Eating a healthy, balanced diet with adequate micronutrient-rich fruits and vegetables is important for fitness and good health. But, if you are going through great physical exhaustion and are always fatigued, supplementation with certain vitamins and minerals can help you improve your daily performance.
So, if you are looking for energy supplements to help you fight fatigue during the winter, here is a list of our best vitamin and mineral supplements to improve your energy levels.
Iron
Iron is vital for energy production and necessary to produce hemoglobin, the substance in charge of transporting oxygen in red blood cells, so that iron deficiency can cause fatigue.
In a study investigating iron supplementation and fatigue in women, those taking an iron supplement saw an 18.9% greater reduction in fatigue than those taking a placebo.
Since red meat and liver are very good sources of iron, vegetarians, and vegans may be prone to iron deficiency. Other plant-based sources of iron include beans, nuts, dried fruit, and fortified breakfast cereals.
Folic Acid
Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, is one of the 8 B vitamins and helps the body make red blood cells, which contain mitochondria and are where the body’s energy is produced.
The body cannot produce folic acid alone, so it must be consumed through the diet. This vitamin belonging to group B vitamins is present in green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, peas, chickpeas, beans, liver, and some breakfast cereals. If regular consumption of these foods is not part of your diet, consider supplementing with folic acid.
Folic acid supplementation is also recommended during the first trimester of pregnancy to help the baby’s development. On the other hand, it can be combined with iron to help treat iron deficiency anemia.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral necessary for the metabolism of food, which allows the production of energy. Magnesium influences oxygen uptake by muscles during exercise and magnesium supplementation has been reported to improve strength and physical performance.
Magnesium can also help improve sleep, which is important for maintaining proper energy levels and preventing fatigue. A 5-year study showed that women who consume more magnesium in their diet are less likely to experience daytime sleepiness. Magnesium supplementation has also improved sleep in older people with insomnia.
Vitamin D
Sunlight is the main source of vitamin D, which is absorbed through the skin and metabolized into its biologically active compound in the body. Most people are deficient in vitamin D due to lack of sunlight during winter and low amounts of this vitamin in food. Therefore, vitamin D supplementation can reduce fatigue, something especially interesting during the winter months.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant in some fruits and vegetables and is essential for synthesizing carnitine. Carnitine is a key compound in energy metabolism since it allows the access of fatty acids in the mitochondria and the production of ATP.
Vitamin C also supports the transport and absorption of iron, making it a supplement worth trying.
Calcium
Calcium is a mineral that plays a fundamental role in the metabolism of fatty acids and the regulation of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production. It is also essential for skeletal muscle contraction, which means a deficiency in this mineral can reduce athletic performance.
Milk, cheese, yogurt, tofu, sardines, and whey protein powder are some of the sources of Calcium, so if you are lactose intolerant and concerned about your calcium intake, a supplement of Calcium can help you maintain an adequate intake of this mineral.
Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an antioxidant produced naturally by the body. Meat, fish, and nuts are some sources of CoQ10. CoQ10 levels decline as we age, so that supplementation may be important.
CoQ10 is needed to produce energy, so it is concentrated in higher amounts in energy-intensive organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys.
It is also involved in the production of ATP, which is involved in all body functions, and CoQ10 has been shown to improve exercise performance and recovery. Therefore, coenzyme Q10 supplementation can help improve athletic performance.
B12
Vitamin B12 plays a key role in energy production, specifically in the metabolism of fatty acids and amino acids. B12 helps the body break down food into energy.
As with folic acid, vitamin B12 cannot be produced by the body on its own and must be consumed through the diet. Foods with vitamin B12 are mainly of animal origin, meaning vegetarians or vegans can suffer deficiencies.
Some studies show an increase in energy levels with vitamin B12 supplementation.
B complex vitamins
The best-known B vitamins are perhaps B6 and B12, but up to 8 different B vitamins exist. Although B12 and folic acid may have a greater influence on energy production, it has been suggested that deficiency in any B vitamin can lead to fatigue.
Myprotein B Vitamin Complex contains all 8 B vitamins in one convenient tablet.
Multivitamin
A multivitamin can be an easy and convenient way to get important vitamins and minerals in one pill. The Myprotein multivitamin contains some of the vitamins and minerals mentioned in this article, such as Calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B12, and vitamin D.
If taking pills is not your thing, our Multivitamin Gummies are a tastier option to take your daily ration of vitamins and minerals.
Conclusion
Adequate intake of micronutrients will help you maintain energy levels. But, if you do not consume the foods that we have mentioned regularly through the diet and you are going through a period of great physical wear and tear, and you are always fatigued, some of these energy applied nutrition creatine supplements can help the body to produce energy, thus contributing to the fatigue reduction and improve performance.