Glucosamine Review and Potential BenefitsWritten by Marc David
Something interesting happened as my triceps workouts continued in their intensity. After doing some triceps elbow extensions and numerous other elbow extension exercises, I began to feel effects of what is known as elbow tendonitis. The symptoms generally included a pain with any movement of my elbows. So much so, that even resting my arms on a chair began to have an associated soreness to touch. Similar to my bicep tendonitis experience, pain experienced was not normal. A bodybuilder who is tune with their muscles can tell difference between an intense workout and an intensely painful workout.This elbow tendonitis came about from an overuse of any exercise. With increased weight, I eventually reached a peak of classic overuse of joints. Not sure of a treatment, I did first thing I could. Adjust my form. Keeping elbows locked in on triceps movements is critical. It can alleviate if not remove pressure on joints when doing a very heavy exercise movement. This was my first elbow tendonitis treatment experiment. Continuing week after week with my new form, pain was less severe, but it was not a full treatment. Some of elbow tendonitis symptoms became less painful but general pain was always present. This has an acute effect on your motivation to continue to do exercises. Doing triceps exercises (dips, skull crushers, one arm and two arm overhead extensions, rope pushdowns) has always been something I look forward to with each arm workout. But with anything that is painful, your body doesn’t want to do it. In fact, continuing and pushing past pain “no pain no gain” mantra, I would have eventually damaged my joints beyond repair. After talking to a friend’s wife, she told me about her husband, who started taking Glucosamine for his joints. There are basically two kinds of people who need some type of cartilage therapy. Those who are suffering from osteoarthritis or athletes with overuse injuries. Considering he’s not very old and probably isn’t losing too much cartilage, I had to believe that it was working on cars daily and using his joints excessively (turning hands, manipulating small parts) that lead to his overuse of his finger joints and pain associated. Thus began my short research and trial of a Glucosamine product to see what benefits Glucosamine might have and any possible side effects specific to me.
| | Are Weight Loss Supplements Worth It?Written by Valerie de Armas
Are Weight Loss Supplements Worth It? What do you think of hundreds of weight loss supplements out there on shelves today? Are they worth money? Will they actually help you lose weight? How do you know which ones are going to work for you? Is there any proof that these products work? I've taken some time and researched some of most popular product to try to find answers for you. The truth is, most products won't help you lose anything but money. There are a few, however, with some research behind them that prove that they actually work. What are these supplements that work? It seems that only four products hold best promise for those of us who want to slim down. They are Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), Hydroxycitic Acid (HCA), phaseolomine, and possibly 5-HTP. 1. Conjugated Linoleic Acid, CLA, has a number of research studies behind it. It is a fatty acid that has been found to reduce cancer risks, body fat and to increase lean muscle tissue. The Journal of Nutrition reported a Scandanavian Research team found CLA to increase lean body mass of humans and also to decrease fat mass. Subjects also had lower blodd fat and cholestrol after taking CLA. CLA does occur naturally in meat and dairy products, but levels are pretty low. Also, if you're following a healthy low-fat diet, you tend to not get as much meat and dairy, so supplementation may be answer for getting a healthy dose of CLA. 2. Hydroxycitic Acid, HCA, is derived from a fruit, Garcinia cambogia or Malabar tamarind. It seems to work by inhibiting an enzyme that converts carbohydrates to fat. It also seems to suppress appetite. Studies on humans have had mixed results with one study showing significant weight loss in participants. Another study using a high fiber diet, showed HCA had no effect on weight loss. Critics think high fiber diet prevented absorbtion of HCA. So, if you're on a high fiber diet, HCA may not be for you.
|
