If you’ve been a fitness freak for a few decades or more, you may have noticed something… Exercise doesn’t get easier with age. The older you get, the more your workouts kick your butt. And not just while you’re doing them… for days afterward too! You end up feeling like you got hit by car for a few days just because you put in an hour at the gym. And that’s no fun. Even worse, it makes you feel old. It reminds you of the days when you could do a hardcore workout, go out all night with friends, squeeze in a few hours of sleep and still feel great. Well, those days may not be behind you… With a little nutritional support, you may still be able to put in serious time at the gym without feeling wrecked. And that’s great news, because you don’t want post-workout pain to deter you from exercising. Exercise is the best weapon you have against aging. It makes you younger on a cellular level. So, if you stop exercising because it gets harder with age, you create a vicious cycle of aging. You’ll not only look and feel older, but exercise (or movement of any kind) will just get harder. You’ve got to plow through the pain in the name of a more youthful body and brain. I know that’s easy to say, but harder to do when you can’t get up off the couch because you overdid it on the elliptical machine. But don’t worry… this supplement can help make exercise less painful and more fun at any age… The answer to aging is underwater A new study from researchers at the University of Derby and the University of Taipei found that drinking a supplement that contains deep ocean minerals could make your workout easier and improve your post-workout recovery. The study included middle-aged men whose average age was 47, and young men whose average age was 21. Both groups were asked to do high intensity exercise, and some men also took a special deep-sea supplement. The supplement contained more than 70 minerals and trace elements from the West Pacific Ocean. And these minerals worked like magic for the middle-aged men… The middle-aged men who took the minerals coped with intense exercise far better. They had a stronger cerebral hemodynamic response, which means their body sent more blood to their brain. Increased blood flow to the brain means the blood vessels are doing their job efficiently. Typically, as you get older, your blood vessels work less efficiently. So better blood flow is one clear benefit of these deep-sea minerals. These deep-sea minerals enhanced blood flow for the younger men too. They naturally had a stronger cerebral hemodynamic response than the older men, of course. But after five to ten minutes of intense cycling, their brains were receiving more blood than they normally would. The supplement also reduced post-exercise inflammation. Even though exercise decreases inflammation in the long-term, it triggers a brief bout of inflammation immediately afterward. That’s why a hard workout can make you feel so sore and stiff. But a blood test showed that inflammatory markers were lower for men taking the deep-sea minerals. What does all this mean for you? Well, if you’re over a certain age, it means you may be able to exercise like a young whippersnapper again, and still feel good in the hours (and days) after. “Deep ocean minerals represent a promising nutritional aid to facilitate greater benefits, including protective effects and enhanced metabolism in the brain during and post-exercise, throughout the ageing process,” said Dr. Matt Higgins, study researcher and senior lecturer in Sport & Exercise Nutrition at the University of Derby. Why are deep-sea minerals so good for you? You may be wondering… what’s so beneficial about a bunch of minerals from the ocean floor? Well, according to researchers, there’s evidence that life on earth started deep within the oceans. So, some people believe the minerals in the ocean contain life’s original source of chemicals and energy. These minerals aren’t available to most of us unless we go deep sea diving and take a swig (which I don’t recommend). And these minerals can’t last in ocean water higher up, because photosynthesis creates plants which use them up. But if you’re curious what deep ocean minerals can do for you, there are plenty of supplements on the market. There are even companies that bottle and sell deep ocean water. There still needs to be more research on deep-sea minerals to truly understand their benefits, but their promise goes far beyond exercise stamina. Studies continue to explore their potential for serious issues like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer and skin problems. So, stay tuned for more good news about these underwater wonders. Sources: Oral supplementation of deep ocean minerals improves exercise performance in middle-aged men — MedicalXpress. Retrieved April 4, 2018. Deep Ocean Minerals Improve Blood Flow and Exercise Recovery in New Study — Nutritional Outlook. Retrieved April 4, 2018. Deep Ocean Minerals Study Shows Improved Blood Flow and Exercise Recovery in Young & Middle-Aged Men — Nutraceuticals World. Retrieved April 4, 2018. Zura Mohd Nani, et al. “Potential Health Benefits of Deep Sea Water: A Review.” — Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 2016.