Vitamins & Minerals Used For Building Muscle

Vitamins and minerals serve as cofactors in enzyme reactions in the body. They are needed in small quantities, yet do critical work in helping with training and building muscle. Vitamins and minerals can also serve to boost recovery from workouts and possibly reduce pain associated with delayed-onset muscle soreness.

Antioxidants

Vitamin C and E are the leading antioxidants that protect cells from free radical damage. This is important because training to build muscle increases oxygen radicals in the body as a result of training. According to Dr. Mario Pasquale on the Quest for Advanced Condition website, vitamin E has been shown to reduce exercise-induced trauma. Vitamin C can reduce muscle soreness after weight training. Selenium is a mineral antioxidant that works with vitamin E to protect cells against free radical damage.

B Vitamins

B vitamins are important for energy production and nerve health. Thiamin or B-1 and riboflavin or B-2, help the body turn eaten carbohydrates into energy inside the cells. Vitamin B-6 or pyridoxine, folate and biotin help the body take protein to build and maintain muscle. These vitamins serve as coenzymes to body processes that help to create energy and use amino acids to repair muscles from physical activity.

Manganese and Magnesium

Manganese and magnesium are minerals that assist in your body producing energy from food. Manganese helps with carbohydrate and protein metabolism, so your body can produce energy from carbs and use amino acids from protein to build muscle. Magnesium functions as a coenzyme in more than 300 protein reactions in the body and works to help your body make energy.

Zinc

Zinc serves as a cofactor in more than 100 enzyme processes in the body. Zinc helps to build DNA, protein, insulin and testosterone production. Insulin allows muscles to take in needed blood sugar and amino acids to build muscle stores and repair muscle fibers from training. Testosterone is important anabolic or muscle building hormone. Zinc helps the body to produce adequate levels of testosterone to increase muscle building capabilities and maintain healthy body fat levels, according to Heidi Skolnik and Andrea Churnus in "Nutrient Timing for Peak Performance."

Iron

Iron is vital for the transportation of oxygen by hemoglobin and muscles using oxygen by myoglobin. Low iron levels inhibit oxygen levels for tissues. It is important for female athletes who are menstruating and men participating in sports that impose weight limits for classes. Red blood cell loss is experienced by those participating in sports that have foot strike on hard surfaces such as running, basketball and field hockey, according to Skolnick and Churnus. Weight lifters and rowers have been documented to have hand red blood rupture from the force of gripping bars, paddles and dumbbells. Iron supplementation without a physician monitoring your intake isn't recommended. Over consumption of iron can result in iron poisoning, especially for healthy males.