Tip Flip the Protein Synthesis Switch Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness EatingSupplements Tip Flip the Protein Synthesis Switch Control mTOR and you control the switch that turns on muscle protein synthesis in response to lifting Here' s a supplement that does it by TC Luoma December 6, 2018April 5, 2021 Tags Nutrition & Supplements, Performance Proteins, Phosphatidic Acid, Tips Phosphatidic Acid PA This molecule is a phospholipid that regulates mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin). Simply put, if you control mTOR, you control the switch that turns on muscle protein synthesis in response to exercise. "On" means muscle. "Off" means no muscle. It's as simple as that. It's found naturally in the diet, but only in very small, inconsequential amounts. One study, using 16 weight lifters, found that 750 mg. of PA increased squat 1RM and body mass. Another, also using 750 mg. (split into two doses, one before lifting and one after) in 28 weight lifters found that the PA group gained 2.4 more pounds of muscle than the placebo group. Still another study found that lower doses of PA (250 mg. and 375 mg.) increased lean body mass and cross-sectional area of the rectus femoris in a different group of 28 men. The Bioavailability Issue In order for PA to work, it has to enter the muscle cell and bind to mTOR. It can also work indirectly by converting to lyso-phosphatidic acid and attaching to the muscle membrane, which increases intracellular PA and in turn activates mTOR. However, different sources of PA can have varying degrees of saturated or unsaturated fatty acid chains and this influences how PA works. Two saturated fatty acids doesn't promote mTOR signaling, but one saturated fatty acid and one unsaturated fatty acid does. Chemi Nutra, one of the country's most innovative materials manufacturers, has developed an unsaturated form of PA. That means it's orally absorbed with high bioavailability, leading to an 8-fold activation of mTOR that persists for around 7 hours. Consequently, you should only use PA supplements that source from Chemi Nutra, like Micro-PA. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Eating Resveratrol Decreases Fat Storage If obesity is a disease of inflammation, resveratrol is one key piece of the anti-inflammatory puzzle. Diet Strategy, Losing Fat, Nutrition & Supplements, Resveratrol Tim Ziegenfuss, PhD December 23 Diet & Fat Loss 5 Foods You Should Be Eating If you want to build a healthy, muscular physique, the quality of your food matters. Here's what to add to your diet. Diet Strategy, Dietary Myth Busting, Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements Brian St Pierre May 17 Eating Lift Heavy Then You Need This Cheap Protein We already know it fixes achy joints. Now scientists have discovered that it plays a big role in muscle development and functioning. Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements TC Luoma August 27 Eating Puncturing Popular Broscience Myths Are you still following this old school bodybuilding advice? It's time to call out the common myths. Here's what it is and why it's wrong. Dietary Myth Busting, Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements Jimmy Smith May 31