Do you enjoy walking as part of your exercise routine?
Or do you just walk for the sake of walking?
Walking is actually a terrific form of exercise whether done as outdoor hiking or indoors, for example using a treadmill machine.
Should you be using supplements for walking? What are the recommended supplements for walking?
We will get more insights here.
What Are The Main Health Benefits Of Walking?
You don’t have to fast walk or run to reap the health benefits of walking exercise.
In fact, just an average or slow pace of walking can do the magic as well.
Here are the top 5 benefits to gain from walking actively:
1. According to a 2013 study published by the World Journal of Experimental Medicine reviewed that walking activity help in boosting your immune system effectively.
How?
Walking actively increases the number of white blood cells in the blood which fights off certain typical infections such as flu, cold or immune-related illnesses.
2. You are feeling more energized as the blood flows increases, supplying more oxygen and nutrients around the body.
A study has shown that walking also increases a type of protein in the brain called BDNF which may help in (#Ad)improving overall cognition activities such as thinking and concentration.
3. To promote weight loss through burning calories by walking is depending on how fast you walk, the walking duration, your weight, and the terrain. The faster, the longer time you walk and in an uphill terrain, the more calories burned.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, a person will need at least 150 minutes a week (or 20 minutes a day) of their time for exercise (in this scenario by walking) to prevent weight gain, especially for obese people.
If you burn calories more than you can consume every day, you will lose weight.
4. Relief of pain. By walking as a warmup activity, the muscles are slowly warming up, easier to stretch and improving the range of motion. This will decrease the muscles’ stiffness and alleviate the pain that affects the muscles, ligaments, joints, bones, and nerves.
Walking helps in activating certain types of chemicals called neurotransmitters which enables the nervous system inside the brain to work more effectively in alleviating pain.
5. Longer life expectancy. An article published by the British Medical Association in 2011 reviewed that the faster and longer time a person walks, the lower the risk of mortality.
The study also found that the average walking pace had resulted in a 20% lower mortality rate, and a fast walking pace (4 miles an hour) in a 24% lower mortality rate compared to an hour of slow walking pace.
What Will Happen To Your Body When You Walk Every Day?
Do you know that just a simple walk every day for about 60 minutes can do a lot of good to your body?
This form of aerobic exercise has often been overlooked by many people. It is considered an important exercise for the mental and physical human body.
Researchers and scientists in the past have discovered these could happen to your body if you walk every day:
1. Mental changes positively when you walk more – a huge effect on your overall mental state. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress can be alleviated.
Degenerative disorders such as Dementia and Alzheimer’s, and strokes can possibly be reduced by walking regularly as the memory and concentration in the brain are improved with good cognitive function.
2. Walking on a daily basis helps you to shed some extra pounds too. Depending on how fast you walk, a faster walk will increase the metabolism rate to get the body to use more stored energy to work better.
If you walk faster, your heart rates will go up and increase metabolic rates which in turn burn more calories and fat. Walking after a meal has shown positive results in helping prevent diabetes or insulin resistance by lowering blood glucose levels inside the blood.
3. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a person who is walking regularly may have their vision well protected.
How? The glaucoma eye condition is greatly reduced by walking activity, as the blood pressure around the eyes is maintained at a healthy level. Researchers have shown that walking frequently can greatly help in lowering this eye disease’s risk by over 72%.
4. Stronger bones and joints. Walking every day helps a lot in maintaining the bones and joints strength. The bone density becomes stronger to support body weight, and relieve lower back pain problems (which also hinder you from doing intense exercises such as running or weight lifting).
The joints will also loosen when we walk actively and, the legs’ muscles are becoming stronger and gaining more strength which can prevent joint pain around the legs.
5. Daily walking can contribute greater heart health benefits as it links to a healthy cardiovascular system. Walking helps to lower blood pressure and healthier heartbeats.
This physical activity also contributes to better blood circulation, fat balance, lowering cholesterol, and the risks of heart diseases, coronary issues such as stroke, and overall stronger organs inside the body.
Should You Be Using Supplements For Walking?
It may not be necessary the need of taking supplements for walking.
However, having the right supplement could provide the specific nutrients needed, boosting energy, strengthening bones and joints, relieving muscle soreness, or reducing inflammation.
Having to say that supplements could be beneficial for those who are walking frequently or want to improve their walking endurance.
Note: Taking supplements more than recommended could pose health side effects. Get a consultation with your healthcare experts to determine which supplements may suit you better.
Recommended Supplements For Walking
Here are the six best picks of recommended supplements for walking. Do get advice from your doctor or healthcare expert before deciding to get them.
1. Vitamin D is one of the recommended supplements, especially for long-distance walking. This vitamin is important to help the body to absorb more calcium by remodeling the bones. Together with calcium, they are vital for stronger bones and joints.
To get a natural Vitamin D synthesizer, get expose your skin to the sunshine for 5 – 15 minutes, twice a week. Note: You may still be at risk of skin cancer if under the sun for too long, so use sunscreen for extra skin protection.
2. B Vitamins groups such as B12, B6, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, biotin, and pantothenic acid give you the top energy levels to ensure you have a long walking exercise.
B12 vitamin especially is linked to bone density and anemia (B12 deficiency diagnosis) and is an important vitamin for long walking.
3. Probiotics supplements help to promote the growth of good gut bacteria, enhance the metabolism rate to burn calories faster, and eliminate all the toxins from the body.
Research has found that probiotic supplements could improve walking endurance and cognitive functions in the human body.
4. Turmeric is super rich in anti-inflammatory properties and aid in preventing inflammation and oxidative damage.
A study published in 2003 by the Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine reviewed that a substance in turmeric called ‘curcumin‘ is safe and effective in fighting inflammation. This explained how turmeric can aid in walking easier.
5. Omega-3 fatty acids have numerous health benefits claims such as supporting heart health, reducing inflammation, preventing stroke, improving symptoms of depression, aiding in weight loss, and (#Ad)improving eye health.
Studies had found that Omega-3 supplement dosage of 2 grams per day may improve the walking speed of elderly people.
6. Vitamin C, although has great health benefits for the overall immune system, a past study conducted in 2015 by the University of Colorado found daily supplements (500mg) of vitamin C boost as regular exercise, which is similar to the cardio benefits in obese individuals.
What Types Of Muscles Get Toned By Walking?
There are quite a lot of muscles involved when you walk.
Walking exercises help with some major muscle groups which are the glutes, hamstrings, calves, ankles, and quadriceps. These muscles are actually pushing and propelling your every step forward.
When you walk, the upper body is moving too by helping to support the torso and pelvis so that your body can be in an upright position.
In fact, the primary muscles that help you in walking are the muscles of the thigh, knees, and lower legs.
My Overall Conclusion on Recommended Supplements For Walking
Walking is a low-impact and a great form of daily exercise if you have more time to do it.
If you are on a weight loss journey, walking alone may not help much. Instead try to incorporate a balanced, healthy diet plan that works better or includes some other additional exercises for more effective results.
You may or may not need to take any supplements for walking unless it is really needed or under medical supervision.
As the US FDA is not authorized to review or approve any of these supplements, it is entirely up to the makers to label the contents properly before they hit the shelves. In fact, government agencies in many countries may oversight if the makers are really complying or not.
This article on the supplements does NOT in any way claims to help in walking or to improve a person’s overall health. It is purely for information purposes only. Speak with your healthcare expert for more guidance and health tips.
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