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Thursday, 31 May 2018

10 Things That Lower Your Testosterone Levels

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When your masculinity is compromised – and we’re talking on a hormonal level, not screaming at a spider in the tub or a botched attempt at a fairground hammer game – finding the culprit often means going balls deep.

Aside from the libido-enhancer we commonly know it as, testosterone dictates everything from your mental health to the snugness of your shirt sleeves.
While it’s a sad fact of life that hitting the age of 30 marks the beginning of a steady decline in T-levels, omitting certain things from your lifestyle can help maintain the fire in your loins and the bulge in your biceps a little longer.

Alcohol

A bit of Dutch courage is enough to give some blokes the kind of primitive manliness to take on grizzly bears (or go on a first date).
But when bottoms are up, testosterone must come down. According to the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, alcohol consumption not only negatively impacts testosterone production, but it can also cause oxidative damage to testosterone molecules already in circulation.
Alcohol

Chewing Gum

Bad breath may be a turn-off, but the solution could be turning you off.
An animal study published in The Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology found that spearmint and other varieties of menthol often found in chewing gum can suppress testosterone. A sticky situation, indeed.

Full Fat Coke

Measuring the correlation between sugar intake and testosterone, an Oxford University study found a 25 per cent drop in the levels of men who consumed 75 grams of the sweet stuff a day.
Sure, reaching for the red can might help see you through a slow afternoon in the office, but it’s also adding a hefty 39g of refined sugar to your daily total, so you’re probably best off with a bottle of water.

Lack Of Sleep

It’s time to wake up to some testosterone truths. Insufficient shut-eye causes the body to produce more of the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn blocks the production of testosterone.
According to a University of Chicago study, men averaging five hours a night saw a 15 per cent decrease in T-levels compared with those who logged the recommended eight.
Lack Of Sleep

Drinking From Plastic Bottles

“Hippy nonsense!” we hear you cry. Well, not according to The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, which linked phthalates – a family of chemicals used to make disposable bottles – with a dip in the male hormone.
With this plastic plague reportedly seeping into everything it comes into contact with, it may be time to hop on the reusable glass bandwagon.

Soy Milk

The grass isn’t always greener for those who dodge dairy. Several (albeit heavily contested) studies have associated the legume with the production of an antiandrogen (aka testosterone-blocking) chemical in the gut called equol.
So if full fat’s not your poison; oat, nut or hemp are all worthy stand-ins.

Long-Distance Running

According to a study from the University of British Columbia, Mo Farah-wannabes pounding over 40 miles of pavement per week had noticeably lower levels of testosterone than those who run short-distance.
Scientists put this down to endurance athlete’s chronically elevated cortisol levels. So if taking on a marathon, make sure you’re also getting adequate duvet time, alongside other cortisol-reducing measures.
Running

Croissants

Delicious though they may be, mainlining your continental breakfast pastries of choice means saying au revoir to your va va voom.
Many of the shop-bought varieties use types of margarine or spread containing trans fats, which according to The British Journal of Nutrition are a sure-fire way to see your testosterone levels plummet. Quelle horreur.

Bad Body Language

In social psychologist Amy Cuddy’s Ted Talk, she discusses how physiological changes come about from the power you give off in your body language.
Testing her theory, she asked men and women to hold high or low-power poses (making themselves small or touching their necks) for two minutes, then measured the changes in their testosterone levels. Those in the low-power stance experienced roughly a 10 per cent decrease. An excuse to keep manspreading, then.

Anabolic Steroids

This one’s a bit confusing, given their popularity among bodybuilders seeking quick hits of testosterone. But the effects of anabolic steroids are short-lived.
According to the journal PLOS One, loading your muscles with artificial strands of the hormone tricks the body into thinking it has produced enough naturally. Inject too much, and the slowdown can become permanent.

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The Hottest Type Of Athlete’s Body, According To Women

Ad1 The Hottest Type Of Athlete’s Body, According To Women
When it comes to sports players that get all the action, it’s not exactly a level playing field (sorry, badminton). In fact, there’s one sport that’s a clear winner when it comes to scoring.
Almost half of females consider rugby to be the sexiest sport, according to research by online golf apparel retailer, Golf Support.

The site surveyed 1,750 men and women about which games are the most likely to get their blood pumping from the sidelines, and it turns out the sexes have very different tastes.

When it comes to preferred ball skills, football got just 17 per cent of the vote, followed by tennis, swimming and athletics all on ten. And it’s even worse news for anyone else.

Golfers are only preferred by five per cent of women, and weight-lifting only appeals to two per cent. But a grand total of zero per cent of women said they prefer the prowess of cyclists, badminton and cricket players. And here we were thinking women loved a bit of lycra on a man.

When it comes to bloke’s preferences, tennis was crowned the sexiest female sport, beating athletics over the line. Only seven per cent said they consider female swimmers the sexiest, while footballers apparently get just five per cent of men’s attention.

So there you have it, guys, the way to a woman’s heart – a broken nose and cauliflower ear. Get to work.

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Here’s How You Can Build Muscle On Fewer Calories

Ad1 Here’s How You Can Build Muscle On Fewer Calories
Bulking up usually requires monk-like levels of dedication: lots of planning, lots of willpower, and, usually, lots and lots of calories. But, it doesn’t have to be this way.

According to research collated by supplement watchdog Examine, you can still build muscle on fewer calories.

Of course, the extra intake supports a hormonal environment conducive to bulking, but by pinpointing specific types of calories, you can eat less and still inch up a chest size.

The secret is protein. A four-month study of overweight men found that a group consuming 1.3 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day gained more lean mass and lost more fat than those eating smaller amounts. So if you’re on a diet to decrease fat but worry about gains, add extra sides of protein to keep your muscles in check.

It’s always worth totting up your carb and fat intake, too. You can still gain muscle by lowering both, but it makes sense to gradually decrease portions and supplement with protein. Otherwise, your weight loss may also result in muscle loss.

Calculate your bodyweight, adjust protein intake accordingly and quite possibly, you may drop the calories and still get stacked.

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Scientists Have Found A Workout Hack For Lifting Heavier

Ad1 Scientists Have Found A Workout Hack For Lifting Heavier
Let’s get one thing straight; ripped muscles will never trump a broken set of gnashers. That said, a clenched jaw may well assist with those all-important lifts down the gym, according to new research.
A study carried out at the Ramon Llull University in Spain found that gritting your teeth mid-exercise can result in a strength boost, particularly during resistance training.

Participants in the experiment completed a 30-second maximal effort workout with a resistant equivalent to 7.5 per cent of their body mass.

Guys who bit down throughout were found to produce up to 12 per cent more force for lifts, and rowing drills also saw improvements, with the clenchers quicker to perform the workout.
So next time you hit the squat rack, don’t forget to pack a fitted mouthguard. Then simply bite down, and feel the burn.

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This Is The Worst Fitness Trend Of The Year

Ad1 This Is The Worst Fitness Trend Of The Year
Demonstrating characteristic hipsterism, my local London council, Hackney, recently installed a set of pull-up and dip bars in the nearest park. With obesity-related disease rife and society largely sedentary, this is to be commended, as is the fitness trend for callisthenics – bodyweight moves that cost nothing but time and effort to perform. But the outbreak of park gyms has given rise to another nationwide epidemic: men working out shirtless in public.

This errant, scantily clad douchebaggery is arguably even more outrageous than blaring out sexually explicit hip-hop with equally scant regard for other park gym-goers, passersby and small children. But that’s another rant. (Seriously, if I wanted to listen to your crap music, I’d follow you on Spotify.)
It’s hot, these exercising exhibitionists would no doubt argue. Sun’s out, ergo guns out. But that’s why God created textile science and sweat-wicking fabrics. Besides, apart from a few days a year, it’s almost never that hot. And there’s a reason why it’s unacceptable to remove your top in almost all indoor sweatboxes, air conditioning or no: because it’s unacceptable.
Shirtless Workout
Before you accuse me of being a hater and ask if I even bodyweight, bro, I can do pull-ups. I can even do pull-ups with weight added, like a shirt. And I’m not in bad shape. But that’s beside the point. Even if you’re a more perfect physical specimen than Michelangelo’s David Gandy, that doesn’t give you a divine right to inflict your flawlessness on other people. You can choose to keep your shirt on. They can’t choose to not see you.

Indeed, you don’t tend to see guys who aren’t in indecent nick stripping down to their waists. Which, to me, is damning evidence that this gratuitous semi-nudity is not for any spurious reasons of thermoregulation, vitamin D deficiency or severe intolerance to polyester. Sure, a crippling phobia of chafing or a bad case of farmer’s tan might be contributing factors in your al fresco half-nakedness. But be honest: you’re doing it, to a greater or lesser extent, because you’re fit and you know it.

And you want everybody else to know it, too. That’s why, after nailing a front lever or planche, you walk stiff-shouldered in a little circle, lats spread like the frill of a phlegmy dilophosaurus. Welcome to Jurassic Park Gym. (Incidentally, fossil records show no evidence of frills or poison spitting, but you get the picture.) In the process, you surreptitiously glance around to check that everybody saw, breathing audibly in case they don’t fully comprehend just how impressive that was. We saw. We know. Well done.
Shirtless Workout

Bodyweight practitioners often like to look down from their pull-bars at the scurrying gym rats. Callisthenics – which translates in Greek to ‘beautiful strength’ – is a discipline that dates back thousands of years. A noble art. It’s deeper and more profoundly spiritual than interspersing pumping iron and gurning with flexing in the mirror. (At least that’s what you tell anybody foolish enough to ask what you’re doing.) And maybe it is. But by baring your gains, you strongly suggest otherwise. Not to mention cede the moral high ground.

So do me a favour and at least put on that lesser of two evils: a sleeveless top. That way, I’ll still know that you’re a narcissistic dick without the anatomical illustration.

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Good Posture: What It Looks Like & Its Benefits To You

Ad1 Good Posture: What It Looks Like & Its Benefits To You
According to the 2001 Back Pain Survey, 2.5 million Brits suffer from bad posture every day. Meanwhile, 28 per cent of Americans suffer from chronic lower back pain, and 14 per cent say their shoulders often hurt. Which amounts to a right pain in the spine.

But what exactly is bad posture, and why does it matter? Originating with the Latin verb ponere, posture simply means the position in which you hold your body to counteract the force of gravity. And the general consensus is that the straighter your back, the less pain you’ll encounter now, and down the line.

Anything that messes with the position of your spine will only cause you trouble. So if you hunch over a tablet for the duration of your commute, occasionally get your form wrong in the gym, or spend all day at a desk, then you probably have some work to do.

“An individual’s ability to maintain good postures is an indicator of their stability and control,” says Ben Fletcher, an exercise physiologist at Push Doctor. “Poor postures become more apparent when the body is challenged, for example, in certain positions or with external loads such as sitting at an office desk for long periods of time or looking down at your phone.”

It’s a serious problem; in the UK, 119 million work days are lost to back pain each year, at a cost of £12.3 billion to the NHS. This amounts to 22 per cent of the country’s annual health expenditure – the equivalent of 793 GPs working full time on your back. In the US, 45 per cent of workers complain of neck pain. And we’re not just talking about a twinge every now and then, or tight shoulders. Poor posture can have long term implications. If an individual is off work with back pain for one month, there’s a 20 per cent chance they’ll still be off sick a whole year later.

But putting time into your posture won’t just leave you feeling better at your desk; there are myriad proven health and fitness benefits to getting your posture straight. Plus, standing proud and tall is always a good look…

The Benefits of Good Posture

According to the Cleveland Clinic, improving your posture will help prevent muscle ache and fatigue, as well as increase your sporting prowess. You’ll also protect your spine, and open up the chest to promote a better flow of oxygen around your body. This, in turn, boosts the functionality of everything from your nervous system to key organs. In short, standing a bit straighter could be the solution to many health problems (and, just possibly, the
beginning of your athletic career).

When it comes to injury prevention, good posture is like a good spotter at the gym. Standing or sitting for prolonged periods puts your bones and ligaments out of alignment, which means other areas have to work harder to compensate for the imbalance. This is why one of your knees might feel tighter than the other, or hurt when you run, and why you’ve had a knot between your shoulder blades that you can’t get rid of. And when you exercise with these biomechanic imbalances, you’re more likely to injure yourself as your body isn’t working as efficiently as it should.
Doctor examining patient's posture
Thankfully, while the International Encyclopaedia of Rehabilitation found that the longer you endure bad posture, the longer recovery can take, the opposite is also true. In addition to this, focusing on good posture has been found to improve your oxygen intake by 30 per cent, which means there’s more oxygen available in your muscles to power performance, and break up stitch-causing lactic acid deposits.

The benefits of good posture can be psychological, too. A study by Ohio State University found that our opinions are closely linked to our physical behaviour. Specifically, the study found that regularly walking around not only improves posture, but increases energy levels. Standing or sitting tall also helps you remember positive memories, such as the last time your boss actually said ‘Well done’. Handy if you’ve hit the 3pm slump.
Crucially, practicing good posture is more likely to make you feel more confident, right down to accepting more positive ideas of yourself and rejecting negative self-images.
Having good posture can help increase your self image
“There’s been a lot written on how good posture improves how other people see us, and how it helps us to appear more authoritative to them,” says confidence coach Jo Emerson. “This is all true. However, much more interestingly, there’s increasing amounts of research to show that good posture has a positive impact on how we see ourselves.
“In essence, if we stand tall we send a message to our brain that ‘We’ve got this.’ Traditional science suggests that the brain needs to tell the body to be confident but this new research proves the opposite can also be true; that the body can tell the brain to be confident.”
Naturally, you’ll also look taller and your clothes will handle as they’re meant to, instead of becoming bunched up around an unnecessarily-protruding stomach or hunched shoulders. “Clothes do look much better on people with good posture, but anything looks good on someone who smiles and exudes positive energy,” says Emerson. “Confidence is an inside job.”

What Good Posture Looks Like

So if good posture is so great, why aren’t we all practising it? Lindsay Newitter is a certified ‘Alexander Technique’ posture coach – a system to promote being ‘mindful in your body’ – based in New York City. She’s been helping people practise good posture for 11 years, and has some tips worth sitting up and paying attention to.

Standing

“When you’re standing, your rib cage should be in line over your pelvis, as opposed to tipped back, which is how many people stand without thinking about it. Essentially: your pelvis shouldn’t be tipped forward or backward, your neck shouldn’t be pushed forward or over-straightened and the head should be easily balanced on top of the spine.”
Newitter explains that there is a natural curve in the neck that sometimes gets exaggerated when it gets tight. And, while it’s helpful to let these muscles relax and lengthen, forcibly straightening your neck can cause serious damage. Instead, get the back right, and the rest will follow.
A good way to test this is to stand with your back against a wall. If your posture is good the back of your head should touch the wall, and your shoulder blades will be flat against it. Your abdomen will be tucked in, and your shoulders back and relaxed. Your head, meanwhile, will be looking ahead, with your chin very slightly tilted forward.
Good posture for a man standing up

Sitting

Using ergonomic chairs, getting your computer monitor at the right height and your keyboard in the correct position can all help if your 9-5 involves jockeying a desk all day. Naturally, a sympathetic HR department can help you upgrade your working conditions, but you can also take workplace posture into your own hands.

According to health experts Posturite, your chair should be as close to your desk as possible so that you’re not having to awkwardly lean forward to actually get any work done. A chair with a tilt of 5-15 degrees will raise your hips above your knees, encouraging the spine to sit supported against the back of the chair.
Good posture for a man sitting down in front of monitor

What Bad Posture Looks Like

“There are a lot of misconceptions going around about what good posture looks like,” says Newitter. “Most of these things, such as pulling the shoulders back and lifting the chin and chest, can actually make your posture worse. These sort of ‘fixes’ are very rigid movements, and don’t actually fix anything. In fact, they can cause compression in the back, which causes your ribs to lock, making it difficult to breathe properly.”

Standing

When standing or sitting, bad posture can involve your head being either pulled back or pushed forward unnaturally; your shoulders slouching forward, pulled back, pressed down, or a combination of all of these; your upper back tipped back, like you’re a soldier on the parade ground; your pelvis tipped either forward or back; and a general appearance of being stiff. Any one of these will make you appear ill at ease, or lacking in confidence, as well as making your neck tight, and your breathing too shallow.

Sitting

It’s not hard to imagine what bad desk posture looks like. Perching on the edge of your seat with your pelvis rotated to either side is a key culprit. Likewise, bringing your eyes close to your computer screen, or your chin over your keyboard will put strain on your neck. It is, however, okay to slouch. You’re only human, after all. The key is not to allow your body to slide too far forward off the chair. You’ll knock your spine all out of whack and also, you’re not 15 years old.

On A Mobile Phone

Here’s the only notification you need to pay attention to today. We spend 90 minutes per day looking at our mobile phones. Which most likely means we’re standing or sitting with rounded shoulders, a slumped core, and our head tilted forward.
Your head is heavier than you think – a 60-degree incline puts an extra 27kg of pressure on your neck – and staying in this position can put strain on it, which is passed on down your spine. This in turn can lead to kyphosis, or rounding of the back, which can tighten your chest muscles, too. Put it down.

How To Correct Bad Posture

Help is at hand. These expert tips will help you untangle yourself with a minimum of fuss. Try them out at your desk, on your commute, and at home at least once per day.
“Balance training helps to improve posture as it allows your body to quickly find stable postures when it is pushed out of position,” says Emerson. “In addition, core stability exercises that target multiple directions – such as crunches – will help improve postural control.”
“To counteract your head dipping forward, bring your attention up to the top of your head. Try scratching the very top of your head, in the middle, then focusing your attention on this spot when you’ve taken your hand away,” says Newitter.
Good and bad posture for a man
“Keeping your feet on the floor when sitting and being aware of your contact with the ground while standing will help you get the support you need to maintain your balance,” says Newitter. “When standing, try balancing your weight evenly between both feet and keeping the weight even between the heels and the balls of the feet.”

“Breathing is an excellent gauge of posture. If you’re breath feels shallow, you are probably trying too hard to fix your posture and getting stiff, so relax,” says Newitter.
The simplest way to elongate your spine and prevent painful knots is to keep moving. Get up from your desk once an hour and make a cup of tea. Pull on your running shoes and jog home from work. Get up off the sofa and get some snacks from the corner shop – anything that prevents your spine from resting in one position for too long.

Recommended Exercises

Of course, actively stretching out your back will always be beneficial. Here are three exercises you can complete at home or in the park to help ease out tension.

The Plank

Get down on your hands and knees, then extend your legs so your bodyweight is supported by your palms and toes, and your back forms a straight, horizontal line. Hold this for as long as you can. Thirty seconds is a good start. Two minutes is a pro level killer.

The Pull-Up

More and more parks include exercise bars these days. But anything will do, from a sturdy tree branch to any safe, horizontal bar (although don’t try it on public transport). With your palms facing away from you and your hands slightly wider than your shoulders, squeeze the bar, focusing on contracting your shoulder blades as you lift yourself from the ground, then slowly lower. Don’t be dismayed if you can only manage a handful of pull-ups at first; this is a notoriously difficult exercise, but fantastic for stretching out your back.

Wall Angels

An easy one. Stand with your back flat against the wall, as outlined above. Hold your hands up, so your elbows are at right angles. Your arms and head should form a ‘W’ shape. Without moving your hands from the wall, push them up so your arms form a ‘Y’ shape, then slowly lower. Do 10, then relax.

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Wednesday, 30 May 2018

Fitness Pro Proves That Before And After Fitness Shots Can Be Faked

Ad1 Fitness Pro Proves That Before And After Fitness Shots Can Be Faked
Aaaannd the 1928th reason to feel inadequate: the before and after fitness shot. We’ve all seen them, we’ve all rolled our eyes and we’ve all wondered how on earth they’ve found themselves in the ever-growing ad bars of our browser. But are they always what they seem?

Not according to personal trainer, Sam Wood (he’s apparently in the Australian version of The Bachelor too). The 37-year-old posted on Instagram a quick before and after shot, which would usually stimulate a lot of thirsty heart-eyes emojis and ‘nice work, bro’ comments. Except these were taken only five seconds, not months, apart.

“Don’t get caught up in what other people look like. Photos you see on Instagram and other social platforms are not a real representation of what people look like,” Wood said online. “Lighting, posture, a different angle and every other trick in the book are used… Be aware of others but not fixated.”

All of which is good advice, especially as the Instacult of fitness swells as much as its members. Yes, body transformations do happen and some people do walk around with permanent six-packs but remember that a lot of so-called fitness influencers are paid to look good (and pay for the photoshoot treatment). Plus, as Wood proved, they’re definitely tensing.

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How To Get Ripped Without Ever Touching A Protein Shake

Ad1 How To Get Ripped Without Ever Touching A Protein Shake
There’s some merit in protein shakes, of course. They can replenish spent nutrients much quicker than food, and help repair your knackered muscles following a workout. These days however, a cup of pure whey can feel more an Instaprop than a legit supplement, and according to one expert, they may not even be that necessary.

Talking to Business Insider, personal trainer Max Lowery, who seems to have more abs than we can count on our fingers, revealed that he’s never touched a protein shake in his life – and says 90 per cent of gym goers shouldn’t bother, either.


“The only people who might benefit from them are vegans who aren’t being so careful with their diets,” says Lowery. “The average untrained person needs as little as 60-75g of protein, and the average trained person who exercises three times a week needs 1.2g-2g per kilo of body weight. You can easily get enough protein from eating real food.”

Plus, a regular protein swill can prove detrimental to a lean physique. “Too much protein can actually be broken down into sugars that create an insulin response which can facilitate fat storage. This is called gluconeogenesis,” he says.

Something that isn’t helped by shakes with artificial sweeteners and poor protein sources, says Lowery, with multiple commercial powders stripped of vital nutrients and packed with chemical detergents and synthetic additives.
All of which sounds very scientific. But if seeing is believing, Lowery’s Instagram is proof enough that he’s doing something right.

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Why You Don’t Need Meat To Get Ripped According To A Bodybuilder

Ad1 Why You Don’t Need Meat To Get Ripped According To A Bodybuilder
We’ve all seen them: the endless Tupperware boxes filled with sweet potato, broccoli and mountains of chicken, the gym bro starter packs that are just as important as the gym itself. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Jon Venus, bodybuilder, YouTuber, Vivo Life ambassador and all-round Adonis, is living proof that a plant-based diet can get you just as ripped. Better yet, there’s real science behind the vegan hokum, too.

Speaking to FashionBeans, the Barcelona-based trainer revealed what kickstarted the healthy living. “I used to eat tonnes of meat everyday and never understood why anyone would eliminate animal products – meat was necessary to maintain health and build muscle, after all.”

That quickly changed thanks to a documentary he saw called Earthlings, which details the treatment that farmed animals receive at human hands. “We sat through the whole thing and couldn’t believe what we saw. So, I decided to explore an alternative way of living that didn’t cause unnecessary damage to the environment and animal welfare.”


Which may sound like a lot of effort for a bodybuilder, but it was easier than expected. “Plant-based diets only take 20 minutes or so to prepare enough food for the entire day, and you’ll save a tonne of money while improving your health.” Instead of chicken and red meat, Venus consumes beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, bean pasta and quinoa, and since such foods deliver high levels of protein, portions needn’t be supersized.

It didn’t affect the post-workout protein boost, either. “Many make the mistake of only focusing on protein after a workout, when in reality, carbohydrates are even more important to refill depleted muscle glycogen stores for optimal recovery,” says Venus. Instead, the 26-year-old opts for a smoothie containing one or two ripe bananas, 300g of frozen berries, fresh spinach, hemp seeds and a scoop of Vivo Life Perform protein powder.

Of course, naysayers will always proclaim meat to be better. But if you’ve still got doubts about a plant-based diet, we’ve got a bowl of lentils that says Venus has a far better body you do.

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3 Moves That Will Keep Your Summer Body Lean For Winter

Ad1 3 Moves That Will Keep Your Summer Body Lean For Winter
As summer draws to a close, it’s easy to let the summer body go with it. All those hours, all those Instagram likes – gone in the swish of a McDonalds saver menu. It doesn’t have to be this way, though.
According to transformation specialist Dan Chapman – the man behind the ‘getting fit in your forties’ programme – a quick switch-up in the gym will keep those hard-won abs intact long after hibernation season has kicked in.
“The general idea is to opt for movements that work multiple muscle groups at once,” says Chapman. “That way, your body works harder, burns more calories in less time and still ensures a consistent fitness level.” Plus, a lack of equipment is no excuse to swerve a workout. “Stick to bodyweight moves. They’re effective, and you can do them anywhere.”
Yes, on the nutrition side you’ll have to continue dodging stodge and stay away from hearty pints of winter ale, but if you can do that, Chapman says these three moves will keep you lean, fit and strong.

Prisoner Kneeling-Get Ups

Why: “This is a killer lower body and core blast that focuses on the entire thigh and the glute area.”
How: “Start in a kneeling position with a stance just wider than your shoulders, hands placed behind your head. Make sure your core is braced tight, and plant one foot on the floor as if you’re about to get up, then immediately follow with the other leg staying in a low-wide position. Then, kneel back down again reversing the movement and repeat, but this time, alternate the legs.”
Length: “Incorporate this sequence into a circuit or leg workout for either 3 sets of 10, or 45 seconds for shorter workouts.”

Total Body Killer Combo

Why: “It’s an awesome way to hit the entire body with a crawl out, push-ups and jump squats.”
How: “Standing upright with your feet wider than shoulder width apart, bend the knees slightly and lean forward, reaching to the floor. Now, crawl forward until you’re in a push-up position, and immediately perform one push-up and reverse crawl back to the start position. Without any rest, then explode up into a vertical jump and land in a squat. Then simply repeat.”
Length: “Try 3 sets of 10, or 45 seconds for shorter workouts.”

Plyometric Push-Ups

Why: “This takes your average push-up to the next level and fires up your arms, chest and core. As this is more explosive, you’ll get more overall benefits and burn those calories.”
How: “Start in a normal push-up position, or modified on the knees. Then, lower your chest down towards the floor until your arms are at a right angle. Immediately push up so that your hands come off the floor, getting as much height as possible. As soon as your hands touch the floor, bend the elbows going back down ready for another push-up. The hardcore gym-goers can try clapping hands in-between, too.”
Length: “Try 3 sets of 20 reps.”

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The 3 Winter Moves That Build A Summer Body

Ad1 The 3 Winter Moves That Build A Summer Body
When the clocks fall back, your gym discipline tends to go with them. It’s tough to muster the discipline for leg day, followed by plain rice and boiled chicken, when it’s dark by 5pm. Especially because all the hard work has a counterintuitive effect – when you have to layer up, bulk from muscle just looks like bulk from fat. But that’s no reason to let attendance slip. As the old saying goes, summer bodies are built in winter. Graft now and you can ease off in January, when your gym festers with people who haven’t yet learned to wipe their sweat off the benches.

In fact, now’s the time to embrace both your gym’s comparative emptiness and all that extra fabric. By focusing less on your six-pack and more on developing all the muscles around it, you’ll build functional strength – and pack on more size – that will look even better after next year’s last-minute, pre-beach shred.
These three moves from Dylan Jones, founder of P4Body, will lay the sun lounger groundwork and reinvigorate any stale routines by offering your body a new challenge. They say a change is as good as a rest. Well, you’ll need one after these.

Sled Push

Why It Works

The sled hits every muscle that you neglected while pursuing a better reflection. “It’s great for building leg strength and it works your core and builds power,” says Jones. You won’t get much of a pump, but you will curse every yard.
Bodybuilders avoid sleds because they only work your muscles in one plane – it’s the eccentric phase (or lowering) of any exercise that causes damage and builds bulk. “That’s why they’re not used as a cosmetic exercise,” says Jones. But they’re a go-to for sportsmen because they offer unrivalled strength gains. Which translates to more weight on your squat and explosive growth when you do get back to the aesthetics.

How To Do It

Load a sled with weight then grab the handles and push it to the end of the track as quickly as possible. Use quick steps and drive your legs forward explosively. “Push for 20-25 metres, rest for 20 seconds, then repeat up to four times,” says Jones.
If your gym doesn’t have a sled, you can get the same effect from a turned-off treadmill.

Bodyweight Rope Pull-Up

Why It Works

Any extra timber you’re carrying right now has one big benefit. “The off-season is a good time to build upper body strength because you’re heavier,” says Jones. In other words, your muscles have to work harder to lift you up. “When you get back to the ‘cut’ in the summer, you’ll find it a lot easier to lift your lighter frame.”
Consider this the best way to finally hit 10 (unaided) pull-ups.

How To Do It

Drape a rope over a pull-up bar, grab it with both hands and slowly lower yourself down. “Keep your body straight until you’re sitting on the floor, then pull yourself back up,” says Jones. Go hand-over-hand until you’re back to standing, then repeat for 6-10 reps total.
If you’ve not yet swapped salads for stuffed crusts, wear a weighted vest to up the difficulty.

Wall Sit

Why It Works

There’s one muscle you ignore even more than your glutes, but which is even more important to your performance. “This move doesn’t just strengthen your body, but also your mind,” says Jones.
The agonies of this slow and shattering move don’t just build iron legs; they also bulletproof your willpower. So you won’t crap out on your #leaneating in the week before take-off.

How To Do It

Sit against a wall with your back flat and your thighs at 90 degrees. “Keep your arms out in line with your shoulders and press your weight through your heels,” says Jones. Hold the position for as long as you can stand the burn. Then try and beat your time the next day.
You won’t like it tomorrow, but you’ll be grateful six months down the line.

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The Man’s Guide To Testosterone

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Put aside those mental images of walnut-varnished torsos and arms as big as legs for a moment. Maybe you’re a muscly alpha male, all square jaw and chest-beating machismo. Perhaps you’re a drainpipe who’s literally allergic to sports. It doesn’t matter. Testosterone defines you as a man either way. And it’s so much more than just bodybuilder juice.

In fact, gym performance is just a small part of testosterone’s role in the body. “It’s the most important male hormone,” says Professor Geoff Hackett, consultant at Heartlands Hospital, professor of sexual medicine at Aston University and spokesperson for the British Society of Sexual Medicine. “It’s dominant in controlling your behaviour, psychology, reproduction and sexual performance.”
In other words, it governs almost every aspect of the everyman. When testosterone is secreted normally, you’re a normal dude, with good energy levels, a level head and a predisposition to a healthy body composition. But when the hormone is in short supply, all of that goes to hell in a manbag.

While genetics and lifestyle both hold the purse strings on this hormonal boon, and the former is indeed a lottery, understanding the latter can ensure a steady income now and later in life.
So, to that end, let’s keep you T total.

What Is Testosterone?

The short answer: it’s the endocrinological MVP and without it your whole hormonal team is screwed. “It’s not just for fertility,” says Dr Channa Jayasena, clinical senior lecturer and consultant in reproductive endocrinology at Imperial College London. “It’s important for energy, libido, wellbeing, muscle strength and for making bones thick and strong.”
But it’s important to make a distinction here because testosterone is poorly understood and subject to the worst kinds of bro science. First up, you’re statistically more likely to go about your life with normal testosterone levels than have either a deficiency or surplus. Age related decline is par for the course – “We start to lose testosterone steadily from the age of 40,” explains Dr Jayasena – and lagging T isn’t, as some red tops would have you believe, the male equivalent of the menopause and something to be remedied. It’s a fact of life unlikely to have any drastic effects.
It’s when something causes a dramatic drop in testosterone that you need help. And in this, age has no bearing except in the ease of treatment. But as a general rule, the younger you are, the easier it is to fix.
Your body needs it in a myriad of ways.

The Effects Of Testosterone On Men

1. Body Builder

Testosterone forms the foundation for how you feel at any given moment, while also providing the building blocks for how much of you there is – literally your physical density as a mammal, in bone and muscle tissue. It’s for that reason that your T levels are a key factor in strength and fitness.
But don’t be fooled into thinking more testosterone is always a good thing. Dr Jayasena often treats erstwhile bodybuilders whose dalliances with extreme testosterone supplementation have deflated their testicles, leaving them at best struggling to produce enough of the hormone naturally, at worst infertile and with a host of health problems.
Even the more civilian gym-goer’s understanding of testosterone needs a closer look. As Alex Hutchinson, author of Which Comes First Cardio Or Weights, explains, “Hormone levels don’t predict muscle or strength gains following weight training. Our understanding of the role of various hormones is actually very limited.” So testosterone is important to body composition, but trying to manipulate it at the squat rack is a fool’s game.
You can't manipulate your testosterone levels in the gym

2. Sex Driver

One muscle relies more heavily on testosterone than any other, and it’s an important one. Your hormones hold your penis as if by a puppet string. While trying to understand the roles biochemistry and psychology play in virility is enough to put you to bed with a sore head, one fact stands with rigid certainty: without healthy testosterone levels, you’ll likely suffer erectile dysfunction.
“While many of the symptoms associated with low testosterone can be due to something else – like diabetes or depression – erectile dysfunction and the loss of morning erections is a good indicator that testosterone is the reason,” says Dr Jayasena. But it’s not just hampering your dreams of bedroom acrobatics in the physical sense.
“There can be a loss of libido and general interest in sex,” says Professor Hacket. “Later down the line this can even lead to a marriage breakdown and a man losing his wife and children.”
Low T levels can cause a lower sex drive and erectile dysfunction

3. Health Giver

Things get more complicated when it comes to figuring out the causes of low T and how that might affect your health. Testosterone and insulin walk hand in hand. There’s also a symbiotic relationship between the hormone and the neurotransmitters that govern your mood and sense of wellbeing. That’s why understanding whether low testosterone is causing diabetes, or diabetes is causing low testosterone, is tricky. The same goes for why depressed people may suffer hormonal damage, and people with hormonal problems may suffer depression.
“There are common associations and one leads to the other,” says Professor Hackett. “Low testosterone gives you three times the risk of developing type-2 diabetes; if you have type-2 diabetes, you have a much higher risk of low testosterone.” This chicken and egg scenario doesn’t exactly make fingering the underlying cause easy. The response? “We treat all symptoms,” says Professor Hackett.
There has been a degree of controversy surrounding treatments for testosterone deficiency, mainly coming from loud but unfounded noises from critics who claim T supplementation can increase your risk of things like cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer. Online hysteria abounds, but it’s all recently been debunked by international expert consensus.
The claims are there. The evidence isn’t. If you have low testosterone, the risks of not being treated largely outweigh any supposed risks of hormonal therapy.
It's important to treat low testosterone levels

How Can You Tell If You Have Low Testosterone?

Look south. “It’s not just difficulty in achieving an erection that’s a sign, but struggling to maintain one as well,” says Dr Jayasena. Then there’s the other tricky telltale signs that can just as easily be symptoms of depression or another illness.
“You’ll have a number of bothersome symptoms,” says Professor Hackett. “Loss of libido, loss of morning erections, erectile dysfunction, then you’ll lose physical strength and muscle mass. You might feel excessively tired and fall asleep in the evenings. You could feel depressed and put on weight. When it goes really bad, your beard might not grow and you could lose hair on your legs and get hot flushes.”
It’s important to be honest with your doctor. In fact, overshare. “Talk about the bedroom,” says Professor Hackett. “Men often avoid this due to embarrassment. And doctors are often quick to think depression is the cause without checking for testosterone.”
Talking about sex drive and erections will ensure that hormonal tests are on the table. This is particularly important because antidepressants can actually exacerbate testosterone problems due to their effects on neurotransmitters.
Speaking of drugs…

Should You Supplement Testosterone?

The answer is obvious but it bears mentioning anyway: if you have a deficiency, yes; if you don’t, then most certainly not. Fortunately, as scary as a deficiency sounds, the treatments generally have great success.
“When you raise the testosterone, symptoms improve in variable stages,” says Professor Hackett. “Libido improves quickly; energy and erections may take a bit longer. Then losing weight and improving insulin resistance might take 12 months.
But by improving all those symptoms you’ll motivate a guy to do something about his life, and [potentially] save him losing his wife and family. It’s a package of care.”
The best treatment for you will depend on your lifestyle. They mainly vary on how regularly they need to be administered. Someone with a good morning routine, for instance, would benefit from regular low-dose gels applied in the morning. For others, an injection that delivers testosterone over a longer period might work best. Professor Hackett recommends being honest with your doctor about your lifestyle to ascertain the best route for your body.

How To Increase Your Testosterone Naturally

One thing needs to be made clear here and painfully so: it’s statistically unlikely you need to increase your testosterone and to do so unnaturally could be devastating to your health. That said, maintaining healthy levels is, as government bodies are so wont to tell you about almost every aspect of health, predominantly a case of living sensibly.

1. Find Your Balance

What does a healthy lifestyle actually mean in terms of testosterone? It’s perhaps best summed up by a recent study by Australian scientists. “This was a big study,” says Dr Jayasena. “It graded men according to their lifestyle. The better they did, the less chance they had of testosterone deficiency. Never having salt was worth a point. As was regularly eating oily fish, doing moderate exercise, having a healthy BMI and not smoking or drinking. All sensible stuff.”
Living a healthy lifestyle will help boost testosterone levels

2. Dodge The Drugs

Drugs, medicinal and otherwise, can wreak havoc inside your body. “Painkillers can interfere with neurotransmitters and the pituitary gland, which controls hormones,” says Professor Hackett. “Recreational drugs, like cannabis, LSD and cocaine – drugs that alter your brain chemistry – will affect some fairly critical neurotransmitters as well.” Unless you’re being prescribed something you need, don’t do drugs, kids.
Recreational drugs can lower your testosterone levels

Pop The Right Pills

Conversely, certain anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety supplements, which have a positive effect on neurotransmitters, can help keep things more balanced. Fish oil and vitamin D supplements have been found to have the most efficacy. Remember, this is about prevention, not cure.
Fish oils can help increase T levels

4. Burn Some Blubber

It’s not just obesity but also the hidden, visceral fat – the stuff around your organs – that can cause a dip in T levels. “At Imperial College, we’re looking closely at the effects of targeted weight loss for men with fertility problems,” says Dr Jayasena.
“Obesity is the big enemy but visceral fat is as well. Five-to-10 per cent weight loss could be enough to turn this around. Men need to help themselves as much as look to doctors.” You heard the man – get on your bike.
Exercise is good for your testosterone levels

5. Eat Yourself Healthy

When it comes to testosterone, food is fuel. “All hormones rely upon processing for manufacturers. That means you have to have the raw materials for them and the cofactors that make them,” says nutrition consultant and the author of The Dodo Diet, Drew Price.
“Fats are often highlighted as necessary for T production, but in reality most people eat more than enough. Evidence suggests that low intakes of carbs can also impair production as well as the downstream processing and utilisation of T. But one factor that really inhibits hormone function is insufficient calories.” In other words, eat like a man.
A healthy diet will help increase testosterone levels

6. Lose Some Booze

Going teetotal will help ensure you stay T total. But even just being sensible with your alcohol consumption will be beneficial. “Booze is obviously a T killer,” says Price. “Interestingly, it will raise hormones associated with T production in the short term but run down total production in the long run. It also reduces sleep quality, a deficiency of which is a one-two punch resulting in less muscle, less virility and more fat.”
Alcohol can dramatically lower testosterone levels

7. Spice Things Up

A parting tip: stock up on chillies. “There’s some evidence that suggests spicy foods may increase testosterone. But it also might just be the case that guys with higher testosterone levels prefer spicy foods,” says Price. “It’s not entirely clear.” Even so, there’s no harm in adding some heat to your diet, even on the smallest off chance it might spice things up in the bedroom in the long term.
Spicy foods might boost testosterone levels

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Tuesday, 29 May 2018

99 Get To Know You Questions, From First Date To Happily Ever After

Ad1 99 Get To Know You Questions, From First Date To Happily Ever After
When it comes to dating, the pressure is firmly on. It only takes a tenth of a second to form an impression of a stranger, according to Princeton researchers. And that’s before you’ve even opened your mouth.
Once a first impression is made, all you have left are your conversational skills. And this is the hard part. But Harvard researchers have found that the best way to make a good impression is by simply asking a question.
Once you’ve decided what to wear for a first date, one of the difficulties is knowing how serious to get with conversation, or how light to keep things. You don’t want your date to start crying into their spaghetti after opening up about their darkest childhood secrets, but science has given us good reason to delve a little deeper than small talk if you really want to make a lasting impression.
In 1997, an academic paper gave the world 36 questions it promised that would make a person ‘fall in love with anyone’ when asked on a date. In 2015, a New York Times article about the study and the questions – many of which were quite intimate and personal – went viral. The whole idea behind the questions was to create closeness between two people, and for the participants to ‘enjoy getting close’ to each other. A shortcut to romance and intimacy, in other words.
So here are some questions that will really help you get to know someone, whether it’s light-hearted banter on a first date or deep, meaningful conversations about life with your spouse.

Before You Meet

Texting before you meet
The chances are, you met your potential mate on some app or other. The aim here in the virtual world is to keep the conversation light and flowing – and glean an idea of where to take your date. You want to build excitement and anticipation, not give anyone cold feet.
If possible, come up with some topics of conversation to expand on later in the week when the date rolls around. You’re not going to make anyone fall in love with you here, so leave your 36 questions at the door and keep things relatively simple.
– What’s your favourite place to spend an evening out?
– What’s your go-to drink on a night out?
– How’s your week going?
– If you could hop on a plane right now, where would you go?
– If you could be any person for a day, who would you be and why?
– Are you a dog or cat person?
– What do you do for work?
– Where do you live?
– What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
– Beer or wine?
– Is there somewhere else in the world you’d like to live?

The Small Talk

Small Talk
The first half an hour of a date is all about loosening up, breaking any tension and just … getting … through it. It’s important to keep things lighthearted, the conversation natural and quite general so you can gauge each other’s personality before moving things on to anything more groundbreaking.
The Harvard researchers discovered that those who ask more follow-up questions during a conversation instantly become more likeable, so if your date responds positively to your initial questions, why not hit back with another related question to allow them to expand? It shows you care about what they are saying and are interested in hearing more. In the meantime, try these as starting points.
– So, Tinder’s weird, isn’t it?
– What’s the worst pick-up line you’ve had on the app?
– How was your day?
– What do you have lined up on Netflix?
– Where did you grow up, and how long have you been living here?
– Who do you live with?
– Where did you go to school?
– What do you like to do on weekends?
– Have you been on any holidays lately? Any trips coming up?
– Do you have any siblings?
– Was there a job you always wanted to do as a kid?

After A Few Drinks

After A Few Drinks
At this point in the date, you’re both loosening up and starting (hopefully) to feel comfortable around each other. You want to open the conversation up to a few anecdotes, and get into some more meaty conversations so you can get to know each other now the nerves are starting to settle.
Your first impressions will well and truly have been made by this point according to the Princeton study, but you can improve your stock by continuing to be interested in what your date has to say.
– What one thing do you wish you had invented?
– What type of music do you like?
– What was the last great film you watched?
– If you weren’t in your current job, what would you be doing?
– What are you better at than 90 per cent of the population?
– What advice do you tell other people but are rubbish at doing yourself?
– What’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?
– If you had to eat one cuisine for the rest of your life, what would it be?
– Are you a good cook?
– Do you prefer swimming in the sea or the pool?
– If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

When You’re Relaxed In Each Other’s Company

Couple enjoying date
You’ll both have a pretty good idea if sparks are flying by this point, so all you can do from here is have a good time and make it a memorable evening. It’s time to ramp the conversation up a bit before last orders.
– What one thing are you most grateful for in life?
– What’s your dream job?
– What’s your biggest fear?
– What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
– How close are you to your family?
– If you could tell your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
– What’s your favourite part of your home town?
– And what do you hate most about it?
– Who’s the most interesting person you know?
– What would you do with your free time if you didn’t need to work?
– What would you like to be known for?
– Have you ever had a fist fight?

Wrapping It Up

Paying the bill
All good dates come to an end, unfortunately – and this is the time when you need to leave on a good impression. It’s all about getting a balance between not wrapping it up too abruptly, and not letting the goodbye linger so long it gets awkward. You don’t need to overcomplicate it, just be natural – you’ve done the hard work already.
– Do you have any exciting plans over the weekend?
– Can I pick up the bill?
– How are you getting home?
– What did you think of this place?
– Would you like to meet again?
– Where shall we go?

Second Date

Couple enjoying date
If the first date went well enough, the second date will creep up on you before you’ve even recovered from the nerves (and hangover) of the first. In fact, in a survey of 1,000 couples by dating app Coffee Meets Bagel, 77 per cent of people organised their second date while on their first date or the day after. So don’t hang around.
It’s important to keep the momentum going and the conversation flowing, too, so there’s a third. Here are a few ideas of what to ask, to pick back up where you left off.
– How was your week?
– What’s been the best thing to happen to you since we last saw each other?
– Have you read anything interesting this week?
– If you could go anywhere in the world on a date, where would it be?
– What is one misconception people often have about you?
– If you could change one aspect about yourself, what would it be?
– What annoys you most about dating?
– If you could only keep one possession of yours, what would it be?
– Do you spend your money on anything you shouldn’t?

When Things Start To Get Serious

Meeting parents
Okay, we are skipping a few dates here. But what happens when you and your date start to go beyond the dating phase, and actually enter a full-blown relationship? Are there specific questions you still need to ask? Well, by now you should no each other fairly well, but there are still improvements to be made. Perhaps you haven’t yet met the family or been introduced to the parents; maybe you need to brush up on friendship groups and who’s who as you really become part of each other’s lives.
– Which parent are/were you closer to?
– Which family member would you go to in a time of need?
– Were you ever tempted to follow in your mother or father’s career footsteps?
– What’s your greatest fear?
– What’s your earliest childhood memory?
– What’s the most embarrassing thing your parents have ever said to you?
– Would you change anything about your relationship with your family?
– Who’s your most treasured memory with your best friend?
– Have you ever massively fallen out with a close friend and why?
– What’s the worst thing a friend has ever done to make you upset?

After An Argument

Couple Arguing
The all-dreaded, all-damning, all-too-common reality of long-term relationships: arguments. They’re a fact of life and, in reality, if you do them right, they’re actually healthy for your relationship.
In a study, the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan found that people who argued regularly were (ironically) actually less stressed out during their day – supposedly because they released their tension gradually rather than letting it build up into a bigger problem. But what questions should be asked in order to address it?
– How does it make you feel when we argue?
– Do you want your own space for a minute?
– What do you think it is that makes us argue?
– How can we avoid it next time?
– What do you need me to do differently?
– Is there anything you’re bottling up?
– Are we okay?
– What shall we do together tomorrow?

Before Moving In

Couple moving in together
Provided you made it past the above section (and the argument), you may find yourself moving in together with your partner. A small step this is not, and it’s one that will likely raise many questions in the build up to it happening and beyond.
This is a big test of the relationship, which will either make it or break it – you can’t exactly move out, live separately and stay together as if nothing ever happened. Now is the time to address not just the practical questions about moving in, but also whether you see the same future together. There are some biggies here.
– It’s a big move – are we ready for it?
– Do you think we’d argue more being in the same space all the time?
– City or country?
– Do you want to be close to your family?
– If there was one compromise for your living situation, what would that be?
– What’s your dream piece of furniture?
– Are you ready for jointly-owned cutlery, tea towels and furniture?
– Pet or no pet?
– Do you want to have kids? And if so, when?
– Where do you see us living in the future?

Keeping It Interesting Long Term

Keeping It Interesting Long Term
Congratulations, you’ve made it through the dating assault course and relationship minefield, and you’re in it for the long game. Yes, you are settling down but that doesn’t mean you have to take your foot off the gas – it’s important to keep things interesting and continue to push and inspire your partner, and vice versa.
That doesn’t mean waking them up every morning while reciting a new Chaucer verse; rather, go out now and again (remember those early days) and keep challenging each other and asking interesting questions. It will keep you on your toes, which is a good thing.
– If you could re-do one year of your life, which would it be and why?
– If you were to die tonight, what would be the one thing you would tell me?
– Do you have one secret you’ve never shared with anyone?
– Am I doing enough?
– Have you ever thought about sleeping with anyone else? Gosling doesn’t count.
– What’s your biggest life regret?
– What should our next big holiday be?
– Is there something you’d love to do, but feel like we can’t?
– Have you ever not done something that you wished you had, and still can do?
– What’s the happiest you’ve ever been?
– What big plan shall we make for the next five years?

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The Best Multivitamins For Every Type Of Man

Ad1 The Best Multivitamins For Every Type Of Man
Being a FashionBeans reader (good on you), it’s probably safe to assume that you take a bit of pride in your outward appearance (good on you again). However, what good is there in draping yourself head-to-toe in this season’s latest trends if you’ve got more bags than an airport carousel under your peepers and skin so flaky you could give Kellogg’s a run for its money?

The point is, an architect wouldn’t build his latest masterpiece on a foundation of mud and sewage, so how can you expect to look your best when what’s underneath your clothes is just crying out for nourishment.
For many people, the answer lies with vitamin and mineral supplements.
These little capsules promise to give your mind, body and soul (well, maybe not your soul) the nutrients they need to stay shining bright. But with such a dizzying array of products on offer, picking the right ones can be a royal pain in the vitamin A-hole. Not least because in many cases, the marketing is not backed up by mountains of evidence.

What Supp?

Over the years, studies and counter-studies have argued over the merits of various supplements. But after three disappointing trials in 2013, a strongly-worded editorial in The Annals of Internal Medicine said that enough was enough. “The message is simple: Most supplements do not prevent chronic disease or death, their use is not justified, and they should be avoided.”
It’s true that you can get the vast majority of what your body needs to be healthy from the food that goes in your mouth. But while popping a pill every morning is not going to make you live forever, there are instances where supplements are proven to help with specific ailments or to assist with certain kinds of lifestyle.
To help you make an informed choice, we’ve rounded up the finest multivitamins and supplements on the market and categorised them by what type of bloke they’ll suit best – all signed off by experts who know their fish oil from their snake oil.
However, at risk of sounding like your mum, before you embark on any new course of supplements, you’ll need to check with your GP that it’s the right path for you. Certain vitamins and minerals can interfere with any medication you might already be taking, so it’s important to rule out any potential unwanted side effects before getting started.
Got all that? Perfect. Now, let’s take a gander.

For The Heavy Lifter

If you’re in pursuit of biceps so bulging and pecs so powerful that they’d make Arnie quake in his boots and possibly even do a little wee in his leather Terminator trousers, some added nutrients can help to give you the boost you need. But while you’re probably already stocked on muscle-building supplements like protein and BCAAs, there are others that can protect against some of the lesser-known ills of exercise.
Free radicals are simple molecules, missing an electron, that are formed during exercise like weight training. In abundance they can have some nasty effects by attacking proteins like collagen, causing premature ageing of the skin. Luckily, they can be fought off.
“More free radicals are produced in exercise,” explains Jo Travers, a registered dietician and author of The Low-Fad Diet. “So a greater intake of antioxidants such as vitamin C, E and A may be beneficial.”
In addition to antioxidants, Travers suggests B vitamin coenzymes for amino acid metabolism and a hearty dose of vitamin C, which as well as being an antioxidant, is essential for tissue repair. Put simply, that means fewer rest days and bigger guns.
The Best Multivitamin Supplements for Body Builders

What To Buy

Muscletech Platinum Multivitamins

If a name like “Muscletech” isn’t enough to lure you in, these multivitamins really do have all bases covered. Packed full of antioxidants and essential nutrients, the daily tablets do everything they can to optimise even the most intense of workout regimens.
Buy Now: £15.18 for 90 Caplets
Muscletech Platinum Multivitamins

Optimum Nutrition Opti-Men

Jam-packed full of 70 active high-potency vitamins and minerals, Opti-Men’s all-in-one capsules are specially formulated to enable you to get the most out of a sweaty session on the bench.
Buy Now: £29.99 for 90 tablets
Description of image

NOW Foods Super Antioxidants

With a potent blend of expertly selected herb and fruit extracts, a bottle of these bad boys contains everything you need to help keep those free radicals at bay. If you want to keep skin healthy and even reduce the risk of cancer while you’re in full beast mode, this is just what you need.
Buy Now: £23.39 for 120 vcaps
NOW Foods Super Antioxidants

For The Insomniac

We’ve all been there: 6am, an hour until you need to be up and in the shower and you’re only just beginning to nod off. Hardly the best start for a productive day at the office, is it?
Losing sleep can be extremely detrimental in almost every conceivable aspect of your life, but instead of just lying awake tossing and turning until it’s time to haul yourself out of your pit, give yourself a better chance of drifting off by making sure you’re getting enough of the right helping hands.
“Research has shown that maintaining sufficient levels of Vitamins B3, B5, B6, B9 and B12 may help achieve good sleep,” suggests Daniel O’Shaughnessy, a professional nutrition practitioner at The Naked Nutritionist. “[While] magnesium will help your body to release tension and relax.”
In addition to the usual vitamins and minerals, there are a few lesser-known helpers, says O’Shaughnessy.
“5-htp is a precursor to serotonin and melatonin – your sleep hormone,” he explains. “Your body can sometimes struggle with metabolism of these so in essence, supplementing is giving your body a little break from doing the work for you.
“Valerian root is also a herb for sleep, but its effects are largely related to relaxation.” Which, frankly, we’ll take.
The Best Multivitamin Supplements for Insomniacs and to help get to sleep

What To Buy

Higher Nature Positive Outlook Capsules

This formula from Higher Nature contains a carefully mixed blend of B vitamins and amino acids, including 5-htp, to help you get some much-needed shut-eye.
Buy Now: £20.56 for 90 Capsules
Higher Nature Positive Outlook Capsules

Solgar Valerian Root Extract Capsules

Unlike its steel cousin in Game Of Thrones, Valerian Root probably isn’t much good for slaying white walkers. However, according to legions of fans, it can help to stop sleep issues dead in their tracks. Which, considering white walkers don’t actually exist, is probably a lot more useful.
Buy Now: £8.77 for 60 capsules
Solgar Valerian Root Extract Capsules

Natrol E-Z Sleep

Using melatonin, vitamin B6 and L-Theanine, E-Z Sleep provides an entirely natural way to aid healthy sleep. What’s more, it comes in handy shot-sized bottles, as opposed to tablets, which claims to be berry flavoured but we’ll let you be the judge of that.
Buy Now: £4.62 for 56ml
Natrol E-Z Sleep

For The Worrier

Do you spend half of your life conjuring up scenarios in your head and fretting over the imagined consequences? Does the slightest problem fill you with dread? If so, it could just be that you lack some essential nutrients, and thankfully, there are a few supplements that can help to put your mind at ease. O’Shaughnessy lays out a few of the most important.
“Magnesium deficiency is associated with anxiety disorders,” he says. “Magnesium comes in many forms, and for anxiety, magnesium threonate is the best.
“All B vitamins may also have an effect on anxiety. B vitamins play a strong role in the nervous system, so studies indicate that supplementing B vitamins could help to improve anxiety outlook.”
When selecting the correct pills to pop to quell your anxiety, fans of stuff like yoga, kale, acupuncture and weird Chinese berries will be happy to learn there are a few herbal ingredients to look out for as well.
Rennet, an Indian plant, also known as ashwagandha, is thought to have therapeutic benefits and O’Shaughnessy notes that several human studies have shown it to decrease anxiety.
Kava root is another biggy, O’Shaunghnessy explains: “Kava is used to improve mood, ease anxiety and boost sociability. It works by stimulating dopamine receptors and inducing euphoria. Research shows it’s very effective for treating anxiety.”
The Best Multivitamin Supplements for Anxiety

What To Buy

BrainSmart Mood

With all-natural ingredients, including magnesium, several B vitamins and chamomile, BrainSmart is specifically designed to target the effects of anxiety in the most organic way possible.
Buy Now: £26.89 for 60 capsules
BrainSmart Mood

Eurovital Kava Kava Capsules

Kava is lauded as the best natural remedy to combat stress and anxiety. These capsules from Eurovital will give you 30 days of the good stuff to help put your mind at rest.
Buy Now: £17.15 for 60 capsules
Eurovital Kava Kava Capsules

Terra Nova Vitamin B-Complex

With all the B vitamins (yeah mate, that’s right, all of them), a dash of vitamin C and even some of that ashwagandha stuff we mentioned further up, Terra Nova’s Vitamin B-Complex tablets have everything you need to knock your anxiety firmly on the head.
Buy Now: £6.91 for 50 capsules
Terra Nova Vitamin B-Complex

For The Cardio Junkie

If your idea of a relaxing weekend off involves 50 lengths in the pool, followed by a quarter marathon in the park and a hike in the hills, then you’re probably pretty healthy as is. But adding a few supplements into the mix can help your muscles recover more quickly and improve stamina, meaning you may be able to turn that quarter marathon into a half marathon in a few weeks time. Maybe.
“B vitamins are needed for metabolic energy pathways such as glycolysis (converting glucose to energy) and the TCA cycle (converting fat to energy),” says Travers.
In plain English, that means they help your body to convert food into miles on the track. Essential stuff when you’re looking to beat your PB on Strava.
Travers adds that in addition, B12 and folate are particularly important for red blood cell synthesis, helping to deliver oxygen through the bloodstream and to your working muscles.
The Best Multivitamin Supplements for Athletes

What To Buy

Wellman Sport

Formulated with both sports and just generally active lifestyles firmly in mind, Wellman Sport mixes essential vitamins and minerals to promote red blood cell production and a healthy immune system.
Buy Now: £6.95 for 30 tablets
Wellman Sport

Healthspan Elite Magnesium Plus

Brimming with all the B vitamins you need to keep that blood pumping and those legs running like traction engines; this stuff also contains an injection of magnesium, which can encourage optimal muscle contraction, skeletal strength and energy production.
Buy Now: £12.95 for 120 tablets
Healthspan Elite Magnesium Plus

MyProtein B-Complex Capsules

By now you’re probably clear on how important the role of B vitamins is when it comes to sport, so it makes sense to cram as many of them in as you can. Vitamin-B complex supplements can help to increase energy, reduce fatigue and protect cells from oxidative stress.
Buy Now: £4.49 for 120 tablets
MyProtein B-Complex Capsules

For The Thinker

For those who spend their days being creative and using their brains at full throttle, it’s important to keep it lubed up and running like clockwork. Getting enough of the right nutrients is essential to make sure your grey matter is functioning accurately, and there are a few things you’ll want to consider adding to your diet straight away.
“Brain function is a broad topic,” explains Laura Clark, a registered dietitian and sports nutritionist. “Low levels of folate and B vitamins have been linked with depression, [they’re also] important to release energy from our food.
Clark continues: “40 per cent of our brain cell walls are made up of omega 3 fatty acids… one of the biggest deficiencies in the UK. If oily fish isn’t your thing, then a supplement is advisable.”
So, to save you the hassle of eating an oily fish for breakfast every day, here are a few handy supplementary options you might want to consider instead.
The Best Multivitamin Supplements for Thinkers and Brain Power

What To Buy

Vitabiotics Ultra Omega 3

Designed specifically to improve brain function, vision and heart performance, these high-strength fish oil capsules contain 60 per cent omega 3 to keep your brain ticking along as efficiently as possible.
Buy Now: £5.08 for 60 capsules
Vitabiotics Ultra Omega 3

BrainSmart Ultra Advanced

If names are anything to go by, this stuff must pack a severe punch. However, if you’re more swayed by ingredients, facts and all that sort of boring stuff, rest assured that these one-a-day tablets are packed full of B vitamins, omega 3, zinc, iron and all the other bits and bobs you need to get your brain firing on all cylinders.
Buy Now: £28.89 for 60 capsules
BrainSmart Ultra Advanced

Efalex Active Memory

Keeping your memory in check is half the battle when it comes to improving your brain function, and these pills from Efalex were created with that in mind. Combining the critical Omega-3 nutrient DHA with vitamins B12 and folic acid, they’ll help to keep you mentally healthy, with a razor-sharp mind.
Buy Now: £7.99 for 30 capsules
Efalex Active Memory

For The Office Worker

Putting in long hours at your desk and failing to get out and about in the light of day may keep your boss off your back, but it certainly isn’t doing anything for your health. Aside from weight gain, spine issues and decreased mental health, staying inside and inactive can starve your body of some of its essential nutrients.
“If you have a sedentary lifestyle or don’t go outside much, you definitely need more vitamin D,” says nutritional therapy consultant Judy Watson. “[It] supports strong bones but also supports mood and immune system in the winter.”
“You may also benefit from more magnesium, which helps relax muscles and reduce cravings for sugar and chocolate, which can be common for people sat indoors for long periods.”
The Best Multivitamin Supplements for Office Workers

What To Buy

Vitabiotics Ultra Vitamin D 2000IU

2000IU vitamin D3 is the preferred form of vitamin D produced naturally by the body on exposure to sunlight. Keeping on top of it when you’re not seeing enough daylight can keep your immune system healthy and prevent you from getting ill.
Buy Now: £7.85 for 96 tablets
Vitabiotics Ultra Vitamin D 2000IU

MyProtein Alpha Men

With an essential blend of important minerals and vitamins, including plenty of vitamin D, Alpha Men will help to replace the nutrients you’re missing out on while trapped in your office, as well as promoting a whole host of other health body and brain functions.
Buy Now: £12.99 for 120 tablets
MyProtein Alpha Men

Golden Greens Organic Vitamin D Complex

For the veg heads out there, this completely organic and vegan option is brimming with all the D vitamins you could ever dream of. What’s more, rather than coming in tablet form, this organic vitamin D complex comes as a delicious chocolaty drink. Being healthy has never tasted this unhealthy.
Buy Now: £14.99 for 30 days supply
Golden Greens Organic Vitamin D Complex

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