Most of the supplements fall into two categories: ones that don’t work (99% of what’s being sold) and those that do work, but everyone already knows about (like creatine). I’m starting an occasional series about that last 1%: supplements that work but that not everyone knows about (yet).
Today I want to talk about Primeval Labs’ EAA Sleep. Like the name suggests, it’s a supplement that’s designed to help you fall asleep. Unlike most sleep aids, though, this one actually seems to be effective. My wife has trouble falling asleep, and it really helps her. Almost as important is a sort of negative evidence: I normally have no trouble falling asleep whatsoever, and when I take EAA Sleep it actually messes me up a little, and makes it harder.
So something is definitely going on. The knock-you-out ingredients in EAA Sleep are as follows: GABA, L-Theanine, 5-HTP and melatonin. I’m not going to go into all the chemistry here, but I will say that the combination of ingredients, in the proportions used in this supplement, seem to be much more effective than any of the ingredients by themselves. My wife, for example, has tried different dosages of 5-HTP and melatonin (separately) at different times. Neither did much for her. But the four together will knock her out in about 20-30 minutes.
Primeval Labs has included some other stuff as well. Since they are primarily a bodybuilding supplement company, they’ve put a good dose of both branch-chain and essential amino acids in, as well as magnesium. This is to help stimulate muscle recovery and growth, which mainly happens during sleep. I have no idea whether it would also help with tendon repair, but it couldn’t hurt.
One thing, though, is certain. If you have trouble sleeping, any problem with your body, tendons included, is going to take longer to heal. Most people know by now that repair and recovery take place in two places: at the table and in bed. What you eat and your quality and quantity of sleep are going to make a big difference in how quickly you can shake off an injury or get rid of inflammation.
I talk about nutrition in Target Tendonitis, but sleep is something I haven’t addressed until now. This is mainly because sleep issues can be very different from person to person, and what works for one person often has no effect on another. But I’ve recommended EAA Sleep to quite a few people now, and virtually all of them have reported good results. So I feel confident endorsing it. If you want to order some, here’s a link.
Disclaimer: I don’t have sort of financial relationship with Primeval Labs, and I’m not receiving any sort of compensation for this endorsement. I just think that EAA Sleep is a good product.