Vitamins in Physical Activity and Sport

3 major vitamin functions

• energy metabolism

• oxygen transfer and delivery

• tissue repair

What dietary guideline is generally used for determining vitamin intake?

Dietary Reference Intake (DRI)

What 3 vitamins do athletes tend to have deficencies?

• vitamin D

• folate

• B12 (cobalamin)

why are folate deficiencies common?

• comes from fruits, veggies, and leafy greens

• alcohol decreases folate

why are B12 deficiencies common?

only in animal products

Which vitamins are fat soluble?

A, D, E, K

how are fat soluble vitamins absorbed?

via lymphatic system

where are fat soluble vitamins stored?

adipocytes and/or liver

how do vitamins help with injury rehabilitation?

• tissue synthesis

• scar formation

• bone remodeling

Vitamin C Functions

• antioxidant

• connective tissue (collagen) formation

• cell repair

• bolsters immune function (if deficient)

Vitamin C RDA for males

90 mg

Vitamin C RDA for females

75mg

what is the most abundant protein of connective tissue?

collagen

what 3 amino acids does collagen primarily consist of?

• glycine

• hydroxyproline

• hydroxylysine

what is the precursor to colalgen?

procollagen

what enzymes does vitamin C activate to catalyze procollagen to collagen?

prolyl hydoxylase and lysyl hydroxylase

Two types of Vitamin A

preformed and pro-vitamin A

where is preformed vitamin A found?

animal products

what is the danger of preformed vitamin A?

higher risk of too much Vitamin A

where does pro-vitamin A come from?

plant sources; precursor to formed groups

Vitamin A functions

• vision development and balance

• skin cell maintenance

• antioxidant (beta-carotene)

metalloproteinase enzymes

convert type III collagen to type I after being activated by vitamin A during rehabilitation

What parts of wound healing does vitamin A play a role in?

scar formation and collagen synthesis

collagenases

protein degradation enzymes that initiate remodeling

re-epithelialization

forms new epithelial cells and glycoproteins

Vitamin A RAE for males

900 𝜇g

Vitamin A RAE for females

700 𝜇g

Vitamin A upper limit in adults

3,000 𝜇g

Vitamin B9

folate/folic acid

folic acid vs folate

folic acid is synthetic/fortified, folate is naturally in food

B9 function

• essential in amino acid metabolism

• RBC production

• aids in cell repair

B9 deficiency effects

• megaloblastic anemia (malformed RBCs)

• decrease O2 delivery to muscle

Vitamin B12

cobalamin

B12 function

• AA metabolism

• hemoglobin synthesis

• O2 delivery

• maintenance of myelin sheath

B12 deficiency risks

• pernicious anemia

• impact neuron signal transduction

• affect timing of muscle contraction

what shots do newborns get to prevent internal bleeding?

vitamin K

vitamin K function

• formation of osteocalcin (bone synthesis)

• bone mineral density

• synergistic role with vitamin D

• blood coagulation

RI for vitamin K in males

120 𝜇g

RI for vitamin K in women

90 𝜇g

is there an upper limit for vitamin K?

no

risk factor for low vitamin K

frequently on antibiotics

how does exercise affect endogenous antioxidants?

decreases

level for vitamin D deficiency

< 20ng/mL of 25(OH)D

level for vitamin D insufficiency

21-29ng/mL of 25(OH)D

vitamin D insufficiency effects

• rickets

• low BMD

• osteoporosis

• muscle weakness

• fatigue

• musculoskeletal pain

optimal vitamin D level for athletes

~40ng/mL of 25(OH)D

what vitamin is a steroid hormone?

vitamin D

vitamin D2

calcidiol (25 (OH)D), storage form

vitamin D3

calcitriol (1.25 (OH)D), active hormone and most biologically available

bone remodeling

process of reshaping and replacing injured bone

RI for vitamin D

600-800 IU/day or 15-20𝜇g

Vitamin D upper limit

4,000 IU

Vitamin D Deficiency risk factors

• indoor sports

• sunscreen

• clothing/gear

• skin pigmentation

• latitude

• medication (anti-compulsive)

• obesity

• season

• pollution

what percent of vitamin D comes from UVB exposure or supplements?

85-90%