5 of the Best Supplements for Healthier, Faster Recovery
A lot of talk about fitness is about determination and consistency. You need to put in the work to get the results, which is why most fitness blogs will try to motivate you to go to the gym. But what most people new to fitness don't know is that sometimes, staying out of the gym is equally important.
Previously on the Caliloko blog, we talked about why recovery is so important for athletes, as well as eight ways to recovery fast. Recovery is crucial to muscle repair and building, and is one of the best ways for athletes and fitness-minded individuals to avoid injury.
Proper recovery is essential for your health, and one of the best ways to support that is through your diet. Whole foods are going to be the core of this, but you can boost your efforts through supplementation. Below are five supplements from natural sources that can help make your recovery faster and healthier.
L-arginine
Arginine is found in many meat and animal products, including fish and eggs. A vasodilator, it's used to increase circulation in the body through widening your blood vessels. In exercise, it's especially powerful because it increases exercise tolerance and improve muscle recovery.
Known as l-arginine in supplementation, arginine can play a crucial role in both pre-workout and workout recovery. If you're looking for a quality, single ingredient supplement, try Pure Encapsulations L-Arginine. It's gluten-free and hypoallergenic, with only the softgel capsule being the only other ingredient.
Probiotics
Probiotics might not have a direct role to play in terms of recovery, but they're absolutely essential in terms of overall nutrition. Probiotics are healthy yeasts and bacteria that enable your body to digest nutrients properly— including any supplements you're planning on taking.
They also keep your gut healthy, which is particularly important for your immune defense. While there are tons of different probiotic options out on the market, Brightcore's ACV gummies are a good choice because they come with several other benefits.
Not only do they improve your digestion and boost your immune system, they also they help alleviate acidity, keep your energy levels up, and can even lower the risk of blood sugar spikes. They're also made from organic, non-GMO apples, and contain no artificial fillers or ingredients.
Creatine
Creatine is an amino acid that's become popular among athletes for its ability to increase muscle mass and boost energy. However, it's not just a supplement for muscle building— it also plays a role in overall recovery. Creatine has been found to help with enhancing recovery, especially in post-injury rehabilitation.
Performance Lab Maintain is a pill supplement that's easy to bring around when you're on the go. They have 3000 mg of 83% creatine, and it's an extended-release formula that means that your muscles are feeling the benefits of creatine long after you take it. Because the pills are smaller than industry standard, you do have to take a larger pill dose, but they're fairly easy to swallow.
BCAAs
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are basically a group of three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These amino acids essential, so they're not made in the human body and yet make a necessary third of the protein found in muscle tissue. BCAAs can be found in whole food sources like dairy, meat, and fish, and perform a variety of roles in the body.
BCAAs are perhaps the most popular recovery supplement. Research has found that they can stop the onset of fatigue during exercise, allowing you to workout for longer. Not only that, they're also important for muscle recovery and reducing soreness.
If you're looking for a good BCAA supplement, Huge BCAA is a very good choice. It's not a pure BCAA supplement, and instead contains several other nutrients, but these additional nutrients and electrolytes are great support for your body during physical activity. Each scoop contains 15 grams of amino acids, making it great value for money.
Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are a pretty popular supplement, especially in fish oil form. It's got a ton of roles to play in the body outside of athletics, including boosting your heart health and reducing the chances of cardiovascular diseases. However, they're also important for recovery from injury— omega-3s reduce muscle loss even during periods of disuse, can improve joint health, and of course support the immune system.
The market is filled with different options for omega-3 supplements. For a good budget option, you might want to try the InnovixLabs Triple Strength Omega-3. This is a concentrated fish oil supplement with more omega-3 per pill than other options.
It has no fishy aftertaste, and the fish oil is sourced through sustainable fishing methods. Third-party tested for purity, you can be sure that you're getting the best bang for your buck with this one.
