Athletic Enhancement Supplement Program
By Geoff D'Arcy, Lic. Ac., D.O.M.
Supplementation Program:
Herbs
Ener-Qi Formula: 2 capsules, three times daily.
Women’s Stamina Formula: 2 capsules, three times daily.
Add Inflam-Ease Formula: 2 capsules, three times daily, as needed for inflammation chronic sprains and swelling.
Vitamins
Multivitamin: Ultra Preventive X: Use as directed on bottle.
CoQ10: 1 capsule, twice daily.
Though most people exercise for health, competitive athletes repeatedly push themselves to the limits of their bodies' capacities, potentially putting themselves in danger in the process. My experience working with athletes, body builders, tri-athletes, iron men and women has shown me that when the training program is severe, the immune system can be compromised because of the the constant strain on the body’s resources for repair and rejuvenation. When you “push the envelope” and really challenge your body-mind, athletically, you may experience one or all of the following: stress/strain, lack of pre-event energy, pain or stiffness, inflammation, fatigue, lowered endurance, deficient immune response from over-training, slow recovery time, nagging injuries, lack of stamina post-event “let-down,” adrenal exhaustion, decreased libido, slow sexual recovery, lack of vitality, lack of concentration, lack of motivation, and loss of memory.
Therefore, providing the body with “nutritional assistance” for repair and rejuvenation is critical to shake off nagging injuries, strains, and constant soreness. And, this alone is not enough. Vitamins and minerals offer the body inert biochemical building blocks for repair, but more is needed. I have found that we need to provide our bodies with increased “life force”, increased energy, to motivate, and inspire the body-mind. And that is where herbal medicine excels.
We are not the first generation of human beings to athletically push ourselves to the limit, we are not the first generation to look to increase stamina and endurance with herbs, and we are certainly not the first to look to the wisdom of the plant kingdom for increased “life force” for rejuvenation and performance. There have been 500 generations of warriors, dancers, monks and martial artists of the East spanning a 2,000 year old tradition of using plants for 'an edge', for increased endurance and stamina. It's their wisdom that I look to, to build formulas and programs. I combine this wisdom with modern scientific wisdom, and formulate with the most effective plants from all over the globe. Modern science is now demonstrating that their botanical wisdom has validity. (See references below.) Then use the program and notice the results!
Who can benefit from this Herbal Athletic Improvement Program? Any person who is pushing themselves for greater athletic performance.
Remember the suggested dosages are a starting point; feel free to increase or decrease according to your own intuition and experience. I have found that most athletes are in tune with their body’s needs, and during training is the best time to listen and fine tune those messages.
This formula helps the body-mind endure. It helps to increase stamina and performance and shortens recovery time.
Panax (Asian) ginseng contains 13 ginsenosides believed responsible for many of its remarkable anti-fatigue, anti-stress, sexually-rejuvenating, and immune-stimulating qualities. It helps to increase stamina and performance and shortens recovery time. It is a nutritive tonic for the adrenals that feeds the cardiovascular, immune, digestive, nervous, and reproductive systems with regulatory secretions of cortisol. Ginseng has been shown to quiet the mind while, at the same time, increasing energy for workout performance and general mental functioning. It is used as part of the classic Four Gentleman Chinese formula, along with poria, atractylodes,and licorice.
Panax Ginseng Over a period of several decades, German and Soviet researchers have studied the effects of Panax ginseng, standardized to 4% ginsenosides, on the performance of athletes. One study compared 200mg/day of Panax ginseng in 14 highly trained male athletes versus a placebo. The ginseng group showed an increase in their maximum oxygen uptake when compared to the placebo group as well as a statistically significant improvement in recovery time and lower serum lactate values. Other studies in various groups of young athletes have shown Panax ginseng extract to provide statistically significant improvements in performance measures such as forced vital capacity and maximum breathing capacity as compared to the placebo groups.
Women’s Stamina helps the body-mind endure by increasing stamina and performance, shortening recovery time, and reducing energy fluctuations. It differs from the Men’s Stamina formula because the quality of women’s blood is often compromised when enduring stress or a heavy training schedule; it is very common for female athletes’ menstrual cycles to be irregular or even stop. Rehmannia, peony, dong quai, and cnidium make up a classic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) blood-building formula, Four Substance Soup. Suma, from the Brazilian rain forest, is used to strengthen the immune and hormonal systems (and is especially helpful to regulate estrogen production), adding great benefit to women under endurance stress. The Four Gentlemen is a classic TCM Qi (energy)-building formula. Ginseng, atractylodes, poria, and licorice boost energy and endurance.
References
Ginseng
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Bruce A, Ekblom B, Nilsson I. The effect of vitamin and mineral supplements and health foods on physical endurance and performance. Proc Nutr Soc. 1985 Jul;44(2):283-95.
Dowling EA, Redondo DR, Branch JD, Jones S, McNabb G, Williams MH. Effect of Eleutherococcus senticosus on submaximal and maximal exercise performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996 Apr;28(4):482-9.
Grandhi A, Mujumdar AM, Patwardhan B. A comparative pharmacological investigation of Ashwagandha and Ginseng. J Ethnopharmacol. 1994 Dec;44(3):131- 1-5.
Lewis WH, Zenger VE, Lynch RG. No adaptogen response of mice to ginseng and Eleutherococcus infusions. J Ethnopharmacol. 1983 Aug;8(2):209-14.
Martinez B, Staba EJ. The physiological effects of Aralia, Panax and Eleutherococcus on exercised rats. Jpn J Pharmacol. 1984 Jun;35(2):79-85.
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Ginkgo
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Fowler JS, Wang GJ, Volkow ND, Logan J, Franceschi D, Franceschi M, MacGregor R, Shea C, Garza V, Liu N, Ding YS. Evidence that gingko biloba extract does not inhibit MAO A and B in living human brain. Life Sci. 2000 Jan 21;66(9):PL141-6.
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*The statements contained in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.