3 Nutrients Deficiencies That Can Impact Your Performance
Do you know what vitamins and minerals you need to keep training hard?
Vitamin D
Why You Need It: This vitamin plays a crucial role in bone mineralization through the regulation of calcium and phosphorus. It promotes the absorption of calcium, integrates calcium into bone tissue, and helps maintain bone density and strength. It also regulates immune and neuromuscular function.
When You’re Running Low: A deficiency in this vitamin can result in bone loss, muscle weakness, and compromised immune function.
Top Up: Aim for 400–800 IU per day.
Best Food Sources: Dairy products, fortified cereals, wild salmon, white fish, and mackerel.
Try: Optivida's Plant-based Vitamin D
Vitamin C
Why You Need It: This antioxidant not only fights damaging free radicals, it also has strong cortisol-lowering effects. Cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, begins to spike toward the end of your workout.
When You’re Running Low: The daily jolts of cortisol spur the catabolism of proteins, resulting in poor recovery and the break down, or loss, of muscle tissue.
Top Up: 500–1,000 milligrams daily with food, preferably post-workout.
Best Food Sources: Brussels sprouts, bell peppers (red, yellow, and green), papaya, pineapple, citrus fruit, and fortified orange juice.
Try: Optivida's Synthetic Free Vitamin C
Zinc
Why You Need It: This mineral is critical in growth, building, and repair of muscle tissue, energy production and immune status. It’s also essential for thyroid hormone and insulin function.
When You’re Running Low: Inadequate intake of this mineral can lead to impaired immune function. Your metabolic rate also slows, making it harder to burn off unwanted body fat.
Top Up: 30–50 milligrams daily, on an empty stomach.
Best Food Sources: Seafood, liver, beef, wheat germ, bran cereal, pumpkin seeds, and lentils.
Try: Optivida's Complete Essentials (Multivitamin Powder w/ Zinc)
Written by Sommer Robertson for Oxygen Magazine and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.