Vitamins and minerals: a simple test

Vitamins and minerals affect how well your body uses food, recovers from training and holds up during cold season. If your diet revolves entirely around chicken, rice, pasta, tuna and cod, a deficiency can show up quickly. This article offers a simple thought exercise: is there enough variety on your plate?

Why do vitamins and minerals matter?

At the gym, most nutrition talk focuses on protein, carbohydrates and fat. That makes sense: macronutrients provide energy and building materials. But your body needs more than macronutrients to function. Small substances regulate many processes behind the scenes.

Vitamins and minerals play a role in nutrient transport, metabolism, the nervous system, blood, skin, hair, bones and immunity. If you are not getting enough, the first sign may not be dramatic. Sometimes your skin is drier. Sometimes a small wound takes longer to heal. Sometimes you simply feel tired and catch colds more easily.

The simple truth: a varied diet comes first. A supplement should not be an excuse for a limited diet. Still, a high training load, work stress, food intolerances or a very restricted range of foods can mean that your usual meals are not enough.

Vitamins and minerals: how can you assess your diet?

A useful check of your vitamin and mineral intake starts with a diary, not a bottle. Write down what you eat over a few days. Be honest. Then take a careful look at whether your diet includes fruit and vegetables, whole grains, dairy products or alternatives, eggs, fish, meat, legumes, seeds and nuts.

If the answer is “mostly no,” start by improving your diet. If you dislike a food or it causes discomfort, find a suitable alternative. If your training or work is very demanding, your needs may be greater. And if you are unsure, it is worth speaking to a doctor, especially before taking higher doses.

Taking vitamins and minerals indiscriminately is not a good idea. Excessive mineral intake, for example, can throw your body further out of balance. Because minerals help with the absorption of some vitamins, a multivitamin is often chosen. But that, too, is no substitute for a balanced diet.

Vitamin A and beta-carotene

Vitamin A is needed for growth, tissue repair and healthy eyes, skin and hair. It is also associated with bone health, keeping inflammation in balance and fighting bacteria. Sources include carrots, dark green vegetables, chicken eggs, milk, fish and fish liver oil.

A B-complex, vitamins C, D, E and F, and calcium, phosphorus and zinc support vitamin A absorption. Alcohol, coffee, cortisone, mineral oils, aspirin and vitamin D deficiency can reduce absorption. More than 1000 micrograms a day can cause toxicity in adults. Signs of deficiency include night blindness, dry skin, eczema, an increased risk of inflammation, a reduced sense of smell and a reduced appetite.

Your body can convert beta-carotene into vitamin A. It also comes from colorful plant foods. Large amounts can give your skin a yellowish tint, but do not usually cause the classic symptoms of vitamin A toxicity.

B vitamins and related substances

Vitamin B1 is important for carbohydrate metabolism and nervous system function. It is found in grain products, leafy greens and dairy products. A B-complex, vitamins C and E, and magnesium support its absorption. Alcohol, coffee, tobacco, sugar, birth control pills, heat and stress can impair the body’s ability to use it. Deficiency can cause fatigue, heart and nerve problems, and loss of appetite.

Vitamin B2 plays a role in carbohydrate and protein metabolism, antibody function and red blood cell formation. Sources include dairy products, boiled green vegetables, grain products and sunflower seeds. Deficiency can cause vision problems, mouth sores, cracks at the corners of the mouth and arrested growth.

Vitamin B3 is involved in carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism. It is also important for the function of the skin, tongue, digestive system and brain. Sources include nuts, rice, sunflower seeds, green vegetables and liver. High doses, usually from as little as 100 milligrams and up, can cause itching, prickling and flushing. These often subside within 15 minutes. Deficiency can cause headaches and irritability, while more severe deficiency can cause pellagra.

Vitamin B5 helps produce energy from carbohydrates, fat and protein. It is found in yeast, royal jelly, green vegetables, peas, beans and liver. Daily doses above 2 grams can cause diarrhea. Signs of deficiency include fatigue, hair loss, sleep disturbances and digestive problems.

Vitamin B6 is needed for carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism. Sources include liver, yeast, grains and vegetables. Deficiency is associated with skin problems, mouth sores, inflammation of superficial nerves, certain types of anemia, low mood and confusion.

Vitamin B12 is important for red blood cell production, nervous system function and carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism. Vegetarians are a particular risk group for deficiency. Sources of vitamin B12 include liver, meat, chicken eggs and fish. Alfalfa and spirulina also contain small amounts. About 30 % is destroyed during food preparation. Deficiency can cause anemia, fatigue, nervousness and diminished reflexes.

Biotin is involved in protein and carbohydrate metabolism. It is found in brewer’s yeast, egg yolks, liver, kidneys and whole grains. Choline influences the production of acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter in the nervous system. Inositol tastes sweet and is sometimes used as a sweetener. Folic acid works together with vitamins B12 and C; as much as 90 % can be destroyed during cooking. Folic acid deficiency can manifest as anemia, digestive problems, impaired growth, inflammation of the tongue and declining memory.

Folinic acid is related to folic acid and is converted into folic acid in the body. PABA is not firmly classified as a vitamin, but it is considered a potential cofactor for other B vitamins. PABA supplements should not be combined with sulfonamide medications.

Vitamins C, D, E, F, K and P

Vitamin C is needed for collagen production, wound healing and antioxidant protection. Sources include raw fruit and vegetables, particularly rose hips and certain cherry varieties. Very high intakes or improper use can cause stomach problems and kidney stones. Signs of deficiency include bleeding gums, reduced resistance to colds, anemia, easy bruising or frequent nosebleeds.

Vitamin D is needed for calcium and phosphate metabolism and therefore for bone health. It works together with calcium and magnesium. The forms of vitamin D are D1, D2, D3 and D4, although the original discussion referred to D1 and D2. Sources of vitamin D include fish oil, egg yolks, dishes made with organ meats, milk and bone meal. Your body also produces it in response to sunlight. Deficiency may be associated with softening of the bones and teeth, rickets, insomnia and nervousness.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant and is involved in protein metabolism and muscle function. It is found in soybeans, wheat germ, grains and dark green vegetables. Vitamin F is a term for fatty acids such as the omega-6 fatty acids linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA, and the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Sources include fish oil, sunflower seeds, wheat germ oil and corn oil.

Vitamin K affects blood clotting. Phylloquinone is naturally occurring vitamin K1. Menaquinone, known as vitamin K2, is produced by gut bacteria. Green vegetables and yogurt are good sources. Antibiotics can reduce gut bacteria and thereby disrupt vitamin K production. Vitamin P, or bioflavonoids, works together with vitamin C and supports blood vessels.

Vitamins and minerals on your plate when you train

If you train regularly, it is worth checking whether you eat foods of different colors. The point is not to make your plate look better on Instagram, but to get a wider range of micronutrients. Green, orange, red, white and brown foods provide different nutrients. None of them is magical. They work better together.

Water-soluble vitamins do not stay in your body for long. The original article noted that they are available for your body to use for about three hours after you take them. That is why some manufacturers have developed extended-release vitamins that are absorbed over a longer period, even 12 hours. Fat-soluble vitamins, especially A and D, can be problematic in large amounts. The same caution applies to minerals.

Honestly, the most sensible starting point is boring: eat a more varied diet, sleep better and do not immediately blame a particular vitamin every time you feel tired. If symptoms persist, talk to your doctor. A blood test or a review of your diet will tell you more than guesswork.

A practical vitamin and mineral check at home

• Do you eat some fruit or vegetables every day?
• Does your diet include whole grains, legumes, seeds or nuts?
• Do you get protein from different sources, rather than just one convenient food?
• Does your diet include fish, eggs or dairy products, if they suit you?
• Do you take a supplement to meet a specific need, rather than out of some vague fear?

If you hesitated over several answers, you already have a starting point. Add real food first. Swap one meal that lacks variety for a more varied option. Add vegetables to your lunch, include whole grains at breakfast or snack on nuts and a piece of fruit. Small changes are easier than a complete overhaul of your diet.

FAQ: vitamins and minerals

Does a vitamin and mineral test mean a blood test?

Not always. A check at home starts with an honest review of your diet. If you have symptoms, a restricted diet or a high training load, a blood test and advice from your doctor are a sensible next step.

Will a multivitamin address deficiencies?

It may help, but it will not fix a diet that lacks variety. Some nutrients can also put a strain on your body in large amounts. Start with your diet and use supplements thoughtfully.

When should you speak to a professional?

If fatigue, skin problems, frequent illnesses, digestive problems or other symptoms persist, do not keep guessing. A doctor or nutrition adviser can help assess whether a deficiency or something else may be the cause.

Translated from Body magazine; Author: Alan Bergström

Translator: Greta Reisalu

Source: Turg.Fitness.ee

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