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NITRIC OXIDE AND PERFORMANCE

 

You may have heard of nitric oxide supplements, which claim to increase workout performance and boost your productivity in general and even enhance endurance in za oza room. You might even find some inside your pre-workout formulas too.

SO WHAT IS, OR WHAT DOES NITRIC OXIDE DO?

“Nitric oxide (NO) is a gas that the body produces, and it helps with blood flow (vasodilator) and could also act as a neurotransmitter. Nitric oxide supplements are formulated in order to try to increase the amount of nitric oxide in your blood, which might in turn help increase blood flow to working muscles and help reduce time to fatigue during a workout..

(To be clear, nitric oxide is very different from nitrous oxide, a.k.a. the stuff that gets you high.)

Theoretically, NO supplements could do wonders for your fitness routine. But in terms of scientific evidence, well, let’s just keep our fingers crossed…

So many questions might be running through your mind now like: Are nitrous oxide supplements safe? Do they work? First off, some of those supplements might not actually be nitric oxide—so be careful with which ones you’re buying. “While companies may label them as ‘nitric oxide’ supplements and boosters, they really don’t contain any nitric oxide. For example, Some ‘boosters’ could  contain compounds such as L-arginine

While the L-arginine in your body is involved in nitric oxide production, research is mixed as to whether taking it in supplement form will increase nitric oxide production, and if it could, whether that would actually enhance exercise performance and improve health.

“It’s also important to note that many booster supplements may contain additional ingredients that are not well researched or well regulated, so it’s wise to read labels carefully and seek professional advice before popping them pills.

If you’re looking to still give nitric oxide a try, here’s what you should know.

FUNCTIONALITY.

In the body, nitric oxide is secreted by the endothelial cells, which line the inner walls of the blood vessels, and it communicates with the smooth muscle cells, triggering them to relax. This blood flow regulation plays a role in multiple body functions, including maintaining erections and controlling blood pressure.

NO supplements, however, don’t actually contain nitric oxide. Instead, they contain ingredients (or substrates) that are thought to give your body a nudge to produce more nitric oxide, such as L-arginine and L-citrulline.

“If you’re ingesting nitrate or L-arginine, the idea is that it’s supposed to stimulate the synthesis of nitric oxide in the endothelial cell. So the more substrates there are, the more NO can be produced,”

Because blood is responsible for the transportation of oxygen to working muscles, the reasoning is that the increased blood flow caused by taking NO supplements might help you work out for a longer period of time and speed up recovery time. Proponents also claim that increased blood flow might make your muscles bigger and more pronounced.

EFFICACY OF NO SUPPLEMENTS

Honestly, me self nor know. There’s simply not enough evidence to suggest that they do.

Seemingly, the idea is that these supplements will increase NO, and then because of that, it’ll support the process of vasodilation, and obviously, the downstream  effect of vasodilation would be this massive increase in blood flow, which leads to increased exercise performance and enhanced recovery. “But most, if not all, of [these purported benefits] have not been supported by available evidence.”

In studies that have shown a link between improvements in performance and nitrate levels in the blood, such positive results could simply be a result of extensive training, as exercise itself enhances NO activity. Plus, dietary nitrate comes from other sources, like vegetables, and most studies don’t control for this.

Even if there are benefits to NO supplementation, it’s unclear whether they would apply to everyone. A review of 42 studies related to the effects of dietary ingredients linked with NO and exercise performance found mixed results: the review concluded that while NO supplements may “improve tolerance” to aerobic and anaerobic exercise in people who either aren’t in shape or are moderately trained, there seems to be no benefit in highly trained people.

 

BEETS AND IMPROVED WORKOUT?

 A few studies have shown that nitrate supplementation through beetroot juice can be effective at increasing endurance and overall power. One study found a link between 15 days of beetroot juice supplementation and an increase in power max during moderate–intensity cycling tests. While more research is required, it might interest you to note that of the ingredients that may have an impact on NO levels and exercise performance, beetroot juice is the most promising.

“Beets are the highest dietary source of nitrates, which are converted into nitric oxide in the body. Because of their natural nitrate content and it’s ability to convert to nitric oxide so well, beets have been shown through many studies to support the heart, especially by improving blood pressure,”.

Beets are also linked to other nitric oxide benefits, including improvements in both increasing strength and endurance performance as well as improvements in cognition during exercise, lower inflammation levels, greater antioxidant function, improved cognition.

Plus, beets are also good for your heart and muscle recovery, and are a good source of fiber. 

It’s important to note that blood nitrate levels peak within 2–3 hours. Therefore, to maximize their potential, it’s best to consume beets 2–3 hours before training or competing

 

SIDE EFFECTS OF NITRIC OXIDE SUPPLEMENTS

Even though the jury’s out on whether NO supplements really do improve performance, Bloomer says if you want to try them at a low dosage, go ahead. That said, if you’re prone to hypotension (or low blood pressure), you might want to skip them, as they could leave you feeling lightheaded or dizzy.

You should note that high dosages of NO supplements could put your kidney function at risk, particularly if you already have a nitrate-heavy diet. In such cases, “it might actually cause a reduction in performance, because your kidneys are too stressed out trying to process all this extra nitrate. To be on the safe side, just stick to the dosage stated on the package.

DOES NITRIC OXIDE HELP SEXUALLY OR BOOST LIBIDO

Since Nitric oxide itself plays a  substantial role in initiating and sustaining erections in males, and since it also increases blood flow to the penis, which can help a man maintain his erection, it could increase performance in bed and help you go longer. But there are other intrinsic factors to this.

A recent study did show that L-arginine supplements might enhance the effects of a common erectile dysfunction drug, but studies on people without dysfunction is limited, so general benefits aren’t totally known.

IS NITRIC OXIDE DANGEROUS FOR YOUR LIVER?

“While research isn’t conclusive, the answer to this may depend on whether you’re ingesting high amounts of synthetic nitrates and nitrites from processed meats or eating nitrates naturally from vegetables,”.

The World Health Organization and American institute for cancer research advise against any intake of processed and cured meats, and most contain sodium nitrates and nitrites. “Some research has linked sodium nitrates to free radical damage to cells including those in the liver, however much of this research has been conducted on animals with human studies being based on correlation rather than causation,” she says.

 

FOODS THAT ARE HIGH IN NITRIC OXIDE

Beetroot juice contains a notable amount of nitric oxide, and there is research to show that drinking it before competition can help with performance. One study found cyclists who drank beetroot juice two to three hours before exercise increased peak power and pedaling velocity. Another review also shows that beetroot juice can increase overall endurance and power for athletes.

It could also be found in leafy greens and other vegetables, but in smaller amounts. Vegetables are rich in nitrates, and high nitrate intake is associated with higher nitric oxide levels in the body, reason why incorporating veggies to your diet is important; so long as you have a healthy oral microbiome. Regular use of antibacterial mouthwash actually kills the bacteria that aid in production of nitric oxide from nitrates (and may impact the bacterial balance in your lower digestive tract),”.

There are a few vegetables with nitric oxide, but the ones with the highest nitrite content are beets which tops the list, as well as celery, chard, watercress, lettuce, spinach, and arugula. The next group with the greatest amount includes cucumber, celeriac, Chinese cabbage, endive, fennel, kohlrabi, leeks, and parsley.

 

IS DAILY INTAKE OF NITRIC OXIDE ADVISED?

Consuming nitrates through food is totally encouraged. The research on beet juice and beet powder shows the best success in improving exercise performance and heart health with daily consumption of at least 2 weeks. “Nitrate content may be an additional reason high vegetable intake is associated with better heart health, too,”

When it comes to supplements containing ingredients other than pure beet or vegetable powder, you want to be careful. Supplements are not well regulated for safety, purity, potency or effectiveness of claims, so if you do choose another “nitric oxide booster” pick one that is third party tested, preferably by NSF for Sport or Informed Choice for Sport.

To be candid, from a professional view, I don’t think you should supplement daily. No dietitian would recommend it. There isn’t much research on these supplements, so it’s difficult to assess what the long term side effects might be. Instead, just eat your darn veggies  or beets to get your nitric oxides you must. 

SOURCES: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-beets#section3

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Men’s HealthSports

CLEARING THE PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT MISCONCEPTION

protein supplements

As you may have heard, the body builds its muscle from amino acid (they are known as building blocks) . However, some athletes believe that when they consume protein supplement (such as casein or whey protein), their bodies build more muscles. This is untrue. Working those muscles is what builds them! Getting adequate protein for protein synthesis in the body is very important but taking too much of it does not make the muscles grow any bigger or faster. This is especially true when the muscles are not exercised adequately and regularly. As you might have heard, “use it or loose it, pal”.
Let me breakdown what happens when too much protein is being ingested.

sex and exercise
The body uses the surplus to replace normal daily loss from growth, healing and other anabolic activities. Any excess protein available is either stored as fat or excreted in the urine as either urinary nitrogen or creatinine. Available research has also revealed that an excessive intake of these protein supplements could stress the livers and kidneys (the organs responsible for protein synthesis).

protein supplements

However, we dietitians recommend getting required amino acids such as arginine and glutamine from your diet. Foods that are rich in these amino acids include milk, nuts, eggs, chicken, lean beef and pork and turkey. This would ensure that you consume them alongside other important nutrients.

Therefore a person can grow fat by eating too much protein and not muscles. Exercising your muscles make them bigger. Stop gulping protein supplements if you are not going to work those things!

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Men’s Health

WORKING OUT FOR THE BEDROOM 2

Even More Tips for Better Sex

If pushups, crunches, and deadlifts aren’t your idea of a sweaty good time, you’ve still got plenty of exercise options to help keep things steamy.

Pick your pleasure: Sexual Dysfunction

Rather walk, swim, or jog? How about Pilates or yoga? Maybe you prefer biking or skiing? Great, because Paul Frediani, fitness coach and co-author of Sex Flex: The Way to Enhanced Intimacy and Pleasure , says “barring any health problems, cardiovascular exercise of any kind is a great way to stimulate your sex life”. Now trust me, enjoying the stuff you do helps relieves you of the stress of the activity, makes you look forward to it and enhances it’s benefits.
But you’ll want to avoid the weekend warrior syndrome to get the most out of exercising. Th.s means you have to exercise more than just on weekends to reap full benefits. Aim for a 30-minute workout five times a week. Get your blood pumping regularly and the payoff is simple: endurance, more strength to hold positions, and the flexibility to hold them comfortably. Now that’s sexy. *wink*

Bonus: Better Erections!
Wowza!

You may already be sold on the benefits of exercise, but here’s a bonus free of charge. Exercise may also help beat erectile dysfunction. One study showed that, for men over 50, being physically active means a 30% lower risk of erectile dysfunction as compared to men who are sedentary. Studies also show a strong link between obesity and erectile dysfuncton.
In addition, people who exercise often have a better body image than people who don’t. This can help them feel more sexually appealingnt and confide. One study found that “80% of men and 60% of females who exercised two to three times a week felt their sexual desirability was above average,” Weil says. Exercise could also help produce more muscles, which in turn increases testosterone production and sex drive.

Practice! Practice!! Practice!!!

If you’re not lasting as long as you’d like in bed, you might need some practice. While sex is the best way to practice for sex, masturbation can also help you improve your longevity.
However, how you masturbate could have detrimental effects. If you rush through it, you could inadvertently decrease the time you last with your partner. The secret is making it last, just like you want to when you’re not alone.

Dietary Management of Sexual Dysfunction

Erectile Dysfunction

Certain foods can also help increase blood flow towards those parts you want them most. They include:

Onions and garlic: These foods may not be great for your breath, but they can help your blood circulation.

 

 

Bananas: This potassium-rich fruit can help lower your blood pressure, which can benefit your important sexual parts and boost sexual performance.Erectile Dysfunction

 

 

Chilies and peppers: All-natural spicy foods help your blood flow by reducing hypertension and inflammation.

Nutrients that can help you achieve better blood flow:

Omega-3 acids: This type of fat increases blood flow. You can find it in salmon, tuna, avocados, and olive oil.

Vitamin B-1: This vitamin helps signals in your nervous system move quicker, including signals from your brain to your penis. It’s found in pork, peanuts, and kidney beans.

Eggs: 

High in other B vitamins, eggs help balance hormone levels. This can decrease stress that often inhibits an erection.

Sources:

http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/male-sexual-performance.Accessed 27th July, 2016.

http://www.askmen.com/dating/love_tip_250/287b_love_tip.html

http://www.webmd.com/men/features/exercises-better-sex. Accessed 27th July, 2016.

Hamilton, L.D., Rellini, A.H., & Meston, C.M. “Cortisol, sexual arousal, and affect in response to sexual stimuli” Journal of Sexual Medicine 5 (2008): 2111-18.Accessed 27th July, 2016.

Ojanlatva, A., et al. “Sexual activity and perceived health among FinnisAccessed 27th July, 2016.h middle-aged women.” Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 4 (2006).Accessed 27th July, 2016.

McNamara, E., Alfred-Thomas, J., & Freedland, S.J., “Exercise Correlates to Higher Sexual Function Scores in a Cohort of Healthy Men” (paper presented at the 105 Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association, 31 May 2010).Accessed 27th July, 2016.

His and Her Heath. ” Smoking, Lack of Exercise Impacts Sexual and Urinary Function .” Accessed 27th July, 2016.

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LifeStyleMen’s HealthWomen’s Health

WORKING OUT FOR THE BEDROOM

Regular Physical Activity Can Lead to Enhanced Arousal!

During exercise feel good chemicals called endorphins are released, and this same release happens during sex. The more frequently one can trigger these endorphins release via sex or exercise, the easier it is to become sexually aroused. The sex organs depend a lot on blood pressure. The brain sends signals to them that causes vessels to swell with blood. Your heart is responsible for pumping the blood. If your heart isn’t at its healthiest, it can cause problems with blood flow from the heart to the vessels in the vagina and penis. This can make it difficult to achieve a full arousal and affect overall sexual satisfaction. Make sure your circulatory system is working at top shape, because basically, what’s good for your heart is good for your sexual health!

Sex and Exercise

Strength training could be just what the doctor ordered for your sex life. The reason being that “weight lifting causes the body to produce testosterone , which is the primary precursor for the male sex drive,” says McCall, who recommends lifting enough to feel fatigue by the 10th repetition. In fact, some studies have linked short intense exercise, such as weight lifting, with increased testosterone levels. To improve your sex life, do some push-ups, sit-ups, and crunches. These muscle-building exercises can help lead to better sex by strengthening the shoulders, chest, and abs. Strong upper body strength can increase stamina since these muscles are most used during intercourse.

Kegels:

sex and exercise

Kegels is a wonderful exercise for both the male and female sexual health because these exercises can help endurance and control by toning the pubococcygeus (PC) muscles — the ones that let you stop the flow of urine mid-stream. They help the men stay harder longer and prevent premature ejaculation. For the women, it’s keeps yuuou tight and firm down there and helps you achieve orgasm faster! (tip: try doing this exercise while he’s inside you and watch the both of you explode together). Named after Los Angeles physician Arnold Kegel, they strengthen the muscles in your body’s pelvic floor, which can lead to better sex. “Men can use Kegels to delay ejaculation by contracting these muscles just before orgasm,” says McCall. To do Kegels, start by interrupting the flow of urine when going to the bathroom to get familiar with your PC muscles. After that, you can do Kegels anytime and any place by squeezing the PC muscles. Hold for 10 seconds, relax, and do as many reps as you can before tiring.

Fast Walking:

In a study of 31,000 men over age 50, Harvard researchers found that aerobic exercise resulted in a 30-percent lower risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) . More specifically, according to another study, aerobic activity that burns at least 200 calories per day (equal to fast walking for two miles) can significantly lower the risk of ED. Brisk walking is thought to help ED by improving circulation and blood flow. “Fast walking, running, and other aerobic activities help your sex life for the same reason that they prevent heart attacks,” says McCall. “They keep your blood vessels clear.” The result can be stronger and longer erections. Vigorous activities, such as running and brisk walking, also release endorphins and relax you, which can boost sexual performance.

Swimming:

sex and exercise

In another Harvard study of 160 male and female swimmers, swimmers in their 60’s reported sex lives comparable to those in their 40s. Since sexual activity can be an act of endurance, long-distance swimming can keep you going and going like the Energizer bunny. “Swimming for at least 30 minutes three times a week will increase sexual endurance,” says McCall. Swimming is also a great activity for weight loss, which can also lead to better sex. A randomized, single-blind study of 110 obese men with ED found that losing just 10 percent of their body weight improved sexual function in one third of the men. And it’s no secret that losing excess body fat will help attain those six-pack abs and make you more attractive to potential partners. The result: better sex!

Core Strengthening:

sex and exercise

Strength in the abdomen, pelvis, middle and lower back is what “core strength” refers to. A couple of good exercises to improve core strength are abdominal crunches and alternate arm leg raises. Alternate arm leg raise is where you begin on all fours facing down with knees bent, and then lift the opposite arm and leg at the same time. Hold this for a few seconds and then swap sides. Not only will this be good for your core, it will also work your shoulders and glutes, plus help with balance .

Upper Body Work:

Any sexual position where you have to support yourself using the arms (such as missionary for the man) requires strength in your upper body. Key exercises to help strengthen are push ups, which work the chest and triceps, the rowing machine in the gym, or using free weights to do various upper body sets, such as bicep curls, tricep push backs, and shoulder press.

Try This:

Lie on your back, hands supporting your neck, knees bent, and your feet on the floor. Then bring your body up just enough to get your shoulders off the ground. Do 3 to 5 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions.
For additional ab strength, Weil suggests men and women also do bridges. Lying on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor, lift your hips up and down for 3 sets of 15 reps. Men can also try pelvic tilts. Standing up or lying down, straighten your lower back and pull your belly button in until your lower back touches the wall or floor. Women can try Kegels.

Deadlifts:

sex and exercise

“This exercise will keep your back as strong as it can be”, Weil says, and give your legs and torso a workout too. You start in a neutral bent-over position and raise a weighted barbell or dumbbells from the ground.

 

Squats:

Just like the previous exercise, everyone has heard of these.
Squats will help you in a very similar way to how deadlifts help you: through hip extension. These can be very tiring as well, so if you’re performing high reps, you’ll definitely be getting some cardio in as well. And we all know how much that can help in the bedroom.

sex and exercise
But another, and often overlooked way, that squats can help your sex life is by getting you used to standing while carrying weight. Many people have the fantasy of having sex against the wall while holding their partner. This is something that requires a great amount of strength and not a lot of people can do this. Squats will develop your leg and back strength to such an extent that you’ll quickly see that holding your partner against the wall isn’t as hard as it seems to be. Many people are scared to perform these as well, out of fear of injuring their knees. As mentioned before, if performed correctly, squats are 100% safe. Take your time to learn the form, and do not feel obliged to lift heavy weights!

Planks:

These are a great exercise that will really come in handy while you’re in missionary position. This position can be very exhausting for your arms and abs. What better way to get better at missionary than basically mimicking the movement?
There are many ways that you can perform planks . The first and most simple way is to do a plank on your elbows. The next step up would be to hold it in a push up position. If that get’s too easy for you, then you can hold it while having your hands on an exercise ball instead of the ground. The last variation is the hardest, but also the most effective, and the one that will benefit you the most in bed. Keeping a tight core while your body wants to move around is directly going to benefit you while you’re

Interval Training (HIIT):

Sex isn’t a sprint…well, not always. It has a cardio component to it. But something that a lot of people forget is that sex isn’t something that you do at a constant rate. You go fast. Then slow. Then fast. Then slow. You’re always changing it up. And your training should reflect this.
This is where interval training comes into play (also known as HIIT , high intensity interval training). HIIT can be done with your preference of cardio. I like to do it on the bike.

sex and exercsie
The way it works is you split your workout into intervals. You sprint all out for 15 seconds, and then go at a steady state for 90 seconds. You keep switching between the two for a total of 10-15 min.
Incorporating HIIT into your workouts will have you ready for exactly what’s to come later that night in the bedroom.

 

Leg Raises:

This is an ab exercise that your girl will thank you for doing.
We all know that the g-spot is located at the top of the vagina. To hit the spot during sex, we have to tilt our pelvis upwards as we thrust. This is exactly what leg raises achieve. You are raising your legs to your chest, effectively training your ability to tilt your pelvis upwards.
Leg raises can be done either with a back support, or by hanging off of a pull up bar, or with bent legs, or with straight legs. The latter is more difficult in both cases, but if you can work your way to being able to doing those, you’ll definitely see the benefits.

Groin Stretches:

sex and exercise
Flexibility is an often overlooked aspect of sex for men. Most people believe that the woman is the only one that needs to be flexible.
What happens when you have been having sex with the same person for years on end? Things start to become stale. You’re going to start wanting to try different things in the bedroom. And these things may require a degree of flexibility from you. Flexibility isn’t only going to help you in the future. It’s going to help you today. As I mentioned earlier, there are many different ways to have missionary sex. Many women like having their legs spread far out as they’re in that position, but not all can maintain that position without help. How do you help her do this? By spreading your legs as well, similar to a frog, which will give her leverage to spread hers.
This is something that is possible by having a flexible groin. A great stretch for your groin is the bottom of the squat. Sit at the bottom of the squat position and use your elbows to push your knees outwards. Hold this stretch for approximately 30 seconds.

Try doing some (or all) of the above workouts to improve your sexual technique, endurance, and flexibility. Your mate will be impressed with your sexual powers and, as a side benefit, you’ll get healthier and fitter along the way.

More Tips and Sources Tomorrow, don’t be too greedy lol!

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