If you’re like most lifters, you have no problem putting in the time and effort necessary to exercise intensely and consume a protein-rich diet. But where you may be (knowingly or otherwise) missing the mark is in terms of getting proper rest. Whether you have a busy lifestyle that doesn’t allow for sufficient sleep or have simply been taking your pre-workout too late in the day, failing to get adequate rest can have a substantial impact on your progress. Unfortunately, many lifters don’t view a lack of sleep as detrimental to their progress, and some take the lack of sleep as a badge of honor. But if you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re really only cheating yourself and compromising your progress. For this reason, you may want to consider a supplement like PharmaFreak’s GH Freak, which aims to encourage deep sleep to maximize rest and recovery.
GH Freak is far from the most complex supplement ever, with a fairly basic ingredient profile containing ingredients most veteran supplement users have likely seen before. However, that doesn’t mean that PharmaFreak GH Freak is not a high-quality or innovative product. In fact, some might see the straight-forward ingredient profile as refreshing in an industry prone to overhyped, fad ingredients. If sleep often seems out of reach, GH Freak certainly has the ingredients to change that, with melatonin, GABA, and 5-HTP in the mix. All three are sold as stand-alone sleep supplements, so having all three in one product would certainly tend to promote deep sleep. In addition to those ingredients, GH Freak also features the hormone DHEA, the B-vitamin niacin, and L-theanine, an amino acid. Together, these ingredients promote increased relaxation, reduced stress levels, and deeper, more restful sleep.
Getting enough restful sleep is crucial for progressing in the gym, as your body engages in the growth and repair processes necessary for muscular development as you slumber. Additionally, getting enough sleep can help promote a healthy metabolism and combat obesity,1 so getting a good night of rest is important if you’re dieting as well. If so, ingredients such as 5-HTP may assist not only with relaxation but with calorie intake reduction as well, as some research indicates 5-HTP can prompt people to eat less.2
Anyone who has used melatonin knows how effective that ingredient can be, providing deep sleep without any drowsiness the next morning, and melatonin works well in this mix. GABA also assists in providing deep sleep, and it helps GH Freak live up to its name; one study found that 3 grams of GABA increased post-training growth hormone levels by more than 400 percent.3 Each serving of GH Freak contains 1.8 grams, so the effect may not be exactly the same, but it is likely beneficial.
The addition of DHEA can also help intense lifters get the most out of their training programs, as the ingredient assists in reducing cortisol levels. In addition, research indicates DHEA can enhance the amount of muscle built as the result of training.4
As a whole, GH Freak has a great ingredient profile that can actually live up to the claims on the label. And with each bottle providing a 30-day cycle, GH Freak should provide enough of these ingredients to actually have an effect on hard-working lifters.
SOURCES:
1. Knutson, et al., The Metabolic Consequences of Sleep Deprivation, Sleep Medicine Review, June 2007; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1991337/
2. 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), University of Maryland Medical Center; http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/5hydroxytryptophan-5htp
3. M.E. Powers, et al., Growth Hormone Isoform Responses to GABA Ingestion at Rest and After Exercise, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, January 2008; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18091016
4. D.T. Villareal, J.O. Holloszy, DHEA Enhances Effects of Weight Training on Muscle Mass and Strength in Elderly Women and Men, American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism¸ November 2006; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16787962.