What Vitamins Are For Fitness?

Vitamins used for fitness support proper metabolism so your body has adequate energy to perform. Exercising for fitness places great demands on your body. In order to fuel activity, the body will break down carbohydrates and fat for energy. Vitamins play direct and indirect roles in your overall fitness, making them essential additions to your diet.

Thiamine

Thiamine or vitamin B1 plays a role as a coenzyme which supports and increases the speed of chemical reactions. Chemical reactions occur when chemical bonds are either forged or broken. In the case of thiamine, it helps carbohydrate metabolism in the body. Carbohydrates are easy for the body to break down, making them a preferred source of energy. Thiamine is so important for carbohydrate metabolism to occur that deficiencies can cause loss of energy to the muscles.

Riboflavin

Riboflavin or vitamin B2 also aids carbohydrate metabolism for energy. It also helps the body use oxygen properly. Muscle cells require oxygen for activity. This vitamin plays a supporting role by aiding other vitamins in their role in red blood cell formation including vitamin B6, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Niacin

Niacin helps the body break down fats or lipids. Lipids, like carbohydrates, are easily metabolized and used by the body for energy. This vitamin will also aid carbohydrate metabolism as well as red blood cell formation. It also helps the body respond properly during exercise through its support of the central nervous system. The central nervous system controls many involuntary body reactions such as heart rate and respiration.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 aids fitness in two important ways. First, it helps the body produce energy or ATP at the cellular level in cell structures called mitochondria. Mitochondria are often referred to as the powerhouse of the body. Second, vitamin B12 is important for red cell formation and health, according to the Mayo Clinic. Red cells deliver oxygen to muscles during physical activity.

Pantothenic Acid

Like vitamin B12, pantothenic acid or vitamin B5 also supports fitness by helping the cell's mitochondria produce ATP. Like most B vitamins, it acts as a catalyst for chemical reactions in the body. It also helps the body synthesize fats and hormones, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.

Folic Acid

Folic acid will also support red blood cell formation. It also is an essential nutrient for other cell formation, according to the National Institutes of Health. During exercise, muscle fibers may tear under the strain of activity. Folic acid can aid the recovery of muscle by supporting cell growth following physical activity. In this way, you can continue to enjoy the benefits of exercise and good physical fitness.