While marketers promise dozens of ingredients can boost exercise and athletic performance, scientific studies are mixed. [2] An alternative would be eating high-quality food to provide your brain with optimal fuel for optimal functioning; research indicates dietary enhancement strategies help reduce stress levels and boost energy levels in healthcare workers working under stressful conditions.
Nutrients
Nutrients are essential ingredients that the body requires for energy, building materials, and controlling bodily processes. Nutrients can be divided into essential and nonessential categories: essential ones cannot be synthesized within the human body and must come from food sources whereas nonessential nutrients may come from within but still need to be acquired through food sources if essential ones cannot. There are six major classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, water, vitamins and minerals with dietary fiber sometimes being considered a nutrient in its own right.
An eating regimen rich in nutrients can greatly benefit athletes by increasing energy and mental clarity, and healthcare professionals who often work under stressful conditions. Nutritional strategies designed to maximize intakes of both macro- and micronutrients may also help enhance performance.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic chemical substances essential to healthy animal development in small quantities. Since our bodies cannot synthesize these vitamins in sufficient amounts themselves, supplemental diet must provide them in sufficient amounts.
Vitamins play many biochemical functions that support health. A lack of certain vitamins may cause diseases; on the other hand, taking too many of some may be toxic.
Fat-soluble vitamins (a, d, E and K) can accumulate to toxic levels over time in your liver and other fatty tissues, while water-soluble ones (B complex vitamins and vitamin C) tend not to as quickly accumulate since excess is passed out in urine.
Minerals
Minerals are naturally-occurring substances with an ordered arrangement of atoms, and mineralogists can identify minerals using various properties, including color, texture, crystal structure and chemical composition.
Mineralogists also take into account a mineral’s transparency or opaqueness; some allow light through, while others block any light at all. They examine its habit; for instance, some minerals resemble cubes while others are more like pyramids or prisms.
There are two categories of minerals: major and trace. Our bodies require greater quantities of the former – such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and sodium – while trace minerals include iron, iodine, zinc and fluoride.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances which work to neutralize free radicals produced during metabolism. Examples include vitamins C and E, lycopene, beta-carotene, minerals such as selenium and other natural or manufactured compounds.
Antioxidant supplements have become an increasingly popular health strategy to counteract oxidative stress. Their effectiveness varies depending on their bioavailability – this factor depends on factors like solubility, stability and metabolism during digestion.
Food processing can increase antioxidant availability, such as cooking tomatoes to release more lycopene or adding oil to carrot juice to improve absorption of beta-carotene. However, it’s important to consider any potential adverse reactions or interactions of high doses of certain antioxidant supplements with other drugs like blood thinners before making your decision.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids (ALA, EPA and DHA) are vitally important components of a balanced diet. Most omega-3s come from fish sources; others come from flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, soybeans and spinach plants as well as fortified foods or supplements containing ALA.
These essential fatty acids are distinguished from omega-6s by the position of their first double bond from the methyl end. They can be found both in triglycerides and phospholipids; those made from omega-3 fatty acids tend to have less proinflammatory activity than eicosanoids made from omega-6 fatty acids. Clinical signs of essential fatty acid deficiency are rare and typically only appear among patients receiving parenteral nutrition without essential fatty acids.
Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential nutrient for cell health and wellbeing. It functions in mitochondrial electron transport chains and cell lipid membranes to support overall function and cell health. All cells produce CoQ10 naturally; however, certain diseases and drugs such as statins can inhibit its endogenous production.
Low CoQ10 levels have been linked with numerous disorders. Supplementation with coenzyme Q10 over three months appears to reduce inflammation markers associated with cardiovascular disease risk in people at risk, prevent migraine headaches and alleviate symptoms related to brain damage that affects muscle movement (cerebellar ataxia).
CoQ10 contains three interchangeable benzoquinone heads that work to scavenge reactive oxygen species while offering antioxidant protection for organelles and cell lipid membranes. Early clinical trials utilizing CoQ10 for diabetes patients have yielded modest improvements in terms of blood glucose regulation.
