In previous blog articles, I've talked about all the amazing qualities and benefits of Chlorella for everyone. As impressive as all these qualities are, Chlorella contains one very important nutrient which is of special interest to bodybuilders - CGF.
One interesting fact about Chlorella is that it has the remarkable ability to quadruple in quantify every 20 hours. This is something that no other plant or substance on Earth can do! The DNA of the chlorella plant is programmed for ultimate survival and replication and Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF) is what enables Chlorella to grow so quickly.
CGF is basically a combination of RNA, DNA, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. It's known for its growth promotion and healing properties and is full of nucleic acids, peptides, water-soluble vitamins and minerals. CGF Chlorella growth factor appears to have hormone like qualities and has been found to promote rapid growth for children. Don't get too excited, though, it does not make adults grow faster. However, what's important for bodybuilders and athletes is that it does stimulate quicker tissue repair, even if that tissue has been ulcerated or damaged.
To understand why this is important to bodybuilders and athletes who want to gain muscle and strength, it's important to understand the basics of how strength training and weight lifting work to build muscle. When you lift heavy weights or do strength training, you are causing the muscle fiber tissue to be damaged (on purpose). This is called muscle hypertrophy. The body then repairs these damaged fibers by fusing them, and that is what increases the mass and size of the muscles. This is also why you can't train the same muscle on consecutive days or too often in the same week. However, when your body is able to repair the muscle quicker - this give you quicker recovery and the ability to train more intensely and the same muscles more frequently. This is a major benefit for building more strength and muscle!
CGF has a high level of RNA/DNA. Why is this important? In the human body, RNA/DNA is responsible for directing cellular renewal, growth and repair. However, by the age of twenty our nucleic acid levels begin to decrease and this can lead to a weakened immunity to viruses and disease as well as premature aging. Chlorella, by virtue of its superior RNA/DNA content can strengthen immunity by improving the activity of T-cells and B-cells which defend us from viruses and disease.
Dr. Benjamin Frank was the first to draw attention to the importance of RNA/DNA in our diet when it came to slowing the aging process. He suggested that by eating foods high in these nucleic acids we could avoid the onset of some of the chronic, degenerative illnesses associated with getting older. Since Dr. Frank's research was originally conducted, it has been established that Chlorella is in fact 3% RNA and 0.3% DNA by weight, this means it contains 5 times the RNA content of canned sardines - the food originally cited as the best source of RNA/DNA in Dr Frank's book, ‘No Aging Diet'.
Another factor for athletes is that Chlorella has also been shown to normalize blood sugar in cases of hypoglycemia and can be useful in stabilizing diabetes. It does this via its ability to support and balance pancreatic functions. Studies have also revealed that Chlorella may exert a favorable influence on weight loss. The fact that Chlorella is a whole food and contains 60% protein means that it satisfies the appetite while also boosting energy levels. Many people who add Chlorella to their diet find that they are able to resist the snacking habit that sabotages many weight loss programs.
In summary, given its effects on tissue healing, its remarkable ability to remove toxins from the body and its benefits as an addition to any weight loss program it is not hard to see why Chlorella should be one of your key supplements to enhance strength and muscle growth.
