Exchange…Fat For Muscle?
Obviously there are few individuals on this planet that would say no to the opportunity to exchange fat for muscle. Enhancing the body’s ability to utilize fat stores as a source of calories usually means a decreased diet that reduces calorie intake to a point where less calories are ingested than the body burns daily. Unfortunately, with this low calorie environment comes a “catabolic environment” in which needed daily calories also come from the breaking down of lean tissue (like muscle and connective tissue). What if it was possible to use fat stores as a source of calories without losing lean tissue during low calorie dieting? Now, imagine a magic pill that allowed you to use fat calories to build and repair lean tissue without a reduced caloric intake?

It’s Been Done Already?
In an interesting study performed at The University of Iowa on mice (1), researchers found that a natural compound found in the waxy coating of apple peels had beneficial effects upon body composition. According to Dr. Christopher Adams and colleagues, the benefits appear to be due to the administration of the apple peel compound known as ursolic acid. The project started when Adams and colleagues researched and identified 63 genes that change in response to fasting. These genes are the same in both people and mice. Then the team quantified an additional 29 genes that change their expression in muscles tissue of people who are fasting and those with spinal cord injuries. Next step is obvious, the team of researchers evaluated over 1,300 small molecules eventually zeroing in on ursolic acid as a compound that might counteract muscle atrophy (muscle wasting).

Studied Benefits of Ursolic Acid:
• Augmentation of lean muscle mass by way of increased sensitivity to IGF-1 and insulin as well as inhibition of atrogin-1 and MuRF1.
• Increased muscle glycogen stores thus increase muscular recovery and performance potential.
• Increased bone strength by enhancing IGF-1 activity and differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts.
• By inhibiting 11-bHSD-1 decreased visceral (abdominal) fat.
• Decreased estrogen levels through aromatase inhibition.
• By way of pancreatic inhibition of lipase and increased lipolysis in fat cells, decreased fat storage and increase fat burning.
• Decreased conversion of blood sugar to fat by inhibition fatty acid synthase.
• Decreased bad cholesterol and fat stores through the activation of PPAR.
• Inhibition of inflammatory cytokins, IL-6, and COX-2 specifically.

So Now What?
Ursolic Acid (UA) is not a new compound to the performance nutrition world. The positive effects of this interesting compound have been studied for years in humans, mice, rats and other mammals. The results from this research have been impressive enough that UA has been part of the Chain’d Out® formula from the beginning. (UA is naturally occurring in the waxy coating on apples…we named the whole apple peel extract “AppleActiv™”). More recently UA has been sold as a stand-alone product in the performance nutrition industry. So why not just throw some in a capsule and swear it’s the find of the century?

But The Oral Bioavailability of Ursolic Acid is Less Than 1%...Oh My!
Can you really expect 100% of potential results from a compound when 99% + of the ingested dosage hits the toilet and less than 1% enters the body? Well, many ARE seeing and feeling positive results even with such poor oral bioavailability. Most researchers are seeking to overcome the poor oral bioavailability of ursolic acid seeking more dramatic results. Ingesting with fats may enhance its total bioavailability. Another far better option is to decrease gastric destruction so more stable ursolic acid is available for absorption in the small intestines. So what makes Exchange such a big deal?

Introducing the DRCaps™ Delivery System from Pfizer Pharmaceutical Capsule Division.
Naturally, we were pretty excited when research turned up an answer to the “results-thieving-poor-oral bioavailability-limiting-factor.” We have been able to significantly improve the dosage-to-results ratio of ursolic acid, and its cousin oleanic acid, through significantly improved oral bioavailable delivery without question. How? DRCaps™ prevent the stomach’s acidic environment from dissolving the Exchange capsule thus protect the sensitive structures of their contents, in this case, ursolic and oleanic acid. DRCaps™ deliver their whole pay-load into the small intestines where the PH is far more ingredient friendly. Exchange!

Okay, So Why Did We Add Oleanic Acid to Ursolic Acid?
One of the body’s primary recovery blockades is increased inflammation. In fact inflammation has recently been linked to the cause of many diseases as well as decreased muscle mass and increased fat mass. Several studies have shown both ursolic and oleanic acid to be natural specific COX-2 Inhibitors via down regulation of IL-6 and COX-2 itself. What does this mean to you? How much harder would you train and how much better would your perform if you had less or no joint, soft tissue or muscle pain?

Better Body Composition Due to Increased Insulin Sensitivity?
In other studies, both in vivo and in vitro, ursolic and oleanic acid have shown to increase Glut-4 receptor activity and up-regulation of tissue insulin sensitivity. This in itself makes ursolic and oleanic acid potentially powerful allies in lean mass augmentation as well as the fight against fat gain. Just saying…

Two capsules twice a day. First portion in the morning on an empty stomach, second portion after 10-12 hours. Take before meals.

It can be very effective to use one portion before workout.

Composition

Container size: 120 capsulesServing size: 2 capsulesServings per container: 60