M.E SUPPLEMENTS
By Jack Lotter
Understanding ingredients:
Agmatine
Sulphate
E
VER AND EVER WILL
THE BODYBUILDER
SEARCH FOR AN
INCREASED EDGE,
PERFORMANCE OPTIMISER
OR COMPOUND TO LEAP-
FROG THEIR GOALS AND
PERPETUATE PROGRESS.
Names such as creatine, leucine,
arginine, glutamine and BCAAs
are commonplace in even the
most unpresuming of trainees.
What else is there that we can
incorporate into our supplement
arsenal to best arm ourselves over
and above the standard “bread
and butter” and “tried and tested”
supplement stacks out there?
Enter Agmatine Sulphate. This is no
“new” ingredient and was actually
discovered in 1910, however its
potential uses for athletic performance
based on preliminary studies is placing
it under the spotlight in a big way.
Without boring you half to death,
I will break down what Agmatine
Sulphate is, why you should immediatly
incorporate it into your supplement
stacks, and how to use it.
“Agmatine,
being a metabolite
of Arginine, is
Fantastic when
we are looking
for a product
to perpetuate a
pump.”
42
Muscle Evolution
What is it, and what does it do?
• Agmatine, basically put, is to Arginine
what HMB is to Luecine. Simplified,
Agmatine is what is created when the
body metabolises Arginine.
• Agmatine is both a neurotransmitter
and a neuromodulator. This means it
can assist with cognitive function and
potentially assist the athlete achieve that
“mind-muscle” connection.
• Agmatine has demonstrated an enhanced
effect on the glomerular filtration rate in the
kidneys, meaning it can assist in protecting
them from toxins and waste products.
• Most importantly, Agmatine, being
a metabolite of Arginine, has been
demonstrated to enhance nitric oxide
levels, and keep them elevated and
regulated, by blocking nitric oxide
synthase enzymes. This is fantastic when
we are looking for a product to
perpetuate a pump. I've noticed more
and more preworkout products on the
shelves incorporating this
ingredient to their profiles.
• Agmatine has demonstrated antioxidant
benefits.
• Agmatine can affect the release of GH
and LH levels in the body, all of which
have powerful growth potential and
performance-inducing factors, as well as
assisting in fat metabolism.
• Agmatine can increase insulin sensitivity.
This is beneficial for those looking to
alter and benefit body composition as a
whole. Utilising this ingredient pre and
post workout can also slingshot the insulin
spike many products try to induce around
workout times to help shuttle many other
anabolic nutrients and primers into the
muscle cells like simple carbs, proteins,
amino acids and plasma expanders etc.
• Agmatine can also enhance the effects of
analgesics, which many athletes use to
recover from injury, and is also a great anti-
anxiety and mood enhancer, which works
conductively to combat side effects lots of
preworkouts, stimulant-based products
and fat burners containing caffeine.
• Agmatine can also have an effect in
lowering blood pressure.
Enough
of a reason?
Thought so.
How do I take
it and when?
Given its potential GH
enhancing and calming
effects, one could use
Agmatine before bed. Due
to its nitric oxide, analgesic
potentiating, insulin
sensitivity inducing and GH
releasing effects you could
also take this product in the
morning and pre and post
workout. Standard dosing
protocols seem to be from
500mg-1000mg. M.E