How To Choose High Quality Vitamins And Supplements
Available in numerous forms dietary supplements are marketed as an easy and efficient way to boost your health. And this is true. However, buyer beware: Not all vitamins and supplements are created equal. Plus, eating a variety of foods is the best way to ensure that youre meeting your vitamin and mineral needs. Regardless, vitamins and supplements act as insurance. Just look for brands that are transparent about their research and are upfront about the quality of their ingredients. When it comes to womens vitamins for energy, we took the hard work out for you! As mentioned, consult with your doctor before adding a new vitamin or supplement to your routine.
Vitamin E And Heart Disease
Vitamin E is widely promoted as a beneficial antioxidant that can help prevent heart disease. Unfortunately, several large-scale reviews have conclusively found no evidence that vitamin E supplements prevent death from heart disease. In fact, there may be greater risk of all-cause death from taking such supplements.
Should I Invest In Supplements
Before I suggest a list of the types of supplements you should take, this is what you should bear in mind. Supplements are just an aid to a healthy eating lifestyle. In other words, you should always aim to eat healthier, vary your plate, and have enough whole foods in your diet. That is crucial to ensure that you are meeting at least the minimum nutrient requirements.
You shouldnt invest in supplements to get your main nutrition. Always focus on quality foods before you supplement your diet. Now, supplements can reinforce what youre lacking in your eating lifestyle. Because of that, I love to always have some sort of multivitamin complex.
In general, if you have a proper eating lifestyle, its not mandatory to invest in supplements. However, there are specific cases, for example, pregnant women, in which we recommend taking supplements. Always make sure that you check with your doctor or nutritionist before taking any form of supplement.
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Different Definitions Exist For Concepts Such As Energy Or Fatigue
From a nutrition science perspective, energy is provided by food, which is the only form of energy animals and humans can use to maintain the bodys structural and biochemical integrity. For the general public, energy is associated with the feelings of well-being, stamina and vitality that result in the ability to undertake their daily physical or intellectual activities and social relationships. Conversely, fatigue is often described as a perceived lack of energy or a feeling of low vitality .
Energy, vitality and fatigue are interrelated concepts, with the first two and the last sometimes seen as opposite ends of the same continuum . Each can be defined as the sum of certain mental and physical components As examples the former may include degree of emotional and psychological well-being, level of perceived fatigue, mental resilience and perseverance, with the latter including feeling strong and fit, or unable to do anything) .
What Supplements Should I Take
When you reach for that bottle of vitamins or fish oil, for example, you wonder if any of these will work and if they are safe. Well, the main thing you should be asking yourself is if you need them in the first place. And the truth is, there are tons of supplements for different needs.
Our body requires all the necessary nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fat, and fiber every day. The best source for these nutrients is real food. Nothing beats having a balanced lifestyle that includes quality whole foods. But the reality is that most people are not meeting the minimum requirements of certain nutrients, especially vitamins and minerals.
Even with fiber, people struggle to eat enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, for instance. Thats why you can see many symptoms like digestive issues and lack of energy.
Supplements come into the picture to help your body meet all the necessary nutrients. They also help avoid any deficiency. Supplements can even strengthen your body and enhance your metabolism. There are many benefits of taking supplements. The answer to whether youll need to take them depends on many other things.
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Why Is My Iron Low
Iron deficiency is a very common issue today, particularly in women. Womens bodies are constantly shifting and changing. Iron loss is a normal part of this cycle. We require more iron during pregnancy and while nursing our children. Those who get menstrual periods, regularly lose blood and iron with menstruation. Heavier periods account for even more Iron loss. All of these factors add up. Childbearing and monthly menses can deplete womens iron stores for many years to follow.
Men too can be iron deficient due to less iron in their diets. In some instances men or women can have unknown blood losses through their GI tracts such as bleeding ulcers or colon polyps that let off small amounts of blood. These issues need to be addressed by a physician.
Any symptoms of blood in your stool or dark black, tarry stool should be addressed immediately. In addition taking aspirin or Non Steroidal Antiinflammatory drugs regularly should be avoided. These are products such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen which are found in many over the counter pain relievers. If taken in high doses or frequently they can lead to ulcers or other problems in the GI tract that lead to chronic blood loss. This can happen with minimal symptoms and sometimes no pain at all. In fact, sometimes fatigue from iron deficiency is the only sign.
Essential Vitamins Are The Key For Energy Production
While avoiding foods with inflammation and getting adequate sleep are key for boosting energy, dont overlook the power of womens vitamins. They can be a game-changer. In addition to energy-boosting foods, consider womens vitamins for energy. In many ways, they act as the key to unlocking a more energized version of you.
Heres the thing: All of our cells require nutrients to create energy. Beyond the need for macronutrients, micronutrients are crucial. They include vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and water. Theyre specific fuel for our mitochondria. And mitochondria quite literally provide our bodies with energy. As the powerhouse of our cells, they break down food molecules. In essence, think of essential vitamins as the keys that unlock doors for energy production.
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Lack Of Iron In Your Diet Can Lead To Tiredness And Fatigue
Iron is a key nutrient and essential mineral needed for many biological processes, including energy production. Like magnesium, certain enzymes involved in energy metabolism are dependent on iron to convert food into energy as ATP. Iron is also required to make healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout the body.
Iron-deficiency anemiaone of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the worldoccurs when not enough iron is present to support normal red blood cell production. About 6% of the US population has iron-deficiency anemia. Symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia may include tiredness and fatigue, rapid heart rate, and rapid breathing after exercising. In iron-deficiency anemia, the lack of iron in red blood cells decreases the amount of oxygen delivered to muscles and impairs energy production in muscle cells, leading to fatigue.8
Iron is found in both animal- and plant-based foods . Heme iron from animal sources is more readily absorbed than nonheme iron therefore vegetarians and vegans need to eat a variety of whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, iron-fortified cereal, and green leafy vegetables to get the right amount of iron per day.
Some good food sources of iron include:
- Oysters
- White beans
- Lentils
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Best Vitamins For Energy And Weight Loss
B vitamins are some of the best vitamins for energy and weight loss. These vitamins are required for the body’s metabolism to work correctly. Vitamin B6 helps the body metabolize protein, while thiamine helps the body metabolize fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Take a vitamin B complex to get the best results. Some research suggests that vitamin D can also help you lose weight by regulating blood sugar levels. Iron is another crucial vitamin for energy since it helps to deliver oxygen to blood cells, which also helps the blood cells work to burn fat.
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Berry Beet And Wheatgrass Smoothie
This is homemade treat and one of the best natural energy drinks, with vitamins A, B, C, and potassium! Beets are one of many foods that have the ability to help your body use oxygen more efficiently.
Blend together one small beetroot, 1/4 cup strawberries, half an avocado, a handful of spinach, one banana and one cup of almond milk. Add a tablespoon of fresh or powdered wheatgrass to add the additional benefits of antioxidants, minerals, and even more vitamins.
How Much Iron Do I Need
The minimal daily requirement or RDA for iron is 18mg. That is how much your body should be taking in just to maintain normal function. This does not take into account any losses. While most of us get some iron via the food we eat, very few women are getting enough iron to make up for menstrual losses or long standing deficiency. How much you need to take, in addition to your diet, varies from person to person. Your age, stage in life, symptoms and other health factors all determine how much iron you may need. The best way to get vitamins for energy and fatigue is through a custom vitamin that is medically sound and based on your individual needs. Click here to take our vitamin survey and a get an all in one custom vitamin tailored to your needs.
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Whats In Focus & Energy
Focus & Energy also contains three highly concentrated plant adaptogens:
- Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic medicinal revered over thousands of years for its mental sharpening benefits. Modern clinical research reveals it is also superb for coping with stress and occasional anxiety.
- Rhodiola thrives in the most extreme Siberian climates and is a favorite in the East. This concentrate is doubly standardized and has shown strong anti-stress benefits in clinical trials.
- Asian ginseng leads all other ginsengs for its almost immediate mental focus benefits. This concentrate is loaded with 15% brain-active ginsenosides and has been subjected to intensive research, with excellent results.
Focus & Energy is formulated specifically to reinforce the brain and bodys ability to fight fatigue and adapt to stress. It also contains choline, a vitamin-like nutrient that helps the brain make the key transmitter acetylcholine and has other metabolic pathways that promote endurance and vigor. Choline is so important it now has a Daily Value nutrient requirement set by the FDA.
To be successful in todays world, you need a clear mind and sharp focus. Brain Boost On The Go and Focus & Energy are two of the best ways to help you achieve your goals. At BrainMD, were dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients to give you the attention, focus, and energy you need to do the things you love.
For more information about our full list of supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.
What Are The Physiological Bases Of Physical And Mental Fatigue
A common feature of fatigue is a sense of energy depletion, which can objectively be related to an insufficient amount of energy . Mental and physical fatigue are experienced when these do not meet ongoing demands of the brain and muscles respectively. Under resting conditions, the fractional daily energy expenditure is the highest for heart and kidney , then for the brain , then the liver , while the resting skeletal muscle would need only approximately 13 kcal/kg. However, after considering the average adult weight of these organs, brain and muscle emerge as the most metabolically active structures, even at rest .
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The Bottom Line B Is Good For Energy
The truth is, the eight B vitamins contribute in a unique way to metabolism. The more efficient the metabolism, the more efficient the energy. Vitamins like B5 and B6 work together. B12 is energy-boosting along with B6. Pharmacists and doctors often suggest a high-quality B-complex supplement. A B-complex supplement provides the daily recommended B vitamins in a single dosage.
Vitamins That Give You Energy: The Four Bs And Iron
Key vitamins that boost energy include these four Bs: B1, B2, B6, and B12, each of them important in the metabolism of your cells and the formation of red blood cells. They play a part in how your body processes the nutrients you eat and converts them into energy.
B12 is especially important. A diet thats too light in B12 foods can result in noticeable fatigue and mood changes. Long-term B12 deficiency can contribute to permanent nerve damage.
We get B12 naturally from poultry, pork, beef, seafood, and dairy products. Leafy green vegetables, peas, lentils, and beans also have B12 along with other B vitamins, as do whole grains. Youve also noticed, no doubt, a wide range of breakfast cereals boasting that theyre fortified with vitamin B12.
These types of foods also contribute iron, a critical nutrient that aids your body in getting oxygen through the bloodstream. Fatigue often follows insufficient oxygenation. An iron deficiency may mean that fewer blood cells are being made, resulting in anemia. Unfortunately, its not uncommon estimates show that around 25 percent of the worlds population is anemic.
To get more iron, make sure your diet has the foods mentioned aboveparticularly the caveman diet staples of meat and poultryalong with the following:
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What Is Vitamin B
Vitamin B-12, or cobalamin, is a nutrient you need for good health. Its one of eight B vitamins that help the body convert the food you eat into glucose, which gives you energy. Vitamin B-12 has a number of additional functions. You need it for the:
- production of elements of DNA
- production of red blood cells
- regeneration of bone marrow and the lining of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts
- health of your nervous system, which includes your spinal cord
- low blood pressure
- mood disturbances
The most serious condition associated with vitamin B-12 deficiency is megaloblastic anemia. This is a chronic blood disorder in which the bone marrow produces overly large, immature blood cells. As a result, the body doesnt have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body.
Why You Need Vitamin B12 For Energy
Vitamin B12, like some of the other B vitamins, is an important player in energy metabolism in that it helps break down the food you eat into energy your body can use all day long. Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor in reactions converting food, especially fats and protein, into usable energy to fuel various processes in your body. Because of this, vitamin B12 is often marketed as one of the best vitamins for energy.
While vitamin B12 is needed in converting food into energy, its also crucial to get enough of this essential vitamin for nerves to work properly and for normal nervous system function, including brain function, where vitamin B12 is needed to make certain neurotransmitters like serotonin.1 Vitamin B12 is also a cofactor in making SAM-e, a compound that supports a healthy mood.
Vitamin B12 is only found in foods of animal origin. Good food sources of vitamin B12 include:
- Beef
- Eggs
- Chicken
Read More: A Guide to the B Vitamins
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Here Are The Best Natural Energy Boosters For Fatigue Poor Cognitive Performance Or Chronic Stress:
- Caffeine
- B12
- Vitamin C
We will now go through the most important and interesting of these natural energy boosters one by one, explaining what they are, how they work, and what the scientific evidence has to say. We have broken the list up into sections to make it easier to navigate. If you have questions about a specific herb, amino acid or vitamin for energy, please just write it in the comments section and well get right back to you!
Side Effects And Risks
Vitamins and supplements can cause mild side effects in some people. If a person experiences any severe side effects from supplements, they should stop using them straight away and see a doctor.
The risks of taking supplements and vitamins include:
- Ashwagandha: This herb is generally safe, but it has links to liver damage in rare cases.
- CoQ10: This supplement may interact with blood thinners and insulin medications.
- Vitamin D: It is impossible for a person to get too much vitamin D from the sun, but taking too many vitamin D supplements can cause adverse symptoms and dangerously raise blood levels of calcium.
- Vitamin B: There are no adverse effects associated with taking vitamin B.
- Creatine: This supplement may cause weight gain, as it draws water from the body toward the muscles. People should be sure to drink extra fluids to stay hydrated.
- Iron: Although iron poisoning is rare, can cause an upset stomach, nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting.
- L-theanine: This supplement contains caffeine and may cause sleep problems and other unwanted effects in some people.
Some supplements can interact with certain medications. If a person is taking medications for an existing health condition, it is best to speak to a doctor or pharmacist about possible interactions before taking a supplement.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also speak to a doctor before taking any new supplements.
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