with 8 ounces specific amino acid supplements, them with food (carbs) rather than
or ¼ liter of water or beverage) taken such as branched-chain amino ac- on an empty stomach!
as needed with or between meals, and ids (BCAA’s), may improve exercise
taken before, during, and after work- performance and recovery from For more information on protein
outs. All-Protein Powder™ can also exercise. Parrillo Performance sup- and athletes, read the “Internation-
be mixed with food as needed. plies BCAAS in its Muscle Amino al Society of Sports Nutrition Posi-
Formula™. A good time to use tion Stand: protein and exercise,”
6) Appropriately timed protein intake this product is immediately before published in the September 2007
is an important component of an over- and after training, as well as with issue of the Journal of the Interna-
all exercise training program, essential meals. Hard dieting is a great time tional Society of Sports Nutrition.
for proper recovery, immune function, to supplement with branch-chain
and the growth and maintenance of amino acids.
lean body mass. Used to be that carbs
took precedence over any other nutri- During times of energy insufficien-
ent as a post-workout recovery agent. cy (dieting), your body will actu-
Not any more. Protein is equally as im- ally break down its own muscle to
portant and pairs up with carbohydrate use as fuel if no other is available.
as a double punch for muscle building. Catabolism is a dreadful metabolic
Various research studies have proved state that occurs when glycogen
that a carbohydrate/protein supple- stores have been depleted and fat
ment triggers the greatest elevations oxidation has maximized. Meta-
in insulin and growth hormone levels bolically, your body requires a cer-
in exercising study subjects. Clearly, tain level of glucose (blood sugar)
protein works hand in hand with post- to be maintained in order for the
exercise carbs to create a hormonal brain to function. While body fat
environment that promotes the great- provides a long-lasting energy sup-
est increase in muscle growth. This ply, fat cannot be converted into
nutrient combination also jump-starts carbohydrate by the human body.
your body’s glycogen-making process But protein (amino acids) can. Un-
— faster than if you just consumed der adverse conditions, carbohy-
carbs. drates are exhausted and your body
breaks down protein stores (muscle
Research has found that a balanced tissue) to convert into carbohydrate
amino mixture (0.15 gm per kg of to supply energy. Branched-Chain
body weight) taken immediately af- Amino Acids are effective because
ter resistance exercise will produce a they form a substrate for growth
better anabolic effect than when the and are metabolized as fuel direct-
same mixture was taken later. We ly within muscle cells. A handful
think one of the best times to take our of Muscle Amino Formula™ cap-
50/50 Plus™ or protein supplements sules will help prevent the onset of
is right after you train, based on this catabolism and has both anabolic
cutting edge research. If you want to and anti-catabolic properties. Hi-
take your recovery efforts up one more Protein™ and Optimized Whey™
notch, consider supplementation with are fortified with extra BCAAs for
Supplementing For The Endurance Edge

by John Parrillo
Endurance is critical in athletic disorder were given a 2-week double- tect against cancer, bone degeneration,
training and bodybuilding. Can blind crossover of DL-phenylalanine menopausal symptoms (hot flashes).
you increase your endurance versus placebo. A significant im- Like many other antioxidants, ferulic
through the use of nutritional provement was noted on mood and acid reduces the level of cholesterol
supplementation? Science says attention. Treatment with DLphenyl- and triglyceride, thereby reducing the
yes. Endurance can be bumped alanine also appears to ease depres- risk of heart disease.
up, regardless the degree of fit- sion in patients receiving opiates for
ness, with a balanced nutrition chronic non-malignant pain. This Potassium
program aided by supplementa- amino acid is included in Max En- & Magnesium Aspartate
tion. One of the supplements we durance™ to help maximize focus Have you ever noticed an ammo-
recommend is Parrillo Max En- and minimize pain for more produc- nia smell in your clothes after a hard
durance Formula™. It is special- tive workouts. workout? This is because your body
ly formulated with the following was using some amino acids as fuel
nutrients: Ferulic Acid but was not able to clear the waste
The phytochemical ferulic acid products efficiently. When this hap-
Inosine is found in the leaves and seeds of pens the carbon skeleton of amino
Though it sounds like one, ino- many plants, but especially in cere- acids is burned, leaving ammonia as
sine is not an amino acid but is als such as brown rice, whole wheat a byproduct. Ammonia is quite toxic
classified as a nucleoside, one of and oats. Ferulic acid is also present and is converted to urea in a meta-
the basic compounds compris- in coffee, apples, and artichokes. As bolic pathway called “the urea cycle,”
ing cells. It plays many roles, an effective antioxidant, ferulic acid which prepares it to be excreted in the
one of which is helping to make helps protect the body against free urine. The urea cycle requires certain
ATP (adenosine triphosphate), radicals and bodily stress, which can chemical compounds called aspar-
the body’s main form of usable otherwise cause fatigue and illness. tates, which are included in our Max
energy. Inosine plays many other This lessens the total body burden of Endurance Formula™. Aspartates are
roles in the body, including re- free radical damage, which is a ma- used by the body to detoxify the waste
leasing insulin, facilitating the jor contributing factor as to why we products of protein catabolism.
use of carbohydrate by the heart age and suffer from degenerative dis-
and, potentially, participating in eases. Ferulic acid also helps to in- They also help filter out toxic waste
oxygen metabolism and protein crease energy, as well as stimulate an products your body generates during
synthesis which improves oxygen increase in strength and lean muscle intense training. Eliminating these
utilization. mass and a decrease in body fat. waste products helps you have more
energy and recover faster. Ammonia
DL-Phenylalanine In one study of 7 Olympic weight- is very toxic and will stop energy pro-
DL-Phenylalanine is an amino lifters, all experienced an increase in duction in the cell. Using the aspar-
acid known to improve mental strength and endurance, a decrease tates in Max Endurance™ to neutral-
acuity and pain tolerance. Some in waist circumference and reduced ize the ammonia as soon as it forms
interesting research has looked residual joint and muscle soreness. enables you to have more energy and
into whether this amino acid can Studies have shown that ferulic acid endurance. We suggest the product be
improve mental focus and alle- can decrease blood glucose levels and used consistently every day, not just
viate attention problems. In one can be of help to diabetes patients. In on days of endurance events. Take 5-
study, adults with attention deficit addition, ferulic acid seems to pro- 10 capsules before training.
In addition to Max Endurance Formu-
la™, there are other unique and power-
ful nutritional supplements for endur-
ance. Anyone who wants more energy,
strength and stamina should consider ad-
ditional supplementation. I suggest you
start with the Liver-Amino Formula™,
since it provides protein and heme iron --
the precise nutrients your body needs to
build muscle, red blood cells and energy
producing systems. If you’re not getting
enough protein from conventional sourc-
es, the Hi-Protein Powder™ is probably
the next thing to add. If you need more
calories, go with Pro-Carb™, CapTri®
or any of our Supplement Bars or pud-
dings. If you’re training on the edge and
want to explore the limits of your poten-
tial, add in Muscle Amino™.
In general, I suggest you begin using

endurance supplements when training
hard and definitely for at least three to
six weeks before your event to build up
your nutrient level reserves. This is es-
pecially true for Liver-Amino™, since it
takes about six weeks to build red blood
cells. You’ll get better results if the nu-
trition and supplements regimen is fol-
lowed daily, not just around competition
time. Consistency and dedication make
the difference between champions and
recreational athletes, and that applies to
nutrition and supplementation as well as
to training.
P.S. Don’t forget your Essential Vitamin

Formula™ and Mineral Electrolyte For-
mula™, both of which can be doubled
when in hard training.
8 Secrets to Keep Your Six-Pack Ripped

by John Parrillo
Ripped abs – every fitness-conscious training, many athletes go as high as ily converted to fat in the liver.
person wants them, but few know ex- two to three tablespoons per meal - a Excess calories from any carbo-
actly how to get them, and do so health- level they have found to be benefi- hydrate source can be converted
fully, without sacrificing lean muscle. cial. to fat. The enzyme that regulates
The secrets are out – here’s how. whether carbs are stored as gly-
Secret #2: cogen or fat is phosphofructoki-
Secret #1: Avoid or limit alcohol nase-I. The job of this enzyme
Eat fewer starchy carbohydrates. consumption. is to shuttle carbs into glycogen
Reducing your intake of starchy car- Beer, wine and hard liquor are high stores until full, then switch the
bohydrates – potatoes, yams, whole in sugar and empty calories you flow of carbs from glycogen syn-
grains, and brown rice, for example don’t need. In fact, each gram of thesis to fat synthesis. Fructose,
– is an amazing way to start stripping alcohol has 7 calories, compared to however, skips this step in the
away fat. Metabolically, this dietary 4 calories per gram for other carbs. liver where it is converted to fat.
reduction helps shift your body into Alcohol also stimulates your appe-
a fatburning mode. Your body sim- tite. Plus, new research shows that Secret #4:
ply starts burning fat for energy, since heavy drinkers tend to gain weight in Manage stress.
there is a deficit of carbs in your body. their abdomen area, giving credence Stress churns out and elevates
How much of a reduction will work? to the idea of a “beer belly.” When cortisol, a hormone. If cortisol
A good rule of thumb is to adjust your there’s alcohol in your system, the stays elevated, it directs fat stor-
carbohydrate-to-protein ratio to be- liver has to work overtime to process age to the abdominal area. If
tween 1 to 1 or 1.5 to 1. it, so it doesn’t have adequate time you’re like most people, you’ll
to process fat. A study conducted at need to let off some steam dur-
Be aware that one problem with reduc- the University of Lausanne in Swit- ing stressful times, and exercise
ing carbohydrate intake is a potential zerland found that the addition of is the perfect stress reliever. Plus,
decline in your energy levels. To com- only 3 oz of alcohol per day to the it helps to burn off fat. So why
pensate, try supplementing your diet diet resulted in about one-third less not engage in a little additional
with CapTri®, our medium-chain tri- fat being processed. You can avoid aerobics to keep stress under con-
glyceride oil (MCT oil). This is a spe- drinking alcohol and still remain so- trol? Do a bit more of your usual
cial type of lipid that provides quality cial by sipping on juice, seltzers, club aerobic activity or try some new
calories and, unlike conventional di- soda or sparkling mineral water on types just for fun. Spend an af-
etary fats, is not likely to be stored as the rocks with a citrus twist. ternoon at an ice or roller-skating
body fat. Calorie for calorie, CapTri® rink. Whack a ball around the
contributes less to body weight gain Secret #3: racquetball court. If the weather
(fat gain) than carbohydrates or con- Shun fructose. permits, hit the ski slopes, try
ventional dietary fat. Think of Cap- Of course, I’ve been saying this for your hand at crosscountry skiing
Tri® as an immediate energy source decades. Now new research shows or rent some snowshoes and go
that will get burned before the body that fructose, found naturally in sug- exploring. Or get in the pool and
has time to store it. It is an excellent ar and as high-fructose corn syrup in swim a few laps.
metabolic-support supplement. sodas and junk food, promotes belly
fat. The reason for this is because the Secret #5:
After a few days, increase to one ta- calories from fruit come in the form Increase the duration and/or
blespoon with each meal. During hard of fructose, which is quickly and eas- frequency of your usual aero-
bic exercise routine. obese women exercised moderately menopausal women who had gone
Duration refers to the length of time for 90 minutes four to five times a up and down in weight many times
that you work out. It’s amazing how week for 14 months. At the end of during their lives — a result of re-
many additional calories you’ll con- the study, the women underwent peated efforts at dieting. What they
sume by pushing your body just a CT scans to detect any changes in found was intriguing: Those women
little longer. Increase your exercise body fat patterning. More flab was with a history of on-again, off-again
frequency too: working out more lost from the abdominal region than dieting and fluctuations in weight
times per week to obtain a greater from the mid-thigh, proving that ab tended to gain fat mostly in the ab-
caloric expenditure and burn more fat is easily burned with a consis- dominal region. In other words:
fat. In one study, men who worked tent, long-term exercise program. When fat returns after you go off a
out at moderate intensity on exercise diet, it returns to your waistline. It’s
bikes six days a week, twice a day, Always concentrate on beefing up best to not diet too drastically, but
for 100 days lost an average of near- your aerobic intensity. Make the rather follow a healthy nutritional
ly 18 lbs—and most of it was pure effort count. For optimum fatburn- plan, like the Parrillo Nutrition Pro-
fat. Although you don’t have to work ing, you should exercise at a level gram.
out this much to keep your six-pack that is hard enough to raise your
ripped, these findings demonstrate heart rate to 70 to 80 percent of Secret #8:
that increased workout frequency your maximum heart rate. (You can Work your six-pack.
translates into more fat loss. calculate your desired heart rate by True, waistline exercises will firm
subtracting your age from 220 and up abdominal muscles underneath
Aerobic exercise, even something multiplying that number by 70 or the fat and wake up sluggish circu-
as simple as walking is great for 80 percent.) lation so fat-burning can proceed.
obtaining and keeping ripped abs. So don’t neglect your ab work. One
Researchers at the Washington Uni- Secret #6: of my favorites is the knee –up.
versity School of Medicine in St. Cut the bad fats. You’ll need a dip stand to perform
Louis, Missouri, put a group of men Cutting fatty foods such as red this exercise. Facing away from the
and women, aged 60 to 70 on a nine meats, other fatty cuts, butter, and stand, hoist yourself up between the
to 12-month exercise program that margarine from your daily diet two parallel dipping bars and sup-
consisted of walking or jogging. On should be part of a total plan to zap port yourself there with your legs
average, the subjects exercised 45 tummy fat. Interestingly, when a straight. Bend your knees and pull
minutes several times a week. By the group of 124 women reduced di- your thighs in toward your midsec-
end of the study, both the men and etary fat, they each lost 10 to 15 tion. Return to the starting position
the women had lost weight. But get pounds, and more than half the and repeat. Perform as many repeti-
this: Most of their weight was shed women lost body fat mostly from tions as you can.
from the abdominal area. This all their abdomen. See the Parrillo
goes to show that a simple exercise Nutrition Manual for how much Good looks aren’t the only benefit
program like walking or jogging can fat to include in your diet, includ- you get from your ab workout. The
melt off abdominal fat, which creeps ing essential fatty acids. four sets of muscles that make up
on as we get older. From a health your abdominal column work to-
perspective, this type of exercise Secret #7: gether with your back muscles to
— by fighting waistline flab — may Stop yo-yo dieting. help you sit straight, stand tall, and
reduce the risk of diseases linked to Be forewarned about dieting: Go- move with ease. If you’ve ever had
abdominal fat. Compared to other ing on and off a reducing diet can a low-back problem, you know that
fat storage sites on the body, the ab- make your waistline look like the one of the first rules in restoring
dominal region is “lipolytically ac- equator. The proof is in some in- health and preventing future back
tive.” This means it gives up fat eas- teresting research conducted at ailments is to strengthen your ab
ily. A group of Canadian researchers Yale University several years ago. muscles.
put this to the test. In their study, 13 Researchers there studied pre-
Remember too: Trimming that roll
around the middle lowers your risk
factor for heart disease, high blood
pressure, diabetes, some cancers,
and many other life-shortening
diseases. There’s a healthy payoff
for anyone who gives the abdomi-
nals individual attention.
References
Rodin J, Radke-Sharpe N, Rebuffe-

Scrive M, Greenwood MR:
Weight cycling and fat distribution.
International Journal of Obesity
April 1990;14(4):303-310.
Kohrt WM, Obert KA, Holloszy

JO: Exercise training improves fat
distribution patterns in 60 to 70-
year-old men and women. Journal
of Gerontology July 1992;47(4):
M99-105.
Rest, Recuperation & GH

by John Parrillo
Rest and recuperation can work in powerlifters: very heavy weights, Formula™ and you will get a bet-
conjunction with growth hormone very low reps with long rest inter- ter training effect.
(GH) if this relationship is properly vals.
understood. For background, growth Sleep & Stress Issues
hormone (GH) is a protein hormone In 1993 a scientific study compared Always try to get enough sleep, es-
made by the pituitary gland, a small the GH-release of 20 sets of one rep pecially since GH is naturally re-
secretory gland at the base of the each (done maximally) to 10 sets of leased at night. If you are unable to
brain. Hormones, chemical messen- 10 reps (also maximum) and found sleep optimally, your recovery will
gers secreted by endocrine glands the 10 sets of 10 reps resulted in suffer and you won’t be able to train
into the bloodstream, are delivered greater GH release (6). Why? Prob- each muscle group as frequently.
to target tissues, where they exert ably the larger volume of work,
their effects. (1) Although growth done with enough reps to result in You can also stimulate the release
hormone is of interest to adults, some lactic acid production, com- of growth hormone through the in-
its primary function is to promote bined with short rest intervals, is gestion of amino acids. Arginine
growth during childhood. Actively the best way to trigger GH release. Pyroglutamate and Lysine Mono-
growing children have the highest It may prove beneficial to include hydrochloride, two potent amino
levels of growth hormone. Gradu- some high intensity aerobics as acids, when isolated and grouped
ally, GH release decreases with part of your cardiovascular train- together and taken on a regular
age. The decline in GH levels may ing. There seems to be theoretical basis have been shown to promote
in fact be the cause of some of the justification to include sprinting for the secretion of growth hormone
processes of aging. If you haven’t better results. in the body. Parrillo Performance
made good gains in awhile try to has grouped this amino duo in its
incorporate some of the following A postscript here: Weight training Enhanced GH Formula™. These
GH-releasing ideas. is incredibly intense exercise and two aminos have been shown to
within seconds of the commence- stimulate the release of GH in test
GH & Rest between Sets ment of a heavy set, energy reserves subjects. Growth hormone is the
An important exercise parameter are depleted and waste products be- mightiest of all hormonal secretions
that seems to enhance GH release gin to accumulate (1-4). Creatine as it increases mass and decreases
is to use shorter rest intervals when phosphate serves as an energy donor bodyfat simultaneously, and aids in
training. To do this, of course, you and helps to maintain the supply of joint repair!
have to use lighter weights (and ATP, the molecule used by muscles
more reps). A difficult protocol that to power contractions. ATP is rap- This particular amino grouping is
works well to increase GH levels idly depleted and strength fades as best taken on an empty stomach
is to train to failure at 10 reps (use a heavy set proceeds, muscular con- and it is suggested to take Enhanced
10 rep maximum weight) combined tractions soon stop altogether. Dur- GH Formula™ immediately upon
with one-minute rest intervals (5). If ing the rest interval between sets awaking, before training and just
you’re used to resting 3-5 minutes ATP and creatine phosphate stores before bedtime. Taken before bed
between sets, shorten up the rest in- are repleted. Supplementation with (2 to 3 capsules), these easy to di-
terval to one minute or less; it will Creatine Monohydrate can help the gest capsules will dissolve as you
work wonders. Sometimes body- entire depletion-regeneration pro- sleep, providing you with GH-trig-
builders get into a rut; they plateau cess as it increases intracellular gering amino acids. Grow while
and can’t figure out the problem. It Creatine pools(5-6). Supplement you sleep! Take them in the morn-
might be that they’re training like with our Creatine Monohydrate ing too, and prior to training. Mus-
cle growth and decreased body fat are fect time to supplement with carbs Company, Philadelphia, 1991.
the ultimate goals of every hard-train- as they will be stored as glycogen.
ing bodybuilder and strength athlete Don’t forget to take your vitamins 5. Maughan RJ. Creatine supple-
and muscle can’t grow without growth and minerals. I suggest six meals mentation and exercise perfor-
hormone. Growth hormone increases a day, spaced at regular intervals. mance. International Journal of
lean body mass by stimulating protein Each meal should include a pro- Sport Nutrition 5: 94-101, 1995.
synthesis and increasing nitrogen re- tein source (such as lean chicken 6. Greenhaff PL. Creatine and its
tention. GH is anabolic, meaning that or turkey), a starch, and a fibrous application as an ergogenic aid.
it acts to promote incorporation of vegetable. Good starches include International Journal of Sport Nu-
nutrients into new body tissues (1,2). potatoes, rice, beans, and corn. trition 5: S100-S110, 1995.
One way to increase your natural GH
levels is through supplementation with Stay away from simple sugars and 7. Tarnopolsky MA, MacDougall
a special combination of amino acids refined carbohydrates such as pas- JD, and Atkinson SA. Influence
(3), combined with adequate rest and ta or bread. Metabolically, refined of protein intake and training sta-
sleep. Nutrition plays an absolutely carbohydrates behave much like tus on nitrogen balance and lean
central role in the rest and recovery simple sugars. Also avoid milk mass. J Appl Physiol 64: 187-193,
process. The foods you eat supply and fruit, which are rich in sugars. 1988.
you with the building blocks the body Consult the Parrillo Performance
needs to repair itself. If you are train- Nutrition Manual for detailed in- 8. Lemon PWR. Influence of di-
ing intensely and getting enough sleep structions. Adequate nutrition and etary protein and total energy
but not eating right, then your growth sleep are two critical ingredients in intake on strength improvement.
potential will be severely limited. You achieving optimal recovery. Don’t Sports Sci Exch 2, 1989.
should be getting one to two grams of be afraid to vary and experiment
protein per pound of body weight ev- with your rest intervals and train- 9. Celejowa I and Homa M. Food
ery day for optimal growth and recov- ing frequency. intake, nitrogen, and energy bal-
ery (7-10). ance in Polish weight lifters dur-
References ing training camp. Nutr Metab
Most bodybuilders use a protein sup- 12: 259-274, 1970.
plement as the foundation for their nu- 1. McArdle WD, Katch FI, and
tritional program. We think the best Katch VL. Exercise Physiology: 10. Laritcheva KA, Yalovaya
protein on the market is our Hi-Protein Energy, Nutrition, and Human Per- NI, Shubin VI, and Shirnov PV.
Powder™ or Optimized Whey Pro- formance. Lea & Febiger, Philadel- Study of energy expenditure and
tein™. Our whey protein is fortified phia, 1991. protein needs of top weight lift-
with extra glutamine and branched ers. In: Nutrition, Physical Fitness
chain amino acids. In terms of recov- 2. Wilmore JH and Costill DL. and Health, eds. Pariznova J and
ery and growth the two most impor- Physiology of Exercise and Sport. Rogozkin VA, 155-163. Univer-
tant supplements are protein powder Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL, sity Park Press, Baltimore, 1978.
and Creatine Monohydrate. Carbohy- 1994.
drates are required to maintain your
muscle glycogen stores. When muscle 3. Essentials of Strength Training
glycogen is depleted, strength and and Conditioning, Thomas R.
endurance drop off markedly (1-4). Baechle, editor, National Strength
If you are no longer getting a good and Conditioning Association,
pump after a set, this is a sign that you Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL,
are running low on glycogen. In this 1994.
case, increase your carbs by using two
to four scoops of Parrillo Pro-Carb™ 4. Guyton AC. Textbook of Medi-
after your workout. This is the per- cal Physiology, W.B. Saunders
Older Means Better

by John Parrillo
If you’re an older athlete – say over Older athletes sometimes recover ing motor. Good recovery drinks
50 – and want to stay competitive, do more slowly, so you’ll need to help include Parrillo Pro-Carb™, 50/50
you have different nutritional needs the process along by supplying Plus™, or Optimized Whey™. As
than your younger counterparts? Most your body with all the nutritional we get older, our protein needs in-
research to date suggests that your building blocks it needs to restore crease slightly.
nutritional needs are not significantly what’s lost and repair what’s dam-
different. However, there are definitely aged. Of all the nutrients neces- Nutritionally, protein is the basic,
ways you can optimize your diet and sary for optimal recovery, dietary most important building material
supplement program to help you keep carbohydrate takes precedence for in your body, essential to high-level
your edge. The following tips can help two reasons. First, carbohydrate health because of its role in growth
you stay competitive. restocks your body with muscle and maintenance. Your body breaks
and liver glycogen, which can be down protein from food into nutri-
The most important thing you can depleted during exercise. Replen- ent fragments called amino acids
do is routinely eat quality calories ishing these stores allows you to and reshuffles them into new pro-
from nutrient-dense, health-protective train harder on successive work- tein to build and rebuild tissue, in-
foods that support top performance, outs for greater gains. Second, cluding body-firming muscle. Pro-
enhance recovery from hard workouts carbohydrate reduces the need for tein also keeps your immune system
and reduce the risk of heart disease, muscle protein breakdown to pro- functioning up to par, helps carry
cancer, osteoporosis, and other debili- vide energy for resistance exercise, nutrients throughout the body, has
tating diseases. leading to a more favorable protein a hand in forming hormones, and is
balance in the body. Carbohydrate involved in important enzyme reac-
The Parrillo Nutrition Program is also triggers the release of the tions such as digestion.
designed to supply quality calories hormone insulin, which promotes
in amounts to keep you well-fueled. muscle growth as well. Various re- Proteins found in the Parrillo Nu-
It consists of lean proteins, starchy search studies have proven that a trition Program include fish, white
carbs, and fibrous vegetables. Com- carbohydrate/protein supplement meat poultry, egg whites, and our
bine these at each meal and you’ll ob- triggers the greatest elevations in line of protein powders and bars.
tain an excellent nutritional base for insulin and growth-hormone levels Although your bones have stopped
performance and health. Consult your in exercising study subjects. growing, you can keep them strong
Parrillo Nutrition Manual for details with weight training and daily calci-
on how to plan your diet. Recovery is Clearly, protein works hand in um. Yes, you can get protective lev-
the process of regeneration that takes hand with post-exercise carbs to els of calcium from natural foods,
place in the aftermath of a workout. create a hormonal environment but it’s a good idea to hedge your
To appreciate its importance, con- that promotes the greatest increase bets and take a mineral supplement.
sider what happens inside your body in muscle growth. This nutrient Per pill, Parrillo Mineral-Electro-
as a consequence of intense exercise: combination also jumpstarts your lyte™ contains 250 mg of calcium;
Energy-giving glycogen stores are de- body’s glycogen-making process 5 mg of iron; 250 mg of phospho-
pleted; muscle protein is dismantled; — faster than if you just consumed rus; 75 mcg of iodine in the form
microscopic tears in muscle fibers oc- carbs. Carbs produce a surge in in- of kelp; 250 mg of magnesium; 11
cur; energy-producing compounds are sulin levels. Biochemically, insulin mg of zinc; 50 mcg of selenium;
lost from cells; and fluid and electro- is like an accelerator pedal that 500 mcg of copper; 10 mg of man-
lytes dwindle. races the body’s glycogen-mak- ganese; 25 mcg of chromium pico-
linate; 45 mg of potassium; 500 duction of these prostaglandins novial fluid and connective tissues.
mcg of boron; along with other nu- and may help control the pain and The suggested usage is one or two tab-
trients. I recommend that you take inflammation associated with joint lets three times daily. For best results,
one tablet with each meal during problems and arthritis. use in conjunction with the Parrillo
the day for optimum metabolism Performance Nutrition Program.
and well-being. Parrillo Performance recognized
the need for a product that counter- Adequate fluid replacement is essen-
Yes, your joints may get creaky and acts joint and inflammation prob- tial for athletes of all ages. But the old-
achy with age, but don’t despair. lems. The Parrillo Performance er you get, the less your thirst mecha-
You can help them with some natu- solution is Evening Primrose Oil™ nism kicks in. In other words, you
ral approaches, and hopefully not a concentrated source of essential may need fluids but not feel thirsty. To
have to resort to over-the-counter fatty acids, including GLA. EFA’s reduce the risk of dehydration, drink
or prescription pain-killers (un- keep joints lubricated, hair and skin at least 8 to 10 glasses of pure water
less your physician recommends healthy, and brain neurons firing every day. For the older athletes who
them). correctly. Each 1000 mg gel cap are competing in highintensity endur-
contains 30 IU’s of vitamin E, 100 ance exercise, evidence for the useful-
One option available is evening mg of Gamma Linolenic Acid and ness of carbohydrate-containing sports
primrose oil, in particular has spe- 760 mg of Linoleic Acid. Take one drinks, such as Parrillo Pro-Carb™,
cific benefits for athletes, body- to three capsules daily. exists. Eat plenty of good calories,
builders – really, anyone who is recover properly, protect your joints,
interested in improving personal Our ongoing research recently led and drink plenty of fluids – and you’ll
health and fitness. It comes from a us to develop the Parrillo Joint For- enjoy feeling young as you keep your
plant that grows wild along road- mula™ to assist in the rebuilding of winning edge.
sides. It is so named because its damaged joints, tendons, cartilage,
yellow flowers resemble in color and soft tissue. This supplement Reference
real primroses, and these flowers contains glucosamine, a combina- Rock, C.L. 1991. Nutrition of the old-
open only in the evening. From this tion of glucose and amino acids er athlete. Clinics in Sports Medicine
oil, your body can directly obtain that has been extensively studied for 10:445-457.
GLA, which stands for gamma- joint health and support. When you
linolenic acid. GLA is ultimately supplement with glucosamine, it
converted into the prostaglandin gathers in the liver, kidneys and ar-
E1 series, a group of beneficial ticular cartilage. Once it reaches the
chemicals that helps reduce in- chondrocytes, the cells that produce
flammation, regulates blood clot- cartilage, the glucosamine is incor-
ting, decreases cholesterol levels, porated into those cells. Eventually,
and lowers high blood pressure, it forms a viscous fluid that helps
among other functions. protect and lubricate your joints and
cartilage. This formula also con-
A growing number of medical ex- tains chrondroiton, which appears
perts and scientists now believe to stimulate cartilage cells to create
that taking GLA-rich oils can ef- new cartilage and it may also slow
fectively fight the inflammation - the breakdown of cartilage; shark
the major cause of swollen, painful cartilage, with its mucopolysaccha-
joints. GLA is a building block of rides that help relieve the chronic
a beneficial type of prostaglandin, and painful inflammation that is
which exerts an anti-inflammatory so injurious to joints; and green sea
effect on the body. Thus, supple- mussel, a nutrient that supports the
menting with GLA increases pro- restoration and maintenance of sy-
MCT Oil Really Is A Fat-Burning Fat!

by John Parrillo
I love it when research confirms what also had a 1.5 percent decrease in haves more like a carbohydrate in
we at Parrillo Performance have total fat mass as measured by CT the body, except that it doesn’t in-
known for decades. Yet another study scan, including a reduction in intra- crease insulin levels. This means
has shown that MCT oil really is a abdominal fat. (1) Unlike conven- you can use CapTri® in place of
fat-burning fat. Of course, you know tional oils, MCT oil gets burned im- carbs to decrease insulin levels
MCT oil as CapTri®, one of our flag- mediately by the liver before it even and shift your metabolism into a
ship supplements. MCT oil was first has a chance to get stored as body fat-burning mode. This is very
formulated in the 1950s by the phar- fat, and many researchers feel that it similar to the strategy of low-carb
maceutical industry for patients who has a place in weight management. diets except without relying on
had trouble digesting regular fats. It Of course, I agree! conventional fat as an energy
is processed mainly from coconut oil source.
but does not have any of the adverse CapTri® is a unique high thermo-
effects associated with tropical oils. genic ultra pure MCT available To use CapTri® for fat loss, con-
exclusively from Parrillo Perfor- tinue to keep your protein intake
Here’s the latest, greatest news on mance. CapTri® comes unflavored high at about one to 1.5 grams
MCTs: A 2008 study published in for cooking or making salad dress- per pound of body weight per day,
Journal of the American College of ings, etc. or butter flavored for driz- then reduce carbohydrate intake
Nutrition found that substituting mod- zling over vegetables, fish, popcorn and provide an equivalent number
erate amounts of MCT oil for other and more. CapTri® contains around of calories from CapTri®. For ex-
fats in a weight-loss program resulted 115 calories per tablespoon. I have ample, if you normally consume
in fat loss, including around the waist, very specific recommendations for 300 grams of carbs per day (1200
with no adverse impact on cardiovas- how to use CapTri® in a weight-loss calories worth), reduce that to 150
cular risk factors. program, and it is Parrillo Perfor- grams per day and add 5 table-
mance’s own version of the low-carb spoons of CapTri® per day (pro-
In the 16-week study, 31 overweight diet (but without the side effects of viding 570 calories). By reducing
patients consumed either olive oil or typical low-carb diets). The calo- carbs and always combining your
MCT oil in muffins. All of the subjects ries from CapTri® provide the en- starches with protein, vegetables,
participated in dietitian-led weekly ergy you need to keep training hard, and CapTri® at each meal, you
group weight-loss counseling sessions while you’re trying to lose body fat. will dramatically reduce insulin
that stressed following a prudent diet, Also, by substituting CapTri® for an levels and maximize fat loss. One
and encouraged healthy eating pat- equivalent number of calories from more point: Unlike conventional
terns. The oils accounted for roughly carbohydrates you avoid the slow- fats, CapTri® also works well dur-
12 percent of participants’ calorie down in metabolic rate which inevi- ing weight gain because it doesn’t
prescription. At 16 weeks, the MCT tably results from calorie-restricted contribute to fat stores (2, 3).
group had lost significantly more diets.
weight: an average of 7 pounds, or 3.8 Of course, CapTri® isn’t just for
percent of their baseline body weight, My approach to low-carb dieting al- weight loss; it’s also for building
compared with 1.7 percent in the olive lows you to utilize the power of the and maintaining lean mass, since
oil group. That’s 200% better than the low carb diet without resorting to it has a positive effect on your me-
control group for all you math whiz- using regular fat as a food source. tabolism. CapTri® is very thermo-
zes. That’s over twice the weight loss Instead of regular fat, you use high genic and dramatically increases
of the control group. The MCT group thermogenic CapTri®, which be- the rate of oxygen consumption af-
ter a meal. It’s no accident that we’ve S.A. 1982. Enhanced thermogenesis
incorporated CapTri® at the core of and diminished deposition of fat in
our supplement program. The reason? response to overfeeding with diet
As you know, CapTri® is a very con- containing medium chain triglycer-
centrated source of calories - calories ide. American Journal of Clinical
that can be used for energy and to Nutrition 35: 678-682.
support weight gain. The increase in
oxygen consumption that occurs after 3. Bach, A.C. and Babayan, V.K.
you eat CapTri® means that it is be- 1982. Medium chain triglycerides:
ing burned very fast (4, 5). Remember, an update. American Journal of
foods are burned by reacting with the Clinical Nutrition 36: 950-962.
oxygen we breathe, so the reason oxy-
gen consumption increases after you 4. Hill, J.O., et al. 1989. Thermogen-
eat is to supply enough oxygen to burn esis in humans during overfeeding
the food to produce energy. Some of with medium chain triglycerides.
the energy from CapTri® is converted Metabolism 38: 641-648.
into body heat in a process known as
thermogenesis (4, 5). 5. Seaton, T.B., et al. 1986. Welle,
Warenko and Campbell, Thermic
This is the single most important rea- effect of medium chain and long
son why excess calories from CapTri® chain triglycerides in man. Ameri-
have less of a tendency to make you fat can Journal of Clinical Nutrition 44:
than excess calories from other foods. 630-634.
CapTri® is burned so fast that excess
calories from it are turned into body
heat instead of being converted into
fat. This is why I’ve called CapTri®
the best supplement ever developed for
active people - it’s an excellent way to
supply extra calories but has very little
tendency to make you fat. CapTri® is
available exclusively from Parrillo
Performance. You can use CapTri®: 1.
To maintain energy levels while diet-
ing. 2. To add clean calories for gain-
ing muscle. 3. To replace regular fat
with healthier CapTri®.
References
1. St. Onge, M.P. et al. 2008. Medium
chain triglyceride oil consumption
as part of a weight loss diet does not
lead to an adverse metabolic profile
when compared to olive oil. Journal
of the American College of Nutrition
27(5):547-552.
2. Baba, N., Bracco, E.F., and Hashim,
Amino Power
by John Parrillo
Take your amino acids! A supplement control and insulin sensitivity in verted into carbohydrate by the
– amino acids – that has been around poorly controlled elderly subjects human body. But protein (amino
for ages is getting a fresh look from with type 2 diabetes. And, amino acids) can. Under adverse condi-
science and the news for athletes and acids are being studied in cardio- tions, carbohydrates are exhausted
exercisers has never been better. vascular diseases, which show it and your body breaks down pro-
might improve well-being, en- tein stores (muscle tissue) to con-
Case in point: Investigators at the Col- hance physical function, and im- vert into carbohydrate to supply
lege of New Jersey studied the effect prove recovery from exercise. (2) energy. Branched chain amino
of a pre-exercise energy sport drink acids are effective because they
on the acute hormonal response to re- For years, Parrillo Performance form a substrate for growth and
sistance exercise in eight experienced has recommended that active peo- are metabolized as fuel directly
resistance-trained men. The subjects ple, from bodybuilders to endur- within muscle cells. A handful of
were randomly provided either a pla- ance athletes to exercisers, sup- Muscle Amino Formula™ cap-
cebo (a carb drink) or the supplement plement with amino acids. Here sules will help prevent the onset of
(a combination that included branched is an overview of what a solid catabolism and has both anabolic
chain amino acids and creatine) and amino acid supplement program and anti-catabolic properties. Hi-
they drank it 10 minutes prior to exer- should entail – and why: Protein™ and Optimized Whey™
cising. The men then performed 6 sets are fortified with extra BCAAs for
of no more than 10 repetitions of the Incorporate BCAA’s just this reason. We suggest two or
squat at 75 percent of their 1 repeti- Parrillo Performance provides an more with every meal. Remember
tion maximum (1RM) with 2 minutes important mixture of amino acids that BCAAs require insulin for ab-
of rest between sets. – the branched chain aminos - in sorption into muscle cells so take
its Muscle Amino Formula™. The them with food or a protein and/or
The men who supplemented with the time to use this product is imme- carb drink rather than on an empty
amino acid formula could do more diately before and after training as stomach!
repetitions and lift heavier weights well as with meals. Hard dieting
than those on the carb-placebo drink. is a great time to supplement with Don’t Forget Growth Hormone
Equally impressive, the enhanced branch chain amino acids. Dur- Releasing Aminos
exercise performance resulted in a ing times of energy insufficiency Certain combinations of specific
significantly greater increase in both (dieting), your body will actually amino acids, such as those found
growth hormone and insulin concen- break down its own muscle to use in Enhanced GH Formula™, are
trations, indicating an augmented as fuel if no other is available. shown to enhance GH release (8).
anabolic hormone response from sup- Catabolism is a dreadful meta- Probably the best way to use these
plementing with the amino-acid for- bolic state that occurs when gly- is on an empty stomach, first thing
mula. (1) There is more: amino acid cogen stores have been depleted in the morning, right before a
supplementation works as a treatment and fat oxidation has maximized. workout, and before bed. (MCTs,
for “cachexia,” the life-threatening Metabolically, your body requires like CapTri®, can be a potent
muscle loss that occurs with cancer a certain level of glucose (blood stimulus for GH release.)
and other diseases that cause muscle- sugar) to be maintained in order
wasting. Nutritional supplementation for the brain to function. While Our supplement contains arginine
with amino acids has been shown to body fat provides a long-lasting pyroglutamate and lysine mono-
significantly improve blood sugar energy supply, fat cannot be con- hydrochloride, two potent amino
acids, when isolated and grouped hormone levels – and may even curb
together and taken on a regular ba- the desire for sugary foods.
sis have been shown to promote the
secretion of growth hormone in the Each capsule in our Ultimate Amino
body. Growth hormone is the might- Formula™ contains 103 milligrams
iest of all hormonal secretions as it of glutamine. We recommend that
increases mass and decreases body- you take two or more capsules of this
fat simultaneously, and aids in joint supplement with each meal. That
repair! should supply a gram or more daily
– which is appropriate for athletes
Arginine has a number of other im- and active individuals. So – there
portant functions in the body, includ- are plenty of wonderful benefits to
ing the fortification of the immune supplementing with amino acids,
system. In studies with animals and especially if you want to maximize
humans, arginine has been found to performance, muscle development,
improve wound healing and bolster and overall well-being.
immune responses, plus reduce the
incidence of infection following sur- References
gery. Arginine has other duties, as
well. It is required to manufacture 1. Hoffman, J.R., et al. 2008. Effect
creatine, an important chemical in of a pre-exercise energy supplement
the muscles that provides the energy on the acute hormonal response
for contractions. In addition, Argi- to resistance exercise. Journal of
nine apparently helps prevent the Strength and Conditioning Research
body from breaking down protein in 22:874-882.
muscles and organs to repair itself
when injured. Meat, poultry, and fish 2. Strasser, F. 2007. Appraisal of
are good sources of arginine, as are current and experimental approaches
numerous supplements, including to the treatment of cachexia. Current
our Enhanced GH Formula™ and Opinions in Supportive and Pallia-
our Ultimate Amino Formula™. tive Care 1:312-316.
Glutamine & Ultimate Amino 3. Isidori A, Lo Monaco A, Cappa

Formula™ M. 1981. A study of growth hormone
Glutamine is another important ami- release in man after oral administra-
no acid. It is the favored fuel of your tion of amino acids. Current Medical
immune system. This means you Research and Opinion. 7: 475-481.
need it when you’re ill, stressed, or
recovering from surgery. Researchers 4. Valls E, Herrera F, Diaz M, Bar-
have discovered that many athletes reiro P, and Valls A. 1978. Modifica-
are deficient in glutamine – a short- tion in plasmatic insulin and growth
age that makes them vulnerable to hormone induced by medium chain
infections. Glutamine is technically triglycerides. Span. Ana. Ped. 11:
described as a “glucogenic,” mean- 675-682.
ing that it assists your body in manu-
facturing glycogen, the chief muscle
fuel. Also, supplemental glutamine
has been shown to elevate growth
Back on the Wagon: My 2-Day Undo Diet

by John Parrillo
If you’re like millions of Ameri- While it’s true you burn a higher from vegetables. I’m talking about
cans right now, you indulged over percentage of calories from fat dur- things like broccoli, cauliflower, as-
the holidays – and that’s okay and ing low intensity aerobics, you will paragus, spinach, green beans, and
that’s normal. You probably don’t burn more grams of body fat if you so on. Refer to the Parrillo Perfor-
even have to jump on the scales to perform high intensity aerobics, mance Nutrition Manual for a more
confirm that you’re heavier. A quick because you’ll burn so many more extensive list, as well as the nutrient
look in mirror says it all: yes, you total calories. Also, if you do rea- breakdown.
look bloated. sonably intense aerobics you will
get the added benefits of increased Some tips for taste: Use green leaf
But hold on. Don’t throw in the towel vascular density and enhanced fat lettuce with fresh peppers and on-
yet. With the holidays over, you can burning capacity. Increase the vol- ions, tomatoes and some fresh cilan-
start again with a clean slate and get ume of aerobics progressively as you tro. Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
your momentum going with my 2- get leaner. If your fat loss plateaus, make tangy dressings with practi-
Day Undo Diet. Start it on Monday the first thing to try is to increase cally no calories. Grill your chicken
and continue on Tuesday. It will re- the intensity of your aerobics, while outside to keep things flavorful. Or
energize you, help flush out salt and increasing your calories to get your have some fresh grilled salmon or
processed sugar, leave you feeling metabolism going again. swordfish instead of tuna. Add some
full, and prep you for dropping fat fresh mushrooms and chopped pep-
pounds. Time is of the essence, so Mon. & Tues. Weight Training pers to the egg whites. It doesn’t take
let’s get started! In addition to aerobics, lift weights too much effort to make this diet en-
45 to 60 minutes a day on Monday joyable. You will enjoy it even more
Pre-Breakfast Aerobics and Tuesday. On this program I once you see how fast the results
When your alarm goes off that would recommend a two-day split, come.
morning, start with 16 ounces of which means you train your upper
pure, fresh water. Then get into your body on Monday and your lower Limit Starchy Carbs
exercise clothes for pre-breakfast body on Tuesday. That way, you hit Starches are things like potatoes,
aerobics. That’s right, do your aer- your entire body and all your mus- oatmeal, corn, peas, beans and rice.
obics on an empty stomach. Then cles. Treat yourself to a cup of oatmeal in
your glycogen levels are somewhat the morning and maybe one other
depleted from your overnight fast Multiple Meals starch during the day. By supplying
and insulin levels are low. This in- Divide your food choices evenly most of your carbs as vegetables and
ternal situation forces your body to over five or six meals. Most people salad instead of starch, you will find
start drawing on your fat reserves get better results if they keep food it easier to drop pounds and flush
for energy. With pre-breakfast aero- selections relatively simple for this your system of toxins. The bulk will
bics, you’ll start stripping away fat. program. You will get good results help fill you up, the volume of food
Do pre-breakfast aerobics Monday using egg whites, skinless chicken will be more satisfying and the veg-
and Tuesday mornings – for 30 to breast and low-fat tuna for protein etables will produce a smaller insu-
60 minutes each time. sources. Have generous portions of lin response.
vegetables and salad at each meal.
You should do moderate to fairly You can have essentially all the veg- Eat Breakfast
high intensity aerobics, so that etables and salad you want. It’s very Another important point is to al-
you’re breathing hard and sweating. difficult to eat too many calories ways eat breakfast - this gets your
metabolism going first thing. This is glycine, glutamine and branched vinegar and 1 – 2 tablespoons Cap-
why breakfast is probably your most chain amino acids. I would con- Tri®
important meal. You have the whole sider this a “must have” supplement • 1 large baked potato
day to burn off any excess calories while dieting strictly. The high lev- • Water, black coffee or unsweet-
you consume at breakfast - any excess els of glutamine and BCAAs act to ened tea
calories you consume right before bed protect muscle tissue during energy
are likely to be stored as fat. restricted diets. Meal 4
• Parrillo Hi-Protein Bar™
Add in CapTri® Sleep
Since you’re temporarily reducing Always try to get enough sleep. If Meal 5
starchy carbs to promote fat metabo- you are unable to sleep optimally, • Skinless chicken breasts
lism, it makes sense to replace those your recovery will suffer and you • Plenty of steamed fibrous vegeta-
calories with another fuel source, won’t be able to train each muscle bles (broccoli, green beans, cauli-
namely CapTri®. CapTri® is a good group as frequently. During sleep, flower, summer squash, etc.) with 1
choice because it is readily burned as your body releases growth hormone – 2 tablespoons CapTri®
fuel and won’t be stored as body fat. (GH), a protein hormone made by • Parrillo Protein Ice Kreem™ -
CapTri® actually has a higher “ther- the pituitary gland, a small secre- Frozen Protein Dessert or Parrillo
mogenic effect” than carbohydrate, tory gland at the base of the brain Pudding™ (Protein Ice Kreem™
meaning that more of this dietary that enhances protein synthesis and is easy to make, just add 4 scoops
energy will be lost as body heat with other functions. of mix and 2 cups of water to your
less energy available for storage. This Ice Cream Maker and follow the
further promotes additional fat loss. Keep Your Momentum machine’s directions. In only 25-30
Include up to 3 tablespoons of Cap- You probably have a long-term ob- minutes your Ice Kreem™ is ready
Tri® daily over the two-day period. jective of losing a certain number to enjoy!)
of fat pounds and gaining muscle. • Water
Supplement! After the two-day diet, keep going!
In addition to CapTri®, there are four Renew your commitment daily to
supplements that really help on this yourself and to the Parrillo Nutri- Tuesday Undo Diet
program. First are the Essential Vi- tion Program. Do this, and you’ll Meal 1
tamin™ and Mineral-Electrolyte™ guarantee long-term results. • 5 to 6 scrambled egg whites
formulas. Since you are avoiding fruit • Pancakes (Made with Parrillo Hi-
and milk, you will need a vitamin and Okay - Get ready to take action! Protein Pancake and Muffin
mineral supplement. It is difficult to I know you can do it. Here’s the Mix™)
supply your body’s requirement for diet: • Water or black coffee
calcium without using a lot of dairy
products, unless you use a supple- Monday Undo Diet Meal 2
ment. Next is Parrillo Creatine Mono- Meal 1 • 1 serving Parrillo Optimized
hydrate™, which is in a class by itself • 5 to 6 scrambled egg whites Whey Protein Powder™
in terms of supplements. You cannot • 1 cup oatmeal
be your most muscular and lean with- • Water or black coffee Meal 3
out using creatine. No matter how • 2 cups mixed-greens salad with
good you look, you’ll be better if you Meal 2 6 ounces skinless chicken breasts,
add creatine. • 1 serving Parrillo Optimized with balsamic vinegar and 1 – 2
Whey Protein Powder™ tablespoons CapTri®
Last is Optimized Whey Protein™. • 1 large baked sweet potato or
We started with the finest quality Meal 3 yam
whey protein and then fine tuned the • 2 cups mixed-greens salad with • Water, black coffee or unsweet-
amino acid profile by adding extra 4 to 6 ounces tuna, with balsamic ened tea
Meal 4
• Parrillo High Protein Bar™
• Water, black coffee or unsweetened
tea
Meal 5
• Baked salmon
• Plenty of steamed fibrous vegetables
(broccoli, green beans, cauliflower,
summer squash, etc.) with 1 – 2 table-
spoons CapTri®
• Parrillo Pudding™
• Water, black coffee or unsweetened
tea
The Real Superfoods

by John Parrillo
There’s a lot of talk these days about Superfood protein sources in- When eaten with other nutrients like
“superfoods” – foods that give you clude skinless turkey breast, skin- protein, fiber slows the rate of diges-
extra nutrients, provide energy, help less chicken breast, fish, and egg tion too, stabilizing your blood sugar
fight disease and aging, and for body- whites. Fish, in particular, is vital between meals so that it is not con-
builders and athletes, build muscle. in terms of heart disease. Salmon verted to fat stores.
Obviously, superfoods are the way to and other fatty fish - like mackerel,
go to get the most health- and mus- lake trout, herring, sardines and The superfood carbohydrates found
cle-building nutrition for your time tuna - are rich in omega-3 fatty ac- in the Parrillo Nutrition Program in-
and money. And fortunately, the ids that decrease the risk of heart clude certain types of whole grains,
Parrillo Nutrition program is packed attack and stroke, and may cut your brown rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes,
with superfoods. For example: risk of death from coronary artery yams, legumes (beans and lentils),
disease in half. Omega-3 fats also and non starchy vegetables (see be-
Lean Proteins have immune-enhancing and anti- low), from broccoli and green beans
Proteins are found in all cells and inflammatory effects, reduce the to cauliflower to salad vegetables
tissues and are required for the risk of prostate and colon cancers, (what we call “fibrous carbs”).
structure and function of every part and ease the symptoms of rheuma-
of the body. And of special interest toid arthritis and some psychiatric Non-Starchy Vegetables
to bodybuilders, muscles are made disorders. You can’t go wrong with vegetables;
of protein. every one is a superfood. But here
Starchy Carbohydrates are a few stand-outs:
Protein is required in the diet to Carbohydrates are energy foods.
maintain tissues and organs and to During digestion, they are changed Broccoli
supply building blocks for growth. into glucose (blood sugar), which This amazing vegetable is rich in
Proteins from animal sources such circulates in your blood and is sulforaphane, an antioxidant linked
as meat, eggs, and milk, are called used as energy for the red blood with a reduced risk of a number of
“complete” proteins because they cells and your central nervous sys- cancers, especially lung, stomach,
supply all the essential amino acids. tem. Glucose not used right away colon and rectal cancers. The nutri-
Animal proteins provide a balance of is stored in the liver and muscles ents in broccoli also have an-ti-in-
amino acids similar to that of human as glycogen, which provides an ad- flammatory properties, and we know
tissues. Plant proteins have a profile ditional reservoir for energy. that an important factor in reducing
of amino acids different from hu- the risk of disease is to decrease in-
man proteins. For this reason animal Carbohydrates also supply an flammation.
proteins are considered to be higher amazing fat-fighting nutrient – fi-
quality protein foods. Most vegetable ber, the non-digestible remnant of Spinach
proteins are deficient in one or more plant foods. A growing body of re- Improve your vision and protect
of the essential amino acids and are search shows that high-fiber eating against cancer with spinach, one of
therefore called “incomplete” pro- helps peel off pounds and banish the richest dietary sources of an an-
teins. However, if vegetable proteins them for good. tioxidant called lutein. Lutein helps
are combined properly, the balance protect against heart disease and
of amino acids in the combination How exactly does fiber work this some cancers, and has been shown
can approach the amino acid profile weight-loss magic? to reduce the risk of cataracts and
found in animal proteins. macular degeneration. Spinach is
also rich in beta-carotene, which may So if you’re looking for what re-
protect against cancer. Other lutein- ally works for optimal health and
rich foods include kale, collard greens, disease prevention, focus on super-
chard and beet greens. foods. The Parrillo Nutrition Pro-
gram is filled with them.
Tomatoes
These are loaded with lycopene, an an-
tioxidant that reduces the risk of pros-
tate, breast, lung and other cancers, and
has heart-protective effects. Research
shows that the absorption of lycopene
is greatest when tomatoes are cooked
with olive oil.
Good Fats
Good fats are superfoods. They fall un-
der a general classification called un-
saturated fats. There are two types of
unsaturated fats: polyunsaturated and
monounsaturated fats. Oils such as saf-
flower, sunflower, corn, soybean and
fish oils, evening primrose oil found in
Parrillo Evening Primrose Oil 1000™
and Parrillo Fish Oil DHA 800 EPA
200™ are polyunsaturated fats. They
contain “essential fatty acids,” or EFAs
for short. Required for normal body
function, EFAs must be supplied by
your diet since the body cannot make
them on its own.
From EFAs, your body synthesizes two

other important fatty acids, eicosapen-
taenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaeno-
ic acid (DHA). These fatty acids, along
with alpha linolenic acid, are referred
to as omega-3 fatty acids, a term that
describes their molecular structure.
You can also obtain EPA and DHA
directly from cold-water fish, flaxseed
and omega-3 enriched eggs (eggs from
chickens fed fish meal or flax meal).
Monounsaturated fats are plentiful in

olive, canola and peanut oils; they are
also found in shellfish and cold-water
fish such as salmon, mackerel, halibut,
black cod and rainbow trout.
Parrillo Performance Technical Report #1
Metabolism of Medium Chain Trigylcerides: Introduction
by Arthur E. Robertson, Ph.D.
I. Introduction
Nomenclature of Fats
Fats, or lipids, are found in all cells and perform a variety Occurrence and Purification of MCTs
of functions essential for life. These include their roles Medium chain triglycerides occur naturally in small
in energy storage, membrane structure, and incorpora- quantities in a variety of foods, and are present naturally
tion in vitamins, hormones, and prostaglandins (Zubay, in the blood of the human fetus and in human milk (Bach
1983). Fats are used to cushion and insulate the body and and Babayan, 1982; Souci, Fachmann, Kraut, 1989/90).
function as electrical insulation in the nervous system. In cow’s milk, C6-C14 fatty acids together account for
Triglycerides are the most common form of fat found in 20% of the total fatty acid composition (Christensen et
foods and stored in body fat depots. Triglycerides are al, 1989). Commercially, medium chain fatty acids are
comprised of three fatty acids (figure 1) esterified to a prepared by the hydrolysis of coconut oil (an abundant
glycerol backbone (figure 2). Most naturally occuring source) and are fractionated by steam distillation. The
triglycerides contain fatty acids 16-20 carbon atoms in MCFAs so obtained consist of predominantly C8:0, with
length. Such fatty acids are called “long chain fatty ac- lesser amounts of C10:0, and minute amounts of C6:0
ids” (LCFAs), and their corresponding triglycerides are and C12:0. The fractionated MCFAs are re-esterified
called “long chain triglycerides” (LCTs). Medium chain with glycerol to generate MCTs (Bach and Babayan,
triglycerides (MCTs) are comprised of medium chain 1982). MCT oil softens or splits certain plastics such as
fatty acids (MCFAs), which are 6-12 carbons in length. polyethylene and polystyrene, but not polypropylene. It
Although the carboxylic acid part of fatty acids is soluble is recommended that MCT oil be stored in metal, glass,
in water, the hydrocarbon chain is not. Thus, LCFAs or ceramic containers (Sucher, 1986). MCT oil has a
are not water soluble. Since the hydrocarbon chains of caloric density of 8.3 calories per gram; one tablespoon
MCFAs are shorter, MCFAs are more water soluble than equals 14 grams and contains 115 calories. MCTs are
LCFAs. Likewise, MCTs are also relatively soluble in not drugs and have no pharmacological effects (Bach
water, due to ionization of the carboxylic acid groups and Babayan, 1982).
and the small size Historical Uses of
of the hydrocarbon MCTs
chains. Their small
molecular size and Since their introduc-
greater water solution in 1950 for the
bility cause MCTs treatment of fat malab-
to undergo a differ- sorption problems, me-
ent metabolic path dium chain triglycer-
than that experienced ides have enjoyed wide
by LCTs (Bach and application in enteral
Babayan, 1982). and parenteral nutri-
tion regimens (Bach
and Babayan, 1982).
Fat emulsions can be
used to provide up to
increase caloric consumption, thereby providing energy
and facilitating weight gain. Their low food efficiency,
due to the thermogenic effect, means that MCTs have
very little tendency to be converted to body fat. The
calories from MCTs represent an additional energy
source which (in contrast to conventional fats) can be
used concurrently with glucose.
II. Metabolism
Digestion and Absorption of Fats
Since LCTs are not very soluble in water, the body has
to go through an elaborate digestive process in order to
absorb these nutrients. Bile salts are secreted by the gall
bladder to help dissolve the LCTs. Upon ingestion, LCTs
interact with bile in the duodenum (upper small intes-
tine) and are incorporated into mixed micelles (Record
et al, 1986). Enzymes called lipases (pancreatic lipase
and phospholipase A2) remove the fatty acid molecule
60% of nonprotein calories. Before the availability of
from the glycerol backbone. The mixed micelles are
lipid emulsions suitable for intravenous use, glucose was
passively absorbed into the intestinal mucosa where the
used as the only nonprotein source of calories (Mascioli
free fatty acids are re-esterified with glycerol. The in-
et al, 1987). Not only did this result in essential fatty
testinal mucosa synthesizes a lipoprotein carrier called a
acid deficiencies, but it was also undesirable because
chylomicron to transport the reformed triglyceride. Chy-
it increased hepatic lipogenesis and respiratory work.
lomicrons are secreted into the lymph and are released
Although inclusion of LCTs in intravenous feedings
into the venous circulation via the thoracic duct. In the
represented an improvement, problems remained with
bloodstream, lipoprotein lipase again breaks down the
slow clearance of LCTs from the bloodstream and inter-
triglycerides into two free fatty acids and a monoglyc-
ference with the RES component of the immune system.
eride. The monoglycerides go to the liver to be further
When medium chain triglycerides or structured lipids
degraded, while many of the circulating free fatty acids
(triglycerides containing both MCFAs and LCFAs) are
are taken up and stored by adipocytes (fat cells). When
added to the regimen, calories are provided in a more
carbohydrates are consumed insulin is released, and in-
readily oxidizable form (Schmidl, Massaro, and Labuza;
sulin stimulates adipocytes to re-esterify the fatty acids
1988), and less interference with the RES is observed
into triglycerides and store them as body fat. In general,
(Mascioli et al, 1987). In one case, MCT was fed as the
body fat stores are not mobilized and used for energy to
exclusive source of fat (along with a small amount of
any significant extent in the presence of insulin.
LCT to provide essential fatty acids) to a patient with
In contrast, since MCFAs are more water soluble they are
chyluria (a fat malabsorption disease) for over 15 years
more easily absorbed and do not require this complicated
without producing side effects (Geliebter et al, 1983).
digestive process. MCTs can be absorbed intact and do
not require the action of pancreatic lipase or incorpo-
Sports Nutrition
ration into chylomicrons. Instead, a lipase within the
intestinal cell degrades the MCT into free MCFAs and
Although MCTs have been used in hospital environments
glycerol. The MCFAs are bound to albumin, released
for years, their use by healthy individuals is relatively
into the bloodstream, and transported directly to the
new. Recently, athletes have begun to use MCTs to
liver by the portal vein. The vast majority of MCFAs
are retained by the liver where they are rapidly and tion and Nutrition Tables 1989/90. Published by
extensively oxidized. Whereas conventional fats are Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft (1989).
largely deposited in fat cells, MCTs are transported
directly to the liver and used for energy. Very little of Sucher, Medium chain triglycerides: a review of their
the MCFAs ever escape the liver to reach the general enteral use in clinical nutrition. Nutr. Clin. Prac. 44:
circulation (Bach and Babayan, 1982). Only 1-2% of 146-150 (1986).
MCTs are incorporated into depot fat (Geliebter et al,
1983; Baba, Bracco, and Hashim, 1982). Medium chain Zubay, Biochemistry, chapter 13: “Metabolism of
triglycerides are digested and absorbed much faster than Fatty Acids and Triacylglycerols,” by Denis E. Vance.
conventional fats (in fact, as rapidly as glucose) and are Published by Addison-Wesley Publishing Company
immediately available for energy.
References
Baba, Bracco, and Hashim, Enhanced thermogenesis and

diminished deposition of fat in response to overfeeding
with diet containing medium chain triglyceride. Am. J.
Clin. Nutr. 35: 678-682 (1982).
Bach and Babayan, Medium chain triglycerides: an up-

date. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 36:950-962 (1982).
Christensen, Hagve, Gronn, and Christophersen, Beta-

oxidation of medium chain (C8-C14) fatty acids studied
in isolated liver cells. Biochem. et Biophys. Acta 1004:
187-195 (1989).
Geliebter, Torbay, Bracco, Hashim, and Van Itallie,

Overfeeding with medium chain triglyceride diet results
in diminished deposition of fat. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 37:
1-4 (1983).
Mascioli, Bistrian, Babayan, and Blackburn, Medium

chain triglycerides and structured lipids as unique non-
glucose energy sources in hyperalimentation. Lipids 22:
421-423 (1987).
Record, Kolpek, and Rapp, Long chain versus medium

chain length triglycerides - a review of metabolism and
clinical use. Nutr. Clin. Prac. 1:129-135 (1986).
Schmidl, Massaro, and Labuza, Parenteral and enteral

food systems. Food Tech. 77-87 (July, 1988).
Souci, Fachmann, and Kraut, Food Composi-
Metabolism of Fatty Acids: Mitochondria, The Carnitine Shuttle,
Beta-Oxidation, and Ketogenesis
Once inside a cell, fatty acids can be oxidized (burned) suppressed, so very little body fat is used for energy.
to release energy. The site of energy production with- After carbohydrate reserves have been diminished, the
in the cell is a membranous organelle called a mito- body releases glucagon as a signal to begin burning
chondrion. Long chain fatty acids cannot simply enter fat. These are the reasons why fat stores are drawn
the mitochondria by themselves; they must be ac- upon for energy only after glycogen has been depleted.
tively transported across the mitochondrial membrane
(Record et al, 1986). First, the fatty acid is converted The inhibition of CAT I by malonyl-CoA represents a
to its active form, acyl-CoA. The long chain acyl- regulatory mechanism to prevent the wasteful use of
CoA is then transesterified to L-carnitine by carnitine energy substrates. Generally speaking, the body uses
acyltransferase I (CAT I), generating acylcarnitine. A carbohydrate fuels first and stores fat as an energy
protein carrier embed- reserve. Fat contains twice
ded within the mito- the energy density of car-
chondrial membrane bohydrate (9 calories per
acts as a shuttle to gram versus 4 calories per
transport the LCFA- gram) and does not require
carnitine complexes water for storage, as does
into the inner mito- carbohydrate. Fat is thus
chondrial space. Once a more efficient molecule
there, carnitine acyl- for energy storage. Ani-
transferase II (CAT II) mals are able to store only
releases the fatty acid a small amount of energy
in its activated form, as carbohydrate (in the
acyl-CoA (figure 1). form of liver and muscle
The enzymes respon- glycogen) but can store a
sible for oxidation of virtually unlimited amount
fatty acids are located of energy as fat.
inside the mitochon-
dria. Therefore, if In contrast to long chain
fatty acids are not fats, MCFAs (includes
Figure 1, adapted from Zubay, 1983 MCTs) are immediately
permitted to enter the
mitochondria they available for energy. Me-
cannot be burned for energy. Entry into the mitochon- dium chain fatty acids are retained by the liver, where
dria is regulated by the activity of the carnitine shuttle. they are rapidly and extensively oxidized (Bach and
This transport system is not very active if carbohy- Babayan, 1982). Medium chain fatty acids can en-
drates are available because carbohydrate metabolism ter the mitochondria by passive diffusion and do not
generates malonyl-CoA, which inhibits CAT I. In require the carnitine transport system (Record et al,
addition, glucagon (the hormonal antagonist of insu- 1986; Bach and Babayan, 1982). MCFAs thus can be
lin) is involved in stimulating mobilization of body used for energy even in the presence of carbohydrates,
fat stores and use of fat for energy. Following carbo- and in fact have a carbohydrate-sparing effect (Lavau
hydrate ingestion insulin is released and glucagon is and Hashim, 1978; Cotter et al, 1987). Once inside
the mitochondria all fatty acids are burned in a process
tion. During beta-oxidation, blocks of two carbon
atoms are removed from the activated fatty acid (acyl-
CoA) to form acetyl-CoA (figure 2). The intermediate
acetyl-CoA can then undergo several metabolic fates:
i) it can enter the Krebs cycle to generate ATP; ii) it
can be used to generate ketone bodies; iii) it can be
used as a substrate for fatty acid synthesis or elonga-
tion; or iv) it can be consumed in an energy trans-
forming process known as reversed electron transfer
(Bach and Babayan, 1982; Berry et al, 1985; Crozier
et al, 1987).
The vast majority of MCFAs (includes MCTs) are re-

tained in the liver where they undergo beta-oxidation,
Figure 2. Note: One cycle of beta-oxidation removes producing acetyl-CoA. To enter the Krebs cycle (the
2 carbon atoms from the original fatty acid and these body’s central energy producing pathway) the acetyl-
appear as acetyl-CoA. Two more cycles of beta- CoA combines with oxaloacetate, producing citrate. Me-
oxidation would be required to completely convert the dium chain fatty acids are oxidized in the liver so rapidly
caprylic acid to acetyl-CoA. that the supply of oxaloacetate becomes limiting. As a
result, the capacity of the Krebs cycle is overwhelmed
and a large proportion of the acetyl-CoA is directed to-
ward the synthesis of ketone bodies (Bach and Babayan,
1982). This process is known as “ketogenesis” (figure
3). Ketone bodies are released from the liver into the
blood and are subsequebtly taken up by muscles and used
as fuel. LCT ingestion also causes an increase in blood
levels of ketone bodies during fasting, but only MCT
will still produce ketone bodies if carbohydrates are con-
currently ingested (Sucher, 1986). Once inside muscle
cells, ketone bodies are converted back to acetyl-CoA,
which then enters the Krebs cycle to produce ATP. The
conversion of MCFAs to ketone bodies occurs even in
the presence of carbohydrates. This additional source of
energy decreases glucose uptake and utilization (Lavau
and Hashim, 1978) and thus may extend endurance by
sparing glycogen (Cotter et al, 1987).
References
Bach and Babayan, Medium chain triglycerides: an

update. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 36:950-962 (1982).
Figure 3.
The ketone bodies acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybu- Berry, Clark, Grivell, and Wallace, The contribution
tyrate are released from the liver into the bloodstream. of hepatic metabolism to diet-induced thermogenesis.
In peripheral tissues, they are converted back to Metab. 34: 141-147 (1985).
acetyl-CoA which in turn enters the Krebs cycle to
produce energy Cotter, Taylor, Johnson, and Rowe, A metabolic com-
parison of pure long chain triglyceride lipid emulsion
(LCT) and various medium chain triglyceride (MCT)-
LCT combination emulsions in dogs. Am. J. Clin.
Nutr. 45: 927-939 (1987).
Crozier, Bois-Joyeux, Chanez, Girard, and Peret,
Metabolic effects induced by long-term feeding of
medium chain triglycerides in the rat. Metabolism 36:
807-814 (1987).
Lavau and Hashim, Effect of medium chain triglycer-

ide on lipogenesis and body fat in the rat. J. Nutr. 108:
613-620 (1978).
Record, Kolpek, and Rapp, Long chain versus medium

chain length triglycerides - a review of metabolism
and clinical use. Nutr. Clin. Prac. 1:129-135 (1986).
Sucher, Medium chain triglycerides: a review of their

enteral use in clinical nutrition. Nutr. Clin. Prac. 44:
146-150 (1986).
Cellular Energy Production: The Krebs Cycle, Electron Transport,
and Oxidative Phosphorylation

Introduction
Humans and other animals obtain energy to support the body the reaction is broken down into many small
life, growth, and activity from food. The basic ques- steps and the energy which is released is captured in
tion is how is the energy contained in food extracted a molecule called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP.
and transformed into a form which can be directly About 67% of the energy obtained in glucose (the
used as fuel by the body. The source of energy used body’s chief fuel molecule) is captured by ATP and the
by the body is the potential energy contained in the rest is liberated as heat (Zubay, 1983, p. 395). This is
chemical bonds of food. Energy is either released or a very impressive efficiency level compared to other
consumed during chemical reactions, depending on the machines. ATP is the immediate source of energy
relative energies of the reactants versus the products. used to fuel nearly all cellular processes, including
The main foods used as energy substrates by the body muscular contraction. The role of ATP is not to store
are carbohydrates and fats. Carbohydrates and fats energy (that is the role of body fat and glycogen) but
are different chemically, but have in common that they rather to transfer energy from a food molecule to some
both contain carbon-hydrogen bonds. In this state, other cellular molecule which is going to perform
carbon is said to be reduced. In aerobic metabolism work (Vander, Sherman, Luciano, 1980, p. 80). Ener-
the carbon and hydrogen react with oxygen, forming gy is the ability to do work. Potential energy is energy
CO2 and H2O. The reaction between hydrogen and which is stored and has the potential to perform work
oxygen to make water is extremely exergonic (this is if it is released. The energy contained in a chemi-
the reaction that turned the Hindenburg into a fireball). cal bond is a form of potential energy. The potential
This reaction releases energy because hydrogen and energy contained in the chemical bonds of food mol-
oxygen are more stable (i.e., have less energy) when ecules is released during oxidation, and this energy is
they are joined together as water than when they exist transferred via ATP to other molecules which perform
separately. Most of the energy derived from the aero- cellular work - everything from muscular contraction
bic metabolism of foods is from this reaction. Fats to protein synthesis.
provide twice the caloric density of carbohydrates - 9
calories per gram for fat as compared to 4 calories per Conceptually, it is convenient to break up this process
gram for carbohydrate. The reason fat contains more into four stages, although in fact these stages are inti-
energy than carbohydrate is that in fat the carbon is mately linked in the cell. The first stage of carbohy-
in a more reduced form (Zubay, 1983, p. 482) - more drate metabolism is glycolysis and the first stage of fat
hydrogen is packed in per carbon atom. metabolism is beta-oxidation. The following stages of
energy production are common to both fats and carbo-
In aerobic metabolism the carbon and hydrogen in hydrates, and are the Krebs cycle, electron transport,
foods react with oxygen to produce CO2 and H2O. and oxidative phosphorylation.
This reaction releases energy because carbon diox-
ide and water molecules contain less energy than the The Krebs Cycle
original food molecules and oxygen. The same reac- The central energy producing pathway in the body
tion occurs when a piece of food burns in the camp is the Krebs cycle (figure 1), named for the German
fire. In that situation the energy released by the reac- chemist Hans Krebs. Krebs originally postulated this
tion is simply liberated as heat to the surroundings. In process, also known as the TCA cycle, in 1937 and
Carbohydrates are initially metabolized via an
anaerobic process known as glycolysis. Glu-
cose enters the glycolytic pathway and is con-
verted into two molecules of pyruvate, generat-
ing a net yield of two ATP molecules. Under
anaerobic conditions, as may be temporarily
experienced in muscular tissue during weight
training, pyruvate is reduced to lactate, or lactic
acid, which causes a burning sensation in the
muscle. Glycolysis is a relatively inefficient
process, yielding only two ATPs per glucose
molecule. The two lactate molecules account
for roughly 93% of the energy present in the
original glucose molecule, so only about 7% of
the energy embodied in glucose is made avail-
able for use. Of this, about 50% is captured in
ATP (Zubay, 1983, p. 305). In the presence of
oxygen a different metabolic fate is available
to pyruvate. Instead of being converted into
lactate, pyruvate is decarboxylated to generate
acetyl-CoA. Acetyl-CoA is also produced by
beta-oxidation of fatty acids, as discussed Tech-
nical Report #2.
Figure 1. The Krebs cycle. Acetyl-CoA from the gly- The basic point of the Krebs cycle is to provide
colytic pathway or from beta-oxidation of fatty acids the chemical means of completely oxidizing
enters and two fully oxidized carbon atoms leave (as the carbon of glucose or fatty acids to CO2 and
CO2) per turn of the cycle. ATP is generated at one the hydrogen to H2O. This allows much more
point in the cycle and the coenzyme molecules NAD of the energy contained in the food molecule to
and FAD are reduced to NADH and FADH2. This be extracted and used by the cell, as compared
figure was adapted from Zabay, 1983, pg 327. to anaerobic metabolism. In each turn of the
Krebs cycle two carbons enter as acetate and
two carbons exit as CO2. The cycle involves
was later awarded the Nobel Prize in 1953 for this
eight intermediates, each of which is converted into
work. Energy substrates derived from carbohydrates
the next by an enzyme specific for that step (figure 1).
or fatty acids enter the Krebs cycle as the intermedi-
These reactions are localized in the mitochondria, the
ate acetyl-CoA. The ultimate end of the process is to
site of aerobic energy production within the cell.
convert the chemical energy contained in foods into
ATP. Adenosine triphosphate is an unstable molecule
The first stage of carbohydrate metabolism, glycolysis,
containing a high energy phosphate bond. When ATP
occurs in the cytoplasm and does not require oxygen.
is split, the energy contained in this phosphate bond
The end-product of glycolysis, pyruvate, enters the
is released and is available to perform work inside the
mitochondria to be further metabolized. In the mi-
cell. ATP is the immediate source of energy for nearly
tochondria pyruvate is converted into acetyl-CoA by
all cellular processes, and thus has earned its reputa-
pyruvate dehydrogenase. Fats are oxidized to produce
tion as “the energy currency of the cell.”
acetyl-CoA within the mitochondria. Long chain fatty
acids must be ferried across the mitochondrial mem- ability to overwhelm the capacity of the Krebs cycle at
brane by the carnitine shuttle, while medium chain the level of oxaloacetate.
fatty acids can transverse the membrane by passive
diffusion. Only one ATP molecule is produced directly by each
turn of the Krebs cycle. This is referred to as “sub-
Acetyl-CoA donates the two-carbon compound acetate strate level phosphorylation” since the generation of
to a four-carbon acceptor oxaloacetate thereby gener- ATP is directly coupled to a specific chemical reaction.
ating citrate, a six-carbon compound. During one turn In other words, ADP participates as a substrate in the
of the cycle two molecules of carbon dioxide are liber- reaction. Most of the energy derived from aerobic
ated, ultimately regenerating oxaloacetate. The Krebs metabolism comes from subsequent oxidation of the
cycle intermediates are not consumed in the cycle and NADH and FADH2 produced by the cycle. This is
there is no net loss of carbon in the process, ignoring referred to as “oxidative phosphorylation” since here
any side reactions which may occur. The cycle can ATP synthesis is coupled to the oxidation of NADH
thus be viewed as catalytic, since a relatively small and FADH2. Aerobic metabolism can the be thought
amount of oxaloacetate can be used to metabolize an of as having two phases: the oxidative phase in which
arbitrary amount of acetyl-CoA. electrons (in the form of hydrogen atoms) are removed
The activity of this pathway is controlled by the from organic substrates and transferred to coenzyme
levels of its substrates and products, so that its level carriers (FAD and NAD), followed by the reoxidation
of energy production matches the energy needs of the of the reduced coenzymes (FADH and NADH2) by the
cell. As the concentration of substrates increases, or transfer of electrons (again in the form of hydrogen) to
the concentration of end products decreases, the activ- oxygen, generating H2O (Zubay, 1983, p. 325). The
ity of the cycle increases. The most sensitive factors reduction of oxygen to water to extremely exergonic
which directly regulate the cycle’s activity are the and most of the ATP is generated during this process.
NAD/NADH ratio and the ATP/ADP ratio. The activ- The oxidation of acetyl-CoA involves removal of
ity of the first step in the pathway is also sensitive to electrons (as hydrogen) from the Krebs cycle inter-
the concentration of oxaloacetate. mediates and transfer of hydrogen to the coenzymes
FAD and NAD. In the process, these coenzymes are
Under normal conditions the concentration of interme- reduced to FADH and NADH2. (In chemistry, “oxi-
diates such as oxaloacetate is not limiting. Medium dation” is the removal of electrons and “reduction” is
chain triglycerides enter mitochondria independent the addition of electrons.) Subsequently, the reduced
of the carnitine shuttle, and thus bypass an important coenzymes are reoxidized by transfer of the hydrogens
regulatory step in fatty acid oxidation (refer to Techni- to oxygen in the “electron transport chain.” Ultimate-
cal Report #2). Medium chain triglycerides are oxi- ly, ATP is synthesized by oxidative phosphorylation of
dized so rapidly that the acetyl-CoA which is produced ADP, which is driven by a proton gradient generated
can overwhelm the amount of oxaloacetate available in the process of electron transport (Zubay, 1983, p.
to accept it (Bach and Babayan, 1982). Some portion 325).
of the acetyl-CoA is then diverted to another metabolic
fate - ketogenesis. In ketogenesis two molecules of The reactions of the Krebs cycle can be summarized
acetyl-CoA combine to form ketone bodies, primar- by the following equation (Zubay, 1983, p. 335):
ily acetoacetic acid and beta-hydroxybutarate (refer to
Technical Report #2). This process is diminished if acetyl-CoA + 2 H2O + 3 NAD+ + FAD + ADP + Pi
oxaloacetate precursors, such as aspartate and pyru- 2 CO2 + 3 NADH +
vate, are co-administered with the MCTs (Bach and 3 H+ + FADH2 + CoA + ATP
Babayan, 1982; Crozier, 1988). This suggests that the
ketogenic properties of MCTs are due, in fact, to their
Two carbons enter as acetate and exit as CO2, pro- To achieve this, electrons are transported from the
ducing ATP, NADH, and FADH2 as byproducts. The reduced coenzymes to oxygen via a series of carri-
FADH and NADH2 in turn enter the electron transport ers, arranged in the order of increasing electron affin-
chain to be further metabolized. ity (figure 2). These electron carriers are molecules
(some of them proteins) capable of undergoing revers-
Electron Transport and Oxidative Phosphorylation ible oxidation-reduction reactions.
Although some ATP is directly generated by the Krebs
cycle, more significant products of the cycle are the These electron transporters are embedded within the
reduced coenzymes NADH and FADH2. Most of the mitochondrial inner membrane (mitochondria are
energy contained in the starting material is still pres- double-membraned structures). The energy which is
ent in these coenzymes. The primarily energy yield of released as electrons are transported down the chain
aerobic metabolism occurs when NADH and FADH2 to acceptors of ever increasing electron affinity is not
are re-oxidized to NAD and FAD. This process is directly used to synthesize ATP. Instead, the energy
known as electron transport because electrons from is used to generate a proton gradient across the inner
NADH and FADH2 are transported via a chain of mitochondrial membrane. This results in an electric
electron carriers and are ultimately transferred to mo-
lecular oxygen.
Figure 2. The electron transport chain. Electrons
Oxygen is a very electronegative element, meaning removed from fuel molecules in the Krebs cycle are
that it has a strong affinity for electrons. In essence, passed down a chain of carriers of increasing electron
oxygen and hydrogen combine to form water because affinity. The energy released in this process, which
oxygen has a high affinity for electrons, and hydrogen occurs within the mitochondrial membrane, is used to
represents an easy source. Hydrogen does not have a establish a proton gradient across the membrane. This
strong affinity for electrons and basically gets trapped electromotive force in turn drives ATP synthesis.
into sharing its electrons with oxygen. The overall
reactions can be summarized as (Zubay, 1983, p. 364):
NADH + H+ + 1/2O2
NAD+ + H20 G = -52.6 kcal/mol
FADH2 + 1/2O2
FAD + H20 G = -43.4 kcal/mol
The reduced coenzymes NADH and FADH2 serve

as donors of electrons (as hydrogen) which combine
with oxygen to form water. The delta-G expression
indicates that the reaction will proceed spontaneously
with the release of energy. Enough energy is released
to drive the synthesis of several ATPs. Therefore,
rather than wasting energy, the above reaction is di-
vided up into several small steps. The energy release
is thus parcelled out in small packets to allow ATP to
be generated more efficiently (Zubay, 1983, p. 365).
field across the membrane (about 0.14 V) as well as released as electrons are transported down the chain
a pH gradient (about 1.4 units). Protons are actively (to electron acceptors of increasing electron affinity)
pumped across the inner mitochondrial membrane us- is used to generate a proton gradient across the mito-
ing the energy derived from electron transport. In or- chondrial membrane. The movement of protons back
der to establish a proton concentration gradient across inside the membrane through the F0-F1 complex pro-
the membrane, the membrane must be impermeable vides the driving force for ATP synthesis by F1. This
to passive diffusion of protons. Protons re-enter the is referred to as “oxidative phosphorylation” because
mitochondrial matrix (driven by the concentration gra- the phosphorylation of ADP to form ATP is coupled to
dient) through a protein structure embedded within the the oxidative events occurring in the electron
membrane known as F0. F0 is physically attached to transport chain.
another protein structure known as F1-ATPase, which Energy Production and the Athlete
directly synthesizes ATP from ADP and phosphate. Athletes experience increased energy need as com-
The precise mechanism by which energy is transferred pared to sedentary people. Bicycle racers and other
from F0 to F1 and subsequently used to drive ATP endurance athletes can require as much as 10,000
synthesis is still under investigation, but may involve calories per day to support their activity level. Body-
protein conformational changes or channeling of pro- builders commonly consume in excess of 8,000
tons through the enzyme active site (Zubay, 1983, calories daily to fuel their training and support gains in
p. 393). body weight. The body draws on three different types
In summary, ATP is a molecule used to transfer energy of food as energy substrates: fats, carbohydrates, and
from fuel substrates to cellular machinery performing protein. Of these, carbohydrate is the most preferred.
work. The specific way in which this is accomplished Carbohydrates are easily digested and rapidly enter the
is simple in principle but complicated in its actual ex- bloodstream as glucose. Glucose is immediately used
ecution. In principle, energy is derived from foods by as fuel by the cell. A byproduct of glucose metabo-
their reaction with oxygen, just as when food is burned lism is malonyl-CoA, which inhibits carnitine acyl-
in a fire. Instead of being released as heat to the sur- transferase I. Since long chain fatty acids require the
roundings, some of the energy is captured as ATP. To carnitine shuttle in order to be transported inside the
achieve this efficiently, the process is broken down mitochondria, they are not used as fuel to a significant
into several small steps. The first stage is to convert extent until the carbohydrates are depleted. Similarly,
food molecules into a two-carbon compound, acetyl- amino acids can be also oxidized to produce energy
CoA. For carbohydrates this is achieved by glycolysis but are not used as fuel to a significant extent until
followed by decarboxylation of pyruvate; fatty acids carbohydrate is depleted.
are converted to acetyl-CoA by beta-oxidation. The
acetyl-CoA, whether derived from carbohydrate or Of course, one of the primary goals of bodybuilders
fat, is next metabolized in the Krebs cycle. One ATP is to increase muscle mass. Therefore amino acids
molecule is generated per acetyl-CoA directly in the are more valuable to use as protein rather than as fuel.
Krebs cycle, by “substrate level phosphorylation.” Conventional fats are not a good energy source for
The carbon entering the Krebs cycle is released as bodybuilders either since they cannot be metabolized
CO2. Hydrogen present in the original food is now in anaerobically and are not burned rapidly enough to
the form of the reduced coenzymes NADH or FADH2. meet the energy demands of high intensity exercise
Most of the energy from aerobic metabolism is de- such as weight lifting (Coleman, 1991). Medium
rived from oxidation of these reduced coenzymes in chain triglycerides are absorbed and metabolized
the electron transport chain. The summary reactions much more rapidly than conventional fats and are
of the electron transport chain suggest that the hydro- immediately available for energy (Bach and Babayan,
gen from NADH and FADH2 combine with oxygen to 1982). MCTs are an excellent quick energy source,
form water, a well known exergonic reaction. How- harnessing the caloric density of fat but being metabo-
ever, this does not happen directly. Instead, the energy lized as rapidly as glucose (Bach and Babayan, 1982).
Furthermore, MCTs and the ketone bodies they pro- 8. Lavau and Hashim, Effect of medium chain triglyc-
duce decrease glucose uptake and utilization (Lavau eride on lipogenesis and body fat in the rat.
and Hashim, 1978) and this seems to result in a glu- J. Nutr. 108: 613-620 (1978).
cose-sparing effect (Cotter et al, 1987). MCTs also
have a protein-sparing effect and may reduce skeletal 9. Vander, Sherman, and Luciano. Human Physiology
muscle protein catabolism, leaving amino acids avail- - The Mechanisms of Body Function. Published by
able for use as protein instead of being oxidized as McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1980.
fuel (Babayan, 1987; Haymond, Nissen, and Miles,
1983). Medium chain triglycerides are an excellent 10. Zubay. Biochemistry. Addison-Wesley Publishing
energy source for anyone experiencing increased en- Company, 1983.
ergy needs (Bach and Babayan, 1982) and are ideally
suited to the special needs of athletes.
References
1. Babayan. Medium chain triglycerides and

structured lipids. Lipids 22: 417-420 (1987).
2. Bach and Babayan. Medium chain triglycer-
ides: an update. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 36:950-962 (1982).
3. Coleman. Carbohydrates: the master fuel. In:

Sports Nutrition for the 90s, eds.Berning and Steen.
Aspen Publishers, 1991.
4. Cotter, Taylor, Johnson, and Rowe, A meta-

bolic comparison of pure long chain triglyceride lipid
emulsion (LCT) and various medium chain tri-
glyceride (MCT)-LCT combination emulsions in dogs
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45: 927-939 (1987).
5. Crozier. Medium chain triglyceride feeding

over the long term: the metabolic fate of C-14 octano-
ate and C-14 oleate in isolated rat hepato-
cytes. J. Nutr. 118: 297-304 (1988).
6. Guyton. Textbook of Medical Physiology.

Published by W.B. Saunders, 1976.
7. Haymond, Nissen, and Miles, Effects of ketone

bodies on leucine and alanine metabolism in normal
man. In: Amino Acids - Metabolism
and Medical Applications, Eds. Blackburn, Grant, and
Young. Published by John
Wright PSG Inc., pages 89-95 (1983).
Cellular Energy Production: Thermogenesis and
Metabolic Rate
Introduction
Even during rest the human body is constantly metaboliz- body. However, since greater than 95% of the energy lib-
ing energy to maintain itself. The rate at which energy erated by the body is derived from the reaction of foods
is expended by the body, expressed in calories per hour with oxygen, the metabolic rate can also be calculated
(or more rigorously normalized to calories expended from the rate of oxygen consumption (Guyton, 1976).
per kg body mass per hour), is known as the metabolic In many studies metabolic rate, or energy expenditure,
rate. The basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the body’s rate is expressed in terms of oxygen consumption.
of energy expenditure while at rest. This represents just
the energy requirements of maintaining life, consisting Thermic Effect of Feeding Medium Chain Triglycerides
mostly of maintenance of body temperature, heart rate,
breathing, nerve transmission, and electrochemical gra- After consuming a meal the food is digested, released
dients across cell membranes. The basal metabolic rate into the bloodstream, and transported to all the cells of
accounts for 65-75% of daily energy requirements (Van the body. There, it reacts with oxygen to produce en-
Zant, 1992). Other components of metabolic rate include ergy. Some of the energy is captured in ATP, the energy
the thermic effect of feeding (TEF; also referred to as source used directly by cellular machinery performing
diet-induced thermogenesis, or DIT), the thermic effect work. Calories consumed in excess of energy require-
of activity (TEA), and adaptive thermogenesis (AT); Van ments will be stored as body weight. About 55% of the
Zant (1992). The components of energy expenditure energy contained in food is liberated as heat during the
are illustrated in figure 1. Metabolic rate is affected by process of ATP formation (Guyton, 1976). This release
many parameters such as eating (caloric of heat energy from the oxidation of foods rep-
consumption as well as dietary com- resents an increase in metabolic rate and
position), activity (dependent on is accompanied by increased oxygen
type, intensity, and duration consumption.
of activity), lean body
mass, age, sex, hor- Feeding different dietary items
mones, and drugs. while maintaining caloric intake
Since all of the energy affects oxygen consumption
expended by the body is
ultimately converted to
heat (except when work Figure 1: Expenditure of avail-
is performed outside able metalizable energy. Approxi-
the body), metabolic mately 25% of ingested energy is
rate can be determined lost in feces and urine (Levin and
by the amount of heat Sullivan, 1985). The remainder is
energy liberated by the converted to heat, except a small
body (Guyton, 1976). amount used to perform work out-
A calorimeter can be side the body. Adapted from
used to directly measure Van Zant (1992).
the heat given off by the
(Baba, Bracco, and Hashim, 1982). That different foods, Hill and coworkers (1989) also compared the thermo-
normalized for energy content, increase the metabolic genic effect of medium chain triglycerides with that
rate to different extents probably reflects the tendency of long chain triglycerides. Ten male volunteers were
of a particular food to be burned for energy versus being hospitalized and fed diets containing 30% of calories
stored as body weight, as well as its extent of digestion from either MCT or LCT. Metabolic rate was measured
and absorption. That protein increases the metabolic before, during, and after the experiment. Each subject
rate more than carbohydrate and conventional fat sug- was studied for one week on each diet in a double-blind
gests that certain amino acids may directly stimulate crossover design. The thermic effect of food (TEF) is
thermogenesis (Guyton, 1976). The increase in energy defined as the difference between metabolic rate during
expenditure caused by feeding is known as diet-induced a six hour period after eating and the resting metabolic
thermogenesis or the thermic effect of feeding (Van Zant, rate. That is, it is a measure of the increase in metabolic
1992). MCTs cause profound postprandial thermogen- rate caused by eating the test meal. On day one of the
esis because they are very caloric dense and are absorbed experiment, the TEF of the meal containing MCT ac-
and metabolized very rapidly. The rapid oxidation of counted for 8% of the ingested energy, while the TEF of
MCFAs in the liver causes an increase in postprandial the LCT meal accounted for 5.5% of the ingested energy.
oxygen consumption, i.e. metabolic rate. The increase On day six of the experiment, the TEF of the MCT meal
in metabolic rate resulting from MCT ingestion has been had increased to 12% of ingested energy, and the TEF of
measured in humans as well as in rats, using LCTs as con- the LCT meal was 6.6% of ingested energy (figure 2).
trols (Seaton et al, 1986; Hill et al, 1989; Baba, Bracco, This means that the MCT-enhancement of the metabolic
and Hashim, 1982). The data seem straight forward, rate increased during the course of the experiment as
well controlled, and statistically significant. the subjects became acclimated to the MCTs. On the
last day of the trial the subjects were fed a liquid diet by
continuous tube feeding. During this experiment it was
Baba, Bracco, and Hashim (1982) observed that rats found that the TEF of the MCT meal increased to 15.7%
overfed MCT gained significantly less fat than rats fed of ingested energy, and the TEF of the LCT meal was
an isocaloric diet containing LCT as the fat source. This 7.3% of ingested energy. So the increase in metabolic
was attributed to higher resting oxygen consumption rate was even greater when MCT was administered
(metabolic rate) in the MCT group. The authors ex- continually.
plained this by pointing out that while conventional fats Mechanisms of Thermogenesis
are transported as chylomicrons and are largely stored
as body fat, MCTs are transported directly to the liver The chemical mechanism underlying this thermogenic
where they are oxidized extensively to produce energy. effect is unknown at present, but several suggestions
The rapid oxidation of MCTs results in increased oxygen have been advanced. Hill and coworkers (1989 and
consumption, increased heat generation, and increased 1990) demon-strated that MCT overfeeding results in in-
metabolic rate. creased hepatic de novo fatty acid synthesis in man. This
process is energetically costly and could account for the
In 1986 Seaton and colleagues demonstrated in humans lesser efficiency of storage of MCT-derived energy. The
that a meal containing MCTs increased oxygen consump- observed increase in thermogenesis agrees well with the
tion 12% above basal levels for 6 hours following the energy cost associated with de novo lipogenesis (Hill et
meal, while the LCT-containing meal increased oxygen al, 1990). This observation was corroborated by Crozier
consumption by only 4%. This indicates that MCTs are (1988) working with isolated rat hepatocytes.
burned faster than conventional fats and increase the Alternatively, if electron transport is uncoupled from
metabolic rate more. The increase in energy expenditure oxidative phosphorylation the energy spent to es-
accounted for 13% of the energy contained in the MCT tablish an electrochemical potential gradient across
meal and 4% of the energy contained in the LCT meal. the mitochondrial membrane is dissipated as heat
net work is performed the energy ultimately appears as
heat (Berry et al, 1985). The malate/aspartate shuttle is
analogous.
Finally, increased activity of Na-K ATPase has also been

suggested as a thermogenic mechanism for wasting en-
ergy as heat (Levin and Sullivan, 1985). It is estimated
that 10-40% of the total energy expended by the cell is
used to maintain the concentration gradient of sodium
and potassium ions across the cell membrane (Vander,
Sherman, and Luciano, 1980). Since these ions also can
cross the membrane by passive diffusion, an increase
in the activity of the enzyme could be a mechanism for
spending ATP.
Figure 2: Metabolic Rate for the six hour period In all of the models - de novo fatty acid synthesis,
following MCT- or LCT-containing meals. The proton leakage, redox cycling (or other futile cycles),
thermic effect of feeding (TEF) was calculated as and Na-K ATPase - the MCFAs are rapidly oxidized
the metabolic rate following feeding minus the (explaining increased oxygen consumption), energy is
fasting metabolic rate in calories per hour. The area
consumed (explaining the low efficiency of storage of
between the curves (shaded) represents the differ-MCT-derived energy) and heat is produced as a by-prod-
ence in TEF for MCT and LCT. The bar graph to uct (explaining the thermogenic effect). Considerable
the right expresses TEF as a percent of total ingest-
evidence exists to support the involvement of de novo
ed energy (1,000 calories). From Hill et al, 1989.fatty acid synthesis as a mechanism for MCT-induced
thermogenesis (Hill et al, 1989; Hill et al, 1990; Crozier,
instead of being conserved as ATP (Baba, Bracco, 1988) but other mechanisms may be involved as well.
and Hashim, 1987). For example, in brown adipose The reader is referred to Levin and Sullivan (1985) and
tissue a pathway exists allowing proton leakage Van Zant (1992) for reviews on thermogenesis and en-
across the mitochondrial membrane (Nicholls, 1979). ergy balance.
Another means of dissipating energy as heat, believed References

to occur in liver mitochondria, is redox cycling involv-
ing the glycerophosphate and malate shuttles (Berry et 1. Baba, Bracco, and Hashim, Enhanced thermogen-
al, 1985; Crozier et al, 1987). In the glycerophosphate esis and diminished deposition of fat in response to over-
shuttle, energy is spent to pump reducing equivalents feeding with diet containing medium chain triglyceride.
outside the mitochondria to drive the reduction of di- Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35: 678-682 (1982).
hydroxyacetone phosphate to glycerol-3-phosphate in
the cytoplasm. The glycerol-3-phosphate then diffuses 2. Baba, Bracco, and Hashim, Role of brown adipose
into the mitochondria and is oxidized to reform dihy- tissue in thermogenesis induced by overfeeding a diet
droxyacetone phosphate, which then diffuses out of the containing medium chain triglyceride. Lipids 22: 442-444
mitochondria to complete the cycle. The net result is the (1987).
shuttle of glycerol-3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone
phosphate across the mitochondrial membrane (Berry 3. Berry, Clark, Grivell, and Wallace, The contribu-
et al, 1985; Crozier et al, 1987; Zubay, 1983, p. 401). tion of hepatic metabolism to diet-induced thermogenesis.
Free energy is consumed to drive the cycle, but since no Metab. 34: 141-147 (1985).
4. Crozier, Medium chain triglyceride feeding over
the long term: the metabolic fate of C-14 octanoate and
C-14 oleate in isolated rat hepatocytes. J. Nutr.
118: 297-304 (1988).
5. Crozier, Bois-Joyeux, Chanez, Girard, and Peret,

Metabolic effects induced by long-term feeding of
medium chain triglycerides in the rat. Metabolism
36: 807-814 (1987).
6. Guyton, Textbook of Medical Physiology. Pub-
lished by W.B. Saunders, chapter 71 (1976).
7. Hill, Peters, Yang, Sharp, Kaler, Abumrad, and

Greene, Thermogenesis in humans during overfeeding
with medium chain triglycerides. Metabolism 38:
641-648 (1989).
8. Hill, Peters, Swift, Yang, Sharp, Abumrad, and

Greene, Changes in blood lipids during six days of
overfeeding with medium or long chain tri-
glycerides. J. Lipid Res. 31: 407-416 (1990).
9. Levin and Sullivan, Regulation of thermogenesis

in obesity. In: Novel Approaches and Drugs for
Obesity, eds. Sullivan and Garattini, John Libbey
and Co. Ltd. (1985).
10. Nicholls, Brown adipose tissue mitochondria. Bio-

chim. Biophys. Acta 549: 1-29 (1979).
11. Seaton, Welle, Warenko, and Campbell, Thermic effect

of medium chain and long chain triglycerides in
man. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 44: 630-634 (1986).
12. Vander, Sherman, and Luciano, Human Physiology

- The Mechanisms of Body Function, p. 236.
Published by McGraw-Hill Book Company,
1980.
13. Van Zant, Influence of diet and exercise on energy

expenditure - a review. Int. J. Sports Nutr. 2: 1-19
(1992).
14. Zubay, Biochemistry. Addison-Wesley Publishing

Company (1983).
Glossary
Acetyl-CoA - The metabolic intermediate that is Anaerobic - Living or occurring without the presence
produced when carbohydrate or fat undergoes beta- of oxygen.
oxidation. It is then available to be used for energy
production via the Krebs cycle or through the forma- Androgens - A steroid hormone that develops and
tion of ketone bodies. maintains masculine characteristics. They also are
potent stimulators of linear growth in children whose
Acromegaly - Pathological enlargement of the bones epiphyses has not closed yet. They also promote
of the hands, feet and face resulting from chronic over muscle growth.
activity of the pituitary gland. Only results from disease
of the pituitary or exogenous growth hormone usage. Anemia - A deficiency in the oxygen-carrying material
of the blood, measured in volume concentrations of
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) - The final step of hemoglobin, red blood cell volume and red blood cell
the Krebs Cycle. This molecule collects the potential number.
energy from nutrients that is released during beta-
oxidation and carries it to the cells of the body to be Aspartates - Chemical compound that is used by the
used for energy. body to detoxify waste products created by amino
acid catabolism.
Adipose Tissue - Bodily connective tissue that con-
tains stored cellular fat. Autocrine Hormones - Hormones that exert their ef-
fect only on the cells that produce them.
Adrenal Glands - Either of two small endocrine
glands, one located above each kidney, consisting Basal Metabolic Rate - The body’s energy expendi-
of the cortex, which secretes several different hor- ture while at rest. This represents the energy require-
mones, and the medulla, which secretes epinephrine. ments for maintaining life, consisting mostly of main-
tenance of temperature, heart rate, breathing nerve
Adrenal Medulla - The center of the adrenal gland transmission, electrochemical gradients across cell
that secretes the hormone epinephrine. membranes and the energy cost of protein turnover
required to maintain cells.
Adrenaline - Another name for epinephrine.
Beta-Oxidation - Fatty acid catabolism in which two
Aerobic - Living or occurring only in the presence of carbon fragments are removed from the fatty acid
oxygen. chain, producing acetyl-CoA which can then travel
through the Krebs cycle or be synthesized into ke-
Aerobics - Conditioning of the cardiopulmonary tones and used as energy.
system by means of vigorous exercise that seeks to
increase efficiency of oxygen intake, build the cardio- Bile - An alkaline liquid secreted by the liver and
vascular system and increase metabolic activity. stored in the gall bladder which is sent to the intes-
tines to be used to break down fat.
Amino Acids - The essential components of protein.
These are the building blocks of the all the cells in Body Fat - The amount of adipose tissue carried on
the body. There are about 20 different amino acids the body.
that occur in the human body.
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) - The
Ammonia - The byproduct of amino acid usage by amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine, these are
the muscles for energy. Very toxic, it is converted to important for synthesis of other amino acids and can
urea by aspartates in the urea cycle, which can then be used directly by the muscle for energy.
be disposed of in urine.
Calcium - A very important mineral used in the for-
Anabolic - The process by which simple substances mation and maintenance of teeth and bones as well
are synthesized into the complex tissue of living tissue. as other metabolic processes in the body.
Calorie - The unit of heat required to raise one gram Cortisol - One of the glucocorticoids, this hormone,
of water from O degree (C) to 100 degrees (C). It is derived from the adrenal cortex, acts to stimulate
the unit of measurement used when calculating po- optimal levels of metabolic enzymes used during
tential food energy. growth. Low cortisol prevents growth because en-
zyme levels are too low, while excess cortisol causes
CapTri - A medium chain fatty acid that contains 8.3 protein catabolism.
calories per gram. Used as a supplement to food, it
can increase energy while not being stored as body Diabetes - A disease caused by a severe deficiency
fat. of insulin production by the pancreas. Mild cases can
be regulated through diet while others require insulin
Carbohydrate - Any of a group of chemical com- injection.
pounds, including sugars, starches and cellulose,
containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Digestion - The primarily enzymatic process of
breaking down the food ingested into simple, assimi-
Carbon - A natural element occurring in many inor- lable substances.
ganic and all organic compounds.
Dual Effector Hypothesis - The explanation of how
Cardiovascular Density - The size and number or GH injection can cause localized growth.
blood vessels and capillaries capable of transporting
oxygen to cells and removing waste from cells. Duodenum - The beginning portion of the small in-
testine, extending from the lower end of the stomach
Carnitine Shuttle - A metabolic process in which to the jejunum.
long chain triglycerides are actively transported
across the membrane of the mitochondria to be Electrolytes - A substance that dissociates into ions
burned for energy. in solution when fused, thereby becoming an electri-
cal conductor. The body uses many different electro-
Catabolic - Metabolic change of complex molecules lytes for physiological processes.
into simple molecules.
Endochondrial Ossification - The process in which
Cellulose - A carbohydrate, is the main constituent of proliferating cartilage is replaced by bone.
all plant tissues and fiber. Cannot by digested by the
human body. Endocrine Hormones - A classification of hormones,
meaning that they are released into the bloodstream
Cholesterol - A crystalline substance, the most com- and are carried throughout the body. Also know as
mon animal sterol. Is a universal tissue constituent telecrine hormones.
occurring most notably in bile, gallstones, the brain,
blood cells, plasma, egg yolk and seeds. There are Endocrine System - Consisting of several organs of
two types: high density lipoprotein and low density the body, including the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal and
lipoprotein. High density lipoprotein is important for parathyroid glands, the pancreas, testes or ovaries
many physiological processes. Low density lipopro- and kidneys, this systems transports information to
tein has been show to build up in arteries causing different parts of the body through chemical messag-
blockages which can lead to heart disease. es. These messages are called hormones.
Chondrocytes - Layers of cartilage which are the Energy - The work a physical system is capable of
framework for bone formation. doing in changing from its actual state to a specified
reference state.
Chylomicrons - A microscopic fat molecule in the
blood that is formed during the digestion of fat. Energy Balance -The bodily process of using as
much energy as it is provided through nutrition. This
includes energy expenditure through basal metabo-
lism, physical activity and thermogenesis.
Enzymes - Any of numerous proteins or conjugated Fiber - One of the elongated, thick-walled cells giving
proteins produced by living organisms and functioning strength and support to plant tissue. An important part
as biochemical catalysts in living organisms. of the diet for regulation of digestion and elimination
of digestive waste.
Epinephrine - An adrenal hormone from the adrenal
medulla that stimulates autonomic nerve action. Has Food - Material, usually plant or animal, containing
been shown to have a great impact on fat loss. When or consisting of essential nutrients, as carbohydrates,
activated, it is carried throughout the body, preparing protein, fat, vitamins, or minerals, taken in and as-
muscles for action and mobilizing fat from adipose similated by an organism to maintain growth and life.
stores for energy. Also known as adrenaline.
Food Efficiency - The calories consumed of a cer-
Epiphyseal Plate - The ends of the bones that contain amount of food divided by weight gain. Foods
tinue to grow throughout childhood and adolescence. with a high food efficiency tend to add to weight gain
They usually close during puberty, at which point while foods with a low food efficiency are more prone
bone growth is stopped. to be used as energy rather than stored as body
weight.
Erythrocytes - The blood cell that contains hemoglo-
bin and is responsible for the color of blood. Fructose - A sweet sugar that is found in many fruits
and honey. Is prone to being stored as body fat.
Essential Amino Acids - Eight amino acids which
are not capable of being produced by the body and Gall Bladder - A small, pear-shaped sac located un-
must be obtained through dietary protein. der the right lobe of the liver, in which bile secreted
by the liver is stored.
Essential Fatty Acids - A group of fatty acids which
are physiologically important to good health. Gastrointestinal Tract - Of or relating to the stom-
ach and intestines and process by which food travels
Estrogen - One of several steroid hormones pro- through these organs.
duced chiefly by the ovary and responsible for the
regulation of certain female reproductive functions Glucagon - A hormone secreted by the pancreas
and the development and maintenance of female which increases blood sugar by activating the me-
secondary sex characteristics. tabolism of fat from adipose tissue and amino acids
from muscle. This hormone has the opposite reaction
Fascial Stretching - A specialized form of stretching of insulin.
developed by John Parrillo in which the fascia tissue
which envelopes the muscle is stretched, allowing for Glucocorticoids - A group of hormones responsible
more muscle growth. for stimulating or regulating optimal levels of enzymes
whose activities are then regulated by other hor-
Fat - Any of various soft solid or semisolid organic mones.
compounds comprising fatty acids and associated
phosphatides, sterols, alcohols, hydrocarbons, ke- Gluconeogenesis - Process in which amino acids
tones and related compounds. A mixture of such are changed into glucose in the liver which can then
compounds widely occurring in organic tissue, espe- be used as energy.
cially in the subcutaneous connective tissue of ani-
mals and in the seeds, nuts and fruits of plants. Glucose - The combination of simple sugars that is
formed by the digestion of food and is released into
Fatty Acids - Any of a large group of acids contain- the bloodstream to be used for energy, converted into
ing hydrogen and carbon and is obtainable from muscle glycogen or stored as body fat. Glucose is the
animals and plants. These acids combine to form fat. trigger mechanism for the release of insulin from the
pancreas.
Glycogen - The primary storage carbohydrate in ani- Hormone Sensitive Lipase - An enzyme produced
mals. Glycogen can be stored in the muscles for im- by epinephrine that breaks down fat triglycerides into
mediate energy needs or can be stored in the liver. free fatty acids and glycerol. The free fatty acids can
then leave the adipose tissue into the bloodstream
Glycogen Supercompensation - A process of de- and be used for energy by the muscles.
pleting glycogen stores in the muscle and liver by
carbohydrate restriction, and then replenishing them Hypercaloric - Increasing caloric consumption.
past the storage limit they had before.
Hyperphagia - Overeating.
Glycogen Synthase - The enzyme responsible for
glycogen storage. Hypocaloric - Restricting caloric consumption
Glycolysis - The anaerobic production of ATP from Hypoglycemia - An abnormally low level of glucose
carbohydrate. This is the primary energy source for in the blood. Can be caused by carbohydrate restric-
intense exercise for short periods of duration.. tion or overly high insulin levels.
Golgi Tendon Organ - A group of sensory receptors Hypophysectomy - Removal of the pituitary gland.
in the muscle that fire when the tendon is stretched
too far and shuts down the muscle. Hypothalamus - The part of the brain that lies below
the thalamus and functions to regulate autonomic ac-
Golgi Tendon Reflex - The shutting down of the tivities, like body temperature and weight. It connects
muscle by the golgi tendon organ during exercise. the pituitary to the brain and is the link between the
endocrine system and the nervous system.
Growth Hormone - Produced by the pituitary gland,
this anabolic hormone is the most responsible for Insulin - Powerful anabolic hormone released by the
growth during childhood. It has profound effects on islands of Langerhans in the pancreas. Functions
development of the skeleton and muscles. Even after to regulate carbohydrate metabolism by controlling
physical stature is attained, growth hormone can still blood glucose levels. Also has a hand in storage of
have a great effect on muscle growth. fat and in the entry of amino acids into muscles.
Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) - A Insulin-Like Growth Factor (IGF) - An important
hormone released by the hypothalamus which trig- peptide for the regulation of growth hormone. Pro-
gers growth hormone release. duced by the liver, it has an insulin-like effect on glu-
cose.
Heme - The non-protein, ferrous-iron-containing com-
ponent of hemoglobin. Iron - An important metallic element that is used by
the cardiovascular system to bind iron to hemoglobin
Hemoglobin - The oxygen-bearing, iron-containing and myoglobin. It also is required by enzymes when
protein in blood cells. oxygen is consumed in the cells.
Hi-Protein - A high-quality supplement formulated Ischemic Rigor - When the muscle is depleted of
with casein and lactalbumin, two of nature’s best pro- ATP and it locks in a contracted state and cannot re-
tein sources and maltodextrin, a slow-release carbo- lax properly.
hydrate.
Jejunum - The section of the small intestine between
Hormone Receptors - Special molecules on cells the duodenum and the ileum.
that interpret the signal being sent by hormones.
Ketones - An organic compound made in the liver Liver Amino Formula - This supplement is an ex-
when carbohydrate or fat is metabolized and creates cellent source of balanced protein, essential amino
an abundant amount of acetyl-CoA. This overwhelms acids, heme iron and B-complex vitamins. It also in-
the Krebs cycle and the extra acetyl-CoA is synthe- cludes peptide-bonded protein and dibencozide, an
sized into ketones. These ketones are then released excellent oral form of B-12 and choline.
into the bloodstream and taken up by the muscles
and used as fuel. Lymphatic System - A network of vessels throughout
the body for transporting large particles. This is the
Ketogenesis - The process of two acetyl-CoA mol- pathway used by fat to get from the intestines to the
ecules joining to create a ketone molecule. bloodstream and finally to adipose tissue.
Kidneys - Either of a pair of structures in the dorsal Malonyl-CoA - A substance produced during carbo-
region of the abdominal cavity, functioning to maintain hydrate metabolism that inhibits the action of the car-
proper water balance, regulate acid-base concentra- nitine shuttle in moving fat into the mitochondria.
tion, and excrete metabolic wastes as urine.
Maltodextrin - Starch produced from grain containing
Krebs Cycle - A series of enzymatic reactions in the sugars maltose and dextrin.
aerobic organisms involving oxidative metabolism of
acetyl units, especially during the process of respira- Mass - The physical volume or bulk of a solid body.
tion, to provide the main source of cellular energy in Different from weight.
the form of ATP.
Maximum Endurance Formula - This supplement
Lactic Acid - Produced by anaerobic metabolism contains aspartates, substances used in the detoxi-
of carbohydrates in the muscle. It is what gives the fication and removal of toxins released during amino
muscles a burning sensation during and after strenu- acid catabolism.
ous work. Most lactic acid makes its way out of the
muscle and into the bloodstream where it can be Metabolic Rate - The measurement of the body’s
transported to the liver to be converted back into glu- ability to utilize food for energy.
cose for fuel again.
Metabolism - The complex of chemical and physical
Lactose - A simple sugar found in greatest quantities processes involved in the maintenance of life.
in milk products.
Minerals - A naturally occurring, homogeneous inor-
Lipid - One of numerous fats and fat-like materials ganic substance with a specific chemical composition.
that are generally insoluble in water but soluble in These play specific roles in the body.
common organic solvents. They are related to the
fatty acid esters and together with carbohydrates and Mitochondria - A microscopic body occurring in the
proteins constitute the principal structural material of cells of nearly all living organisms and containing en-
living cells. zymes responsible for the conversion of food for us-
able energy.
Lipolysis - The breakdown of fat for energy.
Muscle - A tissue made up of fibers that can contract
Lipoprotein Lipase - A fat-storing enzyme triggered and relax to effect body movement. It is the most
by low caloric intake. metabolically active tissue in the body.
Liver - A large compound, tubular gland that secretes Muscle Amino Formula - This supplement contains
bile and acts in formation of blood and in metabolism the branched chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine
of carbohydrates, fats, proteins minerals and vita- and valine. These amino acids can be metabolized
mins. directly in the muscles, act as nitrogen carriers, and
can decrease muscle catabolism by being used
energy in the muscle.
Myofibrils - Muscle fibers. Parathyroid Glands - Any of four small kidney-
shaped glands that lie in pairs near the lateral lobes
Myoglobin - The form of hemoglobin found in muscle of the thyroid gland and secrete a hormone neces-
cells. sary for calcium and potassium metabolism.
Negatives - The eccentric or lowering part of an ex- Passive Diffusion - The act of a substance moving
ercise. into a cell without resistance from that cell.
Nervous System - A coordinating system that regu- Peptides - A natural or synthetic compound contain-
late internal body functions and responses to external ing two or more amino acids linked by the carboxyl
stimuli; in vertebrates it consists of the brain, spinal group of one amino acid and the amino acid group of
cord, nerves, ganglia and parts of receptors and another.
effector organs. This system transmits messages
throughout the body through electrical signals. Pituitary Gland - A small, oval, endocrine gland at-
tached to the base of the vertebrate brain (hypothala-
Nitrogen Balance - The difference between the mus) and whose secretions control the other endo-
amount of nitrogen taken into and lost by the body. crine glands and influence growth, metabolism and
Used to determine if protein intake is adequate. maturation.
Nutrients - The basic substances that are necessary Portal Vein - A vein that conducts blood from the di-
for life derived from food. gestive organs, spleen, pancreas and gall bladder to
the liver.
Nutrition - The process of nourishing or being nour-
ished. Especially by which a living organism assimi- Potassium - A metallic element found in or converted
lates food and uses it for growth, energy and tissue to a wide variety of salts. Used by the body in several
replacement. different ways, but primarily for water balance.
Obesity - A condition of having an overabundance of Potential Energy - The energy of a particle or sys-
adipose tissue on the body. Usually is determined by tem of particles derived from position rather than mo-
having 30% body fat or more. tion. It is the amount of energy a substance has avail-
able for work but has not used yet.
Oxidation - Combination of a substance with oxygen,
usually generating another substance and heat. Pro-Carb - A high-quality supplement containing
maltodextrin, a slow-release carbohydrate, and ca-
Oxidative Phosphorylation - A vital process of intra- seinate, a high-quality protein. Provides 105 calories,
cellular respiration occurring within the mitochondria 22 grams of carbohydrate and 4 grams of protein per
of the cell, responsible for most ATP production. ounce serving.
Oxygen - A colorless gas comprising 21% of the at- Protein - Any of a group of complex nitrogenous
mosphere by volume and essential to most combus- organic compounds that have amino acids as their
tion and combustive processes. basic structural units and that are found in all living
matter and are required for the growth and repair of
Pancreas - A long, soft, irregularly shaped gland lying tissue.
behind the stomach that secretes digestive enzymes
and produces insulin and glucagon. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) - A group of
standards put forth by the National Research Coun-
Paracrine Hormones - Hormones that are released cil indicating the minimum amount of nutrients that
into the interstitial space between tissues and exert should be eaten daily.
their effect only on nearby cells.
Respiratory Quotient - The ratio of carbon dioxide
produced to oxygen consumed. Used to determine
the type of nutrient being used for energy.
Serum - The clear, yellowish fluid that comprises the Thoracic Duct - The main duct of the lymphatic sys-
liquid part of whole blood. tem, ascending along the spinal cord and discharging
into the venous system.
Skeletal Muscle - A collection of striated muscle fi-
bers connected at either or both extremities with the Thyroid Gland - A two-lobed endocrine gland found
bony framework of the body. in all vertebrates, located in front of and on either
side of the trachea, and producing the hormone thy-
Sodium - A soft, metallic element. Used by the body roxin.
for many purposes, mainly as a regulator of water.
Thyroid Hormone - Present in two forms, T3 and T4
Somatomedin Hypothesis - A theory that growth and produced in the thyroid. Most of the circulating
hormone on its own does not promote growth but hormone is T4 which is then converted to T3 inside
that some other intermediate substance, known as the target cell. This hormone has little growth factor
somatomedin C, stimulated by growth hormone is the by itself, but helps to regulate, synthesize and pro-
substance that stimulate growth. mote the action of growth hormone.
Somatomedin-C (IGF-1) - Known also as insulin-like Thyroidectomy - The surgical removal of the thyroid
growth factor (IGF), this substance produced primarily gland.
by the liver has been shown to promote growth in the
absence of growth hormone. It also has insulin-like Triglyceride - An ester of three fatty acids and a
effects on glucose. glycerol. Triglycerides can be classed as long chain
(meaning they contain fatty acids that have 16-22
Somatotropes - The cells in the pituitary gland which carbon atoms) which are predominant in conventional
produces growth hormone. dietary fat, and medium chain (fatty acids with 6-14
carbon atoms) which are found in some foods but are
Sugar - Any of a class of water-soluble, crystalline not predominant. LCTs and MCTs are metabolized
carbohydrates. Sugars can be either simple (only differently by the body.
one) or starches (two or more sugars combined).
Ultimate Amino Formula - A supplement that con-
Supplement Bar - A nutrition supplement containing tains a profile of 17 different amino acids in free form
240 calories, 38 grams of carbohydrate, 11 grams of state. This means that they are readily available for
protein and 5.5 grams of CapTri medium chain fatty protein synthesis that occurs during muscle growth
acid. and repair.
Testes - The male reproductive gland, the source of Urea - A compound found in urine and other bodily
spermatozoa and of the androgens, particularly tes- fluids, synthesized from ammonia and carbon dioxide.
tosterone. The testes is usually paired in an external
scrotum in most animals. Vitamins - Any of various relatively complex organic
substances found in plant and animal tissue and
Testosterone - A male sex hormone produced in the required in small quantities for controlling metabolic
testes and controlling secondary sex characteristics. processes.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) - Also known as the VO2max - 75% of the maximal aerobic capacity. This
thermogenic effect, it is the measurement a food’s measure is used to determine the intensity of exer-
energy plus its tendency to be burned. cise.
Thermogenesis - The process of food being burned Weight - The measure of the heaviness of an object
and releasing energy as heat. as gravitational force is exerted on that object. Differ-
ent from mass.

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Parrillo

Sports Nutrition Guide

Section II: Questions and Answers with John Parrillo

Section III: Technical Supplement Bulletins

O and Staying Lean

E and Stay Lean

Gaining Muscle and Staying Lean:

Effects of feeding carbohy-

stead of being burned as fuel. References

Diet to Lose Fat and Stay Lean

Ultra High Energy Diets for Athletes

5. Lavau and Hashim, Effect of

6. Vander, Sherman, and Lu-

7. Cotter, Taylor, Johnson, and

Figure 2: The Carnitine Shuttle.

looking for a concentrated source of One tablespoon of CapTri®

2. Bach and Babayan, Medium

3. Babayan, Medium chain

4. Sucher, Medium chain tri-

A. We’ve been getting a barrage of calls and

A. Sticking to a multiple-meals nutrition

accelerates the transfer of oxygen from the bloodstream

sion of carbohydrate into glucose by the liver. When

Third, with a constant nutrient supply, you are never

A. There are two tactics you can use: thes

converted to body fat or, as in the case of alcohol, can

A. Today, it seems that so many athletes

unless you’re fueling yourself with proper nutrition.

A. Many bodybuilders use the off-season

A. I am frequently asked to explain why

A. As bodybuilders and athletes, we’re

and fiber slow the digestion of starchy carbohydrates,

A. Diets high in conventional fat (other-

MCFAs: A Fat That’s Not Stored As Body Fat

MCFAs: An Amazing Energy Source

Energy and MCFAs

MCFAs: Metabolic Rate

Energetics and Thermogenesis

Liver: Natural Iron

Protein: Superfood For Bodybuilders, Part I

to exercise may not always be enough to

Protein: Superfood For Bodybuilders, Part II

Carbohydrates: Ultimate Food Fuel, Part I

Carbohydrates: Ultimate Food Fuel, Part II

Carbohydrates: Ultimate Food Fuel, Part III

2. Bergstrom J, Hermansen L, Hult-

3. Sherman WM, Coastal DJ, Fink

5, Costill DL, Sherman WM, Fink

6. Lamb DR, Snyder AC, and Baur

7. Buskirk, ER and Puhl, S. Nu-

9. Ivy JL, Datz AL, Cutler CL, Sher-

Carbohydrate: Ultimate Food Fuel, Part IV

Supplementation For Ultimate Endurance Performance

is the body needs to build up its energy

Supplementation For Ultimate Endurance Performance, Part II

your nutrient level reserves. This is espe- Press, 1989.

Muscularity & Mass: Optimize Your Hormonal Response

The Insulin-Glucagon Axis and the Control of Nutrient Partitioning

during starvation (3). When consuming a References

Maximizing Anabolic Drive

Growth Hormone: The Ultimate Weapon

mone, IGF-I and testosterone responses

3. Colgan M. Optimum Sports Nu-