Scivation Sesamin and
Primaforce Max CLA Fat Loss Stack
The norm in
bodybuilding is to alternate between periods of cutting and bulking, or simply
put periods of losing fat while trying not to lose muscle and periods of gaining
muscle commonly along with fat. I myself hate dieting for 20 weeks for a
competition only to quickly regain the fat I loss as soon as I raise my caloric
intake. Because of this, I try to keep my body fat percentage under control
while bulking. Sesamin has proved to be a godsend in regards to keep my body fat
under control while bulking. Like everyone else reading this article, I am
always looking for ways to improve my results. The combination of Scivation Sesamin + Primaforce Max CLA
looks to be a way to do just that.
Scivation Sesamin
Sesamin is a lignan
isolated from sesame seeds. A lignan is a molecule that combines with another
entity acting as an “activator.” In the case of sesamin, it binds to and
activates a receptor called Peroxisome Proliferator-Activator Receptor Alpha
(PPARalpha). Sesamin has been shown to be a potent PPARalpha activator
[1].
The PPAR receptor
family is divided into three subgroups: alpha, beta/delta, and gamma. PPARalpha
is highly expressed in muscle, the liver, kidneys, and heart and is involved in
the regulation of lipid metabolism, specifically the transcription of the genes
involved in the beta-oxidation (burning) of fatty acids and lipogenesis.
Activation of PPARalpha increases gene expression of the fatty acid oxidation
enzymes and decreases gene expression of lipogenic enzymes.
Of vital important,
Sesamin increases the expression of the mitochondrial enzyme carnitine palmitoyl
transferase (CPT), among other enzymes [2]. CPT, the rate-limiting enzyme in
beta-oxidation of fatty acids in skeletal muscle and liver cell mitochondria, is
found on the outer membrane of mitochondria and carries fatty acids across the
membrane into the mitochondria by binding to them. Increasing the expression of
CPT, along with other enzymes involved in beta-oxidation, will allow more fatty
acids to be transported into the mitochondria where they can be
oxidized.
In addition to
increasing the oxidation of fat, Sesamin supplementation has also been shown to
decrease lipogenesis (fat storage) by decreasing lipogenic enzymes in the liver.
Sesamin has been shown to decrease lipogenic the gene expression of sterol
regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and
fatty acid synthase, among other lipogenic enzymes [3], which means less fat is
esterifized in the liver and therefore less fat is stored in adipose tissue (fat
cells). So Sesamin works in two ways to make you lean (and keep you lean):
increasing fat oxidation and decreasing fat storage.
Conjugated Linoleic
Acid (CLA)
Conjugated Linoleic
Acid (CLA) is a mix of isomers of linoleic acid (commercially sold as a 50:50
mix of cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12 isomers). Studies done on humans
have shown decreased body fat and/or increased lean mass (though results are
mixed). CLA is believed to influence body composition through regulation of
lipid metabolism.
Studies have shown CLA
to inhibit transcription of enzymes involved in de novo fatty acid
synthesis/lipogenesis, desaturation of fatty acids, and triglyceride synthesis
[4]. It is believed that CLA decreases the activation of PPARgamma, resulting in
the attenuation of fat cell differentiation. In mice, CLA supplementation has
been shown to decrease adipocyte number and size as well as cause apoptosis
(cell death) of adipocytes [4].
Sesamin + CLA
Supplementation
The combination of
Sesamin + CLA should prove very potent for fat loss or fat gain prevention.
Supplementing with CLA will cause a decrease in triglyceride uptake by
adipocytes and lipogenesis/fat storage, but if these fatty acids are not
oxidized, they will build up in the blood and liver leading to insulin
resistance. By adding Sesamin into the mix, fat oxidation will be increased
(very strongly in the liver), resulting in the oxidation of the elevated fatty
acid concentration caused by CLA as well as working synergistically with CLA to
decrease fat storage. The combination of Sesamin + CLA attacks fat oxidation and
storage from multiple angles, resulting in less stored body
fat.
*Common dosages for
Sesamin range from 500-150 mg per day.
*Common dosages for CLA
range from 3-6 grams per day, with some user experimenting with and noticing
enhanced results with 6-12 grams per day.
References:
JARQ 37 (3), 151 – 158
(2003)’
J Agric Food Chem. 2001
May;49(5):2647-51
Biochim Biophys Acta.
2001 Nov 30;1534(1):1-
J Lipid Res. 2003
Dec;44(12):2234-41. Epub 2003 Aug 16 |
