Beat Muscle Soreness
with Nutritional Supplements
The soreness that accompanies intense exercise is caused by the build up of lactic acid in the muscles. There is a powdered sports drink mix called Cytomax that neutralizes this lactic acid build up, greatly reducing muscle soreness. Cytomax also reduces the body’s oxygen consumption by 11% and increases muscular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and glycogen levels by 300%, dramatically reducing fatigue.
ATP is the substance that drives muscle contractions. It also facilitates the formation of glycogen. Glycogen is an intermediary between starch and sugar. The body stores its carbohydrate reserves in this form, mainly in the muscles and liver. Complex carbohydrates load glycogen into the muscles, while fructose loads glycogen into the liver. Therefore, during intense exercise, starches provide more muscle energy than dried fruit.
Cytomax was reformulated with organic caffeine several years ago, but thankfully it’s once again caffeine-free. I love coffee and tea, but caffeine is a diuretic that interferes with staying well hydrated. Increased risk of dehydration is something you don’t need on the trail.
Most of the calories burned during exercise are from carbohydrates, but your muscles also burn small amounts of certain amino acids. These particular amino acids are collectively known as branched chain amino acids or BCAAs. Under normal conditions, your muscles obtain these amino acids by partially digesting themselves. This is another cause of muscle soreness. Take a supplement containing free-form BCAAs, and this self-digestion ceases. You can get this supplement from Jarrow Formulas. If you have food allergies, Jarrow is the supplement company for you. They also have some of the lowest prices on the market.
After heavy exercise, your body releases an anti-inflammatory hormone called cortisol, which is identical to hydrocortisone. Cortisol makes you feel great in the short term, but unfortunately, high levels of it cause muscle wasting. You may have experienced this phenomenon when you’ve gone backpacking. Cortisol also promotes the disease Major Depression, because it lowers serotonin levels and destroys serotonin receptors; a very ugly double whammy. Fortunately, taking a supplement called phosphatidyl serine, which is derived from soybeans, may help reduce exercise associated cortisol levels. A number of companies which specialize in supplements for competitive athletes claim this is a sure thing, but the people at Jarrow Formulas—where the best prices on phosphatidyl serine can be found—say they’re unsure of whether or not it works this way.
Carrying a heavy pack places extra stress on your joints. Therefore, I take glucosamine sulphate and chondroitin sulphate supplements to provide my joints with extra nutritional support. The correct ratio of these supplements is 3 parts glucosamine to 1 part chondroitin.