Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients in foods that are involved in countless body processes that can help us gain more muscle and improve performance in the gym. They can help our bodies utilise macronutrients like proteins, carbs and fats better, optimise hormones like testosterone and growth hormone and even help us to relax and feel good.
A lot of nutritionists advocate getting these chemical elements from foods alone, however, I think there are some situations where supplementing is a necessity. Intense training has a huge impact on the amounts of vitamins and minerals our body uses. As I have mentioned before in a previous article your lifestyle can also have an effect on the amount of micronutrients your body needs (these can be quite specific to the individual). For example when I get extremely busy or stressed I will increase the dosage of or add certain supplements like Vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and calcium. When I do this I am able to cope with the demands asked of me by my job while still being able to get in productive workouts. Another reason is that you may not have the time to cook and eat all the foods necessary to meet your micronutrient requirements.
Why do we need some vitamins more often than others? Some are stored in the body’s fat stores (fat soluble vitamins-A,D,E,K) so they can build up within the body whereas water soluble vitamins like Vitamin C and the B vitamins are not stored in the same manner and require constant replacement.
So what vitamins and minerals specifically help us to increase muscle and improve our performance in the gym? In short all of them!
Vitamins A, D, E, K can:
- Encourage growth of healthy muscle tissues in the body.
- Act as antioxidants having a protective effect on our muscles.
- Have a positive impact on your nervous system and immunity so you can handle the effects of hard training better without getting sick.
Vitamin D (which can be generated in the body from our skin being exposed to sunlight) also encourages optimum insulin production which is beneficial in making sure nutrients are shuttled into our muscles for growth.
(Vitamin A can be obtained from fruit, veges, dairy and fish)
(Vitamin D can be obtained from sunshine, cod liver oil)
(Vitamin E can be obtained from almonds, kumara, and sun-flower seed oil)
(Vitamin K is manufactured in the body. It may require supplementation).
Vitamin C can:
· Dilate blood vessels which can definitely aid in getting a pump during a workout.
· Help repair muscle damage from intense workouts.
· Help absorb our nutrients better, especially iron.
(Vitamin C can be obtained from a range of fruit and veges).
The B Vitamins (B1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 12) have so many roles to play in the body that it is beyond the scope of this article to mention them all; however, here are some of the benefits:
· They help us utilise nutrients from the foods we eat.
· They give us energy and a better feeling of well-being.
· They help deal with stress and have a calming effect which has a positive impact on testosterone production.
· They are involved in producing hormones which are necessary for growth and normal body function.
(B vitamins can be obtained from meat, nuts, veges, fruit and cereals.)
Our body also needs an array of different minerals to function at its best. Minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorous, chloride, chromium, iodine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc all have their part to play in our quest for more muscle.
Here is a very quick look at the benefits these minerals have in helping us improve our muscle gains and performance in the gym: (I will add some foods that contain these minerals as well).
Calcium & Phosphorous: both are involved in allowing us to contract our muscles properly during workouts and they also buffer acid build up during a hard set.
(Milk, almonds, broccoli, sardines for calcium) & (milk, porridge, nuts, sardines, meat for phosphorous)
Magnesium: Is my favourite mineral- It does all of the above plus it helps us to absorb and use nutrients from our food, helps with energy production and relaxes the mind and body. Whenever I think I may struggle to get to sleep I take some magnesium.
(Brazil nuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds)
Sodium, potassium, and chloride: are important for regulating the water and chemical balance in our body. Although we are often told to limit our salt intake, a certain amount is needed to make our muscles contract properly and make them look as full and lean as possible. Potassium is also directly involved in the formation of new muscle tissue.
(Salt for sodium chloride) & (meat, fruit and veges for potassium)
Chromium: helps us use sugar and assists in the production of insulin which is needed to shuttle nutrients to our muscles for growth.
(Scallops, kiwifruit, bread).
Iodine: Helps with energy production and optimises our metabolism so we can burn fat. (Kelp, fish, iodised salt).
Copper: Helps to maintain the elasticity of our skin (important for those who bulk up during off-season) and is involved in the formation of our muscles, arteries and skin. (Cashew nuts, paw paw, liver, oysters, pumpkin seeds).
Iron: Is important for energy levels and building new muscle as it helps our bodies absorb and use protein from our foods. (Paua, oysters, beef, liver, pumpkin seeds)
Manganese: Is involved in making hormones like insulin and testosterone. (Pecan nuts, silver beet, muesli cereal)
Molybdenum: Helps our body use copper and iron properly. It is involved in testosterone production. (Eggs, rice, chicken, haricot beans, lentils, liver)
Selenium: Is an antioxidant and helps maintain the elasticity of all tissues in the body. (Brazil nuts, snapper, eggs, lentils-supplement may be required as it is deficient in NZ soils).
Zinc: Another favourite mineral of mine; it is an antioxidant, helps us digest and use food, improves our immunity, is involved in testosterone production, helps us relax, assists in healing, helps in eliminating toxins from the body and more!(oysters, beef, lamb, pumpkin seeds).
As you can see we need all these amazing micronutrients (in the right balance) for our bodies to function at their best and maximise all the hard work we do in the gym. Also it must be said that deficiencies in these vitamins and minerals can cause an array of health problems. Our foods are valuable in obtaining them, however, supplements are necessary to make up the shortfall for when our bodies are under stress from training or our lifestyle, our foods are deficient in them or if our diets are not on point. I think a good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement is a good insurance policy in making sure your quest for more muscle and improved performances in the gym are realised.