Al Gondi
Vitamins and minerals are vital for certain metabolic processes and their deficiency can affect sports performance. It is therefore important to address their role in enhancing sports performance.
The B complex vitamins are minerals, which combine to ensure there is proper digestion, muscle contraction and energy release.
Requirement of these vitamins may increase during exercise, but there is need for use of supplements as some athletes may demand as the requirement can be met through increase of the common foods, which are readily available.
The use of vitamin C supplements is very popular with both athletes and non-athletes. The deficiency of vitamin C will affect the working capacities of the athletes.
Strenuous exercise
Strenuous exercise may lead to increased need of vitamin C as it can act to remove certain toxins. An adequate intake of foods rich in vitamin C such as fresh fruits and vegetables is the solution.
Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E and K. There is no need to supplement vitamin A and D. While vitamin A and E also helps remove some toxins from the body, vitamin E helps to maintain red cells intact during exercise and may also help in muscle recovery after strenuous exercise.
Iron deficiency is a common problem among athletes, especially female endurance athletes. Deficiency of iron is called anaemia. However, confusion should not arise between true iron deficiency anaemia caused by disease and pseudo anaemia associated with exercise, which is commonly referred as sports anaemia.
The factors that may contribute to iron deficiency include regular exercise, which may increase daily iron requirements significantly. At the same time, females with low energy intake, especially those concerned about weight gain, may be prone to inadequate dietary iron intake.
Iron loss
Other factors are increased iron loss due to bleeding ulcer, jarring of the colon during exercise, loss through the urine of distance runners and through the bladder wall due to stress of exercise as well as loss through direct trauma to the foot during running.
But decreased absorption is also a factor responsible for iron deficiency. One group can be found in all meat, poultry, fish, kidney and liver. The other group can be found in nuts legumes, cereals and green leafy vegetables.
Calcium is essential in maintaining healthy bones, blood clotting, nerve transmission, muscle contraction and enzyme activation. The most crucial period when one should take adequate calcium is during childhood and adolescence.
Magnesium plays a role in glucose metabolism in muscles and muscle contraction, while Zinc is involved in all phases of growth and development, nutrient metabolism and energy production in the muscle cells.
