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Most people know that vitamins and minerals are very important for the body, especially for metabolic processes. Vitamins convert carbohydrates into energy, protein into muscle mass, fat into energy storage systems, and minerals into building blocks of teeth, skin and organs. Dietary minerals are essential chemical elements or building blocks of your body (in addition to the four basic elements hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon). They also help regulate various metabolic processes and are indispensable for muscle contraction and building of nerve fibers.
There are:
- 12 Vitamins (A, B1,B2,B3,B5,B6,B7,B9,B 12, C, D, E, K)
- 17 minerals (Calcium, Chloride, Cobalt, Copper, Fluorine, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Sodium, Sulfur, Zinc).
Vitamins and Minerals are contained in all kinds of different foods, very often in colorful fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, broccoli, apples or bananas.
Vitamins and minerals are lost when we sweat or go to the bathroom and need to be constantly replenished. This is especially true for athletes who sweat a lot or those who are trying to maintain their weight or even shed some pounds in order to get into a certain weight class (like jockeys, wrestlers, or martial artists). Vitamin C, E and beta carotene are most frequently lost during physical activities, as are the minerals sodium, potassium, and chloride. A deficiency of these vitamins and minerals can seriously endanger your health and well-being. For example, a deficiency of potassium can lead to cramps, and stomach or intestinal pain. Too little magnesium can cause shaking of muscles and cramps in the calf. Too little iron makes you feel weak and tired. The same is true if athletes take in too little of certain B vitamins , which are crucial to metabolize carbohydrates, protein and fats.
With the right kind of food choices and eating habits, even top athletes can get enough vitamins and minerals. There really is no need to take supplements. Nutrition science even has proven that high doses of certain vitamin and mineral supplements can actually limit the intake of other essential vitamins and minerals and endanger your health.
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