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Health News Archive 558 - Athletics
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B-Vitamin Deficit Impairs Athletic Performance

Athletes who are deficient in B vitamins may display diminished performance in high-intensity exercise compared to those with optimal nutrient intake, according to a recent report.

Vitamins B1, B2, and B6 are used by energy-producing pathways, while vitamins B12 and folate assist new cell synthesis and repair of damaged cells. After examining the nutritional status, dietary intake, and performance of athletes, researchers noted that increased stress on the body’s energy-producing pathways and tissues, combined with a loss of nutrients after strenuous activity and the need for extra nutrients to repair tissues, could increase B-vitamin requirements for athletes.

“Many athletes, especially young athletes involved in highly competitive sports, do not realize the impact their diets have on their performance,” the researchers noted. Since the current US RDAs for B vitamins may be inadequate for active people, the researchers advise supplementing with a multivitamin/mineral formula.

Source: Woolf K, Manore MM. B-vitamins and exercise: does exercise alter requirements? International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2006 Oct; 16(5).

Reprinted with exclusive permission of Life Extension.

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