How Vitamins Can Aid In Muscle Recovery
Every time we workout we are creating microtears in our muscles which then recover and create stronger and bigger muscles. Recovery from a workout is very important. Recovery is when our muscle cells rebuild themselves and create stronger muscles.
To help aid the recovery process one can use supplementation. Let’s go over some of the most important vitamins to take to aid the recovery process.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is naturally found in animal meat and dairy products. Vitamin A aides in muscle repair, muscle oxygenation, and muscle growth. Additionally, Vitamin A helps maintain proper bone density and can help prevent fractures. The recommended dosage for men is 900 mcg/ day and women 700 mcg.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects muscle cells from free radicals, helps formation of testosterone/ anabolic hormones, and aids collagen production.
Vitamin C is necessary for the formation of blood vessels, cartilage, muscle, and collagen in bones and is vital for the body’s healing process. Vitamin C is naturally found in citrus fruits, betties, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and spinach. Recommended dosage is 90 mg/day for men and 75 mg/day for women.
B Vitamins
B Vitamins are vital to cellular energy production, aids in the synthesis of new blood cells, and promotes protein metabolism. Vitamin B helps to break down the protein consumed and transport it to muscles and form new muscles. Proper dosage for Vitamin is listed in the chart at the bottom of this blog.
CoQ10
CoQ10 holds a very important role in cellular energy in our bodies. CoQ10 is naturally produced in the body, but it reduces in level as we age. CoQ10 improved exercise performance by decreasing oxidative stress on cells, which means improvements in endurance. Recommended dosage is 1,200 mg/day.
Omega 3
Omega 3 acids have an important role in muscle mass synthesis and function. These acids increase the muscle protein synthesis, decrease the expression of factors that decrease muscle protein breakdown, and improve the respiration mechanics of the mitochondria of muscle cells.
There are many studies that demonstrated improved muscle gain and improved speed in those that took 2 g/day of Omega 3 acids a day versus a control group.
| Vitamin | Daily Requirement |
|---|---|
| Vitamin B1 | 1.2-1.4 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 1.5-1.7 mg |
| Vitamin B3 | 12-18 mg |
| Vitamin B5 | 8 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.6-1.8 mg |
| Vitamin B7 | 100-200 ug |
| Vitamin B9 | 300-600 ug |
| Vitamin B12 | 2-3 ug |
