What is going on!
I hope you doing well.
Before you think i'm on an endless supplement train just a quick note:
Make sure you are on a progressive resistance training program, ou are getting enough protein, sleep and you in a positive energy balance (a surplus of calories) or at least maintenance.
Once that is taken care of, then you can look to supplements.
mTOR is a naturally-occurring substance that regulates muscle growth.
If you activate mTOR by lifting weights this will signal the muscles to grow.
Phosphatidic acid further activates mTOR and has been shown to lead to further increases in muscle gain.
mTOR, which is an abbreviation for the very cool and futuristic sounding, "mammalian target of rapamycin," is a protein complex that acts as a signal interpreter of various "environmental cues," along with controlling protein synthesis. Things that activate the mTOR pathway include mechanical loading (e.g., weight lifting), insulin, and IGF-1.
There are other cues that trigger mTOR into synthesizing protein, include nutritional activators like protein (amino acids) and something called phosphatidic acid (PA), a naturally occurring phospholipid.
This mTOR pathway is in fact the major nutrient-sensitive regulator of growth in mammals and it's even been suggested that the regulation of mTOR by mechanical stimuli (again, weight lifting) is mediated by PA.
It is even thought that weight-lifting induced muscle protein synthesis would almost be completely disabled without the presence of PA.
So adding in PA makes a lot of sense if you want that extra edge
Now let's get that evidence in!
In 2012 Hoffman et al., recruited 16 resistance-trained men. They either ingested 750 mg. of PA or placebo over the course of eight weeks while participating in a four-day per week split routine. The team found that PA increased subjects' 1RM squat (the most weight they could lift for one rep) by 40% and lean body mass (LBM) by 50% over placebo (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3506449/)
In 2014 Joy et al. did a study similar to the one by Hoffman, using a split group of 28 men who followed a three-day per week undulating resistance program for eight weeks. The big difference was that in this study, the participants were given 450 mg. of PA 30 minutes before their workout and another 300 mg. immediately post workout. The PA group gained a significantly greater amount of muscle (2.4 kilos, or 5.29 pounds) than the placebo group (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4066292/)
I suggest using Joy's method, 450mg-500mg pre-workout and 250mg-300mg post-workout. In either case do not take with whey protein as this has been shown to ''dampen'' the effects.
Or you could just take in 1 dose pre-workout, the full 750mg. At the time of writing this blog, I tried that and got the craziest pump. On non-workout days you can take just at a similar time or pre-cardio.
It's not super expensive and there seems to be no side effects.
I have just started using it so will update with the effects in 8 weeks time. I have not changed anything else, just to see how effective this is.
Video version
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We'll talk soon!
Adam Scott