What's the Deal with Greens Supplements?
Greens, they’re the hot new thing out there these days.
Rivaling other trends like the keto diet, HIIT, or even the marveled hot girl walk of summer 2022, greens supplements have gained some major steam over the past few years and they don’t seem to be taking a back seat anytime soon, but what do they actually do for us, if anything?
If you guys know me and my articles you know I love to give my opinions coupled with hard data, so let’s do both of those today. First off, what are some of the big names out there today? The ones that come to my mind are 1st Phorm’s Opti-Greens 50, Athletic Green’s AG1, Greens+, or Bloom Nutrition’s greens & superfoods supplement. My podcast co-host and good buddy, Cam Hewett and I are actually in the middle of doing some experimenting on ourselves regarding all of these variations of the greens supplements proficiency, but let’s take a look at some of the generic benefits deriving from the supplement type in general.
..taking the nutritional supplement for 90 days reduced blood pressure but not body weight in this group of subjects. The HRV was not affected by the supplement over the 3-month period. Larger studies should be conducted to determine effects on other populations. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2732245/)
In this study there was a notable decrease in blood pressure with regular use while the controlled group saw none.
In another study done on a product called Greens+, research displayed lowered protein and lipid oxidation.
Results showed that greens+ supplementation was well tolerated and increased serum antioxidant potential at higher levels of intake in a dose-dependent manner. HPLC analysis showed the presence of quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol and luteolin in the supplement. Plasma analysis indicated the presence of kaempferol only. A statistically significant (p < 0.05) reduction in protein and lipid oxidation was observed. Based on its antioxidant properties, the results suggest that greens+ might play a role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases involving a burden of oxidative damage.
What does this mean?
A large body of scientific evidence suggests that long-term oxidative stress contributes to the development in a range of chronic conditions. Such conditions include cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324863#:~:text=Oxidative%20stress%20occurs%20naturally%20and,%2C%20diabetes%2C%20and%20heart%20disease.)
One final citation for this piece references potential increase in immune system response, improve digestive health, prevent chronic diseases, improve energy levels, and even help remove toxins in the body (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/super-greens#benefits)
If that isn’t enough for you to consider what your greens routine looks like (powered or through nutritional vegetables), I don’t know what else to tell you. When people ask me what a proper supplement routine looks like, I like to ask them about their goals, what their post workout routine looks like, and try to help find out where there could be gaps in their macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. In a good supplement routine, we want to aim at simply filling in the gaps for our regular routine. A good supplement routine is preventative; a good supplement routine is proactive, not reactive.
Think your body could benefit from any of these effects studies have shown greens supplements to help out with? Give it a try. Here’s the greens supplement that the P10 Gym uses: https://1stphorm.com/products/opti-greens-50/?a_aid=coachhappel
