When you do athletic training, your body uses energy to fuel your workouts as well as repair and build muscles. That's a good thing unless you aren't giving your body the fuel it needs to recover and keep going. Part of that fuel comes from
eating the right kind of food. But many athletes want an extra boost as well.
Unfortunately, the sports industry is filled with products and supplements marketed as being great for athletes but which have side-effects that actually decrease athletic performance. Lucky for us, there are better options out there.
Adaptogenic herbs help maintain the efficiency of the metabolic, neurological, immunologic, respiratory and endocrine systems. Not only that, but they're also safe, healthy, and fit into a lifestyle of clean eating. And they're perfect for boosting your athletic abilities.
What Are Adaptogens?
Adaptogens are a group of herbs and medicinal mushrooms with three key traits. They improve how your body responds to stress, they are safe to use, and they balance body functions.
Chinese medicine has made use of adaptogens for thousands of years. More recently, adaptogens were a subject of Soviet research focusing on helping human bodies adapt to stressful conditions such as space travel, combat, and Olympic-level competition. And today, modern athletes are starting to discover that adaptogens can help them naturally boost their power, speed, and endurance.
How Do Adaptogens Help Athletes?
While
athletic training is good for overall health, it also places stress on your body. You're increasing your body's energy demands and asking it to work at peak performance while repairing itself at the same time.
If you want the best possible results from your work-out, then you need to support your body's response to physical, mental, and emotional stressors. That's where adaptogens come in. They're especially useful if you're training at an elite level, pushing yourself harder than usual, or training for the first time.
What Makes Adaptogens Work?
Adaptogenic herbs increase adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is what transports chemical energy within a cell for metabolism. When you're working out, ATP is converted into fuel for your muscles. Since adaptogens target this metabolic process, they increase how much energy is available for your muscles.
Adaptogens also boost power by increasing creatine phosphate levels. And they also improve cardiovascular function and lung capacity, boost how much oxygen is available to you, and contain antioxidants to protect your cells. On top of all that, they'll help you deal with mental and emotional stressors and resist the urge to “check out” mentally.
Which Adaptogens Should You Try?
There's quite a variety of adaptogens out there, from
medicinal mushrooms to herbs like
holy basil. With so many options, the prospect of deciding exactly which ones to try first can seem intimidating. So we're making it easy for you.
One of the best places to start is by stacking
Gynostemma Tea with our
mBreakfast Blend. Just brew up the tea and use it as your liquid base for the breakfast blend. That will give you a whole bunch of adaptogenic mushrooms and herbs in a single drink to start your day off right.
