blood

Individual Health Markers Definedtop Alanine amino-transferase (ALT) An enzyme produced primarily in the liver but also in other tissues. ALT is involved in amino acid and protein metabolism. Used as a primary marker of hepatic strain. Also called Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase (SGPT)...

Are you familiar with the saying “Less is more”? In the realm of fitness, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a prime example. These workouts, defined by alternating short bursts of vigorous exercise with brief rest periods, pack an impressive number of health benefits into a small time...

In the past, we categorized carbohydrates as either simple or complex, based on how quickly they metabolized and affected blood sugar levels. Simple carbs caused rapid spikes, while complex ones were slower to digest. However, today, we have adopted a more precise metric known as the glycemic...

Have you ever had a bad stomach ache or problems digesting any food you have eaten? If the answer is yes, then it’s possible that your gut health may have been compromised. This could be either due to the ingestion of a bacteria or a disturbed internal physiological balance! One peptide that...

Obesity is one of the biggest health concerns, killing more than 2.8 million people every single year [1]. A horrifying statistic, and to make matters worse, those numbers are increasing daily. Doctors have been working on clinical trials to try and find a solution – one of which seems to be...

When our body encounters foreign pathogens or any other kind of external injury, it directs our body’s immune cells to reach the site of origin to work against the causative agent. These cells then release substances to help fight the pathogen and, in the process of doing so – cause...

With the Liver King drama still fresh in our minds, the fitness world has become obsessed with spotting Fake Natties. And for good reason: did you know that a whopping 80% of bodybuilders use steroids? That’s right, only 20% of them are truly natural. But with so many people using...

Insulin sensitivity – you’ve heard of it, but you’re not sure if it belongs in bodybuilders’ literature or the LGBTQI ranks… Insulin resistance is simply a term used to describe how your body will react to insulin, and carbohydrates, and can even influence other factors such as muscle protein...

So...I know I'm going to get flamed for this. But I've never had bloodwork done while on cycle. The first time I ran gear i planned on it but my results were so substantial that I just told myself "what's the point? It's obviously legit". Also, many years ago I was an absolute shit show on...

What Is NMN? Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is a molecule found naturally in our bodies and various foods. It’s a “precursor” to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a vital coenzyme for health that plays a role in cellular processes, such as energy metabolism, DNA repair, and gene...

Key Takeaways The muscle “pump” refers to the temporary increase in muscle size that occurs when you lift weights, especially when you use higher reps and shorter rest periods. Pump training should never be your primary focus if you want to gain muscle as fast as possible, but it can help you...

Insulin sensitivity – you’ve heard of it, but you’re not sure if it belongs in bodybuilders’ literature or the LGBTQI ranks… Insulin resistance is simply a term used to describe how your body will react to insulin, and carbohydrates, and can even influence other factors such as muscle protein...

You can't throw the proverbial rock without hitting yet another obnoxious ad of some sort for alkaline water, with claims to cure all that ails ya', from genital warts to fear of flying. It's said to restore pH balance by "reducing acidity levels in the blood" and "reducing water cluster size...

NO SUCCULENT DUCKS Most gym rats think of blood sugar only in one-dimensional terms. They realize that if it gets too high, you invoke a big surge of insulin that can preferentially store energy as body fat. Raise it too high, too often, and you turn into a pudgeball. But high blood sugar does...

Health Supplements You Probably Need to Take It’s always amusing when some keyboard warrior, high on righteous indignation and faux outrage, prances onto one of our social media pages and says, “I found out that you guys sell Biotest supplements. That’s why you recommend them! I got you!”...

Keep that Sucker Pumping Strong Like most American men, it’ll likely be my heart that takes me out, and I don’t mean take me out to the zoo or dancing or anything fun like that. It’ll probably happen this way. I may be walking. Maybe the first sunny day of the spring. I’ll probably be...

METABOLIC STRESS FOR MUSCLE & BRAIN HYPERTROPHY One mechanism for building muscle is metabolic stress. In bodybuilding, that usually means using constant tension and going for the "pump and burn" effect. Metabolic stress results from exercise that's reliant on anaerobic glycolysis for ATP...

Despite the odd name, Forskolin is not what they remove from the baby during ritual circumcision. Prior to being investigated for its ability to enhance thermogenesis, forskolin was thought to have many other health-enhancing properties.(1) Forskolin has been found to have benefits as a...

BIOHACKING MADE SIMPLE As a biohacker, I use drugs, supplements, and functional foods to augment longevity, sesthetics, and athletic performance. As you might expect, my medicine cabinet and pantries are full of stuff that would dizzy a sorcerer or alchemist. But I know that most people aren't...

HARDCORE SCIENCE MEETS HERBAL MEDICINE Coach Alwyn Cosgrove has been harping in my ear about it for four years. Dr. Jonny Bowden lists it as one of the healthiest foods on earth. It's been an essential part of Asian medicine for centuries. Finally, science is catching up on the news: turmeric...