Top-7 Supplements to Skyrocket Your Energy

Sep 09, 2022

How often do you feel energized and vigorous during your workweek? The chances are that not that frequently as you'd like to. The National Sleep Foundation's 2020 survey confirms that most people have issues with energy levels. The survey has found that average adults feel tired and sleepy at least three days a week. And the reason for such fatigue isn't necessarily hidden in lack of sleep. You may feel exhausted due to an unhealthy lifestyle or a high workload that doesn't allow you to take a breath.

Still, poor diet and lack of nutrients in your body are among the top reasons for fatigue. You may find it hard to change your eating habits or make them more healthy in such cases. So what can you do to bring your energy back? Supplements are your effective and easy solution for reducing tiredness caused by a lack of nutrients. Let's uncover how micronutrients may affect your stamina and which supplements are the best for keeping it high!

Micronutrients and your energy: is there a link between them?

Aside from macronutrients like carbs, fats, and proteins, essential for your healthy nutrition and energy, some micronutrients affect your inner processes and define your wellbeing. Nutrients Journal study claims that vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients are indispensable parts of your body's metabolism and oxygen transport to all essential organs.

Supplements to reduce your fatigue

What's also important, some micronutrients are present in your cells. They affect the work of ATP molecules, which transform chemical energy got from the breakdown of food into the "fuel" for your cells and inner chemical processes. These ATP molecules have three roles:

transporting essential chemicals across your cells
helping you perform movements by doing a mechanical work
activating metabolic reactions within your cells.

Lack of certain micronutrients can be a reason for poor ATP molecules' performance, decreasing the efficiency of energy metabolism. In other words, if you don't get enough of certain essential micronutrients, you may feel tired, sleepy, or exhausted "for no reason" at first sight. At the same time, particular nutrient deficiencies may excessively boost the production of serotonin hormone, which contributes to sleepiness and tiredness.

There's still a way out of this poor energy hole! Taking dietary supplements may help you fight deficiencies, recovering your natural energy levels, and possibly maximizing them. However, it's hard to define which supplements to choose and what dosage will be effective for improving your stamina. That's why we decided to create a list of the best energy-boosting supplements to make this choice easier for you.

Top-7 supplements to skyrocket your energy and make the most of your daily performance

If you don't have time to watch your diet, create perfectly balanced meals, or get more proteins when eating on the go, you still can get the nutrients your body needs. By taking dietary supplements, you can continue to pursue your ambitious goals with improved energy for every little goal and huge task you've planned. Let's see which of them are most beneficial when it comes to skyrocketing your stamina.

Various supplements to make you more vigorous

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is one of the most effective vitamins to reduce fatigue and make you more energized. B12 is present in your body in three natural forms, each with its beneficial role in your energy. First, it helps regenerate folate, assisting you in blood production and making you more vigorous. What's more, vitamin B12 is an essential part of the citric acid cycle - a process of energy generation by converting carbs, fats, and proteins into it. Finally, this vitamin acts as an antioxidant, which may help you reduce energy-depleting oxidative stress.

In turn, vitamin B12 deficiency may be the reason why you're feeling so exhausted and sleepy after completing even minor tasks. When you're short on B12, your body can't produce enough red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout your body. This state leads to anemia, which causes tiredness, "brain fog," and weakness. Aren't the best partners for a productive day, huh?

If you decide to add vitamin B12 to your supplementation, keep in mind that it's a water-soluble vitamin that your body can't store for a long time. That's why taking it daily for a specific period may be the most efficient approach to help you increase energy. The recommended dosage of vitamin B12 to prevent low energy and tiredness is 250-500 mcg daily. If you have a severe deficiency, you may need a higher dose of 500-1000 mcg.

Coenzyme Q10

No matter how much you drink coffee or tea, sit by the sun, or go for a jog, there are some people who feel sleepy when it's time for work. Feeling tired and low on energy may impair your performance at work. But it seems like you can use CoQ10 to fix that! The problem is that your body may produce very little of ATP energy-carrying cells, and we need to supplement with a regular dose to maintain the necessary levels in our blood.

In recent years, CoQ10 supplements have become increasingly popular as a means of helping people feel energized at work. With all these benefits, it's no wonder why this vitamin is often dubbed "the modern-day energy food"!

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), also known as “ubiquinone”, is a fat-soluble molecule found in almost every cell in the body. It can dissolve only in fats but not water. CoQ10 stimulates our cells to produce ATP energy carriers - the body's main energy source. By taking CoQ10, the body can benefit from the nutrients in food better. It may also help you avoid chronic fatigue by reducing inflammation. You can take it as a supplement to refill your body’s energy stores and feel great again! You can take 100-200 mg of CoQ10 daily to meet your health and energy goals.

Iron

Among all minerals, iron is literally a cup holder when it comes to supplying your body with energy. A study says that almost 63% of the iron in your body are present in hemoglobin - protein concentrated in your red blood cells. These cells are responsible for oxygen transportation throughout your body. For example, when you work out, your muscles require more oxygen to contract. Though, if your body lacks iron, your blood can't provide enough oxygen, impairing your endurance and energy efficiency.

Person running after taking energizing supplements

WHO claims that almost 30% of adults worldwide are iron-deficient. If you feel like your energy and endurance are limited, then taking iron supplements may help you. The Journal of Nutrition research shows that they may help you increase your endurance by 45%. Another survey has found that taking iron supplements can boost your workout performance.

The recommended iron dosage for men is 8,7 mg daily, while women need a bit larger dose - 14,8 mg per day. For better iron absorption, you can take it together with vitamin C, not necessarily a supplement - it can be a glass of orange or grapefruit juice.

Creatine

Well-known among athletes, creatine is an amino acid with powerful muscle-building and stamina-boosting properties. Your body stores it in the muscles, which use this amino acid for producing energy. You need it to perform specific physically demanding tasks - that's why this amino acid is a great energy-boosting supplement!

Journal of Sports Nutrition study shows that taking creatine supplements increases creatine storage of your body and helps you restore your ATP molecules between exercises. Besides, long-term creatine intake volumizes your muscle cells, which increases your body's ability to synthesize protein and store more glycogen for energy production. So if you want to make the most out of your gym performance and boost your energy levels, consider taking a creatine supplement.

Man working out at gym after taking supplements

Creatine supplements are available as a powder that you can add to your drinks or meals. A dose of 2-20 grams is considered a safe dose, which may help you maximize your workout performance and give you more energy for everything planned. Even if you're not so fond of sports, it will also benefit you, so don't hesitate to try it!

Guarana

If you're a devoted coffee lover, you should know that it's not the only natural drink that may give you a second breath. Guarana is a natural herb that contains x4 times more caffeine than coffee beans! And caffeine is a popular stimulant that can enhance the circulation of such hormones as adrenaline and cortisol, making you more vigorous, energized, and alert.

Surprisingly, due to the high content of caffeine, guarana supplements may also enhance your endurance capacity. Journal of American Physiological Society has found that people who consume caffeine have 60% more glycogen in muscles than those who don't take it. And since muscles use glycogen as their primary energy source, you'll be able to do more exercises with less fatigue.

What also makes guarana more effective than coffee is that aside from caffeine, it contains energy-boosting chemicals which help you get a long-term energy boost. Plus, guarana is an organic source of antioxidants, enabling you to reduce inflammation - the number one enemy of your energy levels.

A woman enjoying her high energy after taking guarana

If you want to start taking guarana supplements, try to avoid sugary energy drinks with guarana since glucose lowers the energy-boosting effect of this herb. The best option for leveling up your stamina is guarana pills, with no sugar and harmful additives. You can take 75-100 mg of guarana daily for one month safely.

Beetroot powder

Beetroot is an excellent source of nitrate, which has been found to increase the body's nitric oxide levels. It’s important as nitric oxide improves blood flow and may help improve oxygen levels in the blood. It might sound like an unusual addition to your morning coffee or afternoon tea, but it can help you skip the sugar rush and level up your energy levels healthily. Beetroot also contains a wide range of additional minerals and vitamins, such as magnesium, potassium, and folate.

Magnesium can help increase energy levels by relaxing muscles and decreasing anxiety levels. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure, while folate can help to reduce muscle pain when taken before exercise. Not only does beetroot have the ability to give you more energy, but it also helps you stay more energized for longer due to its high antioxidant content.

Ashwagandha

A traditional herbal remedy to increase energy and endurance, ashwagandha doesn't contain caffeine but still is highly effective for making you less tired and more vigorous. It's a natural adaptogen, helping your body resist physical stress. Therefore, ashwagandha is a potent herb to reduce muscle soreness and promote endurance during workouts and active days.

Indian researchers have found that ashwagandha can be an effective treatment to improve your vitality and physical endurance. They conveyed a survey, which included 50 healthy adults taking ashwagandha supplements. Results have shown that this herb can enhance your oxygen capacity, endurance, and overall muscle strength. In addition, ashwagandha contains antioxidants, helpful when treating inflammation and oxidative stress.

This herbal supplement is mainly available as a powder of its blended root. The dosages of 500-600 mg per day will be effective for boosting your energy levels and strength.

An energized woman at work after taking supplements

Wrapping up

Your energy levels define your daily productivity and everyday progress towards the goals you set. Still, sometimes even a healthy sleep routine can't help you feel more energized throughout the day. If you feel like you're becoming tired even after minor tasks, then you may lack certain micronutrients. In this case, such supplements like vitamin B12, creatine, or iron may help you treat deficiency and get your energy back! Besides, you can also add herbal supplements like guarana or ashwagandha to your nutrition and feel their energy-boosting effects.