A NEW PROTEIN, A DESIGNER CARBOHYDRATE

[01dragonslayer]

People who want to build a lean, muscular physique go through a kind of nutritional evolution:

STAGE 1​

First, they start to actually pay attention to nutrition. After the newbie gains fizzle out, they realize they need to improve their diet strategy... or, you know, actually have one.

They learn that things like protein and carbohydrates are pretty darn important for fueling workouts, recovering from workouts, and ultimately building the body they're after. They improve their food choices. Maybe they'll even pick up a bucket of whey protein at the grocery store.

Sadly, many folks stop right there. Then they assume they've reached their "genetic limits" and may even lose some of their enthusiasm for training. That's too bad, because there's one more step they could take.

STAGE 2​

They could begin to fine-tune their protein and carb choices. They could learn how nutrient timing is important, and they could learn that different types of protein and carbs have different tactical effects on performance and body composition.

These lifters and athletes who enter stage two put on their lab coats and increase the magnification of their nutritional microscopes. They discover that specialized proteins and designer carbs exist, and these bespoke macros were created for the sole purpose of building muscle faster, protecting muscle, and making workouts more productive.

A NEW KIND OF PROTEIN​

You've heard of the super protein, micellar casein, but there's another form of casein with its own unique set of benefits: casein hydrolysate. Unlike micellar caseins, hydrolysates are heavily processed... and that's a good thing.

The goal is to get a complex mixture of two and three amino acid (di- and tri-peptide) chains that have unique biochemical properties and that are absorbed intact, not requiring any further digestion.

Casein hydrolysates are at least 30% more effective in stimulating muscle protein synthesis (read: gains, bro) than intact casein. These rapidly-absorbed casein hydrolysates are ideal for peri- or intra-workout consumption.

Casein hydrolysates also have another unique mode of action: they're more insulinogenic than whey proteins. "Insulinogenic" means they elicit a rise in insulin, which is exactly what you want in a protein during the peri-workout period because insulin shuttles amino acids to working muscles.

A SPECIALIZED CARBOHYDRATE​

Along with isomaltulose, Mag-10® contains just the right amount of cyclic dextrin, a nutrient-partitioning, functional carbohydrate. Cyclic dextrin:

• Acts as a powerful anti-catabolic agent (controls cortisol).
• Pulls fluids into muscle cells.
• Potentiates glucose transport into muscle.
• Delays fatigue so you can train harder, longer.

FIVE WAYS TO USE MAG-10®​

1. PROTEIN PULSING​

How your body utilizes protein can have a powerful impact on how fast you gain muscle mass. Simply put, the greater the body's response to protein utilization, the greater the muscle gains achieved.

Unfortunately, the standard advice has been to "consume a big dose of protein every couple of hours," which is too often and actually causes the body to become unresponsive to protein.

Science and experience now tell us that we actually should've been doing something called "protein pulsing." Protein pulsing is a science-based dosing strategy for making the body hyper-responsive to high-protein utilization and producing the maximum anabolic effect.

For protein pulsing to be effective, you have to achieve three or four sizable amino-acid "spikes" per day, and allow the body's amino-acid levels to return to baseline after each spike. In order to do that, you have to use a fast-acting protein formulation that's designed specifically for maximum pulsing effect.

2. DURING CARDIO OR METCON​

Many physique competitors use fasted cardio (doing cardio on an empty stomach first thing in the morning) for fat loss. The hope is that body fat is vulnerable in this state and can be better oxidized and burned.

But there's a problem. Two, in fact. First, the extra fat burning is minimal. Second, muscle is also vulnerable, and that means your metabolism is at risk.

If you like fasted cardio – because you've seen some benefits or it's just convenient for your schedule – you need a muscle protectant, something that blocks the catabolism of lean muscle mass but doesn't interfere with the possible fat-burning effects of metabolic conditioning. Mag-10® fits the bill perfectly.

3. DURING A 24-HOUR FAST​

Fasting, going for a period of time without food, has its benefits for fat loss and health, but it also has several drawbacks. Done in the traditional way, it may mess with your metabolic rate, or trigger overcompensation later in the day or week. And fasting certainly does nothing for muscle gains if taken to extremes.

The Biotest team spent eight years experimenting with different fasting protocols. We refused to put our stamp of approval on a plan unless it could provide not only a powerful thermogenic effect, but also a profound anabolic response. In other words, fat loss and muscle gain.

This one-day "semi-fast" triggered a greater rate of combined fat loss and muscle gain than when either are done separately, as with traditional "bulking" and "cutting" plans. Why? Because we're resetting the fat cell's hormone-release pattern to induce an anabolic metabolism that's fueled by the body's own fat stores.

4. POST-WORKOUT​

After a tough workout, the muscle-eating hormone cortisol is elevated and your body's rate of protein breakdown exceeds your rate of protein synthesis. Mag-10® squashes this catabolic effect and accelerates recovery and growth during this critical time period. This is especially beneficial for natural bodybuilders and athletes.

5. DURING FAT-LOSS DIETS OR LOWER-CARB DIETS​

THE PERFECT FUEL​

Build more muscle. Lose more fat without sacrificing lean mass.