Micronutrient Madness: Vitamins

Joe String

J Fitness Training

In fitness, there are constant discussions, myths and arguments surrounding flexible dieting. Everybody has an opinion on macronutrient intake, sources of each and of course, whether something should be consumed or not given its calorie content. As we all know, the primary goal of your average gym junkie is an aesthetic physique or insane bench/DL/squat PR, and I cannot disagree. When I first began the fitness lifestyle, the most important aspects were what I saw in the mirror and how many plates I could throw on the bar. However, over the past couple of years, my life in fitness has taken a turn…for the better.

Many people that take part in heavy resistance training need to realize what the true goal of fitness is. Don’t get me wrong; I am aware that the goal of most fitness advocates is still to look good and be strong. However, in my honest opinion, I feel as though that it should be something else—that something being overall health. Sure, being lean and physically active on a daily basis is going to improve one’s overall health, but I know people personally that look great and move heavy weight but abuse flexible dieting. It’s sad, really, because those who do it are usually role models of others.

Do I consume nutritious, unprocessed foods 100% of the time? Does anybody? No, but that is not what I am trying to say. What I want to discuss today (with macronutrient requirements, the level of satiety felt after the consumption of a food and the taste of a food aside) is micronutrient sufficiency. Not only are micronutrients required for bodily functions, but also, they have all sorts of benefits—especially when taking part in heavy resistance training and exercise.

Over the next two weeks, I really want to take the time to uncover the need for adequate micronutrient intake. Enable to do so; I will be breaking vitamins and minerals into two different articles and explaining them all in the best way possible. That way, the information will really stick and hopefully can find its way into your daily diet.

Vitamins: Fat-Soluble

There are two different types of vitamins—fat-soluble and water-soluble. Today, we’ll begin with the fat-soluble. Included in this list are vitamins A, D, E and K. These four vitamins dissolve into fats and oils taken in by the body and are absorbed through the intestines with the help of bile. Since they are absorbed with dietary fat, the body stores them instead of excreting them. Therefore, when consumed in very high amounts, they can be considered toxic.

Vitamin A

First off, we have vitamin A. Vitamin A is found in two forms—retinol and pro-vitamin A (beta-carotene.) Upon consumption, the amounts needed at the time are used for bodily functions while the rest is stored in the liver (up to 90%.) Anything else is stored in adipose tissue (which is why fat has that yellowish/orange color.) Without adequate vitamin A intake, the human body would surely suffer. It is essential for both reproduction and visual processes and is also vital for skin health, cell membrane stability, bone growth and regulation of energy. It is also an antioxidant. That means that it protects other substances in the body from being attacked by oxygen, allowing them to remain stable. Good sources of the retinol form of vitamin A include any fortified dairy products, eggs and animal foods (meat, poultry.) Pro-vitamin A, or “beta-carotene” can be found in plant sources such as orange/yellow vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots and squash) and leafy green vegetables like spinach and broccoli.

Vitamin D

Next on the list is what is also known as the, “Sunshine Vitamin”, vitamin D. Why the nickname? When exposed to the sun, the body can produce its own vitamin D. The ultraviolet rays absorbed by the skin allow for the body to synthesize it naturally. This is highly beneficial because vitamin D helps promote bone growth. It does so by significantly increasing the body’s ability to absorb and use calcium. On top of getting adequate exposure to sunlight, good sources of vitamin D include fortified dairy products, eggs and all sorts of fish.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a huge contributor to overall health because, like vitamin A, it is an antioxidant. This is extremely important for lung health because vitamin E prevents the lungs from being damaged by air pollution. Think of vitamin E as a wall between toppling dominos. The dominos that fall are substances that are attacked by oxygen. Once they reach the wall, though, they can go no further and the dominos behind the wall remain standing. The standing dominos would be the protected cells (including lung tissue.) Vitamin E is also very crucial for brain health and muscle hypertrophy. Sources include vegetable oils, whole grains, leafy vegetables, eggs and nuts.

Vitamin K

To wrap up fat-soluble vitamins, let’s talk about vitamin K. People like to remember its function in the body by spelling the word “coagulate” with a K. Why? Because that is exactly what vitamin K’s main function is; it’s a coagulant. Coagulation takes place wherever one may find a cut on their skin. The act of scabbing over the cut (blood coagulation) is a function of vitamin K. On top of that, vitamin K partners with vitamin D in optimizing bone growth. It, too, assists the body in using calcium. You can find vitamin K in members of the cabbage family—spinach, broccoli, brussel sprouts and other salad greens.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

The other types of vitamins are called water-soluble vitamins because, well, they’re absorbed with water. Included in this list are vitamin C and all forms of vitamin B. Since these are absorbed with water, the body does not store them. Whatever is needed is used and the rest is excreted through urine or perspiration. Therefore, it is very difficult to consume them in toxic amounts.

Vitamin C

Everyone has heard, ”I feel a cold coming. Better drink some orange juice!” This is because vitamin C is known as the ultimate immune system supporter. Although not an absolute guaranteed cure, vitamin C does indeed support the immune system. It also assists in the synthesis of collagen (bone structure) and is an antioxidant. In fact, vitamin C is considered the antioxidant’s antioxidant because it will be oxidized before vitamin A or vitamin E, allowing them to do their job before acting as an antioxidant themselves. Another important function of vitamin C is its ability to increase iron absorption. It does so by keeping iron in its absorbable ferrous form. One can absorb four times as much iron from a food source when it is consumed with a sufficient amount of vitamin C. The best sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits (oranges, pineapple, etc.), white potatoes, asparagus, berries and cantaloupe.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B is a tricky vitamin to explain. It is broken down into a long list of complexes numbered 1-12 but skipping 4, 10 and 11 (scientists, right?). The first three—B1, B2 and B3 (otherwise known as thiamine, riboflavin and niacin, respectively) are coenzymes in carbohydrate metabolism. All three can be found in fortified grain and dairy products, green vegetables, meats and beans. Niacin can also be found in large amounts in roasted coffee.

The next three (B5, B6 and B7—known as pantothenic acid, pyridoxine and biotin, respectively), all play key roles in macronutrient metabolism. Pantothenic acid assists in the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat and protein and can be found in egg yolks, whole grains, potatoes and broccoli. Pyridoxine is a coenzyme in both the synthesis and catabolism of amino acids, meaning that when your body needs to either synthesize its own non-essential amino acids or revert to protein for energy, vitamin B6 is responsible for getting the job done. Good sources include bananas, sweet and regular potatoes, spinach and chicken breast. Lastly, biotin is a key factor in the metabolism of fatty acids as well as the catabolism of amino acids (along with B6.) It also plays a role in the growth of body tissues (hair, skin and nails.) Its sources are nuts, egg yolks beans/legumes and fortified grain products.

Rounding up the B-complexes are B9 and B12 (folic acid and cobalamin, respectively.) Without adequate folic acid, the body would not be able to synthesize protein anywhere near as efficiently as it would with it. Therefore, lean muscle tissue is supported by an adequate intake of folic acid. It can be found in fortified grains, beans, asparagus, avocado and spinach. Cobalamin is commonly seen in the world of nutrition as its “B” name (B12.) It plays a very important role in the body; it is an essential coenzyme in the formation of DNA, RNA and red blood cell formation. The best sources of vitamin B12 are red meat, pork, cottage cheese and fish.

One more…

A final, little nutrient that I need to cover after the B-complexes is choline. Although not really a B-vitamin, it is usually grouped with them. Choline is vital to the brain’s development and structure. It does so by assisting the body’s storage of fat in fat cells while also lowering the amount of fat in the liver. This is very important for both neural and overall organ function. Milk, eggs and peanuts are all great sources of choline.

Conclusion

With so many people today practicing flexible dieting (including myself and my clients), I think it is very important to still take micronutrient sufficiency into consideration. I am well aware of the fact that a lot of highly processed, flexible foods are micronutrient dense, but what I am really looking to push here is the consumption of wholesome, unfortified sources of vitamins. Am I saying kick all fun foods and go 100% Paleo? Absolutely not. As I said above, I recommend the flexible dieting protocol to all of my clients. However, I believe that its abuse should be avoided and that we should not forget why we truly take part in physical fitness—to live a healthy lifestyle.