Is Your Diet Missing Nutrients?

Ideally, diet alone should provide us with all the nutrients needed for our bodies to function optimally. In reality, however, we often find ourselves tired, stressed and depleted of energy even when our food intake seems to be sufficient. So you turn to supplements for nutritional support. Seems like your vitamin-mineral stack has all the recommended calcium, iron, folate and vitamins E and C. Even taking a multi-vitamin and mineral pill religiously still doesn’t do the trick of giving you the energy you want for all your daily activities. Is there anything you may be missing? Try adding the following nutrients and you may find yourself running on all engines.

Glutamine is an amino acid synthesised by the body from another amino acid, called glutamic acid or glutamate. It is the most abundant and the most crucial amino acid as its stores get easily depleted. Even though it is considered non-essential, Glutamine is used up rather quickly under prolonged psychological and physical stress. Glutamine stimulates muscle growth, promotes recovery, boosts GH (growth hormone) levels, strengthens immunity, aids digestion, increases concentration and memory and can curb sugar cravings. It is the primary fuel source for white blood cells responsible for keeping your immune function in check.

Glutamine is best known for its ability to serve as a source of fuel for the cells that line the gastrointestinal tract and is an important fuel source for your muscles. This is particularly pronounced towards the end of your exercise session when your carbohydrate or glycogen stores get depleted. Glutamine is also known as brain food - passing through the blood-brain barrier easily, it aids memory recall and concentration and may help with cravings for sweets, keeping your mind calm and adding to the satisfied feeling. This amino acid is famous for its ability to support immunity and help with various kinds of digestive complaints by building up the healthy intestinal bacteria, making your body more resistant to various pathogens. Glutamine is a great supplement to take if you feel tired and fatigued, due to its involvement in brain function and production of neurotransmitters.

Glutamine is found in various foods, but the best absorption comes from the supplemental powdered form.

Dose: Take 5-10g three times daily – in the morning, after exercise and at bed time.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) include leucine, isoleucine and valine and are used in combination. All of these amino acids are essential, meaning that we must consume them in our diet on a regular basis. Composing one third of our muscle tissue, these are necessary for protein synthesis, growth, maintenance and repair of muscles and tendons, helping to keep your body strong. BCAAs also help regulate blood sugar levels and improve sluggish metabolism, aiding in fat loss. BCAAs are claimed to enhance recovery after exercise or illness and reverse protein catabolism, the muscle breakdown that occurs after your workout. Supplementing with BCAAs has shown to minimise fatigue during exercise, keeping you energised throughout your workout and giving you that extra lift of energy you absolutely need to push yourself a little harder. Interestingly, because the mechanism where the amino acids are involved is centred in the brain, your nervous function is facilitated through brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters, effecting your sensations of mood, drive, pain, weariness and fatigue. Clinically, BCAAs are used to treat depression, irritability and headaches that result from protein deficiency. The combination of leucine, isoleucine and valine is used by the body to synthesise enkephalins, natural pain-killers similar to endorphins. The combination also promotes muscle recovery, regulates the blood-sugar levels, stimulates growth hormone release (GH) important in new tissue growth, plays a role in wound healing, assists in blood clotting and produces energy when your body is under severe stress.

Best sources of BCAAs are dairy, red meat and eggs. Individually, amino acids are also distributed in a variety of foods that contain protein.

Dose: Take 4-5 grams of leucine, 2.5g of isoleucine, and 4-5g of valine on an empty stomach twice daily - in the morning and before workouts. Or choose a single BCAA supplement to meet the requirements.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), also known as ubiquinone, is a vitamin-like substance and is found in virtually all cells of the human body made from amino acids tyrosine or phenylalanine. This nutrient is needed by every cell to generate energy, metabolise carbohydrates, fats and proteins and use these for all body activities. The role of CoQ10 in energy formation relates to how the body uses all nutrients, especially carbohydrates and fats. CoQ10 is also an antioxidant working together with vitamin E to harvest free radicals and protect the body from oxidative damage. CoQ10 has been shown to boost immunity, combat chronic fatigue syndrome and help the body heal in cases of illness or infection.

Researchers also found it to be beneficial for heart protection, supporting blood vessels and modulating blood pressure by reducing resistance to blood flow. Famous for its energy production, CoQ10 assists in practically every body activity requiring energy, such as improving muscle endurance, regulating blood sugar, facilitating fertility, supporting production of sperm and healing gums.

CoQ10 is found in fish and meat, but additional supplementation may be used therapeutically as the CoQ10 content in natural foods is rather small.

Dose: The average daily intake of CoQ10 is 2-5 mg.

L-Carnitine is another amino acid made in the body from the other two aminos, lysine and methionine. Its main function is to help your body produce energy from its fat stores. This nutrient mobilises fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they are ‘burned’ to release energy for body functions. Think of L-Carnitine as your car engine which uses fat as petrol to bring the system, especially muscles, in motion. This amino acid is particularly beneficial for the heart as it may reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, promote endurance, and help you lose some weight while maintaining strength and muscle tone. L-carnitine is also used therapeutically to protect against diabetes, kidney, heart and liver diseases, serving as a terrific detoxifier. Necessary for proper brain function, the amino acid has also shown benefits in protecting against age-related neurodegeneration.

L-Carnitine is found naturally in dairy, red meats such as lamb and beef, avocados and tempeh (fermented soybean product). A deficiency of L-Carnitine can cause muscle fatigue, cramps or low blood-sugar levels.

Dose: Acetyl-L-carnitine and Propionyl-L-carnitine in drinks, powder and capsules. Take 5-20 mg/kg/day, maximum 2g per day with meals in the morning or before exercise.

A person who weighs 100kg should take anywhere from 500mg to 2000mg per day. This is the average to maximum recommended dose - 2000mg (2g).

Choline, the newest official member of the B vitamin family, can be synthesised from the amino acid serine in the liver. But the amount of Choline our bodies can make is not sufficient to meet daily needs, so getting it from food is extremely important. Choline is a key component of many fat-containing structures in cell membranes, helping maintain the integrity of all tissues in the body. Choline is particularly important for concentration and emotions as there is a high concentration of this nutrient in the nervous tissue and brain. Choline is a key component of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, a chemical in the nervous system that plays a paramount role in sending messages between nerves and muscles.

Choline is also required to move and metabolise fats, assisting liver function and energy production. If fats are not properly used by the body, they will build up in the liver as fat, causing it to work overtime and adding to the fatty toxic build-up. Acting as a lipotropic, Choline prevents the deposition of fat in the liver and helps the body to use that fat for energy. If you experience fatigue, insomnia, inefficient kidney function, problems with memory, and nerve-muscle imbalances – Choline may be your answer. It is also often used for liver detoxification and an array of nervous system disorders.

The highest amount of Choline is present in lecithin, usually obtained from soybeans. Other good sources include egg yolk, wheat germ, liver, yeast, whole grains, peanuts and cauliflower.

Dose: There are no set standards for Choline. Therapeutic dose is up to 20g per day. Add a spoonful of soy lecithin granules to your cereal for additional benefits.