As an endurance athlete, you put a lot of physical stress on your body. Additionally, you might suffer from psychological stress due to high expectations and the pressure of races.
To preserve your long-term health and athletic performance, you should learn how to manage stress.
One way to manage stress is by using dietary supplements.
In this blog you'll learn what causes stress, how stress affects your health and performance, and the best dietary supplements to manage stress.
What causes stress?
The causes of stress can be either physiological or psychological.
While their origin is different, they have the same effect on your body, and what's worse, they stack up.
To preserve your health and athletic performance, you need to learn how to manage stress.
Intense endurance exercise increases stress levels in your body.
Physiological stress
Intense exercise increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Especially endurance exercise may lead to chronically elevated levels of cortisol, which is why you need to be very careful to deal with it properly.
The best way to deal with exercise-induced stress is with correct nutrition, which includes following a healthy and balanced diet and using proper dietary supplements.
Psychological stress
Psychological stress is caused by high expectations you might have related to your athletic performance. This is especially prevalent before races, but different athletes carry different psychological burdens.
If you want to learn how to better manage psychological stress, check out the tips of our sports psychologist!
Stress can have either a physiological or psychological origin, but both can be equally harmful.
Negative effects of stress
Stress, especially prolonged or chronic stress, has major negative effects on your health and athletic performance.
- Reduced levels of energy
- Weakened immune system
- Increased risk of illness and injury
All these negative effects stack up and prevent you from realizing your full athletic potential, and a strong immune system is a vital asset of every athlete.
If you want to be the best athlete you can be, you must absolutely learn how to manage and reduce stress. And be sure to check out our top dietary supplements to boost your immune system!
Stress negatively impacts your health and athletic performance.
Best dietary supplements to reduce stress
As said, the best way to manage the stress caused by exercise is with proper nutrition.
This includes following a healthy and balanced diet, but also using the correct dietary supplements.
Let's look at our top recommendations.
Carbohydrates
Glycogen and stress are very tightly correlated.
Since intense endurance exercise invariably leads to glycogen depletion, which in turn leads to elevation of cortisol, the best way to manage stress during exercise is with proper fueling.
In simple terms, that means you have to consume carbohydrates. And the best way to do that during exercise is by using an energy gel or an isotonic sports drink.
Energy gels are a great way to intake carbohydrates during intense exercise to manage energy and cortisol levels.
Alternatively, Dr. Tim Podlogar recommends gummy bears as a viable alternative.
You should also keep in mind that proper muscle recovery after workout is equally important in managing your stress levels. The best way to recover after workout is by using a high-quality recovery drink.
Ashwagandha
Adaptogens are well known for their ability to improve VO2 max and reduce stress levels.
If you're looking for a single adaptogen to help you manage stress, look no further than ashwagandha, the most powerful adaptogen.
Ashwagandha has several crucial benefits for your health and athletic performance.
- Reduces stress levels
- Boosts the immune system
- Improves physical performance
Ashwagandha is the most powerful adaptogen you can use to manage stress levels in a 100% natural way.
If you are interested in using dietary supplements to help you increase your VO2 max, check out our top recommendations. But keep in mind that increasing VO2 max also requires a structured training plan.
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral directly correlated to stress. In fact, zinc helps you to sustain the health of your nervous system.
For this reason, supplementing zinc is a great way to manage your cortisol levels.
Additionally, zinc has several other benefits.
- Boosts immune system
- Protects from oxidative stress
- Boosts metabolism
- Preserves bone strength
- Improves cognitive functions
Zinc is an essential mineral to sustain the health of your nervous system.
Restful
Getting a good night's sleep is essential to manage your stress levels.
But for athletes who train in the evening, this is often easier said than done.
To help you improve your sleep and get all its benefits, we created Restful, a powerful 100% natural formula that contains:
- ashwagandha,
- magnesium bisglycinate,
- L-theanine,
- hop cone extract,
- saffron extract,
- zinc bisglycinate.
Use Restful to wake up restful and full of energy!
Restful is a 100% natural dietary supplement you can use to improve your sleep and wake up full of energy.
Conclusion
Stress can have a physiological or psychological origin, but both have the same effect in your body.
Prolonged stress has major negative effects, such as weakened immune system, reduced energy levels, and increased risk of illness and injury.
The best way to prevent exercise-induced stress is to follow a healthy and balanced diet, which also includes the use of dietary supplements.
During intense exercise, manage stress with energy gels and isotonic sports drinks. After exercise, take care of proper muscle recovery by drinking a recovery drink.
