Be Fit Fitness Blog

Modern life can be extremely stressful – juggling a career, family, friends and other worries such as financial or health problems means that our lifestyles are increasingly hectic. It’s no wonder that health conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders and stress related illnesses are on the rise.

When it comes to looking for help for these conditions, it can be an extremely personal and difficult thing to do, especially if you don’t know where to look. Many people dread the thought of taking prescription tablets to alleviate their conditions, but there are some natural alternatives.

5-HTP is one such natural supplement that has been found to alleviate conditions including depression, stress and anxiety as well as sleep related disorders and weight loss. 5-HTP is an amino acid that is only found in small amounts in the human body. It helps the body to create higher levels of serotonin and melatonin which are believed to improve your mood and manner.

Low levels of serotonin can cause migraines, food cravings for serotonin rich foods such as chocolate (often leading to weight gain), depression, insomnia and even aching muscles.

UK residents can buy 5-HTP over the counter at health food stores such as Holland and Barratt, although it is still advisable to consult a doctor if you suffer from any of the above conditions. It is advised that you only take a maximum of 100mg of 5-HTP daily and to consult your doctor if you wish to take more – this is because of the potentially serious serotonin syndrome which can affect some people severely.

Some studies have found that 5-HTP is highly effective in relieving tension headaches and migraines, it also has good results for patients who are unresponsive to prescribed antidepressants. It can also aid sleep quality and is beneficial to those suffering from insomnia.

Visit Holland and Barrett to purchase this product.

Many bodybuilders and people who train hard with weights will get muscle fatigue, tightness or soreness at one time or another. Sometimes it happens the next day or lasts a few days. Sometimes it even lasts for a long time. I find that the best way to eliminate minor muscle tightness or soreness is to take Creatine.

Let me begin by saying that I am not an expert on Creatine. If you want the technical stuff about this supplement, you should check the research studies and case studies. I just want to discuss what I know and the results that I seem to attain while using Creatine.

I was off Creatine since September 2008. I usually stop using it in winter and the summer months. For the last couple of months I have been feeling increased muscle tightness and soreness so I went back on Creatine. I took a teaspoon right after a workout. Within 2 to 3 days the tightness and soreness were gone. This is because Creatine helps with water retention in the muscles and I guess you can say, it helps to lubricate the muscles! Also, my muscle strength and workout intensity have increased. After 5 to 7 days taking 1 teaspoon full of Creatine,  I’ll lower my intake of it to about ½ a teaspoon and use it only on the days I work out.

When I am taking Creatine more consistently, meaning during the entire year maybe with short breaks here and there, I rarely will feel muscle soreness or tightness after workouts.

The other benefit of Creatine is that it volumizes your muscles and gives you the pumped look. Over time and with the increased intensity of your training, it may even help muscles grow. There is a lot of reading on this topic and is beyond the scope of my blog discussion.

There are many ways to take Creatine. Some may work better for you. What I suggest is that you follow the instructions on the product label and adjust it to your needs or what works best for you.

Is Creatine safe? Safe from what I have read. Like with any supplement or food, it’s best to use it in moderation and follow what the label says.