Energy Supplements:
When Healthy Living Needs A Boost
by Joyce Luteyn, M.D.
Few patients realize that when a
doctor orders a test, procedure, or bills
for a visit, they must attach a diagnosis
code to the order or invoice. Unless a
patient has a known disease state, such
as diabetes or cancer, the code usually
describes a symptom, such as fever,
abdominal pain, or joint swelling.
Of all of the codes I use to describe the symptoms
of my patients, 780.79, undue fatigue
is by far the most common. Malaise
and weakness carry the same code.
Nothing is indicated of course, by that
code about the cause or causes of that
fatigue, and that is the reason the patient
is seeking my advice. Sometimes the answer
as to the cause is easy to determine
and treat, and of course, metabolic and
physical causes must be ruled out. Frequently
however there are multiple contributing
factors, not all of which are easy
to change in today’s demanding world.
When changeable sources of fatigue
have been addressed, then appropriate
supplements may be helpful. I’ll discuss
these in detail, but first let’s go over the
basics.
Sleep
I have a medical degree from a prestigious
institution, which in complicated
cases comes in handy, but this one is
usually a matter of common sense. I have
people pay me good money to tell them
that they’re tired because they only sleep
five hours per night. My dog, smart as he
is shouldn’t stack up with the smarts of
my patients, yet I know for a fact he has
never in his life gone without sufficient
sleep. Most adults need at least seven to
eight hours of time sleeping, not just in
bed, to be well rested. Adolescents and
young adults need more. Catch up sleep
doesn’t work and may exacerbate some
sleep pattern disorders.
Very frequently nowadays I diagnose
patients with sleep disorders, the most
serious being sleep apnea. With the increase
in obesity in our population, this
has become an alarmingly common problem.
Patients complain of daytime sleepiness
despite what seems adequate sleep.
They almost always snore loudly. What
is so dangerous is that between snores
these people stop breathing as their airway
collapses, and they wake up only
when their brain recognizes dangerously
low levels of oxygen. This may happen
hundreds of times per night, leaving the
sufferer with the equivalent of no sleep.
This disorder is not only responsible for
the early death of its victims, but likely
is a major source of automobile accidents
that occur when people fall asleep
at the wheel. Treatment is available and
weight loss can be curative, but looking
for the signs and symptoms is key to
getting help.
Diet
When I query tired patients about their
diet I frequently find room for improvement
that should help their energy. The
most common problem is poor quality
diet, lacking in whole foods, fruits and
vegetables, and adequate fiber. Other
people eat too little, too much, or not
in synchrony with their body’s needs.
The starve all day, eat all night habit that
many Americans have taken on in their
busy lives is notorious for causing midday
fatigue and weakness as well a excessive
evening sleepiness from overeating.
It is much better to eat all day, but just
a little at a time, eat everything, but just
a little of everything. Whole food nutritional
supplements, digestive enzymes,
and probiotics can be very helpful in
achieving a well-rounded diet, and ensuring
proper digestion and metabolism of
foods, therefore I frequently encourage
their use. The best enzyme supplements
are plant based and comprehensive, and
are especially helpful as people age. They
are not however, a replacement for good
quality real whole food in your diet.
Exercise
There is no way around it, if you don’t
exercise regularly, you will not feel your
best. Many will not feel well, only for
lack of exercise. Other than not smoking,
whether my patient exercises regularly
is the number one predictor of good
health. Exercise helps everything, weight,
cholesterol, sleep, mood, pain, strength,
balance, mental agility, bowel regularity,
libido, blood pressure, risk of diabetes,
heart disease and stroke. I could go on,
but I have to go to the gym.
Stress
Stress is unavoidable at any speed. At the
pace of our culture, it is a real issue for
all of us. Most of us are balancing family,
jobs, and an attempt to have a personal
life to let’s say, exercise. Many of us are
bearing the responsibilities of taking care
of our children and our parents at the
same time, while planning for our own
retirement. These are not responsibilities
that can be avoided or delayed, therefore
the stress is there for us to manage, and
everything we have in our arsenal to do so
should be considered. In some instances,
prescription medications may be needed,
and everyone should discuss low mood
or persistently sad thoughts with their
physician. In many cases however, when
adequate sleep, proper nutrition, and
exercise are not sufficient, supplements
may be very helpful for coping with stress
and the fatigue associated with it.
We all want to have more mental and
physical stamina. When looking for supplements
to boost energy the choices can
be daunting. I recommend supplements
that not only have ingredients that I think
are helpful, but whose ingredients are reliably
potent, pure, and of excellent quality.
In the health food industry, it is diffi-
cult to find energy products that combine
ingredients to cover a comprehensive
spectrum of issues. The energy promoting
supplements that I recommend, and
personally use, contain the highest available
quantity and quality of ingredients
shown to promote improved mental,
physical, digestive, and immune function.
These supplements contain a synergistic
blend of nutrients that, without the
risks of stimulant ingredients, such as
ephedra, ma huang, guarana, or caffeine,
can provide an increase in energy, endurance,
and alertness. They are also easy to
take, and have much less propensity for
causing stomach upset than concentrated
vitamin/mineral supplements.
Nearly every health supplement I recommend
contains some component
derived from pre-digested goat’s milk.
Because of its remarkable similarity to human
milk, goat’s milk has been used as
a food source for millennia. Goat’s milk,
once fermented, is tolerated even by those
sensitive to dairy. Fermenting goat’s milk
can improve the digestibility and bioavailability
of many other nutrients. Goat’s milk
whey is rich in minerals, and, combined
with goat colostrum, which contains beneficial
immunoglobulins and growth factors,
can be very helpful for those that suffer
from energy issues.
The energy food products I use and
recommend also contain good quality
organic bee products, such as organic
raw honey for quick energy, bee pollen
powder, and royal jelly powder. Bee pollen
is a complete source of amino acids
and excellent source of antioxidants.
Royal jelly powder, the maker of queens,
is a rich source of vitamins, amino acids,
and minerals. Look for a supplement that
uses only freeze-dried royal jelly powder,
which preserves its nutrients without the
need for preservatives, rather than spray
dried, which is less pure and requires the
use of preservatives.
To help my memory and smarts to keep
up with my straight A teenager, I recommend
several ingredients, that when combined,
may improve alertness and mental
agility. Chocamine™ is the trademark
name for a combination of ingredients
derived from the same plant that gives us
cocoa and chocolate. It contains all of the
antioxidant and energy improving benefits
of chocolate, without the fat, calories, and
dairy. Cocoa flavinoids have also been
shown to reduce the production of “bad
cholesterol.” Gingko biloba has been used
for thousands of years to improve memory,
and in reasonable doses is very safe. I
also recommend some herbals that have
been used by the indigenous populations
of the Amazon for centuries, specifically
Maca, for its alleged effect on mental clarity
and libido, and Muara Puama, which
is also thought to improve fertility, virility,
and nervous disorders.
Other ingredients important for energy,
stamina, adaptability, and proper
immune function have been part of the
cultures of indigenous populations for
millennia. Astragalus root powder, a native
Chinese herb, and Cordyceps sinensis,
a Chinese mushroom have been used to
boost energy, athletic performance and
immunity for over 2000 years. Northern
and eastern Europeans that lived in
cold, demanding climates have use Rhodiala
rosea powder as an “adaptogen,”
to improve function under conditions
of physical exhaustion, environmental
stress (such as elevation), and emotional
challenge.
These more exotic ingredients do
not have the benefit of clinical trials to
prove their safety and efficacy, but their
persistence in these cultures for literally
centuries argues strongly for their potential
benefit, and I look for an energy
supplement that
includes them.
Also, I look
for the presence
of tried and true
botanicals super
foods such as
barley and wheat
grass powder, tart
cherry juice and
acerola cherry extracts,
as well as
turmeric and ginger
root. These
whole food supplements
are well
known for their
antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory
properties,
and should be a
part of any good
energy-promoting
supplement.
There are as
many supplements
on the market
as there are
opinions about
which are vital to
our well-being. I
am drawn to supplements
that include all of the above
mentioned vital nutrients in a balanced
formula for a comprehensive approach
to energy issues. Further specific recommendations
to my patients are tailored to their particular needs. The key when discussing fatigue with patients is to remind them that supplements are just that, a supplement to a healthy lifestyle, not a replacement for one.
For more information about Dr. Luteyn or
the products discussed here in call Mt. Capra
Products at 800-574-1961 ext 1.
Joyce Luteyn, M.D., is a boardcertified
family practitioner.
She received her medical
degree from the University of
Washington, and completed
a UW affiliated family medicine
residency in Vancouver,
Washington, in 1997. She
has been in full-time practice
for eight years in Olympia, where she lives with her
husband and two children. Her practice encompasses
the full range of primary care for patients of
all ages.
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