Juice Up Your Muscles With These Essential Vitamins

Vitamins are vital nutrients which aid in the growth and immunity of our body. They are extremely crucial for our body’s metabolism. Even if they do not provide you with energy, which is needed for workouts, they are important for the repair and growth of our muscles. Many vitamins and minerals also serve as antioxidants and help protect cells against the oxidative damage produced by inflammation.

During exercise, our body tends to lose a lot of minerals and vitamins through sweat. Hence, it is extremely important that we restore them after our workout to accelerate the repair of our muscle cells. All that sweat and pain would be of no gain, if you are devoid of these nutrients.

Vitamin B Complex

Many of these B vitamins help in the synthesis of fat, protein and carbohydrates and without them it will be difficult for our body to get energy from these nutrients. Vitamins like Thiamin (B1), Roboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), B12, B6 help in energy production and make sure that the enzymes are produced properly in our body. They help our body to make and use protein and glycogen which is the stored energy in your muscles and liver.

To load up your body with these vitamins, you need to get your fill of whole grains, soybeans, mushrooms, meat, fish, poultry, liver, non-fat milk, yoghurt, almonds, bananas, lentils oatmeal and nuts.

Vitamin C

This powerful vitamin helps to synthesize collagen and form essential amino acids. It is also a strong antioxidant which helps in repairing damaged skin, tissues, blood vessels, muscles and tendons. It assists in healing cuts and wounds and keeps gums healthy. It also protects you from infections by keeping your immune system healthy.

Vitamin C enriched foods include citrus fruits such as orange, grapefruit and their juices, kiwi, strawberries, mangoes, papaya, red, yellow and green peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes and raw dark leafy vegetables.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E helps maintaining healthy body immunity and other important body metabolic processes. It acts as an antioxidant and protects muscle tissues and cells from damage. They also help in the treatment of orthoarthritic conditions. Both vitamins (E and C) are also helpful in reducing muscle soreness secondary to exercise. Clinical studies report that supplementing with vitamin E and C reduces post-exercise inflammation and pain in muscles and joints.

Vegetable oils, avocados, leafy green vegetables, wheat germ, sunflower seeds and peanut butter and nuts have an abundance of Vitamin E.

Vitamin D

The most important function of Vitamin D is to help the body absorb Calcium which helps in building strong bones and muscles. Apart from strengthening the immune system, it also helps in reducing post-workout inflammation.

Vitamin D can be found in milk, fortified soy and rice beverages, fortified margarine, some seafish, eggs, organ meat and fish liver oils.

Vitamin A

Rendering sharp eyesight is the main function of Vitamin A but it also helps the functioning of major organs in our body, like lungs. Why engage in a huffing-puffing session post exercise when you can fill up your body with this healthy vitamin? Apart from these necessary functions, it also helps in body growth and development of muscles, bones and organs.

Liver, fish, milk and cheese helps you get those required vitamin A.