How to Interpret Scientific Studies

Science is often used as a Validation Point in order to implement certain Methods into your Body Building or Fitness Regime. YouTube is full of “Science Based” Instructional Videos that proclaim to have the Fastest, most Efficient, most Effective, Highest Results, least Side-Effects, etc. Methods, because a Specific Study confirms it.

However, a lot of these Studies, if not the Majority of them, have not been Performed on Athletes, especially Enhanced Body Builders and should thus first be Carefully Analyzed, before considered to be Valid & Applicable to your Individual Situation.


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Current Individual Situation of the Researcher

In order to assess the Applicability of a Specific Study, you’ll have to compare the Methods of Analysis to your own Current Situation. Meaning you’ll need to take your Personal Variables into Consideration:
• Age
• Sex
• Status of Health;
currently Healthy or suffering from a Specific & Comparable Disease Described in the Study
• Medical Background; previously cured Health Conditions or Medications used.
• Athletic Status; chosen Sport, Level of Development, Years Invested, Injuries Acquired, etc.
• PED Status; currently Drug-Free or Enhanced? which PED’s you’re using or have used in the Past and how you respond to them as an Individual.
• Medical Literacy; understanding of Vocabulary used and Knowledge Background required to interpret the Study.


Peer-Reviewed & Published Research, Study or Journal Attributes

Each Published Study has several Important Attributes, which are Crucial Validation Points in order to assess their Validity & Applicability:
• Study Publication Date; Science changes every Day, older Studies are often Validated or Disproven / Invalidated with consecutive Studies performed with similar Variables & Parameters. Look for the most Recent Study Available on each Subject you’re Analyzing.
• Sample Size; most Studies are performed with less than 100 People, meaning 1 Person’s Unique Variation can change the Results & Conclusion of the Study with several Percent. On a Study with 10-50 People, a 1 Person Deviation can change the Results with 2-10%. A Study with a Sample Size of 1,000 People or more, requires at least 10 People for a 1% Deviation, making the Results & Conclusion more Valid. FYI: 78,000,000 People are needed to express 1% of the Human Population on Earth!
• Sample Size Traits; you’ll need to compare this to your Current Situation and see if the Individuals in the Study were selected by Parameters which apply to you as well. Ask yourself if you would be able to Join & Contribute to the Study Sample Group?
• Subjects; was the Study performed on Specific Tissues In-Vitro, on Mice or Rats with Specific Gene-Mutations, on other Animals or on Humans, either Healthy or with Specific Illnesses or Medical Complications? These Variables are Particularly Important when it comes to Gene Transcription, which is Mediated by the Androgen Receptors. Results vary vastly between Species and Various Co-Factors need to be Considered.
• Applicant / Client; who was the Main Financier to support the Study? As the Supplement Industry grow and more Niche Products came to Market, specific Studies were performed to Validate Claims made as Unique Selling Points for each Product. The Results of these Studies were often Manipulated or Completely Fabricated in order to sell Products. Always make sure the Studies were performed without Financial Backing or Interest. Many Pharmaceutical Products that passed FDA Approval also had Financial Backing during the Research Process, prior to Approval. Please keep that in mind!
• References; these are often included to Validate Claims, give Credit or used as a Quotation of Results. If the Study only includes References that Support their Results & Conclusion and doesn’t include Studies with opposing Results for further Discussion, then the Study is Biased and often isn’t available to be Peer-Reviewed either. Articles are more likely to be Scientifically Valid if they are Peer-Reviewed & Approved before Publication, by Experts of the Field the Study was performed in.

Once you Analyze each Study Critically and learn how to Dissect the Results & Conclusion, in relation to your Current Situation, Knowledge & Experience in Body Building or Fitness, you’ll find that most Studies or Journals fall short and were either not performed in their Entirety or Analyzed Correctly.

It’s up to you, the Researcher, to find Studies which are comparable to the Subject you’re trying to find Valid Information for and “Cherry-Pick” which Information is relevant to your Situation, composing your own Aggregation and forming your own Conclusion, based on perhaps 2-10 Studies performed on the Subject. This requires a tremendous amount of Time and Fundamental Understanding of each Subject, prior to researching Studies & Journals so you can Analyze them Critically!


PUBMED – US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health

Website: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

PubMed is a Free Search Engine accessing Primarily the MEDLINE Database of References & Abstracts on Life Sciences & Bio-Medical Topics. The United States National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health maintains the Database as part of the Entrez-System of Information Retrieval.

Articles, Journals & Topics are published in their Entirety for Free or can be Purchased through another Website, some are Restricted to Medical Practitioners or Students and you’ll need to prove your Status in the Medical Field before you can access these Journals.

Published Abstracts usually contain the Objective, Method (of Analysis), Results & Conclusions of the Study. However, the Complete Study can sometimes be found at the bottom of the Abstract, either under their PMCID or DOI Links.

PubMed Research Example

While Researching the Health Impact of certain PEDs on the Brain, I came across several Studies, which all Documented a Specific Aspect of what I was looking for;

Can Serum Estrogen Levels within the Clinical Reference Range, Protect against Neuro-Toxicity, Neuronal Death / Decay & Brain Damage, when Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids (AAS) are used at Supra-Physiological Doses?

I found the Following 3 Studies which helped my form my Conclusion of this Hypothesis:


Neuro-Protective Effects of Estrogens & Androgens in CNS Inflammation & Neuro-Degeneration.

Authors: Spence RD, Voskuhl RR.
Publish Date: 24 December 2011
PubMed Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3616506/
This Study investigates the possibility of Neuro-Protective Effects of Estrogens & Androgens in relation to treatments for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) using Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE). This Study looks into Disease Protection Methods during EAE and clinical trials of MS.

Endogenous Estrogens & Androgens, treatments with Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs) were found to provide certain levels of disease protection in the EAE Models.
NOTE: Most of the Sub-Studies that are part of this Study Aggregation were performed on Mice or older Women (over 50 Years Old). Although Estrogen was shown to have Neuro-Protective Effects in Multiple Sclerosis (Testosterone was not found to be Protective), it’s unclear if Estrogen is Neuro-Protective against Supra-Physiological Doses of Testosterone or other AAS.


Toxic Impact of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids in Primary Rat Cortical Cell Cultures.

Authors: Zelleroth S, Nylander E, Nyberg F, Gronbladh A, Hallberg M.
Publish Date: 15 January 2019
PubMed Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30500611
This Study investigated the Neuro-Toxic Effects of Testosterone, Nandrolone, Stanozolol & Trenbolone on Embryonic Rats. They were treated with increasing Concentrations of AAS for 24 Hours (Single-Dose) or 3 Days (Repeated Exposure). Cortical Cells were then Co-Treated with the Androgen-Receptor (AR) Antagonist Flutamide, to determine whether the Potential Adverse Effects observed were Mediated by the AR.

Single-Dose Exposure with Testosterone, Nandrolone & Trenbolone increased Lactate De-Hydrogenase (LDH) Release, indicating Tissue Damage, while no effect was detected with Stanozolol. Repeated Exposure resulted in LDH Release and affected Mitochondrial Function.

Testosterone, Nandrolone & Trenbolone caused their Toxic Effects by induction of Apoptosis (programmed Cell Death), while Stanozolol seemed to induce Necrosis (reduced Blood Flow induced Cell Death). Flutamide almost completely prevented AAS-induced Toxicity by maintaining Mitochondrial Function, Cellular Integrity & Inhibition of Apoptosis.
NOTE: While this Study compared 4 Different Steroids to each other in order to assess their Neuro-Toxic Effects, Embryonic Rats aren’t really comparable to Fully Grown Athletic Human Adults. Embryonic Rats also don’t have the same Micro-Nutrient Intake as Human Athletes, which can contribute to Neuronal Health, Androgen Receptor Sensitivity, Density & Turn-Over and Knowledge to Maintain Serum Estrogens in the Reference Range in order to exert Neuro-Protection. Although Brain Cells might respond in a similar Fashion to certain AAS amongst all forms of Life, regardless of Level of Development & Intelligence. The fact that Testosterone converts to Estrogen, but the other Compounds do not convert to Estrogen, was not researched in this Study and not considered as a Variable in the Method of Analysis. Meaning we don’t know if the Lack of Estrogen, was exacerbating the Neuro-Toxicity or the AAS Studied. They only thing you can really conclude is that Flutamide might prevent Neuro-Toxic Effects of Testosterone, Nandrolone, Stanozolol & Trenbolone, but it might prevent Anabolism by blocking AR on Muscle Cells as well.


Cognitive Performance & Structural Brain Correlates in Long-Term Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Exposed and Non-Exposed Weightlifters.

Authors: Bjornebekk A, Westlye LT, Walhovd KB, Jorstad ML, Sundseth OO, Fjell AM.
Publish Date: May 2019
PubMed Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31033318
This Study compares 84 AAS Enhanced (current or previous) Weightlifters with 69 Drug-Free Weightlifters by Testing their Fine Motor Speed, Speed of Processing, Learning & Memory, Working Memory, Executive Functioning and Problem Solving. The AAS Groups was separated into Short-Term & Long-Term AAS Exposure.

AAS-Exposed Weightlifters performed significantly worse on several Cognitive Domains, independent of Age, Education, Verbal IQ, and Exposure to other Drugs. Longer duration of AAS-use was associated with Poorer Memory Function.
NOTE: While this Study is performed on a Large Group of People who are similar to Body Builders from an Athlete Perspective, where it falls short is including the Weightlifters Serum Estrogen Levels, Micro-Nutrient Sufficiency/Deficiency Levels, Cognitive Skills prior to taking AAS and most Importantly; which AAS were used in order to increase their Performance in Weightlifting.


Conclusion

Based on these 3 Studies and several other Studies & Journals I’ve Analyzed in my Research, I’ve come to the Conclusion that there’s currently no Scientific Proof that Serum Estrogen Levels within the Reference Range can Protect Against Neuron Death / Decay from Supra-Physiological Dosages of Testosterone or other Steroids AND I’ve come to the Conclusion that there’s no Scientific Proof that Supra-Physiological Dosages of Testosterone, or other Bio-Identical Hormones (DHT, DHEA, Pregnenolone), alongside Serum Estrogen Levels within the Clinical Reference Range, cause Neuro-Toxicity or Neuronal Death / Decay in Human Adults.

That being said, the Science is Extremely Limited as of 2020! The only useful Take-Away from Hours of Research and Analysis, is that Aromatase Inhibitors need to be used Sparingly AND Serum Estrogen Levels need to be Maintained within the Reference Range, as Low Levels of Estrogen certainly contribute to Neuronal Death / Decay, Bone-Demineralization, Loss of Empathy or Libido, Skin Dryness, etc. Regardless of the Amount of Bio-Identical Hormones (Testosterone, DHT, DHEA, Pregnenolone) or Synthetic AAS are Present in Serum.

Researching a Subject like Hyper-Trophy induced by Resistance Training or improving Protein Synthesis with the use of Meal Timing, BCAA, PEDs, Digestive Aids, etc. Will lead you down a Rabbit Hole of Mental Masturbation & Micro-Managed Brain Candy, which is often very Counter Productive to simply following the Basics; Heavy Lifting to Failure and Consuming 4-7 Meals per Day with Animal Protein Sources.


Resources for Research, Studies & Journals

Aggregation Websites that use Interpretations of Studies & Journals in order to provide unbiased Information about Supplements (and some PEDs) are usually a bit more Reliable for your Body Building Aspirations. You can use the Following Websites as a Credible Source for Information:
• WebMD (Free): https://www.webmd.com/
• Examine (Partial Membership Site): http://examine.com/
• Consumer Lab (Membership Site): https://www.consumerlab.com/

Besides Searching for Studies on PubMed, you can use the following Websites to access Specific Research, Studies or Journals on a wide variety of Subjects:
• Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/
• Science Direct: https://www.sciencedirect.com/
• Oxford Academic Journals:

https://academic.oup.com/journals/pages/medicine_and_health
• Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/
NOTE:
Some Studies might be only be available in Preview Form and the Full Study can be Purchased & Licensed when Applicable. If you copy the Title of the Study and search for it in Google Docs Scholar, you can often find the Full Study as an Water-Marked Imaged PDF, meaning you won’t be able to Search within to Document, but at least you’ll get Access to the Full Study.


Facts / Black & White Answers

Science will always stay open to Interpretation and the “Facts” are often not as Black & White as some Studies make them appear to be. With the vast differences in Genetic Make-Up of Humans, I doubt there will ever be a Black & White answer to most Questions we ask ourselves in regards to Health & Fitness. In the end, it’s how your Body Responds to a certain Adjustment, you can use Science as 1 Part of your Decision Making Process before applying certain Methods or making decisions regarding the use of Specific Foods, Training Protocols, Supplements, PEDs, etc.

After Working with 100s of Body Builders of the Years, I can tell you that NOBODY ended up doing the exact same thing as another Body Builder. There are always Minor Nuances that work for a certain Person and not for another. Use Scientific Studies in order to make an Informed Decision, but don’t get Married to the Results of the Study, they’ll probably become Obsolete or Out Of Date a few Years down the Road.

Considering how much the Human Body Changes from Teens to Twenties to Thirties to Forties, etc. You’ll be changing your Protocols based on Newly Discovered Science as you Age and you get more Experience with your own Body as well!

The more you Learn and the most you Apply what you’ve Learned over the Years, the more Knowledge you Acquire with your own Body. You’ll find that some of the Studies & Scientific “Facts” Applied to your Past or Current Situation and gave you Varied Results, some more then others. While other Studies Proved certain Methods, Supplements, PEDs, Nutritional Strategies worked for the People (or Animals) Examined in that Study, but it didn’t work for you, it might even send you in the Wrong Direction and you end up Regressing in relation to Muscularity or Body Fat Stores.

In the end, the Scientific Information you find Online, is only a Valid as the Results you got from them. If it didn’t work for you, there’s absolutely ZERO NEED for you to Continue with that Particular “Proven” Method, as you’ve Proved to yourself that it’s clearly not the case in your Circumstance. However, if you applied Methods that were Proven to Work with Scientific Evidence and it also gave you Results, then you should atleast Dive into the Subject more and see which other Studies Support the Claims. Because you can always Enrich yourself with Additional Information and Apply what you’ve Learned along the way, in order get Optimize certain Methods and make them Completely Individualized & 100% Effective for yourself.

These are the ONLY Facts or Black & White Answers that Matter! They come from Trial & Error and your Experience. Don’t let certain Studies hold back your Potential to make the best Progress you can make, they’re only 1 Piece of the Puzzle. You’ll never be able to Finish the Puzzle of Body Building in your Life Time, but you can Piece Together 80-90% and get a Pretty Decent Picture for yourself & others to Enjoy, Admire and/or Draw Inspiration from!

Individual Body Building Experience over Decades > Peer-Reviewed Studies


Managing Electrolytes for Optimal Bodily Functions

For the body to function at its utmost peak performance, ALL electrolytes need to be consumed in the correct ratio’s & amounts, consistently on a daily basis. You’re constantly losing electrolytes through sweat or in urine and need to replenish them to keep the body’s electrolyte content stable!

You can find the iHerb Links for Recommended Supplements at the bottom of each Section.
iHerb 5% Discount Code: DTV967
Affiliate Link: https://www.iherb.com/?rcode=DTV967


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Water & Hydration

First and foremost; it’s very important to understand that water plays a huge role in electrolyte management as it carries them alongside other nutrients through the body. There isn’t an easy formula to assess water intake; it can be anywhere between 300-1,000ml per 10kg of body weight, depending on how much the person sweats and the amount of activity they do daily. Coach Steve trains around 1,5 hours per day, 5 days per week, and performs daily 30min moderate-intensity fasted cardio sessions upon waking. Coach Steve also trains in a gym without air-conditioning, in a country that has 70-80% humidity and averages around 31 Celsius / 87 Fahrenheit. Needless to say; Coach Steve sweats buckets and loses a lot of electrolytes during his workouts!

Coach Steve drinks between 8-12 liters of water every day, depending on the body part trained and other activities during the day. Coach Steve’s weight fluctuates between 100kg at the end of a cutting phase or after fasting for a few days, to about 115-117kg at the peak of offseason.

An easy formula for bodybuilders, strength athletes or fitness enthusiasts that train and live under similar circumstances is 1 Liter water per 10kg or 22-25lbs of body weight!

Keep in mind that water intake varies highly from person to person. The main take-away of water intake is that it needs to be consistent throughout the day, so your kidneys can maintain a constant filtration rate. If you do not drink adequate amounts of water daily, the Pituitary Gland secretes Vasopressin, which causes the kidneys to conserve water and essentially stop the detoxification of the body!


Sodium (Natrium)

Contrary to popular belief, Sodium is required by the body in relatively large amounts. Most of the body’s Sodium is located in the blood and the fluid within and surrounding cells. Sodium regulates the fluids of the body and keeps them in homeostatic balance. It also plays a crucial role in healthy nerve and muscle function.

The body mostly obtains Sodium through food and loses it primarily in sweat and urine. However, it’s not easy to get adequate amounts of Sodium from your diet without the use of condiments, as unprocessed foods contain minimal amounts of Sodium. Unless you’re willing to compose your diet with a lot of pickles, eggs, shrimp & scallops, which will inadvertently increase dietary Cholesterol intake as well!

Healthy kidneys maintain a consistent sodium balance in the body by adjusting the amount that’s excreted in the urine as a response to the hormone Aldosterone. The body continually monitors blood volume and sodium concentration; consuming too little Sodium will signal the body to increase Aldosterone levels and prevent further Sodium loss. Elevated Aldosterone concentrations instruct the kidney to retain Sodium but continue to excrete Potassium to maintain blood volume.

When blood volume or Sodium concentration becomes too high, the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and adrenal glands inhibit further Aldosterone release, which allows the kidneys to increase Sodium excretion, thus returning blood volume to baseline. This is the main reason why patients admitted to the hospital are placed on a Saline drip to prevent Aldosterone levels from rising severely and cause edema around the heart & organs, which can complicate medical conditions further!

Bodybuilders, strength athletes, and fitness enthusiasts should down-regulate Aldosterone levels by consuming Sodium in a slight surplus compared to what’s actually required. This means you will never hold excess Sodium from a cheat meal, as your body is continuously flushing it out through urine. In many cases, Sodium intake on a cheat or refeed day is less compared to weekdays, where Sodium intake is carefully monitored. Resulting in low Aldosterone concentrations throughout the week, which prevents unnecessary Sodium retention after a refeed or cheat meal.

Higher blood volume from consistent Sodium intake also means optimized nutrient delivery, needed for recovery, anabolism, fat loss, hormone production, etc. Depending on which Performance Enhancing Drugs (PED)s used; Cialis, Telmisartan, Lisinopril, or Nebivolol help control the additional blood volume and manage blood pressure effectively. These medications lower blood pressure by relaxing the arteries & veins, allowing more blood volume for optimal nutrient delivery to tissues all over the body!

The easiest way to get enough Sodium in daily is by using salt, preferably; Himalaya Pink Salt mixed with Iodized Table Salt in a 1:1 Ratio. Himalaya Pink Salt contains very little Iodine; whatever amount it does contain is most likely oxidized by prolonged exposure to the air. Himalaya Pink Salt is mined in Pakistan, crushed, packaged, and shipped, without any addition of Iodine to support healthy thyroid function. If you’re not consuming kelp, seaweed, egg yolks, shrimp, dairy products, or cranberry (juice) on a daily basis, you’re probably not getting sufficient amounts of Iodine. Mix Himalaya Pink Salt with Iodized Table Salt to get adequate amounts of Iodine. Keep in mind that this mixture will also increase the Sodium content and reduce the other 88 trace minerals in the condiment. Below is a table of mineral-content, per serving of Himalaya Pink Salt mixed with Iodized Table Salt in a 1:1 Ratio:

  Sodium
(mg)
Potassium
(mg)
Magnesium
(mg)
Calcium
(mg)
Chloride
(mg)
Iodine
(mcg)
Himalaya Pink Salt (1g) 382.61 3.50 0.16 2.03 590.00  
Iodized Table Salt (1g) 393.37 0.01     606.60 45.00
HPS:ITS Mixed 1:1 (1g) 387.00 1.75 0.08 2.03 598.30 22.50
Quarter Teaspoon Mixed (1.5g) 582.00 2.64 0.12 3.04 897.45 33.75
Half Teaspoon Mixed (3g) 1,164.00 5.27 0.24 6.08 1,794.90 67.50
Full Teaspoon Mixed (6g) 2,328.00 10.54 0.48 12.15 3,589.80 135.00

Sunfood Fine Himalayan Crystal Salt: https://www.iherb.com/pr/Sunfood-Fine-Himalayan-Crystal-Salt-1-lb-454-g/50415


Potassium (Kalium)

Most of the body’s Potassium is located inside the cells. Potassium is necessary for the normal functioning of cells, nerves, and muscles. The body must maintain the Potassium level in blood within a narrow range. Hyperkalemia is diagnosed as serum Potassium concentrations that are too high, while hypokalemia sees concentrations that are too low. Both conditions can result in serious consequences; muscle cramps & spasms, abnormal heart rhythm, even cardiac arrest. The body can use a vast reservoir of Potassium stored within cells to maintain a constant level of Potassium in the bloodstream; most of this Potassium reservoir is bound to carbohydrates in the form of intramuscular glycogen stores. Needless to say; these stores deplete while following a Ketogenic or Carnivore diet, although the liver also stores Potassium with glycogen, which is often sufficient to maintain serum Potassium concentrations.

It’s relatively easy to get adequate amounts of Potassium from most protein, carbs & fat sources as they all contain Potassium to a certain extend. Fruits, potatoes, avocado, spinach, beans, and coconut water are all high in Potassium. In order to store carbohydrates as glycogen within muscle or liver cells, around 10mg Potassium is utilized per 1g carbohydrates. When aiming to hold the maximum amount of glycogen possible during a peaking protocol before a contest or photoshoot, Potassium is often consumed in a surplus to prevent leaching from other surrounding tissues. This helps to maintain the overall Potassium balance between skeletal muscle and other cells of the body.

Sweet potatoes already contain a surplus in Potassium at almost 20mg per 1g of carbohydrates. On the opposite side, white rice only contains 1mg Potassium per 1g of carbs. When white rice is the predominant carbohydrate source during the offseason, it’s advised to supplement additional Potassium for adequate carbohydrate metabolism and glycogen storage.

Additional Potassium could come from spinach, where 150g spinach would cover 100g white rice and make up for the difference. 150g spinach contains around 840mg Potassium, which is plenty to cover the 6g carbs from 150g spinach and 80g carbs from 100g rice, providing a total of 926mg Potassium, well over 10mg potassium per 1g carbs contained within that meal!

Those who want to make Potassium intake even easier, instead of Iodized Table Salt, consider mixing Iodized Low Sodium Salt with Himalaya Pink Salt. in a 1:1 Ratio. You can also mix Iodized Table Salt with Nu-Salt in a 3:1 Ratio, as Nu-Salt doesn’t contain any additional Iodine. You’ll have to ensure you acquire it with Iodized Table Salt; the Iodine within Himalaya Pink Salt is mostly oxidized and not bioavailable!

It’s not required to increase your Potassium intake with these salt formulations dramatically. Coach Steve prefers an Iodized, 60% Potassium Chloride & 40% Sodium Chloride salt formula, usually found in the Diabetes or diet section of most grocery stores. Below is a table of mineral-content, per serving of Himalaya Pink Salt mixed with Iodized Low Sodium Salt in a 1:1 Ratio:

  Sodium
(mg)
Potassium
(mg)
Magnesium
(mg)
Calcium
(mg)
Chloride
(mg)
Iodine
(mcg)
Himalaya Pink Salt (1g) 382.61 3.50 0.16 2.03 590.00  
Iodized Low Sodium Salt (1g) 157.35 314.67       45.00
HPS:ILSS Mixed 1:1 (1g) 269.98 159.09 0.08 2.03 558.99 22.50
Quarter Teaspoon Mixed (1.5g) 404.94 238.63 0.12 3.04 838.49 33.75
Half Teaspoon Mixed (3g) 809.94 477.26 0.24 6.08 1676.97 67.50
Full Teaspoon Mixed (6g) 1619.87 954.51 0.48 12.15 3353.94 135.00

Below is a table of mineral-content, per serving of Iodized Table Salt with Nu-Salt in a 3:1 Ratio:

  Sodium
(mg)
Potassium
(mg)
Magnesium
(mg)
Calcium
(mg)
Chloride
(mg)
Iodine
(mcg)
Iodized Table Salt (1g) 393.37 0.01     606.60 45.00
Nu-Salt (1g)   530.00     470.00  
ITS:NS Mixed 3:1 (1g) 295.03 132.51     572.45 33.75
Quarter Teaspoon Mixed (1.5g) 442.54 198.77     585.68 50.63
Half Teaspoon Mixed (3g) 885.08 397.53     1,717.35 101.25
Full Teaspoon Mixed (6g) 1,770.17 795.06     3,434.70 202.50

KAL Potassium Chloride: https://www.iherb.com/pr/KAL-Potassium-99-Chloride-99-mg-100-Tablets/23947
NuSalt: http://www.nusalt.com/


Magnesium

The majority of Magnesium in your body is bound to proteins or stored in the bones of your skeleton. About half of the body’s Magnesium is contained within bones or teeth; the other half is utilized in nerve and muscle function. Many enzymes in the body depend on Magnesium to function correctly, it also plays an essential role in the metabolism of Calcium and Potassium.

The amount of Magnesium your body absorbs highly depends on the amount it needs. Otherwise, Magnesium merely remains in the intestinal tract and acts as a mild laxative. An easy way to assess how much milligrams of Magnesium your body requires is by slowly increasing supplemental forms of Magnesium until you get loose stool or diarrhea. When that happens, you simply reduce the dose to the previous increment and continue on the optimal and absorbable amount of dietary & supplemental Magnesium you can have every day!

Magnesium is very beneficial for healthy blood pressure and intense hypertrophy training as it helps to relax the muscles after a hard contraction. Sufficient Magnesium intake helps lower the weight under tension, which is a large part of the hypertrophy signal for muscle growth! Bodybuilders, strength athletes, and fitness enthusiasts utilize a lot of Magnesium this way as the negative portion of the repetition should always be performed slower for additional Time Under Tension (TUT), compared to the explosive positive portion, where Calcium is used!

It’s relatively easy to get adequate amounts of Magnesium from your diet as contained within most popular food sources, including; fruits, vegetables, nuts, quinoa, oatmeal, and fish. These foods are commonly consumed by individuals who eat for performance. In order to supply more Magnesium for a better controlled eccentric contraction, consider adding Magnesium supplements. Magnesium Citrate, Glycinate, Bisglycinate are the most bioavailable forms. Coach Steve takes 200mg Magnesium Glycinate of Bisglycinate with each meal, up to 1,200mg supplemental Magnesium per day on top of 1,000mg dietary Magnesium.

KAL Magnesium Glycinate: https://www.iherb.com/pr/KAL-Magnesium-Glycinate-400-400-mg-180-Tablets/18943
Lake Avenue Magnesium BisGlycinate: https://www.iherb.com/pr/Lake-Avenue-Nutrition-Magnesium-Bisglycinate-200-mg-Per-Serving-240-Tablets/96279
Now Foods Magnesium Citrate: https://www.iherb.com/pr/Now-Foods-Magnesium-Citrate-240-Veg-Capsules/78201


Calcium

About 99% of the body’s Calcium is stored within the skeleton. Skeletal muscle cells in particular also contain Calcium, where it is used during muscular contractions. Blood also has trace amounts of Calcium, where it contributes to vasodilation or vasoconstriction in conjunction with Magnesium. Calcium also regulates the blood’s acidity; high protein diets make the blood slightly acidic, which increases Calcium concentrations as a compensatory mechanism. Similar to Magnesium, Calcium is essential for the formation of bone and teeth, proper muscle contraction, and normal functioning of the heart.

The body precisely controls the amount of Calcium within bones, cells, and the bloodstream; it moves Calcium from bones into the blood as needed to regulate its pH balance. Athletes who don’t consume enough Calcium mobilize it from bones, which might lead to osteoporosis.

Parathyroid hormone secretes in response to serum Calcium concentrations; as Calcium levels in the bloodstream decrease, this parathyroid hormone stimulates bones to release Calcium and instructs the kidneys to excrete less Calcium in the urine. At the same time, parathyroid hormone also stimulates the digestive tract to absorb more Calcium.

Calcium is used in the concentric portion of muscular contraction by binding to the Troponin-C and Myosin proteins. This process changes the shape of these proteins, which generates a contraction. Magnesium competes with Calcium for these same binding locations and restores the shape of these proteins to relax the muscle!

Since the body carefully regulates serum Calcium concentrations by storing it in bones or allowing it to pass through skeletal muscle tissue freely, it’s advised not to consume too much dietary Calcium in a single sitting. If you require supplemental Calcium, consider using timed-release formulations coming from Coral or Shell Fish sources.

NOW Foods Coral Calcium: https://www.iherb.com/pr/Now-Foods-Coral-Calcium-Plus-250-Veg-Capsules/4257


Electrolyte Ratios

Before we discuss the ideal electrolyte ratio’s, let’s first look at the established Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI’S) and Upper Limits (ULs) to get an idea of what’s generally accepted as healthy electrolyte intake. In this article, we’ll use the DRI’s & ULs for men between 19 to 50 years of age:
• Water: DRI; 3,700ml per day & UL: not established.
• Sodium (Natrium): DRI; 1,500mg per day & UL; 2,300mg per day.
• Potassium (Kalium): DRI; 4,700mg per day & UL; not established.
• Magnesium: DRI; 420mg per day & UL; 350mg per day, which is lower than the DRI per day…
• Calcium: DRI; 1,000mg per day & UL: 2,500mg per day.

SOURCE: https://ods.od.nih.gov/health_information/dietary_reference_intakes.aspx
PS: THANK YOU! Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine for the Magnesium confusion…

Below are the electrolyte ratios, which Coach Steve has used successfully on himself and many of his clients. Please keep in mind that these ratios are merely an indication of productive electrolyte intake. You’ll have to make some adjustments based on your own needs, dietary intake, daily activity levels, and level of development:
• Water: 500-1,000ml per 10kg or 22-25lbs of body weight.
• Sodium (Natrium): 500mg per 1 liter water consumed per day.
• Potassium (Kalium): 500mg per 10kg or 22-25lbs of body weight + 10mg per 1g carbohydrates consumed per day.
• Magnesium: 100mg per 10kg or 22-25lbs of body weight + 10-15mg per minute spend training (on average).
• Calcium: 100mg per 10kg or 22-25lbs of body weight + 5mg per minute spend training (on average).

Following these generally recommended guidelines for electrolyte intake, we can determine the ideal electrolyte ratios for carbohydrate diets or ketogenic diets in the breakdown below:
• Carbohydrates: 2-2.5 Sodium : 5-5.5 Potassium : 1.5 Magnesium : 1 Calcium
• Ketogenic: 2.5-3 Sodium : 4-4.5 Potassium : 2 Magnesium : 1-1.5 Calcium

Based on these generally recommended guidelines and ratios, a 100kg bodybuilder spending 90-100 minutes in the gym on average per session, 5x per week, and performs 30min cardio daily, which is about 101 minutes average gym-time per day. Eats a ketogenic diet with around 50g carbs, 150g fat, and 350g protein per day, needs the following electrolytes on a daily basis:
• Water: around 10 liters
• Sodium (Natrium): 5,000mg
• Potassium (Kalium): 4,500-8,000mg
• Magnesium: 2,015-2,522mg
• Calcium: 1,505mg
• Ratio: 2.9 Sodium : 4.7 Potassium : 1.5 Magnesium : 0.9 Calcium

Let’s say you’re a moderately active fitness enthusiast of 80kg that also spends 90 minutes in the gym on average per session, 5x per week, and eats around 250g carbs, 80g fats, and 250g protein per day, then consider the following electrolyte amounts and ratio:
• Water: 5 liters
• Sodium (Natrium): 2,500mg
• Potassium (Kalium): 6,500mg
• Magnesium: 1,443-1,764mg
• Calcium: 1,121mg
• Ratio: 2.1 Sodium : 5.5 Potassium : 1.5 Magnesium : 1 Calcium

Remember that these generally recommended electrolyte intakes and ratios still need careful adjustments to make it personalized and work for your unique situation!