Protect muscle gain and increase endurance with OKG

Sports performance enhancement is riddled with controversy but with safe and effective food supplements like Ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate (OKG) your time in the gym need not be one uphill struggle. OKG has been shown to be an anabolic food increasing energy, endurance and muscle mass whilst decreasing muscle breakdown, adipose tissue, and fatigue and recovery time. It is also proving to be of efficacy in combating brain fog and fatigue associated with ammonia toxicity and conditions where muscle wasting or malnutrition is a factor like gastroenteritis and old age .1

Hold on to your brawn

OKG is a combination of the amino acid ornithine (used by athletes to improve performance) and alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) which is a precursor of the amino acid Glutamine and also a contributor to the Krebs cycle responsible for breaking down carbohydrates into energy in the body. L-Ornithine and AKG work synergistically in OKG to induce several favourable changes for any exercise or training regimen.4

Firstly it regulates L-Glutamine levels which is an essential source of cellular fuel to drive metabolic processes and for which the body is ordinarily forced to break down muscle. But the AKG component of OKG curbs this "auto-cannibalism" by combining with the toxic by-product ammonia produced during intense workouts to restore glutamine and hence energy levels back to normal, preventing the attack on lean muscle mass and the accumulation of ammonia. Such ammonia scavenging improves detoxification which ordinarily is highly toxic to the brain causing brain fog and impaired cognition as seen in high protein diets. Refreshed glutamine stores then protect newly formed muscle from unchecked breakdown to meet energy demands between workouts.2 The less protein that is lost from muscles after high intensity exercise the quicker is recovery and the greater is endurance and of course all this allows the individual to keep what he has worked for.

Secondly this anti-catabolic effect is reinforced because OKG stimulates the anabolic or growth promoting action of insulin encouraging muscle growth and increasing strength. Moreover it supplies the amino acid arginine that stimulates the pituitary gland to release Growth Hormone (GH) and this in turn chops away at body fat and spares muscle tissue from being broken down for energy resulting in a leaner appearance.

Thirdly. by encouraging the excretion of ammonia (released during exercise) in the form of urea, OKG prevents the build up of lactic acid known to accumulate with ammonia and which causes muscle fatigue, soreness and poor stamina. For this reason OKG has been found to improve attitude towards exercise which is vital for those of us that find physical fitness too much like hard work

Finally unlike lesser GH-releasing nutrients like the amino acids arginine and glutamine, OKG has a much stronger dedicated effect that is greater than taking either of these nutrients together making it the nutriceutical of choice for those wanting to lose cellulite and gain definition.

Stay focussed during workouts

OKG has advantages over ordinary glutamine supplementation in those treating alcoholism, leaky gut syndrome, heavy metal toxicity and allergic states where ammonia accumulation and brain fog is a factor.1 Glutamine taken alone can promote restlessness and agitation over time rather like a caffeine buzz. But more seriously under certain conditions the intestines can boil up Glutamine into glutamate and during this breakdown toxic ammonia can be released into the bloodstream. OKG with its alpha keto-glutarate portion is a safer option because the level of glutamine it is made into is limited by the amount of excess ammonia being dumped by the body. Any unwanted ammonia is promptly escorted out of the body in the form of urea that can be excreted by the kidneys. In this way brain fog-inducing ammonia can be cleared as you train improving mental alacrity and promoting a positive mental attitude to fitness.

A Muscle tonic for listlessness

OKG may also provide significant relief during periods of illness by protecting stores of muscle protein and the energy fuel glutamine which prevents the body burning up valuable lean body mass for energy during trauma and stress. Under these conditions a heavy drain is put on glutamine stores to support the metabolism of tissues like the gastrointestinal tract and immune system. The immune system especially will benefit from OKG because its response and recovery time is dependent on adequate serum levels of glutamine. Its no surprise then that taking gram amounts of OKG during illness limits muscle wasting and also walks your immune system through the worst of it. In France OKG has even been used to rebuild tissues after surgery to accelerate wound healing which has lead to it being dubbed the "French tickler" by bodybuilders and athletes. Certainly OKG is helpful in cases of "over training" which often occurs after months of relentless workouts and goes some way to limiting the incidence of injuries from over-exertion.

The evidence

Placebo controlled double blind studies conducted at the School of Medicine West Virginia University in the USA have shown that over six weeks intensive training in age-matched weight-trained men subjects given OKG possessed significantly greater bench press strength and biceps circumference. Similarly post-training insulin levels were greater in the OKG supplemented experimental group and insulin is well known to have muscle growth and weight gain inducing properties. Moreover increases in growth hormone release were observed up to 90 minutes after supplement ingestion as compared with baseline which confirms OKG as a natural anabolic or growth promoting agent.3 Anecdotal reports from some individuals supplementing with OKG also indicate increased appetite and better disposition to train. Other researchers have found that OKG assists lipolysis which is the breakdown of fats while maintaining lean muscle - an effect referred to as "cutting up" among athletes and highly sought after for maximum definition

Indirect support for these findings comes from several studies which have shown that hospitalized patients recovering from bowel disease surgery administered OKG have a slower rate of protein turnover or breakdown and muscle wasting. Even the chronically malnourished can benefit from OKG supplementation as it is reported to restore proper body weight. Indeed in animal models rats fed OKG showed a 16 percent increase in food intake and a 15 percent increase in body weight over just a week compared with control groups. This effect has now been confirmed in children who had been suffering from growth retardation but who after OKG supplementation in their drip feeds increased in height and even continued to grow after the study was terminated.4 Furthermore in a large, placebo-controlled trial, non-hospitalized elderly people showed improved appetite, weight gain, muscle growth, reduced need for medical care, and improved quality of life whilst taking 10 grams per day of OKG in the recovery phase.5 Animal studies are even showing that OKG supplementation may have a role in cancer patients given its inhibition of tissue protein breakdown in advanced stages of the disease.

If you want to keep your hard earned definition, or just stay on top of a modern fitness regime and remain focussed to go that extra mile at work OKG has been found to help. But with its role in growth and recovery from the infirmity of tissue trauma, malnutrition and even cancer OKG may yet prove to be a valuable addition to standard hospital feeds for patients who are bed bound or chronically ill. So whether its bodybuilding, cosmetic enhancement or recovery from chronic infirmity and immobility OKG's muscle sparing, fat-burning and head-clearing action may be just the tonic you need.

Suggested use

The recommended dosage is between 3-10 grams per day depending on intensity of exercise or degree of infirmity and immobility. Some fitness enthusiasts like to rotate OKG which means taking it in cycles to reduce possible desentization and tolerance over time. To date the only side effect reported is diarrhoea at doses above 15g per day.

References
1. Wills S Langford Managing Autism
2. Kelly G.S. ND Sports Nutrition: A Review of selected Nutritional supplements for body builders and strength athlete's http://www. thorne.com/altmedrev/fulltext/sports.html
3. Cheltin, Robert D et al "The effect of Ornithine Alpha-ketoglutarate on healthy weight trained men. Journal of Exercise Physiology. 3 (4): 37-47, 2000
4. Rapport L et al "Ornithine Ketoglutarate".Nutriceuticals Articles http://www.pharmj.com/pdf/articles/pj_20010519_ornithine.pdf
5. Brocker P, Vellas B, Albarede J, et al. A two-centre, randomized, double-blind trial of ornithine oxoglutarate in 194 elderly, ambulatory, convalescent subjects. Age Aging 1994;23:303-6.