By Ali Wetherbee

Metabolism declines with age

A decline in metabolism is natural as we age. According to John Berardi, PhD, CSCS, author of The Metabolism Advantage, your metabolism declines about 5-10% per decade after age 25. This means that you may find yourself gaining weight despite eating the same as you always have. A slower metabolism also means you will have a harder time losing weight, even if you’re cutting calories, but exercise and supplements can give raise your metabolism and help you lose stubborn weight.

BCAA – One of the top “Mega Metabolism Boosters”

Doctors have revealed their list of supplements to rev up your metabolism. One of their first suggestions was BCAA. BCAA stands for “Branched Chain Amino Acids,” and it has been used by athletes and bodybuilders for years to reduce muscle breakdown and improve performance. Maintaining lean muscle mass is important in firing up your metabolism, because muscle tissues burn more calories than fat tissues. Also, a pound of dense, compact muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat, so more muscle means you’ll look trimmer, even if your weight remains constant.

BCAAs cannot be synthesized – they must be ingested directly

According to some doctors, “One thing you do is you work out, but you don’t build up the lean muscle because you don’t have the building blocks you need.” BCAAs are those building blocks. The BCAAs are valine, leucine, and isoleucine. These are essential amino acids, which means your body cannot utilize other amino acids to produce these. They must be obtained from food or supplements. These 3 amino acids make up about a third of muscle protein. Research conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has shown that for people age 40-60, those who consume high levels of BCAA weigh less than those with low BCAA intake.

Try it yourself!

At Nourishing World, we carry a protein powders that is particularly high in BCAA. Choose Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen or Perfect Plant Protein Powder to add to your shake, smoothie, or baked goods.

Our recommendation is 1,000 mg of BCAA a day.

What else have doctors recommend?

Metabolism boosters:

• Sage leaf tea, which helps regulate blood sugar.
• Greek yogurt and lemon — the yogurt is high in calcium, which helps your cells burn more fat, while the vitamin C in lemon increases calcium absorption.
• White bean extract, the “sugar eraser,” which decreases the amount of sugar and carbs absorbed by your body and stored as fat. Take it before a high-carb meal or sugar-laden snack to help negate the carb effects and suppress appetite.

Diuretics: 

• Acacia fiber powder, a natural soluble fiber that helps keep your digestive system healthy.
• Hawthorn berry, a natural alternative to the water pill, which reduces bloating and water weight.
• Dandelion tea, which removes excess fluid from the body by inducing the production of more urine.