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The Best Vitamins for Exercise - Natural Workout Supplements

Max. D Gray
By Max. D Gray. Updated: June 5, 2018
The Best Vitamins for Exercise - Natural Workout Supplements

If you enjoy playing sports or working out, one of the most important recommendations is to take vitamin and mineral supplements, as many people do not want to take the risk of ingesting pre-workout supplements. It should be clear that vitamins are necessary for providing energy, tissue formation and for the perfect regulation of your metabolism. If sport plays an important role in your daily routine , we recommend that you continue reading. In this OneHowTo.com article, we tell you what the best vitamins for exercise.

You may also be interested in: The Best Workout Plan for an Ectomorph Body Type
Steps to follow:
1

When you exercise, your body makes an effort requiring extra vitamins and minerals to keep your body going. If you are not a person who watches your diet, you eat little or simply eat poor quality food, you're likely to be deficient in the nutrients required for energy to move your muscles. You must be careful when taking additional vitamin and mineral supplements daily. Do not take any higher doses than those required for the proper functioning of your body because some can be toxic.

The Best Vitamins for Exercise - Natural Workout Supplements - Step 1
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B complex vitamins are one of the best vitamins for exercise because they convert carbohydrates into glucose and then glucose into energy. Some of these vitamins are stored in lean tissue but as they are converted into fluids, they can be easily lost through urine and sweat. These vitamins are an essential part of cellular energy processes.

B1 is crucial for endurance sports, B2 is necessary for optimal health and for B3 and B4 to function properly, all of which help to improve physical performance. B3 is beneficial for carbohydrate energy cycles by facilitating their conversion into energy. B5 ensures optimal health and power resistance. These vitamins are present in yeast, meat, cereals, potatoes, vegetables and milk, among other options which you can find in the article on Foods rich in vitamin B.

The Best Vitamins for Exercise - Natural Workout Supplements - Step 2
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Other essential vitamins for those who exercise frequently are vitamins C and E. Both have antioxidant properties. Vitamin C promotes the absorption of iron, the synthesis of basic collagen for the stability of connective tissue and is involved in the synthesis of corticosteroids. It is very important for the immune system and also increases resistance against free radicals. It is essential for the performance of enzymes responsible for breaking down food and for absorbing their nutrients. Vitamin C is found in vegetables, strawberries, kiwis and all citrus fruits.

Take a look at our article Is it bad to have too much vitamin C? to learn about the risks and appropriate dosage.

4

Vitamin E is essential for athletes because it reduces muscle damage and promotes recovery after physical activity. It plays an important antioxidant role together with vitamin C. It protects muscle tissue as exercise creates an excess of free radicals that damage muscle fibers until they break. This process, caused by sport and called oxidative stress, directly affects physical performance and endurance. For an extra intake of vitamin E, you must take seeds, nuts and olive oil in particular.

The Best Vitamins for Exercise - Natural Workout Supplements - Step 4
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If you are an athlete, to lead a healthy life you should take a daily dose of iron to avoid fatigue and improve your physical performance. Iron helps to strengthen the body's immune system, enhances memory and alertness. A lack of iron produces different effects on the body such as increased tiredness, paleness, memory loss, mild tachycardia and decreased performance at all levels. Iron can be found in liver, red meat, fish, seafood, vegetables like spinach and fortified cereals.

6

Potassium is one of the essential minerals for the body, especially for people who do a lot of physical activity on a regular basis. Potassium helps in the perfect transmission of nerve impulses, for preventing muscle contractions and for maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. It is ideal for dealing with fatigue, treating muscular aches and weakness, vomiting and preventing increased blood pressure.

Although there are special potassium supplements, you can also find it in oranges, bananas, strawberries, pineapples, algae, chocolate, celery, brewer's yeast, onions and soybeans, among other foods.

The Best Vitamins for Exercise - Natural Workout Supplements - Step 6
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Another fundamental mineral for the human body, especially if you are an athlete, is magnesium. It helps to transmit nerve impulses, for synthesising proteins and strengthening bones. A deficiency in magnesium can cause tingling, night cramps and arrhythmias. Magnesium is found in many foods such as soy, chocolate, seafood, Swiss chard, wholemeal bread, nuts, spinach and hard water.

The Best Vitamins for Exercise - Natural Workout Supplements - Step 7
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Calcium is a necessary mineral for the body because it assists the metabolism, provides bone strength, promotes enzymatic activity, facilitates the transmission of nerve impulses and prevents muscle contractions. A deficiency of calcium in the body causes fatigue, brittle bones making it easier for bones to break, cramps, as well as causing difficulties when recovering from bone injuries among other problems. Calcium is present in dairy, legumes, fish, shellfish, tofu and nuts, among others.

The Best Vitamins for Exercise - Natural Workout Supplements - Step 8
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Zinc and selenium are other essential minerals for every athlete. Zinc is the main protector of the immune system and is an excellent remedy for combating negative effects of ageing. Zinc deficiency causes a lack of appetite, an increased likeliness of getting infections, slow healing of wounds and lethargy. Zinc is found in meat, seafood, vegetables and nuts among others.

Selenium also has many health benefits, especially when it comes to overexertion. It has antioxidant properties and is a great defense against free radicals that are produced from physical exercise. A lack of selenium in the diet causes aching muscles and heart disease. This mineral can be found in some foods such as tomatoes, broccoli, wholewheat bread, wheat germ, fish, bran and onions.

If you want to read similar articles to The Best Vitamins for Exercise - Natural Workout Supplements, we recommend you visit our Fitness category.

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