Multivitamins for Runners: List of Important Nutrients 

Marathons are gaining much attention today with more and more individuals hitting the tracks either to reduce weight or just to improve stamina. For those who want to maintain endurance, stamina and overall health here are the list of supplements that runners like you would need.

Vitamins

Vitamins are the first most important nutrients if you want to keep your muscles in excellent condition. Each kind of vitamin functions to improve energy, cleanses the system and to keep your body strong. Vitamin A for instance promotes maintenance and repair of bones, which is important if you want to keep them to be strong enough to run.

Since running puts significant stress on the muscles on your feet, vitamin C is most beneficial in this area. The Achilles tendon which is at risk for tears and ruptures was found to be repaired with the help of vitamin C.

According to the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, vitamin D helps improve muscle function, efficiency, power and force, as evidenced by a study they did on adolescent girls.

Minerals

Calcium is one mineral that definitely provides benefits for runners like you. It prevents osteoporosis (demineralization of the bone) and stress fractures by keeping your bones healthy and strong.

Iron is also another mineral that improves your energy level by delivering oxygen to the cells. This process prevents the feeling of weakness or fatigue making you more energized to run.

Most minerals are also electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium. These help your body to function more effectively and energetically. You release a lot of these in your sweat when running or when doing any active sports. That is why you need to ensure that you have adequate amounts of these in your system to maintain good performance.

Antioxidants

Vitamins C and E which are potent antioxidants helps cleanse your cells thus keeping them healthy and in better shape for more strenuous activities. In addition to this, your body also releases harmful oxidants as a result of exercise, and these antioxidants help flush out these harmful toxins. If they are kept in your body for too long this oxidative stress can weaken your immune system and ultimately your performance.

Strenuous activities are also known to deplete antioxidants in the body that is why you also need to replenish them.

Fatty Acids

If you want to have easier and greater mobility on your joints, fatty acids help lubricate and protect these areas to make them move and function with more ease. It prevents stiffness or injury and reduces chances of inflammation.

Omega-3

Running is an activity that exercises and heavily relies on the health of your cardiovascular system. Omega-3s help keep your heart healthy and to function optimally. A good daily dose of these nutrients will help your heart to endure long running distances and other strenuous activities.

Proteins

Proteins are important for tissue repair and energy. Good sources are meat and legumes, and you can also maintain healthy amounts in your system from a complete multivitamin supplement.

A complete multivitamin supplement will certainly improve a runner’s performance. If you want to endure a 21K marathon with ease and a medal, give yourself that daily dose and make sure to choose a good brand!

About the Author: Cynthia Wang Tan is a nurse journalist who advice readers like you who seek good and effective health tips and advice. To help you function with efficiency and better performance, a healthy lifestyle coupled with a reputable multivitamins (http://www.best-multivitamins-guide.com/)

How Do You Know if Your Multivitamins is Worth It?

As common as the toothbrush, multivitamins are in every arsenal for the health conscious individual out there. But you may be popping the pills everyday thinking that it is good, but does your multivitamin really work?

Hundreds of companies are developing their own brand of multivitamins this is due to the increasing need to be healthy stemming from the fear of expensive hospitalizations. According to the Washington Post, majority of the American population are already taking vitamins daily.
The increasing health awareness is impressive; however are the products you are using safe and effective? Are they really giving you what it promises or just fall short of it?

When it comes to multivitamin supplements, you have plenty of them, but as a favor to yourself, you have to choose the best one. To be the best, a multivitamin have to pass standards in terms of potency of ingredients and proper manufacturing process. A certain brand can promise so much and sound so appealing, but most can never live up to it. Sad to say, we consumers are at the losing end.

Multivitamins work, although with some negative press going around saying that it doesn’t, they do give us essential health benefits – at least the good ones do. That is why you need to research on the top multivitamins that has good reviews and presents with top of the line processing (from research to manufacturing). Believe me, this information are available in the web, and then you can vouch for yourself as to which ones are

The ingredients are your number one concern. You need to identify whether if it is complete or has the right amount of recommended dietary allowance. You can check the back label or search it on the web. Be sure that your brand of multivitamins has adequate nutrient content and dosage. There are actually some that don’t, and when this happens you won’t be getting as much nutrients that you need.

It is also good to check out whether the company of that brand has set extensive research into the kinds of ingredients that they have. This shows that they base the efficiency of their products on good scientific data and background. Just don’t take their word for it, find it out for yourself.
The manufacturing process is also another thing that you need to look into. It should be so that the manufacturing process is sterile and uncompromised. Other brands would even use enteric coating on their products to ensure that it actually reaches the cells and not prematurely broken down.

There are a lot of supermarket brands out there but do they really have what you need? Sometimes going for the cheap ones can leave you at a loss. There is a reason why there are top brands, and it is because they have received impressive reviews from the proper authorities (FDA) and the avid users.

You also need to choose those effective multivitamin brands that have more to give you than just the average. There are already brands that fights the factors that causes aging such as glycation,methylation, inflammation, DNA degeneration and free radicals. All these processes commonly works to push your cells into aging. These can be an added plus, if you really want to take it to the long term.

Just as you read reviews on a new smart phone or a movie, you also need to put some time on reading about your multivitamin supplement . It will give you a good idea on whether it is good for you, or just paying for a bunch of half-good pills.

What is the FDA?

FDA stands for Food and Drug Administration, an agency that ensures the safety, of certain important products that are in the market. The people behind it range from field inspectors to chemists, all working to guarantee the public a safe and effective use of these products.

Through their list of protocols and standards they see to it that biological products, human and veterinary drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, products that emit radiation and national food supply are safe, sanitary, secure and effective.

FDA is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services under the Federal Food and Drugs Act. This act was in response to the consumer’s increasing concern towards the safety and efficacy of the manufactured products in America, after certain publications questioned it. The hue and cry from the citizens has pushed the government to make an agency that will safeguard them against deleterious effects of unauthorized products.

One important concern of this agency is to keep watch on the public wellbeing especially with the deluge of innovations, products, and studies. They also see to it that these advancements, especially with medicines or supplements are safe, effective and affordable. They are the ones who make sure that the final outcome is sturdily grounded on scientific evidences. With this, consumers are given the assurance that they are receiving a product that is not haphazardly done, but is something that is legitimate and successful.

They have the authority to recall products, if they pose a certain danger, and they can also issue warnings as soon as they find new evidences about a product’s function.

Without the FDA, any company can come up with own invention or products and present them to be very effective, deceiving especially those gullible consumers. There will be no restrictions on those drugs that may have serious side effects and no one to ensure that a product is unadulterated and is presented to us in an honest manner.

The FDA also promotes the development of medical products that will answer to any emergent public health threat or concern. For example, the development of good and effective multivitamins have been widely available in the market, and this is in response to the increasing problems on malnutrition among children. Antiretroviral drugs for AIDS have also been deemed safe and effective to treat symptoms, and this can be supported by the FDA. Overtime, the agency is a consumer’s source of assurance for a product’s credibility.

The agency’s function however is limited and does not include regulating illegal street drugs, consumer products, advertising, health insurance, alcohol, grocery stores, pesticides, water, meat and poultry; except for game meats.

From the make-up that you put on, your dog’s vaccination, to the slimming pill that you may be popping every morning, all these are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. And thanks to them, you are safe to use these products.

Zinc Facts

When the cold weather hits, you know that you are going to get at least one cold or sore throat! It seems that avoiding that cold or flu is almost impossible during the winter months. Even if there is nothing that you can do to completely avoid getting sick this season, you can take measures to reduce your likelihood, or shorten your illness if it strikes. Zinc is an essential mineral that has been receiving rave reviews for reducing the duration of the common cold in adults. 

Zinc is made up of over 300 enzymes which are responsible for many different functions in the body including wound repair, maintaining fertility, proper growth in children, synthesizing protein, helping cells reproduce, preserving proper vision, boosting immunity levels, and protecting against free radicals among other things.

In studies, zinc lozenges were shown to reduce the duration of the common cold in adults. 13 to 25mg of zinc was given in the form of zinc gluconate, zinc gluconate-glycine or zinc acetate. If zinc was used at the first sign of a cold, the duration of the illness was significantly reduced. It is important to note however, that there was no effect shown in children.

Zinc has also been used in developing countries to improve growth and accelerate weight gain in malnourished children. The use of zinc has reduced the rates of diarrhea and pneumonia as well which are two of the biggest killers in underdeveloped countries. Even in developed countries, low income women and pregnant teenagers should supplement with zinc to receive similar benefits.

Source of Zinc
Zinc is found naturally in oysters, meat, eggs, seafood, black eyed peas, tofu and wheat germ. Zinc supplementation is very common, and you should take a multivitamin with zinc in it as the average diet does not have enough zinc. Vegetarians in particular should supplement with a small regular dose.

Studies have shown that people who eat a large amount of unleavened bread such as pita, matzos and certain crackers may be deficient in zinc as well. If this is the case, these people could benefit from doctor supervised supplementation.

If you decide to supplement with zinc you should only do so for a short period of time or under a doctor’s supervision. If you are taking zinc lozenges to help with an illness, you should only use the lozenges for a few days. Long term uses of zinc may actually harm the immune system and cause digestive upsets.

Benefits of Vitamin K

Most people know that it is important to take daily supplements of calcium to help their bones stay strong. But did you know that it is just as important for your bones to get enough vitamin K? Vitamin K is essential to bone health and bone formation. In fact, it goes hand in hand with calcium because vitamin K is essential for transporting calcium through the body. 

Purpose
Vitamin K is useful for more than bone health however. Vitamin K plays a crucial role in blood clotting, and helps the body clot blood after an accident, injury or even during surgery because it is responsible for creating the clotting factors in the liver. There are other health issues that may benefit form the use of vitamin K, and they are currently being researched including, celiac disease, morning sickness, and cystic fibrosis.

Source of Vitamin K
You can find vitamin K naturally in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, and kale. Cauliflower, cabbage, cheese and liver are also excellent sources of vitamin K, as well as asparagus, coffee, bacon and green tea. Vitamin K deficiency is rare, however it does occur when there is an inability to absorb the vitamin from the intestinal tract, and this can happen after a prolonged period of treatment with oral antibiotics which can destroy the beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract.

Deficiency
If you suffer from a vitamin K deficiency, you may have an increased likely hood to bruise or bleed easier causing a higher rate of nose bleeds, blood in the urine or even heavy menstrual bleeding.

Vitamin K deficiencies can sometimes occur in newborns who are breastfed that is why every newborn is given an injection of vitamin K to protect them from a possible deficiency. In very rare cases, a vitamin K deficiency in a newborn may result in an internal hemorrhage of the skull, however this is rare.

If you choose to supplement with vitamin K, the recommended dosage is 1mcg per 2.2 lbs of body fat. A rough guide to use is about 65 to 80 mcg for most adults. This amount can usually be ingested naturally by consuming leafy vegetables in your diet; however studies have shown that many adults are lacking in vitamin K.

Risk?
Overdosing of vitamin K is rare, however if large amounts of synthetic vitamin K are consumed there is a risk of flushing, sweating, jaundice and anemia. Very large dosages may impair liver functioning and excess vitamin K in infants could lead to brain damage.

Benefits of Vitamin E

Most people out there start looking for a magic pill as they begin to age. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to find a pill that could help your skin look younger, softer and smoother? What about minimizing the appearance of wrinkles or scars? With all of the talk these days about free radicals and antioxidants, it is more important than ever to arm your body with effective doses of antioxidants.

Purpose
Is it impossible to find a vitamin that could offer all of these benefits? No. Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin that is essential for good health and is a powerful antioxidant that will help protect cell membranes as well as beautifying your skin, all while fighting the effects of aging. Vitamin E has also been linked to increasing athletic performance, aiding in visual functions and being of use as a treatment for premenstrual syndromes and symptoms as well as breast cysts.

Source of Vitamin E
Vitamin E can be found naturally by eating wheat germ oil, nuts and seeds, egg yolks, leafy greens and whole grains. Other vegetable oils such as olive oil, corn oil, safflower, soybean oil, and canola oil also contain significant amounts of vitamin E.

However the large amounts of vitamin E that is available in a supplement form cannot be obtained by natural sources alone. Supplements typically contain anywhere from 100 to 800 IU and should be taken daily by people who can benefit.

Benefits
Studies have been done that find that supplementing with vitamin E can help to prevent heart disease and may slow the progression Alzheimer disease. Vitamin E will also help build the immune system of the elderly and may be of benefit to children who suffer from epilepsy. If applied topically, vitamin E is a very effective treatment for the healing of small cuts, burns or minimizing the appearance of scars.

Deficiency
If you are deficient in vitamin E you may experience muscle fatigue or weakness leading to muscle disease, your reproductive performance may suffer and their may be difficulties if you are trying to conceive. A vitamin E deficiency may lead to visual problems, particularly atrophy of the retina.

As well as an inflammation of body fat or neurological problems, if there is a significant deficiency. It is rare however to have a severe vitamin E deficiency, and it is generally a genetic abnormality if it occurs. Others who may be likely to experience a vitamin E deficiency have rheumatoid arthritis and major depression.

Supplementing
If you want to supplement with vitamin E, 400IU is the standard supplementation level for adults. It is highly unlikely to experience vitamin E toxicity, however there has been no long term studies proving that any benefit can be obtained from higher doses.

Benefits of Vitamin D

Did your mother ever make you swallow spoonfuls of cod liver oil when you were a kid? If so, you were not alone, and maybe your mother knew what she was doing! Cod liver oil is an excellent source of vitamin D which crucial to the human body. Vitamin D is not a typical vitamin because the skin can manufacture it, however it is essential to the body because it helps to maintain the proper calcium levels in the body.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin whose primary role in the body is to maintain calcium levels by increasing the absorption levels of calcium from food while decreasing the amount of calcium lost through urine. Vitamin D will also help to transfer calcium from the bones if there are inadequate stores of calcium in the body. Most people realize that it important to get enough calcium, however many do not know that vitamin D is necessary as well.

Source of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a unique vitamin because besides dietary sources, the main source of vitamin D is from the sunshine. After exposure to UV sunlight, the body can manufacture vitamin D; this is why it is often referred to as the sunshine vitamin. Most people can maintain proper vitamin D levels simply by getting outside and enjoying the sunlight. However, deficiencies can be detected during the winter months when sun exposure is limited, there is more cloud cover and people do not tend to venture out doors as often.

During the winter months it is very important to supplement with vitamin D or make an effort to expose themselves to the sunlight. You can also find vitamin D in egg yolks, butter and other foods that are fortified with the vitamin. If you decide to supplement, 200IU a day is sufficient for most adults.

Deficiency
The most common symptom of vitamin D deficiency is rickets in children which can lead to skeletal deformities which may include long, bowed bones. In adults, a vitamin D deficiency may lead to osteomaliacia which leads to weak bones and muscular weakness.

Deficiencies are mostly noted in people who restrict their access to sunlight, live in highly polluted areas, use very high SPF daily, alcoholics, dark skinned people, and vegetarians who avoid vitamin D fortified dairy foods. Also, people with liver and kidney diseases may be able to produce vitamin D, but not activate it.

Besides being essential for calcium, vitamin D has also been used in connection with Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis, osteoporosis, celiac disease, depression, and seasonal affective disorder.

Vitamin C Is More Than Just Oranges…

If you value your healthy smile and enjoy having teeth, you will want to eat that orange and keep up your vitamin C levels! A severe form of vitamin C deficiency will lead to scurvy which was prominent among sailors hundreds of years ago as there was a limited supply of fresh fruit available on the high seas during long sea voyages. It was a common sight to see sailors with missing teeth or rotted smiles. Thankfully we do not suffer from these problems today. 

Function
Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin that plays a crucial role in the human body. One of the most important functions of vitamin C is to act as an antioxidant and protect against heart disease by protecting LDL cholesterol from the oxidative effects of free radicals. Vitamin C also aids in the absorption of iron which helps maintain the capillaries, bones and teeth.

It is important to get adequate amounts of vitamin C during cold and flu season as well, because this vitamin is known to prevent many illnesses. Everything from the common cold, to more devastating diseases such as cancer can be prevented from adequate amounts of vitamin C.

Humans do not have the ability to manufacture their own vitamin C; therefore we must consume foods that are rich in this vitamin. The most common foods to find vitamin C in are citrus fruits, strawberries, red peppers, pineapple, tomatoes, melons, cranberries, currants, broccoli, brussel sprouts, potatoes, and parsley.

Deficiency
If you are deficient in vitamin C you may notice dry and splitting hair, inflamed and bleeding gums, rough, dry and scaly skin, a decreased rate of wound healing or easy bruising, nosebleeds, swollen and painful joints, increased sickness and anemia.

Vitamin C is found in every cell in the body, however it is especially useful in certain systems of the body including, blood, skin, the nervous system, teeth and bones and the glands such as the thymus, adrenals and thyroid.

Recommended Intake
If you choose to supplement with vitamin C, the recommended level is 120-200 mg a day for a healthy adult. This amount may help to ward off common illnesses such as colds or flu. Some people experience mild side effects with vitamin C supplementation such as diarrhea, with even small doses. However, many people can take much larger amounts and not have any side effects at all.

Benefits of Vitamin B5

It is almost impossible to know what all of the different vitamins that are found in the body are used for. It can be especially difficult for people who are not medical professionals, because some vitamins can be referred to by a variety of names, making it even more confusing. A good example of this is vitamin B5, which is commonly known as pantothenic acid.

Vitamin B5 is a water soluble vitamin that is involved in the Kreb’s cycle of energy production which is responsible for metabolizing fats, proteins and carbohydrates, and turning them into energy. Vitamin B5 is also used in the synthesis of cholesterol which is needed to manufacture vitamin D. The use of vitamin B5 has been reported to reduce blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

Pantothenic acid or vitamin B5 has been linked to the reduction in stress, because it is closely related to the adrenal cortex function. This vitamin has become increasingly popular as a nutritional supplement because it is thought to boost energy and increase athletic performance. It is also used to alleviate arthritis, keep your hair looking shiny and healthy, and generally enhance health.

Food Source
You can find vitamin B5 naturally in liver, yeast and salmon. These three foods have a very high concentration of pantothenic acid, however most other foods, including dairy, eggs, grain, vegetables and meat contain some as well.

Deficiency
It is believed that a deficiency in vitamin B5 is rare, but may occur in alcoholics more often. If you are deficient in vitamin B5, you might experience frequent infection, abdominal pains, sleep disturbances, fatigue and neurological symptoms such as tingling in the extremities, and muscle weakness. People who are under a great deal of stress may also be at a greater risk of a vitamin B5 deficiency. Also, if you are eating a diet that is high in refined and processed foods and low in whole foods, you may not be receiving enough vitamin B5 from natural sources.

Since vitamin B5 is found widely in most foods, the chance of being seriously deficient will typically only occur in severely malnourished individuals. There is little reason to supplement with vitamin B5, and the 10-25 mg that is generally found in multivitamins should be enough to keep pantothenic acid levels normal. If you are using vitamin B5 to control cholesterol, you should only do so under a doctor’s supervision, as higher doses will be necessary.

Benefits of Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 is a powerful member of the B-complex family and comes in two basic forms. Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid, and niacinamide, which is also known as nicotinamide. All forms of vitamin B3 have biologic activity; however niacin is also necessary for regulating cholesterol in the body. 

Vitamin B3, in all of its forms are necessary for releasing energy from carbohydrates and converting proteins and fats into calories. Vitamin B3 also works closely with the other vitamins from the B-complex including vitamin B1, vitamin B2, Vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid. Vitamin B3 is also necessary for a healthy nervous system as well as the sex hormones.

Vitamin B3 has been used topically to treat acne, and has also been used successfully for high cholesterol, intermittent claudication, vascular disease and schizophrenia. The niacin form of vitamin B3 has been used for high triglycerides and the niacinamide form of vitamin B3 has had successful use in the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Deficiency
Pellagra is a disease that is caused by a deficiency in vitamin B3; however it is now rare to experience this deficiency in Western societies. The symptoms of Pellagra include a loss of appetite, diarrhea, mental changes, a skin rash and digestive and emotional disturbances.

Mild deficiencies of vitamin B3 may result in generalized weakness, or loss of muscle strength, general fatigue, apathy, backache, headache, loss of memory, a lack of appetite and digestive problems.

Food Source
It is not generally necessary to supplement with vitamin B3 because most people receive adequate amounts from their normal diet. The best dietary sources of vitamin B3 are found in proteins such as: beef, liver, pork, turkey, fish, peanuts and sunflower seeds. Some vegetarian alternatives include rice bran, turnips, beets and beet greens and celery.

Vitamin B3 is a stable vitamin and is not easily affected by heat, light, air, or acid. Because vitamin B3 is a water soluble vitamin, it is not generally stored in the body, however small amounts may be found in the liver, but most vitamin B3 is excreted through the urine.

Most people do not need to supplement with vitamin B3, because it has been added to white flour as well, as getting enough in their general diets. However, if you wish to supplement, you can take the adequate amount by consuming a B-complex vitamin or a multivitamin supplement.

Niacinamide is generally a safe supplement to take, however the other form of vitamin B3, niacin may cause side effects such as headache, stomachache, and flushing in some people. Large amounts of niacin may cause liver damage and other serious problems.