Category Archives: News & Information

Team VP Athlete Clayton Johnson in July Issue of FLEX Magazine

Posted by on July 19, 2012 No comments

Clayton Johnson earned a spot in this July 2012 issue of FLEX Magazine in Tony Monchinski’s “the Hardcore East” section. Clay is roughly 8 days away now from competing in the NPC USA National Bodybuilding Competition in Las Vegas, NV. The USA’s is the most prestigious IFBB qualifier in the country and is held once per year, promoted by John Lindsay. Competitors must have a top placing or overall win to qualify to compete at this level. The first place finisher of his/her weight class earns their “Pro Card”, which means they now have attained professional status and eligibility to compete in IFBB events. We wish Clay the best of luck and hope he reaches his goal of becoming an IFBB Pro!

Follow his progress by tuning in to our news feed, following on twitter @clayrjohnson, or his youtube channel, ClaytonJohnsonTV and/or by clicking the link above and “LIKING” his Facebook athlete page.

Team VP Athlete Wins XFE Featherweight Title!!

Posted by on June 7, 2012 No comments

Sponsored athlete Dan \’K-9\’ Cion drove up to Harrah’s Casino in Chester, PA over the weekend to battle Casey Milliken for the XFE Featherweight Title.

After being on his back fending off multiple submission attempts for most of the first round, Cion came out like a lion in the second. As soon as the bell rang starting the second, Dan immediately struck Milliken with a left hook then followed with a right hand that forced Casey to hit the mat. Cion finished Milliken with multiple punches until the ref called a stoppage. Cion won by KO bringing his professional MMA record to 4-1.

We at VitaminsandProtein.com are immensely proud of Danny and his recent accomplishment. We hope to see him emerge as a superstar in the sport during the upcoming years.

 

 

 

Joint Pain? Try Glucosamine and Chondroitin because…

Posted by on April 4, 2012 No comments

We all experience joint pain from time to time. Sometimes it may be the way we slept, the career path we have or pain from a twist or injury. This can be very frustrating and restrict your day to day tasks. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease which is the loss of cartilage and inflammation of synovial membrane. 

The common treatment is with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), while another route is the treatment with a joint support like glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate and Omega-3 fatty acids which is a very promising approach. Some formula’s may work faster than others based upon dosage and quality, I find Species’ Nutrition’s product arthrolyze the fastest acting with best results. Some clinical studies have shown this treatment to be more effective at reducing the OA symptoms. This is made possible by 2 means: 1) As components of synovial fluid and cartilage, this stimulates the anabolic process of the cartilage metabolism. 2) the anti-inflammatory effect of this treatment can delay the catabolic process or breakdown in the cartilage. This means a delay in the destruction of the connective tissue and this may help regenerate the joint’s structure.This treatment will also trigger an anti-inflammatory response due to the MSM and Boron ingredients.

So take care of your joints, be careful and if they start to ache…try some high doses of joint support with all the above mentioned ingredients on the label and you will be back soon!

 

 

Why Are Amino Acids and Protein Important?

Posted by on March 15, 2012 No comments

 

If you are a Dr. Oz fan you probably already know he recommends protein with each meal. This is for a variety of reasons/benefits. Protein plays a large role in your diet and metabolism to help you reach your fitness goals, here’s how…

Proteins are an essential part of every organism and are involved in every process with your body’s cells. Most organisms and plants can synthesize all 20 amino’s. Every animal (including us as humans) must obtain some of these proteins (as amino acids) through your diet. This is because we cannot synthesize every amino acid needed so certain ones we call your essential amino acids must come from food. Once eaten these amino acids through digestion can now be broken down to be utilized by your metabolism.

Some of these Amino Acids ingested are used towards protein biosynthesis and others are changed over to glucose for energy. On a low-carb diet this is where more of your protein will be used and eventually to support life, especially the amino acids found in muscle tissue. Amino’s are also a strong source of nitrogen.

This means that when your glycogen stores (carbohydrates stored for energy) are used up your body will start to use amino acids. When the protein (which breaks down into amino acids in your blood stream) is no longer available from your last meal your body will start to digest it’s own muscle (made of proteins/amino acids). This is known as becoming catabolic which is the breaking down of muscle. Here is why bodybuilders consume protein meals every 2-3 hours to keep a positive nitrogen balance and a steady flow of amino acids to supply your muscles. This is called staying anabolic, a state of growth and repair. Keeping this balance allows preservation of muscle and a promotion of fat-loss. The frequent digestion is burning calories keeping your metabolism ramped up! Meals containing protein with carbohydrates will also lower the glycemic index of these carbohydrates. These proteins in a meal act as a natural appetite suppressant too.

After reading this do you need to change your protein intake to reach your fitness goal?

 

BPI’s NEW BLOX

Posted by on March 1, 2012 No comments

BPI has been known for some great products such as their pre-workout 1MR, A-50, A-HD and Solid. Now they have formulated a new type of amino powder named, BLOX. BLOX is the first (SAA) silk amino acid building blocks. Since this is a new type of protein, I am sure you’re curious.

Silk Amino Acids (SAA’s) is a new Amino Acids complex that was recently discovered by the BPI team. Blox contains over 18 different amino acids. This is not the innovative part, There are 5 of the 18 that when taken in a certain sequence and ratio make a big difference. And when these 5 are in a perfect sequence and ratio,”it’s like turning on stadium lights in total darkness!!”

It’s this ratio that creates an optimal anabolic environment. SAA’s cause more muscle, more stamina and more testosterone claims BPI.

Fruit PunchServing Size 5 grams (1 scoop)Servings Per Container 30 Amount Per Serving% Daily ValueMagnesium (as Magnesium-I-threonate)16 mg4%SAAs SEQUENCED PROTEINS™
(alanine, glycine, serine, valine, threonine)3,960 mg**** Daily value not established  Other Ingredients: Citric Acid, Silica, Taurine, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Sucralose, Acesulfame-K & FD&C Red No. 40.

 

 

Behind the Scenes with Tommy ‘The Razor’ Rainone

Posted by on February 21, 2012 No comments

 

Tommy \’The Razor\’ Rainone Training

XTEND/Intra-Workout Catalyst- by Scivation

Posted by on February 15, 2012 No comments

The NEW Xtend shows how far supplements have come over the last 10 years. From a day where the taste of most powders was far from enjoyed to today where delicious flavors are numerous.

Xtend is the most advanced carbohydrate and sugar free powder on the market claims Scivation. Xtend was formulated to help you with the most intense workouts, promote protein synthesis and help with recovery all while you workout. Xtend was proven effective in two university studies.

Xtend was recently updated to dramatically improve solubility and taste. Xtend has: 7,000mg of BCAA’s in a reserch proven ratio, 3,500mg of Leucine, 2,500mg of Glutamine,1,000mg of Citrulline malate, 1171mg of Electrolytes, 640mcg of Vitamin B6 and zero carbs and sugar. Now available in 6 delicious fruit flavors.

 

 

V&P TV 2nd Commercial Ft. Clayton Johnson

Posted by on January 24, 2012 No comments

VP TV

Muscletech’s NEW AlphaTest

Posted by on January 3, 2012 2 comments

Muscletech's NEW Alphatest

Muscletech has just launched it’s new Testosterone booster, AlphaTest. This is their new testosterone stimulant designed to increase production. This formula contains multiple ingredients shown to help increase testosterone production, enhance performance and maintain peak testosterone to cortisol levels.

Alphatest is made to be very anabolic through the ingredient Boron at 5mg which has been clinically proven to increase free testosterone levels after only 7 days. A patented combo then added containing saw palmetto and 800mg of mytosterone to increase testosterone to near maximum physiological levels in just 14 days.

Alphatest is also designed to be anti-catabolic and strength enhancing while being the first product with an effective dose combination of Rhodiola crenulata and Ginkgo biloba shown to maintain peak testosterone to cortisol ratio post training (389mg combination).

Alphatest is the only super-concentrated testosterone booster containing 4 clinically proven ingredients contained. Muscletech always bases their product effectiveness based upon clinically proven results with humans rather than less dependable testing on animals as some other companies may. Alphatest also lists the ingredients and amounts rather than hiding in a proprietary blend format as some other companies may.

What is a Pre-Workout Drink?

Posted by on December 28, 2011 1 comment

The supplement market is filled with energy and pre-workout drinks. Some drinks provide nothing but energy, while others have nutrients designed to enhance endurance, strength and the pump achieved during a workout. The best ones provide both. Some come pre-bottled (RTD’s; Ready-To-Drinks), others come in a powder you mix in a shaker cup with H20 or a bottle of water.

It is probably best to avoid the energy ONLY drinks because they provide little support for the muscles and can often lead to upset stomach and other issues during intense training. Their diuretic (water-loss) effect can also cause dehydration. These drinks may give a decent rush of energy right away but usually result in a major crash when the effect wears off.


Most of the pre workout drinks today fall under the N.O. (nitric oxide) category. These supplements provide the energy needed to get through a workout and provide the nutrients needed to boost overall performance and enhance the pump during and after the workout.

Most of the pre-workout drinks contain the following:

Creatine (water weight/endurance)

Caffeine (CNS stimulator/strength)

Beta-Alanine (vaso-dilator), which is means blood vessel/vein expansion-the pump you get

D-Aspartic Acid (DAA) which is a mild testosterone booster.

Pre-workout drinks CAN be taken by women. Although, if you are a woman trying lose weight or keep your current weight, avoid pre-workouts with Creatine and D-Aspartic Acid in them. There are a few products out there without these ingredients such as: White Flood, Gakic, N.O. Bomb, NanoStim, naNO X9, and Animal RAGE.