health supplements

What You Need to Know About Threacine

shutterstock_749807146.jpg

 

What You Need to Know About Threacine

Threacine is an exciting new supplement that has been growing in popularity recently as an alternative to caffeine and creatine for safe and long-lasting energy. For many people, caffeine is an essential part of their morning and they almost wouldn’t be able to function without it. While it is nice to enjoy a cup of coffee every once in awhile, it is no secret that most coffee drinkers are nurturing a pretty powerful addiction to caffeine. In the United States alone, 85% of people are estimated to consume caffeine every single day. Even for habitual coffee drinkers, too much caffeine can lead to anxiety, jitters, and a major crash later on. What are the alternatives if you need that extra boost in the morning?

What is Threacine?

Threacine is a staple of the traditional Chinese tea known as kucha. It is known for providing long-lasting energy while helping to promote focus. It is now a common staple of fitness supplements and pre-workout routines for many people, occasionally taken along with caffeine as a way to help make caffeine’s effects better and more manageable.

A 2014 study found that a single 200 milligram dose of Threacine greatly improved energy and motivation, reducing fatigue and anxiety in the process. It is also reported to help provide a boost to brain power, giving users more concentration and attentiveness to the task at hand, quite unlike the unfocused jittery feeling that occasionally comes with caffeine.

More Manageable Energy

The most exciting aspect of Threacine is that users find its effects to be far smoother and more manageable than caffeine. Caffeine’s effects can hit the body suddenly and be somewhat overwhelming, causing anxiety and sleep deprivation for many people. Additionally, caffeine is the kind of product that your body becomes habituated to, meaning you will gradually need more of it over time to have the same effects as before. Threacine doesn’t appear to work the same way.

According to studies, users of Threacine don’t have the same difficulty winding down later in the day that some have with caffeine. Threacine manages to increase alertness, physical performance, and coordination without the same drawbacks that several cups of coffee may have. It is no wonder why more and more people continue to try Threacine, or even a combination of Threacine and caffeine, to help with a pre-workout boost.

But what about Creatine?

Creatine is another clean and long-lasting source of energy that works well for many people. Creatine is mainly used a fitness supplement to help build muscle. It is extremely popular and seems to have a larger body of research supporting its effectiveness than Threacine.

However, the main distinction between the two is that Creatine specifically provides more energy to the muscle cells while Threacine produces energy in the entire body. Therefore, Threacine is used more generally as an energy booster while Creatine is more specifically a bodybuilding supplement.

Conclusions

As we always say, since every person’s body is different, if you are curious about Threacine, we would encourage you to try it in different forms and in combination with other supplements. Many people have found success with a product called TeaCrine, a combination of Threacine and caffeine. There is no one-size-fits all approach when it comes to nutrition, and the only way to know for sure is to try and see what works best for you!

The Best Supplements for Endurance Athletes

best supplements for endurance athletes

Endurance athletes have their own set of unique challenges and physical requirements that make them different from the average gym goer. Long-distance running and hiking can be very taxing to many different parts of the body, making it especially important for endurance athletes to study up on the various supplements that can aid them in these long, strenuous workouts. Here are a list of the best supplements to aid in performance and recovery during endurance activities.

The Best Supplements for Endurance Athletes

Omega-3 (Fish Oil)

Omega 3 fatty acids carry anti-inflammatory properties to aid in muscle recovery and joint health, which are both very important for endurance athletes. They also support brain and cardiovascular health. Omega 3 can be obtained by eating salmon, mackerel, walnuts, flax, and hemp seeds, but since most of us don’t eat these items every day, taking fish oil tablets can help make things easier.

L-Glutamine

Glutamine is a substance found in the blood plasma that supports your immune system. When you work out, glutamine is depleted from your body and has to be replaced. For most people this wouldn’t be a huge issue, but for distance runners, not having enough glutamine can decrease performance and lead to injuries. Glutamine helps enhance rehydration and recovery time, and also helps promote a healthy digestive system. If you are frequently sore and achy near the end of a long run, then consider taking L-Glutamine.

BCAA’s

If you spend a lot of time performing endurance activities, then you are likely burning a significant amount of calories. Over time, if you don’t replenish these calories regularly, you run the risk of becoming calorie deficient and burning through lean muscle mass during strenuous workouts. BCAA’s, standing for Branched Child Amino Acids, help the body retain this muscle. BCAA’s are mostly comprised of leucine, the primary amino acid responsible for activating muscle protein synthesis. This in turn, helps muscle building and also aids in recovery. Overall, BCAA’s will provide you with more energy to your muscles and reduce fatigue during long runs.

Celadrin

Celadrin specifically improves joint health by increasing flexibility. Joints are one of the most important areas of the body for distance runners to keep healthy. Celadrin helps joints at the cellular level by lubricating the cell membranes that cushion bones and joints, reducing the potential for injury. It also benefits the muscles, tendons and deep tissue. If you occasionally experience pain in the knees or ankles during a long run, then celadrin would be a great place to start.

Calcium

Calcium is another no-brainer supplement to take for joint and bone health. Runners are constantly dealing with injuries like stress fractures that can be linked directly to bone health. Without enough calcium in the body, strenuous exercise can lead to injuries and even bone loss. Taking calcium can help reduce the risk of bone fractures and keeps the body fortified with nutrients. It is commonly known that calcium can be obtained by drinking milk, but since most adults don’t drink a large amount of milk on its own, calcium supplements can be a great boost.

Be sure to check out our hand-picked list of supplements designed for runners, and as always, check out our blog for more fitness tips!