Your key to achieving your fitness goal? – Multivitamins!
What Is Multivitamins?
Multivitamins are supplements containing a combination of essential vitamins and minerals crucial for overall health. These formulations aim to bridge nutrient gaps, providing a convenient way to supplement a diet lacking in necessary vitamins. Typically available in various forms like tablets, capsules, or gummies, multivitamins encompass diverse nutrients like vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, alongside minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron. They support bodily functions, bolster the immune system, aid in metabolism, and contribute to bone health. However, their effectiveness varies based on individual needs, diet, and health conditions, making personalized consultation crucial for optimal use.
Most conversations around fitness and bodybuilding focus on proteins and carbohydrates. Whether which kind of protein one’s using or how they are cutting down on carbs through their diet.
Just like any engine to function at an optimum level, it requires regular oiling, cleaning, and a holistic approach to maintenance, the same logic applies here! Fitness or achieving your fitness goal isn’t all about the macronutrients. Multivitamins and micronutrients are extremely important for you to achieve your fitness goals.
With lifestyle habits of today of stress and always being on the run, including these micronutrients is as critical as ever. Most people miss out on these vital micronutrients.
Micronutrients with a Macro effect
Nutrients are divided into vitamins and minerals with both different jobs to help and boost the functioning of the body. Vitamins and minerals are necessary to break down and absorb fatty acids and amino acids, carry out metabolic functioning of the body, maintain bone health, enhance insulin activity, build the immune system and maintain fluid balance.
Just like there are certain amino acids that the body doesn’t produce naturally, there are certain vitamins and minerals that the body doesn’t produce as well. These 30 minerals and vitamins can be derived from consuming a well balanced diet or using multivitamin supplements. Since lifestyle changes of today make it extremely difficult to keep track of diet, consuming multivitamins is the most efficient way to ensure there are no nutritional gaps.
How do multivitamins enhance your bodybuilding journey?
- Improved mental health to deal with stress
On your bodybuilding journey, you go through physical and mental fatigue that can trickle into your workout affecting the exercise performance. There are certain energy demands of the brain and muscles that when not met, can lead to extreme fatigue.
With the brain, the energy reserves are limited and it needs regular supply of energy substrates from the circulation through the blood-brain barrier. During intense workouts, the energy fuel of the brain reduces. Here, vitamins play a crucial role in production of this energy and helps reduce this fatigue. While the synthesis and regulation of neurotransmitters is handled by Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2 helps derive energy from glucose, amino acids and fatty acids. Vitamin B3 is vital to breaking down carbohydrates and fatty acids during a workout.
Biotin plays an important role in the catabolism of BCAA while pyridoxine assists the metabolism of carbohydrates, produces neurotransmitters and helps synthesize hemoglobin which carries oxygen around the body. Long-chain fatty acids are transported to the mitochondria by Vitamin C.
Moreover, there are certain foods that further help increase micronutrient activity in the body. Ashwagandha, ginseng, green tea and coffee bean extract help regulate metabolism, strengthen the body to deal with stress and elevates physical performance.
- Recover faster with multivitamins
Muscle damage caused by exercise can cause impaired performance, soreness and reduces overall training quality. One needs to source the body with enough nutrients to be able to recover faster and not let training get affected. A nutritional strategy is necessary to aid the recovery process.
People who go through rigorous training on a regular basis especially need multivitamin supplements to recover faster and more efficiently as well as be consistent with their workouts. Failing to do so will only result in workout quality reduction.
B complex vitamins produce energy in the muscle cells to fuel the repair process. Vitamin C behaves as an antioxidant to protect muscles from oxidative damage. Recovery can further be enhanced by consumption of flavonoid polyphenols by upregulation of the cell that’s signaling stress.
- Multivitamin curbs oxidative stress caused by workout
Muscle damage,oxidative stress, inflammation and other stressors are increased due to vigorous intensity filled training sessions. At this time, excessive production of reactive species can overwhelm physiological functions of the body.
Inadequate recovery post workouts may prevent you from complete training sessions ahead. To enhance exercise metabolism, performance and recovery, it is recommended to consume green coffee bean extract, green tea extract, garcinia, lycopene etc. Vitamin E, C and astaxanthin are effective to reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress.
Mitochondria energy production and efficiency can be stabilized by consuming minerals. For example, selenium is a component of glutathione peroxidase which is an important cellular antioxidant enzyme, along with zinc is important for protein synthesis and energy production in the muscles.
- Multivitamins are key for bone health and the immune system
While training, bone injuries aren’t uncommon and they cause significant loss of training time which later affects sporting performance. Multivitamins boost over bone health and reduce the possibility of such situations.
Magnesium, calcium, phosphorus,vitamin K2 and vitamin D3 help in bone metabolism while Vitamin C promotes production of collagen in the bone matrix. Over this, athletes should also have enough intake of manganese,copper,iron,zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C and B vitamins to support metabolic processes to maintain optimum bone health.
- Choosing the right supplement for yourself
A good multivitamin should give you the ability to have a convenient dosage like a once-a-day capsule. Always choose a multivitamin with 100% of the daily value of most of its ingredients. Ofcourse, pick multivitamins from a reliable brand.
How to Select the Right Multi-Vitamin Supplement?
Selecting the right multivitamin supplement can be a daunting task amidst the myriad of options available in the market. To make an informed choice, consider the following factors:
Individual Health Needs: Determine your specific health needs. Are you looking to supplement certain deficiencies or seeking overall health maintenance? Consult a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian to understand your requirements better.
Ingredients and Nutrient Forms: Look for a multivitamin with essential vitamins and minerals, preferably in their bioavailable forms for better absorption. Check for labels indicating “USP Verified” or “NSF Certified” to ensure quality and accurate ingredient amounts.
Dosage and Nutrient Levels: Avoid mega-doses that exceed daily recommended values, as excessive intake of certain vitamins and minerals can be harmful. Ensure the supplement provides adequate but not excessive amounts of nutrients.
Quality and Purity: Opt for supplements from reputable brands that undergo third-party testing for purity, potency, and quality. Avoid additives, fillers, and artificial colors or flavors.
Allergens and Sensitivities: Consider any allergies or sensitivities you may have to certain ingredients, such as gluten, soy, dairy, or specific food dyes, and choose accordingly.
Form of Supplement: Decide on the form of the supplement that suits you best – capsules, tablets, gummies, or liquid. Consider ease of swallowing, digestion, and personal preferences.
Cost versus Value: While cost is a factor, prioritize value and quality over price. Cheap supplements might compromise on quality or contain inferior ingredients.
Reviews and Recommendations: Read reviews and seek recommendations from trusted sources, considering experiences of others with the product.
Remember, a multivitamin should complement a healthy diet, not replace it. It’s crucial to consume a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains for optimal health. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen, especially if you have existing health conditions or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The right time to take multivitamins
The main motive of taking a multivitamin is to take it at a time when absorption is maximum. While breakfast is the best meal to add multivitamins to, if the breakfast doesn’t include a significant amount of fats or other oils, the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins won’t happen. Always pair multivitamins with meals that have fats or oils in them.
