Getting through the holidays seems easy enough when you’re running on all your cylinders… but this hectic season’s endless parties and crowded malls will always catch up with you in the end. And without a little extra help “the most wonderful time of the year” can easily turn into a month-long nightmare of fatigue and exhaustion.
It’s a common trap—but luckily, you don’t need bottomless cups of coffee or late-night sugar binges to work your way out of it. In fact, you can tap into enough natural energy to propel you right through the New Year simply by choosing the right supplements.
The first step is to fuel your body on the cellular level. And that means feeding your mitochondria—the energy producing organelles that are responsible for the production of adenosine-triphosphate (ATP), the most important form of chemical energy in your body. Fatigue, aging, DNA mutations and oxidative stress can all lead to sharp declines in ATP production, so fighting free radical damage and boosting mitochondrial function is essential if you want to avoid feeling run down in the long run.1-5
Research indicates, for example, that ample amounts of carnitine can significantly improve energy and functional capacity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and heart disease.6-7 Pair it with lipoic acid—a powerful antioxidant that’s able to protect against and repair age-related mitochondrial damage—to increase cellular metabolism and lower oxidative stress.8-10 Studies also show that n-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a natural precursor of the antioxidant glutathione, can counteract free radical damage while directly improving mitochondrial energy production.11-13
Mito-Boost® Caps combine all of these key nutrients along with succinic acid—which has been shown to benefit patients with mitochondrial defects—into a single supplement that can replenish your flagging energy levels naturally and safely.14 But they’re not the only compounds with proven fatigue-fighting powers.
Clinical research shows that supplementing with a natural sugar called D-ribose can also reduce free radical formation and accelerate ATP synthesis—resulting in significant improvements in pain, energy levels and well being with regular use among CFS patients.15-17
Finally, for those times when you need immediate energy, look for nutrients that offer more immediate energy support, like L-phenylalanine and pyridoxine (vitamin B6). You’ll find both in VRP’s Optimum Energy™, a formula that nourishes your levels of vital neurotransmitters (including norepinephrine, epinephrine and GABA) for an all-natural, crash-free boost.18
References:
1. Cortopassi GA, Wong A. Mitochondria in organismal aging and degeneration. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1999 Feb 9;1410(2):183-93.
2. Wei YH, Lee HC. Oxidative stress, mitochondrial DNA mutation, and impairment of antioxidant enzymes in aging. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2002 Oct;227(9):671-82.
3. Pieczenik SR, Neustadt J. Mitochondrial dysfunction and molecular pathways of disease. Exp Mol Pathol. 2007 Aug;83(1):84-92.
4. Nicolson GL. Metabolic syndrome and mitochondrial function: molecular replacement and antioxidant supplements to prevent membrane peroxidation and restore mitochondrial function. J Cell Biochem. 2007 Apr 15;100(6):1352-69.
5. Nicolson GL, Conklin KA. Reversing mitochondrial dysfunction, fatigue and the adverse effects of chemotherapy of metastatic disease by molecular replacement therapy. Clin Exp Metastasis. 2008;25(2):161-9.
6. Plioplys AV, Plioplys S. Serum levels of carnitine in chronic fatigue syndrome: clinical correlates. Neuropsychobiology. 1995;32(3):132-8.
7. Carvajal K, Moreno-Sanchez R. Heart metabolic disturbances in cardiovascular diseases. Arch Med Res. 2003;34:89-99.
8. McCarty MF, Barroso-Aranda J, Contreras F. The “rejuvenatory” impact of lipoic acid on mitochondrial function in aging rats may reflect induction and activation of PPAR-gamma coactivator-1alpha. Med Hypotheses. 2009 Jan;72(1):29-33.
9. Hagen TM, Ingersoll RT, Lykkesfeldt J, et al. (R)-alpha-lipoic acid-supplemented old rats have improved mitochondrial function, decreased oxidative damage, and increased metabolic rate. FASEB J. 1999 Feb;13(2):411-8.
10. Liu J. The effects and mechanisms of mitochondrial nutrient alpha-lipoic acid on improving age-associated mitochondrial and cognitive dysfunction: an overview. Neurochem Res. 2008 Jan;33(1):194-203.
11. Banaclocha MM. Therapeutic potential of N-acetylcysteine in age-related mitochondrial neurodegenerative diseases. Med Hypotheses. 2001 Apr;56(4):472-7.
12. Nicoletti VG, Marino VM, Cuppari C, et al. Effect of antioxidant diets on mitochondrial gene expression in rat brain during aging. Neurochem Res. 2005 Jun-Jul;30(6-7):737-52.
13. Cocco T, Sgobbo P, Clemente M, et al. Tissue-specific changes of mitochondrial functions in aged rats: effect of a long-term dietary treatment with N-acetylcysteine. Free Radic Biol Med. 2005 Mar 15;38(6):796-805.
14. Shoffner JM, Lott MT, Voljavec AS, et al. Spontaneous Kearns-Sayre/chronic external ophthalmoplegia plus syndrome associated with a mitochondrial DNA deletion: a slip-replication model and metabolic therapy. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1989 Oct;86(20):7952-6.
15. Hellsten Y, Skadhauge L, Bangsbo J. Effect of Ribose Supplementation on Resynthesis of Adenine Nucleotides after Intermittent Training in Humans. AM J Physiol, Regul Intergr Comp Physiol. 2004;286:R182-R188.
16. Seifert JG, Subhudi A, Fu M-X, et al. The Effects of Ribose Ingestion on Indicies or Free Radical Production During Hypoxic Exercise. Free Rad Biol Med. 2002;33(Suppl 1):S269.
17. Teitelbaum JE, Johnson C, St Cyr J. The use of D-ribose in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med. 2006;12(9):857-62.
18. Paulose CS, Dakshinamurti K, Packer S, et al. Sympathetic stimulation and hypertension in the pyridoxine-deficient adult rat. Hypertension. 1988 Apr;11(4):387-91.
