Whether you're a marathon runner or a weekend 5K jogger, one thing you shouldn't run away from is proper nutrition. Eating a healthy diet can help boost endurance and shave time off your runs. In addition to a healthy, balanced diet, certain vitamins and minerals are especially important for runners. Consult your doctor before changing your diet or taking supplements.
Vitamin E
The "runner's high" may hide it, but running is a stressful activity for your body. Running for long periods of time significantly increases the production of free radicals -- nasty molecules that are involved in chronic disease development. However, downing vitamin E daily can help offset free radical damage, ScienceDaily reports. Aim for 400 IU of vitamin E per day from food or supplements. Natural vitamin E sources include wheat germ, Brazil nuts, fortified cereals and flaxseeds.
Vitamin C
Some runners experience severe muscle soreness in their calves, hamstrings and quadriceps after a strenuous run. In addition to consuming a meal right after your workout, supplementing with vitamin C can combat exercise-derived muscle soreness, the June 2006 "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism" reports. In this study, active men given 3 g of vitamin C per day reduced muscle soreness from a bout of activity. You can get more vitamin C in your diet by consuming mangoes, bananas, blackberries, oranges and kale.
Calcium
Calcium's role in the body is to aid in muscle contraction and to build burly bones. Calcium is especially important for runners because it strengthens bones, reducing the risk of stress fractures. Rice University reports that the repetitive stress running puts on the bones of your lower body can lead to stress fractures. The university advises athletes to obtain 1,200 mg of calcium per day from calcium-rich foods like cheese, milk and green leafy vegetables.
Potassium
Like calcium, potassium is important for keeping your leg muscles moving during a running session. According to Colorado State University Extension, athletes require more potassium than sedentary individuals due to potassium loss from sweat and muscle contraction. University researchers advise athletes to consume at least 4.7 g of potassium every day. Inadequate potassium intake can impair performance and increase the likelihood of muscle cramps. Sources of potassium in the diet include low-fat dairy products, tofu, nectarines, prunes, fish and potatoes.
References
- ScienceDaily; Study Shows Vitamins C And E Can Prevent Metabolic Damaage In Extreme Exercise; July 15, 2004
- "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism"; Effect of high dose vitamin C supplementation on muscle soreness, damage, function, and oxidative stress to eccentric exercise; SC Bryer, et al; June 2006
- Rice University: Calcium, Bones and Stress Fractures
- Colorado State University Extension; Potassium and Health; J. Anderson, L. Young and E. Long; August 2008
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