The use of dietary supplements has reached an all-time high across the United States.
It has been suggested as many as 80% of all Americans now take some form of supplement outside of their normal diet to help with all manner of different ailments, complaints and health concerns. Many factors have led to this increase, but fresh confidence in safety, effectiveness and quality has helped make the industry more acceptable. Diet supplements have been around for thousands of years, but they have become so significantly widespread only recently.
They can be used to help aching joints, relieve headaches and even improve cognitive function. They have certainly found a niche within the online gaming sector. This industry sees millions of people sedentary, playing games either competitively or with friends for hours at a time. The industry is widespread, from those playing online multiplayer games to solitary gamers chancing their arm at online poker. Even if you did today’s Wordle, you are an online gamer. It’s believed more than 227m people across the US play video games, with a significant portion of those (77%) playing at least one hour online every week.
With such a huge market, there’s no surprise that supplement makers have targeted the industry with some branded products that relate to gaming. Savvy gamers will avoid the gimmicky products but perhaps still seek out a supplement to help them along. Whether shooting at enemies on a post-apocalyptic map or monitoring the flop on multiple online poker tables, these are the supplements that could give you the edge.
Panax Ginseng
Panax Ginseng is already a popular supplement in the nootropic industry, the cognitive-enhancing subgenre of supplements. It is a plant native to Korea and has been used as a traditional remedy for many years. It has improved scores in well-known psychology tests, including the Serial Threes Subtraction Task. That means it could well help with online poker in particular, as you monitor which cards have been played and calculate your poker pot odds. It’s suggested that 400mg is a good dose to take, should you need the boost it offers.
Rhodiola Rosea
You can find Rhodiola Rosea in many parts of the world, including Britain, North America and Asia. It grows naturally in states such as Maine and Alaska and is notable for its bright yellow flower. Of course, we’re not recommending you find some, instead, look for the processed product online.
By taking it regularly, you can reduce fatigue in the long term; it was proven to reduce fatigue in doctors by 20% after being taken for two weeks. Another study showed it reduced fatigue in military cadets after being taken for just five days. With less fatigue comes more cognitive function, sharper reflexes and awareness. In terms of online gaming, this possibly means longer sessions, so enhanced chances of winning big at poker or playing multiple tables at once.
However, trying to go all-in and bumping up the dosage doesn’t work; studies show between 300mg and 600mg does the trick, but using more doesn’t create additional benefits.
L-Theanine
L-theanine is one of the main active ingredients found in green tea, so it is a supplement you may be able to get without a tablet. It was discovered in a Kyoto laboratory 72 years ago and has since been used to decrease heart rate and improve reaction times and visual performance. This is one for those gamers who need quick reactions on first-person shooters or something similar. It could help with anxiety too, but be aware you’ll only need around 200mg if recommended doses are to be adhered to.
