The Best 5 Essential Travel Supplements to Stay Healthy and Fight Jet Lag

September 28, 2021

health, Lifestyle, Other Posts, travel, Travel Tips, Wellness

This post may contain affiliate links to products I’ve personally seen success with when it comes to travel and staying healthy. This post is personal opinion, not medical advice, and you should always consult a doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

Have you ever noticed how tired you are after a day of traveling?? Even if all you’ve done is go from a seat in the airport, to a seat on the plane, to a seat in an Uber? The jet lag is real. And it affects us all. As much as I love traveling, it really does take a toll on the body. The major offenders tend to be the time zone changes, lack of good sleep, exposure to germs, and extra STRESS, of course. Even though you might be on your way to paradise, getting there can be stressful and this actually leads to depleted nutrients in your body. So how do I travel so much as a travel blogger and still stay healthy? These 5 essential travel supplements are key to helping me replenish those depleted nutrients, stabilize energy levels, get better sleep and bolster my immune system, so I wanted to share them with you guys! Each of these supplements are major game changers for feeling your best before, during and post-travel!

Table of Contents

Probiotics

It is likely that while traveling, your diet is going to be slightly different than what it looks like at home. And it doesn’t help that flying disrupts the digestion process, too. So, in order to prepare your digestive system so that it’s ready to deal with unfamiliar foods, take a regular probiotic. These healthy bacteria help us to absorb more nutrition from our food, decrease bloating/gas and even more importantly help to fight off bad bacteria we often pick up while traveling from contaminated water. The highest quality probiotic on the market that has the most clinical studies behind it is the Seed probiotic, but Throne is also highly trusted and travels easily!

Magnesium

Magnesium is first and foremost an essential electrolyte that the majority of Americans’ diets are deficient in. One of the reasons for this is that magnesium levels are depleted by stress, caffeine and alcohol (all of which today’s society runs on). Magnesium is key to hundreds of functions within the body like nerve and muscle function, but when it comes to travel, we are most concerned with its ability to improve deep sleep! Popping 120-200mg of magnesium before a flight, especially an overnight flight will help you get better deep sleep as well as adjust better to any and all time zone changes. This magical mineral is also associated with lower stress levels and increasing relaxation! I love this magnesium supplement that also has the stress relieving herb Ashwagandha added (my favorite – literally could not have gotten through wedding planning without it). For those who really have trouble sleeping on flights, you can pair it with Melatonin, as well.

As a side note, magnesium can also help you to stay more “regular” if you struggle with travelers’ constipation, just be forewarned that, if you take too much, you might find yourself running to the bathroom.

Citations on Magnesium: Harvard Health, University of Michigan

B Vitamin Complex

Getting a good dose of B vitamins are essential in helping you adjust to a new time zone change by improving energy levels during the day! Vitamin B plays a crucial role in creating and using energy in the body. Upon arrival after a red-eye, pop a B-vitamin complex to boost your energy and prep your body for the new time zone. If you land at night, take this supplement upon waking the next morning for a burst of energy. B-Vitamins also double as a hangover cure, these are the vitamins that are used in your liver detoxification pathways, so they are depleted when excess alcohol is consumed (most vacations, am I right?). I like the B Vitamin complex from Garden of Life because all of the sources are from plants instead of being synthetic!

Vitamin D

A vitamin D supplement should be in your supplement wheelhouse even outside of travel. Vitamin D is critical for immune health, especially during the winter months (seeing as we get the majority of our vitamin D from sun exposure). Many Americans are highly deficient in vitamin D, and no amount of vitamin C can make up for this! Not only will a good D supplement help your immune system stay on par, but it can also help you adjust to new time zones! Take it in the morning you get to your new destination, and this flood of vitamin D makes your body think you are being exposed to sunlight and it helps to reset your circadian rhythm. It’s important to get a vitamin D supplement that also has vitamin K because these two vitamins are synergistic!

Nuum/Electrolyte Complex

Drinking enough water while traveling is tough already. But the one thing that people don’t realize is that drinking purified bottled water, or tap water will go straight through you without hydrating you much. Minerals (aka electrolytes) help your body to actually hold on to and utilize water. They carry the water across the cell membranes and into the cell! So when you’re picking out bottled water in the future, opt for natural spring water which has naturally-occurring minerals. Better yet, add an electrolyte tablet to your reusable water bottle! You will FEEL BETTER and take fewer trips to the bathroom. I like the Nuum tablets and I always take Liquid IV with me on any trip!