Category Archives: Supplements

Everything a Climber Needs to Know About Siberian Ginseng

Siberian Ginseng (Ciwujia) Supplement Guide

Facts at a Glance Siberian ginseng (ciwujia) is an adaptogenic herb thought to increase endurance. There are two active ingredients in the plant: the eleutherosides derived from the root and the ciwujianosides derived from the leaves; both appear to have similar effects, but only the former are commonly found in formulations. Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is in the […]

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How does caffeine affect climbing?

Caffeine and Climbing

I recently released the Official Supplement Guide for Caffeine, an in-depth look at how caffeine affects performance (its ergogenicity) as well as information on its mechanisms, side effects, and dosage. After I release these guides, however, I like to also release a more reader-friendly summary version where I highlight the information most climbers will find […]

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Glucosamine and chondroitin are not worth it for climbers.

Why Don’t Glucosamine and Chondroitin Work for Climbers?

Last week I published the official supplement guide for glucosamine and chondroitin, but I also wanted to write a second, more reader-friendly executive summary (and alternate analysis) for these guides so you don’t have to go through the entire 2,000 word (or longer) document to get why I made such-and-such a recommendation. So this week, I’m going […]

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Everything a climber needs to know about glucosamine and chondroitin.

Glucosamine & Chondroitin Supplement Guide

Facts at a Glance Glucosamine and chondroitin are touted as joint health supplements, but appear to only be effective in treating the specific form of joint damage common to osteoarthritis (cartilage degeneration)—and even there, the science is less than decided. The type of joint damage common to climbers cannot be repaired or prevented by glucosamine […]

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