Vitamins are a vital component of your daily diet, especially for exceptionally active people and athletes. Exercise and athletic activities require sufficient levels of vitamin B to promote the release of energy from carbohydrates in your body, as well as antioxidants such as vitamins C and E to improve post exercise recovery and muscular rebuilding. However, there is no clinical evidence to support the use of vitamin supplements if your diet is sufficient for your level of activity.
Vitamin B
According to the University of Michigan Health System, B vitamins play an important role in releasing energy from carbohydrates in your body. Because athletes expend more energy than most people, they require increased levels of vitamin B in their diet. While vitamin supplementation is popular among sports enthusiasts, studies show that simply increasing the number of calories you eat will provide adequate amounts of vitamin B to meet the level of energy required for sports participation, says Montana State University.
Antioxidants
Studies have shown that athletic activities and strenuous exercise increase levels of free radicals in your body, particularly if you participate in aerobic activities, as releasing energy from the foods you eat is a highly oxidative process, says the University of Michigan Health System. Antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E are known to remove and help protect the body from free radicals. Proponents of antioxidant supplementation suggest that they can help to reduce the swollen and sore feeling you may feel after a particularly intense training session or competition.
Foods High in Vitamins
Vitamin B can be found in animal products such as meat, poultry and fish. If you prefer to eat a vegetarian diet, you can also get vitamin B from eggs, milk and milk products like cheese and yogurt, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Antioxidants, such as vitamin E, are often found in foods high in vegetable fats such as nuts and olive oil, says Montana State University.
Supplements
While it may seem as if more is better when it comes to vitamins, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Some research has even shown that unnecessarily high levels of niacin, a B vitamin, may be detrimental to athletic performance, says the University of Michigan Health System. Unless you are functioning on a severely decreased caloric intake, it is not necessary to supplement with vitamins for athletic performance.
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