September 5, 2019

11 vitamins and supplements that can boost your energy Part 2

11 Vitamine und Supplements, die Deine Energie steigern können Teil 2

After looking at the first 6 supplements that can help you reduce tiredness and fatigue and increase your energy in the first part, we will look at another 5 interesting supplements in this second part of this article.

7 Citrulline

The name citrulline comes from Citrullus vulgaris, the Latin word for watermelon, from which citrulline was first isolated (40). Citrulline works by increasing nitric oxide levels in the body. Nitric oxide acts as a circulatory stimulant that relaxes the inner muscles of blood vessels, resulting in vasodilation and improved blood circulation.

This allows the blood to better transport oxygen and nutrients to all areas of the body. However, if the ability to produce nitric oxide is restricted, this can lead to physical weakness and a lack of energy (41, 42). As a precursor to nitric oxide, citrulline supplements can therefore increase energy levels by increasing the availability of nitric oxide and nutrients to the body's cells (43, 44).

Citrulline also plays a role in the uric acid cycle by helping to eliminate ammonia from the body. Ammonia production is a primary factor contributing to fatigue caused by intense exercise. For this reason, citrulline can reduce the fatigue associated with intense exercise, which may allow you to exercise longer (45, 46).

In one study, subjects taking citrulline finished a cycling test 1.5% faster than those taking a placebo. The citrulline group also reported less fatigue and faster recovery (47).

In another study, taking a citrulline supplement allowed subjects to exercise 12% longer and 7% harder than members of the placebo group (48). The safety and harmlessness of citrulline is well established, even when high doses are used (49).

Summary: L-citrulline produces nitric oxide in the body, which dilates blood vessels, allowing better oxygen and nutrient transport to your body's cells. This can help reduce fatigue and also plays a role in energy production.

8. beet powder

Beet powder is made from beetroot and contains a large amount of nitrate (50). Similar to L-citrulline, nitrate stimulates nitric oxide production in the body, which relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow and oxygenation. This allows your body to produce energy more efficiently, especially when it comes to training.

Several study analyses suggest that beet supplementation in athletes increases the time to exhaustion during exercise (51, 52, 53). In some cases, taking a beet supplement allowed up to 25% longer training compared to a placebo (54).

This can be attributed to the fact that the nitrate contained in beet reduces the amount of oxygen needed for training at different intensities. The less oxygen you need during exercise, the less tired you will feel and the longer you will be able to exercise.

In addition to this, supplementing with beet could lower high blood pressure due to the nitrate it contains, which increases nitric oxide production in your body (55, 56, 57, 58). Although harmless, the color pigments in beetroot can discolor your urine or stool (59).

Summary: Beetroot contains bitrate, which relaxes your blood vessels. When used as a supplement, beet can increase your body's oxygen supply, allowing you to exercise for longer.

9. melatonin

Melatonin is a natural hormone that plays a role in sleep. It is produced and released depending on the time of day, with levels rising in the evening and falling in the morning. Supplementing with melatonin can be an effective way to alleviate sleep disorders and insomnia, which according to one study affects around 30% of the world's population (60).

Chronic insomnia can leave you feeling constantly tired and lacking energy. Symptoms include difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, waking up early and poor sleep quality (60).

Melatonin supplementation has been shown to improve concentration and increase energy while reducing fatigue in people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (61, 62, 62).

Interestingly, reduced melatonin secretion has also been linked to aging, Alzheimer's disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and high blood pressure (64, 65, 66, 67). However, it is currently unclear whether taking melatonin supplements can help reduce fatigue in people suffering from these diseases (67).

Melatonin supplements appear to be safe and harmless. They also do not cause your body to produce less melatonin and are not associated with withdrawal symptoms or dependence (68).

Summary: Melatonin is a hormone that plays an important role in sleep. Supplementing with melatonin may be an effective way to alleviate insomnia, which may help improve alertness and reduce fatigue.

10 Tyrosine

Tyrosine is an amino acid that is naturally produced by the human body. This amino acid is found in the highest amounts in protein-rich foods including poultry, eggs and dairy products.

Tyrosine is important for the production of numerous neurotransmitters - chemicals that transmit messages to the brain. It is believed that levels of these neurotransmitters are reduced by physically and mentally demanding activities, which can have a negative impact on concentration and energy levels (69).

Numerous studies have shown that tyrosine supplements can help increase alertness and energy levels. They may also help restore memory and mental clarity in people suffering from sleep deprivation (70, 71, 72).

The current state of research suggests that tyrosine is only beneficial for people suffering from low levels of neurotransmitters due to stressful or cognitively demanding situations (70).

In addition, tyrosine supplementation has been shown to be safe and harmless (73).

Summary: Tyrosine supplementation may help restore adequate levels of certain neurotransmitters in the body, which may help improve mental alertness and increase energy levels.

11. caffeine with L-theanine

Caffeine is commonly consumed for its energy-boosting effects in the form of coffee, tea, cocoa drinks, energy drinks and soft drinks (74). However, many people limit their caffeine intake or avoid caffeine completely, as this active ingredient can also lead to irritability, nervousness, restlessness and an energy slump after its effects have worn off (75).

Combining L-theanine with caffeine as a supplement could be an easy way to prevent these unwanted side effects. L-theanine is an amino acid found naturally in tea and some types of mushrooms. Theanine appears to promote relaxation without causing fatigue (76).

Several studies have shown that a combination of caffeine and L-theanine can improve memory performance and reaction time, as well as reduce tiredness and mental fatigue (77, 78, 79, 80). These results suggest that adding L-theanine to caffeine may help achieve the same energy-boosting benefits as caffeine alone, but without the unwanted side effects of caffeine (81).

Although L-theanine is well tolerated, it is recommended to limit caffeine intake to less than 400 mg per day. This corresponds to about 3 to 5 cups of coffee (76, 81, 82).

Summary: Combining caffeine with L-theanine is an effective way to boost your energy levels while reducing the unwanted side effects of caffeine.

Conclusion

Life can take its toll on your energy levels. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to keep your energy levels high - including eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly.

However, for many people, these things are not always possible. If this is the case, then there are many supplements and vitamins that can help boost your energy when you need it most. Some work better when it comes to boosting energy during exercise, while others are better for a quick boost of energy during the day.

In addition, all of the supplements on this list have a well-documented safety profile when used in reasonable amounts. However, you should still remember that it is still best practice to consult with your doctor before use to ensure that these supplements are safe and safe for you personally.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-supplements-for-energy#section12

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