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For most of us, life is a balancing act. In a perfect world, we’d all have time during our day to devote to our health. But in the real world, 24 hours a day doesn’t seem like nearly enough time to fit in work, school, family and the plethora of responsibilities that life throws at us. The use of supplements in recent years for recovery has become more common than ever before.
The body is inundated with daily stresses that include environmental toxins, electromagnetic pollution and even excess exercise, among others, which increases the body’s antioxidant and nutrient requirements that promote recovery. Consuming an abundance of antioxidant-rich foods will definitely make a difference. But, to help bridge the gap resulting from an inadequate food supply, a good quality supplement regimen is sorely needed to promote optimal health and recovery. And, despite our best efforts to exercise daily, eat right, and sleep well, life in the 21st century is very demanding. This constant onslaught can deplete our bodies on a cellular level.
For athletes, one of the keys is to be able to train to a desired intensity on a consistent basis. The key area to understand is that the actual process of muscle recovery and muscle building occurs between the time you’ve left the gym and the time you return. Devising a recovery strategy during this window, through the form of supplementation, food and rest, will help you perform your very best week in and week out. Failure to make the most out of this window, can lead to free radical damage otherwise known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).1
While food should always remain a priority in the acquisition of vital nutrients, supplements play a vital role in providing the right building blocks for muscle repair because of their fast rate of absorption. Furthermore, of utmost importance, all supplement choices must be clinically validated showing efficacy and be supported by real science.
Nowadays, there is a high demand for quick and convenient solutions to kickstart the recovery process. However, when it comes to supplements, it certainly isn’t one size fits all. Retailers offer so many choices in this category that it can often be intimidating.
Before I elaborate on my Top Six best supplements for recovery, I wanted to first discuss the importance of cellular renewal and its direct impact on recovery. This, in my opinion, is the key to a quick and effective recovery.
Oxidation and Free Radical Damage
A fundamental key to staying young is cellular renewal and minimizing the damage to cells over time. We all age. Some of us age better than others. Why? Studies have linked oxidative stress to aging. Simply stated, oxidation occurs when the body produces by-products more commonly known as free radicals. The result is something akin to a machine rusting. And when this rusting is applied to humans (and not iron), it results in aging and age-related diseases.
Our bodies normally make free radicals as part of our daily metabolism. And they occur as a result of food and environmental pollutions from everyday things, such as air, water and sun. As we age, we become more susceptible to the long-term effects of oxidative stress (or too many free radicals) and inflammation on the cellular level.
The process of oxidation is abundant and can actually help our bodies work properly. But this very same process can also cause us harm. The oxidizing process creates free radicals which are electrically charged molecules. These free radicals interact with cells to create both good and bad results. For example, the immune system uses free radicals to help fight infection. However, when oxidized, LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) can be produced.
Oxidative stress is when the free radicals overwhelm the body’s antioxidant defense system causing cell damage. As previously mentioned, free radicals have useful functions in the body, but are extremely unstable molecules. If left uncontrolled, they will destroy cells, enzymes and DNA, and ultimately accelerate the aging process. Moreover, free radicals can also contribute to the development of many age-related diseases including arthritis, cancer and heart disease.
Inflammation is caused by free radical damage, and the negative effects of free radicals are due to oxidation. How can this be addressed in a nutritional regimen? Antioxidants play a major role in combatting oxidative stress and can minimize the damage free radicals cause in the body. Some foods are high in antioxidant content. Certain foods contain phytonutrients that many health professionals believe are capable of unlocking the key to longevity.
Phytonutrients can also be referred to as health boosters. Plants produce these substances to protect themselves from bacteria and viruses. But they help the human body as well. They are highly nutritious, active compounds within plants that promote good health. Phytonutrients are members of the antioxidant family and are responsible for ridding the body of free radicals, and, as a result, slowing the rusting, or the aging process. That’s one of the reasons that a diet of high antioxidant foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, is your first defense against aging.
Some of the more commonly known antioxidants include vitamins A, C and E. There are other antioxidants that are available in both food and supplement form. That said, antioxidant supplements play a key role in bridging a gap that is often left by processed foods that lack the antioxidants and other nutrients needed to fight free radicals.
The following are my Top Six supplement picks that are very efficacious at fighting oxidative stress and promoting optimal recovery:
1. Beta Alanine: An amino acid derivative, Beta Alanine has been shown to increase intramuscular carnosine content, which can increase the body’s ability to buffer hydrogen ions. During exercise, your body accumulates hydrogen ions. These hydrogen ions contribute to lowering pH, which ultimately results in fatigue. Beta Alanine can reduce fatigue and improve exercise performance and training volume. Beta Alanine has been shown to improve performance and delay fatigue during high-intensity activity. Interval training and even lifting to improve running economy are all aspects of training that’ll benefit from beta-alanine supplementation. In fact, several studies have found positive effects on endurance performance, including cycling performance and rowing times, with beta-alanine supplementation.
2. BCAAs: Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) have become a staple supplement for athletes due to their role in muscle and energy production during exercise. They are made up of three essential aminos: leucine, isoleucine and valine. They have been found to significantly reduce muscle soreness and accelerate the growth and recovery process.2 Supplementing BCAAs will also help prevent muscle breakdown, as your body will not be forced to eat into its own muscle tissue for energy. Consequently, protein synthesis will be kept high.
3. Creatine: A molecule that occurs naturally in muscle cells. During high-intensity workouts, such as weightlifting, Creatine helps your body produce energy by producing a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is your body’s primary energy source. The body synthesizes creatine from two amino acids—glycine and arginine. Numerous studies indicate that creatine improves strength, increases lean muscle mass, and helps muscles recover more quickly during and after exercise.
4. Flavonoid Root: A breakthrough extract that significantly improves cardiovascular health and fights against free radical damage. It has been shown to be a nitric oxide booster which promotes increased endurance. This extract is supported by science that provides unmatched antioxidant properties and powerful health benefits, including fighting free radicals and an increased flow of oxygen-rich blood.
The results from a 94-person double-blind, placebo-controlled study were published in the scientific journal Food and Nutrition Research (April 2016). The study examined the effect of a unique flavonoid root extract on the thickness of the artery wall (oxidation often caused by free radicals) using CIMT (carotid intima-media thickness). CIMT is considered a strong indicator of overall cardiovascular and arterial health.
Following one year of flavonoid root extract consumption, mean CIMT, total cholesterol, LDL levels and blood pressure decreased. This suggests that this ingredient may attenuate the development of oxidation and of related cerebral vascular issues.
5. Glutamine: The most abundant and naturally occurring conditionally essential amino acid in the human body. It makes up approximately 60 percent of the amino acid pool in muscle tissue. Nearly 90 percent of glutamine is produced in the skeletal muscles and it is one of the very few amino acids that can cross the blood-brain barrier, giving it the ability to freely enter the brain. It is vital in the process of nitrogen transport between tissues, in acid-base regulation, gluconeogenesis, and as a precursor of nucleotide bases and the antioxidant glutathione. Glutamine plays a vital role in helping muscles rebuild and repair themselves, prevent muscle soreness and aids in faster muscle recovery. Glutamine optimizes your post-workout muscle recovery. Faster post-workout muscle recovery means more training, better workouts and improved results.
6. Protein: Protein is arguably the most important nutrient to take immediately after your workout, alongside carbohydrates. Your muscles have been broken down and therefore need repairing and rebuilding. Consuming protein in the form of a shake is not only an efficient and fast-digesting way to get amino acids to your muscles quickly, but is the perfect way to also stimulate muscle protein synthesis, recovery and growth.3 However, you want to make sure you find one with only the best ingredients. When it comes to protein, quality over quantity is key.
The aforementioned supplements work via numerous mechanisms to provide natural, broad-spectrum antioxidant and nutrient support for optimal health and recovery. Because it is so much easier to protect the health of various body systems than it is to restore their function once damage has occurred, it makes sense for retailers to suggest a preventive program to their customers to limit free radical damage and promote recovery. When it comes to protecting and preserving your health, the old cliché, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” couldn’t be more profound. VR
References:
1 http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/doms-the-good-the-bad-and-what-it-really-means-to-your-training.
2 www.leanitup.com/bcaas-ultimate-muscle-building-soreness-reducing-supplement/.
3 www.muscleandfitness.com/supplements/recover/recovery-supplement-guide.
Mark Becker is a senior account manager for Vivion LLC, a part of the Operio Group, a nutritional and food raw materials distributor, based in Gardena, CA. He has worked as a natural products sales and marketing executive for 30 years. Mark has written more than 300 articles and has hosted or been a guest on more than 500 radio shows. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Long Beach State University and did his master’s work in communications at Cal State Fullerton. For more than 35 years he has participated in numerous endurance events, including more than 150 triathlons of Olympic distance or longer, 103 marathons and numerous other events including ultramarathons and rough water swims from Alcatraz to the mainland. He has relied on a comprehensive dietary supplement regimen to support his athletic, professional and personal endeavors. For more information, access www.vivion.com or www.alliedbionutrition.com.
For most of us, life is a balancing act. In a perfect world, we’d all have time during our day to devote to our health. But in the real world, 24 hours a day doesn’t seem like nearly enough time to fit in work, school, family and the plethora of responsibilities that life throws at us. The use of supplements in recent years for recovery has become more common than ever before.
The body is inundated with daily stresses that include environmental toxins, electromagnetic pollution and even excess exercise, among others, which increases the body’s antioxidant and nutrient requirements that promote recovery. Consuming an abundance of antioxidant-rich foods will definitely make a difference. But, to help bridge the gap resulting from an inadequate food supply, a good quality supplement regimen is sorely needed to promote optimal health and recovery. And, despite our best efforts to exercise daily, eat right, and sleep well, life in the 21st century is very demanding. This constant onslaught can deplete our bodies on a cellular level.
For athletes, one of the keys is to be able to train to a desired intensity on a consistent basis. The key area to understand is that the actual process of muscle recovery and muscle building occurs between the time you’ve left the gym and the time you return. Devising a recovery strategy during this window, through the form of supplementation, food and rest, will help you perform your very best week in and week out. Failure to make the most out of this window, can lead to free radical damage otherwise known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).1
While food should always remain a priority in the acquisition of vital nutrients, supplements play a vital role in providing the right building blocks for muscle repair because of their fast rate of absorption. Furthermore, of utmost importance, all supplement choices must be clinically validated showing efficacy and be supported by real science.
Nowadays, there is a high demand for quick and convenient solutions to kickstart the recovery process. However, when it comes to supplements, it certainly isn’t one size fits all. Retailers offer so many choices in this category that it can often be intimidating.
Before I elaborate on my Top Six best supplements for recovery, I wanted to first discuss the importance of cellular renewal and its direct impact on recovery. This, in my opinion, is the key to a quick and effective recovery.
Oxidation and Free Radical Damage
A fundamental key to staying young is cellular renewal and minimizing the damage to cells over time. We all age. Some of us age better than others. Why? Studies have linked oxidative stress to aging. Simply stated, oxidation occurs when the body produces by-products more commonly known as free radicals. The result is something akin to a machine rusting. And when this rusting is applied to humans (and not iron), it results in aging and age-related diseases.
Our bodies normally make free radicals as part of our daily metabolism. And they occur as a result of food and environmental pollutions from everyday things, such as air, water and sun. As we age, we become more susceptible to the long-term effects of oxidative stress (or too many free radicals) and inflammation on the cellular level.
The process of oxidation is abundant and can actually help our bodies work properly. But this very same process can also cause us harm. The oxidizing process creates free radicals which are electrically charged molecules. These free radicals interact with cells to create both good and bad results. For example, the immune system uses free radicals to help fight infection. However, when oxidized, LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) can be produced.
Oxidative stress is when the free radicals overwhelm the body’s antioxidant defense system causing cell damage. As previously mentioned, free radicals have useful functions in the body, but are extremely unstable molecules. If left uncontrolled, they will destroy cells, enzymes and DNA, and ultimately accelerate the aging process. Moreover, free radicals can also contribute to the development of many age-related diseases including arthritis, cancer and heart disease.
Inflammation is caused by free radical damage, and the negative effects of free radicals are due to oxidation. How can this be addressed in a nutritional regimen? Antioxidants play a major role in combatting oxidative stress and can minimize the damage free radicals cause in the body. Some foods are high in antioxidant content. Certain foods contain phytonutrients that many health professionals believe are capable of unlocking the key to longevity.
Phytonutrients can also be referred to as health boosters. Plants produce these substances to protect themselves from bacteria and viruses. But they help the human body as well. They are highly nutritious, active compounds within plants that promote good health. Phytonutrients are members of the antioxidant family and are responsible for ridding the body of free radicals, and, as a result, slowing the rusting, or the aging process. That’s one of the reasons that a diet of high antioxidant foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, is your first defense against aging.
Some of the more commonly known antioxidants include vitamins A, C and E. There are other antioxidants that are available in both food and supplement form. That said, antioxidant supplements play a key role in bridging a gap that is often left by processed foods that lack the antioxidants and other nutrients needed to fight free radicals.
The following are my Top Six supplement picks that are very efficacious at fighting oxidative stress and promoting optimal recovery:
1. Beta Alanine: An amino acid derivative, Beta Alanine has been shown to increase intramuscular carnosine content, which can increase the body’s ability to buffer hydrogen ions. During exercise, your body accumulates hydrogen ions. These hydrogen ions contribute to lowering pH, which ultimately results in fatigue. Beta Alanine can reduce fatigue and improve exercise performance and training volume. Beta Alanine has been shown to improve performance and delay fatigue during high-intensity activity. Interval training and even lifting to improve running economy are all aspects of training that’ll benefit from beta-alanine supplementation. In fact, several studies have found positive effects on endurance performance, including cycling performance and rowing times, with beta-alanine supplementation.
2. BCAAs: Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) have become a staple supplement for athletes due to their role in muscle and energy production during exercise. They are made up of three essential aminos: leucine, isoleucine and valine. They have been found to significantly reduce muscle soreness and accelerate the growth and recovery process.2 Supplementing BCAAs will also help prevent muscle breakdown, as your body will not be forced to eat into its own muscle tissue for energy. Consequently, protein synthesis will be kept high.
3. Creatine: A molecule that occurs naturally in muscle cells. During high-intensity workouts, such as weightlifting, Creatine helps your body produce energy by producing a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is your body’s primary energy source. The body synthesizes creatine from two amino acids—glycine and arginine. Numerous studies indicate that creatine improves strength, increases lean muscle mass, and helps muscles recover more quickly during and after exercise.
4. Flavonoid Root: A breakthrough extract that significantly improves cardiovascular health and fights against free radical damage. It has been shown to be a nitric oxide booster which promotes increased endurance. This extract is supported by science that provides unmatched antioxidant properties and powerful health benefits, including fighting free radicals and an increased flow of oxygen-rich blood.
The results from a 94-person double-blind, placebo-controlled study were published in the scientific journal Food and Nutrition Research (April 2016). The study examined the effect of a unique flavonoid root extract on the thickness of the artery wall (oxidation often caused by free radicals) using CIMT (carotid intima-media thickness). CIMT is considered a strong indicator of overall cardiovascular and arterial health.
Following one year of flavonoid root extract consumption, mean CIMT, total cholesterol, LDL levels and blood pressure decreased. This suggests that this ingredient may attenuate the development of oxidation and of related cerebral vascular issues.
5. Glutamine: The most abundant and naturally occurring conditionally essential amino acid in the human body. It makes up approximately 60 percent of the amino acid pool in muscle tissue. Nearly 90 percent of glutamine is produced in the skeletal muscles and it is one of the very few amino acids that can cross the blood-brain barrier, giving it the ability to freely enter the brain. It is vital in the process of nitrogen transport between tissues, in acid-base regulation, gluconeogenesis, and as a precursor of nucleotide bases and the antioxidant glutathione. Glutamine plays a vital role in helping muscles rebuild and repair themselves, prevent muscle soreness and aids in faster muscle recovery. Glutamine optimizes your post-workout muscle recovery. Faster post-workout muscle recovery means more training, better workouts and improved results.
6. Protein: Protein is arguably the most important nutrient to take immediately after your workout, alongside carbohydrates. Your muscles have been broken down and therefore need repairing and rebuilding. Consuming protein in the form of a shake is not only an efficient and fast-digesting way to get amino acids to your muscles quickly, but is the perfect way to also stimulate muscle protein synthesis, recovery and growth.3 However, you want to make sure you find one with only the best ingredients. When it comes to protein, quality over quantity is key.
The aforementioned supplements work via numerous mechanisms to provide natural, broad-spectrum antioxidant and nutrient support for optimal health and recovery. Because it is so much easier to protect the health of various body systems than it is to restore their function once damage has occurred, it makes sense for retailers to suggest a preventive program to their customers to limit free radical damage and promote recovery. When it comes to protecting and preserving your health, the old cliché, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” couldn’t be more profound. VR
References:
1 http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/doms-the-good-the-bad-and-what-it-really-means-to-your-training.
2 www.leanitup.com/bcaas-ultimate-muscle-building-soreness-reducing-supplement/.
3 www.muscleandfitness.com/supplements/recover/recovery-supplement-guide.
