Last issue, I reaffirmed my belief that glutamine comes in second only to protein. #3 gets awarded to a supplement that is often overlooked and was overlooked by myself a couple of years back. It's time to correct that error...you may even suggest that it needs to be #1 or #2 itself.

I'm talking about Essential Fatty Acids. Whoa, the uninformed say, who wants to actually put more fat in their body? - well this is the good stuff. We all need essential fatty acids to walk, talk, eat, and breathe. We just can't function without them.

While all of us are certainly capable of eating some fat, we don't necessarily get enough of the essential fatty acids for optimal athletic performance. There are many supplements available including The Total EFA, Structured EFA, Omega Stak, and Organic Flax Seed Oil. I'm currently using Organic Flax Seed Oil softgels myself.

• Enhanced athletic performance

• Improved stamina and endurance

• Shortened recovery time

• Reliable source of energy w/o increasing body fat

• Reduced muscle soreness

• Increased oxygen uptake & utilization

This is just the tip of the iceberg as far as total benefits of EFA's go, but you certainly get the idea. Overall, EFA's are one of the most inexpensive and healthful supplements available that athletes both young and old as well as male and female should consider adding to their regimen today.

Here is some additional information from Health From the Sun:

WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS?

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are polyunsaturated fats that are necessary for a healthy lifestyle. Like vitamins and minerals, EFAs are essential nutrients that we must get from foods or dietary supplements. There are two families of essential fatty acids, the Omega-3 family and the Omega-6 family. Since these fatty acids are not interchangeable in the body, both must be supplied in the diet.

WHY ARE EFAs IMPORTANT?

EFAs are important components of cell membranes where they maintain proper fluidity and flexibility. They are also the building blocks for prostaglandins - chemical messengers that regulate cardiovascular function, brain and nervous system functions, fat metabolism, skin health, joint flexibility and inflammatory response.