Energy Pills that work

Supplement: Ginseng

Breakdown/Benefits: Ginseng is one of several herbs that fall into the category of adaptogens, substances that help the body adapt to different types of stress, be it from exercise, work or keeping your spouse happy. Since stress tends to rob the body of energy, adaptogens are supposed to revitalize you, allowing you to get more out of your exercise and speeding up your recovery. Forms of ginseng are found in Asia, Siberia and America; each has a different effect, but all are touted as having the ability to charge up the body through adaptogenic compounds called ginsenosides. The research on the many types of ginseng and their effects on energy, however, has been inconclusive at best (the claims of most makers rely on a single researcher's work), even though, anecdotally, people have been juicing themselves with ginseng supplements often enough to make them a best-seller. Do your own trial-and-error testing to see if any of the available varieties puts a little tiger in your tank.

Dosage: 100 to 300 milligrams per day. Take for only two or three weeks, then take a two-week break to reduce the impact of negative side effects. There are many brands in the market, but the best is still Korean Red Ginseng. Make sure it is from a renown supplier as the ginseng must have sufficient ginsenocides for it to be beneficial to the body.

Side effects: Generally considered safe, although the list of possible ill effects includes headaches, insomnia, anxiety, skin rashes, asthma attacks, diarrhea, euphoria, nervousness, heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, and reduced blood-sugar levels. Check with your doctor if you have hypoglycemia, high blood pressure, insomnia, hay fever, asthma, emphysema, blood-clotting problems, heart disorders, or diabetes. Take Ginseng with lots of water because of it's heatiness.

Cost: About Rm 100 to Rm 200 for a one-month supply.

Supplement: MACA

Breakdown/Benefits: Found in the mountains of Peru and supposedly eaten by Incan warriors before battle, maca is an herbal adaptogen consumed by the Andes Indians and is thought to promote heartiness. Recent research has focused on its effects on sexual performance, with mixed results. Maca is rich in nutrients, so, in theory, it should boost energy, but supporting research is lacking. Still, as an adaptogen; maca may help the body adjust to higher exercise workloads and prevent excessive damage from the stress of training. That the Andean people have used maca for countless years should be evidence enough of its usefulness. Witnessing 80-year-old men hike up the Andes mountainside with 100-pound packs as if it were a walk in the park, all while munching maca root, is very convincing.

Dosage: 200 milligrams to one gram per day. Take without other adaptogens to determine its true effects, if any.

Side effects: No known negative effects.

Cost: Around Rm100 to Rm 200 for a one-month supply.

Supplement: NADH

Breakdown/Benefits: NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is an energy-carrying molecule within the body that is partly made from vitamin B3. When you eat, your body breaks the food down, and at some point energy is passed to this NADH molecule to be turned into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the body's energy currency. Several supplement companies have marketed NADH products, but research has been limited. (One study found that 30 percent of subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome benefited from NADH). To date, there is little promise for most normal healthy people, who have plenty of NADH floating around. But under certain types of stress (excessive exercise, ultra-endurance events, alcohol overindulgence, etc.), the body's ability to produce enough NADH can be somewhat compromised. In such conditions, NADH supplements may prove beneficial.

Dosage: 2.5 to 15 mg per day.

Side effects: Nothing serious, although there have been some reports of nervousness and appetite loss during the first days of supplementing.

Cost: About Rm 1.50 per five-milligram dose. It is not sold in Malaysia so you have to order it from the internet.

Supplement: CoQ10

Read my previous article on CoQ10. There are many brands in the market but get the Bio-solv or Q-gel as they are patented process and dissolve in water.