Welcome to the VPX Sports Supplement Blog

Some of you may have been a little confused when you read that insulin was so important for muscle repair in the last article. Most people think of diabetes when they hear the term “insulin,” so it wouldn’t be surprising if some of you left the article with a confused look on your face. Let’s take a minute to help you to understand it a little better. First off, insulin is a hormone secreted by special cells in the pancreas in response to (among other things) increased blood glucose concentration. The primary role of insulin is to control the transport of glucose from the bloodstream into the muscle and fat cells [1]. Controlling blood/glucose levels is important in weight management, if you have uncontrolled glucose, you are likely to hold more fat, and have a better chance of getting diabetes (a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism resulting from inadequate or ineffective insulin).

So now you have the basics down and have hopefully tried some of the cocktail recipes in Phase I of this Recovery series. You are starting to reap the benefits of your post-workout meal, but yet you are still thinking to yourself, "I just busted my butt on the treadmill 10 minutes longer than usual just to burn an extra 30 calories, eating sugar seems like the last thing I should do right now!" It sounds counter-productive doesn't it? But as explained previously, when used correctly, sugar (in the form of carbohydrates) is the best thing for your body right after you exercise. I know you have been mixing your shakes with juice post-workout so I am sure you know we aren't talking about candy or cake when I use the word 'sugar'…right? Good, you are learning!

Summer is upon us! It’s bathing suit season and time to hit the beach to show off those chiseled abs and massive biceps. You have started your new workout regimen that you vowed to begin at the first of the year, but you haven't seen the results that those gym salespeople promised. "Just $19 a month to a brand new you", and "start now for the body you have always wanted." Any of these ring a bell? What those salespeople didn't tell you is that all the blood, sweat, and tears that you put in pushing their dirty weights would do nothing for you without proper nutrition. 75% of your physique is a result of what you eat. Ever heard the saying "You are what you eat"? It's true, if you eat an abundance of fatty, calorie dense foods, you will be a fat, calorie dense person. Not only will you be overweight and gooey, but you will likely have all of the health risks associated with it such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, high blood pressure, an increased risk for cancer, high cholesterol, the list goes on and on. Why would you waste all that time and money spent in the gym to totally erase any positive effects that exercise has on your body? Everyone knows that exercise will decrease your risk for all the above stated health concerns as well as just simply make you look better.