Maca
Maca is a hearty root vegetable plant, which grows in the high Andean plateaus of Peru at altitudes as high as 14,500 feet above sea level. No other food plant on earth can survive the extreme weather conditions and intensive sunlight that this amazing super food grows in. The rich soil located at these high plateaus accounts for the high levels of trace minerals found in Maca.
Maca contains substantial amounts of essential nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, vitamin B1, B2, B12, C, E and essential fatty acids.
- Increases energy, enhances stamina, mental clarity and athletic endurance.
- It has a balancing effect on the endocrine system and therefore provides stimulation through nutrition rather than central nervous system as with caffeine
- It has reputed aphrodisiac properties, hence its nickname ‘Spanish Viagra’!
- Maca is extremely high in Calcium which is known to promote healthy bone formation.
Guarana
Over the last 10 years Guarana has become increasingly popular as an ‘herbal high’ or natural stimulant. Taking 1 gram Guarana Seed Powder orally will provide a clean hit of energy, mental clarity and gentle excitement that usually lasts between 2-4 hrs.
Its main constituent is known as ‘guaranine’, which has a similar chemical structure to caffeine but is 15 times less toxic. Despite possessing all of the positive stimulating effects of coffee/caffeine, it possesses few of the negative side effects.
South Americans have used it medicinally for hundreds of years as a general tonic for the body and as a source of natural energy. Its properties are described in herbal encyclopaedias as a Nervine, tonic, and stimulant, aphrodisiac and febrifuge.
- Combats fatigue
- Increases energy
- Stimulates brain function
- Aids concentration
- Relives headaches
- Relieves menstrual pain
- Helps to speed recovery from illness
- Reduces the appetite
- Acts as a gentle diuretic
- Improves tolerance to heat and humidity.
Suma
Suma Root (also known as Para Todo meaning ‘For All Things’) is one of the most highly regarded South American herbs. The South American Natives have used Suma for centuries. In the last ten years Suma has also become a popular herb amongst Olympic athletes due to its anabolic agents which help to increase muscle-building and endurance without the side effects associated with steroids.
- Suma root contains a wide range of essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and trace elements.
- Researchers have identified 152 chemical constituents in the root, including 19 amino acids.
- It contains electrolytic and trace minerals such as iron, magnesium, cobalt, silica and zinc, as well as vitamins A, B-1, B-2, E, K and pantothenic acid.
- Suma root has high levels of the trace element germanium, a powerful natural antioxidant which stimulates the immune system.
- It also contains Allantoin which is known to promote wound healing and speeds up cell regeneration and the hormones Sitosterol and Stipmasterol which have been found to be beneficial to the heart and aid in lowering cholesterol levels in the blood.
- It is extremely energising and as such is an excellent supplement for those with an active lifestyle.
‘Suma Root’ also known as ‘The Russian Secret’ has been taken by Russian Olympic athletes for many years, reportedly to increase muscle mass and endurance without the side effects associated with steroids. It may also help to boost energy, balance the hormones and increase libido! This action is attributed to the anabolic ecdysteroid glycosides which are found in high amounts in Suma.
Russian researchers looked at the combined effects of ecdysterone and a high protein diet. They found that when athletes combined a high protein diet with ecdysterone, lean muscle mass increased by 6-7% and body-fat decreased by 10%. Suma is a very rich source of beta-ecdysterone.
Another Russian research study (Chermynkh et al., 1988) compared the muscle building activities of methandrostenolone, a powerful anabolic steroid, and ecdysterone. They demonstrated that ecdysterone had a wider anabolic action on contractile proteins of the muscle than methandro-stenolone.
Further research determined that ecdysterone had significant anabolic effect similar to the synthetic steroid Dianabol but without any of the harmful side effects.
