Schoolar/Athlete supplementation

[PhilGR]

Hey @Leo Gura are you still taking all these supplements? I am a swimmer and a hard work student , I really dig supplements for mental health and fitness(not just proteins and stuff, more like traceminerals for enzyme work). Any advise from anyone?

[Colin]

when I think of a supplement that benefits both mental health and fitness at the same time I think of creatine.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-creatine

[Michael569]

There are herbal supplements that could work great on the brain such as Gingko, Gotu Kola, Hawthorn Berry, Rhodiola Root or White Oak Bark. All these promote circulation especially the upper circulation. Can be taken as tinctures or capsules but make sure to check reviews before buying caps. 

For improved overall endurance and muscular performance stuff like maca or matcha. Also beet juice has been shown to improve effectiveness of cardiac muscle when taken before endurance training so perhaps try blending couple beets in a pre workout smoothie along with bananas, berries etc..this is the true pre-workout not the crap in supplement stores.

The ideal place to get your trace minerals from is food because supplementing on single minerals may create a state of hyperdosing and cause you a lot of trouble especially with things like calcium that will stone you up like a tree bark. 

 

[PhilGR]

@Michael569 Thank you very muck, I knew about beets , they have a lot of nitrates . Could a multi-mineral complex be good?

[Michael569]

@PhilGR not a fan of mineral supplements at all but that is just one person's opinion, not a scientific fact. Make your research around this topic. If you think your diet is insufficient in any, create a profile on cronometer.com and track your meals for couple days. The chart will show you what you are lacking beautifuly and it allows you to adjust individual numbers. I'd do this before taking in something in a caps. 

Do you have any symptoms that could be attributed to lack of minerals? 

[PhilGR]

@Michael569 No symptoms I just wanted to boost my ezyme work and my recovery time.I will search more as you said.

Any recommendations with amino acids . Do you have any experience with them to help you in mental or fitness health?

Edited August 2, 2018 by PhilGR

[Michael569]

@PhilGR your body will produce amino acids by breaking down the ingested proteins from plants and animals in stomach and small intestines. There are 9 that we cannot produce (essential amino acids) but those are easy to get from the food we eat although you want to keep Methionine as low as possible. If your goal is to build muscle, just look up some higher sources of protein in foods like nuts, seeds, beans or animal sources if you prefer. I'd keep the protein powders as a last resort. 

Generally your body will do everything within its power to avoid using amino acids for energy so they will only come after you've burned through your blood sugar, glycogen, and fat stores. So it makes more sense to up on natural sources of carbohydrates and fill your glycogen stores...for optimal performance that would be fruits. As a swimmer, doing something like banana/berry smoothie with some fats from flaxseeds or nuts to slow down the digestion might work nicely for you. Fruits also contain naturally occurring enzymes to help with your digestion as do most fresh vegetables. Unless your pancreatic function is compromised, you wanna stay away from supplementing digestive enzymes./ 

[PhilGR]

@Michael569 Ok that was so helpful thank you! 

[FitGirl252]

You could also try Yerba Mate, this is a great pre workout supplement and a healthy form of caffeine. Of course beetroots are awesome, actually there is a fantastic recipe I found in this article if you want to take a read. I drink a beetroot smoothie on the mornings before my workouts and I find that I have plenty of energy to sustain my workouts and don't feel like garbage after. 

https://nutrologyonline.com/way-better-blog/what-is-pre-workout/