I don't agree
shadroch said:
Ian Anderson recommends taking DHEA three times a day while playing, taking melatonin at night and drinking green tea during the day.
Another author recommens hot water with honey and cinnamon.
Aside from the obvious- don't drink,get plenty of rest, any advice on something you find helps your game while on an extended trip?
Several points about DHEA, a hormone. It
may improve mood and energy in older men whose levels have started to drop. But it's not going to do much on a short term, limited basis and most likely do nothing for men < 50. The three times a day regimen makes no sense as this is not a short-acting hormone and there is a daily cycle to male hormone production anyway (elevates in the morning). Unless you're older and run down, I'd forget it.
Melatonin affects circadian rhythm, helping you fall asleep. It is a hormone and most people take too much considering little is known about the long term effects of supplementation. A dose of .5 mg is sufficient to do the trick. More will not necessarily help you fall asleep faster or have better sleep quality.
Hot water with honey is also a
sleep aid. Take 30 minutes before going to bed. A related note is that simple carbohydrates--sugars especially--tend to make one relaxed and ready to sleep in the night.
If you have a big meal, particularly one with a lot of carbos, the body releases a lot of insulin to help with digestion and that can make you a little sluggish. Eating small servings of food every 2 1/2 to 3 hours avoids the highs and lows from going longer between meals. In any case, your brain needs adequate nourishment to function well, so it's not a good idea to go all day on caffeine and little else.
CP's discovery makes sense as Viagra has a side effect of increasing blood flow in the brain, which is why many men get headaches after taking it.
The combo product that AM mentioned is better than taking large amounts of any of them alone. In any case, along with the alertness comes some potential for jitteriness and/or aggressiveness if you overdo it. Anyone with blood pressure issues or an enlarged prostate should avoid that combo due to the ephedra.
