People also turn to vitamin and herbal supplements like caffeine, B vitamins, ashwagandha to bolster their energy levels in addition to eating healthily and exercising regularly. Such remedies come in capsules, pills, gummies and powder form that can be mixed with drinks; many such supplements are sold online as well as at retail outlets like Walgreens.
Caffeine
Caffeine is one of the world’s most widely consumed stimulants, found in coffee, black and green tea, cocoa powder, soft drinks containing caffeine such as Coca-Cola or some nonprescription medicines such as cold, cough and pain relievers. Furthermore, caffeine may also be included in certain energy products or dietary supplements.
Caffeine stimulates both the brain and central nervous system, increasing alertness and endurance. However, caffeine also raises blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rates, leading to loss of fluid through urine loss as well as headaches, insomnia and jitteriness; increased doses can even raise anxiety levels as well as increase risk for coronary artery disease-related heart attacks.
Caffeine typically wears off within six hours after you stop taking it, yet can still interfere with sleep and cause nausea and stomach upset when combined with alcohol. Caffeine also interacts with medications including antidepressants and blood pressure drugs.
Young children, adolescents, and pregnant women should consume less caffeine than adults in order to optimize learning ability and prevent certain stomach conditions such as acid reflux or ulcers from occurring. Caffeine can increase risk for certain forms of stomach diseases including acid reflux and ulcers.
Studies have demonstrated that combining L-theanine (an amino acid found naturally in tea leaves) with caffeine improves attention levels. According to these studies, using this combination may enhance mental performance while decreasing feelings of tiredness and possibly helping prevent Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. As more is learned regarding these compounds’ role in these diseases’ prevention it would be wise to avoid large quantities of caffeine such as energy drinks or medicines with caffeine included in them until more research has been completed.
B vitamins
The B vitamins play an essential role in turning carbohydrates, proteins and fats into energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), while also performing other essential cellular functions. Vitamin B12 in particular plays an essential role in helping the body convert food to energy while supporting nerve and blood cell health; folic acid works similarly against fatigue-inducing anemias like that caused by chronic deficiency anemia; they’re found naturally in meat, fish, dairy products and nondairy milk products while supplements and fortified versions are also readily available as supplements and fortified foods.
Diet is your primary way to ensure you’re receiving all the vitamins and minerals your body requires, but if you still feel tired or exhausted there may be over-the-counter supplements that could provide some assistance such as Rhodiola Rosea (Rhodiola), Vitamin B3 or Niacinamide.
Rhodiola may help increase energy by revving up metabolism and decreasing fatigue. Furthermore, it improves your ability to deal with stress by supporting healthy levels of chemicals in your brain that promote calmness and positivity – in addition to providing antioxidant properties which protect against further damage caused by free radicals.
Vitamin B is a group of eight water-soluble vitamins essential to human health. As coenzymes they play an integral part in every aspect of cellular physiological functioning – such as breaking down amino acids or transporting oxygen and energy-containing nutrients around our bodies.
Vitamin B complex supplements may boost energy in people who lack enough of these essential vitamins, but most don’t experience an energy surge when taken in sufficient amounts. Therefore, it’s essential that people choose high quality B complex supplements with high concentrations of these vitamins while avoiding products containing added sugars or ingredients known to have laxative effects.
Ginseng
Ginseng is an herb often used as an energy booster. It may help your body deal with stress and increase immune system functioning while improving memory and mental alertness. Studies have also indicated that taking ginseng supplements may reduce fatigue levels; however, more research needs to be conducted in this area before conclusively confirming these claims. It should also be noted that taking too much ginseng may interact negatively with certain medications so always discuss any possible side effects with a healthcare provider prior to beginning any regiments of its consumption.
Ginseng’s biological activity stems from its phenolic compounds known as ginsenosides. Studies have demonstrated the beneficial properties of these ginsenosides against cancer, diabetes, immunomodulation and central nervous system functions such as increasing energy production while improving immune system response to stressors such as decreasing blood glucose levels or improving its response time to stressors.
Ginseng contains ginsenosides which can protect cells against radiation or chemotherapy damage and slow cancer cell growth. Furthermore, it can enhance chemotherapeutic drug efficacy while decreasing multidrug resistance.
There is little evidence to back claims that ginseng increases energy, though some beneficial effects have been observed for people living with chronic illnesses. Diet and exercise remain the best ways to maintain high energy levels; any new supplements taken including ginseng should first be discussed with a health care provider to make sure you receive sufficient vitamins and nutrients tailored to your personal health needs – these professionals can assess vitamin levels while screening you for other conditions which might be contributing to tiredness.
L-carnitine
Carnitine is an essential nutrient, helping the body transport fats into energy production cells. Produced naturally within our bodies as well as available as dietary supplements, it’s found throughout all tissues of our bodies and transporting by proteins such as the ACET1 protein; its use as an ALC supplement may even prevent mental decline with age. Acetyl L-carnitine acts as an important mediator between neurones during transport processes thereby helping prevent brain decline caused by age.
Research suggests that carnitine may help with insulin resistance and diabetes. Furthermore, it may reduce cardiovascular disease risk by improving fatty acid metabolism and decreasing cholesterol levels; in turn helping weight loss by increasing total energy expenditure. Finally, carnitine may treat neuropathies while alleviating symptoms associated with dementia.
A 2023 study examined the effects of supplementing carnitine for people living with type 2 diabetes. Participants who took 4 grams per day experienced improved glycemic control and lower serum insulin levels than those taking placebo; additionally, they had higher acetylcholine levels – essential to memory functions.
Studies have demonstrated the anti-aging and brain protective benefits of Acetyl L-carnitine supplementation for its anti-ageing and neuroprotective properties, including relieving symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s by increasing acetylcholine levels in cholinergic neurons. Furthermore, it can improve anti-psychotic drugs like Valproic Acid (VPA) and Phenytoin; additionally it has shown promise against VPA-induced Hepatotoxicity in children.
Sleep aids
Lifestyle changes tend to be the best source of help when it comes to sleep aids, such as creating a consistent bedtime routine, limiting caffeine and daytime naps, avoiding lighted screens before sleeping, and managing stress effectively. If none of those methods has helped, there are both prescription and nonprescription medications available that may assist – each comes with potential side effects or risks that should be considered before taking them.
Most over-the-counter sleeping pills utilize antihistamines as their active ingredient to induce sleep, with Diphenhydramine and Doxylamine succinate commonly found in brands such as Nytol, Sominex and Unisom being examples of such products. Some sleeping aids even include pain reliever acetaminophen such as Tylenol PM.
Other sleep aids, like the antidepressant melatonin and sedative ramelteon, work by simulating how your natural melatonin hormone regulates your sleep-wake cycle. They may be effective at treating jet lag or insomnia caused by chronic stress but they’re less suitable as general insomnia treatments.
Many people use herbal supplements, such as kava root and valerian root, to aid in sleep. Unfortunately, research on these herbs remains unclear and prolonged usage can cause liver damage over time.
Sleep aids like Ambien (zolpidem) and Lunesta (eszopiclone) work by increasing GABA’s effectiveness, which relaxes your brain. While these drugs may help you fall asleep faster and sleep longer, they should only be used under medical supervision to minimize side effects like sleepwalking, daytime drowsiness and difficulty awakening – anything other than this should increase their risks significantly. Combining alcohol with these medicines increases risks such as slow or unresponsive breathing as well as overdose risk significantly.
