5 Facts about Adaptogens for Swimmers

Swimmers deal with a lot more than just doing practice laps and trying to get the best time in the pool. There's the stress of daily work and school schedules, the physical pressures of strenuous strength training, and the usual family demands. Our Ultima and P2Life Adaptogens are specifically formulated to help the active athlete meets these requirements without feeling physically depleted. Here are 5 things to know about Adaptogens and how they can help you succeed!

1. Fight Stress

There are many detrimental effects of stress such as a loss of energy, unwanted weight gain, or lack of sleep. All of these negatively impact your swim performance. However, stress can also attack your brain when it is not under control. What happens is that when you are stressed, your body produces cortisol, and this creates a surplus of the neurotransmitter glutamate. Is this a bad thing? Yes, because "glutamate creates free radicals that attack brain cells much in the same way that oxygen attacks metal, causing it to rust"1. Taking Adaptogens helps lower cortisol and prevents this harmful process from happening in your brain.

2. Rhodiola Rosea

Another fact about Adaptogens is that they have the ingredient Rhodiola Rosea. This herb, known for enhancing vitality and stamina, is proven to reduce general anxiety and reduce stress. When you reduce stress levels, in addition to lowering your cortisol levels, you are less likely to engage in stress-related eating and binging. While snacking on nutritious foods is essential for your performance, especially on the day of the meet, binging on unhealthy snacks is not a good nutritional strategy. Using Adaptogens will help you lose the cravings to indulge in fatty, salty, foods when under stress.

Adaptogens have also been shown to increase DNA and RNA in the cells and trigger the manufacture of proteins used to repair damaged cells. One of these proteins is brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). It is integral in keeping existing brain cells healthy and stimulating new brain cell formation. However, when you are stressed, and your body releases that cortisol, this cortisol hormone stops the production of BDNF, which ultimately leads to a decrease in the number of new brain cells that your body creates. Over time, this lowered level of BDNF can result in conditions like Alzheimer's and depression. By integrating Adaptogens into your nutrition plan, you can help stave off these debilitating diseases.

4. Promotes homeostasis

Swimmers put their bodies through rigorous training on a daily basis, and it is important to recover from intense workout sessions. Maintaining homeostasis, or balance in the body, is critical for athletic performance. Since most "clinical symptoms are directly or indirectly related to the physiological mechanisms of energy homeostasis"4, swimmers need to make sure that their bodies get proper recovery continuously to avoid any symptoms like cramps or sprains. Adaptogens promote homeostasis and allow your body to recover faster and return to a healthy state.

5. Tested safe

There are so many supplements and products being sold that enhance performance to athletes, but how do you know what is safe to take? Besides the negative physiological effects that you might endure by taking a poorly manufactured product, you may be putting yourself at risk for taking banned substances. Adaptogens are tested safe and have been certified by the Banned Substances Control Group so you can feel 100% confident in taking our supplements.Now that you know a little bit more about our Adaptogens supplements, give them a try and see how much your performance improves!

Sources:

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4567216/

2.https://ultima.co.za/collections/ultima-sport/products/enduroboost-adaptogens

3. http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-883-rhodiola.aspx?activeingredientid=883&

4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11897892

5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/627