BUILD MUSCLE • BURN FAT • NO BULL!
BUILD MUSCLE • BURN FAT • NO BULL!
ANABOLICS
HI-TECH
GROWTH
HARD
CORE
JACK
UP NOW!
2009
GET HUGE!
TRAIN INSANE
AT THE WORLD’S
MOST HARDCORE GYM!
SPECIAL!
ANABOLICS
HI-TECH
GROWTH
HARD
CORE
JACK
UP NOW!
2009
GET HUGE!
TRAIN INSANE
AT THE WORLD’S
MOST HARDCORE GYM!
SPECIAL!
MASSIVE CHEST
,
CRAZY ARMS
,
BIG WHEELS
MASSIVE CHEST
,
Vo l u m e 4 6 , N u m b e r 2 , F e b r u a r y 2 0 0 9
BUILD MUSCLE • BURN FAT • NO BULLSHIT!
108
Research: Fat Loss By Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, EdD174
Fat AttackEphedrine/Caffeine Combo: New Study Says “Not Guilty”By Dan Gwartney, MD
96
Research: Training By Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, EdD128
Research: Supplements By Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, EdD140
Research: Nutrition By Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, EdD188
Supplement PerformanceSupplements Are Another Excellent Training Tool!By Jose Antonio, PhD, FACSM, FISSN192
Sports Supplement ReviewMitotropin: Fat Burners Are Dead!By Robbie Durand, MA200
Nutrition PerformanceWhey Protein Is More Anabolic Than Essential Amino Acids! By Robbie Durand, MA372
MuscleTech Research ReportTRAINING
www.musculardevelopment.com February 2009
378
Extreme Muscle EnhancementBy Carlon M. Colker, MD, FACN
386
The Predator By Kai Greene394
The True Victor By Victor Martinez402
Mass With Class By Branch Warren406
Lee Priest Confirmed! By Lee PriestNEW!
412
Telling It Like It Is By Shawn Ray NEW!418
Branden Ray: Road To The USAsBy Branden Ray
NEW!
422
The Big Bad Wolf: The People’s ChoiceBy Dennis Wolf
426
Erik “The House” Fankhouser By Erik Fankhouser430
National Hero By Evan Centopani438
The Pro Creator By Hany Rambod442
Contest Guru By Chad Nicholls446
Trainer of Champions By Charles Glass120
Research: Health & PerformanceBy Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, EdD
162
Research: Sex By Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, EdD202
Muscle Growth Update By Robbie Durand, MANEW!
318
Bodybuilding ScienceOnce Or Twice A Week Body PartTraining For Optimal Growth?By Robbie Durand, MA
352
No Juice Bodybuilding By Eric BroserNEW!
374
Ask The Doc By Victor Prisk, MDNEW!
NUTRITION & PERFORMANCE
FAT LOSS
DRUGS
HEALTH & PERFORMANCE
THE WORLD’S
BIGGEST
BODYBUILDING
MAGAZINE!
CUTTING EDGE
RESEARCH!
150
Research: Drugs By Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, EdD184
Future Pharmacy By Douglas S. Kalman, PhD, RD, FACN328
TestosteroneANABOLICS IX: An Interview With Author William LlewellynBy Dan Gwartney, MD348
The “Clear” Chemist By Patrick ArnoldNEW!
356
Anabolic Research Update By William Llewellyn360
The Anabolic Freak By David Palumbo366
Anabolic Edge By Jose Antonio, PhD384
Busted! Legal Q&A By Rick Collins, JDKAI KILLS
GUNS!
February 2009 www.musculardevelopment.com
FEATURES
30
Editor’s Letter By Steve Blechman34
Mail Room Where Our Readers Rave & Rant42
Who’s Hot! By Mike Yurkovic54
MD People70
The Romano Factor By John Romano310
Major Distraction By John Romano340
Ramblin’ Freak By Gregg Valentino436
No Bull Radio By John Romano452
Hot Shoppe By Angela T. Frizalone456
Web Directory458
MD Marketplace By Angela T. Frizalone & Manda Machado486
The Last Word By John RomanoMD 23
EVAN IS
GROWING
FOR THE
PROS!
270
BRANCH
REFLECTS ON
METROFLEX 288
ERIK
BURNS UP
HIS WHEELS
240
RETURN
OF A
LEGEND?
300
TAREK TORTURES
CHEST! 256
MD’S INSIDE STACK
210
METROFLEX GYM: THE ULTIMATE HARDCORE DUNGEONINTERVIEW WITH OWNER BRIAN DOBSONBY JOHN ROMANO
224
KAI KILLS GUNS!THE PREDATOR TORCHES BI’S AND TRI’S AT METROFLEXBY RON HARRIS240
FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE!ERIK FANKHOUSER BURNS UP HIS HUGE WHEELS AT METROFLEX BY RON HARRIS256
TAREK TORTURES CHESTTAREK ELSETOUHI MASSACRES CHEST, OLD-SCHOOL STYLE, AT METROFLEXBY RON HARRIS270
GROWING FOR THE PROSEVAN CENTOPANI’S PRODUCTIVE OFF-SEASON BY RON HARRIS288
DUNGEON OF MUSCLE BRANCH WARREN REFLECTS ON METROFLEX, THE GYM WHERE HE BECAME A BODYBUILDERBY BRANCH WARREN (AS TOLD TO RON HARRIS)
300
RONNIE COLEMAN— THE LEGEND RETURNS? EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW !BY FLEX WHEELERZIVILLE
IS
BACK!
310
ZIVILLE
IS
BACK!
310
W
hat’s it like to train in the most hardcore bodybuilding dungeon in the world? The gym that eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman and ‘People’s Champion’ Branch Warren call home? The place that has set the standard forthe anti-establishment “fitness club” counterculture, and preserved the very essence of what it means to be “hardcore”?
The place I’m talking about is, of course, Metroflex Gym in Arlington, Texas. Its owner and creator Brian Dobson has been gracious enough to allow MD– the one and only true hardcore body-building magazine left in the world– to call Metroflex home. I’m so awestruck at the amazing photo shoots we created in that old-school hardcore mus-cle dungeon, that I wanted to find a way to thank Brian for allowing us so much access. How could I show my gratitude to Brian and give him the props
he deserves? Publicity! And that’s how I came up with the theme of this issue.
Every feature in this ultra-hardcore issue is shot by MD ace photographer Per Bernal at Metroflex Gym. On page 430, Evan Centopani throws down intense blue-collar style with his off-season workout. On page 426, Erik
Fankhouser burns up his huge wheels; on page 386, ‘The Predator’, Kai Green, torches bi’s and tri’s; and on page 256, Tarek Elsetouhi massacres
chest, old-school style– all on the battered and souped-up hardcore equipment you will only find at Metroflex.
Then on page 402, people’s champion Branch Warren reflects on his years at Metroflex and how he became a bodybuilder there. On page 300, Flex Wheeler is granted an exclusive interview with his old friend, eight-time Mr. Olympia and Metroflex fixture Ronnie Coleman, to talk about not only throwing down at the world’s
30
MDBy Steve Blechman Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
www.musculardevelopment.com February 2009
editor
’
s letter
OLD SCHOOL
HARDCORE
TRAINING–
METROFLEX
STYLE
most hardcore muscle dungeon, but also of the possibility of the legend returning! Finally, on page 210 Senior Editor John Romano sits down with Brian Dobson and talks about what it took to build what would be known the world over as the most hardcore gym in the world.
To further the love, I want to call your attention to the official web-site: www.metroflexgym.com, which sells the world-famous Metroflex Gym hardcore clothing line you have seen both Ronnie and Branch wearing. Brian also has online training/nutrition programs available for
bodybuilding, powerlifting, strong-man, MMA, football and general fit-ness. He says he has been very blessed in this area, with great results from a wide variety of folks worldwide. Brian takes each individ-ual into account, for a truly unique, custom-tailored program. He also offers personal training onsite, spe-cializing in hardcore bodybuilding and strength programs that hun-dreds of bodybuilders and other athletes have benefited from. There is even an InTown suite within walking distance to the gym that has a fridge, microwave and stove for reasonable weekly rates. Athletes from all over the world have come and trained hands-on Metroflex style for a few weeks at a time.
Brian says he’s not a “guru” or a chemist, but believes that God has anointed him to build champions— a fact that can’t be ignored as long as someone wants to train hard-core! You can open your own can of Metroflex Whoop-Ass by calling Brian at 817-465-9331 or e-mailing him at [email protected]. The rest of this super hardcore issue is jam-packed to the binder
with tons of useful news and cutting-edge information from the indus-try’s top sources and seasoned pros, to help you build the body of your dreams. It just doesn’t get any more hardcore than here at MD!
See you next month!
Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Steve Blechman Senior Editor John Romano Managing Editor Angela T. Frizalone Creative Director Alan Dittrich, Jr. Associate Editor Lana Russo
Associate Art Director
Stephen Kolbasuk
Assistant Editor
Alan Golnick
Contributing Editors
Carlon Colker, M.D.,Thomas Fahey Ph.D. Dan Gwartney, M.D.
Executive Assistant
Michele Gampel
Photographers
Chief Photographer: Per Bernal Mike Yurkovic, Dan Ray, Bill Comstock
Illustrators
Bill Hamilton, Fred Harper, Jerry Beck
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MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT (ISSN 0047-8415) is published monthly by Advanced Research Press, 690 Route 25A, Setauket, New York, 11733. Copyright ©2008 by Advanced Research Press. All rights reserved. Copyright under the Universal Copyright Convention and the International Copyright Convention. Copyright reserved under the Pan Am Copyright. Rate: $49.97 per year (USA); $79.97 per two years (USA); foreign: $79.97 per year. Nothing appearing in MUS-CULAR DEVELOPMENT may be reprinted, either wholly or in part, without the written consent of the publisher. Send edito-rial submissions to: MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT, 690 Route 25A, Setauket, New York, 11733. Stamped, self-addressed envelope must accompany all submissions, and no responsi-bility can be assumed for unsolicited submissions. All letters, photos, manuscripts, etc. sent to MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT will be considered as intended for publication, and MUSCU-LAR DEVELOPMENT reserves the right to edit and/or com-ment. Periodical postage paid at Setauket, N.Y. 11733, and at Glasgow, KY 42141. Postmaster: Send address changes to MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT, Box 834, East Setauket, NY 11733-9704. Advertising Office Phone: (239) 495-6899. PRINTED IN USA
Cover photos of Branch Warren and Ziville Raudoniene are by Per Bernal
MD 31
www.musculardevelopment.com February 2009
room
34
MDErik Fans
Erik “The House” Fankhouser has the most amazing wheels in bodybuilding today. He has the greatest column in MD. The pic-tures alone are worth a thousand words. His legs are sick…out of sight, like tree trunks. He must have a problem finding pants that fit. More important, Erik is a good guy, a family man who appreci-ates his wife and knows what’s really important. Keep going strong, Erik!
Joe Scharler and Mark Verone, e-mail
Ben Weider
Nice tributes to Ben Weider in January MD. From Steve Blechman’s letter to The Romano Factor and even a picture of Joe and Ben Weider in MD People in the same issue. This is very respectable and classy of MD, to showcase icons in the bodybuilding world who don’t work for your magazine. That’s more than those “other guys” do— I certainly have never seen a really nice article about Steve Blechman in Flex or Muscle and Fitness. Maybe somebody over there is asleep at the switch?
Jerry Fishkin, e-mail
Gregg, You Rock!
Gregg Valentino has the best column in MD. It’s never boring, always crude and rude. In fact it’s the first thing I turn to when I open my copy of MD. Gregg tells it like it is and doesn’t pull any punches. And if you don’t like it, you can fuck off! (as Gregg would put it).
Bobby Wenschel, e-mail
Romano
Factor
As a longtime reader of MD, I applaud the depths of John Romano’s investiga-tions into bodybuilding-related issues each month in The Romano Factor. Once John gets going, he really digs deep, and he’s quite a funny guy. John has a won-derfully pissy delivery but his train of thought some-times takes a detour. Eventually, though, he finds his way. He’s like the Rex Reed of bodybuilding journalism, after a slight lobotomy.
Photographed by Mike Yurkovic
42
MD www.musculardevelopment.com February 2009MD 43
February 2009 www.musculardevelopment.com
Darice Castro: NPC figure athlete, Arizona
Leigh Hickombottom:
44
MD www.musculardevelopment.com February 2009Yenny Polanco: NPC fitness
athlete, Massachusetts
Nikki Warner: NPC figure athlete, Hawaii
Monica Mark:
February 2009 www.musculardevelopment.com MD 45
Nikki Key: NPC figure athlete, California
54
MD CHECK OUT FOR COMPLETE CONTEST COVERAGE! CHECK OUT FOR COMPLETE CONTEST COVERAGE!MUSCULARDEVELOPMENT.COM
By TEAM MD Grigori Atoyan 2nd place Super Heavyweights Ed Nunn Super Heavyweight and Overall WinnerJocelyn Jean Welterweight Champ Mike Liberatore Heavyweight Winner Scott Foster Earned Pro Card Sheila Bleck Womens Bodybuilding Overall Winner Peter Putnam Light Heavyweight Winner Guy Cisternino Middleweight Winner Jennifer Migliacci Earned Pro Card
MD
People
Team MD presents 2008 NATIONALS Coverage!
Erin Stern Figure Overall Winner www.musculardevelopment.com February 2009 Marvin Ward Lightweight Champ
MD 55
MD
People
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MD CHECK OUT FOR COMPLETE CONTEST COVERAGE! CHECK OUT FOR COMPLETE CONTEST COVERAGE!MUSCULARDEVELOPMENT.COM
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MDMD
People
FOR COMPLETE CHECK OUT CONTEST COVERAGE!CHECK OUT FOR COMPLETE CONTEST COVERAGE!
THE WAY I SEE IT
The
Romano
Factor
By John Romano500-WORD SUBMISSION FROM
THE MD ONLINE CREW…
To Schmoe Or Not To Schmoe…That Is The Question By Chrisco915
If you are anything like me, you spent your formative years in the gym learning (amongst other things) that prolonged chit-chatting and meander-ing socialite groups yuckmeander-ing it up in front of frequently used equipment is blasphemous. Those lessons kept me withdrawn during my workouts and rather unapproachable (as I have been recently informed) to those who crossed my path. Perhaps, like me, you have seen the same people day after day…week after week for years and have never even spoken to them. You have checked out the attractive woman in the tight black shorts or the handsome, muscle-clad man and not said hello out of embarrassment or not wanting to bother them. Many times, you have passed one another and looked past each other or made eye contact and quickly looked away or got caught checking each other out in the mirrors (don’t deny it…you have been caught at least once).
But what if you actually said hello? Would you appear creepy and seem like you are hitting on the person? What if you overcame the embarrassing longevity of not expressing the common decency of saying “Hello” during all that time? Would the person just scowl and walk away? What if you actually just said, “I apologize, but I feel rather rude for not introducing myself after all the times we have passed each other here….I’m <name>.” Would they destroy your pre-conceived fantasy of them and ruin it? It was time to find out.
Obviously, I do not recommend this course of action while someone is mid-set or cruising a hellacious cardio session, but between sets or resting, one might be able to learn a few things about the people they are surround by who share the same passion for the gym. So, I took this mindset to the gym. Instead of pacing instinctually between sets, I remained rela-tively stationary and said hello to people who acknowledged my presence. To my surprise, quite a few of my pre-deter-mined write-offs had quite a few interesting tidbits of wisdom about nutrition, training and other fascinating subjects. Yes, a few fantasies were destroyed by self-centeredness, rudeness, social grace, gym etiquette— and yes, some people just suck. But the positive far outweighed the negative. I am not saying I am evolving into the ever-irritating social butterfly of the place; but I must admit that I feel rather liberated by breaking the irrational unspoken bond in today’s societal lack of interest in anything that does not relate directly to them.
I walked away from this with a few things I didn’t start out with. More smiles and hellos entering the gym after a hard day’s work, a new workout partner and more people who understand my perchance to appear unfriendly (which is far from the truth). For all this…I feel more connected to my gym and its people. It has become a more comfortable “home away from home.” I really do suggest it, even if only for one day.
THE WAY I SEE IT, wow! That was good! But why the term schmoe? I always thought that meant a fanatical fan of
female bodybuilding. Whatever the case, I am indeed enlightened and I’m marching straight into the gym tomorrow morn-ing and introducmorn-ing myself to at least two people to whom I must appear rude. Good job, Chrisco915.You got me thinkmorn-ing! Another month, another winner! This was a particularly well-submitted month, with plenty of diverse topics from which to choose. In the end, Chrisco915 won this month’s contest with his article “To Schmoe Or Not To Schmoe...That Is The Question.“ This was his second contest win, having previously won in June ‘08. Congrats, bro!
www.musculardevelopment.com February 2009
MD 71
February 2009 www.musculardevelopment.com
T
his month’s MD is a particularly hardcore issue. With all the insane training features shot in Metroflex Gym, and the interview with its owner Brian Dobson, I felt compelled to introduce all of you to another old school, hardcore player in this thing of ours. He is an old friend of mine with whom I’ve shared some, shall we say enlightening experiences. I’ve seen him start from almost nothing and grow to the point where he has revolutionized the industry with his amazing and incredibly effective sup-plement line. While I was interviewing Brian Dobson, he made the state-ment, in regard to his gym: “Break from conformity.” I thought that went rather well with my good friend who always says, “Never accept medioc-rity.” So, I figured this would be a great issue to introduce you to him.So, this month, in the space I usu-ally reserve for current controversy, I’m going to do something a little dif-ferent and use it to explore someone controversially current. I’d like you to meet this friend of mine, Author L. Rea. Many of you know him as the mad scientist behind ALR Industries, but he’s actually the company’s CEO and head researcher. In Spanish, El
Rey means “the king.” Close enough
for me. So, a long time ago, I affec-tionately started calling ALR “The
King.” In addition to his auspicious post at ALR Industries, he has also authored several books, as well as hundreds of articles. Of course, many may know him from his
columns in both Muscular Development and Iron Man
maga-zines. I don’t know if I’m really the one who started calling him King, but others do now, too. Some call him Coach, and some call him
Author. For the record, I know you and I’ll bet there are a few other
names that’ll get your attention.
ALR: I don’t know, “a**hole”
seems to be used a lot! Our mar-keting director, Troy Johnson, calls me Mohammad Steel after
our recent product shoot for our new sexual stimulant Porn Star. But I’m really just another guy working for a living.
JR: Come on, bro! You’re
obvious-ly more than just a guy working for a living. That’s why I translated your name and call you The King!
ALR:Yes, you did point that out
years ago. So I guess I am King Author. OK, but no lance or sword jokes. I know all the one-liners!
JR:Your success has been pretty
amazing. ALR Industries is just rocket-ing skyward. Unfortunately, in this biz, the better you do, the more haters you attract, and you sure seem to have your share.
ALR: So true! But you really can’t
take haters seriously. I can always tell how well we are going to do each year by the number of “dumb ***” lawsuits we get, the number of peo-ple who want to be me, and the num-ber of people who trash on me or the company. Naturally, this is in compar-ison to the increased turnouts at shows we do and obviously, yearly sales. So far, I can already tell this is going to be a very good year!
JR: Anything in particular come to
mind?
ALR: Hmmm...oh, yeah; there’s
this one little gym rat dying to get noticed. He’s got a blog at
http://fitness63.blogspot.com/http://fitn ess63.blogspot.com/. He provides such comic relief around the office.
Every now and then we do a reading from the blog and it gets the whole crew rolling on the floor laughing their asses off! In reality, this guy wants to be me more than any guy in the country, but like most wannabes, he puts others on blast about things he knows little about, probably to make himself feel better for his com-plete lack of success. Maybe it’s just a small man’s complex; I don’t know. It’s just hilariously pathetic. It’s unfor-tunate because he’s actually a pretty well-written lad. But, like most haters, he needs to learn more and talk less. He will get much farther than if he just sits in a gym the rest of his life hop-ing to be noted as someone. Damn, dude, everybody is someone already; just learn to be you!
JR: What’s his problem? ALR: Weird. First off, he seems
offended that my name is Author rather than Arthur and goes on and on about it, relentlessly crashing on our magazine and me. He even goes so far as to Photoshop some of my photos to try and make me look fat! Oh, my god, they are hilarious! I mean come on, dude, who has time for such kid stuff?
JR: Sounds jealous to me. ALR:Yeah. But he does like Krissy
Chin, so he can’t be totally lost. You know she’s a cutie! Maybe that is his problem?
JR: He can’t get laid?
ALR: Ha!! I wouldn’t doubt it! I
guess it is like most critics: Those who can’t do, criticize those who can and do. “Zero risk and guts needed” is the motto of a critic, funny s**t really.
JR: Does that shit get to you? ALR: I personally think it is
awe-some that I piss him off so much. We must be doing something right to get that kind of jealousy. I hope to meet the kid someday and thank him for the free laughs and suggest he actual-ly do some research and then write some articles. Like I said, he does have real talent for writing that I hope he doesn’t let go to waste.
JR: Sometimes growth breeds
change and certain people seem to want to reel you in if you get a little too out there. Do you feel there are
MY SIT-DOWN WITH
AUTHOR L. REA
The Way I See It—
Romano Factor
people trying to change you or yourimage more as your company and success grow? For example, PR peo-ple, lawyers, reps or women maybe?
ALR: Geez, one or two. Some,
including our lawyer, feel that me “telling it like it is” in an interview, or “coming of age” as it were, is the wrong thing to do. He feels it is sup-plemental suicide in marketing. I strongly disagreed with him. I really don’t know how to be anyone else but me. And I certainly am not ashamed of anything I have done. Rather proud at times, actually. But he is an awe-some attorney and we are lucky to have him on staff. He is just trying to protect us of course, and he does a great job, and of course with me he stays pretty busy! OK, maybe “too” busy.
JR: Wouldn’t it be easier— and
cheaper— to take his advice and pull in the reins a little?
ALR: And stop having so much
fun? Ha ha! No way! One of many things life has taught me is that the truth will always be the truth and it will set you free. Some people may not always like the truth, but they hate lies so much more. In other words, why lie or bulls**t someone? Being politically correct is an easy way to cop out or to say you are too scared to be real. Comfort zones are so easily violated for that type. The bottom line is simply this, and I really want every-one to pay attention here: the “mil-lion-dollar secret” to my success is my commitment to the truth. I didn’t work long, tedious hours dealing with a magnitude of production problems, compliance issues and research set-backs all these years to design and sell Joe-Average supplements. I fig-ured that out some time ago when the three-letter gang (FDA, DEA, and any I missed) made it well known that writing books and making prohor-mones that worked was not going to be a good idea in the near future. As a bodybuilder and a lifetime multifac-eted athlete, I was left to my own devices to do better if I wanted to be better at what I do. So I went back to the chalkboard.
JR: Is that what was the driving
force behind building your company?
ALR: I initially built ALR Industries
for one reason and one reason only— for ME! I needed to make products for myself and my clients, many of whom are pro athletes, and any other athlete who wants to push the performance envelope. Obviously, I couldn’t afford to break the law anymore, and I didn’t want to. So keeping it real was para-mount. Making products like Hyperdrive 3.0+ and Jungle Warfare was vital for me. I have always been a performance freak. Karate, kendo, cage fighting and powerlifting have all been part of my life. Obviously, I am a hardcore bodybuilder and will always be. I suppose I will be buried with a set of weights and shaker cup!
JR: So in essence, you became
your own lab rat?
ALR: Correct; after a lot of
research and testing of course. How else would I be able to be honest when I say I know my products work? I know they work! S**t, my entire staff knows they work; just look at them. Hell, look at me! How many supplement CEOs and day-to-day working staff actually looks the part? We love what we do and love living the fitness lifestyle.
JR: I would rather look at Krissy
than you or Troy any day, but hey, that’s just me. Are these people walk-ing testimonials for your products?
ALR:The amazing truth is simple
and it is the key to our success. Without much advertising money spent, largely from word-of-mouth spread from my clients and staff, Joe Average began seeking out my prod-ucts! In an amazing turn of events, this word-of-mouth has spread like wildfire. One can now find ALR Industries products in Vitamin Shoppe. Distributors like BOSS and Lone Star are selling millions yearly.
JR: There are a few little stories
like that. Our industry is unique isn’t it?
ALR: Maybe, but here’s what
sepa-rates us from the others. The biggest challenge lies in looking for new ways to develop the body via nonhormonal products. This is where product devel-opment gets tricky. I simply cannot accept mediocrity, and of course have no interest in breaking the law any-more. So making legal and trustwor-thy supplements that far exceed the norm is a must.
JR: Yeah, I can appreciate true
innovation, but the laws are kind of limiting these days.
ALR: That’s the challenge! My goal
is making products that work and still follow all the rules. I must work within those confines by thinking outside the box. Product development stems from the way I look at chemical structures and physiological action/reaction fac-tors in my mind. Action/reaction is not a linear event; it is a matrix. By taking a different approach, we have been able to set new standards in nonhor-monal supplements that work well. I mean, really well! Just wait for Chain’d Out, Porn Star and the new WTF Pump’d coming out in the future. These new products will blow you away!
JR: So, is it that
thinking-outside-the-box attitude part of what creates not only the company image, but yours as well? And the catchy names such as “Porn Star?” Is that what con-tinues the need to keep an attorney on staff?
ALR:Yeah, I guess you could look
at it that way. I just don’t think that I should change my image and be something or someone I am not. That’s kind of funny by, the way. I never really thought of myself as hav-ing an “image.” I am Author L. Rea, a bodybuilder, researcher, writer, CEO, daddy and one of the few company owners always at his booth shaking hands with consumers. Basically
hav-www.musculardevelopment.com February 2009
72
MDThe bottom line is simply this,
and I really want everyone to
pay attention here: the
“million-dollar secret” to my
success is my commitment to
the truth.
www.musculardevelopment.com February 2009
74 MD
ing way too much fun being me, and enjoying the life I have carved for myself. What else is there? You see everybody wants to be somebody, but some do not want to be themselves so they choose to look upon others and be judgmental. I guess for them it’s just easier to put others down than it is to pick themselves up. I have been judged and here I am, still being me and making money and still selling products everyone knows and trusts. To me, what really matters is that the product works. When a consumer is willing to drop hard-earned cash for a bottle with my name on it, it better work. It is more than business at that point. It’s personal.
JR: During my research, I have
heard repeatedly that you are an exceptional CEO. Your story is fasci-nating, basically a rags-to-riches story. Would you agree?
ALR: I wouldn’t say I’m
exception-al. I simply did what anyone can do with $100. It takes $100, years of hard work and never letting up. If you do let up, someone will replace you. For me, mediocrity sucks and whining is not an option. Just to note, I have been in the industry a few years, bro. But yes. All is going well as of late.
JR: So any newly released
prod-ucts you want to talk about?
ALR: Sure, gratuitous plugs are
always fun! We released our Hypershots™ at the Europa after-hours party as well as at the show, of course. “Get Intensely Hyped” is more than just a slogan. Hypershots™ are two, 2-ounce serving shots that trigger some interesting, tingling-like sensitiv-ity and more than enough energy to make the fun last. They come in three flavors and seriously taste great as is, mixed in a 16-ounce bottle of water. Better still, mixed in drinks like Grey Goose. Hey, we needed to be thor-ough in our testing! Someone had to get toasted. We will be serving them at the ALR Industries after-hours party during the Olympia weekend this September. One can bet that since the after-party is held in Vegas that some-one in my crew will get arrested for having too much fun. Then again, that’s how we roll!
JR:Yes! I actually have Dave
Palumbo holding the bail money! So
do these shots make you horny or moody?
ALR: No, they won’t make you feel
like crying at daytime soaps or want-ing to watch sappy movies.
Hypershots™ make you physically sensitive all over. You may need a date to handle the “inspiration” part.
JR: I’m sure you’ll have plenty of
“talent” around just in case I don’t show up with a date. Speaking of which, as you know, most of us have gotten in trouble a time or two in the past. You said “arrested.” I’ve heard you have been arrested a few times. Is that true?
ALR: Yup! JR: For what? ALR: Which time?
JR: The time when you did time. I
mean you did do time, didn’t you?
ALR: Hasn’t most of our industry?
For the record, I have, let’s just blame it on my young ego at the time. I’m not ashamed of it.
JR: I don’t want to overstep any
bounds, but are you willing to talk about it? If so, was it your fault?
ALR: Of course it was my fault. I
am not some victim. A long time ago I ran a performance-enhancement busi-ness. Far from legal, obviously: designer androgens, unknown pep-tides, stims and the rest of the cre-ative chemistry stuff I have written about. Naturally there was the usual violent stuff that goes with it and in various countries of origin, but that’s just part of how the business was back then. I am certainly not claiming to be some kind of bad-a** then or now. I just did what it took. Blame it on youthful hubris.
JR: So you were like an American
gangster for chemical enhancement!
ALR: Gangster? No, I was just
doing what it took for me to find what was not available anywhere else. I paid dearly for that education, I lost everything I had, but looking back I have no regrets. I have to admit I was too cocky at the time, but I guess we all have to come of age eventually. Back then, I thought I couldn’t be caught. I was wrong. But all in all, it’s just life and part of the learning process.
JR: I know from experience that
education comes at a hefty price.
ALR: Yeah, that’s for sure! Those
three-letter alphabet lads and ladies don’t play! They hunted me and even-tually they caught me. The Feds did their job quite well. I took responsibili-ty and pled guilresponsibili-ty. I didn’t rat nor did I do country club time in exchange for other people’s lives. I honestly paid my debts to society.
JR: Didn’t they offer you “the
deal?”
ALR: Of course they did! I could
have played rat and avoided living in a 4 x 8, but doing so would have cost me something I simply cannot sell: my honor. Just my opinion, I guess. I refused to be a rat. It’s funny though, all the bad-a**es I know are now dead or never getting out of prison, as the rest of us are just keeping it real. Some of us are fortunate enough to have the option to drive all of our pas-sions into what we love most. For me, that passion is this industry; it always has been. If you can’t be a breathing example of what you offer the con-sumers, you should simply shut up and find something that you can be real and honest at.
JR: I assume you’re referring to
your “image” today in the industry?
ALR: Look bro, I just can’t bring
myself to be someone who pretends to be some kind of big-mouth bad a**, nor am I one of those BS supple-ment company CEOs who needs Photoshopped arms to sell trustwor-thy products. I am always in shape and my arms are always very close to 20 inches, plus or minus a quarter-inch. I do business straight up and do all I can to give consumers reason to always trust in my company’s prod-ucts.
JR: Interesting, so I assume you
learned your lesson?
ALR: Oh, hell yeah! I learned a lot
from it and actually think I am better for the experience. You may be shocked to learn how sharp the law enforcement people are. I know you know, I mean “you” as in others. You just don’t realize it until you are sitting in an interrogation room hand-cuffed to a table for a day or two while vari-ous organizations wheel in their boxes of files on you to “ask a few ques-tions.” It only gets worse from there. But, if you pay close attention you can
The Way I See It—
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76 MD
learn a lot.
JR: What was the most important
thing you learned?
ALR: Do not piss off the lads and
ladies of multiple law-enforcement agencies! More importantly, I learned that business is business. Just keep it legal and be real. Ironically, I now call them to ask for advice on how to keep it legal. Now I can comfortably sleep in the same house two nights in a row without worrying who will be an unin-vited guest!
JR: I’ve known you for a long time
and you always keep it real. I love how you’re always saying, “Never accept mediocrity.”
ALR: You should never accept
mediocrity! Learning to decipher someone who just talks a good talk, but doesn’t walk the walk, probably is not a good choice. In our industry there just is no excuse for being out of shape or a fake; I wouldn’t want my family spending money from the advice of someone less than exem-plary. For example, at an expo when you approach a booth you are already sizing up the attendees. That’s where the line is decidedly drawn between those who live the life or those who just act the part. In other words, to get anywhere in life or business, one must gain potential for survival by being adaptable. Take that as you like. It applies in more ways than most who sit on the fence would under-stand. If you say something then mean it. If you do something, then do it the best way you know how. And of course, don’t betray or lie to people.
JR:You have written a few books
that have really set you apart from the other “gurus” in this biz. How did you arrive at your philosophy?
ALR: Guru? Geez, I thought that
word was banned when I was a kid. Obviously, I didn’t just pull the infor-mation in Chemical Muscle
Enhancement, Building the Perfect Beast and the rest of the books and
articles out of thin air. Though I spent way too many years in academia, there is obviously no degree in “androgenology” or human perfor-mance chemistry as applied to physi-ology. You learn this by being in the trenches. Tying real-world experiences together with research and theory is
where applicable knowledge comes from in our business. In all reality, this applies to all forms of business.
JR: You said something about
law-suits?
ALR: A good marker of success is
when other people who are too lazy to accomplish what you have, sue you for any dumb-a** thing they can come up with. In general, people are hardworking and seek their own dreams. Some try to take advantage of the realized dreams of others. I am not speaking of anyone specifically here. I don’t want to be sued for the truth! A good example is evidenced in the unique embossing ink and label-ing techniques we had to create so that they could not be easily or cheap-ly counterfeited. We had issues a while back with someone trying to knock off Hyperdrive, which is one of our top products. I couldn’t believe it! I can understand copying drugs, but sport supplements? It’s amazing.
JR: Any lawsuits going this year? ALR: Any successful company gets
them, of course. One stupid, the other was worth paying attention to.
JR: Come on, bro; aren’t you
being sued by a football player who tested positive for banned substances while using one of your old prohor-mones?
ALR: Our lawyer would crap
Twinkies if I said too much about that right now but, yes, that’s pretty much correct. Imagine that, testing positive for a sports organization-banned pro-hormone while using a sports organi-zation-banned prohormone! Who would have thought that was possi-ble? Obviously, I should note that we are speaking of banned by a sports organization, not controlled or illegal; there is a huge difference. Personally, I couldn’t care less as to whether or not someone opts to utilize perfor-mance-enhancing compounds or products any more than I would say someone has no right to a superior coach, trainer, or even Cialis. In both cases, we are talking performance enhancing. I believe strongly in free-dom of individual choice, regardless of whose opinion it conflicts with. But, if you agree to play by a set of rules, and testing for performance-enhanc-ing products or drugs is part of it,
then playing by the rules is a matter of integrity. I find it odd that we so often want to see superstar perfor-mances week after week, but we sup-port rules that make it impossible to recover between games and practices.
We discontinued production of all of our prohormones I believe by the end of 2005 and, I would assume, most were gone by early 2006. We did so for just this reason: to avoid all of the negative hysteria the media pro-motes over something so relatively benign. If the media wanted to expose something truly relevant regarding health risks, they would be marching in force to fast-food establishments everywhere for exposé pieces. How many die yearly from cardiovascular damage and diabetes attributed to the foods these places sell? If we truly are trying to save ourselves and our chil-dren, then start by putting an age limit on fast food.
JR: What are you doing about it? ALR:The legal stuff is in the
lawyer’s hands. Personally I am amazed that, as of yet, there are not dozens of class-action suits against players, teams and sports organiza-tions. We can strip guys from the Hall of Fame, take back gold and silver medals from amazing male and female athletes, and recent placing. So why can’t we sue for trophies, awards, and income that someone got from admittedly cheating? If someone opts to sue a company for their own choice to use a banned compound then they are admitting they cheated. Why should a cheater be rewarded with a marker of fair play and money deceptively earned? I am surprised more of the public is not outraged by this.
JR: Do you think a lot of NFL
play-ers are cheating?
ALR: NFL players, overall, are
awesome athletes and it takes some serious heart to do what they do. I used to love football and I didn’t care who was playing. But when the team owners and players associations make claims that their intent is to clean up the sport and remove perfor-mance-enhancing substances, then they should do it. Don’t just talk about it; be about it. We are talking multibil-lion-dollar organizations here, which
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MDare still using urine testing as its standard. There are simply too many possible errors or false positives that can happen with the current system. Simply translated: cheaters can stop using most oral steroids five to 10 days before a piss test, or use mask-ing agents to skirt the system. Hair samples are the best evidence, as you can test for pretty much anything done during the period of that hair’s life.
JR: What if the guy or lady is
bald?
ALR: There is always a hair
somewhere. For example, I was in the shower at the gym the other day and saw this guy walk to the shower shaved head-to-toe. He drops the towel and bends over to pick it up and let’s just say that testing would-n’t be a problem.
JR: Yuk! Personally, I wouldn’t
have looked…too much info. On a serious note, Author, who do you make products for?
ALR: Simple, anyone who refuses
to accept mediocrity and wants to
exceed excellence. In general, body-builders, fitness and figure athletes, MMA fighters, X-Game athletes— any hardcore athletes will benefit. Geez, have you ever watched some of these fighters or X-Games letes? These are some amazing ath-letes who are way outside of medioc-rity! Basically, anyone seeking performance enhancement in any area or realm of the imagination. ANYONE who will not settle for mediocrity…who would more than likely be the person reading this! ■
F
ollowing on the success of the first MD improvement contest, another one was recently held for everyone who missed out onthe first one. The contest was open to all MD forum members,
both male and female. The judges looked for the
most-improved person and chose one male and one female winner. The contestants did not need to
come in water-depleted and ripped at 3 percent body fat. This was for people to improve in a healthy reason-able manner. The winner could very well be a guy or girl who loses 30 pounds and comes in at 8 percent to 10 cent, or it could be somebody who drops down to 6
per-cent and is ripped, with a great shape. It could be a guy or girl who is already lean, but adds noticeable muscle. It is a body-building and improvement con-test. But it wasn’t a “Jared” Subway con-test. You gotta flex!
Because of the amazing improve-ment and dedication that the top two guys from the last contest
showed, we brought them in as judges for this contest. And to add some beauty and balance to the judging table, as well as some serious muscle! Girlymuscle joined the judging team. The contest ran from July
1st-November 1st. When all was said and done, Ms. Muscle won the women’s contest and Newbreed won the men’s contest. Check out the before and after pics! Congratulations to both of them!
MD BODYBUILDING
CONTEST WINNERS!
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MDBy Steve Blechman and Thomas Fahey, EdD
plicated and is influenced by chemicals and growth factors produced throughout the body. Bodybuilders must be concerned with the health of all tissues and not just the size of their muscles. Metabolic health and a good physique go hand in hand. (Exercise Sports Science Reviews, 33: 63-68, 2005)
Beginners Respond To Low-Intensity,
Slow-Repetition Training
Experienced bodybuilders know that increasing muscle size and strength requires PTA— pain, torture and agony. As Governor Arnold said in “Stay Hungry,” his first mainstream movie, “You must burn to grow.” Japanese researchers showed that beginners benefited from low-intensity, slow-movement weight train-ing. Two groups of untrained young men lifted weights for 12 weeks, training either at a normal cadence using higher resistance (80 percent max effort) or a slow cadence (3 seconds up, 3 seconds down) and low intensity (50 percent max effort). The men in both groups gained equal amounts of strength and muscle mass com-pared to control subjects who didn’t exercise. This study showed that beginners respond to low-tension, slow movement weight-training programs, but the results do not apply to trained bodybuilders. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 22: 1926-1938, 2008)
High-Volume Workouts Increase
Testosterone Best
Testosterone makes muscles grow, while cortisol breaks down muscles and helps remodel them after intense exercise. The volume and intensity of a weight-training workout influences blood testosterone and cortisol levels. Australian researchers found that a bodybuilding-type workout (10 sets of 10 reps, controlled movements, weight 75 percent of max, 2 minutes rest) increased testosterone and cortisol, while a speed workout (8 sets of 6 repetitions, explosive training, weight 45 percent of max, 2 minutes rest) or strength workout (8 sets of 4 repetitions, explosive lifting, weight 88 percent of max) had no effect. It makes sense that increased testosterone levels following training increase strength and muscle mass, but a cause-and-effect relationship has never been proven. (Journal Strength
Conditioning Research,22: 250-255, 2008)
Ab-Slider Beats Out Other Ab Exercises
Cut, fit-looking abs serve as the foundation of a championship physique. While classic exercises such as bent-knee sit-ups are terrific for maximizing ab activation,
Muscle Protein
Signalers Don’t
Work As Well In
Older Men
Curly of “The Three Stooges” once said, “I’m trying to think, but nothin’ happens.” Old muscle works the same way. British researchers, led by Michael Rennie, found that protein-signaling systems were less respon-sive in older than younger men to amino acids and weight training. Muscle tension and amino acids such as leucine stimulate protein-signaling systems in muscles that trigger forma-tion of muscle proteins and increase muscle size. The study showed that high muscle tension (60 percent to 90 percent of maximum effort) worked best for stimulating protein synthesis, but the system works better in younger than older men. Build muscle by training hard and taking amino acids and protein supplements close to workout times. (Physiology, in press; published online November 10, 2008)
Stem Cells
Promote Muscle
Growth
Stem cells exist throughout the body and can form many types of cells. This makes them particularly valuable in exercising muscle cells, which turn over rapidly because of damage and repair. Thomas Hawke from York University in Canada described the importance of stem cells in promoting muscle hyper-trophy following weight training. High levels of muscle tension during resist-ance exercise damaged critical cell structures. Muscles contain satellite cells that migrate to damaged tissues, repair them, and increase muscle size. Satellite cells maintain a balance between cell nuclei and muscle size, which is critical for cell health. Stem cells from other tissues stimulate mus-cle satellite cell activity and promote muscle growth. Cell maintenance and health in any tissue is extremely
com-RESEARCH
Training
RESEARCH
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MDBy Steve Blechman and Thomas Fahey, EdD
Rhabdomyolysis
Can Kill You
The popularity of “boot camp” train-ing and exercise programs such as the 300 Workout have led to an increase incidence of a formerly rare condition called rhabdomyolysis. Intense exercise can destroy muscle cells, resulting in leakage of their contents into the blood-stream, which has toxic effects on other tissues and organs. Rhabdomyolysis causes muscle pain and weakness and can cause kidney failure. It is particular-ly dangerous when it occurs in people who are also using drugs such as statins, amphetamines or anabolic steroids. Francis O’Connor and col-leagues from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland reported case stud-ies of two young men suffering from rhabdomyolysis. They had symptoms similar to those of millions of people who overexercise. Rhabdomyolysis is potentially deadly and should be con-sidered as a possible diagnosis in any-one who participated in extreme exer-cise and shows signs of excess of mus-cle soreness or fatigue. Bodybuilders who train to failure are particularly at risk. (Current Sports Medicine Reports, 7: 328-331, 2008)
Hormonal
Responses To
Exercise Reduced
In Longtime Weight
Trainers
Weight training increases anabolic hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone, which can have posi-tive health effects in aging men. Low levels of these hormones increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, decreased muscle and bone mass, prostate cancer and depression. Brazilian researchers, led by Eduardo Cadore, found that total testosterone, free testosterone, dehydroepiandros-terone, cortisol and sex hormone-bind-ing globulin increased more in untrained men than in trained men
fol-lowing an intense weight-training workout. Aging men with low levels of testosterone and growth hormone can’t count on exercise to boost hormone lev-els and might require hormone replace-ment therapy to maintain optimal health. (Journal Strength Conditioning
Research, 22: 1617–1624, 2008) they put tremendous pressure on the
spine that can cause lifelong back pain. Bodybuilders need effective abdominal exercises that minimize the stress on sensitive spinal disks. Mayo Clinic researchers, led by James Youdas, found that the Ab-Slider activated the abdominal muscles better than the abdominal crunch, supine double-leg thrust, or side-bridge exercises. They cautioned that the double-leg thrust overworked the large thigh muscles, which could place excess stress on the low back. Extensive research by Dr. Stuart McGill from Canada showed that a variety of exercises strengthen the core muscles best. He concluded that the three best core muscle exercises for the average person were curl-ups, bird-dogs and side-bridges. The Ab-Slider is an effective device for strengthening the abdominal muscles, provided that people maintain a neutral spine while using it. (Journal Strength Conditioning
Research, 22: 1939-1946, 2008)
Weight Training
Does Not Increase
Muscle
Testosterone
Production
Blood testosterone levels influence muscle size and strength. The body pro-duces testosterone mainly in the testes and to a lesser extent in the adrenal glands, which partly explains the larger muscle mass in men than women. Other tissues, such as skeletal muscle, can also produce small amounts of testosterone through reactions involving chemicals related to cholesterol, such as DHEA. A very sophisticated study from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, led by Dr. Bill Kraemer and Jakob Vingren, showed little change in the muscle pro-duction of testosterone during weight training in humans. The study involved taking muscle biopsies and analyzing them for steroid hormones and enzymes involved in the intramuscular produc-tion of testosterone. (Journal of
Applied Physiology, in press; published online October 2, 2008)
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
Training
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MDBy Steve Blechman and Thomas Fahey, EdD
Illustr ated b y Jerr y Bec k /www .ironasylum.com
Large Waist Size
Doubles Risk Of
Premature Death
Sixty-six percent of Americans are obese or overweight. Excess fat increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, stroke and sudden death. A large European pop-ulation study that tracked nearly 400,000 people for nearly 10 years showed that fat distribution was more important than total fat for predicting the risk of death. Researchers measured body mass index (BMI; a measure of the pro-portion of height to weight), waist circumference, and waist to hip ratio. They also gathered data on education level, smoking, alcohol consumption, and exercise. People with the highest waist circumference (top 25 percent) increased the risk of death during this period by 105 percent, while those with the highest waist to hip ratio increase their risk by 78 percent. BMI, a rough measure of obesity, was also related to an increased risk of death but it was not nearly as significant as markers of high abdominal fat. The lowest risk of death linked to BMI was 25.3 for men and 24.3 for women. Waist size is a simple and accurate measure for determining general health status and the relative risk of death. (New
England Journal of Medicine, 359: 2105-2120, 2008)
‘Super’ Weight
Loss Drug,
Tesofensine,
Getting Closer To
FDA Approval
Orlistat (Xenical, alli) and sibu-tramine (Meridia) are the only weight-loss drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These drugs cause an average weight loss of 15 pounds in 12 months. A Danish study led by Arne Astrup from the University of
Copenhagen showed that a drug called tesofensine nearly doubled the weight loss (28 pounds in six
months) of current FDA approved weight-control drugs. Tesofensine works by interfering with the metab-olism of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin in the brain, which decreases appetite. People lost as
much weight on a low dose (0.5mg) as they did on a higher dose (1mg). The final clinical trials are under way. If successful, the drug could be approved within two years. Side effects included increased heart rate and blood pressure, dry mouth, insomnia, and gastrointestinal prob-lems such as constipation, diarrhea and nausea. Another weight-loss drug called rimonabant was approved briefly in Europe but not approved by the FDA because of severe psychiatric side effects. The FDA will closely monitor these effects in tesofensine before granting their approval. (The Lancet, in press; published online October 23, 2008)
Abdominal Obesity
Linked To
Reduced Growth
Hormone Release
Growth hormone is a potent fat burner. Some bodybuilders and older adults use supplemental growth hor-mone to reduce body fat, particularly
in the abdomen. While largely ignored by many physicians, med-ical guidelines require that patients demonstrate growth hormone defi-ciency before they can be given supplements. A Harvard University study showed that growth hormone release was less in overweight and obese people in response to a chemi-cal stimulator (growth hormone-releasing hormone and arginine) and was most severe in people with abdominal obesity and increased fat stores in the abdominal cavity. Other markers of increased body fat such as body mass index (a measure of the proportion of height to weight) were not related to growth hormone release. The researchers concluded that increased abdominal fat was a good indirect marker of abnormal growth hormone metabolism. (Journal
of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 93:4254-4260, 2008; 93: 4221-4223, 2008)
GlaxoSmithKline
Developing
Powerful
Fat-Burning Drug
Red wine contains a powerful chemical called resveratrol that pro-motes insulin and blood sugar metab-olism and increases fat burning. A German study on mice found that resveratrol helped shrink fat cells and prevented obesity in animals fed a high-fat diet. Resveratrol works by preventing the growth of new fat cells by suppressing the development of “pre-fat cells.” Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline has developed a drug similar to resveratrol called SRT1720 that is 1,000 times more powerful. Mice fed the drug
experi-Fat Loss
Fat Loss
RESEARCH
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MDBy Steve Blechman and Thomas Fahey, EdD
enced large increases in fat burning. Early trials in diabetic mice found that the drug was well tolerated, had few side effects, promoted weight-loss, lowered cholesterol and
increased exercise capacity. The drug must go through years of clinical tri-als before the Food and Drug
Administration will consider releasing it for sale. (Reuters, November 4, 2008; Cell Metabolism 8: 347-358, 2008)
Greater Weight
Loss With
High-Protein Meal
Replacements
Meal-replacement beverages are effective for weight loss. High-protein diets promote rapid weight loss dur-ing the early phases of dietdur-ing. Leo Treyzon and colleagues from the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition found that increasing the protein con-tent of replacement meals caused greater fat loss than similar meals with less protein. The study involved 100 obese men and women who were divided into two groups that con-sumed two liquid meals and one solid food meal per day (calorically equal) for 12 weeks. One group consumed 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram bodyweight per day while the other consumed 1.1 gram per kilogram per day. Weight loss was similar (about 9 pounds) for the two groups, but the high-protein group lost twice as much fat (3.6 pounds vs. 1.4 pounds). Increasing the protein content of weight-loss diets promotes fat loss. (Nutrition Journal, published online August 27, 2008)
Bromocriptine
Increases Growth
Hormone
Secretion In
Obese People
Growth hormone (GH) is vitally important for controlling body fat.
Obese people have a reduced capaci-ty to release growth hormone, which makes weight control extremely diffi-cult. A brain chemical called
dopamine increases GH release. Dutch researchers from Leiden University Medical Center found that boosting dopamine metabolism with a drug called bromocriptine enhanced 24-hour growth hormone release by 22 percent in obese women. Bromocriptine increases the activity of the brain’s dopamine receptors. The receptors send signals to parts of the brain that control growth hor-mone. Bodybuilders should not take bromocriptine to boost growth hor-mone because it can cause psychotic symptoms. This study was interest-ing because it showed the link between growth hormone release, obesity, and the brain chemical dopamine. (Journal Clinical
Endocrinology and Metabolism, 93: 3455-3461, 2008)
New Weight-Loss
Drug Lorcaserin
May Be Released
In 2010
Arena pharmaceuticals Inc. is arranging financing to help release and market its new weight-loss drug lor-caserin. The drug is similar to fenflu-ramine that was part of the fen-phen weight-loss drug combination. The Food and Drug Administration ordered fenfluramine off the market in 1997 because it was linked to heart valve problems and increased lung blood pressure. Like fenfluramine, lorcaserin works by promoting the release of serotonin in the brain, which suppress-es appetite. Extensive rsuppress-esearch on the new drug shows that it does not cause heart valve disease and is safe and effective for weight control. The drug is currently undergoing Phase 3 trials, which is the final step before FDA approval. More than 66 percent of Americans are obese or overweight, so there is a potentially gigantic market for this new drug. (The Wall Street
Journal, November 12, 2008)
Weight Loss
Improves Sexual
Self-Esteem In
Women More Than
Men
Excess body fat hurts sexual self-confidence in both genders but much more so in women than men. A Duke University study showed that overweight women were more likely than men to say that they did not feel sexually attractive (68 per-cent vs. 58 perper-cent), didn’t want to be seen undressed (63 percent vs. 31 percent), had little sexual desire (39 percent vs. 23 percent), avoided sexual encounters (29 percent vs. 19 percent), had difficulty with sexual performance (27 percent vs. 19 per-cent), and did not enjoy sexual activ-ity (21 percent vs. 4 percent). In women, weight loss resulted in more positive answers to each questions. Weight loss made men feel more sexually attractive, but they did not respond differently to any of the other questions. Body fat and sexu-ality are more closely linked in women than men. Overweight men may feel less sexually attractive but they still want sex, feel less self-conscious in the nude, and actively seek sexual encounters.
(International Journal of Impotence
Research20: 487-492, 2008)
Fat Loss
Fat Loss
MD HAS THE
WINNING FORMULA!
The most cutting-edge,
scientifically-based, no-bullshit
information on building muscle and
burning fat —from drugs and
supplements to training, nutrition
and diet —from the top medical
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MDMelanotan: The
Underground
Tanning Drug
Health experts in the United States and Great Britain are concerned about the unapproved use of the tanning drugs Melanotan I and Melanotan II. Melanotan I contains an enzyme called alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) that promotes the release of the skin’s tanning pigment, melanin. Melanotan II contains alpha-MSH and a hormone called malanocortin,
which also affects sexual perform-ance (promotes erections and sex drive) and bodyweight control. While these drugs have under-gone clinical trials, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved them. Typically, it takes about 10 injections of the drug to cause a deep, rich tan that can then be maintained with weekly injections. Apparently, the drug is widely available on the black market in the United States, as suggested by the existence of discussion websites such as Melanotan.org. (BBC News, November 17, 2008)
Balding Linked To
Paternal And
Maternal Genes
Urban legend has it that men inher-it the baldness gene from their moth-ers. A study from McGill University in Canada showed that the gene can come from the mother or father and that the chances of going bald are much greater if both sides of the fami-ly have the gene. While scientists are beginning to understand the genetic basis for balding, they are a long way from doing anything about it. Drugs such as minoxidil (Rogaine) and finas-teride (Propecia) will slow the rate of balding if started early but will not prevent it completely. Scientists are
actively studying the genetics of hair loss and may someday have a cure. Until then, you are stuck with wigs, hair plugs or the bald look. (The Wall
Street Journal, October 13, 2008)
Arthritis Drugs
Increase Heart
Attack Risk
Many bodybuilders with sore joints and aging adults with arthritis take
COX-2 inhibitors such as Vioxx and nonselective,
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen to decrease pain. Several recent stud-ies showed that these drugs increase the risk of
heart attack and stroke. Daniel Solomon and colleagues from the
Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found that the drugs increase cardiovascular risks more in some peo-ple than others. They examined more than 100,000 people who used the drugs and compared them with nearly 50,000 nonusers. Vioxx increased the risk of heart related deaths by 22 per-cent, while NSAIDs decreased the risk by 21 percent. Risk factors linked to COX-2 inhibitor-related deaths included age, high blood pressure, prior heart disease or heart attack, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease and chronic lung disease. (Arthritis Care and
Research,59: 1097-1104, 2008)
Do High
Testosterone
Levels Increase
The Risk Of
Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer is the second-lead-ing cause of cancer–related deaths in men. Last year, 250,000 men were diag-nosed with the disease and 30,000 died. Testosterone (T) has been linked with an increased risk of the disease, but the relationship is circumstantial. Drugs such as Eulexin (flutamin), Casodex (bicalutamide) and Procur (cyproterone acetate) block the action of testosterone and dehydrotestosterone and shrink enlarged prostate glands. Many physi-cians won’t prescribe T to aging men because they fear it might promote
prostate cancer. Studies from Harvard University, led by Abraham
Morgentaler, showed that low testos-terone levels actually increased the risk of prostate cancer. In his new book
Testosterone for Life(McGraw Hill, 2009), Dr. Morgentaler noted, “There is not a single study that found any differ-ence whatsoever in cancer outcomes for men with T concentrations of 200, 500, or 800 ng/dL.” Medical experts are questioning the long-standing belief of a relationship between high testos-terone levels and an increased risk of prostate cancer. (Cancer
Epidemiological Biomarkers and Prevention, 17: 2525-2530, 2008)
High Blood
Calcium Increases
The Risk Of
Deadliest Form Of
Prostate Cancer
If a man lives long enough, he will probably get prostate cancer but die from something else. The exception is rapidly progressing prostate cancer that is quick and deadly. The cause of the disease is unknown, but risk factors include age, family history, race, poor diet and lack of exercise. Researchers
Illustr ated b y Jerr y Bec k/www .ironasylum.com
By Steve Blechman and Thomas Fahey, EdD
