The training and nutritive techniques are virtually identical — endurance athletes minimize weight, eat high-calorie, easily digestible carbohydrate gels and fluid proteins, hydrate often, and take electrolytes — but if you compare the numbers (if you can find the numbers), you’ll find that marathoners and long-distance runners outnumber endurance hikers. While an average marathoner might finish a 42.195 kilometer run in about 5 hours, an endurance hiker will often take 11 hours to complete the same distance on rough wilderness trails. Recent mothers, fathers, and young professionals often find that the travel times to worthwhile hiking trails (plus the hiking times) are prohibitive.
Category Archives: Supplements
Green Tea Extract, Niacin, and Liver Stress
If you are taking a prescription medicine that is known to stress the liver, then you should be very careful about taking supplements such as green tea extract and niacin. Both green tea extract and niacin can be hard on the liver. In fact my doctor says that most herbs and herbal extracts can elevate liver enzyme levels. (And of course you have heard the ongoing news about the dangers of taking too much Tylenol.)
If you are taking a medication that is known to stress the liver, and you want to take green tea extract or niacin (or other supplements), then discuss your plans with your doctor and have your liver enzyme levels tested.
Calcium
If you are unable to eat milk products or if you are taking a medication such as prednisone, you should definitely take calcium supplements — at least 1000 mg of calcium per day, divided into 2 to 4 doses. Never take more that 500 mg of calcium at one sitting during the day: your body has a hard time utilizing more that 500 mg at a time. And I have heard that among people supplementing with calcium, cranberry juice causes kidney stones. So avoid cranberries.
You might want to take a look at EZorbOnline.com. EZorb is a “new generation” calcium supplement — it has a very high absorption rate. I believe that I can feel the effects of EZorb on my muscle tone and skeletal strength.
