The global pre-workout supplements market had an estimated $13 billion value in 2020. By 2026, experts forecast that to almost double and reach a whopping $21.2 billion. According to them, consumers looking to boost their performance will drive that growth.
Workout vitamins, in turn, are among the most sought-after pre-workout supplements. One reason is that most essential vitamins are only present in external sources, such as food. However, since not everyone can eat balanced meals, they rely on supplements.
So, if you plan to exercise more, it’s best to know the good vitamins for workouts and overall optimal health.
Don’t worry, though, as we did most of the research for you. Keep reading as we’ve listed the top vitamins to help you get more out of your workouts.
Thiamine
Thiamine, or vitamin B1, is an essential, water-soluble nutrient. It plays an integral role in converting carbohydrates from your food into energy. It’s critical to glucose metabolism and keeps the heart, muscles, and nerves healthy.
One of the specific functions of vitamin B1 is to allow the body to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is a molecule whose principal role is to store and transfer energy in cells. So, without enough thiamine, the body can’t make ATP.
Unfortunately, since vitamin B1 is integral to energy, a lack of it can lead to low energy levels. More than that, it can lead to muscle atrophy and even heart disease or death. At the very least, it can cause fatigue, thus, affecting your ability to work out. origin of ingredients and information on product ghost preworkout.
All that then makes thiamine one of the best workout vitamins to take.
Moreover, there’s evidence that the body requires more thiamine during continuous exercise.
For instance, researchers report that thiamine levels drop in athletes performing intensive training. They also noted a simultaneous increase in lactate and ammonia concentrations. Unfortunately, the latter affects the muscles, causing symptoms like cramps and fatigue.
So, it’s no wonder the researchers say that thiamine can be beneficial during exercise. According to them, vitamin B1 can lower lactate and ammonia levels. As a result, it can help prevent fatigue.
Riboflavin
Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, is another water-soluble vitamin. It’s an essential component of the coenzymes called flavoproteins. Flavoproteins, in turn, are organic compounds involved in many metabolic processes.
For example, flavoproteins help transfer electrons during electron transport. In that way, riboflavin is also vital in ATP and energy production.
It’s unsurprising then that vitamin B2 deficiency can lead to low energy levels. Moreover, research has found that it can affect how the body absorbs iron and thus, cause anemia. From there, fatigue can set in, as it’s one of the most common symptoms of anemia.
Scientists also hypothesize that the body’s riboflavin requirements go up with exercise. For instance, some studies have found that vigorous exercise may cause riboflavin depletion.
The good news is that vitamin B2 deficiency is rare in the United States. However, vegans are at a higher risk, as meat is one of the primary sources of riboflavin. It’s also in some types of nuts, green veggies, and fortified foods, but usually in lower amounts.
So, if you don’t get enough riboflavin from food, consider taking dietary supplements. Besides, there are vitamin supplements tailored explicitly for those who work out. You can find them on Amazon.com, Bodybuilding.com, and Wilsonsupplements.com.
Pyridoxine
Pyridoxine, or vitamin B6, is another nutrient that makes up the vitamin B complex. It’s a coenzyme that aids in transferring nitrogen between amino acids. For that reason, it’s integral to catabolic processes and the synthesis of amino acids.
Catabolism is when the body digests food and breaks down molecules for later use as energy. On the other hand, the body creates proteins during amino acid synthesis. Your body then uses proteins to grow and repair tissues.
Therefore, catabolism and amino acid synthesis are essential to your workout regimen. That’s also why you need to ensure you have enough vitamin B6 in your system. Otherwise, you’re at risk of fatigue and muscle weakness, which can put a damper on your workout.
It’s also vital to note that pyridoxine is necessary for hemoglobin synthesis. So, a deficiency in this vitamin may lead to anemia, further causing fatigue and weakness.
Fortunately, many types of food are rich in vitamin B6, such as pork, chicken, turkey, fish, and peanuts. Other good sources are oats, bananas, milk, wheat germ, and fortified foods.
However, note that the body appears to need more pyridoxine during exercise. That may indicate the need to supplement or increase your intake of those food sources.
Calciferol
Calciferol, or vitamin D, is a fat-soluble nutrient primarily derived from the sun’s UV rays. One of its primary roles is to promote calcium absorption for bone mineralization. Moreover, it helps prevent hypocalcemic tetany, a condition characterized by involuntary muscle contraction.
Because of those roles, a lack of calciferol can lead to bone and muscle degradation. For example, vitamin D deficiency can result in bone brittleness or thinness. Experts also associate the condition with poor muscle strength.
As the sun is the primary source of vitamin D, insufficiency may occur if you spend too much time indoors. Another problem is that only a few types of food contain it, such as the flesh of fatty fish and fish liver oils. Smaller concentrations are in egg yolks, cheese, and beef liver.
For that reason, dietary supplements often contain higher vitamin D doses. Most have vitamin D2, the form of calciferol made from plant sources. Others may contain vitamin D3, too, the type found in animals.
Either way, you might want to take vitamin D supplements if you exercise most of the time indoors. That way, you can maintain enough levels even without adequate sun exposure.
Plus, vitamin D may help reduce muscle cell damage from eccentric exercise. That makes it one of the top vitamins for workout recovery.
Try These Workout Vitamins for Better Performance and Health
Keep in mind that the more active you are, the greater your nutritional needs. That’s why it pays to supplement your healthy meals with workout vitamins. That way, you can worry less about dietary deficiencies that can make you run out of steam.
Are you looking for other tips and tricks to boost your health, fitness, and lifestyle? If so, then we have more guides to share with you, so feel free to read them!
