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VITAMINS
Vitamins are a part of the enzymes that regulate the chemical
reactions in your body. They are necessary in small amounts for normal growth
and maintenance of life. As your body can't manufacture vitamins, it must
obtain them from food and supplements.
Some athletes believe that if taking vitamin supplements will keep
them healthy, then massive doses will make them super healthy. This is not
the case as we have seen instances of the body rejecting them, usually as
urine and sometimes in the form of an allergy such as a skin irritation. It
is true that the body requires vitamins for health, and that, taken as a
supplement for the needs of the body, they can be advantageous. According to
medical experts however, large doses of vitamin supplements will not improve
performance and we most certainly agree with them. They are not even a source
of energy. We do agree that a vitamin deficiency will affect the
performance of an athlete in any sport and the main deficiencies are usually
one of the following;
Vitamin C; This is obtained by including large quantities of
vegetables and fruit in your training diet. But how much should you eat?
Dietitians can't agree on this, so we will leave it up to you and your body.
Lack of vitamin C will cause fatigue and listlessness when you are exercising
and training hard. If you are experiencing these symptoms then your body
needs to be supplemented with vitamin C and we recommend a dosage of 500mg
per day as a safe and helpful supplement whilst you are in training. We do
not consider this vitamin as the most important supplement required by your
body.
Vitamin E; Very little is known about the chemistry of this vitamin
and the effect it has on humans. Authorities say that it prevents the
oxidation of polyunsaturated fats in the body. Without ample supplies of the
vitamin these fats are oxidised and some
by-products accumulate as a pigment in the tissues. This is thought to
accelerate the ageing process and therefore vitamin E has been heralded as a
substance which prevents the ageing of the skin. It is used a lot by beauty
therapists. Vitamin E is essential for muscular health (and the heart is a
muscle). It helps to utilise fat, it is concentrated in the pituitary,
adrenal and sex glands, it prevents vitamin A,
linoleic acid and other nutrients from destruction by oxygen within the body
as well as performing other important functions. Food is very low in vitamin
E (average about 14mg daily). The estimated daily average should be around
30mg. Women require 300mg daily during menopause and ageing persons may need
as much as 500mg daily. Vitamin E is virtually non-toxic and can be stored
very efficiently by the body. Dosages as high as 2200mg daily have been given
without harmful effects. Dr Evan Shute from Ontario, Canada began treating
his 71yo mother for angina and dropsical condition
of the legs and the arms. After 5 days of using vitamin E, the angina pains
vanished as also did the dropsical swellings. He
has since then used vitamin E for heart sufferers achieving amazing results.
Other medical men all over the world are prescribing vitamin E for the
treatment of heart disease, high blood pressure, thrombosis, liver and kidney
ailments, chronic leg ulcers, varicose veins, menopausal ills and Reynaud's
disease. There is probably no vitamin that has lifted the shadow of despair
from so many sufferers, as vitamin E.
Properties of vitamin E;
1. It is a vasodilator, i.e. it dilates (enlarges) the capillaries and
enables the blood to flow freely into damaged, anaemic muscle tissues,
thereby strengthening both the tissue and the nerves supplying it.
2. It decreases the oxygen requirements of the muscle tissue by
approximately 50%. This is equivalent to an enhanced blood supply and
diminishes pain and breathlessness.
3. It is an ant thrombin i.e. it dissolves blood clots and prevents
their formation, but does not interfere with normal blood clotting.
4. It prevents the formation of excessive scar tissue.
5. It promotes urine excretion, hence is useful to heart patients with
dropsical conditions and for those suffering water
retention.
6. It increases collateral circulation, i.e. it promotes
"detour" blood channels around veins and arteries that are blocked.
7. It lends power and efficiency to muscle tissue and has most
beneficial action upon tired, flagging muscles.
We find it is very helpful in healing muscle injuries, and have used
it successfully with people with muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's disease and
muscle disorders. We recommend that people with muscle disorders
supplement their daily intake by taking 400mg per day and for a period of 14
days, then reducing the dosage to 200mg per day. You will certainly find it
beneficial to your health.
MINERALS
Minerals are basic elements found in the soil and are picked up from
the soil by plants. When people eat vegetables or eat the meat of animals who eat plants, they absorb the minerals into their own
tissues. Each mineral has specific functions in the body.
WHAT IS GOOD
Magnesium - Regulates muscle contractions and the conversion of
carbohydrates into energy. Low levels of magnesium in the muscle cells can
cause fatigue and muscle cramps. Anyone who suffers from muscle cramps should
take a daily supplement of high purity magnesium. You will then rarely
suffer from cramps. Magnesium is lost through the stool and sweat, and
athletes sweat considerably when they are training or playing hard. As
strange at it may sound it can be good to drink
beer in place of other alcoholic beverages. Beer contains magnesium and has a
relatively low alcoholic content. Your body requires magnesium in large
amounts, so don't be afraid to supplement it if you think it is required.
Potassium - Exercisers who feel weak and tired for extended periods of
time may be suffering from a deficiency of the most important mineral inside
the muscle cells, namely potassium. It is the most common deficiency
in all muscles. Every muscle that is being exercised produces heat. To
prevent overheating, the muscles release various amounts of potassium into
the blood stream. This widens the blood vessels and increases the blood flow
to carry the heat away from the muscles. Every athlete should make sure
that they have a plentiful supply of potassium. It's a good idea to drink fruit
juices when you are exercising or playing and become thirsty. They contain potassium
and glucose, another excellent energy source. Potassium is excreted from the
body via sweat and urine. Thus an athlete must regularly replenish his
potassium supply. Unfortunately the body does not have an inbuilt warning
system to alert you to the fact that you are lacking potassium, so you have
to heed the symptoms mentioned and be guided by them.
Sodium (salt) - is the most abundant mineral in the blood stream.
Every active person needs salt in their body, although this is contrary to
what some dietitians and doctors advocate. If you are low in salt, you may
become dehydrated and suffer with cramps. Be careful as too much salt may
cause clotting of the blood, a forerunner to heart attacks and strokes.
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