Are There Any Vitamins Or Minerals Good For Energy?

While vitamins and minerals do not supply any calories, which provide your body with energy, they do support the processes that your body uses to get energy from food. Your body uses the B vitamins and other nutrients to support this process, and supplementing your intake of these vitamins and minerals may help increase your energy levels.

Vitamin B-1

Vitamin B-1, also known as thiamin, helps your body convert sugar into energy. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, your body converts food into a type of sugar, and then turns this sugar into energy. During this conversion, your body uses B-1 to enable this oxygen-based process, called aerobic energy production. Without sufficient B-1, your body struggles to produce energy, leaving you feeling tired. Adults need between 1.2 mg and 1.1 mg of vitamin B-1 daily; it can be found naturally in vegetables like romaine lettuce and tomatoes.

Vitamin B-5

Vitamin B-5, also known as pantothenic acid, supports your body's conversion of carbohydrates and fats into energy. Vitamin B-5 helps your mitochondria -- systems found in every cell that produce energy -- convert carbohydrate and fat molecules into energy. A deficiency in B-5 can cause feelings of fatigue, listlessness and weakness. Adults need 5 mg of B-5 daily, which can be found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including broccoli, mushrooms and cauliflower.

Potassium and Sodium

The minerals potassium and sodium are electrolytes, which support a number of biological processes, including helping your body's cells make energy. The Food and Nutrition Board with the Institute of Medicine suggests 4.7 g of potassium and 1.5 g of sodium daily for an average adult. Potassium can be found naturally in fruits and vegetables, like bananas, while sodium can be found in a wide variety of food, especially processed foods.

Chromium

Chromium is a mineral that plays an essential part in the conversion of sugar to energy. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, chromium enhances the effects of insulin. When your blood glucose levels increase in response to food digestion, insulin is secreted in order to transport the glucose to cells, which provides them with energy. Aim for 35 mcg of chromium daily, which can be found in foods like broccoli and whole grains.