2) Body Wellness: The "Adenosine Energy Cycle", Hydration, Electrolytes and Glycogen

I was provided with fast and quality information through youtube shorts in my 3rd or 4th year as a mason and in the winter months I was in the gym hitting body builder cycles. That's where I started eating 180 grams of protein a day, but I was lacing in a lot of knowledge about my body. I just knew that I had to hit 180 grams of protein a day, sadly skipping carbs and fats altogether really, but I did learn the latest in technique and method for muscle building and the difference between the two types of muscle. Let's say this, I did not properly provide myself with electrolytes and I did not consume fats, let alone even carbs really while thinking that caffeine was energy instead of knowing that caffeine simply bonds to the receptor for Adenosine and that it is simply blocking a sleep promoting signal and that I needed carbs and fats.

Same as last post, I learned this in fragments, so I really don't have it organized to spit out in any proper order. Obviously, staying hydrated is super important. Having adequate amounts of water in the body is mandatory for energy use and function as all energy created or used occurs through a process called Hydrolysis which is esentially subjecting an Adenesite Phosphate group to water. Adenosine is a Purine Nucleoside, which is a molecule formed by linking a purine base (adenine or guanine) to a sugar moiety (ribose or deoxyribose). Adenosine is turned from it's plain form to Adenosine Monophosphate(AMP), which is then combined with another phosphate group to form Adenosine Diphosphate(ADP), which is then combined with another phoosphate group it form Adenosine Triphosphate(ATP). When your body uses energy for anything it does, it consumes an Adenosine Phosphate group. One after another the Adenosine phosphate grouping is broken down From ATP to ADP to AMP to Adenosine and each time it releases energy.

This broken down Adenosine then accumulates in the brain and will either be recycled by Adenosine Kinase (Adk) or deaminated by Adenosine Diaminase (ADA). The process of rebuilding Adenosine deaminated is an extremely costly endeavor. For the body to produce Adenosine as opposed to recyle it is purported as spending $6 for $1. As Adenosine accumulates, it's presence alerts receptors that notify your brain which causes tiredness and prevent excess Adenosine from accumulating. In order to recycle and replenish Adenosine, quality sleep and nutrients are requred. It's needless to say, preserving Adenosine is an important part of the energy cycle. I myself take Creatine Monohydrate and have just ordered D-Ribose supplements. Creatine acts as a rapid energy buffer, increasing phosphocreatine stores by 10–40%, which allows for the quick regeneration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from adenosine diphosphate (ADP) via the enzyme creatine kinase during high-intensity exercise. On intense days of work, exercise or stress the human body will use a bunch of ATP/ADP and AMP and the pool of Adenosite will grow too large and Adenosite will be deaminated by ADA. D-Ribose is a naturally occurring five-carbon sugar that acts as a vital building block for ATP (cellular energy), RNA, and DNA. By taking a D-Ribose supplement, it saves the body from having to create the building blocks and build D-Ribose.

Now that we understand the "Adenosine Energy Cycle" it is important to understand electrolytes... or is it better to understand fuel? Well Sodium ties right into this hydration process here and it is very important. Then sugar ties in as well actually. A lot all ties in together and there might not be a definitive "best way to teach" all this. Ah, it should be "taught" as this here. Although ATP is the energy source being used, every time a muscle contracts it uses locally stored glycogen and electrolytes Sodium, Potassium and Calcium. When consuming Sodium (salt) or Glycogen (sugary carbs) it is optimal to dilute them with water to prevent your digestive system from pulling water out of your muscles. making sure that your body is hydrated and has full stores and supplies of the aforementioned electrolytes will prevent your body from taking it from your bones out of necessity. Additionally Magnesium plays an important role in muscle function, but isn't an electrolyte.

My favorite days are sunny and over 90 degrees farenheit and I drink at least 64 oz of water, but likley 86 oz or more of fluid, but I started my career as a mason on a low sodium diet. I heard "sodium is unhealthy", like I also heard "sugar is unhealthy" and I had no idea the importance of sodium for physical activity. It's one thing to put the water back into your body as it comes out in the summer heat, but every time you sweat you lose some of the stores of sodium in your body. I had no idea that my body was pulling sodium out of my bones to support my physical activity. Super unhealthy!

The only way to replenish ATP from Adenosine is through sleep, although this occurs some during the day, it mostly happens during sleep. Providing yourself with the nutrients and ingredients to optimize recovery as well as getting quality sleep will maximize energy regeneration and muscle repair. Oh, something I picked up, I guess vinegar sends a signal to the body to burn fat just like an avacado does. This will help send the carbs to your muscle energy glycogen stores as well as help you shed fat. I myself have a perplexity over the idea f consuming a standard amount of carbs while signaling for the body to burn fat for fuel with avacado or vinegar. Without research, I would say that a meal should consist of more fats and less carbs in this case.

In the next bog post I will talk about the different types of carbs and fats and pitch some quality recipes that I'm working with.

Stay well.

Peace, love and God Bless you,

Craig Lamach