Obviously there are few individuals on this planet that would say no to the opportunity to exchange fat for muscle. Enhancing the body's ability to utilize fat stores as a source of calories usually means a decreased diet that reduces calorie intake to a point where less calories are ingested than the body burns daily. Unfortunately, with this low calorie environment comes a "catabolic environment" in which needed daily calories also come from the breaking down of lean tissue (like muscle and connective tissue). What if it was possible to use fat stores as a source of calories without losing lean tissue during low calorie dieting? Now, imagine a magic pill that allowed you to use fat calories to build and repair lean tissue without a reduced caloric intake?
It's Been Done Already?
In an interesting study performed at The University of Iowa on mice (1), researchers found that a natural compound found in the waxy coating of apple peels had beneficial effects upon body composition. According to Dr. Christopher Adams and colleagues, the benefits appear to be due to the administration of the apple peel compound known as ursolic acid. The project started when Adams and colleagues researched and identified 63 genes that change in response to fasting. These genes are the same in both people and mice. Then the team quantified an additional 29 genes that change their expression in muscles tissue of people who are fasting and those with spinal cord injuries. Next step is obvious, the team of researchers evaluated over 1,300 small molecules eventually zeroing in on ursolic acid as a compound that might counteract muscle atrophy (muscle wasting).
Dr. Adam's and colleague's research findings showed: The study showed that effects of ursolic acid on muscle in normal mice were accompanied by reductions in their body fat, fasting blood glucose, cholesterol and fats called triglycerides.
Ursolic acid inhibited muscle atrophy in fasting mice. However, without ursolic acid, fasting in mice reduced muscle weight by 9%. Providing fasting mice with dietary ursolic acid increased their muscle weight by 7%. Metformin had no effect on muscle atrophy in fasting mice.
Ursolic acid also induced muscle growth (hypertrophy) in normal mice. Mice on a diet containing ursolic acid had larger skeletal muscles and skeletal muscle fibers and increased grip strength compared to those on a normal diet.
The problem with Ursolic acid is that it is LESS than 1% bio-available! ALRI fixed that!
Look for more new products coming soon from ALR Industries...
Here's to a new you!
Matthew Eubanks
