0
Biohacking Supplements
Biohacking is, in simple terms, “hacking the body.” You can do it by taking supplements that can enhance overall wellness or performance. Biohacking supplements are safe to take if you know how to use them. Here, we’ll review scientifically proven biohacking supplements to determine their risks and benefits.
Key Takeaways
- Biohacking supplements can help modify the body to obtain a particular health benefit. It can reduce stress, improve health, or boost cognitive function.
- Popular biohacking supplements include nootropics, adaptogens, functional foods, and green powder supplements.
- Green powder supplements can be a great way to get all the nutrients you need. In addition, they might contain certain biohacking supplements to bring additional benefits.
We all look to be the best at what we do.
It can be that you want to excel at your sport or simply want to be the best at your job. No matter what, as humans, we are always looking for ways to improve ourselves.
Proper nutrition can provide essential nutrients to help improve wellness or enhance any other trait. However, while foods can provide biohacking traits, you might need to eat a lot of a specific food to get all its benefits.
That is where biohacking supplements come into play.
Biohacking supplements are supplements that can enhance a particular trait in the body. They can enhance brain function, improve weight loss, or boost performance.
While there are several supplements available, not all of them have enough scientific evidence to back up their claims, or they might not be safe to take.
The purpose of this article is to explore the role of biohacking supplements. Understand their benefits, risks, and the role of green powder supplements as biohacking supplements.
Defining Biohacking Supplements
What Are Biohacking Supplements?
Biohacking is a very broad word. In brief terms, it means modifying the environment for your benefit. It can be through exercise, nutrition, or mindful practices (like meditation) to improve overall wellness.
Biohacking supplements are supplements you take to modify a particular trait in the body. They can help improve sleep, enhance mental function, and boost performance.
While this might sound like a relatively new term, I assure you that you are probably taking a biohacking supplement without realizing it.
So, let’s take a closer look at some of the most common ones.
Key Categories Of Biohacking Supplements
There are different categories of biohacking supplements.
Here, we’ll go over the most common ones and the ones with enough scientific evidence to back up their claims.
1. Nootropics
Nootropics are a popular biohacking supplement often called “smart drugs.” These are supplements that have a positive effect on brain function.
They are increasingly gaining popularity due to their effect on improving memory, creativity, focus, and motivation.
There are different types of nootropics. Some, you need a doctor’s prescription to get them, but others are easily available.
So, what are some popular nootropics that can help improve mental function?
- Caffeine: research shows that caffeine can have an effect on the central nervous system, improving focus and energy. (Source)
- L-Theanine: it seems to have a calming effect on the body without making you feel drowsy or sleepy. It pairs nicely with caffeine to enhance performance. (Source)
- Creatine: it allows you to have a good storage of fast-acting energy. It also seems to positively affect memory and reasoning skills. (Source)
- Ginkgo biloba: evidence suggests that ginkgo biloba can help improve mental processes and memory. (Source)
2. Adaptogens
With stress levels constantly rising, more people are looking for ways to help relieve stress. While some stress-relieving techniques such as meditation, yoga, and art therapy might work, sometimes you might need an extra boost.
In this case, adaptogens are one of the best solutions.
Adaptogens are herbs, roots, and mushrooms that have natural properties to help mitigate stress levels.
Evidence suggests that adaptogens interact with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which controls stress handling and energy metabolism. (Source)
Some common adaptogens include ashwagandha, Rhodiola rosea, reishi mushroom, cordyceps mushrooms, astragalus root, and Panax ginseng.
One of the benefits of adaptogens is that you can combine them to create powerful combinations to help reduce stress and anxiety.
For example, the combination between Rhodiola and ashwagandha seems to be a powerful combination for stress.
3. Functional Foods
Functional foods are foods with a high nutritional value. As a result, they tend to possess several health benefits. They might reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or promote healthy growth.
So, functional foods can be fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and prebiotics high in certain nutrients.
There are two types of functional foods:
- Conventional functional foods are those you find naturally, like fruits and vegetables.
- Modified functional fruits are modified to enhance their nutritional properties. In most cases, these are added vitamins and minerals.
4. Greens Powders
Finally, green powder supplements are one of the best biohacking supplements.
Green powder supplements are a combination of dried vegetables with high nutritional value. What makes green powders great is that they can combine different biohacking supplements.
For example, some of the best green powder supplements, like Supergreen Tonik, offer a blend of different functional foods, adaptogens, and nootropics.
This allows you to have all the benefits in one drink instead of taking several supplements throughout the day.
Potential Benefits And Limitations
As mentioned, biohacking supplements have several benefits. Depending on its focus, it can help improve overall health, boost cognitive function, and reduce stress.
However, since the FDA does not regulate dietary supplements, more research is still needed regarding the use of biohacking supplements.
For example, some green powder supplements, like Athletic Greens, contain different herbs, spices, prebiotics, and probiotics.
The problem relies on no current research stating the interaction between probiotics and other ingredients. Also, the question arises of how many live bacteria are still available when taking the supplement.
Another limitation is the possible interaction between certain ingredients with each other or with medication.
For that reason, when taking a new supplement, it is always recommended to consult with a health professional to determine if it’s ideal for you.
The Science Of Greens Powders
Green powder supplements are increasing in their popularity every day. More and more people have a green powder supplement in their pantries to get an extra daily dose of fruits and vegetables.
But how can they improve your health?
Let’s take a closer look at green powder supplements.
Composition Of Greens Powders
Currently, there are no guidelines for what needs to be in a green powder supplement. The majority contains vegetables in powdered form.
However, in most cases, they also contain other ingredients such as fruits, herbs, spices, adaptogens, nootropics, mushrooms, prebiotics, and probiotics.
There are many different types of green powder supplements.
Since there are different needs, it makes sense to have different supplements to satisfy those needs.
Nutritional Value
Since green powder supplements are high in nutrient-dense foods. They are a good source of essential vitamins and minerals.
The amount of vitamins and minerals you get depends on the ingredients used in each formula, but generally speaking, they are high in vitamins from the B complex, vitamins C, A, E, and K.
Also, one of the benefits of green powder supplements is its high antioxidant content. Antioxidants can help decrease free radicals.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause cellular damage. Too many free radicals lead to oxidative stress, increasing inflammation and the risk of chronic illnesses.
So, since green powder supplements are high in antioxidants, they can help reduce inflammation due to their antioxidant capacity.
On top of that, you might get other health benefits depending on the ingredients used. For example, there might be a reduction in stress, improved sleep, better recovery, increased performance, and better gut health.
Research Supporting The Efficacy Of Greens Powders
Currently, there is little research stating the benefits of green powder supplements. One of the main concerns is that the research available is done in a limited time (typically a couple of months) and in small populations.
One of the main concerns regarding green powders is the possible interaction of several ingredients. For example, there is very little evidence stating the stability of probiotics in green powder supplements.
Still, there is research regarding most ingredients used in green powder supplements.
And, the little research available for green powders states the possible benefits in heart health and chronic illnesses.
Integrating Greens Powders Into Your Biohacking Strategy
Now, how do you combine green powder supplements to “biohack” your body?
It all depends on the ingredients in each formula.
With that said, let’s talk about how to choose the right supplement.
Identifying The Right Greens Powder For You
1. Quality And Purity
To identify if the supplement is worth purchasing, you need to check for its quality and purity.
Search for green powder supplements that contain as many organic ingredients as possible.
Also, search for those made with non-GMO ingredients; they may not contain any artificial ingredients or preservatives.
The more certifications the company can provide, such as made in GMP-certified facilities or any other that guarantee the purity and safeness of the ingredients, will be the best choice.
2. Ingredient Profile
One of the biggest problems of green powder supplements is that they are made with proprietary blends. This means you cannot fully determine how much each ingredient they use.
The problem is that even though it contains all organic ingredients if they are not clinically dosed, they might not provide the intended benefits.
So, one of the things that makes a green powder supplement stand out is having a clear and fully transparent ingredient.
Search for a green powder supplement, hopefully with a transparent label and clinically proven ingredients.
3. Cost And Availability
Finally, cost and availability play an important role in selecting the best green powder supplement.
Green powder supplements are not cheap, especially if they contain clinically proven ingredients with the right doses.
However, don’t let the price fool you. Just because it’s more expensive, it doesn’t mean it’s the best or the other way around.
Analyze the price compared to the ingredients you are getting, certifications the product has, or any policies the company offers, such as a money-back guarantee.
Also, check for the product’s availability. If you enjoy the product but it’s out of stock most of the time, determine if it’s really worth it.
Suggested Usage And Dosage
The suggested dosage and usage depend on everyone’s needs. If you have low consumption of fruits and vegetables, I recommend adding a green powder supplement at least once a day.
But, if you feel digestive issues such as bloating, gas, stomach cramps, or diarrhoea, reduce the dosage in half until your body gets used to it.
If you wonder if you should be having a green powder supplement more than once a day, ask a health professional. They can understand your needs based on your current eating habits.
Combining Greens Powders With Other Biohacking Supplements
Green powder supplements and other biohacking supplements can increase their potential in most cases, but they can also cause some possible interactions.
There are some synergistic effects between some ingredients in green powder supplements. For example, as mentioned before, the combination of Rhodiola and ashwagandha seems to be a powerful blend to help reduce stress.
It can also be seen in nutrients. For example, vitamin K has a synergistic effect with vitamin D for calcium absorption, promoting good bone health.
However, you should be careful when combining certain ingredients or taking them along with medication.
For instance, Panax ginseng might interact with blood thinners. Another ingredient, licorice root, might cause high blood pressure in some people.
For that reason, if you have a chronic illness or take medication, make sure you consult with your doctor to check there won’t be any interactions between the green powder supplement and medication.
Real-Life Examples Of Successful Biohackers Using Greens Powders
As mentioned before, biohacking is not something new. Several people have tried biohacking to achieve their best health.
We can discuss two successful examples of biohacking: Tim Ferriss and Dave Asprey.
Tim Ferriss is an American investor, author, and public figure widely known for self-experimenting in biohacking. He is a firm believer in meditation every day to improve mental wellness and function.
But besides that, Tim Ferriss is a strong believer in supplementing with green powder supplements to get a nutrient boost. His favourite green powder supplement is Athletic Greens due to its ingredient composition and long trajectory.
Another person known for biohacking his body is Dave Asprey. He is an investor and entrepreneur. It might sound familiar since he founded Bulletproof company, a supplement company that follows a low-carb approach.
He is often referred to as the “father of biohacking” due to extensive research in finding ways to take the human body to the next level.
To help boost health, Dave created his green powder formula Bulletproof greens. The formula offers different vegetables, fruits, superfoods, mushrooms, nootropics, and digestive aids.
10% OFF with code:
BEST10
Conclusion
Biohacking, in simple terms, refers to “hacking” the body to take it to the next level. It might be to promote sleep, reduce stress, improve performance, or enhance cognitive function.
No matter what you are looking for, there are always natural ways to push your body further.
There are several biohacking supplements available, but one of the most important ones is green powder supplements.
Green powder supplements are a combination of greens that can produce a synergistic effect with other herbs, spices, prebiotics, mushrooms, nootropics, and adaptogens.
Instead of taking several supplements all day long, simply making a delicious-tasting beverage, can take your body to the next level in health, performance, and cognitive function.
And, if you want to get better results, green powder supplements and red powder supplements can be the best combination.
Red powder supplements, like Red Tonik, provide high levels of antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation.
So, if you want to take your body to the next level, green powder supplements are definitely worth a try.
Lucy Brennan is a registered associate nutritionist (ANutr) and freelance writer specializing in health, nutrition and wellness content. She holds a BSc. (First Class Hons) in Public Health Nutrition and has over 4 years’ experience working in health communication, which is where her passion lies.
She has worked in roles with The Irish Food Board and FleishmanHillard PR, on their healthcare team, working with national and international health companies. Using this experience, Lucy now writes content in a freelance capacity. Lucy is dedicated to providing evidence-based content that is both engaging and accessible and inspires readers to make informed choices regarding their health.