Health
HEALTH
The Best Supplements for Men
Every now and then we need a little help, ingested orally. Here are eight supplements that have the research to back the claims
By Jomike del Rosario; Photography by Charles Masters
It's not like every meal you take has the perfect balance of the nutrients you need. That's why people take multivitamins to cover the holes in their diets. That's already one supplement commonly taken. The following supplements have been studied for their benefits and have been carefully selected for use by men—some of the Men's Health experts even use it themselves.
So if you find yourself with these problems despite the fact that you try to live as healthy as possible (You do, try right?), the answer for you might be in your neighborhood supplement store.
You're always lo-batt
The Remedy: Coenzyme Q10 (Co Q10)
Do you find yourself so low on energy by the end of the day that you can't even enjoy what little recreation time you have left? After a solid eight hours of sleep do you still wake up feeling fatigued? You may be suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome.
Although a trip to the doctor to eliminate other possible culprits is at hand (you may be suffering from depression), coenzyme Q10 can help. This compound–which is naturally produced by your body–improves the ability of your muscle cells to convert oxygen in your bloodstream into usable energy. In a recent study of 20 people with chronic fatigue syndrome, those who took 100 mg Co Q10 every day for three months eradicated 90 percent of their symptoms and doubled their energy levels, according to University of Iowa researchers.
Our Pick: GNC Preventive Nutrition Coenzyme Q-10 (30 mg capsule) P1,984 for 60.
Your knees are creaky
The Remedy: Glucosamine plus chondroitin
People with chronic knee pain readily accept it as one of the byproducts of growing old, when they shouldn't. Unless of course you've suffered a horrendous knee injury, a long road trip with your buddies is supposed to be fun, and not a crippling exercise in cruel and unusual punishment. "Kasi, our body will grow old and have degenerative problems, one of which is the knee," says Carlo Borbon, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the Makati Medical Center. "The cartilage will have an imbalance in the turnover rate of cells, leading to degenerative changes and later on, pain. [These] delay those effects, hence causing less pain."
Enter the knee-buster-busters. Take 1,500 mg of glucosamine and 1,200 mg of chondroitin a day—the former is a building block of connective tissue, and the latter helps cartilage retain water so you don't turn up lame, and literally dried up when your youth starts becoming a dim memory. "One study showed na equal siya to ibuprofen in relieving arthritic knee pain, with ibuprofen having more side effects. So mas safe ito," says Dr. Borbon.
Our Pick: Health Express Extra Strength Glucosamine Chondroitin (1,500 mg glucosamine, 1,200 mg chondroitin) P1,290 for 60.
Your willy won't wheelie
The Remedy: Korean Panax Ginseng
Did you know that there is actually something called a stage four erection? It's when your woody is at maximum rigidity. For some people with mild erectile dysfunction (ED) though, that erection is hard to come by or maintain. "There is a lot of evidence now, proving that it helps," says Benjie Reyes, MD, an urologist at the St. Luke's Medical Center. "It's a given as far as the herbal community is concerned."
Ginseng increases testosterone levels, which suppresses the production of prolactin, a hormone that can cause impotence. Ginsenosides–the active compounds in ginseng–has also been shown to raise libido. A US study published in the Journal of Urology reports that 60 percent of men with ED who took 900 mg Korean red ginseng three times daily for eight weeks experienced improved erections.
Do take note that it's important to consult your urologist and your family doctor on this. It can also increase the effects of insulin and interfere with some blood thinners and antidepressants.
Our Pick: GNC Ginseng Gold (500 mg capsule) P1,200 for 90.
You're growing a tire tube
The Remedy: Green Tea
The wonders of green tea just keep on coming. Not only is it rich in antioxidants which help combat free radicals-–the harmful byproducts of bodily processes due to a number of factors–it's also known to boost your metabolism. In a Dutch study, researchers helped 76 people successfully lose weight, and then asked them to consume either a placebo or a 270 mg capsule of green tea daily for the next three months. The group who supplemented with green tea continued to lose weight, but the placebo poppers soon regained their flab.
Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant that increases resting metabolism and stimulates thermogenesis—the process by which your body burns fat. So if you find yourself losing the battle of the bulge, do yourself a favor and drink green tea like it was going out of style. Not a fan of tea? Then take the supplement. Trust us, it's not fun being thrown overboard when someone's drowning at sea.
Our Pick: GNC Natural Brand Green Tea Extract (315 mg capsule) P803 for 90.
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Men's Health Philippines - July 2007 Issue
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