At one point, running seemed pretty easy. In fact the reason I even started doing it was for its simplicity. A pair of shoes, shorts and a shirt, and I was good to go. But then something happened. First, shoes gave way to…well…different types of shoes. Racing flats, trail shoes, zero-drop, and pronation specific lightweight something or others all entered the conversation in varying capacities. Then, the old reliable t-shirts gave way to microfibre and other moisture wicking materials. Before I knew it I morphed into a headband wearing, GPS enabled, gel sucking machine all stuffed into various pieces of compression wear.
My mindset had also changed. Running was no longer just something to do, but something I wanted to enjoy and improve at, while using it as a tool towards the larger picture of total body health. This necessitated looking at my whole lifestyle, including things like diet and vitamin supplementation.
Through trial and error I arrived at a diet and supplement regimen that worked for me. So when I was given the opportunity to try the 7SYSTEMS endurance sports supplement I was a bit skeptical as well as nervous to mess with the routine and the formula that for all intents and purposes was just fine.
7SYSTEMS is a blend of ingredients designed to meet the increased vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant needs of endurance athletes versus the standardized minimum daily requirements of the population at large.
A quick scan of the ingredients revealed that 7SYSTEMS contained all but one supplement that I was already taking (and many more that I wasn’t), so my fears were slightly alleviated in that I wouldn’t be missing out on too much as I tried the product, but I also wasn’t sure what impact if any the additional inputs would have. One side note is that fish oils are in the ingredient listing, so this product unfortunately wouldn’t be appropriate for the number of athletes who live a vegan lifestyle.
The packaging and presentation of the product are very efficient. The packets of pills remove any guesswork and eliminate the need to fumble through numerous bottles each day. Having a series of smaller pills allows for better absorption, and let’s face it, combining them into one giant pill would not be very practical, not to mention difficult to swallow.
The packet setup also makes travelling a breeze. Just pack one pouch per travel day as opposed to counting out any number of supplements that you then have to pile in the same container, and later remember which is which. As someone who has personally downed a fistful of what he thought was B12, that turned out to be niacin (with MOST uncomfortable results) this also counts as a marked advantage.
7SYSTEMS is not designed to be taken right before or during a workout to act as a boost or a stimulant, rather it should be taken with breakfast (or the package can be split between breakfast and lunch), and focuses on the systematic continued maintenance, performance, and recovery of your muscular, immune, respiratory, digestive, nervous, skeletal, and cardiovascular systems (there’s seven of them…get it?)
While I didn’t take 7SYSTEMS for the entirety of my most recent training cycle, I didn’t experience any adverse effects when I introduced it into my program or my body. In fact I finished off what I deemed to be a sub-par training schedule in terms of workout results with a better than expected outcome in my goal race of the season. The usual cold or other similar illness that highlights my post-race recovery also didn’t materialize this go around.
There is no magic bullet. Proper diet, adequate training and suitable recovery are the hallmarks of any successful endurance athlete, but additional supplements can be beneficial in making up for any dietary shortfalls. 7SYSTEMS endurance sport supplements are definitely a cost effective and convenient way to get the right mix of ingredients athletes need.
