5 simple ways to slow down ageing
Ageing is unavoidable: the passage of time, pollution, poor diet, UV radiation, etc. are all factors that cause ageing. And one of the main causes of ageing is oxidative stress on the body’s cells. Oxidative stress causes free radicals, by-products of metabolism, to damage the body's DNA, fats and proteins, leading to premature ageing. If you have a poor diet (consuming saturated fats, chemical additives, not enough vegetables, etc.) and unhealthy habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol and a sedentary lifestyle, your body is not able to repair the cell damage caused by free radicals on its own. Therefore, to prevent and slow down ageing, it is essential to follow a healthy diet (tailored to the needs of each individual), do physical exercise regularly and control your stress.
How to slow down ageing
Probelte Pharma is going to tell you about 5 effective ways to slow down ageing:
- Do physical exercise regularly. Staying active and exercising for at least 30 minutes every day helps to:
- reduce stress
- strengthen muscles
- cleanse the blood
- combat diabetes
- lower your weight
- lowering cholesterol
- promote normal brain function
- increase oxygenation levels
- promote the production of coenzyme Q10 (lipid antioxidant).
- Eat antioxidant foods. Plant-based foods are powerful antioxidants, so a diet rich in fruit and vegetables helps to slow down the ageing process. For example, pomegranates, citrus fruits, berries, green tea, potatoes, tomatoes, green leaves, nuts, fish oil, olive oil etc. are good sources of antioxidants as they contain vitamin C, vitamin E (the body's main fat-soluble antioxidant) and polyphenols.
- Anti-ageing vitamins. These can be provided through food, as mentioned above, or through supplements. The nutrients and vitamins that are powerful antioxidants, and therefore slow down ageing, are beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, K and E, the B vitamins - especially B12 - and vitamin D3.
- Eat unsaturated fats through a diet rich in omega-3, which can be found in leafy greens, seed oils and oily fish, for example, and omega-6, which can be consumed through corn, sunflower and soybean oils, etc. Both fatty acids provide health benefits: they prevent skin dryness, are anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory, they prevent platelet aggregation, i.e. they are anticoagulants, etc.
- Lower your calorie intake. One of the keys to reducing oxidative stress is to offset your calorie intake with your calorie expenditure during the day, as this lowers blood glucose levels, reduces the proportion of free radicals and raises adiponectin levels. This results in an anti-diabetic and anti-atherogenic effect. Therefore, lowering your calorie intake helps to prevent many age-related diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, and even cancer.
Benefits of an antioxidant diet
As well as slowing down ageing, a healthy, balanced and antioxidant-rich diet also helps to look after your health because it:
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Prevents inflammation and cell damage.
- Improves eye health.
- Promotes cell regeneration.
- Improves iron absorption, avoiding problems with anaemia.
- Protects skin from the sun’s rays.
- Stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, which tighten the skin and prevent the formation of wrinkles.
- Prevents blood clotting.
- Prevents capillary leakage, which causes bags and dark circles under the eyes.
- Prevents osteoporosis.
- Strengthens hair and nails. Increases hair density and thickness and prevents hair loss.
- Helps to keep your skin hydrated.
- Improves gut health. It has a prebiotic effect by promoting the growth and/or action of gut bacteria that are beneficial to health, e.g. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
- It is beneficial for functional urological and prostate diseases and disorders as it is anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative and apoptotic in cases of prostate cancer. It is also effective in the treatment of prostatic hyperplasia and erectile dysfunction.
There are all-natural antioxidant supplements that can boost your diet and help care for your skin from the inside out. Keriba Duo stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, which tighten the skin and prevent the formation of wrinkles. It also protects your skin against UV radiation, so it prevents hyperpigmentation and the appearance of blemishes.
Vitamin B6: indispensable for athletes
Pyridoxine, commonly known as vitamin B6, plays a key role in the body’s metabolic processes. It is a water-soluble vitamin, so it is quickly depleted and not well stored in the body, which can lead to deficiencies. Fortunately, this vitamin is easily obtained through food and food supplements, as we will see below. Vitamin B6 performs numerous functions in the body, including:
- It promotes a good hormonal balance in women.
- It improves and maintains good mental health by supporting the production of hormones and neurotransmitters like serotonin, melatonin and norepinephrine.
- It boosts the immune system.
- It promotes the growth of new cells.
- It is vital for the metabolism of carbohydrate, proteins and fats.
- It promotes good moods.
- It balances sodium and potassium levels, promoting red blood cell production.
This vitamin is also used in medicine to treat learning difficulties in children, prevent skin problems like dandruff, psoriasis and eczema, detoxify the liver, combat fluid retention and prevent muscle pain. Additionally, recent studies have linked vitamin B6 to cancer immunity.
Metabolism of vitamin B6
liver, where, together with the brain, kidneys, spleen and muscles, the majority of this vitamin is found in the body.
Recommended intake of vitamin B6
Since vitamin B6 is necessary for protein metabolism, the recommended daily intake for an adult is 0.016 mg per gram of protein in the diet, i.e. 2.0 mg/d for men and 1.6 mg/d for women.
The functions of vitamin B6 in sport
Most biological functions of vitamin B6 relate to the supply of energy during exercise, in particular protein and amino acid metabolism. During exercise, amino acid catabolism occurs to produce energy in the muscle, resulting in lactic acid being converted into glucose in the liver. Therefore, low vitamin B6 levels affect exercise performance. However, this vitamin also supports sporting performance through functions such as:
- Muscle glycogen catabolism
- Tryptophan metabolism
- The formation of serotonin
- Aminolevulinic acid synthesis
- Carnitine synthesis
Vitamin B6 and muscle development
One of the most important functions of vitamin B6 in sport is muscle development. Athletes tend to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat in order to improve their sporting performance. For this reason, it is common for them to take vitamin B6-based food supplements, which have a natural metabolic action that stimulates growth hormone. In fact, food supplements containing vitamin B6 can increase blood levels of growth hormone during and immediately after exercise. Together with the catabolism of amino acids, this helps athletes to avoid fatigue, improve their physical performance and, therefore, increase their muscle mass. One of the most effective food supplements containing vitamin B6 is Keriba Sport, which is rich in magnesium (112.5 mg), in the natural antioxidant polyphenol found in pomegranates, punicalagins (220 mg) and in vitamin B6 (1.4 mg). Thanks to its composition, Keriba Sport prevents fatigue, reduces tiredness, promotes red blood cell synthesis and protein synthesis and metabolism, aids glycogen metabolism, promotes normal muscle and bone function and a good electrolyte balance, among other properties that are beneficial to the health of athletes.
Muscle damage: risk factors and tips on how to prevent it
Every athlete knows that preventing muscle injuries is crucial, because an injury disrupts the rhythm of your training and stops you from achieving the goals you have set yourself. Muscle damage also obviously affects your other everyday activities.
To prevent muscle or joint injury, it is important to achieve a balance between bones, tendons and muscles, as it is at the junction between these where the risk of injury is greatest. It is therefore important to be aware of the risk factors that can trigger an injury:
- Age.
- Previous injuries.
- Strength and flexibility problems.
- Fatigue.
- Nutritional deficiencies.
- Failing to warm up properly and not stretching adequately at the end of the activity.
- Changing the equipment you use for the activity.
- Changing the surface on which you do the sport.
But there are also some basic rules to help prevent and avoid this type of injury.
Tips on how to prevent muscle damage
Preventing muscle damage is in your hands and it’s very easy to do if you follow these tips:
- Warm up and stretch. Warming up prepares the body for physical activity, prevents muscle injuries and optimises sporting performance. Afterwards, at the end of the workout, it’s important to stretch your muscles so that they regain their flexibility and can return to their resting state. Start by stretching your large muscle groups and then specific muscles.
- Train correctly and avoid reaching the point of fatigue. The risk of injury increases considerably when the muscle is fatigued, so you should focus your training on avoiding fatigue by adjusting your loads and performance demands. It’s also important to rest. Take a proper break between sets to allow your muscles to recover.
- Gradually increase the intensity of the exercise. The locomotor system has to gradually increase its capacity to cope with physical demands, as must the skeletal system. Therefore, increasing the intensity little by little makes them more robust and stronger, while also protecting your cartilage.
- Follow a suitable diet. Diet is a key factor in preventing muscle injury as it is the source of nutrients for energy and muscle development. Eating well helps to maintain your performance levels while also warding off fatigue and the risk of injury.
- If you are injured, undergo rehabilitation. After suffering a muscle injury, rest and rehabilitation are important. Don't rush, to avoid a recurrence and avoid injuring another muscle area.
- Work your CORE. This muscle training is all about achieving balance and stability between the muscle groups that make up your core, in order to prevent injuries. Its function is to provide stability to the body and it is composed of several groups: upper part (dorsal, lumbar and cervical area), lower part (pelvic floor muscles), anterior part (abdominals), posterior part (gluteus, paraspinal, dorsolumbar and deep trunk muscles) and core stability is provided by the transversus abdominis muscle.
- Food supplements. Magnesium is a very useful mineral for preventing muscle injuries and avoiding fatigue, as it plays a key role in energy production in the cells. For example, one of the most complete supplements for athletes containing magnesium and vitamin B6, which is also natural, is Keriba Sport, made from fresh pomegranate extract. This food supplement supports joint health due to its anti-inflammatory effect and because it inhibits the breakdown of cartilage. As well as helping to reduce muscle damage, it delays the onset of exhaustion, reducing tiredness and fatigue, making you more efficient with less training. So it boosts your sporting performance.
Magnesium and muscles: functions and benefits
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body and is essential for certain physiological processes and chemical reactions. Its most important functions include:
- Structural function, it is essential for calcium and phosphorus fixation in the bones and teeth.
- It supports collagen protein synthesis, helping to prevent the breakdown of cartilage and the onset of diseases like osteoarthritis.
- It helps to maintain blood sugar levels.
- It is essential for proper brain and nervous system function.
- It helps to maintain your heart rate.
- It is vital for muscle function.
Therefore, magnesium is an essential mineral for muscle contraction, energy formation and immune function and, consequently, for physical and mental performance.
Benefits of magnesium
Magnesium provides the following health benefits:
- It reduces type II diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels and promoting the metabolism of sugar.
- It prevents osteoporosis by keeping bones and joints strong and healthy.
- It provides energy, promoting the metabolic processes involved in obtaining energy.
- It lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease as it relaxes the heart muscle and prevents arrhythmias.
- It lowers blood pressure by maintaining the balance of body fluids, keeping blood pressure at healthy levels.
- Muscle relaxation. It reduces lactic acid levels, which cause increased muscle stiffness and tightness, and it helps to prevent muscle cramps.
- It reduces fatigue by supplying energy to the muscles.
- It reduces insulin resistance by making it easier for cells to release fat.
- It prevents kidney stones by inhibiting and slowing down the formation of calcium oxalate crystals in the kidney, which cause kidney stones.
Daily magnesium intake
The recommended daily dose of magnesium depends on your age and gender, but as a general rule:
- Women should consume 310-320 mg. If they are pregnant, the dose should be increased to 350-360 mg.
- For men it is 410 mg.
Levels below these can lead to impaired metabolic function of the cells, resulting in serious health problems.
The symptoms of a magnesium deficit include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and weakness. It is also very common to suffer from cramps, muscle pain, neurological disorders and dizziness.
Foods rich in magnesium
A varied and balanced diet that includes the following foods is essential for obtaining the health benefits of magnesium:
- Cacao, which provides 100 mg per 100 g. It has powerful antioxidant properties thanks to its flavonoid content, which promotes the synthesis of nitric oxide, and helps to lower blood pressure.
- Sunflower seeds (they contain 420 mg of magnesium per 100 g): high in vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids, which give them powerful antioxidant properties and allow them to regulate cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They also have anti-inflammatory properties so they are extremely effective for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Peanuts. This legume provides 210 mg of magnesium per 100g. It has a high protein content and is very rich in vitamins B3, B5 and folic acid. It also contains zinc, which helps to reduce fatigue.
- Flaxseeds: they provide 392 mg of magnesium per 100g and are powerful antioxidants.
- Pulses: beans, chickpeas and lentils have about 120-140 mg of magnesium per 100g. They have very high levels of potassium, iron, phosphorus, zinc and B vitamins.
- Fish, 50 mg per 100 g. High in B vitamins and proteins, which are necessary for muscle function and development.
- Walnuts 120 mg per 100 g. They also provide fatty acids that are beneficial for cardiovascular health.
- Almonds. They provide 270 mg of magnesium per 100 g and contain a high amount of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which lower LDL (bad cholesterol). They are also high in calcium, which helps to prevent osteoporosis, and soluble fibre, which helps to improve gut flora.
- Pistachios, 120 mg per 100 g. These are heart-healthy because they contain monounsaturated fats, especially oleic acid (vitamin B6), which promotes the formation of haemoglobin.
To address magnesium deficiency and improve sporting performance, it is essential to consider additional sources to supplement your diet. One option is to take natural supplements that are rich in magnesium, like Keriba Sport. However, it is important to ensure that you integrate these supplements into your diet plan properly.
Keriba Sport is a natural food supplement based on POMANOX ® (extract of the whole fresh fruit of the pomegranate, Punica granatum L.) magnesium and vitamin B6, which provides the following quantities:
- Punicalagins: 220 mg
- Mg: 112.5 mg (30% of RDA)
- Vitamin B6: 1.4 mg (100% of RDA)
Thanks to this supply of nutrients, it reduces tiredness and fatigue, as well as improving physical performance. This is why Keriba Duo has become one the top natural supplements for athletes.
The role of vitamin B6 in sport
Let's talk about the role of vitamin B6 in sport. When you exercise, your body sets in motion various metabolic processes to obtain the energy it requires to cope with the activity.
There are two very important such processes in which vitamin B6 plays a key role:
- Converting muscle and liver glycogen into glucose.
- Providing amino acids to be used in gluconeogenesis.
Together with the action of neurotransmitters in the nervous system, these functions allow vitamin B6 to aid you in sport.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine is used by the body in a variety of ways, supporting performance, muscle development and health:
- It acts on the metabolism of amino acids such as tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin, which is essential for maintaining a good mood and avoiding depression.
- It improves and maintains proper energy metabolism.
- It promotes enzyme, hormone and protein synthesis.
Like anything, it is important to maintain adequate levels of this vitamin, as either too little or too much can lead to health problems:
- Vitamin B6 deficit: skin disorders, anaemia, muscle problems, tremors, irritability and muscle cramps.
- Too much vitamin B6: nerve (neuropathy, sensory) and liver problems.
Vitamin B6 deficiency in sport 
If pyridoxine deficiency is bad for the body, for athletes it is even worse. This mostly occurs in athletes who restrict their calorie intake to keep their weight down and do not follow a balanced diet, overindulging in poor quality food and hardly eating any fruit and vegetables.
Athletes who train intensively need a higher intake of vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin and B6 because their processes involving in obtaining energy are more active.
Being deficient in these vitamins has a direct impact on sporting performance, as exhaustion and fatigue set in earlier. This is due to a drop in aerobic power and an increased build-up of lactate in the blood.
Therefore, by following a balanced diet, you can get the necessary amounts of this vitamin. However, when your activity is very intense or you follow restrictive diets, you need to take food supplements that contain it, like Keriba Sport from Probelte Pharma.
Supplements for runners
The benefits of supplements for runners
There are times and circumstances when runners have to take supplements in order to meet their body's needs. Runners need to follow a healthy diet that is suitable for their training and the energy expenditure this requires. It's also important to bear in mind that the nutrients you supply to your body will give you energy and help to improve your performance during races. So food should be your main source of nutrients, but sometimes using sports supplementation can be very helpful.
The physical exertion required for running increases the need for calories, nutrients, vitamins and minerals, so it’s common for runners to supplement their diet to avoid nutritional deficiencies. There are supplements for runners that are designed to meet their needs as athletes. These help to:
- Improve performance
- Reduce tiredness and fatigue
- Shorten recovery times after exertion
- Reduce inflammation and muscle damage
- Stimulate the regeneration and rebuilding of muscle tissue
- Prevent and heal injuries
- Inhibit the breakdown of cartilage
Types of supplements for runners
Supplements for joints
During running, the joints bear the full weight of the body and are subject to wear and tear, with the knees, hips and ankles being worst affected. To avoid this it's important to stretch before and afterwards, hydrate yourself properly during exercise and, if you’re prone to injury, take supplements to help protect your joints and promote joint regeneration, especially:
- Glucosamine: a natural substance found in the joints that stimulates cartilage production and provides sulphur to the joints. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect.
- Chondroitin: a supplement that helps to repair damaged cartilage, preventing its breakdown and reducing pain.
Supplements for losing weight
It's common for runners to want to lose weight to make themselves lighter. They already have a tightly controlled diet, so the only way to stimulate fat burning is with supplements.
However, not anything goes. Avoid supplements that contain stimulants, like ephedrine and caffeine, and opt for natural nutritional supplements, such as:
- Carnitine, which helps to transport fats to mitochondria, where they are converted into energy to improve endurance.
- Garcinia cambogia, an active ingredient from plants that is great for preventing the build-up of the fat that you consume at mealtimes, while also regulating appetite and food cravings.
- Chromium picolinate, a mineral that helps to regulate insulin by supporting the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, so it helps you to lose weight and control your appetite between meals.
- Chitosan, an animal fibre that absorbs fat from food and prevents its absorption in the gut, helping to control weight.
Supplementation for muscle recovery
The most highly recommended supplements to support muscle recovery and development are:
- Protein and amino acid shakes that repair muscles and prevent muscle breakdown before, during and after running. They also promote fat-free muscle gain.
- BCAAs are branched-chain amino acids (L-isoleucine, L-leucine and L-valine) that are involved in muscle building and therefore aid muscle regeneration, as well as being used by the muscle as a source of energy when glycogen stores are depleted.
Antioxidants
Running makes you breathe faster and harder, increasing oxygen consumption and therefore increasing the production of free radicals.
Antioxidants combat free radicals and are found in foods in the form of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients:
- The most well-studied antioxidant vitamins are C, E and A, in the form of beta-carotene.
- Antioxidant minerals like selenium, zinc, magnesium and copper. These do not act as antioxidants in themselves but work with the body's natural antioxidant enzymes.
- Phytonutrients from plants such as polyphenols from grapes, pomegranates and tea, fruit acids, saponins from pulses, phytoestrogens from soybeans, lactic acid from milk, etc.
Energy-boosting supplements
To get the energy you need to face a race, avoid fatigue and improve performance, you need to consume carbohydrates. They are an essential source of energy before the race, and afterwards they are needed to improve your recovery.
There are also natural supplements that aid recovery and reduce fatigue, such as Keriba Sport by Probelte Pharma. This food supplement also enhances sporting performance, reduces inflammation and muscle damage, and improves joint health by slowing down the breakdown of cartilage.
Improving your running pace
Before starting any training you need to make sure that you have the right kit, which we talked about in our previous blog, and a good aerobic base.
Once you are sure that you meet these requirements, and have the physical fitness to run the distances you want to cover, you can start to do running training and get faster times, for example, 10 kilometres in less than 45 minutes (1 kilometre in 4'30'').
During these training sessions, try different running paces, lower back and abdominal strengthening exercises and, of course, resting.
Probelte Pharma is going to give you some general tips that will help you run faster and improve your running pace, so you can run 10 kilometres in less than 45 minutes.
Tips on how to run faster
These tips will help you achieve your goal faster:
- Alternate your training. Rest is crucial to avoid injuries and overloading your muscles, so alternate days of high-intensity training with light training and rest days; it's best to do one day of high-intensity running, rest, then run one day at a moderate pace, and so on.
- Do short and long sets to develop your aerobic power. This results in a higher oxygen demand, so it increases your cardiovascular efficiency, improving muscle blood perfusion and enlarging the heart.
- Include hill training to strengthen your legs.
- Changes of pace: you should run at both fast and steady paces to allow your body to get used to recycling lactate. It's about playing with different speeds, interspersing different paces with different frequencies, lengths and intensities.
- Do long runs at a gentle, steady pace as this will naturally increase your endurance as you run for longer periods, thus lowering your resting heart rate and making your heart more efficient during training. This type of running also burns carbohydrates and fats more efficiently, making the body more accustomed to using fats as fuel.
- Work on your muscles because strength has a direct impact on performance, the better developed your muscles are, the more resilient they are and the lower the risk of injury during a race. The best muscle exercise for a runner is working on the CORE, as these exercises work the whole body structure.
- Run barefoot occasionally, on flat sand or grass, 1 or 2 kilometres, to work on your foot strike and landing, while strengthening your ankles. This will make your ankles stronger and more flexible.
- Look after your diet. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and has a direct impact on sporting performance, so it's important to eat a full and hearty breakfast. It’s also best to have a light dinner. However, it is essential not to skip any meal of the day.
Example of training plan: Week 1: 10k in less than 45’
For example, if you're training to run 10 kilometres in less than 45 minutes, you could start the first week with this plan:
- Monday: Run for 50 minutes at a gentle pace, 2 straight 50-metre runs at high intensity, abs + lower back exercises (2 sets of 10 repetitions) and stretch.
- Tuesday:
- Wednesday: Run for 20 minutes at a gentle pace, run for 9 minutes at a moderate pace with 2 minutes of recovery (3 circuits), 2 straight 50-metre runs at high intensity, abs + lower back exercises (2 sets of 10 repetitions), run for 10 minutes at a gentle pace, lower back exercises and stretch.
- Thursday: Rest.
- Friday: Run for 55’ at a gentle pace, 2 straight 50-metre runs at high intensity, abs + lower back exercises (2 sets of 10 repetitions) and stretch.
- Saturday: rest.
- Sunday: run for 75’ at a gentle pace, exercise your ankles, 4 50-metre runs at high intensity, abs + lower back exercises and stretch.
But this would only be the beginning, for this kind of distance and pace you need at least 8 weeks of training.
Essential kit for runners
Every athlete knows how important it is to be properly prepared when starting to work out.
To run a good race, it’s essential to make sure you have the right diet and kit and to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to avoid fatigue and injuries and to keep your sporting performance at peak levels.
Therefore, Probelte Pharma is going to give you some tips on how to prepare the essential runners’ kit.
The kit
Before starting the race it's important to make sure that you have:
- Sports shoes suited to the shape of your feet and the type of training you're going to be doing, so you can avoid injuries and back problems. It's vital that they are breathable, have proper cushioning and a sole suited to the type of surface on which you're running.
- Suitable clothing: on hot days you should wear light and breathable clothing, polyester T-shirts are highly recommended, while if it's cold, it's best to opt for Climalite fabrics.
- A heart rate monitor to help monitor your heartbeat during the race. These devices also often measure the distance covered, maximal oxygen uptake and recovery time, allowing you to plan your workouts.
- Water: it's important to keep hydrated to avoid fatigue and dehydration.
Food supplements
Sometimes you need to take food supplements to help reduce fatigue and avoid sports injuries; also, taking them will help you to improve your sporting performance.
There are numerous sports supplements that can help you to cope with workouts, but before taking them you need to know what your needs are and, if you need to take them, what they are for and what benefits they provide.
For example, for a marathon runner whose sporting demands are high, in addition to their diet, it is worthwhile boosting their daily intake of the following nutrients:
- Vitamins and minerals to promote energy production and muscle development (vitamin B12, vitamin C, folic acid), improve immune function, support bone health and to protect the body from oxidative damage (vitamin C). They are also essential for optimising your sporting performance and aiding your recovery after doing sport (iron and vitamin C to help deliver oxygen to your cells).
- Glutathione, a powerful antioxidant enzyme that decreases muscle damage, increases strength and endurance, reduces your recovery time and alters your metabolism to promote fat burning and muscle development. Also, thanks to its antioxidant properties, it combats oxidative damage to the body, both while at rest and after physical exercise.
If you want to enhance your sporting performance and delay the onset of fatigue, while also looking after your health, Keriba Sport is the right natural food supplement for you, providing high levels of magnesium, vitamin B6 and Pomanox (pomegranate extract), and also promoting joint health thanks to its anti-inflammatory effect and because it inhibits the breakdown of cartilage.
Sports fatigue. Something’s not right!
When doing sports it’s essential to always be in peak condition, so when the first signs of fatigue set in you can tell that something isn't right, that you're doing something wrong.
In sport, it is vital to maintain the right balance between “training and recovery” in order to protect your health and not hinder your physical performance, especially if you are a professional athlete.
Sports fatigue is that feeling of tiredness and exhaustion that you get when you’re exercising, which prevents you from carrying on or makes it difficult to keep going.
Symptoms of sports fatigue
Fatigue can manifest itself in different ways and forms, so you need to be aware of its symptoms and combat them to prevent it from having a negative impact on your sporting performance and becoming a detrimental factor for your health.
The most common symptoms of fatigue are:
- Loss of precision and coordination in body movements.
- Muscle heaviness and discomfort in the form of stiffness.
- Mental tiredness that makes you no longer want to do sports.
- Exhaustion during exercise that can be felt in the form of an irregular heartbeat and breathing problems.
- Physical tiredness that affects sporting performance.
- Lack of attention and concentration.
- Disturbed sleep because fatigue is making it difficult to sleep properly.
But what causes fatigue?
Causes of sports fatigue
The two biggest factors in the onset of fatigue during physical exercise are:
- A lack of energy, due to a decrease in carbohydrates stored as glycogen in the body.
- Dehydration due to the loss of water and electrolytes through sweat.
A combination of the two hampers sporting performance because the muscles do not get enough energy and water to allow them to perform their function.
How to prevent and combat sports fatigue
To prevent and combat fatigue, it’s important to look after certain aspects of your day-to-day life:
- Adequate diet in terms of the quantity/quality of food. It's important to know what to eat and when before, during and after training; bearing in mind that an athlete should eat a diet that is rich in carbohydrates, proteins, saturated fats, vitamins and minerals.
- Keep well hydrated, throughout the day. Drink at least 2 litres of water a day. It’s important to make sure you stay hydrated during training as this is essential.
- Warm up and stretch before doing sport in order to prepare the body for the physical exertion it will be subjected to.
- Cool down, i.e. after finishing the workout, it's important to relax your body: walking gently for 5 minutes, stretching, etc., so that your heart rate settles down again.
- Rest. Although it may seem counterintuitive, muscles develop and recover through rest, so this is essential to combat fatigue and prevent it from affecting your performance.
There are periods when sport is more demanding and an extra nutritional supplement is needed to help the body recover, to supply it with the nutrients it needs and, of course, to give it an extra dose of energy to cope with the physical effort. Keriba Sport is the perfect food supplement for this purpose, because it is natural, helps to care for your muscles and joints, promotes good health and reduces fatigue and tiredness. Also, it delays the onset of exhaustion and muscle pain during sports, so it improves your efficiency and performance with less training.
How to get back in shape after the summer
During the summer and your holidays exercise takes a back seat, and this is reflected in your physical performance when you get back to your daily routine. On top of this, there is also your diet. During the summer, few people manage to maintain a balanced and healthy diet.
Therefore, in September it's very common to be out of shape and a few pounds heavier. To get back in shape, it's important to take certain steps and get down to work.
Tips on how to get back in shape
The most important thing is to have a clear objective and be motivated to achieve it. As always, patience and determination are vital, but the following tips will also help you to achieve your goal:
- Positive mind, feel good about yourself and happy.
- Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today, stop making excuses and establish a training plan and diet that are easy to follow, because regaining your focus and getting back into the habit are very important.
- Look after your diet. No more excesses, no more keeping crazy hours, no more ice cream...it's time to show that you have willpower. Eat fruit, vegetables, high-quality protein, cereals, pulses, nuts, etc. Follow a healthy and balanced diet to meet your objective.
- Get back into your normal sleep schedule and routine, sleep for 8 hours, try to go to bed and get up around the same time; sleep in a quiet, cool and dark room; avoid napping for more than 20 minutes; do not consume stimulants (tobacco, coffee, alcohol) in the hours leading up to bedtime, etc. This will make it easier to get to sleep and improve your rest.
- Keep active: walk, run, cycle, swim, etc. and don't let laziness and a sedentary lifestyle get the better of you. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day to keep your metabolism ticking over and lose those pounds you gained over the summer.
- Resume training once you’ve got back into the swing of your daily routine. Start with low-intensity workouts and build them up as the days go by. Don't forget to warm up and stretch thoroughly to avoid injuries and, of course, don't strain your body. When you feel tired, rest.
- Food supplements that help you to enhance your physical performance and improve your health, like Keriba Sport by Probelte Pharma. This natural food supplement helps you to keep your metabolism ticking over, eliminate fatigue and tiredness, improve your sporting performance, support normal immune system function, promote a good electrolyte balance in your body, support normal muscle and bone function, promote normal protein synthesis, etc.