Intense workouts, competitions, weight to be respected. A life not easy, but vitamins should never be missing. Because nutritional deficiencies are always around the corner.
In body building, diet is as fundamental as training: spending hours and hours in the gym is useless if you do not follow a diet that provides the body with the nutrients it needs.
Due to the intense physical activity, fans of this sport have different nutritional needs than sedentary people.
Traditionally, the diet of the perfect bodybuilder favors proteins and amino acids, substances that help develop muscle mass and reduce the fat component.
This approach often leads to excessive intake of these substances. In fact, not everyone knows that strength and muscle mass can be achieved with the adoption of a balanced diet, which takes into account energy costs, together with a targeted training program.
Among the essential components can not miss some vitamins, especially those involved in the main processes that regulate the body’s metabolism.
Much better than protein
Each vitamin plays a specific role. Let’s see what they are in the following table.
| Vitamin | Function |
|---|---|
| Vitamin A | Fundamental for protein synthesis, at the base of the processes of reconstruction and muscle growth, as well as for the production of glycogen, the short-term energy reserve for the muscles under effort |
| Vitamin C | Little considered in the gym, yet very useful. It’s a powerful antioxidant that protects muscle cells from the attack of free radicals, promoting recovery and growth processes. It is also involved in the synthesis of collagen, the main constituent of connective tissue that welds together bones and muscles of our body. It also promotes the absorption of iron, involved in the synthesis hemoglobin, protein responsible for transporting oxygen to the various tissues of the organism |
| Vitamin D | It plays a crucial role in the absorption of calcium, which is necessary both for muscle contraction, both to maintain adequate levels of bone density. A solid skeleton allows you to better support the growth of muscle tissues and ensures greater robustness of tendons |
| Vitamin E | Protects cell membranes from oxidative damage caused by radicals free, the production of which increases during physical activity |
| Thiamine | Participates in carbohydrate metabolism and transformation of same in energy. It is also involved in the production of hemoglobin |
| Thiamine | Participates in multiple metabolic reactions aimed at production of energy including glucose metabolism, oxygenation of fatty acids and the transport of hydrogen electrons in the cycle of Krebs (metabolic cycle from which high-level molecules derive energy such as ATP) |
| Thiamine | Participates in cellular energy metabolism as an active part of two coenzymes (NAD and NADP) involved in many reactions that release energy (glycolysis, lipolysis, Krebs cycle) |
| Thiamine | It is involved in the processing and utilization of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Fundamental for physical activity because it intervenes in the conversion into energy of glycogen stored in the liver, and in the muscles |
| Thiamine | It is involved in carbohydrate metabolism and the protection of nervous system tissues |
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.