Fighters need more minerals, more amino acids, more enzymes and more phytonutrients and vitamins. They need more antioxidants to protect against the byproducts of exercise. They need more natural Cox-2 inhibitors to protect against inflammation. When these nutrient needs are unmet, cells are damaged. So, if you are training in mixed martial arts, you need a lot more nutrition then almost any other sport

            Fighters need to ensure a double or triple supply of assimable, natural source, entire spectrum minerals and trace minerals. Secondly, any one training as our modern mixed martial arts fighters do need a double or triple supply of antioxidants to stand as bodyguards against the daily onslaught of free radicals produced by extraordinary exercise.

  The essential nutrients that everybody needs are protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals and trace elements. You need first-class protein, which is defined as a protein containing all eight essential amino acids. Fish, chicken, meat, eggs, milk and cheese are examples. Complex carbohydrates are preferable to the simple form, eg, wholewheat products, oats, potato, rice and pasta. Fat intake should ideally be 50% unsaturated. Olive oil, flax seed oil and similar products are representative of the best form of fat. The ideal diet for an elite athlete is 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fat.

            Creatine is found in meat, but not in sufficient quantity to make much difference to athletic performance. It increases the amount of ATP in muscles, thereby allowing for greater contraction and consequently, increased strength and power. That it is effective is beyond doubt. Numerous double blind tests have proved that it can add strength and energy to an athlete, particularly those in explosive events, as opposed to events requiring endurance. What has been debated most is the amount to take daily. One person who pioneered creatine stated that the effective, and safe daily intake is 3 grams a day. There are no reported side effects at this level, but excessive amounts well above this may cause muscle cramp. Anyone who wants to increase their explosive power and overall strength should give creatine a try. It seems to work for most.

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in muscle tissue. When you train or compete hard, you break down large amounts and this needs to be repaired before you train again. A high level of glutamine speeds up this process. Although well distributed in protein foods, two grams taken on a workout day have been documented to be beneficial in enhancing recovery. Glutamine is available in capsules or powder from most health stores. In powder form it’s tasteless, and mixes easily with water.

 B vitamins in general play a role in the creation of energy. There are eleven members of the B complex: some help the body digest carbohydrates, while others help to utilise fat. The co-enzyme version of some B vitamins is of particular value in promoting energy. NADH is the active constituent of niacin (B3) and has received a lot of publicity of late. It is even being promoted as a supplement for people suffering from the most wearying of maladies, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  When you suffer from that, everything is an effort and you simply cannot function. NADH has been reported as having, in some instances, a remarkable effect in restoring energy to people who took 10mg a day over a number of weeks. If it can do that for those with a severe lack of energy, athletes and the very active could benefit in the same way. It is a better conversion of food into usable energy, which niacin helps to do anyway.

The co-enzyme form is just that more effective. It is worth a try…

Some years ago, a new supplement, ornithine, was introduced. The end product of arginine amino acid, it was promoted as being good for muscle growth and strength and some tests showed that it could be, in very large amounts. These amounts were too high to be practical, so ornithine faded away. Then a combination of ornithine and glutamine was tried. Ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate was the name or simply, OKG. Taken at levels of 2-4 grams a day, it has the effect on some people of increasing power, training energy and drive. The only way to get this nutrient is in supplement form.

If you need a protein supplement at all, the best is whey protein. If your diet is high in protein foods, then no supplement is usually required, but some people do need extra. Whey is derived from cheese and has the highest biological profile of any protein food, even eggs. The term biological means how near the amino acid structure is to that of human muscle. A total of 70% of body cells are made up of three amino acids, leucine, isoleucine and valine, which are often termed branched chain amino acids or BCAAs. Since they play a key role in muscle recovery, BCAAs assume a greater importance than most other amino acids, although all amino acids are needed. Whey protein has a higher level of these key aminos than any other food. So, if your diet isn’t as high as it might be in protein, and you decide to take a supplement, whey protein isolate, not concentrate, is recommended.

Summary

     As stated at the beginning, for many if not most people, a good varied diet is often all you need, even if you indulge in active sports. However, the further up the ladder of exertion you go, it’s often good practice to help your body to function at a more optimum level by using a few natural food supplements. There is nothing wrong in doing this; you’re not attempting to force your body into doing more than it’s capable of; rather, you are helping your body to do what it is capable of doing better. No substance on its own outside the drug field will make a dramatic difference to your physical or indeed mental capabilities. However, many will enhance them. The essential difference is that natural food supplements work with the body, while drugs work on the body. All of the items covered are natural and carry no known side effects if taken at the levels suggested.

     The best way to try any substance is to take a single product for 4-6 weeks and observe the effects. Have you more energy; can you train harder; do you feel better…? At the end of the trial period, stop, take a week’s break, then try another product, having noted the response to the previous item. Once more give it 4-6 weeks, stop, take a week’s break, and try the next one on the list yet again noting down your response. Continue like this until you have tried the ones that most appeal to you. At the end of the trial period, you will have a very good idea of what works for you, and what doesn’t. Once you do know this, and the same principle will apply whenever any new product comes on to the market, then you will be able to formulate the most effective nutritional program made exclusively for you. The end result will be that you will be much more capable and effective, in your training and competition.