Suma root. My favorite.

Suma

Does suma really give energy? I have yet to really experiment with it.

I have been having the most excellent success with Mucuna pruriens, it is one of my all time favorite herbs.

Outside of Mucuna for energy, Sida cordifolia, which contains ephedrine is a wonderful stimulant that seems to lack a lot of the side effects associated with ephedra.

I also second Maca, with raw cocoa & hemp seeds it is a daily tonic for me and seems to provide core energy as opposed to adrenergic stimulation.

Muira puama is another amazing mild yet wonderful substance which antagonizes gaba, drastically increases acetylcholine levels, and releases both adrenaline and dopamine.


The best way in my opinion to maintain an energetic state is to not wear out your adrenals, saving your dopamine up to build core energy. Adrenaline is nice, do not get me wrong, but it taxes your system. If I really want to utilize my adrenal glands I have to do it with Mucuna as it provides a hefty amount of a dopamine precursor, L-Dopa. This provides the fuel and with a little caffeine really pushes down on the gas.

I've had really good luck with spirulina, not a stimulant, but it does certainly keep me moving and directed throughout the day- I get a lot accomplished when I take it! I didn't realize you had an allergic reaction- was it pure, did it come from a certain lake? I have purchased both 'spirulina' and 'blue green algae' from a lake in Oregon- is it possible that some other component caused the swelling?

So, raw cacao is good for energy- like fresh off the tree, sucking the honey off the seeds? or eating the raw seeds, or drying and roasting first? I love raw cacao honey.

Curious to know how things are going for you Dante- and you're capoeira too, muito legal! Where do you play? NA, SA, Europe, Asia?

Yep i've seen this before, and there's another similar to this.

I'm on the raw cacao and maca powder too Also something to snack on between meals, or eating more. That's the case for me sometimes, I don't get enough to eat.

Yerba mate is great, but has caffeine.

Also do something fun during the day, or during the morning make yourself laugh. Or some other meditative excercise, yoga, qigong

Surprised no one has mentioned Celastrius Paniculatus, which I and others have found to be a great mental boost. Goes well with a cup of coffee too

I`m good my friend, at the moment I`m traveling around South America and having a much healthier life! Sadly though, I haven't been playing capoeira for a while, I'm just doing yoga every other day.

I used to play in UK in a small school, but I think once I'll get to Peru and I'll find a nice place to stay I'll get back on it!

What about you?

Lots of tumeric and black pepper on meals through out the day helps give me an extra push, when i don't want to end up all wired/jittery from caffeine.

I'd stay away from anything phenethylamine, including ephedra. I've taken it as a stimulant before, and it just felt really edgy and dirty. Low dose kratom is a much better option than ephedra aklaloids, or any kind of neurotransmitter releaser substituted phenethylamine.

Pretty much any phenethylamine stimulant i've tried, whether it be amphetamines, ephedra alkaoids, or what not, always leaves me worse than before in terms of exhaustion, on top of a nasty comedown. Sure they move energy around in the short term, and can be a handy tool in a bind, but that energy is not coming from nowhere, and in the long run all they do is make exhaustion worse.

They're just burning through energy your body stops you from doing so naturally, for very good reasons.

Hi Dante. I'm impressed by your apparent gusto for life. You seem to do allot of training plus a physically demanding.

As a fellow athlete I think you may have to scale back the physical activity until you're finished with your new job. Also you may wish to change your diet and consume more low GI carbs along with plenty of protein for a more sustained energy supply throughout the day.

I don't recommend using anything more powerful than coffee or its equivalents.

You may just have to grit your teeth and get through this.

Take care of yourself, get plenty of sleep and good luck.

+1 vote for yerba mate

Great caffeine energy, with theobromine and theophylline (also found in cocoa!) that take the edge off. Never makes me anxious, jittery, or unable to sleep.

Also, never underestimate the power of a 20-minute nap at midday!

GoodApollo: Thanks for worrying about my well being, but I can assure you that Im having a much more chilled and healthy life now

BTW, today I tried some mate de coca and I really enjoyed its clean and uplifting effect! Although, I think it wouldnt be wise to take it as a daily supplement!

You may also want to look into Llex guayusa.

Red (Korean) Ginseng is said to be very powerful; I am just starting with it but enjoying it so far.

There are good tonic herbs such as Eleuthero root, also Duanwood Reishi.

Astragalus is a good one; look into it's combo with Cordyceps mushroom and schizandra.
I don't have cordyceps ATM but do combo Astragalus with Schizandra in my own energy tea mixture.

"Astragalus... used with any of the medicinal mushrooms, especially cordyceps, to increase physical stamina and concentrated energy reservoirs needed for heightened athletic performance.

In addition, astragalus can be decocted with schizandra berries, another chinese tonic adaptogen, for enhancing endurance during physical exercise...

it increases the amount of blood and chi flowing through your system. This, in turn, increases mental clarity, physical endurance, immunity and recovery from depletion or severe exhaustion.

IT GIVES YOU AN INSTANTANEOUS NATURAL ENERGY HIGH!
astragalus health benefits can provide the necessary support for the adrenal exhaustion and chi depletion that may result from a highly active lifestyle. Astragali radix (Astragalus membranaceus or propinquus) is thus great for anyone suffering from lack of sleep and/or extreme levels of stress.
Atragalus has been well known for its effects when used in athletic training and high intensive energy work outs. It helps relieve fatigue and is used by athletes around the world for strength, endurance and muscle building qualities.

...it was also scientifically proven that astragalus root contains a saponin that activates telomerase..."-http://www.superfoods-for-superhealth.com/astragalus-benefits.html

I second this advice, especially since you've already mentioned that you are a vegetarian, I have a few friends who are vegetarian/vegan and the ones who called it quits and go back to eating meat are the ones who didn't eat enough plant based proteins.

Great complete (or nearly complete) protein sources from plants include:

Wheatgrass - 1 gram protein/ Tsp
Goji berry - 15% Complete Protein
Hemp seed - 33%
Spirulina - very high % complete
Flax seed
Amaranth
Avocado
Bee Pollen - 25%
Chia seed
Romaine Lettuce - 17% nearly complete protein
Golden Peruvian Inca berries - 16%
Pine Tree Pollen
Shiitake mushroom
Sacha Inchi seeds - 33% complete protein with a 98/100 protein efficiency ratio.
Nutritional Yeast - 52% protein
Noni fruit - 6oz of juice has 3g protein.

Blessings.

Dante, as a fellow fitness junkie, your level of physical activity is very inspiring to me.

I have a suggestion for you, which you may already know about:

In the morning, as soon as you get up, stand in a good horse stance (get as low as you can with your feet facing forward, legs spread as wide as you're comfortable, butt seated as if in a chair, back straight as an arrow), make two fists with your arms stretched straight out, then bring them in as far as you can, so each fist is touching your chest on either side just below your pectorals, thumbs facing the sky. Each arm should look like this: .>

Then, holding this pose, take at least five deep breaths. Breath in through the nose for four seconds (one mississippi, two mississippi. . .), then sip a big gulp of air in through the mouth, hold for another eight seconds, exhale for a full eight seconds.

If this doesn't leave you feeling completely energized and ready to face the day, I don't know what will.

Oi Dante, Sorry I've been away a bit, and didn't see your message. I started capoeira regional in NA, but have shifted to angola, it suits me and my energy better, and go to brazil fairly often to train and be healthier. it's easier there for me. I am beginning to see many more things about the spiritualism in capo that goes along with as plantas for the mind and soul- the more I read, experience, compare and reflect, it is very powerful.

How are you doing these days? Did you find something that is doing you some good? So many great suggestions in this thread, especially liked the link to the ceremonial cacao. wow.

Maca and suma since you're traveling around South America....but

....I came in here to say, Ashwagandha, Ashwagandha, Ashwagandha.

Concentrated mind-body connection. Transformation of bodily tissues into muscle. Calm reservoir of strength. Mmmmm.....tastes awful though.

Better to take a CO2 extract in capsule form.

Ginseng definitely puts on bulk, but tends to have side effects in some people.

Rhodiola is definitely a good muscle-builder, opening up the veins and oxygenating the tissues. Lovely, good endorphin feel.

I like green tea a lot. Different effect from coffee. Many health benefits.

I agree with the previous poster though who said to watch your diet and get plenty of sleep. Also plenty of H2O