Boost your gains! This $28 creatine powder is helping shoppers build muscle and stamina in WEEKS
If you're a gym junkie, or just someone looking to get and feel more fit, there are a few supplements that can really help. One thing that's been picking up traction lately is creatine supplements — my boyfriend takes about five grams daily and swears it helps with muscle growth.
The Vitamin Shoppe is one place to shop for creatine supplements, and while they have a ton, there is one that is extremely highly rated and priced lower than the competition — BodyTech Pure Creatine Monohydrate Powder.
This unflavored dietary supplement dissolves quickly in water and offers 60 servings total. Just mix one scoop (five grams) of this creatine in about eight to 12 fluid ounces of water and drink it either before or after working out.
If you're using this on a rest day, make sure to take it before or after a meal. That's the only amount you should be taking — make sure not to take extra, as this might upset your stomach.
Creatine is well-loved by athletes as it helps with muscle recovery and soreness post-workouts. It should also help you bulk up, and is even said to increase endurance. My boyfriend, for example, says it has improved his stamina and definitely helped him gain more upper body muscle mass since he started taking it two months ago.
While there are flavored creatines out there and even chewable tablets available, this unflavored supplement is the easiest way to incorporate it into your schedule. It is virtually tasteless, so it won't feel like you're actually 'taking' anything.
The product is also gluten-free, making this a great option for most of you.
The Vitamin Shoppe customers seem to love it too, with many giving it a near-perfect 5-star rating.
'Blends very easily. Husband noticed a positive difference with his legs (he has neuropathy in his legs),' says one shopper.
'I can tell the difference between my bulk when I use this versus other creatine products,' adds another.
'No after taste and the scoop actually gives you 5 or + more grams of creatine. It's accurate unlike most brands where their scoops only give you 2-3 grams. Definitely my go to creatine brand,' says a third.
At just $25, this creatine supplement is a great addition to your workout routine. See results in just a few weeks, and recover from your tiresome workouts faster.
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Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Telegraph
The 35-minute home workout that saves time and boosts heart health
The perfect moment for a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout is at the end of one of those two-hour online meetings, or straight after an undignified argument about whose turn it was to mow the lawn. HIIT sessions are an explosive release of energy and need be carried out close to your full capacity, so a little pent-up frustration is the perfect fuel. They bring all manner of benefits, but you need to go hard. These are workouts that require a decent check-up at the GP, a bouncy pair of trainers and access to a warm shower. They are a combination of tough, short bursts and little rests that allow you to find your peak performance once again. They can be carried out in a brief slice of your day and leave you drained but satisfied. But how hard is hard enough? Samuel Quinn, the personal training lead at Nuffield Health gym group, says, 'It needs to be at 90 per cent of maximum effort.' The best way to ascertain this without hooking yourself up to a lab full of equipment is perceived effort – how hard you feel you are working. 'To get the physiological adaptations – the improvements in heart-lung strength – it needs to be a really hard effort.' This will depend on your level of fitness – Usain Bolt's tough 30 seconds will be quite different from yours and mine. Can anyone do a HIIT workout? Quinn says, 'For anyone with any heart conditions, it's not advised.' He says he often eases people into the HIIT format, familiarising them with the pattern of rest and exertion without taking them up to the full intensity until they are acclimatised. 'My clients vary in age and ability. It's a really effective form of training where you can start quite gently and introduce the concept at relatively low intensity, which may not be the most effective, but it can start people off so they understand the concept.' Quinn advises a gradual familiarisation with the intervals so someone who isn't training regularly can build up gently to working at higher levels of oxygen intake. 'You can gradually adapt to that form of training and then incrementally start to increase the intensity,' he says. 'You can start with a rest period twice as long as the work period, so work for 20 seconds and rest for 40 seconds. It's enough to raise your heart rate, and you can start with just five intervals and then build to 10.' For example, he suggests running on a treadmill at 7km/hr and increasing the speed or gradient as your fitness develops – until you are able to run twice as fast, once your fitness has adapted. HIIT is no more dangerous for older people than other forms of workout. An article published in the Donvale Rehabilitation Hospital in Australia says: 'Elderly individuals who have been medically cleared for exercise are safe to engage in regular HIIT. 'Research suggests there is no increase in serious adverse cardiac events or musculoskeletal injuries when engaging in HIIT compared with moderate intensity exercise.' Benefits of HIIT workouts Saves time 'What makes it appealing to the average working person is that it's time-efficient and effective compared with steady-state cardio such as a 30-minute jog. To get the same calorific effect you'd have to do that for a long period,' says Ignacio Ferran, a trainer at F45 Camden and competing bodybuilder. In other words, it's harder but faster than regular cardio. Improves your heart and lungs Ferran says: 'HIIT training is the most effective way to improve your VO2 max – the capacity to use oxygen – and that has massive links to all-cause mortality. If your VO2 max is healthy, you're going to be healthier.' Good for mental health An international meta study found moderate improvements in mental health after HIIT. The researchers said, 'These findings support the use of HIIT for mental health in the general population.' One element that may contribute to this effect is the sense of being in control and capable. Also the intensity releases a rush of positive brain chemicals. Reduces risk of diabetes HIIT is every bit as good as more time-consuming conventional exercise when it comes to controlling blood sugar. A study carried out in Michigan, US, found, 'Peripheral insulin sensitivity was around 20 per cent greater the day after the final exercise session compared to pre-training.' Helps your brain Research carried out in Shenghang, China, found that HIIT training created small improvements in information processing, executive functioning and memory. Examples of HIIT workouts 4 x 4 Norwegian This requires four minutes of work at 85-95 per cent intensity with a three-minute rest. This needs four rounds and you should choose whatever pulse-raising exercise you are most at home with – running and cycling are popular; anything involving complicated skills may get in the way of the heart workout. Tabata This one is 20 seconds' work with 10 seconds' rest for eight sweaty rounds, carried out at 85-95 per cent intensity – hard but effective. 20:40 x 10 Twenty seconds' work with 40 seconds' rest for a harsh 10 rounds. Emom (every-minute-on-the-minute) You perform a specific number of repetitions and rest for the remainder of the minute once you've completed the task. The 35-minute home HIIT workout by Samuel Quinn This home workout requires no equipment beyond a steely determination to keep going. 1. 20 seconds of squats How to do it: Feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees as if you're going to crouch and burst up again. Then take 40 seconds of rest. 2. 20 seconds of press-ups How to do it: Hands beneath shoulders, bend your arms until your nose is just above the floor and straighten once again. Keep your back and bottom in a straight line. Then take 40 seconds of rest. 3. 20 seconds of lunges How to do it: Feet parallel, take a step forward, almost touching the back knee to the floor, keeping movement under control at all times. Treat yourself to 40 seconds of rest. 4. 20 seconds of plank How to do it: Keeping your body straight and tensed, lie above the floor, resting on your elbows. This is a static exercise. Do take 40 seconds rest. 5. 20 seconds of burpees How to do it: A combination of press-up and squat. Start from standing position, drop to a press-up before pushing back into a squat, add an optional jump if you're feeling particularly perky. You will probably need the 40-second rest here. 6. 20 seconds of high-knee running How to do it: It helps to place your hands as a target for your knees to reach. The 40 seconds of rest will feel important by now. 7. 20 seconds of mountain climbers How to do it: A combination of press-up and running. Stay in the top of a press-up position and alternate knees to chest. And yes, enjoy 40 seconds of joyful rest. Repeat the full workout for five rounds. HIIT workout FAQs How many days a week should I do a HIIT workout? For a beginner, we recommend one or two; someone well trained could do more but they would still need a recovery day between sessions. 'Because the workout is very intense it's very taxing on the central nervous system. It's difficult to do HIIT on successive days,' says Ignacio Ferran. Is HIIT better than cardio? HIIT is an intense form of cardio. If time-efficiency and calorie burn is your main goal, then it will definitely burn more calories in a shorter time than moderate-intensity or light-intensity. But the need for recovery means that rest is essential, which could have an effect on your overall workout week. 'HIIT is more engaging because it's shorter, but it could affect your performance in your other workouts,' says Ferran. Do HIIT workouts burn fat? Roughly speaking, someone doing a full-on HIIT workout can burn the same number of calories in 20 minutes as they would in an hour of walking up an incline for one hour. 'I can burn 400 calories in 20 minutes if I was doing repeated interval sprints on a treadmill. It's very effective,' says Quinn. For the calories to burn fat, you'd have to be in an overall calorie deficit – that is, using more than you are eating.
Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Most run-down NHS hospitals named and shamed - as staggering £14billion is needed to fix crumbling wards that pose a 'catastrophic' risk to patients
Crumbling hospitals pose a 'catastrophic' risk to patients, top experts warned today as the Daily Mail names and shames Britain's most run-down NHS hospitals. Exposing the ballooning £13.8billion maintenance backlog, our investigation reveals that five sites urgently need at least £100m of work. Airedale General Hospital in West Yorkshire needs to fork out £316m just to fix 'high risk' issues, although the total bill sits just below £340m when accounting for other necessary repairs. Burst pipes, crumbling ceilings and broken lifts are among the problems that plague NHS hospitals up and down the country. MPs and influential voices in the NHS sphere have demanded ministers invest extra cash to finally end the 'shameful neglect' laid bare in our audit of the health service's entire estate, covering almost 2,900 facilities. Helen Morgan, Lib Dem health and social care spokesperson, said: 'When someone goes into hospital their only focus should be on getting better, not fearing the roof is going to cave in on them. 'Countless patients who should be focusing on their health are instead grappling with crumbling masonry, burst pipes and water leaking through the ceiling.' Ms Morgan added: 'Ministers need to step up and grasp this nettle before we see yet more buildings falling apart and patients put at risk.' She urged ministers to bring forward plans to construct new hospitals, many of which were originally built in the 1960s or before. Some are even nearly 180 years old. Deriding the 'squalid, unsafe and degrading' settings that patients have become used to, she said: 'The Conservatives' shameful neglect of our NHS brought us to this point – but Labour have kicked rebuilding our hospitals into the long grass. 'By delaying vital new hospital projects they these issues will only get worse.' To repair the crumbling estate and carry out day-to-day maintenance, Rachel Reeves this summer vowed to invest £30bn over the next five years as she said the the NHS was 'on its knees'. Critical building repairs, such as those highlighted in our audit, will be targeted with a specific £5bn pot, the Chancellor announced. Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at NHS Confederation, said: 'More than a decade of being starved of capital investment has left NHS leaders struggling to deal with a host of estate problems, including leaking roofs, sewage leaks and broken lifts, causing misery for patients and staff. 'Having fit for purpose hospitals is vital to improving patient care and boosting productivity – getting better value for taxpayers' money. 'We know that dilapidated buildings and faulty equipment can pose a risk to patient safety as well as hamper efforts to reduce waiting lists.' Even with the Government's ramped up funding, Dr McCay said the NHS still needs an extra £3.3bn a year over the next three years to tackle the maintenance backlog. The NHS already gets around £180bn per year. Our investigation found three of the five hospitals with the biggest bills for high risk work were in London. Behind Airedale General Hospital ranked Charing Cross Hospital (estimated cost of £186m) and St Mary's Hospital (£152m), both of which are in the capital. Wycombe Hospital (£139m) and Croydon University Hospital (£113m) rounded out the top five. Trusts are asked to assess their own maintenance backlog each year. As per the NHS's own definition, high risk means: 'Where repairs/replacements must be addressed with urgent priority.' This is 'in order to prevent catastrophic failure, major disruption to clinical services or deficiencies in safety liable to cause serious injury or prosecution'. In one ward that usually holds six beds at Withybush Hospital (pictured), roof support was needed to prop up the ceiling Definitions of repairs needed High risk - where repairs/replacement must be addressed with urgent priority in order to prevent catastrophic failure, major disruption to clinical services or deficiencies in safety liable to cause serious injury and/or prosecution. Significant risk - where repairs/replacement require priority management and expenditure in the short term so as not to cause undue concern to statutory enforcement bodies or risk to healthcare delivery or safety. Moderate risk - where repairs/replacement require effective management and expenditure in the medium term through close monitoring so as not to cause undue concern to statutory enforcement bodies or risk to healthcare delivery or safety. Low - where repairs/replacement require to be addressed through agreed maintenance programmes or included in the later years of an estates strategy. In total, the NHS's overall bill for high risk issues stood at £2.7bn in 2023/24 – nearly three times higher than the £1bn in 2015/16. The backlog at eleven medical sites is entirely categorised as 'high risk'. The largest of these was University Hospital of North Durham, which treats over one million patients per year. Its estimated bill stood at nearly £2.6m. When counting all four types of backlog monitored centrally by NHS bosses, Charing Cross Hospital had the biggest maintenance bill (£412m). It was followed by Airedale (£339m), St Thomas' Hospital in central London (£293m), St Mary's Hospital (£287m) and Northwick Park and St Mark's in Harrow (£239m). Financial data for hundreds of the 2,900 facilities was not available. Sites with no recorded maintenance backlogs were also excluded from our analysis. Dennis Reed, director of the senior citizen campaign organisation Silver Voices, told the Daily Mail that the NHS estate did not meet 21st century standards. He said: 'Money due to be spent on buildings has been used for current spending and pressures on staff and services, so it's very shortsighted budgeting by the NHS and now they're in a critical position. 'Some wards closed because they're not sufficiently funded and some have buckets lying around the place to collect water when it rains. 'We hear this a lot of talk from this Government about timeframes that extend into the next Parliament but it needs urgent treatment now because the NHS is in a state of accident and emergency.' One of the primary concerns around the collapsing NHS estate is that of the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). Builders used it extensively in roofing between the 1950s and 1990s, when dozens of hospitals were built or upgraded. The material is structurally weaker than traditional concrete and has been likened to a 'chocolate Aero bar'. Being prone to moisture absorption and collapse has led to fears ceilings could collapse. Schools with RAAC present have already been forced to shut buildings over fears that ceilings could collapse. While in charge, the Tories vowed to eradicate RAAC from the NHS estate by 2035 in a pledge backed by an extra £700m. Seven hospitals most affected by RAAC, including Airedale, were put under the New Hospital Programme (NHP) over fears they were 'structurally unsound'. The scheme – first launched under Boris Johnson in 2020 – vowed they would get a 'full replacement' by 2030. Forty new hospitals were also promised in the NHP, although the definition of 'new' was later clarified to mean upgraded. But Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves said last year that they would need to set out a 'thorough, realistic and costed timetable' for delivering the scheme. Health Secretary Wes Streeting in January accused the Tories of failing to fund their original plan, saying it had been 'built on the shaky foundation of false hope'. He said: 'To put it simply – there were not 40 of them, they were not all new and many were not even hospitals.' Setting out a new timetable to complete a reviewed list of work encompassing both repairs and new projects, Mr Streeting said construction would proceed in four 'waves'. The first wave is already under construction, set to be completed within three years. Under Department of Health and Social Care plans, construction work won't start at Charing Cross Hospital until 2035 at the earliest. Upgrades there will cost up to £2bn, it is expected, with plans for a new 800-bed site and redevelopments of the wider campus. Some repair work is already ongoing, said the trust which runs the hospital. Eric Munro, director of estates and facilities at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: 'Much of our estate pre-dates the NHS – some of our buildings are nearly 180 years old. 'We're spending £115m this year to reduce estate risks and make improvements, and we're working hard with partners to try to accelerate our redevelopment programme, with all three of our main hospitals in the Government's NHP.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'The NHS estate we inherited is crumbling but repairing and rebuilding our hospitals is a key part of our ambition to create a health service fit for the future. 'This Government has confirmed a funding plan and an honest, realistic timetable to deliver all schemes in the NHP, ensuring schemes are ready to enter construction as quickly as possible and that taxpayers get maximum value for money.' What the hospitals said A spokesperson for London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust said: 'LNWH Trust has an ongoing programme of works to make sure our buildings remain safe for patients, but maintaining a large estate, much of which dates back to the 1970s, is a considerable drain on resources. Managing this challenge requires a constant cycle of monitoring, maintenance and prioritisation of works. We will continue to seek additional investment for our sites wherever we can, with recent new builds including a 32-bed ward to improve patient flow at Northwick Park Hospital and the community diagnostic centre at Ealing Hospital, which offers rapid access to a wide range of tests and scans.' A spokesperson for Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust said: 'Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is committed to the redevelopment of Wycombe Hospital. Unfortunately, Wycombe has not been included in the New Hospital Programme, so we are looking at alternative ways of delivering the changes that are so desperately needed. This will probably mean that any new building to replace the Tower will need to be constructed in a phased way, as and when funding becomes available. We have already completed the first stage of preparatory work, including things like ground investigations and utilities surveys, and are now working on detailed designs ahead of submitting a planning application at the end of this month. In the meantime, we are continuing to undertake essential maintenance work to ensure the safety of our patients and our colleagues. We would like to thank everyone for their patience as we continue to do our best to deliver outstanding care in an environment that we know is less than ideal.' A spokesperson for Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said: 'We are working hard to improve our estate to support the delivery of high-quality care, and through a planned maintenance regime we continuously monitor our buildings and infrastructure to ensure these remain safe and compliant with the required standards for healthcare settings. We know that there are parts of our estate that require significant investment to bring their condition to a satisfactory standard and we are continuing to explore all possible funding routes to secure the investment we need to make these improvements.'
Daily Mail
20 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Reignite your focus and memory with 30% off the powerful brain health supplement shoppers say 'really cleared up the brain fog'
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more There are so many factors that affect our focus. Maybe you're under stress or overwhelmed by what seem like endless obligations. Maybe a lack of sleep is the culprit, or you're experiencing the simple effects of natural aging. When your memory and concentration let you down, it's normal to worry — but all you may need is a little Onnit Alpha BRAIN boost. The carefully formulated nootropic contains a medley of ingredients blended to improve cognitive function. It accomplishes this without caffeine, which has a tendency to cause unwelcome jitters. Onnit Alpha BRAIN Support your cognition with this caffeine-free nootropic that's formulated with key ingredients that promote improved focus, memory, and reaction time. Among them are L-theanine, Hyperzine A, vitamin B3, and the Ayurvedic Bacopa monnieri extract. Just two a day is all that you need to experience a difference and crush every day with a more alert mindset. Pick it up today to save up to 30 percent for a limited time! Save 30% Shop Your wallet won't take a hit either! Alpha BRAIN is a fantastic deal, priced at $34.95 for a single bottle. Pick up two bottles for 25 percent off, or take advantage of three bottles (and free shipping) for a generous 30 percent discount. Just two capsules daily is all that it takes to begin your journey to a sharper mind. As a part of your regimen, it could help you focus better, remember more easily, and react faster by supporting your ability to process. The result? You'll feel far more dialed in than usual. Among the key ingredients in this powerhouse brain health cocktail is L-theanine, the widely regarded amino acid that promotes dopamine and serotonin release. These 'feel good' hormones keep your mental wellbeing in check and help you relax. Also in the mix is Hyperzine A, which helps regulate acetylcholine. This neurotransmitter supports memory, focus, and learning, but naturally declines with age. Hyperzine A can prevent this breakdown so you stay sharper for longer. Water-soluble vitamin B6 is incorporated to improve the production of neurotransmitters, while Bacopa monnieri extract is a natural addition rooted in ancient Ayurvedic medicine. Specifically, studies have found it may help you process information more effectively and support both your focus and memory. The truth is that Alpha BRAIN couldn't have come at a better time. Distractions surround us at every turn, with an avalanche of information causing mental overload that has a dramatic effect on the ability to retain information and even remember basic things. Once this sets in, dealing with responsibilities, checking items off your to-do list, and keeping track of important events can feel almost impossible. That can have long-term ramifications on everything from your work to your family life. The supplement simply works, according to the many users who have put it to the test and experienced standout results. Information overload can leave you overwhelmed, making a supplement like Alpha BRAIN even more important to your daily routine One called it 'magnificent,' adding: 'Ever since I started taking this my reaction time has been quicker, I've been way more focused, and my memory has been improving.' Another agreed, adding that it 'really cleared up the brain fog.' A third customer noted that it gave them 'better focus, mental clarity, and memory without caffeine jitters. I felt more 'in the zone' and creative, especially during work and problem-solving.' It's never too late to invest in your cognitive health — and Onnit Alpha BRAIN makes that easy with its highly effective formula. Don't miss this opportunity to pick it up for up to 30 percent off!
