Important vitamins and minerals for athletes

Your body is a temple that should look as good as possible. To achieve this, you have to make sacrifices: training daily in the gym, avoiding unhealthy foods, and giving yourself enough rest so your body can recover when needed. We probably don’t need to explain how to take good care of your body. You're an expert in this. You constantly keep a close eye on the composition of the macros you're consuming, but do you also make sure you're getting all the important vitamins for athletes in the right amounts?

Although these fall under micronutrients and are needed in smaller quantities than macros, they should not be overlooked. In this article, we’ll tell you exactly which important vitamins athletes should be getting. This way, you'll know which vitamins you shouldn't forget when it comes to strength training.

Vitamin D useful for strength training

The sun—you probably think of it immediately when you see vitamin D. After all, it’s one of the main sources of vitamin D for humans. That gives you a good reason to enjoy lying in the sun every now and then. But what exactly is vitamin D good for? We’ve done the research, and in this article, you can read all about vitamin D.

You might not expect it, but vitamin D can also be found in food. It’s present in fatty fish and shrimp, for example. Don’t eat these foods and rarely get out in the sun? Then it’s a good idea to take a vitamin D supplement. Especially during the winter months, when the days are short, and the sun barely shines.

Magnesium for well-functioning muscles

Magnesium is found in all the cells of our body. It plays a role in our energy management, muscle function, and the maintenance of our teeth. Want to know more about this important mineral for strength training? We’ve gathered all the functions of magnesium for you and also researched the symptoms of a deficiency.

We need to get magnesium from foods or magnesium supplements. This can be done by adding nuts, seeds, and green vegetables to your diet. In our article about magnesium, we share more information on magnesium-rich products.

Vitamin C boosts immunity

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is important for our blood vessels, bones, energy, and psychological functions. However, Vitamin C has many other important functions. We’ve listed all of them for you in our article about Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid.

Products such as red peppers, citrus fruits, and cabbage varieties are rich in Vitamin C. With special Vitamin C tablets, you can also maintain your Vitamin C levels. This is useful if, for example, you don’t like red peppers or citrus fruits.

Vitamin B and energy production

The B vitamins include several different vitamins. These vitamins are important for strength athletes as they contribute to energy production. But which substances exactly fall under Vitamin B? These are:

• Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
• Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B8 (Biotin)
• Vitamin B11 (Folate)
• Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Would you like to read more about the role of all the B vitamins in your body? And are you curious about the possible symptoms of a Vitamin B deficiency? At XXL Nutrition, we’ve written a helpful blog with all the information on Vitamin B and its importance for strength athletes.

The role of Omega-3 in strength training

Omega-3 is the type of fatty acid that has shown the world that fats aren’t so bad after all. It’s long been recognised that Omega-3 contributes to the functioning of the heart, brain, and (maintaining) healthy blood values. Additionally, it’s a nutrient that is still being extensively researched, revealing more and more benefits over time. It’s no surprise that Omega-3 is being added to more and more food products.

You mainly get Omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish. Not a fan of fatty fish? Or do you simply not have the budget to buy fish regularly? A high-quality Omega-3 supplement is the solution in this case. It provides your body with high-quality fatty acids, without the fishy aftertaste!

Multivitamins for athletes

With an active lifestyle, it’s important to get enough vitamins and minerals. You can achieve this by eating a varied diet. This means eating plenty of vegetables and fruits, but also enjoying a variety of different types of meat, fish, grains, and dairy products. If you know you have a one-sided eating pattern and therefore risk a vitamin deficiency, a multivitamin can be a good supplement to complement your diet.

Looking for a good multivitamin? At XXL Nutrition, we offer a wide range of multivitamins, both for men and women. You’ll always find the best multivitamin with us.

Iron for athletes

An important mineral for athletes is iron. Iron is involved in the production of haemoglobin, which is a component of red blood cells. These blood cells are crucial for oxygen transport in our bodies. You can get iron from both animal and plant-based foods. The type of iron in animal products is heme iron, while the type in plant-based products is non-heme iron. Curious about the role of iron for athletes, symptoms of iron deficiency, and iron-rich foods?

Have you been diagnosed with an iron deficiency after a blood test? You can take iron tablets to supplement this. Our iron tablets contain no animal ingredients, making them suitable for a vegan diet.

Zinc and your hormone balance

Zinc is a mineral that performs many similar functions to calcium and magnesium. However, there is one extremely important area where zinc plays a role that the other two do not: hormone regulation. And when it comes to strength training, a good hormone balance is, of course, very important.

Zinc contributes to a normal hormone balance. More specifically, zinc helps maintain normal testosterone levels in your body. Nearly everyone involved in strength training knows this all too well: testosterone has a significant impact on your muscle mass. It goes without saying that it’s important for every man to have sufficient natural testosterone levels to make optimal progress.

To get enough zinc, it's important to consume sufficient amounts of red meat. Additionally, small amounts of zinc can be found in dairy products and shellfish. Don’t eat animal products? Zinc in capsule form is a good alternative.

Melatonin and your sleep

Melatonin is a naturally occurring substance in the body that plays a role in our sleep-wake cycle. It is produced in the pineal gland from serotonin. Curious about how this substance works exactly? In our article on melatonin, we share all the information, including melatonin dosage and potential side effects.

Did you know melatonin naturally occurs in foods such as walnuts, pineapple, cherries, and pistachios? Prefer melatonin in pill form? Then our melatonin supplement is an excellent choice. It contains 0.3 mg of melatonin per tablet and is best taken about 30 minutes before you go to sleep.

Collagen for tendons and joints

If you’re an avid athlete, you know how important it is to take good care of your body. You put a lot of strain on your muscles, tendons, and joints during training. This is where collagen comes into play. Collagen is a glue-forming protein that is an essential component of our connective tissues. These connective tissues include cartilage, bones, tendons, and skin. It is a key component of the loose connective tissue in the skin. Interested in the benefits of a collagen supplement? In this blog, we share the most important information about collagen powder and tablets.

Have you been using collagen supplements for a while and want to buy directly? At XXL Nutrition, you’re in the right place. You can choose our Collagen+, which contains type 1 collagen. We also offer Fish Collagen Plus+ with hydrolysed fish collagen.

In conclusion about vitamins and minerals

In this article, we’ve provided you with an extensive list of important vitamins, minerals, and other substances that are essential for athletes. These nutrients all play a crucial role in supporting your strength training goals, from promoting muscle growth to maintaining optimal hormone balance. By ensuring you get these vital micronutrients in the right amounts, you can optimise your performance in the gym and give your body the support it needs.

At XXL Nutrition, you’ll find a wide range of high-quality supplements to help you complement your diet. Whether you’re looking for specific vitamins like Vitamin D and C, minerals like magnesium and zinc, or more specialised supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids and ashwagandha, we have everything you need. Remember that a balanced and varied diet is the foundation, but supplements can be a valuable addition to cover any deficiencies and support your overall health.

We hope that the information from this article has better prepared you to make the right choices for your diet and supplement use. Good luck with your training and reaching your goals!