Age creeps up on us all. Little twinges become aches and pains and maintaining muscle mass while keep the belly at bay becomes a war of attrition against Old Father Time. But the battle isn’t over yet, and adding these three supplements to your diet – so long as you continue to eat well, exercise intelligently and get good-quality sleep – can give your body a better chance of staying fighting fit for longer.
1 Get stronger joints
Glucosamine is an amino sugar and a major component of cartilage, which is the stuff that absorbs the shock to your joints when you run, lift or do plyometric drills like box jumps. As you age your cartilage starts to lose the elasticity that protects your joints and so becomes less effective at doing its job. Taking glucosamine, which is typically made from shellfish, can reinforce cartilage by stimulating the cells to produce proteoglycans, which can improve joint function and mobility. Aim for three daily doses of 500mg.
2 Add muscle faster
Glutamine is an amino acid that studies suggest minimises the breakdown of muscle tissues during strenuous exercise as well as improving muscle synthesis, which is the assimilation of the protein you eat into new tissue. Having adequate levels has also been linked to improved brain and gut health. You should already get enough of this compound from your diet, but it can be worth taking a supplement if you’re under a lot of stress or training harder than normal.
3 Better overall health
Make sure you eat as many servings of fresh veg as possible every day – then try adding a greens supplement to fill any nutritional gaps you may have missed. Most powders contain multiple servings of veggies along with other highly beneficial compounds you’d be loath to eat in their natural forms (think algae and grasses). You can drink it straight – if you have no sense of taste – or blend it into a breakfast shake or smoothie.