First, the current body of research indicates that our food is nutritionally degraded because of our current farming techniques. So, even if you have the best diet on the planet, the foods we eat just aren’t providing us with the nutrients we need. Additionally, I have yet to meet an athlete who has the time to sit and eat a proper meal on a regular basis. We are a culture of convenience and many of us are on the “grab and go” diet plan. Consequently, I strongly believe we all need supplementation but athletes are especially in need of additional supplies of vitamins and minerals because of the additional stress placed on their bodies by training and competition.

If we are eating for maximum performance, or just for general health, we need to supplement in order to provide our bodies the nutrients to: Recover, prevent cramping, prevent inflammation naturally, and mop up free radicals generated by exercise and just living!

Recovery is felt to be the missing component in human performance. Schools like UC Davis and the Creighton University School of Pharmacology, just to name a few, are looking at ways to replenish the body naturally after training and competition. Large branch chain amino acids and Xanthones, found in some plants, have been shown to have recovery aiding properties.

Cramping is a huge issue with athletes. With the advent of “Gatorade” electrolyte balance has been a large focus for athletes since the sixties. However, most universities are leading away from that technology since high sodium and sugar content has a detrimental effect on the hydration levels. When high levels of sodium occur on the body there is an inverse relationship with potassium and magnesium which can create cramping and other issues. Consequently, we need to find other ways to get our electrolytes into our bodies.

Additionally, mineral supplementation will help fuel the cell for increased function and performance. But, we have to be verycareful where these minerals come from. Most supplements are in what is known as elemental form which means that they were synthesized in a laboratory. In elemental form you can develop toxicity to some minerals and vitamins. Furthermore, the body doesn’t readily know what to do with minerals in this form, and consequently very little of the nutrients are actually absorbed. In fact, supplements in pill form have an absorption rate of about 20-30%. Many supplements just pass through the system undigested and unused. One needs minerals in ionic form, which are plant based and readily absorbed and recognized by the body. Lastly, endurance improves with the increase of electrolytes in the system.

Inflammation is another issue that athletes must face during recovery. Trainers, coaches, athletes, and parents of athletes are all looking for natural ways to reduce inflammation in the body. In order to keep inflammation down in the body acidic and sugary foods should be avoided daily. These include: White flour, enriched flour, candy, soda, etc. There are some great natural anti-inflammatories out on the market one of them being Omega 3s or fish oils and flax seed. Additionally, the Xanthones found in Mangosteen fruit have natural anti-inflammatory properties, more effective than celbrex and vioxx in clinical studies.

Lastly, I want to touch base on Free Radicals. In simple terms, a free radical is an atom that is seeking stabilization by stealing an electron from another atom. When that happens the atom that the electron is stolen from degrades and consequently damages the cell. This damage can affect even the DNA in the cell and thus mutations and a whole host of issues can occur. How does one get free radicals? Well, if you’re breathing you’re creating free radicals.