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Manufacturers of nutritional supplements are competing with each other in ideas, creating increasingly effective products that fill more and more gaps in the training needs of athletes of all disciplines.
Let's think about it... There has been silence for some time when it comes to protein hydrolysates (mainly whey), if only because this product was relatively much higher in price than, for example, isolate, which was not considered a much worse protein fraction in the case of supplementation. If it is only slightly worse, why overpay so much?
Perhaps let us take a closer look at the most ordinary hydrolysate itself, and then let us present the protein favorite among food products and conclude something from the fusion effect that is poultry hydrolysate.
Interesting and innovative, right? I invite you to continue!
Protein hydrolysates
Protein hydrolysate can generally be described as a kind of molecule, which in turn has been subjected to pre-digestion in technological and production processes to improve absorption and broken down into chains characterized by different lengths. The hydrolysation process can be colloquially called pre-digestion, which takes place during the production of a supplement and the isolation of the appropriate protein form - this is done, of course, using appropriate digestive enzymes. Protease enzymes with a targeted and quite specific action perform the function of breaking down amino acid chains of a polypeptide nature into the form of, for example, dipeptides and tripeptides.
Thanks to the hydrolysation process, or initial digestion, what the body would have to do on its own is achieved before consumption (at the time of production) - it can therefore be said that the hydrolysate is able to pass through the so-called intestinal tract much faster and has a positive effect on the synthesis processes in relation to muscle proteins. The overall absorption of proteins from this type of supplement is therefore improved thanks to the initial breakdown into various shorter peptide chains while maintaining anabolic-anticatabolic properties. It is worth mentioning that in the case of protein supplements themselves, for example, comparatively concentrate vs. hydrolysate, the second form has a much higher content of full-value protein with a very good aminogram in the total amount of protein present in the product - in addition, it is much better and faster to absorb, and thus promotes more effective muscle protein synthesis and overall muscle development, especially in the case of the pre- and post-workout period, when the body must quickly and effectively cope with catabolism that destroys muscle fibers while simultaneously initiating the phase of building, regenerating and strengthening these fibers.
Hydrolyzed supplements are particularly valued in the community of people who experience the unpleasantness associated with lactose intolerance, i.e. milk sugar, on their own example. Unfortunately, a very large percentage of people in Poland still suffer from metabolic problems with milk sugar, which often, if ignored, causes stomach problems ranging from discomfort to pain and discomfort associated with defecation. Protein hydrolysates, apart from a high content of full-value proteins, do not contain many unnecessary additives, and therefore are not characterized by the presence of lactose or an unnecessary excess of other types of carbohydrates. Some studies and tests conducted abroad show that dipeptides and tripeptides, currently in increased amounts in hydrolysates, after being broken down into their form, which was done at the time of production of the supplement, are absorbed very quickly in the small intestine, and enter the bloodstream untouched by the mechanisms of our body, which in turn, when supplied from the outside in the post-workout period, significantly enhances the regeneration processes of muscle fibers, stimulating and supporting the repair processes.
What else? The hydrolysate form itself, in relation to standard protein supplements of this type, causes increased activity of one of the most anabolic and thus muscle-stimulating hormones. We are talking about insulin, of course. In practice, it looks like this: we use the protein supplement 10-15 minutes after the end of the training session in order to activate anabolic processes and inhibit catabolic ones, so we also start the moment of strengthening damaged muscle fibers and rebuilding them. The time of 10-15 minutes is a period in which catabolism will not harm us too much in the resting phase (after the end of physical exercise), and cortisol - which is de facto a hormone hated by athletes - has a chance to cleanse the muscles of various toxins accumulated during training. Then we enter the interpretation of the phenomenon of the so-called anabolic window - when it opens after training, there is increased activity of insulin, which de facto "plays first fiddle" at this moment, and its production is additionally stimulated by hydrolysate di- and tripeptides. Insulin plays the role of an extremely fast and efficient messenger, and at the same time a transporter of glucose, which is an energy source and amino acids, which are a building block source - a path from the bloodstream to the muscle cells. The enhanced action of insulin rapidly stimulates regenerative processes and closes the activity of cortisol.
Poultry protein hydrolysate
Protein contained in poultry meat is an indispensable companion to all diets for athletes, regardless of the discipline they practice. Of particular importance is the fact that poultry is characterized by a high content of full-value proteins with a large amount of exogenous amino acids, which the body cannot synthesize on its own, in relation to the low content of total fat. From a dietetics point of view, it is important that even if some part of the chicken contains a relatively large amount of fat, due to its specific arrangement we are able to get rid of it easily - in poultry, most of the fat is accumulated under the skin, and not between the muscles, as is the case with beef or pork. The low fat content also indicates a low level of potential risk that could occur as a result of the accumulation of toxins and pollutants - most of them are stored in adipose tissue. Conclusion? Low fat, low toxins, low risk. Moreover, by full-value I mean the proteins themselves that can be used for anabolic-anti-catabolic purposes, and not the fractions that are relatively unsuitable for this purpose, such as collagen - poultry, in comparison to other types of meat, comes out the most advantageous in terms of low collagen content and valuable proteins in relation to our priorities.
Poultry protein, apart from its high content of exogenous amino acids, branched-chain BCAA amino acids and good digestibility, is characterized by an extremely tempting biological value, or the so-called BV - the biological value of protein determines to what extent and with what efficiency the body is able to use protein for its needs. Poultry proteins are referred to as one of the best in terms of BV when it comes to food products (right after chicken eggs) - this means that in terms of amino acid structure and the aminogram itself, they are the closest to the proteins needed by humans in their body, and as a result, biochemical processes related to the management of these nutrients can take place more efficiently (not only building blocks, but also immunological, hormonal or the exchange of protein structures).
The poultry protein hydrolysate itself was of course pre-digested in the manufacturing process, which is why the body easily uses proteins in the form of molecules with shorter chains of two- and three-part peptide character - the capture of amino acids circulating in the bloodstream is also improved, especially those of the exogenous type, which, thanks to the increased activity of insulin stimulated by the hydrolysed form of the supplement and conditioned by the biological value of these proteins, are quickly delivered to muscle cells - especially useful and effective in the post-workout period, when the body shows the greatest demand for these ingredients. The raw material and its quality are particularly important, because it would make no sense to pay for a hydrolysate, which in reality is effective only in name, right? That is why the poultry protein hydrolysate used in Activlab products is obtained from very good quality broth portions, and as befits a high-quality product, it has been deprived of unnecessary amounts of fat, carbohydrates and completely lactose (milk sugar), which may de facto be the cause of food allergies and a particularly dangerous factor in the case of lactose intolerance!
The key to success in maintaining muscle mass of the right quality, reducing excessive amounts of fat tissue or improving muscle definition or building solid mass are of course largely amino acids... But that's not all! Everything is conditioned by the meticulous approach that has been included in the Activlab poultry protein hydrolysate product - the right amino acid sequence selected in the right amounts and proportions signals success. If the body "reports" a deficiency of even one of the essential amino acids and cannot produce it on its own, the quality of our muscle mass is at risk - this is where we are talking about the optimal amino acid sequence in the protein. The product is also rich in endogenous amino acids, because it very often happens that the amounts introduced from the diet and those that the body produces on its own are sufficient only for basic processes plus additionally for regenerative, protective and anabolic purposes to a small extent. The appropriate quantitative selection of all amino acids therefore also serves at this point to develop new muscle tissue, which in turn means de facto rapid growth of muscle tissue, also in terms of hormonal activity. In this way, with the help of proper training, diet and the use of an innovative product, poultry protein hydrolysate, we can quite quickly achieve a hypertrophic state in our muscles.
A particularly important and positive role in the direction of muscle progress is played in the product by the high content of certain amino acids, the value of which has already been confirmed many times by research and practical reports. Activlab's poultry protein hydrolysate is characterized by a relatively high content of l-arginine, a key amino acid for hormonal anabolic stimulation of muscles. On what basis? Well, increased supplies of arginine stimulate the secretion of the active form of the hormone somatotropin (GH - growth hormone), which has strongly anabolic properties. This also creates a kind of cause-and-effect chain, because IGF (insulin-like growth factor) and insulin itself can be stimulated by an increase in the level and activity of human GH - both IGF and insulin are of great importance in relation to the anabolism of our muscles. The amino acid l-arginine will therefore be a stimulus in this case causing an "avalanche" of positives for the growth of muscle tissue. It should not be forgotten that arginine itself is an activator and precursor of nitric oxide (NO), which serves to dilate blood vessels (including muscles), thanks to which the transport of oxygen and nutrients with blood to cells is improved - the energy storage of muscles is also increased. The better the route and the more space, the greater the amounts of appropriate ingredients can be stored and then used. Stimulation of NO production also has a stimulating effect on the level of active testosterone - another extremely strong anabolic factor (of course within the biological norm).
It is also worth mentioning the properties of the amino acid glycine found in poultry protein hydrolysate and the content of glutamine itself. Glycine and glutamine are compounds considered to be among the best antioxidant intermediaries, i.e. glutathione precursor compounds - they effectively support the fight against extremely aggressive free radicals, reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can consequently lead to the destruction of cells (including muscle cells), as well as blood cells.
A special period for this type of hydrolysate is the post-workout period, when we undergo regeneration processes - regeneration is not only the reconstruction of muscle fibres, but also the possible protection and repair of collagen fibres of tendons and ligaments. The good news is therefore that this supplement has been enriched with the amino acid proline, which has a synergistic and effective effect with glycine towards regeneration and protection precisely through active participation in the formation of collagen.
Finally, it is worth paying attention to the presence of carnosine dipeptide in the product, because this compound participates to a greater or lesser extent (directly or indirectly) in all of our body's energy mechanisms, which are particularly important in relation to extreme physical effort, namely:
- glycolytic mechanism,
- oxidative mechanism,
- ATP-phosphocreatine mechanism.
The very activity of carnosine and its use in the product can effectively increase the strength and endurance of our muscles, and thus reduce muscle fatigue by improving their regeneration - this is de facto associated with an increase in physiological functions. Additionally, it is a kind of buffer for hydrogen ions, thus reducing muscle fatigue and their acidification. Carnosine is also a substrate for the production of nitric oxide.
As you can see, all the ingredients of Activlab's poultry protein hydrolysate are optimally matched in terms of action and interaction to help achieve our goal.
Janusz Ziolkowski
