Work Life Tips

Vitamin B Supplements: B Good to Your Body – B Vitamins Tips

Vitamin B is essential for good health, and there are several types of B vitamins that work together to keep your body running smoothly. B vitamins are water-soluble, so they aren’t stored in the body and you need to replenish them every day. Many factors can deplete B vitamins even more, including excessive exercise, dieting, smoking, alcohol consumption, and even taking oral contraceptives. That’s where supplements can help.

For example, Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, is not stored in the body, so it’s important to get enough in your diet from food and supplements. Vitamin B2 works in conjunction with other B vitamins to help the body release the energy it stores as carbohydrates. If you’re participating in sports, or even if you are just moderately active, you get your energy from the body’s ability to process carbohydrates.
Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, has been shown to lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels and can help prevent the narrowing of the blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Also, anyone who follows a strict vegetarian or vegan diet needs vitamin B12 supplements because the best food sources for B12 are animal products. Although some non-animal products contain B12, the amounts are not enough to meet the body’s needs. If you don’t get enough B12 in your body, you can develop anemia or you may experience weakness, loss of balance, or tingling in the arms and legs.

But Vitamin B’s benefits don’t stop with physical health. A recent study in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that adults who were being treated for depression had high levels of the amino acid called homocysteine in their blood, which can make it difficult to break down folic acid. Consequently, anti-depressants appeared to be more effective in people who took folic acid supplements, although the connection between depression and problems processing folic acid remains unknown.

Vitamin B – B Vitamins Tips

Originally, scientists thought the B vitamin group was made up of only one vitamin – Vitamin B, but today we know that a whole variety of vitamins makes up the Vitamin B complex, actually eight different vitamins in all, and many of them have very common names that are familiar to most people. Here are the eight vitamins and their common names:

* Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
* Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
* Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
* Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
* Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
* Vitamin B7, (sometimes called Vitamin H or Biotin)
* Vitamin B8 (myo-inositol) is no longer classified as a vitamin because it is synthesized by the human body
* Vitamin B9, (also called Vitamin M or Vitamin B-c or Folic acid)
* Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

All of these vitamins are essential for good health, and you can often find a healthy combination of them in Vitamin B supplements. There are also a host of other B-related substances that were thought to be vitamins at one time, but have been shown not to contain any nutritional value. Some of these include Vitamin B4, Vitamin B17, and Vitamin B22.

Vitamin B Benefits – B Vitamins Tips

The Vitamin B complex vitamins offer numerous benefits to our bodies. Studies indicate that B vitamins help support and increase the metabolism rate, which means they can help you burn more fat as part of a healthy lifestyle. They also help sustain healthy skin and muscle tone, and improve the function of the immune and nervous systems. They are thought to help cell growth and division — including red blood cell growth that help ward off anemia, and combined, they help battle the symptoms and causes of stress, depression, and heart disease. That’s some pretty powerful benefits from one group of vitamins!

All of the B vitamins are water soluble, which means they are dissolved and carried in water throughout the body. You should take B vitamins every day, because any extra you may take or produce are not stored in the body, but excreted in urine every day.

Vitamin B Deficiency – B Vitamins Tips

Vitamin B has some special health benefits, but not getting enough Vitamin B can hurt your health, too. There are several notable Vitamin B deficiencies, including some that can be very harmful to your health if they continue. Some of the Vitamin B deficiency problems include:

* Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Deficiency can lead to the disease Beriberi, which can lead to a variety of health problems from weight loss to irregular heartbeat and other disorders of the nervous system.
* Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin). Deficiency in this vitamin can lead to Ariboflavinosis, and the symptoms include cracked lips, an inflamed tongue, and extreme sensitivity to sunlight.
* Vitamin B3 (Niacin). A deficiency in this vitamin can lead to Pellagra and symptoms include insomnia, mental confusion, diarrhea, and weakness. In severe cases it can lead to death.
* Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid). A deficiency in this vitamin can lead to macrocytic anemia. In pregnant women this can lead to birth defects. Some studies show a deficiency can also lead to additional aging effects on the brain.

Some other B vitamins also lead to deficiencies in certain situations, so make sure to take your full does of Vitamin B complex vitamins every day.

Vitamin B Complex – B Vitamins Tips

Vitamin B complex vitamins are some of the most essential nutrients for good health, including niacin and thiamin, and deficiencies in these vitamins can lead to a host of health concerns.

You can get your daily Vitamin B from a variety of sources, including brewer’s yeast, molasses, lentils, potatoes, bananas, chili peppers, liver oil, liver, turkey, and tuna. You don’t have to worry about eating too much vitamin B in these foods, because the extra is not retained in your body, but excreted when it is not needed. However, if you don’t eat enough of these items to gain your daily Vitamin B needs, you should take a complete Vitamin B complex supplement, that includes all the B vitamins you need for daily health and well being.

Vitamin B Supplements – B Vitamins Tips

One of the best ways to ensure that you get enough of all the Vitamin B complex vitamins is to take a Vitamin B supplement every day. Look for a natural Vitamin B supplement sold at quality health food or natural food stores, and look for a vitamin B supplement without added fillers or starches.

If you enjoy energy drinks, you may be getting enough vitamin B already, as it is often added to these drinks, so check the label for the vitamins it contains. And remember that alcohol can keep your body from using Vitamin B (and other vitamins) effectively.

Amino Acids and BCAAs – Athletic Performance Tips

Amino acids are essential to life, and they are present in every cell in our bodies. They combine to create protein formations, which are the building blocks of muscle, tissue, and hormones. There are three types of amino acids, which are:

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Essential – these must come directly from the diet.
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Nonessential – these can be produced within the body due to the breakdown of proteins and other amino acids.
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Conditionally essential – these are the amino acids cannot be produced in some situations, and so, you have to consume them.

All of these essential amino acids must be present at all times in the body, and while it is possible to get them all from a completely vegetarian diet, many people choose to take additional amino acid supplements, especially for weight training and athletic performance.

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are a group of three essential amino acids, and they are the principal source of fuel for the skeletal muscles. This is why they are important to athletes as sports supplements. The three BCAAs are: valine, leucine, and isoleucine.

Nitric Oxide Pumps Up Your Muscles by Improving Blood Flow – Athletic Performance Tips

Nitric oxide is a vasodilator, which means that it relaxes and opens the blood vessels to promote better blood flow to your muscles. Better blood flow promotes muscle development because your muscles are getting more of the nutrients they need, faster. That’s how supplements, such as Nitric Oxide Boost by Fitness Labs or NO-Xplode by BSN, promote muscle-building and also help with recovery after tough workouts or competitions.

The term “perpetual pump” in bodybuilding circles refers to the ability to maintain a rock-hard muscular appearance all the time, not just immediately after a workout. Some evidence suggests that nitric oxide supplements may contribute toward a more muscular appearance by maintaining the increased blood flow to the muscles even when you’re not working out. Generally, an enhanced muscle pump lasts several hours after a workout.

Not all nitric oxide workout formulas are alike, so you may need to try a few to determine what works best for you. Most of these supplements contain a combination of various amino acids such asarginine, L-citrulline and L-norvaline. Some contain creatine, and some contain caffeine. But consult your doctor if you are being treated for either high blood pressure or low blood pressure, because nitric oxide might interact with blood pressure medications.

Pre & Post Workout Supplements Help Endurance Athletes Improve Performance – Athletic Performance Tips

If you’re a runner, cyclist, soccer player or are active in any sport that requires sustained energy for hours at a time, supplementing with endurance workout formulas may help you reach your athletic goals. Endurance workout formulas focus on different aspects of athletic performance. Some types can help you maximize your workout and others are for energy and recovery before and after a workout.

Pre-workout: While you might be tempted to skip a meal before a workout to avoid an upset stomach, studies show that a light meal, meal replacement powder drink, or protein bar 1 to 2 hours before training will increase your endurance and promote a better workout. Aim for at least 10 grams of protein containing a minimum of six grams of essential amino acids. BCAA mixes are also excellent.

Mid-workout: If your workout is less then one hour, stick to water and choose a post-workout supplement to promote recovery. But if your workout extends beyond one hour, a high-glycemic protein bar or drink will help sustain energy and may stave off muscle cramps and fatigue.

Post-workout: This may be the most important supplement that you take, because how you feel after one workout will impact your desire and ability to embark on the next workout. Ideally, consume a drink with 50-100 grams of carbohydrates and about 25 grams of protein within 30 minutes of finishing the workout to increase the amount of amino acids in the body and promote protein synthesis. And don’t delay that drink—studies have shown that if you consume a carbohydrate/protein drink within 30 minutes of a workout, your amino acid level is 25% higher than if you wait a few hours.

And be sure to have a meal that is about equally balanced between carbs and protein about 2 hours after a strenuous workout if possible, to maximize recovery. A meal replacement powder is one easy way to get the best muscle-building elements in a post-workout meal.

Meal Replacement Protein Powders: When You Don’t Have Time to Eat Right While Training – Athletic Performance Tips

When you are training hard but don’t have the time or inclination to prepare meals that support your workout schedule, meal replacement powders, such as Labrada Lean Body or Fitness Labs NutraFit, provide a variety of nutrients specifically geared toward enhancing athletic performance in a quick and easy high-protein shake.

Many meal replacement protein powders contain 25-50 grams of protein, usually a blend of fast-digesting protein (whey) and slow-digesting protein (casein) resulting in a time-release effect. They also have BCAAs and glutamine to prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue during and after workouts. Most meal replacement powders also include 15-30 grams of carbohydrates to keep your blood sugar stable and provide energy.

Providing another option, protein bars such as the Balance Bar provide 14 grams of protein and adhere to the 40-30-30 ratio of 40 percent of calories from carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein, and 30 percent from fats. These bars can serve as meal replacements during the day when you are on the go and don’t have time or the equipment to mix up a shake. But keep in mind that although you can mix up meal replacement powders in the blender with ice, many brands work just as well if you mix them with water and stir vigorously.

Most meal replacement powders and bars are free of trans fats, artificial colors, and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame. But check the labels if you have food allergies—some flavors contain milk and nuts, so you may need to shop around to find the brand and flavor that meets your needs.