Nutrition for Fitness

Sports Nutrition Supplements

Sports nutrition can be a complicated and confusing topic, especially for those just starting out. Sometimes it seems like you need a science degree to be able to decipher which sports nutrition supplements to take for your style of training. There are however, some simple things you can do to get started if you want to improve your performance and stamina. The right foods and a few select sports nutrition supplements can make all the difference.

Endurance
If you are doing any sort of endurance training such as running, cycling or triathlon, it is important to make sure you have enough carbohydrates to fuel your body and provide a source of energy. Making sure you eat a good amount of low GI carbohydrates such as whole grain bread, wholemeal pasta or banana is essential for endurance. Serious athletes who follow a sports nutrition plan usually consume around 200 grams of complex carbohydrates immediately after exercise, then an extra 50-100 grams per hour on the day prior to an event, a process known as “carbohydrate loading.”

When our bodies are active for extended periods of time, we burn through nutrients at an increased rate. Sports nutrition supplements for endurance athletes should include high amounts of the following in easy to absorb form:
•B vitamins – for energy production and carbohydrate/fat/protein metabolism
• Vitamin C – for energy production
• Vitamin E – for cardiovascular health
• Magnesium – for muscle function and to prevent cramps
•Calcium – for muscle function and to prevent cramps
•Potassium – for fluid balance and muscle function
•Iron – for oxygen transport

Another sports nutrition supplement to consider for endurance is Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, which is used to support cardiovascular health.

Strength
In order to build muscle, our bodies require a good source of complete protein. The sports nutrition section of your local health food store or gym will have a range of protein powders which will provide a full range of amino acids required to build muscle depending on your individual requirements. For extra performance and recovery, consider the following nutrients:
•Magnesium – for muscle function and recovery, and prevention of cramps during training. An average therapeutic dose is 300mg of organic magnesium (such as amino acid chelate, orotate or citrate), but the safe range is up to 800mg per day for athletes with intense training programs.
•Calcium – for muscle function and bone strength
•Zinc – for tissue repair

Although sports nutrition is a very complex area, it’s easy to start taking some simple steps to improve your strength and endurance. By eating well and taking a few good quality supplements, you can make a huge difference to your health and improve your performance. For more information on sports nutrition supplements for active people, click here.

Need More Energy?

One of the most common health complaints for busy people is that they need more energy. Whether they are busy at work, at home, or have a hectic social life (or all of the above!) many people feel as if they need more energy from time to time, even if they consider themselves to be otherwise healthy.

If you need more energy, firstly look at your diet. Are you eating enough protein and slow-burning carbohydrates? Low glycaemic index (GI) foods such as meat, fish, dairy, legumes, nuts and seeds and whole grains are great sources of slow release energy. High GI foods such as sweets, dried fruit, alcohol, white bread and other processed carbohydrates cause our blood sugar levels to rise sharply and causing insulin to be released in large amounts from the pancreas, making us feel tired, sleepy or even exhausted. People who need more energy quickly often reach for white carbohydrates and sweet sugary foods as they provide a quick energy hit, but 1-2 hours later they often find themselves in a worse place than when they started, and the irresistible urge for a caffeine or sugar fix can set in.

If your diet is fabulous and you still need more energy, perhaps your body is lacking a few key vitamins and minerals. A multivitamin containing the following nutrients may be useful:
•B vitamins – essential for energy production, protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism, blood glucose regulation and nervous system function
•Magnesium – plays a major role in energy production, and also is vital for nerve and muscle function
•Chromium – has been proven to assist with blood glucose balance and prevention of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
•Iron – quite often low in women of reproductive age, and depleted stores can result in feelings of constant fatigue
•Vitamin C – often associated with immune boosting, but also necessary for energy production, and low levels may be one of the reasons for the fatigue which follows illnesses such as colds and flues.

Still need more energy? There are herbs which have traditionally been used as energy tonics to sustain us through times of stress and endurance. Siberian ginseng has been used by athletes who need more energy and stamina in the lead up to big events, and it also has a long history of being used to help people adapt in times of stress. Withania is an adrenal restorative herb and is useful in periods of ongoing stress when we need more energy to cope. Both herbs are also useful in the management of post-viral fatigue.

Optimum levels of vitamins and minerals can help our bodies adapt and cope in times when we are busy, active or stressed. A good quality multivitamin supplement is a great insurance policy to prevent burnout and is a logical place to start if we need more energy. For more information click here

Lack of energy

How often have you felt tired during the day with no real explanation? A lack of energy can be very frustrating, especially if you feel like you are doing everything right like eating well and getting enough sleep.

What could be causing your energy levels to be low?

Even if you eat a balanced diet, you might not be getting the correct amount of vitamins and minerals. There are many lifestyle factors that may cause our bodies to become depleted of nutrients.

Active people burn through nutrients at a higher rate than those leading sedentary lifestyles. When we move, our muscles use calcium and magnesium and our body needs more iron to carry extra oxygen around the body. We also have a greater requirement for zinc and vitamin C to help speed up tissue recovery and repair. Exercise can really boost energy levels, but only if we are taking in enough vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies in good working order.

Caffeine and alcohol consumption can have a diuretic effect on the body, causing you to excrete increased amounts of water soluble nutrients (B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and many more). Tea has the added problem of containing tannins, which bind to some minerals and prevent them from being absorbed in the digestive system. If you drink any of these beverages, make sure you do so away from your vitamin and mineral supplements.

Stress is a huge tax on our energy levels. Most people whose energy levels are low are experiencing stress in some aspect of their lives. Remember, you can become stressed just by working long hours or burning the candle at both ends. Stress depletes our bodies of essential nutrients such as B vitamins and magnesium, which are key nutrients required to produce energy. When we are low in these nutrients our energy levels can decline and exhaustion can set in.

And it’s not just vitamins and minerals that your body needs to fight fatigue. Are you eating enough protein? A lack of protein in the diet can lead to a lack of energy as the body’s insulin levels increase after carbohydrate-heavy meals, causing fatigue and sleepiness. To prevent this, try eating more protein with each meal. Some good ideas to boost energy levels are a handful of nuts and seeds, a tub of yoghurt or a hardboiled egg, or try taking some spirulina tablets which provide a plant-based source of protein.

A few simple supplements can make all the difference to energy levels, by either putting back into the body nutrients which are lacking, or making your stores are topped up in readiness for times when your body has a greater need. A good quality, well-absorbed multivitamin and mineral complex is a great place to start, and is a simple addition to a balanced diet. For more information on vitamin and mineral supplements, click here.

Low Energy Levels

Most of us these days would admit to burning the candle at both ends, whether it is working long hours, or juggling a career with family, after work activities or a hectic social life. But are we remembering to replace what our busy lifestyles take out? Could we be depleting our bodies of vital nutrients necessary to prevent low energy levels?

A lack of energy can be a sign that our vitamin and mineral levels are low. Even a mild shortage of a key nutrient may cause low energy levels, as this is often the body’s early warning sign that something needs to be corrected before more serious symptoms of deficiency set in.

Let’s look at some key nutrients needed to boost low energy levels:

B vitamins – needed for nervous system function, healthy digestion, metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and normalisation of blood sugar levels. Inadequate amounts of these vitamins may contribute to low energy levels due to decreased metabolism, blood sugar imbalances and poor nerve function.

Iron – needed for healthy blood and oxygen transport and immune system function. Low iron levels may lead to a lack of energy and feelings of breathlessness or weakness as the blood needs iron to help carry oxygen around the body.

Chromium – plays a major role in blood glucose regulation. If low energy levels are accompanied by sleepiness or food cravings then blood sugar levels may be out of balance.

Magnesium – is essential for the production of energy in the body. A lack of magnesium can lead to low energy levels which are accompanied by muscle tension, cramps or fatigue.

Vitamin C – for production of energy and immune system function. Low vitamin C levels may lead to a lack of energy and a greater susceptibility to infections or illness.

For those leading a busy lifestyle, a good quality vitamin and mineral supplement can help prevent low energy levels by topping up our nutrient stores in preparation for when our bodies are in demand. Organic mineral supplements are especially useful because the body is able to absorb more of these in readiness for when we need them most. For more information on supplements containing these minerals, click here.