Keep your body performing and recovering at the highest level with these nutrition essentials.
Proper nutrition and supplement intake is key to optimizing performance and recovery. The quicker you can recover, the higher productivity you will experience in each workout. Consider these nutrition essentials to get the biggest return on your investment in the gym.
• Beta Alanine
Benefit: This non-essential amino acid helps increase muscle carnosine levels, which buffers hydrogen ions from building up to help prevent muscle fatigue.
Find it in: Beef, pork, fish and poultry contain carnosine, which will increase the availability of Beta Alanine through digestion. Beta Alanine is also found in a number of sports supplements.
Suggested intake: 1.5–3g/day.
• D-Ribose
Benefit: D-Ribose is a sugar that naturally occurs in the body that helps aid in the production of ATP (energy).
Find it in: Chicken, dairy, and almonds contain D-Ribose. It is also a popular ingredient in sports supplements.
Suggested intake: Up to 20g/day divided into multiples doses per day.
• L-Arginine
Benefit: L-Arginine helps assist in growth hormone release, promotes fat metabolism, and stimulates the release of nitric oxide (a vasodilator that helps drive more blood to working muscles).
Find it in: Red meat, fish, poultry, nuts, whole wheat, and dairy are good sources. L-Arginine is also found in many sports supplements.
Suggested intake: 2–10g/day.
• Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract
Benefit: Rhodiola helps increase the body’s resistance to physical stress. In addition, it may also help increase ATP levels in muscles.
Find it in: Rhodiola can be found as a stand-alone supplement or an ingredient in supplement mixes.
Suggested intake: 100–600mg/day of standardized extract.
• Resveratrol
Benefit: Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant that has been linked to cancer and heart disease prevention.
Find it in: Grapes (red or purple), peanuts, blueberries, and cranberries are good sources. Resveratrol can also be found in nutrition supplements.
Suggested intake: 50-100mg/day.
• L-Glutamine
Benefit: L-Glutamine helps assist in boosting your immune system and buffering lactic acid, which helps reduce muscle fatigue.
Find it in: Nuts, dairy, beef, egg whites, poultry, raw spinach, and yogurt have a good supply. L-Glutamine is also found in many sports supplements.
Suggested intake: Up to 30g/day divided into multiple doses.
• L-OKG (Onithine Alpha-Ketoglutarate)
Benefit: This amino acid helps prevent muscle breakdown as well as stimulating growth hormone release and nitric oxide (NO) release.
Find it in: The amino acids that comprise OKG can be found in red meat, fish, and poultry, but OKG itself is only available in a supplement.
Suggested intake: 5–10g/day.
• Tribulus Terrestris
Benefit: Tribulus helps increase testosterone levels, which can assist in building muscle, increasing fat loss, increasing strength, and expediting recovery.
Find it in: Tribulus can be found as a supplement.
Suggested intake: 250–1500mg/day.
Adding these nutrition essentials can help you get the most out of each workout and enhance recovery. The faster you can recover, the more you can get out of tomorrow’s training session. Before you add any supplements to your daily regimen, consult your primary care physician.
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