The best gaming supplement for gamer pros & noobs alike
Feb 16, 2021
|While video games represent a hobby for most people, some people make a good living off of playing video games at a professional level. While these two types of gamers seem to be very different, they both require much of the same thing when it comes to supplemental support.
WRITTEN BY
MitoQ
PUBLISHED
Feb 16, 2021
UPDATED
Sep 13, 2023
Whether you are a weekend warrior or a professional streamer, taking supplements is a great way to help you step up your game.
By supporting all aspects of what a gamer needs while playing, you can effectively ensure you are playing at the top of your game. Everyone experiences those off-days while gaming, and taking into consideration your body and what it needs through supplements is a great way to increase the number of days that you are with it and perform at your best.
Below is a closer look at the kinds of support a gamer needs to perform at their best as well as a list of supplement ingredients you should look for in your next gaming supplement. Taking a gaming supplement is one thing, but knowing how and why certain ingredients work can allow you to choose the best supplement for you and your specific needs.
What gamers need
From an outside perspective, most people do not understand the amount of effort, skill, and focus it takes to play many video games today. A combination of assessing your surroundings, having quick reflexes, performing under massive pressure, and having a good strategy all encompass most games today.
While playing video games, your brain and body can be in a heightened state that requires more from your body than many people think.
As a gamer, if you have ever walked away due to a headache, itchy eyes, sore hands, or an aching back, you are leaving something out that is contributing to that issue. Below is an exhaustive list of the things gamers need to support their mind and body to perform at their very best.
Hydration
Long hours online can be fun and pounding back energy drinks can allow you to keep going, but neither of these truly keeps your body adequately hydrated. While you may think that those energy drinks are keeping you hydrated, in reality, the sugar content paired with high amounts of caffeine can contribute to increases in water loss through urination. On any given day you should consume roughly four to six cups of water to stay hydrated, but oftentimes these four to six cups get replaced by energy drinks.
While you have most likely been told your whole life about the importance of hydration, for gaming, hydration is immensely important due to the potential for dehydration during long and extended gameplay. Many gamers have encountered a situation in which they unconsciously don’t go to the bathroom until they very urgently need to go.
When it comes to water consumption this method cannot be used as by the time you are feeling very thirsty, you are most likely already experiencing symptoms of dehydration.
Cognitive support
Gaming is a cognitively intensive task. While it is fun and enjoyable, your brain is getting a tough workout where it needs to constantly analyze the situation and act accordingly with precision and speed.
Reaction time is an essential component of any gamer’s success. Reaction time is the amount of time the body takes to register stimuli and act upon the stimuli. One study looking at reaction time found that pro gamers had faster reaction times than the control group and that their reaction time was similar to that of collegiate football players.
The difference in reaction time illustrates the mental muscle of speed that is built through video games. To give your brain a helping hand, it is important to take supplements and take care of your mental health to allow it to grow and continue to improve its speed and problem-solving capabilities.
Sustained energy level
When you are gaming it can seem like your energy levels are endless as you are completely engrossed in the game. While it can feel like you have an infinite supply of energy, in reality, most people begin to suffer in their gameplay the longer they are online.
To increase your gaming stamina, it is important to have a strong basis for natural energy. Energy drinks provide a short-term fix, but over time they can become less effective and even addictive. Supporting your energy levels from the cellular level up is a key to allowing you to stay focussed and competitive for even the lengthiest gaming sessions.
Manageable stress level
While most people view gaming as a leisurely activity, many people enjoy the thrill, stress, and challenges associated with their gameplay. While some stress is ideal for performing at your best, letting stress get the better of you could leave you with some heated gamer moments and rage quits. Excessive stress can also lead to unwanted nerves that could throw you out of your game when the stakes are high.
For gamers that find they get heated too easily, or find they let nerves get the best of them, it may be a good idea to find supplements that help to support healthy stress levels or find techniques to manage stress more appropriately. Supporting your stress levels can allow you to dial in the appropriate amount of stress that yields the most gain in performance for you.
Eye support
If you are an advanced player or a noob, you have most likely at some point or another experienced eye strain. Eye strain can present itself as eye dryness, itchiness, redness, or even headaches. The main cause of eye strain is that your eyes are working overtime to make out objects presented on the screen typically in a poorly lit room.
The ideal way to support your eye health is to ensure your environment is lit and that the screen you are playing on is free from glare. While these actions can help, they will not cure eye strain. For a large majority of people, eye strain is caused by looking at the screen itself for extended periods of time with less frequent blinking. In addition to making changes to your environment, you should take the time to take eye breaks away from screens.
Joint support
Back and joint soreness is another aspect of gaming that is all too familiar to both noobs and professional gamers. There is a reason that elite gamers spend thousands on a great gaming chair and that is to support their spine while sitting for hours at a time.
While we all aren’t fortunate enough to buy thousand-dollar gaming chairs, there are things you can do to support your joints and reduce soreness and joint pain.
A joint supplement can help to support optimal joint health and pairing supplements with frequent stretches, breaks, and physical exercise can ensure you take care of your joints without dropping the money on an expensive ergonomic gaming chair.
Supplement ingredients for gamers
With a general understanding of the needs of a gamer, you can better understand why gamers could benefit from specific supplements. Below is a look at just a few supplements that could help to support gammers to get the most out of their games.
Pycnogenol
Pycnogenol is an extract of the French Maritime pine that can help support normal visual acuity, color vision, and retinal health. For nearly every video game, your vision is a vital component to performing well. Supporting it through pycnogenol can ensure your eyes have the support they need to focus for extended periods of time.
MitoQ
MitoQ is a specially formulated CoQ10 supplement that works by supporting the mitochondria within your cells. The mitochondria support your energy levels at a cellular level which can give you an added edge in lengthy gaming sessions that require you to have a stout level of natural energy.
Green-lipped mussel extract
Sitting for hours on end can be difficult on joints due to extended inactivity. Green-lipped mussel extract is a supplement that is derived from the green-lipped mussel that is native to New Zealand. The extract is rich in Omega-3, sterols, esters, and natural oils that can help to support your joints from a nutritional standpoint. Paired with improved ergonomics, you could significantly reduce joint pain which can allow you more time in the seat.
Zembrin® Kanna Extract
Zembrin® Kanna Extract is an excellent supplement that has effects on the amygdala. The amygdala is a structure within the brain that plays a role in emotional response, decision-making, and memory. This could be a great supplement for maintaining your cool during the heat of the moment which allows you to focus more on the game at hand.
Conclusion
In summary, there are many supplements available for gamers to up their game. Gaming is a very involved process that requires gamers to have high mental capacity, healthy joints, good visual acuity, and high levels of natural energy.
These needs are not unique to professional gamers as both noobs and pros can benefit from added support. MitoQ has a collection of specially formulated supplements that utilize the highest quality and most bioavailable ingredients that can help you to support your body.
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