Supplements for Standup Paddlers

 

The supplement industry continues to go from strength to strength–if you’ll pardon the bad intentional pun–and may reach $60 billion by 2021. The trouble is that there’s an increasingly baffling array of products to choose from, many of which have insufficient scientific evidence behind the lofty claims their manufacturers make. Some might even damage your health.

So should you just avoid all supplementation? Certainly, it’s best to eat a well balanced diet based on organic, non-GMO foods. This will not only supply most of the nutrients your body needs, but also limit your exposure to environmental toxins. But beyond this basic premise, there are several supplements that have been shown to safely promote exercise performance and recovery. Here are four you should consider:

ZMA

For the longest time, doctors and physicians swore up and down that taking high levels of vitamin C was the best way to ward off a cold. But recent studies call this claim into question, and suggest that zinc is actually the micronutrient you need if you want to prevent and shorten the duration of a cold. The trouble is that intense exercise can deplete zinc levels, making it hard to get enough from natural sources such as citrus fruits. Enter ZMA, a natural supplement that not only gives you a  ...more

Also posted on playak.com