Sports Nutrition - updated

updated 6/20/2016
updated 9/23/2016 re: magnesium

“Behind your thoughts and feelings, my brother, there stands a mighty ruler, an unknown sage--whose name is self. In your body he dwells; he is your body. There is more reason in your body than in your best wisdom. And who knows why your body needs precisely your best wisdom?” Nietzsche

Nothing has so enhanced my continuing performance as a hiker, trekker, mountain climber and cyclist as modern sports nutrition. The following are some of my opinions and experiences after almost 40 years of strenuous activity.

1. CytoMax sports Performance Mix – Tangy Orange http://www.allstarhealth.com/f/cytosport-cytomax.htm

The single most important supplement I take during exercise. Hydrates the body better than water alone. Generally, I mix 2 scoops in 24 oz water hydrating by the clock not my perceived need. Note ONLY the tangy orange flavor has the ‘Herbal Lift’ caffeine boost from guarana, which I believe is much preferred. Recently upgraded to stevia sweetener from, what I called, rat poison.

Note that D-ribose is recommended for chronic fatigue sufferers and others. My experience is Cytomax works better – usually the flavors without the guarana herbal lift. Cytomax, and a few other brands somewhat similar, are used for rehydration in neo-natal clinics and cases of acute dysentery/diarrhea and cholera.

2. Trace Minerals Research Electrolyte Stamina Tablets

http://www.traceminerals.com/products/energy-performance/electrolyte-stamina-tablets

I take 2 every hour while exercising. You MUST sustain your serum electrolytes during continuous exercise. Mineral depletion is the main reason, IMO, people conk over dead at races, probably potassium and magnesium depletion.

3. Magnesium

Magnesium deficiency is probably the most prevalent problem of most athletes. In addition to the magnesium I get from Cytomax and the electrolyte stamina tablets I take additional magnesium. I currently take a dry mixture of Magnesium di-malate and taurine in a 1:3 proportion up to 400 mg. Magnesium per serving. IMO the best supplement is Jarrow Magnesium Optimizer although other forms such as magnesium glycinate and magnesium aspartate are preferred by some. https://secure.endfatigue.com/store/products/publications/from-fatigued-to-fan/

Watch our for magnesium citrate as it has a laxative effect.

I am researching magnesium L-theonate as it purportedly gets more magnesium to the brain than other forms, promoting sleep.

IMO Take taurine with magnesium to facilitate absorption AND note overdoses of magnesium can cause kidney damage. That’s why I like the Jarrow and Trace Minerals Research forms of magnesium as they include taurine.

4. Post exercise recovery nutrition

After 2 or more hours of exercise I am careful to take a carefully crafted post exercise protein/mineral/carb drink. The components are:

        A. Whey protein isolate – natural, stevia sweetener http://www.allstarhealth.com/de_p/26558/BODYSTRONG_100PERCENT_Whey_Protein_Isolate_Natural.htm

        B. 200 mg magnesium

        C. 500 mg. arginine/250 mg. ornithine [Jarrow brand]

        D. ½ scoop Cytomax or, preferably, Cytocarb, just the carbs of Cytomax http://www.cytomax.com/products/cytocarb/cytomax-cytocarb2/?tab=technical-details

         E. 600 mg. taurine

With this post exercise drink I NEVER get muscle soreness or ravenous cravings to eat 1 and 2 days after a big hike or climb AND I recover enough to do a big exercise again the next day.

5. Daily trace mineral supplement – smooths out heart and brain function

Trace Mineral Research Concentrace Trace Mineral drops -- http://www.traceminerals.com/products/liquid-tablet-minerals/concentrace-ionic-minerals   

Take only 10-15 drops a day, allow at least a month for it to begin working. By itself this removed a heart arrhythmia I had for 40+ years and, IMO, greatly contributes to my being depression free, along with niacin, noted below. I have run an unsupervised ‘clinical trial’ of about 20 people on Trace Mineral Concentrace and niacin and none have resorted to mood or mind altering medications.

6. Niacin – I take 1000 mg./day every day. A known anti-depressant https://www.google.com/search?q=niacin+depression&oq=niacin+depression&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.5214j0j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8  also improves heart function and cholesterol. I have had several consultees avoid certain invasive cardiac procedures by taking niacin and Concentrace.

7. CoenzymeQ10 – increases the blood hemoglobin’s capacity to dissolve oxygen. I currently take 100 mg. of Jarrow’s Q-Sorb http://www.allstarhealth.com/f/jarrow-q-absorb_coq-10_100mg.htm    [equivalent to a larger dose of another brand/formula] per day. My performance noticeably drops off if I stop taking this. A few months after I first began taking CoQ10 I went to the Himalayas and was tested by a scientific expedition and I had the highest dissolved oxygen of anyone they tested including all the Sherpa [97% while walking at 13,000’, the Sherpa ran 95% and lower].

8. Vitamin C 100 mg. – Calcium ascorbate or Ester C. The only one I can currently recommend is http://www.allstarhealth.com/f/solgar-ester-c_plus_1000mg_vitamin_c.htm  . I take 1000 mg. per day AND one 1000 mg. tab every 2 to 4 hours of a big climb or hike. I’m convinced the vitamin C assists sugar metabolism preventing muscle soreness, but I can’t prove it by the literature or any health “professionals” I’ve talked to, even Olympic trainers.

9. MUSCLETECH Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite http://www.allstarhealth.com/f/muscletech-hydroxycut_hardcore_elite.htm  is a spectacular energy boost, mostly from caffeine. I sometimes take ½ a capsule 4 hours or more into a long climb or hike. This stuff has some INTERESTING ingredients, like coleus! Having a logy day? Take ½ cap [approx. = 1 espresso shot of caffeine]

10. White Willow Bark extract http://www.bulksupplements.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=White+Willow+Bark+Extract+ All the many benefits of aspirin with none of the substantial drawbacks. I currently take this daily and have several other people on it all reporting great results.

11. NALT –

http://www.bulksupplements.com/n-acetyl-l-tyrosine-nalt.html I don’t want to say too much here for any potential liability reasons. I take it daily. When I hiked 10 miles yesterday, 10 miles the day before that, it’s 95 degrees outside at 2 PM and the ‘market’ is not going my way, I take NALT and take another hike. Trust me, it’s on my list here for a reason.

12. Green coffee extract

http://www.bulksupplements.com/green-coffee-bean.html A nice gentle caffeine boost.

13. Clark’s Minerals

https://www.amazon.com/T-J-Clark-Legendary-Colloidal-Mineral/dp/B0052C0P4W/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1465870389&sr=1-1&keywords=T.J.+Clark+Legendary+Colloidal+Mineral I recently set a weekly distance record hiking. I noted I was taking Clark’s mineral daily during that time.

14. Rhodiola

This stuff definitely improves my long term trail stamina. I’m currently taking a heaping teaspoon of https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/rhodiola-root-powder-north-american/profile

15. Other supplements I am currently taking but cannot comment on in detail yet:

         1. L-Citrulline DL-Malate – malates are VERY important for the sugar burning cycle in the body I get noticeably better endurance hiking/climbing in hot weather when I add this to my carb/electrolyte drink. See the reviews for this product on Amazon for a lot of EXCELLENT information. 

         2. L-theanine – I take it daily and I’m sure it boosts me somehow but haven’t discerned it’s exact impact.

My current view is that minerals are more important than vitamins. I have a lot of other opinions and things I have tried. Email me.