By Richard Malik, ND
As published in the Lakeville Journal, Millerton News, & Winsted Journal
28 March 2007

In last month’s article, I talked about fatigue; common causes; how to identify these causes; and basic therapeutic approaches. This month I will discuss optimizing energy and performance for people with demanding lifestyles and increased life stressors. This includes athletes, physical laborers, people with high stress levels, demanding jobs, and lack of adequate sleep.

The best way of increasing energy is to use methods that do not have associated withdrawal symptoms. When taken away, stimulants, like coffee, leave your body in a worse condition and often produce headaches, fatigue and other withdrawal related symptoms. The best first option to enhance energy is to remove factors that may be causing fatigue or hampering optimal energy. Eating nutrient dense foods like vegetables; fruits; whole grains; and lean sources of protein supply the nutrients your body needs with little, if anything, to hold you back.

While eating sweets and sugary foods provides a hit of energy, it causes blood sugar levels to crash, and results in fatigue about an hour later. For longer term energy needs, simple sugars are detrimental. In general, most energy bars and health bars are intensely sweetened and not supportive of long-term, optimal energy. It is best to avoid candies, chocolate and other sweets.

If you are a competitive athlete or involved in regular, intense physical activity, it is important to eat plenty of high quality, complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and water. This helps maintain optimal blood sugar levels, energy, hydration, and enhance muscle recovery from exertion.

The requirement and levels of specific nutrients in your body are affected by stressors of all types. I recommend a high-dose, high-potency multivitamin as a nutritional safety net for many of my patients wanting improved energy. Multiple nutrients have anti-oxidant activity that protects all components of your body from naturally occurring and toxin related chemical damage. Especially vulnerable are each cell’s mitochondria, where all of your body’s energy is made from glucose, fats, protein, and oxygen.

With increased stress, the body’s requirement for vitamin C substantially increases. Research shows that, in stressful situations, doses of vitamin C above the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) decrease the physical effect that stress has on your body. This means that similar situations are experienced as less stressful with optimal vitamin C supplementation. Daily supplementation with 200-1,000mg seems to be about right.

In times of increased demands, magnesium levels fall because more is lost in the urine. Magnesium is an important mineral in neurological function, the body’s production of energy, and proper muscle function. Many patients experience enhanced relaxation with supplemental magnesium. The RDA for preventing magnesium deficiency (not for optimal function) was increased a few years ago to 320mg and 420mg daily for women and men, respectively. Higher doses can be used, but excess magnesium (as well as vitamin C) causes loose and/or frequent stools and can cause poor absorption of nutrients - be careful!

In every cell of your body, B vitamins - especially niacin and riboflavin - are key to the production of energy. Some patients find that supplementation with B vitamins substantially increases their energy. Some of my patients even use B vitamins when they have to stay up all night for work. For most folks, it is best to take high doses of B’s in the morning so as to not disturb sleep habits.

If you have been under considerable stress for extended periods of time, laboratory testing may reveal sub-optimal functioning of various organ systems. This is most commonly seen in the endocrine (or hormonal) system. Stress - whether physical, mental, or emotional - affects hormone levels in the body. Stress can cause changes in a woman’s menstrual cycle and reproductive function. Stress causes the cells in the body to be less responsive to thyroid hormone, which affects energy, mood, and weight. Stress even contributes to diabetes by reducing the body’s response to insulin.

Digestive dysfunction may also be caused by your demanding lifestyle. If your digestive system is not working right, it can result in poor nutrient absorption, sensitivity reactions to common foods, poor detoxification, and even auto-intoxication (gut imbalances that cause the production of toxic chemicals!).

Hormonal and other physical changes caused by stress can be considerable. Improving function with herbs and supplements that support digestive and hormonal function can be very helpful.

Some aspects of your demanding lifestyle may be beyond your ability to control; they lie outside of your sphere of influence. However, you can affect your perspective or attitude about life factors and this can decrease the stress you experience from them. Meditation, prayer, coaching, or counseling can dramatically change your emotional and physical responses to demanding situations and leave you with more energy and greater resources to deal with other life issues.

The holistic approach to achieving optimal energy is multi-faceted and, in some ways, subtle. It requires an exploration of the life factors that may hinder your energy levels from being as good as they can be and determining the therapies that will best address your individual and unique condition. Good luck in your exploration and learning process.