Exercise and How to Improve Your Recovery

by NatraTech

Are you getting the results you are working so hard for with your exercise program? 

Exercise can be a two-edged sword. Low intensity workouts can help rebuild a broken down system. Heavy workouts can also provide great improvements. However, we must consider the fact that some exercise causes your body to break down, so it can then rebuild. This is fine for some people, but others may be feeling like their workouts are becoming counter-productive.

The more intense your workout is – the more cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands. Cortisol can interfere with the release of growth hormones (GH), testosterone and insulin growth factor (IGF-1). Balancing cortisol levels can mean substantial improvement in your recovery time and overall results!

Remember, stress is cumulative! When you add heavy workouts to all of the other daily stressors like; work, family, finances, digestive difficulties, etc…this can have a dramatic catabolic (tearing down) effect.

Good sports nutrition is more than just loading up on protein and a few other popular supplements. A complete program should also consider the endocrine system, especially good adrenal function.

Simply stated, stress causes an increase in the production of the stress hormone cortisol, which has a ‘catabolic’ (tearing down) effect. Cortisol breaks down tissue, which hinders the repair process. This is normal, but ongoing elevated cortisol can have negative implications for the athlete.

  • Cortisol hinders adrenaline production, which affects energy.
     
  • Cortisol reduces growth hormones (GH), Insulin Growth Factor (IGF-1), testosterone and melatonin, which are ‘anabolic’ (rebuilding & repairing).

Maintaining normal cortisol levels is critical for an athlete. This is why Adrenal-Fuel™ should be a staple in the athlete’s supplement regimen. We have seen several advantages that Adrenal-Fuel™ offers:

  • Nourishes depleted adrenal glands. This helps to stabilize cortisol.
     
  • Speeds-up recovery, helping to release growth hormones, IGF-1, testosterone & melatonin.
     
  • Helps overcome the negative effects of stimulants & thermogenic aids (ephedra, caffeine, guarana, kola nut, bitter orange, etc.). Stimulants ultimately deplete the adrenals.
     
  • Improves quality of sleep, which is when most growth hormones are released.

 
Important Notes:

  • Cortisol is not a bad hormone, but like many things, it needs to be in balance.
     
  • Don’t assume that everyone’s cortisol is too high, and it needs to be lowered. In fact, people who have been under stress for long periods of time may not be producing enough cortisol. This can be worse than over-production, due to the fact that stress has been prolonged and the adrenals are depleted and exhausted. This is another reason that Adrenal-Fuel™ is such a great product! Because it contains a blend of adaptogenic herbs which help support healthy adrenal function. Therefore it can actually help you if your cortisol is too high, OR too low.
     
  • If your workouts seem flat and you aren’t getting the results you desire, you might want to consider lowering the intensity. Measuring your heart rate is a good way of knowing whether you are in the aerobic or anaerobic mode. Remember, being in the anaerobic (high intensity) mode is ultimately a stressor. This isn’t bad as long as your recovery process is going well. If not, slow down!

People are discovering what a difference Adrenal-Fuel™ can make when it comes to improving the results from their exercise program!

Suggestions for Use: Take 1-2 capsules with food. The best time to use Adrenal-Fuel™ is during the morning or afternoon when adrenal function is most active. Dose can be split, i.e. one capsule in the morning and another in the afternoon

Back to Blog