Reducing Fatigue And Increasing Energy Levels

General fatigue and lack of energy are problems every athlete and sports enthusiast must deal with frequently. It’s not much fun to have a short burst of energy and then be unable to endure through the competition or sports event due to exhaustion. But it happens all the time because some people mistake big muscles for a body that is efficiently producing and using energy.

Looking good is much different than feeling good. Just like lifting 150 pounds for a few seconds is much different than lifting strong through a two-hour competition or playing with plenty of energy for a whole game of soccer or tennis. You can tell when athletes get tired too, because they can’t pivot with any speed or respond quickly or even lift their sports equipment with full strength.

So what exactly is fatigue? Why do you get tired and lose energy? Medical researchers have a good understanding now of how the body obtains, stores, and uses energy. It is a complex process that involves oxygen and use of multiple nutrients and elements.

Breaking It Down

Muscles use adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for energy which is a chemical compound. It is needed for muscles to contract. ATP is produced through the normal metabolic process which is the process whereby nutrients are broken down into glucose. This glucose is either used immediately; gets stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen; or is stored as fats, carbohydrates and fats.

Energy is a unit of fuel consumption like a litre of fuel in your car. Muscle ATP is used for those short bursts of intense energy while demanding muscles exert strength such as during weightlifting or kicking a soccer ball. There are also short term energy needs like energy needed for running down the field for a couple of minutes and this process uses the ATP stored as glycogen.

Then there is the need for endurance which is the long term energy use. This energy comes from the metabolised nutrients stored in cells throughout the body.

So where does oxygen fit into the energy picture? Oxygen is needed for endurance energy. When you lift a weight and use the ATP stored in the muscles, oxygen is not being used. Oxygen is not needed to break down or replenish ATP. But when involved in long term physical activity, the body uses the fats, proteins, and carbohydrates for energy and it needs oxygen to break down the ATP.

It doesn’t take long to figure out that low levels of oxygen will lead to fatigue and low energy. If the body can’t convert the fats, carbs, and proteins due to lack of oxygen, it’s just like a car running out of fuel. All the systems are in place and ready to operate, but there is nothing to fuel them.

By the way, during moderate exercise the body may or may not use oxygen to breakdown ATP. The body is so complex and such a sophisticated system it can shift between immediate, short term and long term energy use as needed. But anytime oxygen is used the glycogen breakdown will occur at a slower pace.

ATP On Demand

To reduce fatigue and increase energy, it is critical the body be supplied with the right nutrients and elements it needs to produce glycogen, fats, and carbohydrates in order to produce the right amounts of ATP. ATP is only stored in very small amounts in the body. Athletes who exert effort for more than a few minutes must rely on the body’s ability to produce ATP on demand from nutrients and elements that are supplied.

Creatine phosphate, commonly referred to as just creatine, is one of the elements needed to produce ATP. It is creatine that can reduce muscle burning lactic acid production so muscles don’t tire as quickly. Creatine is manufactured in the body in the liver, kidneys and pancreas, but it needs access to the right supply of certain amino acids.

That is why supplements can be so beneficial in reducing fatigue and increasing energy levels in a number ways. There are a number of high quality supplement products on the market that will supply the amino acids and vitamins the body needs to efficiently break down glycogen into ATP and to produce creatine.

For example, NVE 6 Hour Power contains many essential energy producing elements and vitamins. NOW CoQ10 supplies antioxidants needed by the body to efficiently convert food to ATP. There are many supplementation products like these that supply the ideal amount of vitamins, minerals and essential elements that athletes and sports enthusiasts need in greater quantities than less active people.

The amino acids needed to produce creatine are l-methionine, l-arginine and l-glycine. Then there are elements such as Acetyl-L-Carnitine which assists the metabolic process by promoting the use of fatty acids as fuel and thus increasing endurance. Vitamin B12 assists with iron absorption which improves oxygen transport in the circulatory system. Folic acid (vitamin B9) assists the body with using amino acids and sugar. Magnesium is needed for efficient ATP production.

Mixing It Up

There are many other elements the body needs for energy, and an easy way to insure you are getting adequate supplies is to use a product specially designed for increasing endurance and reducing fatigue. These types of products contain a blend of vitamins, minerals, elements and nutrients. A good example is the Universal Nutrition Animal Pak.

Athletes, exercisers, sports enthusiasts and weekend players all have special needs when it comes to creating and producing energy. It’s no fun to get tired halfway through an activity. A few well-designed supplements can provide exactly what is needed and not being obtained through normal diet.

Using extra energy equates to needing extra fuel.