Latest news with #AlbertMatheny
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
This Popular Supplement May Help With Alzheimer's Symptoms
Creatine is everywhere on social media right now, with recs coming from influencers and health experts. Research is starting to find that the popular supplement can do more than help you build muscle. In a small pilot trial published in a journal, researchers found that creatine monohydrate may help improve cognitive function in individuals with Alzheimer's Disease. It's hard to cruise your For You feed right now without being faced with yet another testimonial about the perks of taking a creatine supplement. While creatine is the supplement du jour, there is solid data to support its use—mostly around fitness. But a growing body of research suggests that creatine may do more than help you build muscles, including easing depression and helping with brain fog after a bad night's sleep. Now, a new study suggests that there may be some benefit to using creatine to boost cognition in people with Alzheimer's disease. The research is very early and this is technically a pilot trial (which is basically a trial run). But the findings bring up a number of questions about whether something as simple as adding a creatine supplement could help improve symptoms in people with such a devastating condition. Here's what the study, found plus what doctors and nutritionists recommend keeping in mind. Meet the experts: Amit Sachdev, MD, is the medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University; Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, is co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab; Matthew Taylor, PhD, RD, is a study co-author, assistant professor, and director of the KU Brain Nutrition Laboratory at University of Kansas Medical Center; Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA The study, which was published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, looked into the 'feasibility' of patients with Alzheimer's disease taking 20 grams a day of creatine monohydrate (the most widely studied form of creatine) for eight weeks. The researchers looked at how compliant the patients were (i.e. how likely they were to take the supplement). They also monitored levels of creatine in the patients' blood at the start, four weeks, and eight weeks later, along with levels of creatine in their brains. They also tested the patients' cognition at the start of the study and after eight weeks. The researchers found that 19 of the 20 participants were more than 80 percent compliant with taking the creatine during the study. They also found that creatine levels went up in their blood after four and eight weeks, and that creatine in the brain increased by 11 percent. And here's the really interesting part: The researchers discovered that the patients had better improvements in cognitive tests, including sorting and reading, along with tests to measure attention and response, after eight weeks of creatine supplementation. The researchers concluded that the findings provide 'preliminary evidence' for more research. 'We decided to do this study because there were a couple of recent studies in mice suggesting that, in a mouse model of Alzheimer's, creatine monohydrate supplementation may be beneficial,' says study co-author Matthew Taylor, PhD, RD, assistant professor and director of the KU Brain Nutrition Laboratory at University of Kansas Medical Center. 'Prior to this study, no work had been done in humans with Alzheimer's, so it was the right time to start looking at it as a potentially beneficial supplement for Alzheimer's.' The study didn't look into this, but there are some theories. 'The brain requires a lot of energy, but in Alzheimer's, brain energy metabolism drastically declines,' Taylor explains. 'Creatine is a very important substance for transporting energy produced by our mitochondria and increasing creatine levels may even encourage mitochondria to produce more energy.' Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab, co-signs that theory. Creatine helps to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), 'and ATP is the brain's primary energy source,' he says. Adding more creatine to the body could, in theory, help support cognition in people with Alzheimer's disease, Matheny adds. Creatine may also have other roles, like decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, which could potentially help with symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, Taylor says. 'Each of these roles could help with cognitive function in Alzheimer's, but we still have so much to learn about the roles of this molecule in the brain,' he says. We're not there yet. Again, this was a pilot study and it simply found that people who have Alzheimer's disease may be able to regularly take creatine supplements and might have a boost in cognition as a result. But this doesn't mean that people with Alzheimer's disease should take creatine, says Amit Sachdev, MD, medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. 'I would not advise the use of creatine with the goal of improving cognition,' he says, noting that there's not yet 'well-established data to support this use.' Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, agrees. "We are not at a point that creatine supplementation for brain health is an accepted supplement," he says. Taylor agrees. 'Our study is far from a definitive study,' he says. 'Well-designed, placebo-controlled clinical trials are needed to determine whether creatine is beneficial for Alzheimer's. I would suggest Alzheimer's patients and their families discuss taking any supplement with their neurologist.' You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This Type Of Workout Builds Muscle And Burns Fat In Less Time, New Study Shows
Think you always need long, slow strength sessions to build strength and burn fat? Think again. New research suggests that high-intensity circuit training—workouts that pack multiple strength moves into shorter sessions with less rest time—can deliver similar gains in strength, muscle, and fat loss as traditional weight training. Led by Sohee Carpenter (a Women's Health cover star!), PhDc, CSCS, the new study offers useful takeaways for anyone short on time or craving variety in their routine. Here's what the research uncovered, and what a trainer wants you to know before switching things up. Meet the expert: Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab The study, which was published in the European Journal of Sport Science, followed 14 active women in their 20s and 30s as they either did high-intensity circuit training or traditional strength training three days a week for eight weeks. Both groups performed the same six exercises: leg press, dumbbell bench press, trap bar deadlift, lat pulldown, hip thrust, and standing dumbbell shoulder press. But the high-intensity circuit training group performed the first three exercises in a time-based circuit fashion with minimal rest, followed by five minutes of rest before doing the same thing with the last three exercises. The strength training group did the same six moves—but did one exercise at a time in order and rested for three minutes between sets. Both groups did three sets of eight to 15 reps, pushing their sets close to muscle failure. (That piece is key!) The researchers took various body measurements before and after the study intervention and found that both groups increased their three-repetition maximum (a common measure of muscular strength, looking at the maximum weight a person can lift for three reps with proper form). Both groups also lost similar amounts of body fat and gained comparable lean body mass (muscle). 'Both high-intensity circuit training and traditional strength training are similarly effective for increasing strength and lean body mass and decreasing body fat percentage in trained women,' the researchers concluded. 'Those interested in maximizing time efficiency may prefer high intensity circuit training, as these sessions took much less time to complete.' In an Instagram video breaking down her findings, Carpenter said: 'Many of us have been taught that circuit training is not nearly as effective for strength and body composition, yet we did not find that to be the case.' The researchers stressed in the study that both groups pushed themselves to 'near-muscular failure.' But what does that mean exactly? You get to the point in your reps where you're close to not being able to do another rep with the proper form, explains Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab, who was not affiliated with the study. 'The reason you have to push your muscles this way is because you have to create an adaptation,' he says. 'It only occurs if you push beyond a certain point. Pushing near your max is telling your body it needs to adapt and to get stronger and more efficient.' You'll usually feel a tight or burning feeling in your muscles when this happens, along with trouble moving at the same rate or with the same amount of strength, Matheny explains. You actually don't need to (and shouldn't necessarily) choose between the two. As the study found, both can lead to similar results. But, if you're looking to speed up your gym sessions, keeping the time period short between sets can cause you to get the same muscle gains as if you were to chill out for a bit between them. That being said, Matheny would still recommend 'aiming for a mix.' Why? To allow for plenty of recovery time on higher intensity days, to maintain variety in your routine, and to reap allllll the health benefits of both styles. 'You can't do the fast moves all the time," he notes. But if you have only been doing traditional, slower-paced strength training, you can also benefit from high-intensity interval training (HIIT), he adds. "It can be very time efficient, and a good next step if you've already been doing strength training.' You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Reveal Exactly How Long You Need to Lift Weights to Gain Muscle
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." New research suggests you can get noticeable muscle gains from shorter strength training sessions. Researchers found that lifting for just 30 minutes, twice a week, helped people increase their muscle mass. The lifting routine is not overly complicated, either. A wave of research over the past few years has made it clear that a strength training habit is really important for your health. New research suggests that you don't need to spend every day grinding it out at the gym to see results. In fact, researchers found that you can gain muscle in as little as 30 minutes of weight training. Meet the experts: Albert Matheny, R.D., C.S.C.S., co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab; Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., study co-author and a professor in exercise science at Lehman College in the Bronx, NY; Luke Pryor, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., clinical associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at University at Buffalo But it'll take more than one quick dumbbell lifting session to see results. Here's what the study found, plus how to maximize your results when you lift weights. The small study, which was published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, had 42 healthy men and women follow a lifting program with one set of eight to 10 reps for each exercise that was either train to failure (pushing yourself until you can't do more reps with the right form) or leaving reps in reserve (pushing themselves but still having energy to do more). The participants cycled through nine exercises that targeted major muscle groups twice a week for eight weeks. Each session was done in 30 minutes. Afterward, the researchers analyzed them for changes in muscle thickness in select areas of the body, as well as measures of muscle strength, power, and endurance. The researchers discovered that all of the participants had muscles that were bigger and stronger than they were at the beginning of the program. But the changes were similar in men and women who pushed themselves until they couldn't do more reps (train to failure) with the right form or those who still had energy to do more (reps in reserve). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends that people do two days of 'muscle-strengthening activity' a week, along with at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity. But the CDC also notes that just over 24% of adults actually hit both of those goals. The idea of squeezing in two 30-minute lifting sessions a week seems doable, and it is, according to Albert Matheny, R.D., CSCS, co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab. 'I repeat this often: It doesn't have to be the most to have a benefit,' he says. 'There is a law of diminishing returns.' But the study participants also didn't slack off on their workouts. 'In our study, the workouts were sufficiently hard to challenge the participants' muscles beyond their present capacity,' says Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., study co-author and a professor in exercise science at Lehman College in the Bronx, NY. 'This is key to making continued muscular gains.' There's a lot that happens in your body when you lift, including the release of hormones, metabolic stress (which disrupts the muscle's usual state and can cause it to grow), muscle strain, and molecular signaling in the muscle, explains Luke Pryor, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., clinical associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at University at Buffalo. Even shorter sessions will tap into all of these. Pryor says these shorter sessions have less recovery time, like one to two minutes. 'By shortening the recovery time, it drives up metabolic stress,' he says. Cue the muscle growth. Pryor notes that the study was done on people who already did resistance training, which suggests that even people who are already fit can gain muscle from this approach. 'These shorter sessions are really effective for those who are sedentary, but this shows that even in folks who have been exercising for a number of nears, you can still maintain or even grow skeletal muscle in these shorter sessions,' he says. There are a lot of perks to strength training beyond looking fit. Not only will it make you physically stronger, but research also suggests that a lifting habit will help increase bone density, an important area of health to focus on as you age. 'There are also links to longevity and hormonal improvements,' Matheny says. Strength training can even increase your metabolism, he points out. 'Resistance training has a plethora of benefits for almost all organ systems,' Schoenfeld says. 'This includes improved ability to carry out tasks of everyday living, enhanced metabolic function, better cardiovascular health, better mental health, and greater injury resistance, among others.' If you're interested in starting a lifting routine, Matheny suggests giving yourself a little extra time at first to figure out what you're doing. 'You have to work a bit to figure out the right weight to get the most out of each exercise,' he says. The study specifically had participants cycle through these exercises: Front lat pull-down Seated cable row Shoulder press Chest press Cable triceps pushdown Supinated dumbbell biceps curl Smith machine squats Leg press Leg extension But Matheny recommends focusing on major muscle groups for your lifting routine. 'A lot of times these studies incorporate tricep-related things because they're easier to measure, but larger, multi-joint muscle exercises are best,' he says. Pryor agrees. 'You want to do exercises that recruit a lot of muscle,' he says. Matheny recommends focusing on moves like these that target several muscle groups at once to get the biggest results: Pushups Squats Lunges Deadlifts Pullups Schoenfeld also suggests keeping the time between sets to under two minutes to really maximize your time. But he recommends choosing exercises that will help you reach your goals. 'Ultimately, personal choice should dictate which exercises you select,' he says. Of course, doing any strength training is better than none, and you may not even need to set aside 30 minutes. 'You can even get results with 20-minute sessions,' says Pryor. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
