Whether you're trying to get fit or to enhance your sex life, taking supplements can be of great help. According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition, 53 percent of American adults take a multivitamin supplements, and 50 percent of adult men 18 and older take a multivitamin.
The key to proper supplementation is to know what you're taking and why you're taking it. Here, we've provided an easy-to-navigate guide to taking the right product for the right reasons.
To Boost Muscle Growth
Creatine Monohydrate
Benefits: Because it's often associated with steroid abusers like Mark McGuire, creatine has gotten a bad wrap. The truth is it's a natural substance that is found in muscle cells and trace amounts can be found in meat and fish.
When creatine is added to a workout regimen, the data suggest that supplements can improve athletic performance in high intensity events of short duration, such as 50-yard or 100-yard sprints. Additionally, some studies also indicate that creatine can improve muscle strength and performance during resistance training.
To Protect Against Prostate Cancer
Lycopene
Benefits: Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant, a compound that blocks free radicals. Several scientific studies have found it lowers the risk of cancer among people who eat lycopene-rich foods. Proponents of lycopene supplementation tout the nutrient as having significant benefits in preventing prostate cancer in particular.
While you can find this nutrient in great abundance in produce such as tomatoes, apricots, and watermelon, lycopene can be supplemented in soft-gel and liquid tablets.
To Fight the Aging-Process
Vitamin E
Benefits: Vitamin E, another potent antioxidant, has been touted as the "anti-aging" vitamin. The Cambridge Heart Antioxidant Study supports its use to reverse the effects of arthrosclerosis. Furthermore, various studies have found low vitamin E levels in some individuals with dementia. Evidence shows that that "all-rac-alpha-tocopherol"-a synthetic form of vitamin E-is superior to placebo for slowing cognitive function decline in patients with moderately severe Alzheimer's disease.
Want more? Vitamin E has been found to not only fight heart disease and dementia but also to battle muscle damage, various eye diseases, and diabetes.
To Help Treat Arthritis
Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate
Benefits: It's a fact. Sometimes one supplement taken alone won't do you much good. This is the case with taking glucosamine for arthritis. According to a study conducted by the University of Utah, School of Medicine, for participants with mild pain, taking glucosamine alone did not provide significant pain.
However, for those with moderate-to-severe pain, glucosamine combined with chondroitin sulfate provided significant pain relief compared with placebo-about 79 percent had a 20 percent or greater reduction in pain versus about 54 percent for placebo. Consult your doctor before beginning a glucosamine-chondroitin sulfate regimen.
To Boost Your Energy
Coenzyme Q10
Benefits: Occurring naturally in the body, coenzyme Q10 helps regulate the body's energy levels. However, as you age, production of the enzyme decreases-as do your energy levels. Supplementing coenzyme Q10 can help you retrieve the youthfulness you once had.
Important Note:
Consult your doctor before undertaking any supplement regimen. Supplements can have different effects on different people depending on individual circumstances. Make sure you are knowledgeable and receive your physician's OK.
