Your muscles and tendons play a vital role in the movement of your body. According to kidshealth.org, your body contains more than 600 muscles, which are responsible for the movements of your organs and bones, while your tendons help keep your muscles and bones together. Due to injury and aging, tendons and muscles can weaken or sustain injuries. While persistent pain should be examined by a physician, vitamins might be able to help keep your tendons and muscles strong.
Vitamin E
Your muscles and tendons are made up of thousands of small fibers. Due to injury or wear and tear, these fibers can become damaged. This can cause pain and inflammation. Vitamin E has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce tendon and muscle inflammation, which can also lead to a reduction of pain caused by injury. This vitamin can also help promote healing of damaged tissues. Vitamin E regulates the release of cytokines -- which work to repair damaged tendon and muscle cells. This can help you recover more quickly from an injury or from surgery. Vitamin E can be taken as a supplement. Vitamin E can also be found in a number of food sources -- including olive oil, soybeans, wheat germ, egg yolks, nuts, seeds, whole grains and green, leafy vegetables.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C can do more than just boost your immune system and help fight off infections. Vitamin C can help repair muscle and tendon tissues. This is due to the role vitamin C plays in synthesizing collagen, a protein that makes up muscle tissues, as well as connective tissues -- including tendons and ligaments. Collagen helps give your body's tissues strength. Protein also allows you to recover more quickly from an injury. Vitamin C is found in several food sources -- including citrus fruits, cantaloupe, strawberries, cabbage, sweet red peppers, broccoli and berries.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 -- also known as pyridoxine -- is part of the vitamin B complex. The vitamin B complex consists of eight different B vitamins. Vitamin B6 can help reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation of your tendons and muscles. This vitamin also better enables your body to absorb carbohydrates and fat from the foods you eat. This allows your body to repair damaged muscles and tendons. Vitamin B6 can be supplemented. You can also find vitamin B6 in a number of different foods -- including potatoes, sunflower seeds, poultry, brown rice and spinach.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants help prevent free radicals from damaging your muscles and tendons, along with your joints and other connective tissues. This vitamin also helps boost your immune system. A stronger immune system can prevent microorganisms from damaging your tendons and muscles. Vitamin A also helps your tendons to repair themselves -- this can mean increased healing time from a traumatic injury or overuse injury -- such as tendonitis. Sources of vitamin A include green leafy vegetables, garlic, liver, pumpkins, fish oil and carrots.
References
- "The Vitamin Book"; Harold Silverman, Joseph Romano et al; 2003
- KidsHealth.org; "Vitamins"; Dr. Mary Gavin; January 2011
- Duke Orthopedics: Ligament and Tendon Injury
- KidsHealth.org; "Your Muscles"; Dr. Steven Dowshen; August 2009
