Sports nutrition supplements are so popular today that awareness of them goes beyond sports. Still, there are supplements that have something to offer that are just hidden in the glare of all those proteins, amino acids, vitamins and other supplements.
And one of them is velvet beans, which we'd like to introduce to you in today's review. How do they work? Can they help with sleep? Do they have side effects? Find out this and much more in our review.
Content of the review
At the outset, I would just like to add that I myself have substituted velvet beans in my repertoire for synthetic melatonin, the use of which can be somewhat controversial, as many people feel even more tired the next morning after consuming it.
What are velvet beans anyway?
Velvet beans (Latin name mucuna pruriens) are plants in the bean family that are used tofor their extreme content of bioactive compounds, especially alkaloids. For example, the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is found in the stinging hairs of these plants, is worth mentioning, as well as mucunin, tryptamine, mucunadinine, flavonoids, coumarins and others.
But the reason why velvet beans are definitely worth using is primarily because of the content of a substance called L-DOPA, which is a precursor to dopamine. And it is thanks to this that mucuna pruriens can induce a feeling of happiness and help with sleep.
What effect do velvet beans have?
The reason why velvet beans are most commonly used is their ability to improve the quality of sleep. The mechanism of this effect is quite simple- the L-DOPA contained in velvet beans passes through the haemencephalic barrier of our brain and thus releases more dopamine. And it is dopamine that is responsible for falling asleep properly and improving the REM phase of sleep.
In addition to the aforementioned barrier, velvet beans also act on the pineal gland, which is responsible for the natural production of melatonin. I have personal experience with this as well, as I monitor my sleep regularly and in the case ofI consume velvet beans before bedtime, I have a much longer period of deep sleep (sometimes up to an hour).
Can they cause hallucinations? Do they have side effects?
If you are at least minimally familiar with psychedelics, you are certainly no stranger to tryptamine compounds. And if you look closely at the alkaloids in velvet beans, you'll find dimethyltryptamine and 5-MeO-dimethyltryptamine, among others. So you might wonder if you'll have some hallucinations after ingesting them. And of course you won't, because the concentration of these substances is very low.
If it were concentrated, probably these supplements are not over-the-counter. So you don't have to worry about that effect. The only side effects may occur if you greatly exceed the recommended daily dose - this would manifest itself primarily in sweating, increased heart rate and nervousness. However, you are not at risk of anything more serious.
OUR TIP: All about sleep + 21 tips to improve it
What form of velvet beans do we recommend?
If you decide to take mucuna pruriens, you usually have several options. You can choose whole beans, a powder derived from the beans, or even a more concentrated extract. But which is best?
Whole beans
If you choose whole beans, you will most likely get a package of hardbeans, which you' ll first have to roughly crush, cover with hot water and let sit for a few minutes. From my point of view, this option is somewhat impractical and therefore not recommended.
Bean extract
Bean extract is probably a better option, as you only need to use about 0.5g of extract containing well over 90% L-DOPA. On the other hand, it is quite difficult to measure out half a gram, which is why I personally prefer plain powder. But if you don't have a problem with it, this is a better option.
Bean powder
In my experience, mucuna pruriens powder definitely works out best, as you just take 1 to 2 teaspoons and dissolve it in water, which can be cold. The preparation is simple, effective and you don't even need to laboriously measure anything, because even inIf you get a gram wrong, there is no risk of overdose.
How did I prepare mucuna pruriens and how do they taste?
When it comes to preparing velvet beans, it's not complicated at all. Since I used the powder, all I had to do was dissolve two teaspoons in water and stir. How much water to use is closely related to the taste, which is frankly terrible. I really can't recall ever tasting anything similarly bad.
Of course there are no noticeable additives or anything like that, the taste is completely natural, but that's a bit of a problem in this case unfortunately. The beans do taste like flour dissolved in water, so you'll have to overpower yourself a lot. I personally recommend using as little water as possible and drinking it in one gulp, because that way the taste almost doesn't register. In terms of timing, taking it about 30 minutes before bed has worked best for me.
Price-wise, mucuna pruriens works out pretty well
Most of the time, price insight is a highly subjective matter, and this time will be no different. If you buy 100g of the bean powder (the smallest possible package), it will cost you less than . And for one dose you will use about 7-10g, so in the extreme case you will get to the price of for one daily dose, which from my point of view is still an acceptable price. Unfortunately, if you compare the price with, for example, melatonin, which we also reviewed, it comes out much more expensive. But even if you have to pay extra, at the very least, trying the velvet beans is definitely worth it.
Final evaluation
Quality sleep is absolutely essential for every person, regardless of their focus. Want to perform at your peak in the gym and look good? You probably can't do that without sleep. Do you want to sit down to work in the morning and be just as efficient for a few hours? Tired, you'll have a really hard time doing that. And that's why you need to put the utmost emphasis on sleep.
If you don't know where you have room for improvement, you can check out our separate article dedicated to this issue. Velvet beans have worked really well for me and I will always recommend them, even if you have to pay a little extra to use them.
Mucuna Pruriens Velvet Beans Review (Video):
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