Who needs energy supplements?
If you’re using up a lot of energy through exercise, stress, not getting enough sleep, or feelings of poor health for any reason, a good diet might not be enough. Also, if you’re following any sort of specialised dieting regime such as a keto or low-fat diet, you may benefit from energy supplements.
Likewise, if you don’t have time to cook nor can afford to pay for super-healthy meals, or if you simply can’t or won’t eat certain types of food, then dietary balance can be very difficult to achieve. This may leave you short on key nutrients that may affect your energy levels, making energy supplements worthwhile.
B Vitamins
B vitamins play crucial roles in energy metabolism, helping convert food into energy. It’s safe to say we cannot function to produce energy without them and they are the ultimate in energy supplements.
Key B vitamins for energy include B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), and B12 (cobalamin).
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) helps convert carbohydrates into glucose, the primary fuel for energy production. Meanwhile vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is supports the electron transport chain, a process that generates ATP, the body’s energy currency. Similarly, vitamin B3 (niacin) aids in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, contributing to energy production.
Energy-boosting vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) is a component of coenzyme A, which plays a vital role in the breakdown of fatty acids and carbohydrates for energy. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is necessary for the metabolism of amino acids and the synthesis of neurotransmitters involved in energy regulation. Vitamin B7 (biotin) participates in the breakdown of macronutrients for energy production.
Lastly, vitamin B12 (cobalamin) helps synthesise DNA and metabolise fatty acids and amino acids. This indirectly supports energy metabolism.
Together, these B vitamins all make sure we produce energy efficiently.
Iron
Iron is essential for transporting oxygen throughout the body, which is vital for energy production. Anaemia, caused by iron deficiency, can lead to fatigue and decreased energy levels. There’s a good reason iron ranks so highly in the list of energy supplements.
Iron is essential for energy production because it plays a crucial role in the formation of haemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body. Oxygen is necessary for the process of cellular respiration. This is how we break glucose down in the presence of oxygen to produce ATP, the primary energy currency of cells.
Without sufficient iron, the body cannot produce enough haemoglobin, leading to reduced oxygen transport to tissues and impaired energy metabolism. As a result, people with iron deficiency may experience fatigue, weakness, and decreased exercise tolerance due to insufficient energy production at the cellular level.
Therefore, ensuring sufficient iron intake is vital for maintaining optimal energy levels and overall health.
Magnesium
Magnesium drives over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including energy metabolism. It helps convert food into energy and we also need it for proper muscle function. This is why it’s sometimes called the king of energy supplements.
Firstly, magnesium is a cofactor for ATP (adenosine triphosphate) synthesis, the primary energy currency of cells. ATP is generated in mitochondria, where magnesium helps regulate ATP production by influencing the activity of enzymes involved in ATP synthesis.
Additionally, magnesium is crucial for the function of enzymes that break down carbohydrates and fats to produce ATP through cellular respiration. Moreover, magnesium supports muscle function and relaxation, which is essential for maintaining energy levels during physical activity.
Furthermore, magnesium helps regulate the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which controls the body’s stress response and energy metabolism.
Overall, we need good magnesium levels for energy production, and deficiencies may lead to fatigue, weakness, and decreased energy levels.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C plays a role in the synthesis of carnitine, a compound involved in energy production. It also enhances iron absorption, further supporting energy levels.
Firstly, vitamin C is essential for our bodies to make carnitine, a compound we need for the transport of fatty acids into mitochondria, where they are oxidised to produce energy. Secondly, vitamin C is a cofactor for enzymes involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine, which play a role in energy regulation and mood.
Thirdly, vitamin C supports the absorption of iron from plant-based sources, such as leafy greens and legumes, which is vital for making haemoglobin in red blood cells. Haemoglobin carries oxygen to cells, including those involved in energy metabolism.
Furthermore, vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from oxidative stress caused by free radicals generated during energy metabolism.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
CoQ10 is a compound that helps generate energy in cells. It plays a crucial role in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy currency of cells.
Creatine
While not a vitamin or mineral, creatine is a compound synthesised in the body and also obtained from food sources like meat and fish. It plays a role in the production of ATP, particularly during short bursts of intense activity, making it important for energy metabolism, especially in athletes.
Herbal energy supplements to replace caffeine
Besides vitamin & mineral supplements, what else could help give your energy levels a bit of a lift?
Ashwagandha
This potent herb has been used for its natural healing and energy-giving abilities for thousands of years. It’s well-known as a herbal remedy for stress and anxiety relief, which are both conditions that can send your energy levels plummeting. It is also thought to promote feelings of well-being, improve athletic performance and help regulate hormone levels.
Fenugreek
Fenugreek is one of the world’s oldest medicinal herbs and many of its traditional uses are now supported by modern science. In fact, fenugreek supplements have long been associated with improving hormone levels and reducing symptoms associated with low levels. In one study, male testosterone levels increased by up to 46% in an impressive 90% of participants.
VitaBright’s high-strength Fenugreek capsules are filled with organic plant-based natural ingredients. They contain no additives, no binders, and no fillers. Our Fenugreek capsules are 100% vegan friendly and made in the UK to the highest manufacturing standards in the world.
Maca Root
A plant grown in the Andes, maca is a root vegetable traditionally used in Peruvian medicine. Known as ‘Peruvian ginseng’, it’s perhaps most famous for its ability to boost fertility, sex drive, and libido. But maca root also has an incredibly impressive nutritional profile and is renowned for increasing energy levels, with research indicating it may help boost sports performance.
Maca is high in flavonoids, which are known to help with mood and anxiety. Research suggests it may be particularly effective in lowering anxiety and depression in postmenopausal women. Maca root may also be good for your brain. In fact, in the central Peruvian Andes it’s traditionally used to improve children’s performance at school.
Consistency Is key with energy supplements
The problem with the word ‘boost’ is that it implies a sharp, rapid rise in energy levels… which will inevitably lead to a sharp, rapid drop in energy levels at some point in the near future. You could try boosting again, but then you’ll drop twice as far, and by this point, you’ve probably put your body through quite a lot!
Maintaining energy levels using ‘boosters’ is not a good long-term strategy. A better solution is to try and ensure you eat and sleep plentifully and regularly and that your diet, with or without supplements, provides balanced nutrition that gives your body all the fuel it needs.
If you suffer from low energy, we’d advise trying to think about what might be missing from your diet and/or which of your body systems might be out of balance, in this way you can try to find the right nutrition to fill the gap.
