Natural Stimulants to Increase Energy

These natural stimulants are ways to potentially increase your energy. These have all been recommended to me by my doctors, but may not be appropriate for you depending on your situation.

Coffee

I was excited to try coffee because who wouldn’t want to have to drink that warm deliciousness as part of their treatment plan? I have never been a coffee drinker in the past because I didn’t want to become addicted to it. I’m way beyond the point of giving a crap about caffeine addiction now, so I was all on board. Unfortunately, coffee gave me a jittery and anxious feeling, but no real energy. That was a disappointment. I also tried half-caf and it didn’t accomplish anything either. Caffeine may increase heart rate, so there is some concern that it could worsen POTS symptoms. My neurologist says it is different for everyone, so she considers it worth a try.

Matcha

I’m going to just come out and say it: matcha tastes like fish food pellets mixed with fresh cut grass. It’s a very popular flavor right now for some reason. People, stop trying to make matcha happen.

Matcha in theory is actually quite magical. It has around half the amount of caffeine as coffee and contains the amino acid l-theanine, which has a calming effect. The result is supposed to be a boost of calm energy. I tried matcha for a couple weeks and I can’t say that it did much for me. It doesn’t give the anxious and jittery energy that coffee gives, which is great, but there was no noticeable energy boost either. The ceremonial grade, organic, radiation free etc. matcha teas can cost a pretty penny. I can’t justify the price for something that doesn’t have a noticeable effect and has a taste that makes me shudder.

Ginseng

Ginseng is the winner for me. It provides a small energy boost without any jitters, anxiousness, etc. The Mayo Clinic recommended that I take it. The doctor explained to me that the benefit of ginseng is two-fold. First, ginseng has been shown to reduce the inflammatory cytokines present in the brains of people with ME. Also, ginseng has been shown to increase energy. Mayo Clinic used ginseng capsules in a study with cancer patients experiencing fatigue and there was a statistically significant improvement in the group that used ginseng. There are issues with quality and purity in ginseng, so Mayo recommended that I purchase it from here the Ginseng and Herb Co-Op in Wisconsin. I use the recommended amount that is on the label.

Have you used any of these natural stimulants before? How have they worked out for you?

To see what else I take along with ginseng visit the current treatments page.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Statements on this site are not meant to be taken as medical advice. These statements reflect my personal experiences having mild-ish post-viral POTS and ME. Due to the wide spectrum of these diseases, comorbidities, and everyone being different, your experiences may be very different than mine.

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