Vitamim intake doe it work?

[Frankie - B]

Just woundering...

Whem i raced mtb a year ago i took vitamin suplements because everybody told me to do so. Does it really help? Or is it for not getting sick because of low fat?
And What do you think are the best. Just the normal one's that you can buy everywhere or do we need some specialized vitamin complex?

[Xterra Racer]

During race season last year, I was taking one multi-vit in the morning and one in the evening. I think the major benefit is for keeping you healthy and avoiding getting sick. I train almost 7 days a week (off-road triathlon racing) and found when I stopped taking them, I was more prone to little colds and stuff like that.

The key to taking over-the-counter multi vitamins is to take two a day (one morning and one evening). Those regular store bought pills are designed for people that are much less active than we are. If your training and racing alot, you need twice the intake to get the benefit.

In most solid form vitamins, you only get a fraction of absorbsion of the actual material. So when you take into account your activity level and the fact you only get something like 50% of the vitamin absorbed into your system, you need twice as much as the regular guy.

[Frankie - B]

ok. thanks. Thats usefull

just curious:
Are there any other opinions?

[Xterra Racer]

As far as other options go, you can get some liquid versions of multi vitamins, but they are expensive. Of course the best option is to eat really healthy.

The more expensive vitamins claim a higher absorbtion rate than cheaper versions. I follow the rule of go with what you can afford and double the reccomended intake (one morning and one evening). If you have the money to burn you can buy the really pricy stuff, but the bottom line is you still won't absorb 100% of what they have listed so you still need to take double the reccomended dose.

As an example take the following in training and race season:
1. Two multivitamins each day (one morning and one evening)
2. Two Vitamin C tabs (extra vitamin C can't hurt you) each day (morning/evening)
3. One Vitamine E cap per day (helps with recovery & is a good anti-oxident)
4. One glucosamine pill per day (helps with some knee problems I have from running)

Hope this helps.

[Perry]

yep eat healthy thats the ticket
better to spend the money on a sallad(or new stuff to your bike) each day and tastier than pills
and do remember that some vitamins is toxic when you overdose them

and one more tip STAY AWAY from anti-oxidants (Q10 etc..) they slow down the muscle building so you get less from training than your suposed to

[limba]

Ok so give me some ideas for eating healthier.I wake up and have a bowl of Frosted Flakes cereal and a large bottle of water then I'll eat a piece of fruit or maybe a bagel with peanut butter and jam.
For lunch usually some kind of pasta and more water or a Coke.
Afternoon snack maybe another piece of fruit or a couple of granola bars.
Diner some kind of chicken usually or pizza twice a week.I have chinese chicken fried rice and chicken balls once a week.
Some more cereal or fruit and more water later that night.I don't eat ANY vegetables besides lettuce.
What should I change?

[Cyco]

Starting with breakfast, try and eat a low GI meal (ie muesli - of the non-toasted variety) and adding fruit is fine.
Pasta is fine for lunch, but a white sauce has a much higher fat content than a tomarto sauce, salad sandwiches are a good option.
In the afternoon the fruit is good, granola bars are high GI (have lots of raw sugar)and not prefered.
The Chinesse and pizza are faily high fat options, foods from further south in asia (ie thai) tend to be lower fat, if you are eating out/ takeaway.

To get a full selection of vitamins and fibre it is reccomended you eat 15 different fruits and vegatables a day, and fish is the prefered meat source.

Edit: Typo

[Frankie - B]

I think you should eat Some more vegetables. About 200 gr. a day!