Relies wit lake eon ih sale next nes pact ci Une vill apgxr on vi aucl nes ed! sa ‘ace cack! “an hoo} Portal Wey"ai. Mes, wi ‘his Andoctd aL an JO beats Ce, at Athe wa ‘he “oot Tt ty ceonRe d a rel ey SS Mes, "ial mn Trac ergy a ad . of of aene “Soy aa ee Prt ane 4‘na Increase Your Gain And Avoid The Pain From Exercise by Wendy H. Weiss, MA, RD (NAPSA)—Millions of Ameri- cans suffer from illnesses that can be prevented or improved through regular physical activity. In fact, physical activity is so important to our health, the governmentrecently revised exercise guidelines, stating that all Americans should now get 60 minutes of daily exercise. But if you’re among those people avoiding exercise because of the pain and exhaustion that often comes afterward—and especially when you Wendy H. Weiss don’t workout regularly—some dietary changes may makeit easier for you to workit into your schedule. High-end athletes are very familiar with the nutrient L-Carnitine as it was among the top three most commonly reported dietary supplements used by athletes at the 2000 Olympic Games. But new research on the nutrient L-Carnitine, which is used in part to convert fat into fuel for the body, has shown that adequate intakes of the nutrient may not only lengthen and optimize work- outs but also reduce pain in the days following for all types of athletes, including “weekend warriors.” Several studies confirm L-Carnitine’s relationship to exercise. Researchers have tested people at all athletic levels, with and without adequate L-Carnitine, for indicators of recovery. They found that people had significantly less post-workout pain and tenderness and less post-exercise muscle damage with L-Carnitine supplementation than with placebo. In one study, 75 percent of participants saw a 20 percent improved ability to exert energy within the 25-minutes after exercising. Scientists suggest that L-Carnitine may help deliver more blood and more oxygen to Nutrition found to be helpful in maximizing exercise endurance andtolerance. muscle during exercise, which helps improve energy generation, wash out substances that produce painful symptoms and repair damaged muscle. L-Carnitine is produced in small amounts in the human body (approximately 20 milligrams daily), but this is only 10 percent of the nutrient used daily by the average person and about one percent of the amount needed for enhanced exercise recovery. A diet including twoto three servings of lean meat such as lamb, beef, pork and poultry, as recommended in the food guide pyramid, can provide 100-300 milligrams of L-Carnitine to the body daily. In addition, health food stores, pharmacies and supermarkets carry L-Carnitine supplements, ranging between 250-500 milligrams of L-Carnitine. Wendy Weiss is a board certified Registered Dietitian working in New York City. With a master’s degree in health communication, Weiss discusses nutrition as it pertains to health, medicine and fit- ness with consumers across the country. ween eee e eee e eee e eee n eee WAT one nee enn e eee e eee e eee Note to Editors: To get other columns in this natural health series, call 646-935-3900.
