0 commentaires
Micronutrition plays an essential role in health and the importance of vitamins is paramount. The current diet is not conducive to covering our daily needs and deficiencies are increasing. Supplementation will be beneficial, especially for athletes with a naturally greater need.
What are vitamins?
Vitamins are essential elements to ensure the proper functioning of the body . However, they cannot be synthesized by the body. It is therefore imperative to provide them through food.
However, generally, the foods consumed do not provide the full range of vitamins in sufficient quantities that the body needs. Hence the interest in supplementation to avoid deficiencies that reduce the efficiency of metabolic reactions essential to health and physical fitness.
Vitamins are of paramount importance for both athletes and sedentary people, as they play an indispensable role in the development of physiological functions. Vitamins are particularly essential for:
- the performance of numerous metabolic reactions (construction of muscles, bones and skin)
- good assimilation of nutrients
- the production of energy available in the body
Why do athletes have greater vitamin needs?
Athletes, and especially strength sports enthusiasts, have higher energy needs . Athletes who train regularly and/or intensely use up more of their vitamin reserves. This explains why they are generally deficient , especially if they follow a low-calorie diet.
However, vitamins are essential to maintain good physical performance , because they help to strengthen the immune system and better combat oxidative stress produced during training. Vitamin supplementation is very useful to help athletes stay healthy, improve their performance and limit their deficiencies while respecting the caloric intake they have set for themselves.
The benefits of vitamins for athletes
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it can be stored in fat and therefore does not need to be present in the diet every day. It is important for maintaining a healthy immune system, growth and vision.
Vitamin A is very important for athletes because it has antioxidant properties that allow them to strengthen their immune system and better resist oxidative stress caused by training. The phenomenon of oxidative stress is explained by the production of free radicals (intensified during training) which are aggressive molecules that attack cells. This can lead to muscle damage after exercise. This is where vitamin A comes in, its antioxidant benefits creating a "protective shield" against free radicals.
Vitamin A thus allows athletes to maintain their performance over the long term.
B vitamins
There are 8 B vitamins : B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, B9 and B12. We will explain how each one contributes to health and improving sports performance.
Vitamin B1:
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is water-soluble, which means that the body cannot store it. It is therefore essential to provide it to the body every day through food. This vitamin plays an essential role in energy metabolism , helping to convert glucose into energy. Normal levels of vitamin B1 also help ensure good neurological functions.
Vitamin B2:
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) also plays a role in energy production and also has antioxidant properties .
Vitamin B3:
Vitamin B3 (niacin) plays an important role in cellular energy production . This vitamin can also play a vasodilatory role in blood vessels. In addition, vitamin B3 has the ability to reduce homocysteine levels and therefore reduce the risk of developing heart disease . Finally, vitamin B3 can also help lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.
Vitamin B5:
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) plays an important role in nutrient metabolism and in the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that enables muscle contraction.
Vitamin B6:
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) plays a role in carrying out more than one hundred enzymatic reactions related to protein synthesis.
Vitamin B8:
Vitamin B8 (biotin) plays a role in glucose and fatty acid metabolism , both of which are important in endurance exercise.
Vitamin B9:
Vitamin B9 (folic acid) plays an important role in the normal formation of DNA and red blood cells. Normal levels of vitamin B9 also allow for good oxygenation of the muscles and therefore the maintenance of good physical performance.
Vitamin B12:
Vitamin B12 helps reduce oxidative stress and thus improve the athlete's recovery . This vitamin also promotes cardiovascular health by regulating homocysteine levels in the body. Finally, vitamin B12 plays a protective role for the nervous system thanks to its beneficial effects on nerve regeneration.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin known for its antioxidant properties and protective effects on the immune system . Vitamin C is also essential for the body to synthesize collagen , l-carnitine and several neurotransmitters . All of these elements are crucial for athletes: in fact, collagen is a protein representing 25 to 35% of the protein content in the body. As for l-carnitine, it is an amino acid necessary for the conversion of fatty acids into cellular energy. Finally, neurotransmitters are essential for the transmission of nerve flows.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be obtained through exposure to sunlight, hence the interest in supplementing with this vitamin in winter. Athletes who are generally deficient in vitamin D, however, have a great need for it . Indeed, it allows you to develop more physical strength during training, is associated with the production of testosterone and also stimulates fat loss.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored by muscles and adipose tissue. This vitamin, known for its antioxidant properties, is a valuable ally for protecting against free radicals. This allows athletes to better withstand exercise and recover better after training . Vitamin E thus helps reduce muscle breakdown and minimize muscle soreness related to exercise. Vitamin E also strengthens the immune system and protects the nervous system. Through all these mechanisms, it therefore contributes to improving sports performance.
Vitamin K
There are two forms of vitamin K: K1 and K2. Both forms are important, however vitamin K2 is particularly effective in strengthening the bones and is very important in combating inflammation and joint pain .
