The PricePlow Podcast

Get ready for a high-energy discussion with Matt Mosman of EndurElite, where we introduced Matt and covered his background, and then got into the Best Supplements for Endurance Athletes! Our Matt Mosman Interviews from Fall of 2018 The YouTube Videos were broken into two sections, but the audio feed is one segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_OOv8tmPn8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vosTEG17Z4w Quite a bit of knowledge dropped here, as we discuss things like carbohydrates, beta alanine, caffeine, creatine, PeakO2, betaine, taurine, and even fat adaptation for ultra endurance athletes!

What is Velositol? Velositol is a unique chromium / amylopectin complex that increases muscle protein synthesis (MPS) when combined with protein and exercise. It is GRAS affirmed (generally recognized as safe) at the recommended serving of 2 grams per day in protein drinks (including ready-to-drink and powder), meal replacement bars, energy and protein bars, with the consideration that these products can be taken up to three times a day. Velositol is manufactured and sold by one of the most prominent supplement ingredient suppliers, Nutrition21. You may know them from their other patented ingredients, Nitrosigine (a popular nitric oxide enhancing ingredient) and Chromax (a form of chromium supported by over 50 studies). Thanks to Nutrition21’s extensive knowledge of chromium and its ability to assist insulin (often for purposes of glucose metabolism and weight management), the creation of Velositol for muscle-building purposes was a logical next step. This is a promising new ingredient, to say the least. There has been some highly-successful preliminary human research on Velositol (but with smaller protein doses), while newer animal-based research with higher doses of protein combined with the ingredient also proved successful, although to a lesser degree. In this article, we will cover this research and the mechanisms behind the ingredient, thanks to the help of Nutrition21’s science team and the products using Velositol listed at the bottom of this post. What is Velositol? Watch our Interview with Todd Spear from Nutrition21! If you’d rather listen and watch than read, then check out PricePlow’s founder, Mike Roberto, talking to Nutrition21’s Todd Spear about Velositol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXw89RGOLWs What does Velositol do, and how? Velositol increases muscle protein synthesis (MPS) in combination with protein and exercise and it works by enhancing insulin sensitivity, resulting in greater uptake of amino acids into muscle, fueling MPS. Chromium picolinate, one of the main ingredients in Velositol, has been shown to improve insulin action, as well as increase the metabolism of nutrients. Increased insulin action causes various anabolic effects such as increases in the metabolism of nutrients (such as carbohydrates, lipids, and protein) and increases in the rate of glucose and amino acid uptake in muscle cells. Therefore, Velositol is thought to stimulate MPS via improved insulin activity. Insulin means everything The pros seem to far outweigh the cons… so why not give it a try? Healthy insulin activity is vital for MPS because in the presence of a protein containing essential amino acids, insulin aids in the transportation of amino acids into muscle cells to stimulate MPS. Therefore, when combined with adequate sources of protein, Velositol can increase insulin action and in turn, stimulate MPS. Moreover, Velositol has been shown to significantly increase enzymes involved in the MPS signaling pathway (such as mTOR, S6K1, and 4E-BP1), providing evidence of the cellular pathway by which Velositol enhances MPS. The Myokine connection Finally, an additional mechanism of action may be through increased myokines, such as musclin and fractalkine, which are cytokines released by muscle during exercise that lead to MPS and hypertrophy. Both clinical and preclinical studies have shown that groups taking Velositol had the greatest levels of myokines. Therefore, another mechanism by which Velositol increases muscle protein s… Read more on the PricePlow Blog

In May of 2018, Mike and Mark Glazier talked about Mark’s recent trip to Washington D.C. (posted here on Mark’s Facebook and embedded below), where the NutraBio founder and CEO was lobbying for better protein labeling laws. Mark explains some of the issues he commonly sees, and while we believe that customer education is the best way to go, there are many things that could be done from the top down view that could certainly help keep the bad actors from scamming and winning lawsuits, especially in the case of protein amino acid spiking. The conversation on the YouTube comments below are interesting, with many not wanting more regulation. Mark typically agrees, but he also knows the loopholes in the current laws, and would like to see them patched up for the industry. We discuss where those problems lie: Mike’s Interview with Mark Glazier, NutraBio CEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfFDn5wgAjw Follow Mark and Genius on Social Media Mark’s Instagram: @TheMarkGlazier NutraBio’s Instagram: @NutraBio NutraBio Facebook: Facebook.com/nutrabio The original Facebook Post that started this is on Mark Glazier’s Facebook.

Last year, I was fortunate enough to see Dr. Benjamin Bikman at KetoCon, and it was one of the best presentations I’d ever seen. I began following him on Twitter, and was excited to see that his team had published some new research. He agreed to schedule some time to come onto the PricePlow channel, and the result was this massively informative interview where we learned about all kinds of things: If this is a disease where we gotta control glucose, eat less glucose! It’s mind-boggling! — Dr. Ben Bikman A behind-the-scenes look at being a professional scientist insulin resistance misconceptions about ketosis Type-II diabetics going on the keto diet, and finally his lab’s new research showing that exogenous ketones help a muscle cell thrive (full-text and images below). We finished off with some of his own personal philosophies on training, supplementation and BHB salt usage, and never letting your dietary choices negatively affect your family. This is a must-watch interview if you’re interested in insulin, diabetes, the keto diet, or ketones in general: Dr. Benjamin Bikman’s New Research and More: Ketones Boost Muscle Tissue Health https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVxlHU_RlDY Full-Text PDF: β-Hydroxybutyrate Elicits Favorable Mitochondrial Changes in Skeletal Muscle Show Notes On top of the research above, we covered a lot of other studies. Here are some of them below: Dr. Bikman’s team’s initial study that led to the study at hand: β-Hydroxybutyrate improves β-cell mitochondrial function and survival (10:45) – Gerald Reaven, the “Godfather of Diabetes Research”, study in 1987, where the “recommended diet” by the American Diabetes Association for diabetics made them all worse: Deleterious metabolic effects of high-carbohydrate, sucrose-containing diets in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus The Tweet that started the conversation New research from my lab reveals how #ketones (bHB) elicit favorable #mitochondria changes in #muscle. https://t.co/Kct2ZGlQrj — Benjamin Bikman (@BenBikmanPhD) August 1, 2018 Learn more about Dr. Bikman After watching the podcast interview above, you’ll undoubtedly realize he is a force of knowledge in the world of insulin, type-II diabetes, metabolic disease, and using a low-carb or ketogenic diet to combat them. He is a must-follow on social media: Twitter: @BenBikmanPHd Instagram: @BenBikmanPHd Also see Ben’s lab website at bikmanlab.byu.edu. And of course, you can see our list of Keto Diet Supplements and BHB Salts on PricePlow!

Important Note: This blog post has been moved. You can now find it on Mike’s personal site (MikeRoberto.com). For all links, video, and discussion, see it here on MikeRoberto.com.

For quite a long time, we’ve covered The Genius Brand, a supplement company co-created and run by Rob Oliver that uses nearly all patented and trademarked ingredients, huge non-proprietary formulas, and no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners. We’ve known the brand and their products, but not everyone knows the man behind the brand. So sit back and prepare for a nice introduction to Rob Oliver, @TheGeniusCEO, who’s one highly motivated, well-researched, and well-read individual! Mike’s Interview with Rob Oliver, the Genius Brand CEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6MekjCkEFQ Hopefully, you’ll gain an appreciation for what The Genius Brand is all about and what Rob’s trying to accomplish with them. “Total Life Optimization” are the three words to sum it up! We bounce around a LOT from supplements to entrepreneurship to ingredients to meditation and Rob’s daily routine to mushrooms… and even new products coming out and Rob’s book recommendations if you hang in there long enough! We definitely think Rob has something magical going on there and hope they continue to push hard into the future! Follow Rob and Genius on Social Media Rob’s Instagram: @TheGeniusCEO The Genius Brand Instagram: @TheGeniusBrand The Genius Brand Facebook: Facebook.com/TheGeniusBrand Thanks for joining us, Rob!

Team PricePlow interviewed Kris Gethin of Kaged, who joined us for over 35 minutes to kick off a fantastic series of new supplement launches! We talked about Kris’ upbringing and history, the beginnings of Kaged Muscle (now known as Kaged), his testing of supplements on himself, and what’s coming soon from the brand. The video is below, but first, be sure to subscribe to our audio feeds: Kris Gethin Speaks on Kaged and Much More: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaiRvarTtPo New products discussed On top of Kris’ stack and the obvious discussion of Pre-Kaged and its epic flavor/formulation by Brian Rand, we discussed the new products for 2018, which include: Ferodrox (natural testosterone booster) Kaged MicroPure Whey Protein Isolate (there will also be a 100% naturally-sweetened version coming) Amino Synergy (full-spectrum EAA “Energy Aminos” that will come in both caffeinated and caffeine-free versions) …something else around the corner — sign up for alerts below! Sign up for Kaged News and Coupon Alerts There’s more on the way from the gang at Kaged, so sign up for our alerts below. As an update from 2023, Kris is no longer with Kaged.

Matt had the honor of doing an audio interview with the legendary Branch Warren, who takes us through his upbringing, his introduction into bodybuilding, and WICKED CUTZ Jerky! PricePlow’s Interview with Branch Warren See the video version: It’s audio only, but there are some images as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy_filRpkoQ Introducing Wicked Cutz Jerky Towards the end of the video, Matt and Branch begin talking about Wicked Cutz Jerky, Branch’s new Texas-inspired jerky line in partnership with Scott James of BSN and Sinister Labs fame. If we don’t have any products on our Wicked Cutz page yet, you can take a look at WickedCutz.co and try a variety pack! What else is Branch Up to? Outside of his training (he’s still in beast mode!), Branch has three other things outside of Wicked Cutz: Updated: Branch Warren is now with Kaged Muscle! Black Skull Supplements, which will officially launch in the US at the 2018 Mr. Olympia Bodybuilding and Fitness Events and Expos – Learn about them at TheBranchWarren.com Ongoing sponsorship with GASP You can check out Branch on Instagram: TheBranchWarren (and don’t forget about WickedCutzJerky)! Thanks a ton to Branch for your valuable time!

Note: This page and audio feed was published on July 29, 2019, 1.5 years after the interview. The biggest change here is that Ben Kane is now with Team PricePlow! In March of 2018, everyone in the sports nutrition industry descended upon beautiful Columbus, OH, and we got together with Team NutraBio, who was launching their Natural Series of sports supplements, which included NutraBio Natural Pre Workout and NutraBio Natural Intra Blast! This was a super fun, relaxed conversation that was done in the hotel lobby, so there will be some background noise, but the discussion on beta alanine definitely gets wild and fun. Even better, Ben is now on Team PricePlow, so this is our audio podcast listener’s first chance to meet him! The video is below, but first, the audio feeds: Audio Feed on the PricePlow Podcast Our Podcast with Dan and [Ben] of NutraBio at the 2018 Arnold Sports Festival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C78whS8NQ4I

Note: This page and audio feed was published on July 26, 2019, 1.5 years after the interview. Much has happened since then, but Bruce’s new nootropic ingredient is still not on the market as of right now, as he still awaits the US Patent and Trademark Office. In February of 2018, the legendary Bruce Kneller came to Texas to visit and share some major news. After several years with Giant Sports, he announced that he was no longer with them. We got to hear Bruce’s stories from not only Giant Sports, but also some crazy times at Gaspari Nutrition. But on top of that, Bruce introduced us to his new nootropic, which was a fantastic experience. We then got into the hot topics of Kratom, CBD, Tianeptine, and Research Chemicals. Even better, industry consultant Josh Schall joined us to discuss marketing to millennials and the future of GNC. The videos are all below, but first, the audio feeds: Audio Feed on the PricePlow Podcast Our Day with Bruce Kneller in February 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioDrI4RdbDc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKbkOY5cYOE You can read more about this in the Bruce Kneller nootropic write-up, which was updated in 2023 and set to launch in 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdSbd_vNWpo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv7TG32Oe5s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AltZkaajIlc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNUgC9NmS4g Two additional videos with Josh Schall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtbmFv_AaCc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ki8X430FWE Yeah, we definitely need to get Bruce back on the channel… subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite app or platform and stay tuned!