Beat Fatigue And Boost ATP Production With Powerful Herbal Combination
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Have you ever longed for a simple recharge, like replenishing your own energy reserves? This desire resonates with most people, particularly as we age.
Exhaustion remains a significant issue for adults in the United States, leading to countless doctor visits every year.1 The symptoms are familiar: grogginess in the morning, troubled sleep, insufficient energy for daily activities, and a lack of enthusiasm for enjoyable pastimes. Physicians frequently encounter these concerns and share their patients' frustration at their inability to offer effective solutions.
What's more, the available drugs to combat fatigue often come with a worrisome list of side effects, including the risk of dependency. The market is now flooded with caffeine-packed "energy drinks," which, although moderate consumption is generally safe, can lead to caffeine toxicity and other adverse effects when consumed in large quantities alongside sugar and additives.
Remarkably, drugs and caffeine don't truly provide lasting energy; they only trigger a temporary surge of adrenaline from your adrenal glands and, over time, can further deplete your defenses.
However, it is possible to genuinely recharge your internal batteries with a combination of two new supplements that effectively restore your natural energy levels. Cordyceps and fermented ginseng, both ancient and life-sustaining supplements, have the ability to elevate your body's levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
ATP molecules store energy in their chemical bonds, akin to how a battery retains energy when charged. Whether you're moving, thinking, speaking, or relaxing, virtually every action relies on a full charge of ATP.
As we slow down with age, it becomes apparent that we're simply running low on ATP. While fatigue has numerous causes, both biological and psychosocial, insufficient ATP stands out as a key factor in the aging process. Either we don't produce it as efficiently as we did in our youth, or we consume more of it to perform tasks that were once effortless.
Let's delve into cordyceps and ginseng to understand how they collaborate to replenish your ATP levels, renew your energy, and combat fatigue. You don't have to resign yourself to the effects of aging!
Cordyceps
Cordyceps sinensis is highly regarded as one of the most valuable medicinal fungi in China. These fungi thrive on and eventually consume caterpillars of the "ghost moth" and other insects, replacing the host's tissues with their own fungal structures. Previously only obtained from the wild at great cost, now there are cultivated, fermented versions with equivalent potency available to consumers.
Historically, cordyceps has been utilized in traditional Chinese medicine for its metabolic and energy-boosting effects. A standardized, fermented extract of the fungus known as "Cordyceps" is currently accessible to consumers.
Research indicates that cordyceps extract enhances available energy in muscles and other tissues by elevating ATP levels. For instance, mice given cordyceps supplements exhibited an 18.4% increase in liver ATP levels. This was accompanied by a decrease in ATP's building blocks, suggesting that the body was utilizing them to generate new energy-rich ATP molecules.
Cordyceps is particularly effective at raising ATP levels during stressful conditions that induce fatigue. For example, in animals with iron deficiency anemia, a common cause of fatigue in humans, cordyceps not only raised ATP levels but also improved blood flow, another indicator of energy metabolism.
Additionally, cordyceps reduces the accumulation of toxic lactic acid, which is responsible for fatigue in overworked muscles. When rats were forced to swim until exhaustion, supplementation with cordyceps resulted in lower lactic acid levels, enabling the rats to swim for longer periods. Studies have shown that supplementation can increase swimming time by as much as 88%.
Furthermore, cordyceps enhances your available energy by improving insulin sensitivity. The more sensitive your cells are to insulin, the faster and more effectively they absorb sugar from your blood, providing them with immediate access to more energy. This has the short-term effect of boosting cellular energy and the long-term benefit of reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic ailments. Studies have demonstrated that cordyceps can increase immune cell production and the production of ATP in heart muscles.
A noteworthy human study involved 20 healthy adults aged 50-75 who were given cordyceps extract at a dose of 333 mg three times daily for 12 weeks, while another group received a placebo. They underwent daily exercise testing on stationary bicycles to the point of exhaustion, with continuous monitoring of their physiological parameters. At the end of the study period, the placebo group showed no improvement from their baseline performance, whereas the supplemented group exhibited a 10.5% increase in the time until muscle fatigue set in (as indicated by lactic acid levels in the muscle). Their ability to exercise until they were "out of breath" also increased by 8.5%.
Cordyceps plays a crucial role in maintaining energy levels by supporting maximum ATP storage, the miniature "batteries" that power our bodies. Let's now explore ginseng to understand how it complements cordyceps perfectly.
Overcome Fatigue and Boost Mental Resilience
Low energy levels and fatigue affect millions of individuals, especially as they age.
While fatigue stems from various physical and mental causes, it ultimately originates from insufficient levels of ATP, the tiny molecular batteries that store and transport energy within our bodies.
Mainstream medicine and popular culture have fostered a harmful response to fatigue, with stimulant drugs and caffeine/sugar combinations carrying potentially addictive and even fatal side effects.
Both cordyceps and ginseng boast centuries of proven energy-boosting benefits without addictive or toxic risks.
Recent research has revealed that both supplements increase ATP levels, providing more energy to the brain, muscles, and other vital organs, thereby restoring youthful energy levels.
Opt for a fermented ginseng product, as these have been shown to enhance the absorption of active ginsenoside molecules by over 15 times.
Ginseng
Similar to cordyceps, ginseng has a long history of traditional use in China, where it is believed to possess "qi-invigorating" properties. The concept of "qi" refers to "energy flow" or "vital energy," with its deficiency associated with heart disease and sluggish blood circulation.
Not surprisingly, studies have demonstrated that ginseng increases ATP production within the mitochondria, partly due to its potent antioxidant effects that shield mitochondria from the intense energy-rich environment in which they operate. Recent findings have indicated that ginseng activates multiple enzymes in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (or Krebs cycle), allowing mitochondria to extract the maximum energy (in the form of ATP) from glucose fuel in the presence of oxygen.
Ginseng is also classified as an adaptogen, a compound that assists the body in adapting to various stresses and extremes. Unfortunately, most forms of ginseng require fermentation in the human intestine to be absorbed, limiting their potential effectiveness. Advanced formulations of ginseng, such as GS15-4, overcome this obstacle by naturally fermenting premium Panax ginseng, resulting in over 15 times greater absorption of the crucial compound K (a ginsenoside metabolite) within the body.
In laboratory experiments, rats administered a single dose of energy-boosting ginseng exhibited a 132% increase in their treadmill running time. After seven days, the duration of exercise on the treadmill had increased by 179%, with the study attributing this improvement to the enhanced adaptation of the pituitary-adrenal gland system. This adaptation facilitated the production of appropriate stress hormones until the animals' bodies adjusted to the exercise regimen. Additionally, research on chronically stressed animals indicates that ginseng supplementation effectively reduces plasma levels of the stress hormone cortisol, while reversing disruptions in neurotransmitter precursor balance and fatty acid metabolism that contribute to stress-induced fatigue.
Several other studies have corroborated that ginseng supplements extend endurance during aerobic exercise even in untrained animal models. Some of this effect appears to stem from a reduction in fatigue of the diaphragm, the large muscle that aids in breathing; fatigue of the diaphragm can prematurely terminate an exercise session.
Research on the effects of ginseng in depression has unveiled powerful antidepressant effects that contribute to improved energy levels. Similarly, studies on obese animals have demonstrated a down-regulation of various genes involved in lipid and energy metabolism, which is a significant finding considering that obesity contributes to fatigue.
In human subjects, fermented ginseng has been found to reduce anxiety and improve sleep, leading to enhanced energy levels. For example, a study indicated that a total dose of 1,845 mg/day of fermented ginseng (three capsules of 205 mg each, taken three times daily for eight days) improved the so-called "first night effect," where sleep is disturbed in an unfamiliar environment.
The same researchers identified an anti-anxiety effect attributed to improvements in the levels of the calming neurotransmitter GABA, suggesting that the sleep enhancements may have resulted from reductions in anxiety, another cause of fatigue.
Similarly, mentally taxing cognitive tasks can induce mental fatigue (potentially through the production of anxiety), and a single 200 mg dose of a standardized ginseng extract significantly reduced mental fatigue while enhancing cognitive performance in mental arithmetic tasks among a group of healthy volunteers. In a subsequent study, healthy volunteers were given either 200 mg of the ginseng extract or a placebo, followed immediately by a series of demanding cognitive tasks, and then 30 minutes later by either 25 grams of glucose or a placebo. While both ginseng and glucose improved performance on the tasks and reduced feelings of fatigue, there was no synergistic effect. However, since ginseng lowered blood sugar while glucose raised it, the researchers concluded that ginseng was both glucoregulatory and provided the mental stamina necessary for extended cognitive processes.
Furthermore, in another study, a standardized ginseng extract of 400 mg/day for eight days improved feelings of calmness in healthy young adults compared to those who received a placebo. Both on the first and eighth day, the supplemented subjects also performed better on mental arithmetic tasks.
Why Fermented Ginseng?
Ginseng boasts numerous health benefits, but its native form is poorly absorbed from the digestive tract. It requires fermentation by microbes in the human large intestine (colon) to be converted into a form that can be effectively absorbed. However, as our colonic bacterial populations change with age, we may lose the ability to efficiently convert and absorb the active ginsenoside molecules.
Innovative research in Korea, home to the world's most potent ginseng supplies, has shown the efficacy of fermenting premium ginseng in specialized fermenters. Human studies reveal that compared to standard ginseng extracts, GS15-4 fermented ginseng extract is absorbed 15.5 times more in 24 hours, achieves a 27-fold higher peak concentration in the blood, and reaches that peak in approximately a quarter of the time.
Fermented ginseng is so potent that it can be considered a different biological product altogether, one that can bring the myriad laboratory-proven benefits of ginseng to ordinary people who could use an extra boost of energy in their lives.
Summary
Fatigue, much like pain, has multiple causes, is challenging for others to objectively assess, and can potentially be debilitating. However, fatigue, whether mental or physical, can be linked to insufficient levels of the tiny battery-like ATP molecules that store the energy derived from the foods we consume, primarily fats and sugars. By replenishing ATP levels, we effectively "recharge our batteries," alleviating fatigue and reinstating more youthful energy levels. Cordyceps and ginseng work harmoniously to elevate ATP levels and invigorate our bodies' energy reserves.
If you are one of the many Americans constantly battling fatigue, and in need of a safe, non-addictive, and scientifically-proven energy boost, opt for a natural combination of cordyceps and fermented ginseng. Avoid turning to caffeinated energy drinks or prescription drugs, as they often come with toxic side effects. Instead, choose this natural energy-restoring blend to optimize energy production and rejuvenate both your body and mind.
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