Athletes are constantly looking to reach their peak performance levels through training, lifestyle choices, and nutrition. Using food as a part of a carefully controlled diet to optimize performance and recovery is a natural part of any athlete’s thinking. And rightfully so – the calories in the food translate into energy that boosts performance. It’s not as simple when it comes to how micronutrients like vitamins and minerals work. Micronutrients help translate the calories you consume into energy, aid muscle recovery through the synthesis of new muscle tissue and repair and maintain your immune system and fluid balance.
Along with eating a carefully planned, balanced diet that is chock full of nutrients, as an athlete, you tend to consume and burn more food than others. However, you may also need a higher level of micronutrients to support your performance and recovery.
Benefits of Essential Vitamins
Each vitamin plays a role in helping you drive your body to enhance its performance and beat fatigue. Read on to learn how.
- Energy Production: A variety of vitamins are needed in metabolism. These vitamins help to break down food from bigger nutrients, such as carbohydrates and fatty acids, into smaller units that the body can use to turn food into fuel. Niacin, thiamin, and Vitamin B6 are involved in the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to convert them into energy.
- Performance Enhancement: Iron is essential for oxygen transportation, travelling in blood throughout the body to beat fatigue and enhance physical performance. Vitamin A is also an important antioxidant. Vitamin B12 is involved in the production of red blood cells needed for the delivery of oxygen to muscles.
- Muscle Recovery: Vitamin C helps reduce inflammation and oxidative stress caused by exercise. It also helps in the production of collagen, which is essential for the repair of damaged tissues. Calcium is essential for muscle contraction and bone health. It helps in the transmission of nerve impulses and the release of hormones. Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium, which is necessary for muscle contraction. Vitamin D3, in particular, helps reduce inflammation and pain to help faster recovery.
It is important to note that while vitamin and mineral supplements may not enhance your performance, a deficiency is likely to damage it.
Get the Nutrients You Need with Vitamin Armor
There are various ways to get the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs. Your diet should be the first place you look toward to get your nutrients. The next step is to fill in any gaps with multivitamin supplements. A blood test can determine which nutrients your body is lacking. While a balanced diet is the best way to obtain essential vitamins, a daily multivitamin can act as an insurance policy to fill any potential nutritional gaps. My Vitamin Armor formulates multivitamins and dietary supplements based on scientific information compiled from multiple sources, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements with vitamin safety at the top of the priority list. Shop Vitamin Armor’s vitamins and supplements online or get in touch to consult with Dr. Datz today!
