Starburst ^TM With an Edge of C4!

C4 is one of the most famous and ubiquitous brands of energy drinks on the market. Its name gets spoken of in reverent tones throughout the gym and fitness spheres. In fact, it may be one of the first energy drinks a rookie gym-goer will hear upon entering the gym.

Starburst is one of the most famous and ubiquitous of candy on the market, with many receiving a blast of nostalgia just seeing the juicy “S” packaging. Battles rage regarding the best flavor, yet most agree lemon or yellow, as it is better known, is perhaps the least desired flavor of Starburst.

And now, the two giants of their respective markets have come together in a massive collaboration of mixing the C4 proprietary blend of energy-inducing ingredients with Starburst’s signature flavors!

The question must be asked, though, is the C4 Energy X Starburst Candy healthy?

Or, more specifically, can the collaborated drink be associated with a healthy lifestyle?

Nutrition Facts

This latest iteration of C4 energy drink falls in line with the rest of C4’s beverage lineup, with this iteration having essentially nothing in it until Niacin and Vitamin B₁₂ pop up at 30 mg and 6 mcg or 190% and 250% DV, respectively.

This means that a casual consumer need not worry about calories, fat, sugar, sodium, carbohydrates, or even protein.

Taking a closer look at the ingredient list, though, one will find ingredients, preservatives, and additives common to nearly all energy drinks. However, some ingredient names may cause alarms to go off in a consumer’s head as they may not recognize chemical names such as beta-alanine, L-Citrulline, or even N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine.

Beta-alanine has been investigated in numerous studies over the past several years and can be attributed to the tingling sensation some may feel after consuming it. Nothing to be alarmed about as this means the body is breaking down the compound, which investigators theorize activates skin sensory neurons, causing a tingling or itching sensation. Vasodilation of the blood vessels can also occur, leading to an increase in overall blood flow, which may cause a flushing of the skin.

And, L-Citrulline and N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine are simply amino acids the body uses as the building blocks of other protein-based molecules. L-Citrulline is used for aiding in reversing muscle weakness, whereas N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine is used for aiding the neurotransmitters of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine which all aid in positive training results. Both are included in many energy drinks to help improve overall training and athletic performance.

Lastly, 200 mg of caffeine awaits the consumer to provide explosive energy!

Benefits

These benefits may be attributed to the proper consumption of the beverage:

· Increased energy

· Vasodilation of blood vessels

· Improved athletic performance

· Improve alertness and focus

· Zero calories

· Zero grams fat

· Zero grams sugar

· Zero grams carbohydrates

· Zero mg sodium

Drawbacks

These drawbacks may be attributed to overconsumption of the beverage. Note, a consumer may experience any or all of these or none at all:

· Tingling or itching sensation

· Potential dehydration¹

· Potential “crash”²

· Headaches

· Fatigue³

· High blood pressure

· Heart flutters

· Insomnia

· Digestive issues

· Addiction or dependence

So… Healthy?

C4 Energy X Starburst Candy is a garden variety of energy drinks with an added oomph due to the collaboration of C4 and Starburst. Its standard health benefits are consistent with other energy drinks such as Absolute Zero Monster, Reign, or Bang! in providing improved energy, focus, and performance while limiting the calories, carbohydrates, and sugars to as minimal as possible.

The drawbacks of this particular C4 are also consistent with excess or consumption of high-caffeinated beverages. The FDA recommends an adult individual consume only 400 mg of caffeine daily, and this C4 has 200 mg of caffeine. Couple that with a daily cup of coffee and any other soda that an adult individual may consume, and 400 mg of caffeine, if not more, could easily be consumed.

Nevertheless, as with any other energy supplement, monitoring one’s own body, overall training, and nutritional lifestyle will allow an adult individual to gauge whether to consume the beverage.

No energy drink can truly be considered healthy because even though some, such as this one, have zero calories, sugars, carbohydrates, and fat, the other ingredients could be just as disadvantageous to a healthy lifestyle.

Therefore, even though no energy drink can be considered healthy, energy drinks can be consumed as part of a healthy lifestyle that includes balanced nutrition and exercise.

*Disclaimer*

From C4’s website:

“Warning: Do not consume this product if you are pregnant or nursing. Not intended for children. Recommended for adults.”

Personal Opinion

Being a personal trainer, athlete, and budding physical therapist, my personal opinion is that an energy drink on occasion will not derail an entire nutrition plan; however, those that are prone to addictive substances, pregnant, have hypertension, and/or other chronic cardiovascular diseases should be wary. As with most anything in this life, almost everything can be a part of a healthy lifestyle so long as it is enjoyed in respectful moderation.

C4 Energy X Starburst ^TM Candy

Honest Brand Reviews Overview

¹Be sure to stay hydrated during a training session and throughout the day if consuming this product due to the anhydrous ingredients, which require water to activate the potency that they receive from the consumer’s body

The “crash,” as it is colloquially known, is when the body is revved up for activity, then immediately boomerangs back to balance out the hyperactivity.

³Oxymoron that an energy drink can cause fatigue, but similar to the crash, it can cause such an energy increase that the body must balance back to reestablish homeostasis.

Here are four things you can do to understand the effectiveness of a supplement.

1. Do some research about the supplement.

A site like PubMed is excellent! It is a great tool for research. PubMed is very transparent. For example, if you are reading research about a supplement and the company doing the research is the one selling the supplement, they disclose that.

However, often, research is done on untrained people or people with deficiencies. For example, people with low testosterone take testosterone boosters, which boost their testosterone. But a healthy person taking a testosterone booster has no effect. They don’t work. What you must understand about testosterone boosters is that if they really boost your testosterone, it probably would be illegal. That’s what steroids do.

Another instance would be glutamine. Your body makes glutamine. If you eat protein, you need not worry about glutamine. However, the supplement works for people with low glutamine levels due to stress or deficiency. But if you don’t have a deficiency, then it won’t work.

I gave you these examples so you can understand that the research is usually done on deficient and untrained people. It produces a positive and effective result in their study. However, companies apply that information to the general population to sell a supplement that will not work.

2. Learn to read the label.

First and foremost, the FDA does not regulate supplements. This is a bit concerning because mixing many different plant extracts and roots together may seem ok. But sometimes, the interactions cause adverse reactions if not appropriately investigated.

Mega doses are not healthy, especially with something like Ma Huang. It has happened to me. One time, the Ma Huang was higher than required. Unfortunately, I only found out when I had a bad experience and did the research. So more does not mean better and can be life-threatening.

Make sure the ingredients are not all bunched into one category. For example, The intense energy, mind-busting rage workout propriety formula on the label lumps all the ingredients and milligrams under one blend. The company will list all the ingredients without you knowing the measurement of each supplement. For instance, they will just write 4,231mg of the formula. But how much of what is what?

Be cautious if they say sugar-free. It means many additives, preservatives, and artificial sweeter is probably added.

Be cautious if it says vegan friendly. How is it vegan friendly if you are adding preservatives and additives? Many of these ingredients have been tested on animals for quality and safety. Also, vegan is more about purity as well.

Be cautious If a product claims it will cure your pain, illness, disorder, or disease.

3. Look for third-party testing.

NSF is a third-party testing organization that is true and unbiased in its testing results of supplements.

Look for labels that have the certification from NSF or any other reputable company. This certificate shows that the company has had its products tested by a certified independent organization. They test the for-product toxicity of ingredients, quality, and potency of the contents.

Many ingredients can contain lead from coloring or arsenic located in the ground and soil. The NSF indicates that the product has been tested for these common harmful substances and contaminants. NSF product certification means the product is not detrimental, and the ingredients listed are natural and legit.

Other third-party companies are US Pharmacopeia, Underwriters Laboratory, and Consumer Labs.

4. Is it bioavailable?

How much of a mineral, nutrient, or substance your body can absorb is known as bioavailability. Over-the-counter supplements are taken orally. That means it needs to survive through your stomach for absorption. For example, let’s take resveratrol. To get an effective dose of 500mg to 1 gram, you would have to eat 2 pounds of grapes or drink 15 bottles of wine. So, taking a 1-gram scoop of resveratrol is simple and has a 75% bioavailability rate which is very good.

And by having certain minerals present with other ones helps bioavailability as well. You see this a lot in supplements. For example, Vitamin D boosts the amount of magnesium that can get absorbed.

Finally, since the FDA does not regulate supplements, you must stay educated about the facts, efficacy, and their goodness to prevent harm. This is especially important when it comes to energy and pre-workout drinks.

• The top sales from many websites.
• The content of ingredients.
• Reviews.

Tips to Buy Pre-Workout

One thing a company does is not add enough of the ingredients per scoop on purpose. This makes you take two scoops. So, if you pay $30-50 for a 30-day supply, it is only 15.

When you read the supplement facts, ensure it precisely shows each ingredient. For example, company’s will often just put a number like 6,276mg and list all the ingredients under one formula without a breakdown of what is what.

Be careful of reviews. Companies often give away product for a review to spike up their status. Companies on Amazon do this a lot.

Look for main ingredients like L-Citrulline, L-Citrulline Malate, L-Arginine, Beta Alanine, Betaine, CarnoSyn^® (a Patented Version of Beta-Alanine). These are the main pre-workout ingredients.

Neurotropic supplements are usually added to pre-workout supplements to boost focus and concentration. There are many of them. But a few common ones are Dynamine, Synephrine, Alpha GPC, and NeruoFactor.

Ingredients Per Scoop

L-Citrulline, L-Citrulline Malate

Firstly, adding Malate to L-citrulline, also known as malic acid, improves the effectiveness, absorption, and bioavailability of L-Citrulline.

Research has demonstrated that L-citrulline enhances aerobic and anaerobic performance during prolonged exercise. This is achieved by boosting blood flow to working muscles, lowering fatigue, raising nitric oxide levels, and boosting ATP. Additionally, it decreases muscular soreness both during and after training.

Look for either 3-6 grams of L-Citrulline or 5-8 grams of citrulline malate on the label. The chemistry is different, so the doses will vary depending on the form because 1.75 grams of citrulline malate provides 1 gram of L-citrulline.

L-Arginine

Citrulline is converted into L-arginine. L-arginine plays an essential role in nitric oxide synthesis. It increases capacity by enhancing and boosting the ability of the anaerobic and aerobic systems. L-arginine has been shown to affect training and sports performance significantly.

Look for 1.5-2 grams on the label.

Beta-Alanine

Beta-alanine boosts your training and exercise capacity by minimizing and delaying muscular fatigue. It is excellent to support short bursts of intense activity. In your muscles, beta-alanine creates carnosine. And carnosine keeps the pH from falling, allowing you to train and perform at your best and extend the capacity and duration. It also accelerates recovery.

Look for 2-5 grams on the label.

Betaine

Betaine increases endurance and strength. It also helps to accelerate muscular growth. Betaine also has the added benefit of reducing lactate levels, which effectively delays muscle exhaustion. This will allow you to train for more extended periods and more intensely.

Look for 2-6 grams on the label.

CarnoSyn^® (a Patented Version of Beta-Alanine)

It is a high-quality form of beta-alanine and a patented version of beta-alanine.

You don’t need to have all of these stacked into one. If you have citrulline and beta-alanine, it is perfect.

Here are the Champions!

These pre-workouts are perfectly dosed toward the higher ranges based on one scoop. The energy is excellent and the focus is fantastic. You won’t bend a spoon by staring at it. But you will definitely move more weight! Combining focus and energy boosts intensity.

Just click on the product to see the Supplement Fact Information.

1. Wrecked

2. Preseries Bulk

3. Legion Pulse Pre-workout

The First-Place Winners

These pre-workouts are still in the optimal range, just at the lower end for one scoop. They produce good energy and have the perfect number of neurotropic for intense focus.

4. Cellucor C4 Ultimate

5. Black Wolf

6. Lit Beyond Raw

The Second-Place Winners

With these formulas, they will still give you a good pump. However, they lack higher levels of important supplements.

7. AMPED AF

8. Bucked Up

9. Genius Pre-Workout

The Third-Place Winner

Gets the job done, with sufficient energy, good focus, and a slight boost in performance.

10. 5150 Pre-Workout

When you take your pre-workout 30 to 45 minutes before you train, don’t expect to feel mind-blowing insanity right away. Usually, when you start exercising, during your workout, you’ll begin to feel the pumps, energy, and focus. This is because exercise activates and stimulates the supplements and ingredients.

The popular energy drink, Ghost Swedish Fish Flavor, is all the craze today. Here are some answers to concerns people have. Is it healthy? Does it work, or is it just a bunch of hype in a can?

Ingredients

Anytime a product says, “legendary energy and epic focus,” I like it, but I need to look at the label.

Most of the ingredients are standard. It has Vitamin C, B6, B3, and B12.

Carnipure and L-Carnitine (tartrate)

Carnipure® is a specially manufactured grade of L-Carnitine that has a higher potency. L-Carnitine is used to boost your metabolism, help you lose weight, improve exercise performance, and enhance the feeling of wellness. L-Carnitine is a substance made by your brain, liver, and kidneys. It helps turn fat into energy.

Taurine

Taurine is used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It improves energy production pertaining to exercise performance. It helps increase oxygen uptake and reduces fatigue. It also improves recovery during and after your workout. And it has also shown some improved strength and power effects.

Natural Caffeine (from the coffee bean)

Natural caffeine acts as a stimulant for your central nervous system. Also, it enhances focus and concentration. In addition, caffeine is used as a catalyst to combine and enhance the effects of other substances like taurine and Alpha-GPC.

Alpha-GPC (alpha glycerol phosphoryl chlorine 50%)

Alpha-GPC has been shown to improve mental and physical performance. Alpha-GPC increases the release of the neurotransmitters that boost performance. In athletes, Alpha-GPC supplementation increases endurance and the release of growth hormone.

NeuroFactor Coffee Fruit Extract

NeuroFactor™ is a trademark of VDF FutureCeuticals. It has no side effects. It is a nootropic from a natural coffee source. It enhances the function of the brain that boosts focus, concentration, and decision-making ability.

AstraGin and the Root Extracts

AstraGin is a patent product in Ghost’s formula. It improves the uptake of vitamins, amino acids, and other minerals. Also, great for gut health.

Astragalus Membranaceus is used to enhance the endurance of exercise through anti-fatiguing mechanisms. Also, it boosts the immune system, prevents illness and colds, lowers blood pressure, and treats diabetes by managing blood sugar. It also protects the liver. In addition, Astragalus is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.

Panax Notoginseng is used to improve endurance with exercise. It also helps relieve pain and reduce swelling and blood pressure.

Other Ingredients

However, the label “Other Ingredients” needs to be more transparent. For example, here is one questionable ingredient in the Ghost energy drink.

Sodium Benzoate and Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It is used in foods and beverages, cosmetics, dental products, and pharmaceuticals. Ghost uses it to preserve the energy drink from molding in the can.

The problem with sodium benzoate is that it can become carcinogenic when combined with substances like ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) when exposed to heat and light. When this occurs, they form benzene, a carcinogen. Benzene is a chemical found in the air from the emissions of cars and in oil. Also, it is produced in industrial products like chemicals and detergents.

Due to the volatility of this ingredient and the ascorbic acid regularly added to beverages, companies have been taking this ingredient out of their product. However, it is FDA approval at minimal levels.

Take Away

Be careful of the labels. You need to read them. It does not matter if it says gluten, soy, sugar-free, or vegan friendly. Those are sometimes ways of covering up something that is not so healthy. Sodium benzoate is probably not vegan-friendly. It does not hurt animals but is not natural.

Energy drinks do not need FDA approval because they are considered dietary supplements. This is odd because mixing plants and herb extracts can have a detrimental effect. I say this because I had taken a supplement pack some years ago. I did not read the labels and trusted the name because it was very reputable. When I went to train, I had one of the worst experiences in my life. Let’s say I had to stop exercising in the first 10 minutes of my workout.

Everything went into slow motion. My heart rate was beating like crazy. It would speed up and slow down. My thermal temperature dropped, not with chills, but my skin was hypersensitive. My attention was delayed by seconds, and I stared at the wall until it faded. I found out the Ma hung in the capsules was 50% higher than the RDA. And the interaction between Ma hung, and other ingredients were detrimental.

Verdict

Ghost energy drink is not bad for you, except for one issue.

It just depends if they are within the legal limits of their artificial flavors and preservatives that are not recorded on the label.

The takeaway. If you are concerned, always do your own research on the product before consuming.

For more articles on energy drinks, CLICK HERE!

Beta-Alanine

What is Beta-Alanine Good for?

Beta-alanine has some good research about it today. Many say it’s suitable for anaerobic training, and some say it’s ideal for aerobic performance. Truthfully, it’s perfect for both! Whatever exercise modality, training, or method you choose, beta-alanine will support it.

Benefits of Beta-Alanine

• Boosts explosiveness and power output.
• Augments anaerobic and aerobic endurance.
• Boosts exercise time and work capacity.
• Increases strength.
• Enhances VO2.
• Reduces tiredness or fatigue.

How it Works

Beta-alanine is an amino acid that works as a buffer. When you exercise, lactate gets produced. Now, depending on the exercise intensity dictates how much lactate develops and accumulates. For example, the more intense the exercise, like anaerobic training, the faster and higher lactate amasses. Conversely, with aerobic activity, lactate builds up less and slower.

So as you train taking beta-alanine, your muscles can buffer and blunt lactate. As a result, you will improve aerobic and anaerobic thresholds that boost training and performance. This will help you train more by increasing the load or intensity over time.

Beta-Alanine Training Examples

Let’s say you are strength training, and you feel your muscles start to burn at eight reps and finish with 12. Or if you are sprinting and your speed diminishes. That is lactate building up. The quicker the build, the faster you will terminate the exercise. The buildup of lactate does not have to burn.

Also, under these acidic conditions, your muscles cannot contract with maximal force, resulting in diminishing effort and the inability to maintain a high level of performance. Furthermore, decreasing your strength and causing you to fatigue faster.

When taking beta-alanine and strength training, if you usually feel the burn at eight reps, you may now feel the burn around 12 reps instead. And when running, it allows for sustaining efforts above the lactate threshold more efficiently. I can’t say how much benefit you will get because the results and doses differ.

How to Use Beta-Alanine

Beta-alanine is best used on training days that are intermittent, heavy, or fast and explosive. Results can be from a few days to a few weeks. This is because beta-alanine needs time to increase and stimulate a substance called carnosine in your muscles.

You can get beta-alanine from foods—for example, a 4oz. piece of chicken has .5g of beta-alanine. And a 4oz. piece of beef has about 1g. But they fall short of reaching sufficient beneficial amounts to boost performance. What’s perfect about beta-alanine supplements is they are bioavailable and will get absorbed in the body and not excreted!

The recommended dose is 4–6 grams daily and has been shown to augment carnosine by about 64% in 4 weeks.

You may feel tingling on your skin and scalp. Don’t worry, it is normal. Beta-alanine is a safe and effective supplement to use long-term.

End Result

Beta-alanine will help you feel energetic during your workout. And at the end of your training, you will not feel so trashed and fatigued. For example, when doing a HIIT, sprinting, or running workout, you will feel more muscle performance on the aerobic and anaerobic levels and an offset of fatigue from the boosted workload. Not being tired also enhances your focus.

Beetroot Juice

Beetroot juice it’s a superfood that acts as a powerful antioxidant and ergogenic supplement. Beets are rich in vitamin C, carotenoids, and flavonoids. These substances act as an anti-inflammatory that prevents heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Of course, being a powerful antioxidant also enhances muscular recovery from physical training.

Furthermore, the nitrate found in beets makes them an excellent ergogenic. When nitrate is consumed, it gets converted into nitric oxide.

Nitric Oxide- NO

Beetroot juice boosts nitric oxide (NO) levels in your blood. Nitric oxide vasodilates and expands your blood vessels and bronchiole tubes in your lungs. When you expand your blood vessels and bronchiole tubes, it increases blood flow and airflow. In turn, more oxygen gets exchanged and delivered to working muscles. In addition, NO delivers a positive performance impact producing stronger muscular contractions.

The Research

Beetroot improved the performance of runners running a 5k. At the last kilometer, the runners’ speed was 5% faster, showing improved aerobic and anaerobic threshold performance.

More research indicates it:

• Significantly improves endurance, aerobic performance, and VO2.
• Works for all sports.
• Boosts anaerobic power.
• Perfectly maintains training intensities between 60-80%, extending your training time.
• Improves cardiorespiratory function training at high altitudes.

How to Use Beetroot

Beetroot juice should be drunk 90 mins before your training or performance. Your NO level will peak 2–3 hours after drinking it. Drinking 500ml, about two cups, provides 6–8 mmol of NO. This is the required amount for high-level athletes to drink to boost their performance and training.

If these supplements work on highly trained athletes, then they will also work for the untrained population. But unfortunately, most supplement trials you read are often done on deficient populations. The trials create positive results. However, end up being false positive and misleading in trained populations and normally healthy people.

The supplement industry is a billion-dollar industry that makes many promises. Therefore, you must understand their research.

Flavor Offerings

PRIME Hydration currently offers six energy drink flavors, including;

1. Ice pop
2. Blue Rasberry
3. Tropical Punch
4. Lemon Lime
5. Grape
6. Orange

The ice pop flavor has some pretty sweet packaging, resembling the popular red, white, and blue bomb-pop you probably ordered as a kid from your neighborhood ice cream man.

PRIME Hydration Ingredients

The ingredients in Logan Paul’s PRIME Hydration energy drink are water, sucralose, citric acid, sodium citrate, potassium chloride, and magnesium sulfate. Let’s take a look at each of these ingredients to see if they are healthy or not.

Water is obviously healthy – we need it to live!

Sucralose is a calorie-free sweetener that has been deemed safe by the FDA.

Citric acid is a common food additive that is also considered safe.

Sodium citrate is a salt that is used to regulate pH levels.

Potassium chloride is a mineral that is necessary for our bodies to function properly.

Magnesium sulfate is another mineral that our bodies need in order to function properly.

Are PRIME Hydration Energy Drinks Healthy?

Based on the ingredients, it seems Logan Paul’s PRIME Hydration energy drink is actually pretty healthy, and we’ve seen quite a few reviews that say they taste great! So if you’re looking for a new, refreshing and healthy energy drink, Logan Paul’s Prime Hydration might be worth checking out. Thanks for reading!

Where Can I Find PRIME Energy Drinks?

PRIME beverages are distributed at different retail branches across the country, including pharmacy and grocery chains like Walmart, Target, Kroger, CVS, GNC, Ralphs and the Vitamin Shoppe. You can also purchase on their website directly at https://drinkprime.com/ to learn more about PRIME Hydration. To view other energy drink reviews or learn more about sports nutrition, visit our nutrition page at https://www.stack.com/a/category/nutrition/.

Do you have any thoughts on Logan Paul’s PRIME Hydration energy drink? Let us know in the comments below! And be sure to stay hydrated, everyone!

Performance Benefits

Taking 300mg of ashwagandha a day for 12 weeks, based on its research, will successfully:

• Increase VO2 by 13 %.
• Increase strength by 15%.
• Improved muscular and nervous system recovery.
• Increase your testosterone naturally by about 15-20%
• Decrease body fat.
• Reduce inflammation in muscles.
• Enhance your immune system.
• Improve your quality of sleep.

So, how does ashwagandha help the body achieve so many different results?

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen plant. This means it helps balance and normalize hormones in your body to function properly and prevent harm. When hormone levels become imbalanced or too high, they have a detrimental effect on your health.

The primary way ashwagandha works is by regulating cortisol. Cortisol is essential for the body to function properly. However, the problem that practically everyone faces is, having too much cortisol released. For example, when you are stressed, cortisol gets released. If you are stressed all day, every day, then high cortisol is detrimental to your body. And the benefits previously mentioned above are all reversed for the worst.

Cortisol creates inflammation that makes your muscles and nerves tense, makes it harder to burn fat, disrupts sleep patterns, and inhibits the production and release of testosterone. As a result, you will feel tired, unhappy, and ill, instantly destroying your health, fitness gains, and athletic performance.

Another way cortisol becomes too high is from eating in an imbalanced way. For instance, consuming processed foods, meats, sugar, salt, caffeine, and alcohol. These foods cause inflammation and cortisol levels to rise above normal.

Here are a few more ways ashwagandha enhances your health.

1. Neurotropic Benefits

Ashwagandha helps relax your central nervous system. A relaxed nervous system results in better sleep, improved focus, enhanced memory, feeling good, preventing depression, etc. All these benefits can maximize your athletic performance and help you do well in school. In addition, Ashwagandha protects your brain against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

2. Boosts Energy, Enhances Stamina, and Extends Endurance

Ashwagandha is awesome to alleviate fatigue. It significantly enhances athletic performance by improving your cardiovascular and respiratory system function- affecting the heart and lung capacity to do more. In turn, endurance and energy improve

What are the downsides of ashwagandha?

Vulnerable populations, like pregnant and lactating women, should refrain from taking the supplement because it affects hormones.

Ashwagandha may negatively interact with many common medications, including immunosuppressants, thyroid medications, and sedatives.

Other side effects include an upset stomach, a drop in blood sugar, and a decrease in blood pressure. You should also avoid ashwagandha if you take heart medications or have IBS, diabetes, or a heart condition.

Autoimmune conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, should avoid taking ashwagandha. It could worsen the condition.

It is important to heed the warnings and understand the downsides because it directly affects your hormones. However, give it a try if you are healthy and don’t take medicines that counteract from taking supplements. The results are excellent.

Final Notes

Ashwagandha will help you feel relaxed, more productive, perform better, be more focused, sleep better, and repair your body faster.

Ashwagandha is legal, not banned anywhere, and available in powder or capsule form.

All you need is 300mg daily to reap the health and athletic performance benefits.

Remember, more is not better and will produce a countereffect. Balance optimizes function to produce maximal results. So, find the right balance for you.

For more information about nutrition, exercise, sport, and training, check out my YouTube channel- Balanced Body.

BCAA

BCAA’s are essential for energy production. They are needed to build new muscle. BCAA’s are essential for sports performance, strength training, and improving energy and recovery.

The Truth

The RDA says you need between 5 and 20 grams each day. Firstly, they are usually added to protein powders. Secondly, you are most likely already getting them. For example, a chicken breast has about 5.88 g of BCAA. A can of tuna has 5.2 grams. A glass of milk has 2.2 grams, and two eggs have 3.3 grams.

The Verdict

You don’t need to waste your money and buy these supplements.

Testosterone Boosters

Testosterone boosters promise to increase your testosterone levels, develop big muscles, and improve your athletic performance. Testosterone boosters have been shown to have helped people with low testosterone boost it. But you must be careful of research that gets advertised and spun. Just because it works for people with low testosterone doesn’t mean it will boost normal testosterone.

The Truth

People with normal testosterone levels have not shown any improvement. If testosterone boosters did boost testosterone, they probably would be illegal because that’s what steroids do. Secondly, they would be considered a PED and banned. In sports where drug testing is mandatory, if testosterone boosters worked, drug tests would be failed.

The Verdict

Save your money and purchase other effective supplements.

Glutamine

Glutamine is essential for building protein—this supplement promises to improve muscle recovery and protein synthesis. However, the research showed success for people who were ill and suffered from high mental stress and had decreased glutamine levels. So again, this is another supplement where the research gets sensationalized. It will not boost normal glutamine levels in healthy people.

The Truth

You need glutamine but not as much as protein. You only need about 3-5 grams of glutamine each day. But, again, the foods you eat contain glutamine. A chicken breast has about 3.7 grams. One glass of milk has 1 gram. Two eggs have 1.2 grams. Beef per 100 grams has 1.2 grams. And a handful of cashews has 2.2 grams.

The Verdict

Eating many types of food provides daily glutamine already. Another “save your money buy” because having too much of any supplement, the body will urinate it out. As a result, you will have expensive urine.

Here is What Works- Creatine

Creatine does improve athletic performance in many ways. It increases ATP in your muscles, making it perfect for high-intensity exercise. Endurance exercise and low-intensity performance do not really benefit from creatine supplementation. This is because they rely less on ATP.

Effects on Strength, Sport, and Exercise Performance

Creatine improves high-intensity exercise, strength, and power.

Using creatine significantly increases muscle strength, resistance training performance, and your one-rep max bench press compared to resistance training only.

Creatine has been shown to significantly increase sprint speed and reduce 40-meter sprint times.

Creatine supplementation improved elite swimmers’ sprint times significantly compared to swim training only.

Creatine improved 5- and 15-meter sprint times in soccer players.

Creatine has been shown to improve jump training and performance.

Proper Dosage

Start your loading phase by taking 20 grams per day for five days. Take 5-gram servings spread throughout the day four times, not all at once. This will help increase creatine storage quickly.

If you do not want to do the loading phase at 20 grams, just start with 5 grams daily.

Take creatine with a protein or a carbohydrate meal to help your muscles absorb it effectively.

After your loading phase, take 5 grams of creatine per day to maintain the level in your muscles.

Drink water throughout the day because creatine uses water to be absorbed into your muscles.

Side Effects

Creatine has been researched in and out and up and down, and to this day, it has no harmful or detrimental side effects. Also, no research says creatine is bad for your liver or kidneys.

Before you take any supplement, do your own research, and see if it is worth buying. You probably already consume it daily and can save money by buying supplements that work.

Another supplement that you should check out and that isn’t mentioned here is beta-alanine. It has been shown to be very effective.

Magnesium is a dietary mineral often neglected in the standard American diet. According to Examine.com, “Magnesium deficiencies are common in developed countries and are often caused by diabetes and other conditions. A lack of magnesium will raise blood pressure and reduce insulin sensitivity.” For the modern athlete–and the general population-meeting a standard daily dose of 200-400 mg is a considerable barrier.

Why Magnesium?

Magnesium is essential to over 300 biological reactions in the human body. Relevant to athletic performance include muscular contraction and relaxation, cardiac function, and bone metabolism. Magnesium further supports the metabolism of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the ‘energy’ that fuels both cardio and weight training.

Magnesium deficiencies in athletes may go largely unreported. They are at a significantly higher deficiency risk due to sweat loss during physical training. Symptoms include increased blood pressure and neural excitation yet are frequently misconstrued as stress.

Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms

• Leg Cramps
• Digestive Problems
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Low Mood

One way to discern the two involves your nutritional practices. The grain-rich, western diet is remarkably devoid of magnesium. By comparison, prominent sources like nuts and leafy greens have less consumption. When interpreting your eating habits refer to the fact sheet below to see where you stack up.

What Does the Evidence Say?

Despite the claims of well-intentioned practitioners, magnesium isn’t some magic mineral that will springboard your athletic performance. However, there are real benefits to supplementation for those attenuating a deficiency.

Let’s look at the evidence to guide us through a few performance markers.

Blood Pressure – Magnesium has exhibited a notable effect in reducing blood pressure. If a subject meets one of two criteria, either the individual has low magnesium levels in the body or elevated blood pressure (140/90 or above).

Aerobic Exercise – One study that assessed aerobic exercise capacity noted a significant improvement during extreme physical stress. In this case, triathletes were the subjects. Albeit notable, it needs to replicate with more studies.

Muscle Oxygenation – The same study on aerobic capacity also accounted for muscle oxygenation levels. Healthy athletes showed a noteworthy improvement in oxygenation levels when supplementing with 17mmol of Magnesium Orotate daily for four weeks.

Mood – Magnesium affects the body hormonally. Low levels are associated with low testosterone, and low testosterone is associated with low mood. Also, early evidence suggests that magnesium modulates the activity of NMDA receptors in the nerves, which causes excitement and stimulation. Low magnesium delivers a more passive stimulation to the NMDA receptors, thus, leading to symptoms of anxiety.

Strength – Testosterone is the best-known androgen (male hormone). Athletes low in magnesium may also be at risk for low testosterone. Specifically, low testosterone can reduce libido and cause fat gain, muscle loss, and bone loss. Chronically low levels will be detrimental to performance improvements.

Magnesium Rich Foods

The most common and abundant sources of magnesium come from leafy green vegetables, nuts, legumes, and animal tissue. Typically 30-40% of the dietary magnesium consumed is absorbed by the body. Check out this magnesium fact sheet which presents the amplest food sources to include in your diet.

1. Dark Leafy Greens (e.g., Spinach, Kale)
2. Nuts/Seeds (e.g., pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews)
3. Beans (e.g., black, kidney)
4. Salmon
5. Beef
6. Chicken Breast
7. Oatmeal
8. Avocados
9. Bananas
10. Potatoes

Supplementation

The standard dose for magnesium supplementation is 200-400mg. Any form of magnesium can help assess a deficiency except for Magnesium L-threonate since it contains less elemental magnesium per dosage. Magnesium chloride and magnesium oxide are associated with cases of bloating and diarrhea due to lower absorption rates. Therefore I suggest supplementing with Magnesium citrate. Magnesium should be taken daily, with food.

Final Word

Magnesium is the second most prevalent electrolyte in the human body. It assists in regular performance variables like muscle contraction, cardiac output, bone metabolism, and energy production. Athletes are at a higher deficiency risk because of the physical demands of exercise (e.g., sweat loss). Improving magnesium consumption starts and stops with nutrition. If you’re a parent, serve your kids a variety of foods to meet their needs. If you’re a coach, educate your athletes and refer them to a sports dietitian or nutritionist. They may not listen to you, but it’s your responsibility to deliver the necessary information for them to make an informed decision about their health.

Collagen can be great for skin and joints and build muscle. It makes up one-third of the protein in the body. However, as we age our bodies have less Collagen due to diet, stress, and wear and tear.

Are you hoping to lubricate your joints? Perhaps you want to have more supple skin? Maybe you want to increase your overall well-being? Either way, keep reading if you want to learn how Collagen might help you improve your health.

How to take Collagen Peptides?

It’s best to take collagen peptides in powder form. You can mix it with water and it’s easily digestible. You can take them in pill form also but the powder is best. Powder gets into your system faster and is easier on your liver. You can even find flavored versions of Collagen.

What Do They Do?

Collagen peptides can increase skin elasticity. They can limber up your joints and improve gut health. Collagen peptides can also strengthen bones and muscles. It can increase muscle mass and promote healthy sleep. They may also be good for weight management while promoting healthy hair and nails.

Types of Collagen

Collagen usually comes in bovine and porcine. In other words beef and pork. There’s also marine Collagen made from fish skin and scales. Collagen comes from the bones and skin of animals so it’s not vegan.

Does Heat Ruin Collagen Peptides?

Many people believe that heat ruins the benefits of Collagen. However, that’s not the case. Unless you heat Collagen to almost 600 degrees, it’s fine. You can put Collagen in your coffee or tea if you wish, and it will still provide the same benefits.

Side Effects of Collagen Peptides

Unless you have certain allergies there are no ill effects from Collagen. The worst thing is that they don’t work for you. However, if you’re allergic to any fillers a certain brand may use, then you may feel side effects.

As long as you take between 2.5 and 15 grams of Collagen per day you’ll be fine. If you take more than the recommended dosage, you could experience ill effects from Collagen.

How to Choose the Best Collagen?

The first thing you should do is check the amino acid profile. If the label doesn’t have proline, hydroxyproline, and glycine, put the product back on the shelf. After that, you want to see if it has at least eight of the nine essential amino acids. All nine of them are best.

The best Collagen comes from non-GMO or wild-caught fish and grass-fed cows. If it doesn’t come from one of those sources. Make sure there are no additives, like dyes, preservatives, or flavors.

What Else to Look For?

You want a diverse amino acid profile. You also want to make sure it’s collagen types I and III. Plus, the most potent and effective form of Collagen is hydrolyzed bovine. If there are more than three types of Collagen in any given supplement it’s watered down.

You should also make sure your collagen supplement has at least nine different amino acids and is made of at least 90% protein. Lastly, you should choose one with a 100% money-back guarantee. One thing to note is that if you’re collagen powder clumps in water it’s not good.

Collagen Can Help You be Healthier

Collagen is a great supplement. Although studies are scarce, there’s enough evidence to warrant using collagen peptides in your daily routine. It can benefit your hair, skin, joints, and more.