-Many technological breakthroughs have changed the sport supplement world forever.  These breakthroughs have allowed athletes to do things never possible before.  I guess in some ways it has improved the human condition for sports athletes.  These sports supplements have created new breeds of athletes that are faster, stronger, and leaner then ever before.  These breakthroughs have come on the heels of a sharing of knowledge and innovation in the biotechnological community.  The advancement of these compounds has been extensive over the past couple of decades.  The main uses and types of sports supplements can be broken up into four main categories.

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1) Weight Loss Products: 

Weight loss products are mainly made up of thermogenics and some "Carb-blockers". 
        -Thermogenics include thermogenesis which is the production of heat.  This heat production speeds up the bodies metabolism thereby burning more calories even in a state of rest.  This increase in the bodies core temperature has a secondary effect of being an appetite suppressant which allows the person to resist foods helping the weigh loss process.
        -The second type of fat burner is the "carb-blockers".  These pills block the digestion of certain carbohydrates so the body will not absorb them and in turn cannot store them as fat.

2) Mass Builders:

   The sole purpose of mass builders is to is to allow the muscles in the body to strengthen therefore allowing them to lift more weight so they  can grow bigger.
    -The first and most widely used sports supplement today is creatine.  Creatine is a compound found in the body and most of the meats we eat fish, beef, etc...  It has shown to bulk up lean muscle mass and boost endurance for high-intensity short duration exercises.  Approximately 75% of all professional athletes use creatine today.
     -Another type of biotechnological breakthrough is the finding of myostatin preventers.  Myostatin is a protein in the body which prevents muscle growth through protein synthesis.  So what myostatin does is it allows the body to absorb all the proteins and amino acids it needs for muscle growth.
                          -The last type of mass builder I would like to discuss are anabolic compouds.  Anabolic is the phase of metabolism in which simple substances synthesize into the complex materials of living tissue.  So these supplements allow the body to speed up certain muscle building processes, these processes include:

3) Protein:

     Sufficient amounts of protein is one of the most important ingredients to build muscle and increase strength.  With the new breakthroughs in biotechnology proteins have become much more efficient and absorbable by the body.
    -The most popular form of protein is Whey protein because it has the highest concentration of BCAA's which are Branch Chain Amino Acids.  These are bioactive proteins that can be easily absorbed by the muscles allowing growth and strength increases.
    -Probably the most significant breakthrough in proteins is the discovery of Methoxyisoflavines and Isopropoxyisoflavins.  These two compounds can cause dramatic increases in protein synthesis and nitrogen retention which cause muscle growth.  They allow the body to breakdown and absorb proteins much easier and more efficiently.

4) Energy Boosters:

    Energy boosters are mostly high sugar based substances and some thermogenic products.
    -The most common type of energy boosters are types that have high sugar levels which give the body instant fuel.  These sugars are simple sugars which a high glycemic index which means the body can absorb them quickly which gives the athlete instant energy.
    -The most significant breakthrough in energy boosters over the last few years is a product called NO2.  This revolutionary product allows the muscles in the body to remain dilated after a work-out.  During strenuous exercise the muscles fill with blood and oxygen giving the athlete a "pump" this is basically when the muscle feel fuller and enlarged due to the rush of blood into them.  NO2 allows this pump to remain and last for extremely long periods of time for what athletes now call the "perpetual pump".

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