7 Supplements to Boost Your Gaming Performance
Between the first person shooters and the MOBAS, the gaming industry is booming now more than ever. The eSports area is growing, and just like athletes of physical sports, there is always something that can give you an edge over your opponent. Finding the right nootropic can make all the difference. Being at the peak mental performance for every session is important and these supplements may be what you’re looking for to take gaming to the next level.
Caffeine
Caffeine is the good ole trusty companion of the everyday adult. Whether it be from the coffee pot or stopping into the nearest gas station to grab an energy drink, most adults consume caffeine on some level.
Caffeine normally comes in three different forms:
- Natural caffeine — from coffee beans or tea
- Caffeine Anhydrous — synthetically made with a fast release time
- Dicaffeine Malate — synthetic with a slower release time
Regardless of the form you take, these are all central nervous stimulants. They are meant to wake you up and make you feel more alert. This is a must while gaming. It provides mental energy so that you can dominate the virtual field for hours on end.
One cup of coffee is around 100mg of caffeine, and you should not exceed more than 400mg a day due to caffeine addiction. Tolerance will vary.
Alpha-GPC
We find Alpha-GPC (Alpha-Glyceryl Phosphoryl Choline) becoming more and more popular in the workout industry due to its effects on memory recall and learning function improvements. This can also be applied to those behind a computer screen as you learn the map and characters of your favorite game. Things are constantly being tuned and changed every day in gaming, compared to physical sports.
Alpha-GPC appears to increase our levels of the chemical acetylcholine, which is needed for memory, thinking skills, and learning. Increasing the amounts in our brain before a session can allow us to perform more effectively and make all the difference in reaction times and making the right plays.
Effective dosing sits between 300 to 600 milligrams. Take it 30 minutes before a session.
L-Theanine
L-Theanine, the compliment to caffeine. L-Theanine is an amino acid that is used to help with the relaxation of heart rate and blood vessels. It helps offset the negative side effects of caffeine, which can include increased heart rate, anxiety, and what we like to call “the jitters”.
As someone that has dealt with ADD his entire life, I have found that even outside of gaming this combo is the best for helping me study. When it comes to school, work, or gaming, caffeine and theanine have been great for helping me dial in for the day without feeling sluggish.
For every 100mg of caffeine I take, I usually take 100mg of L-Theanine with it. The 1:1 ratio performs the best for me.
Those that are starting out with caffeine can start with a 1:2 ratio in case the stimulant becomes too much.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine
L-Carnitine is extremely popular for weight loss purposes due to its needed intake on metabolizing long-chain fatty acids. Needed in high doses, this product can possibly help people “burn fat” more effectively, but that is if they are not getting adequate amounts in their diet already.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine is an acetylated form of L-Carnitine which is needed for it to cross the blood brain barrier. When it does, it allows our body to use long-chain fatty acids more effectively for brain power, allowing us to feel more energized and less foggy. Long-chain fatty acids loved to be stored, and thus using Acetyl-L-Carnitine to allow better utilization means optimal energy levels.
Doses between 500mg to 1000mg are optimal before turning on the computer for gaming.
Lutein
While we know the mental aspects of gaming have a lot to do with overall performance, there is something a lot of gamers neglect in the process that probably suffers the most of them all. The eyes. They are strained constantly and the more blue-light they are exposed to over the years, the worse they can become.
We typically blink less on the computer, around 66% less, leading to an increase in dry and burning sensations. Our eyelids produce oil needed to help keep the eye moist, and if that oil is not used it can cause irreversible damage to the eyelid.
Lutein is a carotenoid that has great antioxidant properties, specifically when it comes to eye health. As we get older, we have more and more macular degeneration. Excess blue-light from computer monitors and TVs may speed that process up. The less degeneration, the less strain, and the better your cognitive function.
Taking 6 milligrams daily is always beneficial, and those with a history of macular disease can look into higher dosages in the 20 to 40mg range.
B-Complex
Performing well and putting yourself in these exciting and fast paced environments leads to one common thing, stress. Stress is constant and is almost necessary for you to perform at peak levels. It is that leg-bouncing, heart racing, wrist flicking action that makes gaming feel like it is life or death. But being under constant stress causes you to deplete your B vitamins, which is necessary for you to function.
B vitamins are co-enzymes that are needed for basically every bodily function. We need a constant supply of them as well due to their water-solubility, meaning that we urinate out whatever we don’t need. Giving our bodies those supplies allows us to perform at peak performance and will help our bodies to fight fatigue more effectively.
A good dosage for gaming is usually a B-Complex “50”, which doses out most of the vitamins at 50mgs.
TeaCrine®
The cousin to caffeine, TeaCrine® is a stimulant closely related to caffeine as they are both central nervous stimulants. The major difference between the two is how long it lasts. TeaCrine® typically has an eight hour time frame to metabolize in your body, compared to caffeine which is closer to four hours.
There also seems to be no effect on blood pressure, which is a great thing. Increasing blood pressure decreases the amount of blood flow and without good blood flow, there is poor nutrient delivery. Taking caffeine and TeaCrine® together seems to be the best way to boost performance, due to caffeine hitting the system faster, and then TeaCrine® taking over later in the day, allowing for nice smooth energy. Great for those days where it’s a level grind session.
I personally take around 100mg of TeaCrine® before a grinding session. Test your tolerance as it will vary just like caffeine.
Build Your Supplement Regime Like Your Character
Just like your character in an RPG, you can build a supplement plan that fits your needs and matches your style of playing. Playing around with all the above and even some I didn’t mention like Dynamine® or L-Tyrosine can take your experience to the next level, allowing you to maintain focus, stay alert, and perform to the best of your ability at all times.
