Energy Supplements

About Energy Supplements

Fatigue, tiredness, lethargy, weariness, exhaustion. If you can relate to any of these descriptive terms, odds are you feel like a zombie and your life is running on autopilot. When spontaneity, vitality and freedom of spirit are replaced by exhaustion and programmed reactionary responses, you know it's time to take action and create some positive change in your life. Beneficial life changes may not make you feel like a trillion dollars today, but will certainly push you in the right direction.

Fatigue is perhaps one of the most common complaints to health professionals today. However, fatigue is a non-specific complaint making the cause or causes (most likely) difficult to pinpoint. Lack of energy can be caused by depression, low thyroid function, low vitamin D levels and other nutrient deficiencies, and much more.

One of the common causes of fatigue is lack of exercise. Given that you're on a sports website right now, odds are you're not overly surprised by this tidbit of information. The Heart Foundation reports that 33.8% of Australians are considered sedentary, which means no exercise at all. So for a third of the population exercise is a sure way to improve energy levels, mood and body composition. Another cause of fatigue is overexertion from too much exercise, which is easy to do when exercise makes you feel so good. Moderation and regularity are key when it comes to exercise. A mixture of full body resistance and aerobic exercise is ideal. Some other common causes of fatigue are alcohol or drug use, medication side-effects, lack of sleep and poor diet. 

Many energy supplements can help to boost energy levels. Products like flavoured green tea powders can assist in the symptomatic alleviation of fatigue, as they contain natural caffeine and L-Theanine. These two compounds are energising and relaxing at the same time. Green tea help us get through the day with a little more zest and focus, especially if we’ve had less than a full complement of sleep. Other common products for boosting energy are COQ10, or Coenzyme Q10, the activated version called Ubiquinol. This is a natural coenzyme produced in the human body that is involved in the last stage of energy (ATP) synthesis within the mitochondria. It is especially indicated for sports and exercise enthusiasts and chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers. 

In addition, there are greens powders, which are particularly helpful when the diet is lacking in fresh vegetables and fruits. These can provide important micronutrients in their natural form, as well as a detoxifying nutrient called chlorophyll. Herbal tonics can also be particularly useful, especially ones containing adaptogenic herbs, such as Rhodiola rosea, Ashwagandha (Indian Ginseng) and Schisandra chinensis. These herbal extract are particularly helpful if long term stress, and even prolonged high caffeine intakes, are a causative factor in fatigue and the adrenal exhaustion that can follow. B Complex formulas are also helpful in these instances, and also for stress management and to support natural energy synthesis via the citric acid cycle.