Oct 20 2010
The Energy of The Inca – The Quest for The Ultimiate Energy
Part of escaping routine is trying new things. For some time now I’ve been very interested in finding a new energy supplement. My goal is to find an energy supplement that creates stamina and energy for workouts but doesn’t have negative effects associated with many manufactured workout supplements. I would also like to avoid a heavy dose of mercury poisoning.
So with science in mind, I’ve been doing my own market research over the past few years. I’ve explored organics mainly but also some modern concoctions.The following are some of my initial discoveries. On my quest I’ve had some strange experiences, including the discovery of Maca Dreams and a crazy modern day supplement known as Jack3d.
Maca - Rumor has it that Maca was first used by Inca warriors fifteen-hundred years ago. According to legend they would chew copious quantities of the root before going into battle and subsequently Crush their enemies. During Spanish rule, Maca was used as currency!
The root is traditionally grown in Peru at elevations of 13,500 – 14,800 feet. The effects of Maca are a lot like Ginseng and nothing like caffeine. You can’t even really detect it until you start working out or doing some kind of physical activity. It’s more of a gradual energy not something that makes you crash afterword. You can find Maca at Whole foods or online.
Side Effects – Very bizarre dreams. Some of the strangest dreams I’ve had in years. I had a very vivid dream that I was hunting a wild boar with Inca warriors. We ran through the forest at breakneck speed, something similar to Apocalypto. Throughout the whole dream there were drums always beating in sync with my heart beat. I wouldn’t recommend taking Maca anytime in the evening, it is best taken first thing in the morning as to avoid what I now call Maca Dreams.
Ginseng - Chinese medicine has long known of the powers of Ginseng. Bruce Lee would drink Ginseng and Royal Jelly to boost his energy and endurance. There are many forms of Ginseng, eleven different species, and each have somewhat different properties. I’m currently taking Oriental Ginseng and American Ginseng. You can pick these up at Whole Foods.
Side Effects - There are no strange dreams with Ginseng that I have experienced. However if you take too much it will keep you awake.
Both Maca and Ginseng are Adaptogens their main uses are to relieve the body of stress and fatigue they are also used as aphrodisiac. Besides organics and natural herbs I wanted to experiment with what the modern science has to offer – to see the other side of the coin.
Jack3d – One of my good friends described this supplement correctly. “It makes you feel like you can flip over a jumbo jet or a semi truck with one hand.” It really does make you feel like that. It also gives you a very strange tingly feeling like when your arm falls asleep but over most of your body. It makes you work out like an insane person.
Side Effects - Makes you feel like a zombie. Once your workout is over you feel like a person with no emotion. Conversations are hard to carry on and you may be compelled to clean your entire house because you still have lots of energy.
If you want more energy, use Ginseng. Ginseng has been used for thousands of years with no known negative long term effects.
I’m a firm believer that you are what you eat. Also that what you put into your body is what you get out of it. My advice is to stick to natural energy enhancers and stay away from man made powders. Who really knows what they actually put in to them? Who knows what the long term effects on your health are?
I know I haven’t been inspecting the manufacturing lines myself. I mentioned earlier in this post that mercury was detected in protein powder and this is cause enough for alarm. Even more alarming still is a new study that recently came out that suggests all cancer is all man made. Regardless if it is or not we need to really think about what we are putting into our bodies and what the trade offs are.