Despite exercising and eating a healthy diet, you don't feel like you're performing at your best? Your performance is stagnating, but you're not sure why?
Perhaps you're simply lacking important nutrients that boost your metabolism. The right supplement can compensate for a cellular deficiency—and your performance will benefit, too!
BRAINEFFECT HACK : In our shop you have a large selection of different supplements to support your mental performance, fall asleep faster or simply supplement an increased nutrient requirement due to a lot of exercise and a stressful everyday life.
Table of contents
1. Healthy nutrition is the basis
We rarely reach our full potential; there's always a few percent left. There are resources that can help you get the most out of yourself: supplements.
But it can't be emphasized enough: All the benefits of supplements are just the icing on the cake. Because, as the name suggests, supplements are meant to complement your diet, not replace it.
Especially very active people, such as competitive athletes, have a higher need for certain vitamins and substances in order to, for example, regenerate better or accelerate muscle growth.
The basis is and remains a healthy diet for body and mind, which includes brain food such as nuts and fish, but also other foods that contain all the important micronutrients for top performance.
Take-Home Message #1: Supplements are taken alongside a healthy diet to ensure the right daily intake and support performance.
2. The most important ingredients of supplements at a glance
Not all supplements on the market deliver what they promise. However, some have been scientifically studied and clearly proven effective.
Here you'll learn which supplements are useful and in which areas they are particularly effective. Here we give you an overview of the most important nutrients for nutritional supplementation:
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Vitamin D : Unlike other vitamins, vitamin D can be absorbed both through food and produced through exposure to sunlight on the skin. Getting enough vitamin D through your diet is difficult given a stressful lifestyle and an unbalanced diet.
Supplements can help you here, especially in fall and winter. Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, it is recommended to take it in combination with a fat component.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : Our VITAMIN D3+Oil is highly dosed and provides you with more than enough of the important sunshine vitamin.
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Omega-3 fatty acids : Omega-3 promotes muscle growth and enhances brain function. It also has anti-inflammatory effects, as demonstrated in a study with athletes. Supplemental intake of Omega-3 was shown to have a positive effect on exercise-induced inflammatory processes and improve the overall health of the participating athletes. [1]
An excellent source of omega-3, alongside fish species like salmon, mackerel, and herring, is krill oil, which is even more easily absorbed by the body than fish oil. Krill oil contains the essential omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA , which are important for your brain.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : With us, you get not only sustainable omega-3 fatty acids in the form of KRILL BOOST , but even completely vegan omega 3. You decide what you prefer.
- Magnesium plays an important role in brain performance and energy metabolism. It's naturally a vital component of bones, nerves, and muscles. But it can also promote regeneration and contribute to more restful sleep when taken shortly before bedtime.
- Zinc : The essential trace element zinc is a particularly useful supplement for athletes, as zinc is excreted through sweat during strenuous exercise. Replenishing zinc reserves is therefore important because, among other things, it supports the immune system.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : When you sweat heavily during exercise or physical activity, you also lose a lot of minerals. With our minerals, you can quickly and easily supply your body with magnesium, zinc, iron, and calcium.
- MCT oil is a great way to boost your energy levels. Medium-chain fatty acids occur naturally in coconut oil. They boost your metabolism and can be converted directly into energy in the body instead of accumulating in fat stores. MCT oil is one of the best fats for ketosis and will take you to a new level.
- Acetyl-L-carnitine is the more neurologically active version of L-carnitine and therefore a great supplement for boosting brain performance. Unlike L-carnitine, which is found in foods like meat and dairy products, acetyl-L-carnitine is an industrial product and can therefore also be taken by vegetarians and vegans. L-carnitine transports fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they are converted into energy.
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Melatonin : A deficiency of the sleep hormone melatonin usually leads to trouble falling asleep. The next morning, you feel exhausted because your body and mind haven't had enough time to recover.
In this case, a melatonin supplement can help you fall asleep faster and thus increase energy. After all, it's well known that a good night's sleep can pull down trees. Supplements like SLEEP with melatonin can help here.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : We offer melatonin in the practical SLEEP capsule form or as a SLEEP SPRAY . Both products help you fall asleep faster just before bedtime.
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Ginkgo Biloba : The Neurobiology Laboratory for Brain Aging and Mental Health in Switzerland has found that ginkgo reduces oxidative stress in cells and improves mitochondrial function. [2]
In addition, the Asian medicinal plant stimulates the production of ATP and helps promote blood circulation, protect cells, strengthen mental performance and counteract neurological diseases such as dementia.
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Ginseng : The miracle root ginseng, which has been used in Asia for thousands of years to maintain mental abilities, is also a useful support for increasing energy.
Its effectiveness against chronic fatigue was demonstrated by a 2013 study. After taking a ginseng preparation for four weeks, the test subjects' chronic fatigue was actually reduced. [3]
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Caffeine : Maybe you're one of those people who's useless without a cup of coffee in the morning. But caffeine does much more than just give you a good start to the day. It boosts the neurotransmitter dopamine, which improves your mood.
As a pre-workout supplement, caffeine provides an energy boost that helps you reach your full potential during training. This was demonstrated by a 2013 study in which participants consumed caffeine one hour before training. [4]
- Green tea extract : Those who don't tolerate caffeine well or suffer from its side effects will find green tea extract a good alternative. The catechins it contains still provide the desired energy boost.
- Coenzyme Q10 primarily acts as a free radical scavenger in cells, but it also acts as an energy booster. Coenzyme Q10 is just one of many enzymes involved in the respiratory chain in the mitochondria—and thus in the conversion of nutrients into energy. CoQ10 also boosts fat burning.
- L-Tryptophan : Want to feel good all day? Then a supplement containing the amino acid L-tryptophan is just what you need. L-tryptophan is the precursor to the feel-good hormone serotonin. Without this important amino acid, your body can't produce serotonin, and you feel lethargic and moody.
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Citicoline or CDP-choline is one of the best-known remedies on the market for improving cognitive abilities and better concentration.
Citicoline is converted in the body into acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that can cross the blood-brain barrier to increase the reaction speed of synapses. The result: faster thinking and improved information recall.
Take-Home Message #2: Depending on your goals, you can choose a suitable supplement. Are you tired? Then reach for vitamin B6. Do you need energy? Then MCT oil can help.
Need something to boost your concentration? Then citicoline is your remedy of choice. Want to fall asleep faster? Then reach for melatonin. Want to feel better? Then replenish your serotonin stores.
3. More energy for your goals through supplements
Supplements with mixed ingredients are used, especially when the goal is not to compensate for a nutrient deficiency but to achieve a goal.
For example, there are ingredients that complement each other and enhance each other's effects. Therefore, we've compiled all the important supplements below that will help you achieve your goal together:
1. Supplements for muscle building
If your goal is to build even more muscle or increase your endurance during strength training, then you should consider the following supplements:
- Vitamin D
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- magnesium
- zinc
- Caffeine / Green Tea Extract
- Coenzyme Q10
- Whey protein
- Creatine
- BCAA
Creatine acts as a kind of turbocharger, providing the muscles with the quick energy they need during training. Whey protein supports muscle growth and fat loss at the same time, and it also promotes muscle regeneration.
The branched-chain amino acids BCAA are found in protein-rich foods. If your daily protein needs aren't met through your diet, supplementation is a good option.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : Now you can not only replenish your essential BCAAs before and during your workout, but we also provide you with all the EAAs packaged in our fruity refreshing drink COMPLETE AMINOS . After your workout, RECHARGE helps you quickly recharge your depleted batteries.
2. Supplements for regeneration
These supplements will help you regenerate your muscles and brain better:
- Vitamin D
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- magnesium
- zinc
- Melatonin
If you want to perform better, you need to give your body sufficient time to recover in addition to intensive training. If you constantly push yourself to your limits, your success will soon stagnate.
After all, the most important thing is rest periods, during which body and mind can recharge. Restful sleep is essential for optimal regeneration. Those who sleep poorly, wake up frequently, or can't fall asleep at all should consider supplementing with melatonin.
By taking the hormone, which is converted from serotonin in the body, many people can sleep better and feel rested and mentally prepared for new tasks the next morning.
3. Supplements for better concentration
To improve your concentration, follow these steps:
- MCT oil
- caffeine
- Green tea extract
- Acetyl-L-carnitine
- Ginkgo Biloba
- ginseng
- Citicoline
- Brahmi
Among the best-known nootropics , i.e., supplements with a positive effect on mental performance, are green tea, ginseng, and ginkgo biloba. These medicinal plants from Asia have long since established a firm place in Western medicine.
Citicoline and brahmi are also very effective for memory. Cold thermogenesis provides an additional boost for mental fitness.
A daily cold shower works wonders for brain performance and wakes you up in the morning. Voluntarily putting yourself under cold water demonstrates willpower alone, which will also help you in your daily life and during training.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : Our mental performance product FOCUS provides you with important nutrients such as vitamins B5 and B12.
4. Fat burning supplements
The following supplements promote weight loss:
- Omega-3
- MCT oil
- caffeine
- Green tea extract
- Coenzyme Q10
To lose weight or simply get rid of some fat, you should boost your metabolism. In addition to exercise and a balanced diet, sometimes you need a little booster to get rid of your fat reserves.
MCT and Omega-3 play an important role here, because although they themselves belong to the category of fats, they do not accumulate in the cells but rather stimulate fat burning.
4. Conclusion
Supplements should never be seen as a substitute for a balanced and nutrient-rich diet. However, they can be used specifically to temporarily compensate for acute deficiencies and thus help you in various situations.
5. Sources
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23400626
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22784423
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23613825
[4] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1526590003006357
