Improving Vigor (Maintaining Metabolic Balance)

Over the past 6 years, our group has conducted a series of human clinical studies (LINK TO http://www.XANGO.com/science/eleviv-clinical-results) in “stressed” volunteers, as short as 1-week and as long as 12 weeks, where we have been able to significantly improve Vigor by 25-30% (following a maintenance of metabolic balance). This means that although chronic stress disrupts metabolic balance, we now know that maintaining metabolic balance helps to improve feelings of Vigor quickly (within 1 week) and that those changes persist for months thereafter – indicating a unique and lasting improvement in overall well-being that is far superior to the fleeting and temporary effects of energy drinks and related products.

Typically, we will see very rapid improvements in indices of mental energy when the balance of neurotransmitters is maintained (which tend to respond faster to metabolic interventions) – followed soon thereafter by improvements in physical energy as hormone balance is maintained (which takes longer depending on the degree and duration of stress that the individual has been exposed to).

I feel very strongly—in fact, I am certain—that once you understand the relationship between modern stressors, your metabolic balance, and its effects on your long-term health, you will be motivated to do something about keeping your metabolism in balance. The bottom line is that living in the twenty-first century brings with it a certain amount of unavoidable stress—and with that stress comes a certain degree of disrupted metabolism. It is how we deal with that stress and what we do to control those hormone levels that can make all the difference when it comes to our long-term health and how we feel on a daily basis.

Shawn M Talbott, Ph.D. is the author of “Vigor – 7 Days to Unlimited Energy, Focus, and Well-Being” (www.VigorBook.com)

Eurycoma contains a group of small peptides (short protein chains) that are referred to as “eurypeptides” and are known to have effects in improving energy status. The testosterone “boosting” effects of eurycoma appears to not have anything to do with “stimulating” testosterone synthesis, but rather in increasing the release rate of “free” testosterone from its binding hormones (SHBG, sex‐hormone‐binding‐globulin). In this way, eurycoma is not so much a testosterone “booster” but rather a “maintainer” of normal testosterone levels (testosterone that your body has already produced and needs to release to become active). This would make eurycoma particularly beneficial for individuals with sub‐optimal testosterone levels, including those who are under increased metabolic stress, such as those dieting for weight loss, sleep-deprived individuals (less than 8 hours of nightly sleep), middle‐aged individuals (testosterone drops after age 30), and intensely training athletes who may be at risk for overtraining.

The vast majority of what we know about eurycoma comes to us from rodent studies, test tube binding evaluations, and a handful of open‐label human feeding trials. In the test tube binding studies, we find that eurycoma peptides and related compounds do indeed help to release more free testosterone from its binding proteins. In the rodent studies, we have more than a dozen reports of increased energy levels, improved hormonal profiles, and enhanced sex drive (all compared to “suppressed” levels induced by various forms of aging or stress). In the limited number of human feeding trials, we see a clear subjective indication of reduced fatigue, heightened energy and mood, and greater sense of well‐being in the subjects consuming eurycoma.

Until relatively recently, there were very few human supplementation studies in athletes, dieters, or individuals with chronic stress – which are perhaps the key customers for eurycoma‐based products. Over that last few years, there have been four US‐based research trials of eurycoma, 1 in endurance athletes (in mountain bikers, presented at the International Society of Sports Nutrition, ISSN, Annual Scientific Meeting in 2006) and 3 in chronically–stressed subjects (in moderately stressed subjects, presented at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Nutrition, and Experimental Biology, in 2006 thru 2009). These studies used eurycoma (combined with citrus PMFs, green tea extract, and theanine – as Eleviv) and found a balancing effect on normal testosterone levels (compared to a typical drop in cases of stress overexposure).

Whether the stress overexposure comes from caloric restriction (“dieting”) or excessive exercise (“over-training”) or sleep deprivation (less than 8 hours), or simple “everyday” psychological stress, it would be expected for cortisol (a stress hormone) to rise and testosterone (an anabolic hormone) to drop. This change in “Metabolic Balance” (cortisol up and testosterone down) is an important cause of the familiar “plateau” that many dieters hit (when weight loss stops) after 6‐8 weeks on a weight loss regimen. By maintaining normal testosterone levels, a dieter could expect to also maintain their muscle mass and metabolic rate (versus a drop in both subsequent to lower testosterone levels) – and thus continue to lose weight without plateauing. For an athlete, the same rise in cortisol and drop in testosterone is an early signal of overtraining – a syndrome characterized by reduced performance, increased injury rates, suppressed immune system activity, increased appetite, moodiness, and weight gain. Obviously, a maintenance of normal testosterone levels could prevent some of these overtraining symptoms as well as help the athlete to recover faster/better from daily training bouts.

There are no reported side effects in animal or human studies of eurycoma. It is important to note that the majority of these studies have been conducted on hot‐ water‐extracts of eurycoma (which is the traditional Malaysian preparation). Many of the eurycoma extracts currently on the US market are alcohol‐extracts, which provide a completely different (and potentially toxic) chemical profile, which may not be as effective or as safe as the studied hot‐water‐extracts. The Eleviv formula combines a patented and standardized eurycoma root extract with standardized hot-water extracts of Citrus peel and Green tea, plus pure L-theanine (an amino acid) to provide a unique and proprietary approach to restoring Metabolic Balance, reducing stress, and improving Vigor for enhanced mental and physical performance.

About the author: Dr. Shawn Talbott holds a MS in Exercise Science (Univ Massachusetts), an EMP in Entrepreneurship (MIT), and a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry (Rutgers). He is the author of more than 200 articles and 8 books on health and wellness, including his new book, “Vigor – 7 days to Unlimited Energy, Focus, and Well-Being” (www.VigorBook.com – 100% of profits support Operation Smile). Dr. Talbott is a scientific advisor to XANGO.

Well, here we are again – Halloween is a fading memory and Thanksgiving and the rest of the Holiday season is upon us. It used to be that the so-called “holiday season” didn’t start until close to the actual holidays – but now it seems to start even before the pumpkins are off your front porch!

During the holiday season, research surveys routinely show that more than HALF of us feel overwhelmed by the stress of Thanksgiving or Christmas or Hanukkah – meaning that all this holiday-cheer causes us as much stress as do dentist visits and speeding tickets!

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), more than half of all women (51%) and men (43%) in the United States experience heightened stress during the holidays – enough stress to put them at increased risk for physical and mental health effects. Juggling work and added family responsibilities, such as planning for holiday gatherings, shopping for gifts and cooking, leave many of us feeling like we can’t take time to relax while we’re struggling to get everything done for the holidays.
Luckily, we have a lot of options for controlling stress. Stress management, regular exercise, and a balanced diet can all help to control the stress response and keep metabolic balance right where it should be – but, what else can you do to help maintain metabolic balance during the Holiday Season? Here are my “Top 5” ways to resist the detrimental health effects of stress:

1. Have an “outlet” (a hobby or some diversion outside of work)…
2. Do whatever you can to make the sources of your stress more “predictable” or learn to develop more “control” over those stressors – this means to identify patterns related to when your stressors might appear…
3. Hang out with friends (avoid social isolation) – tough times are always easier when you’re around other people – and the Holidays are the perfect time to get together with family and friends…
4. Learn to tell the difference between “big” issues and “little” issues… and learn to “look on the bright side” (really) – as simplistic as it sounds, the fact that you can look to “what is improving” in a given situation can help to psychologically buffer the stress in others areas of your life…
5. Supplement Strategically – research shows that Eleviv™ can help maintain metabolic balance, improve mood, and reduce fatigue levels.

In bringing this balance into our Holiday Seasons, we’re better able to resist the detrimental health effects of stress and less likely to suffer the “Bah-Humbugs” that so many of us succumb to each year. By maintaining metabolic balance during the most stressful time of year, we’ll all be happier and healthier in the New Year. Happy Holidays!