Do you feel sluggish and tired some days? Other days you're ready to tear down trees and jump out of bed full of energy? Want more of those last-minute, energetic days? Then this article is for you.
We'll explain what energy means in the context of our human organism, how you can increase your personal energy level, and how you can optimize your day for more power and motivation.
Table of contents
1. How is cellular energy produced? ATP & mitochondria
Would you like to work more effectively , but something's holding you back? Would you like to exercise more , but just can't manage it regularly? The most common reason is a simple lack of energy .
For many people, energy is a very abstract concept. Yet, you need energy every second of your life. You need it to bend your little finger and conceive the simplest thought.
Every living thing around you is made of energy. Today, however, we'll look at energy with you based on biochemical processes. Energy is your fuel, which you need every day and which propels you forward.
It's clear that with all the daily tasks and physical challenges, you might sometimes experience a lack of energy. But where and how does your body actually provide you with energy?
This required energy is produced throughout your body, in billions of cells, or more precisely in the mitochondria .
Mitochondria are the smallest components of your cells , also known as the body's powerhouses . A mitochondrion can multiply and is found in every cell.
The better the mitochondria work , the more energy they can produce and you are optimally efficient and healthy.
To do this, the mitochondria convert food and body fat into ATP , the universal energy currency that can be used by the entire body for energetic processes.
ATP helps your body, for example, maintain body temperature, transport substances across the cell membrane, or enable muscle contraction.
ATP is a nucleoside made up of three phosphates with strong bonds. The more ATP , the fuller your battery . Food , or already stored body fat , provides the starting material for this energy synthesis process.
This can be either glucose (sugar) or fats (ketones). The body can convert both energy sources into ATP, but the metabolism of fats to ketones occurs much faster.
Studies show that ketones are up to 21% more efficient at producing energy than glucose. Ketones are a better energy source for your body.
To be precise, you can get up to 129 ATP molecules from one fatty acid , but only 38 from glucose . So if you want to increase your energy, you have two options .
On the one hand, you can make your cellular power plants , the mitochondria, stronger and more effective. Or you can switch the "fuel" your power plants use from sugar to fat .
Or you can try increasing your alertness. More on that later in the article.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : Our high-quality MCT oil ROCKET C8 provides you with fatty acids that can be converted into ketone bodies particularly quickly.
2. The brain – an energy guzzler
When we talk about the topic of more energy, we have to talk about our brain. The human brain not only regulates many of your bodily functions, but also your emotional state and your ability to concentrate.
Your brain requires a lot of energy for these highly complex processes. Although the brain only makes up 2-3% of your body weight , it requires an above-average amount of energy (20%) – regardless of your body weight.
When you find yourself in stressful situations , your brain's energy needs are even higher . Only about 5 percent of the energy consumed is used by your brain for its supreme activity: conscious thought .
The vast remainder is needed for its basic activities , i.e. the regulation of life-sustaining functions such as breathing, pulse, maintaining balance, etc. Fortunately, humans can intervene in this process because they regulate, for example, the food we eat, from which the brain obtains energy.
So, if you want to stay mentally active for a long time, you need sufficient energy. So how can you boost your energy?
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3. More energy through ketosis
There's the famous saying, "You are what you eat." This is also true when it comes to your energy levels. As already mentioned, humans can either break down carbohydrates into glucose or fats into ketone bodies and derive their energy from them.
Ketones or ketone bodies may sound a bit abstract to some people, but they are definitely a suitable alternative energy source for the body .
Ketones are produced in the liver and do not require the complicated intestinal metabolization of glucose. While the body requires 26 steps to metabolize carbohydrates , ketone bodies require only 2-3 steps .
But how do you get these valuable ketone bodies, which can provide you with more energy? The body produces ketones when it is in a state called ketosis .
Ketosis is a state in which the body derives its energy exclusively from fats . To achieve this state, one must follow a ketogenic, high-fat diet for a certain period of time .
The menu for a ketogenic diet includes foods such as avocados, oils and meat – the enemy of the ketogenic diet, however, is any form of carbohydrates .
Whether or not you are in ketosis can be determined using special blood test strips . The ketone level should be greater than 0.5 .
Incidentally , athletes in particular rely on keto power because they have extremely high energy requirements. The most well-known examples are basketball players LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, but also Tim Ferris, the Australian Rugby League, and many more.
Since ketones have a higher energy density than carbohydrates , there has been increasing experimentation with ketones in endurance sports in recent years and the first world records have been set.
However, we would like to warn you: Maintaining a consistent ketogenic diet is challenging for many people.
Constantly monitoring your diet when you're on the go or eating out can be particularly challenging.
That's why at BRAINEFFECT, for example, we only use the ketogenic diet in individual cycles of several weeks when we are faced with particular challenges.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : We only offer high-quality MCT oil made from 100% caprylic acid. We offer our classic ketogenic MCT oils, ROCKET C8 and ROCKET C8 MCT POWDER . Or our functional MCT oils, ROCKET C8 ALPHA with the antioxidant astaxanthin, and ROCKET C8 OMEGA with Omega 7.
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4. MCT oil – The fuel for your power
High-quality MCT oil is the right choice for you if you want to utilize ketones. MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides , which are naturally occurring fats found in only a handful of foods , such as coconuts.
The difference between medium- and long-chain triglycerides lies in the number of carbon atoms in each molecule . There are four types of MCTs: caproic acid (C6), caprylic acid (C8), capric acid (C10), and lauric acid (C12).
Compared to the long-chain triglycerides found in other vegetable oils, MCTs are smaller and can therefore more easily penetrate cell membranes . No additional enzyme is required for the body to utilize them.
As scientists at the Aging Center of the Canadian University of Sherbrooke discovered, MCT oils, which consist of 100% caprylic acid , can produce a small number of ketones even with moderate carbohydrate intake .
For the study, volunteers were given coconut oil, a C8/C10 MCT, and a pure C8 MCT along with a normal Western breakfast containing carbohydrates. The astonishing result: With the pure C8 MCT dose, ketones could be detected in the blood.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : We offer high-quality MCT oil made from 100% C8 caprylic acid with ROCKET C8 . For a rocket launch into ketosis.
5. Wake-up call and energy booster
As mentioned above, your mitochondria are particularly important when it comes to energy. The more efficiently they work, the more energy you can produce, making you feel unbeatable.
The great thing is that you can increase and improve the efficiency of your mitochondria . There are now numerous studies and scientists that have proven the positive effects of certain hacks and training concepts on the quality and efficiency of mitochondria.
Here we present a small selection of hacks , tips, and food concepts. We've already tested all of them ourselves and use them regularly to boost our energy levels.
1. HIIT exercise
One of the best ways to boost energy and increase your mitochondria count is HIIT training (High Intensity Interval Training), which is characterized by short and very intense training pulses.
Examples include cross-training, interval training, and Tabata. A study from McMaster University in Canada has now confirmed the positive effect of HIIT training on mitochondrial function.
The best thing about HIIT training: Not only can your energy levels but also your mental performance be improved by increasing BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). You can find out more about HIT training here.
2. Cold showers or ice baths
Jumping into a cold shower for three minutes in the morning? Not for you? Think about it. Many users of cold showers or ice baths swear by the positive effects of " cold thermogenesis ."
The morning shower not only wakes you up but also releases many positive hormones such as dopamine and adrenaline .
The cold is also said to kill off old mitochondria , allowing new, more effective ones to form . Indeed, many proponents of cold thermogenesis report increased strength and muscle mass.
You can find out more about ice baths and cold thermogenesis here.
3. Sauna
Our bodies need extremes to grow . Therefore, we should push them out of their comfort zone every now and then. Besides cold, you can also do this with heat .
Studies show the positive effects of sauna sessions on the immune system and your energy levels . You can find out more about sauna sessions and their benefits for your immune system here.
4. Sleep
Sleep is the foundation of everything : If you want to have more energy, you should definitely focus on the topic of sleep.
Sleep is the most important factor in recovery and ensures you can recharge your batteries. Without good sleep, you can't perform at your best.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : We offer practical SLEEP capsules and a handy SLEEP SPRAY with melatonin.
5. Dietary supplements
For optimal mitochondrial function, a healthy and nutrient-rich diet is essential . Athletes, especially those working in an office, who are both under constant stress, should therefore ensure a good supply of magnesium , the B vitamins, and vitamins D3 and K2 .
BRAINEFFECT HACK : We offer high-quality vitamin D3+ oil . Your sunbeams in drop form.
6. NAD+
Are you familiar with NAD or NAD+? NAD is a so-called coenzyme and is an abbreviation for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide.
NAD+ is often referred to as the " molecule of youth " because it plays an important role in the body's cells and in the production of energy and is therefore currently a huge topic in science and sports.
Why? When you feed your body food , it is converted and enters the mitochondria to be metabolized into energy . ATP and NADH are produced during this process.
But NADH can also be converted directly into energy during cellular respiration—a kind of extra boost. However, this requires more studies and analyses. You can find out more here .
6. Conclusion
As you've learned, there are several ways to boost your energy levels and become the best version of yourself. No matter what goals you need more energy for, our hacks and tips will help you get more out of your day.
Whether you're shifting your metabolism to energy-rich fat burning, using smart stimulants, or optimizing your mitochondria through cold showers, sauna sessions, or supplements, the most important thing is: Take the first step. Take action!
Our tip: Try your first hack tomorrow. You'll definitely feel better and have more energy. And after the first hack, follow the second, and so on.
We would be happy to accompany you on your journey through our newsletter, in which you will find valuable tips and tricks on the topics of energy, well-being and mental performance every week.
The right diet is key to your energy level. Not sure which ingredients and products are right for you? Would you like personalized product recommendations and energy coaching tips based on your goals? Then start our free Performance Coach now.
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