Anabolic Sleep

You don’t grow muscles in the gym. The muscle-building process begins when you put the weights down and your recovery begins. The most important part of this recovery occurs during sleep. Groundbreaking new research by Dr. James Maas has demonstrated that athletes require even more sleep than sedentary people. Maas’ research showed that athletes who get more than nine hours of sleep daily improved their performance by up to 40 percent, reduced symptoms of overtraining, and improved their focus, concentration, and motivation to exercise.

What makes sleep so powerful? During sleep, your potential to produce anabolic hormones (growth hormone, IGF-1, and testosterone) is primed, catabolic hormones are reduced, and the delivery of nutrients to your muscles is enhanced. However, your body cannot grow without help. By providing your body with precise nutrients before you sleep, you can amplify this anabolic window for new muscle gains, faster recovery, and better performance.

Even if you manage the willpower to miss your favorite late-night shows and hit the hay, simply lying in bed won’t get the job done. The quality of your sleep is equally important, and interrupted z’s can greatly impede this muscle-building opportunity. For those who struggle to fall and stay asleep, scientists have found that by stimulating four key signals in your brain during sleep—GABA, melatonin, serotonin, and dopamine—you can help promote a calm and restful sleep. Supplements that can help support these sleep pathways include 5-HTP (a precursor to serotonin), L-dopa, valerian root extract, and direct intake of GABA and melatonin, as well as vitamins and minerals such as magnesium.

Once you’ve fallen asleep, you body is primed to release growth hormone (GH), IGF-1, and testosterone. Exciting new research shows that a novel form of green tea extract called GreenSelect Phytosome can support up to a 321 percent increase in GH and a 24 percent increase in IGF-1. Amazingly, GreenSelect is to up to five times more bioavailable than normal green tea. This is accomplished by binding green tea to phospholipids that form stable complexes called phytosomes that are highly bioavailable. In addition, GreenSelect is decaffeinated, so when taken at night it will not interfere with your sleep. Of course, testosterone is touted by many as the king muscle-building hormone. One of the best researched testosterone boosters is ZMA, a synergistic blend of minerals shown to support testosterone and muscle building when taken prior to sleep.

Finally, research shows that people who take amino acids immediately before they sleep stimulate a 22 percent greater anabolic response at night. Among all the amino acids, scientists have recognized that leucine in particular is essential for triggering muscle building. What’s more, exciting new research demonstrates that the leucine metabolite KIC has a synergistic role with leucine in promoting greater muscle anabolism. KIC has the added benefit of helping reduce catabolism. Also popular for improving muscle growth among athletes is supplementing with slow-digesting proteins such as casein, which can help provide amino acids to your muscles for hours while you sleep.

MHP’s 5D-TROPIN has been independently ranked number one on a popular website for its ability to promote anabolic sleep and superior recovery. 5D-TROPIN contains key ingredients such as GreenSelect Phytosome as well as a protein synthesis–accelerating tri-plex blend featuring leucine and KIC. Finally, it includes efficacious doses of other ingredients that support quality sleep.

5D-TROPIN will help you achieve anabolic sleep and prime your body for unprecedented muscle growth and recovery. In addition, I recommend taking a slow-digesting sustained-release protein blend before bed. A perfect choice is MHP’s Probolic-SR, which is a clinically tested muscle-building protein blend with 50 percent slow-digesting casein, 25 percent fast-digesting whey, and 25 percent medium-digesting soy protein. Probolic-SR also contains a patented 12-Hour Sustained Release Protein Technology to keep you anabolic longer. IM

For more information on 5D-TROPIN, visit MHPStrong.com.