Vitamin D is a vital nutrient, and many people take supplements to make sure they’re getting enough. It helps keep your immune system functioning well, helps your body absorb calcium, and supports your body’s muscles and nerves. To make the most of vitamin D, you’ll want to take it with foods and other vitamins that…
Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is an antioxidant that the human body makes naturally. However, the amount that our bodies make is fairly small, and it decreases as we get older. Like other antioxidants, CoQ10 helps protect cells from oxidative stress–the damage caused by free radicals. Our bodies also use CoQ10 to produce energy. Taking CoQ10…
Calcium and magnesium are both important nutrients that support bone health, and your body also uses magnesium in over 600 enzymatic reactions such as metabolism, blood pressure regulation, and protein synthesis. You can get both calcium and magnesium from your food, but many people don’t get adequate amounts of calcium, magnesium, or both, and need…
The curcumin in turmeric has powerful health benefits, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show that it may help manage inflammation and pain, and can even be beneficial for treating certain health conditions. However, curcumin has low bioavailability. In other words, it’s hard for your body to absorb the curcumin from turmeric. If you’re adding…
Beetroot extract or juice and the amino acid L-citrulline are both supplements associated with improving athletic performance. Both play a role in creating nitric oxide (NO), which improves blood flow to working muscles. Though they create similar outcomes, they each work a little differently. Depending on your goals, one might be better than the other,…
Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that live in our gut and help maintain good digestive health. There are many varieties, including live bacterial strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, as well as dormant ones like Bacillus and probiotic yeast. You can get probiotics from fermented foods or supplements, and research supports their benefits for gut health. The…
Calcium inhibits iron absorption. If you need to take iron supplements, which many people do, you might see advice cautioning you not to take them with calcium. When you read cautions like this, you might wonder how much it really matters. For calcium and iron, studies show that the effect depends on how much calcium…
Want to add more antioxidants to your diet? We probably should, since antioxidants help our bodies fight free radicals. High levels of free radicals (i.e., oxidative stress) can damage cells. Oxidative stress is linked to a wide variety of health issues, including cancer and diabetes. Our bodies make antioxidants on their own, but not enough…
Creatine is one of the best-known and most effective supplements for enhancing muscle growth, muscle strength, and athletic performance. Your body naturally makes creatine from amino acids, and it’s also found in some foods, especially red meat and seafood. You’ll need to supplement with additional creatine, though, if you want it to boost exercise results…
Beta-alanine is a popular sports supplement to boost athletic performance. It’s a non-essential amino acid, meaning that our bodies produce it on their own without needing to get beta-alanine from food sources. Though our bodies don’t need extra beta-alanine, supplementing with beta-alanine can be good for improving athletic performance. It can help boost your endurance…
